US07724699B2
The invention relates to a method, in a transmission system providing a set of multiplexed services transported on specific transport channels forming a single composite transport channel and having predetermined quality factors corresponding to required error rates which necessitate adequately adjusted individual transmission powers, for balancing the current individual transmission powers of said multiplexed services during a communication in order to satisfy the multiplexed service quality requirements while limiting the interference level. The method comprises a step of determining rate-matching coefficients enabling to balance the individual transmission powers of the multiplexed services with respect to the global transmission power on the composite transport channel, a step of transmitting, using said determined rate-matching coefficients and a step of adapting said rate-matching coefficients with respect to measured error rates of the multiplexed services on the specific transport channels.
US07724691B2
A method for providing a session invitation protocol (SIP) session between a first and a second entity. An SIP session is established between the first and second entity. At least one media stream is transmitted from the first entity to the second entity. At least one of transmission, storage and play back of the at least one media stream, is controlled in the SIP session at the first and/or second entity.
US07724690B2
To provide a transmission apparatus capable of setting the same control data to the entire child transmission apparatuses instantaneously at a time, thereby leading to improved maintenance operation and bringing about efficient maintenance and system stability. The transmission apparatus receives from a maintenance operator a designation of a parent apparatus having the control data set in advance. That control data is to be inherited to a child apparatus. The transmission apparatus determines whether any transmission apparatus has already been registered as parent apparatus in the child apparatus, and also determines whether the designated parent apparatus has already been registered as a child apparatus in the child apparatus. The transmission apparatus then requests the designated parent apparatus to transfer the control data in the designated parent apparatus to the child apparatus, when the designated parent apparatus is not registered in the child apparatus.
US07724689B2
An interface device and interface device control method that switches a transmission rate to enable high-speed transmission when necessary. In devices (nodes) provided with an interface device, a transmission rate control circuit decreases the frequency of a clock signal to only enable low-speed transmission operations during low-speed transmission and when a transfer operation is not being performed. A node requiring switching to a high-speed transmission rate negotiates with each node included in a route to a transfer destination and reads the device information stored in the register to confirm whether or not each node has a transmission capacity applicable for high-speed transmission. Then, when the transmission capacity is applicable for high-speed transmission, the transmission rate control circuit increases the frequency of the clock signal to change the operating speed of its node and each of the nodes requiring the switching of the transmission rate to high-speed transmission.
US07724687B2
Secure transfer of information between a first command transmitter and a second command transmitter such as those employed for remote control of actuators employed in home automation systems for example for opening and closing windows, solar protection, ventilation, roller blinds, garage doors and the like, is achieved by first authenticating the first command transmitter with respect to a third object preferably constituting part of the existing network, such as a command receiver or command transmitter and only transferring information to the second command transmitter when authentication of the first command transmitter has succeeded. The method particularly applies when a new second command transmitter is to be installed on a home automation network, having identical rights and functionalities to those of the existing first command transmitter.
US07724686B2
A communication monitoring apparatus (100) monitors a network (130) to which a plurality of devices are connected with an IEEE1394 serial bus. An obtaining unit (111) obtains information that concerns a communication control parameter that is determined or managed by another device on the network. A determining unit (112) determines whether the information that concerns a communication control parameter is compatible with the network (130) based on the information that concerns a communication control parameter that is obtained by the obtaining unit (111). A reporting unit (113) reports a result of determination by the determining unit (111).
US07724685B2
A method includes obtaining first information indicative of instability of a data communication network. The method also includes isolating a first portion of a network from a second portion of the network responsive to the obtained first information. After a predetermined period of time, second information indicative of instability of the first portion is obtained. The method further includes isolating a first segment of the first portion from a second segment of the first portion responsive to the obtained second information.
US07724680B2
An interactive graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying frequency, amplitude and direction information provided by an intelligence system is provided comprising: a plot of RF versus amplitude, and a graph of frequency versus direction. The intelligence system has a front end to generate digital data based on received radio frequency (RF) signals, a post processing stage to process the digital data, and a direction finding stage to prevent the post-processing stage from processing portions of the digital data that correspond to RF signals arriving from a direction other than a predetermined direction. The GUI is updated continuously in near real time. Methods of operating the GUI are also provided.
US07724677B2
The invention is intended to provide a connectivity checking technology to make it easier to check the connectivity of data communication paths in an IP storage system. The target computer 20 of the storage system 10 transmits an ICMP echo request to an initiator computer 70 through a prescribed IP port 110 in the storage system 10, and determines whether or not the connectivity is normal between the target computer 20 and initiator computer 70 through the prescribed IP port 110 based on a reachable status of the ICMP echo reply from the initiator computer 70.
US07724668B2
A device generates a service protection factor (SPFi) for links (N) on a link aggregation group (LAG), determines a traffic allocation bandwidth on the LAG for a service class based on the service protection factor (SPFi) and a congestion guard factor (CGFi), and restricts the traffic allocation bandwidth on the LAG. The service protection factor (SPFi) may guarantee a service availability target in the presence of link failure, and the congestion guard factor (CGFi) may protect against link overload that may arise from imperfectness in traffic load balancing across links in the LAG.
US07724664B2
A packet network node and method of operating a packet network node are disclosed. Conventional packet network nodes react to congestion in the packet network by dropping packets in a manner which is perceived by users to be indiscriminate. In embodiments of the present invention, communication sources precede communications with a start packet which contains a communication identifier also carried within subsequent packets of the communication. The packet network node makes an entry in a vulnerable communications table (6.4) on receipt of such a start packet. After an amount of time, and often before the cessation of a communication, such entries are removed from the vulnerable communications table. On the onset of congestion, the packet network node disclosed herein deletes packets in communications identified in the vulnerable communications table. This provides a congestion alleviation method which is less annoying to users since communications that have been in existence for longer are less susceptible to component packets being deleted.
US07724663B2
A packet switched node (router), a queuing system and a method for queuing packets are described herein that use tags and manipulate counters in a manner that eliminates the reordering of the packets after a Quality of Service (QoS) class had been altered in one or more of the packets.
US07724655B2
A method for operating a network and a network architecture implementing the method are described. The method, in one embodiment, begins by grouping a plurality of nodes into zones, where the network includes the plurality of nodes. At least one of the nodes in each one of the zones is one of a plurality of boundary nodes, and each of the boundary nodes in each one of the zones is coupled to a boundary node in another of the zones by one of a first number of inter-zone optical links. One of the zones includes a number of nodes, each of which is coupled to at least one other of the nodes by one of a second number of intra-zone optical links. Next, a non-boundary node is configured to transmit network information to other of the nodes. The non-boundary node is a node in the zone that is not a boundary node. Finally, a boundary node in the zone is configured to limit transmission of the network information through itself to other of the boundary nodes. The network information so limited can be restoration information (in the event of a failure), network topology information, and/or other network information.
US07724654B2
The synchronization of trunk failover between two FC-AL switches when a primary trunk failure occurs is disclosed. If primary trunk T1 should fail, S1 bypasses the cascade port and sends a MaRK (MRK) ordered set out over duplicate trunk T2 to switch S2. In response, S2 sends an acknowledgement MRK ordered set over T2 back to S1. S1 then reconfigures the switch to establish T2 as the primary trunk, and acts as a masters in the failover process and initiates LIP ordered sets which are communicated to all devices in the system to initialize them. Note that when S2 receives the MRK ordered set and acknowledges it by sending an acknowledgement MRK back to S1, it acts as a slave in the failover process and does not attempt to initiate LIPs, thereby eliminating the possibility of multiple Loop Initialization cycles and reducing the time in which data cannot be transmitted.
US07724653B2
A transmission device is connected to a layer 2 switch through a transmission path at one side, and to a relay transmission path at the other side. The transmission path includes a transmission path of a active system and a transmission path of a stand-by system. When failure occurs in the transmission path of the active system, the transmission device forcibly shuts down the transmission path of the active system upon detection of link down, to stop packet transmission, and causes the layer 2 switch to perform MAC address flush. The transmission device then switches the transmission path of the stand-by system to the active system, and transmits packets through the transmission path that has become the active system as a result of switching. The layer 2 switch performs MAC address learning to set a port, thereby maintaining communication even after occurrence of the failure.
US07724645B2
An apparatus and method for serial link down detection are described. In one embodiment, the method includes the detection of an initial link down condition of a serial link. In one embodiment, the initial link down condition is detected, for example, when a transition from a normal signaling voltage level to a squelch signaling voltage level is detected at a receiver input. When an initial link down condition is detected, the issuance of a link down signal is delayed for a predetermined period of time from the detection of the squelch voltage over the serial link. In one embodiment, the link down signal is asserted if a data error is detected following the predetermined period of time from the detection of the squelch voltage. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07724644B2
A network includes a plurality of redundant nodes and ordinary nodes. A first redundant node from among the redundant nodes sets a common address and setting information in a message packet and broadcasts the message packet over the network. The common address is commonly used by all the redundant nodes on the network. The setting information is indicative of the fact that the first redundant node is a redundant node. All the nodes have a topology table. The nodes that receive the message packet set in their topology table information indicating of presence of the first redundant node and the common address shared by the redundant nodes. When transmitting a packet to the first redundant node, a node sets the common address as a destination address of the packet.
US07724640B2
A sender and a receiver are engaged in an automatic repeat request (ARQ) wireless communication with each other. The sender is provided with an incoming data stream of a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs). The sender transmits a plurality of PDUs which are at least partially overlapping, with at least two different transmission power levels being used for the transmission of at least two different PDUs.
US07724635B2
Provided are a recording medium, a recording medium playing device and method, which has an EFM demodulation unit for adaptively realigning an EFM demodulation point. The recording medium demodulates first data into second data in response to a channel clock signal recovered from the first data, compares a demodulation point indicating demodulation of the first data into the second data with an alignment point set in response to the first data, and jumps the demodulation point forward or backward by a difference between the demodulation point and the alignment point.
US07724629B2
An information storage medium has user data areas and additional data areas, and sync patterns to distinguish the additional data areas from the user data areas. The information storage medium includes a user data area in which user data is recorded and an additional data area located in at least one of areas before and after the user data area. Second sync patterns used in the additional data area are different from first sync patterns used in the user data area.
US07724625B2
When the data is reproduced by irradiating a laser beam onto the optical disk, an amount-of-irradiation-beam detection signal is produced according to the amount of the laser beam irradiated onto the optical disk, and the defect on the optical disk is detected on the basis of this amount-of-irradiation-beam detection signal. In addition, when the data is reproduced by irradiating the laser beam onto the optical disk, the amount-of-irradiation-beam detection signal is produced according to the amount of the laser beam irradiated onto the optical disk, an amount-of-reflected-beam detection signal is produced in accordance with the amount of the laser beam reflected from the optical disk, and the defect on the optical disk is detected on the basis of the amount-of-irradiation-beam detection signal and the amount-of-reflected-beam detection signal. Even when the optical disk has a defect, the laser beam is continuously irradiated onto the optical disk.
US07724621B2
It has been discovered that inaccurate representations of content read from an optical disc can be restored. A representation of content read from a damaged optical disc may include data that corresponds to misread data sections. The data for the misread data sections can be replaced with portions of an accurate representation of the content. The portions can be extracted from an accurate representation maintained online or at a local repository of digital representations of content.
US07724620B2
A data reproducing method for reproducing data, upon an optical disk of rewritable type, having an alternated block management area, a data area, on which recording/reproducing of the information is conducted by a unit of block, and an alternation area, on which recording/reproducing of information including a defective sector therein is conducted by the unit of block, through an information recording/reproducing apparatus enabling to execute Read Modify Write operation thereon, comprising the following steps of, in case where said alternation areas are in a plural number thereof when executing Read Modify Write operation onto said optical disk of rewritable type: executing reproducing on said data area including the defective sector therein, by only one (1) time; executing reproducing on said alternation area, thereafter, so as to hold data reproduced; and thereby reproducing the data. With this, it is possible to increase speed (i.e., speedup) in the reproducing time thereof, in total, but without necessary of reproducing operation upon the data area by a plural number of times.
US07724619B2
A power adjusting method for a pickup head accessing an optical disc. The method includes identifying a target data transfer rate utilized by the PUH for accessing the optical disc; calculating an appropriate laser power according to the target data transfer rate; and accessing the optical disc by the PUH at the target data transfer rate with the appropriate laser power.
US07724610B2
A lateration system comprising at least one transmitter attached to a first object and configured to emit pulses, three or more receivers attached to at least one second object and configured to receive the pulses emitted by the transmitter, and a processor configured to process information received from the three or more receivers, and to generate a vector based on lateration. Lateration is one of multilateration and trilateration. The vector is used by the processor to constrain error growth in a navigation solution.
US07724603B2
A circuit and method reduces disturb in a memory array resulting from one of two supply voltages dropping below a predetermined value. Memory control logic is operated using a logic power domain. Higher voltages than that of the logic power domain are generated in response to an oscillator oscillating. The higher voltages are used to operate the memory array. Operation of the oscillator is controlled with the memory control logic when the logic power domain is at least at a first level or value. The oscillator is disabled when the logic power domain is below the first level. The disabling of the oscillator has the effect of preventing generation of the higher voltages. This facilitates preventing the higher voltages from reaching the memory array when they may not be properly controlled.
US07724596B1
A sensing amplifier for a memory cell comprises a selection stage that outputs one of a reference current and a memory cell current during a first period and the other of the reference current and the memory cell current during a second period. The first period and the second period are non-overlapping. An input stage generates a first current based on the one of the reference current and the memory cell current during the first period and generates a second current based on the other of the reference current and the memory cell current during the second period. A sensing stage senses a first value based on the first current and stores the first value during the first period, senses a second value based on the second current during the second period and compares the first value to the second value.
US07724595B2
A current-mode sense amplifier comprises a first current mirror, a second current mirror and an amplifying circuit. The first current mirror outputs a cell current to a memory cell and duplicates the cell current to generate a mirrored cell current. The second current mirror outputs a reference current to the reference cell and duplicates the reference current to generate a mirrored reference current. The amplifying circuit comprises a first switch, second switch, third switch and fourth switch. The first switch has first and second terminals for respectively receiving the mirrored cell and reference currents. The second and third switches have first terminals respectively coupled to the first and second terminals of the first switch, and control terminals respectively coupled to the second and first terminals of the first switch. The fourth switch is connected to second terminals of the second and third switches.
US07724594B2
A leakage current control device of a semiconductor memory device is provided to effectively remove leakage current flowing from a bit line to a word line when a process defect is generated by gate residues of the semiconductor memory device, thereby reducing unnecessary current consumption. In the leakage current control device, the bit line boosted to a voltage level of core voltage/2 is controlled at a ground voltage level during a precharge period to remove unnecessary leakage current flowing from the bit line to a word line bridge.
US07724590B2
A memory controller with multiple delayed timing signals. Control information is provided by a first output driver circuit to a first signal path. Write data, associated with the control information, is provided by a second output driver circuit to a second signal path. Timing information is provided by a third output driver to a third signal path. Rising and falling edge transitions of the timing information indicate times at which subsequent symbols of the write data are valid on the signal path. The timing information is delayed with respect to the control information to account for a difference between a time that the control information takes to reach the destination device while traversing the first signal path and a time that the write data takes to reach the destination device while traversing the second signal path.
US07724588B2
A write amplifier power generating circuit includes a control unit for changing an output voltage. In a first write cycle in which a pair of bit lines are being amplified, a write operation is performed by an overdrive write method in which a high level from a write amplifier is set to a first voltage (for example, a power supply voltage). In a second write cycle after amplification in the pair of the bit lines has been completed, a write operation is performed by a write method in which the high level from the write amplifier is set to a second voltage (for example, an internal voltage).
US07724580B2
A set non-volatile storage elements are subjected to a programming process in order to store a set of data. During the programming process, one or more verification operations are performed to determine whether the non-volatile storage elements have reached their target condition to store the appropriate data. Decisions about whether to continue programming or whether the programming is successful are made based on whether overlapping groups of the non-volatile storage elements have less than a threshold number of non-volatile storage elements that are not properly programmed.
US07724573B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor storage device is disclosed, which includes a memory cell array in which nonvolatile memory cells are arranged, a first data holding circuit which temporarily holds a collective processing unit of read or write data to be simultaneously read from or written to the memory cells, a circuit which takes out the data held in the first data holding circuit from the device, and a second data holding circuit in which data is automatically set at a time when power supply is turned on and in which the data is changeable based on a command input to the device, wherein the collective processing unit is equal to a sum of the number of units used within the device and the maximum number of units continuously output from the device to outside or input to the device from outside.
US07724572B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a fuse device that can be electrically disconnected without a breakage caused by using a laser beam or current. The semiconductor integrated circuit device employs, as the fuse device for storing status information, a MOSFET of a single polysilicon EEPROM-type cell manufactured through a process of fabricating a volatile semiconductor memory cell array.
US07724566B1
A magnetoresistive resistor memory cell having four individually polarizable magnetoresistive resistors that form a magnetoresistive bridge circuit. Each of the four magnetoresistive resistors is surrounded by a write trace segment pair. One upper write trace segment is directly above a magnetoresistive resistor and one lower write trace segment is directly below that resistor. The two write traces of a write trace segment pair are oriented at 90 degrees relative to the anisotropic axis, that is, the length, of the magnetoresistive resistor. The combination of the magnetoresistive resistor bridge circuit and four write trace segment pairs forms a magnetoresistive resistor memory cell.
US07724565B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process for small signal sensing during a read operation of a static random access memory (SRAM) cell includes coupling a pair of complementary sense amplifier data lines to a corresponding pair of complementary bit lines associated with the SRAM cell, and setting a sense amplifier so as to amplify a signal developed on the sense amplifier data lines, wherein the bit line pair remains coupled to the sense amplifier data lines at the time the sense amplifier is set.
US07724564B2
The present disclosure includes devices and methods for sensing resistance variable memory cells. One device embodiment includes at least one resistance variable memory cell, and a capacitive divider configured to generate multiple reference levels in association with the at least one resistance variable memory cell.
US07724554B2
A semiconductor switch circuit is connected to a primary winding of a transformer having a secondary winding connected to a load. The semiconductor switch circuit has switches controlled by PWM to provide a controlled constant current. In the inventive inverter, constant current control is performed by PWM operation of the switches of the semiconductor switch circuit. The inverter cuts off electricity to the control circuit when putting the control circuit into a standby state if a run-stop signal gains a logical stop-state. At the same time as the run-stop signal gaining the stop-state, switch drive signals enabling the switches of the semiconductor switch circuit are turned off. Thus, over-current can be prevented from flowing in the load when the control circuit is put into the standby state.
US07724552B2
A power supply to be connected in parallel to one or more other power supplies so as to share with the other power supplies in supplying load current to a load is disclosed. The power supply includes a load current comparison part including a first input terminal and a second input terminal and outputting a difference in level between a first signal applied to the first input terminal and a second signal applied to the second input terminal. The load current comparison part includes a differential amplifier. A first input terminal of the differential amplifier is connected to a first input terminal of the differential amplifier of each of the other power supplies. A signal indicating a load current supplied by the power supply is input to a second input terminal of the differential amplifier. A non-directional impedance element is inserted between the first and second input terminals of the differential amplifier.
US07724544B2
An AC power supply apparatus used for an AC load of a high voltage such as a cold cathode tube. When a cold cathode tube is caused to emit a light, a DC voltage is on/off controlled at a predetermined ratio; thereafter, an AC signal of a high frequency is applied to the on/off controlled voltage in an oscillator circuit; then the resultant signal is boosted up to a predetermined level of voltage in a booster circuit; and thereafter, the AC power supply of the high voltage is applied to the load such as the cold cathode tube.
US07724529B2
The disk array system includes: controller modules, power source modules, and battery modules of a basic chassis; enclosure modules and power source modules of an expanded chassis; and operation levers which are commonly used for operations of insertion/removal and fixation of the modules. The operation lever includes a rotary shaft portion serving as a fulcrum point, a lever main body and a latch portion located on one side of the lever, and a hook portion located on the other side thereof. When a module is inserted and fixed, a user rotates the lever main body. By this means, the latch portion and the hook portion are fixed to a receiving portion and the module is connected and fixed to the backboard with a connector.
US07724527B2
A method and structure of improving thermal dissipation from a module assembly include attaching a first side of at least one chip to a single chip carrier, the at least one chip having a second side opposite of the first side; grinding the second side of the at least one chip to a desired surface profile; applying a heat transfer medium on at least one of a heat sink and the second side of the at least one chip; and disposing the heat sink on the second side of the at least one chip with the heat transfer medium therebetween defining a gap between the heat sink and the second side of the at least one chip. The gap is controlled to improve heat transfer from the second side of the at least one chip to the heat sink.
US07724526B2
An electronic module includes a printed circuit board with a heat producing electrical component assembled in an insulating housing. The component is adjacent a thermally conducting heat sink with a thermally conductive material disposed therebetween. Integral with the heat sink is a thermally conductive runner, partially encased in the housing wall, connecting the heat sink to a thermally conductive port. The port is coupled to a base structure when the housing is attached to the base, forming a heat conduction path from the component to the base. This conductive path may also provide an electrical ground path from the printed circuit board to the base.
US07724523B2
An electric power converter has a main circuit section including a semiconductor module and a cooling device; a control circuit substrate section electrically connected to a signal terminal of the semiconductor module, and having a control circuit; and a power wiring section connected to a main electrode terminal of the semiconductor module. The main circuit section is interposed between the control circuit substrate section and the power wiring section.
US07724521B2
Systems and methods for Venturi fan-assisted cooling of electrical equipment are provided. In one embodiment, a cooling unit for an enclosure housing electronics is provided. The cooling unit comprises: a fan shroud having at least one electrical fan; and a Venturi chamber having a first inlet for receiving a heated airflow from a heatsink, a second inlet for receiving an airflow from a surrounding environment, and an outlet coupled to the fan shroud, the fan drawing air from the Venturi chamber via the outlet when the fan is on. The Venturi chamber comprises a wall for directing the airflow air from the surrounding environment in from the second inlet and across the heated airflow from the heatsink in a manner to as to draw the heated airflow through the heatsink using a Venturi effect, when the fan is on.
US07724515B2
In a disk array apparatus, by taking note of a first sound of a specific frequency which is a noise element of original sounds generated from a fan, a second sound whose phase is inverted to that of the first sound is generated by a structure of a cooling air flow path passing through the fan, and the second sound is synthesized with the first sound on the cooling air flow path, thereby reducing the noise. For example, an exhaust duct is located on a fan unit in an upper part of the apparatus, two flow paths extending to an exhaust port are formed in an internal structure of the exhaust duct, and the two flow paths are designed so that the difference in the flow path length therebetween becomes equivalent to half wavelength of the specific frequency.
US07724503B2
The invention relates to a frequency converter, comprising: a power electronics part provided with wheels on the lower part thereof; an installation cabinet for receiving the power electronics part movable on the wheels; and connectors arranged to the power electronics part and the installation cabinet, a contact being created between the connectors when the power electronics part is installed into the installation cabinet. To facilitate electrical installation works, the power electronics part is divided at least into a base part provided with wheels and a power stage part arranged thereon, the two being detachably attached together, whereby the base part, when detached from the power stage part, can be pulled out of the installation cabinet whereas the power stage part remains in place in the installation cabinet.
US07724496B2
The present subject matter is directed to methods and apparatus for providing a multilayer array component with interdigitated electrode layer portions configured to selectively provide signal filtering characteristics, over-voltage transient suppression capabilities, and land grid array (LGA) terminations. Embodiments of the present subject matter may define a single capacitor, a capacitor array, or a multilayer vertically integrated array with configurable equivalent electrical characteristics including equivalent series inductance (ESL), equivalent series resistance (ESR), and configurable capacitance and voltage clamping and transient suppression capabilities.
US07724493B2
An electrostatic chuck device provided with a dielectric plate with a surface embossed to give it a plurality of projections, an electrode, and an external power source, wherein substrate supporting surfaces of the plurality of projections are covered by conductor wiring and the conductor wiring electrically connects the substrate supporting surfaces of the plurality of projections. At the time of substrate processing, when the embossed projections contact the back of the substrate, the back of the substrate and the conductor wiring is made the same in potential due to the migration of the charges, the generation of force between the back of the substrate and the conductor wiring being in contact with the same is prevented, and a rubbing state between the two is prevented. Due to this, the electrostatic chuck device reduces the generation of particles, easily and stably removes and conveys substrates, and realizes a high yield and system operating rate.
US07724485B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit uses two N-channel field effect transistors (NFETs) to conduct ESD current from a first to a second supply node. During the ESD event, an ESD detection circuit couples the gates of both NFETs to the first supply node through separate conductive paths. In one novel aspect, an RC trigger circuit includes a capacitance that is charged through a resistance. The resistance involves a P-channel transistor whose gate is coupled to the gate of the second NFET. During a normal power-up condition, the P-channel transistor is conductive, thereby preventing the RC trigger from triggering if the supply voltage VDD were to rise rapidly. In another novel aspect, a novel level-shifting inverter drives the second NFET. The level-shifting inverter uses a pull down resistor to avoid snap-back and also isolates the gate of the second NFET from a capacitively loaded third supply node.
US07724478B2
Terminals of a flexible printed circuit board and terminals of a wiring trace in a head suspension assembly are to be connected with each other by soldering without causing a soldering defect. In an embodiment, a terminal structure of a multi-connector in a wiring trace which includes an insulating layer and a conductor pattern portion formed on a surface of the insulating layer is provided with exposed portions of terminals exposed from apertures formed in part of the insulating layer and is also provided with lining portions adjacent to the exposed portions in a longitudinal direction of the conductor pattern portion and bonded to the insulating layer. Even if terminals of the multi-connector are cracked when soldered, not only conductivity is ensured, but also it is possible to strengthen the terminals, because the lining portions of the terminals are bonded to the insulating layer.
US07724468B2
An apparatus and method for correcting static and dynamic imbalance with a single mass in a hard disk drive is disclosed. The method provides for determining a static imbalance of a hard disk assembly and for determining a dynamic imbalance of the hard disk assembly. A greater imbalance from the static imbalance and the dynamic imbalance is determined. A single mass is applied to the hard disk assembly to correct the greater imbalance.
US07724458B2
This invention protects the data on the hard disk from viruses and hackers by making it possible to turn off any head whether it is a read head or a write head of any arm of the hard disk by providing switches, so when we surf the Internet we turn off the read/write heads of the platter surface which contains the confidential data and we always turn off the write head of the platter surface which contains the Windows programs and other program files so the programs data are always protected and at the same time it is always readable, after we logoff the Internet we turn off the read/write heads of the platter surface used to save Internet data onto it thus we will never have any virus moving from this platter surface to the rest of the hard disk platters surfaces.
US07724454B2
An exemplary lens module includes a barrel, at least one lens, a filter and a ring-shaped fastening member. The barrel has an interior space defined therein, a retaining portion, and a threaded portion proximate to the retaining portion. The at least one lens is received in the interior space of the barrel. The filter is received in the retaining portion of the barrel. The ring-shaped fastening member has threads on an outer wall thereof and is threadedly engaged in the threaded portion so as to fasten the filter to the retaining portion of the barrel. A method for assembling the lens module is also provided.
US07724451B2
A lens assembly includes: a lens group including a plurality of lenses; and a lens holder accommodating the lens group and having an opening in each of a front end face of the lens holder and a rear end face of the lens holder. The opening of the front end face has a smaller diameter than an outer diameter of a foremost lens accommodated in a foremost end face side of the lens holder, the lens holder includes a spacer ring disposed on a rear side of a rearmost lens accommodated in a rearmost end face side of the lens holder, the spacer ring abutting on a peripheral portion of the rearmost lens to keep a space between a rear face of the rearmost lens and the rear end face of the lens holder, and the lens holder holds a rear face of the spacer ring by thermal caulking.
US07724442B2
There is provided an optical device, having a light-transmitting substrate (20) having at least two major surfaces parallel to each other and edges; a display light source; optical means for coupling light from the light source into the substrate (20) by internal reflection, and at least one partially reflecting surface (22) located in the substrate (20) which is non-parallel to the major surfaces of the substrate wherein the source emits light waves located in a given field-of-view, that the light waves are collimated, that an angular resolution is defined for the optical device, and wherein the angular deviation between any two different rays located in one of the collimated light waves, is smaller than the angular resolution.
US07724425B2
Methods and corresponding apparatus for optical amplification in semiconductors, particularly indirect band-gap semiconductors, and most particularly in silicon. A first aspect of the invention employs certain doping elements to provide inter-band-gap energy levels in combination with optical or current-injection pumping. The doping element, preferably a noble metal and most preferably Gold, is chosen to provide an energy level which enables an energy transition corresponding to a photon of wavelength equal to the signal wavelength to be amplified. The energy transition may be finely “adjusted” by use of standard doping techniques (such as n-type or p-type doping) to alter the conduction and valence band energy levels and thereby also the magnitude of the energy transition. A second aspect of the invention relates to the use of a non-homogeneous heat distribution which has been found to lead to optical amplification effects.
US07724423B2
A method and apparatus for improved efficiency in optical fiber lasers. The system increases the efficiency of cladding pumped optical fiber amplifiers through a seeding technique which includes pumping an erbium/ytterbium doped fiber amplifier with pump energy, directing an optical signal through the erbium/ytterbium doped fiber amplifier, and seeding the optical signal with seed energy. The seed energy may have a higher energy level than the optical signal and a lower energy level than the pump energy, and the seed energy may be initially amplified in the amplifier and subsequently attenuated while amplifying the optical signal in the amplifier.
US07724422B2
Optical apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) for providing light having a selected linear polarization having a polarization ratio, the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) comprising a length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1001) comprising a rare earth for providing light having a first wavelength responsive to receiving pump light having a second wavelength that is different than said first wavelength, wherein if the length of optical fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) were placed in a first position between the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is substantially linearly oriented (20) the fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) could propagate at the first wavelength a fundamental mode and a plurality of higher order modes and the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) could provide light having a first polarization ratio for the selected linear polarization and an M2 parameter, and wherein the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is positioned in a second position that increases the bend loss of the fiber relative to the first position such that, responsive to the increased bend loss, the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) can provide light having a reduced M2 parameter as well as a second polarization ratio for the selected polarization that is increased relative to the first polarization ratio, the increase being at least 6 dB greater than the first polarization ratio, and wherein when the length of fiber (120, 504, 604, 804, 1004) is in the second position the apparatus (110, 500, 600, 800, 1000) can provide a slope efficiency that is at least 50% of the ratio of the second wavelength to the first wavelength.
US07724421B2
Phase-sensitive amplification (PSA), which is produced by degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) in a randomly-birefringent fiber, has the potential to improve the performance of optical communication systems. Scalar FWM, which is driven by parallel pumps, is impaired by the generation of pump-pump and pump-signal harmonics, which limit the level, and modify the phase sensitivity, of the signal gain. In contrast, vector FWM, which is driven by perpendicular pumps, is not impaired by the generation of harmonics. Vector FWM produces PSA with the classical properties of a one-mode squeezing transformation.
US07724419B1
A display includes a first substrate, a first electrode, a second substrate, a second electrode and a display material layer. The first electrode is disposed on the first substrate and the second electrode is disposed on the second substrate. The display material layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The display material layer of the invented display includes a solution and a plurality of first micro beads, wherein each of the first micro beads further has a plurality of different axis lengths in different axis directions, and the axis length in at least an axis direction is different from the axis lengths in the rest axis directions so that the first micro beads present different arrangement densities in different driving frequencies under the influence of polarized self-arrangement effect.
