US08041262B2
A color electrophotographic printing machine has a drive system which includes a first, second and third motor-and-gear-train configurations mounted on a frame and coupled to first, second and third combinations of multiple color developer drive assemblies, multiple color photoconductive drum drive assemblies, a black developer drive assembly and a black photoconductive drum drive assembly. The first and second configurations are operable at first and second motor gear mesh frequencies and the third configuration is operable at a motor gear mesh frequency that can be substantially the same as one of the first and second motor gear mesh frequencies. The first combination includes yellow, cyan and magenta color developer drive assemblies, the second includes yellow and cyan color photoconductive drum drive assemblies, and the third includes a magenta color photoconductive drum drive assembly with the black developer drive assemblies and black photoconductive drum drive assemblies.
US08041258B2
A process cartridge is configured to be mounted in an apparatus main body along a predetermined mounting direction. The process cartridge includes: a photosensitive drum; a drum drive input member into which a driving force for rotating the photosensitive drum is inputted; and a frame which holds the photosensitive drum and the drum drive input member; the frame including: a substantially cylindrical first protecting member which is formed on the frame. The first protecting member is configured to accommodate the drum drive input member, and project in a rotational axis direction of the photosensitive drum, wherein a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at a downstream side in the mounting direction is smaller than a projecting amount of a portion of the first protecting member which lies at an upstream side in the mounting direction.
US08041256B2
The tandem photosensitive-member unit includes a plurality of photosensitive-member and a pair of side plates. The plurality of photosensitive-member holding units each extends in a first direction. The plurality of photosensitive-member holding units is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The pair of side plates each extends in the second direction. The pair of side plates is disposed at both ends of the arranged plurality of photosensitive-member holding units with respect to the first direction. The tandem photosensitive-member unit is configured to be detachably mounted as an integral unit in a main body of an image-forming device.
US08041249B2
After-transfer remaining toner is reversely transferred from a transfer member to an image carrier. A toner collecting/charging device for temporarily collecting and charging the after-transfer remaining toner remaining on the transfer member includes a toner collecting/charging roller which is provided in such proximity to the transfer member as not to make contact with a primarily transferred toner image, and which has a collecting function of temporarily collecting the after-transfer remaining toner and a charging function of charging the after-transfer remaining toner to a specified polarity, power supplies which are so connected that a voltage in which an AC voltage is superimposed on a DC voltage is applied to the toner collecting/charging roller, and a selector switch for changing a waveform of the AC voltage so that the toner collecting/charging roller is switched between a toner-collecting mode and a toner-releasing mode.
US08041242B2
A method of forming an image with a plurality of colors of developer, the method including generating color printing data corresponding to colors, sensing remainders of the plurality of colors of developer, converting the color printing data into mono printing data for a reference color corresponding to color density of each color printing data if at least one of colors of developer is insufficient, and printing the mono printing data.
US08041241B2
In a disclosed image forming apparatus, a developing bias applied to a developer carrier or exposure energy with which an image carrier is exposed is adjusted such that an isolated one-dot image on the image carrier has a predetermined image density. When the image carrier is exposed to form dot images continuously arranged in a main scanning direction, the exposure time period for each dot image is shorter than that when the image carrier is exposed to form the isolated one-dot image.
US08041239B2
An image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image supporting body, a developing device, a cleaning device, an input device, a recycling mechanism, and a controller. The image supporting body is for having a latent image based on image data formed on a surface thereof. The developing device applies a developer to the image supporting body to develop the latent image. The cleaning device eliminates developer remaining on the surface of the image supporting body, after a developer image formed by the developing has been transferred to paper. The input device receives a setting input related to a type of paper for use in image forming. The recycling mechanism transports the developer eliminated by the cleaning device to the developing device as recycled developer. The controller is configured to selectively operate the recycling mechanism based on the type of paper set by the input device.
US08041236B2
A fixing unit controlling apparatus that includes a switching unit of a power supplier to supply power to a fixing unit according to a power supply controlling signal to control a temperature of the fixing unit, and a switching unit of a power shutter to shut off power supplied to the fixing unit when the fixing unit controlling apparatus operates abnormally, wherein the switching units of the power supplier and the power shutter are both connected to a snubber circuit of the power shutter.
US08041233B2
An embodiment of the invention is a technique to equalize received samples. A coefficient generator generates filter coefficients using a rotated error vector. A filter stage generates equalized samples or slicer input vector from received samples or rotated received samples using the filter coefficients. The received samples are provided by a receiver front end in an optical transmission channel carrying transmitted symbols.
US08041218B2
In particular embodiments, setting up a circuit in a network includes establishing by control plane logic that planning pre-conditions for planning a circuit have been satisfied, and initiating the planning of the circuit. The control plane logic establishes that reservation pre-conditions for reservation of a resources for the circuit have been satisfied and initiates the reservation of the resources for the circuit. The control plane logic establishes that activation pre-conditions for activation of the circuit have been satisfied and initiates the activation of the circuit.
US08041217B2
In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a system and method for managing wavelength drift in an optical network is provided. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving traffic in one or more optical channels transmitted by one or more transmitters, each channel having successive timeslots, each transmitter assigned to transmit in a channel in allocated timeslots in the channel. The method also includes determining whether the traffic received in a particular channel in a particular timeslot was transmitted by one of the transmitters that was not assigned to transmit in the particular channel. The method further includes, if the traffic in the particular channel was transmitted by one of the transmitters that was not assigned to transmit in the particular channel, identifying the transmitter that was not assigned to transmit but that did transmit in the particular channel, assigning the identified transmitter to transmit in the particular channel, and allocating timeslots in the particular channel to the identified transmitter.
US08041216B2
In a passive optical network, an upstream transmission rate from an ONT to an OLT can be optimized by matching a transmission scheme for a channel to the upstream transmission characteristics of the channel. An FEC coding can be made channel dependent so that channels with low error rates can use minimal protection, and therefore minimal overhead, while channels with high input bit error rates can use the level of FEC coding required to produce a desired output bit error rate.
US08041212B2
According to the invention, various noise currents are added to the electrical data signal after the opto-electric conversion of an optical data signal, and an optimum decision threshold for the electrical data signal equipped with this noise current is determined for each noise current. Values for a median signal current and for a median noise current of the amplified spontaneous emission are subsequently determined from the value pairs of the optimum decision threshold and the added noise current in accordance with a computation rule that is based on a noise model, and the optimum signal-to-noise ratio is calculated from their quotient. The method may also be advantageously implemented by means of simple expansions of common receiver devices.
US08041186B1
Some embodiments provide a method for processing metadata associated with digital video in a multi-state video computer readable medium. The method specifies a set of rules for propagating the metadata between different states in the video computer readable medium. It then propagates the metadata between the states based on the specified set of rules.
US08041182B2
A communication apparatus comprising a digital interface and a detecting unit configured to detect a change in format of video data transmitted from the digital interface, wherein the communication apparatus is adapted to control the digital interface to set the digital interface in a disabled state in case of detecting by the detecting unit that the format of video data is changed.
US08041181B2
The present invention provides an electronic apparatus, including a photographing apparatus control unit controlling a photographing apparatus; and an access management unit performing an operation for recording, in history information by correlating with an information name invested to specific information, an image of an operator photographed by way of the photographing apparatus control unit at the time of an occurrence of an access to the specific information.
US08041179B2
In the method of reproducing still picture data and audio data from a recording medium, the still picture data and the audio data reproduced from the recording medium are decoded based on respective, independent system times (STCs).
US08041173B2
A multi-core optical fiber includes: a plurality of core portions; and a cladding portion positioned around the plurality of core portions and including a marker for identifying a position of a specific one of the plurality of core portions.
US08041169B2
An optical signal processing device has nonlinear optical medium, first and second power controllers, and polarization controllers. To the nonlinear optical medium, signal light, and first and second pumping lights having wavelengths different from the signal light are input. The first and the second power controllers are provided at the input side of the nonlinear optical medium, and control the powers of the first and the second pumping lights so that a predetermined gain is obtained in the nonlinear optical medium. The polarization controllers are provided at the input side of the nonlinear optical medium, and adjust the first and the second pumping lights so that the polarization states of the first and the second pumping lights are mutually orthogonal.
US08041157B2
The present invention is directed towards systems and methods for adjusting intensity, wavelength and higher and lower frequency components of an optical signal. Photonic apparatus receives a first and a second optical signal. A waveguide provides an anomalous group velocity dispersion the first optical signal or the second optical signal and adjusts intensity or wavelength of the first optical signal or the second optical signal, in response to the anomalous group velocity dispersion. In some embodiments photonic apparatus receives an optical signal comprising a lower frequency component received an amount of time prior to a higher frequency component of the optical signal. A waveguide provides an anomalous group velocity dispersion for the optical signal and adjusts the amount of time between the higher frequency component and the lower frequency component in response to the anomalous group velocity dispersion.
US08041150B2
A method and apparatus are provided for the determination of a surface area of a fastener, such as a threaded fastener. Specifically, an image of the fastener is acquired, and the image is separated into at least two regions, for instance three regions, and the surface area of each region is determined. The surface areas determined for each region are summed to determine the surface area of the fastener.
US08041149B2
It is intended to provide an image composition apparatus, a control method and program of an image processing apparatus which, when a user wants to combine a photo image and a handwritten image, even if the image processing apparatus is used for other purposes or even if the power of the image processing apparatus is turned off while the user is creating the handwritten image, enables the user to subsequently resume the image composition work.
US08041138B2
An image taken via lens system (100) and CCD (101) is converted at A/D (102) into digital signals that are then stored in buffer (103). An output of buffer (103) is connected to output block (106) via noise reduction processing block (104), edge enhancement processing block (107) and signal processing block (105) in order. Noise reduction processing block (104) separated an image signal read out of buffer (103) into multiple frequency components. Transform processing is applied to the respective separated components that are then synthesized for noise reductions.
US08041136B2
A system and method of signal processing using linear or non-linear signal transformation and fractal dimension based analysis. Using a transform process (i.e. wavelet transform, Fourier transform, ICA transform, etc.), a signal is decomposed into a series of coefficients or components. Within this transform domain, fractal dimensions of the components are computed. The components with fractal dimensions higher than a pre-determined threshold are then selectively processed. A modified signal is reconstructed using inverse transform of the signal components.
US08041129B2
Methods for electronically compressing data from a multidimensional medical data set for long-term storage includes: (a) generating a first medical image from a patient multi-dimensional medical image data set in a short-term storage format; and (b) compressing the patient medical image data set into a long-term storage format using at least one viewing parameter.
US08041121B1
A method for rapid processing of large sets of hyperspectral data. A hyperspectral image, with hundreds of thousands to millions of pixels measured at hundreds of wavelengths, can contain over a gigabyte of data. Even modern computers can be quite slow when performing involved calculations on data sets of this size. An algorithm requiring a minimal amount of floating point calculations that still yielded useful results is disclosed.
US08041119B2
A method for determining the orientation of Chinese words is provided. The amount of dark pixels in each column of a Chinese word image is calculated. Then, a first point, a second point, and a third point are determined. The first point and the second point correspond to the columns with the largest and the second largest amount of dark pixels, respectively. The third point is located between the first point and the second point. The Chinese word is right-side up if the third point is located on the left side of the Chinese word. The Chinese word is upside down if the third point is located on the right side of the Chinese word.
US08041113B2
A first area extracting unit extracts a first document area from document image data by dividing the document image data in units of a document area. A language determining unit determines a type of a language used in the document image data. A second area extracting unit extracts a second document area by dividing or combining the first document area based on a rule corresponding to the type of the language determined by the language determining unit.
US08041101B2
When a predetermined anomaly has occurred in a digital multifunctional machine, the fact of the anomaly occurring is notified to the service center and the computer at the guardhouse. The service person sent out from the service center is issued with an entrance permit from the entrance permit issuing device at the guardhouse. Then, the service person can pass through the passage gates in the building using the information recorded in the entrance permit and reach the place where the digital multifunctional machine is installed.
US08041099B2
A check verification system for verifying checks presented to a vendor at a vendor location, the vendor location being remotely located from a bank issuing the checks, the check verification system comprising: an input device located at the vendor location, the input device having means for collecting check information including an amount of the check and an account number; and means for communicating with the bank to verify that the account number corresponds to an account of a plurality of legitimate accounts with the bank and provide a hold upon funds in the account in the amount of the check if the account number corresponds to one of the legitimate accounts with the bank and if sufficient funds exist in the legitimate account to hold.
US08041093B2
Certain embodiments of the present invention provide an improved system and method for image file header configuration. Certain embodiments of the method include retrieving one or more criterion for configuration of an image orientation parameter, configuring the image orientation parameter based on the one or more criterion, obtaining image data, and storing the image data in an image file. The image file has a header portion including the image orientation parameter. In an embodiment, the image orientation parameter may be modified from a default configuration. The one or more criterion may include user preference, modality restriction, system preference, and/or rule, for example. The method may further include saving the image file with the configured image orientation parameter. Additionally, the method may include displaying an image according to the configured image orientation parameter. The image may be automatically oriented for display based on the configured image orientation parameter.
US08041091B2
An image analysis system allows users to import digital color fundus images over time, and group such images for processing so as to generate analyses. Analyses are information modules based on a selected group of images and, optionally, related information. An analysis tool allows users to view and manipulate the analyses via a graphical user interface for aid in identifying and classifying microaneurysms and other symptoms related to retinopathy and, more generally, to allow for the detection of retinal changes over time.
US08041086B2
In a specific macromolecule crystal detecting method according to the present invention, ultraviolet light is irradiated to sample solution, and a fluorescent image emitted from a sample in the sample solution is detected to detect specific macromolecules in the sample solution. Furthermore, by detecting the outline of the sample from the visible light image of the sample contained in the sample solution, the crystal is discriminated from other materials on the basis of the outline. By integrating the detection results of the fluorescent image and the visible light image, the specific macromolecule crystal is detected from the sample solution.
US08041085B2
A system and method of authenticating fingerprints. A method of authenticating a fingerprint includes comparing a geometric shape of a scanned fingerprint to a corresponding geometric shape of a stored fingerprint. The geometric shape and the corresponding geometric shape are defined by vertices. The vertices are defined by minutiae points, while the vertices are spaced apart from the minutiae points.
US08041084B2
A system and method is provided that simultaneously or consecutively collects DNA samples and ridge and valley signatures from the same subject during the same collection window that adds value to forensic data collection processes. The collection of the DNA samples and ridge and valley signatures occur during the same collection window to assured the DNA sample and ridge and valley signatures identify the same individual.
US08041082B1
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a computer-implemented method that includes receiving a plurality of images having human faces. The method further includes generating a data structure having representations of the faces and associations that link the representations based on similarities in appearance between the faces. The method further includes outputting a first gender value for a first representation of a first face that indicates a gender of the first face based on one or more other gender values of one or more other representations of one or more other faces that are linked to the first representation.
US08041075B2
In a digital video surveillance system, a number of processing stages are employed to identify foreground regions representing moving objects in a video sequence. An object tracking stage 5 is also provided in order to identify a correspondence between candidate objects in a current frame and those that have already been identified in one or more previous frames. In this way, it is possible to calculate the path taken by the or each foreground object and to record this path information in a trajectory database. In order to improve tracking performance, the object tracking stage 5 employs a state transitional object management scheme which determines whether or not a particular object is to be tracked. As part of the object management scheme, spurious objects, which are identified on the basis of their motion characteristics, are deleted from the system. This ensures that valuable processing resources are not wasted tracking unwanted artifacts which may represent, for example, noise or random motion.
US08041059B2
An electrostatic transducer includes: a class-D power amplifier that amplifies an input signal; and a low pass filter that has a plurality of pairs of inductors and capacitors, is connected to an output side of the class-D power amplifier, and serves to eliminate switching carrier components included in an output of the class-D power amplifier. An electrostatic load capacitor of the electrostatic transducer serving as a driving load is disposed at a capacitor, which is closest to the output side of the class-D power amplifier, of circuit elements forming the low pass filter, an electrostatic coupling capacitor and an output transformer are interposed between the electrostatic load capacitor of the electrostatic transducer and an inductor closest to the output side of the class-D power amplifier of the low pass filter, and a damping resistor is connected in series to a primary coil of the output transformer.
US08041058B2
Audio processing apparatus in which a payload signal is inserted into a primary audio signal comprises a noise generator operable to generate a noise signal in dependence on the payload signal; a level detector for detecting a signal level of the primary signal; a modulator for respectively increasing or decreasing the level of the noise signal in response to an increase or a decrease of the detected signal level of the primary audio signal, to generate a modulated noise signal; a combiner for combining the primary signal and the modulated noise signal; and a signal delay arrangement; the modulator operating with respect to the signal delay arrangement so that a decrease in the level of the noise signal is time-advanced with respect to the corresponding decrease in the signal level of the primary audio signal.
US08041051B2
A system and method is described herein in which an audio source wirelessly transmits audio content to a first audio sink over one wireless link and to a second audio sink over another wireless link. The two audio sinks also exchange forward error correction (FEC) streams over a wireless link between the two audio sinks, wherein the FEC streams are generated by FEC encoding the audio content received from the audio source. The audio sinks advantageously use the exchanged FEC information to synchronize the playback of the audio content as well as to improve the robustness of the wireless links with the audio source in a manner that does not consume additional bandwidth on those links.
US08041048B2
The present invention relates to electromagnetically-countered speaker systems for generating acoustic sounds according to dynamic signals supplied thereto while minimizing irradiation of harmful electromagnetic waves therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to various speaker systems which do not include speaker magnets but include driver members for generating the sounds while emitting such harmful waves and counter members for generating magnetic forces for providing such sound while emitting counter electromagnetic waves capable of canceling at least a substantial portion of the harmful waves based on their configurational and phase characteristics. The present invention also relates to various speaker systems which do not include speaker magnets but include various electric and/or magnetic shields in addition to such drive and counter members. The present invention also relates to various methods of minimizing irradiation of the harmful waves of the speaker systems by the counter members, various methods of shielding such harmful waves by the electric and/or magnetic shields, and the like. The present invention further relates to various processes for providing such systems, counter members thereof, and electric and/or magnetic shields therefor.
US08041045B2
An electronic reverberation system employs a processor to produce a plurality of delays samples that are added to a direct signal to produce reverberant sound. The disclosed system generates or employs a list of gain value pairs that are produced based on control settings or are provided as fixed coefficients. The processor generates reverberation samples by applying these coefficients to delay samples and summing their amplitudes to produce reverberation waveform samples. The reverberation waveform samples are added to the direct signal.
US08041043B2
Surround sound recording is a tedious task requiring the use of many microphones. The invention aims at enabling the use of two-channel microphones (or stereo microphones) for multi-channel surround recording. A conventional stereo microphone, or a two-channel microphone specifically optimized for use with the proposed algorithm, is used to generate two signals. A post-processor is applied to the microphone generated signals to convert them to multi-channel surround.This aim is achieved through a method to generate multiple output audio channels (y1, . . . , yM) from two microphone generated audio channels (x1, x2), in which the number of output channels is equal or higher than two, this method comprising the steps of: determine directions of sound components related to the microphone characteristics determine compensation gains of sound components related to the microphone characteristics generating the output audio channels, y1, . . . , yM, by using the microphone generated audio channels, x1, x2, directions, and compensation gains.
US08041042B2
A method, system, apparatus and computer program product are provided for improved stereo coding. In particular, the method, system, apparatus and computer program product provide a technique for performing Mid-Side (M/S) stereo coding, in which an additional step is added to the coding process, whereby a parameter that is used in determining when the mid and side signals will be used instead of the left and right input signals is modified prior to making the selection between the signal pairs. In particular, the masking threshold associated with either the left or the right input signal may be modified based on a relationship between the energies of the two input signals. In addition, once the selection between the signal pairs has been made, the masking thresholds of the selected signals may be further modified, again based on a relationship between the energies of the left and right input signals.
US08041038B2
An apparatus for compressing media content is disclosed. The apparatus divides the media content into at least three predetermined portions, compresses each of the at least three portions using one of at least three different compression algorithms and makes the at least three compressed predetermined portions publicly available. Making the portions publicly available includes, for example, transmitting the portions over a computer network such as the Internet.
US08041030B2
Live payment terminals employing payment system public keys are evaluated. Dedicated test payment cards are internally issued by an operator of the payment system. Presentation of at least one of the cards to at least one of the terminals is facilitated. Testing the at least one of the terminals for proper management of the payment system public keys is facilitated. The testing can be in a test transaction conducted when the at least one of the cards is presented to the at least one of the terminals. The steps of facilitating presentation and facilitating testing can be conducted substantially without auditing.
US08041020B2
A communication system is provided that uses loosely-coupled client-server architectures to improve the efficiency of communications. The communication system includes client and facilitator applications. The client application is a component of processor-based mobile communication devices. The facilitator application is hosted on one or more servers or other processor-based devices, and communicates with the client application via one or more couplings. The facilitator application can also be distributed among one or more portable processor-based devices including the communication devices hosting the client application. The communication system improves efficiency of voice communications by allowing communication device users to dynamically manage how and when mobile calls take place, intelligently screen calls based on caller identity, urgency, and subject matter, determine which contacts in a directory are available to talk and which ones choose not to be disturbed, and increase accessibility of enterprise and personal contact information from mobile phones.
US08041019B2
An interactive voice response (IVR) system which assists in identifying repeat callers, understanding whether they are calling for the same reason as one of their previous calls, and properly disposing of the call. If the repeat caller is calling for the same reason, information from the previous call (or the previous calls) is retrieved and an action based on a defined business logic for repeat callers may then be executed for the current call.
US08041015B2
A voice communication controller (e.g., private branch exchange (PBX)) is described herein which can automatically enable an outbound dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) feature for one of it's extensions that is attached to a phone which belongs to a user while that user is or is likely to be participating in a session with an external DTMF communication system (e.g., a conference/collaboration bridge, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, or a voice mail system). This is desirable because if the user presses button(s) on their phone then the voice communication controller which has enabled the outbound DTMF feature will not attempt to process the corresponding DTMF digit(s) but instead will automatically transfer the corresponding DTMF signal(s) to the external DTMF communication system.
US08041011B2
A digital signal line echo reduction adaptor is configured to connect adjacent to a first end of a bridgetap line. The bridgetap line has a second end connected to a carrier communication line. The digital signal line echo reduction adaptor reduces an effect of echo from the bridgetap line on a rate of data transmission over the carrier communication line.
US08041010B2
A splitter card having integral test access devices. The splitter card allows test access to be readily provided at any location where splitter cards are typically mounted (e.g., a splitter chassis).
US08041005B2
One aspect relates to inducing at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual responsive to a substantial single input energy event based at least partially on an at least some input energy being applied to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual; and detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon; and X-ray fluorescence visualizing, imaging, or information providing within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual responsive to the detecting the at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon.
US08041003B2
A modular sensor assembly comprises: sensor arrays electrically coupled to a sensor substrate; a plurality of integrated circuits with sensor signal processors electrically coupled to a package substrate; and an interconnect assembly including electrical paths configured to electrically couple analog output signals from a first sensor array to a first integrated circuit and from a second sensor to a second integrated circuit, the first sensor disposed adjacent to the second sensor.
US08040990B2
An apparatus for estimating a sampling frequency offset includes a waveform characteristic extraction unit, a variation quantity calculation unit, and a SFO (sampling frequency offset) estimator. The waveform characteristic extraction unit extracts a waveform characteristic of a training sequence period in one frame period of a sample data signal and outputs a waveform characteristic value corresponding to the waveform characteristic of the training sequence period. The variation quantity calculation unit calculates a waveform characteristic variation quantity representing a variation quantity in waveform characteristic between an m-th frame and an (m−k)-th frame based on a waveform characteristic value in the m-th frame and a waveform characteristic value in the (m−k)-th frame, where m and k are independently integers of 1 or more. The SFO estimator estimates an SFO of the sample data signal based on the waveform characteristic variation quantity.
US08040989B2
Methods and systems for adjusting a sampling rate of a digital radio receiver are disclosed that comprise the steps of receiving from a decoder a first frame of data having a first number of samples; determining at the digital radio receiver a phase difference between a receiver clock and a transmitter clock; generating at the digital radio receiver a second frame of data having a second number of samples, wherein the second number of samples depends on the phase difference between the receiver clock and the transmitter clock such that the second number of samples is less than the first number of samples if the transmitter clock is ahead of the receiver clock, and the second number of samples is greater than the first number of samples if the receiver clock is ahead of the transmitter clock; outputting the second frame of data having the second number of samples; and requesting a next frame of data from the decoder at a time that is earlier than a processing time for the first number of samples if the transmitter clock is ahead of the receiver clock and at a time that is later than the processing time for the first number of samples if the receiver clock is ahead of the transmitter clock such that the next frame of data from the decoder and a next transmitter frame are synchronized, and wherein whether the second number of samples is greater than or less than the first number of samples is determined by whether the sampling rate is increased or decreased.
US08040985B2
A communication receiver includes a front end, which is arranged to receive a Radio Frequency (RF) signal, which includes modulated symbols carrying data that have been encoded by a block Forward Error Correction (FEC) code. The front end converts the RF signal to a sequence of soft received symbols, wherein the soft received symbols are subject to distortion by at least first and second noise components having respective at least first and second statistical distributions. A metric calculation unit is arranged to process the soft received symbols so as to extract parameters indicative of the at least first and second statistical distributions, and to compute FEC metrics based on the extracted parameters. A FEC decoder is arranged to accept the FEC metrics as input, and to process the metrics in an iterative FEC decoding process so as to decode the FEC code and reconstruct the data.
