US07941862B2
The present invention discloses a data access method accomplished by the following steps of: creating a predetermined password; generating a first encryption key; encrypting data based on the first encryption key; prompting for the predetermined password upon receipt of an access request; decoding a header of the NAND flash memory based on a user-entered password; examining the header to determine whether a mapping between the user-entered password and the first encryption key is defined; and decrypting and outputting the data by a decryption key when the mapping between the user-entered password and the first encryption key is defined.
US07941860B2
Method and apparatus for content protection using one-way buffers. In one embodiment, the method includes storage of content decrypted by a host processor within a reserved range of memory. In one embodiment, a peripheral device requires the host processor to decrypt the received content for playback by the peripheral device. The decrypted content is stored within a reserved range of memory that is not accessible by malicious software. Hence, content is transferred from the reserved range of memory to a device driver of the peripheral device. In one embodiment, access to the reserved range of memory consists of write-only access by the host processor and read-only access by the peripheral device. In one embodiment, prior to storage of the content within the reserved range of memory, the content is re-encrypted prior to storage and decryption prior to transfer to the peripheral device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07941850B1
A method includes determining if an attempt to recreate a requested resource is made, and, if so, if the requested resource is a suspicious resource. If the requested resource is a suspicious resource, identification of an originating process is made. A determination is made if the originating process is a non-trusted originating process or a trusted originating process. If the originating process is the non-trusted originating process, a protective action is taken. In this manner, self-repairing and persistent malicious code is identified and removed with minimal adverse impact on system functionality.
US07941847B2
A method for providing a secure single sign-on to a computer system is disclosed. Pre-boot passwords are initially stored in a secure storage area of a smart card. The operating system password, which has been encrypted to a blob, is stored in a non-secure area of the smart card. After the smart card has been inserted in a computer system, a user is prompted for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) of the smart card. In response to a correct smart card PIN entry, the blob stored in the non-secure storage area of the smart card is decrypted to provide the operating system password, and the operating system password along with the pre-boot passwords stored in the secure storage area of the smart card are then utilized to log on to the computer system.
US07941844B2
Access right information of a login user is acquired, and an object accessible by the login user is identifiably displayed on an area corresponding to the user. When a collaboration mode in which a plurality of users log in and make a cooperative work is set, an object accessible by each login user is identifiably displayed on an area corresponding to each user.
US07941841B2
A voice-over-Internet-Protocol (VoIP) client codes audio data as printable ASCII characters, then embeds the ASCII audio data inside a cookie that is sent over the Internet within an HTTP GET message. The GET message is sent to a server acting as a call proxy or external manager that forwards the audio data to a remote client. Return audio data is sent back to the client in the normal data field of an HTTP response message from the server. When the client receives the HTTP response, it sends another GET message without audio data, allowing the server to send another response. This empty GET allows VoIP to pass through strict firewalls that pair each HTTP response with a GET. For secure-sockets layer (SSL), client and server exchange pseudo-keys in hello and finished messages that establish the SSL session. Audio data is streamed in SSL messages instead of encrypted data.
US07941840B2
A method, computer readable media, and system for providing a first network resource with secure but limited access to a second network resource. A method embodiment of the invention includes associating a check with data identifying an expected source of a future request to access the second resource. Later, the first resource requests access to the second resource. Included in the request is a check signed with data identifying the first resource. The request is received and the check is authenticated. The request is granted only if the check is authentic and the data used to sign the check matches the expected source associated with the check.
US07941838B2
A networked computer with a software firewall that may be configured for any of a number of network contexts may be quickly configured with an appropriate set of rules for a current network context. The computer has multiple profiles, each containing rules applicable to a different network context. When a change in network context is detected, a difference between the profile for the current context and the profile with which the firewall was previously configured is determined. These differences are applied to quickly reconfigure the firewall without blocking, even temporarily, communications that are allowed in the previously configured and current profiles. Additionally, when the networked computer is connected to multiple networks simultaneously, an appropriate profile may be selected.
US07941837B1
Techniques are described to enable two or more layer two (L2) firewall devices to be configured as a high availability (HA) cluster in an active-active configuration. A first layer two (L2) firewall and a second L2 firewall are positioned within the same L2 network. The first L2 firewall and the second L2 firewall are concurrently configured with active virtual security devices (VSDs) within the L2 network, and concurrently apply L2 firewall services to packets within the L2 network. A VSD of one of the L2 firewalls automatically switches to an active VSD status for a VSD group in place of a VSD of another L2 firewall when the other L2 firewall fails.
US07941836B2
Systems and methods are provided for authentication by combining a Reverse Turing Test (RTT) with password-based user authentication protocols to provide improved resistance to brute force attacks. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for user authentication, the method including receiving a username/password pair associated with a user; requesting one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT); and granting access to the user if a valid response to the first RTT is received and the username/password pair is valid.
US07941825B2
An efficient near video on demand (NVOD) service for various client environments is provided. The NVOD service method for transmitting video data including moving pictures to a plurality of clients in a network includes identifying a relative network bandwidth “m” of a client with respect to a video playout bandwidth, dividing the video data into data segments having different sizes according to the relative network bandwidth “m” and transmitting the data segments to the client through a plurality of channels.
US07941823B2
A representation of an audiovisual asset is obtained and is processed to obtain at least one normal playback video elementary stream, (optionally, at least one audio elementary stream), and at least one trick mode video elementary stream. A transport stream is formed from the at least one normal playback video elementary stream, the at least one audio elementary stream (where present), and the at least one trick mode video elementary stream, with the at least one trick mode video elementary stream encapsulated in the transport stream. Streaming of the transport stream within a network is facilitated, for example, to a VOD server (for de-encapsulation), and in some approaches, to a set-top box.
US07941815B2
According to some embodiments, CD/DVDs are transported to/from a horizontal tray of a disk-processing unit (e.g. a disk drive) by applying a vertical lifting force to each disk at an off-center disk engagement location to incline the disk toward the tray, maintaining the disk in an inclined position toward the processing unit during a vertical travel to/from the tray; and gliding the disk into the tray from the inclined position to a final horizontal position by vertically delivering the disk into the tray. In some embodiments, a CD/DVD transfer apparatus comprises a pickup head for picking up and releasing disks, a horizontal-motion arm driving a horizontal motion of the pickup head, and a flexible vertical connection coupling the pickup head to the horizontal-motion arm. The flexible vertical connection is formed by a section of a flexible wire, thread, ribbon or tape coiled on a reel situated above the pickup head.
US07941809B1
An event management system initializes an event associated with a process. Corrective actions are executed to resolve the event. The corrective actions are monitored after the event is resolved to continuously improve the process.
US07941808B2
A messaging service is described that incorporates messages into cached link lists. The messages are not yet acknowledged as having been received by one or more consumers to whom the messages were sent. A separate link list exists for each of a plurality of different message priority levels. Messages within a same link list are ordered in their link list in the same order in which they where received by the messaging service. At least one of the link lists contains an element that represents one or more messages that are persisted but are not cached in any of the cached link lists.
US07941802B2
Techniques for implementing virtual machine instructions suitable for execution in virtual machines are disclosed. The inventive virtual machine instructions can effectively represent the complete set of operations performed by the conventional Java Bytecode instruction set. Moreover, the operations performed by conventional instructions can be performed by relatively fewer inventive virtual machine instructions. Thus, a more elegant, yet robust, virtual machine instruction set can be implemented. This, in turn, allows implementation of relatively simpler interpreters as well as allowing alternative uses of the limited 256 (28) Bytecode representation (e.g., a macro representing a set of commands). As a result, the performance of virtual machines, especially, those operating in systems with limited resources, can be improved by using the inventive virtual machine instructions.
US07941796B2
A method and apparatus for distributing and synchronizing objects. One or more embodiments of the invention provide for distributing copies of the objects locally. By copying objects (including the data and behavior for the object) into local address space, the object's methods may be executed locally thereby avoiding excessive network traffic. The state of the various object copies across a network may not be synchronized due to local changes and modifications. To synchronize the objects, one or more embodiments of the invention provide for the use of a policy that specifies conditions as to when objects are synchronized. Embodiments of the invention provide flexibility in setting the policy to accommodate varying applications. For example, a policy may provide for synchronization that is based temporally (e.g., every 10 minutes or daily at 10:00 P.M.). Alternatively, a policy may provide for synchronization based on the type or number of messages transmitted. In one or more embodiments, a default policy may be utilized that provides for the synchronization of local objects whenever a client issues a request from the remote server. In such an embodiment, the remote server transmits any updated object information when it responds to the local object request. The updated object information may be utilized to synchronize the objects.
US07941795B2
A system for outputting speech from speech data that may include an application, an internal speech data module, and an external speech data module is provided. The internal speech module stores default speech data that defines which speech data is compatible with the application. The external speech module, which may include a data carrier, may provide optional speech data, including a sequence identifier, separately from the application. To determine whether optional speech data fits the application, the application generates a sequence of one or more segment designators designating speech segments, and associating with them a sequence identifier. The application may also compare the sequence identifier generated by the application with that of the optional speech data. If a predetermined result occurs, the optional speech data may be used. Otherwise, the default speech data may be used. This method may be used to update default speech data with optional speech data.
US07941778B2
A network is represented using a graph. The graph comprises a plurality of vertices and a plurality of edges. The vertices comprise a source vertex, a destination vertex and a vertex u. The edges link corresponding adjacent pairs of the vertices. A minimum cost path in the graph is determined from the source vertex to the destination vertex, wherein the vertex u is in the minimum cost path. An edge from the vertex u in the minimum cost path introduces an additional capital expenditure cost that is dependent on how the minimum cost path traverses from the source vertex to the vertex u.
US07941774B2
Various apparatuses, methods and systems for creating an integrated circuit and performing a gate level simulation of a circuit are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments of the present invention provide a system for performing a gate level simulation of a circuit including a computer system, a design verification tool and an output device. The design verification tool, executable on the computer system, includes a simulator and a partial timing model generator. The partial timing model generator is operable to generate a representation of the circuit for simulation by cutting a first portion of a circuit out of a full gate level netlist for the circuit and leaving a second portion of the circuit represented by the full gate level netlist, and to overlay a simplified representation of the first portion of the circuit over the representation of the circuit. The first portion of the circuit is cut out at timing paths. The simulator is operable to perform a gate level simulation of the circuit based on the representation of the circuit. The output device is connected to the computer system and is operable to provide an indication of a result of the gate level simulation of the circuit.
US07941773B2
A simulation system for performing simulation of an operation of a circuit including a particular signal substituting section for making, in the simulation, an output signal of a first flipflop or an input signal of a second flipflop be a particular signal indicating neither high level nor low level during a period which is 1 cycle shorter than a specified clock cycle number of a multicycle path which has been specified in advance; and an output section for outputting information corresponding to whether or not a signal at an output terminal of the second flipflop or at part of the circuit located in a subsequent stage of the output terminal of the second flipflop, which has been specified in advance, is made to be the particular signal.
US07941771B2
A method for on demand functional verification of a software model of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), in a low-level programming language, which separately handles the creation of the model and the debugging of the functional verification tests to be applied to the model in order to create a verification platform. In a transmission mode, an autonomous circuit emulator is created by replacing the model in a low level programming language physically describing the circuit to be validated with a high level description generating response data in accordance with the functional specification of the design as a function of stimuli received. A verification mode includes integration of the software model in low level language of the circuit resulting from the design into a verification platform, and creation of a connection of a previously validated autonomous circuit emulator to the interfaces of the software model.
US07941767B2
A photomask is washed and at least one physical amount of transmittance and phase difference of the photomask, dimension of a pattern, height of the pattern and a sidewall shape of the pattern is measured. After this, the two-dimensional shape of a borderline pattern previously determined for the photomask is measured. Lithography tolerance is derived by performing a lithography simulation for the measured two-dimensional shape by use of the measured physical amount. Then, whether the photomask can be used or not is determined based on the derived lithography tolerance.
US07941760B2
A computer-implemented method for displaying soft keyboards at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display is disclosed. An application with a plurality of objects is displayed on the touch screen display. A first gesture by a user on a first object in the plurality of objects is detected. In response to the first gesture, a first soft keyboard is displayed that contains a plurality of keys including primarily letter keys and including a key for selecting a second soft keyboard different from the first soft keyboard. A second gesture by the user on a second object in the plurality of objects is detected, the second object being other than the key for selecting the second soft keyboard. In response to the second gesture, the second soft keyboard is displayed, which contains a plurality of keys including number keys and including a key for selecting the first soft keyboard.
US07941744B2
A system and method for generating and delivering an electronic form to a user. One embodiment of the disclosed system comprises a file management sub-system for receipt and management of at least one standard form in electronic format. The system also includes a user sub-system for selection of a desired form. In addition, the system includes a mapper sub-system for mapping each of the at least one standard forms into a form file identifying the graphical and/or textual elements of the standard form, at least one data field to placed on the form and an indication of where the at least one data field is to be placed based on the identified graphical and/or textual elements. Also, the system includes a delivery sub-system operably connected to the file management sub-system, the user sub-system and the mapping sub-system and capable delivering an electronic form comprising the desired form into which data retrieved from the user sub-system is inserted.
US07941739B1
A timeline source is described. In an implementation, a method includes examining a plurality of nodes within a media timeline, where at least two of the nodes reference respective media. The media timeline is for exposure over an API. The media timeline is divided into one or more presentations. Each presentation describes rendering of the media for a particular interval of time.
US07941736B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for receiving a signal in a communication system, which receives the signal, and decodes the received signal in a non-binary Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) decoding scheme, in which elements of a Galois field are expressed by an exponent representation, thereby minimizing the memory capacity required for a check node operation when the non-binary LDPC code is decoded.
US07941735B2
A digital broadcasting transmission system processes dual transport stream (TS) including multi turbo streams. The digital broadcasting transmission system includes a turbo processor to detect a turbo stream from a dual transport stream (TS) which includes a multiplexed normal stream and a turbo stream, encoding the detected turbo stream and stuffing the encoded turbo stream into the dual TS; and a transmitter to trellis-encode the processed dual TS, and to output the resultant stream, wherein the turbo processor encodes the turbo stream using a plurality of turbo processors. Accordingly, a plurality of turbo streams may be processed in parallel.
US07941734B2
The present invention proposes a method and apparatus for decoding BCH codes and Reed-Solomon codes, in which a modified Berlekamp-Massey algorithm is used to perform the decoding process and the efficiency of the decoder can be improved by re-defining the error locating polynomial as a reverse error locating polynomial, while the operation of the decoding process can be further realized by a common re-configurable module. Furthermore, the architecture of the decoder is consisted of a plurality of sets of re-configurable modules in order to provide parallel operations with different degrees of parallel so that the decoding speed requirement of the decoder in different applications can be satisfied.
US07941731B2
A data receiving device which comprises a decoder which generates a plurality of decoded data based on 1) input data and 2) a plurality of pairs of control data and redundant data, in each the pair, the control data defining a selected encoding process and the redundant data being generated by the selected encoding process based on the control data and the input data, a selection control part which generates an error occurrence information based on information obtained from a medium through which the input data is received, and a selection part which selects output data from the input data and the plurality of decoded data based on the error occurrence information.
US07941723B1
A clock generator is disclosed that includes an array of MEMS resonators and a test circuit. The test circuit is operable at start-up to operate one or more of the MEMS resonators to generate test output and analyze the test output to determine whether the operated MEMS resonators meet test criteria. A MEMS resonator is selected that meets the test criteria and its output is used to generate an output clock signal. In addition, the test circuit is operable to analyze the output of the selected MEMS resonator and select a replacement MEMS resonator when the output of the selected MEMS resonator no longer meets the test criteria. The replacement MEMS resonator is then operated and its output is coupled to the output of the clock generator. Thereby, failing and potentially failing MEMS resonators are automatically replaced during operation of the clock generator in its end-use application.
US07941722B2
A method and apparatus for testing of integrated circuits using a Direct Memory Load Execute Dump (DMLED) test module. The method includes loading a test case into a memory using the DMLED test module, loading initialization signatures of fixed pattern into the memory using the DMLED test module, and executing the test case at an operating clock rate of a processor. The method further includes writing result signatures into the memory, and dumping the results signatures from the memory to a tester using the DMLED test module.
US07941718B2
A method and system for testing an electronic device is disclosed. The method includes loading a first test into a test pattern generator of a first device and generating a first test pattern at the test pattern generator. A second test seed is loaded into the test pattern generator while the first test pattern is being generated. In one embodiment, the state of the test pattern generator is modified based upon the second test seed, and the first test seed.
US07941713B2
A system that provides large instruction sets for testing memory yet reduces area overhead is disclosed. The system for testing a memory of an integrated circuit comprises a set of registers providing element based programmability for a plurality of tests, wherein each test includes a plurality of test elements; a finite state machine for receiving a plurality of test instructions from the set of registers, wherein the finite state machine dispatches signals instructing a test pattern generator to generate a test pattern; a memory control module for applying the generated test pattern to the memory; and a comparator module for comparing a response received from the memory to a stored, known response.
US07941706B2
A method and apparatus are provided to support autonomic computing for system configuration. Common base events (CBEs) are generated and, based upon system configuration, are employed to monitor system resources and to resolve system configuration conflicts prior to an error. A symptom database stores a set of rules for the configuration information. The configurations CBEs for the system configuration are compared with the symptom rules, and any discrepancies between the two elements are communicated to a user prior to an occurrence of an error in the system. Accordingly, an autonomic computer system is provided to support system configuration data.
US07941693B2
A disk array apparatus capable of reducing a disk drive fault rate where a time-out failure has occurred. The disk array apparatus includes a plurality of disk drives, and a control unit for performing data input/output processing of the disk drives in response to a data input/output request from a host system. The control unit includes: a memory for storing control information for specifying a failure of at least one of the disk drives, and failure information of the faulty disk drive, a circuit for specifying, from the failure information, the disk drive in which a time-out failure has occurred, and issuing an instruction to retry a control command to the disk drive, and a circuit for outputting a control signal to the faulty disk drive in order to hard reset the disk drive if the disk drive does not recover from the failure.
US07941689B2
Minimizing clock uncertainty on clock distribution networks using a multi-level de-skewing technique
Disclosed is a method of minimizing clock uncertainty using a multi-level de-skewing technique. The method includes the steps of obtaining a chip wherein at least a portion of the chip has a regular array of buffers on multiple levels, the buffers being driven by first drivers and the first drivers being driven by second drivers; grouping the buffers in a first direction to create clusters with the same number of buffer inputs, wherein if there are not the same number of buffer inputs in each cluster, then adding dummy buffers to the cluster with a deficient number of buffer inputs; wiring outputs of the first drivers together in a second direction, wherein the first and second directions are orthogonal; and wiring outputs of the second together in the second direction.
US07941673B1
An FPGA includes a plurality of configurable logic elements, a configuration circuit, a decryption circuit, and a fingerprint element. The fingerprint element generates a fingerprint that is indicative of inherent manufacturing process variations unique to the FPGA. The fingerprint is used as a key for an encryption system that protects against illegal use and/or copying of configuration data. In some embodiments, the propagation delay of various circuit elements formed on the FPGA are used to generate the fingerprint. In one embodiment, the specific frequency of an oscillator is used to generate the fingerprint. In some embodiments, a ratio of measurable values may be used to generate the fingerprint. In other embodiments, differences in transistor threshold voltages are used to generate the fingerprint. In still other embodiments, variations in line widths are used to generate the fingerprint.
US07941671B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that accommodates different types of verifiers in a computer system. During operation, the system receives a username and a password. The system then computes a verifier based on the password. If the size of the verifier exceeds a storage limit, the system transforms the verifier into a transformed verifier which conforms to the storage limit, thereby allowing the computer system to compare the transformed verifier with a locally stored verifier associated with the username to facilitate user authentication.
US07941665B2
A method embodiment for publishing a PIN for use in establishing a pairing with a printing device, including the printing device generating the PIN in response to a local PIN request. Once the PIN is generated, the printing device prints the PIN. Another method embodiment includes identifying a local request to print a test page as a local PIN request and then printing a test page that includes the PIN.
US07941664B2
A method of authenticating a message that is purportedly sent from an account holder having a device that digitally signs messages using a unique private key includes receiving the message, a unique identifier associated with an account of the account holder maintained by an account authority, and a digital signature of the message, the message including a verification status generated by the device based on a comparison of biometric verification data provided to the device with biometric verification data of the account holder prestored within the device, verifying that the message was digitally signed using the private key, and if the digital signature successfully decrypts, acting upon the message as a function of the verification status included in the message and wherein the biometric verification data is a digital representation of a finger print, a retina scan, a facial scan, DNA, or a voice print of the account holder.
US07941655B1
A computer system provides an extensible firmware interface with a pre-start configuration phase. This permits configuring a device prior to beginning a start phase for the device.
US07941649B2
A SIMD processor responds to a single min/max instruction to find the minimum or maximum valued data unit in an array of data units. The determined minimum/maximum value and an associated index value thereto may be output. Alternatively, the value of a data unit in another array may be output at a corresponding location. A further single instruction executable by the SIMD processor, may be applied to results obtained using such a single min/max instruction, to allow such instructions to operate on two dimensional arrays.
US07941647B2
A computer. A processor pipeline alternately executes instructions coded for first and second different computer architectures or coded to implement first and second different processing conventions. A memory stores instructions for execution by the processor pipeline, the memory being divided into pages for management by a virtual memory manager, a single address space of the memory having first and second pages. A memory unit fetches instructions from the memory for execution by the pipeline, and fetches stored indicator elements associated with respective memory pages of the single address space from which the instructions are to be fetched. Each indicator element is designed to store an indication of which of two different computer architectures and/or execution conventions under which instruction data of the associated page are to be executed by the processor pipeline. The memory unit and/or processor pipeline recognizes an execution flow from the first page, whose associated indicator element indicates the first architecture or execution convention, to the second page, whose associated indicator element indicates the first architecture or execution convention. In response to the recognizing, a processing mode of the processor pipeline or a storage content of the memory adapts to effect execution of instructions in the architecture and/or under the convention indicated by the indicator element corresponding to the instruction's page.
US07941646B2
A thread switch mechanism and technique for a microprocessor is disclosed wherein a processing of a first thread is completed, and a continuation of a second thread is initiated during completion of the first thread. In one form, the technique includes processing a first thread at a pipeline of a processing device, and initiating processing of a second thread at a front end of the pipeline in response to an occurrence of a context switch event. The technique can also include initiating a instruction progress metric in response the context switch event. The technique can further include enabling completion of processing of instructions of the first thread that are at a back end of the pipeline at the occurrence of the context switch event until an expiry of the instruction progress metric.
US07941636B2
Disclosed herein is an apparatus that implements multiple typed register sets, and applications thereof. The apparatus includes an execution unit and a register file. The execution unit is configured to execute instructions including one or more fields. The register file is configured to store operands defined by the one or more fields and is configured to store results of execution of the instructions in a destination defined by the one or more fields. The register file includes (i) a first register set having a register configured to store data of a single data type and (ii) a second register set having a register configured to store data of a plurality of data types. The register file is responsive to the one or more fields in at least one of the instructions to retrieve an operand of the at least one of the instructions from, or to store a result of the at least one of the instructions into, one of the registers of the first register set or the second register set as defined by the one or more fields of the at least one of the instructions.
US07941633B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus and program product automatically optimizes hash function operation by recognizing when a first hash function results in an unacceptable number of cache misses, and by dynamically trying another hash function to determine which hash function results in the most cache hits. In this manner, hardware optimizes hash function operation in the face of changing loads and associated data flow patterns.
US07941632B2
Storage virtualization systems and methods that allow customers to manage storage as a utility rather than as islands of storage which are independent of each other. A demand mapped virtual disk image of up to an arbitrarily large size is presented to a host system. The virtualization system allocates physical storage from a storage pool dynamically in response to host I/O requests, e.g., SCSI I/O requests, allowing for the amortization of storage resources-through a disk subsystem while maintaining coherency amongst I/O RAID traffic. In one embodiment, the virtualization functionality is implemented in a controller device, such as a controller card residing in a switch device or other network device, coupled to a storage system on a storage area network (SAN). The resulting virtual disk image that is observed by the host computer is larger than the amount of physical storage actually consumed.
US07941628B2
A plurality of storage devices of a plurality of types is provided. A plurality of criteria is associated for each of the plurality of storage devices, based on characteristics of the plurality of storage devices, wherein the plurality of criteria can be used to determine whether a selected storage device is a compatibility spare for a storage device in a storage device array, and whether the selected storage device is an availability spare for the storage device in the storage device array. A determination is made by a spare management application, based on at least the plurality of criteria and at least one optimality condition, of a first set of storage devices selected from the plurality of storage devices to be allocated to a plurality of storage device arrays, and of a second set of storage devices selected from the plurality of storage devices to be allocated as spares for the plurality of storage device arrays. An allocation is made of the first set of storage devices to the plurality of storage device arrays. An allocation made of the second set of storage devices as spares for the plurality of storage device array.
US07941624B2
A method and apparatus is described herein for performing parallel memory migration, as well as execution of management tasks over a plurality of management window. Handlers are dispatched to multiple resources, such as cores or threads, to determine a proper memory migration handler. Each resource, during a management mode, executes a designated memory migration handler or an instance of a memory migration handler to perform a portion of a memory migration task in parallel. A task data structure is capable of supporting tracking of portions of memory migrated. In addition the task data structure is potentially also capable of tracking management tasks through plurality of management windows to support servicing of management tasks through multiple management windows.
US07941623B2
In one embodiment, a computer system comprises a host machine comprising a plurality of compute resources, at least one secure memory location coupled to the host machine, wherein the secure memory location stores host machine configuration data, and a virtual machine host module coupled to the host machine. The virtual machine host module comprises logic to map a path to the secure memory location, receive a signal indicating whether a first virtual machine guest should be permitted access to the host machine configuration data, and associate at least a portion of the host machine configuration data with the first virtual machine guest when the when the signal indicates that the first virtual machine guest should be permitted to access the configuration data.
US07941617B2
A system is disclosed that includes a first memory device operable according to either a first bit organization or a second bit organization, a second memory device operable according to only the first bit organization, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU is commonly connected to the first and second memory devices via a command/address bus, and is connected to the first memory device via a data bus separate from the command/address bus and having an upper half and a lower half. However, the CPU is connected to the second memory device via only the upper half of the data bus.
US07941614B2
A memory controller to provide memory access services in an adaptive computing engine is provided. The controller comprises: a network interface configured to receive a memory request from a programmable network; and a memory interface configured to access a memory to fulfill the memory request from the programmable network, wherein the memory interface receives and provides data for the memory request to the network interface, the network interface configured to send data to and receive data from the programmable network.
US07941612B2
A multipath accessible semiconductor memory device provides an interface function between processors. The memory device may include a memory cell array having a shared memory area operationally coupled to two or more ports that are independently accessible by two or more processors, an access path forming unit to form a data access path between one of the ports and the shared memory area in response to external signals applied by the processors, and an interface unit having a semaphore area and mailbox areas accessible in the shared memory area by the two or more processors to provide an interface function for communication between the two or more processors.
US07941611B2
A cache coherent data processing system includes at least a first cache memory supporting a first processing unit and a second cache memory supporting a second processing unit. The first cache memory includes a cache array and a cache directory of contents of the cache array. In response to the first cache memory detecting on an interconnect a broadcast operation that specifies a request address, the first cache memory determines from the operation a type of the operation and a coherency state associated with the request address. In response to determining the type and the coherency state, the first cache memory filters out the broadcast operation without accessing the cache directory.
US07941608B2
A method and data processing apparatus comprise a cache having a plurality of data entries; an eviction buffer comprising an information portion and a data portion; and eviction logic to transfer information associated with a first of the plurality of data entries from the cache to the information portion and to determine, with reference to the information, whether the first of the plurality of data entries should be written to a memory by examining the information. If it is determined that the data entry should be written to the memory, the eviction logic (1) transfers the information from the eviction buffer to a bus coupled with the memory, (2) transfers data of the first of the plurality of data entries from the cache to a data portion of the eviction buffer, (3) transfers information associated with a second of the plurality of data entries from the cache to the associated portion of the eviction buffer such that the data stored by the data portion of the eviction buffer corresponds to the first of the plurality of data entries and the information stored by the data portion of the eviction buffer corresponds to the second of the plurality of data entries, and (4) transfers the data stored by the data portion of the eviction buffer to the bus. This approach provides a low-power, high performance technique for handling eviction requests.
US07941607B1
A method and system for promoting traces in an instruction processing circuit is disclosed. The method and system comprises determining if a current trace is promotable; and adding the current trace to a sequence buffer if the current trace is promotable. The current trace is marked as promoted and the current trace is marked as a first trace of a multi-block trace. The method and system includes determining if a next trace is promotable; adding the next trace to the sequence buffer if the next trace is promotable; and repeating the above until the next trace is not promotable and then adding the next trace to the sequence buffer if the next trace is not promotable.
US07941603B2
An advanced processor comprises a plurality of multithreaded processor cores each having a data cache and instruction cache. A data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores and configured to pass information among the processor cores. A messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores and a plurality of communication ports. In one aspect of an embodiment of the invention, the data switch interconnect is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective data cache, and the messaging network is coupled to each of the processor cores by its respective message station. Advantages of the invention include the ability to provide high bandwidth communications between computer systems and memory in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
US07941599B2
A system, method, and computer program product for harvesting an image from a local disk of a managed endpoint to an image library is provided. In an embodiment of the method for harvesting an image, a managed endpoint is provided with a boot image that causes the endpoint to instantiate a RAM disk and execute the boot image from the RAM disk. The boot image is used to harvest an image by determining data on a local disk of the managed endpoint to be included in the image that are not already stored in the image library. In one embodiment, this is done by comparing hashes calculated on the data on the local disk to hashes of data in the image library. The data not already stored in the image library are then copied to the image library.
US07941587B2
A programmable sequence generator for controlling a flash memory device. The programmable sequence generator includes a plurality of programmable sequence registers including control phase sequence (CPS) registers and data phase sequence (DPS) registers programmed with phase sequence values corresponding to an operation command sequence of the flash memory device; and logic circuitry in a programmable command sequencer for controlling a set of states of the programmable command sequencer using the plurality of programmable sequence registers.
US07941577B2
A method, computer program product, and distributed data processing system that allows a system image within a multiple system image virtual server to directly expose a portion, or all, of its associated system memory to a shared PCI adapter without having to go through a trusted component, such as a Hypervisor. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a mechanism for sharing conventional PCI I/O adapters, PCI-X I/O Adapters, PCI-Express I/O Adapters, and, in general, any I/O adapter that uses a memory mapped I/O interface for communications.