US07724415B2
A display drive device comprises a display element being colored by injecting an electric charge into an electrolyte via an display electrode due to an oxidation-deoxidization reaction and being decolored by injecting an electric charge having an inverse polarity of the electric charge into the electrolyte, at least one constant current supply circuit which supplies a constant current as a decoloration current pulse having a predetermined pulse width to the display electrode upon the decoloration, a voltage detection circuit which detects a voltage value generated in the display electrode, and a control circuit which controls an operation of the constant current supply circuit intermittently and repeatedly supplying the decoloration current pulse from the constant current supply circuit to the display electrode upon the decoloration, and ending the decoloration on the basis of a voltage value to be detected by the voltage detection circuit.
US07724414B2
A spatial light modulator applied to the collinear volume holographic storage system uses a hollow phase modulator to modulate the surrounding portion of an incident light to be a reference light, and the center portion of the incident light is modulated by an amplitude modulator to be a signal light. Thus, the spatial light modulator can enhance the convergence of the point spread function of the system.
US07724412B2
Variable aperture and actuator assemblies are provided for a radiation detector housing in an imaging system. The variable aperture assembly includes a ring mounted over the housing's window, a plate having a first aperture disposed over the window, an aperture blade operatively coupled to the ring so the blade moves laterally relative to the first aperture, and an aperture drive mechanism having a body and an actuator coupling member extending at an angle from the body. The drive mechanism is adapted to drive the blade laterally away from the first aperture when the member is moved in a first lateral direction, and over the first aperture to define a second aperture disposed over the window when the member is moved in a second lateral direction. The actuator assembly has an actuator and an actuator arm adapted to engage the actuator coupling member to control the lateral movement of the member.
US07724411B2
A 2-axis driving electromagnetic scanner, having a structure in which a mirror is separated from a driving unit and directly driven, is provided. The electromagnetic scanner includes: an outer driving unit which is capable of rotating around a first axis; an inner driving unit which is suspended from the outer driving unit so as to rotate around a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and a stage which is located on an upper surface of the inner driving unit so as to rotate together with the inner driving unit. In the electromagnetic scanner, the stage is connected to the inner driving unit by a link unit protruding from a center of a lower surface of the stage.
US07724408B2
The invention relates to a security system especially for security documents, wherein a security element is provided in a carrier plane, that under incident light holographically reconstructs a pattern outside the carrier plane, in which concealed information is stored and having a flat transparent verification element which on flat contact with the security element makes the information stored therein visible. The invention further relates to a security element and a verification element for use in the security system and a security document fitted with the security system. The invention additionally relates to an apparatus and a method for reading out the concealed information which is stored holographically in the pattern reconstructed on the security element under incident light.
US07724404B2
An assembly for transferring information to and/or from flexible sheet media in a highly advantageous curved configuration is disclosed. The sheet material includes a length and a width defining first and second opposing surfaces. The assembly includes support means for supporting the sheet the curved configuration across its width, having the first surface inwardly oriented with respect to the curved configuration. Thereafter, moving means moves the flexible sheet material so supported in a direction along a read/write path generally parallel to the sheet material length and transverse to the direction of curvature. A read/write arrangement is provided which is configured for reading and/or writing information across the width of the first surface of the sheet as the sheet is moved along the path in the curved configuration. In one feature, means is provided for rotationally moving the read/write arrangement in a predetermined way in the housing such that the read/write arrangement is in a confronting relationship with the first, inwardly oriented surface and cooperates with the movement provided by the sheet material moving means so as to cause the read/write arrangement to sequentially read information from and/or write information to the inwardly oriented, first surface of the sheet as the read/write arrangement traverses the width of the flexible sheet material while the latter is on the read/write path in the curved configuration. In another feature, a read and/or write operation may be performed on the second, outwardly oriented surface of the sheet material.
US07724400B2
A multifunction machine user interface has a minimal number user inputs, such as only one or two buttons. When a user places a media item, such as a printed sheet, in the scanner and activates a first user input, the machine scans the media item and assesses or determines whether the media item is to be treated for printing purposes as a color document, a color photograph, a monochrome (i.e., black-and-white) document, or a monochrome photograph. The machine then causes the media item to be printed in accordance with that assessment or determination. The assessment or determination can be made automatically by the machine or a host computer in communication with the machine in response to an evaluation of chrominance and luminance of the scanned pixels. Alternatively, the determination can be made by the user selecting corresponding settings through a user interface on the host computer.
US07724399B2
A method of downloading an object using a surface having disposed therein or thereon first coded data being at least partially indicative of a download request for the object, the method including, in a processing system: receiving first indicating data from a sensing device, the first indicating data being at least partially indicative of the download request, the sensing device being responsive to sensing at least some of the first coded data to generate the first indicating data; transferring second indicating data to a server, the second indicating data being at least partially based on the first indicating data and indicative of the download request, wherein the server identifies, using the download request, the object for download; and, receiving, from the server, download data indicative of the object.
US07724396B2
A method for dithering image data is provided. The method is suitable for representing A-bit grayscale values with a B-bit resolution, where A and B are positive integers and A>B. The main steps of the method include calculating 2A target grayscale values with decimals within an interval from 0 to (2B−1)*2A−B, and then representing the target grayscale values with the decimals through 2-dimensional dithering or 3-dimensional dithering.
US07724393B2
In trapping process of a multicolor image, it is judged whether trapping process is required or not, and trapping process is performed only when required. Specifically, trapping process is executed when in a portion where a plurality of figures constituting an image overlap, the plate color value of a relatively lower figure is erased or overwritten. This enables to execute trapping process only when there is the danger that a gap occurs in a boundary portion where different two colors are adjacent each other.
US07724374B2
Improved performance in reflectance photometry is obtained by employing an optical fiber to direct collimated light to a test area and to return both diffuse and specular light from the test area. Specular light is prevented from reaching a light detector by a spatial filter, while diffuse light is collected and measured.
US07724373B2
A sensor for detecting the presence of a target analyte, ligand or molecule in a test fluid, comprising a light transmissive substrate on which an array of surface plasmon resonant (SPR) elements is mounted is described. A multi-channel sensor for detecting the presence of several targets with a single micro-chip sensor is described. A multi-channel sensor including collections of SPR elements which are commonly functionalized to one of several targets is also described. The detectors sense changes in the resonant response of the SPR elements indicative of binding with the targets.
US07724369B2
In order to improve an accuracy of an autocorrelation function, a correlator comprises a counter 61 for receiving a pulse signal at given time intervals (sampling times) and counting the number of pulses; a shift register 63 for receiving the number of pulses counted by the counter 61 and performing sequential time delay; an operation part 64 for performing a product-sum operation of an output from the counter 61 and that delayed by the shift register 63 for each channel; and a control part 65 for setting a delay time or a sampling time by the shift register 63 on a basis of a relationship of the Fibonacci sequence.
US07724358B2
Light from a single source is divided among several illumination arms, each of which directs light via a multimode fiber bundle from the source to the wafer location. The arms are arranged circumferentially around a common illumination region, so that the region is illuminated from several directions. For each arm, light exiting the fiber bundle enters a turning prism, reflects off the hypotenuse of the prism, and is diverged in one dimension by a negative cylindrical surface on the exiting face of the prism. The beam then reflects off an anamorphic mirror and propagates to the illumination region on the wafer. The beam has an asymmetric footprint, so that it illuminates a nearly circular region of the wafer when viewed at normal incidence. The fiber bundle is at the front focal plane in the meridional dimension. The illumination region is at the rear focal plane in both dimensions.
US07724355B1
A device (100) and method (300) for enhancing range detection accuracy in ultrasonic touchless sensing applications can include transmitting (302) an ultrasonic signal intended to reflect off a finger and produce an echo, receiving (304) the echo, saving (306) most recent echoes to a history (400), selectively discarding (308) echoes less recently saved in the history to produce a sparse history, identifying (310) a relative phase of the echo with respect to a previously received echo in the sparse history, tracking (312) a location and a movement of the finger from an arrival time of the echo and the relative phase, and providing (314) touchless control to a user interface control in accordance with the location and the movement of the finger.
US07724352B2
A light beam receiver includes a plurality of light beam detector elements, a plurality of integrator circuits that receive signals from the light beam detector elements, and a signal integral limiting integration time controller that is in communication with at least two of the integrator circuits so that an analysis of the light beam reception is determined. One embodiment provides a self-calibration function, using a plurality of light beam detector elements that generate output signals when receiving a light beam upon the light beam detector elements, an evaluation/control circuit that receives the output signals and is configured to substantially determine a position where the light beam impacts on the light beam detector elements, and at least one calibration light source that emits at least one light pulse that is coupled to the light beam detector elements. The light beam receiver performs a self-calibration function using the calibration light source.
US07724347B2
An electrically controlled liquid crystal zoom lens system for a camera or the like is set to a desired zoom by an operator. The desired zoom signal is provided to an image signal processor which also receives the output of an image sensor at the output of the lens. The process generates a control signal for a power supply which adjusts the voltage between electrodes sandwiching the liquid crystal module. By rapid, iterative adjustment the actual zoom is brought to the desired zoom level. The liquid crystal module is combined in series with conventional lenses which may be integrated with the liquid crystal.
US07724340B2
A liquid crystal display panel including power supply lines and a liquid crystal display including the liquid crystal display panel. A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate including a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of data lines that are formed so as to intersect the plurality of gate lines, a second substrate that faces the first substrate and includes a plurality of color filters, a power supply unit that supplies power to a light source, power supply lines that are formed on the first substrate so as to be electrically connected to the power supply units, and a flexible printed circuit board that is electrically connected to the power supply lines.
US07724338B2
A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a substrate; a gate line formed on the substrate; first and second storage electrodes formed on the substrate and disposed opposite each other with respect to the gate line; a gate insulating layer formed in the gate line and the first and the second storage electrodes; a curved data line formed on the gate insulating layer; a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line; a passivation layer formed on the data line and the thin film transistor; a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer, connected to the thin film transistor, and having an obtuse corner and an acute corner; and an overpass cross over the gate line and connected to the first and the second storage electrodes.
US07724334B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a pair of substrates with a liquid crystal layer therebetween with a plurality of scanning signal lines and of video signal lines being formed on a first substrate. The scanning and video signal lines are arranged in a shape of a grid, and a pixel region is defined as a region surrounded by the scanning and video signal lines. A black matrix is formed on a second substrate, is arranged in a position overlapped on the scanning and video signal lines, and has an opening portion in each pixel region. A plurality of first electrodes are provided on the first substrate, and a plurality of second electrodes are provided on the second substrate, wherein at least one of first electrodes and at least one of the second electrodes are arranged in a position overlapped with the opening portion.
US07724331B2
A transmission-type display device, in which a viewing angle thereof is enhanced, comprises: an panel comprising a first substrate where TFTs are formed and a second substrate facing the first substrate; a first retardation film and a first polarizing plate which adhere sequentially to an external surface of the first substrate; and a second retardation film and a second polarizing plate which adhere sequentially to an external surface of the second substrate.
US07724329B2
A transflective type LCD device includes a substrate, gate and data lines perpendicularly arranged to each other to define unit pixel regions each including transmitting and reflective parts, a plurality of thin film transistors formed adjacent to crossing portions of the gate and data lines, a passivation layer formed on the substrate including the thin film transistors, a plurality of pixel electrodes formed on the passivation layer in each unit pixel region, a plurality of first reflective plates electrically connected with the pixel electrodes and formed in the reflective parts, and second reflective plates formed on a predetermined portions of the substrate corresponding to the boundaries between the transmitting parts and the reflective parts.
US07724325B2
An in-plane switching (IPS) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a color filter on TFT (COT) structure therein and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed to improve picture quality by decreasing the reflection of external light above the data line, to obtain the economic efficiency, simplify the manufacturing process by forming a light-shielding layer of a metal material, and to solve the problem of decreasing aperture ratio after bonding lower and upper substrates to each other. The device includes first and second substrates facing each other, gate and data lines crossing each other on the first substrate to define a pixel region, a first common line parallel to the gate line, a thin film transistor at a crossing portion of the gate and data lines, an insulating interlayer on an entire surface of the first substrate including the data line, color filters in the pixel region, wherein at least one of the color filters completely covers the data line, a planarization layer on the entire surface of the first substrate including the color filter layers, a second common line along the gate line and the thin film transistor; common electrodes completely overlapping the data line, and arranged at one direction in the pixel region, and a pixel electrode in contact with a drain electrode of the thin film transistor and formed between the common electrodes at fixed intervals.
US07724321B2
A liquid crystal display having a backlight module, liquid crystal layer and a color filter layer is disclosed in the invention. An ultraviolet unit for emitting ultraviolet is disposed in the backlight module. The color filter layer is composed of a purity of pixels, and at least one of the purity of pixels is filled with a wavelength-converting material. The wavelength-converting material can convert ultraviolet into green light.
US07724319B2
A method of forming a liquid crystal device, includes: contacting an aqueous solution comprising a surfactant and a receptor molecule with a top surface of a liquid crystal. The liquid crystal is in a holding compartment of a substrate, and the receptor molecule is adsorbed on the top surface of the liquid crystal forming an interface between the liquid crystal and the aqueous solution. The receptor molecule is different than the surfactant. A method of detecting a compound in a flowing stream includes passing an aqueous solution over a top surface of a liquid crystal in a holding compartment of a substrate. The method also includes determining whether a change in the orientation of the liquid crystal occurs as the aqueous solution is passed over the top surface of the liquid crystal. A change in the orientation of the liquid crystal indicates the presence of the compound in the flowing stream.
US07724315B2
Liquid crystal display module for liquid crystal display device and a method for assembling the same
A liquid crystal display module, a liquid crystal display device, and a method for assembling the liquid crystal display device, which are capable of minimizing the overall size of the liquid crystal display device by improving an engaging structure between the liquid crystal display module and a case, are disclosed. Engaging holes are formed in an unused region of a top chassis, a mold frame and an end portion of a back cover. One side of a shaft screw is engaged with a catching member integrally formed with the inner side upper surface of a case. The other side of the shaft screw penetrates through the engaging holes of the top chassis, the mold frame, and the back cover and is engaged with a nut screw on a rear surface of the back cover. Accordingly, a separate space for installing a fixing member for fixing the mold frame and the back cover to the case is not needed, and the case, the mold frame, and the back cover is not engaged by using a separate screw. Therefore, the overall size of the liquid crystal display device can be minimized, and the number of parts and the number of assembling processes can be remarkably reduced.
US07724305B2
Methods for video data conversion, performed by a converter, are provided. An embodiment of the video data conversion method comprises the following steps. Chroma data of a target line is acquired from a first portion of a video stream in a transmission format. Chroma data of a certain number of neighboring lines near the target line is acquired from a second portion of the video stream. New chroma data is calculated from the acquired chroma data of the target line and the neighboring lines. The acquired chroma data of the target line is replaced with the new chroma data of the target line encapsulated into the first portion of the video stream. The modified video stream is transmitted to multiple receiving devices thereby the multiple receiving devices may obtain the video stream in a format used for subsequent process without additional computation.
US07724295B2
A radiation reader including a conversion device, and a method of driving the radiation reader. The conversion device includes (a) a pixel including a conversion device for converting an incident radiation into an electric charge, and (b) a reading circuit including at least one field effect transistor for reading the electric charge from the pixel in an amplifying manner as a signal containing a noise. The reading circuit includes first storage means for storing the signal containing the noise, second storage means for storing the noise, and processing means for deriving an output signal not containing the noise based on a first output from the first storage means and a second output from the second storage means.
US07724293B2
Methods, devices, and systems for image sensors are disclosed that include a multi-mode circuit that can be configured for operating as an imaging pixel and a memory. The multi-mode circuit includes a photo-detector for collecting electrons generated by radiation impinging on the photo-detector. A transfer gate is configured for transferring the collected electrons from the photo-detector to a floating diffusion node when the transfer gate is enabled. A write circuit receives and stores a multi-value voltage on the floating diffusion node and a read circuit is configured for reading a state of the floating diffusion node. The state of the floating diffusion node corresponds to the amount of transferred electrons in an image mode or the multi-value voltage in a memory mode. The semiconductor image sensor may be included in as part of an imaging system that includes a memory for storing a digital representation of an image.
US07724292B2
An image pickup apparatus having a plurality of pixels; and a color filter array of four colors disposed on the plurality of pixels, wherein the color filter away has a periodicity of two rows×two columns, and colors of four color filters in a periodical unit of two rows×two columns are all different.
US07724291B2
An image input apparatus includes (a) a connection unit capable of connecting with a detachable storage medium; (b) a storage unit that stores a program for controlling the image input apparatus; (c) a bus communicably coupled with the storage unit and the connection unit; (d) a container unit adapted to contain the detachable storage medium; (e) a detecting unit adapted to detect whether a cover on the container unit is open; (f) a control unit configured to use the bus to access the detachable storage medium or the storage unit; and (g) a display unit that displays a message notifying a user that the cover is open, if the detecting unit detects that the cover is open. If the detecting unit detects that the cover is open, the control unit disables access from the control unit to the storage unit.
US07724288B2
A method of providing photofinishing services, includes the steps of: supplying a memory device for a digital camera and a commitment by a service provider to provide goods and/or services with respect to digital images stored on the memory device to a user of the memory device; taking and storing a plurality of digital images on the memory device; delivering the memory device containing the digital images to the service provider; the service provider providing the goods and/or services to the user; and the service provider returning the memory device to the user.
US07724287B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for applying sketch effects to digital images. An exemplary method may comprise comparing an original image to a filtered image. The method may also comprise rendering changes in the filtered image as lines. The method may also comprise applying connected component labeling to lines in the filtered image to reduce noise. The method may also comprise rendering the filtered image with a sketch effect after reducing noise in the filtered image.
US07724274B2
A thermal printer includes a heat sink in which a latent-heat-type heat storage sheet in which a plurality of heat storage materials are added to a base material is attached to a thermal conduction plate. The thermal conduction plate provided in contact with the thermal head. Each of the heat storage materials starts to melt if absorbed heat reaches a predetermined temperature, and the heat storage sheet stores heat while being maintained at a fixed temperature, while each of the heat storage materials melts. A radiation portion that is subjected to surface processing for improving the radiation rate of the heat storage sheet is provided on the surface of the heat storage sheet.
US07724272B2
A print unit for transferring an image to a photosensitive medium is provided, and the print unit includes an intercepting member for intercepting light; a first plane light-emitting member for forming a first image by emitting light, provided on one side of the intercepting member; a second plane light-emitting member for forming a second image by emitting light, provided on the other side of the intercepting member; and a control unit for controlling light-emission of the first and second surface emitting members and transferring at least one or more of images to the photosensitive medium.
US07724269B2
A display driver used in common for a first screen and a second screen. The display driver includes a data line drive circuit which supplies gray scale voltages to the first and second screens in accordance with display data via data lines in common for the first and second screens, and a scan line drive circuit which supplies scan signals to the first and second screens via scan lines, with the scan lines in the first screen being different from the scan lines in the second screen. The scan line drive circuit scans the second screen in one of a one-line-at-a-time operation and a plural-line-at-a-time operation by using the scan signals every time the scan line drive circuit scans at least one frame of the first screen in a one-line-at-a-time operation by using the scan signals.
US07724262B2
A system and method for processing graphics data which improves utilization of read and write bandwidth of a graphics processing system. The graphics processing system includes an embedded memory array having at least three separate banks of single-ported memory in which graphics data are stored in memory page format. A memory controller coupled to the banks of memory writes post-processed data to a first bank of memory concurrently with reading data from a second bank of memory. A synchronous graphics processing pipeline processes the data read from the second bank of memory and provides the post-processed graphics data to the memory controller to be written back to the bank of memory from which the pre-processed data was read. The processing pipeline is capable of concurrently processing an amount of graphics data at least equal to the amount of graphics data included in a page of memory. A third bank of memory is precharged concurrently with writing data to the first bank and reading data from the second bank in preparation for access when reading data from the second bank of memory is completed.
US07724257B2
The database is populated with target chemicals, corresponding listings of reagent chemicals, corresponding listings of equipment and corresponding listings of procedures. The database is then searched in response to user identification of a target chemical. In response, a listing is displayed of reagent chemicals that are used to synthesize the target chemical, equipment that is used to synthesize the target chemical, and a procedure that is used to synthesize the target chemical by reacting the reagent chemicals in the equipment according to the procedure. An icon-based reaction editor and/or context-sensitive Boolean query option generators may be provided. A reaction template may be used to perform predictive chemistry. A reaction relay may be used to graphically display related chemicals and procedures using a hub and spoke arrangement.
US07724252B2
Method called “2d-like” for the editing of three-dimensional graphic models, including: preparing a three-dimensional graphic model, including a plurality of structural elements, each associated with one or more of the other structural elements according to a data structure, said data structure including sufficient data for a complete description of said three-dimensional graphic model; generating one or more additional items of data, said additional data representing geometrical and/or positional links between said structural elements; receiving at least one modifying signal, representing a modification to be made to at least one predetermined structural element; modifying, in accordance with said modifying signal, the predetermined structural element and the structural elements associated therewith according to said data structure and said additional data, obtaining a corresponding modified three-dimensional model.
US07724251B2
The present invention is a system that allows a user to physically rotate a three-dimensional volumetric display enclosure with a corresponding rotation of the display contents. The rotation of the enclosure is sampled with an encoder and the display is virtually rotated by a computer maintaining the scene by an amount corresponding to the physical rotation before being rendered. This allows the user to remain in one position while viewing different parts of the displayed scene corresponding to different viewpoints. The display contents can be rotated in direct correspondence with the display enclosure or with a gain (positive or negative) that accelerates the rotation of the contents with respect to the physical rotation of the enclosure. Any display widgets in the scene, such as a virtual keyboard, can be maintained stationary with respect to the user while scene contents rotate by applying a negative rotational gain to the widgets. The rotation can also be controlled by a time value such that the rotation continues until a specified time is reached or expires.
US07724249B1
Terminal equipment for electronically making patent and utility patent applications. The terminal equipment converts various formats of text data generated by an external device into the internal format of the terminal equipment, retrieves the converted text data, merges the text data with a procedure, and transmits the procedure. The merging operation in which image data is merged with text data is simplified whereby the operator can make applications with a simple operation without special skill and knowledge when an application document is transmitted and received on line. The terminal equipment includes a text converting portion for converting the external format of text data into the internal format of the terminal equipment and for retrieving the converted text data, a procedure generation processing portion for merging the retrieved text data with a procedure, a text processing portion and paragraph number assigning portion for editing the merged text and image data within the terminal equipment, a text checking portion for checking the text of the edited procedure document, a transmission file generating portion for converting the format of the checked procedure document into a transmission format, and an online application portion for transmitting the data in the transmission format to the outside of the terminal equipment.
US07724227B2
A flat panel display includes a plurality of pixel circuits, each pixel circuit including a switch and a storage capacitor, in which the storage capacitor receives pixel data from a data line when the switch is turned on. A scan driver controls the switches of the pixel circuits, in which the scan driver turns on a first switch of a first pixel circuit for a first length of time within a frame period, and turns on a second switch of a second pixel circuit for a second length of time within the frame period, the first length of time being different from the second length of time.
US07724221B2
The present invention provides a display device comprising a bistable nematic liquid crystal matrix screen with breaking of anchoring, the device being characterized in that it includes addressing means suitable for generating and applying control signals to each pixel of the matrix screen, the control signals having sloping rising edges presenting a gradient lying in the range 0.5 V/μs to 0.0001 V/μs.
US07724217B2
In the electro-optical device for carrying out an image display by using n-bit (n is a natural number) digital image signals, one pixel incorporates n×m (m is a natural number) memory circuits, and has a function to store the digital image signals for m frames in the pixel (in examples shown in the drawings, n=3, m=2, and memory circuits A1 to A3 and B1 to B3 store signals for 3 bits×2 frames). Thus, in the display of a still picture, the digital image signals once stored in the memory circuits are repeatedly read out and a display is carried out for each frame, so that driving of a source signal line driver circuit is stopped during the display. Thus, the electric power consumption of the electro-optical device is reduced.
US07724213B2
A plasma display device is provided which can stabilize discharge and improve display quality. In the plasma display device, a rear edge part of a sustain pulse to be applied at the end of a sustain period of each of the subfields is formed of a first section in which a voltage value slowly changes from a peak voltage value of the sustain pulse to a predetermined first voltage value, a second section in which the first voltage value is maintained for a predetermined period, and a third section in which the voltage value slowly changes from the first voltage value to a second voltage value having polarity different from that of the first voltage value.
US07724210B2
A scanned light display system includes a light source operable to emit light and a curved mirror positioned to receive at least a portion of the light. The curved mirror is configured to substantially collimate the received light. The substantially collimated light is scanned to form an image by moving at least one of the light source and the curved mirror relative to each other. Alternatively, the scanned light display system includes a light source operable to emit light, a curved mirror positioned to receive some of the light, and an optical element positioned to receive light reflected from the curved mirror. The optical element is configured to substantially collimate the reflected light. The substantially collimated light is scanned to form an image by moving at least one of the light source, the curved mirror, and the optical element. Scanning mirror assemblies and methods of making are also disclosed.
US07724209B2
An image display apparatus includes an image display device having pixels to display right- and left-eye images for a three-dimensional image, a first and second optical shutter devices located on rear and front sides of the image display device. The pixels include pixel pairs that have pixels arranged across first light-shielding portions and that are arrayed across second light-shielding portions. The first shutter device includes first light-transmitting portions that cause image light beams passing through the pixels to strike the right and left eyes of a viewer located in a first direction, and first shutter portions to control transmission/shielding of light. The second shutter device includes second light-transmitting portions that cause image light beams passing through the pixels to strike right eyes and left eyes of viewers located in second and third directions, and second shutter portions to control transmission/shielding of light.
US07724207B2
An embodiment of the disclosed subject matter allows wireless electronic badges to temporarily establish a wireless network, such as a piconet network, with a network security station. The wireless electronic badges automatically exchange user code with the network security station, to determine if the wireless electronic badge is authorized. If the wireless electronic badge is an authorized badge, then the network security station transmits display information to the authorized badge, for example, data for a photograph of the authorized user, where, upon receipt by the authorized badge, the badge visually displays the photograph.
US07724204B2
Improved electrical connector apparatus including a wireless antenna acting as a transceiver in conjunction with a wireless integrated circuit is disclosed. In one embodiment, the modular connector comprises an RJ45 modular jack, and the wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver transmitting via an integrated antenna disposed on the front face of the Faraday shield at least partly surrounding the modular connector. In another embodiment, an 802.11 transceiver is used. In yet another embodiment, an ultra-wideband (UWB) interface is used.
US07724200B2
An antenna device having a feeder electrode that extends linearly on a top surface of a dielectric substrate. A balanced electrode having two balanced transmission electrodes vertical to the extending direction of the feeder electrode and extending in parallel. The two balanced transmission electrodes are connected to the feeder electrode and separated by an interval of ½ of a wavelength of a transmission/reception signal. A radiation electrode having a first electrode connected to the one of the two balanced transmission electrodes and a second electrode connected to the other of the two balanced transmission electrodes and is positioned parallel to the feeder electrode. A waveguide electrode is formed at a position separated from the radiation electrode by a predetermined interval and in parallel to the radiation electrode. A ground electrode is formed at an area of a back surface of the dielectric substrate corresponding to an area including a portion where the feeder electrode is positioned. By connecting the two balanced electrodes to the feeder electrode at an interval of ½ of a wavelength in this manner, this branch portion has a signal branching function and a balun function at the same time.
US07724199B2
An antenna device includes an antenna for receiving a time information radio wave, and an antenna support member. In the antenna, a coil is wound around a center portion of a core. In the support member, a non-magnetic portion supports two magnetic portions independently and both end portions of the core of the antenna are magnetically coupled with the magnetic portions. A radio wave controlled timepiece includes a case in an inner space of which the antenna and the support member are installed as described above. In the inner space, a time counting unit, a time display unit connected to the time counting unit, and a time updating unit configured to update the time displayed on the display unit, based on the time information radio wave received by the antenna, are installed.
US07724197B1
A parallel plate beam forming lens is formed form at least three parallel plates, and includes a plurality of beam port waveguides, each coupled to a beam port divider with a step increase in waveguide height. The beam port divider comprises a first divider having two outputs separated by a resistive septum, each of which is coupled to a second divider having two outputs separated by a resistive septum, with all of the second divider outputs coupled to a lens region through beam port apertures. On the opposite end from the beam port waveguides is a plurality of array port waveguides forming a transformer, thereafter to a section of waveguide, and thereafter to an array port divider including a resistive septum coupled to the lens region and a step decrease in waveguide height. Also positioned at the extents of the beam port apertures and the array port apertures are a plurality of dummy ports. The beam port waveguides and array port waveguides are equalized in length using a feedthrough structure and a jog structure. The array port dividers, lens region, and beam port dividers are formed from the second and third plate, while the waveguides are formed from the first and second plate, with the feedthrough and jog structures formed on a combination of all three plates.
US07724188B2
Gimbal system angle compensation methods and systems are provided. A particular method includes pointing an antenna at a first target using an initial set of at least four gimbal angles and determining first bore sight pointing errors resulting from a pointing direction of the antenna relative to the first target. The method also includes estimating values of a plurality of independently observable error variables based on the first bore sight pointing errors. The method further includes determining a set of gimbal angle corrections based on the values of the plurality of independently observable error variables.
US07724185B2
For enhancing the transmission of location information, a message is received or assembled, which includes location information and a reference time identifier. The reference time identifier identifies a reference time used in determining the location information based on satellite signals. The received or assembled message is provided for transmission to a server. At a server, the location information and the reference time identifier are extracted from a received message, and the location information is processed taking account of the reference time identifier.
US07724183B2
A method of imaging a moving object, including the steps of: acquiring radar data reflected by the moving object, determining a motion state of the moving object; and generating a three-dimensional representation of the moving object based on the determined motion state, is disclosed. The motion state may be a complete solution of translational and rotational motion determined based on at least one of the inertia tensor components of the moving object, or solutions of Euler's torque-free equations of motions. The three-dimensional representation may be generated by reconstructing static patterns of the moving object based on estimated initial translational and rotational conditions of the object. A system for imaging the moving object according to this method is also disclosed.
US07724180B2
An example radar system for a vehicle comprises a radar antenna, operable to produce a radar beam, and a lens assembly including at least one active lens, the radar beam passing through the lens assembly. The radar beam has a field of view that is adjustable using the active lens. In some examples, the active lens comprises a metamaterial, the metamaterial having an adjustable property such as an adjustable negative index, the field of view being adjustable using the adjustable property of the metamaterial.
US07724157B1
An improved keyboard system and apparatus using keys spaced and sized to correspond to human hands provides rapid data entry applicable to all electronic devices. Each key combination provides a binary sequence, and each sequence is associated with an alphabetic, numeric or control character using standard ASCII coding. The preferred eight key embodiment is adapted to the back of a hand-held electronic device whereby data is readily input by a user holding the device with both hands.