US08040984B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for improving the jitter tolerance in an SFP limit amplified signal. Jitter tolerance is improved in a communications receiver by applying a received signal to an SFP limiting amplifier; and applying an output of the SFP limiting amplifier to a low pass filter to improve the jitter tolerance. The low pass filter optionally applies a programmable amount of attenuation to high frequency components of the output. The low pass filter slew rate controls (i.e., rotates) a data eye representation of the received signal to increase the data eye representation along a time axis. The noise margin of the received signal can optionally be improved by applying an output of the low pass filter to an all pass filter. A slew rate controller can evaluate the data eye statistics to determine a setting for the low pass filter.
US08040980B2
The present invention relates to a log-likelihood ratio calculation method, a transmitting signal detection method, and a receiver. The present invention estimates a channel on the basis of the received signal and rearranges a plurality of layers. Further, at the time of rearrangement of the layers, a symbol of a layer having the lowest reliability is considered for every constellation dot, and the successive interference for the remaining layers is removed corresponding to the constellation dots of the layer having the lowest reliability to set the transmitting symbol candidate vector. Furthermore, a log-likelihood ratio for every bit of the plurality of layers is calculated using the transmitting symbol candidate vector to decode the channel.
US08040978B2
The present invention relates to a tracking system comprised in a receiver, which tracking system is operable to track rapid changes in frequency and phase offset. The tracking system comprises a first system operable to perform a pilot-based phase and frequency tracking. The tracking system also comprises a second system operable to perform data-based phase and frequency tracking. The tracking system also comprises a control means connected to said first system and to said second system, which control means is operable to gradually reduce the effect of said first system, i.e. said pilot-based phase and frequency tracking.
US08040973B2
The present invention relates to pre-distortion in transmitter circuits and provides a circuit for introducing pre-distortion into the output of a transmitter, wherein said pre-distortion comprises a pre-cursor, a cursor and a post-cursor, the circuit comprising: a first driver arranged to switch an output drive between said pre-cursor and said cursor; a second driver arranged to switch an output drive between said post-cursor and said cursor; a third driver arranged to switch an output drive between a positive cursor drive and a negative cursor drive. The arrangement provided give flexibility when setting the pre-cursor, cursor and post-cursor levels.
US08040971B2
The present invention is related to a digital circuit for use in a mixed-signal circuit. The digital circuit comprises: a first circuit for direct digital synthesis comprising a first phase generator (PG1) arranged for being fed with a phase generator input signal, a first phase-to-amplitude converter (PAC1) arranged for being fed with a phase from the first phase generator and for generating a first carrier wave output, and first signal combining means (R1) for combining the first carrier wave output with a first input signal, a noise generator (NG) arranged for generating a pseudo-random noise signal, combining means (S) for combining the pseudo-random noise signal and the phase generator input signal such that the phase generator input signal to the first phase generator (PG1) is randomised, a second circuit for direct digital synthesis comprising a second phase generator (PG2) arranged for being fed with the pseudo-random noise signal, a second phase-to-amplitude converter (PAC2) arranged for being fed with a phase from the second phase generator and for generating a second carrier wave output, and second signal combining means (R2) for combining the second carrier wave output with a second input signal, whereby the second carrier wave output combined with the second input signal is comprised in the first input signal.
US08040967B2
A signal is received in a telecommunication network in the form of P signals received on P corresponding antennas, where P is greater than or equal to 1. The received signals correspond to a multi-carrier signal transmitted in the form of flames comprising symbols occupying corresponding positions distributed along a time axis and along a frequency axis; a frame comprising M blocks each having at least N reference symbols. The reference symbols in each of the blocks satisfy a first maximum spacing between each other along the time axis and a second maximum spacing between each other along the frequency axis, less than a first value and a second value respectively, M being an integer number equal to at least two. M estimated noise power values are determined at frame level, each related to one of the M emitted reference symbol blocks. Values of the estimated noise power for the other symbols in the frame are then obtained from the determined estimated noise power values.
US08040958B2
A method for measuring correlation between frequency response functions. A first frequency response function and a second frequency response function are acquired. The amplitude of the first and second frequency response functions are tabulated at a plurality of corresponding, predetermined frequencies. Amplitude and shape correlations between the first and second frequency response functions are then computed. The computed amplitude and shape correlations provide an indication of the degree of correspondence between the first and second frequency response functions, and can be used to compute a frequency response index that is an objective measure of the overall correspondence between the first and second frequency response functions.
US08040957B2
Adjacent regions are identified in an image. Coding parameters for the adjacent regions are identified. Selective filtering is performed at the region between the identified adjacent regions.
US08040950B2
A method and an apparatus for elevating compression efficiency of a motion vector by effectively predicting a motion vector of an enhanced layer by means of a motion vector of a base layer in a video coding method employing a multi-layer structure are disclosed. A motion vector compression apparatus includes: a down-sampling module for down-sampling an original frame to have a size of a frame in each layer; a motion vector search module for obtaining a motion vector in which an error or a cost function is minimized with respect to the down-sampled frame; a reference vector generation module for generating a reference motion vector in a predetermined enhanced layer by means of a block of a lower layer corresponding to a predetermined block in the predetermined enhanced layer, and motion vectors in blocks around the block; and a motion difference module for calculating a difference between the obtained motion vector and the reference motion vector.
US08040946B2
Disclosed is an audio/video data synchronization apparatus for directly transmitting decoded audio/video data to an external device, without compressing the data, using UWB communication. The apparatus synchronizes video and audio data stored in a terminal without compressing the data and simultaneously transmits the data to an external device using UWB communication, so that users can enjoy high-quality images and sounds. In addition, the receiving end does not necessarily incorporate a separate function for decoding moving images, because it receives uncompressed video/audio data. This makes the apparatus simple and convenient.
US08040938B2
Exemplary combining weight generation is based on estimating received signal impairment correlations using a weighted summation of interference impairment terms, such as an interference correlation matrix associated with a transmitting base station, and a noise impairment term, such as a noise correlation matrix, the impairment terms scaled by fitting parameters. The estimate is updated based on adapting the fitting parameters responsive to measured signal impairment correlations. The interference matrices are calculated from channel estimates and delay information, and knowledge of the receive filter pulse shape. Instantaneous values of the fitting parameters are determined by fitting the impairment correlation terms to impairment correlations measured at successive time instants and the fitting parameters are adapted at each time instant by updating the fitting parameters based on the instantaneous values.
US08040933B2
A diffraction grating device includes a substrate with a primary surface having a plurality of grating areas that are periodically arranged with a constant period in a predetermined axis direction, the grating area including a first area and a second area, a diffraction grating structure providing a chirped grating whose pitch monotonically changes along the predetermined axis direction, a core layer that is optically coupled with the diffraction grating structure with a coupling coefficient, a plurality of grating portions including the diffraction grating structure and the core layer, the grating portion including a first portion and second portion that are arranged on the first area and the second area, respectively, of the primary surface and a perturbing layer disposed at the first portion or the second portion. The perturbing layer changes the coupling coefficient between the diffraction grating structure and core layer. A periodical change in the coupling coefficient is formed along the core layer, and this change in the coupling coefficient affects the light propagating through the core layer in the direction of the predetermined axis.
US08040930B2
A drive circuit for driving a semiconductor light emitting element includes a board, a first pattern formed in a first layer of the board so as to be electrically connected to an anode of the semiconductor light emitting element, and a second pattern formed in a second layer of the board so as to be electrically connected to a cathode of the semiconductor light emitting element, and the first pattern and the second pattern are formed so as to overlap with each other when viewed in a direction along a normal line of the board.
US08040922B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of frame synchronization in broad band wireless communication systems. In an apparatus of frame synchronization in a mobile station, a time variant phase rotation compensator eliminates time variant phase rotation carried in received signals by conjugated multiplication between adjacent signal samples. Then, the processed signal is fed into a delay correlator to calculate a plurality of correlations between two successive frames. A local power calculator acquires an average power of several symbols centered on delayed correlation values. A normalizer normalizes the delayed correlation values with a local average power corresponding to the delayed correlation values. A maximum value detector selects the maximum value from normalized correlation values to trigger frame synchronizing and timing signals.
US08040907B2
A switching device comprising a plurality of ingress ports and a plurality of egress ports. The switching device is arranged to receive data packets through the ingress ports and to forward received data packets to respective ones of the egress ports. The switching device further comprises an ingress module for each of the ingress ports, each ingress module being arranged to receive data packets from a respective single one of the ingress ports and to store the received data packets in one of a plurality of data structures provided by the ingress module, each ingress module being further configured to select a data packet from one of the plurality of data structures, and to request permission to transmit the selected data packet to an egress port. The switching device also comprises at least one egress module arranged to receive a plurality of requests for permission to transmit data packets through a particular egress port, the request being generated by the plurality of ingress modules, and to select one of the plurality of requests.
US08040904B2
A user agent capable of autonomous combining. The user agent can be implemented as a processor configured to promote receiving a first signal from an access node and a second signal from a relay node. The processor may be further configured to combine the first and second signals.
US08040901B1
In general, techniques are described for packet queuing within ring networks. In accordance with the techniques, a network device of a ring network comprises a memory having a different queue for each order-dependent pair of the network devices. Each pair represents a different order-dependent combination of the network devices that includes an ingress network device that provides an ingress to the ring network and an egress network device that provides an egress from the ring network. The network device further comprises an interface for receiving a packet from a neighboring one of the plurality of network devices and a control unit that, in response to receiving the packet, stores the packet to one of the queues based on which network devices is the ingress and which network device is the egress for the packet. The control unit forwards the stored packet via the ring network according to a scheduling algorithm.
US08040896B2
The present invention discloses a method and architecture for enabling multiple services or service providers to share the facilities of an access network infrastructure that provides physical connectivity to subscribers.
US08040881B2
When a destination address specified by a client is to be registered as a destination, determination is made as to whether name resolution of the destination address is possible or not. If it is determined that name resolution is impossible, registration of the destination address that requires name resolution is restricted.
US08040879B1
A method and an arrangement are provided for actuating and operating a heterogeneous transport network which includes connection elements, such as ATM and Ethernet connections, by controlling a TDM-based switching system. In the area of the transport network, there are gateways and routers which are actuated by the central control device for the purposes of setting up and clearing down a connection. Information relating to the accessibility of specific communications subscribers by a communication medium and communications protocol is either stored in the area of a central control mechanism or is available locally in the area of local access devices for subscriber terminals.
US08040876B2
A method may include receiving, at a network device, from a calling party location, an input setup message that includes a called party phone number value; determining whether the input setup message includes a voice telephony over asynchronous transfer mode (VToA) designator; generating an output setup message including an alias address associated with a network gateway that is in communication with a public switched telephone network (PSTN) switch through a plurality of trunk lines when it is determined that the input setup message includes a VToA designator, where the alias address is based on the called party phone number value and indicates a desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines; and transmitting the output setup message, the output setup message causing the selection of the desired trunk line of the plurality of trunk lines in order to establish communication between the calling party location and the PSTN switch.
US08040874B2
A method, a system, a server, and a computer program product are provided for Multimedia Capability discovery of different user terminals. Unnecessary use of the radio interface is avoided based on a network storage, which is accessible without registration to find out about the calling as well as the called user's multimedia capabilities during a voice call. If there is a positive capability discovery result out of this for both users, the system sends a message to each of the user terminals that they should notify the users, e.g., by displaying an icon above a soft button. There is no need for establishing a packet switched session, which uses a lot of radio interface signalling, until the Multimedia Service capability of both subscribers and their user terminals is investigated and responded to both user terminals and their users.
US08040871B2
A method implemented on a network node includes receiving an adjustable schedule of transmission start slots, the slots representing opportunities for initiating data transmission by at least one network device on a network, transmitting an expected duration indication in each slot associated with the network node as per the schedule, and adjusting the schedule in accordance with the expected duration for each transmission. A method for virtual carrier sensing includes receiving a schedule of transmission start slots on a network node, the slots representing opportunities initiating data transmission by at least one network device in a network, listening for transmissions by other network nodes according to the schedule, the transmissions indicating an expected length of a current transmission, adjusting the schedule in accordance with the indicating of a data transmission, and ignoring any subsequent transmissions until a next scheduled transmission start slot in accordance with the adjusted schedule.
US08040867B2
A method and device in the domain of wireless communication, and more specifically coding and decoding schemes useful in the context of MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) or MISO (Multiple Input Single Output) communications especially used in conjunction of OFDM-like transmission schemes. A space frequency block code applies some well chosen two by two space frequency block codes to each pair of frequencies κ and κ+N/2. The proposed SFBC keep the constant envelope property for each antenna while leading to a good performance by introducing some spatial diversity.
US08040866B2
A mobile terminal comprises an antenna, radio unit, signal processing unit, signal analyzer unit, received signal information storage unit, and reception quality storage unit. Signal processing unit comprises a received signal processing unit and notified information processing unit, while the received signal information storage unit comprises a common pilot channel information storage unit and common control channel information storage unit. Received signal processing unit measures the reception quality of a common pilot channel and stores it in the common pilot channel information storage unit. Notified information processing unit extracts transmission power of the common pilot channel and common control channel from report information, and then stores them in the common control channel information storage unit. Signal analyzer unit calculates the reception quality of the common control channel and the interference signal level, based on the information stored in the received signal information storage unit.
US08040865B2
The invention concerns a method for assigning precoding vectors in a mobile cellular network as well as a base station (21). A base station (21) provides a code book comprising indexed precoding vectors to one or more mobile stations (41, 42, 43) associated with the base station (21) via a downlink channel (1001, 2001, 3001). A mobile station (41, 42, 43) associated with the base station (21) selects one or more indices of preferred precoding vectors from the code book and reports the indices of the one or more preferred precoding vectors to the base station (21) via an uplink channel (1002, 2002, 3002). The mobile station (41, 42, 43) selects one or more indices of preferred companion preceding vectors from the code book, which are precoding vectors that shall preferably be used by the base station (21) for other mobile stations served by the base station (21) on the same time/frequency resource, and reports the one or more indices associated with the preferred companion precoding vectors to the base station (21) via the uplink channel (1002, 2002, 3002). For each mobile station associated with the base station (21), the base station (21) determines a precoding vector based on the reported one or more indices of the preferred precoding vectors and based on the reported one or more indices of the preferred companion precoding vectors.
US08040857B2
A distributed multi-channel TDMA MAC time slot and channel allocation algorithm for wireless networks is provided. The time slot and channel allocation includes a distributed allocation phase and an allocation adjustment phase. Each phase begins allocation at a first node and continues node-by-node until the last node in the network. The allocation then reflects back from the last node to the first node. At each node in the path, the node can initiate resource allocation between itself and its neighbor nodes. Nodes that are within range of the wireless network but are not on the path do not initiate resource allocation but instead participate in the resource allocation initiated from other nodes.
US08040854B2
In a wireless communication system wherein at least two communication units employ the TDD wireless communication method based on OFDMA, an OFDM wireless communication method and a wireless communication apparatus are disclosed. The first communication unit transmits a pilot signal over the whole subband zone configured of divisions of a predetermined system band. The second communication unit having a plurality of antennas estimates a propagation path of the subchannels constituting continuous frequency blocks making up a subband from the pilot signal received. The second communication unit determines the array weight used at the time of signal transmission to the first communication unit using the estimation result.
US08040853B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for providing information indicative of traffic delay of a wireless link are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08040849B2
A wireless device establishes a data session with a data call, and a data connection is set up for the data session. The wireless device may receive or originate a voice call while the data session is dormant, exchange traffic data for the voice call, and perform handoff between base station controllers (BSCs), if needed, during the voice call. Upon termination of the voice call, the wireless device determines whether it has moved to a new packet zone during the voice call. This may be the case if the wireless device was handed off between BSCs located in different packet zones. If the wireless device has moved to a new packet zone, then the data connection is updated, e.g., by sending to the current serving BSC an origination message indicating no data to send. The network entities perform appropriate actions to update the data connection for the wireless device.
US08040845B2
Methods and nodes are provided for efficiently establishing a route between a mobile node and a correspondent node in a Proxy Mobile Internet Protocol network. A return routability procedure is used between a local mobility anchor and a media access gateway on one hand, and the correspondent node on the other hand. The procedure is made without involvement from the mobile node. The procedure is such that the correspondent node handles return routability as per standard mobile IP mechanisms. Following this return routability procedure, a binding of an address of the mobile node with an address of the media access gateway is stored in the correspondent node. This binding allows data traffic to flow between the mobile node and the correspondent node without passing through the local mobility anchor.
US08040843B2
An integrated circuit radio transceiver and method therefor is operable to determine a transmit scheme according to an ordered manner. More specifically, the system is operable to determine a transmit scheme that defines a signaling configuration that includes number of spatial streams, antenna configuration information, code rate, quadrature modulation type, and transmission protocol modulation scheme, transmitting a packet according to the transmit scheme and collecting packet error rate success and failure information of ongoing data transmissions.
US08040839B2
A radio terminal unit and a radio communication system, enabling power savings, the improvement of the quality of real-time communication such as voice communication, and the reduction of transmission delays which often occur when a plurality of radio terminal units are connected to one radio base station. A radio terminal unit comprises an operation mode of communication application determination unit for determining operation mode of one or more communication which is operated at the radio terminal unit, a control packet changing unit for changing a timing of transmission of the control packet according to the operation mode of one or more communication applications determined by the operation mode of communication application determination unit, and a communication control section for sending the control packet according to the timing of transmission changed by the control packet changing unit after the transmission of data from the application.
US08040838B2
A communication system includes an MP high-order switching device which determines, for each of a plurality of switching devices, transmission timing at the which the switching device transmits packet data to a plurality of devices connected to the switching device so that data reception timings at a mobile terminal become simultaneous among the plurality of base stations, and a communication section which, in each of the plurality of switching devices, transmits packet data to the plurality of devices connected to the switching device, based on the determined transmission timing corresponding to the switching device.
US08040822B2
The invention is directed to configuring services in a packet switching network. Embodiments of the invention group existing service policies configured on network routers into policy groups, thereby enabling better management of service policies and policy overrides. This functionality can be useful for identifying redundant policies that may be eliminated by reconfiguring one or more of the network routers to reduce the overall network-wide number of policies, as well as provisioning new services in a manner that efficiently uses existing policies.
US08040818B2
A method for exchanging upkeep-relevant information regarding a field device with a computer-supported upkeep system, which manages upkeep-relevant information regarding the field device in a database. A mobile, manually portable device is utilized, which has an interface for a wireless Internet access. According to the method, a wireless Internet access is established by the mobile, manually portable device. Subsequently, upkeep-relevant invention regarding the field device is exchanged between the computer-supported, upkeep system, which is connected to the Internet, and the mobile, manually portable device, via the Internet.
US08040810B2
A method determines an optimal route to deliver a packet from a source node via relay nodes to a destination node in a network. A graph of nodes connected by edges represents possible routes in the network. A probability that the packet arrives at the destination before a deadline time is assigned to each edge. A minimal delay route is selected from the possible routes, and an arrival time for delivering the packet using the minimal delay route is determined. The arrival time is comparing to a deadline time, and the probabilities are scaled accordingly until the minimal delay route is an optimal route.
US08040798B2
The claimed subject matter provides a system and/or a method that facilitates managing a network by mining a communication rule. An analysis engine can employ a packet trace within a network in order to provide timing information, wherein the network includes at least one of a host, a protocol, or an application. A traffic evaluator can extract a communication rule for the network based upon an activity matrix generated from the timing information in which the activity matrix includes at least one of a row of a time window for the packet trace and a column for a flow in the packet trace.
US08040793B2
A method, a system, and a device for processing failure is provided; the method is applicable to a label switched path (LSP) including a first node, a second node, and at least one third node. The first node and the second node are adjacent nodes suffering communication breakdown. The first node restarts. The third node is a normal node closest to the restarted first node. When the communication between the first node and the second node is broken, the third node maintains control state information of the LSP in certain time. When the communication between the first node and the second node is recovered in the certain time, the first node, the second node, and the third node recover the control state information of the LSP. A failure processing system and a device on LSP are further provided. Therefore, when several nodes on the LSP suffer communication failures, the LSP can be reliably recovered.
US08040789B2
A method for uplink transmission in an OFDMA system is provided. The subcarrier transmission method includes arranging 4 pilot REs at different positions of a frequency axis in a basic unit when the basic unit includes 4 subcarriers on the frequency axis and 6 OFDM(A) symbols in a time axis, arranging data REs at remaining positions of the basic unit, and transmitting the basic unit to a receiving end.
US08040778B2
A grating portion has a plurality of convex portions provided on at least one principal plane of a transparent substrate having a first layer containing a first transparent material and a second layer containing a second transparent material, and extended in parallel to each other in a first direction as well as periodically arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A filling portion fills a third layer containing a third transparent material at least between the plurality of convex portions. Assuming that the change rate of the refractive index with the change of temperature of the first transparent material is αA, the change rate of the refractive index with the change of temperature of the second transparent material is αB, and the change rate of the refractive index with the change of temperature of the third transparent material is αC, the relationship αA<αC<0 and |αC|>|αB| is satisfied.
US08040776B2
In pulse width control equalization, attention is paid to the existence of the symmetry of anteroposterior signals and thereby the size of a table in which the adjustment amount of an edge position is stored is reduced to the power of one-half. Pattern jitters caused by inter-symbol interference are suppressed. The pulse time span of each symbol is adjusted to an optimum pulse width determined by a calculating formula or search in a table in response to a code sequence to be transmitted. In the configuration wherein a table is used, the table to store an edge position adjustment amount wherein the row of the exclusive OR of two symbols located at positions symmetrical to each other before and after a center symbol now ready to be sent in the code sequence is used as a search key is made.
US08040772B2
An apparatus for inspecting a pattern shape of a magnetic record medium or its stamper includes: a moving mechanism, on which an object to be inspected where a pattern is formed is placed and which moves the object to be inspected in a radial direction while rotating the object; an irradiating optical system that applies illuminating light of a wide band including far ultraviolet light to the object to be inspected moved in the radial direction while rotating the object by the moving mechanism in a polarized state suitable for the object to be inspected from an oblique direction; a detecting optical system that detects zero-order reflected light generated from the object to be inspected irradiated by the irradiating optical system; and a shape inspection unit that inspects a pattern shape formed on the object to be inspected based on a spectral reflectance waveform obtained by dispersing the detected zero-order reflected light, thereby inspecting the pattern shape at a high speed and with high sensitivity.
US08040767B2
It is provided an optical disc drive for playing data from a loaded optical disc medium. A controller of the optical disc drive judges whether the processing command has been received and whether a reset command has been received, measures a time between a reception of the processing command and a reception of the reset command in a case where the processing of the received processing command does not end until the reception of the processing command, determines a processing time limit shorter than the measured time, and in a case where the processing of the received processing command does not end until the decided processing time limit has elapsed after the reception of the processing command, stops the processing of the processing command and notifies that the processing of the processing command has been stopped to the host device.
US08040757B2
A sample analyzing apparatus is provided with a memory for storing a schedule of maintenance, a display, and a controller for displaying on the display a screen of calendar format, wherein the screen includes a date display area for displaying a date and a maintenance item display area for displaying a maintenance item scheduled on the date.
US08040752B2
To provide a counter circuit capable of accurately counting a high-frequency signal in which hazard or the like is easily generated. There are provided: a frequency dividing circuit that generates first and second frequency dividing clocks, which differ in phase to each other, based on a clock signal; a first counter that counts the first frequency dividing clock; a second counter that synchronizes with the second frequency dividing clock to fetch a count value of the first counter; and a selection circuit that exclusively selects count values of the first and second counters. According to the present invention, a relation of the count values between the first and second counters is kept always constant, and thus, even when hazard occurs, the count values are only made to jump and the count values do not fluctuate.
US08040743B2
Method and apparatus for writing data to a storage array, such as but not limited to an STRAM or RRAM memory array, using a read-mask-write operation. In accordance with various embodiments, a first bit pattern stored in a plurality of memory cells is read. A second bit pattern is stored to the plurality of memory cells by applying a mask to selectively write only those cells of said plurality corresponding to different bit values between the first and second bit patterns.
US08040740B2
A semiconductor device includes a data compression circuit that performs sequential processes based on timings of an external clock signal. The sequential processes include compressing data input in parallel, latching the compressed data, and outputting the latched data.
US08040738B2
A semiconductor memory device and a method for performing a memory operation in the semiconductor memory device are provided. The semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of predetermined memory arrays, a bitline decoder, and a controller. The controller provides the memory operation signal to the bitline decoder and, after precharging bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays, performs the memory operation on selected memory cells in the one or more of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in accordance with the memory operation signal. The bitline decoder includes a plurality of sector select transistors and determines selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and selected rows and unselected rows within the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays in response to the memory operation signal. The bitline decoder also precharges the bitlines of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays to a first voltage potential then shuts off the sector select transistors of unselected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays and the unselected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays while maintaining the sector select transistors of the selected rows of the selected ones of the plurality of predetermined memory arrays at the first voltage potential prior to the controller performing the memory operation.
US08040736B2
A nonvolatile memory device including a memory cell; a word line coupled to the memory cell; a drive line; a switch coupled between the word line and the drive line, and configured to electrically connect the word line and the drive line; and a voltage generator coupled to the drive line and configured to charge the drive line to a precharge voltage. The precharge voltage is higher than a bias voltage applied to the word line during a corresponding operation on the memory cell.
US08040733B2
A non-volatile memory device includes first and second strings memory cell transistors, related first and second word lines respectively connected to gates of the first string memory cell transistors, wherein respective first and second word lines are connected to commonly receive a bias voltage. The non-volatile memory device also includes dummy cell transistors connected to the first and second strings, and first and second dummy word lines configured to receive different bias voltages.
