US07680583B2
A system and method for identifying the cylinders having the lowest (“weakest”) and highest (“strongest”) Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP) utilizes engine speed derivative and/or higher order derivative values typically available in an engine control module by virtue of the need to detect misfire. A delta parameter is calculated that is indicative of the difference between the engine speed derivatives and/or higher order derivatives for the “weakest” and the “strongest” cylinders. Control action is then taken to balance the cylinders, based on the delta parameter, by first increasing torque for the “weakest” cylinder, by at least one increasing spark advance, increasing fuel, decreasing dilution (EGR) or slowing decay of fuel control on cold start. Once the weakest cylinder has been balanced, the control action is then directed to increasing torque of the new “weakest” cylinder.
US07680582B2
There is provided an idling rotation speed control apparatus that can reduce the development man-hours and the cost and that enables operation during a trolling cruise to be readily performed. The idling rotation speed control apparatus includes an engine rotation speed detection means, an engine temperature detection means, an engine idling driving state detection means, an engine load detection means, an intake air amount adjusting means for adjusting an amount of intake air during an idling state, and an ECU for controlling the intake air amount adjusting means during idling driving. The ECU includes a basic torque ratio calculation function for calculating a ratio of torque to be generated, to engine maximal torque, that is necessary for making the engine steadily operate at a target rotation speed during idling driving; a target torque ratio calculation function for correcting the basic torque ratio, in accordance with a difference between a target rotation speed and an engine rotation speed, and calculating a target torque ratio; a target air amount calculation function for calculating an air amount necessary for generating the target torque ratio; and an intake air amount adjusting function for controlling the intake air amount adjusting means, based on the calculated air amount.
US07680580B2
Apparatus and method for air/fuel ratio control for smoothening variation of air/fuel ratio among a plurality of cylinders of an internal combustion engine including a sensor for measuring output of the internal combustion engine. A device calculates a correlation function of each cylinder by taking cross-correlation of values measured by the sensor and a reference signal for each cylinder. A device then calculates a smoothing target value which is common for all of the cylinders. Cylinder controllers produce control input to the respective cylinders such that the correlation function converges to the smoothing target value.
US07680578B2
A system 10 for determining high accuracy gradient information includes linearization means 20, a sum unit 45, and state space model and observer means 50 for calculating a road gradient χRoad. The linearization means 20 includes an air resistance calculation unit 30 and a rolling resistance calculation unit 40. The means 50 includes a state space model 60 and a state space observer 70. The sum unit 45 determines a total sum wheel force ΣFLij of wheel forces FLij. The linearization means 20 calculates an air resistance force FW and a rolling resistance force FR based on a vehicle velocity vCoG using approximation equations, calculates a linearized total sum force FSum by subtracting the air resistance force FW and the rolling resistance force FR from the wheel forces FLij, and inputs the linealized total sum force FSum to the state space model and observer means 50.
US07680565B2
A method of determining variations in operating characteristics of a mechanical system having a rotatory mode of operation and bearing balls entrained within a bearing balls recirculation system. There are provided the steps of first monitoring operating impulses generated by the mechanical system during a first interval of operation; first analyzing the operating impulses obtained during the first interval to determine the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses; first correlating the operating impulses obtained during the first interval to corresponding angular positions of the rotatory mode of operation; and first producing a first record of the intensity and frequency of the operating impulses obtained during the first interval correlated to the corresponding angular positions of the mechanical system. The health of bearing balls within the recirculation system is determined by monitoring the vibration characteristic of the recirculation system, which is correlatable to the specific bearing balls.
US07680563B2
A control method which quickly adjusts a plasma processing apparatus to a desired pressure regardless of gas type, gas flow rate or target pressure simply by optimizing constants. The plasma processing apparatus includes: gas supply means which supplies processing gas to a low pressure processing chamber; plasma generating means which supplies electromagnetic energy to the processing gas in the low pressure processing chamber and generates plasma; exhaust means which exhausts gas in the low pressure processing chamber; gas pressure measuring means which measures gas pressure in the low pressure processing chamber; exhaust speed adjusting means which adjusts exhaust speed of gas to be exhausted by the exhaust means; and an arithmetic and control unit calculates an exhaust speed to make the gas pressure measured by the pressure measuring means equal to a target value, and controls the exhaust speed adjusting means according to the calculation result.
US07680549B2
A device for diagnosing operation of an industrial process control or monitoring system includes an input configured to receive an input related to a process signal. A first statistical parameter module provides a first statistical parameter output related to a statistical parameter of the process signal. A filter provides a filter output related to a filtered value of the process signal. A second statistical parameter module provides a second statistical parameter output related to a statistical parameter of the filter output. A diagnostic module diagnoses operation of the industrial process based upon the first and second statistical parameters.
US07680548B2
The future of the utility industry will be defined by how its leaders can transform the grid from a “passive” network of cables, wires, poles, and other hardware to a self-aware and fully controllable grid system—an Intelligent Grid System (IGS). We will discuss a novel set of design guidelines for utilities (and other industries) to build their own Open Intelligent Grid System with the lowest possible risk and cost, while achieving the architectural criteria, technical features and functions required. We will discuss how to avoid the dead ends to which limited design and architecture can lead, and we will lay out the design solutions that will overcome the business and technical challenges posed by an array of technology products and business imperatives. Using IGIN (Intelligent Grid Interface Node), one can integrate or connect hybrid networks for different purposes, such as power electric industry, telecommunication, computer network, and Internet.
US07680544B1
A lead for connecting to a pacing and/or defibrillation power source is disclosed herein. The lead includes a lead tubular body, a connector for connecting the lead to the power source, and a strain-flex relief assembly joining the lead tubular body to the connector assembly and including a helical multi-strand cable conductor configuration.
US07680531B2
One or more fetal heart component signals in one example are separated from heart signal information obtained from a pregnant female based on singular value decomposition.
US07680520B2
The present invention relates to systems and methods for a implementing an optimized power conservation communication protocol, wherein the communication link is flexible and the power consumption characteristics are optimized. One facet of the system's flexibility relates to the system's ability to negotiate device control roles associated with a polling communication link. Also, once the device control roles are in place and the communication link is established, the system selectively implements a number of polling protocols for a multitude of applications that need a low power consumption. In some embodiments the system maintains a communication link with a reduced frequency polling protocol. This type of communication link maintains efficient power consumption characteristics, as well as, connection times that are faster than establishing a communication link between disconnected devices.
US07680512B2
A method of using a mobile device to print onto a print medium, the method comprising the steps of: (a) determining print data; (b) determining a first orientation of a print medium inserted into the mobile device; and (c) modifying a second orientation of the print data prior to printing onto the print medium, to take into account the first orientation.
US07680511B2
A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with at least one wireless device associated with a single telephone number serving as a virtual office extension is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a wireless connect unit in communication with an enterprise private branch exchange (PBX) network. The wireless connect unit preferably serves as a gateway between the PBX and one or more remote communication devices, including at least one wireless device, associated with a virtual extension telephone number. The remote wireless device can be used as a standard PBX office telephone for both inbound and outbound telephone calls. Thus, features of the PBX network (e.g., voice mail, direct extension dialing, corporate calling plan, etc.) are available to the remote wireless device even though it is not physically connected to the PBX. When the system receives an incoming call, it can route the call to a remote wireless device associated with a virtual extension, or to combination of devices simultaneously, or as desired by the user.
US07680491B2
The method and system allowing for one mobile phone number (MSISDN) to be associated with a plurality of wireless devices is described.
US07680474B2
Digital mixers which permit mixing of asynchronous signals are constructed of Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) logic elements. The logic elements may include an RSFQ non-destructive readout cell (NDRO), an RSFQ D flip-flop, an RSFQ XOR circuit, and an RSFQ T flip-flop. A binary tree arrangement of T flip-flops can be used to provide in-phase and quadrature phase-divided replicas of a reference signal. The mixing elements can be either an XOR circuit, a dual port NDRO circuit functioning as a multiplexer or an RS type NDRO functioning as an AND gate. The RSFQ logic elements utilize Josephson junctions which operate in superconducting temperature domains.
US07680472B2
A device for receiving a RF signal over multiple channels, a receiver incorporating the device, a method of providing digital calibration values for a digitally-tunable resonant circuit of the device, and a method of processing an RF signal. In one embodiment the device includes: (1) a low-noise amplifier having a digitally-tunable resonant circuit, (2) a memory configured to store digital calibration values particular to the device and (3) a time-constant controller coupled to the low-noise amplifier and configured to retrieve from the memory at least one of the digital calibration values as a function of a channel to be received and, based on the at least one, to cause the digitally-tunable resonant circuit to provide a time-constant corresponding to the channel to be received.
US07680469B2
An electronic device power management system, comprising a plurality of wireless transmitters and receivers and a power management module configured to selectively adjust the operational status of at least one of the plurality of wireless transmitters and receivers based on a signal indicative of at least one characteristic of a wireless network to which the electronic device is associated.
US07680463B2
A method and an arrangement for testing a radio device without radiation losses are provided. The arrangement comprises a waveguide closed at both its ends and comprising a holder arranged to hold the radio device at least partly inside the waveguide in such a manner that the radiating part of the radio device remaining outside the waveguide is entirely inside the holder. The arrangement also comprises at least one coupling inside the waveguide for transmission and reception of a radio-frequency signal.
US07680459B2
An RF transmission system comprises an RF transmitter receiving a base band media signal and generating a broadcast signal on a broadcast frequency. The broadcast frequency may be one of a plurality of transmission frequencies within a frequency band. A radio data control module periodically performs an interference detection measurement to determine whether an interfering signal from a remote transmitter exists at the broadcast frequency. An open frequency is selected if an interfering signal from a remote transmitter exists at the broadcast frequency. The open frequency may be one of the plurality of transmission frequencies wherein RF interference is within predetermined acceptance criteria. The RF transmission system transmits an identification of the open frequency on the broadcast frequency and, following such transmission, switches the broadcast frequency to such open frequency.
US07680455B2
Methods and systems for choosing at least one signal path are disclosed. Aspects of the method may include determining a signal quality metric for each of a plurality of signal paths, modifying the signal quality metric for each of the plurality of signal paths, and selecting at least one signal path based on at least one modified signal quality metric. At least one of the signal paths may be cycled through and the signal quality metric may be biased and/or increased and/or decreased for each of the plurality of signal paths by a fixed amount and/or by a predetermined amount. The signal quality metric may also be dynamically changed for each of the plurality of signal paths.
US07680452B2
A booster capable of preventing itself from adversely influencing a base station. This booster comprises a plurality of downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and a plurality of upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4). A received signal analyzing part (116) analyzes the perch channel information of a signal received from a base station to generate analysis information. When the analysis information shows that the reception quality of the received signal is below a threshold value, halt control parts (118,124) halts the operations of those ones of the downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4) that are related to that analysis information. When the analysis information shows that a path-loss value or a base station interference power is above a threshold value, the halt control parts (118,124) may halt the operations of those ones of the downstream signal amplifying parts (111-1 to 111-4) and upstream signal amplifying parts (112-1 to 112-4) that are related to that analysis information.
US07680451B2
A method for providing a motion signal with a sound signal using an existing sound signal encoding format. The method comprises providing the motion signal, providing the sound signal, inserting the motion signal in an available data field provided in the existing encoding algorithm, encoding the sound signal with the inserted motion signal according to the existing encoding algorithm to generate an encoded bitstream sound signal and providing the encoded bitstream sound signal comprising the motion signal and the sound signal.
US07680446B2
An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive member, a charging member, an electrostatic latent image forming member, a developing member, a transferring member, and a cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a cleaning brush contacting with a photosensitive member to remove residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive member and a lubricant supplying brush contacting with the photosensitive member to supply a lubricant to the surface of the photosensitive member. The lubricant supplying brush is configured to change an amount of the lubricant supplied to the surface of the photosensitive member depending on a linear speed of the photosensitive member.
US07680443B2
Developing device including an advance impeding member and an image forming apparatus using the same
A developing device is provided with which the increase in torque of a supply roller, unevenness of image density, and wear to the supply roller caused by the formation of an aggregated block of toner in the gap between the supply roller and the opposing side wall of a supply developer holding chamber can be suppressed. This developing device comprises a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image supported on a photoconductive member, a supply developer holding chamber for holding toner to be supplied to the developing roller, a supply roller for supplying the toner supported on the peripheral face thereof to the developing roller, a hopper that is disposed above the supply developer holding chamber and used to hold toner for replenishing the supply developer holding chamber, and a communication opening for allowing the hopper to communicate with the supply agent holding chamber, wherein a canopy member is provided directly above the gap to impede the advance of the toner on the supply roller into the gap between the supply roller and the opposing side wall of the supply developer holding chamber.
US07680439B2
The present invention is generally directed to composite materials or charge rolls comprising a sleeved foam charge roll where the sleeve is interference-fit over the foam core, and methods of constructing them. The foam core can be made with an outer diameter larger than that of the sleeve inner diameter. The sleeve can be interference fit over the foam core to provide a functional charge roll. In some embodiments the charge roll can be used in an image forming apparatus including, but not limited to, an electrophotography system, an electrophotographic copying machine, and a laser printer.
US07680416B2
A wavelength division multiplexed-passive optical network includes an optical line terminal for generating downstream optical signals of discrete wavelengths and for receiving upstream optical signals of discrete wavelengths, a remote node, coupled to the optical line terminal, a wavelength division unit settled to reflect a predetermined wavelength, and a plurality of optical network units. Each optical network unit has an optical source which is oscillated in a multi-mode and is self-injection locked by the predetermined wavelength provided thereto, thereby to generate the upstream optical signal in a single mode to be provided to the remote node.
US07680411B2
Imaging optical systems of imaging units of a multi-focus camera are set to form respective focal planes in a shooting space at different distances from the multi-focus camera. Front depths of field of the imaging optical systems are set to be so deep that they reach the adjacent focal planes that are arranged on the camera side of the respective focal planes. Focal lengths and magnifications of the imaging optical systems are so defined that images of any subjects of the same size are taken in the same size regardless of where the subjects are located in the shooting space.
US07680409B2
A camera system includes a camera body having an in-body motor; an interchangeable lens having an in-lens motor, the interchangeable lens being detachable from the camera body; a focusing mechanism for moving a focusing lens group provided in the interchangeable lens in an optical axis direction thereof; a rotational force transmission device which transmits a rotational force of the in-body motor to the focusing mechanism to perform an AF operation in a state where the interchangeable lens is attached to the camera body; an auto-focusing mechanism for driving the focusing mechanism to perform an AF operation by the in-lens motor, independently from the in-body motor; and a one-way clutch which allows transmission of a rotational force of the in-body motor to the in-lens motor while preventing a rotational force of the in-lens motor from being transmitted to the in-body motor.
US07680398B2
The recording apparatus of the present invention includes: a file generating section for receiving video data and audio data and generating a video data file and an audio data file; a dividing section for dividing the video data file into a plurality of video data elements and dividing the audio data file into a plurality of audio data elements, an arranging section for arranging data such that the video data elements and the audio data elements are recorded within a predetermined recording unit; and a recording section for recording the arranged data on an information recording medium.
US07680393B2
A content editing assistance system includes a mark generator for generating electronic mark data relating to content data; a take-metadata generator for generating a take-metadata file based on the electronic mark data generated for each take; a manager for managing the content data and the take-metadata file relating to the content data as separate files; a list generator for generating electronic-mark-list data based on the take-metadata file; and an editor for editing the electronic-mark-list data.
US07680389B2
A light transceiver module is designed for electronic devices. It forms an electric connection with the electric connector of the electronic device. The light transceiver module contains a base, a light-emitting device for providing optical signals, a light-receiving device for receiving optical signals, and a main circuit board. The base supports the light-emitting device, the light-receiving device, and the main circuit board. The main circuit board has a pluggable electric connector for connections with the electric connector of the electronic device. The light transceiver module can be used to simplify and optimize the devices using it.
US07680382B2
At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a method for fabricating a three-dimensional photonic crystal. In the method for fabricating the three-dimensional photonic crystal, a plurality of layers can be defined as one unit, and the total thickness of the one unit can be controlled such that an average layer-thickness of the plurality of layers in the one unit is about equal to the ideal layer-thickness so that a photonic band-gap occurs in a desired wavelength region.
US07680362B2
According to one embodiment, an optical filter has a polarization rotator and two instances of an optical bandpass filter (OBPF). The first instance of the OBPF processes a TE-polarized component of an optical input signal to produce a first filtered signal. The polarization rotator then transforms the TE polarization of the first filtered signal into the TM polarization. The polarization rotator also transforms the polarization of a TM-polarized component of the optical input signal into the TE polarization. The second instance of the OBPF processes the resulting TE-polarized signal to produce a second filtered signal. The first and second filtered signals having TM and TE polarizations, respectively, are then combined to produce a filtered output signal.
US07680348B2
A system and method for compressing digital images is provided. The method includes receiving an input image having a dimension d and a target dimension constraint dt, and determining a number of resolution levels R for generating an image having corresponding dimension dr. The difference between dr and dt is less than the difference between dr and the corresponding dimension of an image compressed at the next or the previous resolution level. The method additionally includes determining the scale factor S as a function of R and the dimension d of the input image, and scaling the input image in accordance with the scale factor S. The method further includes compressing the scaled input image with the R resolution levels for producing a compressed image including a lowest resolution image. The lowest resolution image has a corresponding dimension that is substantially the same as dt.
US07680339B2
When the edge magnitude of an image-block of interest is larger than both that of the image-block of interest after movement and that of an image-block which neighbors the image-block of interest in the moving direction (S7110, S7120), the edge magnitude and direction of the image-block of interest are updated to those of the image-block of interest after movement (step S7130).
US07680330B2
Methods and an apparatuses for automatically recognizing and/or verifying objects in a digital image are presented. In one example, a method automatically recognizes objects in digital image data by detecting an object of interest in input digital image data, obtaining a normalized object of interest, assigning texton representations of the normalized object of interest to produce a first a texton array, and determining a similarity between the texton representations and previously determined texton representations of at least one other object. In another example, an apparatus for automatically recognizing objects in digital image data is presented, which includes an image processing control-operably coupled to memory and functional processing units for controlling recognition processing, where the functional processing units further include an object detection unit, a normalizing unit, a texton generation unit, and a similarity unit.
US07680327B2
The invention is a method and apparatus for improving image-processing applications. Embodiments of the invention provide methods for preserving computation results and offer intermediary computation steps to allow the processing of images at any location to take advantage of previously processed image areas. The preferred embodiment offers a method for building a median filter that significantly improves the processing speed over basic techniques. By building a histogram hierarchy, image data statistics are added and subtracted using a multiplicity of histograms from the histogram hierarchy, where each histogram describes an image area. Furthermore, a histogram hierarchy is built using multiple layers, each layer defining a level of statistical resolution.
US07680322B2
Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL1 and IR1 for stereoscopic viewing, performing correction processing to remove perspective of images in the IL1 and IR1 at a base surface, creating images for the left eye and the right eye IL2 and IR2, and performing anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL2 and IR2. An image IL for the left eye is created by rendering a projection of each point of a graphic object onto a base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the left eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB, and an IMAGE IR FOR THE RIGHT EYE is created by rendering a projection of each point of the graphic object onto the base surface BS in a projection direction linking a viewpoint position for the right eye VPL to each point of the graphic object OB. Printed material for stereoscopic viewing is fabricated by anaglyph processing or the like, based on the IL and IR.
US07680319B2
A method for the non-destructive testing of an element for a nuclear reactor having the steps of: a) acquiring a radiographic digital image of at least one area in element, b) creating a reference image through the digital processing of the image obtained, and c) comparing the image obtained, processed if necessary, with the reference image to detect the presence of defects.
US07680310B2
Calibrating the dose response of an image acquisition device comprises comparing a first self-calibration curve to a second self-calibration curve to determine the relationship between the curves; modifying an acquired image based on the at least one difference; and applying an initial calibration to the acquired image, whereby the dose response of the image acquisition device is calibrated.
US07680309B2
A method is provided for simultaneously implementing an image preprocessing and storing of presentation states during a running image transfer by sending acquired image data, which may be in a low resolution format, to an image processing station where processing descriptions associated with the acquired image are assigned to the image data and stored along with the acquired image data in an image storage database for future access.
US07680299B2
In masquerading determination processing, a masquerading determination unit reads image data representing an image of an identification target on which a striped pattern is projected from an image storage unit to extract the striped pattern appearing in a face region of the image represented by the read image data. Subsequently, the masquerading determination unit determines whether a stripe in the face region in the image is a straight line or not. When the stripe is a straight line, because the identification target is a plane object such as a photograph or an image display device so that it can be determined that the target is at least not a person himself, the masquerading determination unit determines that the target masquerades. On the other hand, unless the stripe is a straight line, because the identification target has a solid configuration having three-dimensional irregularities to have a possibility of being a person himself, the unit determines that the target might not masquerade.
US07680292B2
A receiver module for a personal listening device to be fitted in the ear, on the ear, near the ear, or behind the ear, the receiver module having a movable armature, the receiver module comprises a motor assembly and a housing defining a chamber, the housing is made from a material that is corrosion resistant and is biocompatible to human skin contact. The receiver module further comprises at least one motor assembly directly disposed in the chamber. Optionally a communication link adapted to couple or decouple with the motor assembly. At least a portion of the communication link is disposed in the housing.
US07680291B2
For a method to operate a hearing device, a signal is recorded by at least one of several source units (S1, . . . , Sn). Furthermore, at least one of the recorded signals is classified into one or several predefined sound classes, characteristics of the source unit (S1, . . . , Sn), which records the signal, being taken into account during the classification. Finally, a hearing program is selected in the hearing device according to the classification result.
US07680290B2
A sound reproducing apparatus for providing an optimal virtual sound source and a sound reproducing method therefor are provided. The sound reproducing apparatus includes a virtual sound signal generation unit for generating more than one virtual sound signal corresponding to locations and the number of target virtual sound sources on the basis of more than one inputted sound signal, and a virtual sound signal downmix unit for downmixing said more than one virtual sound signal to virtual sound signal outputs corresponding to a predetermined number of output channels. The number and locations of diversely variable virtual sound sources are provided, thereby obtaining an effect of providing an optimal virtual sound source adaptively depending on each different environment.
US07680284B2
The present invention is related to an apparatus and a method for controlling operations of low sound output in an audio system. Embodiments of an apparatus and a method for controlling an operation of an audio woofer in a machine provided with an audio system such as a portable computer can operate using at least one or more information of an audio data type, an audio signal, an audio channel number and a power source. Therefore, it is possible to accurately select and listen to an audio of a high-pass component only by stopping operations of a low-pass component for an audio as reproduced. In addition, embodiments of the present invention can extend a time for using a battery by controlling operations of a woofer, when using the battery power.
US07680279B2
An image control apparatus in an image display system applies scrambling only to image data which requires content protection and notifies to a display apparatus which pixel or pixels are scrambled. Alternatively, when a plurality of windows are displayed at the same time, the image control apparatus scrambles each window individually using a different key, and notifies to the display apparatus which scramble is applied to each pixel.
US07680276B2
A secure storage device with the external dimensions of a PCMCIA card, for securing digital camera data at the acquisition stage. Original digital camera data is saved in the memory of the secure storage device which has the capability of performing one or more security functions, including encryption, creation of an authentication file, adding data to the image data such as fingerprinting, and adding secure annotations such as separate data included in an image-header. The device prepares original authentication data from original digital camera data, and encrypts and stores both the original authentication data and the original image data. The use of the device includes downloading the original image data to a first computer, and encrypted original authentication data to a second computer. The second computer can be programmed with software whereby the encrypted original authentication data can be decrypted by a user having a key. The software then allows the user to prepare corresponding second authentication data from second image data of questionable authenticity. If the second authentication data is the same as the original authentication data, the questionable second image data is deemed to be an accurate copy of the original image data.
US07680266B2
The present invention describes a system and method for general parameter estimation using adaptive processing that provides a performance that significantly exceeds existing reduced-rank schemes using reduced computational resources with greater flexibility. The adaptive processing is accomplished by calculating a reduced-rank approximation of an observation data vector using an adaptive decimation and interpolation scheme. The new scheme employs a time-varying interpolator finite impulse response (FIR) filter at the front-end followed by a decimation structure that processes the data according to the decimation pattern that minimizes the squared norm of the error signal and by a reduced-rank FIR filter. According to the present invention, the number of elements for estimation is substantially reduced, resulting in considerable computational savings and very fast convergence performance for tracking dynamic signals. The current invention is aimed at communications and signal processing applications such as equalization, interference suppression of CDMA systems, echo cancellation and beamforming with antenna arrays. Amongst other promising areas for the deployment of the present technique, we also envisage biomedical engineering, control systems, radar and sonar, seismology, remote sensing and instrumentation.
US07680265B2
An echo canceller circuit (200) and method performs cascaded echo cancellation and noise suppression in a non-interfering manner. The echo canceller circuit (200) includes pre-noise suppression logic (210), echo canceller coefficient logic (218), noise suppression logic (212) and an echo canceller filter (216). The pre-noise suppression logic (210) receives pre-echo canceller uplink data (64) and downlink data (52), and in response produces pre-noise suppression uplink data (224). The echo canceller coefficient logic (218) receives the pre-noise suppression uplink data (224) and the pre-echo canceller uplink data (64), and in response produces filter coefficient data (226). The noise suppression logic (212) receives the pre-noise suppression uplink data (224), and in response produces noise suppressed uplink data (228). The echo canceller filter (216) receives the noise suppressed uplink data (228) and the filter coefficient data (226) and in response produces final uplink data (230).
US07680264B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for recording media communication. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: receiving an incoming call from a calling phone; routing the incoming call to a called phone in a contact center; transmitting voice communications associated with the incoming call via the calling phone through a conference bridge; duplicating the voice communications via the conference bridge; transmitting the duplicated voice communications via the conference bridge; and recording the duplicated voice communications.
US07680259B2
A rule-based intelligent call forwarding system is provided that typically includes a central office, a service control point, and an internet call routing system. The central office typically triggers a query responsive to receiving a call request. The service control point, which is coupled to the central office, receives the query, and triggers an internet call routing query. The internet call routing system, which is coupled to the service control point, typically receives the internet call routing query, determines presence of the called party with respect to a registered communication device, parses rules associated with the called party, and terminates the call request responsive to the rules parsing and presence determination. Methods and other systems are also provided.
US07680254B2
A health monitor subsystem detects and responds to faults within a geographically disperse voice messaging system. The health monitor subsystem comprises agent, manager, interface, and common processes. The agent process monitors a respective voice messaging system component operative on the host. The manager process monitors and manages detected faults on the host. The interface process exposes a status responsive to the host. The common process monitors and manages a platform of hosts. The health monitor subsystem enables monitoring at the component, host, and platform levels.
US07680241B2
A computed tomography reconstruction method includes concurrently emitting radiation from at least two x-ray sources (14), switching the output state of each of the at least two x-ray sources (14) within a plurality of respective cross scatter sampling intervals (50, 52, 54, 56) and detecting with a corresponding one of the sets of detectors (24) cross scatter radiation emitted by the other at least two x-ray sources (14), wherein the cross scatter sampling intervals are angularly spaced over a plurality of frames to allow the at least two x-ray sources (14) to concurrently emit radiation throughout at least one frame, deriving scatter correction data for each set of detectors (24) from corresponding cross scatter samples, scatter correcting the projection data with corresponding scatter correction data, and reconstructing the scatter corrected projection data to generate at least one image.
US07680239B2
A low power consumption shift register which inputs a CK signal with a low voltage with almost no effect of variation in characteristics of transistors. In the invention, an input portion of an inverter is set at a threshold voltage thereof and a CK signal is inputted to the input portion of the inverter through a capacitor means. In this manner, the CK signal is amplified, which is sent to the shift register. That is, by obtaining the threshold potential of the inverter, the shift register which operates with almost no effect of variation in characteristics of transistors can be provided. A level shifter of the CK signal is generated from an output pulse of the shift register, therefore, the low power consumption shift register having the level shifter which flows a shoot-through current for a short period can be provided.
US07680227B2
A method and system for filter calibration using fractional-N frequency synthesized signals are presented. The method may include generating an Local Oscillator (LO) signal by a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) circuit within a chip. A reference signal may be generated based on the generated LO signal and a synthesizer control signal. A frequency response for a filter circuit integrated within the chip may be calibrated by adjusting parameters associated with the filter circuit based on the generated LO signal. The system may include a single-chip multi-band RF receiver that enables generation of a LO signal by a PLL circuit within the single-chip, and enables calibration of a frequency response for a filter circuit integrated within the chip. A reference signal may be generated based on the generated LO signal and a synthesizer control signal. The frequency response may be calibrated by adjusting the filter based on the generated reference signal.
US07680223B2
A method for detecting a positioning signal includes (a) correlating a segment of a received positioning signal with a reference signal of a selected code phase and frequency to obtain a correlation value, (b) if the correlation value is less than a predetermined minimum, assigning the correlation value to the predetermined minimum, and (c) accumulating the correlation value in a sum of correlation values obtained using other segments of the received positioning signal. In addition, the correlation value may be reduced by a predetermined value, which is preferably an expected mean value for a noise component in the segment of the received positioning signal.
US07680204B2
A method is provided for convolutive coding for the transmission of space-time block codes according to the technique termed Golden Code, in a wireless communication network comprising at least a plurality of transmit antennas. The Golden Code coding is associated with a trellis coded modulation, and the necessary partitioning to the trellis is produced such that, for each partitioning step, a set Γ∞ is multiplied by at least one element β from the set Bk (k>1) of elements of Az such that: Bk={X∈Az and |Det(X)|2=2k}, the set Γ∞, termed “infinite Golden Code”, being a principal ideal of the ring Az as defined by the Golden Code technique.