US07724152B2
It is intended to provide a tap change operation monitoring apparatus for an on-load tap changer which can employ relatively simple and low-cost torque sensing means by mitigating an accuracy requirement with regard to detecting a starting time of tap change operation, acquire torque waveform data concerning tap change operation of a diverter switch in an accurate and reliable fashion, and discriminate an abnormal state of the tap change operation with high accuracy. There is provided waveform processing means 47 including a third low-pass filter 70 for generating processed torque waveform data by removing noise components from torque waveform data, first and second low-pass filters 71, 72 having cutoff frequencies lower than a cutoff frequency of the third low-pass filter 70 for generating shaped torque waveform data, and first and second differentiators 73, 74, a multiplier 75 and a maximal value extractor circuit 76 for together extracting time of occurrence of an extremum of a waveform obtained by differentiating the shaped torque waveform data in the time domain within a specific time period as reference operating time.
US07724148B2
Pressure measurement system comprising a pressure sensor wire with a pressure sensor to measure pressure inside a patient, and to provide measured pressure data to an external device. The pressure sensor wire is adapted to be connected, at its proximal end, to a transceiver unit that is adapted to wirelessly communicate via a communication signal with a communication unit arranged in connection with an external device, in order to transfer measured pressure data to the external device. The pressure data to be transferred is generated by the transceiver unit and transferred as a data stream. Preferably, the communication signal is a radio frequency signal.
US07724146B2
A system, apparatus and method are described for an electronic article surveillance security tag having a magnetically releasable tack retaining system, and a magnetic detaching device for use with the electronic article surveillance tag. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07724145B2
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a rechargeable solid state battery, control circuitry coupled to the rechargeable solid state battery, and a power source for recharging the rechargeable solid state battery.
US07724139B2
A universal tracking assembly that is capable of supporting more than one protocol used in electronic article surveillance (EAS) labels. The universal tracking assembly includes an acousto-magnetic (AM) EAS portion with a Radio Frequency (RF) EAS portion. The intrinsic characteristics and properties of the components of these individual labels are utilized to enhance the overall performance and utility of the combined EAS universal tracking assembly.
US07724137B2
A Proximity Locator System for individuals includes a credit card size card which is carried in an individual's wallet. The card is provided with a wireless communication device which is used in conjunction with a locating device to locate an individual. This may be utilized to locate individuals lost at sea, in an avalanche, or under the debris of a fallen building. The communication device on the card may be solar powered or activated by a RF signal from the locator device. The card does not require a battery to power the communication device. Therefore it may be carried by and individual and activated at any time. In this manner it is fully operational when someone is attempting to locate the card. The card also contains a smart chip with vital information about the individual which can be accessed by individuals with different authority levels.
US07724135B2
A system for displaying an item includes a display shelf having an aperture through it and a thin tether having a first end and a second end that extends through the aperture. The first end of the tether is secured to a mount above a top side of said display shelf and the second end of said tether is secured adjacent to a bottom side of the displays shelf. The first end of the tether has a mount for connection of tether to the item, above the shelf. The system further includes a coiled cable coiled around the tether extending through the aperture. The coiled cable provides an electrical path to the item. The coiled cable has a first end and a second end. The first end is secured adjacent to the mount and the second end securely terminates below the bottom unexposed side of said display shelf.
US07724133B2
A pool safety sensing system to attempt to reduce the likelihood of drowning visually observes a zone with a camera, and if detected motion occurs, and alarm is generated. The alarm can be visible, audible, text based (email, with or without attached images, instant message) or telephonic. Alarm events can be stored for future reference. Zones of sensing or zones to ignore when monitoring may be defined in the field of view of the camera. Motion thresholds, such as size of moving object, speed of movement, can be employed to adapt to particular location requirements and types of sensing.
US07724130B2
The invention relates to systems and methods for providing customized, event-triggered messages in response to emergency events, such as natural disasters and man-made events. The methods and systems provide a set of messages related to responding to the emergency event and a set of rules relating to the distribution of the messages, receive an indication that the emergency event has occurred, and in response to the indication, transmit at least one of the messages to at least one message receiver based at least in part on at least one attribute of the message receiver to at least one of instruct and inform recipients of the messages of the emergency event and the action to be taken in response to the emergency event.
US07724121B2
An improved MEMS thermal actuator has a cantilevered beam and a conductive circuit having two driving arms, an inner arm adjacent to the cantilevered beam, and an outer arm adjacent to the inner arm. Current flows through the inner and outer arms to heat the conductive circuit, causing it to expand relative to the cantilevered beam. A tether ties the conductive circuit to the cantilevered beam, so that upon expansion, the conductive circuit causes the cantilevered beam to deflect about its anchor point. However, only the inner arm of the driving beam is coupled to the cantilevered beam. Since the outer arm of the conductive circuit is not coupled to the cantilevered beam, the overall stiffness of the actuator may be decreased. In addition, serpentines may be placed in the outer arm of the conductive circuit, in order to further decrease the stiffness of this beam. The actuator may therefore be made more efficient, in that the deflection of the cantilevered beam may be increased for a given input current.
US07724112B2
A safety switch that includes a locking mechanism having a rod locking element that is located adjacent to a rod and engageable with the rod to lock the rod in position relative to a housing. The safety switch locking mechanism includes a locking member that is moveable relative to the housing in response to a difference in inertia between the locking member and the housing when a force is applied to the housing. The locking member is arranged to inhibit disengagement of the rod-locking element from the rod when the force is applied to the housing.
US07724111B2
A microsystem, including a magnetic microactuator, with a mobile element supported by a substrate and controlled by magnetic effect between a first position and a second position for switching at least one electric circuit. A permanent magnet or a solenoid subjects the mobile element to a first uniform magnetic field to hold the mobile element in the first position. An energizing coil external to the substrate, on energizing, subjects the mobile element to a second magnetic field to move the mobile element from the first position to the second position, the energizing coil being of solenoid type and surrounding the substrate supporting the mobile element.
US07724100B2
An oscillator structure has a sync signal processor with an input interface for an external clock based sync signal and an output interface for a duty cycle indication signal depending on a signal property of the sync signal and an oscillator with an input interface for the duty cycle indication signal and the sync signal and an output interface for an oscillation signal synchronized with the external clock and having a duty cycle adjusted according to the duty cycle indication signal.
US07724087B2
A novel high-speed differential receiver is disclosed that provides a new method and apparatus receiving and amplifying a small differential voltage with a rail-to-rail common mode voltage. The receiver output signals are differential signals with low skew and high symmetry. This high-speed differential receiver is based on a common mode voltage normalization, which is based on a differential phase splitting methodology, before the resulting signal is recombined, normalized and amplified. The method involves using a differential signal splitting followed by a common mode voltage normalization stage, then a controlled gain transimpedance amplification, and then amplification using one or two rail to rail amplification stages that are symmetrical and balanced in nature.
US07724072B2
A voltage generator includes a detector for outputting a driving signal according to comparison results of a reference voltage and a pumping voltage, an oscillator for generating an oscillation signal in response to the driving signal and varying a period of the oscillation signal according to a level of the pumping voltage, and a pump for pumping an external voltage in response to the oscillation signal to generate the pumping voltage. The voltage generator can quickly increase a pumping voltage up to the target level and improve the efficiency of the pumping voltage by minimizing the ripple components of the pumping voltage.
US07724070B2
A charge charge-pump circuit according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a first boosting capacitor; a second boosting capacitor series-connected with the first boosting capacitor; a first boosting clock driver connected between the first boosting capacitor and the second boosting capacitor and boosting the first boosting capacitor; and a second boosting clock driver connected with the second boosting capacitor and boosting the first boosting capacitor and the second boosting capacitor after the first boosting clock driver boosts the first boosting capacitor.
US07724061B2
An active clamp circuit for electronic components includes two sets of diode connected transistors that are inversely connected in parallel across an output of the component for providing both positive and negative differential conducting paths. The diode connected transistors cooperatively operate to limit a differential output voltage between the positive and negative conducting paths. An emitter follower buffer includes the clamp circuit and is configured to limit RF energy incident to an analog to digital converter (ADC). The emitter follower buffer includes two input transistors having their emitters each connected to at least one diode connected transistor connected to the clamp circuit. A receiver includes the differential amplifier and an analog to digital converter. A method for limiting the energy of analog signals in the receiver includes the step of operating the clamp circuit to limit the analog signals transmitted to the analog to digital converter (ADC).
US07724060B2
An interface circuit outputting a clock signal and data to a data register configured to serially read in the data synchronously with the clock signal, in response to a change of a control signal for outputting the clock signal and the data from one logic level to the other logic level, the interface circuit comprising a clock output circuit configured to: detect a logic level of the clock signal when the control signal changes from the one logic level to the other logic level; output the clock signal on an as-is basis to the data register, when detecting one logic level of the clock signal; and output the clock signal after having changed from the other logic level to the one logic level, to the data register, when detecting the other logic level of the clock signal.
US07724057B2
Various circuit techniques for implementing ultra high speed circuits use current-controlled CMOS (C3MOS) logic fabricated in conventional CMOS process technology. An entire family of logic elements including inverter/buffers, level shifters, NAND, NOR, XOR gates, latches, flip-flops and the like are implemented using C3MOS techniques. Optimum balance between power consumption and speed for each circuit application is achieve by combining high speed C3MOS logic with low power conventional CMOS logic. The combined C3MOS/CMOS logic allows greater integration of circuits such as high speed transceivers used in fiber optic communication systems.
US07724056B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes a processor, a first clock generating section and a control section. The processor core operates in synchronism with a first clock and includes first and second critical paths. The first clock generating section controls a duty of an externally input second clock to generate the first clock. a control section detects a first phase difference between the first clock and a third clock obtained by delaying the first clock by a delay time in the first critical path and a second phase difference between the first clock and a fourth clock obtained by delaying the first clock by a delay time in the second critical path. The control section instructs the first clock generating section to control the duty so as to minimize a difference between the first and second phase differences.
US07724051B2
A DLL circuit includes a delay line for delaying a clock signal, the delay line including a plurality of cascade-connected variable delay elements, the variable delay elements having a differential circuit structure in which a delay value thereof can be varied by a bias current, a first controller for setting the bias current, and a second controller for selecting an output-producing variable delay element from the plural its of the variable delay elements.
US07724048B2
A circuit for receiving an input signal having a first frequency and generating an output signal having a second frequency. The circuit comprises a forward branch for receiving the input signal and generating the output signal and a return branch for generating a feedback signal from the output signal. The forward branch comprises a frequency detector for receiving the input signal and the feedback signal and outputting a value based on a ratio of a frequency of the feedback signal to the first frequency; a word length reduction block for receiving a fractional component of a first division factor and generating a modulated output; an adder for forming a sum of an integer component of the first division factor and the modulated output of the word length reduction block; a subtracting element for subtracting the output value of the frequency detector from the sum; and an oscillator controlled by an output from the subtracting element.
US07724047B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a switching control circuit having a first transistor and a second transistor coupled to an FET, and turning on and off the FET by turning on and off each of the first transistor and the second transistor, the FET attaining an OFF state when the first transistor is in an ON state and the second transistor is in an OFF state; a bias circuit supplying the FET with a bias voltage for turning off the FET when the first transistor and the second transistor are in an OFF state; and a protection control circuit turning off the FET by turning on the first transistor and turning off the second transistor when an abnormality is detected, and turning off the first transistor and the second transistor after a lapse of a predetermined time.
US07724033B1
A programmable logic device can include a logic core in low power mode, a source input/output (I/O) bank including at least one source I/O pin, wherein the source I/O bank operates in normal operating mode, and a destination I/O bank including at least one destination I/O pin, wherein the destination I/O bank operates in normal operating mode. The programmable logic device also can include a bypass routing bus coupled to the source I/O bank and the destination I/O bank, wherein the bypass routing bus detects an I/O signal from the source I/O pin, responsively generates a bypass signal that is provided to the destination I/O bank and, responsive to the bypass signal, generates an output bypass signal on the destination I/O pin.
US07724032B2
A field programmable gate array (“FPGA”) is provided having integrated application specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”) fabric. The ASIC fabric may be used to implement one or more custom or semi-custom hard blocks within the FPGA. The ASIC fabric can be made up of a “custom region” and an “interface region.” The custom region can implement the custom or semi-custom ASIC design and the interface region can integrate and connect the custom region to the rest of the FPGA circuitry. The custom region may be based on a structured ASIC design. The interface region may allow the ASIC fabric to be incorporated within the hierarchical organization of the FPGA, allowing the custom region to connect to the FPGA circuitry in a seamless manner.
US07724029B1
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) such as a programmable logic device includes a plurality of IC input terminals and an input buffer having a buffer input terminal and a buffer output terminal. A multiplexer is adapted to selectively couple an IC input terminal to the buffer input terminal or to couple the buffer output terminal to the buffer input terminal.
US07724027B2
A method for configuring a signal path within a digital integrated circuit. The method includes transmitting an output from a first logic module, receiving the output at a second logic module, and conveying the output from the first logic module to the second logic module by using a configurable signal path. The configurable signal path is variable by selectively including at least one latch.
US07724026B1
An integrated circuit has a differential I/O buffer (102) capable of being operated in a single-ended mode. The I/O buffer includes circuitry (114 or 112) for reducing leakage current between the differential I/O pins (P, N) when an undershoot event occurs on a pin when operated single-ended mode. In one case, a differential termination circuit (114, 200) includes a differential termination isolation circuit (202) that isolates the termination load (201) and termination load switch (208) from the single-ended pin. Alternatively or additionally, a differential output driver (300) of the I/O buffer switches a common bias voltage (ncom) to a supply voltage (VCOO) in single-ended mode to insure the transistors (A2, B1) in the driver legs remain OFF during an undershoot event.
US07724025B2
A leakage efficient anti-glitch filter. In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a leakage efficient anti-glitch filter with variable delay stages comprises a plurality of variable delay stages and a coincidence detector element for detecting coincidence of an input signal to the delay element and an output of the delay element. The plurality of variable delay stages may comprise stacked inverter circuits or stacked NAND circuits.
US07724018B2
A translated wafer stand-in tester, being a hybrid apparatus capable of emulating the form factor and some or all behaviors of a translated wafer under test, which is operable to store, quantify, encode and convey, either directly or remotely, data from a testing system, including but not limited to pad pressure, electrical contact and temperature. The translated wafer stand-in tester may include several stacked and attached layers, at least one internal layer including electronic components operable to interact with a test system.
US07724015B2
A data processing device includes a first memory for use during normal operation of the device and a second memory for use during testing. The second memory stores a set of test patterns for testing of a functional module. When the data processing device is in a normal (i.e. non-test) mode of operation, data is retrieved from a first memory based on a received memory address. The retrieved data is applied to the functional module of the data processing device to perform a designated function. When the data processing device is in a test mode of operation, received memory addresses are provided to the second memory for retrieval of a test pattern associated with the address. The test pattern is applied to the functional module to generate an output pattern. The result of a test is determined by comparing the output pattern to an expected pattern.
US07724013B2
An on-chip self test circuit implemented on the same chip as a test semiconductor device includes: a test load block for receiving a test target signal; and a self test block for receiving a test target signal passing through the test load block and a test target signal inputted to an output driver together, and determining whether a change of the test target signal is within an allowable range.
US07724011B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes an internal circuit. A plurality of power supply nodes are connected with the internal circuit, and a plurality of pads are respectively connected with the plurality of power supply nodes. A switch section is configured to connect the plurality of power supply nodes one after another in a probe test mode and to separate the plurality of power supply nodes from each other in a product use mode. A power supply voltage is applied to one of the plurality of pads in the probe test mode, and the power supply voltage is applied to each of the plurality of pads in the product use mode. The switch section may include n switches (n is a natural number) provided for the plurality of power supply nodes.
US07723997B2
A method and an arrangement for the detection of a coil in an electronic circuit, which is operated with a direct voltage lying within a prescribed voltage range, and in which the coil together with a condenser forms an electrical oscillating circuit.
US07723995B2
A test switching circuit for a high speed data interface is disclosed. Test switching circuit for a high speed data interface of an integrated circuit including switching transistors which switch in a test mode a termination resistor output stage of a data transmission signal path to a termination resistor input stage of a data reception signal path to form an internal feedback test loop within said integrated circuit.
US07723989B2
Transducer apparatus for subsurface use. A tubular configured for subsurface disposal is equipped with a cylindrical transducer module formed of a non-conductive material. The module is mounted to surround a section of the tubular and includes a transducer element disposed thereon such that only a surface of the element is exposed along the exterior of the module body. The transducer element is linked to a lead routed through the cylindrical body to exit near the inner bore of the body. The ends of the cylindrical body are covered with a material to form a hydraulic seal. A method for constructing the transducer apparatus.
US07723977B2
An optical sensor configuration contains an optical current sensor and/or an optical voltage sensor. The sensor configuration further contains a first and a second hollow member, preferably ring shaped profiles, which are together disposed to form a hollow section. The sensor configuration further includes an optical fiber of the current sensor disposed in an annular groove, the groove being disposed at the boundary surface between the first hollow member and the second hollow member, and/or an optical fiber of the voltage sensor is disposed in a recess of the second hollow member. The first hollow member has an annular recess into which the second hollow member is disposed whereas the first hollow member is an L-shaped or U-shaped ring with two legs and the recess is formed between the two legs.
US07723970B1
Rather than operating in asynchronous mode during turn-on ramps, a switching power regulator system may be configured to synthesize a digital waveform, which may protect against a pre-bias condition and maintain the desired ramp-up time and rate. The desired turn-on ramp may be generated digitally by counter logic, beginning with an initial value and incrementing at a programmed rate until a digital value equivalent to the desired output voltage is reached. When a pre-bias condition is not present, the output of the digital ramp generator may control a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which may be configured to generate the reference voltage for the power regulator. To correct for a pre-bias condition, the pre-bias output of the power regulator may be measured prior to turn-on, using an analog-to-digital converter. The digital pre-bias value may be used to control the DAC until the value of the digital waveform generated by the ramp generator reaches the pre-bias value.
US07723959B2
A method is provided for determining a residual charge on a battery (12), comprising applying a discharge pulse to the battery (12) and measuring a first voltage on the battery (12) at a first time (t1). Additional voltages on the battery are measured at additional times (t2, t3) subsequent to the first time (t1). Delta voltages (ΔV1, ΔV2) are determined by subtracting each of the additional voltages from the first voltage and delta times (Δt1, Δt2) are determined by subtracting the first time from each of the additional times. Regression equation coefficients (α, ε) are determined from regression analysis of the delta voltages and delta times, and are applied to a database for determining the residual charge.
US07723957B2
A system, a method, and an article of manufacture for determining an estimated battery parameter vector indicative of a parameter of a battery are provided. The method determines a first estimated battery parameter vector indicative of a parameter of the battery at a first predetermined time based on a plurality of predicted battery parameter vectors, a plurality of predicted battery output vectors, and a first battery output vector.
US07723951B2
The embodiments of the invention relate to a novel apparatus and method for a battery charging system in a shared environment, as well as for monitoring battery usage and tracking battery location. In one embodiment, the battery charging chute comprises a housing configured to receive a battery via an insertion slot and configured to dispense a battery through a dispensing slot. Within the housing, charging terminals are disposed is a spaced or continuous manner, to come in contact with the charging terminals on batteries inserted into the housing. Optionally, solenoid-controlled gates may be employed at the insertion slot and dispensing slot, to inhibit the removal or insertion of batteries from the incorrect location, to ensure that the battery with the longest residence time in the chute is dispensed to a user. The housing may also include a radio-frequency identification tag reader to permit inventorying and tracking of batteries inserted into the housing.
US07723947B2
An energy storing exterior cover for a user electronic device including an integrated energy store and an energy transfer interface for transferring energy electrically to a user electronic device when covered by the cover.
US07723945B2
A square wave voltage having an amplitude equal to an output voltage of a converter is applied to an AC motor by a square wave control block. Torque control of the AC motor is performed basically by changing the voltage phase of the square wave voltage according to the torque deviation. When the motor revolution is suddenly changed, a instruction value correction unit sets a voltage instruction value of the output voltage of the converter according to a change ratio of the motor revolutions. This improves control of the motor current by changing the voltage applied to the motor in accordance with the sudden change of the motor revolutions without waiting for torque feedback control having a low control response.
US07723938B2
A control system for multiphase rotary electric machines is provided. The control system carries out control of the output of a multiphase rotary electric machine by operating switching elements of an inverter, so that more appropriate measure can be taken when malfunction has occurred in the inverter. A rotary shaft of an internal combustion engine, a rotary shaft of a generator and a rotary shaft of a motor are linked through a torque-splitting mechanism. The control system carries out failsafe processes, at the occurrence of short circuit in a switching element of the inverter, to control load torque of the generator so as to prevent rotation of a rotary shaft of the internal combustion engine in a non-operative state, which rotation is induced by a motive force of the motor.
US07723936B2
The invention relates to a method for controlled braking of an electrically powered lifting action in the event of a failure, such that at least one of the nominal values for “rotational direction” and/or “operating speed” and/or “door position” and/or “motor capacity” and/or “motor current” is ascertained and compared with an actual value, and such that a motorized braking process or motorized stopping process is triggered by a departure of the actual value from the nominal value that lies outside a predetermined range. In addition the invention relates to a device for applying said method.
US07723934B2
The invention relates to a method for controlling an automatic device for cleaning a surface immersed in liquid which comprises electric motors for driving a chassis along a cleanable surface. The inventive method consists in periodically measuring at least one electrical quantity which makes it possible to obtain the representative value of the resisting torque of at least one driving electric motor (7), in comparing each obtained value with the predetermined threshold representative value of a maximum acceptable value and, when said value is greater than said threshold value for the driving electric motor (7), a procedure known as a protection procedure is started. Said procedure consists in inverting the control of at least said driving electric motor (7) in such a way that the device is displaced in a direction opposite to the initial displacement direction and in controlling the device displacements in such a way that it follows the path enabling said device to deviate from the initial path which it followed when said threshold value was exceeded.
US07723927B2
An exemplary inverter circuit (2) includes a full-bridge circuit (21) for converting a DC voltage into an AC low voltage, main inverse transformers (22) for converting the AC low voltage into an AC high voltage, and a feedback circuit (25). The feedback circuit includes a secondary inverse transformer (250) for converting the AC low voltage into an AC high voltage, a sampling unit (254) for sampling the AC high voltage and outputting a sampling voltage, and an integral circuit unit (205) for integrating the sampling voltage and outputting an integrated sampling voltage to the full-bridge circuit. When the AC low voltage outputted by the full-bridge circuit fluctuates, the feedback circuit sends a feedback voltage to the full-bridge circuit, and the full-bridge circuit stabilizes the AC low voltage according to the feedback voltage. The feedback voltage is in direct proportion to the fluctuation of the AC low voltage.
US07723925B2
A multiple location dimming system comprises a plurality of dimmers coupled between an AC power source and a lighting load. Each of the plurality of dimmers is operable to control the intensity of the lighting load and comprises a controllably conductive device, e.g., a triac. The triacs of the plurality of dimmers are coupled in parallel electrical connection. Only an active one of the dimmers is operable to conduct a load current to the lighting load at any given time. A passive dimmer is operable to monitor the voltage across its triac in order to determine when the active dimmer is firing its triac. Accordingly, the passive dimmer is operable to fire its triac before the active dimmer fires its triac in order to “take over” control of the lighting load from the active dimmer to become the next active dimmer. Further, the passive dimmer is operable to determine the amount of power being delivered to the load and display this information on one or more status indicators.
US07723917B2
The present invention relates to a method of peptide sequencing by MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization) tandem mass spectrometry, which comprises the steps of chemically modifying a sample peptide with at least one chemical modification method selected from the group consisting of guanidination and esterification in order to change the ionization status of the peptide and performing mass spectrometry using a MALDI tandem mass spectrometer and programmed MALDI tandem mass spectrometry. The peptide sequencing method of the present invention is advantageous in that detection sensitivity of the peptide improves significantly and various daughter ions are detected uniformly, thereby enabling perfect de novo sequencing with tandem mass spectrometry only, without database search.
US07723916B2
One embodiment of the present invention is an organic electroluminescence element, including: an anode; a cathode; an organic light emitting medium layer including a buffer layer and an organic light emitting layer, the organic light emitting medium layer being between the anode and the cathode, and the buffer layer comprising at least two kinds of inorganic material.
US07723913B2
A silicon (Si) nanocrystal embedded Si oxide electroluminescence (EL) device and associated fabrication process are presented. The method provides a substrate bottom electrode, and forms a plurality of Si nanocrystal embedded SiOx film layers overlying the bottom electrode, where X is less than 2. Each SiOx film layer has a Si excess concentration in a range of about 5 to 30%. The outside film layers sandwich an inner film layer having a lower concentration of Si nanocrystals. Alternately stated, the outside Si nanocrystal embedded SiOx film layers have a higher electrical conductivity than a sandwiched inner film layer. A transparent top electrode is formed over the plurality of Si nanocrystal embedded SiOx film layers. The plurality of Si nanocrystal embedded SiOx film layers are deposited using a high density plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HD PECVD) process. The HD PECVD process initially deposits SiOx film layers, which are subsequently annealed.
US07723902B2
A piezoelectric transformer includes a base body. The base body includes an input part and an output part mechanically connected to the input part. The base body also includes internal electrodes perpendicular to a polarization axis of the transformer-in the input part and the output part. The transformer also includes an auxiliary electrode galvanically separated from the input part and the output part.
US07723900B2
An electro-mechanical wave device which may be used for movement of a mechanical member, e.g. by friction, a motor comprising one or more wave devices, and a method of providing the electro-mechanical wave device. The electro-mechanical wave device comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of conductors, and a plurality of actuators positioned on the substrate for generation of mechanical waves along a predetermined propagation path, each of the actuators being connected to a respective set of the conductors of the substrate for reception of an excitation signal transmitted by the set of conductors.
US07723891B2
A motor including a mounting shaft having a hollow channel and a bearing attached to each end, a cylindrical hub having a hollow core for the mounting shaft, and plural rows of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels with a hollow core and a channel forming a U-shaped recess and mounted the surface of the hub, each row corresponding to a motor phase. Each magnetic flux channel forms two pole pieces divided by the channel. The motor also includes plural phase windings, one passing through each row of plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels, a rotating drum having plural rows of permanent magnets on an inner surface, each row pair corresponding to and aligned with one of the plural rows of Molded Magnetic Flux Channels. The rotating drum connected with the bearing, and drive electronics for driving the plural phase windings, wherein the plural Molded Magnetic Flux Channels increases torque and motor efficiency.
US07723889B2
In a reluctance rotary electric machine, a movable part is arranged opposing part of an alignment of a plurality of stator poles to be movable in a predetermined direction. In the movable part, at least one pair of salient poles is configured to magnetically couple to the excited at least one first pair of the plurality of poles so as to form a first magnetic flux in loop thereamong. A segment magnetic-path portion is arranged to be magnetically separated from the at least one pair of salient poles. The segment magnetic-path portion works to magnetically couple therethrough between the at least one second pair of the plurality of stator poles so as to form a second magnetic flux in loop thereamong. The first magnetic flux and second magnetic flux create a reluctance force to move the movable part in the predetermined direction.
US07723887B2
A motor rotor is provided. The motor rotor includes a plurality of magnetic members circumferentially disposed on a peripheral wall surface of a turning axle of the motor rotor, and both end surfaces of the turning axle are coupled with fastening members respectively; each of the magnetic members has a first fastening portion formed at each of its two ends; and the fastening member is provided with a plurality of second fastening portions corresponding in position to the first fastening portions, such that each of the magnetic members are firmly fixed in position to the turning axle.
US07723869B2
A device controlling a JFET power electronic switch of normally ON type, including a main gate control circuit powered by a main power source for driving the gate of the JFET switch, a protection switching device that is switchable between two states, an auxiliary circuit controlling the switching device, and an auxiliary power source whose positive terminal is connected to the source of the JFET switch and whose negative terminal is connected to the gate of the JFET switch, bypassing the gate control circuit in one of the two positions of the switching device. The switching device can be an electromagnetic or electronic switch.
US07723866B2
A power backup system includes a temporary power supply system and a power source switch unit. The power backup system is connected to at least one regular power supply system. In the event that output power of the regular power supply system is abnormal the power source switch unit is connected to the temporary power supply system and output of the regular power supply system. When the regular power supply system is in normal operation it is selected to provide power to drive loads. In the event of power interruption, unstable voltage or abnormal operating condition of the regular power supply system an action to switch power supply system takes places to select the temporary power supply system to maintain power supply and keep the loads to function for a selected time period.
US07723861B2
An airborne system for producing electricity from wind energy includes a shaft, wind turbines rotatably mounted to the shaft and arranged to rotate independently in opposite directions when subjected to the same wind, and generators arranged to convert rotation of the turbines into electricity. A lifting section includes combination of kites and lighter than air balloons, generating a lifting force that caused the system being airborne at desire altitude. The center of gravity of the system is lower than the center of lift of the system; when the turbines of the system exposed to wind and start to rotate, torques are inducing on the shaft of the system; these torques are balancing each other and the remaining deferential torque being balanced by returning torque that is generated by the angular deviation of the center of gravity from it's lowest position, the magnitude of this returning torque, increasing as the angular deviation increased, until the system reach angular stability; electricity is generating and conducted through tether to an anchoring section for usage.
US07723851B2
A method of forming a high aspect ratio via opening through multiple dielectric layers, a high aspect ratio electrically conductive via, methods of forming three-dimension integrated circuits, and three-dimensional integrated circuits. The methods include forming a stack of at least four dielectric layers and etching the first and third dielectric layers with processes selective to the second and fourth dielectric layers, etching the second and third dielectric layers with processes selective to the first and second dielectric layers. Advantageously the process used to etch the third dielectric layer is not substantially selective to the first dielectric layer.
US07723850B2
A method of forming air gaps within a solid structure is provided. In this method, a sacrificial material is covered by an overlayer. The sacrificial material is then removed through the overlayer to leave an air gap. Such air gaps are particularly useful as insulation between metal lines in an electronic device such as an electrical interconnect structure. Structures containing air gaps are also provided.
US07723849B2
A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are provided for the improvement of the reliability of copper damascene wiring in which a film between wiring layers and a film between via layers are comprised of an SiOC film with low dielectric constant. A film between wiring layers, a film between wiring layers, and a film between via layers are respectively comprised of an SiOC film, and stopper insulating films and a cap insulating film are comprised of a laminated film of an SiCN film A and an SiC film B. By doing so, it becomes possible to reduce the leakage current of the film between wiring layers, the film between wiring layers, and the film between via layers, and also possible to improve the adhesion of the film between wiring layers, the film between wiring layers, and the film between via layers to the stopper insulating films and the cap insulating film.
US07723844B2
A heat dissipation device includes a heat sink, a retention module and a locking device for securing the heat sink to the retention module. The heat sink includes a base for contacting with a heat-generating component. The retention module includes a bottom wall and a first spring clip secured at one side thereof. The locking device is pivotably connected to the retention module and includes a second spring clip attached thereon. The heat sink rests on the bottom wall of the retention module with an end thereof being pressed by the first spring clip, and an opposite end thereof being pressed by the second spring clip. The locking device can be at a released position where the locking device is pivotable, so that the heat sink is removable from the retention module, and a locked position where the locking device presses the base of the heat sink.