US07941572B2
A data processing system containing a monolithic network of cells with sufficient redundancy provided through direct logical replacement of defective cells by spare cells to allow a large monolithic array of cells without uncorrectable defects to be organized, where the cells have a variety of useful properties. The data processing system according to the present invention overcomes the chip-size limit and off-chip connection bottlenecks of chip-based architectures, the von Neumann bottleneck of uniprocessor architectures, the memory and I/O bottlenecks of parallel processing architectures, and the input bandwidth bottleneck of high-resolution displays, and supports integration of up to an entire massively parallel data processing system into a single monolithic entity.
US07941562B2
A network device for monitoring and modifying data traffic between a client device and a server device is disclosed. The network device is configured to provide targeted advertisements to a user based on some or all of the data traffics generated the user. Different from a proxy server, the network device operates transparently from both perspectives of a computer being used by the user and a website being visited by the user. The network device is disposed in line between the computer and the network so that all data traffics are examined. The data packets exchanged between a computer and a website being visited are altered or modified in such a way that the head of the packets remains largely intact while the payloads of the packets are changed to suit the need of delivering transparently the targeted commercial information.
US07941559B2
A media access control (MAC) layer address translation system is included in a fiber to the home (FTTH) system having a central office that interfaces a packet data network with a passive optical network (PON). The (MAC) layer address translation system includes a home network unit (HNU), a host system, and a MAC address table. The HNU is coupled to the PON and has an associated base MAC layer address and an associated secondary MAC layer address that identify the HNU within the PON. The host system is coupled in a network to the HNU and has an associated host MAC layer address that identifies the host system within the network. The MAC address table is stored in a memory device, and associates the host MAC layer address with the secondary MAC layer address. Upon receiving an outgoing transmission from the host system that includes the host MAC layer address, the HNU accesses the MAC address table to determine the secondary MAC layer address that is associated with the host MAC layer address and modifies the outgoing transmission to replace the host MAC layer address with the secondary MAC layer address.
US07941558B2
Loop-elimination in a network is provided by establishing a physical topology based domain within the network and restricting protocol data units that are received within the physical topology based domain from being consumed at a network node outside of the physical topology based domain, wherein the protocol data units include loop-elimination information. The loop-elimination technique may also include identifying a logical based domain that exists within the network and then restricting protocol data units that are received within the physical topology based domain and the logical based domain from being consumed outside of the physical topology based domain and the logical based domain.
US07941547B2
The invention proposes a method for establishing sessions in a network comprising a user entity, a network control node and a plurality of network nodes storing subscriber specific information, the method comprising the steps of receiving a session establishing request at the network control node, forwarding a policy request message from the network control node to each network node of the plurality of network nodes storing subscriber specific information comprising policy information required for the session to be established, processing the policy request message to generate a policy decision message and sending the policy decision message to the network control node from each of the network nodes having received the policy request message, generating a single policy decision confirmation message based on the received policy decision messages in the network control node, and sending the single policy decision message to the user entity.
US07941539B2
A method for migrating a first virtual machine (VM), that includes transmitting, prior to migration, a first packet between the first VM on a first blade chassis and a second VM on a second blade chassis using a first virtual network interface card (VNIC) and a second VNIC. The method includes migrating the first VM and the first VNIC to the second blade, identifying a subnet of the first VM, identifying a subnet of the second VM, and creating a virtual router to execute on the second blade. The virtual router is associated with a third VNIC and a fourth VNIC. A first network address in the first VNIC's subnet is assigned to the third VNIC. A second network address in the second VNIC's subnet is assigned to the fourth VNIC. The method includes routing a second packet between the first VM and the second VM using the virtual router.
US07941538B2
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a computer implemented method for dynamic management of resource utilization is provided. The computer implemented method monitors data flows of a reverse proxy web server, and determines whether a resource utilization of the reverse proxy web server exceeds a first threshold. The computer implemented method further, responsive to a determination that the resource utilization does not exceed a first threshold, determines whether the resource utilization exceeds a second threshold, responsive to a determination that the resource utilization does exceed a second threshold, filters pre-fetch directives inversely by frequency.
US07941534B2
A system utilizing a personal security device to provide access to a computer terminal where the personal security device includes circuitry and transceiver components for transmitting identification information and exchanging other digital information with a computer terminal and other compatible devices and the personal security device establishes a communication link with a computer terminal to allow a user to logon to the terminal so that when a user leaves the computer terminal, the communication link is terminated, causing the computer terminal to lock the keyboard, blank the monitor, and/or logoff the user if the communication link is not restored within a sufficient time period and also allowing the personal security device to facilitate subsequent computer access within a time range by providing time related access codes to the terminal that can be used to reestablish computer terminal access.
US07941526B1
A special syslog daemon on a send node, wherein the send node is connected to a receive node by a one-way data link, the special syslog daemon configured to receive a syslog message from a syslog sender, insert a portion of IP information of the syslog sender in the body of the received syslog message and route the resulting syslog message to the one-way data link so that the resulting syslog message can be sent through the one-way data link to a syslog receiver communicatively coupled to the receive node. The present invention resolves the potential conflict between syslog and one-way data transfer applications that are configured to remove IP information from data prior to its passage through a one-way data link, thereby leading to a further enhancement of network security through their combination.
US07941520B1
A system and method of managing telephone network facilities. A telephone network facilities database, such as LEIS, is accessed and selected information, including wire center location, equipment and slot information stored therein, is extracted and re-stored in a relational database. Additional fields in the relational database are populated based on the information extracted from the telephone network facilities database. The additional fields represent working ADSL and T1 facilities, ADSL and T1 capacity, and ADSL and T1 availability. A graphical user interface is provided that displays several views of the data in the relational database. Color coding aspects of the graphical user interface indicates capacity levels.
US07941517B2
A domain server that comprises: means (10) for receiving a query transmitted from a client device (CL1) for obtaining DNS data; a zone file (FZ1, zone) comprising one or more distribution rules defining a partitioning of the domain into sub-zones, DNS data of said sub-zones being associated with a pair of partition keys specific to said sub-zone; means (20) for obtaining from said zone file a useful piece of information sufficient for identifying the pair of the partition keys associated with the required DNS data; and means (10) for transmitting to the client device (CL1): the required DNS data, the value of the signature of said data produced by means of the private component (ZSK2[pr]) of the pair of partition keys; and the useful piece of information.
US07941508B2
A method comprises determining whether settings associated with a plurality of devices coupled to a client computer are provided in the client computer. The client computer is adapted to be coupled to a plurality of remote computer. If the settings are provided in the client computer, the method further comprises determining to which of the remote computers each device is to be associated, and operatively associating each device to the particular remote computer to which that device is determined to be associated. As a result, multiple devices can be concurrently associated with remote computers.
US07941507B1
The invention provides apparatus and systems for high availability execution of applications executing on one or more digital data processor platforms. For example, a system according to one aspect of the invention includes a first set digital data processors, each of which executes one or more applications. These are referred to as “primaries” or “primary applications.” A second set of digital data processors execute virtual machines, each of which, in turn, executes an image of a corresponding primary application. These are referred to as “imaged” or “imaged applications.” Each of the first and second sets may have one or more digital data processors. Agent functionality residing on and/or coupled to the digital data processors in the first and second sets maintains state/configuration information for each imaged application. That information, which reflects current or substantially current state of the corresponding primary application, is of such a nature as to permit the imaged application to take over applications processing, e.g., in the event the primary application fails or otherwise becomes unavailable. The agent functionality, according to related aspects of the invention, can monitor the primary applications (and/or the first set of digital data processors) and effect such a take over by a specific imaged application.
US07941503B2
A system and method of providing personalized broadcast transmissions Broadcasting-Party-Designated Recipients over a mobile telecommunications Radio Area Network is provided. The Broadcasting Party can send multimedia content for a personalized broadcast to an IMS Application Server in a SIP Message and broadcast the multimedia content to the mobile telecommunications terminals of the Broadcasting-Party-Designated Recipients. The personalized broadcast transmission can be generating using a plurality of unicast transmissions or a multicast transmission made to a multicast channel/address.
US07941496B2
A communication system is provided in which users associate handling data identifying how messages are to be processed with contact data. Handling data for the identified contacts in the contact data then dispatched to those contacts. Subsequently when messages are dispatched from the locations identified by the contact data a sender of a message selects handling data to be associated with a message being dispatched. Upon receipt of a message associated with handling data the message is then processed in the manner identified by the handling data.
US07941494B2
Methods, systems, and products systems are disclosed for categorizing and converting an attached object. An electronic message is received from a sender's address that is destined for a recipient's address and has the attached object associated with a sender legacy system. The sender's address and the recipient's address are associated to a list of addresses. When both the sender's address and the recipient's address are matched to the list of addresses, then the electronic message is sent to a rule-based engine that interprets the attached object using a set of rules and that categorizes the attached object. The object is converted based on the category. When the sender's address and the recipient's address do not match the list of addresses, then an identifier is received that associates the electronic message with another system.
US07941493B2
Systems and methods for instant messaging (IM) with multiple contacts from multiple IM systems are presented. In one embodiment, incoming IM messages from multiple IM systems are translated and displayed to the user. Similarly, outgoing messages from the user are translated for compatibility with each of the multiple IM systems, thereby permitting communication between the user and contacts at the multiple IM systems. In another embodiment, an incoming IM message from one of the IM systems is translated for compatibility with each of the other IM systems, thereby permitting communication between contacts at the multiple IM systems.
US07941485B2
In a measurement system that comprises plural measurement devices classified by groups, and plural data processing devices on a network that receives and processes measured data from the measurement devices, the data processing devices are smoothly allocated. The measurement devices belong to groups based on the areas in which they are located, and respectively transmit measured data to a multicast address defined for each of the groups to which they belong. A management device detects an overloaded or failed data processing device, stops data processing on a multicast address at which the data processing device receives data, alternatively commands another less loaded data processing device to join the multicast group, receive measured data transmitted to the multicast address, and process the data.
US07941480B2
A method of communicating with an electronic device. The method includes providing an electronic device having an audible sound receiving and generating sub-system including a microphone, transmitting from a source at least one acoustic signal encoded with information, receiving said at least one acoustic signal by said microphone and determining a spatial position, distance or movement of the microphone relative to the source, responsive to the received at least one signal.
US07941471B2
Disclosed is method and chaos circuit for a random number generator comprising: a differential sample and hold circuit portion having a first and a second differential signal input and a first and a second differential signal output, a differential non-linear discriminator circuit portion that applies a differential discrimination function upon the first and the second differential signal output and outputs a first and a second discriminated signal, where the first and the second discriminated signals are also coupled to the first and the second differential signal inputs via a first and a second loop feedback.
US07941465B2
A system and method of selecting a package model are disclosed. A data structure of a plurality of package models and one or more attribute relationships may be stored. Each package model may have a plurality of package model attributes including at least a size and a style. Each attribute relationship may include an indication that one or more supplemental attributes are required if a constraint is satisfied. A user input that is descriptive of a desired package capability may be received. Using a semantic reasoner, the user input may be analyzed to determine one or more desired attributes. The data structure may be accessed to automatically determine whether a desired attribute satisfies a constraint for an attribute relationship. The one or more supplemental attributes required by the attribute relationship may be presented.
US07941460B2
Provided are techniques for compilation of hierarchical data processing. A data flow diagram including one or more operators, wherein each operator includes at least one of an incoming arc and an outgoing arc, is received. For each operator, for each incoming arc, it is validated that an arc input formal schema is compatible with a schema rooted in a context node in an arc input actual schema, and, for each outgoing arc, an arc output formal schema is computed based on operator logic and operator inputs and an arc output actual schema is computed from the arc input actual schema by replacing the context node of the arc input actual schema with the arc output formal schema.
US07941458B2
A resource abstraction layer for use in a media processing environment includes a configuration file and a set of computer-executable instructions. Both network-based and locally-accessible resources are indirectly accessible via the resource abstraction layer. The configuration file has at least two data structures—a first data structure storing “virtual resource identifiers,” which reference particular resource usable in connection with rendering a particular media presentation, and a second data structure storing “virtual location identifiers,” which reference one or more locations at which particular resources are stored. The set of computer-executable instructions facilitates use of the configuration file, and seamless indirect access by the media processing environment to particular resources, regardless of where such resources are located. Temporary resources may be rendered while a particular resource is being accessed via the resource abstraction layer.
US07941457B2
An interface for providing monitoring information from any monitored component to a central monitoring system in which an XML document is created according to a DTD conforming to a tree-structured monitoring architecture and then is made available to the central monitoring system either by posting it as an HTTP message or filing it in a designated directory, where it can be periodically polled by the central monitoring system. An initial long-form XML document can be used to completely specify the monitoring tree for the monitored component, and then subsequent short-form XML documents can be posted with current data corresponding to the monitoring tree elements themselves. An XML processor at the central monitoring system converts the XML document contents and applies them to a standard interface which has previously been available directly to fully conforming components.
US07941456B2
A problem of the invention is to provide information management information capable of simply and efficiently updating information to be managed. An information management method of the invention is implemented using a computer on which a predetermined information management program is installed. Information stored in a node unit as information to be managed includes node number, page number, parent node number, node label, node display attribute information, variable information, script for substitution, a script for generation and link information. The script for substitution is a script obtaining a value of self node variable data by performing computation using self node variable data which is variable data included in its node data and upper node variable data which is variable data included in node data of a lineal upper node of its node. A value of a public variable of its node is updated by executing this script.
US07941455B2
A method for notifying an application coupled to a distributed file system is described. A command for a file for a distributed file system is received. The distributed file system stores portions of files across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations. The command for the file is compared with a notification table of the distributed file system of the distributed file system. At least one application communicates with the distributed file system. The notification system notifies the corresponding application associated with the command with the notification system.
US07941453B1
A method and system can be used to control better compound objects. Compound objects can include composite and other objects that are managed by a content management system for network site(s). The method and system can be used to determine relationships between objects, determining which of those relationships are significant for a specific action, and determining physical dependencies between the objects. The method and system can be used to perform actions consistent with integrity constraints, and therefore, performs the actions in the correct order with a reduced likelihood of errors. The method and system are highly beneficial in that they can significantly enhance content management and can be implemented without having to write new or edit existing applications. Also, existing content data and applications may be used without any changes.
US07941450B2
Software, devices and methods allowing varied mobile devices to interact with server side software applications are disclosed. Data from an application executing at a computing device is presented at a remote wireless device by providing the device an application definition file, containing definitions for a user interface format for the application at the wireless device; the format of network messages for exchange of data generated by the application; and a format for storing data related to the application at the wireless device. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data from the application in accordance with the definition and present an interface for the application. Preferably, the application definition file is an XML file. Similarly, application specific network messages provided to the device are also formed using XML. Data from the application may be presented at the mobile device by virtual machine software that uses the application definition file.
US07941449B2
In one of many possible implementations, an exemplary system includes a data integration subsystem configured to maintain a baseline data structure representing a base set of data relationships. The data integration subsystem in further configure to maintain a mapping of the baseline data structure to local data maintained by a plurality of local data subsystems. The system further includes a portal subsystem configured to provide a first customizable data structure associated with the baseline data structure for user access, create a copy of at least a subset of the baseline data structure, and provide a second customizable data structure associated with the copy of the baseline data structure for user access. The first and second customizable data structures are independently customizable to represent different custom sets of data relationships.
US07941443B1
User account control (such as the UAC component of Windows Vista) is extended to enable users to allow their decisions on how to respond to managed events to be applied to equivalent events for groups, without any further prompting. When a managed event first occurs, the user is presented with an extended dialog prompting for input not only on whether to allow the event for just the user, but also on whether to allow the event for any groups the user manages. Managed groups can comprise all of the user's computers, or multiple user accounts the user manages. The user's response to the prompt and information concerning the managed event are stored. Matching events within a group context are recognized, and appropriate stored responses are automatically applied, without any additional user prompting.
US07941438B2
A system for automatic software production including specification and automatic generation of user interfaces is disclosed. A graphical editor presents diagrams and textual interactive dialogs which are used to enter requirements data defining the desired structure and behaviour of an application program being designed. The requirements data is automatically converted to formal counterparts in a formal language to create a Formal Specification. The Formal Specification is stored in translation structures which are object in memory taking the form of classes which have methods to use the requirements data to articulate source code templates which become source code components in the final output code. A Presentation Model based in a pattern language is used to specify a Presentation Model) using elements of the pattern language as meta-model building blocks which are articulated with requirements data that defines the specifics of the desired user interface.
US07941432B2
A system for posting a public notice on the Internet for a legal jurisdiction. The system includes a forum server, client computer, and the Internet. The forum server stores data and information regarding public notices in the jurisdiction, and supports a website that provides notice-related services such as posting, searching, monitoring, and other legal services.
US07941430B2
A method prepares a response when providing e-Directory services to a user making a user request for location-based supplier information. The method includes identifying from said user request a desired location for which the user is requesting supplier information, identifying from the user request at least one informational element useful in querying a directory of suppliers, querying a primary directory of suppliers using said desired location and said informational element in order to generate primary supplier hits, querying the world wide web (www) using said desired location and said informational element in order to generate www supplier hits, merging said primary supplier hits with said www supplier hits to create a list of suppliers including a plurality of facts respecting each supplier in said list, sorting all supplier hits in said list by proximity to said desired location, purging any duplicate supplier hits, and formatting said list of suppliers to remove any facts extraneous to presentation over a viewing device to said user.
US07941421B2
A method of detecting web pages belonging to at least one similarity class from a plurality of web pages includes determining clusters of the plurality of web pages based on characteristics of the content of the web pages. For each of the determined clusters, at least one metric is determined indicative of similarity among resource locators associated with the web pages of that cluster. A determination of web pages belonging to the at least one similarity class is based on the determined clusters and the determined similarity metrics.
US07941418B2
A computer-implemented method of generating a dynamic corpus includes generating web threads, based upon corresponding sets of words dequeued from a word queue, to obtain web thread resulting URLs. The web thread resulting URLs are enqueued in a URL queue. Multiple text extraction threads are generated, based upon documents downloaded using URLs dequeued from the URL queue, to obtain text files. New words are randomly obtained from the text files, and the randomly obtained words from the text files are enqueued in the word queue. This process is iteratively performed, resulting in a dynamic corpus.
US07941415B2
A method is provided for flagging email messages sent to a user containing inquiries directed to the user comprises defining a natural language model for a set of inquiring phrasal forms in a first data store; defining a list of terms used to identify a first user having an email address managed by a host system in a second data store; accessing the host system to retrieve an email message sent to the email address; parsing a textual content of a body of the email message to generate one or more natural language tokens each corresponding to a text string in the body; accessing the first data store to identify each of the one or more natural language tokens that matches with an inquiring phrasal form; accessing the second data store to determine if any of the text strings corresponding to the one or more natural language tokens that match with an inquiring phrasal form includes a term from the list of terms; and flagging the email message if any of the text strings in the message body corresponding to the one or more natural language tokens that match with an inquiring phrasal form includes a term from the list of terms.
US07941407B2
A system and method for archiving films includes dividing a film feature into N parts. Metadata is digitally stored on each of the N parts of film. The film includes both analog and digital data representing an entire record of the film on a single media for at least one N part. For each N part, the single media may include all the color component images associated with that part.
US07941405B2
Various embodiments of a system and method for performing file backup operations are described. The method may operate to enable a user of a computer system to provide a password or other authentication information to associate with files on the computer system, e.g., in order to protect files that are backed up. For example, when the user (or another person or software agent) attempts to restore or otherwise access a backup copy of a password-protected file, the user may be prompted to enter the password. The method may operate to verify that the entered password matches the password associated with the file before granting permission to restore the file.
US07941392B2
According to one aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention, a system comprises: an HTM network executable at least in part on multiple node processing units (NPUs). In one embodiment the NPUs include one or more nodes, each of which can be executed by its NPU. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a technique for coordinating and scheduling HTM computation across one or more CPUs which (1) enables concurrent computation (2) does not require a central point of control (e.g. a controller entity that “orchestrates” the computation), (3) does not require global synchronization, (4) in some embodiments ensures that the same results are achieved whether the nodes are executed in parallel or serially.
US07941387B2
A method is provided for generating a resource function estimate of resource usage by an instance of a processing element configured to consume zero or more input data streams in a stream processing system having a set of available resources that comprises receiving at least one specified performance metric for the zero or more input data streams and a processing power of the set of available resources, wherein one specified performance metric is stream rate; generating a multi-part signature of executable-specific information for the processing element and a multi-part signature of context-specific information for the instance; accessing a database of resource functions to identify a static resource function corresponding to the executable-specific information and a context-dependent resource function corresponding to the context-specific information; combining the static resource function and the context-dependent resource function to form a composite resource function for the instance; and applying the resource function to the at least one specified performance metric and the processing power to generate the resource function estimate of the at least one specified performance metric for processing by the instance.
US07941379B1
A computer-implemented method for using geo-location information in sensitive Internet transactions is disclosed. In one example, such a method may include: 1) receiving, from a client device, a request to conduct an Internet transaction, 2) requiring geo-location information from the client device in order to conduct the Internet transaction, 3) receiving the geo-location information from the client device, 4) verifying the validity of the geo-location information, and then 5) conducting the Internet transaction. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US07941375B2
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, establishing a billing arrangement with a purchasing customer to permit a third party to charge a billing account associated with the purchasing customer for a purchase transaction between the purchasing customer and a selling vendor, establishing a remitting arrangement with the selling vendor to permit the third party to remit to an account associated with the selling vendor a portion of the purchase transaction, establishing communications between equipment of the third party and equipment of the purchasing customer, wherein the equipment of the third party enables the equipment of the purchasing customer to communicate over the Internet with equipment of the selling vendor concerning the purchase transaction, obtaining transactional information relating to the purchase transaction, receiving authorization over the Internet to charge the purchasing customer the first amount, charging the first amount to the billing account associated with the purchasing customer in accordance with the billing arrangement, and remitting the second amount to the account associated with the selling vendor in accordance with the remitting arrangement. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US07941367B2
A financial account issuer facilitating transactions between accounts is disclosed. The invention provides sellers with an irrevocable method of receiving funds from a purchaser and for improving purchaser willingness to transact with an unknown party. The invention also enables the allocation of a portion or all of a charge or loyalty points to different transaction accounts issued by different issuers, or to sub-accounts.
US07941354B2
A method and system of providing for the rapid availability of assets to customers wherein a lease method and system is provided which includes lease terms, a leasable asset with a unique identifier, associating the lease terms with the asset through the unique identifier, at least one sensor on the asset for detecting the status of at least one condition that starts a lease, a communications system for transmitting information from the sensors on the asset to a central management system, determining the amount due based on the status of the sensors and the lease terms associated with the unique identifier, and preparing an invoice based on the amount due determined.
US07941352B2
A computer-based system and method for resolving disputes between a customer and an electronic payment provider concerning an electronic transaction between the customer and a merchant, including receiving data related to the transaction in a computer; transmitting the data from the computer to a dispute resolution server; comparing the transaction data to predetermined eligibility criteria for dispute resolution in the dispute resolution server, and if the dispute resolution criteria is met, declining future transactions from the merchant for the disputing consumer; and, comparing the transaction data to predetermined eligibility criteria for transaction credit, and if the credit criteria is met, and transmitting a credit instruction for the transaction.
US07941351B1
A method for providing payroll services to an employer includes obtaining employee data for an employee of the employer, wherein the employee data is used by a payroll system, obtaining employer tax data of the employer, wherein the employer tax data is used by the payroll system, and managing a payroll and taxes of the employer using the payroll system, wherein managing the payroll of the employer comprises issuing a direct deposit paycheck by the payroll system based on the employee data and employer tax data, wherein managing the payroll of the employer and taxes of the employer is provided by the payroll system without cost to the employer.
US07941341B2
A sales force automation system and method of facilitating a sales process which integrates computerized intelligent automated salesperson support for multiple phases of the sales process. Various subsystems may be provided to facilitate the sales process which may include pre-sales lead generation, maximize time spent with the customer, effectively manage an order, ensure customer satisfaction and retain the customer for future sales. Also provided to support the phases of the sales process are additional tools, integrated in the system. The additional tools may include self management subsystems, sales management subsystems and training subsystems.
US07941329B2
A method, software, database and system for predicting the longevity of an individual and for determining an optimal insurance plan for an individual are presented in which an attribute profile of the individual containing genetic and non-genetic attributes is compared against a database containing combinations of genetic and non-genetic attributes that are statistically associated with known longevities and optimized insurance plans derived from other individuals.
US07941324B1
A method for obtaining healthcare that includes submitting biometric identification data to a Personal Health History (PHH) account that includes a PHH for a patient, permitting a healthcare provider to obtain the biometric identification data, wherein the healthcare provider accesses the PHH account with the biometric identification data to obtain the PHH, and receiving a treatment for a health condition of the patient, wherein the treatment is administered by the healthcare provider accessing the PHH.
US07941320B2
Generic and specific C-to-E binaural cue coding (BCC) schemes are described, including those in which one or more of the input channels are transmitted as unmodified channels that are not downmixed at the BCC encoder and not upmixed at the BCC decoder. The specific BCC schemes described include 5-to-2, 6-to-5, 7-to-5, 6.1-to-5.1, 7.1-to-5.1, and 6.2-to-5.1, where “0.1” indicates a single low-frequency effects (LFE) channel and “0.2” indicates two LFE channels.
US07941307B2
A method for producing a substantially calibrated numerical model, which can be used for calculating a stress on any point in a formation, accounts for a formation's geologic history using at least one virtual formation condition to effectively “create” the present-day, virgin stress distribution that correlates, within acceptable deviation limits, to actual field stress measurement data obtained for the formation. A virtual formation condition may describe an elastic rock property (e.g., Poisson ratio, Young's modulus), a plastic rock property (e.g., friction angle, cohesion) and/or a geologic process (e.g., tectonics, erosion) considered pertinent to developing a stratigraphic model suitable for performing the desired stress analysis of the formation.
US07941305B2
The apparatus for creating and editing a nuclear reactor core template includes a graphical user interface and a processor controlling the graphical user interface to allow a user to selectively populate a loading map with fuel bundles residing in at least one fuel pool.
US07941301B2
The invention relates to the modeling of a complex system wherein units such as data and/or products are received, processed and forwarded in event chains of the system. Said modeling uses a defined set of basic types at the lowest description level for representation of the units and in order to describe the interaction therebetween. Each basic type processes data representing values of characteristics of the above-mentioned units. The set of basic types comprises a basic type known as forward, which represents the forwarding of the units, conducts data for the characterization of said units and is provided with an input and an output; a basic type known as merge which represents a combination of units, combines data for the characterization of said units and which has two inputs and one output; and a basic type known as divide which represents a fractionation of units, determines data for the characterization of units which arise from a fractionation from data of a unit that is to be fractionated and has one input and two outputs. Inputs are used to receive data from and outputs are used to transfer data into the respective basic group. Computer-based data-processing models of the system are created by forming a number of basic types and by combining the inputs and outputs of said basic types.
US07941296B2
A computer-implemented method is provided for creating a peer unit and comparing that peer unit to a target unit in order to determine the difference in performance between the target unit and a peer unit. The peer unit is a hypothetical construct of user-defined performance variables whose values are determined based on outstanding performing units in a user-defined group. This comparison allows the user to assess what parameters of the target unit should be changed in order to improve overall performance.
US07941295B2
Provided is a manufacturing apparatus for appropriately managing information about parts of the manufacturing apparatus. The manufacturing apparatus includes: a parts identification information receiving unit receiving parts identification information used to identify parts of the manufacturing apparatus for performing a semiconductor process with respect to a substrate to be processed; a parts attribute information receiving unit receiving parts attribute information indicating the attribute of the parts identified by the received parts identification information; a parts attribute corresponding information memory unit storing parts attribute corresponding information where the parts identification information identifying the parts of the manufacturing apparatus corresponds to parts attribute information identified by the parts identification information; and a parts attribute corresponding information managing unit updating the parts attribute corresponding information by using the received parts identification information and the received parts attribute information.
US07941293B2
The present invention provides a system for determining a metric of capacity in computing systems and computer applications. Capacity in this sense refers to the ability of computer systems and computer applications to perform work. Many applications and multi-hop system strategies could benefit from understanding the amount of work a particular system or application is capable of performing. A metric such as this can be very difficult to calculate due to widely varying system hardware, operating system architectures, and application behavior/performance.
US07941292B2
In one aspect, a method to assign observations includes receiving first observations of a first sensor system, receiving second observations of a second sensor system and assigning a set of pairs of the first and second observations predicted to correspond to the same physical position. The assigning includes using a likelihood function that specifies a likelihood for each assigned pair. The likelihood is dependent on the assignment of any other assigned pairs in the set of assigned pairs. The assigning also includes determining the set of assigned pairs for the first and second observations based on the likelihood function. The likelihood function uses a gate value determined from estimating a true volume using nearest neighbor distances determined from the first and second observations.
US07941285B2
In one oil production operation, a fluid conduit transports a fluid from a wellhead to a floating production platform. To prevent an occurrence of formations that obstruct the flow of fluid in the fluid conduit, a forecast is made as to whether a flow assurance curve will intersect an operating curve of the fluid conduit. In the event that the operating curve and the flow assurance curve will intersect, the appropriate personnel may be alerted so that they may attempt to prevent the hydrate forming conditions from occurring in the pipe. Which personnel are alerted may be based on a level of criticality. The level of criticality may be based on an estimated time period remaining until the flow assurance curve and the operating curve will intersect.
US07941281B2
A system for rotor blade health monitoring include time of arrival (TOA) sensors and a controller comprising a processor configured for obtaining TOA signals indicative of times of arrival of rotating rotor blades from the respective TOA sensors and for determining initial features from the TOA signals; and a feature level fuser configured for fusing the initial features received from the processor for use in evaluating health of the rotating rotor blades.
US07941273B2
There is provided herein a system and method of acquiring, processing, and imaging transient Controlled Source ElectroMagnetic (t-CSEM) data in ways that are similar to those used for seismic data. In particular, the instant invention exploits the time-distance characteristics of t-CSEM data to permit the design and execution of t-CSEM surveys for optimal subsequent processing and imaging. The instant invention illustrates how to correct t-CSEM data traces for attenuation and dispersion, so that their characteristics are more like those of seismic data and can be processed using algorithms familiar to the seismic processor. The resulting t-CSEM images, particularly if combined with corresponding seismic images, may be used to infer the location of hydrocarbon reservoirs.
US07941266B2
In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine (1) for a motor vehicle in stop-start operation, the internal combustion engine (1) is operated in the idling operating state. If there is a request for switch-off of the internal combustion engine (1) the torque produced by the internal combustion engine (1) is reduced while fuel continues to be injected. The fuel injection is switched off if the speed of the internal combustion engine (1) reaches a predetermined minimum value. The torque produced by the internal combustion engine (1) is increased again if the request for switching off the internal combustion engine (1) is canceled before the minimum speed is reached.