US07680193B2
The invention provides a method for storing video signals at a first rate and reading the stored video signals at a second rate. According to an embodiment of the method, the video signals to be stored are compressed. The compressed video signals are stored in a memory at a first rate. The compressed video signals a read from the memory into a buffer at the first rate. The video signals stored in the buffer are read from the buffer at a second rate such that the video signals are decompressed.
US07680188B2
A method and apparatus for coding an image includes calculation of motion vectors of vertices of a patch in an image being encoded and transmitting information of horizontal and vertical components of the motion vectors of the vertices and information specifying that values of the horizontal and vertical components of a motion vector for each pixel in the patch are integral multiples of 1/d of a distance between adjacent pixels, where d is an integer not less than 2.
US07680184B2
A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination.
US07680177B2
A multipath wireless communication is processed to recover a transmitted data signal without performing a direct matrix inversion (DMI). First, the multipath wireless communication is received. Then HHH and HHH values associated with the multipath wireless communication are determined. Weights based on HHH and HHH associated with the received data signal may then be determined and used to recover the transmitted data signal from the received multipath wireless communication.
US07680174B2
A forward link power control mechanism measures the reverse link power control bits which are transmitted on the forward traffic channel. At the remote station, the reverse link power control bits from multiples base stations or multiple signal paths are measured, combined, and filtered to yield an improved measurement of the forward link signal quality. The reverse link power control bits which are deemed unreliable are omitted from use in the power control loop. The remote station generates a set of forward link power control bit in accordance with the measurements and transmits these bits to all base stations in communication with the remote station. Each base station adjusts its gain of the forward traffic channel in accordance to its measurement of the forward link power control bit.
US07680155B2
Program clock references in first and second MPEG data streams are re-stamped in accordance with delays introduced into the first and second MPEG data streams. Accordingly, the program clock references in the first MPEG data stream are re-stamped according to a variable delay in the first MPEG data stream, and the program clock references in the second MPEG data stream are re-stamped according to a variable delay in the second MPEG data stream. The re-stamped program clock references in the second MPEG data stream are corrected according to a fixed delay in the second MPEG data stream. The first and second MPEG data streams are multiplexed, and the multiplexed first and second MPEG data streams are transmitted and received.
US07680150B2
An arrangement avoids contention on a communication medium among devices including at least a transmitter and a receiver. The arrangement involves a first portion configured to instruct a receiver to indicate that the communication medium is busy for a time period substantially longer than an actual frame transmission period being sent from the transmitter to the receiver, and a second portion configured to prohibit the receiver from transmitting on the communication medium during the time period.
US07680149B2
A communication method between the units of a distributed base station system, characterized by comprising: at the transmitting end, mapping a CPRI link to a GFP-T frame; encapsulating the GFP-T frame into SDH virtual containers to form a STM-N frame; and transmitting the STM-N frame via a SDH line, and at the receiving end, receiving the STM-N frame transmitted via the SDH line; separating the SDH virtual containers from the STM-N frame; extracting the GFP-T frame from the SDH virtual containers; reproducing the CPRI link from the GFP-T frame.
US07680147B2
A method of transmitting data packets, where randomness is added to the schedule. Universal broadcast schedules using encoding and randomization techniques are also discussed, together with optimal randomized schedules and an approximation algorithm for finding near-optimal schedules.
US07680146B1
An integrated circuit comprises a physical layer interface that is implemented by the integrated circuit, that is associated with a network device, and that communicates with an external device via a medium. A first serializer interface implemented by the integrated circuit communicates with the physical layer interface and with a second serializer interface associated with a medium access controller. The first serializer interface communicates with the second serializer interface at a predetermined data transmission rate that is independent of a negotiated transmission rate between the network device and the external device.
US07680137B2
A process for transmitting asynchronous data packets includes a step of starting a packeting operation. After receiving a message from a message composition module, the process interrupts the packeting operation based on the message. A packet formed during the packeting operation prior to the interrupting step is transmitted. The steps are repeated so as to transmit a plurality of packets.
US07680130B2
In a method for finding a resource and a service conducted in each of relay node relaying a frame, a search table is maintained to register more than one node providing a resource or a service, when an access request including an identification identifying the resource or the service, which the node stops providing, is received, a next transfer node is switched from the node, which stops providing the resource or the service, to an available node providing the resource or the service identified by the identification, by searching for the search table by the identification.
US07680127B2
An environment dependent network connection switching setting system and method thereof is provided, wherein the network connection is interrupted due to changes of the network environment of the user, the system is utilized to automatically detect a set of optimal current network setting parameters based on the network setting parameters previously set by the user, and proceed with network connection based on the optimal current network setting parameters, thus facilitating and expediting network connection in the changing network environments.
US07680111B2
Disclosed is a communication method using the mobile IPv6 in the NAT-PT environment, and a recording medium storing the method. An NAT-PT (Network Address Translation-Protocol Translation) box as a substitute for an IPv4 node in the communication method performs an RR (Return Routability) process and a BU (Binding Update) process with an IPv6 node to allow data communication between the IPv4 node and the IPv6 node. Therefore, mobility support using the mobile IPv6 is provided in the network with the mixed IPv4 and IPv6.
US07680110B2
A communication device configured to receive a first packet from a first network including a virtual network, and to transmit a second packet to a second network, the communication device including: a receiver section configured to receive the first packet from the first network; a converter section configured to convert a second destination address of the first packet to the first destination address of the second packet using identifying information of the virtual network; a selector configured to select a security parameter based at least in part on the first destination address of the second packet; an encryption section configured to encrypt the second packet based on the security parameter; and a transmitter section configured to multicast the encrypted second packet to the second network.
US07680105B2
A communication device such as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway multiplexes data intended for multiple voice connections within a single IP packet. If it is known in advance that packets for multiple connections between a given Originating Exchange (OEX) and Terminating Exchange (TEX) will travel between the Originating Gateway and Terminating Gateway, voice samples are multiplexed into the same VoIP packet. This “cell multiplexing” is accomplished by adding a cell header field to each cell payload portion. The cell header field indicates at least a connection identifier, so that the terminating gateway can route the payload to the correct TEX trunk. The scheme permits greatly improved efficiency in the carrying of VoIP traffic, especially where efficient voice coders are used.
US07680102B2
Method and system for connecting manipulation equipment between operator's premises and the internet
Traffic passing between remote terminals and corporate intranets through an access server provider network can encounter security and addressing problems. Intercepting and manipulating this traffic can overcome these, as well as other problems. For such traffic that is being transported over a plurality of Network Based Tunnels (NBT), this manipulation can be performed by manipulation equipment that may reside in the access server provider's network between an Access Gateway (AGW) and a Border Gateway (BGW). The manipulation equipment may manipulate received NBT packets by parsing the original packet that is encapsulated in the NBT packet, manipulating the original packet and reconstructing the NBT packet with the manipulated data of the original packet.
US07680098B2
Techniques are disclosed for determining, for each candidate communication medium, the availability of one or more telecommunications endpoint users for participating in a communication session of interest (i.e., either new or existing) via the evaluated medium. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, an availability manager determines the availability based on (i) one or more discrete rules, or (ii) one or more continuous functions, or both. The continuous functions are specified with respect to the time that has elapsed since a previous session, the time remaining in an active session, and the expected duration of a new session. Once it has determined the availability of one or more participants in the communication session, the availability manager of the illustrative embodiment transmits one or more signals to a call-processing server, which then sets up the participants on the session via the appropriate communication medium such as voice, instant messaging, and so forth.
US07680094B2
In a method for aligning a plurality of physical channels for uplink transmission two or more physical channels may be aligned based on a timing offset so that the two channels are transmitted in the uplink at a time instant different than a time of uplink transmission for a third physical channel. Accordingly, the two physical channels may be code multiplexed with additional physical channels other than the third physical channel to generate a code-multiplexed signal to be used for uplink transmission. The timing offset information may be assigned to the user from a base station, for example, in order to align the two physical channels. Accordingly, an increase in peak-to-average power ratio my be avoided and/or reduced if multiplexing the two physical channels with other physical channels for uplink transmission.
US07680093B2
A Forward Supplemental Channel (F-SCH) serving sector for a packet data call to a mobile terminal in a CDMA network is dynamically selected by monitoring radio channel conditions at potential F-SCH serving sectors. The sector loading at the potential F-SCH serving sectors is also monitored. A new F-SCH serving sector is then selected based on the sector loading and the channel condition measurements. Radio channel conditions may be monitored by PPSMM and/or CQI reports from the mobile terminal, monitoring the transmit power on the F-FCH of sectors in the mobile terminal's active set, and monitoring the transmit power on the F-SCH of the current serving sector. The new F-SCH serving sector may be determined by estimating sector loading of each potential sector at each possible data rate, and selecting the sector offering the highest data rate and lowest loading at that rate.
US07680089B2
Dynamic channel assignment and connectivity maintenance in wireless networks may involve switching channels while maintaining connectivity in wireless ad hoc networks. In a described implementation, a wireless network may be separated into two or more respective virtual wireless networks with respective wireless node subsets operating on respective channels. Connectivity may nevertheless be maintained when a wireless node on one channel is to send a communication to another wireless node on another wireless channel. In another described implementation, monitored network information may be shared among wireless nodes by broadcast.
US07680077B1
A system and method for controlling channel access in a communications system is disclosed. The method and system include providing a data packet to communications queue and determining the priority of the data packet. The method and system also generate a channel occupancy statistic. The channel occupancy statistic is based on the level of activity on a communications channel during a predetermined period. The method and system also compare the channel occupancy statistic to a predetermined threshold. The threshold is based on the priority.
US07680073B2
A method for routing messages having a routing indicator across linked master/slave configured piconets. At each master node, a routing table is stored and at each hop a receiving master node performs a reception algorithm on the routing indicator, the result enabling the receiving node to identify a target node and whether that node is local to the receiving piconet or a node accessible through a piconet with which the receiving piconet is linked. In the latter instance, the receiving node performs a transmission rule on the result to generate a new routing indicator replacing the routing indicator, which is then transmitted with the message to the identified piconet.
US07680068B1
A system for optimizing an ad-hoc network. The system includes a plurality of nodes, wherein each node includes a computer implemented application configured to determine whether the present node is a link node such that the present node is the only node connecting at least one pair of nodes in the ad-hoc network, determine a connection number for the present node, wherein the connection number is the number of pairs of nodes connected by the present node not including pairs of nodes connected by link nodes, and determine whether the present node should be classified as an artery node based on the link node and connection number classifications.
US07680066B2
A method for protecting a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) includes: capturing specific protocol packets at an XDSL port by hardware of an XDSL single service board; and sending the captured specific protocol packets to a CPU of the XDSL single service board; determining whether the traffic amount of the specific protocol packets in a time unit exceeds a predefined threshold, if the traffic amount does not exceed the predefined threshold, submitting the specific protocol packets to a CPU of the host; otherwise stopping submitting the specific protocol packets to the CPU of the host. The method and the XDSL single service board provided by embodiments of the present invention need not manually set Media Access Control (MAC) address or maximum MAC address learning number for each XDSL port, which cuts down the maintenance workload, and on the other hand, reduces the loss of important protocol packets and lowers the load of the CPU.
US07680065B2
A system and method allowing control of VoIP communications by configuring a Network Address Translator (NAT) is provided. In a first NAT configuration, such a port-restricted NAT, peer-to-peer Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications are permitted between a VoIP originator and a receiver. In a second NAT configuration, such as a symmetrical NAT, peer-to-peer communications are not possible without further cooperation of the NAT. In this manner, an entity that has control of the NAT, such as an ISP, is able to have a degree of control over traffic using network resources such as bandwidth.
US07680064B2
A wireless communication apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver, and determines a modulation and error correction coding scheme used by the transmitter. The apparatus estimates a degree of channel variation, transmits, by the transmitter, a first frame for requesting response information necessary to select the modulation and error correction coding scheme, measures a response time between a instant when the transmitter transmits the first frame and an instant when the receiver receives a second frame including the response information, determines a threshold value of the response time for determining reliability of the response information, based on the degree of channel variation, and determines the modulation and error correction coding scheme selected based on the response information included in the second frame received by the receiver in the response time shorter than the threshold value.
US07680057B2
A data transmission method etc. is provided. At a transmitting side, if a frame contains transmission data, frame data containing the transmission data and a calculated error-detecting code is generated. If the frame contains no transmission data, frame data containing neither transmission data nor an error-detecting code is generated. At a receiving side, one or more final bit positions of the frame data are assumed in the frame, transmission data and an error-detecting code are assumed in the frame, and the error-detecting code of the assumed transmission data is calculated. If there is a position where the assumed error-detecting code matches the error-detecting code calculated based on the assumed transmission data, it is decided that the position is the final bit position. Otherwise, it is decided that the frame contains no transmission data or that the received frame data contains an error.
US07680051B2
In one embodiment, a method can include: (i) pre-configuring a stream control transmission protocol (SCTP) association; (ii) receiving a transmission control protocol (TCP) packet in a network device, where the TCP packet is intended for a destination node; (iii) encapsulating the TCP packet into an SCTP payload; and (iv) transmitting the SCTP payload across a wide area network (WAN).
US07680044B2
In a peer-to-peer network, one or more congestion events are defined that imply congestion on the network. In addition, one or more non-congestion events are defined that imply a lack of congestion on the network. When a node detects the occurrence of one or more of the defined congestion events, the node increases the spacing of connectionless protocol (e.g., UDP) packets that are sent by the node. When a node detects the occurrence of one or more of the defined non-congestion events, the node decreases the spacing of connectionless protocol packets that are sent by the node.
US07680039B2
Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles described generally herein may receive a first packet marked with a congestion indicator (CI). Upon receipt of the CI, a load-balancing operation may be performed among a plurality of physical links upstream from a point of congestion to alleviate the congestion. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07680032B1
A bi-directional line switched mesh includes at least one bi-directional line switched ring (BLSR) sharing a common section with a partial bi-directional line switched ring (PBLSR). The partial bi-directional line switched ring has no working traffic along the common section, but may utilize the protection bandwidth associated with the common section of the BLSR in the event of a span failure of the PBLSR. Both electrical and optical PBLSR networks are also disclosed including methods of operating the asymmetrical ring nodes having unconfigured working ports (spans).
US07680029B2
A recovery-path request message control block generates, sends, and receives a recovery-path request message containing failure location information and recovery-path setup information. A label assignment message control block generates, sends, and receives a label assignment message. A setup label information generation block generates setup label information. A recovery-path label table management block constructs and manages a recovery-path label table. A failure detection block detects the location of a failure. A failure notification message transfer block transfers a failure notification message containing failure location information. A recovery-path establishment block establishes a recovery-path by comparing failure location information contained in a failure notification message and failure location information contained in a recovery-path label table and by selecting setup label information corresponding to matching failure location information.
US07680023B2
Latency information is used for coding of additional information in a record medium. This additional information which gets embossed in the record medium might be used for verification purposes in that only storage media with the correct latency information are judged to be authentic or might be decoded in a proper way. This technique is applicable to record media, recordable record media, an emulator for recordable or non-recordable record media, a method for producing recordable or non-recordable record media, a method for verifying recordable or non-recordable record media, a record medium writing device for producing recordable or non-recordable record media, and a record medium accessing device for verifying recordable or non-recordable record media.
US07680020B2
A disc-shaped information recording medium includes a laminate of recording layers on and from which an information signal can be optically recorded and reproduced from one side of the medium. Data areas are provided in the recording layers, respectively. The information signal can be recorded on and reproduced from the data areas while a laser beam emitted from an optical pickup is applied to the data areas. Optical recording test areas are provided in the recording layers, respectively. A test signal can be recorded on and reproduced from the optical recording test areas to decide optimum power values of the laser beam for signal recording. The test areas are out of overlap as viewed in a direction of propagation of the laser beam.
US07680015B2
A polarizing beam splitter for separating an upstream beam from a downstream beam according to the polarization of an incident beam is provided between first and second light sources emitting laser beams at respective wavelength and an objective lens. A phase plate for providing a phase difference to a beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is provided between the polarizing beam splitter and the light sources. A portion of the laser beam incident on the polarizing beam splitter is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter and caused to be incident on a photo-detecting unit, so as to prevent an unnecessary portion of the laser beam is incident on the photo-detecting unit. According to the invention, the laser beam is used efficiently and the cost of fabricating an optical disk apparatus is reduced by eliminating a need for a gain controlling circuit in the photo-detecting unit.
US07680013B2
Provided is a spatial light modulator SLM and a photodetector element CMOS sensor are placed on the same chip, and the alignment thereof and a relay lens system are eliminated, whereby an optical system is reduced in cost and made compact. Specifically, provided is an optical information recording and reproducing apparatus for recording information by allowing information light and reference light to interfere with each other and reproducing the information using the reference light including: a light source; a spatial light modulator for generating at least an information light with respect to a light beam from the light source; an objective lens for irradiating a recording medium with the light beam from the spatial light modulator; and a photodetector element for receiving a reproduction light from the recording medium, in which the spatial light modulator and the photodetector element are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.
US07679993B2
A method of characterizing a fractured reservoir in a field includes measuring seismic reflection coefficient of the fractured reservoir as a function of angle of incidence and azimuth, predicting seismic reflection coefficient of the fractured reservoir as a function of angle of incidence and azimuth using an elastic stiffness tensor and an elastic compliance tensor of the fractured reservoir, determining components of an excess compliance tensor due to the presence of fractures in the fractured reservoir by matching the predicted seismic reflection coefficient to the measured seismic reflection coefficient, and characterizing one or more properties of the fractured reservoir using the excess compliance tensor.
US07679975B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory areas. Each of the memory areas includes a normal cell array and a redundancy cell array for repairing defective cells generated in the normal cell array such that the semiconductor memory device is usable even when memory arrays include defective cells. A size of a redundancy cell array of a first memory area is greater than a size of the redundancy cell arrays of the other memory areas.
US07679973B2
A register file is often used within integrated circuitry to temporarily hold data. Sometimes this data needs to be retained within the register file for a period of time, such as when there is a stall operation. Conventional register files have utilized a hold multiplexor to perform such a stall operation. The multiplexor however inserts a delay that is undesirable in high performance integrated circuitry. The multiplexor is replaced with a tri-state inverter coupled to the global bit line of the register file, which minimizes this additional delay from the register file data access time.
US07679968B2
Structures, methods, and systems for enhanced erasing operation for non-volatile memory are disclosed. In one embodiment, a semiconductor device which comprises a memory cell array having a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, a negative voltage generating circuit for applying a negative voltage to a word line of the memory cell array during an erasing operation of the memory cell array, and a positive voltage generating circuit for applying a positive voltage to a well of the memory cell array when the negative voltage reaches a predetermined voltage.
US07679953B2
A memory system includes phase change memory cells. A control module causes one of the phase change memory cells to be written using a write parameter, causes a resistance value of the one of the phase change memory cells to be read back, adjusts the write parameter, and causes the writing, reading and adjusting to be repeated until the resistance value is within a predetermined range of a target resistance value.
US07679952B2
In an example embodiment, an electronic circuit comprises a memory matrix with rows and columns of memory cells. First row conductors are provided for each of the rows. Second row conductors correspond to pairs of rows, each successive row forming a respective pair with a preceding one of the rows, so that each pair overlaps with one row of the next pair. Column conductors are provided for each of the columns. Each of the memory cells comprises an access transistor, a node and a first and a second resistive memory element. The access transistor has a control electrode coupled to the first row conductor of the row of the memory cell, a main current channel coupled between the column conductor for the column of the memory cell and the node. The first and second the resistive memory element are coupled between the node and the second row conductors for the pairs of rows to which the memory cell belongs.
US07679932B2
A housing mechanism (100) includes a main body (60) and a shield/cap (70). The main body accommodates an inner interface and defines a port (63) therein. The port is configured for allowing an outer interface to be inserted into the main body and for thereby engaging the outer interface with the inner interface. The shield is located near the port and is selectably rotatably positionable between a first position, in which the shield covers the port, and a second position, in which the shield does not cover the port. The first position and the second position cooperate to form an angle therebetween.
US07679921B2
A security enclosure and method of forming the security enclosure. The security enclosure includes an electronic assembly, an extension, and a tamper respondent wrap. The extension has a first end inserted in the assembly and a second end having at least one bonding pad thereon. The tamper respondent wrap at least partially surrounds the assembly. The wrap has a bonding pad. The bonding pad of the extension is secured to the bonding pad of the wrap. The tamper respondent wrap includes a plurality of layers. A plurality of electrically conductive lines or a plurality of electrically conductive ink traces exist within each layer of the wrap.
US07679918B2
Disclosed is a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) element and a PCB body. The LED comprises a heat sink, a light emitting body and two base feet, each base foot comprising a support portion for supporting the light emitting body, an engaging portion and a connecting portion for connecting the support portion to the engaging portion, and the heat sink is disposed under the support portion. The PCB body comprises a first recess portion for disposing the heat sink to increase heat dissipation of the heat sink and two second recess portions for receiving the engaging portions of the base feet to increase heat dissipation of the base feet.
US07679916B2
A system for extracting heat from an electronic device is provided. The system includes heat dissipation means positioned within a printed circuit board to form an in-board heat sink structure and a fluid heat transfer medium disposed in the heat dissipation means. The medium circulates through the heat dissipation means carrying heat away from the electronic device.
US07679915B2
There is provided a motor control apparatus in which a size of the apparatus can easily be reduced, a work for aligning a power semiconductor module with a substrate can be eliminated and an assembling property can be enhanced.In a motor control apparatus in which a power semiconductor module adhering to a heat sink is mounted on a first substrate, a spacer is provided between the heat sink and the substrate and the power semiconductor module is disposed in the spacer. Moreover, an edge part of a hole has such a structure as to block a space between a terminal protruded from a side portion of the power semiconductor module and the heat sink.
US07679910B2
A miniaturized liquid cooling device (200) includes a heat absorber (20), a heat dissipater (30), a droplet generator (40) driving a working fluid circulating between the heat absorber and the heat dissipater, and a plurality of tubes (50) connecting the heat absorber, the heat dissipater and the droplet generator with each other. The droplet generator includes a bottom electrode plate (42), a top electrode plate (44) hermetically covering the bottom electrode plate, a fluid channel (425) formed between and a plurality of control electrodes (422) disposed between the top electrode plate and the bottom electrode plate. The control electrodes are arranged between an inlet (481) and an outlet (491) of the droplet generator. Voltages are regularly applied across the control electrodes so as to generate a plurality of fluid droplets (D) and drive the fluid droplets to move from the inlet towards the outlet of the droplet generator.
US07679906B2
An external AC power adapter. The adapter includes a housing which, in one embodiment, defines an air inlet compartment, an air outlet compartment and a partially sealed electronics compartment containing electrical components for converting an AC input to a DC output. A blower generates an airflow within the electronics compartment for cooling the electrical components in the electronics compartment. Barriers are located in the air inlet compartment and the air outlet compartment to prevent liquid from entering the electronics compartment.
US07679900B2
A computer enclosure for mounting a disk drive bracket includes a chassis for receiving the disk drive bracket, and an extending plate releasably positioned and aligned at an end of the chassis. One portion of the disk drive bracket is fixed on the chassis, and the other portion is fixed on the extending plate. The disk drive bracket is completely mounted on the chassis and the extending plate.
US07679895B2
A device comprising a cavity adapted to house a removable, electronic storage device. The device also comprises a data connector adapted to blind-mate with the storage device. The data connector is lubricated.
US07679892B2
A supporting device for a display apparatus having a simplified configuration and an ease in manufacture with reduced manufacturing costs, and a display apparatus having the same. The supporting device includes a first supporting member coupled to a body of the display apparatus and defining therein a bore having an opened bottom, a second supporting member having a connecting portion to be inserted into the bore, an outer surface of the connecting portion being configured to correspond to the bore, a base to support the second supporting member, a connecting shaft to rotatably connect the first supporting member with the connecting portion and having both ends fixed to the first supporting member, and a friction structure provided between an outer surface of the connecting shaft and the connecting portion.
US07679891B2
A panel instrument to be mounted in a panel board, including: a main body having an outside dimension applicable to a first and a second panel instrument size standards; a display provided on one end of the main body and having an area that occupies a part of a front face of the panel board and is applicable to the first panel instrument size standard; a front panel mounted on a front face of the display; and a rear panel for holding the display with the front panel, wherein the rear panel has: first mounting holes that are provided on one diagonal line of the rear panel and correspond to a mounting hole standard applicable to the second panel instrument size standard; and second mounting holes that are provided on the other diagonal line and correspond to a mounting hole standard applicable to a third panel instrument size standard.
US07679889B2
A display apparatus includes: a thin plate display device having an image display surface and a back surface; a front cover that covers an outer area and end surfaces of the display surface of the display device; and a back surface cover mounted so as to cover the back surface, the cover being divided into a plurality of parts, wherein a projecting or recessed part is provided at a plurality of places on the front cover facing the end surfaces, a recessed or projecting part is provided that is fit into the projecting or recessed part facing thereto, on the back surface cover, and a slide mechanism part is provided in which the back surface cover is formed to move in parallel along the back surface of the display device and the fitting is achieved by the parallel motion.
US07679888B2
A modular container (2) for a flat display panel (3) has a mounting shelf (55) for the panel and power means (48) for selectively raising and lowering the mounting shelf and vertical channels (108) or geared tracks in the container positioned to receive side edges of the panel and adjustable laterally to accommodate panels of different widths. A modular container for a flat display panel has a mounting shelf for the panel and power means for selectively raising and lowering the mounting shelf and remotely controlled power means (32, 76), for moving said container with respect to a seated or recumbent person.
US07679883B2
Disclosed is an ultracapacitor having electrodes containing mineral microtubules, an electrolyte between the electrodes, and a separator in the electrolyte to provide electrical insulation between the electrodes, while allowing ion flow within the electrolyte. The electrodes may be formed from a paste containing microtubules, a conductive polymer containing mineral microtubules, or an aerogel containing the mineral microtubules. The mineral microtubules may be filled with carbon, a pseudocapacitance material, or a magnetoresistive material. The mineral microtubules may also be coated with a photoconductive material.
US07679876B2
A system capable of limiting a current through a load and a method thereof. The system comprises a current sensor, a determination circuit, and a current mirror circuit. The current sensor, coupled to the load, produces a current indication indicating the current. The determination circuit, coupled to the current sensor, generates a short-circuit signal when the current exceeds a predetermined threshold. The current mirror circuit, coupled to a voltage source, the current sensor and the determination circuit, comprises a current mirror and a bypass path, delivers a mirrored current from the current mirror to the load upon receiving the short-circuit signal, and passes the current from the voltage source through the bypass path to the load in the absence of the short-circuit signal.
US07679874B2
In one embodiment, the bulk input voltage is used to form a reference signal that is used for controlling a switching power supply system to operate in a power overload operating mode.
US07679873B2
A method of preventing deep discharge of the battery pack (1′) with series-connected cell groups (2a, 2b) by polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3), includes a difference measurement step which is repeated over time for detecting an event indicative of a probable reversal of polarity in which the change over time of the voltage difference between two cell groups (2a, 2b) having identical numbers of cells is checked to determine if the change in the voltage difference has exceeded an amount corresponding to a difference threshold value which reliably distinguishes a fast polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3) in exactly one cell group (2a, 2b) from the slow fluctuation of the voltage difference between two cell groups (2a, 2b) during an ordinary discharge characteristic curve without polarity reversal of an individual weakest cell (3); and a battery pack (1′) and a battery-powered hand-held power tool (7) with a monitoring circuit (5′) for implementing the method.
US07679868B2
A ground faulty interrupting function is returned to a normal standby state in a short time after a movable contact (8) tripped in detecting electrical leak is returned to a closed position. A tripping coil (10) which moves the contact (8) provided on an output line (2) to a shutdown position is included. A current transformer (12) is provided on a downstream of the contact (8). A circuit (20) energizes the coil (10) when the leak current are detected. A reset signal forming circuit (22) outputs a reset signal to the gate signal forming circuit (20) when the contact (8) is returned to a connection position. The circuit (20) obtains power from the upstream side of the contact (8). LED (16) is lit when the contact (8) is at the shutdown position, and LED (16) end display when the contact (8) is returned to the normal position.
US07679867B2
A magnetic flux coupling-type superconducting current limiter is capable of protecting lines more effectively by winding reactors of a primary coil and a secondary coil in series in the structure where the primary coil and the secondary coils are wound in parallel in the conventional magnetic flux-lock type current limiter to increase a linked flux generated from an iron core. An electric conducting current which rapidly increases when a fault occurs is divided into the secondary coil and a superconducting coil to decrease a load on the superconducting element and it is opened more rapidly than the existing superconducting current limiter during a quench time such that it better limits a fault current.
US07679861B2
A pole layer incorporates a track width defining portion and a wide portion. The track width defining portion has an end face that is located in the medium facing surface and that defines the track width. The maximum width of the wide portion is greater than the track width and equal to or greater than the length of the wide portion taken in the direction orthogonal to the medium facing surface. When the coil is generating no magnetic field, in the end face of the track width defining portion, there exist first and second regions in which the directions of components of magnetization orthogonal to the medium facing surface are opposite.