US07723840B2
An integrated circuit package system is provided including forming an external interconnect, providing a contoured integrated circuit die having both an extension and a base portion with the extension extending beyond the base portion, placing the contoured integrated circuit die with the base portion coplanar with the external interconnect and the extension overhanging the external interconnect, connecting the contoured integrated circuit die and the external interconnect, and forming a package encapsulation over the contoured integrated circuit die and the external interconnect with both partially exposed.
US07723838B2
In a semiconductor device, via holes are formed around a chip buried in a package, one end of a conductor filled in the via hole is covered with a pad portion exposed to the outside, and a wiring layer connected to the other end of the conductor is formed. The portion (pad portion) of the wiring layer which correspond to the conductor is exposed from a protective film, or an external connection terminal is bonded to the top of the pad portion. Electrode terminals of the chip are connected to the wiring layer, and the opposite surface of the chip is exposed to the outside.
US07723828B2
A LOC leadframe-based semiconductor package includes a chip with multiple rows of bonding pads. At least a bus bar is attached to the chip and is disposed between a first row of bonding pads and the fingers of the leads. A plurality of bonding wires electrically connect the first row of bonding pads to the fingers of the leads. The portion of the bus bar attached to the active surface of the chip includes a bent section bent away from the fingers. A long bonding wire electrically connects one of a second row of bonding pads to one of the fingers of the leads by overpassing the bent section. Therefore, the distance between the long bonding wire and the bus bar is increased to avoid electrical short between the long bonding wire and the bus bar and to enhance the quality of electrical connections of the LOC semiconductor package.
US07723827B2
Portions excluding magnetic elements of a laminate film of magnetic films or the like constituting magnetic elements (1) are oxidized/nitrided or oxynitrided to be insulated by a plasma processing using a conductive mask (17), whereby a plurality of magnetic elements are separated. This laminate film comprises a magnetic element region (18) formed with magnetic elements (1) and an insulated region (19) consisting of oxides/nitrides or oxynitrides. Upper wiring such as a bit line (3) is formed later. Since the conductive mask used in forming the insulated region is made part of the upper wiring, the magnetic elements and the upper wiring can be disposed in contact with each other.
US07723809B2
A RF system which includes a silicon substrate formed with at least one via-hole filled with conductive material so that both sides of the silicon substrate are electrically connected with one another; at least one flat device formed on one side of the silicon substrate; and at least one RF MEMS device formed on the other side of the silicon substrate.
US07723801B2
A semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate having source/drain regions, a gate electrode formed on and/or over the semiconductor substrate, spacers formed against sidewalls of the gate electrode, an interlayer insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate and the gate electrode and having a plurality of contact holes formed therein, and contact plugs formed within the contact holes. The contact plugs can include a first contact plug and a second contact plug electrically connected to the gate electrode, and a third contact plug and a fourth contact plug electrically connected to the source/drain regions.
US07723797B2
Provided are a FinFET and a method of manufacturing the same. A FinFET may include at least one active fin, at least one gate insulating layer pattern, a first electrode pattern, a second electrode pattern and at least one pair of source/drain expansion regions. The at least one active fin may be formed on a substrate. The at least one gate insulating layer pattern may be formed on the at least one active fin. The first electrode pattern may be formed on the at least one gate insulating layer pattern. Further, the first electrode pattern may be intersected with the at least one active fin. The second electrode pattern may be formed on the first electrode pattern. Further, the second electrode pattern may have a width greater than that of the first electrode pattern. The at least one pair of source/drain expansion regions may be formed on a surface of the at least one active fin on both sides of the first electrode pattern. Thus, the FinFET may have improved capacity and reduced GIDL current.
US07723788B2
A thin film transistor device reduced substantially in resistance between the source and the drain by incorporating a silicide film, which is fabricated by a process comprising forming a gate insulator film and a gate contact on a silicon substrate, anodically oxidizing the gate contact, covering an exposed surface of the silicon semiconductor with a metal, and irradiating an intense light such as a laser beam to the metal film either from the upper side or from an insulator substrate side to allow the metal coating to react with silicon to obtain a silicide film. The metal silicide layer may be obtained otherwise by tightly adhering a metal coating to the exposed source and drain regions using an insulator formed into an approximately triangular shape, preferably 1 μm or less in width, and allowing the metal to react with silicon.
US07723781B2
A method is provided for forming a low-temperature vertical gate insulator in a vertical thin-film transistor (V-TFT) fabrication process. The method comprises: forming a gate, having vertical sidewalls and a top surface, overlying a substrate insulation layer; depositing a silicon oxide thin-film gate insulator overlying the gate; plasma oxidizing the gate insulator at a temperature of less than 400° C., using a high-density plasma source; forming a first source/drain region overlying the gate top surface; forming a second source/drain region overlying the substrate insulation layer, adjacent a first gate sidewall; and, forming a channel region overlying the first gate sidewall, in the gate insulator interposed between the first and second source/drain regions. When the silicon oxide thin-film gate insulator is deposited overlying the gate a Si oxide layer, a low temperature deposition process can be used, so that a step-coverage of greater than 65% can be obtained.
US07723777B2
One or more embodiments, relate to a field effect transistor, comprising: a substrate; a gate stack disposed over the substrate, the gate stack comprising a gate electrode overlying a gate dielectric; and a sidewall spacer may be disposed over the substrate and laterally disposed from the gate stack, the spacer comprising a polysilicon material.
US07723776B2
Flash memory devices include a pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions in a substrate. A sub active region is also provided in the substrate, extending between the pair of elongated, closely spaced-apart main active regions. A bit line contact plug is provided on, and electrically contacting, the sub active region and being at least as wide as the sub active region. An elongated bit line is provided on, and electrically contacting, the bit line contact plug remote from the sub active region.
US07723774B2
Nonvolatile flash memory systems and methods are disclosed having a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, including non-diffused channel regions through which electron flow is induced by application of voltage to associated gate elements. A plurality of floating gates are spaced apart from one another and each insulated from the channel region. A plurality of control gates are spaced apart from one another and insulated from the channel region, with each control gate being located between a first floating gate and a second floating gate and capacitively coupled thereto to form a subcell. A plurality of spaced-apart assist gates are insulated from the channel region, with each assist gate being located between and insulated from adjacent subcells. The channel is formed of three regions, two beneath adjacent control gate elements as well as a third region between the first two and beneath an associated assist gate.
US07723767B2
A transition metal oxide dielectric material is doped with a non-metal in order to enhance the electrical properties of the metal oxide. In a preferred embodiment, a transition metal oxide is deposited over a bottom electrode and implanted with a dopant. In a preferred embodiment, the metal oxide is hafnium oxide or zirconium oxide and the dopant is nitrogen. The dopant can convert the crystal structure of the hafnium oxide or zirconium oxide to a tetragonal structure and increase the dielectric constant of the metal oxide.
US07723764B2
A method of repairing a defective one of devices mounted on substrate is provided. Devices are arrayed on a substrate and electrically connected to wiring lines connected to a drive circuit, to be thus mounted on the substrate. The devices mounted on the substrate are then subjected to an emission test. If a defective device is detected in this test, a repair device is mounted at a position corresponding to a position of the defective device. At this time, after wiring lines connected to the defective device are cut off, the repair device is electrically connected to portions of the wiring lines, the portions of the wiring lines being located at positions nearer to the drive circuit side than the cut-off positions of the wiring lines. Since a defective device is repaired by a simple step that is carried out by simply mounting and fixing a repair device without removal of the defective device, it is possible to eliminate the need of any complicated, microscopic work, for example, removal of the mounted devices, and/or selective removal or repair of an insulating layer.
US07723763B2
The invention discloses the color photodetector with multi-primary is introduced to detect the incident light with specific wavelength regimes. Combining the surface plasma resonance effect with photodetector can be utilized to enhance the photo-responsivity of the demanded light wavelength and also can substitute the conventionally color filter and infrared cutter. In this invention, a novel integrated photo-detector that can be realized in commercial CMOS process for achieving low-cost consideration.
US07723760B2
The present invention is a MEMS-based two-phase LHP (loop heat pipe) and CPL (capillary pumped loop) using semiconductor grade silicon and microlithographic/anisotrophic etching techniques to achieve a planar configuration. The principal working material is silicon (and compatible borosilicate glass where necessary), particularly compatible with the cooling needs for electronic and computer chips and package cooling. The microloop heat pipes (μLHP™) utilize cutting edge microfabrication techniques. The device has no pump or moving parts, and is capable of moving heat at high power densities, using revolutionary coherent porous silicon (CPS) wicks. The CPS wicks minimize packaging thermal mismatch stress and improves strength-to-weight ratio. Also burst-through pressures can be controlled as the diameter of the coherent pores can be controlled on a sub-micron scale. The two phase planar operation provides extremely low specific thermal resistance (20-60 w/cm2). The operation is dependent upon a unique micropatterened CPS wick which contains up to millions per square centimeter of stacked uniform micro-through-capillaries in semiconductor-grade silicon, which serve as the capillary “engine,” as opposed to the stochastic distribution of pores in the typical heat pipe wick. As with all heat pipes, cooling occurs by virtue of the extraction of heat by the latent heat of phase change of the operating fluid into vapor.
US07723747B2
A light emitting device is provided that includes a substrate, a light emitting unit formed on the substrate, and an encapsulation unit. The encapsulation unit may include a first region corresponding to the light emitting unit and a second region coalesced with the substrate. The encapsulation unit of the first region or a part of the encapsulation unit of the first region may have a positive curvature.
US07723743B2
A semiconductor light emitting element has an electrode formed on a semiconductor layer, a passivation film covering a part of a top surface of the electrode, and a multilayer film formed on the electrode. The multilayer film has at least one pair of a Ti layer and a Ni layer, the Ti layer and the Ni layer being stacked alternately in the multilayer film.
US07723733B2
An electronically active sheet, comprising a first substrate having an electrically conductive surface; a second substrate having an electrically conductive pattern disposed thereon; at least one semiconductor element having a first conductor and a second conductor. The electronically active sheet includes an adhesive having at least one semiconductor element fixed thereto and disposed between the electrically conductive surface and the electrically conductive pattern to form a lamination. The adhesive is activatable to bind the second substrate to the first substrate so that one of the first conductor and the second conductor of the at least one semiconductor element is automatically brought into electrical communication with the electrically conductive pattern and so that the other of the first conductor and the second conductor of the at least one semiconductor element is automatically brought into and maintained in electrical communication with the electrically conductive surface of the first substrate.
US07723729B2
A compound semiconductor-on-silicon (Si) wafer with a Si nanowire buffer layer is provided, along with a corresponding fabrication method. The method forms a Si substrate. An insulator layer is formed overlying the Si substrate, with Si nanowires having exposed tips. Compound semiconductor is selectively deposited on the Si nanowire tips. A lateral epitaxial overgrowth (LEO) process grows compound semiconductor from the compound semiconductor-coated Si nanowire tips, to form a compound semiconductor layer overlying the insulator. Typically, the insulator layer overlying the Si substrate is a thermally soft insulator (TSI), silicon dioxide, or SiXNY, where x≦3 and Y≦4. The compound semiconductor can be GaN, GaAs, GaAlN, or SiC. In one aspect, the Si nanowire tips are carbonized, and SiC is selectively deposited overlying the carbonized Si nanowire tips, prior to the selective deposition of compound semiconductor on the Si nanowire tips.
US07723724B2
A system is provided for using test structures to evaluate a fabrication of a wafer. The test structures include a combination of device and interconnect elements that are provided on an active region of a die, on the wafer prior to the fabrication of the wafer being completed. The combination of device and interconnect elements include one or more circuits that are activatable to produce an output corresponding to measurable electrical and/or optical characteristics. A power receiving element that is configured to receive activation energy sufficient to cause the output on a contactless medium, so that the activation energy is received without affecting a usability of the die or wafer. The one or more circuits are structured to generate a variation in either the output or in a parameter determined from output, as a result of a process variation in a specific fabrication step that provided elements for forming the one or more circuits. A detector is provided to detect the output over the contactless medium, so as to receive the output without affecting a usability of the wafer when fabrication is completed.
US07723711B2
The invention relates to an optical sensor comprising at least one detection module which comprises an organic light emitting diode (1) and an organic detection photodiode (2, 2a) for measuring emitted light which during the use of the sensor reaches the photodiode via the sample holder. Optionally, a sensor according to the invention further comprises a plastic waveguide.
US07723707B2
Techniques for plasma injection for space charge neutralization of an ion beam are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a plasma injection system for space charge neutralization of an ion beam. The plasma injection system may comprise a first array of magnets and a second array of magnets positioned along at least a portion of an ion beam path, the first array being on a first side of the ion beam path and the second array being on a second side of the ion beam path, the first side opposing the second side. At least two adjacent magnets in the first array of magnets may have opposite polarity. The plasma injection system may also comprise a plasma source configured to generate a plasma in a region associated with a portion of the ion beam path by colliding at least some electrons with a gas.
US07723701B1
A two-part container for preserving material samples during storage and transport is separable and can be sealed with the presence of an elastomeric O-ring and internal threads on each part of the container. In the configuration at which the threads first engage between the two halves of the container, there is a small hole in the outer top part just above the O-ring of the bottom mating part. When the two container parts are mated and the sealing O-ring is below the small hole, inert gas can be made to flow through an inlet valve, into the container, and out through the small hole. In this configuration, the inert gas flows through the container and purges the atmospheric gas, replacing it with inert gas. After a period of time, the two container parts are rotated so that the sealing O-ring moves above the small hole. This will stop the flow into and out of the container. After this, the gas inlet valve is closed to seal the inert gas in the container. After the valve is closed, the pressure in the container is increased by screwing the two parts of the container in relation to each other such that the volume of the container is decreased. Prior to opening, the efficacy of the container can be checked by releasing the gas while the container is in the compressed state.
US07723683B2
An aberration correction system for use in an electron microscope and which produces a negative spherical aberration and corrects a higher-order aberration. The aberration correction system has three stages of multipole elements which, respectively, produce fields of 3-fold symmetry with respect to the optical axis. Any two stages of multipole elements are disposed in directions not to cancel out the 3-fold fields. However, the three stages of multipole elements are so disposed as to cancel out 3-fold astigmatisms.
US07723680B2
A system for detecting ions is disclosed. The system includes a detector having a plurality of dynodes arranged in an electron cascading configuration, and a power supply circuit electrically coupled to the plurality of dynodes. The plurality of dynodes include a first dynode and a second dynode. The power supply circuit is arranged to selectively adjust a potential difference between the first and second dynodes between a detection mode and a blanking mode. A method of detecting ions is also disclosed.
US07723675B2
The present invention relates to a well type neutron counter containing a He-3 detector which includes at least one annular gas layer in a polyethylene moderator, which includes a body formed of a neutron moderator and having a sample cavity for inserting a sample of nuclear material therein; and an annular He-3 detector tube including at least one annular gas layer into which at least He-4 or He-3 gas or their mixture is injected and a plurality of anode rods stood in the annular gas layer with an equal spaces, wherein the He-3 detector tube is formed in an inside of the body so as to surround the sample cavity. The neutron counter has a largely reduced size, simplified structure and resultant decreased failure rate as compared to a conventional counter with a large volume.
US07723672B1
The present invention provides a high dynamic performance mounting technique that is suitable for mounting sensor elements in adverse environments. According to one aspect, the present invention includes a kinematic mounting technique for a movable secondary mirror in an optical sensor. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting structure that provides deterministic alignment of a sensor element over multiple positions. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting technique with high dynamic performance yet minimizes sensor obscuration. According to another aspect, the invention includes a mounting technique that decouples actuator stiffness and mounting accuracy from the overall dynamic stiffness and alignment accuracy of a movable secondary mirror in an optical sensor.
US07723670B1
Differential group delay (DGD) devices and techniques based on folded optical paths. An in-line polarization monitor can be provided as a feedback for worst-case alignment without using an in-line polarizer. Polarization maintaining retro reflectors can minimize the introduced higher-order polarization effects caused by reflections between folding mirrors or prisms in conventional schemes.
US07723664B2
An imaging apparatus includes an electron emission array having electron sources arranged in matrix form and having a plurality of horizontal scan lines, a photoelectric conversion film opposed to the electron emission array, and a control and drive circuit configured to select one or more of the horizontal scan lines in a given video signal output period and to cause the electron sources included in the selected one or more horizontal scan lines to emit electrons toward the photoelectric conversion film to produce a video signal, wherein the control and drive circuit is configured to control electron emission of the electron emission array in a blanking period in response to a signal level of the video signal produced in the given video signal output period.
US07723657B2
An extended range focus sensor is provided. In various embodiments, the focus sensor may include a relay lens assembly to image a plane between an objective lens and the relay lens arrangement to a plane near an entrance pupil of a focus detector arrangement of the focus sensor. In some embodiments, the objective lens pupil is imaged onto the focus detector entrance pupil. In some embodiments, an illumination beam passes through the relay lens arrangement and is magnified on its way to be output by the objective lens, and the reflected focus detection beam passes back through the objective lens and the relay lens arrangement and is reduced prior to being input to the focus detector arrangement. In some embodiments, the focus detector arrangement may comprising a broad range focus detector combined with a high resolution Shack-Hartmann focus detector, and in others a single extended range Shack-Hartmann focus detector is used.
US07723653B2
Apparatus and method for inductive heating of a material located in a channel, to modify the state of the material between flowable and nonflowable states. An internal inductive heating assembly is disposed in the material in the channel, and a signal is supplied to the assembly to generate a magnetic flux in at least one of the assembly and the material, the magnetic flux generating inductive heating of the assembly and/or the material. The signal is adjusted to produce a desired rate of temperature cycling of the material in the channel which includes modifying the state of the material between flowable and nonflowable states. In one embodiment, the heating assembly includes an interior coil, an exterior sheath inductively coupled to the coil, a dielectric material disposed between the coil and sheath, a flux concentrator, and a conductor for supplying a signal to the coil to generate the magnetic flux. The materials and/or Curie temperatures of the coil, sheath and/or flux concentrator may be selected to provide a desired rate of inductive heating of the sheath and/or the material.
US07723650B2
A portable wire feeder for providing welding wire and welding current to a welding operation includes an input electrically connected to a power source. An output is selectively electrically connected to the input to receive welding current delivered to the input from the power source and to provide the welding current and welding wire to the welding operation through a guide hose. A contactor includes a first electrical terminal, a second electrical terminal and a conductive bridge member for selectively electrically connecting the input to the output. The first electrical terminal is electrically connected to the input. The second electrical terminal is electrically connected to the output. The conductive bridge member is movable between the first position in which the bridge member electrically connects the first electrical terminal to the second electrical terminal and a second position wherein the bridge member is separated from at least one of the first and second electrical terminals to electrically isolate the terminals from one another. At least one of the first electrical terminals, the second electrical terminal and the bridge member is independently removable from the contactor for servicing or replacement. A motorized wire feeding system includes a motor and a feed roll driven by the motor to direct the welding wire from a wire supply to the output for provision of the welding wire to the welding operation through the guide hose.
US07723646B2
A joint device for providing hinged movement between a first and second arm member and for providing independent delivery of electrical power to the arm members, wherein said device includes a central portion for receiving at least two sets of electrical conductors and for delivering said at least one set of electrical conductors to each of said arm members, characterised in that upon hinged movement of the arm members about the central portion, the central portion maintains the conductors in a spaced apart relationship in a manner such that the structural integrity of said conductors is maintained for a predetermined minimum number of hinged movement cycles of said arm members.
US07723644B2
A torch and a welding system having a pair of gas paths are disclosed. The torch includes a wire feed assembly and is connectable to a welding-type power source and a source of shielding gas. A power signal suitable for welding applications and a shielding gas are communicated through the torch. The shielding gas is communicated through the torch by a pair of gas passages.
US07723643B2
A laser peening process for the densification of metal surfaces and sub-layers and for changing surface chemical activities provides retardation of the up-take and penetration of atoms and molecules, particularly Hydrogen, which improves the lifetime of such laser peened metals. Penetration of hydrogen into metals initiates an embrittlement that leaves the material susceptible to cracking.
US07723639B2
The invention provides a substrate treatment method and apparatus. Embodiments show a substrate in the form of a rotary encoder ring having a pattern of marks producable by means of a laser treatment device controllable to produce the pattern in the correct manner whilst there is continuous relative displacement between the ring and the laser treatment device.
US07723637B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide homogeneous plasma in longitudinal direction of a plasma processing apparatus applicable to multiple processes. A microwave waveguide 10 with a plurality of variable couplers 12 is placed in a vacuum chamber 21. The microwave generated in a microwave generator 23 is introduced into the microwave waveguide 10 via a waveguide 24. And a plasma 22 in the chamber 21 is generated by the microwave 25. Intensity distribution of the microwave 25 in the microwave waveguide 10 can be varied by moving a plurality of variable couplers 12 individually upward or downward as shown by two-way arrow.
US07723636B2
A defect generated at a portion to be treated of a machine component is removed, a porous deposition is formed by employing a molded electrode composed of a molded body or such molded from powder of a metal or such and generating a pulsing electric discharge between a removed portion from which the defect in the machine component is removed and the molded electrode so that a material of the molded electrode or such is deposited or so at the removed portion of the machine component by energy of the electric discharge and finish machining to required dimension is carried out so as to make a thickness of the deposition to be a predetermined thickness.
US07723628B2
A remotely configurable control lever is disclosed for operating an electrical switch on the control panel of an agricultural vehicle. A cam plate 22 rotatable with the control lever has a cam track 23 defining at least one notch, which is selectively engaged by a resiliently biased detent 24 to latch the control lever in a predetermined position. A solenoid 32 is provided for retracting the detent to allow the control lever 10 to return to a neutral position. A second cam track 123 is provided which is rotatable with the control lever 10 and defines at least one stop cooperating with a further retractable detent 124 to limit the range of angular displacement of the control lever 10.
US07723627B2
An EL sheet and a member for lighting a push-button switch capable of emitting light stably and sufficiently for a long period of time without trouble such as non-light emission phenomena and generation of black dot, even if the EL element is subjected to, for example, a drawing process to form into a three dimensional shape, includes a counter electrode layer 15, dielectric layer 14, light-emitting layer 13, and transparent electrode layer 11. An adhesive layer 12 made of adhesive having excellent adhesiveness to the electroconductive polymer is disposed between the transparent electrode layer 11 made of an electroconductive polymer and the light-emitting layer 13. As for the adhesives having excellent adhesiveness, polyester, acrylic, cyanoacrylate, polyolefin, ethylene-vinyl acetate or ethylene ethyl acrylate type adhesive is used. The dielectric layer is made of fluoro type, polyester type or acrylic type resin binder. Furthermore, to improve durability in hot and high humidity environment, a second counter electrode layer 17 and/or a second dielectric layer 17, both having an ion diffusion-preventing function, is/are disposed.
US07723609B2
Three bypass diodes (50) each comprised of a principal body (51) with a rectifying function and a connecting piece extending from the principal body is bridged between corresponding two terminal plates (30A, 30B). The principal body (51) is supported by one terminal plate (30A, 30B), whereas the leading end of a connecting pin (52) is connected with the other terminal plate (30A, 30B). One of the bypass diode (50) has a polarity opposite to that of the remaining ones, and one of the terminal plates (30A, 30B) serves as an auxiliary intermediate terminal neither supporting the principal body (51) of the bypass diode (50) nor connected with a cable (90). Since both cable connecting terminals support the principal bodies (51) of the bypass diodes (50), heat generated by the principal bodies (51) can be efficiently radiated from the cable connecting terminals (30A) to the cables (90).
US07723607B2
The present invention provides an indium-doped Co4Sb12 skutterudite composition in which some Co on the cubic lattice structure may be replaced with one or more members of the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt; some Sb on the planar rings may be replaced by one or more members of the group consisting of Si, Ga, Ge and Sn; and a second dopant atom is selected from a member of the group consisting of Ca, Sc, Zn, Sr, Y, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. The composition is useful as a thermoelectric material. In preferred embodiments, the composition has a figure of merit greater than 1.0. The present invention also provides a process for the production of the composition, and thermoelectric devices using the composition.
US07723603B2
The present invention is method and apparatus for music performance and composition. More specifically, the present invention is an interactive music apparatus comprising actuating a signal that is transmitted to a processing computer that transmits output signals to a speaker that emits sound and an output component that performs an action. Further, the present invention is also a method of music performance and composition. Additionally, the present invention is an interactive wireless music apparatus comprising actuating an event originating on a remote wireless device. The transmitted event received by a processing host computer implements the proper handling of the event.
US07723602B2
A method is provided for converting one or more electronic music files into an electronic musical representation. A song framework is provided that includes a plurality of rules and associated processing steps for converting an electronic music file into a song framework output. The song framework output defines one or more framework elements; one or more performance elements; and a performance element collective. The rules and processing steps are applied to each instrument track included in one or more electronic music files, thereby: detecting the one or more performance elements; classifying the performance elements; and mapping the performance elements to the corresponding framework elements. A related method is also provide for preparing the electronic music files before applying the rules and associated processing steps of the song framework. The output of the method of the present invention is a song framework output file. A computer system and computer program is also provided for processing electronic music files in accordance with the method of the invention. One aspect of the computer system is an electronic music registry which includes a database where a plurality of song frame output files are stored. The computer program provides a comparison facility that is operable to compare the electronic musical representations of at least two different electronic music files and establish whether one electronic music file includes original elements of another electronic music file. The computer program also provides a reporting facility that is operable to generate originality reports in regard to one or more electronic music files selected by a user.
US07723599B2
A device for reading and learning indicia, particularly music notation and other music-related indicia, is disclosed. The device is constructed with at least one sheet and has a main image portion and a hanging portion. The main image portion is foldable about first folds and second folds and the hanging portion is foldable about an edge fold and second folds to form a variety of display, storage and travel configurations, including a poster configuration, self-standing configuration, storage pocket configuration and pocket folder configuration. Fastening devices are employed to releasably maintain contact between the surfaces of the learning device. Indicia may be positioned anywhere on the learning device to facilitate reading and learning.
US07723594B2
A drum of the present invention comprises: a shell having a plurality of shell members, wherein the upper rim of the shell is provided with a first magnetic component, and wherein the lower rim of the shell is provided with a second magnetic component; a first drumhead provided with a third magnetic component corresponding to the first magnetic component; and a second drumhead provided with a fourth magnetic component corresponding to the second magnetic component. The shell members use a first joining component and a second joining component to be joined with one another so as to form the shell. Furthermore, by magnetism between the first magnetic component and the third magnetic component and magnetism between the second magnetic component and the fourth magnetic component, the first drumhead, the second drumhead and the shell can be joined with one another. A drum of the present invention is advantageous in that it is easy to assemble and disassemble the drum, and accordingly, it is highly convenient whether to carry or to transport the drum.
US07723588B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH464638. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH464638, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH464638 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 CH464638.
US07723583B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D5864369. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D5864369. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D5864369 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D5864369 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07723581B2
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola cultivar, designated DN040845. Also included are seeds of canola cultivar DN040845, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola DN040845 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola DN040845 with itself or another canola cultivar, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola DN040845.
US07723577B2
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive canola cultivar, designated DN040847. Also included are seeds of canola cultivar DN040847, to the plants, or plant parts, of canola DN040847 and to methods for producing a canola plant produced by crossing the canola DN040847 with itself or another canola cultivar, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of canola DN040847.
US07723551B2
The present disclosure pertains to processes for the simultaneous co-production of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-diol and 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol by hydrogenation 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione and dimethylcyclohexane-1,4-dicarboxylate, respectively, under hydrogenation conditions of temperature and pressure.
US07723549B2
A process for preparing at least one target product by partial oxidation and/or ammoxidation of propylene, in which the propylene source used is a propane dehydrogenation, the propane used therein being obtained by a rectificative prepurification of crude propane.
US07723533B2
The present invention relates to the crystalline base of the well known antidepressant drug escitalopram, S-1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-5-isobenzo-furancarbonitrile, formulations of said base, a process for the preparation of purified salts of escitalopram, such as the oxalate, using the base, the salts obtained by said process and formulations containing such salts, and a process for the preparation of purified escitalopram free base or salts of escitalopram, such as the oxalate, using the hydrobromide, the salts obtained by said process and formulations containing such salts. Finally the present invention relates to an orodispersible tablet having a hardness of at least 22 N and an oral-disintegration time of less than 120 s and comprising an active pharmaceutical ingredient adsorbed onto a water soluble filler wherein the active pharmaceutical ingredient has a melting point in the range of 40-100° C., as well as a method for making such an orodispersible tablet.
US07723532B2
The invention provides compositions comprising formula 1 steroids, e.g., 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one hemihydrate and one or more excipients, typically wherein the composition comprises less than about 3% water. The compositions are useful to make improved pharmaceutical formulations. The invention also provides methods of intermittent dosing of steroid compounds such as analogs of 16α-bromo-3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one and compositions useful in such dosing regimens. The invention further provides compositions and methods to inhibit pathogen (viral) replication, ameliorate symptoms associated with immune dysregulation and to modulate immune responses in a subject using certain steroids and steroid analogs. The invention also provides methods to make and use these immunomodulatory compositions and formulations.
US07723531B2
The present invention provides for a process for preparing racemic methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate, its corresponding salt: (2S, 3R, 4S)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate di-p-toluoyl-D-tartaric acid (“D-DTTA”) salt or a (2R, 3S, 4R)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate di-p-toluoyl-L-tartaric acid salt (“L-DTTA”) in a high enantiomeric excess. This invention also provides for a process for preparing a (2S, 3R, 4S)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate dibenzoyl-D-tartaric acid (“D-DBTA”) salt or a (2R, 3S, 4R)-methyl 6,6-dimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexane-2-carboxylate L-tartaric acid (“L-DBTA”) salt in a high enantiomeric excess. Further, this invention provides a process for preparing intermediates II, IIB, III, IV, IV salt, V, VI, and VII.
US07723523B2
Compounds of a certain formula (I) in which Ra and Rb have the meanings indicated in the description, are novel, effective compounds with anti-proliferative and/or apoptosis inducing activity.
US07723522B2
A method in which a pyridinium derivative such as 1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-2-oxopyrimidinium chloride is reacted with an acetyl compound such as 4-acetylpyridine, and then the reaction product is reacted with ammonia or an ammonium salt.
US07723505B2
The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules comprising the EAAT2 promoter, as well as screening assays useful for identifying compounds which modulate the activity of the EAAT2 promoter, and methods of treating neurological disorders comprising administration of EAAT2 promoter modulators.
US07723497B2
A novel function phospholipase A2, referred to herein as calcium-independent phospholipase A2ε (iPLA2ε) having SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 2, and nucleic acid sequences (SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4) encoding and expressing iPLA2ε is disclosed. This novel enzyme has been isolated and characterized and is involved in the catalysis and hydrolysis of lipids cycling in a living cell biosystem. In an embodiment, the iPLA2ε polypeptide is encoded and expressed by an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a set of iPLA2ε polynucleotides. In one aspect, an isolated and characterized gene comprises a polynucleotide having a sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO: 4.
US07723483B2
The present invention provides αVβ3 integrin cysteine loop domain agonists and antagonists (including peptide agonists and antagonists and analogs thereof), along with methods of using the same.