US08040728B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a non-volatile memory built into the semiconductor integrated circuit, the non-volatile memory electrically writing and erasing data and including a memory cell, the memory cell including: a selecting transistor controlled by a word line; an impurity diffused region formed inside a semiconductor substrate, the impurity diffused region being coupled to one of a source and a drain of the selecting transistor; a first electrode formed above the semiconductor substrate with an insulating film therebetween, the first electrode receiving a control signal and part of the first electrode having an opening; a second electrode formed above the first electrode so as to oppose the first electrode with an insulating film therebetween, the second electrode having a protrusion which opposes the impurity diffused region with a tunnel film therebetween and projects toward the semiconductor substrate through the opening of the first electrode, and storing information based on an applied voltage; and a sensing transistor operating based on charges accumulated in the second electrode, so as to sense the information stored in the memory cell.
US08040723B2
A voltage compensation circuit, a multi-level memory device with the same, and a voltage compensation method for reading the multi-level memory device are provided. When a memory cell is read, a reference voltage applied to the memory device is adjusted according to variation of characteristics of a drift resistance of a reference cell. The increased value of the reference voltage (i.e. a voltage difference) corresponds to a resistance variation caused by a drift condition. The drift compensation mechanism is adaptive to a compensation circuit of a read driver of the memory device, which can compensate variation of the voltage level when data is read from the memory cell. When the resistance drift occurs, a drift amount is calculated and is added to the reference voltage, in order to avoid the error in judgement caused by the resistance drift when the stored data is read out.
US08040722B2
A memory cell array including a data line; a capacitor; and a transistor coupled between the data line and the capacitor. At least one of the capacitor and the transistor includes a material with a mutable electrical characteristic.A memory cell array including a first transistor coupled between a first node, a second node, and a third node; and a second transistor coupled between the second node and a fourth node. The first transistor includes a material with a mutable electrical characteristic.
US08040718B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell having a first resistance state and a second resistance state, a bit line connected to the memory cell, a reference cell fixed to the first resistance state, a reference bit line connected to the reference cell, and a generation circuit configured to generate a reading voltage and a reference voltage. The generation circuit includes a constant current source connected to a first node, a first replica cell connected between the first node and a second node and fixed to the first resistance state, a second replica cell connected between the second node and a third node and fixed to the second resistance state, a first resistance element connected between the first node and a fourth node, and a second resistance element connected between the fourth node and the third node.
US08040716B2
A method of controlling the voltage of a sub-wordline in a variable resistive memory device includes switchably passing a voltage from a main wordline to the sub-wordline, and substantially blocking forward current flow from the sub-wordline to a variable resistive memory cell of the device.
US08040694B2
The present invention is a spike converter providing a special mode of operation of a low power fly-back converter in a very narrow duty cycle range in particular. This spike operation minimizes the size of the required reactive components such as that of the power transformer and output capacitance. The present invention automatically achieves low idle power consumption due to the nature of the feedback under fixed, narrow duty cycle or spike operation. The spike operation is defined by the lower limit of the on time of the switching element being generated by the sum of the propagation delays of a current sense comparator and an off time pulse generating comparator.
US08040686B2
This invention provides a power supply comprising a mother board, a first socket, and a DC-DC converter module. The mother board comprises a transformer operative for transforming an input power into a first AC output power and a filter operative for receiving the first AC output power and filtering the first AC output power into a first DC output power. The first socket is mounted on the mother board and electrically coupled to a circuitry of the mother board by way of at least one conductor terminal operative for providing the first DC output power. The DC-DC converter module mounted on a printed circuit board electrically coupled to the mother board comprises a DC-DC converter operative for receiving the first DC output power and converting the first DC output power into a second DC output power and a third DC output power and a second socket operative for providing the second DC output power and the third DC output power by means of a conductive path of the printed circuit board. There are several advantages including the reduction of the use of the conductive wires, the improvement of the efficiency of the power supply, the simplicity of the circuitry of the power supply, and the easy replacement of the broken component because the DC-DC converter module is mounted on an individual printed circuit board different from the mother board.
US08040682B2
A semiconductor device comprises: a plurality of semiconductor chip; a socket; and a mounting board equipped with the socket. Each of the semiconductor chips has a major surface, a back surface and a plurality of connection terminals on the major surface. The socket has internal connection terminals inside and external connection terminals outside, and the internal connection terminals are in contact with the connection terminals of the semiconductor chips.
US08040673B2
An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure at least partially enclosed by a plurality of panels defining a compartment in which one or more electronic components are mounted and an exhaust air duct that is adapted to segregate hot air being exhausted from the compartment from cool air entering the compartment, thereby improving thermal management of the enclosure. The exhaust duct includes a lower duct section extending upward from the top panel of the compartment and an upper duct section telescoping upward from an upper end of the lower duct section. Each duct section includes four panels connected together by hinged corner fittings such that the section is collapsible. The upper duct section includes an outwardly flared portion.
US08040670B2
A mounting component for mounting an electronic part has a base that extends along a first surface of the electronic part, and a pair of left side and right side surface supporting sections that are extended from the base and bent along the right and left side surfaces of the electronic part, respectively. The pair of side surface supporting sections each have the screwing through hole at a position close to the one of the front end surface and the rear end surface. Further, a cushion member is interposed between the base and the electronic part, at a position close to the other of the front end surface and the rear end surface of the electronic part. The electronic part is screwed to the base through the surface supporting sections.
US08040659B2
A capacitor is presented that includes a housing, an electrode stack, a liner, and a fill port. The liner is located between the housing and the electrode stack. The liner includes a recessed portion. A fill port extends through the housing across from the recessed portion in the liner. A gap is formed between the recessed portion and the fill port.
US08040649B2
An overcurrent protection apparatus includes two overcurrent protection circuits. The first overcurrent protection circuit compares an electric potential on the downstream side of a first resistance element with a reference potential produced by a second resistance element by a comparator and determines that overcurrent has been caused and intercepts current flowing through a first series regulator when the electric potential on the downstream side of the first resistance element is lower than the reference potential. When the resistance value of the second resistance element is larger than the resistance value of a fourth resistance element of the second overcurrent protection circuit, e.g., 1.2 times the resistance value of the fourth resistance element, the first overcurrent protection circuit intercepts the current flowing through the first series regulator at a current value of 1.2 times a current at which a downstream second series regulator is intercepted by the second overcurrent protection circuit.
US08040645B2
A protection system implemented on one die of a multi-die package provides a discharge path for excess voltages incurred on one or more other die of the package. Ground paths are provided for certain circuitry in the package that have high noise-sensitivity, and ground paths are provided for certain circuitry in the package that have low noise-sensitivity relative to the high noise-sensitivity circuitry. The grounds of high noise-sensitivity circuitry of multiple die are shorted together, resulting in a common high noise-sensitivity ground. The grounds of low noise-sensitivity circuitry of multiple die are shorted together, resulting in a common low noise-sensitivity ground. A pre-designated removable path is included on the package external to the die, which shorts the common high noise-sensitivity ground and the common low noise-sensitivity ground. The removable path may be removed during manufacturing, if noise present on the shorted grounds results in unacceptable performance degradation.
US08040642B2
A smart capacitor includes a main capacitor having at least one intelligence mechanism selected from a prognostics mechanism and a high speed protection mechanism integrated within the main capacitor. The at least one intelligence mechanism and the main capacitor are together configured to generate at least one type of output signal selected from long term induced failure mechanism signals and sudden capacitor failure condition signals in response to desired input signals.
US08040635B2
A substrate for suspension which is produced at low costs and can sufficiently attain the prevention of damage by electrostatic discharge and restraint of noises. The substrate for suspension includes: a metallic substrate, an insulating layer formed on the metallic substrate and having an opening from which the metallic substrate is exposed, a grounding-wiring layer formed on the insulating layer and arranged near the opening, and a ground terminal formed in the opening and contacting the metallic substrate and the grounding-wiring layer. The ground terminal is made of a metal having a melting point of 450° C. or lower.
US08040631B2
The operational bandwidth of a servo control circuit can be increased using a plurality of servo processors that handoff between them the responsibility for controlling head positioning in response to sequentially occurring servo patterns.
US08040630B2
A hard disk drive using an increase in servo address mark delays to create a touchdown flag in response to a slider making contact with a rotating disk surface while accessing a track. This may be used particularly when the track being accessed is located away from the Inside Diameter (ID). The hard disk drive may further use resistive heater electrical readings to determine the touchdown flag for track locations near the ID. The hard disk drive may be calibrated during manufacture and/or may be recalibrated in the field with this method. The calibrated hard disk drive is a product of this method. The method may be used during normal access operations and/or may be embodied as a program system residing in computer readable memory for instructing a computer operating the hard disk drive, where the computer and/or the memory may or may not be included in the hard disk drive.
US08040624B1
A lens drive device for use with at least one lens may include a movable body holding a lens, a fixed body movably holding the movable body, and a drive mechanism for driving the movable body in the optical axis direction. The drive mechanism may include a drive coil fixed to the movable body and a plurality of drive magnets which is fixed to the fixed body and magnetized so that magnetic poles are different from each other in the optical axis direction. The fixed body may include an outer peripheral side magnetic member and an end face side magnetic member and an inner peripheral face of the outer peripheral side magnetic member and a side face of the drive magnet are faced each other through a predetermined space. The drive coil is disposed between the drive magnet and the inner peripheral face of the outer peripheral side magnetic member.
US08040621B2
A miniature magnetic-levitated lens driving device includes a lid, a casing, a lens module, a plate spring, and a magnetic-levitated module. The lid has a hollow structure and is coupled to the casing. The casing is formed therein with a receiving space. The lens module is provided in the receiving space. The plate spring is fixed between the lid and the casing and configured to resiliently confine the lens module to the receiving space. The magnetic-levitated module is provided in the receiving space and corresponds in position to the lens module. A magnetic repulsive force is produced by and between the magnetic-levitated module and the lens module, and in consequence the lens module is magnetically suspended in the receiving space formed by the lid and the casing, so as to save power, and minimize friction and microparticles.
US08040619B2
A camera alignment system that can enable alignment in at least one of three planes and about an axis of at least one of the planes. An alignment mount can mate to a camera and lens. The alignment mount can comprise a mechanism to adjust the camera relative to the lens to that an image plane of the camera aligns with an image plane of the lens in a predetermined orientation. One predetermined orientation can be that the image plane of the camera being parallel to the image plane of the lens.
US08040613B2
In a zoom lens ZL1 having a plurality of lens groups G1 to G2 which are disposed in order from an object, where a refractive index average value of the lens components which constitute the zoom lens ZL1 is defined as ndav and a refractive index average value of the lens components which constitute the first lens group G1 which is disposed to closest to the object among the plurality of lens groups G1 to G2 is defined as ndGlav, the zoom lens ZL1 is constituted to satisfy the conditional expression ndav≧1.80 and to satisfy the conditional expression ndGlav≧1.85.
US08040609B1
A self-adjusting solar light transmission (daylighting) apparatus includes a sunlight concentrating member (e.g., a lens array) for concentrating direct sunlight in focal zone regions disposed inside a sheet containing an evenly-distributed stimuli-responsive material (SRM) that has a relatively high transparency state in the absence of concentrated sunlight, and changes to a relatively opaque (light scattering or absorbing) state in small portions located in the focal zone regions in response to concentrated direct sunlight. Thereby, 80% or more of direct sunlight is prevented from passing through the apparatus, but 80% or more of diffuse light is passed. The outer sheet surfaces are locally parallel (e.g., planar) such that sunlight scattered by the light-scattering SRM portions is transmitted by total internal reflection through the remaining transparent sheet material, and outcoupled to one or more optional solar energy absorbing structures (e.g., heatsinks or PV cells) disposed along the peripheral edge of the sheet.
US08040603B2
A cinema screen may include a housing including at least one of wood and polymer and configured to hold the cinema screen by at least one of gluing and pinching. The screen may include a metalloplastic multi-layer film coupled to the housing and have a relatively small thickness. The multi-layer film may also have a bottom layer that may be translucent and other layers of multi-layer film may be transparent. The screen may also include a plurality of lamps to provide light. The multi-layer film may be configured to diffuse the light, which may be softly filtered thereby to reduce contrasts, and increase a quantity of light information in front of and behind the cinema screen. The light information may vary with a greater softness. The multi-layer film may also be configured to provide relief image playback accuracy.
US08040601B1
A front projection system comprises a display source and a front projection screen. A rear projection system comprises a display source and a rear projection screen. The display source generates illumination. The front or rear projection screen comprises a plurality of high aspect ratio structures are configured to act as a Bragg selective holographic element. The plurality of high aspect ratio structures are configured to diffract the illumination toward a viewer.
US08040592B2
The invention relates to an electrophoretic display, comprising electrodes and cells containing at least one kind of ionic, monochrome particles, a non-polar liquid and a dispersant, wherein the ionic, monochrome particles of at least one kind are essentially aggregates consisting of a carbon containing pigment and an anionic pigment or anionic pigment derivative, and the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylates, polyesters, polyurethanes and copolymers. In general, the whole quantity of the pigment and the main part, preferably at least 80%, most preferred from 95% to 100%, of the whole anionic pigment or anionic pigment derivative present within the cells is comprised in the aggregates, with essentially no pigment and only a minor part of the anionic pigment or anionic pigment derivative physically distinct from the aggregates.
US08040590B2
At least some subpixels in an interferometric modulator display are formed in a triangular shape. Such triangular subpixels may be formed and/or addressed in a variety of manners. At least some individual triangular subpixels may be separately addressable. However, a plurality of triangular subpixels may be addressable as a group, e.g., as a group of 2, 3, 4 or more. A single pixel may include varying numbers of triangular subpixels. For example, a single pixel may include 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 or some other number of triangular subpixels. Alternatively, a single pixel may include 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, or some other number of triangular subpixels. A single pixel may include triangular subpixels that are configured to be separately addressable and/or triangular subpixels are configured to be addressable as a group.
US08040589B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to enhancing the brightness of displays that employ illumination systems. In some embodiments, the illumination systems include light guides, diffractive microstructure, and light-turning features. The diffractive microstructure may be configured to receive ambient light at a first angle and produce diffracted light at a second angle greater than the first angle and greater than the critical angle for of light guide. The light is thereby guided within the light guide. The light-turning features may be configured to turn the light guided within the light guide out of a light guide and onto, for example, a spatial light modulator at near normal incidence.
US08040584B2
A light controlling apparatus includes a substrate in which an optical aperture is formed, a first light controlling means and a second light controlling means, each having an optical aperture regulating portion, and a drive source which operates the first light controlling means and the second light controlling means. The first light controlling means and the second light controlling means move mutually to a first stationary position retracted from a position of the optical aperture and a second stationary position which overlaps with the position of the optical aperture. A rotating shaft member is formed integrally with the first light controlling means. A coupling portion is formed on at least one of the first light controlling means and the second light controlling means, and the first light controlling means is rotated by rotating the rotating shaft member by the drive source, and the second light controlling means is also rotated in conjunction by the coupling portion. The first light controlling means and the second light controlling means rotate with the same axis of rotation as a center of rotation.
US08040564B2
An image forming apparatus of the invention includes a read unit to read an original document, a storage unit to store an image file of the original document read by the read unit, a control unit to control storage and readout of the image file into and from the storage unit, and an image formation unit to print the image file read from the storage unit, and the control unit creates a template including one or plural elements, automatically creates an image file name based on the template when the image file is stored in the storage unit, and stores the image file. According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, when a file is stored, an operation burden is low and an easily identified file name can be created.
US08040561B2
Inherent reflectances and scattering coefficients of color materials to be used in producing a print are calculated, and target printing base solid predicted reflectances are calculated using the calculated inherent reflectances and scattering coefficients, and the spectral reflectance of a target printing base, according to the Kubelka-Munk theory. Colorimetric values are calculated from the target printing base solid predicted reflectances. Differences are determined between calculated target printing base solid predicted colorimetric values and standard printing base solid calorimetric values obtained from a color chart, whereupon target printing base halftone differential predicted calorimetric values are calculated from the determined differences. The target printing base halftone differential predicted colorimetric values and standard printing base halftone colorimetric values of the color chart are added, and a print predicting profile is generated.
US08040559B2
Colors of printed materials are easily matched. Provided is a print management system used in a printing system including a plurality of printing presses and performing printing using plates respectively created for each printing press. The print management system includes a tone-curve storage unit for linking and storing identifying information of the printing presses and tone curves for the printing presses; a communication device for obtaining binary image data from a host system; a binary-image-data correction unit for creating binary image data for each of the printing presses by correcting the binary image data using the tone curves stored in the tone-curve storage unit; and CTPs for creating respective plates for each of the printing presses on the basis of the corrected binary image data.
US08040556B2
A head in a printer has an outlet row including a plurality of outlets arranged in a width direction perpendicular to a scan direction. A threshold matrix is stored in a main body control part, and sleep elements representing sleep of ejection of ink are arranged in the threshold matrix at a regular interval in each element row which is a plurality of elements arranged in a row direction corresponding to the width direction. The threshold matrix is compared with a grayscale original image to generate data of a halftone image where during printing, the number of outlets included in each outlet group not brought into sleep state continuously in the width direction is made equal to or larger than 1 and equal to or smaller than a predetermined number. Thus, it is possible to easily suppress occurrence of unevenness in a printed image, caused by cross talk between outlets.
US08040553B2
An image forming apparatus that performs booklet printing is provided which includes an information acquisition device, an image data acquisition device, a storage device, and an execution device. The information acquisition device acquires a total number of pages of image data to be printed. The image data acquisition device sequentially acquires the image data by page unit. The storage device stores the image data acquired by the image data acquisition device. The execution device sequentially executes printing of the image data for four pages to be printed on one and same sheet as collected, when the image data for (2N+2) pages or above are stored in the storage device, where N is a positive integer corresponding to a number of sheets necessary for booklet printing of the total number of pages acquired by the information acquisition device.
US08040550B2
An image forming apparatus that includes: a receiving unit that receives print data via a communication line; a storage unit that includes a plurality of storage areas, which includes at least a receive buffer area that temporarily stores the print data received by the receiving unit; an image forming unit that carries out an image forming process based on the print data; a cancellation instruction unit that issues an instruction to cancel the image forming process by the image forming unit with respect to the print data being received by the receiving unit; and a ratio change unit that increases a ratio of the receive buffer area in the storage unit based on the cancellation having been instructed by the cancellation instruction unit.
US08040549B2
An image processing apparatus, includes an image reading part configured to read an image of a document; and an image storage part configured to store image data read by the image reading part; wherein the image reading part includes a part configured to read a range of a part of the image of the document; the image processing apparatus further includes: a first calculating part configured to calculate image data of a one surface of the document based on a size of the image data of the range read by the image reading part; and a second calculating part configured to calculate the number of pages of image data of the document which can be stored by the image storage part based on the result of calculation by the first calculating part.
US08040539B2
A method and system for processing data indicative of pages of mailpiece content material, and for printing pages “on demand” for use in a mailpiece inserter. The method comprises the steps of: (i) transmitting data from the application software to a print processor along read and write paths and (ii) activating one of the write and read such that when one path is activated the other path is inactivated. The data is then rendered into a print control language (PCL) compatible with a printer integrated with the mailpiece inserter and printed for use therein. The method and system mitigates printing errors by eliminating synchronous access to the same data location within the spool file, i.e., by the application software/spooler along the write path and the print processor along the read path.
US08040537B2
Forced compression halftone processes and forced compression techniques may be used to forcibly compress page raster images passed between a Digital Front End (DFE) processor and a Continuous Feed (CF) printer within a CF printing system. If a DFE processor determines that a compressed image size exceeds a static or dynamically predetermined threshold, the DFE processor may re-render the image using a “forced compression” halftone process, such as 2-to-1 forced compression, 4-to-1 forced compression, reduced resolution, etc. Once the page raster image has been re-rendered, the DFE processor may use a forced compression technique, which is complimentary to the applied “forced compression” halftone process to re-compress the page raster image. The approach allows page raster images to be compressed to meet interface bandwidth constraints associated with the physical interface between the DFE processor and CF print engine, thereby allowing otherwise unprintable jobs to be printed with reasonable quality.
US08040530B2
Systems and methods for calibrating a solid-imaging system (10) are disclosed. A calibration plate (110) having a non-scattering surface (140) with a plurality (150) of light-scattering fiducial marks (156) in a periodic array is disposed in the solid-imaging system. The actinic laser beam (26) is scanned over the fiducial marks, and the scattered light (26S) is detected by a detector (130) residing above the calibration plate. A computer control system (30) is configured to control the steering of the light beam and to process the detector signals (SD) so as to measure actual center positions (xA, yA) of the fiducial marks and perform an interpolation that establishes a calibrated relationship between the angular positions of the mirrors and (x,y) locations at the build plane (23). The calibrated relationship is then used to steer the laser beam in forming a three-dimensional object (50).
US08040521B2
An improved condition testing system and method integrated into microelectronic circuits includes a structure including a semiconductor material with a target portion and a second portion for determining the presence and nature of various external (e.g. magnetic field, microwave, bioelectric or incident radiation) or internal stresses (e.g. binary circuit-state or analog signal recognition) or conditions acting upon the material. The target portion has a first feature when at least one of the following occurs: an external force is received by the second portion of the structure and an internal condition occurs in the target portion. The system and method further has a test grating determined and shaped and located to produce a first optical interference pattern when the target portion and the grating are exposed to non-invasive illumination and when the target portion has the first feature. Further implementations use one or more diffraction structures, holograms, or holographic optical elements spaced apart from the circuit or electronic device under test to non-invasively optically test in parallel two or more targeted conditions having a shape, size, structure, intensity or orientation of the stress acting upon the material.
US08040519B2
A biological optical measurement apparatus including an applied unit having plural light irradiating probes for irradiating an object with light and plural light detecting probes for detecting light returning from the object, and worn by the object, a measuring unit for measuring the amount of light detected by the light detection probes, a two-dimensional image constructing unit for constructing two-dimensional topographic images from the measurement result of the detected light amount, and a monitor for displaying the two-dimensional topographic images, is further equipped with a three-dimensional image constructing unit for making the two-dimensional topographic images correspond to measurement positions and superposing the two-dimensional topographic images in order of measurement time to thereby construct a three-dimensional image, the thus-constructed three-dimensional image being displayed on the monitor.
US08040516B2
An oscillator element is provided, e.g., for use in a photo acoustic detector for detecting a concentration of a sample in a sample mixture using a light beam for excitation of molecules of the sample in proximity of an excitation area of the oscillator element. The oscillator element includes piezoelectric material for generating a voltage when mechanically distorted. Electrodes at least partially cover a surface of the oscillator element for detecting the generated voltage. The excitation area is arranged in such a way that heating of the electrodes in the excitation area by the light beam is avoided.
US08040511B1
Methods and apparatus for measuring an optical azimuth angle φO of a substrate relative to a plane of detection in scatterometry tools are disclosed. A grating target on a stage of a scatterometry tool may be illuminated and positions of the resulting diffraction orders may be observed. The optical azimuth angle may be determined from the positions of the diffraction orders. Alternatively, polarization-dependent signals of radiation scattered from a line grating may be measured for equal and opposite polarization angles +A and −A. A combination signal may be computed from the polarization-dependent signals obtained at +A and −A and a property of the combination signal may be calculated for several mechanical Azimuth angles φM. A relationship between the optical azimuth angle φO and the mechanical azimuth angle φM may be determined from a behavior of the property as a function of mechanical azimuth angle φM.
US08040510B2
A treatment pattern (such as a focused spot, an image, or an interferogram) projected on a treatment target may lose precision if the treatment beam must pass through a birefringent layer before reaching the target. In the general case, the birefringent layer splits the treatment beam into ordinary and extraordinary components, which propagate in different directions and form two patterns, displaced from each other, at the target layer. The degree of birefringence and the orientation of the optic axis, which influence the amount of displacement, often vary between workpieces or between loci on the same workpiece. This invention measures the orientation of the optic axis and uses the data to adjust the treatment beam incidence direction, the treatment beam polarization, or both to superpose the ordinary and extraordinary components into a single treatment pattern at the target, preventing the birefringent layer from causing the pattern to be blurred or doubled.
US08040507B2
In the spectrometer 1, a lens portion 3 having a spherical surface 35 on which a spectroscopic portion 4 is provided and a bottom plane 31 in which a light detecting element 5 is disposed, has a side plane 32 substantially perpendicular to the bottom plane 31 and a side plane 34 substantially perpendicular to the bottom plane 31 and the side plane 32. Then, a package 11 that houses a spectroscopy module 10 has side planes 16 and 18 respectively coming into planar-contact with the side planes 32 and 34, and contact portions 22 coming into contact with the spherical surface 35. Therefore, the side planes 32 and 34 of the lens portion 3 are respectively brought into planar-contact with the side planes 16 and 18 of the package 11 while bringing the spherical surface 35 of the lens portion 3 into contact with the contact portions 22 of the package 11, that positions the spectroscopic portion 4 and the light detecting element 5 with respect to a light incident window plate 25 of the package 11.
US08040493B2
A thermal flow meter for use in dialysis is described, that uses a thermal wave to generate a signal in the fluid for which the flow rate is to be measured. The phase angle of the thermal wave signal changes when traversing downstream. The phase difference between the signals received downstream, compared with a reference excitation source signal is measured, and used to determine the flow rate of the fluid.