US07679860B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic film capable of providing a higher saturation magnetic flux density as compared with the conventional one, a process of forming the magnetic film, a thin film magnetic head that makes use of the magnetic film, and a magnetic disk drive having this thin film magnetic head. In one embodiment, a magnetic film contains Co, Ni, and Fe, and its composition is such that 10≦Co<20 wt %, 0≦Ni≦2 wt %, and 80
US07679859B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus that allows a mounting space for an electric signal wiring to be sufficiently secured relative to a circuit board and the circuit board to be secured stably to the case. In one embodiment, a case having a built-in head disk assembly includes board fixing bodies disposed in a protruding condition at two of four corners thereof. Protruding ends of the board fixing bodies include fit grooves. A circuit board for drivingly controlling the head disk assembly is fitted into the fit grooves in the board fixing bodies.
US07679857B2
In a system and method for a non-contact measurement of the fly height of a slider above a magnetic data storage medium using electrostatic force, a slider with a read/write head flies over a magnetic data storage medium. A series of distinct voltages are applied between the slider and the magnetic data storage medium, and corresponding read-back signals are recorded. Using the recorded read-back signals, coefficients for an empirical curve-fit equation are calculated. The coefficients are normalized and converted into a fly height measurement.
US07679846B2
A lens driving device according to the present invention includes a mounting base; a collimation lens that is engaged with the mounting base and movable in optical axis directions; and a driving source that moves the collimation lens in the optical axis directions, and the mounting base includes a fulcrum section with which, when the driving device is mounted on a base, a pitch angle and a roll angle of the driving device are adjusted with respect to the base and the optical axis.
US07679841B2
An optical system for taking image comprises three lens elements with refractive power, wherein a first lens element with positive refractive power includes at least one aspheric surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power, and a third lens element with negative refractive power includes at least one aspheric surface, which are mounted orderly from the object side to the image side. By such arrangements, the volume of the lens assembly can be reduced, and can obtain high resolution.
US07679838B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit having a negative refractive power and a second lens unit having a positive refractive power, which are arranged in order from the object side to the image side. The zoom lens performs zooming by changing a distance between the lens units. The first lens unit includes a compound optical element including a lens element and a resin layer having optical characteristics different from optical characteristics of the lens element, the resin layer being laminated on the lens element. An Abbe number νdg of a material of the lens element, an Abbe number νdj of a material of the resin layer, and an anomalous partial dispersion ratio ΔθgFj of the material of the resin layer are adequately set.
US07679836B2
A zoom lens system that performs zooming by moving lens units includes, in the following order from an object side towards image side, a first lens unit having positive refractive power and movable along a locus convex towards the image side during zooming from a wide-angle end to telephoto end, a second lens unit having negative refractive power, an aperture stop movable independently of the lens units, and third and fourth lens units having positive refractive powers. The following conditions are satisfied: −0.6
US07679831B2
Projection objectives of micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related methods and components, are disclosed.
US07679829B2
At least three incoming light beams (10a-c) are combined partly combined into a null beam and partly into fringe tracking beams. The relative phase difference between the incoming beams (10a-c) is controlled so that a phase relationship between in the null beam corresponds to destructive interference of the main beam components in the null beam. In the fringe tracker beams this leads at least partly to constructive interference between the main beam components, with an intensity that depends on the phase differences. Measurements of the intensities of the fringe tracker beams are used to control the relative phase differences of the incoming beams (10a-c) to realize destructive interference of the main components in the null beam. To form the null beam successively more of the light beams are combined into the null beam in a series of beam combiners (14a, 14 b). Part of the light is split from the incoming light beams into the fringe tracking beams, said splitting occurring at least partly between a start and end of said series (14a, 14b) or at said start.
US07679823B2
A reflective screen which can reflect high contrast images even in a bright environment and can reflect images with superior image color reproducibility, in particular, images substantially free from color change of the images, even when the screen is observed from an oblique direction. The reflective screen 6 uses a multilayer optical film consisting of at least two kinds of alternately laminated transparent dielectric thin films selectively reflecting lights of specific wavelength regions as a reflecting layer 2, and the reflecting layer 2 has a light reflecting property for light in the wavelength regions of blue, green, red, and 670 to 730 nm, and shows average reflectances for lights of the wavelength regions higher than the average reflectance for light in the visible wavelength region other than lights of the wavelength regions, respectively.
US07679811B2
A miniature deformable mirror includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and a spacer. The upper portion includes a frame, an organic thin film, and a reflecting layer. The organic thin film is used as a deformed element and is supported by the frame. The reflecting layer is disposed on the organic thin film used for reflecting incident light. The lower portion includes a conductive substrate. The conductive layer is disposed on the substrate and is used for conducting the driving voltage. The spacer is sandwiched between the upper portion and the lower portion. While voltages are applied, electrostatic forces are generated to deform the organic thin film and reflecting layer. Therefore, a miniature deformable mirror with continuously variable focuses is realized.
US07679805B2
A quantum well modulator configured to absorb or transmit light depending on an applied voltage is provided according to various embodiments. The quantum well modulator may include a substrate, a p-type and n-type semiconductor layers as well as a quantum well layer, each of which are deposited above the substrate. The substrate may be configured to filter light incident thereon, wherein the substrate does not include a reflective surface. The flip-chip quantum well modulator may be configured to substantially absorb light received through the substrate when a first voltage is applied. The flip-chip quantum well modulator may be configured to substantially transmit light received through the substrate when a second voltage is applied.
US07679802B2
Optical scanners are configured so a principal ray of an incident beam from a light source device to a deflector and a principal ray of a scanning beam from the deflector to a scanned surface travel on the opposite sides of an optical axis of an optical element(s) wherein entrance and exit surfaces of the optical element(s) are both concave toward the deflector in the sub-scanning section. Embodiments may beneficially separate the scanning beam from ghost light and/or be incorporated in image forming apparatuses.
US07679801B2
An optical deflector is disclosed that includes a rotary shaft; plural rotary polygon mirrors laminated in an axis direction of the rotary shaft, the rotary polygon mirrors having reflection surfaces and the reflection surfaces of one rotary polygon mirror and those of another rotary polygon mirror facing in different directions; and a joining section provided between the rotary polygon mirrors. In the optical deflector, the joining section is integrally formed with at least one of the rotary polygon mirrors.
US07679800B2
A laser treatment apparatus is provided which is capable of irradiating a laser beam to the position where a TFT is to be formed over the entire surface of a large substrate to achieve the crystallization, thereby forming a crystalline semiconductor film having a large grain diameter with high throughput. A laser treatment apparatus includes a laser oscillation device, a lens for converging a laser beam, such as a collimator lens or a cylindrical lens, a fixed mirror for altering an optical path for a laser beam, a first movable mirror for radially scanning a laser beam in a two-dimensional direction, and an fθ lens for keeping a scanning speed constant in the case of laser beam scanning. These structural components are collectively regarded as one optical system. A laser treatment apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has a structure in which five such optical systems are placed. The number of optical systems is not limited; any number of optical systems is allowed as long as a means for supplying a plurality of laser beams is provided.
US07679796B2
To provide an image processing apparatus that does not cause missing of characters in a case where a monochrome copy is made by reading a color original document even when the base and characters thereon have the same reflectance as long as they have different hues.An image processing apparatus of the invention includes a background color specifying portion 54D that specifies a background color using RGB signals outputted from a scanner portion 120, a hue determination portion 54C that determines the hue of a pixel of interest, and a monochrome signal generation processing portion 55 that generates a monochrome signal using any one of the RGB signals according to a specification result of the background color specifying portion and a determination result of the hue determination portion.
US07679795B2
There are provided an image processing apparatus and method thereof which, in a case where drawing data represented by an RGB space satisfies a predetermined condition, perform a compensation of color that converts a pixel value of image data in an MCYK color space into a predetermined value, and in accordance with information for designating whether or not to use color conversion for each respective object included in the drawing commands, select whether to perform normal conversion processing for converting the drawing data of the RGB color space into a pixel value in the MCYK space or to perform color compensation conversion processing, and convert the pixel data from RGB to MCYK.
US07679783B2
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are described for producing pure gray tones on a multi-color document output device that includes a system for operating on device independent color data having at least three color components, which color data corresponds to one or more associated electronic documents. The system and method function to extract grayscale data from such a device independent color data description, which grayscale corresponds to a rendering and a single color space. Such resultant data, inclusive of a color data portion and a grayscale portion, is thus completed in device independent form.
US07679781B2
A color image processing apparatus includes: a minimum value selection unit that selects a minimum value of an input gray level values; a first calculation unit that calculates a generation amount of black; a second calculation unit that calculates an UCR amount which is a value relevant to the minimum value; a third calculation unit that outputs a correction coefficient value which is a value relevant to the minimum value; a subtraction unit that subtracts the UCR amount from each of the input gray level values to generate output; a multiplication unit that multiply the output of the subtraction unit by the correction coefficient value; a significant bit selection unit that selects a significant bit of a multiplication result; and a gray level correction unit that makes a gray level correction to the generation amount of black and the output of the multiplication unit.
US07679774B2
In a method and system for display screen-aided generation of an electronic document from rasterized image data in an application computer, the image data are filed in at least one electronic storage. A first group of rasterized image data are provided stored page-by-page and a second group of rasterized overlay image data are provided in a relationship associated such that one page is associated with at least one overlay or one overlay is associated with at least one page. In a first display screen region, symbols of the first group are displayed per page in an ordered structure. In a second display screen region, image data of the first group are displayed. The document is generated an editor computer program loaded on the application computer from the rasterized image data and the rasterized overlay image data.
US07679768B2
An image processing apparatus enables efficient use of an image memory area according to processing contents set by a user. A CPU searches destinations set sequentially, and makes for each destination an image area information generating decision for searching for a destination that generates an image a printer section possibly output. After completing the image area information generating decision for all the destinations, the CPU decides whether the image area information is to be generated or not in the end. When it decides that the image area information is to be generated, it sets a compression rate of a compression expansion circuit of an image compression expansion section at a higher value, and simultaneously enables the output of the image area data buffer. When it decides that the image area information is not to be generated, it sets the compression rate of the compression expansion circuit of the image compression expansion section at a lower value, and simultaneously disables the output of the image area data buffer.
US07679767B2
A printing system is provided which includes a first printer; a second printer; and a print instruction unit. The first and second printers execute printing on the basis of print data. The first printer and the print instruction unit are connected so that data can be transmitted. The first printer and the second printer are connected so that data can be transmitted.
US07679762B2
The present invention is a printer having a plurality of paper feed cassettes, a function, when recording sheets of paper are exhausted in any of the paper feed cassettes, for detecting exhaustion of sheets of paper, and a function, when sheets of paper in an identified paper feed cassette are exhausted, for automatically switching the paper feed destination when there are sheets of paper of the same size in another paper feed cassette and the printer has a function, when judging an occurrence of exhaustion of sheets of paper, for notifying a user of it beforehand.
US07679761B2
A digital multifunction device is provided with RAM having a virtual drive area. The digital multifunction device enables a personal computer connected to and capable of communicating with the digital multifunction device via a USB interface to recognize this virtual drive area as an external storage device. When the personal computer writes image data to the virtual drive area, the digital multifunction device selectively executes one of an image forming process, fax transmitting process, and mail transmitting process based on the type of folder in which the image data is written. Accordingly, image data in a first folder is printed on recording paper, or image data in a second folder is transmitted to an external facsimile machine.
US07679759B2
A mechanism for performing tab paper printing and test printing by simple operation is provided. A printer performs a print process with an image formation position unshifted in the test printing and a print process with the image formation position shifted in the tab paper printing. In case of performing the tab paper printing after the test printing, the printing is performed by using print data already held in the printer or a host computer. It structured to enable to output to a plain paper a print result in which a decoration is added only to a tab position correspondence portion, enable to change its decoration method, and enable easy discrimination of the position. By the above structure, a user can easily correct the position of the content intended to be printed on a tab, and costs necessary for the tab paper used in the test can be reduced.
US07679755B1
Optical filters tunable for both center wavelength and bandwidth, having applications such as in astronomy, remote sensing, laser spectroscopy, and other laser-based sensing applications, using Michelson interferometers or Mach-Zehnder interferometers modified with Gires-Tournois interferometers (“GTIs”) are disclosed. A GTI nominally has unity magnitude reflectance as a function of wavelength and has a phase response based on its resonator characteristics. Replacing the end mirrors of a Michelson interferometer or the fold mirrors of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with GTIs results in both high visibility throughput as well as the ability to tune the phase response characteristics to change the width of the bandpass/notch filters. A range of bandpass/bandreject optical filter modes, including a Fabry-Perot (“FP”) mode, a wideband, low-ripple FP mode, a narrowband notch/bandpass mode, and a wideband notch/bandpass mode, are all tunable and wavelength addressable.
US07679753B2
Passively biased fiber-optic Sagnac interferometric sensor architecture, for gyroscope and current sensor in particular, is disclosed. One embodiment uses a 3×3 coupler entirely made of circular polarization maintaining fiber that serves as a beam splitter and meanwhile a passive bias. An alternative is to use a 3×3 hybrid coupler consisting of two linear polarization maintaining fibers and one conventional single-mode fiber, with the former two connected in a common interferometric sensor circuitry, and with the latter one cut short at both ends to form matched terminations. Still another alternative is an integral unit of Faraday rotator, whose central part is a fiber-optic magneto-optic 45° rotator, with a “zero to fast” fiber-optic quarter wave plate attached to one side, and a “fast to zero” fiber-optic quarter wave plate to the other. Advantages of passive bias are simplicity in construction, no need of manual adjustment and operational stability.
US07679744B2
The invention provides a Stokes parameter measurement device and Stokes parameter measurement method that enable high-precision measurement. The Stokes parameter measurement device comprises a polarization splitting device which comprises an optical element formed of a birefringent crystal material and which, by means of the optical element, splits signal light to be measured into a plurality of polarized light beams and adjusts the polarization state of one or more among the plurality of polarized light beams, and a light-receiving portion for performing photoelectric conversion of an optical component of the signal light split by and emitted from the polarization splitting device.
US07679742B2
The present invention relates to a method, system and apparatus for continuously monitoring variations in the size of particles present in a fluid on a real time basis. The method comprises of passing one or more optical signal through the fluid such as engine oil. The variation (attenuation or enhancement) in the intensity of the optical signal is continuously measured with respect to time. In an embodiment, the method, system and apparatus of the present invention enable monitoring of the amount, size and onset of particle agglomeration using single or multiple wavelengths as interrogating optical signal(s). An exemplary embodiment is provided for monitoring of the amount, size and onset of soot particle agglomeration in engine oil using single or multiple wavelengths as interrogating optical signal(s).
US07679736B1
A pellicle correction factor is determined by comparing a first measurement of a reference photomask alone with a second measurement of that reference photomask through a reference pellicle protecting the mask layers of the photomask. A number of pellicle correction factors may be determined for different type pellicles and made accessible in pellicle correction factor lookup table of the system or supplied on a separate data storage medium. Raw Reflectance and/or Transmittance measurement data of a generic photomask through a generic pellicle is consecutively corrected for the measurement distorting effects of that pellicle by applying a matching one of the previously determined pellicle correction factors. The pellicle correction factor is preferably an attenuation signature across a predetermined measurement irradiation spectrum.
US07679730B2
An image pickup device disposed in a predetermined position relative to a surface of a strained silicon wafer photographs the surface of the strained silicon wafer in a plurality of rotation angle positions on photographing conditions under which bright lines appearing on the surface of the strained silicon wafer can be photographed, in an environment where a light source device illuminates the surface of the strained silicon wafer which is rotating. A composite image in a predetermined angle position is generated from surface images of the strained silicon wafer in a plurality of rotation angle positions obtained by the image pickup device.
US07679727B2
Disclosed are a method and a system for determining the position of a receiver unit. According to said method, modulated radiation is generated by at least one radiation projector, and a number of reference points, from among which reference points lying within a detection range of the receiver unit are detected, are projected by means of said modulated radiation. Positional data, particularly location data and/or orientation data, is derived for the receiver unit from the radiation of said reference points.
US07679722B2
Reticle management systems and methods. The system comprises at least one reticle and at least one cabinet with an inert gas environment. The cabinet comprises a plurality of storage spaces. When the reticle is put in a storage space, the cabinet identifies the reticle and the storage space occupied thereby. The cabinet provides inert gas to the reticle. The storage information of the reticle in the cabinet and/or an inert gas status of the reticle are provided to a query system and a dispatch system for reticle location query and lot dispatching.
US07679705B2
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate and a counter-substrate, a liquid crystal layer which is held between the array substrate and counter-substrate and includes a transmissive display part and a reflective display part which neighbor each other via a boundary, an alignment state of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer being controlled by an application voltage from the array substrate and counter-substrate in the transmissive display part and the reflective display part, and control means for making an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules, which are present near the boundary in the reflective display part, substantially match an alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules which are present near the boundary in the transmissive display part.
US07679703B2
A liquid crystal display device according to the present invention includes: a vertical alignment liquid crystal layer; first and second electrodes arranged on one surface of first and second substrates to face the liquid crystal layer; and first and second alignment films arranged on the first and second electrodes, respectively, in contact with the liquid crystal layer. The first alignment film has been subjected to an optical alignment treatment by obliquely irradiating a first alignment film material, having a photosensitive wavelength within the wavelength range of 250 nm to 380 nm, with light including the photosensitive wavelength. The device further includes: a metal layer arranged between the first alignment film and the first substrate; and a first resin layer arranged between the metal layer and the first alignment film. The first resin layer has an optical property that attenuates the intensity of light, which has been incident on the first resin layer and then reflected from the metal layer, to 60% or less at the photosensitive wavelength.
US07679701B2
A component has a substrate (1) made of a transparent material, for example glass. On this layer (1), there is a linear polarizer (2) on which there is a layer (3) of a photo-oriented polymer network (PPN)(-LPP) which is oriented in locally varying fashion via its surface which covers the substrate. The layer (3) is adjoined by an anisotropic layer (4) of cross-linked liquid-crystal monomers. This layer (4) then has a molecular arrangement whose orientation is defined by the underlying orientation layer (3). The layer (4) will have been photocross-linked by exposure to a suitable wavelength of light, with the result that the molecular orientation defined by the PPN layer (3) is fixed. The element, denoted as a whole by 7, can then be used as an optical component which is protected against forgery, it being possible for the orientation pattern of the liquid-crystal layer or the optical information stored therein to be made visible by means of an external polarizer (5), for example.
US07679692B2
A stereoscopic image display device including a light source and a light controller for selectively transmitting or blocking light provided by the light source. The light controller includes a first substrate, and first and second electrodes alternatively formed on the first substrate along a first direction. The first and second electrodes are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval. The first and second electrodes are electrically connected, respectively, to first and second connection electrodes. The light controller also includes a second substrate which is substantially parallel to the first substrate, and third and fourth electrodes alternately formed on the second substrate along a second direction. The third and fourth electrodes are spaced apart from each other at a predetermined interval. The third and forth electrodes are electrically connected, respectively, to third and fourth connection electrodes.
US07679691B2
The present invention prevents a moiré generated by the interference of two liquid crystal display panels in a display device capable of performing a three-dimensional display using two liquid crystal display panels. By arranging an upper lens array and a lower lens array between an upper liquid crystal display panel and a lower liquid crystal display panel, a moiré and smearing of an image can be prevented. Due to such a constitution, lowering of brightness and contrast can be suppressed.
US07679688B2
A wireless TV system includes a base station including a wireless signal processor to process a predetermined video signal into a wireless signal, and a transmitter to transmit the wireless signal from the wireless signal processor; and a wireless TV comprising a receiver to receive the wireless signal from the transmitter, an LCD displaying a picture based on the wireless signal, a backlight unit to illuminate the LCD, a battery to supply power, an inverter to supply the power from the battery to the backlight unit, and a controller to determine whether a wireless communication state is normal or abnormal based on the received wireless signal and to control the inverter to lower a brightness level of the LCD into a predetermined brightness level when the wireless communication state is abnormal.
US07679684B2
During adjustment of a white balance, images having different white balances are displayed respectively on a plurality of regions on the screen 201 of the display 200, based on the red video signal Rout, the green video signal Gout and the blue video signal Bout output from the gamma correction device 30. After that, an user selects any of the plurality of regions by comparing the plurality of images having the different white balances displayed on the regions A to I on the screen 201 of the display 200 and pressing a touch panel on the screen 201. The image on the selected region is displayed on the entire screen 201 of the display 200, based on the red video signal Rout, the green video signal Gout and the blue video signal Bout output from the gamma correction device 30.
US07679678B2
An improvement information generating unit (11) generates a plurality of types of improvement information for improving the image quality of an image (broadcast image) broadcast as a program. An integrating unit (12) embeds one or more of the plurality of types of improvement information generated by the improvement information generating unit (11) into the broadcast image, thus integrating the improvement information with the broadcast image, and outputs an integrated signal. The integrated signal is transmitted via a transmitting unit (13). Thus, images of various image qualities are provided.
US07679675B2
The present invention relates to a data conversion apparatus and a learning device in which an image can be converted into a higher-quality image. A class-tap generating circuit (2) and a predictive-tap generating circuit (3) generate, from an SD image, a predictive tap used for determining the HD pixel of a specified block of an HD image. A classification circuit (4) classifies the HD pixel of the specified block based on the class tap. A coefficient RAM (7) obtains a tap coefficient for the class of the HD pixel of the specified block from tap coefficients obtained by learning the relationship between supervisor data and learner data for each class of at least one class by giving a predetermined constraint condition to the supervisor data. A predictive-computation circuit (8) and a decoding circuit (9) determine the HD pixel of the specified block by using the tap coefficient and the predictive tap.
US07679662B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging element which includes a plurality of drive signal inputs, a plurality of bus lines, and a plurality of vertical transfer register electrodes. In the solid-state imaging element, a charge accumulated in light-receiving elements in a pixel region is vertically transferred by the drive signals input to the electrodes. Each of the electrodes has a contact part connected to the second contact and having a width smaller than a width of the electrodes in the pixel region, and a blank region is formed between predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts so that a width of the blank region is larger than a distance between respective two of the contact parts other than the predetermined adjacent two of the contact parts. The first contact is disposed on the blank region.
US07679649B2
Methods for the deployment of an image servicing platform over a mobile wireless network are described. A mobile multimedia service controller (MMSC) includes a video gateway that is capable of transcoding among different video formats supported by an imaging service platform. The MMSC can be connected over a network to a download server that provides updates to a transcoder application and a video image application.
US07679647B2
A sensor mounting system for enabling image stabilization in a digital camera is described. An electronic array light sensor is moved in relation to other parts of the camera in response to camera motion. In one embodiment, the sensor is moved by at least one linear motor having a ferrofluid in a gap of the linear motor. Other aspects of the system are described, including methods of heat sinking the sensor, a suspension system, methods of compensating for an effect of temperature on the ferrofluid, and a compact magnet configuration for forming the linear motor and providing feedback as to the position of the sensor.
US07679639B2
A system for enhancing eye gaze in a telepresence system includes a plurality of local cameras coupled to at least one local display. Each local camera is directed to at least one respective local user section and operable to generate an image of the respective local user section. The system also includes a plurality of remote displays. Each remote display is operable to reproduce the local video image of the local user section. Within the system the plurality of remote displays and the plurality of local cameras are aligned such that when a first local user within a local user section looks at a target at least one remote display is operable to reproduce the local video image of the first user section comprising the first local user such that the eye gaze of the reproduced image of the first local user is directed approximately at a corresponding target.
US07679633B2
A method of facilitating focusing of a multi-function digital media drive, is such as to generate two or more error signals each indicative of a focus of an energy beam by an optical arrangement onto first and second different recording layers of a digital medium in the drive, the first recording layers being covered with a protective, energy beam transparent substrate. A selected on of the error signal is used to determine a focus correction.
US07679628B2
The present invention discloses a control apparatus. This control apparatus has a modulation circuit, and a control circuit for setting up an amplitude setting signal and/or a pulse width setting signal to be used in the modulation circuit, on the basis of characteristic data representative of characteristics of an input image signal, the amplitude setting signal and/or the pulse width setting signal being used for setting up an amplitude and/or a time width of a pulse signal to be output from the modulation circuit in accordance with a gradient gradation value of the image signal, wherein the modulation circuit is a circuit which uses the time width setting signal and/or the amplitude setting signal as a reference signal for setting up the time width and amplitude of the pulse signal in correspondence with the gradient.
US07679623B2
A computer of an image processing device executing an image processing program displays, on a display device, a virtual three-dimensional space where there are a plurality of objects. The computer varies a size of a collision detection region defined for a predetermined object so that the size repeatedly increases and decreases over time, while the predetermined object is moving. Then, based on the collision detection region, it is determined whether or not the predetermined object and another object are in contact with each other. The computer displays, on the display device, a predetermined effect being inflicted on the object determined to be in contact with the predetermined object.
US07679621B2
An object recognition apparatus in an embodiment includes an image input unit, an object detection unit, a diffuse reflection image generation unit, an object model storage unit, a difference image generation unit, a weight calculation unit, a weighted Gaussian filter application unit, a filter processing unit, and an identification unit. A weight to be assigned to a weighted Gaussian filter is determined in view of variations in lighting conditions and reflection components of pixels of an input image.
US07679614B2
Provided are a color display driving principle obtained while taking into account a difference in eye sensitivity to the flickering of differently colored lights, a TFT liquid crystal display module structure that is adequate for this method, and a double-panel projection type display device.The count of the G (green) color data that can be written is increased compared with the count for the other primary colors, or the display period for green can be extended. The repetitive unit is set to R, G, B and G, so that a satisfactory refresh rate can be set for the important color G. Therefore, the overall refresh frequency and the power consumed by the display device can be reduced without deterioration of the display quality, and requests for the time response speeds by the display device can be reduced.
US07679610B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device (5) having an integrated touchscreen includes a probe light source (80) behind the liquid crystal (LC) layer (20) for transmitting a probe signal. The device further includes a probe light sensor (90) behind the LC layer for sensing the probe signal. An external optical path is provided whereby the probe signal traverses from the probe light source, across the touchscreen surface (1), and toward the probe light sensor. By sensing interruptions in the probe signal traversing the external optical path, using the probe light sensor, the LCD device is capable of detecting user contact with the touchscreen surface.
US07679608B2
The touch panel has a light-transmissive upper substrate, a light-transmissive lower substrate, and a bonding layer. The lower surface of the upper substrate is formed thereon with an upper conductive layer. The top surface of the lower substrate is formed thereon with a lower conductive layer facing the upper conductive layer with an air gap. The bonding layer is formed on at least one of inner edges of the lower surface of the upper substrate and the top surface of the lower substrate, and additionally has an open groove communicating with the air gap. The makeup provides a touch panel reliably operable with a simple structure.
US07679605B2
An optical computer mouse has a support structure that can be moved across a surface. An illumination source that illuminates a region of the surface is coupled to the support structure. An imaging system in the mouse includes an optical sensor array that receives light from the illuminated region of the work surface and an image processor that receives data from the optical sensor array. The optical computer mouse may be switched between a navigation mode of operation, in which the image processor detects motion of the optical computer mouse over the work surface, and a barcode reading mode of operation, in which the image processor senses a barcode as the optical computer mouse is moved across a barcode.
US07679604B2
A handheld computing device is introduced comprising a motion detection sensor(s) and a motion control agent. The motion detection sensor(s) detect motion of the computing device in one or more of six (6) fields of motion and generate an indication of such motion. The motion control agent, responsive to the indications of motion received from the motion sensors, generate control signals to modify, one or more of the operating state and/or the displayed content of the computing device based, at least in part, on the received indications.
US07679600B2
A pointing device having a moveable puck that moves in a predetermined field of motion by applying a lateral force thereto is disclosed. A first linear spring is attached to the puck, the first spring applying a first force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. A second linear spring is also attached to the puck, the second spring applying a second force to the puck at each location in the field of motion. The first and second springs return the puck to a predetermined location in the field of motion when the lateral force is not applied to the puck. The first linear spring is folded around a bending point and attached to a portion of the pointing device that is stationary with respect to the puck.
US07679598B2
An image display device includes a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal composition and at least two types of color filters disposed between the pair of substrates, at least two types of light sources, and a light source controller. Each of the light sources generating peak wavelengths of at least two colors, wherein the peak wavelengths are different from one another. The light source controller switches on and off the light sources in time sequence within one frame period.
US07679592B2
An LCD device operated by a remote controller comprises: an LCD unit having a display electrode supplied with voltage based on a video signal and a counter-electrode supplied with counter-electrode voltage; a remote control receiver for receiving a flicker adjustment control signal from the remote controller; a microcomputer for outputting a flicker voltage control signal based on the flicker adjustment control signal; a counter-electrode voltage control unit for generating a flicker adjustment voltage whose value varies according to the flicker voltage control signal, and outputting a DC counter-electrode voltage based on the flicker adjustment voltage; and a DC-AC converter for converting the DC counter-electrode voltage to AC voltage to be applied to the counter-electrode. An operator (human) can make flicker adjustment at a position on the front side of, and if necessary distanced from, the LCD device where the operator can directly and easily view an image on the LCD.
US07679576B2
An improved antenna arrangement comprises at least a dipole-shaped radiator arrangement with the associated carrying device and/or balancing device and the associated dipole and/or radiator halves as well as the reflector or the part reflector or the reflector frame which are formed from a common part, and the material of this common part is electrically conductive or is provided with an electrically conductive surface or surface layer if it consists of a dielectric material.
US07679564B2
The present invention provides a multi-band antenna to which the arrangement of Koch fractal antenna is applied. The multi-band antenna is designed in triangular shape whose area is smaller than the general antenna structure. By using the arrangement of Koch fractal antenna, the area of the inverted-F dual-band antenna can be reduced efficiently, so as to enhance more usability.