US07723480B2
Modified neurotoxin comprising neurotoxin including structural modification, wherein the structural modification alters the biological persistence, preferably the biological half-life, of the modified neurotoxin relative to an identical neurotoxin without the structural modification. The structural modification includes addition or deletion of a leucine-based motif or parts thereof. In one embodiment, methods of making the modified neurotoxin include using recombinant techniques. In another embodiment, methods of using the modified neurotoxin to treat biological disorders include treating autonomic disorders, neuromuscular disorders or pains.
US07723474B2
The present invention provides a conjugate that contains a therapeutic moiety linked to a homing peptide or peptidomimetic which selectively homes to vasculature of pre-malignant dysplastic skin and which includes the amino acid sequence SRPRR (SEQ ID NO: 1) or a conservative variant or peptidomimetic thereof. The present invention further provides a conjugate containing a therapeutic moiety linked to a homing peptide or peptidomimetic which selectively homes to vasculature of malignant skin and which includes the amino acid sequence CGKRK (SEQ ID NO: 6) or the amino acid sequence CDTRL (SEQ ID NO: 7), or a conservative variant or peptidomimetic of one of these sequences.
US07723457B1
Polysilanes, inks containing the same, and methods for their preparation are disclosed. The polysilane generally has the formula H-[(AHR)n(c-AmHpm-2)q]—H, where each instance of A is independently Si or Ge; R is H, -AaHa+1Ra, halogen, aryl or substituted aryl; (n+a)≧10 if q=0, q≧3 if n=0, and (n+q)≧6 if both n and q≠0; p is 1 or 2; and m is from 3 to 12. In one aspect, the method generally includes the steps of combining a silane compound of the formula AHaR14-a, the formula AkHgR1′h and/or the formula c-AmHpmR1fm with a catalyst of the formula R4xR5yMXz (or an immobilized derivative thereof) to form a poly(aryl)silane; then washing the poly(aryl)silane with an aqueous washing composition and contacting the poly(aryl)silane with an adsorbent to remove the metal M. In another aspect, the method includes the steps of halogenating a polyarylsilane to form a halopolysilane; and reducing the halopolysilane with a metal hydride to form the polysilane. The synthesis of semiconductor inks via dehydrocoupling of silanes and/or germanes allows for tuning of the ink properties (e.g., viscosity, boiling point, and surface tension) and for deposition of silicon films or islands by spincoating, inkjetting, dropcasting, etc., with or without the use of UV irradiation.
US07723453B2
The invention provides hydrophobically modified cationic polymers which may be used to enhance deposition of particles.
US07723448B2
The present invention relates to a catalyst system comprising at least two different transition metal coordination compounds supported on an adduct containing magnesium halide and an organoaluminum compound and it relates to a polymerisation process in the presence of said catalyst system.
US07723438B2
A nanoparticle which includes a multi-armed core and surface decoration which is attached to the core is prepared. A multi-armed core is provided by any of a number of possible routes, exemplary preferred routes being living anionic polymerization that is initiated by a reactive, functionalized anionic initiator and ε-caprolactone polymerization of a bis-MPA dendrimer. The multi-armed core is preferably functionalized on some or all arms. A coupling reaction is then employed to bond surface decoration to one or more arms of the multi-armed core. The surface decoration is a small molecule or oligomer with a degree of polymerization less than 50, a preferred decoration being a PEG oligomer with degree of polymerization between 2 and 24. The nanoparticles (particle size≦10 nm) are employed as sacrificial templating porogens to form porous dielectrics. The porogens are mixed with matrix precursors (e.g., methyl silsesquioxane resin), the matrix vitrifies, and the porogens are removed via burnout. Greater porosity reduces the dielectric constant k of the resulting dielectrics. The porous dielectrics are incorporated into integrated circuits as lower k alternatives to silicon dioxide.
US07723435B2
The single-layered structure of the invention comprises (A) 50 to 97% by weight of a polyolefin, (B) 2 to 45% by weight of a polyamide resin comprising a diamine component and a dicarboxylic acid component and (C) 1 to 45% by weight of a modified polyolefin and/or styrene copolymer. The polyamide resin B is dispersed in layers throughout the single-layered structure. With such a dispersion state of the polyamide resin B, the single-layered structure exhibits excellent fuel barrier properties.
US07723431B1
A polyester gelcoat composition containing unsaturated polyester resin, a reactive diluent mixture including para-tertiary-butylstyrene, and one or more additives. The gelcoat composition does not include appreciable deleterious amounts of hazardous air pollution solvents. A method of making the gelcoat composition is also disclosed.
US07723430B2
Provided is a thin film having self-supporting properties and having excellent strength, durability and flexibility and a method for manufacturing the thin film. A thin film having an interpenetrating net-work layer and having a film thickness of 500 nm or less, the interpenetrating net-work layer being constituted of at least a metal oxide and an organic polymer.
US07723428B2
A thermoplastic composition comprising a polycarbonate, a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, an impact modifier composition comprising ABS or BABS, a second impact modifier different from BABS or ABS, and an aromatic vinyl copolymer is disclosed. The thermoplastic composition has improved molding capability.
US07723427B2
A golf ball which is formed from a vulcanized rubber compound composed of 100 parts by weight of a rubber base material, 10 to 60 parts by weight of an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of an organosulfur compound, 5 to 80 parts by weight of an inorganic filler, and 0.1 to 3 parts by weight of an organic peroxide, the rubber base material being composed of a first polybutadiene accounting for 50 to 95 wt % and a second polybutadiene accounting for 5 to 50 wt %, both polybutadiene being synthesized by using a rare earth element-based catalyst, the first polybutadiene containing no less than 60 wt % of cis-1,4 bonds and having a Mooney viscosity (ML1+4 (100° C.)) no lower than 50 and the second polybutadiene containing no less than 60 wt % of cis-1,4 bonds and having a Mooney viscosity (ML1+, (100° C.)) no higher than 45. The golf ball is characterized by good rebound resilience and good workability with which it is produced.
US07723423B2
A resin composition includes a polymer (A) mainly containing a structural unit represented by following Formula (1): wherein m represents an integer of 2 to 10; X1 and X2 are each hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group or a functional group that can be converted into a hydroxyl group, wherein at least one of X1 and X2 is hydroxyl group or a functional group that can be converted into hydroxyl group; R1, R2 and R3 are each hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, a functional group that can be converted into hydroxyl group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or a heteroaryl group, wherein the plural R1s may be the same as or different from each other; and a vinyl alcohol polymer (B).
US07723421B2
A method of preparing thickened compositions which can be molded under low pressures and temperatures to provide thermoset articles, wherein liquid reactive components are slowly absorbed in solid thermoplastic elastomer thickeners such as thermoplastic ionomers and acrylic block copolymers. The thickener delays the viscosity build, allowing fiber reinforcement and other fillers to be incorporated, if desired, before molding. The molding composition is well suited for use in dentistry and other fields where small amounts or molding composition are used occasionally.
US07723418B2
An antistatic resin composition and molded products therefrom are described, having good antistatic effect and mechanical strength regardless the type of the molding method. The composition includes a thermoplastic resin (A) and an antistatic agent (B), wherein a refractive index difference between (A) and (B) is not more than 0.02. The antistatic agent (B) includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of (B1) and (B2). (B1) is a polyetheresteramide derived from a polyamide having a Mn of 200-5000 and an alkyleneoxide adduct of bisphenol having a Mn of 300-5000. (B2) is a block polymer having a structure such that blocks of a polyolefin and blocks of a hydrophilic polymer having an volume resistivity of 105-1011 Ω·cm are bonded together alternately and repeatedly via at least one bonding mode selected from the group consisting of ester bonding, amide bonding, ether bonding, imide bonding and urethane bonding.
US07723411B2
The invention relates to flameproof polyamide molding compositions, comprising 30-80% by weight of a semi-aromatic, partially crystalline polyamide and 1-30% by weight of a flame retardant containing a phosphinic acid salt and/or a diphosphinic acid salt.
US07723408B2
Composite materials are disclosed having low filler percolation thresholds for filler materials into the composite matrix material along with methods of controlling filler interconnectivity within the composite matrix material. Methods are, thus, disclosed that provide the ability to control the desired properties of the composites. The composites of the present disclosure are characterized by a “pseudo-crystalline” microstructure formed of matrix particles and filler particles where the matrix particles are faceted and substantially retain their individual particle boundaries and where the filler particles are interspersed between the matrix particles at the individual matrix particle boundaries such that the filler particles form a substantially interconnected network that substantially surrounds the individual faceted matrix particles. In an exemplary embodiment, the composites are formed by selecting matrix particles and filler particles wherein the ratio of the average size of the matrix particles to the average size of the filler particles is about 10 or more. The selected matrix particles exhibit a glass transition temperature. The matrix particles and the filler particles are mechanically mixed and then subjected to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the matrix particles and a compression pressure for a period of time sufficient to cause the matrix particles to undergo deformation so as to compress them together eliminating void spaces between the particles without melting the matrix material. The method is also demonstrated to work in combination with more standard art methods such as solution mixing for the purposes of achieving additional control of the properties.
US07723400B2
Provided is an inkjet-recording ink composition comprising one or more white pigment(s), one or more polymer dispersant(s), one or more photocurable compound(s), and one or more photoinitiator(s) as its principal components, wherein the polymer dispersant(s) has a sulfonic acid group.
US07723399B2
The invention relates to novel N-substituted imides and polymerizable compositions comprising these N-substituted imides. The invention further relates to the use of N-substituted imides as polymerization initiators. The imides are compounds of the formula (I) and (II) wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 1 or 2; R1 and R2 are each, independently of one another, hydrogen, C1-C18alkyl, C1-C-18alkenyl C6-C14aryl, aralkyl, C5-C12cycloalkyl, each of which may be substituted by halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C6alkoxy, carbonyl, C1-C6alkoxycarbonyl; or R1 and R2 together with the adjacent —CO—N—CO— group may form a monocyclic, bicyclic or polycyclic ring, said ring having up to 50 non hydrogen atoms and wherein said ring may contain the structural element (formula III) more than once; R3 if n is 1, is C1-C18alkyl, C6-C14aryl, aralkyl, C5-C12cycloalkyl, OR10 or SR11, NR12R13; wherein R3 if n is 2, is C2-C12alkylene, C6-C14arylene, xylylene R4 and R5, correspond to R1 and R2; R6 if n is 1, is hydrogen, C1-C18alkyl, C6-C14aryl, aralkyl, C5-C12cycloalkyl, NR14R15; wherein R6 if n is 2, is C2-C12alkylene, C6-C14arylene, xylylene; R7 is hydrogen, C1-C18alkyl, C6-C14aryl, aralkyl, C5-C12cycloalkyl, each of which may be substituted by halogen, C1-C4-alkyl, hydroxy, C1-C6alkoxy, carbonyl, C1-C6alkoxy-carbonyl; or R7 and R14 or R7 and R15 form together with the N-atom attached to R7 a 5-6 membered ring, optionally interrupted by —NH—, —N(C1-C8alkyl)-, —O— and/or S-atoms.
US07723398B2
The invention relates to a radiation curable coating or an ink composition comprising a photoinitiator and a stabilizer blend of a sterically hindered nitroxyl radical and a quinone methide.
US07723396B2
This invention relates to composites comprising a substrate and a multi-stage latex polymer emulsion film.
US07723395B2
A high strength porous polymeric material manufactured by a compression process is disclosed. The material results in a network of interconnected collapsed pores, which forces thin overlapping walls and passages to be created. The network provides permeable access for fluid migration throughout the material. The strength and/or permeability are advantageous for medical devices and implants.
US07723390B2
The present invention provides for pharmaceutical formulations based on thyroid hormones enabling a safe and stable oral administration in the framework of the strict therapeutic index prescribed in case of thyroid disorders.
US07723378B2
The invention relates to novel thiophene derivatives, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds particularly as immunosuppressant agents.
US07723375B2
Novel metabolites of wortmannin and wortmannin analogs and their use in inhibiting PI-3 kinase activity in mammals and the treatment and prevention of cancer or tumor formation in a subject are described herein.
US07723361B2
The present invention comprises a group of compounds that effectively inhibit angiogenesis. More specifically, thalidomide and various related compounds such as thalidomide precursors, analogs, metabolites and hydrolysis products have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis and to treat disease states resulting from angiogenesis. Importantly, these compounds can be administered orally.
US07723360B2
A compound of general formula 1a wherein R1, R5, R6, A, B, Y, i, j and m are defined as in the description and claims. It is another object of the present invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the compounds of the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US07723358B2
The present invention relates to derivatives of aroyl-O-piperidine structure of the general formula (I): in which R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined in the description. Application of the compounds of the formula (I) to the treatment of hyper-triglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia and dyslipidaemia, and to the prevention or treatment of obesity.
US07723357B2
Described herein are methods and compositions for the treatment of spinal disorders mediated by nucleus pulposus. The compositions can include thalidomide or a thalidomide derivative.
US07723337B2
The invention relates to chemical compounds of formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which possess CSF-1R kinase inhibitory activity and are accordingly useful for their anti-cancer activity and thus in methods of treatment of the human or animal body. The invention also relates to processes for the manufacture of said chemical compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them and to their use in the manufacture of medicaments of use in the production of an anti-cancer effect in a warm-blooded animal such as man.
US07723333B2
The present invention relates to certain novel compounds of the formula (I) to processes for preparing such compounds, to their the utility in modulation of nuclear hormone receptors Liver X Receptor (LXR) α (NR1H3) and/or β (NR1H2) and in treating and/or preventing clinical conditions including cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis; inflammatory diseases, Alzheimer's disease, lipid disorders (dyslipidemias) whether or not associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and other manifestations of the metabolic syndrome, to methods for their therapeutic use and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US07723331B2
The present invention provides compounds of the class of thienopyrimidines, processes for preparing such compounds, their use in the treatment of obesity, psychiatric disorders, cognitive disorders, memory disorders, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and related conditions, type II diabetes, Metabolic syndrome and neurological disorders such as dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, Alzheimer's disease, and pain related disorders, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US07723309B2
The invention relates to crystalline forms of 1-chloro-4-(β-D-glucopyranos-1-yl)-2-[4-((R)-tetrahydrofuran-3-yloxy)-benzyl]-benzene, to a method for the preparation thereof, as well as to the use thereof for preparing medicaments.
US07723302B2
The invention relates to the discovery that in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD), administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to rodents having 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD restored the function of dopamine neurons. In these animals, G-CSF treatment increased the number of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra (SN), G-CSF treatment partially restored the nigrostriatal pathway, and G-CSF restored the function of dopamine to the level before MPTP treatment. The invention also relates to the discovery that treatment of a human patient with corticobasilar ganglionic degeneration, a rare progressive neurological disorder characterized by Parkinsonism and coritcal dysfunction, with G-CSF resulted in a significant improvement in the patient's Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale evaluations as well as measures of activity of daily living. The invention further relates to the discovery that G-CSF treatment of a patient who had suffered an acute stroke resulted in a significant improvement in neurological function, the patient having minimal observable disability seven years later. The methods described herein can be used to treat PD in a mammalian subject (e.g., rodent, human) as well as other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke.
US07723301B2
Pharmaceutical compositions comprising anti-teratogenic agents are disclosed. Additionally, pharmaceutical compositions comprising anti-neoplastic agents and anti-teratogenic agents are disclosed. Methods of assessing the teratogenicity of a compound are disclosed. The present invention further comprises applications of the aforementioned compositions and methods.
US07723298B2
Novel methods are disclosed for forming a heterodimeric receptor complex with IL-28R and CRF2-4. The methods may be used for detecting and treating viral infections in in vitro and in vivo. Ligand-binding receptor polypeptides can also be used to block ligand activity in vitro and in vivo. The present invention also includes methods for producing the protein, uses therefor and antibodies thereto.
US07723295B2
Peptide compounds that bind to and activate the thrombopoietin receptor (c-mpl or TPO-R) or otherwise act as a TPO agonist are disclosed.
US07723277B2
The present invention a method of improving, enhancing or modifying a fragrance formulation through the addition of an olfactory acceptable amount of the following compound: wherein R represents a straight, branched, or cyclic C1 to C5 hydrocarbon moiety containing saturated and/or unsaturated bonds, or a C3 to C5 glycolether, and wherein the methyl substituent is located in the ortho, meta, or para position on the cyclohexane ring.
US07723276B2
An oil for cutting and grinding by minimal quantity lubrication system and for sliding surface according to the present invention comprises an ester, and is used as a lubricating oil for cutting and grinding suitable for a cutting and grinding method by minimal quantity lubrication system, and also used as a lubricating oil for sliding surface.
US07723275B2
An anti-seize composition which is non-flowable and dimensionally stable at temperatures greater than about 120° F. and dispensable at room temperature without the application of heat is provided. The composition includes a solid anti-seize lubricant, such as of metallic copper, metallic nickel, metallic aluminum, metallic lead, metallic zinc, graphite, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, calcium stearate, lithium, molybdenum disulfide, boron nitride, barium sulfate. or combinations thereof. The anti-seize lubricant is dispersed in a carrier which is a solid at about room temperature. The carrier includes a grease with an ASTM D 217 penetration at 25° C. from about 200 to about 400 mm, a matrix material, and a naphthenic petroleum oil having a viscosity of less than about 300 SUS at 100° F. and having an API gravity at 60° F. from about 23 to about 25. The matrix material is a polymeric material. Optionally, a refined petroleum wax may also be included.
US07723269B2
The invention describes a process for filter selection of anti-angiogenesis antibody fragments from a large combinatorial repertoire; the invention further relates to the anti-angiogenesis antibody fragments thus obtained.
US07723263B2
A ceramic support capable of supporting a catalyst comprising a ceramic body having fine pores with a diameter or width up to 1000 times the ion diameter of a catalyst component to be supported on the surface of the ceramic body, the number of the fine pores being not less than 1×1011 pores per liter, is produced by introducing oxygen vacancies or lattice defects in the cordierite crystal lattice or by applying a thermal shock to form fine cracks.
US07723259B2
A particulate matter oxidizing catalyst includes: at least one metal selected from the group consisting of: gallium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, silver, lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium and gold; and cerium, wherein a first oxide includes: the cerium, and a first metal which is at least one element selected from the group consisting of: gallium, manganese, iron, cobalt and nickel, wherein a second oxide includes: the cerium, and a second metal which is at least one element selected from the group consisting of: praseodymium, zirconium and aluminum, and wherein the second oxide and the first oxide have a content ratio of second oxide/(first oxide+second oxide)=0.1 by mass to 0.8 by mass.
US07723250B2
A ceramic porous body including at least Si as a chemical component, the ceramic porous body being obtained by adding a porous silica powder or a porous silica-containing compound powder to a forming raw material to prepare a clay, forming the resulting ceramic clay into a specific shape, and firing the formed product. The ceramic porous body according to the present invention does not produce carbon dioxide or toxic gas during firing and allows the firing time to be reduced in comparison with the case of using a resin powder or a carbon powder as a pore-forming agent by using the porous silica powder or the porous silica-containing compound powder as the pore-forming agent during production. Moreover, a change in pore-forming characteristics or deformation of a formed product rarely occurs.
US07723246B2
A laminate material web has two webs of nonwoven fabric that lie on the outside, and film strips of an elastic film disposed between them, in sections, whereby the nonwoven fabric webs are connected with one another in the regions between the film strips. The film strips are connected with the inner surfaces of the nonwoven fabric webs only at the two longitudinal edges, in each instance, both on the top and on the bottom, and the nonwoven fabric webs have weakenings running in the web direction, in the regions that cover the film strips. A method for the production of a laminate material web is also described.
US07723243B2
There is provided a multi-layered structure forming method comprising: (A) forming a first insulating material layer containing a first photo-curing material on a substrate; (B) semi-hardening the first insulating material layer by radiating light having a first wavelength to the first insulating material layer; (C) forming a conductive material layer on the semi-hardened first insulating material layer by ejecting droplets of a conductive material to the semi-hardened first insulating material layer from a nozzle of a liquid droplet ejecting apparatus; (D) forming a second insulating material layer containing a second photo-curing material so as to cover the semi-hardened first insulating material layer and the conductive material layer; and (E) forming a first insulating layer, a conductive layer positioned on the first insulating material, and a second insulating layer covering the first insulating layer and the conductive layer by simultaneously heating the first insulating material layer, the conductive material layer, and the second insulating material layer.
US07723238B2
In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a first high frequency power of a first frequency is applied to a processing gas to generate a plasma of the processing gas, a second high frequency power of a second frequency smaller than the first frequency is applied to a substrate to be processed. Further, a to-be-etched layer disposed under a resist film having a pattern of openings is etched by using the resist film as a mask, the to-be-etched layer being disposed on a surface of the substrate. In addition, dimensions of openings formed in the to-be-etched layer are controlled by varying an applied power of the first high frequency.
US07723232B2
The formation of a semiconductor sensing device is disclosed, where the device can be used to sense pressure, for example. The device is formed by etching the entire backside of a semiconductor substrate or wafer. This streamlines the fabrication process by omitting a number of steps that would otherwise be required to selectively etch certain locations of the substrate. This also improves device performance and compactness by allowing associated support circuitry to be formed closer to a sensing region, and more particularly piezoelectric elements of the sensing region.
US07723231B2
A semiconductor device including silicide layers with different thicknesses corresponding to diffusion layer junction depths, and a method of fabricating the same are provided. According to one aspect, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising a first semiconductor element device and a second semiconductor element device, wherein the first semiconductor element device includes a first gate electrode, first diffusion layers disposed to sandwich the first gate electrode, and having a first junction depth, and a first silicide layer disposed in the first diffusion layers and having a first thickness, and the second semiconductor element device includes a second gate electrode, second diffusion layers disposed to sandwich the second gate electrode, and having a second junction depth greater than the first junction depth, and a second silicide layer disposed in the second diffusion layers and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness.
US07723230B2
A method for designing a photomask pattern is provided. First, all line ends of object patterns are determined with reference to layout data. Then, object patterns, front edge portions, and joints, which are aligned on the same line extending along the Y-axis, are connected to form first reticle data. Reticle pattern data having data representing binding portions serving as light blocking portions is formed. The front edge portions being adjacent to each other and aligned in the X-axis are connected and adjacent joints being aligned in the same manner as the front edge portions are also connected to form second reticle data. Then, portions are provided at central regions between the binding portions so as to connect the adjacent binding portions including the front edge portions and the joints. Then, reticle data having data representing the binding portions serving as transparent patterns is formed.
US07723227B1
A method of forming copper-comprising conductive lines in the fabrication of integrated circuitry includes depositing damascene material over a substrate. Line trenches are formed into the damascene material. Copper-comprising material is electrochemically deposited over the damascene material. The copper-comprising material is removed and the damascene material is exposed, and individual copper-comprising conductive lines are formed within individual of the line trenches. The damascene material is removed selectively relative to the conductive copper-comprising material. Dielectric material is deposited laterally between adjacent of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines. The deposited dielectric material is received against sidewalls of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines. A void is received laterally between immediately adjacent of the individual copper-comprising conductive lines within the deposited dielectric material. Other embodiments are contemplated.
US07723212B2
A method for forming a median crack and an apparatus for forming a median crack are provided, where the formation of a deep, straight median crack is possible, and an excellent broken surface of a brittle substrate can be gained as a result of breaking. In the method for forming a median crack in a brittle substrate, the brittle substrate is irradiated with a laser beam along a laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks on the brittle substrate so as to be heated to a temperature that is no higher than its melting temperature, and thereby, a median crack is created along the laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks and expanded starting from a notch that has been formed in the brittle substrate, and this method for forming a median crack in a brittle substrate is characterized in that high temperature portions that receive intense radiation from a laser beam, and low temperature portions that receive faint radiation from a laser beam are alternately formed along the laser-scribe line to be formed with median cracks.
US07723211B2
An arithmetic processing part in a controller detects a position of a defect such as a chip or a crack that occurs at an outer periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and then a memory in the controller stores position information of the defect. The controller reads the position information of the defect through a network in each process. On the basis of this position information, the controller determines a direction of joining a dicing tape to the semiconductor wafer or a direction of separating a protective tape from a front face of the semiconductor wafer.
US07723209B2
A technique for forming a TFT element over a substrate having flexibility typified by a flexible plastic film is tested. When a structure in which a light-resistant layer or a reflective layer is employed to prevent the damage to the delamination layer, it is difficult to fabricate a transmissive liquid crystal display device or a light emitting device which emits light downward.A substrate and a delamination film are separated by a physical means, or a mechanical means in a state where a metal film formed over a substrate, and a delamination layer comprising an oxide film including the metal and a film comprising silicon, which is formed over the metal film, are provided. Specifically, a TFT obtained by forming an oxide layer including the metal over a metal film; crystallizing the oxide layer by heat treatment; and performing delamination in a layer of the oxide layer or at both of the interface of the oxide layer is formed.
US07723208B2
Trenches may be formed in the upper surfaces of a pair of wafers. Each trench may be coated with a catalyst that is capable of removing oxygen or hydrogen from a fluid used for cooling in a system making use of the electroosmotic effect for pumping. Channels may be formed to communicate fluid to and from the trench coated with the catalyst. The substrates may be combined in face-to-face abutment, for example using copper-to-copper bonding to form a re-combiner.
US07723202B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes a plurality of crown-type capacitors in a capacitor-receiving insulating film, wherein bottom electrodes of the capacitors have an insulating spacer between each two of the bottom electrodes. The insulating spacer is formed by removing a hard mask used as an etching mask for forming cylindrical holes receiving therein capacitors including the bottom electrodes.
US07723187B2
A salicide treatment is performed on a common source line to reduce surface resistance and contact resistance, thereby improving a cell current characteristic. Therefore, a chip can be reduced in size and chips per wafer can be increased, thereby achieving high yield. In addition, it is possible to overcome the structural limitation of the flash cell when the semiconductor memory device is highly integrated and shrunken.
US07723183B2
A capacitor is made by forming a buffer oxide layer, an etching stop layer, and a mold insulation layer over a semiconductor substrate having a storage node contact plug. The mold insulation layer and the etching stop layer are etched to form a hole in an upper portion of the storage node contact plug. A tapering layer is deposited over the mold insulation layer including the hole. The tapering layer and the buffer oxide layer are etched back so that the tapering layer is remained only at the upper end portion of the etched hole. A metal storage node layer formed on the etched hole over the remaining tapering layer. The mold insulation layer and the remaining tapering layer are removed to form a cylindrical storage node having a tapered upper end. A dielectric layer and a plate node are formed over the storage node.
US07723179B2
A light emitting element containing an organic compound has a disadvantage in that it tends to be deteriorated by various factors, so that the greatest problem thereof is to increase its reliability (make longer its life span). The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an active matrix type light emitting device and the configuration of such an active matrix type light emitting device having high reliability. In the method, a contact hole extending to a source region or a drain region is formed, and then an interlayer insulation film made of a photosensitive organic insulating material is formed on an interlayer insulation film. The interlayer insulation film has a curved surface on its upper end portion. Subsequently, an interlayer insulation film provided as a silicon nitride film having a film thickness of 20 to 50 nm is formed by a sputtering method using RF power supply.
US07723175B2
A method of manufacturing transistors of a first and second type on a substrate includes producing doped semiconductor areas with a first conductivity type in eventual contact areas of a first type of transistors, depositing a first intrinsic semiconductor layer over an entire surface, activating dopants in the semiconductor areas such that a contact area with the first conductivity type is produced in the intrinsic semiconductor layer, depositing a gate dielectric, producing a gate electrode by depositing a first conductive layer and patterning the first conductive layer, performing ion doping with dopants to produce contact areas with a second conductivity type for a second type of transistor, depositing a passivation layer, opening contact openings, and depositing and patterning a second conductive layer.
US07723172B2
Methods for manufacturing trench type semiconductor devices containing thermally unstable refill materials are provided. A disposable material is used to fill the trenches and is subsequently replaced by a thermally sensitive refill material after the high temperature processes are performed. Trench type semiconductor devices manufactured according to method embodiments are also provided.
US07723166B2
The invention includes optoelectronic devices containing one or more layers of semiconductor-enriched insulator (with exemplary semiconductor-enriched insulator being silicon-enriched silicon oxide and silicon-enriched silicon nitride), and includes solar cells containing one or more layers of semiconductor-enriched insulator. The invention also includes methods of forming optoelectronic devices and solar cells.
US07723162B2
A method of producing a microelectronic device resistant to tampering, inspection and damage from surrounding environment or operating conditions includes: (i) applying an adhesion layer on a circuit including a die fixed and electrically connected to a laminate substrate; (ii) spraying, through a flame spray process, a tamper resistant coating over the applied adhesion layer; (iii) applying a first encapsulant for filling spaces and air pockets; (iv) removing air and gases from the first encapsulant; and (v) applying a second encapsulant around the first encapsulant for providing a moisture barrier 42 and handling surfaces for the microelectronic device.
US07723144B2
A package for a micro-electromechanical device includes a substrate adapted to support the micro-electromechanical device. The micro-electromechanical device is electrically coupled to a plurality of electrodes. The package also includes a thermally conductive structure coupled to the substrate, an electrical contact layer having a plurality of traces in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, and an interposer structure coupled to the substrate. The interposer structure includes a continuous annular region defining a recessed region bounded by a bond surface. The package further includes a transparent cover coupled to the interposer structure and sealing the micro-electromechanical device in the recessed region to isolate the micro-electromechanical device in a controlled environment.
US07723143B2
A method for manufacturing a cantilever structure of a probe card is disclosed. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a first sacrificial wafer is used as a mold to form a cantilever structure having various shapes, a microscopic pitch and a high aspect ratio. In accordance with the method of the present invention, a probe tip may be formed by using a second sacrificial substrate and a bonding.
US07723140B2
A pixel cell with controlled leakage is formed by modifying the location and gate profile of a high dynamic range (HDR) transistor. The HDR transistor may have the gate profile of a transfer gate or a reset gate. The HDR transistor may be located on a side of the photodiode that is the same, opposite to, or perpendicular to the transfer gate. The leakage through the HDR transistor may be controlled by modifying the photodiode implants around the transistor. The photodiode implants at the HDR transistor may be placed similarly to the implants at the transfer gate. However, when the photodiode implants are moved away from the HDR transistor, leakage is reduced. When the photodiode implants are moved farther under the HDR transistor, leakage is increased to the extent desirable. The leakage through the HDR transistor may also be controlled by applying a voltage across the transistor.
US07723138B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor optical device is disclosed. This semiconductor optical device includes first and second optical semiconductor elements. This method comprises the steps of: growing, in a metal-organic vapor phase deposition reactor, plural semiconductor layers for the first semiconductor optical element on a primary surface of a substrate which has first and second areas for the first semiconductor optical element and the second optical semiconductor element, respectively; forming an insulating mask on the plural semiconductor layers and the first area; etching the plural semiconductor layers by use of the insulating mask to form a semiconductor portion having an end face; growing a layer of a first semiconductor on the second area and deposit of the first semiconductor on the end face in the reactor by use of the insulating mask; supplying etchant for etching the first semiconductor to remove at least a part of the deposit of the first semiconductor on the end face by use of the insulating mask; and after removing the deposit of the first semiconductor, growing a layer of a second semiconductor for the second optical element on the second area in the reactor by use of the insulating mask.