US08040492B2
An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, methods and components are disclosed. The illumination system can include a polarization manipulator configured to variably adjust a change in the polarization state of light impinging thereon. The illumination system can also include a mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements that are displaceable independently of each other to alter an angle distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement. A change in the intensity distribution caused by the polarization manipulator in a plane of the projection exposure apparatus can be at least partially compensated by the mirror arrangement.
US08040482B2
A liquid crystal display comprises: a first substrate; a display area disposed on the first substrate; subpixels disposed in the display area; a scan driver for supplying a scan signal to scan lines connected to the subpixels; a data driver for supplying a data signal to data lines connected to the subpixels; first transistors disposed on the first substrate adjacent to one side of the display area and connected to the data lines; second transistors disposed on the first substrate adjacent to the other side of the display area and connected to the scan lines; and a test pad connected to the first transistors and second transistors.
US08040480B2
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a vertical alignment type liquid crystal cell including a first substrate formed with a first electrode, a second substrate formed with a second electrode, and a liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal molecules given a pretilt angle. A pair of polarizer plates sandwiches the cell, and a driver device applies a voltage of a multiplex driving waveform across the first and second electrodes. In a display in-plane parallel to a surface of the first or second substrate, at least one of the first and second electrodes has a zigzag border alternately coupling a first border perpendicular to display in-plane components of directors of liquid crystal molecules in a middle area along a thickness direction of the liquid crystal layer in the absence of applied voltage and a second border extending along a direction crossing the first border.
US08040477B2
In a liquid crystal display panel, an array substrate includes a pixel electrode including a conductive organic material provided with an alignment pattern formed thereon. The pixel electrode serves as an electrode that receives a pixel voltage and as an alignment layer that aligns liquid crystal molecules. Thus, the array substrate does not need to have a separate alignment layer in order to align the liquid crystal molecules, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and process complexity and enhancing productivity.
US08040476B2
The display device includes a pair of insulating substrates arranged so as to be opposed, a bonding layer, and a strain suppressing plate. The bonding layer is provided on the outer surface side of one insulating substrate. The strain suppressing plate has rigidity higher than that of the insulating substrate to suppress the strain caused by curving the insulating substrate. The strain suppressing plate is fixed to the insulating substrate by the bonding layer.
US08040458B2
A planar illumination device for illuminating a liquid crystal display panel provided with a polarizing plate on a light incident side, includes: a light source unit for emitting light having a specified polarization direction; and a light irradiating member for deflecting light emitted from the light source unit and irradiating the liquid crystal display panel with the deflected light, wherein the light irradiating member deflects the light emitted from the light source unit such that the polarization direction of the light emitted from the light source unit substantially coincides with a transmission axis direction of the polarizing plate of the liquid crystal display panel.
US08040453B2
A pixel module comprising a first transistor, a second transistor, and a connection line is disclosed. The first transistor is coupled to a first gate line, a source line, and a first drain line. The second transistor is coupled to a second gate line, the source line, and a second drain line. The connection line overlaps and isolates the first and the second drain lines.
US08040450B2
In a horizontal electric field drive type liquid crystal electro-optic device wherein a liquid crystal material is driven by controlling the strength of an electric field parallel to a substrate, noncontinuity of the electric field strength around each pixel electrode is minimized and thereby the occurrence of flaws in the orientation of the liquid crystal material and dispersion in operation are reduced and a construction having improved display characteristics and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. In a horizontal electric field drive type liquid crystal electro-optic device wherein a gate electrode 403, a source electrode 407, a drain electrode 408, a semiconductor film 406 and a common electrode 404 are formed on a glass substrate and a liquid crystal material is driven by controlling the strength of an electric field substantially parallel to the glass substrate, the electrodes and the semiconductor film are made curved, for example semi-circular or semi-elliptical, in sectional profile. These curved sectional profiles can be formed by suitably selecting and combining various patterning and etching methods.
US08040447B2
A display device includes a pixel comprising first and second pixel electrodes receiving respective pixel voltages; a control capacitor electrically connected to the second pixel electrode by a switching operation in order to change the voltage of the second pixel electrode; and a first storage line overlapping the first pixel electrode and having a variable voltage in order to change the voltage of the first pixel electrode. A method of driving a display device includes providing a pixel voltage to each of first and second pixel electrodes of a pixel; and then changing the voltages applied to the first pixel electrode and/or the second pixel electrode to cause the first and second pixel electrodes to simultaneously be at different voltages.
US08040445B2
An array substrate for an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line disposed along a first direction on the substrate, a data line disposed along a second direction and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, pixel electrodes disposed in the pixel region and connected to the thin film transistor, common electrodes disposed in the pixel region and alternating with the pixel electrodes, a semiconductor layer underlying the data line and including a portion having a width greater than a width of the data line, and a first blocking pattern comprising an opaque material and disposed under the semiconductor layer.
US08040443B2
A method comprising arranging a first heating element on a first liquid crystal elastomer, arranging a first layer of thermal paste on the first heating element, and arranging a second liquid crystal elastomer on the first layer of thermal paste.
US08040441B2
A display apparatus for displaying color images on a screen by projecting each-color image beams modulated with a display device includes a memory storing correction data exhibiting a registration deviation amount on the screen; a displacement calculating unit calculating the registration deviation amount every one pixel of at least one-color signal based on the correction data stored in the memory; a correcting unit correcting the signal level of the one-color signal so that the signal level becomes in proportion to a brightness level on the screen; and a registration deviation correcting unit correcting the registration deviation of the one-color signal every one pixel by interpolation arithmetic processing of the color signal corrected with the correcting unit based on the registration deviation amount calculated with the displacement calculating unit, wherein the display device of the corresponding color is driven by the color signal corrected with the registration deviation correcting unit.
US08040432B2
Disclosed are information processing equipment and an information processing method, a provision system and method, and a program that are intended to readily produce a content of higher quality, wherein, an acquisition unit acquires an interpolative content with which a main content is interpolated in a spatial or temporal direction or with which gray levels into which the main content is quantized are interpolated, and, a synthesis unit synthesizes the main content and interpolative content so that the first content will be interpolated in the spatial or temporal direction or the gray levels into which the first content is quantized will be interpolated.
US08040429B2
An electronic apparatus including a drive mechanism, a signal processing section, an image pickup lens, an image pickup device and a focus control section is described. The drive mechanism changes a position of the image pickup lens relative to the image pickup device. The image pickup device outputs an electric signal of an image at each of a plurality of relative positions. The signal processing section processes the electric signal and generates a digital image signal corresponding to the plurality of relative positions. The focus control section extracts, from the digital image signal, high-frequency components for pixels selected from a focus area set in the image of the digital image signal, calculates a focus evaluation value corresponding to each relative position, identifies a maximum focus evaluation value among the calculated focus evaluation values, and moves the image pickup lens to the relative position that provides the maximum focus evaluation value.
US08040427B2
In a digital video camera according to one aspect of the invention, a black level of a video signal is specified during an initialization process. An autofocusing process obtains an AF evaluation value and a brightness evaluation value at each current position of a compensator lens and updates a maximum AF evaluation value and a corresponding position of the compensator lens based on the obtained data. The autofocusing process also detects an AGC gain, computes an offset value of the AF evaluation value from the detected AGC gain, the obtained brightness evaluation value, and the specified black level, and calculates a threshold value from the computed offset value and the updated maximum AF evaluation value. When the obtained AF evaluation value is less than the calculated threshold value, the lens position corresponding to the maximum AF evaluation value is specified as the focus position. When the obtained AF evaluation value is not less than the calculated threshold value, on the other hand, this series of processing is repeated with a position shift of the compensator lens by a preset number of steps. This arrangement ensures efficient and precise hill-climbing autofocus control in view of the potential influence of high frequency noise in the digital video camera or another electronic camera.
US08040424B2
A mobile communication device with camera comprises a mobile communication module, a camera module, a storage unit, a display unit, and a switching module. The mobile communication module has a first transmission interface, the camera module has a second transmission interface; image data processed that are outputted by means of the camera module via the second transmission interface, and next the image data outputted that are received by the mobile communication module via the first transmission interface, and next the image data received that are transmitted to the storage unit to be stored and to the display unit to be displayed. The switching module is installed in the mobile communication module for switching to the camera module operation or the mobile communication module operation.
US08040422B2
The present invention provides a viewfinder including: a rail removably attached to an image pickup apparatus; a seat coupled to the rail so as to be movable in an extending direction of the rail; a display panel formed in a rectangle having left and right sides and upper and lower sides to have a display surface on which an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus is displayed; and a pair of left and right arms supporting the display panel on the seat.
US08040417B2
An imaging clement that performs a processing with respect to a predetermined line of a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements in plural times in a time dividing manner in each horizontal scanning period, includes a photoelectric conversion unit; an address generating unit that generates an address indicating a position of the line of an object for each of a plurality of divided periods formed by time-dividing the each horizontal scanning period; an address decoding unit activating the photoelectric conversion elements on a line position corresponding to the address; a period determination signal generating unit that generates a period determination signal indicating one of validity and invalidity of the processing with respect to each of the divided periods; a control signal generating unit that generates a control signal for performing the processing in each of the plurality of divided periods; a processing performing unit performing the processing with respect to the line of the photoelectric conversion elements; and a supply control unit allowing the control signal to be supplied to the processing performing unit when a corresponding divided period is valid, and preventing the control signal from being supplied to the processing performing unit when the divided period is invalid.
US08040416B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus including a plurality of pixels, each pixel containing a photoelectric conversion section; an accumulation section; a transfer section; an amplification section; and a reset section for resetting the accumulation section; the pixel section having output signal lines provided column by column onto which the pixel signal is outputted, connected to the other end of a constant current supply having one end grounded; and a control section where, of a first one of the pixels and a second one of the pixels connected to the same one output signal line, taking the first pixel as one of the pixels subject to reading of pixel signal conforming to the incident light and the second pixel as non-subject one of the pixels set in accordance with a location of the first pixel, an output from the second pixel onto the output signal line is used at the time of outputting of the pixel signal from the first pixel onto the output signal line to effect control so that an electric potential difference between the one end and the other end of the constant current supply is kept in a range where the constant current supply is operable.
US08040415B2
An image sensing apparatus that controls exposure includes a signal processing unit for processing the output signal of a image sensing element, an aperture control unit for controlling aperture, and an external sensor for measuring the brightness of an object. In this case, exposure is controlled using the luminance information of both the image data and the external sensor, with the sampling period of the external sensor being set to be shorter than the accumulation period of the solid-state image sensing element. At least one of the aperture and the accumulation period is then controlled, based on the luminance information measured by the external sensor during the accumulation period.
US08040402B2
An imaging apparatus includes: an imaging device including first and second pixels; imaging control means for carrying out a first imaging action and a second imaging action; storage means for storing first image data acquired from the first pixels in the first imaging action and second image data acquired from the first pixels in the second imaging action; noise data acquisition means for acquiring first noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the first imaging action and acquiring second noise data based on pixel signals produced in the second pixels in the second imaging action; noise estimation means for estimating a noise component in the first image data using the second image data and a noise ratio of the noise in an exposure period to the noise in a non-exposure period; and noise correction means for removing the noise component from the first image data.
US08040399B2
A system and method for effectively optimizing zoom settings in a digital camera includes a digital zoom module that performs a digital zoom function, and an optical zoom module that controls a lens unit of the digital camera to perform an optical zoom function. A depth of field manager performs a zoom-setting optimization procedure to select optimal zoom values for the optical zoom module and the digital zoom module to thereby optimize image quality characteristics of images captured by the camera device.
US08040397B2
The image processing device performs image processing using image data generated by an image generating device, and image generation record information associated with the image data where the image generation record information includes at least operating information about the image generating device at the time of generation of the image data. A picture quality adjuster is able, when the image generation record information includes subject brightness information relating to the brightness of a subject at the time of generation of the image data, to adjust the picture quality of the image data using the subject brightness level derived from the subject brightness information.
US08040394B2
Automatic exposure adjusting device considers the image on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Each pixel is characterized according to its most significant bits. After the pixels are characterized, the number of pixels in any particular group is counted. That counting is compared with thresholds which set whether the image is over exposed, under exposed, and can optionally also determine if the image is seriously over exposed or seriously under exposed. Adjustment of the exposure is carried out to bring the image to a more desired state.
US08040390B2
When a memory card is inserted into a slot, the control circuit of a color printer obtains image output control information from a memory card and analyzes it. When auto light source is not set as the light source, the CPU references the reference values and coefficients for the characteristics parameters except for color balance and performs correction, and then adjusts the image data image quality to reflect the post-correction characteristics parameters. As a result, it is possible to automatically adjust the image quality of image data without losing the selectively set output conditions.
US08040388B2
An indicator system includes: a controller that transmits an image captured by an image capturing unit and a zoomed image captured by a zoom image capturing unit to a terminal, the image capturing unit capturing an image of an object, the zoom image capturing unit zooming in the object and capturing an image of the zoomed-in object, the controller causing a projecting unit to project an annotation image onto the object, the annotation image indicating an annotation in accordance with an instruction based on the image and given in the terminal; and a storing unit that stores conditions for capturing the zoomed image and the instruction which is associated with the conditions, when the instruction with respect to the annotation image is issued for the zoomed image.
US08040379B2
As shown in FIG. 2B, a photographing area is divided into a plurality of blocks. The block at the center of the photographing area is defined as an observation block 31, and the blocks at the periphery of the photographing area are defined as background blocks 32. When the number of background blocks 32 having the largest number of identical motion vectors is larger than a threshold m, when the scalar quantity of the motion vectors of these background blocks 32 with the largest number is larger than a threshold v, and when the scalar quantity of the motion vector of the observation block 31 is smaller than a threshold vc, the digital camera 1 judges that the user is performing a follow shot and there is no blurring of the observed photographic subject, and performs an automatic shooting.
US08040377B2
In cases where a video signal cannot be normally received, a display apparatus allows a display by which one can recognize whether or not a jamming electric wave in an operation frequency band used for wireless communication makes it impossible to normally receive a video signal. More specifically, the display apparatus is a display apparatus for receiving at least a video signal by wireless communication, the display apparatus, including a wireless receiving unit for receiving the video signal that is wirelessly transmitted; a jamming signal detecting unit for detecting, in an operating frequency band used for the wireless communication, a jamming signal other than the video signal; and a jamming signal information outputting unit for, in response to the detection of the jamming signal, outputting jamming signal information indicating presence of the jamming signal.
US08040369B1
A system and method of virtually passing an object in near real time between separated participants in a remote conference session is disclosed. The method includes providing a video screen at first and second locations. An object can be inserted into a scanning device coupled to a scanner opening located proximate to the video conference screen in the first location to form a scanned object file. Video imaging of the insertion of the object can be transmitted and displayed at the second location. The scanned object file can be received and printed at the second location in near real time and output through a printer opening positioned proximate the video screen at the second location to create an illusion of virtually passing the object between locations.
US08040366B2
When printing on a printing medium, a second image adjacent to a first image, which is already printed, control is performed such that the trailing edge of a first coating layer of the first image transferred onto the printing medium does not reach the trailing edge of the first image, and the leading edge of a second coating layer transferred onto the second image is either the same as the trailing edge of the first coating layer of the first image or is made to overlap with the trailing edge of the first coating layer.
US08040358B2
A method of propagating changes in a design model identifies a change to a changed element, creates steps to carry out the change, creates additional steps based on the change and on relationships between the changed element and other elements in the design model, and executes the steps to alter the model in a manner that reflects the change. The steps may be created in a manner that depends on other steps that have been created. A system for regenerating a design model comprises a model element, a step propagator, and a step executor. The step propagator receives a first step that represents changes in the model element, and produces a second step that represents other changes in the model element that are dependent on the first step, and the step executor executes the first and second steps.
US08040347B2
Thin films or sharp edges in a fluid body are expressed in the display of a particle-based fluid-body simulation. The surface construction method is a method applied to a method for rendering calculation results on the screen of a display device using data that are obtained by calculation of a fluid-body simulation based on a particle method executed by a CPU or the like. The method has a first stage of allocating a concentration sphere to a particle that is a calculation object and computing an implicit function curved surface, and computing a plurality of base vertices (V0) for creating a fluid-body surface by the implicit function curved surface; and a second stage that is executed at least one time for adjusting a surface sharpness for each of the plurality of base vertices (V0) for creating the fluid-body surface that is computed in the first stage.
US08040343B2
A map display device and a map display method, in which a building in a map is formed as a pseudo three-dimensional figure and arithmetic processing to display the figure as a bird's-eye view is simplified. The map display device 20 for displaying map data, formed from vector data, on a display means has a plane figure-for-bird's-eye-view creation means 218, a shift amount storage means 219, a building position determination means 220, and a figure data copying means 221. The plane-figure-for-bird's-eye-view creation means 218 creates, from the map data formed from vector data, a plane figure for creating a bird's-eye view. The figure data copying means 221 copies and draws the plane figure to display a bird's-eye view. This is performed based on the positions of buildings determined by the building determination means 220 and on the shift amounts stored in the shift amount storage means 219, and in this process, the plane figures are shifted upward on a display screen according to the shift amounts, and the copying and drawing are made one by one from a building positioned on the far side in the bird's-eye view.
US08040342B2
An image compensation apparatus and method is provided. The image compensation apparatus includes a power control module which controls a light emitting unit according to a power control input signal input thereto by a user and provides power reduction information corresponding to the power control input signal, a control parameter generation module which determines a threshold based on the power reduction information, an image compensation module which divides input image information according to the threshold and converts the input image information according to image control information, and an output module which outputs image information obtained by the conversion performed by the image compensation module.
US08040323B2
An input device, especially an input device for a vehicle, includes a display for optical display of information, a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen and a control for optical display of additional or other information on the display during at least a second simultaneously occurring touching of the operating surface.
US08040320B2
A generic input device built of Electro-optical camera, sensors, buttons and communication means, provides a measure for operating in absolute and/or relational mode, most software applications on many electronic platforms with display independent of the screen characters.
US08040317B2
A backlight device for applying white light to a rear face of a display panel, includes: a plurality of light sources each including a plurality of light-emitting diodes of at least three colors mounted on one surface, for emitting lights in the colors to be mixed into the white light, the light sources being divided into a plurality of unit light-emitting blocks each including a predetermined number of light sources. The device further includes a plurality of light sensors; a drive control section; and a storage section.
US08040314B2
A liquid crystal display having a plurality of pixels and blocks of shift registers that are connected to one another for temporarily storing data signals and from which the data signal outputs are sequentially applied to drive the pixels. Each of the shift registers receives a shift start signal and at least one of first and second clock signals, of which phases are opposite to each other, and a high period of the shift start signal corresponds to two cycles of the respective clock signals so that each pixel is pre-charged from the data signal from previous block of registers before receiving the data signal for the current block thereby preventing a boundary between blocks from being visually recognized.
US08040313B2
A shift register includes a plurality of first to n-numbered stages, where n is a positive integer. Each stage includes a node controller controlling respective voltages of a first node and a second node in accordance with an output signal from the (i−j1)-numbered stage and an output signal from the (i+j2)-numbered stage, wherein i is a positive integer from 1 to n, j1 is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and j2 is a positive integer equal to or different from j1; and an output unit outputting one of a plurality of clock signals in accordance with the respective voltages of the first and second nodes.
US08040310B2
A display apparatus according to the present invention is provided with a matrix-type liquid crystal panel and a switching liquid crystal panel, the matrix-type liquid crystal panel and the switching liquid crystal panel assembled together. In the display apparatus, a polarity of a voltage applied on an electrode pair of the switching liquid crystal panel is inverted once in substantially one vertical period or in one or more vertical period. With this arrangement, it is possible to reduce a number of bright line or dark line. This attains display quality improvement and power consumption reduction.
US08040304B2
An AMOLED panel includes an AMOLED pixel unit, a scan driving unit and a data driving unit. The scan driving unit is coupled to the AMOLED pixel unit. The data driving unit is coupled to the AMOLED pixel unit and a voltage source. The data driving unit comprises a reference current source circuit, (N+1) mirror output circuits and (N+1) switch elements. The reference current source circuit is for providing a reference current. (N+1) mirror output circuits are coupled to the reference current source circuits for outputting (N+1) corresponding data currents to the AMOLED pixel unit, wherein N is a positive integer. The m-th data current of the (N+1) data currents is 2m times of the reference current, and m is an integer 0˜N. The switch elements are disposed in correspondence with the mirror output circuits for controlling the data currents to be outputted to the AMOLED pixel unit.
US08040303B2
An organic light emitting display, suitable for a high quality and high resolution display device, rapidly charges a data voltage using a voltage programming technique, after compensating for a deviations in the threshold voltage and mobility of a driving transistor using a current programming technique. The organic light emitting display includes: a data line supplying a data signal; a scan line supplying a scan signal; a first switching element, electrically coupling its control electrode to the scan line, transferring the data signal supplied from the data line; a driving transistor, electrically coupling its control electrode to the first switching element, controlling a driving current of a first voltage line; a first capacitive element electrically coupled between the first switching element and the control electrode of the driving transistor; an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), electrically coupled between the driving transistor and a second power voltage line, displaying an image by a current supplied from the driving transistor; and a fourth switching element compensating for deviations of characteristics of the driving transistor by supplying a current of the first current line to the driving transistor.
US08040296B2
In one embodiment, a plasma display device includes: a plasma display panel having a plurality of electrodes; a power supply including first and second power sources for respectively supplying first and second voltages, the second voltage being higher than the first voltage; a driving circuit for driving the electrodes; and a controller for generating a first signal to control the driving circuit. The driving circuit includes: a first switch for supplying a third voltage to the electrodes, the third voltage decreasing over a period of time; a switching controller for controlling the first switch in accordance with the first signal and a second signal; and a feedback signal generator for comparing fourth and fifth voltages respectively proportional to the third and second voltages, adjusting a level of the second signal according to a result of comparing the fourth and fifth voltages, and supplying the second signal to the switching controller.
US08040290B2
An exemplary mounting bracket for a satellite dish antenna includes a mounting base, a first frame and a second frame. The first frame includes a pivoting portion at one end thereof. The pivoting portion is pivoted to one side of the mounting base so that the pivoting portion is capable of rotating from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The second frame includes a pivoting portion at one end thereof. The pivoting portion is pivoted to another opposite side of the mounting base so that the pivoting portion being capable of rotating from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The mounting bracket can be changed from the extending state to the folding state. The mounting bracket in the extending state can be mounted on a plane. The mounting bracket in the folding state can be mounted on various objects by cooperating with various fixing devices.
US08040259B2
Systems and methods for alerting to traffic proximity in the airport environment. Knowledge of the geographic position, speed, rate of change of speed, heading (or track-angle) and/or altitude of own-aircraft (or vehicle) and another, potentially conflicting aircraft (or vehicle) are used to calculate a predicted distance between the two aircraft (or vehicles) at given point of time in the future. If separation distance is predicted to be less than a predetermined acceptable value, then an alert message (aural, visual or both) is issued to the pilot or operator of the vehicle.
US08040256B2
A method and apparatus for performing a context sensitive speed tracking by generating a location of the mobile tracking device; determining context information related to the location; and analyzing the location and context information to determine an appropriate speed of the mobile tracking device in view of the context information.
US08040253B2
A lane-change assistant for motor vehicles, having a sensor system to locate vehicles on adjacent lanes in the rear space of the own vehicle, a decision module to decide whether a vehicle located in the rear space is on an immediately adjacent lane, and a driver interface to output the decision result, characterized in that a determination module is provided to determine the lane on which the own vehicle is traveling, and the decision module is designed to make the decision as a function of the result of the determination module.
US08040251B2
A method for use in a power line communication systems for an electrical distribution system (1) to quickly and accurately poll electrical meters (6) installed at user facilities to determine if an outage has occurred at a facility. An outbound communications message is transmitted to the meter at the facility requesting a short response consisting of a bit pattern that is either partially or completely known to the receiver. Any perceived response from the meter is then processed to ascertain whether or not the meter actually transmitted a message. Receipt of a message indicates that an outage has not occurred at that site, while an indication the message was not received indicates an outage has likely occurred. In processing the received message, two types of errors can potentially occur; i.e., a false positive or a false negative. A false positive occurs when a detection algorithm used to process the response indicates that the meter sent a response when actually it did not. A false negative occurs when the detection algorithm indicates the meter did not send a response when actually it did. The method utilizes a signal processing algorithm to determine if a response was actually sent by the meter and is important because it minimizes the probability of both types of errors.
US08040245B2
Methods, systems, and computer-storage media provide for the monitoring of hand washing by people entering a room. A person is detected entering a room and an image of the person is captured. The person is identified as an employee using various employee identifiers or is identified as a visitor. The image may be used to identify distinguishing features of the visitor to be compared to an image subsequently during hand washing to verify the identity of the hand washer as the person who entered the room. Similarly, the employee identifier is used to verify the identity of a hand washer as the employee that entered the room. If any person entering the room remains for a threshold period of time without activating the soap dispenser, then a notification that includes the person's identity is provided within the room to remind the person that hand washing is required.
US08040223B2
A method and device for improving the detection of a vibrotactile stimulus. Such method may include the steps of temporarily altering the threshold of vibrational detection prior to the onset of a vibrotactile stimulus. This allows the vibrotactile system to achieve improved detection of the intended vibrotactile alert or communication stimulus without necessarily increasing the vibratory displacement amplitude of the stimulus. A corresponding enhanced vibrotactile transducer device is able to produce, over a wide frequency range, or at multiple frequencies, a vibrational stimulus against the body of a user.