US07679559B2
A wide-angle null-fill antenna with no null in the depression angle range, an omni antenna using the same, and radio communication equipment. A null-fill antenna comprises a first antenna array including antenna elements arranged with a prescribed point as the center, and a second antenna array having amplitude characteristics substantially equal to those of the antenna elements forming the first antenna array. The first antenna array is excited so that the excitation amplitude distribution is to have symmetry with respect to the prescribed point, while the excitation phase distribution is to have point symmetry with respect to the prescribed point. The phase center of the first antenna array is substantially coincident with that of the second antenna array.
US07679558B2
A terminal device includes a plurality of search channel sections which search for a positioning satellite, a candidate reception frequency calculation section which calculates a candidate reception frequency of a first acquisition target satellite by causing the search channel sections to perform the correlation accumulation process for a first accumulation time, a candidate frequency confirmation section which confirms reliability of the candidate reception frequency by causing the search channel sections to perform the correlation accumulation process for a second accumulation time longer than the first accumulation time, a final frequency calculation section which calculates a final frequency by causing the search channel sections to perform the correlation accumulation process for a third accumulation time longer than the second accumulation time, and a first difference calculation section which calculates a difference between an estimated synchronization frequency corresponding to each first acquisition target satellite and the final frequency.
US07679556B2
A method of determining a GPS position fix. The method includes: (i) sampling received GPS signals and storing those samples; (ii) conducting preliminary processing of those GPS signal samples to determine the likelihood of being able to obtain a position fix during later, final processing of those GPS signal samples; and (iii) after step (ii), conducting final processing of those GPS signal samples to obtain a position fix.
US07679554B1
A method and apparatus for improving differential navigation accuracy uses time transfer over a two-way communications link. The communications link transmits an overall time offset between a differential reference station and a remote user. A differential navigation position solution is modified at the remote user with the overall time offset to improve the differential navigation accuracy. A first time offset between a first communications device and a first navigation receiver at the remote user is determined. A second time offset between the first communications device at the remote user and a second communications device at the differential reference station is determined. A third time offset between the second communications device and a second navigation receiver at the differential reference station is determined. An overall time offset from the first time offset, the second time offset, and the third time offset is computed and used to improve the differential navigation accuracy.
US07679553B1
Adjusting the GPS fix frequency of a wireless device is described. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: attempting GPS fix operations on a wireless device according to a first schedule; detecting one or more unsuccessful GPS fix operations; determining whether a location identified by a previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location; if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a second schedule; and if the location identified by the previous successful GPS fix operation is not at or within a specified range from a first specified location, then adjusting the wireless device to perform GPS fix operations according to a third schedule.
US07679539B2
A randomized thermometer-coding digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for the reduction of harmonic distortion due to non-ideal circuit mismatch is presented. The present invention introduces a new dynamic element matching technique that contains three properties of randomization, consecutive selection and less element switching activity to achieve good spurious-free dynamic range and small maximum output error. The topology uses a bank of 1-bit DAC elements, whose outputs are summed to produce a multi-level analog output. The binary digital input is encoded to be thermometer code. During a randomization period, the thermometer code is barrel-shifted to a specific starting position where the position is generated randomly. Thus, the DAC noise is randomized with less element switching activity and consecutive selection.
US07679527B2
A method of automated parking assistance. A logic unit reads identification information from a transponder attached to a vehicle and determines the current position of the vehicle by measuring distances between the transponder and multiple stationary sensor devices. A pre-defined parking location is stored by pressing a single button. If the current position of the vehicle is not equal to the pre-defined parking location when the vehicle subsequently approaches, the logic unit determines one or more directions in which the current position of the vehicle must be adjusted to reduce the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the pre-defined parking location. A display device displays one or more guidance signals corresponding to the one or more directions in which the current position of the vehicle must be adjusted. If the current position of the vehicle is equal to the pre-defined parking location, a stop signal is displayed.
US07679524B2
The invention relates to a remote control for issuing commands to a remote-controlled device in a wireless manner. In said remote control, an assignment mode can run prior to start-up. The remote control also comprises a rechargeable battery for supplying power. The remote-controlled device is equipped with a docking point for the remote control, to which the latter can be temporarily fixed.
US07679520B2
A point-of-care computer system is provided, including a display positioned in a point-of-care location.
US07679517B2
An identifying apparatus which can identify objects having electronic identification devices (EIDs). The identifying apparatus includes multiple EID readers positioned in a spaced apart relationship to define multiple pathways so that EIDs carried by the objects can pass in a single file through any one of the multiple pathways. Each EID reader is adapted to read any EID as the objects pass through any one of the pathways. Each EID carried by an object is recorded only once irrespective of the number of times an EID reader reads an EID.
US07679514B2
A multi-mode RFID tag includes a power generating and signal detection module, a baseband processing module, a transmit section, a configurable coupling circuit, and an antenna section. In near field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to a coil or inductor in the configurable coupling circuit to transmit an outbound transmit signal using electromagnetic or inductive coupling to an RFID reader. In far field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to the antenna section, and the multi-mode RFID tag then utilizes a back-scattering RF technology to transmit the outbound transmit signal to RFID readers.
US07679506B1
A method of communicating a geographically targeted emergency alert message is disclosed. The invention employs a method of using an emergency alert message, wherein the message directs end users to take appropriate action like evacuating an identified geographic area. The invention further employs a method of using a geographic area message, the message being based on a particular geographic area within which all persons should receive the emergency alert message. An emergency alert enabled device that receives both the emergency alert message and the geographic area message is also used in the invention. The emergency alert enabled device is used to determine whether it is located within the geographic area of concern, and if so, presents the emergency alert message to the end user.
US07679498B2
An imaging system for a vehicle includes an imaging sensor and a control. The imaging sensor is operable to capture an image of a scene occurring exteriorly of the vehicle. The control is responsive to the imaging sensor. The imaging system may be associated with a side object detection system, a lane change assist system, a lane departure warning system, a monitoring system, a passive steering system and/or the like. The control may be operable to process a reduced image data set more than other image data, which are representative of areas of the captured image outside of a target zone, to detect objects present within the target zone.
US07679487B1
A system and method for electronically displaying real-time data pertaining to scores and wagering information of live sporting activities includes a score board with electronically adaptable cells displaying alphanumeric values. The cells are grouped into corresponding columns and rows associated with unique predetermined parameters, and are displayed in a central region of the score board. Data input ports are formed about a periphery of the score board for establishing an internet connection. A mechanism displays real-time data pertaining to sports scores and sports wagering activities within the cells such that the real-time data is categorized into a plurality of groups based upon the predetermined parameters so that the real-time data is easily read and understood by the user.
US07679485B2
A multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor that has semiconductor ceramic layers containing a BaTiO3-based ceramic material as a primary component, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, Ho, Er, and Tm as a semiconductor dopant in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 molar parts with respect to 100 molar parts of Ti. The ratio of the Ba site to the Ti site is in the range of 0.998 to 1.006. Accordingly, even when the semiconductor ceramic layers have a low actual-measured sintered density in the range of 65% to 90% of a theoretical sintered density, a multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor having a sufficiently high rate of resistance change and a high rising coefficient of resistance at the Curie temperature or more can be realized.
US07679483B2
A core for a reactor includes: a plurality of core members, each of which has a convexly curved side face that serves as a bonding face; and a gap plate that is interposed between the curved side faces of the core members and that is bonded to the curved side faces. The gap plate includes a flat plate and a plurality of projections which project from each face of the plate and each of which has a tip end that contacts the curved side face. The projections are formed at positions near the outer edges of the plate, which are distant from the center of the plate at which no projection is formed, and which are at equal distances from the center of the plate.
US07679478B2
A switching device for selectively switching electrical power from an electrical power source to a load circuit comprises a housing. An electromechanical actuator is in the housing. A fixed contact is fixedly mounted in the housing. A contact arm is pivotally mounted in the housing. The contact arm carries a movable contact and has a lever. The contact arm is operatively connected to the actuator to be selectively positioned thereby for selectively electrically contacting the moveable contact with the fixed contact. A rotational actuator is rotationally mounted to the housing. The rotational actuator includes a leg proximate the lever so that rotational movement of the rotational actuator pivotally moves the contact arm to override the electromechanical actuator.
US07679476B2
A polarized electromagnetic relay including an electromagnet assembly, a contact section insulated from the electromagnet assembly, and a force transfer member disposed between the electromagnetic assembly and the contact section. The electromagnet assembly includes an electromagnet, an armature driven by the electromagnet, and a permanent magnet carried on the armature. The armature includes first and second electrically conductive plate elements holding the permanent magnet therebetween in a direction of magnetization of the permanent magnet and disposed to orient the direction of magnetization in parallel with the center axis of the coil. The armature is arranged linearly movably in a direction parallel with the center axis in a state where a part of the first electrically conductive plate element is inserted into a space between the outer peripheral region of the iron core head portion and the distal end region of the yoke major portion.
US07679469B2
The impulse generator comprises a nonlinear transmission line capable of obtaining an impulse with a small half value width and a large amplitude, in which a plurality of transmission line units having a unit line unit and a diode are connected in series, a pulse generator connected to the transmission terminal of the nonlinear transmission line, and a bias-dependent element connected to the reception terminal of the nonlinear line, wherein the anode of the diode of the transmission line unit is connected to the transmission line and the cathode is connected to the ground, and one end of the bias-dependent element is connected to the reception terminal of the transmission line and the other end is biased to a negative potential.
US07679467B2
A voltage controlled oscillator which performs an oscillating operation at a frequency corresponding to a control voltage, includes a voltage-current converter circuit which converts the control voltage to a control current corresponding to a voltage value thereof, and a ring oscillator through which an operating current corresponding to the control current generated by the voltage-current converter circuit is caused to flow, and which oscillates at a frequency corresponding to a current value thereof. The voltage-current converter circuit has a voltage-voltage converting circuit which inputs the control voltage therein and converts the same to a control current corresponding to the voltage value thereof, and an offset current generating circuit which adds a constant current to the control current.
US07679466B1
Disclosed herein is a timing device that includes a resonator device to generate a resonator output signal at a frequency offset from a desired frequency, a counter configured to generate an extraction signal in accordance with the frequency offset, and a timing signal generator configured to track time with a count based on the resonator output signal and modified by the extraction signal downward to reach the desired frequency.
US07679465B2
The present invention relates to an oscillator circuit having a resonant element, an active element, a feedback loop, and an additional loop comprising a phase shifting element.
US07679463B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a reference harmonic oscillator integrated circuit having three or more terminals, with systems and methods for calibrating the harmonic oscillator to a selected first frequency using a limited number of terminals. An exemplary apparatus comprises: a reference harmonic oscillator, a first terminal to receive a supply voltage, a second terminal to receive a ground potential, a third terminal to provide an output signal having an output frequency, and may also include a fourth terminal. One of the first, second, third or fourth terminals is further adapted for input of a calibration of the first frequency. The exemplary apparatus may enter calibration and testing modes in response to various commands such as a calibration mode signal, and may also be configured through one of the terminals for output frequency selection, spread-spectrum output, and output voltage levels.
US07679461B2
The invention discloses a varactor device (100) for improved temperature stability, comprising a first varactor (160) connected to a decoupling network (150). The device further comprises a voltage stabilizer (110), said stabilizer comprising a capacitor (140) and a temperature dependent capacitor (130), and in that the stabilizer comprises means for connection to a DC-feed (120). Suitably, the decoupling network (150) is connected in parallel to the first varactor (160), and the capacitor (140) of the voltage stabilizer (110) is connected in parallel to the decoupling network (150), the temperature dependent capacitor (130) of the voltage stabilizer (110) being connected in series to the diode of the voltage stabilizer (110).
US07679453B2
A phase-locked method includes: generating a selection signal according to a detection result of a phase/frequency detector (PFD) of a phase-locked loop (PLL); generating a plurality of oscillation signals according to at least a first oscillation signal generated by the PLL, wherein the plurality of oscillation signals respectively correspond to a plurality of phases; and from the plurality of oscillation signals, selecting an oscillation signal as an output signal of the PLL according to the selection signal.
US07679451B2
A power supply device for driving an amplifier includes a power generator for providing a first voltage for a first power reception end of the amplifier, a power conversion unit coupled to the power generator, for converting the first voltage into a second voltage, a charge pump coupled between the power conversion unit and a second power reception end of the amplifier, for generating a third voltage for the amplifier according to the second voltage, and a control unit coupled to the power conversion unit, for controlling the power conversion unit, so as to adjust the second voltage to make the third voltage equal to a specific multiple of the first voltage.
US07679447B2
This variable gain amplifier is provided with an operational amplifier. The non-inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to a reference potential. A feedback resistor is connected between the output terminal and inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier. An input resistor is inserted between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the input terminal of the variable gain amplifier circuit. An adjustment resistor is connected between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the reference potential. The resistance value of the adjustment resistor is controlled in such a way as to maintain constant against the resistance value change a combined resistance value in its parallel connection with the input resistor when changing the resistance value of the input resistor.
US07679437B2
A circuit arrangement and method for improving load regulation in an amplifier (e.g., LDO amplifier) uses a feedback circuit including a parallely connected feedback resistance Rf and a noise reduction feedback capacitance Cf, wherein an external capacitance has equivalent series resistance (ESR). The circuit arrangement includes a resistance Resr in the amplifier output, a junction point of the feedback resistance Rf and the feedback capacitor Cf being connected to a negative input of the LDO amplifier. Additionally, the circuit arrangement might include a resistance Rintentional in between Cf and Rf. The circuit arrangement provides good load regulation and better stability without increase in power/area. The arrangement supports external feedback mode providing design flexibility without compromising amplifier-stability, which provides high output current drive capability or enables driving heavy output capacitance. In a preferred form the invention includes split feedback including AC feedback and DC feedback.
US07679431B2
Low flicker noise mixer and buffer. This design employs some native metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) (e.g., having no threshold voltage) within a passive mixer whose gates are driven using clock signals. These native MOSFETs maybe biased at one half of the power supply voltage to provide a lower noise figure. A cooperatively operating buffer employs appropriately places MOSFETs and resistors to ensure the desired gain. Relatively larger valued resistors can be employed to provide for higher voltage gain, and this can sometimes be accompanied with using a higher than typical power supply voltage. Source followers serve as output buffers and also ensure the required output DC voltage level as well. It is also noted that this design can be implemented using n-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (N-MOSFETs) of p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (P-MOSFETs).
US07679430B2
A single pump stage of a multi-stage charge pump couples a first low-voltage NMOS transistor in series with a first low-voltage PMOS transistor between charge transfer capacitors. A second low-voltage NMOS transistor is coupled between the gate and the source of the first NMOS transistor. A second low-voltage PMOS transistor is coupled between the gate and the source of the first PMOS transistor. Respective boost voltages are applied to gates of the first NMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor to minimize threshold voltage losses. A stabilizing capacitor is connected between the first NMOS transistor and the second PMOS transistor.
US07679419B2
A first transistor of a level shifter provides conductivity between a reference voltage and a node of the level shifter to hold a state of the level shifter output. When an input signal of the level shifter switches, additional transistors assist in reducing the conductivity of the first transistor. This enhances the ability of the level shifter to change the state of the output in response to the change in the input signal, thereby improving the writeability of the level shifter.
US07679415B2
The present invention discloses a sense amplifier control circuit which controls the sense amplifier. A sense amplifier control circuit comprises a voltage comparing unit outputting delay control signals having a value corresponding to each of divided voltages obtained by dividing a potential of a power supply voltage and a pull-up control signal generating unit outputting an overdrive control signal and a pull-up control signal by an active signal and changing an enable pulse width of the overdrive control signal in response to the delay control signals, whereby it is possible to reduce current consumption caused by unnecessary overdrive operation and prevent a potential drop of the power supply voltage and thus provide operational stability of the semiconductor memory device by providing the overdrive control signal of which the enable pulse width is controlled in response to the potential of the power supply voltage.
US07679414B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide a fine tunable digital delay circuit that can be applied in a high frequency digital circuit. Further, the digital delay circuit can utilize a level restoring technique to enable a wide tunable delay range. The delay circuit can include a delay element configured to receive an input signal at an input node and output a controlled signal having a controlled rise time and a controlled fall time at a controlled node, a first plurality of transistors configured to bias a supply node of the delay element to govern the controlled rise time of the controlled signal, and a second plurality of transistors configured to bias a ground node of the delay element to govern the controlled fall time of the controlled signal. The delay circuit can further include a restoring circuit configured to charge or discharge the controlled node.
US07679406B2
In a comparator, a differential amplifier has a pair of transistors receiving a signal to be compared for differential amplification, and a current mirror load circuit for outputting a differential output signal in accordance with the relationship in magnitude of the signal to be compared. A latch circuit has inversion amplifiers for amplifying the differential output signal. One inversion amplifier has its input interconnected to an output of the other inversion amplifier and vice versa. The comparator still further includes a transistor for equalizing signals of the differential amplifier, a transistor for enabling the inversion amplifiers to be active, and a constant current source for reducing a current flowing from a supply voltage to the ground when the inversion amplifiers are active.
US07679401B1
Some embodiments of the invention provide a configurable integrated circuit (“IC”). The configurable IC includes a set of configurable logic circuits for configurably performing a set of functions. The configurable IC also includes a set of configurable routing circuits for routing signals to and from the configurable circuits. During several operational cycles of the configurable IC, a set of data registers are defined by the configurable routing circuits. These data registers may be used wherever a flip-flop can be used.
US07679390B2
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a DUT, which includes a driver that outputs a test signal to the DUT, a first transmission path that electrically connects the driver and the DUT, a first FET switch provided on the first transmission path to connect or disconnect the driver and the DUT to or from each other, and a capacitance compensator that detects an output signal from the DUT, and charges or discharges a capacitive component of the first FET switch based on the detected output signal.
US07679387B2
Probes 4a and 4b having irregularities formed in leading end portions thereof are brought into contact with an electrode P of a device D, which is a target object to be inspected, at a predetermined probe pressure so that a mechanical damage is applied to an insulating film O on the electrode P. As a result, an electrical resistance value between the electrode P and the probes 4a and 4b is reduced to a first predetermined value or less. Subsequently, a fritting is performed to apply an electrical damage to the insulating film O on the electrode P so that the electrical resistance value between the electrode P and the probes 4a and 4b is set to be a second predetermined value or less which is smaller than the first predetermined value.
US07679374B2
Method for determining loading of a filter. The filter has a first dielectric constant. The filter becomes loaded with contaminant material that has a second dielectric constant. The filter, such as a diesel particulate filter, is contained within a metallic enclosure forming a microwave cavity. The method includes establishing microwave energy in the cavity and monitoring changes in the cavity microwave response, the changes being related to filter loading.
US07679370B2
A controller having discrete driver circuitry for driving an electrical load and a method are provided. The controller includes a microprocessor having ports configurable to operate as inputs or outputs. The controller also includes discrete driver circuitry connected to ports of the microprocessor. The discrete driver circuitry is configured to apply electrical power to drive an electrical load. The controller further has logic for configuring the ports of the microprocessor as an output to enable on/off of the output signal that drives the electrical loads, and further for configuring the ports of the microprocessor as an input to receive feedback signals from the discrete driver circuitry. The feedback signals are processed to detect fault conditions.
US07679361B2
A compact position sensor with high operational reliability is provided. This sensor has a tubular detection coil, a magnetic core movable in the detection coil, a drive circuit for the detection coil, a signal processing circuit for converting a change in impedance of the detection coil into an electric signal, and a guide means for guiding a movement of the magnetic core in the detection coil. The guide means has a guide portion connected to the magnetic core and a support portion for slidably supporting the guide portion. The magnetic core can be smoothly displaced in the detection coil without contacting an inner surface of the detection coil by a sliding movement of the guide portion relative to the support portion.
US07679360B2
An increment sensor assembly inquires an microcontroller as to the last known increment when a vehicle is started. The last known increment data is used to rotate the sensor backward to reach a lower mechanical stop position or forward to reach an upper mechanical stop position. A timer tracks the sensor to ensure that one of the known stop positions is reached within a predetermined time period or performs a system check to determine what error has occurred. Once the sensor reaches one of the known stop positions an increment counter is reset and the sensor assembly begins normal operation.
US07679355B2
The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency or set of frequencies and a predetermined amplitude. The energizing signal is coupled to the sensor via magnetic coupling and induces a current in the sensor which oscillates at the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor via magnetic coupling and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate the measured physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal.
US07679351B2
A voltage generation unit generates a driving voltage for driving an LED. A first feedback path feeds back a voltage according to a voltage at one end of the LED. A second feedback path feeds back a voltage according to a voltage at the other end of the LED. A current driving circuit is provided on a path on which the voltage generation unit drives the LED. A control circuit controls the voltage generation unit so that one of first and second feedback voltages fed back by the first and second feedback paths, respectively is closer to a predetermined reference voltage.
US07679350B2
A switch-mode DC/DC converter (101) and linear low drop out (LIDO) DC/DC regulator (105) are connected in parallel to drive a single load Both regulators share a common voltage reference, feedback network (103), input supply and output such that the regulated voltage is identical during each mode of operation. During heavy loads the switch-mode regulator (107) is in operation and the linear regulator is disabled for the highest efficiency possible. Conversely at light loads the linear regulator is in operation with the switch-mode regulator (107) disabled, also maximizing the efficiency. Each regulator senses load current (131) to automatically transition between the appropriate voltage regulators at fixed load current levels. The presented invention also includes a make before break transition scheme of the voltage regulators (103) to minimize the voltage transients.
US07679345B1
A digital linear voltage regulator includes a comparator, a finite state machine, and a current digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The comparator is preferably coupled to receive a reference voltage and an operating voltage supplied to a dynamic load. The comparator generates, during a clock cycle, a binary output based on a comparison between reference and operating voltages. The finite state machine (FSM) is coupled to receive at least one control signal that indicates a target operating state for the digital linear voltage regulator. The FSM receives the binary output from the comparator and generates a digital word, during a clock cycle, based on the target operating state of the digital linear voltage regulator and on the binary output. The current DAC is coupled to the FSM, receives the digital word and delivers current at the desired voltage to the dynamic load.
US07679344B2
An integrated circuit die includes a microprocessor and a control circuit to control elements of a voltage regulator to supply power to the microprocessor.
US07679339B2
A switching power supply includes input terminals, which receive a first voltage, and a switching converter stage, provided with a first switching device. The power supply further includes a second switching device, connected between the input terminals and the switching converter stage, and an activation device, associated with the second switching device for controlling the second switching device so as to limit a second voltage applied to the switching converter stage.
US07679335B1
A battery charger includes one or more channels for independently charging one or more batteries at different current levels. The battery charger also includes multiple modes for each channel for charging a battery with a continuous current or a pulse current. The battery charger supplies charging current by holding the voltage at a set value.
US07679328B2
A charged state detecting apparatus for a secondary battery is provided, which can suppress deterioration in the accuracy of detecting a charged state, such as an SOC, the deterioration being caused by variation of a polarization state of a battery. The charged state detecting apparatus stabilizes an amount of polarization of the battery, stops power generation upon confirmation of the stabilization of the polarization amount, and sufficiently alters the current of the battery to sample a required number of data pairs of voltage and current of the battery. Using these data pairs, the charged state detecting apparatus detects a charged state, such as the SOC, of the battery.
US07679324B2
A communication circuit is used for transmitting data between a plurality of devices which have non-common ground voltages. The communication circuit comprises a plurality of transmitting input nodes coupled to the devices, respectively, a transmitting current path, a plurality of receiving output nodes coupled to the devices, respectively, and a receiving current path. The transmitting current path is coupled to the transmitting input nodes. The current through the transmitting current path is varied according to the input signal of the transmitting input nodes. The receiving current path is coupled to the receiving output nodes. The current through the receiving current path is varied according to the current of the transmitting current path such that data is transmitted from the transmitting input nodes to the receiving output nodes.
US07679322B1
An accessory for a portable electronic device, such as a digital music player, includes a set of device controls for controlling the portable electronic device. The accessory includes a microprocessor and a memory that contains function codes corresponding to the functions selected by the controls. In response to user manipulation of the controls, the accessory sends the function codes to the portable electronic device that cause the device to perform the requested function. Preferably, the accessory is a charger is adapted to be inserted into for a 12-volt car auxiliary power outlet and has the controls on the protruding face of the charger body. The accessory may also include an FM transmitter for transmitting an audio signal received from the portable electronic device to the car stereo.
US07679321B2
A power circuit is disclosed which is connected to a power source supplying different currents. The power circuit supplying driving power from the power source to a load includes a switching unit configured to switch the driving power supplied to the load in response to an external switching signal.
US07679318B2
Battery side terminals disposed on the first and second battery devices are arranged at the same places at front surfaces with respect to lower surfaces and side surfaces. On the front surface of a case of the second battery device, there are formed engaging recessed parts. Positions close to the lower surface of the engaging recessed parts are formed as flat surfaces parallel to a upper surface and the lower surface. The dimensions from the lower surface of the case to flat surfaces and the dimension from the lower surface of the case of the first battery device to an upper surface are configured to be the same. Accordingly, it is possible to provide an advantageous battery device that allows the use of battery devices having various capacities and improves the ease of use.
US07679306B2
A closed loop control system for controlling an actuator operating on a moveable member, includes a control device controlling operation of the actuator, a sensor responsive to a condition such as loading of the moveable member as it is moved by the actuator and adapted to generate a corresponding feedback control signal SL, and a damping device having a damping effect on the response of the actuator to the feedback control signal, the damping effect being varied in accordance with the movement of the moveable member so as to vary the response of the actuator. The damping effect is increased in the region of stationary states to render the system more stable, and reduced therebetween to make the system more responsive at increased speeds, and thereby more conformal to a required performance profile. The position or velocity of the moveable member can be used to control the damping effect, or a timer can be used to control the damping effect.
US07679305B2
The invention relates to a method for temperature limitation according to the current and/or voltage, for an actuating device (10) associated with an electric motor (M), especially a fan regulator (12) of a motor vehicle, the temperature limitation being carried out according to at least one operating parameter of the motor (M). The invention also relates to a corresponding device (1) and a fan regulator (12).
US07679301B2
A movable barrier operator having a motor controller (10) and motor (11) that control selective movement of a movable barrier (12) also has an obstacle detector (14) that utilizes an automatically determined excess force threshold value to permit reliable detection of an obstacle under a wide variety of operational circumstances, including changing physical circumstances, aging components, temperature variations, and motor runtime. In a preferred embodiment, a characteristic force value for the system is frequently updated as a function of actual measured force requirements (and further compensated, pursuant to various embodiments, with respect to other conditions such as temperature and motor runtime). This characteristic force value is then utilized to determine the excess force threshold value.
US07679295B1
A driver for a white LED string or a display is provided. The driver includes a boost converter that is arranged to provide an output voltage from a source voltage. Also, the driver includes a sense resistor that is coupled between the output voltage and a feedback voltage. The sense resistor is coupled in series with the white LED string or the display. Further, the boost converter uses the sense voltage across the sense resistor to regulate the output voltage. In one embodiment, the boost converter includes a level shifter that converts the sense voltage into a comparison signal that is referenced to ground. In another embodiment, the converter employs a reference voltage that is referenced to the output voltage.
US07679288B2
A plasma display panel that includes a first substrate affixed to a second substrate, a plurality of discharge cells arranged between the first and the second substrates to define a display area, an exhaust aperture included in at least one of the first and the second substrates, frit arranged around the exhaust aperture, an application area of the frit being on a side of the exhaust aperture closest to the display area being less than an application area of the frit on a side of the exhaust aperture furthest from the display area and an exhaust tube attached, via said frit, to the at least one of the first and the second substrates to communicate with said exhaust aperture. The application area of the frit is skewed so as to minimize the occurrence of a stain in a portion of the display area near the exhaust aperture.
US07679287B2
Provided is a plasma display apparatus. The plasma display apparatus includes an upper substrate, a plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes formed over the upper substrate, a lower substrate disposed facing the upper substrate, and a plurality of third electrodes formed over the lower substrate. At least one of the plurality of first electrodes and second electrodes is formed as one layer, and the first electrodes or the second electrodes are sequentially formed in at least one portion.
US07679282B2
An organic electroluminescent device, includes: a substrate; a hole-injecting electrode (anode) coated over the substrate; a hole injection layer coated over the anode; a hole transporting layer coated over the hole injection layer; a polymer based light emitting layer, coated over the hole transporting layer; a small molecule based light emitting layer, thermally evaporated over the polymer based light emitting layer; and an electron-injecting electrode (cathode) deposited over the electroluminescent polymer layer.
US07679273B2
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are related to an apparatus and method for providing a strain tolerant electrode, comprising: an upper layer; a lower layer; with the potential for a plurality of compliant members providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer; and wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct contact with a surface of the lower layer to provide an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer.
US07679256B2
A rotary electric machine capable of effectively utilizing both end faces of a rotor in the rotating axis direction by suppressing magnetic saturation comprises a stator having axial parts (31) and (32) and a radial part. The axial part (31) comprises cores (311) to (314) and coils (321) to (324), and the axial part (32) comprises cores (312) to (315) and coils (322) to (325). The radial part comprises cores (332) to (337) and coils (352) to (357). The width of each of the cores (311) to (315) in the circumferential direction is twice the width of each of the cores (332) to (337) in the circumferential direction. The number of windings of each of the coils (321) to (325) is equal to the number of windings of each of the coils (352) to (357).