US07723135B2
In crystallization of a silicon film by annealing with a linear-shaped laser beam having an ununiform width of the short axis of the beam, the profile (intensity distribution) of the laser beam is evaluated, and the result is fed back to an oscillating condition of the laser beam or an optical condition which projects this onto the silicon film, whereby a display device comprising a high-quality crystalline silicon film is produced. In the present invention, (1) the energy distribution of the linear-shaped laser beam is measured by a detector type CCD camera moved stepwise in the directions that its long axis and short axis extend, respectively, (2) a value obtained by dividing an accumulated intensity E in the long axis direction obtained by accumulating the detected signals in a direction parallel to the short axis by the square root of the width W of the short axis of the linear-shaped laser beam in each position in the long axis: E/√{square root over ( )}(W), is determined in all the positions of a cross section of the linear-shaped laser beam. Since a laser power which is suitable for lateral crystal growth of the silicon film has a close correlation with E/√{square root over ( )}(W), this value is used as an evaluation result mentioned above in the present invention.
US07723128B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit includes forming magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) layers; etching the MTJ layers to form a MTJ cell; and forming a dielectric capping layer on sidewalls of the MTJ cell, wherein the step of forming the dielectric capping layer is in-situ performed with the step of etching the MTJ layers.
US07723125B2
Methods of determining whether a sample includes one or more analytes, particularly proteinaceous analytes, of interest are provided. In the subject methods, an array of binding agents, where each binding agent includes an epitope binding domain of an antibody, is contacted with the sample. In many embodiments, contact occurs in the presence of a metal ion chelating polysaccharide, e.g., a pectin. Following contact, the presence of binding complexes on the array surface are detected and the resultant data is employed to determine whether the sample includes the one or more analytes of interest. Also provided are kits, systems and other compositions of matter for practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and compositions find use in a variety of applications, including proteomic applications such as protein expression analysis, e.g., differential protein expression profiling.
US07723121B2
The invention concerns methods and reagent kits for the fluorimetric determination of analytes.
US07723120B2
Total analysis systems and methods for simultaneously monitoring a suite of biological and/or chemical species in water and/or other process systems are disclosed. The system provides a sample-volume controlled sensor array comprising a fluid delivery device and a plurality of optical sensor elements for determining the presence and total concentrations of multiple analytes in the process system simultaneously. Image identification algorithms are provided for identifying the analytes based on image intensity, color pattern, positional arrangement, and the like. The methods incorporate multivariate optimization algorithms to analyze multiple sensor responses. This produces analytical results that are typically difficult to obtain without full system or variable compensation. The improved array response may then be utilized to measure, monitor, and control the concentration of analytes in the chemical or biological sample or water system.
US07723116B2
A flow cytometry system (1) for sorting haploid cells, specifically irradiatable sperm cells, with an intermittingly punctuated radiation emitter (56). Embodiments include a beam manipulator (21) and even split radiation beams directed to multiple nozzles (5). Differentiation of sperm characteristics with increased resolution may efficiently allow differentiated sperm cells to be separated higher speeds and even into subpopulations having higher purity.
US07723107B2
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for inducing an immune response in a human or animal, comprising dendritic cells loaded with at least five cancer/testis antigen and no lineage specific differentiation antigens or substantially no lineage specific differentiation antigens provided from at least one cancer cell line, as well as to isolated cell lines expressing a multiplicity of cancer testis antigens and no differentiation antigens, and to a method of inducing an immune response in a human or animal using the composition of the invention.
US07723105B2
The invention relates to a conditioned cell culture medium and a corresponding method to obtain it. The invention also refers to methods of using this cellconditioned medium for the maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells. The culture medium produced in accordance with the present invention is conditioned by the cell secretion activity of murine cells, in particular, those differentiated and immortalized transgenic hepatocytes, named MMH (Met Murine Hepatocyte). These media are employed in in vitro cell culture systems to induce maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells. The cells named MMH are differentiated non transformed murine hepatocytes that produce important biological molecules (e.g cytokines and growth factors) and, in accordance with the present invention, they are used in in vitro cell culture systems for the maintenance, proliferation and differentiation of mammalian cells.
US07723101B2
An aerobic waste treatment system, such as a composting system, comprising a movable push wall (20). The movable push wall (20) is preferably part of a container (10). In use of the aerobic waste treatment system, waste is heaped against the movable push wall (20) to build a waste heap (60). The waste is coverable with a removable flexible enclosure. The removable flexible enclosure is preferably a liquid-tight but gas-permeable cover (70). A deployment apparatus (30) for covering or uncovering the waste heap (60) with the removable flexible enclosure can facilitate the handling of the removable flexible enclosure.
US07723100B2
An encapsulated surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tag. The tag includes a metal core and an encapsulant, typically a glass encapsulant. The encapsulant is further derivatized with a polymer.
US07723098B2
In a method of constructing a eukaryotic host microorganism for production of a heterologous protein encoded by a trangenically introduced gene, production efficiency of the heterologous protein by the transformant obtained by introducing the gene encoding the heterologous protein into the host is improved.Part or all of the genome unnecessary or detrimental to production of the heterologous protein by the transformant in culture is deleted or inactivated.The eukaryotic host microorganism is preferably Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The part of the genome of the eukaryotic host microorganism to be deleted or inactivated is preferably a gene selected from the genes associated with energy metabolism and the genes associated with proteases, such as a pyruvate decarboxylase gene, a serine protease gene, an aminopeptidase gene and a carboxypeptidase gene.
US07723088B2
The isolation and identification of two O-methyltransferases from the hops plant (Humulus lupulus L.), designated as OMT1 (SEQ ID NO. 1) and OMT2 (SEQ ID NO. 3) is described.
US07723085B2
The present invention provides the use of a composition comprising a block polymer as a support matrix in the manipulation, processing or analysis of particles, such as cells and fluorescent beads. In a preferred embodiment, the composition exhibits gel-sol thermoreversibility, micelle formation under gelling conditions, optically compatible, controllable surfactant properties, molecular sieving properties and biocompatibility. Further aspects of the invention provide (a) a support matrix composition comprising a block polymer, fluorescent beads and/or a dye for use in the manipulation, processing or analysis of particles, (b) a multichamber plate coated in a support matrix composition and (c) kits for producing the same.
US07723084B2
The present invention provides a fibrous protein-immobilization system composition comprising a fiber comprising fiber-forming material, and a protein attached to the fiber-forming material.
US07723074B2
Described herein is a novel member of the prostanoid receptor family, a guinea pig prostaglandin D2 receptor. Described are the receptor, the nucleic acid that encodes it, and various uses for both.
US07723073B2
Antibodies that specifically bind to VLA-1 integrin and methods of using these antibodies to treat immunological disorders in a subject. Also included are crystal structures of complexes formed by VLA-1 antibodies and their ligands, and VLA-1 antagonists and agonists identified by using the structure coordinates of these structures.
US07723066B1
An economical process for in vivo production of the pigment astaxanthin, and particularly a process for enhancing astaxanthin content of cultures of microorganisms of genus Phaffia, the process comprising culturing a microorganism of genus Phaffia in a nutrient medium containing an antibiotic, a cytochrome B inhibitor, or a terpenoid synthetic pathway inhibitor, cultivating surviving pigment enhanced microorganisms, and harvesting the yeast.
US07723051B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of a specific human taste receptor in the T2R taste receptor family, hT2R75 that responds to particular bitter compounds The present invention further relates to the use of this receptor in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of this taste receptor. These compounds may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste. A preferred embodiment is the use of the identified compounds as additives in foods, beverages and medicinals for blocking bitter taste.
US07723022B2
Nucleic acids containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides and therapeutic utilities based on their ability to stimulate an immune response and to redirect a Th2 response to a Th1 response in a subject are disclosed. Methods for treating atopic diseases, including atopic dermatitis, are disclosed.
US07723020B2
The use of azetidinone compounds that are inhibitors of cholesterol absorption as tools for discovering and characterizing proteins involved in trafficking or absorption of cholesterol and/or cholesteryl esters in biological systems is presented. These compounds can serve as tools for competitive binding assays to discover and characterize other chemical agents useful as cholesterol absorption inhibitors. New compounds of the present invention are also highly efficacious inhibitors of cholesterol absorption.
US07723018B2
The present invention relates to regulation of the cell cycle. More particularly, the present invention is directed to nucleic acids encoding components of the ubiquitin ligation pathway, e.g., ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like molecules, E1, E2, and E3 proteins and their substrates, which are involved in modulation of cell cycle arrest. The invention further relates to methods for identifying and using agents, including small molecule chemical compositions, antibodies, peptides, cyclic peptides, nucleic acids, RNAi, antisense nucleic acids, and ribozymes, that modulate cell cycle arrest via modulation of the ubiquitin ligation pathway; as well as to the use of expression profiles and compositions in diagnosis and therapy related to cell cycle regulation and modulation of cellular proliferation, e.g., for treatment of cancer and other diseases of cellular proliferation.
US07723017B2
There are provided methods and compositions for the storage of red blood cells. The compositions are metabolic supplements that are preferably added to refrigerated red blood cells suspended in an additive solution. Red blood cells are preferably stored under conditions of oxygen-depletion. Metabolic compositions comprises pyruvate, inosine, adenine, and optionally dibasic sodium phosphate and/or monobasic sodium phosphate.
US07722994B2
A rechargeable lithium-ion battery includes an anode, a cathode and an electrolyte containing one or more dispersed lithium salts. The electrolyte is composed of one or more solvent materials. A principal solvent constituent compound is at least one of γ-valerolactone, methyl isobutyryl acetate, 2-methoxyethyl acetate, 2-ethoxyethyl acetate, and diethyl oxalate.
US07722989B2
As an alternative technique to lead-acid batteries, the present invention provides an inexpensive 2 V non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having excellent cycle life at a high rate by preventing volume change during charge and discharge. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses: a positive electrode active material having a layered structure, being represented by chemical formula Li1±α[Me]O2, where 0≦α<0.2, and Me is a transition metal including Ni and at least one selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, Ti and Cu, and including elemental nickel and elemental cobalt in substantially the same ratio; and a negative electrode active material including Li4Ti5O12(Li[Li1/3Ti5/3]O4).
US07722987B2
A battery having a housing assembled from multiple parts, of which one housing part is implemented like a vessel having an initially open front side and the other housing part is a closure part, which closes the vessel-like housing part on its initially open front side, and having at least one first and at least one second electrode, each of which is formed by a planar material, of which the first electrode is electrically connected to an electrically conductive housing part of the battery, while the second electrode is electrically connected to an electrically conductive contact, which is electrically insulated from the remaining housing, the battery comprising a molded part which is provided with at least one first recess for receiving and positioning at least one section of the first electrode or the first electrodes at a time.
US07722986B2
The invention concerns an electrochromic cell in thin films and aqueous electrolyte, with an emissivity that varies as a function of an applied control voltage. It is formed of the following flexible elements, superimposed and respectively in intimate contact: a first current collector (11) in electrically conducting material and intended to be connected to a first potential of the control voltage, a porous counter electrode (12) formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP, PEO and a powder of a compound comprising complementary ions of an insertion material, a porous separator (13) formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP and PEO, a second current collector (14) in electrically conducting material, intended to be connected to a second potential of the control voltage and capable of being traversed by ions, a porous electronic conduction layer (15) formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP, PEO and a powder of an electrically conducting material, a porous active layer (16) formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP, PEO and a powder of an insertion material.
US07722981B2
Disclosed are an electro-catalyst composition and a precursor electro-catalyst composition (e.g., ink or suspension) for use in a fuel cell that exhibits improved power output. The electro-catalyst composition comprises: (a) a catalyst un-supported or supported on an electronically conducting carrier (e.g., carbon black particles); and (b) an ion-conducting and electron-conducting coating material in physical contact with the catalyst and/or coated on a surface of the carrier, wherein the coating material has an electronic conductivity no less than 10−4 S/cm (preferably no less than 10−2 S/cm) and an ion conductivity no less than 10−5 S/cm (preferably no less than 10−3 S/cm). Also disclosed are a fuel cell electrode comprising this composition, a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) comprising this composition, and a fuel cell comprising this composition.
US07722971B2
An electric generator for a motor vehicle, including: a reformer for producing a reformate from a primary fuel, water and air; circuits supplying the reformer with primary fuel, air, and water; a fuel cell for production electric power from the reformate and air; a compressor for compressing the air for the fuel cell and/or the reformer; and circuits for supplying the fuel cell with reformate and air, connecting the fuel cell to the reformer and the compressor, respectively. The circuits supplying water to the reformer include a first heat exchanger for establishing heat exchange relationship between the water and the air compressed by the compressor.
US07722967B2
A perpendicular recording medium having an underlayer structure that improves the microstructural properties of the recording layer. A spacer layer is intercalated between the lower and upper hcp metal layers. This results in improvements in microstructure of the upper hcp metal layer and the recording magnetic layer, which in turn results in gains in recording media performance. Further, the thickness of the upper hcp metal layer can be reduced, thereby reducing the distance between the recording layer and the soft underlayer, providing further gains in recording media performance.
US07722963B2
The present invention provides a metallic coating having a sheen and having a discontinuous structure at high productivity and low cost by using sputtering. A resin product includes a resin base material, and a metallic coating having a sheen and a discontinuous structure that is deposited on the resin base material so as to include a portion in which a high-formation metal that relatively readily forms a discontinuous structure when using vacuum vapor deposition is sputtered, and thereafter, a low-formation metal that does not relatively readily form a discontinuous structure when using vacuum vapor deposition is sputtered. The high-formation metal and the low-formation metal are selected from at least two species of metals whose crystal structures are identical and whose lattice constant difference is within 10%.
US07722956B2
A panel comprises two confronting glass sheets 12, 14 that are hermetically sealed together by a solder glass 10, with the hermetic seal 18 comprising remelted solder glass.
US07722953B2
A method for the production of a robust, chemically stable, crystalline, passivated nanoparticle and composition containing the same, that emit light with high efficiencies and size-tunable and excitation energy tunable color. The methods include the thermal degradation of a precursor molecule in the presence of a capping agent at high temperature and elevated pressure. A particular composition prepared by the methods is a passivated silicon nanoparticle composition displaying discrete optical transitions.
US07722949B2
An adhesive composition comprising: 100 parts by weight of (A) a phenoxy resin having, per molecule, at least one alkoxy silane residue represented by the following formula (I) wherein R1 may be the same with or different from each other and is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-4 alkyl group, and R2 is a substituted or unsubstituted C1-9 monovalent group comprising a moiety selected from the group consisting of amino, cyanato, glycidoxy and thiol groups; 5 to 200 parts by weight of (B) an epoxy resin; a catalytic amount of (C) catalyst for curing the epoxy resin; and (D) an inorganic filler in an amount of from 33 to 300 parts by weight per total 100 parts by weight of the components (A), (B) and (C).
US07722948B2
A laminated glazing comprising two panes of glazing material, a sheet of interlayer material extending therebetween, and an electrically conductive member formed (possibly etched) from a sheet of electrically conductive material also positioned between the panes. The electrically conductive member may function as one or more of: an antenna element, a capacitive sensor, an electromagnetic shield, part of alarm circuitry, a resistance thermometer, a busbar. Also a method of manufacturing such a glazing involving locating a pre-formed electrically conductive member and a sheet of interlayer material on a first pane of glazing material, placing a second pane of glazing material in register with the first so that the electrically conductive member and the interlayer material are between the two panes, and laminating in an autoclave.
US07722943B2
A fastener strip for diapers has a center part that is elastic in the longitudinal direction of the strip when the fastener strip is pulled, a non-elastic end part to which a hook element is attached, and a non-elastic connector part for attachment to a diaper. The end part and the connector part are attached to the center part. The center part has a layer of an elastic spun-bonded non-woven fabric, which possesses preferred stretching properties in the longitudinal direction of the strip. The spun-bonded non-woven fabric is made of filaments that have a filament core of a thermoplastic elastomer and a filament mantle of a non-elastic thermoplastic polymer, stretched by means of stretching the spun-bonded non-woven fabric.
US07722939B2
Stock materials for manual and/or high speed industrial automated bonding applications having a curable pre-applied adhesive or sealant compositions on the bonding surfaces wherein the curative for the pre-applied adhesive or sealant composition is contained within a carrier which prevents its premature release.
US07722934B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a means for improving the affinity of an in vivo embedded material such as an artificial blood vessel or an artificial dura mater with a tissue adhesive, so as to quickly prevent the leakage of the blood or spinal fluid. The present invention provides a polymeric material used in combination with a tissue adhesive, which comprises carbon or silicon as a constitutional element, and at least a portion of the surface of which is modified by ion bombardment.
US07722925B2
Methods and apparatus for accommodating thermal expansion of a showerhead. In a first aspect of the invention, the showerhead is movably supported by resting a rim of the showerhead on a support shelf. In a second aspect, the showerhead is suspended from the chamber wall by a plurality of hangers that are connected to the showerhead, the chamber wall, or both by pins that slide within slots so as to permit the hangers to slide radially to accommodate thermal expansion of the showerhead in the radial direction. In a third aspect, the showerhead is suspended from the wall of the vacuum chamber by a plurality of rods or flexible wires. In a fourth aspect, the showerhead is connected near its perimeter to a second material having a greater thermal expansion coefficient than the showerhead. In a fifth aspect, a heater is mounted behind the showerhead to reduce the temperature differential between the top and bottom surfaces of the showerhead or to reduce heat transfer from the workpiece to the showerhead.
US07722918B2
The present invention provides a process for the preparation of high temperature superconducting (HTS) bulk current leads capable of supplying a continuous current of more than 200 A at 77 K, at least for 2 to 4 hours without any substantial heat load to cryogen free cryocooler and other superconducting magnet systems. The superconducting bulk current leads with improved properties are prepared from an improved high temperature superconducting (HTS) bismuth based cuperate [(Bi, Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+x] material in tube and rod shape with both end metallic contacts. To produce such a lead, the process included modification of the superconducting material with homogeneous silver addition, a step of initial sintering in a large size tube followed by crushing into powder, a step of shaping the said initially sintered tube powder into tubes and rods of different size, a step of formation of metallic contacts by a perforated silver foil sandwiched between two metal spray deposited silver at both end parts of the said tubes and rods followed by a final step of co-sintering. In the current leads obtained according to these aspects, it is possible to stably carry current more than 200 A required for energizing superconducting magnet systems.
US07722917B2
An ink jet head has a head substrate including discharge elements for discharging ink, with an electric wiring board being electrically connected to the head substrate, in which the periphery of the head substrate is sealed with a first sealant, and an electric splice between the head substrate and the electric wiring board is sealed with a second sealant. The first and second sealants contain the same base resin and curing agent, and the second sealant shows higher hardness than the first sealant after curing. This ink jet head is free from problems such as cavities and fissures at the boundary of the two sealants caused by a difference in linear expansion coefficients.
US07722901B2
A composition including (a) an extract from a plant of the Asclepiadaceae family; and (b) at least one auxiliary and/or additive, and methods for treating hair growth including administering to a mammal a composition comprising an effective amount of an extract from a plant of the Asclepiadaceae family are provided.
US07722900B2
The purpose of this study was to identify the periodontal regeneration factors in enamel protein shown to induce cementum- and osteo-promotive activities in vivo. The cementum regeneration (CR), a part of periodontal regeneration, was examined by using experimental cavities prepared in a buccal dehiscence dog model. The CR activity was found in the aggregate consisted of sheath proteins along with a small amount of amelogenins separated from newly formed secretory enamel. The sheath proteins were purified to be homogeneous, and examined for the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) inducing activity of human periodontal ligament (HPDL) cells. Application of 17 kDa sheath protein induced ALP activity in HPDL cells. Peptides synthesized from the sheath protein sequence also showed ALP inducing activity. The 17 kDa sheath protein has cell differentiation activity.
US07722896B2
Biocompatible polyarylates of diphenol compounds and poly(alkylene oxide) dicarboxylic acids, articles formed therefrom and therapeutic uses are disclosed.
US07722894B2
A biodegradable polymer comprising a condensation polymer of glycerol and a diacid. The polymer may be adapted for use as a tissue engineering construct. For example, it may be seeded with cells or molecules may be attached to it to modify the metabolism and proliferation of cells or to modify the degradation rate and/or mechanism of the polymer. The polymer may also be exploited in a variety of medical and non-medical applications.
US07722891B2
Storage stable multiple emulsions of a polar phase A1, a nonpolar phase B and a polar phase A2, or of a nonpolar phase B1, a polar phase A and a nonpolar phase B2, employ particulate solids smaller than 1 μm to stabilize the resulting A1/B/A2 or B1/A/B2 multiple emulsions against coalescence, with the proviso that surface-active substances are present only up to a maximum concentration of less than 0.1 times the critical micelle concentration of the surface-active substances in phase A, A1, A2. The multiple emulsions have numerous uses including controlled release of active substances from a dispersed phase.
US07722890B2
The present invention provides methods of making and using immunogenic oligosaccharide compositions comprising native O-linked and S-linked oligosaccharides coupled to a protein carrier, wherein the resultant conjugate elicits a protectively immunogenic response. These compositions may be useful in vaccines against pathogenic Candida species.
US07722888B2
Protein antigens from Streptococcus pneumoniae are disclosed, together with nucleic acid sequences encoding them. Their use in vaccines and in screening methods is also described.
US07722885B2
The invention includes a genetic construct and a mutant dengue virus, designated as strain MBU 01-2002, which is a mutant dengue virus generated by genetic modification of the 13-amino acid sequence just proximal to the pr-M junction within the prM coding region of the genome. The modification involves increasing the number of positively charged amino acids and abolishing the negatively charged amino acids in this pr-M junction sequence. The mutant dengue virus strain MBU 01-2002 possesses less prM protein on the viral envelope than the prototype dengue virus, is capable of inducing infected C6/36 cells to fuse at neutral pH, is as efficient as the prototype virus in the intracellular multiplication, but is defective in its release from infected cells.
US07722882B2
The present invention provides a method for obtaining an immunogenic, non-haemolytic strain of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae which is modified, at least in a segment of the apxIA gene and optionally in a segment of the apxIIA gene that encodes a transmembrane domain of the Apx haemolytic and cytolytic exotoxins. It comprises also the strains, and the attenuated live vaccine porcine pleuorpneumonia obtained therewith.
US07722880B2
The present invention is directed to the cloning, sequencing, expression, and characterization of an immunoreactive ferric binding protein (Fbp) (38-kDa) protein of Ehrlichia canis encoded by a polynucleotide therefor. In particular embodiments, the protein is employed in an immunogenic composition, such as a vaccine. Methods to induce an immune reaction in an individual with compositions of the invention are provided.
US07722877B2
The present invention relates to hydrophilic Eimeria polypeptides, DNA-fragments encoding those peptides, recombinant DNA molecules comprising such DNA-fragments, live recombinant carriers comprising such DNA-fragments or recombinant DNA molecules and host cells comprising such DNA-fragments, recombinant DNA molecules or live recombinant carriers. Furthermore, the invention relates to antibodies against the polypeptides and to coccidiosis vaccines based upon said polypeptides. The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of such antibodies and vaccines, and to methods for the detection of Eimeria parasites and antibodies against Eimeria parasites.
US07722862B2
The invention provides methods for producing an autoantigen-specific regulatory T cell enriched composition, and resultant compositions and methods of use.
US07722853B2
Organic pigments are capable of catalyzing the decomposition reaction of hydrogen-rich, stabilized, borohydride solutions to generate hydrogen gas on-board an operable hydrogen-consuming device such as a motor vehicle or other combustion engine. The organic pigments are used in hydrogen generating systems and in methods for controlling the generation of hydrogen gas from metal hydride solutions.
US07722848B2
Lithium iron phosphate cathode materials for lithium secondary batteries and methods of preparation thereof are disclosed. Better cathode materials may be produced by multiple annealing and/or heating steps. The annealing step can be carried out before and/or after the heating steps to provide cathode materials, which exhibit superior electrical properties. In some instances, divalent iron compounds are incorporated as starting materials.
US07722842B2
A method for mineral sequestration of pollutant gases resulting from the combustion of carbon-based fuels such as carbon and sulfur dioxides is provided and includes, providing a particulate magnesium-containing mineral and exposing the magnesium-containing mineral to a weak acid to dissolve magnesium from the mineral and form a magnesium-containing solution. The surface of the particulate magnesium-containing mineral is physically activated to expose and dissolve additional magnesium into the solution. Pollutant gases such as carbon dioxide are mixed with the magnesium-containing solution. When the pH of the magnesium-containing solution is increased, solid magnesium carbonate is formed.
US07722841B2
The present invention is directed to the use of a combination of a polymeric chelant and coagulant to treat metal containing wastewater. More particularly, the invention is directed at removing copper from CMP wastewater. The composition includes a combination of (a) a polymeric chelant derived from a polyamine selected from the group consisting of diethylenetriamine (DETA), triethylenetetraamine (TETA), tertraethylenepentaamine (TEPA), poly[vinylamine], and branched or linear poly[ethylenimine] (PEI); and (b) a water soluble or dispersible copolymer of a tannin and a cationic monomer selected from the group consisting of methyl chloride or dimethyl sulfate quaternary salt of dimethyl aminoethyl acrylate, diethylaminoethyl acrylate, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, diethylaminoethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide, dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide, and diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.
US07722838B2
An on-demand system for preventing and/neutralizing bioactive substances employs real time monitoring of the fluid for bioactive substances. Once a specific bioactive substance is detected, then a specific neutralizing substance is selected, such as an oxidizing substance, intense ultraviolet light, a neutralizing substance or other substances selected for particular threats. In another example of the invention, a device neutralizing a substance would include a container that would be capable of containing each of the plurality of precursors, a collecting space for receiving each of the plurality of precursors selected by the selector, and a dispensing mechanism for dispensing the neutralizing substance. In one example the neutralizing substance is formulated by the reactions of the precursors in order to neutralize the substance. The device may alternatively select a plurality of precursors to produce an aroma-producing substance and alternatively may neutralize the aroma-producing substance if it harmful or lethal, for example.
US07722834B2
The invention relates to a recombiner system (1) for catalytically recombining hydrogen that is produced in energy accumulators or energy converters. The aim of the invention is to provide a recombiner system (1) which can optionally be used for energy accumulator or energy converter systems having different operating conditions and that helps to counteract functional defects. For this purpose, the recombiner system (1) is formed by individual recombiner elements (2) that can be combined with each other in a modular fashion, said recombiner elements (2) comprising at least one respective catalyst (12).
US07722833B2
A microchannel reactor is described which has at least one process microchannel and at least one heat exchange zone. The microchannel reactor may be used for conducting a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.
US07722831B2
A micro component steam reformer system for producing hydrogen-enriched gas to power a fuel cell adapted for scalable power requirements wherein fluid flow is configured in a circuit whereby, in serially interconnected fluid flow modules, a vaporized hydrocarbon is mixed with fuel cell off gas having a hydrogen component and combusted to heat vaporizers and a steam reformer, vaporized hydrocarbons and water vapor are introduced as a feed stock into the steam reformer to produce a syn-gas, which is cooled and purified, and the resulting principally hydrogen gas is introduced into a hydrogen fuel cell having an interconnection within the circuit in which off gas from the fuel cell is processed to provide hydrogen and water for use in the system cycle.
US07722815B2
Provided is a chemical analysis apparatus comprising a mechanism which can efficiently agitate a substance to be agitated so that a sample and a reagent are agitated and mixed together in a shorter time with a saved consumption power, incorporating a plurality of sound sources or reflecting plates, and a reaction container is located between one of the sound sources and another of the sound sources or one of the reflecting plates, whereby sound waves can be irradiated toward the reaction container in several directions in order to efficiently fluidize a solution in the reaction container.
US07722814B2
Both application of centrifugal force to a biosensor and electrical connection with an electrode of the biosensor can be achieved with a simple structure. The electrode of the biosensor and a measuring part are connected without aligning a rotational position of the rotary table. The centrifugal measuring apparatus 1 is provided with a rotary table 2 that is driven by a motor, a retainer 3 to hold a biosensor accommodating a sample inside on the rotary table, an urged contact part 4 that establishes electrical connection with the electrode of the biosensor in such a manner as being elastically biased to abut against the electrode, a measuring part 8 that measures a signal from the electrode of the biosensor, and a connector part 7 that selectively establishes electrical connection between the urged contact part 4 and the measuring part 8. A contact having a circular shape is utilized to establish electrical connection between the rotary table 2 on which the biosensor 20 is mounted and the fixture side, thereby enabling an electrical connection therebetween irrespective of a position of the biosensor on the rotary table, when the rotary table is stopped.
US07722810B2
An automated machine for handling and embedding tissue samples contained on microtome sectionable supports. The machine includes an input member configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports prior to a tissue embedding operation. An output member is configured to hold a plurality of the microtome sectionable supports after the tissue embedding operation. A cooling unit is configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports during the tissue embedding operation. A motorized carrier assembly is mounted for movement and configured to hold at least one of the microtome sectionable supports. The carrier assembly moves the support from the input member to the cooling unit and, finally, to the output member. A dispensing device dispenses an embedding material onto the microtome sectionable support and at least one tissue sample carried by the microtome sectionable support during the embedding operation.
US07722807B2
The invention is directed to devices and containers for emitting volatile compositions.In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a device that includes a holding mechanism for substantially concurrently and releasably retaining two containers.In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a first container having a first volatile composition and a second container having a second volatile composition where the first and the second containers are operably connected to each other to form a cartridge.In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a method of emitting a first and a second volatile composition.
US07722803B2
A powder mixture alloy is provided for manufacturing surface densified high carbon sintered steel articles containing iron or iron pre-alloyed powder, which has been preliminary mixed with at least 0.4 wt % graphite, lubricant and optionally at least one alloying element from the group of nickel, chromium, copper, manganese and molybdenum. Components are manufactured utilizing the alloy mixture comprising the steps of: a) compacting the metallic powder to obtain a compact; b) pre-sintering the compact at a low temperature to prevent graphite from diffusing into the iron; c) surface densifying of the pre-sintered compact to a predetermined densification depth; d) sintering under neutral gas or carburizing atmosphere; e) heat treating the sintered compact.
US07722799B2
Method of glazing ceramic articles, consisting of preparing a glaze compound in liquid suspension, preferably aqueous; feeding the glaze compound in liquid suspension, preferably aqueous, into the forming cavity of a porous mould, for the time required to create a glaze film of desired thickness on the surface of the cavity by absorption of the liquid phase; feeding the slip into the same cavity for the time required to create the wall of the article by absorption of the liquid phase.
US07722798B2
A method of manufacturing a porous body is provided, including a step of firing a formed honeycomb body including an aluminum source material and a titanium source material to obtain a fired porous honeycomb body containing aluminum titanate as a main component. In this method, 50 mass % or more of particles having particle diameters in a range of 10 to 20 μm are used as the aluminum source material, and the amount of the aluminum source material is such that the amount of an aluminum component in the fired honeycomb body is 48 mass % or more in terms of Al2O3.