US08040221B2
A mobile radio frequency identification (RFID) system is described that includes a wheeled cart, a RFID reader mounted to the wheeled cart, a computer mounted to the wheeled cart and communicatively coupled to the RFID reader, and a directional antenna capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader and movably mounted to the wheeled cart. The system also includes at least one omni-directional antenna mounted to the wheeled cart and capable of being communicatively coupled to the RFID reader. The computer is configured to process data received from the RFID tags and further configured to allow a user to selectively couple one or both of the at least one omni-directional antenna and the directional antenna to the RFID reader.
US08040216B2
A virtual security guard or receptionist automatically allows entry to an area by determining a user's identity and comparing that to an access list. If the user is authorized, then the user is allowed entry to the area. The receptionist can be implemented by either a sign, or by using a virtual receptionist to shows a picture selected from a media server that has many different pictures. Computer intelligence can be used to allow the receptionist to carry out almost any operation that is carried out by a real receptionist.
US08040210B2
A switching contact, an electromagnetically operated electromagnet for driving the switching contact, and a drive power source device for driving the electromagnetically operated electromagnet. The electromagnetically operated electromagnet includes a movable core coupled to a movable contact of the switching contact, a fixed core located in a peripheral portion of the movable core, and coils wound around the movable core and the fixed core. Currents are supplied to the coils to drive the movable core. Capacitors store charges for supplying the current to the coils. Resistors are arranged in series with a path through which the capacitors are connected with the coils of the electromagnetically operated electromagnet and through which a current for closing operation flows. Capacitances of the capacitors and values of the resistors are controlled to adjust a supplied current characteristic to the electromagnetically operated electromagnet.
US08040207B2
The invention relates to MEMS devices. In one embodiment, a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device comprises a resonator element having a circumference, an anchor region, and a plurality of beam elements coupling the anchor region and the resonator element. Further embodiments comprise additional devices, systems and methods.
US08040201B2
A substrate includes a power plane and a ground plane that are placed apart from and are substantially parallel to each other, and at least one signal line that is placed between the power plane and the ground plane. The ground plane includes a first conductive layer having a first conductivity. The power plane includes a second conductive layer having the first conductivity, and the power plane or the ground plane includes a third conductive layer having a second conductivity lower than the first conductivity. The third conductive layer faces the at least one signal line across a dielectric substance.
US08040200B2
In a differential transmission line, a substrate has first and second surfaces parallel to each other, and a first grounding conductor is formed on the second surface of the substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on the first grounding conductor, and a second grounding conductor is formed on the dielectric layer. First and the second signal conductors are formed to be parallel to each other on the first surface of the substrate. The first signal conductor and the first and second grounding conductors constitute a first transmission line, and the second signal conductor and the first and second grounding conductors constitute a second transmission line. A slot is formed in the first grounding conductor to three-dimensionally intersect with the first and second signal conductors and to be orthogonal to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a connecting conductor is formed for connecting the first grounding conductor with the second grounding conductor.
US08040193B2
An oscillation tuning circuit is provided and includes a first circuit. The first circuit receives an input data stream with a known time interval, producing a first output signal having a first period, determines a first error signal representing a difference between the known time interval and a measured duration of the known time interval, determines a reference error signal according to a predetermined multiple of the first period, and adjusts the first period according to the first error signal and the reference error signal, wherein the known time interval is associated with a period between a first occurrence of and a second occurrence of a predetermined bit pattern in the input data stream.
US08040184B2
A class-D amplifier includes a differential integrator that integrates a difference between an input signal and a feedback signal to output an integration value signal, a pulse width modulation circuit that outputs a digital signal having a pulse width corresponding to a level of the integration value signal, an output buffer that drives a load based on the digital signal, a feedback section that feeds an output signal of the output buffer into the differential integrator as the feedback signal, a clamp section that performs a clamping of limiting the level of the integration value signal within a specified level range, an attenuation section that attenuates the level of the input signal to be input to the differential integrator in response to an attenuation command, and an attenuation control section that outputs the attenuation command to the attenuation section in response to the clamping performed by the clamp section.
US08040181B2
A system, method and apparatus is provided for pulse width correction in a power driver. In an embodiment, an apparatus includes an operational amplifier having an input and an output. The input of the operational amplifier is coupled to receive an input pulse signal. The apparatus further includes an output stage having an input coupled to the output of the operational amplifier. The output stage also includes a current output configured to couple to a load and to a voltage sense output. The apparatus also includes a comparator having an inverting input coupled to the voltage sense output of the output stage, a non-inverting input configured to couple to an input signal, and an output. Also, the apparatus includes a timing circuit with an input coupled to the output of the comparator and an input coupled to the input signal. The timing circuit also has an output to supply the input pulse signal. The timing circuit measures a delay from a change in the input signal to a change in the output of the comparator. The timing circuit replicates the measured delay as a delay in a change to the input pulse signal.
US08040177B2
An internal voltage generating circuit of a semiconductor device includes a first voltage driver configured to pull up an internal voltage terminal during a period where a level of the internal voltage terminal is lower than a target level, and a second voltage driver configured to pull up the internal voltage terminal during a predefined time in each period corresponding to a frequency of an external clock.
US08040157B2
A digital circuit with adaptive resistance to single event upset. A novel transient filter is placed within the feedback loop of each latch in the digital circuit to reject pulses having a width less than T, where T is the longest anticipated duration of transients. The transient filter includes a first logic element having a controllable inertial delay and a second logic element coupled to an output of the first logic element. A first controller provides a control voltage VcR to each first logic element to control a rise time of the first logic element to be equal to T. A second controller provides a control voltage VcF to each first logic element to control a fall time of the first logic element to be equal to T.
US08040154B2
Systems, circuits and methods for software programmable logic using Spin Transfer Torque Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory (STT-MRAM) technology are disclosed. Magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) storage elements can be formed into input planes and output planes. The input planes and output planes can be coupled together to form complex arrays that allow for the realization of logic functions.
US08040150B2
An impedance adjustment circuit according to the present invention includes a first input buffer which detects that an input signal exceeds VREFA, a second input buffer which detects that the input signal exceeds VREFB, VREFB being higher than VREFA, a counter circuit A which performs count based on an output from the first input buffer, a counter circuit B which performs count based on an output from the second input buffer, and a termination resistor control circuit which controls impedance of a termination resistor provided in a termination of a transmission path based on the count in the counter circuit A and the count in the counter circuit B.
US08040145B2
A temperature control device that includes a miniature liquid-cooled heat sink with integral heater and sensing elements is used as part of a system to provide a controlled temperature surface to an electronic device, such as a semiconductor device, during the testing phase. The temperature control device includes an interface surface configured to provide a thermal path from the device to a device under test. One such device has a liquid-cooled heat sink comprising a first heat transfer portion in a first plane and a second heat transfer portion in a second plane. The first and second heat transfer portions establish a three-dimensional cross-flow of coolant within the heat sink structure. An alternate embodiment includes parallel fluid conduits, each having a three-dimensional microchannel structure that directs coolant flow in three dimensions within the fluid conduits. Coolant flows in opposite directions through adjacent fluid conduits, thus resulting in a three-dimensional cross-flow within the heat sink structure.
US08040140B2
A method includes scanning a test socket after removal of a device under test to generate scan data. The scan data is compared to reference data. A presence of at least a portion of a pin in the test socket is identified based on the comparison. A test system includes a test socket, a scanner, and a control unit. The test socket is operable to receive devices under test. The scanner is operable to scan a test socket after removal of a device under test to generate scan data. The control unit is operable to compare the scan data to reference data and identify a presence of at least a portion of a pin in the test socket based on the comparison.
US08040139B2
A method of detecting a ground fault condition between a direct current power system and the chassis ground of an electric or hybrid-electric vehicle is provided. The method includes sequentially opening and closing a first switch connected between a positive node of the direct current power system and the chassis ground of the vehicle and a second switch connected between a negative node of direct current power system and the chassis ground. The sequential opening and closing of the first and second switches charges and discharges an inherent capacitance present between the metal components of the direct current power system and the chassis. First and second currents are created as the inherent capacitance is charged and discharged. Measurements of the created first and second currents are then used to determine whether a ground fault condition exists between the direct current power system and the vehicle chassis ground.
US08040132B2
A method and apparatus for identifying a sample in a container, provide for the container with the sample being disposed relative to a resonator, a high-frequency signal being coupled into the resonator for exciting a resonant mode of the resonator, the resonant electric field of the resonator penetrating part of the sample in the container, the resonance curve of at least one resonant mode being measured with and without the sample, and the sample being identified based on the determined change in the resonance frequency compared to a measurement without sample.
US08040131B2
A method for testing a magnetic head to determine whether the magnetic head is unacceptably affected by temperature variations. The test includes testing the magnetic head at different temperatures and measuring either or both of a signal amplitude and a signal asymmetry of a signal from the magnetic head at the different temperatures. If signal amplitude or signal asymmetry vary excessively as a result of the temperature change then the head can be scrapped.
US08040126B2
A position detection device includes a magnetic generation unit that has: a first magnetism generating section that is provided on one end side along a predetermined direction and generates magnetism; a second magnetism generating section that is provided on another end side along the predetermined direction and generates magnetism of polarity different from that of the first magnetism generating section; and a low magnetism section that is formed in the first magnetism generating section and the second magnetism generating section such that a width of the low magnetism section varies along the predetermined direction to generate magnetism lower than those of the first magnetism generating section and the second magnetism generating section, and a magnetic detection unit that is capable of moving relative to the magnetic generation unit along the predetermined direction and that detects the magnetism generated by the first magnetism generating section and the second magnetism generating section.
US08040122B2
The duty of a PWM signal in a power converter is extracted to feed forward to modulate the slope of a linear oscillating ramp signal or the voltage level of an error signal, so as to modulate the duty of the PWM signal, by which the transient response of the power converter and the stability of the PWM loop both are improved.
US08040121B2
A switching regulator is configured to generate an output voltage by stepping down an input voltage by switching control of a switching element. The switching regulator includes a first comparator configured to compare a feedback voltage of the output voltage and a target voltage; a second comparator configured to compare magnitude of a current flowing through the switching element and a predetermined value; an on-time timer configured to measure fixed on-time for on-control of the switching element; an off-time timer configured to measure fixed off-time for off-control of the switching element; and a control circuit configured to perform the on-control of the switching element with the fixed on-time in accordance with an output of the first comparator, and the off-control of the switching element with the fixed off-time in accordance with an output of the second comparator.
US08040118B2
A low-dropout (LDO) voltage regulator that includes an error amplifier which compares a reference voltage with a feedback voltage of an output voltage and outputs an error signal based on the result of the comparison, the error amplifier being biased by an input voltage; a first MOS transistor having a gate electrically connected to the error signal, a source electrically connected to the input voltage and a drain electrically connected to the output voltage; a voltage divider which transmits a predetermined part of the output voltage to the error amplifier as feedback voltage; and a level limiter which limits a level of the output voltage from changing beyond and below an offset voltage when a level of a load current changes. In accordance with embodiments, A predetermined number of comparators and MOS transistor type-switches are provided to enhance the slew ratio of the regulated output voltage and to reduce standby electricity consumption.
US08040117B2
A power supply apparatus and method of regulating is provided. A clock generator circuit is configured for generating a clock signal at a predetermined frequency. An amplifier circuit is coupled with the clock generator circuit. The amplifier circuit includes a gain circuit coupled with the clock generator circuit. The amplifier circuit is configured to receive the clock signal at a switching element of the gain circuit. A controller circuit is configured for receiving a modulated error signal of the amplifier circuit and is configured for generating a pulse width modulated signal for controlling a duty cycle of the switching circuit. The switching circuit is configured for receiving the modulated error signal. The error signal is modulated using the clock signal to vary a gain value of the gain circuit according to the predetermined frequency. An output circuit is coupled with the switching circuit and is configured for generating a regulated voltage signal. The controller circuit uses the modulated error signal to substantially reduce harmonic distribution in a switching frequency of the switching circuit. Harmonic distribution in the switching circuit can be reduce by 10.0 db or greater.
US08040113B2
A fault tolerant generator apparatus includes subsystems isolated from each other, so that the generator may operate in a fault mode with low torque ripple. The apparatus comprises a machine and a power controller unit. In an embodiment, the machine has a plurality of electrical three phase windings and the power controller unit has a plurality of power converters. Each three phase winding of the machine is coupled to a separate corresponding power converter to form an operating subsystem. The operating subsystems are physically and electrically isolated from each other to provide fault tolerant operation of the apparatus. Accordingly, each of the operating subsystems is effective to provide a balanced electrical load for the machine.
US08040108B2
The apparatus, which is for estimating a state of charge of a rechargeable battery charged by a vehicle-mounted power generation apparatus capable of generating a variable output voltage, includes a first function of quantifying charging/discharging history of the rechargeable battery, and a second function of performing estimation of a state of charge of the rechargeable battery on the basis of a parameter which indicates a charging/discharging current of the rechargeable battery when variation of the output voltage of the vehicle-mounted power generation apparatus is below a predetermined value, and the quantified charging/discharging history, while eliminating an effect which polarization of the rechargeable battery due to the charging/discharging history has on the charging/discharging current before the variation of the output voltage becomes below the predetermined value.
US08040103B2
A battery charging apparatus comprises an inductive charging platform including a charging surface on which an electrical device to be charged is to be placed, and a first winding for generating lines of magnetic flux generally perpendicular to the charging surface. To compensate for voltage sag caused by a reduction in the flux generated by the first winding, a second winding is located within an area defined by the first winding for generating an auxiliary magnetic flux generally perpendicular to the charging surface.
US08040097B2
A mechanical system includes a plurality of amplifier groups each having a common power source unit connected to a higher-level power source and a plurality of power supply units for supplying power to servo motors from the common power source unit. A servo motor drive control device of the mechanical system includes a plurality of amplifier group electric power detection units each determining an electric energy of the corresponding one of the amplifier groups. Each of the amplifier group electric power detection units totals individual periodic electric energy dEak of the servo motors connected to the power supply unit associated with the corresponding amplifier group thereby to determine an amplifier group periodic electric energy dEbg representing a consumed electric energy or a regenerated electric energy in the corresponding amplifier group and integrates the determined amplifier group periodic electric energy dEbg over a predetermined time length thereby to determine an amplifier group consumed electric energy Ebng.
US08040091B2
Stall detection apparatus for an electric motor controller has an input for receiving a drive error flag indicating if the controller is unable to achieve the required motor velocity and an input for receiving a signal in order to measure, directly or indirectly, the actual motor velocity. The actual motor velocity is determined in order to indicate whether the motor is stationary and, only if so, a stall signal is outputted in order to indicate that said motor has stalled.
US08040089B2
Switching elements are driven by a control signal outputted from a control circuit, so that a rotating magnetic field is generated from a stator coil to rotate a rotor of a synchronous electric motor. The control signal is generated through use of a selected modulation scheme, which is selected from a plurality of modulation schemes. The control circuit determines which one of the modulation schemes is used as the selected modulation scheme based on a sensed voltage value of a voltage sensor, which senses an output voltage of a power supply device.
US08040080B2
A user interface for a lighting control has a touch sensitive front surface; a four-wire resistive touch pad responsive to a point actuation on the front surface, the touch pad having a longitudinal resistive element for providing a first control signal representative of the position of the point actuation along the longitudinal axis, and a lateral resistive element for providing a second control signal representative of the position of the point actuation along the lateral axis; a controller receiving the first and second control signals; a first capacitor coupled between the lateral resistive element and a circuit common that charges and discharges through the longitudinal resistive element of the resistive touch pad to stabilize the first control signal; and first, second, and third switches controlled by the controller to provide a DC supply voltage to the resistive elements and to couple a respective resistive element to the controller. The controller determines, from the second control signal, if the touch sensitive front surface is presently being actuated, and determines, from the first control signal, the position of the point actuation along the longitudinal axis.
US08040079B2
A peak detection/digitization circuit includes a plurality of level detect units, each having a comparator and a flip-flop with a clock input responsive to the output of the comparator. For a detection period, each level detect unit configures a data output signal of the flip-flop to a first data state responsive to a start of the detection period. Further, each level detect unit is configured to enable the comparator responsive to the data output signal having the first data state or a second data state, respectively. While the comparator is enabled during the detection period, the level detect unit configures the data output signal of the flip-flop responsive to a comparison of an input signal to a corresponding reference voltage level by the comparator. The data output signals of the flip-flops of the level detect units at the end of the detection period are used to determine a digital value representative of a peak voltage level of the input signal.
US08040056B2
An embodiment of the present invention is an organic EL display panel including a plurality of first electrodes, a confining wall which covers an edge part of the first electrode and sections the plurality of first electrodes into different pixels, a luminescent medium layer which has a plurality of layers including a luminescent layer and a second electrode formed on the luminescent medium layer, and an organic EL display panel also includes at least two layers which are included in the luminescent medium layer and which are formed into a stripe shape and are perpendicular to each other.
US08040055B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device for displaying a white color using a first color and a second color that are complementary to each other. The OLED display device includes a substrate, a lower electrode on the substrate in a first direction, a first organic layer on a first region of the lower electrode and having a first EML for displaying a first color, a second organic layer on a second region of the lower electrode and having a second EML for displaying a second color that is complementary to the first color, and an upper electrode disposed on the first and second organic layers in a second direction crossing the first direction, wherein the first organic layer has a different thickness from the second organic layer. In addition, a thin film transistor (TFT) may disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode.
US08040053B2
An organic light emitting device is provided. The device includes an anode and a cathode. A first emissive layer is disposed between the anode and the cathode. The first emissive layer includes a first non-emitting organic material, which is an organometallic material present in the first emissive layer in a concentration of at least 50 wt %. The first emissive layer also includes a first emitting organic material. A second emissive layer is disposed between the first emissive layer and the cathode, preferably, in direct contact with the first emissive layer. The second emissive material includes a second non-emitting organic material and a second emitting organic material. The first and second non-emitting materials, and the first and second emitting materials, are all different materials. A first non-emissive layer is disposed between the first emissive layer and the anode, and in direct contact with the first emissive layer. The first non- emissive layer comprises the first non-emissive organic material.
US08040030B2
The present invention relates to a method of increasing the conversion efficiency of an EUV and/or soft X-ray lamp, in which a discharge plasma (8) emitting EUV radiation or soft X-rays is generated in a gaseous medium formed by an evaporated liquid material in a discharge space, said liquid material being provided on a surface in the discharge space and being at least partially evaporated by an energy beam (9). The invention also refers to a corresponding apparatus for producing EUV radiation and/or soft X-rays. In the method, a gas (11) composed of chemical elements having a lower mass number than chemical elements of the liquid material is supplied through at least one nozzle (10) in a directed manner to the discharge space and/or to the liquid material on a supply path to the discharge space in order to reduce the density of the evaporated liquid material in the discharge space. With the present method and corresponding apparatus the conversion efficiency of the lamp is increased.
US08040026B2
An illumination lamp is provided. The illumination lamp includes a hollow pillar tube being light-transmissive, at least one inner light tube accommodated in the hollow pillar tube, and an electrode set disposed at one distal end of the hollow pillar tube and electrically connected to the inner light tube in the hollow pillar tube.
US08040024B2
A piezoceramic material according to an embodiment of the present invention has a composition represented by Pbm{Zr1-x-y-zTixSny(Sb1-nNbn)z}O3 where 1.000≦m≦1.075, 0.470≦x<0.490, 0.020≦y≦0.040, 0
US08040004B2
A motor device may include a motor, a plurality of pin terminals protruded from a side face of a motor case on an outer side in a radial plane direction, and a wiring circuit board which is connected with the plurality of the pin terminals. The plurality of the pin terminals includes first pin terminals which are bent at predetermined positions in the radial plane direction toward one side in an axial direction of the motor, and second pin terminals which are bent toward the one side in the axial direction at inner sides in the radial plane direction with respect to the first pin terminals. The wiring circuit board is connected with the first pin terminals and the second pin terminals in a state where a circuit board face is directed in the axial direction.
US08039998B2
A surface magnet type rotor and an inner magnet type rotor having good motor characteristics in which bonding strength is high between a magnet section and a soft magnetic yoke section, and structural reliability is high even in high speed use, and its producing method. The rotor comprises an anisotropic bond magnet section and a soft magnetic section wherein the anisotropic bond magnet section is preformed in magnetic field and then formed to be integrated with the soft magnetic section in nonmagnetic field. Subsequently, it is heat hardened to produce a surface magnet type rotor. Magnet units, each having a magnetic pole composed by bonding a pair of permanent magnets such that the directions of magnetization become symmetric with respect to the bonding surface, are linked such that magnetic poles of different polarities appear alternately on the magnetic action surface thus forming an anisotropic magnet body. Good motor characteristics can be attained by setting an angle to 5-40° between the direction of magnetization of the permanent magnet and a diametral direction passing the bonding surface.
US08039992B2
In an apparatus for series-connecting at least two engine generators driven by an internal engine and each generates and outputs alternating current through single-phase two-wire output terminals, there are equipped with a magnetic coupler such as transformer that can magnetically couple the single-phase two-wire output terminals of the generators with the primary side and the secondary side, and a connector that can connect one of the single-phase two-wire output terminals of one of the generators and one of the single-phase two-wire output terminals of other of the generators. With this, single-phase three-wire output terminals are formed by the single-phase two-wire output terminals of the generators using the connector as a neutral line, without a communication line.
US08039991B2
In a cogeneration system having a first power plant connected to an AC power feed line between a power network and an electrical load and a first internal combustion engine for driving the first power plant such that exhaust heat of the first engine is supplied to a thermal load, power supply from the first power plant to the power network is interrupted by turning off a switch installed in the feed line, when outage of the power network is detected and a second power plant is operated, such that outputs of the first and second power plants are supplied to the electrical load. With this, it becomes possible to respond to a commercial power network outage for preventing reverse flow of the power output by the cogeneration system into the power network and supplying as much electric power as possible to the electrical load.
US08039980B2
An object of the invention is to reduce stop time of a wind turbine generator caused by icing on a wind turbine blade in the wind turbine generator. The invention provides the wind turbine generator including an ice detecting unit for detecting an amount of icing on a wind turbine blade, wherein an operation mode is switched to a no-load operation mode with no power being generated in a case where the icing amount detected by the ice detecting unit exceeds a first predetermined value, and an icing amount is detected by the ice detecting unit in a state where the apparatus is operated in the no-load operation mode.
US08039977B2
The invention relates to a power generation plant, driven by a water current, comprising a water turbine; an electric generator; a drive train between the water turbine and the electric generator. The invention is characterized in that the drive train comprises a controllable hydrodynamic coupling for exclusive transmission of power to the electric generator.
US08039974B2
An electronic component assembly that has a supporting structure, an integrated circuit die with a plurality of contacts pads, a printed circuit board with a plurality of conductors, the integrated circuit die and the PCB being mounted to the supporting structure by a die attach film such that they are adjacent and spaced from each other and, wire bonds electrically connecting the contact pads to the conductors. An intermediate portion of each of the wire bonds is adhered to the die attach film to lower the profile of the wire bond arcs.
US08039973B2
The module is of the type comprising an electronic component provided with a conductive face that is electrically connected to a connection member of the component by means of a conductor that is corrugated at least in part so as to define an alternating sequence of oppositely-directed arcs, a first series of arcs being connected to the conductive face of the electronic component. The conductor also includes a second series of arcs opposite to the arcs of the first series and interposed between the arcs of the first series, the second series of arcs being connected to the conductive face of the connection member.
US08039961B2
One embodiment involves an article of manufacture that includes: a copper substrate plug with a front surface and a back surface; a catalyst on top of a single surface of the copper substrate plug; and a thermal interface material on top of the single surface of the copper substrate plug. The thermal interface material comprises: a layer of carbon nanotubes that contacts the catalyst, and a filler material located between the carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the single surface of the copper substrate plug. The copper substrate plug is configured to be incorporated in a peripheral structure of a heat spreader or a heat sink. In another embodiment, the thermal interface material is on top of both the top and bottom surfaces of the copper substrate plug.
US08039958B2
In a metallization system of a sophisticated semiconductor device, metal pillars may be provided so as to exhibit an increased efficiency in distributing any mechanical stress exerted thereon. This may be accomplished by significantly increasing the surface area of the final passivation layer that is in tight mechanical contact with the metal pillar.
US08039955B2
A mold lock and a method of forming the mold lock are provided. The mold lock is used in an encapsulated semiconductor device and includes a neck and a shaped head integral with the neck. The mold lock can be formed to project above a support component, such as a heat spreader, of the semiconductor device and the neck is formed from the support component. The shaped head is of a greater dimension than the neck and can present a “T” shape in side view or a “Y” shape in side view. A base portion of the neck is seated within the support component. A method is provided for forming the described mold lock.
US08039947B2
An integrated circuit package system is provided including forming a first inner lead having a first inner bottom side and a first outer lead, forming a first side lock of the first inner lead above the first inner bottom side, connecting an integrated circuit die with the first inner lead and the first outer lead, and encapsulating the integrated circuit die and the first side lock.
US08039946B2
A chip package structure including a chip, a lead frame, first bonding wires and second bonding wires is provided. The chip has an active surface and chip bonding pads disposed thereon. The lead frame is fixed on the chip and the lead frame includes inner leads, at least one bus bar, an insulating layer and transfer bonding pads. The bus bar is located between the chip bonding pads and the inner leads. The insulating layer is disposed on the bus bar and the transfer bonding pads are disposed thereon. The inner leads and the bus bar are located above the active surface. The chip and the insulating layer are located respectively on two opposite surfaces of the bus bar. The first bonding wires respectively connect the chip bonding pads and the transfer bonding pads. The second bonding wires respectively connect the transfer bonding pads and the inner leads.