US07679251B2
A stepping motor is disclosed which is capable of obtaining desired driving torque without sacrificing magnetic properties of a magnet with respect to a stator, reducing inertia mass of a rotor by decreasing a use amount of a magnet material, and thereby, can enhance driving performance including control responsiveness. In a stepping motor in which a plurality of stators (20A, 20B) around which coils (21) are wound are placed in an axial direction of a motor shaft (31), a rotor (30) is rotatably provided with a space at inner periphery sides of these stators (20A, 20B), the motor shaft (31) is placed in a center of the rotor (30), and the rotor (30) includes a rotor body (33) placed at an outer periphery of the motor shaft and a cylindrical magnet (32) integrally provided on an outer periphery of the rotor body and magnetized to form multipoles in a circumferential direction, the stepping motor is characterized in that the cylindrical magnet (32) has at least its inner peripheral surface bulged inward in a diameter direction so that a portion corresponding to a central portion in the above described axial direction of each of the coils (21) becomes thicker than the other portions.
US07679240B2
A vibration motor having an eccentric weight 20 includes a tubular metal holder frame 30 with a flat bottom part 31 and a wall surface 32, the flat bottom part 31 having an inner projection 31f with a bottom-up recess part W, the upper wall surface 32 being domed; a pair of external terminal pieces 14 and 15 attached to a plastic end cap 13, wherein the plastic end cap 13 has spacer projections 13b and 13c inserted between the motor case 11 and the flat bottom part 31.
US07679226B2
Synchronous linear motor with non-contacting scanning of the toothed structure of the secondary part
The aim of the invention is the equipping of a synchronous linear motor with a non-permanently-magnetic secondary part with a simple positional measuring system. Said aim is achieved, whereby the tooth structure of the toothed rack-shaped non-permanently-magnetic secondary part (S) varies with position in the direction of movement (B). Furthermore, the synchronous linear motor can be provided with absolute and incremental positional measuring systems, such that the coarse resolution of the absolute measuring system can be supplemented by the fine resolution of the incremental system.
US07679223B2
An electronic circuit includes a primary wide bandgap bipolar power switching device configured to supply a load current in response to a control signal applied to a control terminal thereof, and a driver device configured to generate the control signal. At least one of the primary switching device or the driver device may include an optically triggered switching device. A discrete wide bandgap semiconductor device includes a primary bipolar device stage configured to switch between a conducting state and a nonconducting state upon application of a control current, and a bipolar driver stage configured to generate the control current and to supply the control current to the primary bipolar device stage. At least one of the primary bipolar device stage and the bipolar driver stage may include an optically triggered wide bandgap switching device.
US07679211B2
The disclosed embodiments include an electrical disconnect system and method for a vehicle having a high voltage electrical system. In one embodiment, the system includes a service disconnect base being electrically coupled to the electrical system. A service disconnect plug is attachable to the service disconnect base and has a resistive device integrally formed therein. Current within the electrical system flows through the service disconnect base and the service disconnect plug when the service disconnect plug is connected to the service disconnect base. The current is limited to a current level no greater than a predetermined current level.
US07679209B2
An electrical energy generating system converts wind power to electrical power with a wind deflecting structure that divides wind impinging on the structure into two separate accelerated flow paths. One or more turbines are positioned in proximity to the wind deflecting structure such that a portion of the vanes of the turbine is placed within one of the accelerated flow paths. An energy converter is coupled to the turbine that converts rotary motion of the turbine into electricity.
US07679206B1
A wind power apparatus utilizing an anchor which is rotatably fixed to a surface. A chute attaches to the anchor and is provided with a chamber. A restrictor is located in the chamber to concentrate the wind within an annular area of the chute and direct it to a power generator via one or more nozzles. The power generator is then used to produce electricity, move an object, and the like.
US07679205B1
A method and apparatus are provided for converting electromagnetic radiation directly into electricity. The method aligns a plurality of ferromagnetic nanocrystals to produce an aggregate magnetic field; utilizes an electrical coil in the aggregate magnetic field; and alternately directs and removes radiant energy from the ferromagnetic nanocrystals such that the aggregate magnetic field decays and regenerates to produce a current in the electrical coil. The apparatus includes either a distribution or a stackup of ferro-magnetic nanocrystals and an electrical coil, the combination of the nanocrystals and the electrical coil operating with energy derived from the source of radiant energy.
US07679203B2
A method of forming a thermoelectric device may include forming a plurality of islands of thermoelectric material on a deposition substrate. The plurality of islands of thermoelectric material may be bonded to a header substrate so that the plurality of islands are between the deposition substrate and the header substrate. More particularly, the islands of thermoelectric material may be epitaxial islands of thermoelectric material having crystal structures aligned with a crystal structure of the deposition substrate. Related structures are also discussed.
US07679194B2
Disclosed is a method of fabricating a semiconductor memory device including the step of irradiating ultraviolet rays on a metal interconnection at a bonding pad part, so that the metal interconnection can be prevented from being corroded because of a corrodent element in the process of erasing charges stored in a charge storage part. An oxide coating film is formed on the surface of the metal interconnection at the bonding pad part, and ultraviolet rays are irradiated onto the oxide coating film for erasing of charges from the floating gate.
US07679190B2
A raised solder-mask-defined (SMD) pad configured for receiving a solder ball on a laminate electronic circuit board and a method of creating the raised SMD pad on a laminate electronic circuit board. The method may comprise forming a base bump, covering the base bump with a conductive bump layer and layering a surrounding material over an extended edge of the conductive bump layer. The surrounding material is patterned to expose a pad face and of a portion of the sides of the conductive bump layer, such that the pad face is disposed above the surface of the surrounding material. The surrounding material may be patterned by a photolithography operation or alternatively, a laser-drill operation.
US07679189B2
A display device includes a drive circuit chip, and a substrate on which the drive circuit chip is mounted. The drive circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulation layer, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer formed of metal between the semiconductor substrate and the insulation layer, and a first bump and a second bump formed over the insulation layer. The first bump is superposed with the first conductive layer, and a profile of the first bump in plan view is within a profile of the first conductive layer in plan view. The second bump is superposed with the second conductive layer, and a profile of the second pump in plan view is beyond a profile of the second conductive layer in plan view.
US07679171B2
A sensor isolation system including a sensor, a package for the sensor, and a compliant interposer disposed between the sensor and the package and interconnecting the sensor to the package to isolate the sensor from thermal and mechanical stresses and yet at the same time providing a physical interconnect between the sensor and the package.
US07679165B2
A light emitting diode includes a substrate tilted toward first and second directions simultaneously, a first cladding layer formed with a semiconductor material of a first conductive type on the substrate, an active layer formed on the first cladding layer, and a second cladding layer formed with a semiconductor material of a second conductive type on the active layer, wherein concavo-convexes are formed on the interfaces of the first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the active layer, and the (100) substrate is a III-V or a IV-IV group semiconductor substrate, and has a crystal orientation such that a (100) plane of the (100) substrate is inclined 2 to 20° toward the [0-1-1] direction and 1 to 8° toward the [0-11] direction.
US07679158B2
A thermal deformation preventing layer is located between a recording photoconductive layer, which contains a-Se as a principal constituent, and a crystallization preventing layer, which is constituted of an a-Se layer containing at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of As, Sb, and Bi. The thermal deformation preventing layer is constituted of an a-Se layer containing at least one kind of specific substance selected from the group consisting of a metal fluoride, a metal oxide, SiOx, and GeOx, where x represents a number satisfying 0.5≦x≦1.5.
US07679154B2
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor component having a semiconductor substrate, a flat, porous diaphragm layer and a cavity underneath the porous diaphragm layer are produced to form unsupported structures for a component. In a first approach, the semiconductor substrate may receive a doping in the diaphragm region that is different from that of the cavity. This permits different pore sizes and/or porosities to be produced, which is used in producing the cavity for improved etching gas transport. Also, mesopores may be produced in the diaphragm region and nanopores may be produced as an auxiliary structure in what is to become the cavity region.
US07679140B2
Provided is a strained SOI structure and a method of manufacturing the strained SOI structure. The strained SOI structure includes an insulating substrate, a SiO2 layer formed on the insulating substrate, and a strained silicon layer formed on the SiO2 layer.
US07679137B2
A method of fabricating self-aligned gate trench utilizing TTO poly spacer is disclosed. A semiconductor substrate having thereon a pad oxide layer and pad nitride layer is provided. A plurality of trench capacitors are embedded in a memory array region of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the trench capacitors has a trench top oxide (TTO) that extrudes from a main surface of the semiconductor substrate. Poly spacers are formed on two opposite sides of the extruding TTO and are used, after oxidized, as an etching hard mask for etching a recessed gate trench in close proximity to the trench capacitor.
US07679136B2
The on-resistance of a semiconductor device having a power transistor with a trench gate structure is reduced. A power MIS-FET with a trench gate structure is so formed that the relation expressed as 0≦b≦a holds, where a is the distance between an end of an interlayer insulating layer over the upper face of a semiconductor region for source and the end (position on the periphery of a trench) of the upper face of the semiconductor region for source farther from the gate electrode; and b is the length of the overlap between the interlayer insulating layer and the upper face of the semiconductor region for source. (b is the distance between the position of the end of the interlayer insulating layer over the upper face of the semiconductor region for source and position on the periphery of a trench). As a result, the area of contact between source pads and the semiconductor regions for source is increased, and further the distance between the source pads and a channel forming region can be shortened. Therefore, the on-resistance of the power MIS-FET with a trench gate structure can be reduced.
US07679132B2
A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate containing silicon carbide, a semiconductor layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of well regions formed on a front surface side of a cell forming area set to the semiconductor layer. The device further includes source layers formed on the front surface side lying within the well regions, an outer peripheral insulating film thick in thickness, which is formed over the semiconductor layer in an outer peripheral area surrounding the cell forming area, a gate oxide film formed over the front surface of the semiconductor layer in the cell forming area, and a gate electrode layer formed so as to extend from above the gate oxide film to above the outer peripheral insulating film.
US07679126B2
A non-volatile memory device (e.g., a split gate type device) and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The memory device includes an active region on a semiconductor substrate, a pair of floating gates above the active region, a charge storage insulation layer between each floating gate and the active region, a pair of wordlines over the active region and partially overlapping the floating gates, respectively, and a gate insulation film between each wordline and the active region. The method may prevent or reduce the incidence of conductive stringers on the active region between the floating gates, to thereby improve reliability of the memory devices and avoid the active region resistance from being increased due to the stringer.
US07679122B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of source regions and drain regions disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of word lines disposed on the semiconductor substrate between the source regions and the drain regions. The semiconductor device also includes a conductive line disposed on the semiconductor substrate parallel to the word lines. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of bit lines connected to the drain regions and crossing over the word lines. The semiconductor device also includes a plurality of source strapping lines crossing over the plurality of word lines, the plurality of source strapping lines being connected to at least one of the plurality of source regions and the conductive line. The semiconductor device also includes a ground line connected to the conductive line.
US07679119B2
A single-poly electrically erasable/programmable CMOS logic memory cell for mobile applications includes a CMOS inverter that share a single polysilicon floating gate, and an enhanced control capacitor including a control gate capacitor and an optional isolated P-well (IPW) capacitor formed below the control gate capacitor. The control gate capacitor includes a polysilicon control gate that is interdigitated with the floating gate and serves as a capacitor plate to induce Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) injection or Band-to-Band Tunneling (BBT) to both program and erase the floating gate. The IPW capacitor is provided in the otherwise unused space below the control gate capacitor by a IPW that is separated from the control/floating gates by a dielectric layer and is electrically connected to the control gate. Both F-N injection and BBT program/erase are performed at 5V or less.
US07679118B2
A memory device, system and fabrication method relating to a vertical memory cell including a semiconducting pillar extending outwardly from an integrally connected semiconductor substrate are disclosed. A first source/drain region is formed in the substrate and a body region and a second source/drain region are formed within the pillar. A first gate is coupled to a first side of the pillar for coupling the first and second source/drain regions together when activated. The vertical memory cell also includes a storage capacitor formed on an extended end of the semiconducting pillar and electrically coupled to the second source/drain region.
US07679115B2
A controlling method of an image sensor is disclosed. The method includes: measuring a first output voltage of a drive transistor, a gate of which is combined to a floating diffusion region, after a predetermined integration time; resetting the floating diffusion region by turning on a reset transistor connected between the floating diffusion region and a power supply group; measuring a reference voltage outputted from the drive transistor; transferring electric charges generated in a photo diode by sensing light inputted from the outside to the floating diffusion region by turning on a transfer transistor connected to the photo diode; and measuring a second output voltage of the drive transistor; wherein an image is generated by using a voltage difference between the first output voltage and the reference voltage, and a voltage difference between the second output voltage and the reference voltage.
US07679110B2
Methods of producing electrochemical transistor devices are provided, wherein a solidified electrolyte is arranged in direct contact with at least a portion of an organic material having the ability to electrochemically altering its electrical conductivity through change of redox state thereof, such that a current between a source contact and a drain contact of the transistor is controllable by way of a voltage applied to a gate electrode. A electrochemical transistor device is also provided, wherein an ion isolative material is provided between a solidified electrolyte and an organic material having ability to electrochemically altering its redox state, such that a transistor channel of the transistor is defined thereby.
US07679103B2
An integrated circuit arrangement includes a Shockley diode or a thyristor. An inner region of the diode or of the thyristor is completely or partially shielded during the implantation of a p-type well. This gives rise to a Shockley diode or a thyristor having improved electrical properties, in particular with regard to the use as an ESD protection element.
US07679100B2
A housing for an electromagnetic radiation emitting optoelectronic component is specified. The housing comprises a housing base body provided with a recess in which at least one chip mounting surface is disposed. At least one outer surface of the housing base body, disposed on an emission side of the housing and adjoining the recess, is provided with a baffle layer suitable for screening an electromagnetic radiation. An electromagnetic radiation emitting component provided with such a housing and a method of making a corresponding housing or component are also specified.
US07679098B2
Edge-emitting light source and method for fabricating an edge-emitting light source. The edge-emitting light source includes a photonic crystal having at least one waveguide region. An edge-emitting semiconductor structure having a light emitting active layer is incorporated within the at least one waveguide region. Light emitted by the edge-emitting semiconductor structure and within the bandgap of the photonic crystal is confined within the waveguide region and guided out of the photonic crystal through the waveguide region.
US07679095B2
An optoelectric composite substrate includes a substrate, a light emitting element positioned on the substrate, and a lens mold positioned on the light emitting element and contacting at least a part of the substrate, wherein the lens mold includes a lens element, the lens element positions so as to overlap an emitting surface of the light emitting element, and a distance between the light emitting element and the lens element is greater than a range of a Fresnel region of the light emitting element.
US07679094B2
An oxynitride-based fluorescent material is formed of what results from substituting Eu for part of M of a general formula 2MO.Si3N4, wherein M denotes one or more elements selected from among Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba. The oxynitride-based fluorescent material can be produced by a method comprising mixing an oxide of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or Eu, or a compound of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba or Eu enabled by heating to form an oxide, and silicon nitride or a compound enabled by heating to form silicon nitride to obtain a mixture and firing the mixture in a vacuum or a non-oxidizing atmosphere at 1200 to 1900° C.
US07679089B2
An organic light emitting display provided according to the invention maintains light emission efficiency and elongates its lifetime by radiating heat generated from organic light emitting elements to the outside of an encapsulated area. In the organic light emitting display, a part of a cathode is extended to the outside of the encapsulated area of a main substrate to form a radiation section integrally with the cathode. Heat generated from organic light emitting elements is diffused and radiated from the radiation section so that the heat can be discharged therefrom.
US07679080B2
A functional molecular device displaying its functions under the action of an electrical field is provided. A Louis base molecule, exhibiting positive dielectric constant anisotropy or exhibiting dipole moment along the long-axis direction of the Louis base molecule, is arrayed in the form of a pendant on an electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule of a conjugated system, via a metal ion capable of acting as a Louis acid. The resulting structure is changed in conformation on application of an electrical field to exhibit its function. The electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule and the Louis base molecule form a complex with the metal ion. On application of the electrical field, the Louis base molecule performs a swinging movement or a seesaw movement to switch the electrical conductivity of the principal-axis molecule. This molecule exhibits electrical characteristics which may be reversed depending on whether or not the molecule has been subjected to electrical field processing. A molecular device having a function equivalent to one of CMOS may be produced from one and the same material.
US07679068B2
A method of obtaining a deflection aberration correcting voltage. The method includes writing predetermined patterns at a plurality of focus height positions such that a dose is used as a variable. Dimensional variations of width sizes of the predetermined patterns written at the plurality of focus height positions such that the dose is used as the variable are measured. Further, effective resolutions of the written predetermined patterns are calculated by using the dimensional variations. The method further includes, on the basis of a focus height position at which a minimum effective resolution of the predetermined patterns is obtained, calculating a correcting voltage to correct deflection aberration and outputting the correcting voltage. The correcting voltage is used when a charged particle beam is deflected.
US07679063B2
A method of and apparatus for identifying the presence of thin photocatalytic (PCAT) coatings on glass surfaces. An apparatus is disclosed that can determine whether a PCAT coating (which may comprise titanium dioxide, for example) having a thickness of less than about 100 Å is present on the surface of a substrate such as glass. The apparatus may measure the reflectance of electromagnetic energy (such as light energy) at the surface of a substrate using energy at selected wavelengths or wavelength ranges. The apparatus may determine reflectance values for PCAT coated surfaces of any thickness, as well as for uncoated surfaces.
US07679060B2
An improved nanophosphor scintillator liquid comprises nanophosphor particles in a liquid matrix. The nanophosphor particles are optionally surface modified with an organic ligand. The surface modified nanophosphor particle is essentially surface charge neutral, thereby preventing agglomeration of the nanophosphor particles during dispersion in a liquid scintillator matrix. The improved nanophosphor scintillator liquid may be used in any conventional liquid scintillator application, including in a radiation detector.
US07679051B2
A system and method for separating ions in an ion mixture, such as a plasma in space. The ion mixture enters an electrostatic analyzer, whose ion path has at least two sections. A first section applies a DC voltage to the ions, and a next section applies an RF frequency voltage to the ions. Appropriate DC and RF voltages are applied, such that at least a portion of the lower mass ions are absorbed into the RF section of the analyzer. The heaver ions are transmitted out of the ion path and are readily available for further analysis.
US07679044B2
An optical sensor includes a photoelectric converter to receive external light and to output a photocurrent signal according to the illuminance of the external light. A current-to-voltage converter converts the photocurrent signal output from the photoelectric converter to a voltage signal. A voltage amplifier amplifies the voltage signal. A current amplifier outputs a current signal corresponding to the voltage signal amplified by the voltage amplifier. Each of the photoelectric converter, current-to-voltage converter, voltage amplifier and current amplifier includes at least one thin-film transistor.
US07679040B2
An optical control device includes a semiconductor laser that generates a light according to a drive current, a light amount detecting unit that detects a light amount of the light generated by the semiconductor laser; and a controller that controls the drive current to adjust the light amount to a target value by referring to a referring number of detection results of the light amount by the light amount detecting unit. The referring number at a time when the controller starts the drive current flowing is smaller than the referring number after the detection result of the light amount reaches a predetermined value.
US07679038B2
An optical phase microscope using rotating-¼ wavelength plate with pinhole in the center position and Fourier transformed lens is provided. The optical phase microscope comprises an optical image generator that acquires images for a specimen to be observed, an object plane onto which light beams of the images acquired from the optical image generator are projected, a first transform lens that performs primary Fourier transformation on the light beams passing through the object plane, a ¼ wavelength plate with pinhole at the center position that is positioned to be spaced by a focal distance of the first transform lens from the first transform lens, a secondary transform lens that performs secondary Fourier transformation on the light beams passing through the ¼ wavelength plate, and a phase image generator including a photo detector on which the images of the light beams subjected to the secondary Fourier transformation is focused.
US07679034B2
The power-supplying member comprises: a first rod-shaped member connected to at least one of a heating resistor and an electrode; a second rod-shaped member connected to a power supply; and a thermal-function member, which is disposed between the first rod-shaped member and the second rod-shaped member, and which has a smaller axial cross section area and a larger surface area as compared to the first and second rod-shaped members.
US07679032B2
A soldering or a desoldering tool includes a replaceable tip with a recess adapted to receive a portion of a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of the tip. Positioning the temperature sensor within the tip allows the temperature to be quickly measured so that the temperature near the tip may be more accurately monitored and controlled. The temperature sensor may be also integrated with the heater near the tip such that the temperature sensor is between the tip and the heater and near both of them so that the temperature of the tip is substantially that of the temperature of the heater. A sleeve may enclose the temperature sensor and the heater with a portion of the temperature sensor extending out from the foreward end of the sleeve. The replaceable tip may also have a bore adapted to receive a head protruding from the foreward end of the sleeve to couple the tip at a predetermined orientation with respect to the sleeve. The combination of bore and head allows the replaceable tip to be coupled with the sleeve in a consistent manner so that the temperature of the replacement tips can be measured accurately and dependably.
US07679029B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for shaping laser light as a line beam for interaction with a film that may have an imperfect, non-planar surface. The system may include a beam stop that defines an edge; a sensor that measures a distance between a selected point on a surface of the film and a reference plane and generates a signal representative of the measured distance; and an actuator coupled to the beam stop and responsive to the signal to move a portion of beam stop edge. Movement of the beam stop edge portion shifts a corresponding portion of the focused line beam in a direction normal to the reference plane to produce a line beam that more closely conforms to the surface profile of the film.
US07679019B2
An electrical switching system, preferably a medium-voltage switching system, has a power switch or load switch, a disconnecting switch, and a grounding switch configured as a vacuum switching chamber. Low separation distance lengths and a more compact construction of a switching system is achieved by means of a housing in which the disconnecting switch, configured as a vacuum switching chamber, the grounding switch, and the power switch or load switch are disposed, and in which a central switch is disposed, with which the vacuum switching chambers of disconnecting switch and grounding switch can be mechanically activated. Electrical connections between connector contacts of power switch or load switch, disconnecting switch, and grounding switch can be produced.
US07679010B2
An input apparatus for a multimedia device, said input apparatus comprising: a rotator wheel having an upper planar surface that is substantially annular in shape and exposed in order that the upper planar surface may be accessed by a user of the multimedia device; means for detecting rotational movement of the rotator wheel about an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel; and select means activated when a pressure is applied to the upper surface of the rotator wheel in a direction substantially parallel to an axis perpendicular to the upper planar surface of the rotator wheel.
US07678996B2
A high heat-resistance resin composition, the high heat-resistance resin composition being thermally treated at 150° C. for 100 hours, wherein a heat absorption amount of the high heat-resistance resin composition which is measured at a melting point thereof by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is equal to or less than 45 J/g before thermal treatment, an increasing rate of the heat absorption amount of the high heat-resistance resin composition which is measured at a melting point thereof after the thermal treatment by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) is equal to or less than 20% as compared to that before the thermal treatment, and a degree of extensibility thereof is equal to or more than 200% after the thermal treatment.
US07678989B2
An electronic keyboard that includes a plurality of keys including a first key. The keyboard further includes a key support supporting the first key for movement between a rest position and a depressed position. The keyboard also includes a first key return spring configured to apply a return force to the first key to bias the first key toward the rest position. In the keyboard, the first key return spring is configured such that the return force has a substantially constant magnitude throughout the movement of the first key between the rest position and the depressed position.
US07678988B2
Sounds in different frequency range are generated from the rear, top and/or front face of the musical tone apparatus, sounds are generated and spread in all directions around the musical tone apparatus, and the tones sound very realistically acoustic. Vibration of the sound board does not resonate, tones generated from the sound board are not changed unintentionally, and tones of real acoustic musical instruments are realized. Vibration from the sound board is not directly transferred to the whole musical tone apparatus, by means of not allowing the sound board to touch the body of the musical tone apparatus and of pressing and fixing the soundboard to the attachment component with the thickness of the attachment component compressed.
US07678979B1
A magnetic resonance modulator system for acoustic stringed musical instruments having a plurality of magnets. The resonance modulation is a function of the plurality of weights and locations of placement of magnets on the instrument. The attachment of the resonance modulator to the instrument and its infinite adjustability is achieved by using the attractive magnetic forces of the magnets to hold them in place through a vibrating component of the instrument, in any position on the instrument, making any location adjustment and consequent resonance or tonal adjustment quick and easy.
US07678972B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV932089. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV932089, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV932089 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV932089 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV932089.
US07678971B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH627005. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH627005, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH627005 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH627005.
US07678970B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH954175. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH954175, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH954175 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH954175.
US07678968B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH719138. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH719138, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH719138 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH719138.
US07678962B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated 0330739. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety 0330739. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety 0330739 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety 0330739 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07678960B2
The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an HIO nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.
US07678949B2
A process for the manufacture of CF3CH═CHF and/or CF3CF═CH2 is disclosed. The process involves (a) reacting HF and chlorine and at least one halopropene of the formula CX3CCI═CCIX (where each X is independently F or Cl) to produce a product including both CF3CCI2CCIF2 and CF3CCIFCCI2F; (b) reacting CF3CCI2CCIF2 and CF3CCIFCCI2F produced in (a) with hydrogen to produce a product including both CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F; (c) dehydrofluorinating CF3CH2CHF2 and CF3CHFCH2F produced in (b) to produce a product including both CF3CH═CHF and CF3CF═CH2; and (d) recovering CF3CH═CHF and/or CF3CF═CH2 from the product produced in (c). In (a), both CF3CCI2CCIF2 and CF3CCIFCCI2F are produced in the presence of a chlorofluorination catalyst consisting of (i) compositions comprising a crystalline alpha-chromium oxide where at least 0.05 atom % of the chromium atoms in the alpha-chromium oxide lattice are replaced by copper, and (ii) compositions of (i) which have been treated with a fluorinating agent.
US07678933B2
The present invention provides a novel mononuclear transition metal compound, a novel binuclear transition metal compound, a novel organic amine or phosphorous compound, and a method for preparing the same. The mononuclear transition metal compound according to the present invention is configured such that a cyclopentadienyl group and an amido or phosphorous group are bridged via a phenylene bridge. The binuclear transition metal compound according to the present invention is configured such that the two bridged mononuclear transition metal compounds configured such that a cyclopentadienyl group and an amido or phosphorous group are bridged via a phenylene bridge are linked via a bridging group located at the phenylene bridge. According to the present invention, the mononuclear transition metal compound, the binuclear transition metal compound, the organic amine or phosphorous compound can be prepared in a simple manner by using suzuki-coupling reaction with a high yield.
US07678932B2
A process is described in which an unsaturated fat is reacted with ethylene in a metathesis reaction in the presence of at least one non-aqueous ionic liquid to produce both an olefinic fraction and a composition of monoalcohol or polyol esters.Particular application to an oleic sunflower seed oil, an oleic rapeseed oil or to a mixture of monoalcohol esters of said oils, the process producing both an olefinic fraction and a monoalcohol or glycerol esters composition generally having more than half of its chains constituted by unsaturated C10 chains.
US07678926B2
The present invention is directed to novel indole derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of disorders and conditions modulated by the androgen receptor.
US07678925B2
The present invention relates to processes of producing glutamic acid compounds, for example, monatin, which are useful as, for example, production intermediates for sweetener or pharmaceutical products.
US07678924B2
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of formula I wherein R1 is C1-C4haloalkyl; R2 is C1-C6alkyl and R3 is methyl or ethyl, by reaction of compounds of formula II wherein the substituents are as defined for formula I, with compounds of formula III wherein R3 is as defined for formula I and n is 0 or 1.
US07678921B2
The present invention relates to the preparation of the (S)-(−)-amlodipine and (R)-(+)-amlodipine by means of enantiomeric separation of racemic amlodipine mixture, in which, L- or D-tartaric acid is used as resolution agent, and organic solvent containing 2-butanone is used as solvent. The 2-butanone used in the present invention has the advantage of low boiling point, low toxicity, litter pollution, and the method is suitable for large-scaled production.
US07678905B2
The present invention is directed to novel substituted aminotetrahydropyrans of structural formula I which are inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved, such as diabetes and particularly Type 2 diabetes. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved.
US07678899B2
A mixture of phthalocyanine dyes of Formula (1) and salts thereof: wherein M is Cu or Ni; Pc represents a phthalocyanine nucleus; L is, for example, C1-20 alkylene; R1, R2, R3 and R4 independently are H or optionally substituted C1-4alkyl; R5 is H or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl; or R4 and R5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent an optionally substituted aliphatic or aromatic ring system; x, y and z are each 0.1 to 3.8 where the sum of (x+y+z) is 4; and the substituents, represented by x, y and z, are attached only to a β-position on the phthalocyanine ring. This mixture can be used to make inks suitable for use in an ink jet printer.
US07678891B2
Antibodies that bind to CCX-CKR2 and methods of their use are provided.
US07678888B2
The present invention provides oxygenated hemoglobins in powdered form and methods of preparing a powdered form of a protein, such as hemoglobin, which comprise (a) mixing a solution of the protein with inulin, and optimally with a reducing sugar such as glucose or tagatose, and (b) drying the mixture. Also provided are blood substitutes formed from reconstituted powdered hemoglobins, and methods of treatment using the blood substitutes.
US07678887B2
The present invention describes a newly discovered polynucleotide encoding a protein involved in the cell signaling cascade, called RET16, cloned, isolated and identified from TNF-alpha stimulated human microvascular endothelial cells, as well as mouse and rat RET16 orthologs thereof. Also described are the RET16 polypeptide sequence, expression vectors, host cells, agonists, antagonists, antisense molecules, and antibodies related to the polynucleotide and/or polypeptide of the present invention. Methods for screening for modulators, particularly inhibitors, of the human RET16 protein, and use of the RET16 polynucleotide and polypeptide for therapeutics and diagnostics are described.