US07722781B2
A process is disclosed for the manufacture of CF3CF═CH2 and CF3CH═CHF. The process involves dehydrofluorinating CF3CHFCH2F in the presence of a dehydrofluorination catalyst to produce a product mixture comprising CF3CF═CH2 and CF3CH═CHF, and recovering said CF3CF═CH2 and CF3CH═CHF from the product mixture. The present invention also provides a composition comprising (a) the Z-isomer of CF3CH═CHF and (b) HF; wherein the HF is present in an effective amount to form an azeotropic combination with the Z—CF3CH═CHF.
US07722780B2
The present application provides a refrigerant composition for a single stage refrigeration system operation comprising: more than 25 molar percent but less than 30 molar percent of Nitrogen; at least some but less than 20 molar percent of Methane; more than 30 molar percent but less than 70 molar percent of Propane, Argon, Helium, Neon and combinations thereof, and optionally up to 45 molar percent of Ethane, Ethylene and combinations thereof and a process for preparing the said composition.
US07722779B2
An etchant for and method of removing a glass coating on a metallic wire is provided. The etchant comprises an acid solution having metal ions contained therein. The metal ions prevent the acid solution from pitting or damaging the metallic wire, while allowing the acid solution to effectively etch and remove the glass coating. In one embodiment, a fluorine-based acid solution can be used. In another embodiment, a glass coated, metal alloy microwire is etched and the metal ions added to the etchant are chosen to be the same as the majority constituent element in the metal alloy. The glass coating can be either removed in full or only partially removed.
US07722776B2
A gravitational separation device for purifying water includes a basin for receiving and holding the water. The basin includes an internal wall. At least one supply channel is provided to the periphery of the basin for providing water to the basin. A plurality of openings is provided in a bottom or floor portion of the supply channel. Disposed under the openings is a plurality of deflector plates. A skirt spaced from the internal wall of the basin is inclined towards the interior of the basin at an angle of approximately 5° to 80°. A discharge channel is provided for discharging liquid from the basin, and there is also provided a device for discharging suspended particles.
US07722772B2
The present invention realizes an ion exchange apparatus capable of enhancing the reliability of regeneration operation. Further, the present invention realizes an ion exchange apparatus capable of simplifying the construction of a salt water supply device. The ion exchange apparatus includes a resin bed housing part (2) in which an ion exchange resin bed (5) is housed; a flow passage control valve (3) for switching between a water service operation and a regeneration operation; and a salt water tank (40) for reserving salt water to be used in regeneration, the flow passage control valve (3) being connected to the salt water tank (40) through a salt water supply line (31), in which the salt water supply line (31) is provided with a flow detecting unit (48) for detecting a flow rate in a direction of supplying salt water and a flow rate in a direction of supplying refill water.
US07722769B2
This invention is directed to a wastewater treatment system having a fluidizable media carrying anoxic bacteria in a first treatment zone and a filter membrane positioned in a second treatment zone. A wastewater is contacted with the fluidizable media and further contacted with air and a filter membrane.
US07722766B2
The invention relates to a filter cartridge (1), especially a suction filter cartridge, which is provided, in the outlet opening (20), with an inward-pointing, peripheral snap-on rim (22) which can be folded from a first lower snap position into a second upper snap position and vice versa. The invention also relates to a seat element (30) for such a filter cartridge, comprising a connection sleeve (33) which engages with the outlet opening (20) of the filter cartridge (1). Said connecting sleeve (33) comprises at least one actuator which displaces, when the filter cartridge (1) is placed on the rim, the snap-on rim from a first lower snap position to the second upper snap-on rim from a first lower snap position to the second upper snap positioning which the snap-on rim rests against the connecting sleeve (33) in a sealing and clamping manner.
US07722762B2
A horizontally traveling water screen for filtering debris from a wide flowing stream. The water screen, which may be realized by a foraminous modular plastic conveyor belt, is formed in an endless loop trained between drive and idle sprockets rotatable on generally vertical shafts. The upstream face of the water screen is oriented transverse to the flow and advances horizontally across the stream to drag debris to a cleaning and discharge station. Horizontally spaced hold down tabs extending outward of the inner surface of the loop hook onto and ride along a horizontal guide attached to a support frame for the water screen to prevent the screen from sagging.
US07722760B2
Filtration of water to provide cleansed water, using an assembly that monitors the volume of water cleansed and back-flushes the filtration media based on that volume. The assembly includes a control valve that monitors the amount of water that has been processed, controls the addition of water and oxygen to the assembly, and thus affects the overall operation of the assembly.
US07722757B1
A method and device for the production of hydrogen from water and electricity using an active metal alloy. The active metal alloy reacts with water producing hydrogen and a metal hydroxide. The metal hydroxide is consumed, restoring the active metal alloy, by applying a voltage between the active metal alloy and the metal hydroxide. As the process is sustainable, only water and electricity is required to sustain the reaction generating hydrogen.
US07722756B2
A system and process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material to produce high quality cathode copper from a leach solution without the use of copper solvent/solution extraction techniques or apparatus. A process for recovering copper from a copper-containing ore generally includes the steps of providing a feed stream containing comminuted copper-containing ore, concentrate, or other copper-bearing material, leaching the feed stream to yield a copper-containing solution, conditioning the copper-containing solution through one or more physical or chemical conditioning steps, and electrowinning copper directly from the copper-containing solution in multiple electrowinning stages, without subjecting the copper-containing solution to solvent/solution extraction prior to electrowinning.
US07722754B2
A method of manufacturing a microstructure wherein an aluminum member having an aluminum substrate and a micropore-bearing anodized film present on a surface of the aluminum substrate is subjected at least to, in order, a pore-ordering treatment which involves performing one or more cycles of a step that includes a first film dissolution treatment for dissolving the anodized film until a barrier layer has a thickness of 3 to 50 nm, and an anodizing treatment which follows the first film dissolution treatment; and a second film dissolution treatment for dissolving the anodized film so that a ratio of a diameter of a micropore opening “a” to a micropore diameter at a height “a/2” from a micropore bottom “b” (a/b) is in a range of 0.9 to 1.1, whereby the microstructure having micropores formed on a surface thereof is obtained. The manufacturing method enables microstructures having an ordered array of pits to be obtained in a short period of time.
US07722748B2
Disclosed herein is an electrochemical corrosion sensor. The sensor may include an array of electrodes wherein each electrode may include a diamond like carbon coating disposed on at least a portion of the electrodes. The coating thickness may be at least about 1 micron. The electrodes may therefore provide relatively more accurate determination of electrode corrosion rates that may be more consistent with coupon type gravimetric testing.
US07722744B2
The invention relates to a device (12) which is used to press a pressure shoe (10) against a counter surface, comprising at least one at least partially flexible pressure body (16) which is supported on the bearing body (14), said pressure body comprising at least one cavity (18) which can be impinged upon by pressure fluid in order to produce a predetermined pressing force over a corresponding pressure body volume.
US07722742B2
The present invention relates generally to fabrics used in papermaking, and relates more specifically to fabrics employed in making corrugated board. The invention also relates to a belt for a corrugated board machine, where the belt includes a coating including an anti-friction modifier which can provide one or more of the following advantages: easy application of the coating to the appropriate area of the fabric, the coating is cost effective, the coating provides for increased belt life on the machine, and increased production quality of corrugated board. The present invention also relates to corrugated board machine including a belt which has a coating containing an anti-friction modifier. The present invention also relates to a method of making a coating for a belt, and a method of applying the coating to a belt where the coating includes an anti-friction modifier.
US07722736B2
On the top surface of a substrate, an atmosphere blocker plate, of which plan size is equal or larger than the substrate size, is disposed opposing to the top surface of the substrate. In the rim portion of the atmosphere blocker plate, a vertical through hole is formed so that a nozzle can be inserted into the hole. Nozzle move mechanism moves the nozzle to insert the nozzle to the through hole and position it to the opposing position that is opposed to the top rim portion of the substrate and to the retract position that is away from the atmosphere blocker plate. Processing liquid is supplied from the nozzle, which is positioned to the opposing position, to the top rim portion of the substrate.
US07722734B2
A sheet piece is folded along a first center line thereof to define a first half and a second half. End edges of these two halves are bonded to each other at their middles. The folded sheet piece is placed upon a crotch region of a basic structure, with the first center line being brought close to a second center line of the basic structure. Lateral edges of the first half are bonded to the crotch region. The basic structure is folded back along the second center line. The inner surface of the basic structure is bonded to the outer surface of the lateral edges of the second half. Regions of the first and second halves defined between the respective lateral edges are spaced from the crotch region. Front and rear waist regions of the basic structure are bonded along the lateral edges to obtain a pants-shape diaper.
US07722732B2
The present invention is directed to the use of a thick film paste composition comprising, in weight percent total paste composition, materials selected from mixtures of lead iron tungstate niobate solid solutions 30 to 80%, calcined mixtures of barium titanate, lead oxide and fused silica 20 to 70%, barium titanate 30 to 50%, calcined mixtures of barium titanate 30 to 50%, barium titanate and calcined mixtures of barium titanate 30 to 50%, lead oxide and fused silica 50-80%, and a lead germanate glass 3-20%, as a thick film paste via fill composition for use in the formation of multilayer low temperature cofired ceramic circuits.
US07722731B2
A method for utilizing plastic deformation resulting from grain boundary sliding with or without a novel joint compound that leads to the joining of advanced ceramic materials, intermetallics, and cermets. A joint formed by this approach is as strong as or stronger than the materials joined. The method does not require elaborate surface preparation or application techniques. The method also allows for the formation of transparent joints between two subunits of a construct joined via plastic deformation. The method can be used to tailor residual stresses and maintain native porosity.
US07722728B2
In a heat treatment method for supplying transforming gas and enriched gas inside a furnace and heat treating a workpiece inside the furnace, feedback control of carbon potential is performed by operating a supply flow rate of the enriched gas based on carbon potential inside the furnace, the feedback control is stopped before an opening of the furnace is opened and supply flow rates of the transforming gas and the enriched gas are increased from supply flow rates thereof immediately before the feedback control is stopped; and the supply flow rate of the transforming gas is returned to the supply flow rate thereof immediately before the feedback control is stopped and the feedback control is resumed after the opening of the furnace is closed.
US07722719B2
Techniques of the present invention are directed to distribution of deposition gases onto a substrate. In one embodiment, a gas distributor for use in a processing chamber is provided. The gas distributor includes a body having a gas deflecting surface and a gas distributor face. The gas deflecting surface defines a cleaning gas pathway. The gas distributor face is disposed on an opposite side of the body from the gas deflecting surface and faces toward a substrate support member. The gas distributor face includes a raised step and at least one set of apertures through the raised step. The at least one set of apertures are adapted to distribute a deposition gas over a substrate positioned on the substrate support member.
US07722714B2
Dispersion of fumed silica comprising a silanized, structurally modified silica and a solvent. It is used for producing coating materials.
US07722711B2
An image-forming recording liquid according to the invention contains magnetic polymer particles and a dispersion medium for dispersing the magnetic polymer particles. The magnetic polymer particles contain a magnetic powder and a polymeric compound. The polymeric compound is a polymer prepared by polymerization of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of a (meth)acrylate monomer and a styrenic monomer. The dispersion medium contains water, polyvinyl alcohol and an acetylene glycol-based surfactant.
US07722709B2
A surface cleaning apparatus having an outer surface and comprises a dirt inlet, a handle, a cyclone separator having a cyclone separator interior and an outer wall having an inner surface, the cyclone separator comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber, the dirt collection chamber and the cyclone chamber each having an outer wall, the surface cleaning apparatus is constructed such that the cyclone separator interior is visible from a position exterior to the surface cleaning apparatus, an illumination member positioned to provide illumination to at least a portion of the cyclone separator interior, and a fluid flow motor.
US07722706B2
A device is provided for extracting water from atmospheric air (8) having a free-flowing adsorbent or absorbent (3, 13), in particular a saline solution (3), having a hygroscopic salt for the adsorption or absorption of water, the adsorption or absorption being provided at least along an adsorption or absorption section (7), which realizes a high yield of (potable) water per unit volume of the structure or of the absorbent/adsorbent (3), a decrease in the assembly effort and a stabilization of the process. This is achieved according to the invention in having a free-flowing adsorbent (3, 13) or absorbent (3, 13) disposed at least along the adsorption or absorption section (7) essentially on a guide element (1, 16, 19, 22, 24) for guiding the adsorbent (3) or absorbent (3), in particular on a presettable track.
US07722698B2
A method of determining the purity of oxygen present in an oxygen-enriched gas produced from an oxygen delivery system is disclosed. The oxygen delivery system includes at least one sieve bed having a nitrogen-adsorbing material disposed therein and configured to adsorb nitrogen from a feed gas introduced into the at least two sieve beds via a pressure-swing adsorption cycle. The method includes determining a quantity of nitrogen adsorbed by the nitrogen-adsorbing material by inferring an effective volume of the at least one sieve bed based on a pressure change of the at least one sieve bed.
US07722697B2
The present invention relates to a steel band 1 for the manufacturing of doctor blades, coater blades or creping blades comprising a steel composition comprising in percent per weight 1-3% C, 4-10% Cr, 1-8% Mo, 2.5-10% V and the remainder essentially iron and contaminants in normal amounts, wherein the steel band 1 is produced by using a powder metallurgical process. Further, this invention relates to doctor blades, coater blades or creping blades of this steel band, as well as a method for its manufacture.
US07722690B2
A process for producing electrical power, chemicals, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen is provided. One or more feedstocks and one or more oxidants can be combined in a fluidized reaction zone heated to a temperature from about 1050° F. to about 1900° F. to provide a synthesis gas comprising carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the synthesis gas can be used as a fuel source for one or more turbines to drive one or more electrical generators. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the synthesis gas can be introduced to one or more gas converters to provide methanol, alkyl formates, dimethyl ether, ammonia, Fischer-Tropsch products, derivatives thereof or combinations thereof.
US07722688B2
The invention provides a water blended fuel composition made by combining (i) a normally liquid hydrocarbon fuel; (ii) water; (iii) a nitrogen-free surfactant; and an acid having a pKa of up to about 6.
US07722686B2
Composite electrodes are constructed with pressure-bonding techniques instead of an adhesive. A current collector is made from aluminum foil roughed on both surfaces. The surfaces of the collector can be treated to enhance adhesion to the surfaces. Layers of film that includes active electrode material, such as activated carbon, are fabricated and pressure-bonded to the current collector using a calender with heated rollers. The resulting composite sheet is then processed to shape electrodes, which can be used in electrical energy storage devices, including double layer capacitors.
US07722684B2
Fabricating roll-good fuel cell material involves laminating first and second bonding material webs having spaced apart windows to first and second surfaces of a fuel cell membrane web. First and second active regions of the membrane web are positioned within the respective bonding material windows. Third and fourth gasket material webs having spaced apart windows are respectively laminated to the bonding material on the first and second membrane web surfaces. The bonding material windows align with the respective gasket material windows so that at least some of the bonding material extends within the respective gasket material windows. Fluid transport layer (FTL) material portions cut from fifth and sixth FTL material webs are laminated to the respective first and second active regions. The FTL material portions are positioned within respective gasket material windows and contact the bonding material extending within the respective gasket material windows.
US07722682B2
Disclosed herein is a composition for the oxidation dyeing of keratin fibers, for example human keratin fibers, such as the hair, comprising, in a medium suitable for dyeing, a) at least one oxidation dye; b) at least one fatty alcohol; c) at least one associative polymer; and d) at least one compound chosen from fatty acid esters and metal oxides.
US07722678B2
An intramedullary fixation device and associated method. The intramedullary fixation device includes a first intramedullary component having a first bone-attachment end and a first elongated member, a second intramedullary component having a second bone-attachment end and a second elongated member, and a compliant member coupling the first and second intramedullary components for applying bone-compressing stress. The second intramedullary component defines a sleeve such that the first elongated member can pass therethrough.
US07722675B2
An orthopedic device set, including: a plurality of intervertebral spacer elements, each spacer element having a different axial thickness from each other element, the axial thicknesses being selected to increase by an increment from one element to another; and an instrument for holding ones of the intervertebral spacer elements, the instrument comprising a shaft having a distal end, a selectively grasping subassembly for alternatively rigidly holding each spacer element at the distal end so that the spacer element cannot move relative to the instrument, and releasing the spacer element.
US07722668B2
Methods and devices are provided for support of a body structure. The devices can be adjusted within the body of a patient in a minimally invasive or non-invasive manner such as by applying energy percutaneously or external to the patient's body. The energy may include, for example, acoustic energy, radio frequency energy, light energy and magnetic energy. Thus, as the body structure changes size and/or shape, the size and/or shape of the annuloplasty rings can be adjusted to provide continued reinforcement. In certain embodiments, the devices include a body member including a shape memory material, and an energy absorption enhancement material configured to absorb energy in response to an activation energy. The energy absorption enhancement material is in thermal communication with said shape memory material. The body member has a first size of a dimension in a first configuration and a second size of the dimension in a second configuration, and is configured to be implanted in the first configuration into a heart. The body member is configured to transform from the first configuration to the second configuration in response to the activation energy. The second configuration is configured to reduce a dimension of a cardiac valve annulus in the heart.
US07722664B2
A modular elongated stent having an overlap region where two modular components fit together, the overlap region being relatively stiff as compared to another more flexible region of the stent when the stent is in an assembled configuration, the stent further comprising a mimic region that has a stiffness essentially equivalent to the stiffness of the overlap region, to provide kink resistance. A stent having such a mimic region or otherwise stiff region and a flexible region may have a transition region between the stiff and flexible regions, also to provide kink resistance. A stent may have relatively stiff regions and relatively flexible regions positioned to align the flexible regions with curved regions of a body lumen when deployed within the body lumen. The stiffness of the stiff, flexible, and transition regions may be controlled by varying the cross-sectional area of the stent components and/or by varying the stent architecture.
US07722663B1
An anatomically correct endoluminal prosthesis is provided for placement in a lumen or vessel of a body. In a preferred embodiment, the prosthesis is a stent having at least one segment of curvature located along the body of the stent. The stent may have segments of curvature, apertures, tapers, flares, beveling, non-circular cross-sections, coverings or branching. Preferably, the stent has orientation markers and lines to allow for in vivo identification and orientation by conventional imaging formats. The stent may have multiple segments of curvature in succession or overlapping and may have segments of curvature lying in different planes of curvature. A method of forming the prosthesis is provided.
US07722657B2
An arrangement for mounting a stent graft prosthesis (1) onto a deployment device (2) with a retention arrangement (3) which includes retention at a number of points of the circumference of the proximal end of the stent graft prosthesis (1). The arrangement provides a greater circumferential distance (13) between two adjacent retention points (9) then other of the points. When the deployment device is deployed in a curved lumen such as the thoracic arch it is oriented so that the greater circumferential distance (13) is on the inner side of the curve.
US07722653B2
A bone plate(s) of complex form is provided, particularly suited to tibial plateau-leveling osteotomy and a distal femoral osteotomy. The bone plate has a main longitudinal axis, a bone-contacting bottom side (not shown) and a top side with at least three sets of overlapping holes which communicate through the plate from the top to the bottom side. The sets of overlapping holes define threaded apertures having multifaceted surfaces. When applied to a bone, two sets of such overlapping holes are located so as to lie on opposite sides of an osteotomy site and on the tibial plate; a third is aligned at approximately 60 degrees with the longitudinal axis. The configuration of this complex bone plate vary, depending on the physiology of the patient. An object of the invention is to provide an orthopedic surgeon greater flexibility of choice in that a threaded peg providing secure fixing can be positioned at any interval along the bone plate, including at its extreme ends or on its elbow.
US07722641B2
A device and method for obliterating or occluding a body cavity or passageway, in particular, the left atrial appendage of a patient's heart. The procedure can be carried out intraoperatively, but is preferably carried out percutaneously by use of a delivery catheter to position an occluding device adjacent a patient's left atrial appendage. The occluding device may prevent the passage of embolic or other material to or from the left atrial appendage by volumetrically filling the appendage, closing the opening of the appendage with an occluding member, or pulling the tissue around the opening of the appendage together and fixing it in a closed state.
US07722639B2
A surgical device and tool for use in stabilizing tissue, such as an organ relative to a clamp, the surgical device having an elongate rigid member with a proximal end of the device having a stabilizing structure that rests against the skin of the subject and includes a vessel guide for guiding a blood vessel attached to the organ or tissue, and a tapered distal end that mounts on the clamp. The surgical tool includes the combination of a clamp and the above-mentioned surgical device, with the clamp having a hinge pin with tapered socket that receives mounted the distal end of the device and a flap positioned on the proximal end. The tool is used to stabilize an organ by placement of the stabilizing structure against the skin of the subject, guiding a blood vessel with the vessel hook, using the flap to hold tissue away from the organ, and clamping such vessel distal to the vessel guide. A ligature is then placed across the vessel between the vessel guide and the clamp.
US07722632B2
A device for holding a surgical suture including a base, a guide body, a cam body, a bearing member, and a spring member. The base has a top side, a front edge, and a back edge. The guide body projects from the top side of the base and defines a guide face having an entrance side and an exit side. The entrance side is adjacent the front edge and the exit side is adjacent the back edge. The cam body is pivotally mounted to the top side and forms a toothed surface positioned to selectively secure a surgical suture against the guide face. The spring member is positioned between the cam body and the bearing member, biasing the toothed surface toward the guide face.
US07722631B2
A method for suturing a perforation of the present invention comprises the steps of: inserting an observation device into the hollow organ and confirming a proposed incision line for incising the hollow organ; determining a position to be sutured before incising the hollow organ along the proposed incision line; and suturing the perforation by tightening up a suture thread that penetrates through the hollow organ via the position to be sutured after incising the hollow organ along the proposed incision line and performing a medical treatment in an abdominal cavity through the perforation.
US07722619B2
Apparatus and a method of inserting spinal implants is disclosed in which an intervertebral space is first distracted, a hollow sleeve having teeth at one end is then driven into the vertebrae adjacent that disc space. A drill is then passed through the hollow sleeve removing disc and bone in preparation for receiving the spinal implant which is then inserted through the sleeve. Apparatus and a method of inserting spinal implants is disclosed in which an intervertebral space is first distracted to restore the normal angular relationship of the vertebrae adjacent to that disc space. An extended outer sleeve having extended portions capable of maintaining the vertebrae distracted in their normal angular relationship is then driven into the vertebrae adjacent that disc space. A drill is then passed through the hollow sleeve removing disc and bone in preparation for receiving the spinal implant which is then inserted through the sleeve.
US07722617B2
One embodiment of the present application includes a surgical instrument comprising a first member and a second member that are pivotally interconnected together. The first member and the second member each include a proximal end structured for manual manipulation by an operator and a distal end defining a gripping nose structured to engage a bone anchor. The instrument further includes a bearing surface to contact an implantable rod when the gripping nose is engaged with a bone anchor and to urge the rod toward the bone anchor when the gripping nose is pivoted thereabout. A thread guide is included that is engaged by threading of a rotatable member. The rotatable member can include a swivel-mounted head structured to bear against and further urge the rod toward a seat in the bone anchor when the rotatable member is turned through the guide.
US07722610B2
A multiple coil staple is provided which includes a backspan and a pair of spaced legs. The backspan includes one or more pockets configured to induce coiling of the legs of the staple. A multiple coil staple applier is also provided which includes a pusher having a distal face defining a staple engagement surface and one or more staple deforming pockets. Each staple deforming pocket is configured to induce coiling of the legs of a staple. The multiple coil staple and staple applier facilitate joining of tissues having wider ranges of thicknesses using a single size staple.
US07722593B2
A thong underpant which may be combined with a full sanitary napkin, and a method of making the same; the pad may be formed integrally with the disposable thong underpant, or the back end of the sanitary napkin affixed, as by sewing, to the stretched thong, or the front panel of the thong may be continued into the crotch region to form a partial crotch panel, just big enough to receive the adhesive on the underside of a generally rectangular sanitary napkin.
US07722588B1
A multilayered apertured film wrapping element for an absorbent article is disclosed. At least one outer layer of the fluid-impervious plastic material has a continuous phase of a thermoplastic polymeric component and an immiscible, dispersed phase of a thermoplastic polymeric component having a lower melting point. The wrapping element is useful in applications involving heat sealing and similar thermal processes in absorbent articles, such as sanitary napkins, diapers, bandages, tampons, and the like.
US07722577B2
A bubble free, self-priming IV set for use in the administration of liquids that includes a drip chamber comprising a chamber inlet and a chamber outlet, a bubble isolation device disposed within the drip chamber that prevents air bubbles from exiting the chamber outlet, a tube having an inlet end coupled to the chamber outlet of the drip chamber and an outlet end, and an end plug that includes an air vent. The end plug may be coupled to the outlet end of the tube and is a flow restrictor so that when a liquid is moving through the tube, the velocity of the liquid flow is controlled such that the front of the liquid does not trap bubbles in the tube.
US07722572B2
A safety needle assembly includes a needle holder assembly, a cannula fixed to the needle holder assembly, a protector positioned over the cannula and removable to expose the cannula, and a sheath. The sheath is pivotally mounted on the needle holder assembly to permit the sheath to be pivoted relative to the needle holder assembly in a direction toward the cannula from a non-covering position in which the cannula is exposed after removal of the protector to a covering position in which the cannula is covered by the sheath. The sheath can also be provided with flat surfaces adapted to successively engage a portion of the needle holder assembly as the sheath is pivoted relative to the needle holder assembly. The needle holder assembly can include a tubular syringe barrel or a tubular needle holder adapted to receive an evacuated tube.
US07722570B2
A seal for laparoscopic port comprising: a base adapted to engage a cannula, the base including an axial aperture for a surgical instrument; a multiplicity of jaws mounted on the base, the jaws being moveable radially with respect to the aperture between an open position wherein the shaft of the surgical instrument may pass freely and the closed position wherein the jaws engage said shaft and provide a restraining force restraining radial movement of the shaft; and an actuator rotatable to urge the jaws to move between said open position and said closed position.
US07722562B2
A pump set for use with a pump to deliver a supply of liquid to a patient. The feeding set has a conduit for the nutrient liquid and a safety interlock device associated with the conduit. The pumping apparatus has a pumping device and a control system for controlling operation of the pump. An electromagnetic radiation source is operatively connected to the control system of the pump for emitting an electromagnetic radiation signal in a direction for striking the safety interlock device of the feeding set. The safety interlock device is adapted to affect the direction of the electromagnetic radiation. An electromagnetic radiation detector is operatively connected to the control system for receiving the electromagnetic radiation signal when the direction is affected by the safety interlock device, and providing an indication to the control system that the feeding set conduit is properly positioned in the feeding pump.
US07722555B2
A lockable hinge for use in orthopedic braces is provided. When used in a knee brace, the present hinge provides a knee-immobilizing brace that assists persons with standing and/or walking. The hinge is easily converted from a locked mode to a free range of motion mode and vice versa. When the hinge is in the locked mode, patients are better able to stand and walk. With the push of a button, the patient can bend his or her knee to sit or lie down more comfortably. When the hinge is in the free range of motion mode, patients are better able to participate in physical therapy activities without the hinge locking.
US07722548B2
A soft tissue biopsy device is provided which allows for the recovery of a biopsy of tissue flat in shape, particularly suitable for lymph node biopsy. The device includes twin opposing primary blades preferably aligned in parallel planes, to cut the upper and lower surfaces of the biopsy. A detachment blade is provided to cut the side walls and distal ends of the biopsy. In a preferred embodiment, each primary blade has a sharpened tip set at an angle with a sharpened point to assist tissue penetration. The detachment blade, preferably has inwardly curving flexible sharpened tips at its distal end, and is attached to the handle at its proximal end by a slider such that when in a retracted position, the detachment blade is retracted from the tip of the twixt blades; and when in an advanced position, the tip of the detachment blade abuts the tip of the twin blades.
US07722531B1
The present invention relates to a medical instrument comprising an instrument body. The instrument body comprises at least one outer surface, and a recess is disposed in said instrument body. A non-contact readable data carrier is embedded in said recess, wherein means are arranged between said data carrier and said recess by which the data carrier is floatingly embedded in said recess.
US07722530B2
A method of fixing vertebrae of a patient together at a surgical site includes the following steps: inserting a first cannula (10) into the body (130) of the patient; moving a first fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the first fastener (624) to a first vertebrae (601); moving a second fastener (624) through the cannula (10) and securing the second fastener (624) to a second vertebrae (602); moving a first fixation element (650) through the cannula (10); and fixing the first fixation element (650) to the first and second fasteners (624).
US07722529B2
A harness for treating vessel aneurysms is disclosed. The harness applies elastic, compressive reinforcement on the aneurysm to reduce deleterious wall tension and to resist the shape change of the vessel. Rather than imposing a dimension beyond which the aneurysm cannot expand, the harness provides no hard limit over the range of systolic expansion of the vessel. Instead, the harness follows the contour of the vessel throughout systole and continuously exerts gentle resistance to stretch. Also disclosed is a method of delivering the vessel harness to the vessel with minimal invasion.
US07722526B2
A system, method and apparatus for preventing motion sickness from afflicting a passenger in a moving vehicle which includes a means for capturing and substantially simultaneously displaying video images collected from a frontal view to a passenger having an obstructed view of the environment in front of the moving vehicle. The system, method and apparatus includes cropping/zooming the video images displayed to the passenger in order to create a view for the passenger in order to prevent motion sickness from afflicting the passenger.
US07722523B2
A method and implantation tools for placing a transventricular splint including a tension member. The method includes gaining access to the patient's hearts and identifying entry or exit points for the tension member, marking those locations and delivering the tension member. Anchors for the tension member are also delivered. The length of the tensions member is measured and the walls of the heart drawn together. The pads are secured to the tension member and the tension member is trimmed to length. The pads are secured to the heart surface.
US07722517B2
A plastic bag sealing device includes a work table, a sealing device having a silicon rubber roller, a material intake press roller and a material outlet press roller fixed beside the silicon rubber roller to press thereon, plural rotating shafts fixed outside around the silicon rubber roller and respectively mounted with a sealing blade, plural guide rollers employed to conduct plastic bags, a dot-cutting device, an opening-cutting device, and a press roller fixed beside the dot-cutting device and the opening-cutting device. With the sealing blades to carry out multiple sealing at the same location, a plastic bag can be quickly and firmly sealed, and with the dot-cutting device and the opening-cutting device installed on the work table to respectively execute dot-cutting and opening-cutting, the work table can be comparatively downsized, thus greatly elevating economic gain.
US07722516B2
A metal rolling pin system includes a metal rolling pin formed from a cylindrical metal body having a hollow core. A removable cylinder is disposed inside the core and is filled with a freezable material such as a cellulose gel material. The rolling pin may also have insulating material inside the core to prevent condensation. A silicone sleeve fits over the metal outside of the pin to keep the dough or pastry from sticking. The rolling pin system has more than one core to assure that there is always a frozen core to keep the pin and dough cold.
US07722513B2
An adjustment mechanism for a back support cushion of an exercise machine has two separate pivotal adjustments. One pivot is located above and behind the back support cushion and a second is located below and behind the back support cushion. A two-arm linkage system connects the back support cushion to the exercise machine at the two pivot locations.