US08039941B2
A semiconductor device includes: an element mounting member including a first electrode; a semiconductor element mounted on the element mounting member and including a second electrode; and an interposer element mounted on the element mounting member with a first side of the interposer element facing one of a side of the semiconductor element. The interposer element is one of a triangle and a trapezoid in plan view, and includes: a first interposer electrode electrically connected to the second electrode via a first wire; a second interposer electrode electrically connected to the first electrode; and an internal interconnection electrically connecting the first interposer electrode and the second interposer electrode to each other.
US08039936B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor element and a connector. The semiconductor element has a power device of a voltage drive type for controlling an on operation and an off operation of a main current by input of a drive signal. The connector receives the drive signal without making contact with an issuing unit issuing the drive signal, and transmits the drive signal to the semiconductor element. The semiconductor element preferably includes a control unit for converting the drive signal received by the connector into a voltage value, and transmitting the voltage value to the semiconductor element.
US08039931B2
A power semiconductor component and a method for the production of a power semiconductor component are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the invention, a topmost metallization region that is provided is formed in a manner extended laterally and outside contacts formed, in such a way that, as a result, a protection and sealing material region to be provided is formed, whilst avoiding electrically insulating additional protection and sealing layers that are usually to be provided.
US08039921B2
A semiconductor device with a high-strength porous modified layer having a pore size of 1 nm or less, which is formed, in a multilayer wiring forming process, by forming a via hole and a wiring trench in a via interlayer insulating film and a wiring interlayer insulting film and then irradiating an electron beam or an ultraviolet ray onto the opening side walls.
US08039920B1
Methods and associated structures of forming a microelectronic structure are described. Those methods may comprise forming a conductive material in an interconnect opening within an interlayer dielectric material that is disposed on a substrate, forming a low density dielectric material on a surface of the dielectric layer and on a surface of the conductive material, and forming a high density dielectric barrier layer on the low density dielectric layer.
US08039917B2
A photodiode includes a first silicon semiconductor layer formed over an insulating layer, a second silicon semiconductor layer formed over the insulating layer, having a thickness ranging from greater than or equal to 3 nm to less than or equal to 36 nm, a low-concentration diffusion layer which is formed in the second silicon semiconductor layer and in which an impurity of either one of a P type and an N type is diffused in a low concentration, a P-type high-concentration diffusion layer which is formed in the first silicon semiconductor layer and in which the P-type impurity is diffused in a high concentration, and an N-type high-concentration diffusion layer which is opposite to the P-type high-concentration diffusion layer with the low-concentration diffusion layer interposed therebetween and in which the N-type impurity is diffused in a high concentration.
US08039891B2
Memory cells containing two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes on a semiconductor substrate and methods for making the memory cells are provided. The methods can involve forming two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes by using spacer formation techniques. By removing an exposed portion of a fist poly layer between sloping side surfaces or outer surfaces of spacers while leaving portions of the first poly layer protected by the spacers, the method can provide two split sub-lithographic first poly gates. Further, by removing an exposed portion of a charge storage layer between sloping side surfaces or outer surfaces of spacers, the method can provide two split, narrow portions of the charge storage layer, which subsequently form two split sub-lithographic charge storage nodes.
US08039883B2
In a solid-state image pick up device, a first conduction type semiconductor layer which has a first surface side. A second surface side which is located the opposite side of the first surface side and an image sensor area. A photo-conversion area which is configured in the first surface side and charges electron by photoelectric conversion. A first diffusion area of second conduction type for isolation, wherein the first diffusion area surrounds the photo-conversion area and extends from the first surface side to the middle part of the semiconductor layer and a second diffusion area of second conduction type for isolation, wherein the second diffusion area extends from the second surface side to the bottom of the first diffusion layer.
US08039876B2
A metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) includes an isolation layer disposed in a semiconductor substrate to define an active region. A source region and a drain region are disposed on both sides of the active region such that a first direction is defined from the source region to the drain region. A channel recess is disposed in the active region between the source and drain regions. The channel recess has a convex surface when viewed from a cross-sectional view taken along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A gate electrode fills the channel recess and crosses the active region in the second direction. A gate insulating layer is interposed between the gate electrode and the active region.
US08039871B2
A semiconductor device includes: a compound semiconductor substrate; a buffer layer, a channel layer, and a Schottky junction forming layer sequentially formed on the compound semiconductor substrate, the buffer layer, the channel layer, and the Schottky junction forming layer each being a compound semiconductor; a source electrode and a drain electrode located on the Schottky junction forming layer; and a gate electrode disposed between the source and drain electrodes and forming a Schottky junction with the Schottky junction forming layer. The dopant impurity concentration profile in the channel layer is inversely proportional to the third power of depth into the channel layer from a top surface of the channel layer. The channel layer has fixed sheet dopant impurity concentration, and the top surface of the channel layer has a dopant concentration in a range from 5.0×1017 cm−3 to 2.0×1018 cm−3.
US08039870B2
A multifinger carbon nanotube field-effect transistor (CNT FET) is provided in which a plurality of nanotube top gated FETs are combined in a finger geometry along the length of a single carbon nanotube, an aligned array of nanotubes, or a random array of nanotubes. Each of the individual FETs are arranged such that there is no geometrical overlap between the gate and drain finger electrodes over the single carbon nanotube so as to minimize the Miller capacitance (Cgd) between the gate and drain finger electrodes. A low-K dielectric may be used to separate the source and gate electrodes in the multifinger CNT FET so as to further minimize the Miller capacitance between the source and gate electrodes.
US08039865B2
A light emitting apparatus includes: a substrate including a first conductive type impurity; a first heatsink and a second heatsink on a first region and a second region of the substrate; second conductive type impurity regions on the substrate and electrically connected to the first heatsink and the second heatsink, respectively; a first electrode electrically connected to the first heatsink on the substrate; a second electrode electrically connected to the second heatsink on the substrate; and a light emitting device electrically connected to the first electrode and the second electrode on the substrate.
US08039863B2
Provided is a light emitting device. The light emitting device comprises a package body, a plurality of electrodes, a light emitting diode, and a lens. The package body comprises a trench. The plurality of electrodes is disposed on and/or in the package body. The light emitting diode is disposed on the package body and is electrically connected to the electrodes. The lens is disposed on an inner side of the trench.
US08039859B2
Methods of packaging a semiconductor light emitting device include dispensing a first quantity of encapsulant material into a cavity including the light emitting device. The first quantity of encapsulant material in the cavity is treated to form a hardened upper surface thereof having a shape. A luminescent conversion element is provided on the upper surface of the treated first quantity of encapsulant material. The luminescent conversion element includes a wavelength conversion material and has a thickness at a middle region of the cavity greater than proximate a sidewall of the cavity.
US08039849B2
An LED module to realize light source performance as desire is comprised of multiple LEDs, a light-emitting chip of each LED being disposed in a carrier on a substrate; conduction circuits with different polarities being provided perimeter to the carrier on the substrate; golden plate wire connecting the chip and circuits; carrier being filled with fluorescent material before encapsulation; a slope being formed on the inner wall of the carrier; and the light-emitting angles varying depending on inclination carrier or the encapsulating height.
US08039843B2
A semiconductor substrate according to an embodiment includes: a first semiconductor wafer having a first crystal; and a second semiconductor wafer formed of a second crystal substantially same as the first crystal on the first semiconductor wafer, a crystal-axis direction of unit cell thereof being twisted at a predetermined angle around a direction vertical to a principal surface of the second semiconductor wafer from that of the first semiconductor wafer.
US08039833B2
An electronic device containing a polythiophene wherein R represents a side chain, m represents the number of R substituents; A is a divalent linkage; x, y and z represent, respectively, the number of Rm substituted thienylenes, unsubstituted thienylenes, and divalent linkages A, respectively, in the monomer segment subject to z being 0 or 1, and n represents the number of repeating monomer segments in the polymer or the degree of polymerization.
US08039829B2
A contact structure that includes a first pattern formed on a substrate, wherein the first pattern has a recessed region in an upper surface thereof, a planarized buffer pattern formed on the first pattern, and a conductive pattern formed on the planarized buffer pattern.
US08039827B2
In some embodiments, an inspection system includes a collimated light source defining a source optical path and useful to cause a collimated light beam to propagate along the source optical path and a sensing device defining a sensor optical path. A positioning device includes a positioning device stage movably disposed relative to the positioning device, sensing device and collimated light source. A retention mount is disposed on the positioning device stage and within the sensor optical path such that when an object is retained within the retention mount, the object blocks at least a portion of the collimated light beam.
US08039818B2
There is provided a method of detecting a presence of a luminophore in a detection volume comprising providing excitation radiation in said detection volume. A luminophore is provided in said detection volume being excitable by said excitation radiation. The luminescent radiation is detected to identify the presence of said luminophore in said detection volume. In one aspect of the invention, said luminophore is selected to emit luminescent radiation having a wavelength in said medium that is larger than twice said smallest dimension; and wherein said luminophore is selected to be excitable by excitation radiation having a wavelength in said medium that is smaller than twice said smallest dimension. Accordingly, luminescent radiation is blocked from entering the detector but for the portion present on an interface of the aperture.
US08039815B2
A fluorescent light microscope for measuring a sample comprises a light source providing transfer light having a transfer wavelength for transferring a fluorescent dye in the sample from one state into another state, and a detector which measures fluorescent light from the sample with spatial resolution. The light source comprises a laser, an optical wave guide connected to the laser, and a wavelength-selective device connected to the optical wave guide. The laser emits pump light of a pump wavelength other than the transfer wavelength and injects the pump light into the optical wave guide. The pump light, due to Raman scattering being stimulated in the optical wave guide, generates a light spectrum emerging from the optical wave guide which has, besides the pump wavelength, at least one red-shifted Stokes line whose full width at half maximum is smaller than half of its distance to its next neighbor line on the blue side of the spectrum; and the wavelength-selective device singles out the transfer light by its transfer wavelength from the red-shifted Stokes lines of the light spectrum.
US08039813B2
The present invention relates to a particle-optical component comprising a first multi-aperture plate, and a second multi-aperture plate forming a gap between them; wherein a plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is arranged such that each aperture of the plurality of apertures of the first multi-aperture plate is aligned with a corresponding aperture of a plurality of apertures of the second multi-aperture plate; and wherein the gap has a first width at a first location and a second width at a second location and wherein the second width is by at least 5% greater than the first width. In addition, the present invention pertains to charged particle systems and arrangements comprising such components and methods of manufacturing multi aperture plates having a curved surface.
US08039808B2
An imaging detector is formed from a conversion material and electrodes that are separated by trenches formed in the conversion material. The trenches increase the distance of the conductance path between electrodes or accommodate a grid of electrodes, thereby reducing current leakage between electrodes. In some embodiments, a passivation layer is used to provide improved adhesion of the electrodes to the conversion material or to shield the electrodes from grid electrode structures.
US08039804B2
The invention relates to a method for evaluating an image dataset obtained by a radiation-based image acquisition device. A scatter background dataset is determined as a function of the image data. The image dataset is corrected pixel by pixel by multiplying the image dataset with the inverse of a function dependent on the quotient of the scatter background data and the image data at a respective pixel. The function is a nonlinear, smooth function determined by a coefficient and having positive derivatives. The absolute value of the function is one for the value zero. The image acquisition parameter dependent coefficient is determined by an optimization process.
US08039800B2
An infrared detector which converts entering infrared IR into light in a different wavelength band, and which detects the converted light in the different wavelength band includes: a convex-concave structure provided on a light acceptance surface of the infrared detector; and a metal film provided on an outer circumferential face of the light detector other than the light acceptance surface thereof, the metal film covering the outer circumferential face. In the infrared detector, light which enters the light detector after passing through the convex-concave structure and the converted light in the different wavelength band are confined inside the light detector: by causing the entering light to be reflected on the metal film; by causing light reflected on the metal film to be reflected on the convex-concave structure; and by causing the converted light in the different wavelength band to be reflected between the metal film and the convex-concave structure.
US08039798B2
A dual-wavelength thermal infrared sensor includes a first and a second type pixels that detect infrared in different wavelength ranges. The pixels of both types include a diaphragm supported by beams, an eave formed to spread outward from the diaphragm, and reflection film on the substrate. The diaphragm includes a thermoelectric conversion material thin film, an electrode, and protective films. The protective films and eaves are made of a material having larger absorption coefficient for infrared in the first wavelength range and a smaller absorption coefficient for infrared in second wavelength range. First-type pixels further have metal thin films formed on the top of the diaphragm and eaves. First-type pixels have sensitivity to infrared in a first wavelength range and in a second wavelength range defined by optical interference occurring between the metal thin films and the reflection film. Second-type pixels have sensitivity to first wavelength range infrared.
US08039794B2
Methods are described for measuring the amount of a methylation TPMT enzyme product in a sample. More specifically, mass spectrometric methods are described for detecting and quantifying 6-MMP or isotopically labeled 6-MMP in a test sample utilizing mass spectrometric techniques and for using such methods to determine the activity of TPMT enzyme that is present in a sample.
US08039793B2
Methods and apparatus enable monitoring a hydrocarbon well for water within a flow stream of the well. A water detector includes a light source for emitting into a flow stream infrared light that includes a water absorbent wavelength band. A detector detects attenuation of the water absorbent wavelength band upon the infrared radiation passing through at least a portion of the flow stream. The water detector outputs a presence of water and/or a phase fraction or quantification of water as determined based on the attenuation. Detecting attenuation of a substantially transmissive wavelength band with respect to water simultaneously with detection of the attenuation of the water absorbent wavelength band can enable correction for non-wavelength dependent attenuation.
US08039786B2
In an absolute position detection type photoelectric encoder devised so as to detect a pseudorandom pattern disposed on a main scale by means of a plurality of imaging optical systems, assembling of the absolute position detection type photoelectric encoder is facilitated and production cost thereof is reduced by providing: a single light-receiving array element disposed on the imaging surfaces of the imaging optical systems, which incorporates a greater light-receiving array portion in the length measurement direction than the light-receiving range of the respective imaging optical systems; a window signal storing portion for storing a window signal showing a light-receiving range of the respective imaging optical systems; and a window signal comparison portion for obtaining signals corresponding to individual imaging ranges by comparing scanning signals of the light-receiving array element with window signals.
US08039783B2
The present disclosure relates generally to methods and materials for detecting light released from a labeling material using self triggering excitation. In particular, the present disclosure provides an architecture for a detection system that detects accumulated phase shifts in the form of a ring-oscillator frequency. The present disclosure provides devices for detection of a light released by a labeling material, the device comprising: a start-up circuit that provides power to a pulse generator block that drives an LED driver, a photodetector that detects the light released by a labeling material and provides a first signal; a variable reference that provides a second signal; a slicer for comparing the first signal to the second signal, wherein the slicer generates an output signal with a delay that triggers the pulse generator block after the start-up circuit is disabled; a frequency reference; and a frequency counter for comparing the output from the slicer to the frequency reference thereby producing a output signal.
US08039775B2
A built-in oven has a door, a control panel positioned above the door and a cooling system including a fan-motor assembly for drawing cooling air around the outside surface of the oven and an exhaust duct for discharging air to the ambient. The cooling system comprises a cooling air supply duct above the top side of the oven and with an intake opening below the control panel, and an exhaust duct positioned above the supply duct so that its exhaust opening is placed above the control panel, the fan-motor assembly being mounted between the supply duct and the exhaust duct.
US08039767B2
A compound operation input device includes a case; an operating member for pushing operation, tilting operation and rotating operation, having a push button for pushing operation and a rotary knob for rotating operation; an operation support portion for supporting the operating member in a pushingly, tiltingly and rotatingly operable manner; and at least one of a tilting operation detecting push switch and a pushing operation detecting push switch, disposed to be contactable with a base end side of at least one of the operation support portion and the operating member. The push switch includes a snap plate, and a key top with one end portion contactable with a top portion of the snap plate, the key top being elastically extendable and contractable in an axial direction. An elastic force of the key top is set to be greater than that of the snap plate.
US08039762B2
Printed circuit board having a buried solder bump and a circuit layer flush with an insulating layer
Disclosed is a printed circuit board having a buried solder bump, in which a circuit pattern and a solder bump formed on the circuit pattern are buried in an insulating layer, thus improving the degree of matching between the solder bump and the circuit pattern and obviating a need for an additional coining process of the solder bump. A manufacturing method thereof is also provided.
US08039761B2
Disclosed is a printed circuit board having a flow preventing dam and a manufacturing method thereof. The printed circuit board includes a base substrate having a solder pad, a solder bump formed on the solder pad of the base substrate, and a flow preventing dam formed on a peripheral area of the base substrate using a dry film resist. The flow preventing dam can prevent the outflow of an underfill solution and can be simply formed.
US08039760B2
A mounting board of the invention includes: an insulative base; a plurality of first conductive elements provided on the insulative base and having lands; a plurality of second conductive elements disposed on the lands; a plurality of solder pieces each disposed on each of the second conductive elements; and an electronic component which includes electrode sections each contacting each of the solder pieces, wherein the first conductive elements are made from a first element that contains at least silver; the second conductive elements are made from a second element that contains at least copper; and the solder pieces are made from a third element that contains at least tin.
US08039758B2
A mounting structure is provided in which outer electrodes of an electronic component are soldered on lands provided on a circuit board. Two of the lands on which two of the outer electrodes disposed along a diagonal of a principal surface of the electronic component are soldered, are configured such that inner vertexes defined at opposite ends of a minimum distance between the lands are aligned with inner vertexes defined at opposite ends of a minimum distance between the outer electrodes. That is, sides of the outer electrodes are aligned with outer edges of the lands. Accordingly, only one positional relationship is permitted between the electronic component and the mounting surface, the positional relationship causing a total area of the outer electrodes facing the lands to be maximized.
US08039757B2
An electronic part mounting substrate has a ceramic substrate, a metal member bonded to one side of the ceramic substrate, a metal plate of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, one side of the metal plate being bonded directly to the other side of the ceramic substrate, and an electronic part bonded directly to the other side of the metal plate.
US08039749B2
A differential transmission signal cable is provided. The differential transmission signal cable includes one pair of signal wires including a central conductor covered by an insulating layer, a drain wire arrayed along the signal wires, and an outer conductor for covering the signal wires and the drain wire. The drain wire is covered by a covering film made of a semi-conductive material having flexibility and containing an electrically conductive filler.
US08039742B2
A superconductive cable capable of promoting a heat insulating function by a heat insulating tube. A heat insulating tube contained within a cable core of a superconductive cable includes a first metal tube and a second metal tube and a third metal tube arranged from an inner side in a diameter direction. An inner side heat insulating portion is formed between the first metal tube and the second metal tube, and an outer side heat insulating portion is formed on an inner side of the third metal tube and on an outer side of the inner side heat insulating portion. A heat insulating function of the heat insulating portion on an outer side is set to be lower than a heat insulating function of the heat insulating portion on an inner side thereof.
US08039739B1
Methods and devices are provided for improved environmental protection for photovoltaic devices and assemblies. In one embodiment, the device comprises of an individually encapsulated solar cell, wherein the encapsulated solar cell includes at least one protective layer coupled to at least one surface of the solar cell. The protective layer has a chemical composition that prevents moisture from entering the solar cell and wherein light passes through the protective layer to reach an absorber layer in the solar cell.
US08039728B2
The invention is directed to a thermoelectric module that utilizes a glass-ceramic material in place of the alumina and aluminum nitride that are commonly used in such modules. The glass-ceramic has a coefficient of thermal expansion of <10×10−7/° C. The p- and n-type thermoelectric materials can be any type of such materials that can withstand an operating environment of up to 1000° C., and they should have a CTE comparable to that of the glass-ceramic. The module of the invention is used to convert the energy wasted in the exhaust heat of hydrocarbon fueled engines to electrical power.
US08039707B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH134921. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH134921, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH134921 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 CH134921.
US08039706B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH393009. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH393009, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH393009 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 CH393009.
US08039704B2
An inbred maize line, designated HMA699ND, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred maize line HMA699ND, to the plants of inbred maize line HMA699ND and to methods for producing a maize plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the inbred line HMA699ND with itself or another maize line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from the inbred HMA699ND.
US08039703B2
An inbred maize line, designated HHA601ND, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred maize line HHA601ND, to the plants of inbred maize line HHA601ND and to methods for producing a maize plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the inbred line HHA601ND with itself or another maize line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from the inbred HHA601ND.
US08039701B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 565452G. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 565452G. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 565452G and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 565452G with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08039697B2
A novel garden bean cultivar, designated H26109, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of garden bean cultivar H26109, to the plants of garden bean line H26109, and to methods for producing a bean plant by crossing the cultivar H26109 with itself or another bean line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a bean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes, and to the transgenic plants produced by that method, and to methods for producing other garden bean lines derived from the cultivar H26109.
US08039691B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the pea line designated 08250833. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of pea line 08250833, and to methods for producing a pea plant produced by crossing a plant of pea line 08250833 with itself or with another pea plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of pea line 08250833, including the seed, pod, and gametes of such plants.
US08039689B2
This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a farnesyltransferase subunit. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the farnesyltransferase subunit, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the farnesyltransferase subunit in a transformed host cell.
US08039685B2
A feminine hygiene article having a body-facing surface, a first end region and a second end region. The feminine hygiene article is for placement in an undergarment having a crotch portion bounded on opposite sides by portions of curved leg openings, the feminine hygiene article comprising at least one functional enhancement indicator visible from said body-facing surface, the functional enhancement indicator corresponding to at least one functionally-enhanced portion of the feminine hygiene article. The feminine hygiene article can be a sanitary napkin, a pantiliner, or an incontinence pad.
US08039670B2
There are disclosed compound of formula I, in which R1 represents a hydrophobic moiety adapted to occupy the C′ channel of human CDId, R2 represents a hydrophobic moiety adapted to occupy the A′ channel of human CDId, such that R1 fills at least at least 30% of the occupied volume of the C′ channel compared to the volume occupied by the terminal nC14H29 of the sphingosine chain of α-galactosylceramide when bound to human CDId and R2 fills at least 30% of the occupied volume of the A′ channel compared to the volume occupied by the terminal nC25H51 of the acyl chain of α-galactosylceramide when bound to human CDId R3 represents hydrogen or OH, Ra and Rb each represent hydrogen and in addition, when R3 represents hydrogen, Ra and Rb together may form a single bond, X represents or —CHA(CHOH)nY or —P(=0)(0−)0CH2(CH0H)mY, in which Y represents CHB1B2, n represents an integer from 1 to 4, m represents 0 or 1, A årepresents hydrogen, one of B1 and B2 represents H, OH or phenyl, and the other represents hydrogen or one of B1 and B2 represents hydroxyl and the other represents phenyl, in addition, when n represents 4, then A together with one of B1 and B2 together forms a single bond and the other of B1 and B2 represents H, OH or OSO3H and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof; the compounds of formula I are indicted for use in the treatment of a virus, microbial infection, parasite, an autoimmune disease, cancer, allergy or asthma.
US08039661B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. The invention also relates to pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compounds and compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also relates to processes for preparing compounds of the inventions.
US08039652B2
Transesterification, esterification, and esterification-transesterification (both one-step and two-step) for producing biofuels. The process may be enhanced by one or more of the following: 1) applying microwave or RF energy; 2) passing reactants over a heterogeneous catalyst at sufficiently high velocity to achieve high shear conditions; 3) emulsifying reactants with a homogeneous catalyst; or 4) maintaining the reaction at a pressure at or above autogeneous pressure. Enhanced processes using one or more of these steps can result in higher process rates, higher conversion levels, or both.
US08039648B2
Compounds used as dyes comparable to Alexa Fluor 350 dyes. The inventive compounds have high fluorescence quantum yield and high photostability. The dyes facilitate analysis of biological structures with enhanced sensitivity and selectivity.
US08039644B2
The invention relates to novel thiophene derivatives, their preparation and their use as pharmaceutically active compounds. Said compounds particularly act as immunosuppressive agents.
US08039640B2
The invention relates to new morphine compounds of the formula: where R1 represents a C1-6 alkyl radical and the radicals R2 and R3 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms, methyl groups and acetyl groups.
US08039639B2
A compound of Formula II and salts thereof are useful in the preparation of a compound of Formula I and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and prodrugs thereof.
US08039638B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined herein, compositions and uses thereof for treating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In particular, the present invention provides novel inhibitors of HIV replication, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and methods for using these compounds in the treatment of HIV infection.
US08039637B2
Provided are methods for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds such as benzimidazole carboxylic acid core structures having Formula Ia-1 and their synthetic intermediates: wherein Z, X1, X2, X5, R2 and R10 are as defined herein. Compounds of Formula Ia-1 and their synthetic intermediates can be used to prepare heterocyclic derivatives such as benzimidazole derivatives.
US08039627B2
Substituted 3-isobutyl-9,10-dimethoxy-1,3,4,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2H-pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolin-2-ol compounds are disclosed that are inhibitors of the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). The compounds of this invention have the structure: wherein R1 is as defined herein, including stereoisomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof. Also disclosed are compositions containing a compound of this invention in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, as well as methods relating to the use in a subject in need thereof.
US08039622B2
The present invention relates to a compound having a good agonistic activity to melanocortin receptor, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or isomer thereof, and an agonistic composition for melanocortin receptor comprising the same as an active ingredient.
US08039620B2
Crystalline forms of Varenicline Tosylate: are provided, along with processes for preparing those crystalline forms of Varenicline Tosylate, and processes for obtaining high purity Varenicline base using Varenicline Tosylate.