US07941262B2
Disclosed is a method for storing process signals of a plant or technical installation. A compression method is adapted for a current operating state of the plant is applied to the set of process signals in accordance with the current operating state of the plant and a compressed process signal set which is determined during the application of the compression method is stored.
US07941261B2
A brake controller function to optimally brake a wheel of a vehicle in motion, such as an aircraft. The brake pressure control self regulates by means of applying brake pressure in accordance with vehicle acceleration information and the change in acceleration over time in the horizontal plane. Vehicle acceleration and information about its change enable a brake pressure control function to determine the brake pressure associated with maximum obtainable retardation for a vehicle at that given point in time. By continuously monitoring acceleration change and detecting retardation pinnacles, the culmination and turning points of retardation, with their associated brake pressure, maximum braking ability is assured at any given time. By applying acceleration data in real time as a controls reference in a brake logic control function to increase or reduce brake pressure, such a brake control function will assure a brake pressure perfectly fit with net of all the forces that a vehicle is subjected to. It will ensure optimal brake level with respect the vehicle tire/pavement surface interface.
US07941250B2
A method and a device for obtaining a predictive vertical speed of a rotorcraft, the device constituting a predictive vertical speed indicator (1) that includes at least: first elements (1′) for measuring the instantaneous vertical speed v of a rotorcraft; second elements (2) for measuring the instantaneous proper airspeed VP of a rotorcraft; and third elements (3) for calculating the predictive vertical speed vAP of a rotorcraft, the third elements being connected firstly to the first and second elements via respective first and second connections (l1, l2) and containing in memory predetermined values for the minimum-power speed VY and a characteristic constant k that are constants relating to the rotorcraft of a given type of rotorcraft.
US07941248B1
An avionics system including a software defined radio (SDR) is provided. The SDR includes configurable avionics function implementation circuitry configured to implement each of multiple avionics functions. Also included in the SDR is a priority arbitrator. The priority arbitrator is configured to receive priority control parameters and, based on a make-up of the received priority control parameters, responsively direct the configurable avionics function implementation circuitry to implement a particular priority-based subset (less than all) of the multiple avionics functions.
US07941245B1
An automated shading system defines an environmental state as a discrete variable representing a history of values of a second discrete variable representing the ambient environment. The system executes a state-specific automated shading command upon occurrence of each state. Prior to usage, each automated shading command is initialized to one of two types of command, as a function of the corresponding state: an “adjust shading” command that causes an automatic adjustment to a predetermined shading setting, or a “do not adjust” command that causes no shading adjustment. The system also enables a user to directly adjust the shading to a selected setting via deliberate shading commands. After each deliberate shading adjustment, the system updates the automated shading command associated with the current state to an “adjust shading” command that, upon subsequent occurrence of the same state, will cause an automatic adjustment to the same selected setting.
US07941224B2
A visual prosthesis apparatus and a method for limiting power consumption in a visual prosthesis apparatus. The visual prosthesis apparatus comprises a camera for capturing a video image, a video processing unit associated with the camera, the video processing unit configured to convert the video image to stimulation patterns, and a retinal stimulation system configured to stop stimulating neural tissue in a subject's eye based on the stimulation patterns when an error is detected in a forward telemetry received from the video processing unit.
US07941215B2
An electrotherapy apparatus comprising a sensor for detecting periodically recurring signal peaks, in particular the R-R peaks of an electrocardiogram of a person, a processor for deriving from the time interval between said periodically recurring signal peaks a time delay corresponding to approximately the end of the T-wave, and a trigger system initiated by an output signal of said processor or embodied within said processor for applying electrical stimulations to one or more active electrodes provided on the said person at a time related to the end of said time delay. The processor is adapted to generate, in addition to an initial electrical stimulation to induce muscle contraction, a plurality of further electrical stimulation pulses with intervals between each of said further electrical stimulation pulses, so that said further electrical stimulation pulses maintain said muscle contraction over a period extending from said initial electrical stimulation substantially up to a time just before a next expected R-peak.
US07941211B2
Pre-treatment using a xanthin carotenoid (preferably 3R,3′R-zeaxanthin) can improve the benefits and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses a light-activated drug (such as verteporfin) in patients who suffer from unwanted retinal blood vessel growth, including the “wet” (exudative) form of macular degeneration. Before a PDT treatment, patients are given a regimen of orally-ingested zeaxanthin for a period of at least 1 and preferably at least 2 to 3 weeks, at dosages of at least 3 and preferably at least 10 milligrams per day. Since zeaxanthin imparts a yellowish color to the macula, a preferred dosage should increase a patient's macular pigment density before the PDT treatment is performed.
US07941200B2
A system for determining drug administration information may comprise an input device providing for user input of feed forward information having a first parameter component and a second parameter component, a data storage device and a processor. The data storage device may have stored therein a map correlating values of the first and second parameters to drug administration information. The processor may be responsive to user input of the feed forward information to determine corresponding drug administration information according to the map.
US07941197B2
The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for updating mobile devices with additional elements. In some implementations, a cover for a mobile device includes side surfaces, a rear surface, a physical interface, and a circuit. The side surfaces and the rear surface are configured to be adjacent at least a portion one or more side surfaces of the mobile phone. The side surfaces and the rear surface form an opening that receives at least a portion of the mobile device. A first portion of at least one of the surfaces includes a connector for connecting to a port of the mobile phone. The physical interface includes in at least one of the surfaces that receives a memory device external to the mobile device. The circuit connects the physical interface to the connector.
US07941194B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for the co-location of radio frequency (RF) antennas in portable devices, portable devices and their docking stations and related systems, and devices with restrictive space constraints to allow for simultaneous receive (RX) and transmit (TX) operation without degradation. The systems and methods disclosed overcome RX channel degradation, receiver performance, and other problems seen in prior solutions. More particularly, transmit and receive antennas are oriented to provide for cross-polarization of their electro-magnetic fields, are oriented to allow one or both antenna to fall within null regions of the other antenna, and/or oriented with both cross-polarization and null region considerations in mind. Other variations and implementations are also described.
US07941190B2
A battery cover of a mobile phone includes an input interface formed on one side thereof; and a wireless transmission module. The input interface is capable of operating thereon, and the wireless transmission module is capable of conducting wireless communication between the battery cover and the mobile phone when the battery cover is detached from the mobile phone.
US07941186B2
An apparatus and method for scheduling a multiuser and a single user in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system are provided. The method for scheduling a multiuser and a single user at BS in MIMO system includes determining ratios of MultiUser-MIMO (MU-MIMO) chunks and Single User-MIMO (SU-MIMO) chunks to allocation chunks, determining the MU-MIMO chunks in the determined ratio and the remaining chunks as the SU-MIMO chunks, transmitting chunk information relating to the determined chunks to one or more Mobile Stations (MSs), and, when Channel Quality Information (CQI) feedback information relating to the determined MU-MIMO chunks and the determined SU-MIMO chunks is received from the MSs, allocating chunks and streams for MU-MIMO/SU-MIMO to users who maximize overall capacity using the CQI feedback information.
US07941182B2
A system and method for activating and registering a security system with a cellular provider using SMS messages is provided. The SMS messages used for activating and registering the security system are generated in a format that is predetermined by the processing station in order to provide a uniform structure for presenting the necessary information required for the specified function, i.e., activation or registration. The use of a uniform structure for the SMS allows the message to be processed entirely by a computer thus reducing cost, delay and error from having the information entered manually by a technician.
US07941175B1
A method, system, and apparatus enables lower priority (e.g., access response) messages to be transmitted instead of higher priority (e.g., paging) messages when the lower priority messages become too backlogged in an environment in which the two types of messages share a given capacity. In other words, when an overload situation is detected, the shared capacity is regulated by ensuring that the lower priority messages have at least some bandwidth. For example, if (i) the lower priority messages reach a predetermined number or (ii) a particular lower priority message has been waiting a predetermined period of time, then at least a portion of the higher priority messages are diverted (e.g., delayed or deleted). In one embodiment, the higher priority messages that are initially diverted are a lowest priority subset of the higher priority messages. In another embodiment, a highest priority subset of the lower priority messages are transmitted first as capacity is made available.
US07941157B2
A hybrid localization method and a wireless network that performs the method are disclosed herein. In an embodiment of a hybrid localization technique, one or more sensor nodes in the network switch between different localization techniques depending on location area conditions. This technique chooses the most accurate localization technique for the given location area conditions, and thus potentially provides the best possible location accuracy for those conditions. A representative set of simulations and experiments verify the potential performance improvement realized with embodiments of the hybrid localization technique.
US07941149B2
A wireless communication system is provided that has at least three nodes arranged in a multi-hop ultra wide band (UWB) communication network such that communications from a first node destined for a third node pass through a second node. Each of the devices in the system includes a radio and a media access control (“MAC”) module that is configured to establish multi-hop UWB wireless communications between the three or more wireless communication devices that enables high bandwidth applications such as Voice Over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”); multiplayer gaming; Wireless High Definition Television; and Internet Protocol Television (“IPTV”) among others. The MAC module is configured to avoid bandwidth reservation conflicts so that network performance does not degrade as the number of hops or the number of nodes in the wireless communication system increases. The MAC also facilitates utilization of multiple channels to maximize the available spectrum and is further configured to dynamically switch between channels to maximize throughput and meet or exceed quality of service (“QoS”) requirements such that QoS is guaranteed and network resources are efficiently utilized.
US07941142B2
A mobile unit transmits a request for position registration to a network when moving from a first area to a second area. When the number of incoming calls does not exceed a threshold and the number of movements between the first area and the second area exceeds a threshold, a mobile switchboard combines the first area and the second area into an extended area, and informs the mobile unit of the extended area.
US07941136B2
We describe a system to optimize performance of a mobile phone network towards a performance goal. The system receives performance data comprising aggregated data for a plurality of calls and commissions measurement data comprising data logged for a plurality of mobile phones, and outputs data for changing a configuration of said network. The system includes a performance monitoring system; a measurement data request system, wherein measurement data is selectively commissioned in response said performance mismatch; a measurement data analysis system to analyze the commissioned measurement data to determine a probable cause of said mismatch, and to provide analysis data identifying the probable cause; and an action determination system to receive said analysis data and to output action data dependent on the analysis data, the action data identifying one or more configuration changes to be made to the mobile phone network to reduce the mismatch.
US07941124B2
Methods of providing messages for a user can include accepting entry of a message for the user, and accepting entry of a location criteria associated with the message. Physical location information for a wireless communications device associated with the user can be obtained, and the message for the user can be transmitted when the physical location information for the wireless communications device matches the location criteria associated with the message. Related systems and computer program products are also discussed.
US07941123B2
The invention discloses a method and system for downloading data to mobile terminals, a mobile terminal that utilizes the method, and a method and a system for implementing data sharing between mobile terminals. The method for data downloading includes: dividing data to be downloaded into multiple data task segments by a master mobile terminal, and allocating the data task segments to one or more mobile terminals; downloading the data by the mobile terminals in accordance with the allocated data task segments; judging by the master mobile terminal whether there are any data task segments that have not been downloaded; and if yes, allocating the data task segments to at least one mobile terminal that has finished downloading data task segment; and if no, terminating the download procedure. The system for data downloading includes: a server, at least a master mobile terminal, and at least a slave mobile terminal.
US07941121B2
The invention disclose a method for verifying the validity of a user, making full use of a TID as the bridge for establishing confidence between a NAF and a user equipment, and the BSF assigning a term of validity for the TID, thereby extending the function of the TID, enabling the NAF to verify the term of validity for using the TID, and accordingly, achieving a further verification of the validity to the user. By using the method of the invention, it is possible to avoid the situation in which one TID is permanently valid for one or more NAFs, enhance the system security, decrease the risks caused by the theft of users' TID and corresponding secret keys, and at the same time, implement TID management by the NAF. In addition, a combination of the method with billing system makes it easy to implement the function of charging a user.
US07941118B2
A method to process DP bits and TPC bits from multiple fingers within a WCDMA rake receiver is provided. DPCH symbols are received, quantized and channel compensated. Then processing operations for individual fingers for the channel compensated quantized despread DPCH symbols containing DP bits and TPC bits are chosen based on the DPCH slot format. The DPCH symbols are processed based on the DPCH slot format in order to produce processed DPCH pilot symbols in a common format. DP bits and TPC bits may be processed in parallel by separate processing branches or in series by applying timing control to common processing modules. These processed symbols may then be combined. Other embodiments may further allow for the computation of an SNR estimate based on the combined DPCH symbols.
US07941116B2
A mobile wireless communications device may include a portable housing, a circuit board carried by the portable housing and comprising a ground plane, and wireless communications circuitry carried by the circuit board. The device may also include an antenna assembly carried by the housing. The antenna assembly may include a flexible substrate, an electrically conductive antenna element on the flexible substrate and connected to the wireless communications circuitry and the ground plane, and at least one pair of floating, electrically conductive director elements on opposite sides of the flexible substrate for directing a beam pattern of the antenna element.
US07941114B2
A method implementable in an audio receiver having an input for receiving broadcast signals including a set of channels and a squelching controller includes converting the signals associated with each channel into respective digital signals, and tuning the digital signals associated with a first subset of the channels. For each channel of the first channel subset, a respective set of amplitudes associated with respective frequencies of the associated digital signal is determined. A random-noise-level value associated with each channel of the first channel subset is determined from each set of the signal amplitudes. If a signal amplitude associated with a first channel of the first channel subset exceeds the random-noise-level of the first channel, a second subset of the channels of the set is tuned. Otherwise, the random-noise-levels are provided to the squelching controller.
US07941096B2
The present invention provides a method and system for determining a near-field communication interaction in a wireless tracking mesh network. The present invention preferably utilizes near-field communication devices in conjunction with tracking tags to transmit signals for reception by sensors stationed throughout a facility which form a mesh network and forward the signals to an information engine for analysis. Bearers of the near-field communication devices preferably include individuals, objects, assets and rooms of the facility.
US07941095B2
A wireless transceiver includes: (a) a low power radio frequency (LPRF) communications component capable of powering down to conserve energy and capable of powering up in response to an electronic signal, the LPRF communications component including a transmitter and a first receiver; and (b) a second receiver that is configured to screen a radio frequency broadcast and provide, on the basis of specific data identified therein, the electronic signal to the LPRF communications component in order to power up the LPRF communications component. The second receiver is adapted to draw less current than the LPRF communications component while awaiting receipt of and listening for a radio frequency broadcast.
US07941088B2
The image forming apparatus has a discharge device, an air blow device and a detection device, wherein an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the height of the recording materials detected by the detection device is higher than a preset first detection position is smaller than an amount of blown air by the air blow device when the detected height of the recording materials is lower than the first detection position. Thereby, there is provided an image forming apparatus which is improved in the alignment of the recording materials on the stacking portion.
US07941082B2
A print control unit causes a secondary-transfer control unit to move a secondary transfer unit apart from an intermediate transfer member, causes a direct-transfer control unit to cause a black image forming unit to form a black image and transfer the black image onto a transfer sheet being conveyed along a conveying path, and causes a positional-alignment control unit to perform positional alignment.
US07941080B2
An image forming apparatus is provided with a photoconductive member on which a latent image is to be formed, a developing roller for developing the latent image formed on the photoconductive member by a first bias, and a magnetic roller for forming a magnetic brush thereon with a two-component developer and forming a thin toner layer on the developing roller by a second bias. If (D1) denotes the duty ratio of a first alternating-current bias included in the first bias and (D2) denotes the duty ratio of a second alternating-current bias included in the second bias, the duty ratios (D1, D2) satisfy the following relationship: D1>100−D2.
US07941076B2
A driving force transmission device superior in reliability with suppressed rotation fluctuation. The driving force transmission device has gearing reception portions, three arm portions and a press member. The gearing reception portions are formed in the inner circumference of a rotor. The arm portions extend from a shaft radially. The arm portions can be elastically deformed. The arm portions have engagement tooth portions for transmitting a driving force of the shaft to the rotor. The press member presses the rotor to bend the arm portions in the direction where the rotor is pressed. In that state, the gearing reception portions gear with the engagement tooth portions.
US07941075B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging unit including a charge member that is disposed facing the image carrier across a gap therebetween and charges the image carrier by using electrical discharge caused by applying thereto a voltage including an alternating current component superimposed on a direct current component, a latent image forming unit, a developing unit to supply toner for developing the latent image formed on the image carrier into a toner image and to collect residual toner remaining on the image carrier, a transfer unit, and a toner spreading member to spread toner on the image carrier and disposed upstream from the charging unit in a direction of movement of the image carrier and downstream from the transfer unit in the direction of movement of the image carrier.
US07941070B2
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic photosensitive member including a substantially cylindrical body and a photosensitive layer formed on the outer circumference of the body. The body has an outer diameter larger at a middle portion of a latent image forming area than at end portions of the latent image forming area in the axial direction. The electrophotographic photosensitive member may further include a heating member accommodated within the body and extending along the axial direction of the body, for heating the latent image forming area of the photosensitive layer.
US07941061B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a body, to which a plurality of image forming cartridges containing developers are attachable; and a communication device which wirelessly communicates with a plurality of non-contact tags provided to the plurality of image forming cartridges, respectively. The communication device includes: a plurality of antennas which are provided correspondingly with the plurality of image forming cartridges; and a switching controller which switches signals from the plurality of antennas.
US07941060B2
A device management system for a plurality of devices, including a data collecting device that acquires device data for one or more of the plurality of devices, and a transmission circuit that transmits the device data to a device management, wherein the device management station determines any outlying devices within the plurality of devices. Moreover, a device management method for a plurality of devices that includes acquiring device data for one or more of the plurality of devices, transmitting the device data to a device management station, generating a control chart on the basis of the transmitted device data, determining whether at least one of the plurality of devices is outside at least on of the upper limit and the lower limit, and providing an appropriate action to take on the basis of the determination.
US07941052B2
An optical communications device has light transmitters of a first wavelength that are coupled to a number of first waveguides of an optical data link, respectively. A second set of light transmitters of a second, different wavelength are coupled to another set of waveguides of the link, respectively. The light transmitters are to transmit data from the same data processing element that is to use the link to communicate with another data processing element. The device also has a set of light detectors of the first wavelength that are coupled to the second set of waveguides, respectively. Another set of light detectors of the second wavelength are coupled to the set of first waveguides, respectively. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US07941049B2
An optical transmission apparatus including an optical amplifier for providing a high-power optical amplifier on the receive side, in which a wavelength of pumping light for an optical amplifier on the transmission side is suitably shifted to be different from a wavelength of pumping light for an optical amplifier on the receive side, pumping optical power for the optical amplifier on the transmission side is not all consumed in a doped fiber in amplification process, and remnant pump light that was left surplus is added by a wavelength multiplex coupler to the pumping light for the optical amplifier on the receive side, thereby enhancing a gain and light output without an increase in output power of the pumping light used for the optical amplifier on the receive side.
US07941048B2
An apparatus and a method for accurately detecting Loss of Optical Power (LOS) by noise power cancellation effect and optical power is measured at two output ports of an athermal periodic filter, wherein one output port in the optical frequency domain, is aligned with the signal channels of an input WDM signal (on-grid port), whereas the second output port is aligned complementary to the first output port (off-grid port). In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus computes the ratio of the measured optical powers at the two output ports of the periodic filter, and comparing them to a threshold value that is determined from the overall common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) of the detection apparatus. In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus additionally compares the optical power measured at the on-grid port to a threshold power that is determined from system design parameters.
US07941047B2
A method for engineering of a connection in a WDM photonic network with a plurality of flexibility sites connected by links comprises calculating a physical end-to-end route between a source node and a destination node and setting-up a communication path along this end-to-end route. An operational parameter of the communication path is continuously tested and compared with a test threshold. The path is declared established whenever the operational parameter is above the margin tolerance. The established path is continuously monitored by comparing the operational parameter with a maintenance threshold. A regenerator is switched into the path whenever the operational parameter is under the respective threshold, or another path is assigned to the respective connection. An adaptive channel power turn-on procedure provides for increasing gradually the power level of the transmitters in the path while measuring an error quantifier at the destination receiver until a preset error quantifier value is reached. As the connection ages, the power is increased so as to maintain the error quantifier at, or under the preset value. The path operation is controlled using a plurality of optical power/gain control loops, each for monitoring and controlling a group of optical devices, according to a set of loop rules.
US07941037B1
A system and method are provided for time scaling playback of digital audio signals with associated digital video signals. Initially, the digital video signals and the digital audio signals are received. Next, the digital audio signals are processed for the time scaling thereof while substantially preserving the frequency pitch of the digital audio signals. The processed audio signals are then encoded. Such encoded audio signals are then outputted for accelerated playback with the associated digital video signals.
US07941032B2
An information processing apparatus and a program are provided to execute a sequence of processing operations including the recording of video data recorded to a first recording medium in a first format to a second recording medium in a second format without user's manual intervention. When a startup block detects that a digital video tape can be acquired from a DV, a processing control block makes a DVD format block, a check block, a bit rate setting block, an acquisition block, a menu creation block, and a DVD write block sequentially execute their processing operations in this order as sequence of processing operations, thereby recording the video data recorded to the digital video tape loaded on the DV to a DVD loaded on a DVD-R/RW drive without user's manual intervention.
US07941029B2
A shooting device includes a frame-rate setting section, a shooting section, and a recording section. The frame-rate setting section sets a frame rate at the shooting and a frame rate at the reproducing arbitrarily and independently. The shooting section shoots moving images at the shooting frame rate, and the recording section records video signals of the shot moving images together with information about the shooting frame rate and information about the reproducing frame rate, where both of the information are linked with the video signals.
US07941028B2
A backlight is disclosed and includes a visible light transmissive body primarily propagating light by TIR with a light input surface and a light output surface and a light guide portion and a light input portion. The light guide portion has a light reflection surface and a light emission surface. The light input portion has opposing side surfaces that are not parallel. One of the opposing surfaces is co-planar with either the light emission surface or the light reflection surface. A light source is disposed adjacent to the light input surface. The light source emits light into the light input portion. A reflective layer is disposed adjacent to or on the opposing side surfaces.
US07941023B2
A low loss optical waveguiding structure for silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based arrangements utilizes a tri-material configuration including a rib/strip waveguide formed of a material with a refractive index less than silicon, but greater than the refractive index of the underlying insulating material. In one arrangement, silicon nitride may be used. The index mismatch between the silicon surface layer (the SOI layer) and the rib/strip waveguide results in a majority of the optical energy remaining within the SOI layer, thus reducing scattering losses from the rib/strip structure (while the rib/strip allows for guiding along a desired signal path to be followed). Further, since silicon nitride is an amorphous material without a grain structure, this will also reduce scattering losses. Advantageously, the use of silicon nitride allows for conventional CMOS fabrication processes to be used in forming both passive and active devices.
US07941020B2
A rotating optical resonator, a waveguide and a method of use of waveguide are disclosed. The rotating optical resonator may include at least two modes of different resonant frequencies shiftable towards each other by reducing a magnitude of rotation rate, said modes being joinable into a substantially degenerate mode by setting substantially zero rotation rate, said resonator being of an optical size smaller than five wavelengths of the substantially degenerate mode. The waveguide may include a plurality of coupled evenly degenerate split mode resonators, the split of the modes forming a stop band in a resonant band of the waveguide, the stop band of the waveguide thereby being changeable by changing an angular velocity of the waveguide while the vector of the angular velocity is non-parallel with respect to the waveguide.
US07941017B2
An optical touch panel having over-cladding layers each integrated with a lens-shaped portion (i.e., optical waveguides each having a lens-integrated over-cladding layer). The optical touch panel requires neither lens assembly nor optical axis alignment, and is therefore free from the fear that the displacement of lenses will occur. This makes it possible to achieve high optical transmission efficiency and high impact resistance.
US07941015B2
An optical apparatus includes an optical resonator ring having at least one active region. The active region is configured to generate optical energy under an electrical stimulus. The optical apparatus also includes a corrugated plasmonic body disposed around at least a portion of the resonator ring and radiatively coupled to the active region.
US07941014B1
Optical waveguide devices are disclosed which utilize an optical waveguide having a waveguide bend therein with a width that varies adiabatically between a minimum value and a maximum value of the width. One or more connecting members can be attached to the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width thereof to support the waveguide bend or to supply electrical power to an impurity-doped region located within the waveguide bend near the maximum value of the width. The impurity-doped region can form an electrical heater or a semiconductor junction which can be activated with a voltage to provide a variable optical path length in the optical waveguide. The optical waveguide devices can be used to form a tunable interferometer (e.g. a Mach-Zehnder interferometer) which can be used for optical modulation or switching. The optical waveguide devices can also be used to form an optical delay line.
US07941011B2
In a multilevel light intensity modulator of the invention, input light is branched into n (n is an integer of 2 or more), and respectively sent to n branching waveguides. On the branching waveguides are respectively provided MZI light modulating sections. The MZI light modulating sections branch the input light into two at a branching ratio different from 0.5:0.5, and respectively output a binary optical signal with a quenching ratio being deteriorated, by on/off driving with a binary electric signal. Then by coupling the light output from the MZI light modulating sections, an optical signal with the light intensity modulated to a 2n value not including the zero level is output. As a result quaternary or higher level light intensity modulation which does not include the zero level, can be realized by a practical configuration using a binary electric signal.
US07941001B1
A multi-purpose scaler utilizes a vertical scaler module and a moveable horizontal scaler module to resample a video signal either vertically or horizontally according to a selected scaling ratio. The moveable horizontal scaler module resides in one of two slots within the multi-purpose scaler architecture to provide either horizontal reduction or horizontal expansion as desired. The multi-purpose scaler is arranged to scale the video using non-linear 3 zone scaling in both the vertical and horizontal direction when selected. The multi-purpose scaler is arranged to provide vertical keystone correction and vertical height distortion correction when the video is presented through a projector at a non-zero tilt angle. The multi-purpose scaler is also arranged to provide interlacing and de-interlacing of the video frames as necessary.
US07940995B2
A method and a system of automatically detecting a boundary of a target object by using an ultrasound diagnostic image. In accordance with the present invention, the boundary of the target object can be detected automatically and precisely. The ultrasound diagnostic method and system form an edge detection boundary candidate model by detecting an edge of the ultrasound diagnostic image, forming a simplification boundary candidate model by performing a simplification operation to the edge detection boundary candidate model, forming a sessionization boundary candidate model by performing a sessionization operation to the simplification boundary candidate model, and detecting the boundary of the target object of the ultrasound diagnostic image based on the edge detection boundary candidate model, the simplification boundary candidate model and the sessionization boundary candidate model. In accordance with the present invention, the boundary of the target object is automatically detected by using the ultrasound diagnostic image to reduce any inconvenience to the user and solve the problem in which the measured result may vary with each user, which was caused by a conventional method of manually detecting the boundary.
US07940988B2
Properties of pixels in a digital image are sampled within different subdivisions of an editing tool impression to produce different property distributions. The different subdivisions can automatically alter their size, geometry, and/or location, based on image content within one or more of the subdivisions, in order to encompass a set of pixels having a substantially uniform distribution of a pixel property. Uniformity can be defined relative to the editing operation or context of the image. The property distributions from each region are classified to identify different edit classes within the property space, which are then used to apply an edit effect to the digital image within the tool impression. The edit classes may be represented by an edit profile in two or more dimensions.
US07940982B1
A method of performing color space conversion includes maintaining a data structure that has a plurality of dimensions and that contains a plurality of locations storing information in each of the dimensions. Each of the dimensions corresponds to a different one of a plurality of input color signal components. The number of locations which the data structure contains in a first one of the dimensions is different from the number of locations which the data structure contains in a second one of the dimensions. The method further includes inputting first data defined according to a first color space, and generating second data defined according to a second color space, by applying information contained in the data structure to the first data.
US07940977B2
A method of identifying a calcium and/or a soft plaque deposit in a blood vessel using imaging data of the blood vessel is provided. A first threshold is applied to a slice of three-dimensional imaging data of a blood vessel to define voxels above the first threshold. A maximum intensity of the blood vessel is identified from the defined voxels. A distance from the identified maximum intensity to a center of the blood vessel is calculated and is compared with a distance threshold. If the calculated distance is greater than the distance threshold, a calcium deposit is identified. A second threshold is applied to the slice to define voxels below the second threshold. If a calcium deposit is identified or if the defined voxels below the threshold have a half-moon shape, a soft plaque deposit is identified.
US07940969B2
A system and method is provided for using backscattered data and known parameters to characterize vascular tissue. Specifically, in one embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic device is used to acquire RF backscattered data (i.e., IVUS data) from a blood vessel. The IVUS data is then transmitted to a computing device and used to create an IVUS image. The blood vessel is then cross-sectioned and used to identify its tissue type and to create a corresponding image (i.e., histology image). A region of interest (ROI), preferably corresponding to the identified tissue type, is then identified on the histology image. The computing device, or more particularly, a characterization application operating thereon, is then adapted to identify a corresponding region on the IVUS image. To accurately match the ROI, however, it may be necessary to warp or morph the histology image to substantially fit the contour of the IVUS image. After the corresponding region is identified, the IVUS data that corresponds to this region is identified. Signal processing is then performed and at least one parameter is identified. The identified parameter and the tissue type (e.g., characterization data) is stored in a database. In another embodiment of the present invention, the characterization application is adapted to receive IVUS data, determine parameters related thereto (either directly or indirectly), and use the parameters stored in the database to identify a tissue type or a characterization thereof.
US07940967B2
A medical procedure support system of the invention includes an endoscope for obtaining images of an internal part of the body cavity of a subject, an endoscopic image creating unit for creating an endoscopic image obtained by the endoscope, an image reading unit for reading a virtual image relating to the subject and a reference image relating to the virtual image, a superimposition commanding unit for commanding to superimpose the reference image on at least one of the virtual image and the endoscopic image, and a combined image creating unit for performing the superimposition of the reference image data commanded by the superimposition commanding unit and creating a combined image thereof.
US07940965B2
According to the present invention, the face of a subject person can be rapidly detected. An image input unit inputs an image to be processed. A photographing-position input unit inputs photographing-position information attached to the processed image. An angle-range information determination unit determines an angle range, where face detection should be performed to the processed image, on the basis of the information obtained by the photographing-position information input unit. On the basis of information indicating the determined angle range, under the control of a process control unit, a face detection unit performs face detection to the processed image input by the image input unit in predetermined angle increments. A face integration unit integrates all of face data detected by a basic-angle-range face detection unit into face information and then outputs the information.
US07940963B2
A monitoring system includes: an image capturing section capturing a motion image of a monitor region; a condition storing section storing a condition of an object to be extracted from the motion image; a matching judging section judging whether an object that matches the condition exists in the motion image; an object region identifying section identifying an object region including the object, if the matching judging section judges positively; an output section outputting an image of the object region, if the matching judging section judges positively; an image retaining section retaining an image of a region other than the object region, if the matching judging section judges positively; and an output control section controlling the output section to output the image of the region, if the image of the region is judged to be transmitted, after the image retaining section retained the image of the region.