US07678850B2
A pigment dispersion useful for forming coating compositions containing dispersed pigment, a carrier solvent and an aminated macromonomer dispersant (binder) is disclosed. The aminated macromonomer dispersant is preferably prepared by the reaction of terminally unsaturated macromonomers synthesized by cobalt-catalyzed chain transfer free radical polymerizations of methacrylic monomers with monomeric or oligomeric amines.
US07678845B2
A pigment dispersion includes a pigment and a block copolymer having ionic aromatic monomers. The pigment dispersions can be used for manufacturing inkjet inks and for the coating of colored layers. A process for preparing the pigment dispersion is also disclosed.
US07678836B2
An ophthalmic solution comprising a polyethoxylated glyceride in the range of 0.001 to about 10 percent by weight and a buffer agent. These solutions impart surprising comfort and wearability to contact lenses. At the same time the solutions provide good preservative capacity and do not increase protein deposit.
US07678832B2
Disclosed herein are compositions comprising a compound represented by structural formula (I): 2 g of which is reconstitutable in 10 mL of a water in less than 10 minutes, and methods for preparing these compositions. Also disclosed are compositions comprising a compound represented by structural formula (I) and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, wherein the molar ratio of said compound to said excipient is from 1:20 to 1:1, and methods for preparing these compositions.
US07678830B2
Novel tricyclic-bis-enone derivatives (TBEs) as well as the process for the preparation of such TBEs are provided. Also provided are methods for prevention and/or treatment of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotropic lateral sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and all other diseases whose pathogenesis is believed to involve excessive production of either nitric oxide (NO) or prostaglandins or the overexpression of iNOS or COX-2 genes or gene products. Further, methods for the synthesis of the TBE compounds of the invention utilize cheap commercially available reagents and are highly cost effective and amenable to scale-up. Additional high efficiency synthetic methods that utilize novel intermediates as well as the synthesis of these intermediates are also provided. Furthermore, the invention also provides methods for designing novel and water-soluble TBEs.
US07678828B2
A method for the manufacture of a sterile intravenous or intramuscular formulation of artesunic acid and the formulation are the subject of this invention. First the artesunic acid powder is sterilized with ethylene oxide and placed into a sterile container. The contained sterilized powder is then dissolved in sterile sodium phosphate buffered solution to produce an injectable intravenous or intramuscular formulation. The sodium phosphate dissolves and dilutes the artesunic acid powder without caking or frothing resulting in an improved drug product. The invention also relates to the formulation and a method of treating a patient with either uncomplicated or severe and complicated malaria.
US07678821B2
Disclosed herein are pharmaceutical compositions comprising combinations of tolterodine, an antimuscarinic agent, and pilocarpine, a compound that causes stimulation of salivary glands. Also disclosed are methods of treating a patient suffering from overactive bladder comprising administering to the patient said pharmaceutical composition.
US07678819B2
The invention relates to radiolabeled compounds and their use in methods of imaging amyloid deposits, as well as to methods of their manufacture. The invention also relates to compounds for inhibiting the aggregation of amyloid proteins that form amyloid deposits, methods for delivering therapeutic agents to amyloid deposits, as well as methods of making compounds that inhibit the aggregation of amyloid proteins.
US07678818B2
Compounds of formula I processes for their preparation, their use as pharmaceuticals and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.
US07678812B2
This invention is directed to vanilloid receptor VR1 ligands. More particularly, this invention relates to β-aminotetralin-derived ureas that are potent antagonists or agonists of VR1 which are useful for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory and other pain conditions in mammals.
US07678811B2
This invention relates to urea compounds containing a pyridine, quinoline, or isoquinoline functionality which is oxidized at the nitrogen heteroatom and which are useful in the treatment of (i) raf mediated diseases, for example, cancer, (ii) p38 mediated diseases such as inflammation and osteoporosis, and (iii) VEGF mediated diseases such as angogenesis disorders.
US07678810B2
A thiazolylimidazole derivative represented by the formula or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and an ALK5 inhibitor, an therapeutic agent for alopecia or a hair growth agent having the above as an active ingredient, wherein: X1 and X2 are different from each other and represent a sulfur atom or a carbon atom; R1 represents a phenyl group; a substituted phenyl group; a phenyl group condensed with a hetero aromatic ring; a pyridyl group; or a pyridyl group condensed with a hetero aromatic ring; R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms substituted with 1 to 5 halogen atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkanoyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or a hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, A represents a group which is represented by the formula. The present invention provides an inhibitory substance against ALK5 which is a TGF-β type I receptor and provides a hair growth stimulant or a hair growth agent based on its novel activities.
US07678808B2
The instant disclosure describes methods for treating diseases and conditions of the central and peripheral nervous system by stimulating or increasing neurogenesis. The disclosure includes compositions and methods based on use of a 5HTR agent, optionally in combination with one or more other neurogenic agents, to stimulate or activate the formation of new nerve cells.
US07678806B2
The present invention is concerned with novel spiro-piperidine derivatives as V1a receptor antagonists, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as medicaments. The active compounds of the present invention are useful in the prevention and/or treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders and other diseases.In particular, the present invention is concerned with compounds of the general formula (I) wherein R1 to R5, R5′, X, Y and A are as defined in the specification.
US07678802B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of voltage-gated sodium channels and calcium channels. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising the compounds of the invention and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disorders.
US07678798B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I: wherein variable substituents are defined herein, that modulate the activity of or bind to chemokine receptors such as CCR5. In some embodiments, the compounds of the invention are selective for CCR5. The compounds can be used, for example, to treat diseases associated with chemokine receptor expression or activity such as inflammatory diseases, immune diseases and viral infections.
US07678795B2
Compounds of formula as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof, wherein R1 to R4 have the significance given in claim 1 can be used in the form of pharmaceutical compositions.
US07678787B2
This invention provides pyrrolobenzodiazepine pyridine carboxamides selected from those of Formula (1), which act as follicle stimulating hormone receptor antagonists. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment utilizing the compounds of Formulae (1) and (2).
US07678784B2
There is provided a series of oxime-containing macrocyclic acyl guanidines of Formula (I) or a stereoisomer; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, n and X as defined herein, their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use. These novel compounds inhibit the processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase and, more specifically, inhibit the production of Aβ-peptide. The present disclosure is directed to compounds useful in the treatment of neurological disorders related to β-amyloid production, such as Alzheimer's disease and other conditions affected by anti-amyloid activity.
US07678782B2
Disclosed are methods for providing enhanced systemic blood concentrations of orally delivered drugs that are incompletely translocated across the intestinal wall of an animal. Also disclosed are methods for the sustained release of drugs, whether poorly or readily bioavailable via oral delivery to animals. Still further, disclosed are compounds and pharmaceutical compositions that are used in such methods.
US07678779B2
The present invention provides methods of administering amifostine, WR-1065, or a combination thereof, to patients receiving radiation therapy or chemotherapy in a manner that significantly reduces or decreases the adverse or undesirable side-effects of the compounds as compared with conventional intravenous administration.
US07678774B2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome is treated with a natural human alpha interferon, a dsRNA or both natural human alpha interferon and a dsRNA.
US07678771B2
The invention describes compounds, compositions, and methods of using the same comprising a chemical moiety covalently attached to amphetamine. These compounds and compositions are useful for reducing or preventing abuse and overdose of amphetamine. These compounds and compositions find particular use in providing an abuse-resistant alternative treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADD, narcolepsy, and obesity. Oral bioavailability of amphetamine is maintained at therapeutically useful doses. At higher doses bioavailability is substantially reduced, thereby providing a method of reducing oral abuse liability. Further, compounds and compositions of the invention decrease the bioavailability of amphetamine by parenteral routes, such as intravenous or intranasal administration, further limiting their abuse liability.
US07678770B2
The invention describes compounds, compositions, and methods of using the same comprising a chemical moiety covalently attached to amphetamine. These compounds and compositions are useful for reducing or preventing abuse and overdose of amphetamine. These compounds and compositions find particular use in providing an abuse-resistant alternative treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADD, narcolepsy, and obesity. Oral bioavailability of amphetamine is maintained at therapeutically useful doses. At higher doses bioavailability is substantially reduced, thereby providing a method of reducing oral abuse liability. Further, compounds and compositions of the invention decrease the bioavailability of amphetamine by parenteral routes, such as intravenous or intranasal administration, further limiting their abuse liability.
US07678768B2
The present invention concerns a physiologically active composition which contains an enzymatically hydrolysed collagen as the active component I and at least one component of the non-vitamin type having anti-oxidative and/or anti-inflammatory properties as the active component II. Collagen of animal origin that is soluble in cold water comes into particular consideration as component I and a fermentation broth or a plant extract comes into particular consideration as component II. This composition which is designed in particular as a food supplement or functional food can be used to prevent inflammatory and/or degenerative symptoms in particular with a chronic course such as for example arthritis and arthroses or to successfully treat these symptoms. The claimed composition can be used above all by professional, leisure and recreational athletes who suffer in particular from strained joint functions.
US07678759B2
The present invention provides fusion proteins for the detection and treatment of neuroectodermal tumors. Previous work demonstrated that chlorotoxin is specific for glial-derived or meningioma-derived tumor cells. The current invention has extended the use of chlorotoxin-cytotoxin fusion proteins to treat the whole class neuroectodermal tumors such as gliomas, meningiomas, ependymonas, medulloblastomas, neuroblastomas, gangliomas, pheochromocytomas, melanomas, PPNET's, small cell carcinoma of the lung, Ewing's sarcoma, and metastatic tumors in the brain. Also, diagnostic methods are provided for screening neoplastic neuroectodermal tumors.
US07678748B2
The present invention is directed to novel compounds which possess unique organoleptic properties containing the following general formula: wherein R and R′ each independently represents hydrogen or a C1-C7 moiety, and the use of these compounds as fragrance materials to enhance fragrance formulations in perfumes, toilet waters, colognes, fabric care products, personal products, and the like.
US07678747B2
A lubricating oil composition comprising (a) a major amount of a base oil of lubricating viscosity and (b) a minor deposit-inhibiting effective amount of a reaction product prepared by transesterifying at least one glycerol ester and at least one non-glycerol polyol ester is provided. Methods for its use are also provided.
US07678742B2
Of the many methods provided herein, the present invention provides a method comprising: providing a drill-in fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid, a viscosifier, a relative permeability modifier fluid loss control additive, and a degradable bridging agent comprising a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole; placing the drill-in fluid in a subterranean formation; and allowing the relative permeability modifier fluid loss control additive to reduce fluid loss from the drill-in fluid to the subterranean formation. Another example is a method of degrading a filter cake in a subterranean formation comprising: providing a filter cake produced by a drill-in fluid that comprises an aqueous base fluid, a viscosifier, a relative permeability modifier fluid loss control additive, and a degradable bridging agent comprising a degradable material capable of undergoing an irreversible degradation downhole; and allowing the degradable bridging agent to degrade.
US07678741B2
A dehydration step provides a good storage stability to clethodium formulation. A herbicidal composition comprising clethodim as an active ingredient, wherein the content of water in the herbicidal composition is less than approximately 0.20% by weight provides a good storage stability of the clethodim in the composition.
US07678737B2
A dewatering promoter which comprises a mixture of (A) a fine wood flour activated by a mechanochemical treatment and (B) a highly active cellulose fiber or a product formed by a grinding treatment of the mixture; and a method for producing the dewatering promoter which comprises adding the highly active cellulose fiber to the wood flour, in a ratio of more than 10% relative to the total mass of the wood flour and the highly active cellulose fiber, and subjecting the resultant mixture to a grinding treatment for at least 30 minutes. The above dewatering promoter can be produced at a low cost, and allows the reduction of the cost required for waste water treatments such as the disposal of a great amount of sludge.
US07678736B1
A composition for decontaminating a highly toxic material, wherein the composition includes a modified reactive sorbent comprising a reactive sorbent in combination with a sufficient amount of an organic solvent to saturate the pores of the reactive sorbent to yield a non-slurry, free flowing mixture. The present invention is further directed to a method for making such compositions and method for decontaminating surfaces using such compositions.
US07678728B2
A highly dispersed, unsupported, electrocatalyst made of pyrolyzed porphyries and a method for synthesizing the same. The disclosed synthesis procedure allows for optimization of pore size and therefore transport properties. Compounds suitable for use include transition metal N4-chelates such as, but not necessarily limited to, N4-chelates containing different metal centers including Co, Fe, Mn, Ni, Ru, Cu, etc., and other N4-chelates such as porphyrin, phthalocyanies, and structures based on their pyro products.
US07678725B2
A polycrystalline body includes aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, and lutetium oxide. The lutetium oxide is present in an amount of at least 10 ppm of the weight of the ceramic body, and the magnesium and zirconium oxides are present at a molar ratio of from 0.5:1 to 3:1.
US07678723B2
Sintered, spherical composite pellets or particles comprising alumina fines, at least one of clay and bauxite and optionally a sintering aid, are described, along with a process for their manufacture. The use of such pellets in hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations and in grinding is also described.
US07678719B2
The present invention relates to a method for forming a bi-layered carpet underlay. More particularly, the method includes bonding a layer of non-woven fibers and a layer of re-bonded foam particles together to form the bi-layered carpet underlay. The layers of the carpet underlay can be bonded together with the use of adhesives, by heating a surface of one or both layers to a soft bondable state for lamination between the layers, by applying a film having adhesive surfaces between the layers, or by other suitable bonding means. The bi-layered carpet underlay combines the soft cushioning resilience of foam with the high durability bridging ability of fiber to provide a carpet underlay that maintains its height or thickness and firmness, while imparting softness and cushioning effects over an extended period of wear.
US07678717B2
Fabric layers and composite articles that incorporate graphite-containing coatings that do not stain are provided. A fabric layer for use as a flame and heat blocking component of an upholstered article includes intumescent graphite particles that are configured to swell and char in the presence of flame so as to form a barrier to flame, hot gases and heat for a predetermined period of time. The graphite particles have a size greater than about 150 microns which prevents the particles from being drawn to a surface of an upholstered article during sewing and quilting operations.
US07678712B2
The invention concerns a method for applying a surface modification agent composition for organosilicate glass dielectric films. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method for treating a silicate or organosilicate dielectric film on a substrate, which film either comprises silanol moieties or has had at least some previously present carbon containing moieties removed therefrom. The treatment adds carbon containing moieties to the film and/or seals surface pores of the film, when the film is porous.
US07678709B1
A deposition method modulates the reaction rate and thickness of highly conformal dielectric films deposited by forming a saturated catalytic layer on the surface and then exposing the surface to silicon-containing precursor gas and a reaction modulator, which may accelerate or quench the reaction. The modulator may be added before, after, or during exposure of the silicon-containing precursor gas. The film thickness after one cycle of deposition may be increased up to 20 times or decreased up to 20 times.
US07678707B1
Carbon nanotube apparatus, and methods of carbon nanotube modification, include carbon nanotubes having locally modified properties with the positioning of the modifications being controlled. More specifically, the positioning of nanotubes on a substrate with a deposited substance, and partially vaporizing part of the deposited substance etches the nanotubes. The modifications of the carbon nanotubes determine the electrical properties of the apparatus and applications such as a transistor or Shockley diode. Other applications of the above mentioned apparatus include a nanolaboratory that assists in study of merged quantum states between nanosystems and a macroscopic host system.
US07678705B2
An apparatus to perform semiconductor processing includes a process chamber; a plasma generator for generating a plasma in the process chamber; and a helical ribbon electrode coupled to the output of the plasma generator.
US07678703B2
A production method of a semiconductor device including: producing a polishing composition containing zirconium oxide sol; and planarizing a substrate having an uneven surface with said polishing composition, wherein the polishing composition containing zirconium oxide is produced by the steps comprising: baking at a temperature ranging from 400 to 1000° C., a zirconium compound having d50 (where d50 represents a particle diameter meaning that the number of particles having this particle diameter or less is 50% of the total number of particles) of zirconium compound particles of 5 to 25 μm and d99 (where d99 represents a particle diameter meaning that the number of particles having this particle diameter or less is 99% of the total number of particles) of zirconium compound particles of 60 μm or less, wherein d50 and d99 are measured by measuring a slurry of the zirconium compound by a laser diffractometry; and wet-grinding a powder of zirconium oxide obtained in the above baking in an aqueous medium until d50 of zirconium oxide particles becomes 80 to 150 nm and d99 of zirconium oxide particles becomes 150 to 500 nm, wherein d50 and d99 are measured by measuring a slurry of the zirconium compound by a laser diffractometry.
US07678700B2
The inventive method comprises chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate comprising at least one layer of silicon carbide with a polishing composition comprising a liquid carrier, an abrasive, and an oxidizing agent.
US07678698B2
A semiconductor device has at least two tensile stressor layers that are cured with UV radiation. A second tensile stressor layer is formed after a first stressor layer. In some examples, the tensile stressor layers include silicon nitride and hydrogen. In some examples, the second tensile stressor layer has a greater shrinkage percentage due to the curing than the first tensile stressor layer. In one form, the second tensile stressor layer after the curing exerts a greater tensile stress than the first tensile stressor layer. The tensile stressors layers are utilized to improve carrier mobility in an N-channel transistor and thus enhance transistor performance. In one form a single group of overlying tensile stressor layers is provided with each layer being increasingly thicker and having increasingly more hydrogen prior to being cured. In other embodiments multiple overlying groups are formed, each group having a similar repeating depth and hydrogen profile.
US07678697B2
A substrate on which a pattern is formed by a discharged functional liquid, includes a coating region coated with the functional liquid, and banks formed to enclose the coating region, wherein a difference between a contact angle of the functional liquid with respect to the coating region and a contact angle of the functional liquid with respect to the bank is above 40°.
US07678684B2
Interconnections are formed over an interlayer insulating film which covers MISFETQ1 formed on the principal surface of a semiconductor substrate, while dummy interconnections are disposed in a region spaced from such interconnections. Dummy interconnections are disposed also in a scribing area. Dummy interconnections are not formed at the peripheries of a bonding pad and a marker. In addition, a gate electrode of a MISFET and a dummy gate interconnection formed of the same layer are disposed. Furthermore, dummy regions are disposed in a shallow trench element-isolation region. After such dummy members are disposed, an insulating film is planarized by the CMP method.
US07678683B2
An integrated circuit and a method of manufacturing the integrated circuit, the method including: (a) providing a substrate; (b) forming a copper diffusion barrier layer on the substrate; (c) forming a dielectric layer on a top surface of the copper diffusion barrier layer; (d) forming a copper damascene or dual damascene wire in the dielectric layer, a top surface of the copper damascene or dual damascene wire coplanar with a top surface of the dielectric layer; (e) forming a first capping layer on the top surface of the wire and the top surface of the dielectric layer; (f) after step (e) performing one or more characterization procedures in relation to said integrated circuit; and (g) after step (e) forming a second capping layer on a top surface of the first capping layer.
US07678680B2
A semiconductor device that includes an electrode of one material and a conductive material of lower resistivity formed over the electrode and a process for fabricating the semiconductor device.
US07678679B2
A growth material that grows selectively on the vertical sidewalls of a vertical device forms sidewall spacers on substantially vertical sidewalls of the vertical device that is disposed on a horizontal substrate surface of a semiconductor substrate. A spacer-like seed liner may be provided on the vertical sidewalls of the vertical device to control selective growth. The vertical device may be a gate electrode of a field effect transistor (FET). With selectively grown sidewall spacers, heavily doped contact regions of the FET may be precisely spaced apart from the gate electrode. The distance of the heavily doped contact regions to the gate electrode does not depend from the height of the gate electrode. Distances of more than 150 nm between the heavily doped contact region and the gate electrode may be achieved so as to facilitate the formation of, for example, DMOS devices.
US07678678B2
An embodiment includes a process of forming a gate stack that acts to resist the redeposition to the semiconductive substrate of mobilized metal such as from a metal gate electrode. An embodiment also relates to a system that achieves the process. An embodiment also relates to a gate stack structure that provides a composition that resists the redeposition of metal during processing and field use.
US07678675B2
Exemplary embodiments provide triple-gate semiconductor devices isolated by reverse STI structures and methodologies for their manufacture. In an exemplary process, stacked layers including a form layer over a dielectric layer can be formed over a semiconductor substrate. One or more trenches can be formed by etching through the stacked layers. The one or more trenches can be filled by an active area material to form one or more active areas, which can be isolated by remaining portions of the dielectric layer. Bodies of the active area material can be exposed by removing the form layer. One or more triple-gate devices can then be formed on the exposed active area material. The exemplary triple-gate semiconductor devices can control the dimensions for the active areas and provide less isolation spacing between the active areas, which optimizes manufacturing efficiency and device integration quality.
US07678665B2
A method for imparting stress to the channel region of a transistor is provided. In accordance with the method, a semiconductor layer (307) is provided which has a dielectric layer (305) disposed beneath it. A trench (319) is created which extends through the semiconductor layer and into the dielectric layer, and the trench is backfilled with a stressor material (320), thereby forming a trench isolation structure. A channel region (326) is defined in the semiconductor layer adjacent to the trench isolation structure.
US07678664B2
According to a fabrication method for an element isolation structure section, that is, STI, of the present invention, by differing the etching rate of material to be embedded in a narrow-width, that is, a small area trench section (first trench section) formed in a small isolation area, from the etching rate of a material to be embedded in a wide-width (plane shape of larger area) trench section (second trench section) formed in a large isolation area, in the etching step, dishing (recessing) that inevitably occurs in a CMP step can be reduced. Therefore, a STI having a higher level of flatness can be formed. As a result, by simple steps, deterioration of the electrical characteristics of elements that are element-isolated by STI can be reduced. That is to say, not only STI having excellent electrical characteristics, but also a semiconductor device provided with such STI, can be provided at a good level of production yield.Moreover, according to the fabrication method for STI of the present invention, since excellent in-plane uniformity can be achieved, further miniaturization of the semiconductor device fabrication process can be supported.
US07678662B2
A memory cell comprises a p-doped substrate with a pair of spaced apart n-doped regions on the substrate that form a source and drain about the channel. A stack of layers on the channel comprises, in sequence, (i) a tunnel oxide layer, (ii) a floating gate, (iii) an inter-gate dielectric, and (iv) a control gate. A polysilicon layer is on the source and drain. A cover layer covering the stack of layers comprises a spacer layer and a pre-metal-deposition layer. Optionally, contacts are used to contact each of the source, drain, and silicide layers, and each have exposed portions. A shallow isolation trench is provided about n-doped regions, the trench comprising a stressed silicon oxide layer having a tensile stress of at least about 200 MPa. The stressed layer reduces leakage of charge held in the floating gate during operation of the memory cell.
US07678661B2
Embodiments relate to semiconductor device and a method of forming an insulating layer with a low dielectric constant in a semiconductor device. The method may include forming a plurality of metal patterns on a semiconductor substrate, depositing a first insulating layer on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate having the plurality of metal patterns, depositing an etch stop layer on the first insulating layer, depositing a second insulating layer on the etch stop layer, removing the second insulating layer until the etch stop layer formed above each of the plurality of metal patterns is exposed, etching the exposed etch stop layer, and depositing a third insulating layer on the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US07678658B2
A method of forming an improved static random access memory (SRAM) interconnect structure is provided. The method includes forming a sidewall spacer around a periphery of a patterned poly-silicon layer formed over a silicon layer of a semiconductor substrate; removing the patterned poly-silicon layer for exposing a portion of a cap layer; etching the exposed portion of the cap layer for revealing a portion of the silicon layer; etching the portion of the silicon layer, in which a portion of said silicon layer connects at least a portion of pull-down device of said SRAM to at least a portion of pull-up device of said SRAM; forming a gate oxide; and forming a gate conductor over the gate oxide. An interconnect structure is also provided.
US07678645B2
Method for forming a highly relaxed epitaxial semiconductor layer (52) with a thickness between 100 nm and 800 nm in a growth chamber includes four principle steps. In a first step, the method provides a substrate (51) in the growth chamber on a substrate carrier. In a second step, the method maintains a constant substrate temperature (TS) of the substrate (51) in a range between 350° C. and 500° C. In a third step, the method establishes a high-density, low-energy plasma in the growth chamber such that the substrate (51) is being exposed to the plasma. In a fourth step, the method directs Silane gas (SiH4) and Germane gas (GeH4) through the gas inlet into the growth chamber, the flow rates of the Silane gas and the Germane gas being adjusted in order to form said semiconductor layer (52) by means of vapor deposition with a growth rate in a range between 1 and 10 nm/s. The semiconductor layer (52) has a Germanium concentration x in a range between 0
US07678641B2
There is provided a semiconductor device having a device isolation region of STI structure formed on a silicon substrate so as to define a device region, wherein the device isolation region comprises a device isolation trench formed in the silicon substrate, and a device isolation insulation film filling the device isolation trench. At least a surface part of the device isolation insulation film is formed of an HF-resistant film.
US07678639B2
An inductor formed within an integrated circuit and a method for forming the inductor. The inductor comprises an underlying layer of aluminum formed in a first metallization layer and patterned and etched into the desired shape. In one embodiment the aluminum line comprises a spiral shape. According to a damascene process, a conductive runner, preferably of copper, is formed in a dielectric layer overlying the aluminum line and in electrical contact therewith. The aluminum line and the conductive runner cooperate to form the inductor. In another embodiment the aluminum line and the conductive runner are formed in a vertically spaced-apart orientation, with tungsten plugs or conductive vias formed to provide electrical connection therebetween. A method for forming the inductor comprises forming an aluminum conductive line and forming a conductive runner over the conductive line.
US07678632B2
Some embodiments discussed herein include a semiconductor having a source region, a drain region and an array of fins operatively coupled to a gate region controlling current flow through the fins between the source region and the drain region. The semiconductor also has at least one cooling element formed at least in part of a material having a heat capacity equal to or larger than the heat capacity of the material of the source region, drain region and array of fins, the cooling elements being in close vicinity to fins of the array of fins electrically isolated from the fins of the array, the source region and the drain region. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07678631B2
A method to form a strain-inducing three-component epitaxial film is described. In one embodiment, the strain-inducing epitaxial film is formed by a multiple deposition/etch step sequence, followed by an amorphizing dopant impurity-implant and, finally, a kinetically-driven crystallization process. In one embodiment, the charge-neutral lattice-substitution atoms are smaller and present in greater concentration than the charge-carrier dopant impurity atoms.
US07678623B2
This invention relates to a process for fabricating a staggered source/drain and thin-channel TFT structure, which simplifies the conventional process for fabricating the structure by decreasing the number of mask steps and achieving better results at suppressing the electric field near the drain junction and reducing the leakage current. The process comprises (1) re-crystallizing a-Si into poly-Si (02), which is performed by depositing an a-Si layer on a substrate and then applying a general photolithographic step and a RIE etching step for defining the amorphous Si islands provided with higher regions and lower regions, wherein the residual width of the thin channel of the a-Si is about 5 to 200 nm after etching; then the a-Si is changed into poly-Si (02) after a subsequent annealing; (2) defining the gate region (05), source/drain region (07) and the channel; (3) applying the implantation; and (4) applying the connection.
US07678622B2
In a method of forming a semiconductor device, a wafer includes a first semiconductor region of a first crystal orientation and a second semiconductor region of a second crystal orientation. Insulating material is formed over the wafer. A first portion of the insulating material is removed to expose the first semiconductor region and a second portion of the insulating material is removed to expose the second semiconductor region. Semiconductor material of the first crystal orientation is epitaxially grown over the exposed first semiconductor region and semiconductor material of the second crystal orientation is epitaxially grown over the exposed second semiconductor region.
US07678617B1
An improved arrangement and process for packaging integrated circuits are described. More particularly, a universal lamination tool is described that functions to secure an adhesive film to a lead frame. The lamination tool of the present invention uses compressed gas to press the lead frame against the adhesive film. In this manner, the lamination tool itself does not physically press on the lead frame thereby substantially reducing the likelihood of damage to the bonding wires or other delicate components during this stage of the encapsulation process. Moreover, such a lamination tool is not package specific making it applicable for a wide variety of package configurations and lead frame sizes.
US07678616B2
An apparatus, method, and system for providing thermal management for an integrated circuit includes a first metallic layer directly placed on a back surface of the integrated circuit. An integrated heat spreader with a substantially cap-like shape is placed over the integrated circuit, with an aperture of a ceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader exposing a back surface of the integrated circuit at least in part. The first metallic layer is directly placed on top of an exterior surface of the ceiling wall of the integrated heat spreader as well as the back surface of the integrated circuit.
US07678613B2
An apparatus, method, and system for providing a mechanical divider adapted to shield at least a portion of an active surface of an integrated circuit from out-gassing from underfill material. The mechanical divider is attached to a mounting substrate. The underfill material is dispensed on the mounting substrate. The integrated circuit is placed on both the mechanical divider and on the underfill material after the mechanical divider has been at least partially cured. The mechanical divider may include a base surface adapted to contact the mounting substrate, a lower wall surface extending upwardly from the base surface, an upper wall surface adapted to abut a side wall of the integrated circuit, and a ledge surface extending between the lower wall surface and the upper wall surface, the ledge surface adapted to contact at least a portion of the active surface of the integrated circuit.
US07678612B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: a step of forming a via plug erected on an electrically conductive layer, and embedding the via plug in an insulation layer to form a wiring structure; and a step of bonding the wiring structure to a wiring substrate including electronic components mounted thereon.