US08039612B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a process for making an oligonucleotide or a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide. The process has the following steps: (a) providing an amount of a blocked nucleotide; (b) deblocking the blocked nucleotide to form an unblocked nucleotide; (c) activating the deblocked nucleotide; (d) coupling the deblocked nucleotide with a phosphoramidite to form a phosphite oligomer; (e) capping any uncoupled deblocked nucleotide via reaction with an amount of acetic anhydride and an amount of N-methylimidazole that is substantially free of 1,3,5-trimethylhexahydro-1,3,5-triazine; (f) oxidizing the phosphite oligomer to form the oligonucleotide or sulfurizing the phosphite oligomer to form a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide; and (g) optionally repeating steps (b) through (f). There is also a process for capping a nucleotide.
US08039609B2
Aptamers against the glycosylated form of MUC1 are described, along with their use in treatment and diagnosis of conditions associated with elevated production of MUC1.
US08039608B1
The present invention relates to a group of novel human genes, here identified as “genomic address messengers” or “GAM”. GAM genes selectively inhibit translation of known “target” genes, many of which are known to be involved in various diseases. Several nucleic acid molecules are provided respectively encoding several GAM genes, as are vectors and probes both comprising the nucleic acid molecules, and methods and systems for selectively enhancing translation of the respective target genes, and for detecting expression thereof.
US08039594B2
Isolated polypeptides, isolated polynucleotides or expression vectors encoding same, viral display vehicles which can be specifically bind an exposed epitope shared by mutant, but not wild type, p53 protein are provided. Also provided are methods of inducing apoptosis and treating cancer as well as diagnosing a p53-related cancer using the isolated polypeptides uncovered by the present invention.
US08039591B2
Flowable graft materials are provided which comprise collagen powder and a liquid in an amount sufficient to impart a flowable consistency to the material. The graft materials are sufficiently formable and pliable so as to provide both superior contact with and easier access to a surgical site than typical, more rigid grafts such as collagen sheets. These flowable materials may also be in a fluidized, paste-like and/or gel-like state and may be moldable and/or ejectable. The flowable collagen materials reduce and/or eliminate post implantation problems associated with other materials, e.g. synthetic dural sealants (hemostasis products), such as product swelling after application and implantation. The flowable graft materials are particularly useful as a dural graft.
US08039589B1
Variant costimulatory polypeptides, nucleic acids encoding such polypeptides, and methods for using the polypeptides and nucleic acids to enhance a T cell response are provided herein.
US08039586B1
A cerebral organic anion transporter OAT3 which is useful as a protein regulating the uptake/excretion of organic anionic substances in the brain; a nucleic acid having a base sequence encoding the same; and an antibody against the same. The amino acid sequence and the base sequence of the above OAT3 are shown in Sequence Listing in the description.
US08039580B2
The invention relates to novel dendritic polymers having monophosphonic terminations or dimethyl phosphonates, to a method for preparing them, and to their uses.
US08039573B2
Compositions for golf balls that include polyurethane linkages and that are crosslinked in the soft segments of the polymer backbone. In particular, the compositions of the invention, which are based on a polyurethane have improved crosslink density from the crosslinking between the soft, unsaturated segments of the polymer backbone. The curative blend includes at least one isocyanate-reactive component and a free radical initiator.
US08039568B2
The present invention relates to copolymers which comprise ethyl methacrylate, at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated amide group-containing compound and at least one monoethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid in copolymerized form, to cosmetic and pharmaceutical compositions which comprise at least one such copolymer, and to the use of these copolymers.
US08039562B2
In some embodiments, a method in which at least one continuity additive (“CA”) and a seed bed are pre-loaded into a reactor, and a polymerization reaction is optionally then performed in the reactor. In other embodiments, at least one flow improver, at least one CA, and a seed bed are pre-loaded into a reactor. Pre-loading of a reactor with a CA can significantly improve continuity of a subsequent polymerization reaction in the reactor during its initial stages, including by reducing sheeting and fouling. The CA can be pre-loaded in dry form (e.g., as a powder), or in liquid or slurry form (e.g., as an oil slurry). To aid delivery of a dry CA to the reactor and combination of the dry CA with a seed bed in the reactor, the dry CA can be combined with a flow improver and the combination of CA and flow improver then loaded into the reactor. Alternatively, the CA and flow improver can be sequentially loaded into the reactor, and then mixed together (and mixed with a seed bed) in the reactor after both the CA and flow improver have been separately loaded into the reactor.
US08039558B2
It is depicted a polymer composition with elastomeric properties at wide temperature ranges of the type comprising polymers and/copolymers resulting from substituted or unsubstituted vinyl aromatic monomers and from dienic monomers, which is homogeneous and compatible in nature, with such composition being based on stereoregular polymers and without requiring the additional use of compatibilizing agents. Likewise, it is depicted the process to obtain the same, as well as to hydrogenise them, without requiring the use of additional catalyzers or processes.
US08039554B2
An ethylene-α-olefin copolymer having monomer units derived from ethylene and monomer units derived from an α-olefin of 3 to 20 carbon atoms, a melt flow rate (MFR) of 0.01 to 4 g/10 minutes, a density of 890 to 970 kg/m3, an activation energy of flow of 50 kJ/mol or more and a molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of 3 or more, wherein a characteristic relaxation time (τ) determined by a melt viscoelasticity measurement or an external haze ratio (EHR) satisfies a relationship of the following formula (1) or (2), respectively: 3×MFR−0.75+1.1>τ>1.3×MFR−0.5+1.4 (1) EHR≦−15×log MFR+0.145×d−47 (2)
US08039552B2
A production process of a propylene block copolymer, comprising the step (I) of polymerizing propylene alone or a combination of propylene with an olefin other than propylene, in the presence of a defined polymerization catalyst, to form a polymer component (1), and the step (II) of copolymerizing propylene with an olefin other than propylene in the presence of the polymer component (1), to form a polymer component (2), wherein a combination of a transition metal compound such as Zr(OR1)4 and Hf(OR1)4 (R1 being a hydrocarbon group) with an ether group-containing linear hydrocarbon compound and/or a Lewis base compound is added to the above polymerization system between the ending point of the step (I) and the starting point of the step (II), or during the step (II).
US08039549B2
A process for the preparation of aqueous polymer dispersions comprising at least one lipophilic active substance by emulsion polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers in an aqueous medium in the presence of at least one lipophilic active substance, wherein (i) at least one lipophilic active substance which has a water solubility of not more than 5 g/l (determined at 25° C. and 1013 mbar) and a melting point below 130° C. is emulsified in an aqueous solution which comprises at least one dispersion stabilizer with formation of an aqueous dispersion of the active substance having a mean particle size of not more than 1000 nm and (ii) a monomer composition which comprises at least 80% by weight of a neutral, monoethylenically unsaturated monomer emulsifiable in water is subjected to an emulsion polymerization in the aqueous dispersion of the active substance which is obtained according to (i), and use of the dispersions thus obtainable as sizes for paper, board and cardboard, for the treatment and for the stabilization of thermoplastic polymers, for material protection and for crop protection.
US08039547B2
A composition for coating a surface of an electrical contact includes a polymer matrix comprising elastomer, at least one nano-particle material, and crosslinker.
US08039545B2
A functionalized polymer includes a polymer chain and a terminal group linked to the chain through a functionality that contains one or more urethane groups. The functionalized polymer can be provided by reacting a nucleophile with a polymer having terminal iso(thio)cyanate functionality which, in turn, can be provided by reacting a terminally active polymer with a polyiso(thio)cyanate. Even polymers that contain substantial amounts of styrene mer can be used in the described process.
US08039540B2
Polymer composition showing an improved balance of flexural modulus, IZOD impact strength and elongation at break comprising (percent by weight): A) a polymer blend comprising: A1) 50-70% of a crystalline propylene homopolymer or copolymer; and A2) 30-50% of one or more copolymer(s) of ethylene with one or more C4-C10 α-olefin(s) containing from 15 to 35% of said C4-C10 α-olefin(s); said polymer blend (A) having values of MFR equal to or higher than 10 g/10 min., a total content C4-C10 α-olefin(s) equal to or higher than 8% and an intrinsic viscosity value of the fraction soluble in xylene at room temperature of from 1.3 to 2 dl/g, the amounts of (A1) and (A2) being referred to the total weight of the polymer blend; and optionally B) 1-15% of an elastomeric polymer different from A2), having a hardness (Shore A, ASTM D-2240) value equal to or lower than 90 points; and/or C) 0.5-20% of a mineral filler; the amounts of optional components (B) and (C) being referred to the total weight of the composition.
US08039539B2
Physical properties and soiling resistance of polymer-bound inorganic composites such as artificial stone are improved by incorporating a silane adhesion promoter and at least one of three organosilicon compounds.
US08039538B2
A rubber composition for a tire having improved in low fuel efficiency, wet skid performance, abrasion resistance, and steering stability with favorable balance, and tire which has tread, using the same. A rubber composition for a tire, comprising 30 to 150 parts by weight of silica having a nitrogen adsorbing-specific surface area of 20 to 200 m2/g, and a pH of 7.0 to 12.0 when the silica is dispersed in water to be 5% aqueous solution, based on 100 parts by weight of a rubber component, and a tire which has a tread, using the same.
US08039535B2
Disclosed herein is a flame retardant and impact modifier represented by the following Chemical Formula 1. The flame retardant and impact modifier may improve heat resistance and flowability as well as flame retardancy and impact strength of a thermoplastic resin composition. The present invention also provides a method of preparing the foregoing flame retardant and impact modifier and a thermoplastic resin composition including the flame retardant and impact modifier.
US08039534B2
A flame-retarder agent for a polyester-based fiber comprising, as flame-retarder components: triphenylphosphine oxide (A) represented by the following formula (1): and at least one compound (B) selected from the group consisting of an organophosphate ester-based compound (B1) and a bismaleimide-based compound (B2), the organophosphate ester-based compound (B1) being represented by the following general formula (2): [in formula (2), R1 to R6 each represent one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms], and the bismaleimide-based compound (B2) being represented by the following general formula (3): [in formula (3), R7 represents an arylene group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms].
US08039530B2
The present invention provides a continuous high thermal conductivity organic-inorganic composite material. The composite material features high thermal conductivity materials bonded to a host resin matrix by covalent linkages. The bonding takes place through surface functional groups that are reactively grafted to the high thermal conductivity material. These surface functional groups react with the host resin matrix, forming the covalent linkages. The structure of the composite material is effective to reduce phonon scattering and increase phonon transport in the composite material.
US08039522B2
An aluminum chelating agent-based latent curing agent is provided that can rapidly cure thermosetting epoxy resins at relatively low temperatures. A method for producing the aluminum chelating agent-based latent curing agent is also provided that enables relatively facile control of the curing conditions therefor. The latent curing agent holds an aluminum chelating agent in a porous resin obtained by the interfacial polymerization of a polyfunctional isocyanate compound, and when the latent curing agent is incorporated in a curable epoxy resin composition for differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) measurement, the DSC exothermic peak temperature of the curable epoxy resin composition for DSC measurement that contains the latent curing agent that has been treated by immersion in a nonaqueous polar solvent can be brought to not less than the DSC exothermic peak temperature of the curable epoxy resin composition for DSC measurement that incorporates the latent curing agent that has not been subjected to the immersion treatment.
US08039521B2
The present invention relates to the use of different-sized polymeric microparticles in hydraulically setting building material mixtures for the purpose of enhancing their frost resistance and cyclical freeze/thaw durability.
US08039520B2
An electrolyte membrane includes a nanocomposite ion complex that is a reaction product of a nanocomposite with a basic polymer. The nanocomposite includes a polymer having a sulfonic acid group and an unmodified clay. Either the unmodified clay has a layered structure and is dispersed in the polymer having the sulfonic acid group, and the polymer is intercalated between layers of the clay or the unmodified clay has an exfoliated structure and the exfoliated layers of the unmodified clay are dispersed in the polymer. The electrolyte membrane shows high mechanical strength, high ionic conductivity, and excellent methanol crossover impeding properties even when the degree of sulfonation of the polymer having the sulfonic acid group is high. When a methanol aqueous solution is used as a fuel, the fuel cell including the electrolyte membrane has a low methanol crossover, and thus, has a high operational efficiency and a long lifetime.
US08039519B2
A process for producing substitute natural gas (SNG) comprising the steps of reacting a fresh syngas (11) into a methanation section (10) comprising adiabatic reactors (101-104) connected in series, with heat removal and reacted gas-recirculation, wherein the fresh syngas is fed in parallel to said adiabatic reactors. In a preferred embodiment the reacted gas is recirculated to the first reactor (101) and further dilution of the fresh gas at the inlet of the first and second reactor is achieved by steam addition.
US08039510B2
The present invention discloses methods of making a mixture of theaflavin, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3′-gallate and theaflavin 3,3′-digallate, pharmaceutical compositions of the above mixture of theaflavins, diet supplement compositions of the above mixture of theaflavins and methods for using the above mixtures of theaflavin and pharmaceutical compositions thereof to treat or prevent various diseases. The present invention also discloses methods of making theaflavin, theaflavin-3-gallate, theaflavin-3′-gallate and theaflavin 3,3′-digallate, each as a separate compound, pharmaceutical compositions of the above compounds, diet supplement compositions of the above compounds and methods for using the above compounds to treat or prevent various diseases.
US08039505B2
Disclosed are compounds and compositions that modulate T-cells. Such compounds can be used to treat T-cell mediated disease like T-ALL, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and graft-vs-host disease (GvHD), to name but a few. The compounds have a general structure as shown in Formula I. Ar1-L-Ar2 I wherein Ar1 and Ar2, are independent of one another, a substituted aryl, unsubstituted aryl, substituted heteroaryl, or unsubstituted heteroaryl; and L is a bond or a linker spanning two, three, four, or five atoms.
US08039500B2
There is provided a compound of the formula: wherein R1 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl, a substituted amino, etc.; R2 is an aromatic group substituted with one or two substituents at the positions adjacent to the position bonded to Z, and said aromatic group may have additional substituent(s); X is —NR3— wherein R3 is a hydrogen, an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl or an acyl, or sulfur; Y1, Y2 and Y3 are an optionally substituted methine or a nitrogen, etc.; and Z is an optionally substituted methylene, provided that carbonyl is excluded; or a salt thereof or a prodrug thereof, which have CRF receptor antagonist activity and use thereof.
US08039499B2
An ester compound represented by the formula (I): (wherein, R1 represents a C1-C3 alkyl group, a 2-propenyl group or a 2-propynyl group.) has excellent pest controlling activity and is useful as an active ingredient for a pest controlling agent.
US08039496B2
Disclosed herein is a compound of the formula. Therapeutic methods, compositions, and medicaments for the treatment of glaucoma or ocular hypertension related thereto are also disclosed.
US08039487B2
The invention is concerned with novel piperidine-amide derivatives of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, X and Y are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as physiologically acceptable salts and esters thereof. These compounds inhibit L-CPT1 and may be used to treat diseases associated with L-CPT1.
US08039483B2
Quinuclidine carbonate derivatives act as muscarinic receptor antagonists and are effective for the prevention and/or treatment of a broncho-obstructive or inflammatory diseases.
US08039481B2
The present invention includes novel derivatives of bicyclic tetrahydrofuran imino acids of formula I, processes for their preparation, and uses thereof as medicaments. The compounds are suitable for use in the therapy and prophylaxis of diseases which are associated with an increased matrix metalloproteinase activity.
US08039473B2
The present invention relates to four distinct crystalline forms and to an amorphous form of [4-(3-Fluoro-5-trifluoromethyl-pyridin-2-yl)-piperazin-1-yl]-[5-methanesulfonyl-2-((S)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-methyl-ethoxy)-phenyl]-methanone, and to their use in the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions. The compounds of present invention are suitable for the treatment of psychoses, pain, neurodegenerative disfunction in memory and learning, schizophrenia, dementia and other diseases in which cognitive processes are impaired, such as attention deficit disorders or Alzheimer's disease.
US08039463B2
The present invention relates to piperazine derivatives that act as inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase. The invention also relates to methods of preparing the compounds, compositions containing the compounds, and to methods of treatment using the compounds.
US08039443B2
Materials and methods are provided for producing and using aptamers useful as oncology therapeutics capable of binding to PDGF, PDGF isoforms, PDGF receptor, VEGF, and VEGF receptor or any combination thereof with great affinity and specificity. The compositions of the present invention are particularly useful in solid tumor therapy and can be used alone or in combination with known cytotoxic agents for the treatment of solid tumors. Also disclosed are aptamers having one or more CpG motifs embedded therein or appended thereto.
US08039437B2
Fusion proteins which act on the TWEAK and TRAIL signaling axes are provided. The proteins are useful in the treatment or amelioration of autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis, as well as other diseases such as alloimmune diseases and cancer.
US08039433B2
An osteogenic composition is provided for implantation at or near a target tissue site beneath the skin, the osteogenic composition comprising a growth factor and a coloring agent, wherein the coloring agent imparts color to the growth factor to allow the user to see the growth factor at or near the target tissue site. In some embodiments, a method is provided for accelerating bone repair, the method comprising mixing bone morphogenic protein-2 and a coloring agent to form a mixture; applying the mixture to a surface of a porous collagen matrix, wherein the coloring agent allows the user to see bone morphogenic protein-2 distribution on or in the porous collagen matrix; and implanting the porous collagen matrix at or near a target tissue site in need of bone repair.
US08039432B2
The present invention provides methods of administering an insulinotropic peptide in an amount effective to treat a disorder or condition while reducing nausea side effect by administering to a subject in need thereof an insulinotropic peptide conjugated to albumin. The present invention also provides methods of selecting a subject for administration of a conjugated insulinotropic peptide. Exemplary disorders or conditions treatable with an insulinotropic peptide include obesity and type II diabetes.
US08039431B2
Methods are provided for drying a particle. Specifically, there is provided a spray-dried diketopiperazine-insulin particle formulation having improved aerodynamic performance and in which the active agent is more stabile and efficiently delivered as compared to that of the lyophilized diketopiperazine-insulin formulation. The dry powders have utility as pharmaceutical formulations for pulmonary delivery.
US08039429B2
The present invention provides novel polypeptide sequences, methods for production thereof and uses thereof for novel ELR-CXC chemokine receptor agonists and antagonists.
US08039428B2
Modified polysaccharide polymers for use as anti-sealant and dispersant. The polymers are useful in compositions used in aqueous systems. The modified polysaccharides are also useful in detergent formulations, water treatment, dispersants and oilfield applications and as fiberglass binders. Such applications include a modified polysaccharide having up to about 70 mole % carboxyl groups per mole of polysaccharide ASU and up to about 20 mole % aldehyde groups per mole of polysaccharide ASU. The applications can also include a blend of modified polysaccharides and other synthetic polymers.
US08039426B2
The invention relates to a method for hydrolyzing hydrolyzable metallic salts, the metallic salts being reacted with emulsions of a) water and b) an inert liquid.
US08039424B2
It is known by the inventor that a universal synthetic lubricant additive that can greatly enhance the performance standards of existing lubricants, petroleum based or synthetic, imparts a new and desirable property not originally present in the existing oil or it reinforces a desirable property already possessed in some degree can greatly benefit the consumer. Although additives of many diverse types have been developed to meet special lubrication needs, their principal functions are relatively few in number. This universal synthetic lubricant additive (invention) with micro lubrication technology, when used as directed will reduce the oxidative or thermal degradation of the host oil, substantially reduce the deposition of harmful deposits in lubricated parts, minimize rust and corrosion, control frictional properties, reduce wear, temperature, sludge, varnishes and prevent destructive metal-to-metal contact, reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions while improving performance through increased horsepower and torque.
US08039423B2
Disclosed are a lubricant composition including a lubricating base oil, fine particles and a calcium sulfonate-based thickener, a speed reduction gear filled with the lubricant composition, and an electric power steering apparatus including the speed reduction gear. The invention reduces operating noise of the speed reduction gear, regardless of the amount of backlash that occurs on combining a small gear and a large gear and without a more complicated structure for the speed reduction gear, by action of the fine particles. Further, separation of oil is prevented, by action of the calcium sulfonate-based thickener of the lubricant composition, so that electric power steering apparatus noise within the inside of a car is reduced at a low cost.
US08039417B2
The invention relates to a liquid catalyst solution containing a polycondensation catalyst for polyester production, which contains titanium atoms, alkaline earth metal atoms and phosphorus atoms, has high reactivity and excellent long-term storage stability, can be easily produced industrially, and has an advantage in cost.
US08039412B2
A composition including a polycrystalline metal nitride having a number of grains is provided. These grains have a columnar structure with one or more properties such as, an average grain size, a tilt angle, an impurity content, a porosity, a density, and an atomic fraction of the metal in the metal nitride.
US08039407B2
The invention provides a method for producing a glass ceramic comprising the steps of melting a starting glass that is free from alkali, except for incidental contamination, and that contains at least one garnet-forming agent and at least one oxide of a lanthanoid; grinding the starting glass to produce a glass frit; molding by pressing and sintering the glass frit until at least one garnet phase containing lanthanoids is formed. A glass ceramic produced in this way may contain 5-50% by weight of SiO2, 5-50% by weight of Al2O3 and 10-80% by weight of at least one oxide selected from the group formed by Y2O3, Lu2O3, Sc2O3, Gd2O3, Yb2O3, Ce2O3, as well as 0.1-30% by weight of at least one oxide selected from the group formed by B2O3, Th2O3, and oxides of the lanthanoids, except Lu2O3, Gd2O3, Yb2O3, Ce2O3. Such a glass ceramic is suited especially for down conversion of excitation radiation in the blue and in the UV region of the spectrum.
US08039404B2
A production method for a semiconductor device comprising the first step of supplying a first reaction material to a substrate housed in a processing chamber to subject to a ligand substitution reaction a ligand as a reaction site existing on the surface of the substrate and the ligand of the first reaction material, the second step of removing the excessive first reaction material from the processing chamber, the third step of supplying a second reaction material to the substrate to subject a ligand substituted by the first step to a ligand substitution reaction with respect to a reaction site, the fourth step of removing the excessive second reaction material from the processing chamber, and a fifth step of supplying a third reaction material excited by plasma to the substrate to subject a ligand, not subjected to a substitution reaction with respect to a reaction site in the third step, to a ligand substitution reaction with respect to a reaction site, wherein the steps 1-5 are repeated a specified number of times until a film of a desired thickness is formed on the substrate surface.
US08039402B2
There is provide a method for forming a gate, which can improve the etching uniformity of the sidewalls of the gate, including the following steps: forming a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming a polysilicon layer on the dielectric layer; etching the polysilicon layer; performing an isotropic plasma etching process on the etched polysilicon layer by using a mixed gases containing a fluorine-based gas and oxygen gas; and cleaning the semiconductor substrate subjected to the isotropic plasma etching process, thereby forming a gate. there are also provided a method for forming a shallow trench isolation region, which can improve the filling quality of a subsequent spacer and the electrical properties of the resultant shallow trench isolation region by improving the etching uniformity of sidewalls and bottom surface of the shallow trench, and a method for planarizating an etched surface of silicon substrate, which can improve the etching uniformity of the surface of silicon substrate.
US08039401B2
A first and a second substrate are bonded together to thereby form a unitary hybrid substrate. Predefined portions of the first substrate are removed to form openings in the first substrate through which surface regions of the second substrate are exposed. A selective epitaxial growth process that is selective with respect to the crystalline orientations of the first and second substrates is carried out to thereby form epitaxial silicon from the exposed surfaces of the second substrate but not from exposed surfaces of the first substrate. The epitaxial silicon formed from the exposed surfaces of the second substrate has the same crystalline orientation as the second substrate.
US08039398B2
Prior to performing a CMP process for planarizing a metallization level of an advanced semiconductor device, an appropriate cap layer may be formed in order to delay the exposure of metal areas of reduced height level to the highly chemically reactive slurry material. Consequently, metal of increased height level may be polished with a high removal rate due to the mechanical and the chemical action of the slurry material, while the chemical interaction with the slurry material may be substantially avoided in areas of reduced height level. Therefore, a high process uniformity may be achieved even for pronounced initial surface topographies and slurry materials having a component of high chemical reactivity.
US08039396B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device which is capable of easily forming a texture having an aspect ratio larger than 0.5. The method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device include the steps of: forming an etching-resistant film on a silicon substrate; forming a plurality of fine holes in the etching-resistant film with an irradiated laser beam which has a focal depth adjusted to 10 μm or more to expose a surface of the silicon substrate which is a base layer; and etching the exposed surface of the silicon substrate, in which the step of exposing the surface of the silicon substrate includes forming a fine recess at a concentric position to each of the fine holes in the surface of the silicon substrate which lies under the etching-resistant film.
US08039395B2
An alloy forming dopant material is deposited prior to the formation of a copper line, for instance by incorporating the dopant material into the barrier layer, which is then driven into the vicinity of a weak interface by means of a heat treatment. As indicated by corresponding investigations, the dopant material is substantially transported to the weak interface through grain boundary regions rather than through the bulk copper material (copper grains), thereby enabling moderately high alloy concentrations in the vicinity of the interface while maintaining a relatively low overall concentration within the grains. The alloy at the interface reduces electromigration along the interface.
US08039394B2
A method of forming a layer of alpha-tantalum on a substrate including the steps of depositing a layer of titanium nitride on a substrate; and depositing a layer of alpha-tantalum on the layer of titanium nitride, wherein the deposition of the alpha-tantalum is carried out at temperatures below about 300° C.