US07940962B2
An awareness detection system and method are provided. The system includes an imaging device positioned to obtain a plurality of images of at least a portion of a subject's head, and an awareness processor in communication with the imaging device. The awareness processor receives an image from the imaging device and performs the steps including conducting a two-point head pose analysis when two eyes of the subject are located, conducting a one-point head pose analysis when only one eye of the subject is located, and conducting a zero-point head pose analysis when zero eyes of the subject are located. The awareness processor further performs the steps of detecting at least one point of interest in the image, conducting a motion analysis of the image to estimate a head pose of the subject, and determining a state of awareness of the subject.
US07940961B2
A method for enhancing detection of a moving object. The method includes comparing a video image to a historical sequence of images obtained from the same scene or stationary source. The method uses statistical sampling to implement change detection and thresholding operations which extract moving objects from the scene. The method provides for a high degree of sensitivity and noise rejection to motion detection, and is self-adapting to variations in sensor characteristics and operating environments.
US07940959B2
The invention described herein is generally directed to methods for analyzing an image. In particular, crowded field images may be analyzed for unidentified, unobserved objects based on an iterative analysis of modified images including artificial objects or removed real objects. The results can provide an estimate of the completeness of analysis of the image, an estimate of the number of objects that are unobserved in the image, and an assessment of the quality of other similar images.
US07940955B2
The empty vs. non-empty status of a cargo container is detected based on boundary analysis of a wide-angle image obtained by a monocular vision system. The wide-angle image is warped to remove distortion created by the vision system optics, and the resulting image is edge-processed to identify the boundaries of the container floor. If package boundaries are detected within the floor space, or a large foreground package is blocking the floor boundaries, the cargo status is set to non-empty. If floor boundaries are detected and no package boundaries are detected within the floor space, the cargo status is set to empty.
US07940947B2
According to the invention a headphone set comprises a hoop band, to each of the two ends of which is fixed a respective acoustic transducer and which extends arcuately in a plane, with at least one joint for folding the ends of the hoop band inwardly in the plane and an elastic region for resiliently expanding and narrowing the hoop band is either characterized in that the fixing of each of the transducers to the ends of the hoop band has a joint for pivoting the transducers into the plane and that arranged in the region of the two ends of the hoop band is a respective connecting structure which can be connected to each other and which then in co-operating relationship hold the folded-in ends of the hoop band in a crossed position or that the one joint for folding the ends of the hoop band inwardly is arranged at the apex of the hoop band, that the headphone set is of mirror image symmetry about a plane and that the fixing of each of the transducers to the ends of the hoop band has a joint for pivoting the transducers into the plane of symmetry which is at a right angle to the plane of the hoop band.
US07940940B2
A muting circuit of the present invention includes: an input terminal that receives a control signal for allowing switching between ON and OFF of a mute operation; and a muting transistor connected to the input terminal and an output terminal of the amplifier. The muting transistor is a MOS transistor, and a gate is connected to the input terminal, a drain is connected to the output terminal of the amplifier, and a source is grounded. Consequently, a shot noise due to a DC difference caused when a mute state is switched between ON and OFF can be suppressed.
US07940939B1
A vehicle trunk woofer is a low frequency speaker disposed within the trunk of a vehicle so as to be separated from the vehicle passenger compartment by a dividing portion and a rear deck. The dividing portion may be a fixed element or a movable element, such as a fold down rear seat. The speaker mounted in the trunk may be mounted in an enclosure and may be mounted adjacent to the dividing portion, but is not mounted to the rear deck.
US07940937B2
An acoustic-to-electrical transducer for sensing body sounds is disclosed. The transducer comprises a diaphragm that can be placed in direct contact with a body, whereby the diaphragm motion directly affects an electromagnetic sensing signal, which is then converted to an electrical signal representation of the diaphragm motion. Such sensing means allows the diaphragm to move freely without mechanical coupling to a secondary transducer, while providing a direct and efficient acoustic to electrical conversion means. The transducer further provides a means for using static diaphragm pressure to control gain and frequency characteristics of the electrical signal. The transducer provides methods for ambient noise reduction or cancellation, as well as means for simulating sound detection for applications such as medical education and testing. The sensor, circuitry, manufacturing methods and improvements are disclosed.
US07940935B2
A content playback apparatus reduces load concentration on a specific server apparatus that manages content keys of encrypted content, while protecting copyrights of the content. The content apparatus makes playback of content recorded in a recording medium sold possible after the specific server breaks down. A key acquisition control unit (204) reads a playback control information table (211) from a recording medium (102) via a reading unit (201). The key acquisition unit (204) acquires a rights key via a key acquisition intermediation unit (223) from an apparatus specified by an acquisition-destination type and a request-destination type that are stored in the playback control information table (211) and that corresponding to the content to be played. The key acquisition unit (204) generates a content key using the acquired rights key and, when required, a medium key recorded in a medium. A decryption unit (203) decrypts encrypted content using the content key.
US07940927B2
Resistance against simple power analysis is maintained while a smaller table is used. An IC card 100 decrypts encrypted information using elliptic curve calculation for calculating a point k*C by multiplying a point C on an elliptic curve E with a coefficient k that is a positive integer less that a prime p. The calculation of the point k*C is performed by adding a multiplication result obtained by multiplying a digit position (window) value w of the acquired coefficient k with the point C in a position corresponding to the digit position, and is performed with respect to all digit positions. When a non-negative integer t exists that fulfills a condition that the acquired digit value w_can be divided by 2t and cannot be divided by 2t+1, the multiplication includes adding a point obtained by multiplying a point Q with w/2t.
US07940919B2
A periodic and automatic telephone redialling system and method applicable to a dial-type communication device is proposed to provide a periodic and automatic telephone redialling procedure on phone numbers previously dialled by a user but failed to get through to the receiver. The advantages of this periodic and automatic telephone redialling system and method are that the user does not have to activate the redialling procedure manually, and the redialling procedure can be performed periodically for one or more phone numbers.
US07940917B2
A method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for managing received calls. In response to receiving a first call from a user, the process stores a record of the first call in a table of received calls. Thereafter, in response to receiving a second call from the user within a predefined period of time after the first call was prematurely disconnected, the process identifies a second call as a prematurely terminated call. The process then places the prematurely terminated call in a queue of calls according to a set of configurable criteria and updates the record of the first call with a progress of the prematurely terminated call.
US07940916B2
A technique is disclosed for interfacing business processes with telephony functions. Particularly, an orchestration engine is interposed between a business process engine that executes business processes and an enterprise telecommunications network that executes telephony functions. Acting as an intermediary between the business process engine and the telecommunications network, the orchestration engine decouples the atomic telephony functions that are required for a business application from the business logic that is used in features that comprise one or more business processes. Thus, a new protocol state, feature, or algorithm change is isolated to a single and easy-to-develop location in software.
US07940910B2
Embodiments for generating a sorted integrated directory are described. The sorted integrated directory integrates contacts from disparate directories into a common directory. The formation of the integrated directory includes receiving contacts from multiple directories. The contacts represent or are formed under multiple data structures, with one data structure corresponding to one of the directories. The received contacts are converted into contact objects. The contact objects, each of which represents a contact, all include or are formed under a common data structure. An integrated directory is generated or formed from the contact objects. The integrated directory thus includes a set of contacts of the disparate source directories.
US07940903B2
A sponsor purchases a prepaid card that can be transmitted to an intended user with increased security. Using a prepaid card dispenser, the sponsor elects an amount for the prepaid card and is prompted for at least one telephone number at which a server platform should contact the sponsor when the intended user wants to authenticate the card. The sponsor may enter additional phone numbers that will be called if the sponsor does not answer the first number when called by the server platform. When an intended user has received the prepaid card, the intended user calls a telephone number associated with the server platform and is connected to the sponsor via a telephone bridge so that the sponsor may authenticate the intended user. The sponsor may then inform the server platform (e.g., via DTMF tones) that the card has been authenticated.
US07940893B2
A method and a CT system are disclosed having a computation unit for distinguishing between four materials (M1, M2, M3, M4) in tomographic records of a dual-energy CT system, wherein the size of a two-dimensional or three-dimensional viewing area is defined around each voxel whose material content is to be distinguished. In an embodiment of the method, the adjacent voxels from the viewing area on an HU value diagram are imaged for each voxel (Vi) whose material content is to be distinguished, the distances from the diagonals are calculated for all the imaged voxels, and the mean squares of these distances are formed (x12, x22). If the mean square distance (x12, x22) to one diagonal is less than to the other diagonal, then the composition of the voxel is assumed to be composed of the materials to whose diagonal the lower mean square distance (x12, x22) occurs.
US07940891B2
A radiation apparatus includes a radiation source movable in translational and/or rotational degrees of freedom, and a structure adapted to support a body. The structure is provided with an opening to allow a portion of the body passing through to be exposed to at least a portion of the therapeutic radiation while in use.
US07940885B2
In one aspect, A method of imaging an object of interest positioned in an exposure area is provided. The method comprises obtaining projection data of the object by providing radiation to the exposure area and detecting at least some of the radiation exiting the object to form the projection data, performing a first reconstruction of the projection data to form at least one bootstrap image, obtaining first data based on information provided by the at least one bootstrap image, and performing a second reconstruction of the projection data based, at least in part, on the first data to form at least one second image.
US07940879B2
A video processing system includes a video detection circuit for determining the clock frequency of an incoming video signal. Using the determined clock frequency, adjustments are made in a phase lock loop to enable a quick lock onto the clock frequency of the incoming video signal.
US07940866B2
The present invention is directed to a correlation interval synchronization apparatus and method. Correlation is firstly performed on received data, followed by searching peaks in accordance with the output of the correlation. Subsequently, peak intervals are acquired according to the peaks, and the peak interval where the synchronization head position resides is determined. Finally, the synchronization head position is identified within the associated peak interval.
US07940860B2
A communication system capable of communicating control information without decreasing the bandwidth available to users. A coder encodes a primary signal to generate encoded data such that the polarity of the encoded data alternates between positive and negative polarities. A polarity-reversed data generator reverses the polarity of part of the encoded data to generate polarity-reversed data. A transmitter transmits, as communication data, the encoded data including the polarity-reversed data. A receiver receives the communication data, and a polarity-reversed data detector determines whether or not the polarity of the received communication data alternates between positive and negative polarities, and detects, as the polarity-reversed data, data of which the polarity differs from an expected polarity. A polarity recognizer recognizes the polarity of the polarity-reversed data and treats the recognized polarity as control information.
US07940854B2
A digital television (DTV) transmitter and a method of processing data in the DTV transmitter are disclosed. A pre-processor pre-processes the enhanced data by coding the enhanced data for forward error correction (FEC) and expanding the FEC-coded enhanced data. A data formatter generates enhanced data packets including the pre-processed enhanced data and for inserting known data to at least one of the enhanced data packets. A first multiplexer multiplexes the enhanced data packets with main data packets including the main data. An RS encoder RS-codes the multiplexed main and enhanced data packets, the RS encoder adding systematic parity data to each main data packet and adding RS parity place holders to each enhanced data packet. And, a data interleaver interleaves the RS-coded main and enhanced data packets, wherein a known data sequence is included in every Nth enhanced data segment outputted from the data interleaver.
US07940852B2
A method for decoding a received signal comprising the steps of receiving a signal at a plurality of antennas, applying Fast Fourier transformations to the received signal, estimating channel characteristics of a channel over which the signal was transmitted using iterative processing and decoding the transformed signal.
US07940851B2
A radio communication apparatus and an associated method are provided. The apparatus includes a receiving unit configured to receive first data and second data, which are transmitted from a plurality of antennas for spatial-multiplexing using a plurality of blocks, into which a plurality of consecutive subcarriers in a frequency domain are divided. The apparatus further includes a calculating unit configured to calculate a first absolute CQI value per each of the blocks for the first data and a second absolute CQI value per each of the blocks for the second data, and calculate a relative value of the second absolute CQI value with respect to the first absolute CQI value, per each of the blocks. The apparatus still further includes a transmitting unit configured to transmit the first absolute CQI value and the relative value of the second absolute CQI value in the same block.
US07940841B2
A communication system includes a modulating circuit to increase the amount of information to be transmitted, a transmitting apparatus capable of easily generating a desired waveform even for any very short wavelets, a receiving apparatus capable of easily separating wavelets even if the intervals thereof are narrow. The modulating circuit includes clock generating, transmission signal generating, control signal generating, delay and wavelet generating parts. The clock generating part generates a clock signal at predetermined time interval “Tp”. The transmission signal generating part generates a transmission signal at interval “Tp”. The control signal generating part outputs a control signal of a predetermined duration based on the clock signal. The delay part generates the control signal as a delay signal that has been delayed by a delay amount based on the transmission signal. The wavelet generating part generates a wavelet at the generation timing of the delay signal.
US07940834B2
A GNSS receiver and method using alternating “A” and “B” time segments for a reception time length of two or more data bits. The GNSS signal in an “A” time period comprising the “A” time segments is integrated for determining “A” magnitudes corresponding to code phase increments and the GNSS signal in a “B” time period comprising the “B” time segments is integrated for determining “B” magnitudes corresponding to code phase increments. A trial-and-error data bit search is performed for depolarizing data bit senses. The code phase increment showing the largest correlation level is used for acquisition of the GNSS signal and/or determination of the location where the GNSS is being received.
US07940829B2
The basic gain medium enclosure for laser devices comprises two parallel lateral mirrors which geometrically define the extent of the gain medium enclosure and which allow the formation of lateral stationary sinusoidal waves.
US07940828B2
An optical communication system for performing data transmission with optical signals comprises a first optical transmitter and a first optical receiver. The first optical transmitter has a first surface-emitting laser including an active layer of a multiple quantum well structure having a quantum well layer of InxGa1-xAs (0.15≦x≦0.35), the first surface-emitting laser having an oscillation wavelength ranging from 1000 nm to 1100 nm inclusive. The first optical transmitter transmits an optical signal generated by the first surface-emitting laser. The first optical receiver is connected to the first optical transmitter by a first optical transfer path, and receives the optical signal transmitted from the first optical transmitter through the first optical transfer path.
US07940822B1
A method of estimating an injection power of seed light injected into an injection-seeded transmitter. A back face monitoring (BFM) response of the injection-seeded transmitter is determined, and data representative of the BFM response stored in a memory. During run-time, a controller of the injection-seeded transmitter, detects a temperature of the injection-seeded transmitter and an instantaneous BFM current. BFM response data is obtained from the memory based on the detected temperature, and the seed light injection power estimated based on the obtained data and the detected instantaneous BFM current.
US07940816B2
A polarization-maintaining figure eight (PMFE) fiber laser is configured to generate ultrashort (femtosecond) output pulses by intentionally inserting asymmetry (in the form of a phase bias) into the bi-directional loop of the fiber laser. The introduction of asymmetry (via an asymmetric coupler, splice, attenuator, fiber bend, multiple amplifying sections, or the like) allows for an accumulation of phase difference within the bi-directional loop sufficient to create modelocking and generate ultrashort output pulses.
US07940814B2
High-speed serial data transceiver circuitry on a programmable logic device (“PLD”) includes some channels that are able to operate at data rates up to a first, relatively low maximum data rate, and other channels that are able to operate at data rates up to a second, relatively high maximum data rate. The relatively low-speed channels are served by relatively low-speed phase locked loop (“PLL”) circuitry, and have other circuit components that are typically needed for handling data that is transmitted at relatively low data rates. The relatively high-speed channels are served by relatively high-speed PLLs, and have other circuit components that are typically needed for handling data that is transmitted at relatively high data rates.
US07940804B2
A transmission of data in a communication system, e.g., a switched network with a plurality of subscribers who are interconnected in pairs via data circuits, especially lines is provided. At least one of the pairs of subscribers is interconnected via first line or a separate second line. The first line is used for transmitting real-time-critical data between the pair of subscribers while the second line is used for transmitting non-real-time-critical data between the pair of subscribers.
US07940797B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting control information in a mobile communication system transmits uplink or downlink control information required for an E-DCH transmission between MAC layers of a transmitting side and a receiving side. The MAC layer of the transmitting side divides the MAC PDU into a MAC control PDU and a MAC data PDU and transmits data through the MAC data PDU and uplink or downlink control information through the MAC control PDU to the receiving side. The MAC control PDU includes an identifier for indicating a type of a MAC PDU and a sub-identifier for discriminating a type of the corresponding MAC control PDU.
US07940795B2
Introducing a set of limitations on where different payload sizes are allowed in a control channel element aggregation ‘tree’ is shown. Following these limitations, the network element (e.g. Node B) will have a large flexibility for scheduling users, while the terminal (e.g. User Equipment) will have an option for still keeping the number of blind decoding attempts at a quite low number.
US07940788B2
A system is for transmitting data in a network and includes emitter nodes, each including a transmitter for transmitting requests for data transmission. The system may also include a receiver node receiving the data transmission from the emitter nodes and including a first memory for storing data transmitted by each emitter node, a second memory for storing the requests, and a transmitter. The data may be transmitted from the emitter nodes to the receiver node when memory space is available in the first memory to receive data. The transmitter of the receiver node may transmit to each emitter node an acknowledgement message when memory space is available in the first memory to receive at least a portion of the data transmitted. Each emitter node may establish a communication link with the receiver node and transmits the data based upon the acknowledgement message. The communication link may be locked until all data is transmitted.
US07940768B2
A method is described that entails assigning a source network address to an outbound packet, associating the outbound packet with a network service and identifying a first network interface associated with the network service. The method further entails inquiring into and confirming that the first network interface is associated with the source network address. The method further entails constructing a search key from an identifier of the first network interface and the outbound packet's destination address. The method further entails submitting the search key to a routing function, the routing function providing the outbound packet's next hop address. The method further entails transmitting the outbound packet to a node identified by the next hop address from the network interface.
US07940754B2
A system is disclosed for communicating with a plurality of network processors, one or more of the processors having a different operating environment, includes receiving an application programming interface (API) call from a user application, the API call including a call address identifying one or more of the network processors; and accessing a memory that identifies an appropriate form for the API call for each operating environment implemented by each network processor identified by the call address; and building one or more messages including the appropriate form for the API call for the operating environment of each of the network processors to receive any particular message.
US07940750B2
The present invention is directed to a local network access architecture and method of providing local services that advantageously replaces portions of the physical hardwired local loop with a path that is software-defined. In one embodiment the system comprises a remote terminal comprising a packet processor that converts an analog signal carried on a customer loop into digital packets and a packet node connected to the remote terminal configured to selectively forward the digital packets based on an identifier in the digital packets to equipment of one of a plurality of local exchange carriers, wherein said plurality of local exchange carriers are different companies and each one of said plurality of local exchange carriers provides at least one different service subscribed to by a subscriber.
US07940749B2
A common communication terminal system and method of converging mobile cellular communications, wireless access systems, wireless local area network and wireline communications into one Open Wireless Architecture (OWA) platform supporting cost-effective and spectrum-efficient broadband services across wireless and wired communication environment in one single terminal device with one unified telephone number for office, home and mobile communications.
US07940746B2
A method and system for locating a device connected to a network by determining a current network address for the device and comparing the current network address to a network address in a user profile. If the network addresses match, the device is located based on a physical address associated with the network address in the user profile.
US07940744B2
A method and system for automatically configuring a plurality of wireless peripheral devices within a network environment. The method includes identifying a plurality of wireless peripheral devices, including one existing networked wireless device. The existing networked wireless device is configured to function as a master device. The master device identifies one of the remaining wireless peripheral devices that has yet to be configured. The master device replicates itself by wirelessly transmitting the configuration data to the identified wireless peripheral device. The configuration data enables the identified peripheral wireless device to assume network operation and to assume functionality of the master device so as to be capable of automatically causing the configuration of additional peripheral devices.
US07940740B2
A base station communicates a positioning reference signal (PRS) to wireless communication devices over a downlink in a wireless communication system by encoding a PRS into a first set of transmission resources, encoding other information into a second set of transmission resources, multiplexing the two sets of resources into a subframe such that the first set of resources is multiplexed into at least a portion of a first set of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols based on an identifier associated with the base station and the second set of resources is multiplexed into a second set of OFDM symbols, and transmitting the subframe. Upon receiving the subframe, a wireless device determines which set of transmission resources contains the PRS based on the identifier associated with the base station that transmitted the subframe and processes the set of resources containing the PRS to estimate timing (e.g., time of arrival) information.
US07940736B2
A method of forming ad hoc RSI hierarchical communication networks among pluralities of wireless transceivers includes assigning to each of the transceivers one or more common designations. A network organization routine of the transceivers operates to establish hierarchical networks based on the transceivers' common designations, resulting in a logical network organization that provides efficiencies for acquiring information from particular transceivers that share a common designation. Each transceiver's common designation is used by a digital processor of the transceiver to selectively receive data packets that are intended for receipt by transceivers sharing the particular common designation. Such a “common designation” network reduces power consumption and signal interference thereby increasing battery life. Each transceiver may include a sensor interface a query handling routine in communication with a memory of the transceiver for serving as a dynamic distributed hierarchical database system of information such as, for example, sensor-derived information and time-sensitive information.
US07940735B2
A system for selecting an access point for a wireless device on a wireless network including a first wireless router in communication with the wireless device for transmitting and receiving RF signals between said first wireless router and the wireless device; a second wireless router in communication with the wireless device for transmitting and receiving RF signals between the first wireless router and the wireless device; a packet network switch in communication with the first and second wireless routers for routing the data packets between the first and second wireless routers and the packet network switch; and a network management device in communication with the packet network switch for instructing the packet network switch to route the data packets to one of the first and second wireless routers based on the network performance information to provide an access point for the wireless device.
US07940732B2
A portable wireless configuration device, such as a key fob, is provided which executes an application program to configure a wireless client device to connect to a secured wireless network via an access point. The wireless client device may be unconnected to and remote from the access point. A request signal is transmitted from the wireless configuration device to the access point in response to detecting a user input on the wireless configuration device. The request signal includes a request for network connectivity settings associated with the secured wireless network. The wireless configuration device receives and then stores the network connectivity settings from the access point. The wireless configuration device then transmits the settings to the wireless client device to be configured.
US07940728B2
A wireless communication method capable of preventing reduction of the throughput. According to this wireless communication method, in a frame (2), a relay station (1) decides that the amount of delay to be Δt2 because the modulation scheme of a relayed signal is 16 QAM, while another relay station (2) decides that the delay amount be Δt4 because the modulation scheme of a relayed signal is QPSK. The relay station (1) transmits, at Δt2 of the frame (2), the relayed signal, the modulation scheme of which is 16 QAM, to abase station. On the other hand, the relay station (2) detects, by Δt4, the fact that the relay station (1) transmitted the relayed signal at Δt2, and estimates, from the detected fact, that the modulation scheme used by the relay station (1) was 16 QAM. The relay station (2) then updates its modulation scheme from the initially established modulation scheme of QPSK to the same modulation scheme of 16 QAM as the relay station (1), and modulates the relayed signal by use of 16 QAM and then transmits it to the base station.
US07940727B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for cell re-selection in a dual mode terminal supporting GSM and WCDMA. The method includes measuring a cell re-selection parameter for a WCDMA cell and a GSM cell when attempting a cell re-selection from the GSM cell to the WCDMA cell; determining an additional weight value for cell re-selection; and comparing the determined additional weight value and a cell re-selection threshold value and a weight value received from a network with the cell re-selection parameter.
US07940714B1
A communication method for a communication network includes transmitting first control information for a first frame from a hub to a plurality of user nodes, and receiving first data bursts in the first frame from first and second user nodes according to the first control information. A start of the first frame from the first and second user nodes occurs simultaneously at the hub. The method also includes transmitting second control information, based on demand information received from the first and second nodes, for a second frame from the hub after transmitting the first control information, receiving second data bursts in the second frame according to the second control information, and receiving the second frame at the hub following the first frame.
US07940707B2
The present invention relates to a transceiver for bidirectional frequency division multiplexed transmission. The transceiver comprises transmission means with a voltage source output or a current source output for transmitting data in a transmission frequency range, receiving means for receiving data in a receiving frequency range, and a coupling impedance for connecting the transmission means and the receiving means to a transmission medium. The magnitude of the coupling impedance in the transmission frequency range is smaller than the magnitude of the coupling impedance in the receiving frequency range if the transmission means has a voltage source output and is higher than the magnitude of the coupling impedance in the receiving frequency range if the transmission means has a current source output. Due to the reduced magnitude or increased magnitude respectively in the transmitting frequency range, the transmit signal power requirement is reduced.
US07940706B2
A coupling facility is coupled to one or more other coupling facilities via one or more peer links. The coupling of the facilities enables various functions to be supported, including the duplexing of structures of the coupling facilities. Duplexing is performed on a structure basis, and thus, a coupling facility may include duplexed structures, as well as non-duplexed or simplexed structures.
US07940704B2
A server-based architecture for instant messaging conferencing is presented. Session-based instant messaging conferencing is established by transmitting necessary server network address information through page-mode based messaging services to establish connections among the various mobile devices with the server.
US07940699B2
Techniques are disclosed for generation of spanning trees that support provision of performance-guaranteed services over a circuit-switched network such as, for example, an optical-based network. For example, a technique for generating a spanning tree for use in forwarding Ethernet-based data in a circuit-switched network comprises the following steps/operations. Input information is obtained. The input information comprises a representation of the network, a set of Ethernet-enabled nodes in the network, and a set of demands. A spanning tree is computed based on at least a portion of the input information such that the spanning tree substantially satisfies one or more performance requirements (e.g., one or more bandwidth requirements) associated with the set of demands. Advantageously, in one embodiment, such techniques may provide for generation of spanning trees for use in supporting bandwidth-guaranteed Ethernet services such as E-LAN over a SONET (and SDH) network.
US07940692B2
A wireless communication terminal comprises: a packet receiving unit for receiving a packet from a wireless base station; module for obtaining a transmission rate and a required transmission time from the received packet; module for calculating a time required to perform a packet transmission/reception procedure on the basis of the required transmission time; an analysis unit that functions as module for recognizing the existence of other terminal by decoding a destination MAC address described in the packet when the obtained transmission rate is equal to or lower than a transmission rate used by the wireless communication terminal; and a same-cell terminal list creation unit and band use time period scheduling unit for setting a band use time period that is equal to or greater than the time required to perform the packet transmission/reception procedure, for a time period, within a predetermined period corresponding to a packet generation period, regarding the other terminal and the wireless communication terminal, in order from the terminal having the lowest transmission rate.
US07940691B2
A method for measuring and determining the duplex modes of a network interface. The method assumes the network interface to be operating in a half-duplex mode until the bandwidth utilization reaches a threshold. When the threshold is reached, the method checks the traffic collision in the interface. If there is no collision, then the duplex mode is determined to be full-duplex. If there is collision, then the duplex mode is determined to be half-duplex and an alarm is set off. In another embodiment, the interface type is determined through SNMP. If the interface is a WAN interface, then the interface is determined to be full-duplex.
US07940686B2
Described herein are techniques to facilitate the improvement of network throughput. An implementation described herein measures throughput over a data-communications network and between at least two endpoints on the network. This implementation also displays a graphical representation depicting the present throughput of the network as it is measured. The graphical representation has an identified target throughput threshold, and that threshold is indicative of an acceptable level of throughput for the usage being targeted, such as high-quality video streaming.
US07940685B1
Certain exemplary embodiments provide a method that can comprise establishing a tunnel between a monitor and at least one router; sending a message to join a multicast transmission; and/or transmitting a packet via the tunnel to a router. The packet can comprise a source address of the network monitor and a destination address comprising a multicast address.
US07940683B2
A method of using deep packet inspection (DPI) to verify a service configuration. The method may include one or more of the following: building an application specific service ping packet having an application identification field that identifies an application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds; forwarding the application specific service ping packet towards a destination in a network; determining static configuration information regarding the application to which the application specific service ping packet corresponds at a network interface of a network element; inserting the static configuration information into the application specific service ping packet; determining at least one policy that applies to a flow including the application specific service ping packet; inserting the at least one policy into the application specific service ping packet; and extracting the service ping packet from the network.
US07940680B2
Systems and methods for testing an implementation of a routing protocol in a device are disclosed. Generally, a sequence of protocol messages is provided and a test is performed to test how a device reacts to a specific playback rate for the sequence of protocol messages, wherein the specific playback rate causes a protocol state transition in the device which differs from an expected protocol state transition absent a specific playback delay.
US07940678B2
A method for failure detection on a bidirectional forwarding link mainly includes: sending, by one side of a BFD session, a BFD packet to the opposite side of the BFD session, and detecting a BFD packet sent by the opposite side, and starting, by the local side of the BFD session, BFD session detection when receiving a first BFD packet sent from the opposite side. By the method of the invention, it can be avoided that a router misinforms that failure occurs on a BFD session link due to difference of delays needed to deliver a BFD session parameter from a negotiation module of the router to a detection module.
US07940673B2
A Virtual Electrical and Electronic Device Interface and Management System (VEEDIMS) is provided. In one example, the VEEDIMS includes a backbone network formed by cables that are configured to simultaneously carry digital data and power. A controller is coupled to the backbone network and configured to execute control instructions. A plurality of modules are coupled to the controller via the backbone network and receive data and power via the backbone network. The modules receive control signals from the controller based on the control instructions. At least one device is coupled to one of the modules via a direct input/output (I/O) interface positioned in the module. A device specific driver contained in the module provides a communications interface between the device and a generic VEEDIMS controller driver in the controller.
US07940670B2
A method for selecting a path in a physical network that selects nodes for the path based on the coordinates of the nodes in a representation of the subject network in space. From a working node M that is included in the selected path, the next node that is selected for the path is a node N such that (a) a link MN exists, and (b) the link MN forms an angle relative to a line that connects working node with the destination node that is smaller than the angle that any other link from node M forms with the line that connects working node with the destination node.
US07940669B2
Methods and systems for providing a network and routing protocol for utility services are disclosed. A method includes discovering a utility network. Neighboring nodes are discovered and the node listens for advertised routes for networks from the neighbors. The node is then registered with one or more utility networks, receiving a unique address for each network registration. Each upstream node can independently make forwarding decisions on both upstream and downstream packets, i.e., choose the next hop according to the best information available to it. The node can sense transient link problems, outage problems and traffic characteristics. Information is used to find the best route out of and within each network. Each network node maintains multi-egress, multi-ingress network routing options both for itself and the node(s) associated with it. The node is capable of several route maintenance functions utilizing the basic routing protocol and algorithms.