US07678606B2
A phase change memory device is disclosed. A second conductive spacer is under a first conductive spacer. A phase change layer comprises a first portion substantially parallel to the first and second conductive spacers and a second portion on top of the second conductive spacer, wherein the second conductive spacer is electrically connected to the first conductive spacer through the second portion of the phase change layer.
US07678598B2
A method for manufacturing a surface-emitting semiconductor laser having a structure in which the single horizontal mode of high power is stably maintained is provided. A scattering-loss-structure portion composed of a low refractive-index region is disposed around a main current path in a surface-emitting semiconductor laser, namely around a cavity structure portion; the low refractive-index region is disposed at intervals; and the shape of the tip portion opposing to the center portion is set to be a tapered shape, for example, at an acute angle. Accordingly, in the cavity structure portion, the loss of light-emitting laser of a high-order mode localized in the outer circumferential portion becomes large, so that a surface-emitting semiconductor laser that oscillates the single-mode laser with favorable performance is constructed.
US07678597B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device provides a semiconductor device with a gallium-nitride-based semiconductor structure that allows long-term stable operation without degradation in device performance. After formation of an insulation film on a surface other than on a ridge surface, an oxygen-containing gas such as O2, O3, NO, N2O, or NO2 is supplied to oxidize a p-type GaN contact layer from the surface and to thereby form an oxide film on the surface of the p-type GaN contact layer. Then, a p-type electrode that establishes contact with the p-type GaN contact layer is formed by evaporation or sputtering on the oxide film and on the insulation film. Heat treatment is subsequently performed at temperatures between 400 and 700° C. in an atmosphere containing a nitrogen-containing gas such as N2 or NH3 or an inert gas such as Ar or He.
US07678594B2
An integrated optical device comprising a first semiconductor optical element provided on a first region of the main face of a substrate and a second semiconductor optical element provided on a second region and optically coupled to the first semiconductor optical element is fabricated. A first III-V compound semiconductor layer containing Al element is formed on the main face. A second III-V compound semiconductor layer for forming the first semiconductor optical element is then formed on the first III-V compound semiconductor layer. An etching mask M is formed on the first region. The end point of the dry etching is detected by using the etching mask M to dry-etch the second III-V compound semiconductor layer while detecting Al element. The first semiconductor optical element is thus formed. The second semiconductor optical element is formed on the second region.
US07678581B2
A tissue sample to be analyzed is tested. Multiple different samples of multiple areas of said tissue sample, each of said multiple areas is a smaller area than an entire tissue sample to be analyzed. After analysis, the tissue sample is processed in a way that facilitates viewing tumor information on the sample, for example, by fixing or staining. An area is identified on the stained sample, and at least one of the samples that corresponds to an identified area is tested. This small area is tested using a technique that homogenizes the sample before testing.
US07678577B2
A corpuscle/plasma separating part is disposed at the lower end of the substrate, and a sensor part connected to the corpuscle/plasma separating part is disposed at the upper end of the substrate, with a calibration solution reservoir being disposed on the lower side of the sensor part, and a calibration solution waste reservoir being disposed on the upper side of the sensor part. A first centrifugal axis is located upper to the corpuscle fraction storing part and lower to the plasma fraction storing part of the corpuscle/plasma separating part, while a second centrifugal axis is located within or close to the sensor part. Conveyance and discharge of the calibration solution can be carried out by performing centrifugation around the first centrifugal axis which is distant from the sensor part at a low speed of rotation, so that the centrifugal force exerted on the sensors would be small. During the centrifuge operation at a high speed of rotation for the separation of blood corpuscles, centrifugation can be performed around the second centrifugal axis so that the centrifugal force exerted on the sensors is small. Centrifuge operation allows separation of the blood corpuscles and blood plasma, and conveyance of the blood plasma and the calibration solution, as well as certain discharge of the calibration solution from the sensors, thereby allowing precise analysis. Any damage in the sensors due to strong centrifugal force during the separation of blood corpuscles and blood plasma can be prevented.
US07678569B2
Embodiments described herein include nucleic acid sequences, which encode hepatitis C virus of strain HC-TN, genotype 1a, proteins and polypeptides and fragments thereof. Use of these compositions, and diagnostics for HCV and in the development of screening assays for the identification of antiviral agents for HCV are also contemplated.
US07678557B2
The invention relates to methods for the accumulation and retention of immune-enhancing, bacterial-derived ribonucleotides smaller than 10,000 Daltons (ORN<10 kDa) in bacteria that are produced when bacteria are grown naturally, allowing the pH of the growth medium to become acidic. The immune-enhancing, bacterial-derived ribonucleotides (ORN) and bacteria comprising ORN are useful in the preparation of animal feed or animal drinking water as well as for use in enhancing the immune system of an animal and/or its resistance to infection. The invention also discloses methods of preventing the loss of ORN during bacterial production and storage as well as methods to aid in the release of ORN when consumed by an animal.
US07678553B2
Strains of Lactobacillus which have been selected for their capability of reducing gastrointestinal inflammation, such as that due to Helicobacter pylori, and products derived from these strains, including agents for treatment or prophylaxis of inflammation associated with Helicobacter pylori for administration to humans and include conditioned media in which the selected strains have grown and protein-containing extracts of the conditioned media.
US07678545B2
The present invention is directed to methods for providing a polyelectrolyte multilayer film at a liquid-liquid interface. Such methods include steps of sequentially-depositing layers of cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes at a liquid-liquid interface that is formed between immiscible first and second liquids whereby a polyelectrolyte multilayer film is provided at the liquid-liquid interface. In certain preferred embodiments, the first liquid is an aqueous solution and the second liquid is a liquid crystal. In alternative embodiments, the first liquid is an aqueous solution and the second liquid is an oil. The invention further encompasses polyelectrolyte multilayer films provided by the disclosed methods as well as applications utilizing such materials.
US07678544B2
The present invention provides a method, an assay and a kit for providing an indication of abnormal cell function. It was surprisingly found that the change in the serum ADAM12 concentration in individuals was useful as a prognostic tool to predict the clinical outcome, complications and mortality following an abnormal cell function.The present inventors describes ADAM12 as a overall general marker for abnormal cell function, and the present inventor for the first time demonstrate that ADAM12 is an important indicator of fetal chromosomal disease and placenta function. Specifically ADAM12 is a good marker for e.g. Downs's syndrome, trisomy 18, preeclampsia, Turner syndrome in both first and second trimester.The present inventors developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay for the quantification of ADAM12 in serum.The present application demonstrates in several examples the variation of the ADAM12 level in fetal abnormality and/or adverse pregnancy outcomes correlated gestational age when compared to normal controls. It is an object of the invention to provide an improvement of the existing marker tests that exhibits a decreased false positive rate.
US07678543B2
A method for amplifying genomic DNA is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (1) incubating a cell-containing agarose solution at a pH of 9 to 12 and a temperature of 45 to 80° C. to produce a genomic DNA-dispersed agarose solution wherein 0.002 to 1 copies/5 microliter of single-stranded genomic DNA is dispersed; (2) solidifying the genomic DNA-dispersed agarose solution to produce a genomic DNA-dispersed agarose gel and neutralizing a pH of the gel; and (3) adding a DNA polymerase with strand displacement activity, primer and dNTP to the genomic DNA-dispersed agarose gel and incubating the gel at a temperature of 0 to 60° C. to amplify the genomic DNA.
US07678541B2
The invention provides methods, compositions and kits for generating a signal indicative of the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence in a sample comprising forming a cleavage structure by incubating a sample comprising a target nucleic acid sequence with upstream and downstream oligonucleotides, and cleaving the cleavage structure with a nuclease to generate a signal. The presence of a detectable signal is indicative of the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence and a non-invasive cleavage structure.
US07678527B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and compositions for providing photoresists with improved liquid-contact properties. For one embodiment of the invention, a photoresist is provided having one or more constituent components that are resistant to diffusion between the photoresist and an index-matching liquid (IML). For such an embodiment in which the IML is water, a photoresist component is provided that is hydrophobic thus reducing diffusion between the photoresist and the water. In various alternative embodiments of the invention, a photoresist is provided having one or more constituent components that encourage diffusion between the photoresist layer and the IML in such manner as to impart beneficial liquid-contact properties to the photoresist layer. For such an embodiment in which the IML is water, a photoresist is provided having one or more hydrophilic constituents.
US07678526B2
Radiation curable thermal transfer elements including a substrate and a light-to-heat conversion layer overlaying the substrate, and processes to make the thermal transfer elements. The light-to-heat conversion layer is derived from a radiation curable material capable of being cured by exposure to radiation at a curing wavelength and an imaging radiation absorber material not substantially increasing radiation absorbance at the curing wavelength. The radiation curable transfer elements can be used in processes for making organic microelectronic devices.
US07678524B2
A magnetic toner including at least: a binder resin; and a magnetic body, in which, when magnetization at a magnetic field strength of 397.9 kA/m and a coercive force of the magnetic toner are denoted by σs (Am2/kg) and Hc (kA/m), respectively, a magnetic field strength at which the magnetic toner shows a magnetization value equal to 95% of σs is denoted by H95% (kA/m), and a number average particle size of the magnetic body is denoted by d (μm), H95%, Hc, and d satisfy the following expressions. 151
US07678518B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor including a conductive substrate, and a photosensitive layer, an intermediate layer, and a surface layer formed thereon in this order, wherein the surface layer contains a Group 13 element and at least one of nitrogen or oxygen.
US07678517B2
A photoconductor that includes a supporting substrate, and an active layer in contact with the substrate, and which active layer contains a photogenerating pigment of a titanyl phthalocyanine, at least one charge transport component, and a mixture of a metal oxide and a chelating agent, where the titanyl phthalocyanine is prepared by dissolving a Type I titanyl phthalocyanine in a solution comprising a trihaloacetic acid and an alkylene halide; adding the resulting mixture of the dissolved Type I titanyl phthalocyanine to a solution comprising an alcohol and an alkylene halide thereby precipitating a Type Y titanyl phthalocyanine; and treating the Type Y titanyl phthalocyanine with a monohalobenzene to form Type V titanyl phthalocyanine.
US07678502B2
An alkaline storage cell has a positive electrode, a negative electrode containing a hydrogen storage alloy, and an alkaline electrolyte. The hydrogen storage alloy has a composition expressed by a general expression: ((PrNd)αLn1-α)1-βMgβNiγ-δ-εAlδTε, where Ln represents at least one element chosen from a group consisting of La, Ce, etc., T represents at least one element chosen from a group consisting of V, Nb, etc., and subscripts α, β, γ, δ and ε represent numerical values which satisfy 0.7<α, 0.05<β<0.15, 3.0≦γ≦4.2, 0.15≦δ≦0.30 and 0≦ε≦0.20.
US07678501B2
In the present invention, the electrode assembly is first formed, and then a tab portion is formed by compressing an active material unfilled portion in an electrode having a foamed-metal electrode substrate (Tab Portion Formation Step). Accordingly, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, even if winding misalignment is created in which the edge of the separator is located adjacent to one edge of the active material unfilled portion during the formation of the electrode assembly, the misaligned portion of the separator is pushed in the width direction of the electrode together with the active material unfilled portion when the compression is applied in the Tab Portion Formation Step. Herewith, it is less likely to tuck a part of the separator between the tab portion and the current collector when the current collector is joined in the Current Collector Joining Step.
US07678496B2
An object of the present invention is to take fundamental measures against the phenomenon that the positive current collector of a lead-acid battery elongates due to corrosion, in consideration of a mechanism, and to inhibit corrosion elongation. A current collector is prepared by the steps of: mixing a lead oxide of pinning compounds for inhibiting recrystallization with the atomized powder of lead or a lead alloy; and then powder-rolling the mixture. A lead-acid battery is composed with the use of the current collector.
US07678484B2
The present invention relates to an electrochemical device. The device features an anode constructed of materials such that the device can be chemically recharged. In addition, the device is capable of switching between operating as a fuel cell or as a battery. The switch can occur without cessation of electrical output. In certain aspects of the invention, the device is capable of operating at a temperature of less than 1000° C. Other aspects feature a liquid anode which allows higher output, dispersion of fuel and minimal stresses in an interface comprising the anode. Preferably the anode is a liquid at a temperature of less than 1000° C. The invention also relates to methods for energy conversion in which a continual electrical output can be produced in both the presence of fuel without anode consumption or the absence of fuel.
US07678479B2
A method for providing hydrogen to a hydrogen-powered device comprises providing a buffer connected to supply hydrogen to the device. The buffer is filled with hydrogen by coupling the buffer to a cartridge containing a predetermined quantity of hydrogen. The hydrogen in the cartridge may be stored in a form having a higher energy density than the hydrogen in the buffer. Systems comprising hydrogen-powered devices that include such buffers are also described.
US07678476B2
A thin film structure comprises a first layer including a first plurality of grains of magnetic material having a first intergranular exchange coupling, and a second layer positioned adjacent to the first layer and including a second plurality of grains of magnetic material having a second intergranular exchange coupling, wherein the second intergranular exchange coupling is larger than the first intergranular exchange coupling and wherein the Curie temperature of the first layer is greater than the Curie temperature of the second layer. A data storage system including the thin film structure is also provided.
US07678466B2
Disclosed herein is a flooring comprising a surface layer made of a synthetic resin, and a wood-based board as a base. Preferably, the surface layer includes a printed layer formed by general gravure, transfer, heat-sublimation, silk screen or digital printing using a printer, a protective made of a synthetic resin, and a UV-curable or heat-curable surface treatment layer. The wood-based board is selected from plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), high-density fiberboard (HDF), particle board, and resin-wood flour composite board. The flooring may further comprise a bottom layer laminated under the wood-based board for protecting the flooring against moisture from the bottom. The flooring is cut into pieces having an appropriate size, and the pieces are processed into a finished product in a tongue and groove (T & G) shape.
US07678464B2
A substrate having at least one main surface comprising a first coating deposited on said main surface and a second coating having anti-soiling properties deposited and adhering on the surface of said first coating, the first coating being a (meth)acrylate based coating and being obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable composition comprising: i) at least one (meth)acrylate compound and ii) at least one compound I having at least one —M—Z′ bond with M representing Si or a Metal atom, Z′ representing OH or a hydrolysable group, and at least one ethylenic unsaturated group or epoxy group, and/or iii) at least one silica or metal oxide colloid having free ethylenically unsaturated groups; and the second coating, having anti-soiling properties, being obtained by depositing on said first coating an anti-soiling coating composition comprising at least one compound II, or a hydrolyzate thereof, having at least one —Si—Z″ group with Z″ representing OH or a hydrolysable group.
US07678462B2
Anti-reflective coating materials for deep ultraviolet photolithography include one or more organic light-absorbing compounds incorporated into spin-on-glass materials. Suitable absorbing compounds are strongly absorbing over wavelength ranges around wavelengths such as 365 nm, 248 nm, and 193 nm that may be used in photolithography. A method of making absorbing spin-on-glass materials includes combining one or more organic absorbing compounds with alkoxysilane or halosilane reactants during synthesis of the spin-on-glass materials.
US07678453B2
Barrier structure for furnishing, selectively and variously, penetration and fire-threat protection on the outside surface of a target structure. The barrier structure includes a high-elastomeric coating having an inner face bonded to such a surface, an exposed outer face, and, within this coating, at least one elastomeric layer region extending to the outer face, and containing an embedded distribution of intumescence elements. Basic variations of this structure include (a) an additional layer region which is formed with elastomeric-material including an embedded distribution of liquid-imbiber beads, and (b) an additional layer region which is formed purely of elastomeric material. The elastomeric material employed, and the embedded liquid-imbiber beads where included, react to liquid petroleum-based substances (1) to imbibe such liquid, (2) to swell in size as a result of such imbibing, and (3) to coagulate into a sticky mass.
US07678450B2
To provide a sewing thread that is excellent in high-speed sewability and automatic sewing characteristics. A sewing thread includes a plurality of under-twisted yarns provided with upper-twist, the yarns each being composed of a sheath-core structure yarn composed of two or more multifilament yarns, wherein part of the sheath-core structure yarn protrudes as loops on a yarn surface, the loops being composed of 50 to 300 loops/m with 0.7 to less than 1.2 mm length and 10 or less loops/m with 1.2 mm or more length, and wherein the yarns have a strength of 4 to 6 CN/dtex.
US07678443B2
The present invention is directed to an adhesive article and methods of manufacturing the adhesive article. The adhesive article comprising at least one major surface comprising a microstructured surface, the microstructured surface comprising microstructured elements, the microstructured elements comprising walls and at least one wall has variable height with a maximum height and a minimum height along the wall length.
US07678433B2
An objective of this application is to provide a sealant for liquid crystals witch is extremely less apt to contaminate liquid crystals and has high adhesion strength. This application discloses a sealant for liquid crystals comprising as essential ingredients (a) a radiation-curable resin represented by the general formula (1): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a linear, branch or cyclic monovalent alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, m represents an integer of 1 to 4, and may be the same or different, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and the number n of the repeating units is a positive number in the range of 0 to 20; (b) a photopolymerization initiator; and (c) an inorganic filler having an average particle diameter of 3 μm or less.
US07678429B2
A method of forming a coating on a powdered substrate, which method comprises introducing an atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material and separately transporting a powdered substrate to be coated into an atmospheric plasma discharge and/or an ionized gas stream resulting therefrom, and exposing the powdered substrate to the atomized liquid and/or solid coating forming material.
US07678424B2
A method of forming a carbon nanotube emitter includes: forming a carbon nanotube composite on a substrate with a predetermined shape, coating surface treating material in a liquid phase on the carbon nanotube composite and drying the surface treating material, and peeling the dried surface treating material off of the carbon nanotube composite.
US07678422B2
A process to deposit metal silicon nitride on a substrate comprising: sorbing a metal amide on a heated substrate, purging away the unsorbed metal amide, contacting a silicon-containing source having one or more Si—H3 fragments with the heated substrate to react with the sorbed metal amide, wherein the silicon-containing source has one or more H3Si—NR02 (R0═SiH3, R, R1 or R2, defined below) groups selected from the group consisting of one or more of: wherein R and R1 in the formulas represent aliphatic groups typically having from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms, e.g., branched alkyl, cycloalkyl with R and R1 in formula A also being combinable into a cyclic group, and R2 representing a single bond, (CH2)n, a ring, or SiH2, and purging away the unreacted silicon-containing source.
US07678416B2
In a method of coating a substrate, inner walls of flow channels of the substrate are coated with a slurry. A plurality of flow channels each opened at both end faces are formed in the substrate. The method includes a step of storing a predetermined amount of slurry in a slurry container in which the end of the substrate, where the flow channels of the substrate are opened, can be inserted under pressure into the slurry container. A step of inserting the substrate with the end of the substrate being downward in the slurry container and dipping the substrate under pressure to the slurry liquid surface, and a step of extending the slurry along the inner wall of the flow channels by blow-opening the respective flow channels in a state of up-turning the slurry container together with the substrate.
US07678408B2
A method compensates film height modulations in spin coating of a resist film layer. From a desired layout pattern, a substrate topography as a result of lithographically structuring in image fields is determined. A spin coating model is provided to determine a modeled resist film height based on the substrate topography during spin coating of a resist film. A nominal resist film height by using the spin coating model with an unperturbed substrate topography having a flat surface is determined. Next, film height modulations based on a difference are determined for test points and the desired layout pattern is optimized by implementing further structural elements in order to form an optimized mask pattern by minimizing the film height modulations.
US07678405B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide oil in water type emulsion supplemented with phytosterol, and having an excellent emulsion stability during storage. The present invention relates to oil in water type emulsion comprising ester-type phytosterol of 1.5˜50%, and free-type phytosterol of 0.01˜1.0% of oil phase of the emulsion.
US07678403B2
A method comprising selection of unbroken whole grain rice that are first washed, or whole grain corn that is first reduced in size, and then making an aqueous slurry that is subsequently wet milled to release all the protein, fat, fiber, and starch components normally held in the structure of the grain. The resulting slurry can be reacted with heat to gelatinize the starch and the subsequent product dried. Also, the heated slurry containing the liberated components can be treated to enzymatic hydrolysis via the process of liquefaction and optionally saccharification, producing whole grain rice milk products having diverse carbohydrate compositions. The whole grain milk products are characterized by a nutritional composition containing substantially all the nutritional components of the whole grain, being an opaque whole milk colloid, having smooth texture versus pulpiness, lacking in all bitterness normally associated with whole grain products, and having a variety of sweetness levels from non-sweet to very sweet.
US07678395B2
Flavanoid components of the Ginkgo biloba tree are useful to stimulate the growth of hair and are thus useful in treatment of alopecia or baldness.
US07678382B2
A cosmetic composition is provided which includes from 0.01 to 10% of single-crystal platy barium sulfate, from 0.5 to 10% of a water insoluble powdered acrylic polymer in porous particle form and a carrier. The compositions have soft focus optics imparting radiance to the applied skin area without excessive shininess or opacity and have excellent skinfeel properties.
US07678379B2
The invention provides novel Class I HLA-A2 and Class II HLA-DR4-restricted epitopes and methods for their use in detecting T-cells in peripheral blood specific for infection or latency of mycobacterial infection, including M. tuberculosis and M. leprae as others. For example, methods for diagnosing the presence of infection or exposure by M. tuberculosis utilize multimers of HLA monomers or modified monomers having a bound HLA-binding peptide to perform high throughput screening of patient PBLs. The methods can be used for monitoring the success of anti mycobacterial treatment in patients and to screen vaccines and drugs for effectiveness in treating or preventing exposure, infection and latency of mycobacteria in humans.
US07678369B2
The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting a toxin in an animal, such as a human, by administering to the animal a therapeutically effective amount of a polymer having a plurality of pendant acid functional groups which are directly attached to the polymer backbone or attached to the polymer backbone by a spacer group. The spacer group can have a length in the range from 0 to about 20 atoms. The toxin is, typically, an exotoxin secreted by a pathogenic microorganism, such as a bacterium.
US07678368B2
To find a substance which has a skin cosmeticizing effect such as prevention of skin aging, amelioriation of sensitive skin, or antipruritic action, and can serve as an effective ingredient for a hair-care product, thereby providing cosmetics comprising the effective ingredient. Concretely, there are provided cosmetics characterized in that the cosmetics comprise as an effective ingredient a compound selected from a fucoidan, a degradation product thereof, a sulfated monosaccharide or a salt thereof.
US07678362B2
A hydrogen storage material. The hydrogen storage material is a combination of LiBH4 with MHx, wherein greater than about 50% of M comprises Al.
US07678361B2
The present invention discloses a microreactor for performing heterogeneous catalytic reactions, being of plate or stack construction for industrial use, with provision made for chambers between the plates for the chemical reaction and for the heat removal. Inside the reaction chambers, catalyst material is applied to the internal walls or filled into recesses, and in all chambers there are spacers. In particular the slot-shaped reaction chambers have channels with a hydraulic diameter smaller than 1500 μm and a ratio of free slot width to free slot height in the range of 10 to 450.
US07678352B2
Devices and methods for the production of ammonia as a reducing agent for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas of a combustion source, especially of an internal combustion engine. The ammonia is admixed with the exhaust gas in the direction of flow in front of a SCR-catalytic converter. In so doing, nitrogen oxide is produced in a nitrogen oxide production unit separated from the combustion source and its exhaust gas duct and is stored in at least one storage catalytic converter or a nitrogen oxide storage and a subsequently connected catalytic converter. Furthermore, hydrogen and/or a hydrogen-carbon monoxide-mixture is produced in a hydrogen production unit separated from the combustion source and its exhaust gas duct and delivered to a storage catalytic converter. Hydrogen and the stored nitrogen oxide are converted catalytically to ammonia in the storage catalytic converter or in the catalytic converter.
US07678350B2
Provided are processes for the production of titanium dioxide from ilmenite. In these processes, ilmenite is digested with aqueous trimethylammonium hydrogen oxalate. Iron from the ilmenite precipitates as a hydrated iron oxalate and is removed by filtering, leaving a titanium-rich solution. The titanium-rich solution can be further processed to form titanium dioxide.
US07678342B1
A riser reactor for fluidized catalytic conversion process consists of a prelift zone, a first reaction zone, a second reaction zone with enlarged diameter, an outlet zone with reduced diameter along coaxial direction form bottom to top, and the end of the outlet zone connects to a horizontal tube. The reactor is used for adjusting different operating conditions to process single or plural feedstock in each different reaction zone for producing the desired product.
US07678337B2
A slide holder comprising a rectangular frame having two side walls facing each other, a first end wall facing a second end wall, the second end wall having a latch pivotally attached thereto, the latch capable of being pivoted in such a manner as to enable locking and unlocking of the slide holder in a slide holder carrier. The slide holder carrier has a first end wall, a first side wall, a second end wall, a second side wall, and a shaft running from the first end wall of the slide holder carrier to the second end wall of the slide holder carrier. At least one slide holder is rotatably mounted on the shaft.
US07678336B2
Disclosed is a focusing channel device which focuses fluid containing micro particles so that the micro particles flow in a line. The channel device comprises a nozzle formed by left and right walls each of which comprises an inclination surface. The cross sectional area in vertical direction decreases from the entrance of the nozzle toward the exit of the nozzle. The shape of cross sectional view in horizontal direction is asymmetric for the central line in the length direction. Using the focus channel device of the invention, the micro particles in the fluid are not combined with each other and passed through the channel one by one. Thus, blockage of the channel or combination and movement of two particles together does not occur.
US07678325B2
A combination of a metal and Sn may be used as a solvent material for bulk crystallization and sintering of single crystal diamond to form a biocompatible and corrosion-resistant biomedical device.
US07678324B2
A method for manufacturing a hollow plastic product. The method includes the steps of forming a reinforce member in a desired shape having a defined welding surface formed with a first hole by injection molding; forming a hollow main body by blow molding using said reinforce member as an insert, thereby having said reinforce member integrally formed with said hollow main body and having a portion of said hollow main body extended into said first hole in the shape of a mesa when blow-molded; thermally welding a top end surface of a connector pipe to said welding surface and also to a top surface of said mesa shaped portion; and forming a second hole in said top surface of said mesa shaped portion to be aligned with said second hole, thereby forming a fluidic communication passage between an interior of said hollow main body and an interior of said connector pipe.
US07678313B2
A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of providing a preform comprising an uncured polybutadiene composition; coating the preform with a cure-altering material comprising an organosulfur compound, an inorganic sulfide compound, or a metal-containing organosulfur compound; curing the coated preform at a predetermined temperature to form a crosslinked golf ball core having an outer surface having a first hardness and a geometric center having a second hardness greater than the first to define a negative hardness gradient; and forming a cover layer about the core to form the golf ball.
US07678311B2
This invention relates to a method for coating an elastomeric component with a coating that has a low coefficient of friction and the articles formed by the method. The method includes preparing an elastomeric coating; applying the coating to a substrate; contacting the coated substrate with an elastomeric compound; and heating the elastomeric compound and the coated substrate under pressure to bond the coating to the elastomeric compound and form a coated elastomeric component.
US07678306B2
The present invention relates to apparatus and methods of vibration. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods of vibration for tooling in a structure, such as, for example, a fuselage. In one implementation, the tooling comprises at least two conductors that create a force to vibrate the media in the tooling, which improves the compaction of the media in the tooling and the extraction of the media from the tooling. Other implementations may be used for compaction and/or extraction of the media in the tooling.
US07678305B2
A method of pre-applying a bolster assembly to an interior trim part includes the steps of applying a base skin layer to a groove of a first nest, applying a bolster skin layer to a second nest, positioning the first nest in an open position, and inserting a leading edge of a bolster skin layer in the groove of the first nest when the first nest is in the open position until the bolster skin layer engages the base skin layer. The bolster assembly can be attached to the interior trim part by a Foam-In-Place (FIP) or Low-Pressure Molding (LPM) operation. The interior trim part may comprise a dashboard garnish, an instrument panel (IP), a door panel, and the like. A boss locating portion can be integrally formed within the base skin layer and is used for locating the bolster assembly on the interior trim piece during the manufacturing process. Because the bolster assembly is pre-applied to the interior trim part prior to the FIP or LPM operation, the bolster assembly can be positioned at the bottom-most portion of the groove to provide a consistent fit and finish, while reducing scrap material and cost of the interior trim part.
US07678301B2
Vesicle compositions from high molecular weight silicone polyether copolymers, methods for preparing the vesicle compositions, and personal, household, and healthcare formulations containing the vesicle compositions are disclosed.
US07678297B2
The present invention provides a transparent conductive material with little change in electric resistance under influence of temperature or humidity and a transparent conductive membrane using the same. The transparent conductive material of the present invention includes a resin, a transparent conductive particle, a silica material containing at least either of a silica particle or a precursor of silica particle, and a silane coupling agent.
US07678293B2
A coated phosphor, formed by a powder of individual grains of a phosphor as base material, the grains being coated with a coating material. The layer comprises a plurality of individual layers and is particulate in form, the individual primary particles of the layer being at least 5 nm in size. The mean layer thickness is at least 20 nm.
US07678292B2
An ionic dopant comprising a sulfur or a phosphorus containing anion with a randon cation, for use in a smectic A liquid crystal composition. The cation preferably comprises a quaternary ammonium cation.
US07678289B2
A method of indicating the progress of a sacrificial material removal process, the method, comprising; freeing a portion of a member, the member being disposed in a cage and laterally surrounded by the sacrificial material; and preventing the freed portion of the member from floating away by retaining the freed member.