US07722512B2
A prone exerciser includes a slide unit disposed with at least a rail, a buffering and locating member, a handle, and a pedal. The buffering and locating member is fixed on front end of the rail for providing buffering and locating effects to the handle. The handle is arranged on the rail, between the buffering and locating member and the pedal, and is sliding forwards and backwards. The pedal is disposed on rear end of the rail and is sliding forwards and backwards along the rail. By adjusting position of the buffering and locating member on front end of the rail, the distance of the handle and the pedal sliding on the rail is determined. Users are prone and operate the handle as well as pedal for sliding forwards and backwards on the rail so as to stretch and contract upper part or lower part of the body respectively or simultaneously. Moreover, the exerciser further includes an elastic rope with one end set on front end of the slide unit while the other end thereof is inserted through rear end of the slide unit and then set on the handle or the pedal so as to increase resistance of the handle or the pedal while sliding forwards and backwards on the rail. Thus users can stretch or contract upper part or lower part of bodies with different strength depending on their needs.
US07722497B2
An engaging device (a switching clutch C0 or a switching brake B0) switches a shifting mechanism 10 between a continuously variable shifting state and a step-variable shifting state. In particular. The step-variable shifting state is set in a high speed running, because a first electric motor M1 need not bear a reaction torque against an input torque TINS inputted into a differential portion 11, the first electric motor M1 is prevented from being large-sized and suppressed in durability lowering. Even when switching to the step-variable shifting state is unable, the input torque TINS against which the first electric motor M1 should bear the reaction torque, is limited by an input torque control means 86, and the first electric motor M1 is prevented from being large-sized and suppressed in durability lowering.
US07722494B2
A method for providing a compact rotary action torque within a larger system comprising a cross-roller bearing, generating a controllable electromagnetic field using a motor stator while interfacing the cross-roller bearing using a bull gear. The bull gear interfaces the cross-roller bearing and includes gear-teeth. An output plate includes a ring gear and supports shaft bearings. The ring gear interfaces the output plate and includes gear-teeth. A drive shaft holds a prime mover rotor and an eccentric and associates with the output plate via the shaft bearings. A gear train includes a meshing gear having gear-teeth for meshing with the gear-teeth of the bull gear and the gear-teeth of the ring gear and walks a minimal number of the gear-teeth for each rotation of the prime mover rotor; thereby, providing a transmitting force from the prime mover along the shortest-possible transmission path.
US07722492B2
A closing link for a bicycle chain that includes a first outer link plate having a first elongated hole and a first chain pin extending therefrom and a second outer link plate having a second elongated hole and a second chain pin extending therefrom. The first chain pin is received in the second elongated hole and the second chain pin is received in the first elongated hole Each chain pin has a head at one end, a foot at the other end and a groove therebetween. Each elongated hole has a larger diameter end, a smaller diameter end and a displacement region therebetween. The larger diameter end has a diameter larger than a diameter of the pin head. The smaller diameter end receives the groove of the chain pin and includes a countersink to receive the pin head. The displacement region includes sides having recessed and unrecessed portions. The recessed portions have a smaller depth than a depth of the countersink at least in the region of the countersink.
US07722491B2
A power shaft including a belt retaining geometry is provided according to an embodiment of the invention. The power shaft includes a shaft including a normal belt position portion adapted for receiving a belt and a reduced diameter portion formed on the shaft and located adjacent to the normal belt position portion. The belt can move into the reduced diameter portion of the power shaft during operation and the reduced diameter portion creates an alignment tension force on the belt that operates to return the belt to the normal belt position portion.
US07722489B2
A bicycle front derailleur includes a chain guide that is provided with a pushing element that is movable relative to the chain guide to assist in shifting a bicycle chain from a smaller front sprocket to an adjacent larger sprocket. The chain guide is part of a movable member that is movably coupled to a base member via a linkage assembly. The pushing element is rotatably coupled to the chain guide portion and activated by a chain to move relative to the inner chain guide member from a first position with the pushing element at rest to a second position in response to activation by the chain. The contact surface moves laterally outwardly into the chain receiving slot toward the outer chain guide member as the pushing element moves from the first position to the second position.
US07722488B2
A bicycle rear derailleur includes a base member, a movable member, a chain cage, a first pulley, a second pulley and a chain guard member. The base member is configured to be mounted to a bicycle. The movable member is movably coupled to the base member. The chain cage is coupled to the movable member to move between at least a first orientation and a second orientation. The first pulley is rotatably mounted relative to the movable member. The second pulley is rotatably mounted to the chain cage to move with the chain cage relative. The chain guard member is movably coupled relative to the movable member. The chain cage includes an engagement portion arranged to move the chain guard member from a first position to a second position when the chain cage is moved from the first orientation to the second orientation.
US07722487B2
A bicycle front derailleur is provided with a mounting fixture that is configured to maintain an angular orientation of the front derailleur about a mounting axis parallel to a center axis of a frame tube in a stable manner. The mounting fixture has a bicycle frame fastening part, a front derailleur mounting part and a front derailleur contact part. The bicycle frame fastening part is configured to be fastened to the seat tube. The front derailleur mounting part is disposed on the bicycle frame fastening part and configured to be fastened to the front derailleur so that fine adjustment is possible about the mounting axis disposed at a distance from the seat tube. The front derailleur contact part selectively contacts a side surface of the front derailleur on the side facing the seat tube in a position that is different from that of the front derailleur mounting part.
US07722482B2
Golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core consists of a center and an outer core layer that are both soft relative to a hard intermediate core layer. The outer core layer is thin relative to the center and the outer core layer.
US07722478B2
A golf club head, in particular a golf putter head, with a striking face, which is provided on the front side of a striking part, for a golf ball, and with a device, which is fastened to the rear side of the striking part, for receiving interchangeable weights. The device has two elements which mutually intersect preferably without any contact and to the one free end sections of which weights can be fitted. As a result, a shifting of the center of gravity and distribution of the weight of the head are possible in a particularly variable manner.
US07722477B2
A force dampening and redirection system for use with a golf driver or fairway club head including an elongated handle terminating in a three-dimensional shaped driver or fairway head exhibiting a substantially smooth ball striking face. A vibration dampening and absorbing component, such as an elongated spring, extends within a hollow three dimensional interior associated with the club head. Upon impacting a golf ball offset from a center line associated with the striking face, an off-center striking force is more readily transferred to the spring, both to counteract twisting of the putter head and to reduce vibration of the club face at the ball contact zone, thereby increasing an effective surface area of the striking face creating a perpendicular travel direction of the ball relative to the golf club striking face.
US07722462B2
A gaming device and method where there is a primary game and a bonus game. The player makes a wager and plays the primary game to obtain an outcome. Before, during or after the primary game a bonus game is played, apart from the primary game, which can trigger an separate, unrelated award. A bonus award display displays any award from the bonus game.
US07722460B2
A gaming device such as a slot machine may be operated in an automated play mode in which the need for player input is reduced or eliminated. Game play cycles may be continuously performed in the automated play mode without player input. One or more parameters for controlling the automated play mode may be determined based on player input and/or data or a program stored in the gaming device and/or data or a program stored in a controller in communication with the gaming device. Termination of the automated play mode may result from player input and/or may be determined on the basis of a parameter that may be determined on the basis of player input or may be determined automatically by the gaming device or by a controller in communication with the gaming device.
US07722452B2
A game program of the present invention causes a computer to execute a first delete condition setting step of setting a delete condition of puzzle elements in which puzzle elements of the same kind in a first number or more are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a first delete condition and a second delete condition setting step of setting a next delete condition of the puzzle elements in which puzzle elements of the same kind in a second number which is smaller than the first number or more are continuously arranged in a predetermined direction as a second delete condition when it is judged that the first delete condition is achieved in the first delete condition judgment step.
US07722450B2
A game system including: a music reproduction section which reproduces given music data stored in a storage section; a display control section which performs display control of changing a relative positional relationship among a direction mark which directs an operation to be performed by a player using an operation section, a special direction mark for the second game and a reference mark for timing judgment of the operation in association with a reproduction state of the music data to cause the direction mark and the reference mark to come closer; a timing acquisition section which acquires operation timing when the player operates the operation section for the direction mark; and a game calculation section which performs calculation processing of a first game of comparing the acquired operation timing with timing criteria and calculation processing of a second game differing from the first game based on operation information of the operation section for the special direction mark.
US07722444B2
An angle grinder is provided including a trigger assembly for selectively actuating the angle grinder. A particle separation assembly is provided for the removal of any dust, particle, or artifacts that may have entered into the housing of the angle grinder. A brush biasing system is also provided to ensure proper and efficient operation of the motor of the angle grinder. An overload monitoring system is included to monitor the loading on the motor. A clutch mechanism is also included to prevent overloading on the motor of the angle grinder. A gear wheel lock mechanism is also provided to prevent the wheel spindle from rotating during installation or removal of a grinding wheel on the wheel spindle. An anti-locking flange system is also included to prevent the over-tightening of the flanges and the grinder wheel during the operation of the angle grinder. A gear case labyrinth feature is also provided.
US07722439B2
A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a head for holding a semiconductor wafer, a retainer ring for surrounding the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer held by the head, and a polishing pad for polishing a polished surface of the semiconductor wafer. This apparatus presses the polished surface of the semiconductor wafer against the polishing pad together with the retainer ring to polish the semiconductor wafer. The retainer ring used in the present invention has a surface that is in contact with the polishing pad, which increases a contact area of the retainer ring against the polishing pad in accordance with wear of the retainer ring.
US07722429B2
A product, comprising of a reconfigurable toy assembly, said assembly being reversibly reconfigurable between at least a first configuration and a second configuration; where said toy assembly operates as a toy vehicle in said first configuration and operates as a wearable power-suit toy in said second configuration, wherein said wearable power-suit toy may be coupled to a figure.
US07722421B2
A high temperature stable composition includes a first material and a second material interspersed within the first material so as to form a structure. The composition is structured such that the first and second materials maintain a periodicity of distribution between about 100 nm and about 1000 nm, and the composition is operable to reflect photons having a wavelength greater than about 700 nm and to emit or transmit photons having a wavelength between about 400 nm and about 700 nm at temperatures greater than about 2000 Kelvin for at least about 10 hours.
US07722417B2
A mount for securing a trolling motor to a watercraft has a base, a main arm, a motor coupling, and a linkage. The motor coupling is configured to rotatably retain the trolling motor. The main arm is pivotally coupled to the base. The linkage is pivotally coupled with the base and the main arm and extends within the main arm to contact the motor coupling for actuating rotation of the motor coupling between a first position when the main arm is in a stowed position, and a second position when the main arm is in a deployed position.
US07722413B2
A press-in hole (16) of a housing (10) is formed to be gradually wider from the front end toward the rear end, a large dimensional difference between the width of the press-in hole 16 and that of a press-in portion (21) of a tab-shaped terminal (20) is ensured at a front end portion of the press-in hole 16, so that the tab-shaped terminal (20) can be reliably retained in the housing (10). On the other hand, since the dimensional difference between the width of the press-in hole 16 and that of the press-in portion (21) is small at a rear end portion of the press-in hole (16), press-in resistance at an initial stage of a press-in process is reduced.
US07722402B2
An interface module includes a housing having a plurality of jack openings configured to receive shielded modular jacks therein. The housing has a mounting wall extending along one side of the jack openings. A bond bar is coupled to the mounting wall, wherein the bond bar has a jack interface configured to engage respective ones of the shielded modular jacks and a panel interface configured to engage a mating surface of a panel. The bond bar is configured to create an electrical connection between respective ones of the shielded modular jacks and the mating surface of the panel.
US07722397B2
The invention relates to a plug connector (10) for the detachable connection of a number of cable pairs (97, 98) with a conductor cross-section of more than 10 mm2, in particular, for the supply of the welding current in welding robots, wherein individual contact elements (52, 60), with a conducting connection to the cables (97, 98), may be plugged into an insulated plug housing (11) with a clipping action and are detachably held in the plug housing (11) or terminal housing (12), the clipping action of the contact elements (52, 60) in the housings (11, 12) being achieved by an elastic deformation of the housings (11, 12). Manipulation is facilitated in that the housing (11, 12) is made from a material of such a hardness that the plugging in and exchange of contact elements can be achieved without the use of tools.
US07722380B1
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for retaining a plug in an outlet. The apparatus includes a body and a pair of arms slidably connected to the body. The arms are secured to the outlet. The body slides along the arms in a first direction to retain the plug in the outlet.
US07722374B2
A low-profile genderless connector uses interlocking tabs and spring levers to form a secure mechanical link with another identical genderless connector using rotational engagement. Upon full engagement of two opposing yet identical connectors, electrical contacts on each connector complete multiple signal paths for ground, power, and signal communication in a preferred sequential order. In an alternative embodiment, the connectors rotationally engage to form a coupling having optical contacts. In yet another embodiment, the connectors rotationally engage to form a coupling to provide strictly mechanical or structural connectivity.
US07722372B2
A direct mounting connector includes: six independent busbars for connecting the apparatus to two auxiliary machines for three-phase alternating current; two U-pole first terminal parts, two V-pole first terminal parts and two W-pole first terminal parts The six first terminal parts are connected to the apparatus at first ends of the respective six busbars, the two first terminal parts of the same pole are arranged adjacently to each other; and two sets, each set of which consists of a second U-pole terminal part, a second V-pole terminal part and a second W-pole terminal part The six second terminal parts are connected to the two auxiliary machines at second ends of the respective six busbars, the two sets arranged adjacently to each other having a distance therebetween. Busbar parts extend between the two sets of the second terminal parts.
US07722371B2
An electrical interconnect assembly and methods for making an electrical interconnect assembly. In one embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact elements and a fluid containing structure which is coupled to the flexible wiring layer. The fluid, when contained in the fluid containing structure, presses the flexible wiring layer towards a device under test to form electrical interconnections between the first contact elements and corresponding second contact elements on the device under test. In a further embodiment, an interconnect assembly includes a flexible wiring layer having a plurality of first contact terminals and a semiconductor substrate which includes a plurality of second contact terminals. A plurality of freestanding, resilient contact elements, in one embodiment, are mechanically coupled to one of the flexible wiring layers or the semiconductor substrate and make electrical contacts between corresponding ones of the first contact terminals and the second contact terminals. In another embodiment, a method of making electrical interconnections includes joining a flexible wiring layer and a substrate together in proximity and causing a pressure differential between a first side and a second side of the flexible wiring layer. The pressure differential deforms the flexible wiring layer and causes a plurality of first contact terminals on the flexible wiring layer to electrically connect with a corresponding plurality of second contact terminals on the substrate.
US07722359B1
A connection assembly has a midplane, first midplane connectors and second midplane connectors. The midplane is divided into an airflow section and a connector section by a dividing line. The midplane defines a first side and a second side which faces away from the first side. The airflow section provides airflow passageways connecting spaces on both sides of the midplane. The connector section provides (i) first mounting locations which are confined to the connector section on the first side and (ii) second mounting locations which are confined to the connector section on the second side. The first midplane connectors are arranged to connect to first circuit board modules, and are mounted over the first mounting locations on the first side. The set of second midplane connectors are arranged to connect to second circuit board modules, and are mounted over the second mounting locations on the second side.
US07722350B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for imprinting and/or embossing substrates (7), in particular semiconductor substrates or wafers, having: a receiving unit (5) for receiving the substrate (7) in a working space (13), an adjusting device (2, 3, 4) for adjusting the substrate (7) in relation to an embossing and/or printing punch (10), whereby for a process that is as contamination-free as possible and for a manufacture of the apparatus that is as favorable as possible the receiving unit (5) is designed so as to separate the working space (13) from the environment.
US07722337B2
The invention concerns a piston compressor cylinder arrangement (1), particularly for a hermetically enclosed refrigerant compressor, with a cylinder body (2) and a cylinder head arrangement (7), the cylinder body (2) having a first front side (6) in the area of the cylinder head arrangement (7) and a second front side (8) at the other end. It is endeavoured to manufacture such a cylinder arrangement in a cost-effective manner without having to fear for a deformation during mounting. For this purpose, a cup-shaped mounting sleeve (9) surrounds the cylinder body (2) over its full axial working length with a radial distance on all sides.
US07722335B2
Disclosed herein is a linear compressor. The linear compressor comprises shell spring seats each including a shell coupling portion and a spring coupling portion. A buffer is provided between the shell coupling portion and the spring coupling portion to absorb vibration. This prevents the vibration from being transmitted from the spring coupling portion to the shell coupling portion, resulting in no noise discharge to the outside of the shell.
US07722318B2
A variable vane shroud for a gas turbine engine comprises a cylindrically shaped body, a hole arranged at a circumference of the body, and a counterbore arranged concentrically around the hole on a radially inward facing surface of the body. The hole is for receiving a trunnion from a variable vane and the counterbore is for receiving a hub from the variable vane. A liner is inserted into the hole and counterbore such that the trunnion and hub are provided with a contact surface. The invention also provides a method for repairing a damaged counterbore in a variable vane shroud. A liner having a shape corresponding to a layer of material removed from the shroud is inserted into the void left by removing damaged material such that the counterbore is restored to pre-damaged dimensions.
US07722316B2
An acoustic viscous damper for a compressor including a porous liner located within the discharge duct, the porous liner having a plurality of holes for passage of a purge working fluid therethrough into the discharge duct.
US07722313B1
Device for converting kinetic energy contained in a fluid, into mechanical energy, coupled to an either gaseous or liquid fluid mass outlet secondary conduit, constituted by a fixed main conduit receptor of said fluid mass and a movable conduit coaxially attached to an axial flow rotor and associated to an outer supporting frame, including this assembly a flange abutting with said fixed conduit; both conduits are assembled by a fitting device comprising a lid, sealing washers, bearings and retaining ring acting on spacing sleeves and a locking nut; the movable conduit attached to the rotor rotates along its axis and coaxial to said fixed conduit without a major axial displacement; within said rotor it is lodged a hub and a deflector capable of directing the fluid's flow toward passages within the hollow blades and their corresponding exits at the end of each blade, constituting each one of said exit outlets an ejector means for the fluid, thereby achieving the rotational movement of the rotor on its axis; attached to said rotor there is a driven shaft with coupling means to the shaft of the driven means, such as an electrical generator.
US07722297B2
The present invention relates to embodiments of a cutting tool holder having at least one insert pocket, wherein at least one insert pocket comprises a side surface and at least one antirotation stop protruding from the side surface. The antirotation stop may comprise at least two substantially planar surfaces. In certain embodiments, the cutting tool holder may have a pocket which comprises a bottom surface and an antirotation stop having three substantially planar surfaces that are substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface.
US07722278B2
The duckbill valve assembly includes at least two duckbill valve members and a flexible, flat flange member which joins the two duckbill valve members together. The flange connects the duckbill valve members together at their respective bases, thereby maintaining the two duckbill valve members in a particular orientation and arrangement relative to each other.
US07722276B2
An applicator device for applying a substance may include: an inside space containing a supply of substance; an applicator member including a cellular material that deforms at least in part during application, and an application surface configured to apply the substance; a handle that is secured to the applicator member which includes at least one portion that is fastened relative to the handle; a housing configured to receive the applicator member at least in part, the housing communicating in a permanent manner with the inside space containing the supply of substance; and a resilient return member configured to exert thrust on the applicator member toward the application surface.
US07722275B2
In one embodiment of a writing instrument with a tape flag dispenser, a writing instrument has a body portion, a writing tip, and a flag dispenser that can be attached to and detached from the body portion. The flag dispenser holds a supply of tape flags, such as a folded stack of tape flags, which can be removed through an opening in the dispenser. The flag dispenser can be, for example, a cap that covers the writing tip or an attachment that affixes to an end of the body portion. In another embodiment, a writing instrument has a body portion, a writing tip, a flag dispenser integrally incorporated into the body portion, a containing section housed in the flag dispenser, and an opening in the containing section through which tape flags can be issued.
US07722266B2
A camera apparatus includes a lens module, an image detecting module, a shutter and a shutter control apparatus. The shutter is disposed between the lens module and the image detecting module. The shutter control apparatus has a switch for controlling the lens module and the shutter. The switch has a first trigger status and a second trigger status. While the switch produces the first trigger status, the lens module automatically focuses. By contrast, while the switch produces the second trigger status, the shutter control apparatus turns on/off the shutter, so that the image detecting module detects an image through the lens module.
US07722261B2
An optical connector comprising: (a) a lens; (b) a ferrule assembly comprising a ferrule with an endface and at least one fiber in the ferrule having a fiber end presented at the endface; (c) a housing for holding the ferrule assembly and the lens in a certain axial and radial relationship; and (d) a glass element having a first and second surface, the first surface affixed to the endface such that it is in physical contact with the fiber end, the second surface having an AR coating and defining a space between it and the lens.
US07722257B2
A roller bearing cage is made of a resin and has a tapered tubular shape as a whole. In the roller bearing cage, tapered rollers are forcibly fitted to pockets while elastically deforming pillar portions at a small-diameter annular portion side. A stress alleviating portion is provided on at least an outer circumferential side of an end of the pillar portion at the small-diameter annular portion side so that a portion of the pillar portion from a crossing portion between the pillar portion and the small-diameter annular portion to a side of the large-diameter annular portion is linearly cut, thereby alleviating the stress occurring in the pillar portion when the tapered roller is forcibly fitted to the pocket.
US07722250B2
The present invention discloses a probe cover for an ear thermometer, which comprises: a film cover and a base. The film cover has a cover window able to contact the probe window at the front end of the ear thermometer, a hollow cone able to contact the sidewall of the probe and a strengthened element able to contact the cover window and the hollow cone. The thickness of the cover window is same as the thickness of the strengthened element and greater than the thickness of the hollow cone. Thereby, the present invention can prevent the variation of infrared transmittance caused by the misarrangement and non-uniform thickness of the probe cover film disposed at the front of the probe window.
US07722246B1
A method of measuring the coefficient of thermal expansion of a ceramic material, including the steps of applying a glaze to a substantially densified refractory body, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of either the glaze or the body is known, bonding the glaze to the body, putting the glaze insufficient tension to induce crazing, measuring the average distance between cracks in the crazed glaze; and determining the unknown coefficient of thermal expansion of the glaze or body.
US07722235B2
A vehicle headlamp is provided. The vehicle headlamp includes a projection-type light source unit housed in a lamp chamber. The light source unit includes a projection lens; a shade; a light emitting diode (LED) light source; a reflector; and an optical element. The LED light source includes a substrate; an LED chip disposed on the substrate such that the LED chip is oriented in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the light source unit; and a cover member. A region of the cover member includes concave and convex portions so as to diffuse light transmitted through the cover member. The reflector reflects and guides the light from the LED light source onto a rear focus of the projection lens. The optical element guides the diffused light transmitted through the cover toward a front side of the vehicle headlamp so as to form an overhead light distribution.
US07722230B2
A removable LED track light device has a plurality of LED light-units that fit within track means. At least one LED element(s) fits within the LED light-unit's geometric construction such that electrodes of the LED light unit are connected via conductive mean, resilient conductive means, contact means, to bus means that supply electric signal from an AC or DC power source, with circuit means, switch means, sensor means, timer means, and/or control means being included to provide desired light functions for illumination. The LED-units have a geometric construction and space to allow element(s) to be fixed in position or incorporated with reflector means. The LED light-units may also be incorporated bracket means to arrange the LED element assembly away from the LED light-unit base. Hanging means or another electric device also can be added onto the LED light-unit or LED light device to provide even more practical extra functions.
US07722227B2
A recessed lighting fixture providing illumination from a light source comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) placed within a cavity of a planar surface, such as a ceiling, wall, or shower. The fixture comprises a baffle integrated with a low profile heat sink that is used to draw heat out of the fixture and communicate that heat to a trim ring of the fixture for dissipation of the heat in the room so that higher intensity light sources can be used. Improved grounding of the recessed trim unit to the recessed housing is provided with combination support and grounding springs. One embodiment of the light source is fixed in position while a second embodiment is gimbal mounted for aiming the light produced by the fixture.
US07722225B2
A diffuser for a backlight unit of a display device including a base film, a first diffusion layer including a first resin and a plurality of first diffusion particles, and being formed on an upper surface of the base film, and a second diffusion layer including a second resin and a plurality of second diffusion particles, and being formed on a lower surface of the base film. Further, the plurality of first diffusion particles are contained within the first resin such that an upper surface of the first diffusion layer is substantially flat.
US07722223B2
A structure of a line lighting device permits a rod-like light guide to be attached to a case without rubbing against the case. An end portion of the rod-like light guide provided with a pin is inserted into an opening in a case main body and pushed down, thus making the pin engage with a recess in the case main body. At this time, a distal end of the rod-like light guide is inserted, to some extent, into an opening in a light emitting unit fixing portion. Subsequently, the rod-like light guide is pushed down and pivoted around the pin so as to be completely contained within the case main body. In this state, the distal end of the rod-like light guide is fitted into the opening and the end face of the rod-like light guide is flush with the outer side face of the light emitting unit fixing portion.
US07722218B2
A device for simulating and/or attracting aquatic life forms is disclosed. The device includes an electromagnetic module for simultaneously generating alternating or pulsed electromagnetic fields and a pulsed light output from a light emitting diode. The electromagnetic module includes a dry battery that is activated when exposed electrodes of the dry battery are placed in contact with a common electrolyte, such as sea water. The electromagnetic module includes a control circuit with one or more application specific integrated circuits for converting an input voltage from the dry battery to an operating voltage sufficient to power the light emitting diode. In further embodiments of the invention, the device includes one or more removable jackets that resemble aquatic life-forms.
US07722216B2
A lighting apparatus (2) includes a housing (4) of plastic material, the housing (4) defining a translucent window (12), and a light emitting diode assembly (3) on a printed circuit board (34). The apparatus (2) may be attached to the hull (14) of a boat by means of a flange (10) and a nut (16). The apparatus (2) may include a heat sink (36) machined from a solid aluminum bar. The housing (4) may be connected to a sealing cap (6). The housing (4) is preferably injection-molded from a thermoplastic material such as polycarbonate. Electrical wires may extend through a central bore (42) of the heat sink (36) and the sealing cap (6).
US07722209B2
A flashlight has a lamp, a power source, two switches, and a controller connected to the switches. The first switch controls delivery of power to the lamp, and the second switch selects a dimmed brightness level. The first switch may invoke the dimmed level, or a maximum brightness level. The second switch may be a ring rotatable about the axis the flashlight, and either rotatable through a wide range of positions, with sensor circuitry to detect the absolute position, or having a limited range of rotation, with dimmed level selection provided by a duration of momentary rotation in either direction. The second switch may be positioned outside a leak resistant housing, and may include a magnet detectable by magnetic field sensors within the chamber.
US07722198B2
A optical instrument (e.g., coronagraph) is described herein that has a pick-off mirror with a surface having an array of reflective structures (reflective occulting mask) machined therein which enables an optical image of one or more low intensity objects (e.g., planets) to be obtained when the low intensity object(s) are located in close proximity to a high intensity object (e.g., sun). Also described herein, is a method for manufacturing the pick-off mirror which has a surface with an array of reflective structures (reflective occulting mask) that are machined therein.
US07722197B2
The present disclosure is directed to lamina(e) comprising cube corner elements, a tool comprising an assembly of laminae and replicas thereof. The disclosure further relates to retroreflective sheeting.
US07722195B2
A projector includes a light source device and an exterior casing, wherein an engagement moving portion slant surface is formed at an engagement moving portion, the engagement moving portion slant surface abutting on an engaging protrusion in a sliding manner when the engagement moving portion is moved to a not-engaging position to press the engaging protrusion toward a top portion.
US07722191B2
A projector comprises a case, an illuminant heat source, a thermal module, and an equalizing temperature module. The equalizing temperature module is disposed between the illuminant heat source and the thermal module. When the fluid flows from the illuminant heat source to the equalizing temperature module, the fluid flows through a relative high temperature region more than that of flowing through a relative low temperature region. The equalizing temperature module at least comprises a heat pipe and a plurality of heat sinks. The heat pipe has a first end located in the relative low temperature region and a second end located in the relative high temperature region. The heat pipe transfers heat from the relative high temperature region to the relative low temperature region by a cold fluid in the heat pipe. The plurality of heat sinks are disposed on the heat pipe to increase the area of heat conduction.
US07722185B2
A cradle unit for a printhead cartridge, the cradle unit comprising: an interface at which the cradle unit is removably engageable with a printhead cartridge, the interface comprising connections for connecting the printhead cartridge with a power supply which is remote from the interface; and a power storage circuit incorporated in the interface for storing at least some of the power being supplied to the printhead cartridge from the power supply.
US07722179B2
An inkjet fixer composition and a printing method and system used with the composition are disclosed herein. The composition includes: a) from 1 to 8 weight percent cationic polymer; and b) from 0 to 2 weight percent of at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactant, cationic surfactant and combinations thereof; and c) an aqueous liquid vehicle. Upon overprinting the fixer composition with an ink-jet ink on a substrate, the fixer composition vehicle and the ink-jet ink vehicle form a vehicle mixture on the substrate after which the vehicle mixture penetrates into the substrate, and an ink image is formed on the substrate.
US07722178B2
The passage unit is provided with a through hole that connects the ink ejection face and the support face. The ink supply block is provided with a through hole that connects the bond face and the ink inlet face. The filter film blocks communication between the through hole provided in the passage unit and the through hole provided in the ink supply block.
US07722173B2
A fluid container includes a body having a depth extending between a base interior surface and an opening of the fluid container. The fluid container also includes a capillary material compression structure having an extension depth extending from the opening to a capillary material where the capillary material compression structure is in contact with the capillary material, and the ratio of the extension depth to the depth is 0.35 or greater.
US07722172B2
A printing cartridge (1230) includes a housing (1234). A radio frequency tag (1232) is positioned on the housing (1234). The radio frequency tag (1232) carries data relating to at least one of: a serial number of the cartridge, a media and a media colorant.
US07722168B2
The present invention relates to a printhead for an inkjet printer. The printhead includes a chassis assembly defining a plurality of spaced apart first groups of apertures and a channel. An ink distribution unit defines a plurality of ink distribution passages and a plurality of spaced apart second groups of apertures. The apertures of each second group are in fluid communication with respective ink distribution passages. The ink distribution unit is received in the channel so that the first and second groups coincide. A plurality of printhead modules is serially engaged along the chassis assembly and in fluid communication with respective first groups. The printhead modules are configured to eject ink provided from the ink distribution passages via the first and second groups.
US07722165B2
In a liquid-droplet jetting apparatus constructed to change volume of pressure chambers in a cavity unit by displacement of active portions in a piezoelectric actuator so as to jet liquid in the pressure chambers from nozzles, respectively, the pressure chambers and the active portions extend on a predetermined plane; a length in a longitudinal direction of each of the active portions is not more than 1.5 mm, a height of each of the pressure chambers is 40 μm to 60 μm, and a thickness of a member which defines surfaces, of the pressure chambers, on a side opposing the piezoelectric actuator is 100 μm to 150 μm. The liquid-droplet jetting apparatus can stably jet a liquid-droplet having a minute volume at a predetermined speed without increasing a drive voltage applied to the active portions.
US07722160B2
A nozzle plate and printhead allowing for control of a deflection direction of ejected droplets using electro-wetting, and methods of operating and manufacturing the same. The nozzle plate has at least one nozzle for ejecting fluid and includes electrode segments disposed along a circumference of the nozzle, an insulating layer disposed on a surface of each electrode segment so as to contact fluid in the nozzle, the insulating layer divided into at least two insulating layer segments corresponding to the electrode segments, and a wire pattern electrically coupled to the electrode segments.