US07940664B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide I/O systems, methods, and devices for interfacing pump controller(s) with control device(s) which may have different interfaces and/or signaling formats. In one embodiment, an I/O interface module comprises a processor, a memory, and at least two data communications interfaces for communicating with a pumping controller and a control device. The I/O interface module can receive discrete signals from the control device, interpret them accordingly and send the packets to the pump controller. The pump controller reads the packets and takes appropriate actions at the pump. The I/O interface module can interpret packets of data received from the pump controller and assert corresponding discrete signals to the control device. The I/O interface module is customizable and allows a variety of interfaces and control schemes to be implemented with a particular multiple stage pump without changing the hardware of the pump.
US07940656B2
A method for authenticating an element in a network environment is provided that includes receiving a request for one or more triplets. One or more of the triplets may be associated with an authentication communications protocol that may be executed in order to facilitate a communication session. The method further includes returning one or more of the triplets in response to the request and initiating the communication session in response to the triplets after proper authentication of an entity associated with the request.
US07940648B1
A hierarchical protection switching framework uses detectors and protectors. A protector registers with a detector to receive notifications. A detector identifies a condition and the interested protector, and notifies the interested protector. The protector in response to the notification, typically either performs protection switching or notifies another protector of the condition. This protection switching is an extensible operation, and typically may include, but is not limited to switching traffic to a backup facility from a facility corresponding to the condition and switching traffic to a backup component from a component corresponding to the condition. The decision of a protector whether to notify another protector of the condition can be made based on different factors, such as, but not limited to a failure of the protection switching by the protector, a database lookup operation to identify whether notification of another particular condition has been received or not received, etc.
US07940647B2
A method for implementing multicast fast reroute includes: determining a route for a backup LSP according to the tree topology of a point-to-multipoint primary LSP and establishing the backup LSP according to the determined route for the backup LSP. In the process of establishing the backup LSP, messages for the primary LSP and its corresponding backup LSPs are further merged to decrease the number of network signaling states. A node includes a transceiver unit and a backup LSP path establishing unit. The present invention can save protection bandwidth, optimize network resource utilization, and enhance utilization efficiency of resources.
US07940641B2
A wireless communication apparatus by which the orthogonality between the pilot signal sequences between adjacent sectors or cells can be prevented from collapsing due to a frequency selectivity fading. In this apparatus, modulating parts (102-1 to 102-m) modulate encoded data to generate data symbols, and a pilot symbol generating part (103) modulates a received pilot signal sequence to generate pilot symbols. A multiplexing part (104) time multiplexes the pilot symbols and the data symbols. Orthogonal Variable Spreading Factor (OVSF) sequences are used as the pilot signal sequences. The pilot symbol generating part (103) receives an OVSF sequence, among a plurality of OVSF sequences having the same sequence length but being orthogonal to each other, which is orthogonal to an OVSF sequence used as a pilot signal sequence in an adjacent sector and which is orthogonal to that OVSF sequence in a unit shorter than the sequence length.
US07940635B2
An information recording apparatus (200) is provided with: a first recording device (354) for recording user data into a user data area (105, 115) provided for an information recording medium (100), with a data area attribute added; and a second recording device (354) for recording a marker (108) following an end edge portion of the recorded user data, with a predetermined flag bit set to a first value and with the data area attribute added, the flag bit indicating at least whether or not the marker is recorded.
US07940630B2
An optical pickup apparatus includes a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser light, an objective lens for irradiating the light flux emitted from the semiconductor laser onto an optical disc, and a light detector for receiving the light flux reflected from the optical disc. The light detector has a light receiving part that comprises five regions of a region 1, a region 2, a region 3, a region 4 and a region 5.
US07940629B2
Information light modulated and emitted by a modulation element is led to a recording medium through a Fourier transform optical system and an optical path shifter. An interference image is recorded on the recording medium by interference of the information light and reference light. A deflection unit of the optical path shifter has a pair of prisms. Optical path of information light transmitted through the respective prisms are shifted in parallel in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the Fourier transform optical system. By rotating the deflection unit around the optical axis, it is possible to shift the optical path of the information light around the optical axis while shifting the optical path in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis. Therefore, it is unnecessary to perform complicated control and it is possible to multiply record an interference image accurately with an information recording apparatus having a simple structure.
US07940621B2
The disk recording device of the present invention includes a recording means and a file system recording means. The recording means performs recording of an image signal upon a recordable type optical disk. The file system recording means includes an address information search means and an address information recording means. If the recording of the file system has failed, the address information recording means records the address information in the lead-in region, but does not thus record the address information if it is already recorded in the lead-in region, or the like.
US07940616B2
An optical disk apparatus which can carry out tilt control using a signal of a focus control system so as to improve the recording/reproducing performance of an optical disk. The optical disk apparatus includes a motor which rotates the optical disk, an optical pickup which reads at least information from the optical disk being rotated by the motor, a first memory which uses information of a rotation angle of the optical disk from the optical pickup as an address, a second memory which stores an offset by which information stored in the first memory should be shifted and then read, and a control portion which reads the information stored in the first memory after shifting the information by the offset stored in the second memory and which carries out tilt control using the read information.
US07940615B2
A method and apparatus demodulate pre-formatted information embedded in an optical recording medium. The demodulation includes (a) receiving a wobble signal representing data symbols frequency-modulated on a carrier frequency, (b) generating a phase delta signal representing a phase difference between the wobble signal and a corresponding locked signal having the carrier frequency, (c) first sampling the phase delta signal at a data sampling interval to produce first values, (d) second sampling the phase delta signal at each halfway of the data sampling interval to generate second values, (e) determining, based on a difference between two successive second values, if the first sampling is performed at timing corresponding to an end of each data symbol, and (e) adjusting sampling timing of the first sampling towards the timing corresponding to each end of the data symbols, if the sampling timing does not corresponds to the end of each data symbol.
US07940614B2
In a method for recording information on an information recording medium having a data recording area for storing user data and a test area used for test recording by a recording apparatus, it is detected whether the test area is unusable when executing the test recording. The test recording is executed in the test area when the test area is detected not to be unusable, or executed in the data recording area when detected to be unusable. Management information relating to the test recording executed in the data recording area is recorded in a predetermined area. Hence, it is possible to eliminate a limit of number of times of test recording which depends on the size of the test recording area.
US07940605B2
The present invention relates to a stimulus-indicating device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for evidencing when a product has been exposed to a designated stimulus for a certain period of time.
US07940593B2
The present invention relates to a method and circuit for verifying the state of a gated fuse element used with a one-time programmable CMOS memory device. A first expected state is set and a state of a first gate-ox fuse is sensed. The state of the first gate-ox fuse is compared to the first expected state to determine if they are equal, and a first signal is generated. A second expected state is set and a state of a second gate-ox fuse is sensed. The state of the second gate-ox fuse is compared to the second expected state to determine if they are equal, and a second signal is generated. A valid output is generated if both the first and second signals are in a correct state, both signals are high for example.
US07940591B2
Methods and apparatuses are presented for controlling a fully buffered dual inline memory module. In one embodiment, the memory module may include at least two memory chips, a buffer coupled to the at least two memory chips (the buffer serially receiving data to be stored in the at least two memory chips), and a heat sink thermally coupled to the at least two memory chips and thermally coupled to the buffer such that heat generated by the buffer is coupled to a first memory chip within the at least two memory chips. The may be configured such that it operates at a higher temperature than the first memory chip and the refresh rate of the first memory chip may be adjusted when the temperature of the first memory chip is outside of a predetermined range.
US07940584B2
The present invention discloses a method for inspecting the electrical performance of a flash memory cell, which comprises: performing electron-storage programming on a flash memory cell for a pre-determined period; screening out flash memory cells that reach a specified reference value as a mother batch of flash memory cells that meet the preliminary requirement, by measuring the threshold voltage; then performing a second electron-storage programming on the flash memory cells screened out for a certain time period; baking these flash memory cells; and finally, measuring the threshold voltage of these baked flash memory cells again and determining whether the threshold voltage can still be maintained at or above the reference value, so that it can be determined ultimately whether the flash memory cells meet the electrical performance requirements.
US07940583B2
There are provided are a plurality of memory mats, a sub-word driver that accesses a normal memory cell irrespective of whether a row address to which access is requested is a defective address, a sub-word driver that accesses a redundant memory cell belonging to a memory mat different from the normal memory cell indicated by the row address, when the row address is a defective address. According to the present invention, the normal memory cell and a redundant memory cell belong to memory mats different to each other, and thus the normal memory cell can be accessed concurrently with determining operation of the repair determining circuit.
US07940568B1
Subject matter disclosed herein relates to non-volatile flash memory, and more particularly to a method of reducing stress induced leakage current.
US07940567B2
Example embodiments are directed to methods, memory devices, and systems for programming a nonvolatile memory device having a charge storage layer including performing at least one unit programming loop, each unit programming loop including, applying a programming pulse to at least two pages, applying a time delay to the at least two pages, and applying a verifying pulse to the at least two pages.
US07940558B2
An integrated circuit is provided comprising an array of memory cells connected by word and bit lines, respectively, wherein each memory cell comprises a thyristor structure, an anode terminal that connects the thyristor structure with a respective bit line, a gate terminal that connects the thyristor structure with a respective word line, and a cathode terminal. The integrated circuit further comprises a drive/sensing circuitry configured to apply a first sequence of voltage signals at the anode terminal and the gate terminal, wherein the voltage signals are defined with respect to the cathode terminal. The first sequence comprises a first voltage signal at the anode terminal, a second voltage signal at the gate terminal, and thereafter a combination of a third voltage signal at the anode terminal and a fourth voltage signal at the gate terminal, wherein the third voltage signal is lower than the first voltage signal and lower than the fourth voltage signal.
US07940548B2
A resistive sense memory apparatus includes a first semiconductor transistor having a first contact electrically connected to a first source line and a second contact electrically connected to a first resistive sense memory element and a second semiconductor transistor having a first contact electrically connected to a second source line and a second contact electrically connected to a second resistive sense memory element. A bit line is electrically connected to the first resistive sense memory element and the second resistive sense memory element.
US07940538B2
A multi-voltage power supply includes a transformer, a first output circuit to generate a first output voltage using a voltage transferred to a secondary winding of the transformer, and a first output voltage controller to control a voltage supplied to the primary winding of the transformer according to the first output voltage. The multi-voltage power supply includes second through Nth output circuits to generate second through Nth output voltages using the voltage transferred to the secondary winding of the transformer, and second through Nth output voltage controllers performing control in order to linearly output the second through Nth output voltages by feeding back the second through Nth output voltages. Accordingly, multiple (at least two) output circuits, which are on the secondary winding side of the transformer, to realize multiple output voltages can be independently controlled, and in particular, by linearly controlling the multiple output circuits, the multiple output voltages can be stably controlled regardless of the number of output voltages.
US07940534B2
Resonant transformer systems and methods of use are described. One aspect may include a primary winding, a secondary winding, and at least one output winding. In further aspects, a transformer may be coupled to the secondary winding. In one aspect, the output winding is coupled to rectifying circuitry, which may be coupled to one or more capacitors.
US07940533B2
A step-down voltage converter (100) for generating an output voltage (VOUT) from an input voltage (VIN) is provided. The converter (100) includes a switch (111) having a first terminal (112) and a second terminal (114), wherein the second terminal (114) is electrically coupled with the output voltage (VOUT). Also included is a rectifier (117) having a first terminal (118) and a second terminal (120), wherein the second terminal (120) is electrically coupled with the output voltage (VOUT). A first inductor (124) electrically couples the first terminal (112) of the switch (111) with the input voltage (VIN). A second inductor (126) magnetically coupled with the first inductor (124) electrically couples the first terminal (118) of the rectifier (117) with a voltage reference (128). A switch controller (110) coupled with the output voltage (VOUT) is configured to control the switch (111).
US07940530B2
A circuit board arrangement includes a first printed circuit board having a first edge connector and a second printed circuit board having a second edge connector. The first edge connector includes a plurality of fingers, with each finger having at least one first conductor pad. The second edge connector includes a plurality of openings positioned generally in line with each other and a plurality of second conductor pads. Each opening has a corresponding finger positioned therein. Each second conductor pad is positioned adjacent a corresponding opening and corresponding first conductor pad.
US07940528B2
An electronic device includes a casing, a thermal generating element, and a heat sink. The thermal generating element is disposed within the casing and operates to produce thermal energy. The heat sink includes a thermal transfer plate and a plurality of movable thermal transfer members. The thermal transfer plate contacts the thermal generating element and includes a plurality of recesses. Each of the movable thermal transfer members has a weight end and a free end. The weight end is accommodated in the recess. The thermal energy produced by the thermal generating element is conducted to the movable thermal transfer members via the thermal transfer plate. When the casing is tilted by a certain angle, the movable thermal transfer member swings relative to the thermal transfer plate, such that the free end thereof points to a direction opposite to that of an acceleration of gravity under a normal state.
US07940515B2
A solid electrolytic capacitor includes an anode body made of valve metal, a dielectric oxide layer provided on the anode body, and a conductive layer provided on the carbon layer. The carbon layer contains carbon and aromatic compound having sulfonic acid radical. This solid electrolytic capacitor has a small equivalent series resistance.
US07940511B2
An electrostatic clamp for use in a lithographic apparatus includes a layer of material provided with burls, wherein an electrode surrounded by an insulator and or a dielectric material is provided in between the burls. The electrostatic clamp may be used to clamp an object to an object support in a lithographic apparatus.
US07940510B2
A self defense tool comprising a generally S-shaped tool having at one end thereof a ring portion for finger placement. The handle portion is used for holding the S-shaped tool and the handle portion is located between the ring portion and a blade portion. The blade portion has a tip portion at an opposite end of the S-shaped tool, which is used to apply pressure to specific areas of a person's body. The blade portion further comprises an inside curve portion near said handle portion for trapping and hooking capabilities. The tool can be in a solid form or in a foldable version such as a folding knife. Additional embodiments include LED strobe and/or steady-on lights and shock voltage capabilities and an automatic blade release trigger and locking mechanism.
US07940495B2
A magnetic layer for writing incorporates: a pole layer having an end face located in a medium facing surface; and an upper yoke layer. A first magnetic layer for flux concentration is connected to the pole layer at a location away from the medium facing surface, and allows a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a first coil to pass. A second magnetic layer for flux concentration is connected to the upper yoke layer at a location away from the medium facing surface, and allows a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a second coil to pass. When seen in the direction orthogonal to the interface between the second magnetic layer and the upper yoke layer, this interface is disposed at a location that does not coincide with the interface between the first magnetic layer and the pole layer.
US07940487B1
A method of writing spiral servo tracks to a disk of a disk drive is disclosed. The disk is heated by applying a heating power to a heater for a time interval. After the time interval, the heating power is reduced, and the spiral servo tracks are written to the disk. In one embodiment, an external spiral servo writer comprises a heat lamp for heating an exterior surface of a head disk assembly (HDA) prior to writing spiral servo tracks to the disk.
US07940483B2
A focusing device is provided. The focusing device has a changing focal length along a physical parameter thereof. The focusing device could be annular or in a shape of a disk. The annular focusing device has a width thereof changing with a periphery thereof, and the disk-shaped focusing device has a thickness, wherein the thickness of the disk-shaped focusing device is changing with an angular position thereof.
US07940480B2
An optical transmission device including a driving unit having a transmitting member, a guide member, a frame, a clipping unit and a flexible member is disclosed. The clipping unit has a main clip engaging with one side of the transmitting member, and a sub-clip engaging with the other side of the transmitting member. The flexible member pushes the main clip to the sub-clip, so that the sub-clip radially and axially approaches the transmitting member.
US07940471B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a negative refractive power, a second lens group including a prism which has no refractive power and deflects an optical path, a third lens group that has a positive refractive power and is moved during zooming, a fourth lens group that has a negative refractive power and is moved during zooming, and a fifth lens group having a positive refractive power arranged in this order from an object side. A zoom group including the third positive lens group and the fourth negative lens group, not a fixed positive lens group, is provided on the rear side of the prism. The first lens group includes two negative lenses.
US07940467B2
The invention concerns an electrowetting optical device comprising a chamber (15) comprising first and second immiscible liquids (16, 18) contacting each other at a liquid-liquid interface (19), the first liquid being an insulating liquid and the second liquid being a conducting liquid; a first electrode (20) in the contact with the second liquid; and a second electrode (202) insulated from the first and second liquids by an insulating layer, wherein the second electrode is formed of a conductive molded polymer material, wherein the curvature of said liquid-liquid interface is controllable by application of a voltage between said first and second electrodes.
US07940465B2
A collimator array using a molded element to hold the input fibers and to collimate the light. The input fibers are held within holes in one face of the element, and the collimation of the light emitted from the ends of the fibers is performed by an array of lenses appropriately located such that each lens collimates the light emitted from a fiber end. The lateral spacing between the holes is made to be equal to the lateral spacing between the lenses of the array. Since, in a molded element, this lateral spacing can be accurately provided, good alignment of the input fibers with the lenses can be achieved. The depths of the holes can be made such that when a fiber is inserted right to the bottom of a hole, the end of that fiber is accurately located such that the light emitted therefrom is collimated by the lens. This avoids the need for accurate manual alignment of the fibers of the array. Alternatively, the hole can be made slightly deeper than this predetermined depth, to provide some adjustment in the lens-fiber distance for adjusting the level of collimation.
US07940460B2
Various embodiments provide a modular light shelf assembly in which individual light shelf units are substantially prefabricated. For example, in various embodiments, the assembly includes pre-fabricated support arms that are secured adjacent an interior wall of a building adjacent a window opening. Each of the support arms define at least one channel, and each light shelf includes at least one protrusion extending from each of a first side and a second side of the light shelf. The protrusion on the first side of the light shelf slidably engages the channel of the support arm adjacent the first side of the light shelf, and the protrusion on the second side of the light shelf slidably engages the channel on the support arm adjacent the second side of the light shelf to secure the light shelf between the adjacent support arms.
US07940454B2
In an optical parametric amplifier of the invention, pumping light which is amplified using a practical optical amplifier such as an EDFA is supplied together with signal light having a wavelength outside the amplification band of the optical amplifier, to a nonlinear optical medium via a multiplexer, to thereby amplify the signal light by an optical parametric amplification effect due to the pumping light in the nonlinear optical medium. As a result, the amplification band of a practical optical amplifier such as an EDFA, can be extended, and the noise characteristics can be improved.
US07940452B2
A method for acquiring spectrum shape of a gain flattening filter of a doped optical fiber amplifier comprises the steps of: measuring spectrum shapes at two gain point (H, L) of the doped optical fiber with invariable fiber length respectively; and acquiring various gain spectrums of the doped optical fiber with various fiber length and various population inversion level according to an expression: ErGain(λ,x,L′)=[ErLGain(λ)+[ErHGain(λ)−ErLGain(λ)]*x]*L′, Wherein Gain(λ) refers to the spectral function of gain, x is Δ′inv/Δinv which refers to change of population inversion level, and L′ is set as proportion of doped fiber length. Gain spectrums of the doped optical fiber with various fiber length can be acquired by measuring spectrum shapes at two gain point (H, L) of the doped optical fiber in invariable fiber length and applying change rule of gain spectrum of the doped optical fiber in different population inversion level, which improves the flexibility for design of amplifier.
US07940442B2
To provide an optical scanning device capable of scanning with a simple configuration.It includes a laser unit 10 for emitting a light beam, a laser control unit 42 for adjusting the light beam emitted by the laser unit 10, first and second prism units 20 and 30 through which an incident light beam is passed as a scanning beam, an angle between the incident light beam and the scanning beam being variable, and a prism control unit 44 for supplying an instruction to the first and second prism units 20 and 30 in order to change the angle between the incident light beam and the scanning beam. The first and second prism units 20 and 30 receive the light beam emitted by the laser unit 10 and emerge the scanning beam according to an instruction from the prism control unit 44 about the incident light beam.
US07940440B2
A laser scanning device having a light emitting element, an optical element for shaping a laser beam emitted from the light emitting element, a radiator which holds the light emitting element, and a holder to which the radiator and the optical element are fixed. The radiator is planar extending from a flange of the light emitting element. The radiator and the holder are located with a specified space in-between, and resin columns are placed in the specified space. After the radiator holding the light emitting element is positioned in relative the holder in three axial directions, the resin columns are hardened. After the resin columns are hardened, the holder is fixed in a housing.
US07940439B2
In a method for manufacturing a micromechanical structure, first a two-dimensional structure is formed in a substrate. The two-dimensional structure is deflected from the substrate plane by action of force and fixed in the deflected state.
US07940435B2
When images classified into groups of similar images are displayed, the similar images are efficiently displayed. For this purpose, a selection unit selects representative images representing the respective groups from the images classified into the groups. A display control unit displays a catalog of thumbnails of the representative images on display means. When a desired one of the representative images is selected in the catalog, a catalog of all the images in the group represented by the selected representative image is displayed on the display means, instead of the catalog of thumbnails of the representative images.
US07940433B2
An image sensor includes an elongated case, a light source provided in the case, a light guiding member elongated in a longitudinal direction of the case and configured to direct light emitted from the light source toward a document to be read, an optical system for collecting light reflected by the document, a sensor IC chip for receiving the light collected by the optical system, and a substrate attached to the case. The substrate is provided with a wiring pattern and carries the sensor IC chip. The case is provided with a plurality of supporting projections spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The supporting projections are held in contact with the side surface of the light guiding member.
US07940431B2
A sheet image scanner of the present invention has plural image sensors to output electric signals by detecting optical image data that are obtained by applying a light from a light source to documents, amplifiers to amplify outputs from the plural image sensors, and a peak detection processing unit to detect a peak value of sensitivity of at least one of the plural image sensors and set a gain value for each of amplifiers for the plural image sensors using the detected peak value.
US07940417B2
Data of at least one component of a printing machine, that comprises several components and at least one communications network, is stored. Data from one of these components, and which characterizes that component, is stored in a memory unit which belongs to that component, and which memory unit is linked to the communications network. The printing machine may have at least two different control levels that are hierarchically organized. The data from the at least one component may be provided on a lower-order control level. It is transmitted from its memory unit to at least one of the printing machine components on a higher-order control network. The data so transmitted is linked, during its transmission, to the next higher-order control level, with local information regarding the arrangement of the components transmitting data in their respective control levels.
US07940413B2
In case of transmitting a document file such as a PDF file to a printer without converting it into print data, a PC extracts from the document file to be printed information to be accessed when starting an analysis of the document file and transmits the information to the printer. The PC extracts a specified data from the document file and transmits it to the printer each time when the specified data is requested by the printer.
US07940412B2
An image forming apparatus which includes: a job storage unit for storing a plurality of print jobs; an image forming unit for executing the print jobs stored in the job storage unit; and a job managing unit for managing an execution order of the print jobs performed by the image forming unit. The job managing unit includes: priority job managing portion which, during execution of a specific print job carried out according to an execution order set in advance, manages the image forming unit to suspend the specific print job and preferentially to execute another print job; and job continuation judging portion which, when completing a priority print job that is executed by the priority job managing portion, judges whether or not to continue execution of the specific print job based on a job execution state of the specific print job that is being executed when starting the priority print job.
US07940411B2
A method for a computer system for transmitting a facsimile to an e-mail destination, comprises receiving a facsimile transmission comprising an instruction page and a document page, wherein the instruction page includes an optical representation of an e-mail address, using an optical character recognition process to determine the e-mail address from the optical representation of the e-mail address, wherein the e-mail address need not be known to the computer system before receiving the facsimile transmission, converting the facsimile transmission into an e-mail attachment, and sending an e-mail message including the additional service provider data and the e-mail attachment to the e-mail address, wherein the additional service provider data is selected from a group consisting of: a service provider identifier, a service sponsor identifier.
US07940406B2
In case of transmitting a document file such as a PDF file to a printer without converting it into print data, a PC extracts from the document file to be printed information to be accessed when starting an analysis of the document file and transmits the information to the printer. The PC extracts a specified data from the document file and transmits it to the printer each time when the specified data is requested by the printer.
US07940404B2
A method of providing a printed interactive document with printed user information and printed advertising material. The method includes the steps of: receiving a print request from a user, formatting the user information in the electronic document so as to include a first user interactive element; determining the advertising material for printing with the user information; formatting the advertising material so as to include a second user interactive element; and causing the formatted user information and the formatted advertising material to be printed together with coincident coded data on a substrate. The coded data is readable by a sensing device and is indicative of a document identity and the first and second interactive elements.
US07940401B2
A mobile phone includes an elongate body defining a transverse print media path there-through; a keypad and display mounted on one side of the body; a camera device including at least one lens mounted to another side of the body opposite said one side, and an image sensor configured to capture an image viewed through said lens; and a printer mounted within the body and including a printhead and ink supply module, the printhead and ink supply module mounted in a replaceable manner to the printer and configured to print the captured image upon print media fed along the path. An entry to the transverse print media path is provided along a first longitudinal side of the elongate body, and an exit to the transverse print media path is provided along a second longitudinal side of the elongate body opposite the first longitudinal side.
US07940399B2
Methods for displaying anisotropic properties of an object. The object is illuminated with a first test beam characterized by a first polarization that, after traversing the object, is combined with a reference beam. The combined light of the first transmitted test beam and the reference beam is analyzed by a first pair of polarization analyzers, and interference created between the first transmitted test beam and the reference beam as analyzed by the first pair of analyzers is detected to derive intensity, phase and polarization of the first transmitted test beam. The same is then done with a second test beam that has a polarization with a component orthogonal to the first polarization. Based on the two analyzed beams, complex elements of a Jones matrix associated with the object in a local coordinate system are determined and a plurality of tangible images are displayed that characterize the object based on the complex elements of the Jones matrix.
US07940396B2
An apparatus for measuring a spatially under-sampled Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) of a surface. The apparatus may comprise a first light source directed to illuminate the surface from a first illumination direction, and a plurality of sensors positioned to receive light reflected by the surface. The plurality of sensors may comprise first, second and third sensors positioned to receive light reflected by the surface in first, second and third non-coplanar directions. In various embodiments, the apparatus may also comprise a computer in communication with the plurality of sensors. The computer is configured to convert light sensed by the plurality of sensors into a first appearance property of the surface considering the first, second, and third reflectance directions.
US07940387B2
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) systems and methods for detecting and differentiating biomolecules of interest, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are provided.
US07940383B2
A method for detecting defects on an object includes an illumination optical unit which obliquely projects a laser focused onto a line on a surface of the object and white-color, a table unit which mounts the specimen and which is movable, a detection optical unit which detects with an image sensor an image of light formed by light reflected from the object and passed through a filter which blocks diffraction light resulting from patterns formed on the object, a signal processor which processes a signal outputted from the image sensor of the detection optical unit to extract defects of the object, and a display unit which displays information of defects extracted by the signal processor. The filter is adjustable.
US07940381B2
A semiconductor nanowire is coated with a chemical coating layer that selectively attaches to the semiconductor material and which forms a dye in a chemical reaction. The dye layer comprises a material that absorbs electromagnetic radiation. A portion of the absorbed energy induces electronic excitation in the chemical coating layer from which additional free charge carriers are temporarily donated into the semiconductor nanowire. Thus, the conductivity of the semiconductor nanowire increases upon illumination on the dye layer. The semiconductor nanowire, and the resulting dye layer collective operate as a detector for electromagnetic radiation.
US07940375B2
A transmission filter apparatus for spatially dependent intensity filtering of an incident light distribution, and illumination systems containing the same. The light transmission filter apparatus contains at least one retardation device (23) that can be operated in transmission for the purpose of producing a spatially dependent retarding effect on the light of the incident light distribution, it being possible to drive the retardation device (23) in order to produce a temporally variable, spatially dependent retarding effect, and also contains at least one polarization filter arrangement (24) arranged in the light path downstream of the retardation device. An exposure method for a substrate can advantageously be carried out with the aid of an illumination system having such a transmission filter apparatus.
US07940369B2
In a stereoscopic image conversion panel for enhancing display quality and a stereoscopic image display apparatus having the panel, the stereoscopic display panel includes lower and upper transparent substrates, lower and upper transparent electrodes, and a liquid crystal lens layer. The lower and upper transparent substrates face each other. The lower transparent electrodes are disposed on the lower transparent substrate, formed along a first direction, and formed substantially in parallel with each other along a second direction. The upper transparent electrodes are disposed on the upper transparent substrate, formed along the second direction, and formed substantially in parallel with each other along the first direction. The liquid crystal lens layer is disposed between the upper and lower transparent substrates, and a longitudinal arrangement direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal lens layer is changed by an electric field to have a predetermined refractive index. Therefore, a refracted incident light produces a stereoscopic image for enhancing display quality.
US07940367B2
The disclosed invention is with regard to a liquid crystal display panel including a substrate having a plurality of layers formed thereon, and having a first surface region and a second surface region on a surface of an uppermost layer of the plurality of layers, wherein the first and second surface regions having different surface characteristics in reaction to a particular liquid, and a spacer formed on the second surface region.
US07940360B2
The present invention easily provides a liquid crystal display in which conductivity between a first substrate over which a pixel electrode is formed and a second substrate over which a counter electrode is formed, can be certainly obtained even when it has a narrow frame, without adding new steps. As for a liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal is interposed between the first substrate over which the pixel electrode is formed and the second substrate over which the counter electrode is formed, when the first and second substrates are positioned so that the pixel electrode and the counter electrode are on the inside, and are attached to each other with a sealant, by providing a partition wall between the sealant and a conductive portion formed with a conductor to electrically connect the pixel electrode to the counter electrode, conductivity in a conductive portion can be certainly obtained.
US07940357B2
A multi-viewing display device includes a display panel for displaying images; a back light for supplying the light to the display panel; and a viewing converting unit having a plurality of parallax barriers for reflecting the light from the back light and non-reflecting the light from the display panel to control the path of the light in accordance with a desired viewing direction. The viewing converting unit may include a substrate; at least one layer of a parallax barrier made of high reflective material to reflect the light on the substrate; and at least one layer of the parallax barrier made of low reflective material to block the light on the first parallax barriers.
US07940356B2
A liquid crystal display comprises a matrix pattern formed in a double layer comprising a lower pattern having a hydrophilic property on a substrate, and a black matrix having a hydrophobic property on the lower pattern; and color filters formed in the pixel area.
US07940355B2
A cellulose acylate film comprising: (A) at least one retardation regulator that has an absorbance, in terms of a 1.0 g/liter solution, of 0.1 or less for a 1 cm path length within a wavelength region of 450 nm or greater but not greater than 800 nm; and (B) at least one near infrared absorber that has at least one maximum absorption wavelength at 700 nm or greater but not greater than 1200 nm and has an absorbance, in terms of a 1.0 g/liter solution, of 30.0 or less for a 1 cm path length within a wavelength region of 450 nm or greater but not greater than 650 nm.