US07678283B2
A rotary drum filter has a plurality of longitudinally extending division grids mounted about the outer circumference of a drum. A plurality of corrugated sheets are provided, with the leading and trailing edges of each sheet mounted to circumferentially adjacent pairs of division grids to define filtrate compartments. An equivalent number of perforated filter plates are also provided. Each filter plate is attached to the top of a corrugated sheet and has a leading edge and a trailing edge that are set back from the leading edge and trailing edge of the corrugated sheet. A seal clip is positioned near the leading edge of each corrugated sheet. A seal member or seal members is/are held in place by the seal clip and is/are positioned at the face of the leading edge of each corrugated sheet or beneath and near the face or each corrugated sheet. A perforated cap strip can be removably attached to the top of each division grid to thereby retain for confined movement each filter plate and corrugated sheet combination (filter deck and drainage deck) during rotary drum filter operation and to allow easy replacement of the filter plate and corrugated sheet combination(s) and/or cap strip(s) when the rotary drum filter is not in operation. This rotary drum filter design and operation has increased capacity and efficiency.
US07678278B2
A process for treating water is provided where the water is mixed with an inorganic reagent powder such as powder activated carbon. Organics and micropollutants are absorbed by the reagent powder. After the reagent powder has been mixed with the water, the water is directed to a setting tank and sludge from the water settles to produce a clarified effluent. Forming a part of the sludge is the reagent powder previously added. Sludge is collected and directed to a separator that separates the reagent powder from the sludge. Separated reagent powder is recycled and mixed with the water being treated.
US07678273B2
A filter unit includes membrane plates placed together parallel to one another, which at least in zones around connecting elements for the purpose of draining permeate are connected together liquid-tight. The membrane plates because of their shape and after two membrane plates have been placed one on top of the other are provided for manufacturing a liquid-tight connection or a seal by welding. As a result unfiltered liquid flows through between the membrane plates and contamination of the permeate within a volume situated between the connecting elements is prevented. Over a number of connecting elements and zones located in between it is possible to attach a hollow profile, which is closed-off at its ends. This hollow profile in a liquid-tight manner surrounds discharge openings of the connecting elements and the zones located in between with positive material engagement. As a result, a permeate collection channel is formed, out of which and through a permeate discharge the permeate can be extracted through suction.
US07678267B2
The invention relates to a device for thermally purifying waste water, comprising a tank through which waste water can flow. The inventive device is characterized by having at least one flow guiding means for guiding the waste water inside the tank in an essentially meandering manner, and by having at least one heating means inside the tank for regulating a predetermined temperature.
US07678258B2
An improved method of stabilizing wet chemical baths is disclosed. Typically such baths are used in processes for treating workpieces, for example, plating processes for plating metal onto substrates. In particular, the present invention relates to copper plating baths. More particularly, the present invention relates to the stability of copper plating baths. More particularly, the present invention relates to prevention of void formation by monitoring the accumulation of deleterious by-products in copper plating baths.
US07678252B2
Long lived anion-selective sensors based on a covalently attached metalloporphyrin as anion receptor
A graft copolymer having metalloporphyrin ionophores covalently attached in a manner that prevents dimer formation is provided. A method of making the graft copolymer comprises polymerizing a functionalized metalloporphyrin monomer, which includes a polymerizable group, with a co-monomer. Methods for synthesizing the polymerizable metalloporphyrin monomers are provided. The graft copolymer can be incorporated into anion-selective membranes for use in anion-detecting sensors, which have improved longevity and response times.
US07678236B2
Disclosed is a system and method of data transmission/reception in which picture signals are encoded into image data, the attribute information of the image data is obtained, meta data are generated from the attribute information of the image data. The image data and the meta data are transmitted separately. With this system and method of data transmission/reception, when predetermined conditions are satisfied, i.e. only when a moving body is detected or abnormal data or data including significant information are detected, image data and meta data are transmitted. Therefore, since not all the data are transmitted, the amount of transmitted data is reduced. As a result, the amount of data accumulated in data recipient can be reduced and the load of data analysis operation can be alleviated. In addition, the burden on an operator visually monitoring image data can be eased. Furthermore, inadvertent failure in checking abnormal data or data including significant information can be prevented.
US07678226B2
The present invention presents an improved bellows shield for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the bellows shield coupled to a substrate holder electrode advantageously provides protection of a bellows with substantially minimal erosion of the bellows shield.
US07678225B2
A focus ring for a plasma processing apparatus has an inner region, middle region, and outer region, disposed in this order from the inner side to surround a target substrate. On the side to be exposed to plasma, the surfaces of the inner region and outer region consist essentially of a dielectric, while the surface of the middle region consists essentially of a conductor. The middle region is arranged to shift the peak of plasma density to the outside of the peripheral edge of the target substrate. If there is no middle region, the peak of plasma density appears substantially directly above the peripheral edge of the target substrate.
US07678222B2
A system and method for bonding and unbonding of small objects using small adhesive particles. The system and method includes the use of a plurality of optical tweezers to manipulate objects to be bonded and adhesive particles suspended in a fluid. The objects to be bonded (or unbonded) and the adhesive particles are positioned by lower power optical tweezers and then an intense bonding optical tweezer is activated to cause the adhesive to join the objects together (or used to unbond objects).
US07678212B2
A liquid crystal dispensing system includes a liquid crystal material container to contain liquid crystal, the liquid crystal material container provided with a first code corresponding to liquid crystal information; a reading unit to read the recognition code; a discharge pump to draw in and discharge liquid crystal from the liquid crystal material container; and a nozzle to dispense liquid crystal from the discharge pump onto a substrate.
US07678211B2
A device for joining substrates (11) is provided inside a clean booth (12). a single axis robot (46) and a five axis robot (47) convey a wafer (25) and a glass substrate (33). A transcribing station (91) obtains a transcribing film (112) on which adhesive is applied from a film supplying section (113), and presses the transcribing film (112) to the glass substrate (33) so as to transcribe the adhesive to the glass substrate (33). A peeling station (92) peels the transcribing film (112) from the glass substrate (33). A joining station (57) positions the wafer (25) and the glass substrate (33), adjusts parallelism of joining surfaces of the wafer (25) and the glass substrate (33), and joins these substrates together. Since the handling and the joining of the wafer (25), the glass substrate (33) and the transcribing film (112) are performed in the clean booth, it is prevented that a yield ratio of the product decreases because of the adhesion of foreign matters.
US07678201B2
The invention relates to a chemical composition and a process for using the chemical composition to remove and recover petroleum hydrocarbons from a contaminated substrate including an ammonia compound; a nitrogen-containing compound; and an aqueous carrier solution.
US07678198B2
The invention provides a coater, and methods of using the coater, for depositing thin films onto generally-opposed major surfaces of a sheet-like substrate. The coater has a substrate transport system adapted for supporting the substrate in a vertical-offset configuration wherein the substrate is not in a perfectly vertical position but rather is offset from vertical by an acute angle. Preferably, the transport system includes a side support for supporting a rear major surface of the substrate. Preferably, the coater includes at least one coating apparatus (e.g., which is adapted for delivering coating material) on each of two sides of the path of substrate travel.
US07678194B2
A method and apparatus for generating gas for a processing system is provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for generating gas for a processing system includes a canister having at least one baffle disposed between two ports and containing a precursor material. The precursor material is adapted to produce a gas vapor when heated to a defined temperature at a defined pressure. The baffle forces a carrier gas to travel an extended mean path between the inlet and outlet ports. In another embodiment, an apparatus for generating gas includes a canister having a tube that directs a carrier gas flowing into the canister away from a precursor material disposed within the canister.
US07678188B2
Disclosed is a method for producing ultrafine particles of a Prussian blue-type metal complex wherein (A) an aqueous solution containing an anionic metal cyano complex having a metal atom M1 as the central metal is mixed with an aqueous solution containing metal cations of a metal atom M2 for precipitating a crystal of a Prussian blue-type metal complex having the metal atom M1 and the metal atom M2; then (B) a solution obtained by dissolving a ligand L in a solvent is mixed with the crystal of the Prussian blue-type metal complex for forming a dispersion liquid of ultrafine particles of the Prussian blue-type metal complex; and the (C) the Prussian blue-type metal complex is separated from the dispersion liquid as nanometer-sized ultrafine particles.
US07678184B2
Coatings containing particulate metal alloy are disclosed. The coatings provide corrosion protection to a substrate, such as a metal substrate. The coatings contain zinc-metal-containing alloy in flake form, most particularly an alloy flake of zinc and aluminum. The coating can be from compositions that are water-based or solvent-based. The compositions for providing the coating may also contain a substituent such as a water-reducible organofunctional silane, or a hexavalent-chromium-providing substance, or a titanate polymer, or a silica substance constituent. the coating may desirably be topcoated.
US07678180B2
An integral fuel cartridge and filter apparatus includes a fuel cartridge, a filter housing coupled to the fuel cartridge, and a filter coupled to the filter housing.
US07678174B2
A soft magnetic material has an iron based powder that has an insulating coating on the surface and an ester wax. The ester wax is added in an amount not less than 0.02% by weight and not more than 0.6% by weight in relation to the soft magnetic material. Consequently, seizure between a metal mold and a material to be molded at the time of molding can be suppressed and the arising of a black residue can be prevented.
US07678163B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for intensifying the energy content of an organic material by converting the material into hydrocarbons and the resulting product thereof. A method for converting an organic material into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of pressurising said organic material being in a fluid to a pressure above 225 bar, heating said organic material in said fluid to a temperature above 200 C in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IA of the periodic table of elements. The disclosed method further comprises the steps of contacting said organic material in said fluid with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IVB of the periodic table and/or alpha-alumina assuring that said fluid has initially a pH value of above 7.
US07678162B2
An electrically conducting gas diffusion substrate, capable of removing oxidisable impurities from an impure gas stream, which comprises an electrically conducting porous structure and a first catalytic component, wherein the first catalytic component comprises a first catalyst supported on an electrically non-conducting support is disclosed. In addition, an electrode, a membrane electrode assembly and a fuel cell each comprising said electrically conducting gas diffusion substrate is disclosed.
US07678155B2
Excellent water- and oil-repellency and soil releasability can be obtained by a method of preparing a treated textile, having steps of: (1) preparing a treatment liquid containing a water- and oil-repellent agent and a stain blocking agent, (2) adjusting pH of the treatment liquid to at most 7, (3) applying the treatment liquid to a textile, (4) treating the textile with steam, and (5) washing the textile with water and dehydrating the textile, wherein the water- and oil-repellent agent contains at least one fluorine-containing compound selected from the group consisting of a fluorine-containing polymer and a fluorine-containing low molecular weight compound, and the water- and oil-repellent agent or the treatment liquid contains a cationic emulsifying agent.
US07678152B2
An artificial knee joint including a femoral component and a tibial component which are in relation of making relative rotation, in which the tibial component has a post that has an outwardly curving posterior surface and is disposed approximately in the longitudinal center between the articular surfaces so that the post is inside an intercondylar groove that is between the medial and lateral condyles and extends from the posterior end to the anterior end of the femoral component; and the femoral component has a cam that is disposed at the posterior portion of the intercondylar groove and comes into contact with the posterior surface of the post when the above-described rotation proceeds; and the post and the cam are shaped so that the femoral component is turned outwardly when the cam comes into contact with the post as a result of the rotation and as the rotation proceeds.
US07678147B2
A system and method for sharing and absorbing energy between body parts. In one aspect, the method involves identifying link pivot locations, fixing base components and minimally invasive insertion techniques. In one particular aspect, the system facilitates absorbing energy between members forming a joint such as between articulating bones.
US07678146B2
A biocompatible hydrogel comprises a specified content of polyacrylamide and pyrogen-free water. Also disclosed is a method of making the hydrogel and an injectable or implantable endoprosthesis. The hydrogel may also be used to treat a cosmetic or functional defect. Hydrogels specified according to their polyacrylamide content may be used for medical indications, such as an implantable or injectable endoprostheses for mammoplastic reconstruction, implantable or injectable endoprostheses for treating (reflux) oesophagitis, and for body contouring of various body parts.
US07678145B2
Devices and methods for treating heart valves include members that assist the valve in closing during at least a portion of the cardiac cycle. Such devices include members configured to alter the shape of a valve annulus, reposition at least one papillary muscle, and/or plug an orifice of the valve so as to provide a coaptation surface for the valve leaflets.
US07678143B2
A coated stent is provided including a coating composed of one or more co-polymers of ethylene with carboxylic acid wherein the carboxylic acid co-monomer content is 5-50 wt %.
US07678142B2
The bifurcating double stent apparatus (10) of the present invention comprises a generally cylindrical main stent (12), a generally cylindrical branch stent (15), which are shown as fully dilated in a subject main vessel (8), and a subject branch vessel (7). The main stent (12) is deployed prior to the branch stent (15) which is then aligned with the side opening (16) of the main stent (12), and attached at that location.
US07678138B2
In one aspect of the invention, a cross-pin includes a distal portion having an axis, a distal end, and a proximal end. A proximal cylindrical portion includes a threaded exterior surface. A junction may be interposed between the distal and proximal portions to enable the proximal portion to rotate relative to the distal portion. In another aspect of the invention, a graft retaining system for retaining a graft in a bone tunnel includes a graft block having a proximal end and a distal end, and sized to fit within the bone tunnel. A cross pin transverse to the bone tunnel attaches the graft block adjacent the tunnel. An intermediate connector is attached to the graft block at a point distal to the cross pin and connects the graft to the graft block so as to apply compressive forces to the graft block.
US07678137B2
A pedicle screw coupling construct for a pedicle screw construct provides fixation of angular orientation thereof relative to a pedicle screw independent of fixation of a received spinal rod to the coupling construct. The pedicle screw construct forms one component or element in a spinal fixation system. The independent fixation coupling construct also provides for fixation of the angular orientation of the coupling construct while the coupling construct has received the spinal rod. In another form, a coupling head or construct is configured to allow a pedicle screw shaft to pass therethrough but retain the pedicle screw head for rotation of the coupling head about the pedicle screw head. The coupling head or construct is also configured to allow at least a 45° arc of pivot or articulation about a pedicle screw shaft relative to a longitudinal axis of a spinal rod received in the body. This allows the head with a received spinal rod to fold, bend or pivot relative to the pedicle screw shaft, particularly to a greater degree than the prior art.
US07678134B2
A knotless suture anchor for reattachment of tissue to bone features a barbed body having a Y-shaped slot formed distally for capturing a length of suture. The suture is passed through the tissue to be reattached, and a simple knot formed in the suture is captured in the slot on the suture anchor. The anchor is installed with the captured suture into a pre-formed pilot hole to draw the tissue to the bone.
US07678119B2
An embodiment of a medical retrieval device includes a sheath having a proximal end and a distal end, a handle at the proximal end of the sheath, and a basket. The basket has a collapsed position when the basket is within the sheath and collapsed and an expanded position when the basket is positioned beyond the distal end of the sheath and expanded. The basket includes a plurality of legs, at least one leg having a frangible portion wherein the at least one leg breaks upon application of a predetermined force to the basket. A distal portion of the plurality of legs may be formed from a single piece of material.
US07678112B2
An apparatus for connecting an implant with a rod comprises a body, a collet, an annular ring member, a washer, and a nut. The body defines a first channel to receive the rod and a second channel extending through the body. The collet is positionable in the second channel and defines an aperture for receipt of the implant. The ring member includes a gap and defines an aperture for receipt of the collet. The washer is positionable adjacent the second channel and is configured to translate along the body to allow pivoting of the collet relative to the body. The nut is operable to connect with the collet to move the collet within the second channel. Movement of the collet is operable to expand the ring member and contract the collet around the implant to secure the implant at a desired position.
US07678107B2
A device for penetrating tissue includes an elongated element having a distal end, a proximal end, a body extending between the distal and the proximal ends, and a lumen located within at least a portion of the body, wherein the lumen has a cross-sectional shape that is a polygon. A device for penetrating tissue includes an elongated element having a distal end, a proximal end, and a body extending between the distal and the proximal ends, at least a portion of the body having a cross-sectional profile that is a polygon, wherein the elongated element is a cannula.
US07678105B2
A sidewall of biological tissue which surrounds and defines an opening in the tissue is sealed or fused to occlude the opening by compressing apposite sidewall portions and applying sufficient energy to cause the fibers of the compressed apposed sidewall portions to intertwine and fuse with one another to form a permanent seal. The energy application is controlled by detecting a precursor fusion condition while applying the energy and before sufficient energy has been applied to achieve an adequate seal. The application of energy is terminated in a time-delayed relationship to the detection of the precursor fusion condition such that sufficient energy has been applied to achieve an effective seal. The precursor fusion condition is detected upon the peak RF current delivered to the tissue remaining below a threshold value for a threshold time.
US07678103B2
An orifice device for delivering a drug includes an inner member having a proximal end and a distal end. A winding is helically wound around the inner member. The winding and the inner member define a first channel for carrying a drug therethrough. An inlet is at the proximal end of the winding and an outlet is at the distal end of the winding.
US07678088B2
A port catheter for introducing a fluid into a hollow organ of a human or animal body includes a port unit implantable into the human or animal body, which port unit includes an interior chamber, to which the fluid to be introduced into the hollow organ of the human or animal body can be supplied. The port catheter further includes a tube connected to the port unit, which tube includes an inner channel through which fluid can be conducted into the hollow organ. The port catheter further includes a grip piece connected to the port unit and removable from it, for the manipulation of the port unit during the implantation of the port catheter into the human or animal body.
US07678086B2
The device comprises a support sheath (14), a syringe body (10) secured to said sheath, and a protection sheath (16) movable between a retracted position and an extended protection position. The device includes retaining means (17) for retaining the protection sheath that are adapted to be urged so as to allow the sheath to be extended. The syringe body (10) is secured to the support sheath (14) via a ring (20) including a coupling wall (22) that is substantially transverse. This wall presents at least one slot (23) enabling the retaining means to be acted upon from the side of the coupling wall (22) that is opposite from the distal end of the support sheath.
US07678076B2
A blood collection set including a non-patient needle assembly interconnected with an intravenous needle assembly through tubing is provided. The non-patient needle assembly includes a hub assembly adapted for mounting with a blood collection set, and an internal blunting member including a blunted tip. The non-patient needle assembly further includes an external cannula concentric with the internal blunting member and including a non-patient puncture tip adjacent the blunted tip. The external cannula is axially displaceable with respect to the hub assembly between a first retracted position in which the non-patient puncture tip extends beyond the blunted tip and a second activated position in which blunted tip extends beyond the non-patient puncture tip.
US07678074B2
A deflectable catheter includes a catheter shaft having a deflectable distal tip. A support member is coupled around a proximal portion of the catheter shaft, and the support member includes a first brake portion extending along at least a portion of the support member. A handle is coupled around the support member. The deflectable catheter includes a carriage moveably coupled along the handle, and the carriage includes a second brake portion sized and shaped to engage with at least a portion of the first brake portion. A flexible element is coupled between the deflectable distal tip and the carriage. A biasing device is adapted to bias the second brake portion into engagement with the first brake portion.
US07678071B2
An implantable infusion pump possesses operational functionality that is, at least in part, controlled by software operating in two processor ICs which are configured to perform some different and some duplicate functions. The pump exchanges messages with an external device via telemetry. Each processor controls a different part of the drug infusion mechanism such that both processors must agree on the appropriateness of drug delivery for infusion to occur. Delivery accumulators are incremented and decremented with delivery requests and with deliveries made. When accumulated amounts reach or exceed, quantized deliverable amounts, infusion is made to occur. The accumulators are capable of being incremented by two or more independent types of delivery requests. Operational modes of the infusion device are changed automatically in view of various system errors that are trapped, various system alarm conditions that are detected, and when excess periods of time lapse between pump and external device interactions.
US07678067B1
An apparatus for providing dorsiflexion assistance in an orthotic device having ankle and foot sections joined by a hinge connection. The orthotic device may be, for example, an ankle foot orthotic or a night splint. The apparatus includes an elastic member, such as an elastomeric strap, having a first end that is attached to an upper portion of the ankle section of the orthotic device, and a cable that connects a second end of the elastic member to the foot section of the device at a position that is spaced anteriorly from the hinge connection, so that tension supplied by the elastic member creates dorsiflexion torque about the hinge connection. A tension adjuster is provided to allow the amount of torque to be adjusted to meet individual needs. An optional cable guard protects the cable from interference, and can also be used as a cable stop that effectively increases dorsiflexion force to compensate for loss of tension due to shortening of the elastic member upon dorsiflexion. The cable member may be attached to the foot section by routing it through a channel in a bridge piece under the arch area of the foot section of the device. The characteristics and amount of torque can be adjusted by adjusting the distance by which the cable attachment is spaced anteriorly (forward) of the hinge connection. The assist apparatus can readily be mounted to existing orthotic devices without requiring significant modification of the latter.
US07678055B2
A piezoelectric transducer for sending and receiving an ultrasonic wave and an FPC for applying current to the piezoelectric transducer is provided, the FPC is arranged oppositely to a side face of the piezoelectric transducer, and a soldering material for electrically connecting the piezoelectric transducer to the FPC is arranged in a corner portion formed by the piezoelectric transducer and the FPC.
US07678051B2
Using compression, tissue elasticity data from two or more different fields of view is acquired. Since different amounts of compression may be used for the different fields of view, the dynamic range of the elasticity data is updated. A panoramic elasticity image is generated from the updated elasticity data of multiple fields of view. A panoramic elasticity image represents the combined fields of view for the elasticity data.
US07678050B2
A method and apparatus for detecting cardiac events. Ultrasonic data comprising a heart cycle is acquired by a probe. Tissue velocities associated with the ultrasonic data are detected. One of a maximum and a minimum value is detected based on the tissue velocities. A time within the heart cycle associated with the maximum or minimum value is determined, and a cardiac event is detected with respect to the time within the heart cycle and the maximum or minimum value.
US07678046B2
A seal assembly for permitting hand assisted laparoscopic procedures includes a seal cap having a seal positioned within a housing. The housing includes a lower seal ring having a track which supports an upper seal ring for relative rotational motion, wherein the seal is supported between the upper seal ring and the lower seal ring for rotation between an open orientation and a closed orientation. The track includes an inner upstanding annular wall and an outer upstanding annular wall connected by a base member. A ratchet mechanism controls motion of the upper seal ring relative to the lower seal ring. The ratchet mechanism includes a ratchet arm oriented to engage a ratchet surface and the ratchet surface is positioned between the inner upstanding annular wall and the outer upstanding annular wall.
US07678044B2
A first balloon is fitted to an insertion portion of an endoscope and a second balloon is fitted to an insertion aid member. An end connector of a tube is connected to a balloon control device that supplies and sucks air into and from the first balloon and the second balloon. A duct that communicates with the first balloon, a duct that communicates with the second balloon, and a duct that communicates with a clearance between the insertion portion and the insertion aid member are formed in the end connector.
US07678037B2
The invention provides a method of making a bag from a foldable pattern, comprising: a) inserting the foldable pattern into an assembly machine; b) placing a series of glue spots on designated surfaces of the pattern; c) folding the foldable pattern, in a sequence such that the resulting product is a finished bag with a glued bottom; and d) exiting the finished bag from the assembly machine.
US07678029B2
An inflatable punching bag includes an inflatable bag, at least one sensor device, a control box and a base. At least one impact area is formed on the inflatable bag. A single sensor device is attached behind each impact area. Each sensor device preferably includes a sensor case, at least one light source and an impact sensor. A control box includes a power source, a sound transducer and an electrical circuit. The electrical circuit receives input from at least one impact sensor. The electrical circuit provides a light output through the at least one light source and/or an audible output through the sound transducer. The base preferably includes a weighted portion and intermediate portion. The weighted portion is filled with a dense solid or a liquid to provide support for the inflatable bag. A second embodiment includes a motor for pivoting the inflatable bag.
US07678017B2
In a shift control device and a shift control method for an automatic transmission, when the shift range is switched from a non-travel range to a travel range, a squat control of temporarily forming a high-speed step that is smaller in speed change ratio than the first speed change step by engaging a first engagement element and a second engagement element, and then forming the first speed change step by releasing the second engagement element. In the case of standing-start of the vehicle in the high-speed step, the squat control is ended before the first speed change step is formed by releasing the second engagement element.
US07678012B2
A bicycle hub gearbox comprises a first planetary gear mechanism and a second planetary gear mechanism and a tubular linking member. The second planetary gear mechanism is operatively coupled with the first planetary gear mechanism. The tubular linking member include a first toothed ring part engaged with the first planetary gear mechanism at a first axial region and a second toothed ring part engaged with the second planetary gear mechanism at a second axial region such that a permanent synchronization between the at least two planetary gear mechanisms is achieved. The first and second toothed ring parts have different diameters and being axially spaced apart.
US07678006B2
A first data section is provided that has a given data actually used when a frictional element is operated under a manual shift mode for providing an engine brake, and a second data section is provided that is actually used when an automatic shift is carried out. A control unit is so configured that when, during a shift from a second speed stage to a first speed stage under the manual shift mode, a mode change from the manual shift mode to the automatic shift mode is instructed, releasing operation of the frictional element is carried out by using the given data of the first dada section.
US07677998B2
A bicycle front derailleur includes a base member, a movable member and a linkage assembly. The base member is configured to be fixedly coupled to a bicycle frame. The movable member has a chain guide portion. The linkage assembly is coupled between the base member and the movable member to move the chain guide portion between a retracted position and an extended position. The chain guide portion includes a chain guide element defining a chain path and a movable plate arranged to pivot about a pivot axis relative to the chain guide element in a see-saw movement.
US07677987B2
A putter-type club head (20) having a main body (25) and a removable aft member (30) is disclosed herein. The putter-type club head (20) has a main body (25) that is preferably composed of an aluminum alloy. The removable aft member (30) is preferably composed of stainless steel and has a mallet shape.
US07677973B2
The disclosure provides novel video game methods and systems. The disclosure includes methods and systems for allowing game players to secure in-game contracts using credit systems such as credit cards or other financial instruments. The disclosure further provides methods and systems for providing virtual and/or real world financial penalties to game players and/or player characters who default on in-game agreements.
US07677963B2
An enclosing structure (S), in particular for enclosing and isolating outer environment of a packaging machine includes a plurality of enclosing panels (2), suitably and air-tightly assembled. At least one of the panels (2) defines a separating surface (1) for separating two different environments (A,B). Conveying means for conveying flows of purified air (F,F1,F2,F3,F4) are associated to the panel (2) to define, together therewith, a fluid-dynamic barrier, which avoids relative contamination between one environment (A) and the other environment (B).
US07677960B2
An electrically operated knife includes a handle and a first set of dual cutting blades connected together for reciprocal side-to-side linear motion. A first stationary motor connected to a power source and a first reciprocating assembly is removably connected to the first set of dual cutting blades and coupled to an output shaft of the first motor for reciprocally moving the first set of dual cutting blades. There is a second set of dual cutting blades mounted in spaced relationship to the first set of dual cutting blades. A second motor and a second reciprocating assembly are provided for reciprocally moving the second set of dual cutting blades. A mounting member and a pivotable lever are provided for selectively adjusting a spaced relationship between the first set of dual cutting blades and the second set of dual cutting blades and a switch which operates both motors.
US07677957B2
The present invention is a polishing pad used for polishing a semiconductor substrate, wherein, at least, grooves having a radial pattern are formed on a surface of the polishing pad, and so that a groove depth of the groove parts located nearer to the center than the substrate is shallower than a groove depth of the groove parts existing immediately below the substrate, and an intersection point where the grooves overlap each other at the central part of the radial pattern of the grooves does not exist immediately below the substrate. A method for processing the pad, and a method for producing a substrate using this pad are also disclosed.
US07677933B2
An electrical connector assembly includes a bail, a first conductive member having a first hook portion extending from a first wedge portion, wherein the first hook portion adapted to engage a main conductor, and a second conductive member having a second hook portion extending from a second wedge portion. The second hook portion is adapted to engage the bail. The first wedge portion and the second wedge portion are adapted to nest with one another and be secured to one another to capture and electrically connect the main conductor and the bail.
US07677931B2
Methods are provided for reducing port to port crosstalk on a multiport assembly. Steps of the method include placing at least one BEMI in at least one compensation region, disposed on a PCB. The BEMI reduces port to port crosstalk noise by generating an opposite polarity signal to an unwanted noise signal generated through port to port adjacency. The PCB includes a plurality of ports, at least including adjacent first and second ports, each of which is an RJ45 jack port. Each port of the plurality of ports includes a plurality of modular insert pins, and is associated with an IDC pin group. The at least one compensation region includes one or more regions for generating noise compensation with respect to crosstalk noise resulting from coupling between respective modular insert pins of, or IDC pins associated with, the first and second ports, respectfully.
US07677929B2
A sacrificial power connector engages a power receptacle on a laptop computer. The connector includes a first end that mates with the power receptacle and a second end that receives a plug from a power cord. A tab includes adhesive that maintains the connector in engagement with the power receptacle of the laptop computer. In this manner, the sacrificial power connector wears out and prevents damage to the power receptacle on the laptop computer. The sacrificial connector allows a broken path of electrical current to be reestablished.
US07677924B2
A high-current coaxial connection with two plug elements that can be connected with one another, in particular to connect a current-carrying coaxial conductor to a gradient coil of a magnetic resonance apparatus, has a first and second coupling rings provided at the respective plug elements. The first coupling ring with a first thread is screwed onto one plug contact to be fixed to the plug element while the second coupling ring with a second thread that overlaps the first coupling ring, is screwed onto a mating thread section at the other plug element. Both coupling rings are rotationally locked relative to one another and the first thread and the second thread are different.