US07940353B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal cell, a light source, a light guide plate, a first flexible printed cable and a second flexible printed cable. The light source emits light. The light guide plate guides the light to illuminate the liquid crystal cell. The first flexible printed cable is electrically coupled to the liquid crystal cell. The second flexible printed cable is electrically coupled between the light source and the first flexible printed cable. The second flexible printed cable has a printed circuit, a first insulating film formed on one side of the printed circuit and a second insulating film formed on the other side of the printed circuit. The printed circuit is partially exposed on the one side of the printed circuit to form a first land that is electrically coupled to the light source and a second land that is electrically coupled to the first flexible printed cable.
US07940352B2
A light diffusion module and a back light module using the same. The light diffusion module is disposed corresponding to the light source module of the back light module. The light diffusion module includes a first diffusion layer and the second diffusion layer. The first diffusion layer is disposed on top of the light source module and the top light exit surface has a plurality of first micro structures juxtapositioned to each other. The second diffusion layer is disposed on top of the first diffusion layer, and the top surface has a plurality of second micro structures juxtapositioned to each other. The ratio of the width of each first micro structure to the width of each second micro structure is between 1.1 and 1.8. The ratio of the height of each first micro structure to the height of each second micro structure is between 0.8 and 1.5.
US07940350B2
There are provided a plane light source and an LCD backlight unit having the same. A plane light source having a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in a light emitting device matrix having rows and columns at a substrate according to an aspect of the invention includes a first matrix having a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in rows and columns; and a second matrix having a plurality of light emitting devices arranged in rows and columns, each of the light emitting devices located within a quadrangle formed by four neighboring light emitting devices included in the first matrix, wherein a pitch S between one light emitting device included in the light emitting device matrix and another light emitting device most adjacent to the one light emitting device satisfies the following equation to obtain uniform luminance distribution at a position distant from a light emitting surface of the light emitting device by an optical length l, S ≤ l 2 × tan ( θ 2 + α ) , Equation where −π/18≦α≦π/18 is satisfied, and θ is an orientation angle of the light emitting device.
US07940348B2
An electrically conductive film is placed between a contact finger and an electrically conductive polarizing plate which hold a display panel therebetween, and static electricity accumulated in the display panel is released to a front frame through the electrically conductive film and the finger. This structure makes it possible to prevent deterioration in the display quality of a display device due to static electricity.
US07940343B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device for displaying a desired image by a display unit, the display unit being formed by sandwiching a liquid crystal layer between a thin film transistor substrate and a CF substrate and arranging liquid crystal cells formed by the liquid crystal layer in a form of a matrix, wherein the thin film transistor substrate is created by disposing at least a transistor used to drive a liquid crystal cell and a pixel electrode of the liquid crystal cell on an insulating substrate, and a part or all of a storage capacitor of an adjacent liquid crystal cell is created in a layer below the pixel electrode with a shield layer interposed between the pixel electrode and the storage capacitor.
US07940342B2
A stereoscopic TFT-LCD with a wire grid polarizer affixed to internal surfaces substrates, applies to a LCD device having a thin polarizing film and a thin phase retardation film to display a 2D image and a 3D image, a thin film polarizing film formed by accurately processing a thin aluminum film, a polarizing film of a nano imprint lithography method that uses polymer, and a polarizing film and a liquid crystal material that form a polarizing nano material thin film by uniformly coating a polarizing nano material (TCF).
US07940341B2
A projector includes a plurality of illumination modules. Each illumination module includes a light source, such as a semiconductor light emitting diode, and an optical element configured to receive light from the light source and collimate the light into a beam. Light from the illumination modules is provided to a liquid crystal display panel, then a projection lens. In some embodiments, secondary optics, such as an array of Fresnel lenses or a reflective polarizer, are disposed between the illumination modules and the liquid crystal display panel. In some embodiments, the liquid crystal display panel is a low temperature polysilicon liquid crystal display.
US07940340B2
A multilayer body (1) having an optically active first layer system (10) is described, in which case the first layer system (10) is an optically variable device (OVD), and the optical effect of the first layer system (10) can be influenced by an electrically controllable second layer system (20).
US07940337B2
Systems and methods for processing signals in a communication system are disclosed and may include demodulating a wirelessly received inband signal and a wirelessly received out-of-band signal via a DTV receiver. One or more TV channels may be generated based on the demodulation of the wirelessly received inband signal and a wirelessly received out-of-band signal. The received inband signal may include a VSB signal, a NTSC signal and/or a QAM signal. The processing may also include determining whether the wirelessly received inband signal includes an analog signal or a digital signal. The digital signal may be error corrected, and the error corrected digital signal may be equalized. The analog signal may be decoded, and an audio output may be generated based on the decoding of the analog signal.
US07940333B2
According to one embodiment, a gradation control apparatus comprises a coring module configured to change the coring amount of a video signal according to the degree of movement of the video signal, a smoothing module configured to perform a gradation smoothing process on the video signal, and a parameter controller configured to obtain a frame difference histogram as the degree of movement of the video signal and change an effect parameter for the gradation smoothing process according to the result of weighting the histogram.
US07940329B2
A method for making uniform the colorimetric rendering of a display surface including several adjacent display screens (10a, 10b), comprising for each pair of adjacent screens (10a, 10b) steps of: periodically sampling (21) by a calculation device (5) image data in two corresponding screen (10a, 10b) areas (13a, 13b) in the pair of adjacent screens, analyzing (22, 23, 24) by the calculation device (5) image data sampled in each period to determine a difference in calorimetric rendering between the two screen areas, determining by a correction device (6) connected to the calculation device a process to be applied to the video stream to one of the two video systems controlling the two screens in the pair of adjacent screens, by applying a predetermined correction law to the difference in calorimetric rendering, and applying (26) by the correction device the process to said video system, in order to make the colorimetric rendering of the display surface uniform.
US07940322B2
A focus detecting device includes a focus detecting optical system which forms a plurality of object images. A photoelectric conversion element array includes a plurality of pixels and subjects each of the plural object images formed by the focus detecting optical system to photoelectric conversion. An electric charge transfer path transfers an electric charge obtained by the photoelectric conversion subjected by the photoelectric conversion element array. A focus detecting section performs focus detection with respect to a plurality of focus areas on the basis of a signal associated with an electric charge transferred by the electric charge transfer path. A plurality of effective pixel regions corresponding to the plural focus areas are arranged in the arrangement direction of the pixels of the photoelectric conversion element array, and ineffective pixel regions are arranged between the plural effective pixel regions.
US07940319B2
The invention describes in detail a solid-state CMOS image sensor, specifically the CMOS image sensor pixel that has only two row lines per pixel, pinned photodiode for sensing light, and one or two column lines. The pixel does not have an address transistor and the sensing and reset transistors are both MOS p-channel type. This architecture results in a low noise operation with a very small output transistor random noise. In addition this new pixel architecture allows for the standard CDS signal processing operation, which reduces the pixel to pixel non-uniformities and minimizes kTC reset noise. The pixel has high sensitivity, high conversion gain, high response uniformity, and low noise, which is enabled by the efficient 3T pixel layout.
US07940312B2
Charging of a camera 100 and backup of data are concurrently executed to enable picking up an image regardless of a remaining available memory. As the camera 100 is attached to a cradle 200, image data for the image picked up by a camera module 110 of the camera 100 is directly transferred to and recorded in a HDD 220 of the cradle 200. Image data, already recorded in the flash memory 133 of the camera 100, is backed up by the HDD 220 of the cradle 200. Further, the cradle 200 allows a charging circuit 204 to charge a rechargeable battery of the camera 100 using electric power supplied via an AC cord 280. Also, the cradle 200 has a tripod bore 270 through which the camera is fixed to a tripod for picking up the image.
US07940303B1
A method and system for reducing burn-in of a display is disclosed. A plurality of assets containing text, graphics, and video are stored. Some of these assets are then assembled into a video frame or “screen”, which is subsequently output. Some of the assets are then assembled to form a second video frame or screen. The second screen is subsequently output to the video transport stream and the process is repeated.
US07940299B2
A surveillance system uses an image from an omni-directional camera to identify objects or events of interest on which a higher-resolution camera can be trained.
US07940297B2
An inspection system configured for “no-blow” use in a pressurized gas pipeline includes a push rod wound around a spool for convenient deployment and portability. A camera disposed on one end of the push rod is configured to relay images back to a monitor. A motor is configured for remote actuation by an operator, and provides for self-propelled movement of the camera in the pipeline. An entry tube is configured for sealed entry into the pipeline to facilitate entry of the camera and push rod. A guide shoe at the end of the entry tube provides a smooth transition for the camera and push rod as it leaves the entry tube and enters the pipeline. An automatically deployable and retractable positioning system is used to keep the camera away from an interior surface of the pipeline, and in the case of smaller pipelines, centers the camera within the pipeline.
US07940272B2
A system and method for displaying text are described. According to embodiments of the invention, the system and methods describe operations for displaying text, where the text does not include hints.
US07940262B2
Technology is disclosed for improving the rendering of a three-dimensional (3D) object. In one aspect, the technology applies multi-scale visibility patches and adjacency heuristics to restore proper face and normals orientation at a per-object and per-polygon level; and target where best to apply ray-casting metrics to refine visibility determination.
US07940251B2
A first planar input unit includes a transparent first substrate and a transparent second substrate that are stacked on each other. On an electrode formation surface of the first substrate, transparent Y-driving electrodes and transparent shielding layers are formed. On an electrode formation surface of the second substrate, X-driving electrodes and first detection electrodes are formed. At the rear of the first substrate, a display unit, such as a liquid crystal panel, is provided. Since the shielding layers are located between the display unit and the first detection electrodes, a change in the potential of the first detection electrodes is prevented from being adversely affected by noise emitted from the display unit.
US07940248B2
The disclosure relates to a system and method of mapping a layout of a keyboard onto a keypad in an electronic device. The method comprises: providing a map of a keyboard layout as a collection of segments including a left column of segments and a right column of segments onto the keypad; providing a navigation system having programmable keys in the keypad for moving through the keyboard layout; and associating a set of characters in one segment of the segments to the programmable keys based on a signal received from the navigation system and a current mapping of the collection of segments to the programmable keys. The navigation system has: a left set of directional keys providing navigation controls for the programmable keys when the set of characters are from the left column of segments; and a right set of directional keys providing navigation controls for the programmable keys when the set of characters are from the right column of segments.
US07940238B2
A novel method for driving the data signal transmission and the photo signal readout in a pixel of a display as well as the novel pixel structure corresponding thereto is provided to overcome the lightness uniformity issue of the conventional touch sensitive display resulting from the configuration of readout line. In the present invention, the exclusive readout line for signal readout is not necessary anymore, and through the well-designed configuration for the novel pixel, the data line carrying on a data signal would transmit a photo signal to be read out and processed as well.
US07940232B2
A driving method includes generating an address discharge in selected cells out of discharge cells and setting the selected cells to either an emission enable state or a non-emission state in an address period which is set in each subfield period. The driving method also includes generating sustaining discharge in discharge cells being set to the emission enable state by applying at least one discharge sustaining pulse P+ between a scanning electrode and a common electrode constituting each row electrode pair, in a discharge sustaining period following the address period. The driving method also includes decreasing the applied voltage between the scanning electrode and common electrode in steps when a final applied pulse P+ out of the discharge sustaining pulses falls.
US07940231B2
A first latch circuit temporarily memorizes a display pixel data by one line. A second latch circuit temporarily memorizes the display pixel data as a preceding display pixel data that precedes the display pixel data by one line. The load judging circuit judges a transition state of the display pixel data based on the display pixel data and the preceding display pixel data and predicts a drive load capacity CL based on a result of the judgment. A drivability adjusting circuit adjusts a signal level of the display pixel data based on a result of the prediction of the drive load capacity CL and adjusts drivability of an output.
US07940226B2
A ground electrode is formed on the lower surface of a ferroelectric substrate, a control electrode including capacitor electrodes and an inductor electrode is formed on the upper surface of the ferroelectric substrate, and an upper-surface radiating electrode and an end-surface radiating electrode are formed on a paraelectric substrate. The shapes and dimensions of the ferroelectric substrate, paraelectric substrate, and radiating electrodes are determined such that when the ferroelectric substrate and the paraelectric substrate are stacked in layers, a circuit including the radiating electrodes resonates at frequencies outside a frequency band exhibiting frequency dispersion of a dielectric constant.
US07940219B2
An antenna adaptable to a plurality of frequencies is comprised of a first element that is connected to a feeding point (feeding portion) for operation and a second element that is connected to a grounding point (grounding portion) in proximity to the first element to be operated by coupling feeding with the first element and is configured to be operated at either or both of a first frequency and a second frequency higher than the first frequency.
US07940218B2
An antenna may include an element formed from conductor patterns on a plurality of layers including at least one buried layer of a multilayer PCB. The conductor patterns are in stacked relation and interconnected through the PCB. A mobile phone may include such an antenna.
US07940216B2
A method for fixing a position of a user apparatus includes the step of starting a fixing session and, within the fixing session, determining a size of a snapshot of a signal of a positioning system depending on the receiving conditions of the signal at the user apparatus, the snapshot being capable of enabling the fixing of the position; receiving, at network equipment, from the user apparatus via a network connection the snapshot; and fixing at the network equipment the position of the user apparatus on the basis of the snapshot.
US07940206B2
A real-time radar surveillance system comprises at least one land-based non-coherent radar sensor apparatus adapted for detecting maneuvering targets and targets of small or low radar cross-section. The radar sensor apparatus includes a marine radar device, a digitizer connected to the marine radar device for receiving therefrom samples of radar video echo signals, and computer programmed to implement a software-configurable radar processor generating target data including detection data and track data, the computer being connectable to a computer network including a database. The processor is figured to transmit at least a portion of the target data over the network to the database, the database being accessible via the network by at least one user application that receives target data from the database, the user application providing a user interface for at least one user of the system.
US07940205B2
Using a radar to detect a known target likely to be positioned at approximately a predetermined height close to other targets, these other targets also being positioned at approximately the predetermined height. A first phase of detecting the known target is carried out by performing an azimuth scan. When the known target has been detected at a certain distance Di at a certain azimuth angle θaz, a second detection phase is carried out at said azimuth angle θaz and at an elevation angle θEL corresponding to that of an object situated at said distance Di at the predetermined height. The target is said to be detected if it is detected at the elevation angle θEL at a distance D approximately equal to the distance Di.
US07940180B2
A projector has an antenna configured to transmit and receives information to and from a RFID circuit element including an IC circuit part configured to store and hold address information of an electronic file and device information about devices capable of executing a processing operation, and a projection control part and a control circuit configured to generate access information, transmit it to the RFID circuit element, acquire device information from its reply signal, and acquire file information based on the acquired device information.
US07940179B2
Security and privacy of tag information in an RFID-based system can be achieved through the usage of pseudonyms generated based on one-way hash functions. A system based on binary one-way trees allows for the scalable generation and decoding of authentication keys to obtain access to tag identities. The apparatus and methods described can also be adapted to provide limited access for readers to tag information.
US07940177B2
A security zone is monitored for intrusion detection by dispersing therein a plurality of sensor nodes that, when an intrusion is detected, communicate with their neighboring sensor nodes without protocols other than a first tone. As the intrusion is detected by more sensor nodes, there is an increase in sensor node transmissions and, hence, an increase in the total power density in the security zone which is detected by a remote monitor for detecting and localizing the intrusion and providing an alert. In addition, certain of the sensor nodes also transmit a continuous second tone received by other sensor nodes. When an intrusion occurs, the transmission is blocked causing the receiving nodes to transmit the first tone to alert neighboring nodes.
US07940172B2
A method, system and computer program product for automatically alerting one or more recipients of the arrival of an individual to a known destination via a global positioning system (GPS) navigation device. To issue an accurate alert of arrival time and or distance, the device enables: (1) pre-selection of two or more locations from a plurality of mapped locations; (2) pre-selection of one or more devices to which an alert is to be sent when the GPS device passes through the pre-selected locations; and (3) pre-selection of a time during which the alert should be triggered. The device automatically sends an alert to one or more devices when the GPS device passes through the pre-selected locations during the pre-selected time period, wherein the alert informs the user of the one or more recipient devices that the individual (corresponding to the GPS device) has commenced a journey to the destination.
US07940168B2
A system, apparatus and method for automated emergency assistance with manual cancellation that is responsive to physiological, environmental and/or input sensors associated with an individual. In embodiments, the invention enables a sensor system or device to be biased toward what would be false alarms, which may be avoided by the individual informing the device that he or she does not need assistance. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07940166B2
The present invention relates to an emergency assistance beacon signal methodology for law enforcement, emergency and military personnel by which such personnel who encounter an imminent need for assistance or rescue while on duty in a vehicle, may utilize such methodology to invite the assistance or rescue of other such personnel. Upon a first personnel determining that assistance or rescue is needed, the first personnel activate a powerful light element attached to a such that the powerful light directs a beam of light upwardly and non-horizontally from the vehicle. Upon a second personnel recognizing the beam of light, travels to a general area of the beam of light to locate the first and provides first personnel assistance or rescue. In another embodiment of the present invention, an emergency assistance beacon signal system includes a) a roof-mountable emergency signal device for mounting on the roof of a law enforcement, emergency or military vehicle, the device including an upwardly, non-horizontally directed powerful light source having at least one upwardly, non-horizontally directed beam of light adapted to be energized by an activation mechanism operable by a personnel who is using the vehicle; and, b) the activation mechanism in proximity to and operable by the officer who is using the vehicle.
US07940165B1
The low fuel warning system includes a fuel line configured to transport fuel between an inlet port and an outlet port and a reservoir located intermediate to the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the reservoir is configured to collect the fuel in a liquid state. The low fuel warning system further includes a fuel sensor located adjacent the reservoir and configured to detect the liquid state of the fuel and a processor in communication with the fuel sensor. The processor is configured to monitor a low fuel condition in the fuel line according to information received from the fuel sensor.
US07940163B2
A wireless tire pressure monitoring system includes a monitoring main unit installed in the truck-tractor of a towing vehicle, a receiving antenna electrically connected to the monitoring main unit, and a register set in a location within the wireless communication transmission range of the receiving antenna and stored with an ID code and location code of each sensor at each wheel of the platform of the towing vehicle. When the register receives a triggering signal containing an identification code of the monitoring main unit, the register compares and matches the identification code and the location code of every wheel of the platform with the identification code of the monitoring main unit and then sends matched data in the form of a wireless packet to the receiving antenna for enabling the monitoring main unit to recognize the installation location of every wheel of the platform of the towing vehicle.
US07940162B2
A method, system and program product for audio tonal monitoring of web events is provided. The method includes mapping at least one event to be monitored to a plurality of audible data characteristics, logging data pertaining to the one event monitored, and notifying of the event monitored and logged. Further, the method includes checking whether the one event monitored is mapped to a plurality of audible data characteristics, and if yes, verifying a configuration of a sound generator to be used for producing the audible data characteristics. Moreover, the method includes retrieving the audible data characteristics mapped to the event, and producing an audio tone with the audible data characteristics mapped for the event monitored, such that the audio tone produced having the audible data characteristics audibly alerts a site owner of the event monitored.
US07940161B2
A reader/writer transmitting and receiving data, through wireless communications, to and from a passive type wireless tag having a nonvolatile storage unit, includes a tag selection unit selecting a target wireless tag performing the wireless communications with the reader/writer, a data transmitting/receiving unit executing data transmission/reception between the selected target wireless tag and the reader/writer, and a time information writing unit writing, when completing the data transmission/reception by the data transmitting/receiving unit, the time information on completion time of the data transmission/reception to the nonvolatile storage unit, wherein the tag selection unit selects the target wireless tag from within one or the plurality of wireless tags on the basis of the time information already written by the time information writing unit through the previous data communications with the reader/writer.
US07940156B2
A power resistor module for electrical circuits has at least one resistor element and at least one housing element. The at least one resistor element is mounted at least section-wise between two electrically insulating, thermally conductive insulation elements in the housing element. The insulation elements at least section-wise abut against the at least one housing element. Methods for producing an electrical power resistor module for an electrical circuit include compressing, at least one resistor element with two electrically insulating, thermally conductive insulation elements. At least one of the two insulation elements is pressed at least section-wise against a housing element. If a wire is used as the resistor element, the use of possible fillers such as magnesium oxide may be waived by providing that the wire abuts at least section-wise against at least one of the two insulation elements during the compression.
US07940151B2
The radio frequency (RF) inductor includes a core being electrically non-conductive and ferrimagnetic, and having a toroidal shape, and a wire coil thereupon. At least one permanent magnet body is at a fixed position within the interior of the core, and an electrically conductive RF shielding layer is on the at least one permanent magnet body. The core may be ferrite for example. The electrically conductive RF shielding layer may be a conductive plating layer or a metal foil surrounding the permanent magnet body, for example. A magnetic field from the permanent magnet is applied to the inductor core to reduce losses, and the permanent magnet may be enclosed within the conductive shield to keep RF fields out. The inductor may be made small and have increased Q and resulting efficiency. The RF inductor may be applicable to RF communication circuits, for example, as an antenna coupler.
US07940147B2
In an acoustic wave filter device, first and second acoustic wave filter elements are connected in parallel to an unbalance terminal. Of first to third IDTs, the second and third IDTs are connected to a first balance terminal. Of fourth to sixth IDTs, the fifth and sixth IDTs are connected to a second balance terminal. The first ground terminal is arranged at a position close to the side of the unbalance terminal and shifted to the side of the first acoustic wave filter element. The third ground terminal is arranged in a point-symmetric relationship relative to the first ground terminal with respect to a middle point between the first and second acoustic wave filter elements.
US07940144B2
A substrate with an HF-compatible line arranged in this substrate will be proposed that is formed similar to a tri-plate strip line in which, however, at least one of the ground planes has a slot that follows the profile of the signal line arranged between two ground planes. With the aid of this slot, the capacitive constant of the line can be lowered and thus the impedance of the line can be increased.
US07940137B2
Systems and methods are provided. In this regard, a representative system incorporates a crystal oscillator circuit and a digital automatic level control circuit. The digital automatic level control circuit is operative to: convert an oscillation amplitude of the crystal oscillator circuit to a proportional DC voltage; convert the DC voltage to a corresponding digital code representation; and adjust bias current and oscillator loop gain such that a desired oscillation amplitude is set.
US07940136B2
An oscillator is provided. The oscillator comprises a flip-flop module, a first and a second setting module. The first setting module comprises: a first switch device to generates a first switch signal according to a first oscillating signal, an NMOS and an inverter. The NMOS comprises a drain to receive a first charging current and a gate to receive the first switch signal, wherein the drain is charged or discharged according to the first switch signal. The inverter is connected to the drain to generate a first setting signal. The second setting module comprises a second switch device to generate a second switch signal according to a second oscillating signal and a comparator to generate a second setting signal according to the second switch signal and a reference voltage. The flip-flop module generates the first and the second oscillating signal according to the first and the second setting signal.
US07940131B2
An apparatus for rapidly tracking fundamental frequency information in the signal of an electric grid is a cross-coupled phase-lock loop filter (CCPLL) that includes the use of a phase-lock-loop (PLL) apparatus having a plurality individual filters, wherein an input for a first filter in the plurality of individual filters comprises the signal of the electric grid and an output signal from at least a second filter in the plurality of individual filters. A method for using the CCPLL includes applying a signal to the CCPLL and monitoring the output of the CCPLL. Use of the CCPLL may be accomplished or modeled via computer instructions stored on machine readable media.
US07940120B2
The power amplifier mainly includes a main amplifier, two splitters, one combiner, one subtracter, two phase shifters, one attenuator and one error amplifier. The splitters, subtracter and combiner are designed in the form of 90-degree or quadrature hybrid couplers. A quadrature hybrid can be implemented with any lumped or transmission-line elements and has an important advantage compared to the in-phase splitter that at equal values of reflection coefficients from loads connected to the in phase and 90° phase shift terminals, the reflection wave is lacking at the main input terminal and, consequently, the input voltage standing wave ratio of a quadrature hybrid does not depend on the equal load mismatch level.
US07940119B2
The invention relates to an amplifier capable of producing a plurality of output signals, these output signals being controlled by a plurality of input signals. A multiple-input and multiple-output amplifier of the invention includes 4 signal input terminals, 4 signal output terminals, 4 active sub-circuits and a feedback network. Each active sub-circuit has a sub-circuit input terminals connected to one of the signal input terminals, a sub-circuit output terminal connected to one of the signal output terminals and a sub-circuit common terminal. The feedback network uses mutual induction between windings. The feedback network has terminals connected to the sub-circuit common terminal of the active sub-circuits. The feedback network presents an impedance matrix producing a negative feedback such that the transfer admittance matrix of the multiple-input and multiple-output amplifier approximates a given admittance matrix.
US07940111B2
Techniques for designing a high performance analog switch for use in electronic circuit applications. In one aspect, a variable bulk voltage generation module is provided to vary the bulk voltage of a transistor in the switch, such that the threshold voltage of the transistor is reduced during the on state. In another aspect, a pulling transistor is provided to pull a middle node of the switch to a DC voltage during the off state to further increase the isolation provided by the switch.
US07940110B2
A switch circuit is disclosed. The switch circuit may include one or more arrangements of transistors coupled in a cascode configuration. The transistors used to implement the switch circuit may be configured for operation within a first range of voltages. The application in which the switch circuit may be implemented may require conveying signals within a second range of voltages that is greater than the first range of voltages. Thus, the switch circuit may include one or more additional transistors to ensure that a voltage drop between any two terminals of the transistors used in the switch circuit is within the first range of voltages.
US07940104B2
There is provided a signal generating apparatus including: a multiphase oscillating portion for generating a number of base signals having the same frequency and a predetermined phase difference of which the signal level transitions between a first level and a second level, and where periods during which the signal level of any given base signal is at the first level and the signal level of the next base signal having the predetermined phase delay relative to the given base signal is at the first level overlap; and a transition time point changing portion for generating a pulse signal by changing the time point when each base signal transitions from the first level to the second level to a time point before the next base signal transitions from the second level to the first level.
US07940098B1
A phase-locked loop includes a phase-to-digital converter that receives a first periodic input signal at a first input and a first feedback signal at a second input. The phase-to-digital converter generates digital signals. A digitally controlled oscillator includes a delay-locked loop that is responsive to the digital signals. The delay-locked loop generates a periodic output signal having an average frequency that is a product of a frequency of the first periodic input signal multiplied by a non-integer fractional number while a phase of the first periodic input signal is unchanging.
US07940095B2
The present invention intends to provide a semiconductor memory device including a delay locked loop (DLL) circuit capable of generating a duty-corrected delay locked clock. A semiconductor memory device includes: a DLL circuit for generating a delay locked clock through a delay locked operation; and a duty-correction circuit for correcting a duty ratio of the delay locked clock by using the delay locked clock and a divided clock generated by dividing the delay locked clock by an even value.
US07940093B2
Output circuit with reduced overshoot includes input end, output end, a circuit composed of PMOS and NMOS, rising and falling edge trigger bias circuits. The rising and falling edge trigger bias circuits output biasing voltages to the output end for clamping the voltage of the output signals respectively according to the rising edge and the falling edge of the input signal. In this way, the overshoot of the output signal is reduced.
US07940087B1
A clockless return to state domino logic gate is disclosed responsive to multiple return to state input nodes. A domino circuit has a preset state in which it presets a preset node to a second state. The domino circuit switches to a latch state and switches an output node when the preset node is pulled to a first state. The domino circuit resets back to the preset state and switches the output node back to its default state when a reset node is pulled to the second state. An evaluation circuit pulls the preset node to the second state when the input nodes are in an evaluation state. An enable circuit enables a reset condition when the domino circuit is in its latch state. A reset circuit pulls the reset node to the first state after an evaluation event when the input nodes are no longer in the evaluation state.
US07940084B2
A method for sharing charge between IO circuits, the method includes providing an integrated circuit that comprises multiple IO circuits, each comprising an IO pad. The method is characterized by including: determining to share a charge between multiple IO circuits; and sharing charge between the multiple IO circuits by coupling the multiple IO circuits to a shared circuit that is characterized by a state that reflects multiple iterations of sharing charge operations.
US07940075B2
Disclosed is a differential pre-emphasis driver. The driver includes a first current source supplying a first current, a second current source supplying a second current greater than the first current, a first select circuit for selectively connecting the first current source to a first output terminal or a second output terminal, and a second select circuit for selectively connecting the second current source to the first output terminal or the second output terminal. The first and second select circuits pre-emphasize a transmission signal by selectively combining the first output terminal, the second output terminal, the first current source and the second current source.
US07940069B2
A testing system that includes an plural imaging devices capturing plural video sequences from a single optical path and concurrently displaying the video sequences for effectively positioning a probe for testing a semiconductor wafer.
US07940067B2
The probe with printed tip consists of a substrate having a plurality of probe tips connected to its end edge, a plurality of test paths, each connected to one of the probe tips and extending along the substrate, and at least one of the test paths including an electrical component adjacent to the test path's probe tip. The electrical component may be a resistor. The probe tips may have a width equal to the thickness of the substrate. The probe tips may consist of a plurality of probe tip layers. The invention also includes a method of probing signals transmitted over target transmission lines on a target board. The disclosure also includes a method of manufacturing the claimed invention.
US07940063B2
A coordinate detecting device includes a resistive film disposed on a quadrangular substrate; a power source for applying a voltage to the resistive film; four electrodes connected to the power source and disposed in four corners of the resistive film; four switches each disposed between the power source and a corresponding electrode; four ammeters for measuring currents flowing through corresponding electrodes; and a grounded conductive film for detecting coordinates of a contact point on the resistive film when the conductive film is brought in contact with the resistive film. The voltage is applied sequentially to the electrodes by opening and closing the switches. When the conductive film is brought in contact with the resistive film, the ammeters sequentially measure currents flowing through the corresponding electrodes. The coordinates of the contact point are detected based on positions of the electrodes and resistances obtained using the measured currents.
US07940061B2
Systems and methods for detecting anomalies, such as corrosion, on internal surfaces of hollow elongate bodies, such as pipelines. The pipeline is treated as a circular waveguide, and a fast rise time pulse or a spectrum of electromagnetic waves is launched down the waveguide to perform time domain, or equivalent of time domain (e.g., frequency domain), reflectometry. Anomalies in the internal structure of the pipeline cause reflections which can be measured and related to the physical parameters of the pipeline structure and identified to a particular location.
US07940060B2
One embodiment of the invention includes a method comprising measuring the level of a fluid in a system in a vehicle comprising measuring an electrical property of the fluid indicative of the amount of air in the fluid and comparing the measured electrical property to a reference. The measured electrical property may include at least one of electrical resistivity or electrical permittivity. Another embodiment of the invention includes a method comprising measuring an electrical property of a fluid, measuring an electrical property of an air-free fluid sample, and determining a volume fraction of air in the fluid using the electrical property of the fluid and the electrical property of the air-free fluid sample, wherein the electrical property comprises at least one of electrical resistivity or electrical permittivity. In some embodiments an indication can be provided when the slope of the electrical property versus time changes.
US07940058B2
An apparatus and method for measuring the leakage current of capacitive components. A switch that grounds a terminal of a component being tested is closed while the component is charged to a desired test voltage. When this charging is complete, the switch opens so that the diode terminal is at the same potential as the input amplifier's virtual ground. An accurate and fast measurement of the leakage current of the component can be measured.
US07940057B2
A power discontinuity occurring in any one of a plurality of I/O units connected to a numerical controller is detected. When the power discontinuity occurs in any one of the I/O units, the I/O unit detects the power discontinuity, and transmits the detection of the power discontinuity to an I/O unit in front of the I/O unit, at a timing different from a timing of an ordinary communication, in the form of a communication packet having a data pattern different from an ordinary data pattern. When the front I/O unit receives the communication packet, the communication packet is stored in a memory as power discontinuity detection information.
US07940047B2
A method and apparatus for identifying local RF coils in a MR system includes a microcontroller that is provided in the bore of the system. The microprocessor determines when local RF coils are connected, identifies the coils, and provides the information to an MR scanner. The controller is shielded to prevent electromagnetic interference.
US07940043B2
A method for detecting the presence of precipitants in a hydrocarbon stream, the method comprising introducing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon stream into a measurement chamber of an NMR measuring device, assaying the fluids in the chamber with proton nuclear magnetic resonance to obtain NMR signals, and processing the NMR signals to detect the formation of precipitants in the hydrocarbon stream. The method may be carried out at first and second locations, and NMR signals obtained at the two locations compared to detect precipitation of precipitant between the two locations. A method of monitoring the water content of a hydrocarbon stream in a flowline comprising introducing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon stream into an NMR measuring device, measuring a baseline NMR water signal of the hydrocarbon stream and comparing subsequent NMR water signals with the baseline NMR water signal to detect changes in the water content of the hydrocarbon stream.
US07940040B2
An apparatus for detecting a static field includes two surfaces of conductive material that are: (i) electrically coupled to each other, and (ii) adjacent to each other. The two surfaces repel each other in the presence of a static field. A rupturable indicator bridging and coupled between the two surfaces ruptures upon repulsion of the two surfaces from each other by at least a predetermined distance.
US07940037B2
An electronic device is provided comprising a driver for light emitting semiconductor devices. The driver includes a first MOS transistor (MN1) coupled with a channel to the light emitting semiconductor device at an output node. The first MOS transistor (MN1) is configured to determine a current through the light emitting semiconductor device (LED). A control loop is provided so as to control the first MOS transistor to maintain the magnitude of the current through the light emitting semiconductor device at a target value when a voltage drop across the first MOS transistor (MN1) changes. A second MOS transistor is coupled to the output node and biased so as to supply an auxiliary current to the output node, when the voltage drop across the first MOS transistor drops below a minimum voltage level and a feedback loop is provided to reduce the current through the light emitting semiconductor device by an amount proportional to the auxiliary current.
US07940035B2
A standby circuit is provides to on/off a power converter for power saving. The standby circuit includes a comparison circuit. The comparison circuit is coupled to a feedback loop of the power converter to generate a mode signal when a feedback signal of the feedback loop is lower than a threshold signal. A resistive device is coupled to the feedback loop. The resistance of the resistive device is increased in response to the mode signal. The mode signal is further coupled to turn off a switching control circuit of the power converter.
US07940032B2
A power supply having a maximum power point tracking function that controls power switching so that a detected power value is within a reference range having a maximum power point in a predetermined current-voltage curve includes: a converter section switching input power and converting the switched input power into predetermined DC power; and a maximum power point tracking section detecting a power value determined according to a switching operation of the converter section among power values included in a predetermined power-voltage curve, and controlling the switching operation of the converter section so that the detected power value is located within a predetermined reference range having a maximum power value among the power values included in the power-voltage curve.
US07940030B2
A DC-DC converter including: a switch, having a control terminal receiving a control signal, and a conduction terminal supplying a current; a load, coupled to the conduction terminal of the switch and selectively receiving the current; a control circuit, receiving a clock signal and generating the control signal in synchronism with the clock signal; an overcurrent sensor, coupled to the switch so as to monitor an electrical quantity correlated to the current and to output a protection signal in presence of overcurrent; moreover including overcurrent-protection circuitry, receiving the protection signal and the clock signal and generating a disabling signal for the control circuit if delay between an overcurrent detection and the clock signal is shorter than a detection time.
US07940025B2
A device for locking a power tool to a battery pack has at least one movable locking bar mountable on the power tool and upon locking engaging a detent recess of the battery pack, and at least one unlocking device for manually disengaging the locking bar from the detent recess, wherein the unlocking device is mountable on the battery pack.
US07940023B2
A geometric end effector system for use on a robot. The system includes a platform and a frame secured to the platform. At least one base is arranged at a predetermined position on the frame. The system also has an anchor mount secured to the base and a component connected to an end of the anchor mount by a collar assembly. A key is arranged between the component and the anchor mount.
US07940016B2
The present invention relates generally to regenerative braking methods for a hybrid vehicle such as a hybrid locomotive, which are compatible with optimum management of a large battery pack energy storage system. Four methods for recovering energy from regenerative braking and for transferring this energy to an energy storage systems are disclosed. These methods may also be used with battery operated vehicles.
US07940009B2
A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber for carrying out plasma processing inside, a top plate made of a dielectric material for sealing the upper side of this chamber, and an antenna section that serves as a high frequency supply for supplying high frequency waves into the chamber via this top plate. The top plate is provided with reflecting members inside thereof. The sidewalls of the reflecting members work as wave reflector for reflecting high frequency waves that propagate inside the top plate in the radius direction. Alternatively, no reflecting members may be provided in a manner in which the sidewalls of a recess of the top plate serve as a wave reflector means.
US07940006B2
A plasma display device includes: a plasma display panel; a front glass; a conductive filter attached to a front surface or a back surface of the front glass; a back cover; and a plurality of glass pressing pieces each of which presses a corresponding one of four sides of the front glass and makes the conductive filter and the back cover be connected electrically. Among the plurality of glass pressing pieces, glass pressing pieces disposed on one pair of opposite sides of the front glass are electrically connected with the conductive filter at the front surface side thereof, and glass pressing pieces disposed on the other pair of opposite sides of the front glass are electrically connected with the conductive filter at the back surface side thereof.
US07940003B2
The present invention comprises a light absorption film 5 which is formed on the outermost surface of an end surface on the light emitting side of a chip used in a laser device, typically, a laser chip 1 and which absorbs part of the light emitted. By forming this light absorption film 5, the collection and accumulation of pollutants which are caused by reacting with light emitted are curbed.
US07940002B2
A light emitting element of the invention includes n pieces of light emitting layers (n is a natural number) between first and second electrodes. A first layer and a second layer are provided between the mth light emitting layer (m is a natural number of 1≦m≦n) and the m+1th light emitting layer. The first and second layers are contacted to each other. The first layer contain a substance that transports holes easily and a substance with an electron accepting property. The second layer contains a substance that transports electrons easily and a substance with an electron donating property. Molybdenum oxide is used as the substance with the electron accepting property.
US07939986B2
High aspect ratio micromachined structures in semiconductors are used to improve power density in Betavoltaic cells by providing large surface areas in a small volume. A radioactive beta-emitting material may be placed within gaps between the structures to provide fuel for a cell. The pillars may be formed of SiC. In one embodiment, SiC pillars are formed of n-type SiC. P type dopant, such as boron is obtained by annealing a borosilicate glass boron source formed on the SiC. The glass is then removed. In further embodiments, a dopant may be implanted, coated by glass, and then annealed. The doping results in shallow planar junctions in SiC.
US07939981B2
The invention relates to an electrical motor (10), comprising a shaft (24), a housing (12) with a housing flange (14) and a bearing plate (16) with a bearing plate flange (18), whereby one end of the shaft (24) projects out of the bearing plate (16). The housing flange (14) and the bearing plate flange (18) are connected by means of at least one hollow rivet (20) such that the electrical motor (10) may be mounted by means of a fixing element, in particular, a screw, through the hollow rivet (10) on a connector flange of a gear stage in a working connection with the projecting end of the shaft (24). In one method for connection or said electrical motor (10) to a connector flange, the electrical motor (10) may be mounted by means of a fixing element, through the hollow rivet (10) on a connector flange of a gear stage in a working connection with the projecting end of the shaft (24).
US07939979B2
An electrically powered linear actuator having a thrust assembly, a motor with a rotor surrounding at least a portion of the thrust assembly and a rotary encoder with a rotation sensing member rotatable with the rotor.
US07939972B2
The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an electric wave, and a power supply circuit that generates power from the electric wave received by the electric wave reception circuit. An electric wave transmission device that transmits an electric wave for making the switch device operate is arranged in a space, whereby the electric wave can be received by the electric wave reception device in the specific space. The switch device controls the control switch to be turned off/on when the electric wave is received. Alternatively, when the electric wave is not received, the switch device turns on/off the control switch.
US07939963B2
A power supply to provide multiple synchronous outputs includes a standby power system to receive input power and regulate to become standby power and a main power system to receive the input power and regulate to become main output power. The main power system has a rectification output unit to deliver the main output power. The power supply further has at least one delay trigger unit to receive the main output power and a voltage regulation output unit. The delay trigger unit sets a voltage judgment level and determines whether to output a trigger signal based on the main output power being greater or smaller than the voltage judgment level. The voltage regulation output unit can be activated by getting the standby power. According to the generation time series of the trigger signal, the time series to generate the secondary output power can be regulated.
US07939958B2
Apparatuses and methods for an improved wind turbine and blade assembly are disclosed. The wind turbine has a wind turbine assembly being rotatably driven by the blade assembly. The wind turbine assembly has a shaft connected to an inner wheel by a supporting structure. A magnet array is disposed circumferentially about the inner wheel. A transformer array is disposed circumferentially about an outer wheel. The shaft rotates the inner wheel with the magnet array within the outer wheel having the transformer array for producing electricity. Blades are held in a neutral position into the wind by tensioning means.
US07939951B2
A mounting substrate having a structure allowing reduction of the cost and an electronic apparatus formed by surface-mounting a semiconductor device thereon are provided. The mounting substrate is a mounting substrate mounted with a semiconductor device having external terminals alignedly arrayed in the form of a matrix, and includes junctions arrayed on a surface to which the semiconductor device is opposed so that the external terminals are bonded thereto respectively and wires connected to the junctions respectively and extracted out of a region to which the semiconductor device is bonded. The wires connected to inwardly arrayed 4 rows by n columns (n: integer of not less than 5) of the junctions respectively are formed on a first wiring layer. The wires connected to the junctions set in two annular arrays surrounding the outer sides of the 4 rows by n columns of junctions respectively are formed on a second wiring layer different from the first wiring layer.
US07939950B2
A chip package structure is provided. The chip package structure comprises a first substrate, a second substrate and a plurality of chips. Therein, one of the chips is connected to the first substrate and electrically connected to the first substrate through a via hole of the first substrate. Thereby, the second substrate does not need the via hole for electrical connection of chips and thus, the surface thereof is adapted to remain intact to allow for the disposition of conductive balls throughout the surface.
US07939935B2
A core substrate-less electronic device is fabricated by using an electronic device substrate 10. The electronic device substrate 10 a metal core substrate 11, and an external connection wiring layer 100 provided on the metal core substrate 11, and an electronic parts-mounting layer 110 provided on the external connection wiring layer 100. The external connection wiring layer 100 has a first plating film 103 as an external connection terminal, and a PSR film 101 as an electrical insulating material. The electronic parts-mounting layer 110 has a conductive film 113 as an internal conductor pattern and a PSR film 111 as an electrical insulating material. A surface of the conductive film 113 is in a same plane as a surface of the PSR film 111.
US07939933B2
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor element; a die pad with the semiconductor element mounted thereon; a plurality of electrode terminals each having a connecting portion electrically connected with the semiconductor element; and a sealing resin for sealing the semiconductor element, the die pad and the electrode terminals so that a surface of each electrode terminal on an opposite side from a surface having the connecting portion is exposed as an external terminal surface. A recess having a planar shape of a circle is formed on the surface of each electrode terminal with the connecting portion, and the recess is arranged between an end portion of the electrode terminal exposed from an outer edge side face of the sealing resin and the connecting portion. While a function of the configuration for suppressing the peeling between the electrode terminal and the sealing resin can be maintained by mitigating an external force applied to the electrode terminal, the semiconductor device can be downsized.
US07939930B2
An electrical device includes a plurality of interconnects passing through a plane. The interconnects have a longitudinal axis substantially perpendicular to the plane and including an arrangement pattern which reduces or eliminates cross-talk between nearest neighboring interconnects, wherein the interconnects include a first differentially driven signal conductor pair and at least one other signal conductor, and the arrangement includes the at least one other signal conductor disposed at a substantially same distance from each conductor of the first differentially driven signal conductor pair.
US07939928B2
A semiconductor package has a substrate with a plurality of contact pads. A first semiconductor die is mounted to the substrate. First bond wires are formed between each of the center-row contact pads of the first semiconductor die and the substrate contact pads. The first bond wires include an electrically insulative coating formed over the shaft that covers a portion of a surface of a bumped end of the first bond wires. An epoxy material is deposited over the first semiconductor die. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the epoxy material. Second bond wires are formed between each of the center-row contact pads of the second semiconductor die and the substrate contact pads. The second bond wires include an electrically insulative coating formed over the shaft of the second bond wires that covers a portion of a surface of a bumped end of the second bond wires.
US07939921B2
A leadframe including a chip supporting plate, a lead forming plate, and solder points is provided. A notch is formed on an edge of the chip supporting plate. The thickness of the lead forming plate is less than the thickness of the chip supporting plate. The lead forming plate has a main body, inner leads, and a connecting rod. The inner leads and the connecting rod are extended from an edge of the main body. The connecting rod has an end portion fitting the notch. The solder points are located at the boundary between the end portion and the notch for structurally connecting the connecting rod and the chip supporting plate.
US07939910B2
Capacitance circuits are provided disposing a lower vertical-native capacitor metal layer above a planar front-end-of-line semiconductor base substrate, planar metal bottom plates spaced a bottom plate distance from the base and top plates above the bottom plates spaced a top plate distance from the base defining metal-insulator-metal capacitors, top plate footprints disposed above the base substrate smaller than bottom plate footprints and exposing bottom plate remainder upper lateral connector surfaces; disposing parallel positive port and negative port upper vertical-native capacitor metal layers over and each connected to top plate and bottom plate upper remainder lateral connector surface. Moreover, electrical connecting of the first top plate and the second bottom plate to the positive port metal layer and of the second top plate and the first bottom to the negative port metal layer impart equal total negative port and positive port metal-insulator-metal capacitor extrinsic capacitance.
US07939897B2
In one embodiment, silicide layers are formed on two oppositely doped adjacent semiconductor regions. A conductor material is formed electrically contacting both of the two silicides.
US07939895B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate provided with an N-type FET and P-type FET, with a gate electrode of the N-type FET and a gate electrode of the P-type FET having undergone full-silicidation, wherein the gate electrode of the P-type FET has such a sectional shape in the gate length direction that the gate length decreases as one goes upwards from a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and the gate electrode of the N-type FET has such a sectional shape in the gate length direction that the gate length increases as one goes upwards from the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US07939892B2
A test device and method may be used to detect voltage, current or signals of a digital multilevel memory cell system or to test operation or performance by applying inputted voltages, currents or signals to the memory cell system.
US07939885B2
A semiconductor device has a substrate having a plurality of neighboring trenches, and a contact area, one mesa stripe each being formed between two neighboring trenches. The contact area contacts mesa stripes and surrounds an opening region in which the contact area is not formed and which is formed such that the contact area contacts the same mesa stripes at two positions between which the opening region is arranged, and the opening region having a region of elongate extension which intersects the mesa stripes in a skewed or perpendicular manner.
US07939879B2
For providing a cheap semiconductor memory device with improving reliability by level of a cell, in the place of escaping from defects on memory cells electrically, through such as ECC, and further for providing a cell structure enabling scaling-down in the vertical direction with maintaining the reliability, in a semiconductor memory device, upon which high-speeded read-out operation is required, a charge storage region is constructed with particles made from a large number of semiconductor charge storage small regions, each being independent, thereby increasing the reliability by the cell level.
US07939872B2
A multi-dielectric film including at least one first dielectric film that is a composite film made of zirconium-hafnium-oxide and at least one second dielectric film that is a metal oxide film made of amorphous metal oxide. Adjacent ones of the dielectric films are made of different materials.
US07939867B2
A method of fabricating a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor is provided. First, an isolation structure is formed in a substrate with a photo-sensitive region and a transistor device region in the substrate. The transistor device region includes at least a region for forming a transfer transistor. A dielectric layer and a conductive layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. An ion implantation process is performed to implant a dopant into the substrate below the position for forming a gate of the transfer transistor and in the photo-sensitive region through the conductive layer and the dielectric layer. The conductive layer and the dielectric layer are patterned to at least form the gate structure of the transfer transistor on the transistor device region. Thereafter, a photo diode is formed in the substrate in the photo-sensitive region.
US07939865B2
In one embodiment, a metal-semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) comprises a first silicon layer, an insulator layer formed on the first silicon layer, and a second silicon layer formed on the insulator layer. A gate region, a source region, and a drain region are formed in the second silicon layer. A first partial trench is formed in the second silicon layer between at least a portion of the gate region and at least a portion of the source region, wherein the first partial trench stops short of the insulator layer. A second partial trench formed in the second silicon layer between at least a portion of the gate region and at least a portion of the drain region, wherein the second partial trench stops short of the insulator layer. First and second oxide spacers are formed in the first and second partial trenches. The first and second oxide spacers and the source region, gate region, and the drain region are substantially planar.
US07939860B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including: a semiconductor substrate; a sensor of impurity diffusion layer formed on the surface layer of said semiconductor substrate; a negative charge accumulation layer formed on said sensor from an insulating material containing a first metallic substance; and an interfacial layer formed between said sensor and said negative charge accumulation layer from an insulating material containing a second metallic substance having greater electronegativity than said first metallic substance.
US07939850B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor body with a semiconductor device structure including at least a first electrode and a second electrode. Between the two electrodes, a drift region is arranged, the drift region including charge compensation zones and drift zones arranged substantially parallel to one another. At least one charge carrier storage region which is at least partially free of charge compensation zones is arranged in the semiconductor body.
US07939842B2
Light emitting device packages, light emitting diode (LED) packages and related methods are disclosed. According to one aspect, a light emitting device package is provided. The package includes a mounting pad adapted for attachment of a light emitting device. A lens coupler is attached to the mounting pad and defines an opening for containing the light emitting device and a quantity of encapsulant. The lens coupler includes a surface defining a depression which comprises at least one edge that shapes an outer surface of the encapsulant.
US07939840B2
A nitride-based light emitting device capable of achieving an enhancement in emission efficiency and an enhancement in reliability is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, and a light extracting layer arranged on the semiconductor layer and made of a material having a refractive index equal to or higher than a reflective index of the semiconductor layer.
US07939836B2
A semiconductor light emitting element having a rectangular shape in plan view comprising at least a first side and a second side adjacent to the first side, the semiconductor light emitting element including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a plurality of first electrodes having a long shape along the first side and being arranged on the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer in a lattice form of x columns (x≧2) along the first side and y rows (y>x) along the second side, and a second electrode arranged on the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer. The first electrode and the second electrode are arranged on the same surface side. The first electrode is surrounded by the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and the second electrode is provided.
US07939822B2
The present invention provides a manufacturing process using a droplet-discharging method that is suitable for manufacturing a large substrate in mass production. A photosensitive material solution of a conductive film is selectively discharged by a droplet-discharging method, selectively exposed to laser light, and developed or etched, thereby allowing only the region exposed to laser light to be left and realizing a source wiring and a drain wiring having a more microscopic pattern than the pattern itself formed by discharging. One feature of the source wiring and the drain wiring is that the source wiring and the drain wiring cross an island-like semiconductor layer and overlap it.
US07939820B2
An Organic Light Emitting Display (OLED) and its method of fabrication, is capable of omitting a process of patterning a second pixel electrode by forming a first pixel electrode, forming a pixel-defining layer including an opening on the first pixel electrode, and forming the second pixel electrode and a third pixel electrode in the opening using a shadow mask as a mask. The OLED includes: a substrate; a first pixel electrode disposed on the substrate; a pixel-defining layer having an opening exposing a portion of the first pixel electrode; a second pixel electrode disposed on the first pixel electrode exposed by the opening of the pixel-defining layer and disposed in the opening of the pixel-defining layer; a third pixel electrode disposed on the second pixel electrode and disposed in the opening of the pixel-defining layer; an organic layer disposed on the third pixel electrode and including an emission layer; and an opposite electrode disposed on the organic layer.
US07939798B2
An ion source a first ionizer comprising: an electrospray needle comprising a tip; and a conduit disposed annularly about the needle and configured to pass an inert gas in proximity of the tip to nebulize a fluid emerging from the tip, the nebulized fluid comprising analytes and a mobile phase. The ion source comprises a capillary in tandem with the first ionizer and configured to receive the droplets; a heater configured to heat the capillary to a temperature at which mobile phase vaporizes; and a second ionizer in tandem with the capillary and configured to receive the vaporized mobile phase and the analytes. A method is also described.
US07939795B2
An encoder device includes: a housing; a hub arranged in the housing, the hub arranged to carry an encoder disk, the hub rotatable in the housing; a cover that is axially movable between a first position and a second position; and a gapping and centering device arranged to urge the hub into a predetermined axial and radial position relative to a portion of the housing when the cover is in the first position, the gapping and centering device arranged to permit axial and radial movement of the hub when the cover is in the second position.
US07939793B2
A light fixture, using one or more solid state light emitting elements utilizes a diffusely reflect chamber to provide a virtual source of uniform output light, at an aperture or at a downstream optical processing element of the system. Systems disclosed herein also include a detector, which detects electromagnetic energy from the area intended to be illuminated by the system, of a wavelength absent from a spectrum of the combined light system output. A system controller is responsive to the signal from the detector. The controller typically may control one or more aspects of operation of the solid state light emitter(s), such as system ON-OFF state or system output intensity or color. Examples are also discussed that use the detection signal for other purposes, e.g. to capture data that may be carried on electromagnetic energy of the wavelength sensed by the detector.
US07939785B2
An instrument and associated method are disclosed for preparing samples for column chromatography. The method includes the steps of applying microwave energy to a sample composition containing at least one solvent to encourage a chemical reaction and generate desired products, thereafter mixing an absorbent media with the sample to absorb the solvent, the media being compatible with liquid chromatography that will separate the expected products, being chemically inert to the expected products, and being added in an amount sufficient to provide a substantially dry mixture of the media and the sample, but less than an amount that overly broadens the resolution of the sample during liquid chromatography, thereafter applying microwave energy to the dry mixture of the media and the sample to thereby encourage the solvent to evaporate under the influence of the microwave energy, and thereafter adding the dry mixture of the media and the remaining sample to a liquid chromatography column and separating the components of the remaining sample for identification and purification purposes.
US07939775B2
A button unit for an electronic control apparatus of a vehicle is disclosed. The button unit comprises a button and a detector. The button comprises a controlling portion which is pivotably coupled to a front panel of the electronic control apparatus, and an extension bar which extends from the controlling portion into the electronic control apparatus to be pivoted in a direction opposite to the pivoting direction of the controlling portion. The detector comprises a switch which is located within a pivoting radius of the extension bar and can be pivoted under the action of the extension bar, and a detector body on which the switch is pivotably installed and configured to transmit at least a electrical signal to the outside according to pivoting angles of the switch.
US07939769B2
Contemplated device, assembly and methods include a sensor feed through assembly that protects and seals a set of wires. The assembly has a body, a first seal, a second seal and a cover. The wires thread through a first opening on the body through a second opening of the first seal and exit orthogonally between the first seal and the second seal. The cover tightens the entire assembly and secures the wires between the two seals. The entire unit can be coupled to other pressurized vessels under different temperatures and pressurized environments.
US07939767B2
A conduit body is described which includes an integrally formed nipple extending from the back wall of the body portion of the conduit body. The exterior surface of the nipple has threads formed thereon. The nipple being adapted to be cut to length with respect to different wall thicknesses of a building through which a nipple is extended to enable electrical wires to be extended through the building wall into an electrical panel or the like.
US07939765B2
An intermediate layer 38 is provided on a die pad 22 of an IC chip 20 and integrated into a multilayer printed circuit board 10. Due to this, it is possible to electrically connect the IC chip 20 to the multilayer printed circuit board 10 without using lead members and a sealing resin. Also, by providing the intermediate layer 38 made of copper on an aluminum pad 24, it is possible to prevent a resin residue on the pad 24 and to improve connection characteristics between the die pad 24 and a via hole 60 and reliability.
US07939758B1
Implementations of an electrical device cover may include a base unit having an electrical device aperture therein configured to accommodate a face of a first electrical device. A portion of the base unit may be configured to cover a portion of the face of the first electrical device of a first electrical device type when the electrical device cover is installed over the first electrical device and may be configured to expose a face of a second electrical device of a second electrical device type different from the first electrical device type when the electrical device cover is installed over the second electrical device. The electrical device cover may further comprise an attachment configured to attach to the base unit and to the electrical device. The attachment may be capable of seating between two faces of the electrical device.
US07939757B1
A split lid while-in-use electrical device cover is disclosed, including a base configured to couple to an electrical outlet, the electrical outlet being disposed within a wall, the base including an edge adjacent to the wall, and the edge including at least one hinge; a split lid configured to enclose the electrical outlet and including at least one swingable lid section, the swingable lid section joined to the base via the at least one hinge and swingable upon the at least one hinge; and a cord port in the split lid. The cord port may be a downwardly opening cord port or a rearwardly opening cord port. The device may also include a tab for opening and closing the device, a biasing mechanism for biasing the device closed, and a seam. Also disclosed is a method of protecting an electrical outlet using the split lid while-in-use electrical device cover.
US07939756B2
A modular electrical cover plate assembly has an outer frame having two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. At least one cover plate is mounted within the frame. Locking structure is provided for locking the frame to the cover plate.
US07939752B2
An elongated member including an outer sleeve-like rigid insulator shell surrounding a high voltage conductor extending in the longitudinal direction of the shell and a gap inside the shell next to an internal wall of the shell at least partially surrounding the conductor and filled with a medium including a material of with electrically insulating properties. The medium is formed by an electrically insulating material including hollow spaces at least partially filled with gas. The material is adapted to expand upon a temperature rise thereof by reversibly compressing the hollow spaces and reducing the volume thereof.
US07939749B2
Provided is a solar cell including: a first electrode and a second electrode facing each other; a porous membrane interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode and having a dye adsorbed thereto; an electrolyte interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a buffering layer interposed between the first electrode and the porous membrane and having at least two layers. According to the construction of the solar cell, an electron-hole recombination is prevented by preventing the contact between an electrode having a porous membrane and an electrolyte, thereby improving the electron collection property and the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the dye-sensitized solar cell.
US07939746B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to solar panels to generate electrical energy. In particular, solar panels configured to efficiently receive scattered light are disclosed.
US07939744B2
A thermoelectric element formed of a sintered body of a semiconductor comprising at least two kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of Bi, Te, Se and Sb, and having a micro-Vickers' hardness of not smaller than 0.5 GPa. The thermoelectric element has a hardness of not smaller than 0.5 GPa, and exhibits a large resistance against deformation, and is not easily broken by deformation. As a result, breakage due to deformation is prevented and a highly reliable thermoelectric element is realized even when a shape factor which is a ratio of the sectional area of the thermoelectric element to the height thereof, is increased and even when the element density is increased.
US07939743B2
A computer with thermoelectric conversion uses a thermoelectric conversion module that connects between a heat generating device and a low temperature device to fully utilize the redundant heat generated by the computer. The thermoelectric conversion module converts heat to power based on a temperature difference between the heat generating device and the low temperature device. The power generated by the thermoelectric conversion module is then delivered to a load that can be activated by the power.
US07939742B2
A musical instrument that can play notes and scale tones without physically touching the device. Microprocessor control, and its associated DSP functionality, permit designer and performer to determine fine musical characteristics and virtual frets resulting in a pleasant and playable digital Theremin. Control over key, scale, octave, slew, snap and other characteristics are provided.
US07939740B2
An electronic musical instrument is provided, which makes it possible to manage a state of attendance (presence/absence, etc.) of participants and perform easy management on the level of activity on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. According to performance operations on performance terminals 2, a controller 1 records a performance history. Performance terminals 2 to which performance parts have been assigned by a Facilitator are determined as being present, whereas performance terminal 2 to which no performance parts have been assigned are determined as being absent. The number of times of key depression on each performance terminal 2, the average key depression intensity (average Velocity), etc. from start to end of a performance are recorded. The recorded values for respective items are output in the form of text data. Since values for the respective item are recorded at every performance, the frequency of attendance of respective users can easily be managed on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
US07939731B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH013434. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH013434, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH013434 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 CH013434.
US07939729B2
A hollow, individual celery cylinder cut to a length of about one to twelve inches, and having an outside diameter of about 0.1 to 2 inch and an inside diameter of 0.075 to 1.85 inches. The celery cylinder is mild in taste and resistant to rupture upon application of internal vacuum to the cylinder, such that it can be used as a drinking straw. The cylinder can also be stuffed with a foodstuff, to form a novel food product.
US07939724B1
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB48L08. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB48L08, to the plants of soybean XB48L08 to plant parts of soybean variety XB48L08 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB48L08 with another soybean plant, using XB48L08 as either the male or the female parent.
US07939721B2
The invention provides cropping systems for managing weeds in crop environments. The cropping systems comprise, in one embodiment, transgenic plants that display tolerance to an auxin-like herbicide such as dicamba. Method for minimizing the development of herbicide resistant weeds are also provided.
US07939713B2
The present invention provides DNA constructs, transgenic plants containing such constructs, and methods of making the plants. The DNA constructs encode a polypeptide that when expressed results in the production of fatty acid compounds having anthelmintic activity. Transgenic plants expressing such a polypeptide can exhibit enhanced resistance to plant parasitic nematodes, particularly when expressed in vegetative tissues.
US07939710B1
Most microalgae are obligate photoautotrophs and their growth is strictly dependent on the generation of photosynthetically-derived energy. In this study it is shown that the microalga Phaeodaclylurn tricornutum can be engineered to import glucose and grow in the dark through the introduction of genes encoding glucose transporters. Both the human and Chlorella kessleri glucose transporters facilitated the uptake of glucose by P. tricornutum, allowing the cells to metabolize exogenous organic carbon and thrive, independent of light. This is the first successful trophic conversion of an obligate photoautotroph through metabolic engineering, and it demonstrates that methods of cell nourishment can be fundamentally altered with the introduction of a single gene. Since strains transformed with the glucose transport genes are able to grow non-photosynthetically, they can be exploited for the analysis of photosynthetic processes through mutant generation and characterization. Finally, this work also represents critical progress toward large-scale commercial exploitation of obligate phototrophic algae through the use of microbial fermentation technology, eliminating significant limitations resulting from light-dependent growth.
US07939696B2
Process for the manufacture of dichloropropanol in which glycerol is reacted with a chlorinating agent comprising hydrochloric acid in a liquid medium in equilibrium with a vapor phase and in which the condensation of a fraction exhibiting the composition of the vapor phase is prevented.
US07939693B2
A process for producing sec-butylbenzene comprises feeding reactants comprising benzene and a C4 olefin to a distillation column reactor having a first reaction zone containing an alkylation catalyst and a second distillation zone, which is located below said first reaction zone and which is substantially free of alkylation catalyst, wherein the ratio of the number of distillation stages in said first reaction zone to the number of distillation stages in said second distillation zone is less than 1:1. Concurrently in the distillation reactor, the reactants are contacted with the alkylation catalyst in the first reaction zone under conditions such that the C4 olefin reacts with the benzene to produce sec-butylbenzene and the sec-butylbenzene is fractioned from the unreacted C4 olefin. The sec-butylbenzene thereby passes as a liquid phase stream from the first reaction zone to the second distillation zone and the liquid phase steam is withdrawn from the distillation column reactor as bottoms.
US07939687B2
A nanocomposite material including organic-inorganic polymeric interpenetrating networks having a low or no-shrinkage characteristic and a method for making the composite, as defined herein.
US07939685B2
The present invention pertains to a process for preparing a compound of Formula I that is achiral, racemic or enantiomerically enriched at the hydroxylation center indicated by * comprising contacting a compound of Formula II with an oxidant selected from oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, peracids or alkyl hydroperoxides in the presence of a zirconium complex, wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in the disclosure. This invention also pertains to zirconium complexes useful in this procedure comprising zirconium and a ligand of Formula III or its enantiomer wherein J, R6 and n are as defined in the disclosure. This invention further pertains to a compound of Formula III or its enantiomer.
US07939683B2
Phospholipid-analogous compounds of the general formula (I) in which A is where R1 and R2 are, independently of one another, hydrogen, a saturated or unsaturated acyl or alkyl radical which can optionally be branched or/and substituted, where the total of the carbon atoms in the acyl and alkyl is 16 to 44 carbon atoms, s is an integer from 0 to 8, c is a radical of a primary or secondary alcohol of the formula RO—, where R is a saturated or unsaturated alkyl radical, mainly with cis double bond, of from 12 to 30 carbon atoms, n is an integer from 2 to 8, R3— a can be 1,2-dihydroxypropyl or b can be alkyl with 1 to 3 carbon atoms when z is >0 or c can be alkyl with 1 to 3 carbon atoms when n≠2, and z=0, m is 1 or 2, x is an integer from 0 to 8, y is 1 for z=1 to 5 or is 1 to 4 for z=1, z is an integer from 0 to 5, are novel and are suitable as liposome constituents, solubilizers and pharmaceuticals.
US07939682B2
Provided are a polymerizable group-containing and fluorine-containing adamantane derivative capable of affording a cured product having good heat resistance, good mechanical properties such as surface hardness and a low refractive index, a resin composition containing such a polymerizable group-containing adamantane derivative, and a fluorine-containing adamantane derivative which is useful as a reaction intermediate used for the production of the polymerizable group-containing and fluorine-containing adamantane derivative. Specifically provided are a fluorine-containing adamantane derivative represented by the general formula (I) below, a polymerizable group-containing and fluorine-containing adamantane derivative represented by the general formula (II) below, and a resin composition containing such a polymerizable group-containing and fluorine-containing adamantane derivative. In the formulas, X1 and X2 each represent OH or NH2, a, b and c each represent an integer of 0 or more and a+b+c≧1, for example a=b=0 and c=1, Z3 represents, for example, —C2H4—, s and t each represent an integer of 1 to 15, u represents an integer of 0 to 14, s+t+u=16, for example s=2, t=14, u=0, and X3 represents, for example, —O—CO—CH═CH2.
US07939679B2
Disclosed is a method for total synthesis of CTX1B, which is developed for the synthesis of a ciguatoxin analogue such as CTX3C and enables the more efficient application of an established reaction to the total synthesis of CTC1B. More specifically, disclosed is a method for total synthesis of CTX1B comprising; an O.S-acetal formation for synthesizing a novel compound (3); a radical cyclization reaction for constructing a 9-membered ring formation reaction including a novel compound (6) through a novel compound (8) and yielding a compound (D); and a deprotection for yielding CTX1B. Also disclosed are novel compounds (1) to (8) which are particularly useful for synthesis of CTX1B and can be used for the synthesis of a ciguatoxin analogue.
US07939674B2
The present invention provides a process for producing an aromatic unsaturated compound of the formula (4) wherein Ar represents an optionally substituted aromatic group or an optionally substituted heteroaromatic group, and Y represents an electron withdrawing group, which comprises reacting (a) a compound of the formula (1) Ar—H (1) wherein Ar has the same meaning as defined above with (b) a compound of the formula (2) wherein Y has the same meaning as defined above, and Z represents a lower alkoxy, or a compound of the formula (3) wherein Y and Z have the same meanings as defined above, in the presence of (c) an acid or a compound which generates a mineral acid by its hydrolysis.
US07939673B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing 3-dihalomethylpyrazole-4-carboxylic acid derivatives of the formula (I) by reacting α-fluoroamines of the formula (III) in the presence of Lewis acids with acrylic acid derivatives of the formula (II) to give vinamidinium salts of the formula (IV) and the subsequent reaction thereof with hydrazines, and to the vinamidinium salts of the formula (IV) themselves.
US07939670B2
A compound of the formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) wherein Z, A, B, C, R, R1, R2, Q, and n are as described herein.
US07939667B2
Compounds of formula (I): wherein B, X, R3, L0, L1, L2, R2, R1 and RC are defined herein. The compounds are useful as inhibitors of HCV NS3 protease for the treatment of hepatitis C viral infection.
US07939665B2
This invention relates to a new and efficient process for the production of dopamine agonists such as Cabergoline and the intermediates thereof.
US07939651B2
This invention provides modified, insecticidal Cry35 proteins with enhanced properties as compared to wild-type Cry35 proteins. The modifications to these proteins were based in part on analysis of the atomic coordinates and three-dimensional (3D) structure of the ˜45 kDa 149B1 protein and other proteins in the Cry35 class. The subject invention also includes polynucleotides that encode these modified proteins, and transgenic plants that produce these modified proteins. This invention further provides methods of controlling plant pests, including rootworms, with these modified proteins. The modified proteins of the subject invention include chimeric toxins involving exchanged segments, domains, and motifs as discussed herein. The subject invention also provides methods of modifying Cry35 proteins.
US07939649B2
Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include polynucleotides that encode mutant Cnidarian luciferases that exhibit modulated properties as compared to the corresponding wild-type luciferases, and the modulated properties include at least one of: modulated stability; enhanced light output; and modulated emission maximum. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include polypeptides or fragments thereof encoded by the polynucleotides, constructs including the polynucleotide, expression cassettes, cells, methods of producing the polynucleotides and polypeptides, antibodies, transgenic cells and/or animals, kits, and the like.
US07939641B2
Provided herein are hybrid polypeptides that specifically bind to a disease-associated isoform of a polypeptide involved in diseases of protein aggregation. The hybrid polypeptides can be used for diagnosis and treatment of such diseases. In a particular embodiment, a hybrid protein that specifically binds to the infectious form of a prion (PrPSc) is provided.
US07939633B2
Decolorized and/or deodorized zein from corn products may be recovered in high yields using zeolite adsorbents. A solution of a zein-containing corn product in an aqueous alcohol solvent is contacted with a zeolite adsorbent under conditions effective for adsorption of color and odor impurities in the corn product onto the zeolite. Following this contact, the treated solution may be separated from the adsorbent and recovered, yielding substantially pure zein dissolved in the aqueous alcohol solvent. Optionally, the zein may be further purified by subsequently contacting the treated solution with an activated carbon adsorbent or a mixture of activated carbon and zeolite adsorbents to adsorb any residual color and/or odor impurities therefrom.
US07939624B2
The object of the present invention is the identification of a group of peptides able to break the interaction between the mutated protein p53 (hereinafter m-p53) and the proteins p63, p73 and the relative isoform proteins (hereinafter p63, p73 and p-isoforms) in the m-p53/p63, m-p53/p73 and m-p53/p-isoforms proteinic complex that has formed in the nucleus of tumor cells. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for causing the breakage of said proteinic complexes existing in the tumor cell lines in vitro. The present invention further relates to the use of said peptides for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for treating human tumors.
US07939616B2
The present Invention relates to a mixture comprising catenary, branched and for cyclic siloxanes of the general formula (I) where x is 1, 2 or 3, the substituents R are (i) organofunctional groups selected from —CH2—SH, —CH2—S—(CO)—R′, —CH2—(O—C2H4)a—OH with a=1 to 10, —CH2(O—C2H4)b—OR′ with b=1 to 40, —(CH2)—NH2, —(CH2)—NHR′, —(CH2)—NR′2, —(CH2)—NH(CH2)2—NH2, —(CH2)—N[(CH2)2—NH2]2 and —(CH2)—NH(CH2)2—NH(CH2)2—NH2, In which R′ is a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, (ii) hydroxyl, methoxy, ethoxy, 2-methoxyethoxy, isopropoxy, n-propoxy, isobutoxy and for n-butoxy groupe, and (iii) where appropriate, alkyl, alkenyl, isoalkyl, cycloalkyl or fluorcalkyl groups having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or aryl groups having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, whit the proviso that not more than one organofunctional group (i) is attached per silicon atom, the quotient of the molar ratio of the moiety (ii) to silicon le from I to 2, and the degree of oligornerization for compounds of the general formula I is in the range from 2 to 50. The present invention also relates to a specific process for preparing said siloxane mixtures and also to their use.
US07939615B2
The disclosure is directed to a method of making a silicone composition includes mixing a silicone formulation in a mixing device and adding an in situ adhesion promoter to the mixing device. The disclosure is further directed to articles made from the above-mentioned silicone composition.
US07939604B2
Provided are a pressure sensitive adhesive composition for optical members and a pressure sensitive adhesive composition for optical members. The pressure sensitive adhesive composition for optical members according to the present invention comprises 100 parts by weight of an acrylic polymer (A) having a weight-average molecular weight of 500,000 or more, containing at least 50 wt % alkyl (meth)acrylate having an alkyl group with 5 or more carbon atoms and 0.2 to 2 wt % unsaturated carboxylic acid as the monomer unit, 0.1 to 4 parts by weight of an acrylic polymer (B) having a weight-average molecular weight of 2,000 to 50,000, containing at least 70 wt % alkyl (meth)acrylate and 1 to 7 wt % unsaturated carboxylic acid as the monomer unit and having a higher carboxylic acid equivalent than that of the acrylic polymer (A), 0.01 to 1 part by weight of a silane coupling agent, and a crosslinking agent.
US07939600B2
Provided are a binder for an electric double layer capacitor electrode which gives an electrode having a high electrode density and a high binding force and which comprises a polymer that can give a polymer film having a tensile stress of 2 MPa or less when the film is elongated at the ratio of 100% and having the elongation at break of 450% or more; a binder composition for an electric double layer capacitor electrode and a slurry composition for an electric double layer capacitor electrode which each comprises the binder; an electrode produced by use of the slurry composition; and an electric double layer capacitor which has the electrode so as to exhibit a large electrostatic capacity and a small internal resistance.
US07939589B2
Provided are polyhydroxy-diamine compounds for use as neutralizing agents for paints and coatings. The compounds are of the formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 are as defined herein.
US07939581B2
A process for producing a substrate having a functionalised surface, which process comprises contacting the substrate with a carbene precursor, which carbene precursor is a compound of formula (III) or (IV) whose substituent groups are defined herein: (b) generating a carbene reactive intermediate from the carbene precursor so that it reacts with the substrate to functionalise the surface, thereby yielding an activated substrate; and (c) further functionalising the activated substrate obtained in (b). In (c), the activated substrate may be further functionalised by treating the activated substrate with a diazonium salt for the introduction of colour and/or another desired activity, and/or by treatment with hydrogen peroxide to produce a biocidal substrate. The invention further relates to carbene precursor compounds for use in the surface functionalisation process, and to processes for preparing certain precursor compounds.
US07939577B2
The invention provides a radiation-curable alkoxy silanized hyperbranched polyester acrylate, characterized in that the radiation-curable alkoxy silanized hyperbranched polyester acrylate is produced by using a hyperbranched molecule with at least 16 functionalities as a core; acrylating or methacrylating a portion of the terminal groups of the hyperbranched molecule; and terminating a portion of the end groups of the hyperbranched molecule with an isocyanated silane coupling agent. The acrylate of the invention can be formed into a coating on polar substrates, such as glass or metal, or used as an adhesive.
US07939572B2
An aqueous dispersion of polymeric particles, the particles including: from 5% to 80% by weight, based on the weight of the polymeric particles, of a first polymer including at least one copolymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer; and, substantially encapsulating the first polymer, from 20% to 95% by weight, based on the weight of the polymeric particles, of a second polymer including at least one copolymerized ethylenically unsaturated monomer, the second polymer having a Tg of from −40° C. to 30° C., wherein at least 90 weight % of the second polymer is formed by polymerization at a temperature of from 5° C. to 65° C. is provided. The invention also relates to a process for forming the aqueous dispersion of polymeric particles and an aqueous coating composition including the aqueous dispersion of polymer particles, a method for providing a coated substrate, and the coated substrate so provided.
US07939553B2
The present application provides for a compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, and/or ester thereof, compositions containing such compounds, therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds, and therapeutic methods and include the administration of such compounds with at least one additional therapeutic agent.
US07939551B2
The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions and methods for the treatment of diabetes mellitus using combination therapy. The compositions relate to a compound of Formula I and an antidiabetic agent such as sulfonylureas, biguanides, glitazones, α-glucosidase inhibitors, potassium channel antagonists, aldose reductase inhibitors, glucagon antagonists, activators of RXR, insulin therapy or other anti-obesity agent. The methods include the administration of the combination of compound of Formula I with antidiabetic agent where the two components are delivered in a simultaneous manner, where the compound of Formula I is administered first, followed by the antidiabetic agent, as well as wherein the antidiabetic agent is delivered first followed by the compound of Formula I.
US07939548B2
Chemical entities that modulate smooth muscle myosin and/or non-muscle myosin, and chemical entities, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment of diseases and conditions associated with smooth muscle myosin and/or non-muscle myosin are described.
US07939541B2
This invention relates to a process for the preparation of (3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-N-[4-methyl-3-(4-pyridin-3yl-pyrimidin-2ylamino)-phenyl]-benzamide (formula (I)) starting from 4-methyl-2-nitro-aniline (formula (II)) through intermediates (3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-N-[4-methyl-3-nitrophenyl]-benzamide (formula (III)), (3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-N-[3-amino-4-methylphenyl]-benzamide (formula (IV)) and (3-trifluoromethylsulfonyl)-N-[3-guanidino-4-methylphenyl]-benzamide (formula (V)). This invention also relates to processes for the preparation of these intermediates. The compound of formula (I), also known as AN-024, is:
US07939533B2
The present invention provides a method for the treatment of schizophrenia which comprises administering a compound of formula wherein the substituents are as described herein or a pharmaceutically active acid-addition salt thereof. In particular, the invention provides methods for treating both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia through dual inhibition of NK1 and NK3 receptors. The invention also provides novel compounds with formula I and methods for preparing compounds of the invention.
US07939529B2
The invention relates to compositions comprising 2-(5-(4-(2-morpholinoethoxy)phenyl)pyridin-2-yl)-N-benzylacetamide and its mesylate and dihydrochloride salts. More specifically, the invention provides an efficient process for the synthesis of 2-(5-(4-(2-morpholinoethoxy)phenyl)pyridin-2-yl)-N-benzylacetamide and its mesylate and dihydrochloride salts and methods for modulating one or more components of a kinase cascade using the compositions of the invention.
US07939520B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula I and the use thereof in the therapeutic treatment of disorders related to or affected by the 5-HT6 receptor.
US07939509B2
Disclosed are novel compounds a compound of Formula I that are partial and full A1 adenosine receptor agonists, useful for treating various disease states, in particular dyslipidemia, diabetes, decreased insulin sensitivity, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Stein-Leventhal syndrome, and obesity.
US07939507B2
The present disclosure relates to an LNA oligonucleotide consisting of a sequence selected from the group consisting of 5′-(Tx)GxGxcsasasgscsastscscsTxGxT-3′ and 5′-(Gx)TxTxascstsgscscststscsTxTxA-3′, wherein capital letters designate a beta-D-oxy-LNA nucleotide analogue, small letters designate a 2-deoxynucleotide, underline designates either a beta-D-oxy-LNA nucleotide analogue or a 2-deoxynucleotide, subscript “s” designates a phosphorothioate link between neighbouring nucleotides/LNA nucleotide analogues, and subscript “x” designates either a phosphorothioate link or a phosphorodiester link between neighbouring nucleotides/LNA nucleotide analogues, and wherein the sequence is optionally extended by up to five 2-deoxynucleotide units. The LNA oligonucleotides are useful for modulating the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1a (HIF-1a), e.g. in the treatment of cancer diseases, inhibiting angiogenesis, inducing apoptosis, preventing cellular proliferation, or treating an angiogenic disease, e.g. diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration (ARMD), psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases.
US07939502B2
The invention provides a tobramycin formulation for delivery by aerosolization in the form of additive-free, isotonic solution whose pH has been optimised to ensure adequate shelf-life at room temperature. Said formulation can be advantageously used for the treatment and prophylaxis of acute and chronic endobronchial infections, in particular those caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated to lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis.
US07939501B2
A contact lens solution comprising 0.001 to 10 weight percent or a preservative enhancer chosen from the group consisting of: D4E1, D2A21, and P-113; and at least 0.0001 weight percent of a preservative, and where the concentration of chloride in said solution is less than 0.2 percent by weight.
US07939494B2
The invention relates to formulations that demonstrate the feasibility of oral absorption comprising glucose-like peptide-1 compounds and specified delivery agents, and to methods of stimulating GLP-1 receptor in a subject in need of such stimulation, by administration of the formulation of the present invention.
US07939493B2
PKC V5 isozyme-specific peptides are described. The sequences and compositions comprising the sequences are useful for treating disease states associated with the PKC isozyme from which they are respectively derived. Methods of treatment, pharmaceutical formulations and methods of identifying compounds that mimic the activity of the peptides are also described.
US07939482B2
A cleaning solution for a semiconductor wafer comprises ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, a complexing agent and a block copolymer surfactant diluted in water. The cleaning solution can be used in single wafer cleaning tools to remove both particulate contaminants and metallic residues.
US07939479B2
A lightweight, flowable, dry powder plant-based absorbent hand cleaner and method of manufacturing the hand cleaner are disclosed. The composition may include ground corn cobs particles of a selected size, one or more lathering surfactants, and one or more conditioning components. The composition may be mixed into a slurry and dried by a non-spray drying process. The user's hands may be scrubbed together, forming an abrasive agglomeration which removes/absorbs and absorbs the dirt, oil, grease and other foreign material from the hands, then the hands are rinsed with water.
US07939476B2
The present invention provides a friction control composition comprising a binder a rheological control agent, and optionally a lubricant. The liquid friction control composition may also comprise other components a wetting agent, a consistency modifier, and a preservative. The liquid friction control compositions may be used to modify the interfacial friction characteristics in sliding and rolling-sliding contact such as steel wheel-rail systems including mass transit and freight systems. A method of reducing lateral force, reducing energy consumption, or controlling friction between a metal surface and a second metal surface by applying the composition to metal surface, for example a top of rail or wheel, is also provided. The composition may be sprayed onto the rail surface.
US07939469B2
The invention relates to a water-based drilling fluid composition comprising a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), wherein the CMC is characterized by forming a gel at 25° C. after high-shear dissolution in a 0.3 wt % aqueous sodium chloride solution, the final content of the CMC in the aqueous sodium chloride solution being I wt % for a CMC having a degree of polymerization of >4,000, 1.5. wt % for a CMC having a DP of >3,000-4,000, 2 wt % for a CMC having a DD of 1,500-3,000, and 4 wt % for a CMC having a DP of <1,500, the gel being a fluid having a storage modulus (G′) which exceeds the loss modulus (G″) over the entire frequency region of 0.01-10 Hz when measured on an oscillatory rheometer operating at a strain of 0.2.
US07939468B2
The present invention relates to a method for screening and identifying compounds that modulate the activity tRNA splicing endonuclease. In particular, the invention provides assays for the identification of compounds that inhibit animalia tRNA splicing endonuclease. The methods of the present invention provide a simple, sensitive assay for high-throughput screening of libraries of compounds to identify pharmaceutical leads useful for treating and/or preventing cancer.
US07939467B2
What is described are 4-(3-aminobenzoyI)-1-ethylpyrazoles of the general formula (I) and their use as herbicides. In this general formula (I), R1 and R2 are radicals such as hydrogen and organic radicals, such as alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl. Y is hydrogen or a protective group, such as tosyl.
US07939458B2
A refractory brick having durability equal to alumina-magnesia castable materials, which is especially suitable for a ladle for steel making is provided. A refractory brick prepared by using an alumina raw material and a magnesia raw material containing 90% by mass or more of a fine powder of not more than 0.5 mm, press molding and then heat treating at 100° C. or higher and not higher than 1,150° C., the refractory brick containing Al2O3 and MgO in a total sum of 90% by mass or more, from 4 to 16% by mass of MgO, from 0.5 to 5% by mass of SiO2, and Na2O and K2O in a total sum of from 0.3 to 2% by mass, with the remainder being inevitable impurities and Al2O3.
US07939457B2
A low expansion glass substrate includes titania and silica and has a thermal expansivity with an average gradient less than 1 ppb/° C./° C. in a temperature range of 19° C. to 25° C.
US07939454B1
A method for packaging solar cell module. The method includes providing a first substrate member and forming a plurality of thin film photovoltaic cells overlying the surface region of the first substrate member. A first connector member and a second connector member having a second thickness are operably coupled to each of the plurality of thin film photovoltaic cells. A first spacer element and a second spacer element overly portions of the surface region of the first substrate member. The method provides a laminating material overlying the plurality of thin film photovoltaic cells, the spacer elements, and the connector members. A second substrate member overlies the laminating material. A lamination process is performed to form the solar cell module by maintaining a spatial gap occupied by the laminating material between an upper surface regions of the connector members and the second substrate member using the spacer elements. A planarity between the first substrate member and the second substrate member is maintained during the lamination process.
US07939445B1
Methods and structures for interconnects in semiconductor devices are described. A method of forming a mask pattern for a metal layer in an interconnect can include searching a layout for a metal feature with a predetermined size and an interconnect layer aligned thereto, removing the metal feature from the layout to form a modified layout, and reforming the mask pattern using the modified layout. The metal interconnect may include a first pattern of metal lines, each having a minimum feature size in a layout view in no more than one dimension; a dielectric layer on or over the first pattern of metal lines, having a substantially planar horizontal upper surface; and vias or contacts in the dielectric layer, the vias or contacts contacting a top surface of the first pattern of metal lines and a top surface of silicon structures, vias, or contacts below the first pattern of metal lines.
US07939434B2
A method of directly depositing a polysilicon film at a low temperature is disclosed. The method comprises providing a substrate and performing a sequential deposition process. The sequential deposition process comprises first and second deposition steps. In the first deposition step, a first bias voltage is applied to the substrate, and plasma chemical vapor deposition is utilized to form a first polysilicon sub-layer on the substrate. In the second deposition step, a second bias voltage is applied to the substrate, and plasma chemical vapor deposition is utilized to form a second polysilicon sub-layer on the first sub-layer. The first and second sub-layers constitute the polysilicon film, and the first bias voltage differs from the second bias voltage.
US07939430B2
A laser processing method is provided, which, when cutting an object to be processed comprising a substrate and a multilayer part, formed on a front face of the substrate, including a functional device, can cut the multilayer part with a high precision in particular.In a state where a protective tape 22 is attached to the front face 16a of a multilayer part 16, a substrate 4 is irradiated with laser light L while using its rear face 4b as a laser light entrance surface, so as to form a modified region 7 within the substrate 4 along a line to cut, thereby generating a fracture 24 reaching the front face 4a of the substrate 4 from a front-side end part 7a of the modified region 7. Attaching an expandable tape to the rear face 4b of the substrate 4 and expanding it in the state where such a fracture 24 is generated can cut not only the substrate 4 but also the multilayer part 16 on the line to cut, i.e., interlayer insulating films 17a, 17b, with a favorable precision along the line to cut.
US07939418B2
Disclosed herein is a partial implantation method for manufacturing semiconductor devices. The method involves implantation of dopant ions at different densities into a plurality of wafer regions, including first and second regions, defined in a wafer by means of a boundary line. In the method, first, second and third implantation zones are defined. The first implantation zone is the remaining part of the first region except for a specific part of the first region close to the boundary line, the second implantation zone is the remaining part of the second region except for a specific part of the second region close to the boundary line, and the third implantation zone is the remaining part of the wafer except for the first and second implantation zones. Then, dopant ions are implanted into the first implantation zone at a first density, into the second implantation zone at a second density different from the first density, and into the third implantation zone at a third density that is a midway value between the first and second densities.
US07939416B2
A method of manufacturing a bipolar transistor is compatible with FinFET processing. A collector region (18) is formed and patterned, base contact regions (26) formed on either side, and a gap formed between the base contact region. A base (28), spacers (30) and an emitter (32) are formed in the gap.
US07939405B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming an inter-layer insulating film; arranging a plurality of grooves in a surface layer of the inter-layer insulating film; forming embedded insulating films which are embedded in the grooves; arranging a plurality of holes in the inter-layer insulating film and between the embedded insulating films, in a manner such that each hole between the embedded insulating films partially overlaps therewith; forming lower electrodes, each of which has a bottom and a side face, and covers the bottom and side faces of the corresponding hole; forming a capacitance insulating film which covers the lower electrodes; and forming an upper electrode which further covers the capacitance insulating film.
US07939404B2
A manufacturing method of a capacitor of a semiconductor device includes a first step of forming a graphene seed film over a substrate; a second step of increasing surface energy of the graphene seed film and performing a first plasma process to the graphene seed film; a third step of growing a graphene on the graphene seed film; a fourth step of growing a nano tube or a nano wire using the graphene as a mask; and a fifth step of sequentially forming a dielectric film and a conductive layer over the nano tube or the nano wire.
US07939402B1
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises double poly bipolar transistors and double poly metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistors. The bipolar transistors and the MOS transistors are manufactured in a unified process in which a first polysilicon layer (Poly1) is doped to form the extrinsic bases in the bipolar transistors and to form the gates in the MOS transistors. A second polysilicon layer (Poly2) is doped to form emitters in the bipolar transistors and to form the sources and drains in the MOS transistors. The method of the invention minimizes the number of manufacturing process steps.
US07939401B2
In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes at least two stacked gate structures formed on a substrate. The two stacked gate structures each include a semiconductor layer and a metal layer over the semiconductor layer. The two stacked gate structures on the substrate are characterized by differential intermediate layers, one of the two structures including an ohmic layer and the other of the two structures not including an ohmic layer.
US07939400B2
The present invention facilitates semiconductor fabrication by providing methods of fabrication that selectively apply strain to multiple regions of a semiconductor device. A semiconductor device having one or more regions is provided (102). A strain inducing liner is formed over the semiconductor device (104). A selection mechanism, such as a layer of photoresist or UV reflective coating is applied to the semiconductor device to select a region (106). The selected region is treated with a stress altering treatment that alters a type and/or magnitude of stress produced by the selected region (108).
US07939384B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure includes providing a substrate including a first active region and a second active region; forming a gate electrode layer over the substrate; and etching the gate electrode layer. The remaining portions of the gate electrode layer include a first gate strip and a second gate strip substantially parallel to each other; and a sacrificial strip unparallel to, and interconnecting, the first gate strip and the second gate strip. The sacrificial strip is between the first active region and the second active region. The method further includes forming a mask layer covering portions of the first gate strip and the second gate strip, wherein the sacrificial strip and portions of the first gate strip and the second gate strip are exposed through an opening in the mask layer; and etching the sacrificial strip and the portions of the first gate strip and the second gate strip through the opening.
US07939380B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor component that includes a leadframe having a non-metallic base structure and an intermediate leadframe structure. The non-metallic base structure may be, among other things, paper, cellulose, or plastic. A layer of electrically conductive material is formed over the non-metallic base structure. A circuit element attach structure and a plurality of leadframe leads are formed from the layer of electrically conductive material. A circuit element is coupled to the circuit element attach structure and electrically coupled to the plurality of leadframe leads. The circuit element is encapsulated and at least the non-metallic base structure is removed. Alternatively, a plurality of leadframe leads may be formed on the electrically conductive layer and a circuit element is placed over the electrically conductive layer. The circuit element is electrically coupled to the plurality of leadframe leads and encapsulated. The non-metallic base structure and the electrically conductive layer are removed.
US07939379B2
A hybrid carrier and a method for making the same, wherein the hybrid carrier has a plurality of interconnection leads, so that a wire bondable semiconductor device or a flip chip die apparatus can be placed on the hybrid carrier, and is electrically connected to die paddle and bond fingers. Also, it is easy to dispose a semiconductor device on the hybrid carrier and easy to electrically bond the hybrid carrier and the semiconductor device. Therefore, the hybrid carrier and the method for making the same can be applied to an area array metal CSP easily, and the method is simple, so the production cost can be reduced.
US07939378B2
A leadframe for use in the assembly of integrated circuit chips comprising a base metal structure having an adherent layer of nickel covering said base metal; an adherent film of palladium on said nickel layer; and an adherent layer of palladium on said palladium film, selectively covering areas of said leadframe suitable for bonding wire attachment and solder attachment.
US07939376B2
A semiconductor die is attached to a packaging substrate by a patterned layer of conductive metal that includes voids. The voids provide a space into which the metal may expand when heated in order to avoid placing mechanical stress on the bonds caused by mismatches in the thermal coefficients of thermal expansion of the die, the conductive metal bond layer and the substrate. An additional coating of conductive metal may be flowed over the bond lines to reinforce the bonds.