US08039382B2
The present invention relates to a method for forming self-aligned metal silicide contacts over at least two silicon-containing semiconductor regions that are spaced apart from each other by an exposed dielectric region. Preferably, each of the self-aligned metal silicide contacts so formed comprises at least nickel silicide and platinum silicide with a substantially smooth surface, and the exposed dielectric region is essentially free of metal and metal silicide. More preferably, the method comprises the steps of nickel or nickel alloy deposition, low-temperature annealing, nickel etching, high-temperature annealing, and aqua regia etching.
US08039381B2
A method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor device. The method includes providing a substrate including a dummy gate structure formed thereon, removing the dummy gate structure to form a trench, forming a first metal layer over the substrate to fill a portion of the trench, forming a protection layer in a remaining portion of the trench, removing a unprotected portion of the first metal layer, removing the protection layer from the trench, and forming a second metal layer over the substrate to fill the trench.
US08039377B2
Some embodiments include methods of forming capacitors. A first section of a capacitor may be formed to include a first storage node, a first dielectric material, and a first plate material. A second section of the capacitor may be formed to include a second storage node, a second dielectric material, and a second plate material. The first and second sections may be formed over a memory array region, and the first and second plate materials may be electrically connected to first and second interconnects, respectively, that extend to over a region peripheral to the memory array region. The first and second interconnects may be electrically connected to one another to couple the first and second plate materials to one another. Some embodiments include capacitor structures, and some embodiments include methods of forming DRAM arrays.
US08039376B2
A method for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a semiconductor structure including a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate includes (i) a top substrate surface which defines a reference direction perpendicular to the top substrate surface and (ii) a semiconductor body region. The method further includes implanting an adjustment dose of dopants of a first doping polarity into the semiconductor body region by an adjustment implantation process. Ion bombardment of the adjustment implantation process is in the reference direction. The method further includes (i) patterning the semiconductor substrate resulting in side walls of the semiconductor body region being exposed to a surrounding ambient and then (ii) implanting a base dose of dopants of a second doping polarity into the semiconductor body region by a base implantation process. Ion bombardment of the base implantation process is in a direction which makes a non-zero angle with the reference direction.
US08039375B2
A method for forming a semiconductor structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate stack over the semiconductor substrate; implanting carbon into the semiconductor substrate; and implanting an n-type impurity into the semiconductor substrate to form a lightly doped source/drain (LDD) region, wherein the n-type impurity comprises more than one phosphorous atom. The n-type impurity may include phosphorous dimer or phosphorous tetramer.
US08039367B2
A scribe line structure is disclosed. The scribe line structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a die region, a die seal ring region, disposed outside the die region, a scribe line region disposed outside the die seal ring region and a dicing path formed on the scribe line region. Preferably, the center line of the dicing path is shifted away from the center line of the scribe line region along a first direction.
US08039366B2
A method and apparatus includes an integrated circuit device, and at least one alignment mark on the integrated circuit device, the alignment mark comprises a first coded region, a second coded region adjacent the first coded region, and a third coded region adjacent the second coded region, the second coded region located between the first coded region and the third coded region, and markings on the first coded region and the third coded region being identical.
US08039362B2
Provided is a method for fabricating a light emitting device. The method comprises forming a gallium oxide layer, forming a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the gallium oxide layer, forming a conductive substrate on the second conductive type semiconductor layer, separating the gallium oxide layer, and forming a first electrode on the first conductive type semiconductor layer.
US08039356B2
A method of manufacturing an integrated circuit structure forms a first opening in a substrate and lines the first opening with a protective liner. The method deposits a material into the first opening and forms a protective material over the substrate. The protective material includes a process control mark and includes a second opening above, and aligned with, the first opening. The method removes the material from the first opening through the second opening in the protective material. The process control mark comprises a recess within the protective material that extends only partially through the protective material, such that portions of the substrate below the process control mark are not affected by the process of removing the material.
US08039355B2
A PIP capacitor and methods thereof. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a field oxide film over a silicon substrate to define a device isolating region and/or an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a lower polysilicon electrode having doped impurities on and/or over an field oxide film. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include performing an oxidizing step to form a first oxide film over a polysilicon and/or a second oxide film on and/or over an active region. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming an upper polysilicon electrode on and/or over a region of a first oxide film and forming a gate electrode on and/or over a second oxide film at substantially the same time. A method of fabricating a PIP capacitor may include forming a polysilicon resistor. A PIP capacitor is disclosed.
US08039353B2
The present invention provides a thin and bendable semiconductor device utilizing an advantage of a flexible substrate used in the semiconductor device, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has at least one surface covered by an insulating layer which serves as a substrate for protection. In the semiconductor device, the insulating layer is formed over a conductive layer serving as an antenna such that the value in the thickness ratio of the insulating layer in a portion not covering the conductive layer to the conductive layer is at least 1.2, and the value in the thickness ratio of the insulating layer formed over the conductive layer to the conductive layer is at least 0.2. Further, not the conductive layer but the insulating layer is exposed in the side face of the semiconductor device, and the insulating layer covers a TFT and the conductive layer. In addition, a substrate covering an element formation layer side is a substrate having a support on its surface is used in the manufacturing process.
US08039352B2
A method for fabricating a potential barrier for a nitrogen-face (N-face) nitride-based electronic device, comprising using a thickness and polarization induced electric field of a III-nitride interlayer, positioned between a first III-nitride layer and a second III-nitride layer, to shift, e.g., raise or lower, the first III-nitride layer's energy band with respect to the second III-nitride layer's energy band by a pre-determined amount. The first III-nitride layer and second III-nitride layer each have a higher or lower polarization coefficient than the III-nitride interlayer's polarization coefficient.
US08039346B2
An insulated gate silicon carbide semiconductor device is provided having small on-resistance in a structure obtained by combining the SIT and MOSFET structures having normally-off operation. The device includes an n− semiconductor layer on an SiC n+ substrate, a p-type base region and highly doped p-region both buried in the layer, a trench from the semiconductor layer surface to the p-base region, an n+ first source region in the surface of a p-type base region at the bottom of the trench, a p-type channel region in the surface of the sidewall of the trench, one end of which contacts the first source region, a gate electrode contacting the trench-side surface of the channel region via a gate insulating film, and a source electrode contacting the trench-side surface of the gate electrode via an interlayer insulating film and contacting the exposed first source region and p-base region at the bottom of the trench.
US08039343B2
In capacitive sensor circuits where physical contact is required and excess pressure may be inadvertently applied to the sensor surface, aluminum is not sufficiently hard to provide “scratch” protection and may delaminate, causing circuit failure, even if passivation integrity remains intact. Because hard passivation layers alone provide insufficient scratch resistance, at least the capacitive electrodes and preferably all metallization levels within the sensor circuit in the region of the capacitive electrodes between the surface and the active regions of the substrate are formed of a conductive material having a hardness greater than that of aluminum. The selected conductive material preferably has a hardness which is at least as great as the lowest hardness for any interlevel dielectric or passivation material employed. The selected conductive material is employed for each metallization level between the surface and the active regions, including contacts and vias, landing pads, interconnects, capacitive electrodes, and electrostatic discharge protection lines. Tungsten is a suitable conductive material, for which existing processes may be substituted in place of aluminum metallization processes.
US08039342B2
In a process strategy for forming sophisticated high-k metal gate electrode structures in an early manufacturing phase, the dielectric cap material may be removed on the basis of a protective spacer element, thereby ensuring integrity of a silicon nitride sidewall spacer structure, which may preserve integrity of sensitive gate materials and may also determine the lateral offset of a strain-inducing semiconductor material.
US08039339B2
A semiconductor device is formed. A first gate dielectric layer is formed over the semiconductor layer. A first conductive layer is formed over the first gate dielectric. A first separation layer is formed over the first conductive layer. A trench is formed in the semiconductor layer to separate the first mesa and the second mesa. The trench is filled with an isolation material to a height above a top surface of the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer is removed from the second mesa. A second conductive layer is formed over the first separation layer of the first mesa and over the second mesa. A planarizing etch removes the second conductive layer from over the first mesa. A first transistor of a first type is formed in the first mesa, and a second transistor of a second type is formed in the second mesa.
US08039333B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device according to one embodiment includes: forming a SiGe crystal layer on a semiconductor substrate, the SiGe crystal layer having a first plane and a second plane inclined with respect to the first plane; forming an amorphous Si film on the SiGe crystal layer; crystallizing a portion located adjacent to the first and second planes of the amorphous Si film by applying heat treatment using the first and second planes of the SiGe crystal layer as a seed, thereby forming a Si crystal layer; selectively removing or thinning a portion of the amorphous Si film that is not crystallized by the heat treatment; applying oxidation treatment to a surface of the Si crystal layer, thereby forming a gate insulating film on the surface of the Si crystal layer; and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating film.
US08039332B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor channel region and a gate region, wherein the gate region includes at least one buried part extending under the channel region. The buried part of the gate region is formed from a cavity under the channel region. The cavity is filled with a first material. An opening is made to access the first material. In one implementation, aluminium is deposited in the opening in contact with the first material. An anneal is performed to cause the aluminium to be substituted for the first material in the cavity. In another implementation, a second material different from the first material is deposited in the opening. An anneal is performed to cause an alloy of the first and second materials to be formed in the cavity.
US08039320B2
A method of laying out traces for connection of bond pads of a semiconductor chip to a printed wiring board or the like and the layout. There is provided a substrate having top and bottom surfaces with a plurality of rows and columns of vias extending therethrough from the top surface to the bottom surface and having a solder ball secured at the bottom surface to each via. A plurality of pairs of traces is provided on the top surface, each trace of each pair of traces extending to a different one of the vias and extending to vias on a plurality of the rows and columns, each of the traces of each pair being spaced from the other trace by a ball pitch, being maximized for identity in length and being maximized for parallelism and spacing. Each of the traces of a pair is preferably be further maximized for identity in cross-sectional geometry. A differential signal pair is preferably applied to at least one of a pair of traces. The layout can further include a further surface between the top and bottom surfaces insulated from the top and bottom surfaces, a plurality of the traces being disposed on the further surface.
US08039309B2
A method of making integrated circuit packages using a conductive plate as a substrate includes forming a partial circuit pattern on one side of the conductive plate by stamping or selectively removing a portion of the conductive plate through part of its thickness, and then electrically coupling semiconductor dies to the formed patterns on the conductive plate. The method further includes encapsulating at least a portion of the dies and the conductive plate with an encapsulant and removing a portion of the conductive plate from the side opposite the patterned side to form conductive traces based on the formed pattern.
US08039305B2
In a method for bonding semiconductor wafers of the present invention, a bonding layer containing a flux-active curing agent and a thermosetting resin is interposed between a first semiconductor wafer and a second semiconductor wafer, thereby producing a semiconductor wafer stacked body in which the first and second semiconductor wafers are stacked together, and then the semiconductor wafer stacked body is compressed in a thickness direction thereof while heating it so that the first and second semiconductor wafers are fixed together by melting and solidifying solder bumps while curing the thermosetting resin, thereby producing a semiconductor wafer bonded body in which first connector portions and second connector portions are electrically connected together through solidified products obtained by melting and solidifying the solder bumps.
US08039303B2
A semiconductor device is made by forming a first conductive layer over a sacrificial carrier. A conductive pillar is formed over the first conductive layer. An active surface of a semiconductor die is mounted to the carrier. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and around the conductive pillar. The carrier and adhesive layer are removed. A stress relief insulating layer is formed over the active surface of the semiconductor die and a first surface of the encapsulant. The stress relief insulating layer has a first thickness over the semiconductor die and a second thickness less than the first thickness over the encapsulant. A first interconnect structure is formed over the stress relief insulating layer. A second interconnect structure is formed over a second surface of encapsulant opposite the first interconnect structure. The first and second interconnect structures are electrically connected through the conductive pillar.
US08039302B2
A semiconductor package has a first semiconductor die mounted on a substrate. A conductive via is formed through the substrate. A first RDL is formed on a first surface of the substrate in electrical contact with the conductive via and the first semiconductor die. A second RDL is formed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface of the substrate die in electrical contact with the conductive via. A second semiconductor die can be mounted on the substrate and electrically connected to the second RDL. Bonding pads are formed over the first and second surfaces of the substrate in electrical contact with the first and second RDLs, respectively. The bonding pads on opposite surfaces of the substrate are aligned. Solder bumps or bond wires can be formed on the bonding pads. The semiconductor packages can be stacked and electrically connected through the aligned bonding pads.
US08039296B2
An organic thin film transistor array panel according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate; a data line disposed on the substrate; an insulating layer disposed on the data line and having a contact hole exposing the data line; a first electrode disposed on the insulating layer and connected to the data line through the contact hole; a second electrode disposed on the insulating layer; an organic semiconductor disposed on the first and the second electrodes; a gate insulator disposed on the organic semiconductor; and a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulator.
US08039294B2
Provided is an insulating layer in which an inorganic material is added to an organic polymer to thereby improve the insulating properties, an organic thin film transistor using the insulating layer, and a method of fabricating the organic thin film transistor. An insulating layer for an organic thin film transistor including a vinyl polymer and an inorganic material is provided. Here, a weight ratio of the vinyl polymer to the inorganic material may be in the range of 1:0.0001 to 1:0.5. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate a thin film at low temperature and, further, to fabricate an insulating layer having a high-dielectric constant, not affecting other layers formed in the previous processes during the formation of the insulating layer.
US08039293B2
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a semiconductor substrate, comprises a first step of forming an insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, a second step of forming first holes in the insulating film, a third step of forming, in the insulating film, second holes shallower than the first holes, a fourth step of forming electrically conductive portions by embedding an electrically conductive material in the first holes, and forming planarization assisting portions by embedding the electrically conductive material in the second holes, and a fifth step of polishing the electrically conductive portions, the insulating film, and the planarization assisting portions until the planarization assisting portions are removed, thereby planarizing upper surfaces of the electrically conductive portions and the insulating film.
US08039286B2
A method for fabricating an optical device includes providing a semiconductor substrate having an element region and a peripheral region. The element region has an element array comprised of semiconductor elements formed therein. The peripheral region has at least a bonding pad electrically connected to the element array. A dielectric layer with an opening exposing the bonding pad is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A filter array and a planarizing layer are sequentially formed on the dielectric layer, and an organic layer is filled into the opening. An inorganic layer is formed on the planarizing layer and covers the organic layer. A portion of the inorganic layer and the organic layer are sequentially removed until the bonding pad is exposed. The organic layer protects the bonding pad from corrosion during the step removing the inorganic layer, and thus the fabrication yield is improved.
US08039271B2
A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relics on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components.
US08039268B2
An immunochromatoassay method that allows high detection sensitivity measurement. The method including the steps of: permeating an analyte solution that includes a visibly labeled second binding substance that specifically binds to a detection target substance into a test area of a chromatography medium provided with a first binding substance that specifically binds to the detection target substance, simultaneously with or after the permeation of the analyte solution into the test area, permeating a visual recognition aid solution into the chromatograph medium, the solution having a refractive index whose refractive index difference Δn from that of the chromatograph medium is −0.1≦Δn≦0.1, and visually observing the test area while the visual recognition aid solution is permeated in the test area.
US08039267B2
A sensor-chip includes a sensor-portion having at least a metal-layer deposited on a surface of a dielectric-plate. A fluorescent-label binding-substance in an amount corresponding to the amount of a detection-target-substance in a liquid-sample binds onto the sensor-portion. The amount of the detection-target-substance is detected based on the amount of light generated by excitation of a fluorescent-label in the fluorescent-label binding-substance. A fluorescent-substance the charge state of which changes in the liquid-sample according to the pH of the liquid-sample, and which contains a plurality of fluorescent-dye-molecules enclosed by a material that transmits fluorescence output from the fluorescent-dye-molecules, is used as the fluorescent-label. With the fluorescent-label binding-substance bound to the sensor-portion, the fluorescent-label is attracted to the sensor-portion by adjusting the pH of the sample-liquid to neutralize the charge state of the fluorescent-substance, thereby attracting the fluorescent-label onto the sensor-portion. In this state, the amount of the detection-target-substance is detected.
US08039263B2
The present invention relates to monitoring of oxidative metabolism and is, particularly, directed to a method for estimation of the lipid peroxide load or the consequent inflammatory state of a subject by measuring the concentration of the subject's oxidized HDL (high density lipoprotein) lipids. In addition, the invention is also directed to methods for the elimination of lipid peroxidation products, and attenuation of the resulting oxidative stress and inflammatory state in the human body by increasing the lipid peroxide transporting capacity of HDL.
US08039255B2
The finding that Dickkopf1 (Dkk1) is a dual function protein demonstrates a mechanism for the coordination of cell migration and antagonism of Wnt/β-catenin signaling during developmental and pathological processes. The profile of Dkk proteins expressed by human breast cancers correlates with indicators of outcome: Dkk1 associates with markers of poor prognosis whereas expression of single function Dkk2 or Dkk3 (which inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling and promote migration, respectively) correlates with phenotypes reflective of good prognosis. Therefore, the pro-migratory activities of Dkk1 and 3 identified here offer new insights into breast cancer progression and a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention.
US08039254B2
A population of expanded adult islet beta cells is provided as well as a population of expanded and redifferentiated adult islet beta cells. Methods of generation of the populations of cells are provided.
US08039247B2
To provide a method of forming a planar lipid-bilayer membrane for membrane protein analysis, by which downsizing, simplifying, and multichanneling of a device therefore are achieved. A planar lipid-bilayer membrane 24 is formed by filling a microchannel 12 with a buffer solution 18, the microchannel 12 disposed under a horizontal partition wall 13 having an aperture 14; applying a small amount of a lipid solution 20 as a droplet on the aperture 14 filled with the buffer solution 18 to thereby form a thin layer 21 of the lipid solution in a chamber, the chamber 17 being formed at a position corresponding to the aperture 14 and provided with a liquid trap 15 inside the chamber; and applying a buffer solution 23 as a droplet to the chamber 17 from the upper side of the chamber.
US08039239B2
Recombinant acetogenic Clostridia are engineered to modulate production of aliphatic C2-C6 alcohols and aliphatic C2-C6 organic acids from synthetic gases. One aspect of the invention provides a method of producing an aliphatic C2-C6 alcohol using an acetogenic Clostridium micro-organism having at least one genetic modification that reduces or eliminates C2-C6 carboxylic acid production by the modified organism. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of producing an aliphatic C2-C6 alcohol using an acetogenic Clostridium micro-organism having one or more genetic modifications that cause increased enzyme activity of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, aldehyde ferredoxin oxidoreductase, NADPH-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase, or alcohol dehydrogenase. Yet another aspect of the invention provides a method of producing aliphatic C2-C6 alcohols using acetogenic Clostridium micro-organisms that have been genetically modified to increase C2-C6 aliphatic alcohol formation and decrease the production of the corresponding C2-C6 aliphatic organic acid.
US08039234B1
Methods for identifying forensic samples using panels of markers and gene expression profiling, including without limitation, mRNA profiling, miRNA profiling, or both, are disclosed. Panels of markers for identifying certain tissue samples and certain body fluid samples are also disclosed. Kits for expediting performance of certain of the disclosed methods are provided.
US08039229B2
The subject invention relates in part to the surprising and unexpected discovery that insects that are resistant to Bacillus thuringiensis Cry toxins have measurably altered alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity as compared to insects that are susceptible to Cry toxins. This and other surprising discoveries reported herein have broad implications in areas such as managing and monitoring the development of insect resistance to B.t. toxins. For example, the subject invention provides a simple and fast assay (enzymatic or otherwise) for detecting ALP activity levels and thereby monitoring the development of resistance by insects to crystal protein insect toxins. There was no prior motivation or suggestion to go about resistance monitoring using this simple and easy approach.
US08039228B2
Described herein are zymogens, methods of use for zymogens, and devices that incorporate zymogens. The zymogens include a substrate and an enzyme. The substrate can inhibit the enzyme and is a target for a protein produced by a microorganism. When the substrate is modified by a protein produced by a microorganism, the enzyme is activated. The zymogens can be used to amplify detection assays.
US08039225B2
Various embodiments include methods for diagnosing and treating medical conditions that involve an autoimmune response to connective tissue such as collagen found in organs such as the lung. In one method pulmonary disease and disorders such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) are diagnosed by analyzing fluid or tissue samples obtained from a patient for evidence of an autoimmune response to various types of collagen including, for example, Type V. One type of assay for evidence of an autoimmune response to Type V collagen comprises the steps of obtaining a fluid or tissue sample from a patient, contacting at least a portion of the sample with antigen to anti-Type V collagen antibody and monitoring the mixture of sample and antigen for changes indicative of the presence of anti-Type V collagen in the sample. Another embodiment includes treating pulmonary diseases such as IPF by administering a therapeutically effective dose of epitopes of various collagens including Type V collagen.
US08039221B2
Methods for identifying MarR family inhibiting compounds are described. The methods include the use of computer aided rational based drug design programs and three dimensional structures of MarR family polypeptides.
US08039220B2
Use of busulfan amide as stabilized standards in immunoassays for quantifying the amount of busulfan in samples of human biological fluids, methods for carrying out said immunoassay and kits for use in said immunoassay.
US08039219B2
The present invention relates to a method for identifying a metabolic stabilizing compound, comprising: a) contacting a candidate compound with GPR35, and b) determining whether GPR35 functionality is increased, wherein an increase in GPR35 functionality is indicative of the candidate compound being a metabolic stabilizing compound. The invention further relates to a method for treating or preventing a metabolic-related disorder, comprising administering to an individual in need thereof an effective amount of a GPR35 modulator.
US08039211B2
The present invention relates to a polymorphic MRP-1 polynucleotide. Moreover, the invention relates to genes or vectors comprising the polynucleotides of the invention and to a host cell genetically engineered with the polynucleotide or gene of the invention. Further, the invention relates to methods for producing molecular variant polypeptides or fragments thereof, methods for producing cells capable of expressing a molecular variant polypeptide and to a polypeptide or fragment thereof encoded by the polynucleotide or the gene of the invention or which is obtainable by the method or from the cells produced by the method of the invention. Furthermore, the invention relates to an antibody which binds specifically the polypeptide of the invention. Moreover, the invention relates to a transgenic non-human animal. The invention also relates to a solid support comprising one or a plurality of the above mentioned polynucleotides, genes, vectors, polypeptides, antibodies or host cells. Furthermore, methods of identifying a polymorphism, identifying and obtaining a pro-drug or drug or an inhibitor are also encompassed by the present invention. In addition, the invention relates to methods for producing of a pharmaceutical composition and to methods of diagnosing a disease. Further, the invention relates to a method of detection of the polynucleotide of the invention. Furthermore, comprised by the present invention are a diagnostic and a pharmaceutical composition. Even more, the invention relates to uses of the polynucleotides, genes, vectors, polypeptides or antibodies of the invention. Finally, the invention relates to a diagnostic kit.
US08039210B2
Tyrosine phosphorylation, regulated by protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) and kinases (PTKs), is important in signaling pathways underlying tumorigenesis. A mutational analysis of the tyrosine phosphatase gene superfamily in human cancers identified 83 somatic mutations in six PTPs (PTPRF, PTPRG, PTPRT, PTPN3, PTPN13, PTPN14) affecting 26% of colorectal cancers and a smaller fraction of lung, breast and gastric cancers. Fifteen mutations were nonsense, frameshift or splice site alterations predicted to result in truncated proteins lacking phosphatase activity. Five missense mutations in the most commonly altered PTP (PTPRP) were biochemically examined and found to reduce phosphatase activity. Expression of wild-type but not a mutant PTPRT in human cancer cells inhibited cell growth. These observations suggest that the tyrosine phosphatase genes are tumor suppressor genes, regulating cellular pathways that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
US08039206B1
Improved methods for detecting microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria in mixtures, are disclosed. Methods include passing a sample mixture through a filter device, which has been pretreated with a detergent, resuspending the filtrand in the filter membranes and detecting the presence of microorganisms in the filtrand.
US08039205B2
A method includes depositing a sacrificial material on a substrate, and depositing a polymer layer on the substrate and the sacrificial material. The method further includes removing the sacrificial material to at least partially define boundaries of at least one fluidic channel of a fluidic micro electromechanical system (MEM) device, the at least one fluidic channel is at least partially defined by a portion of the polymer layer and a portion of the substrate.
US08039204B2
A manufacturing method of a silicon carbide semiconductor apparatus is provided. The method includes forming a first resist pattern on a surface of a silicon carbide layer formed on a silicon carbide substrate, implanting a first conduction type impurity ion in the silicon carbide layer on which the first resist pattern is formed, forming a second resist pattern by decreasing a width of the first resist pattern with etching and forming a deposition layer on the surface of the silicon carbide layer which is not covered with the second resist pattern, and implanting a second conduction type impurity ion in the silicon carbide layer on which the second resist pattern is formed, through the deposition layer.
US08039197B2
A positive type resist composition for use in liquid immersion exposure comprises: (A) a resin having a monocyclic or polycyclic cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon structure, the resin increasing its solubility in an alkali developer by an action of acid; (B) a compound generating acid upon irradiation with one of an actinic ray and a radiation; (C) an alkali soluble compound having an alkyl group of 5 or more carbon atoms; and (D) a solvent.
US08039193B2
Provided are methods of applying a tissue marking to a tissue and rendering said tissue marking colorless when desired, comprising implanting into the tissue an amount of the tissue marking in sufficient quantity to form a detectable marking, said tissue marking comprising at least one colored compound comprising a thermally activatable fragmentation group and at least one infrared absorbing compound, wherein the at least one colored compound is capable of being rendered colorless by unimolecular fragmentation of the thermally activatable fragmentation group when the tissue marking is non-imagewise exposed by a source of infrared radiation and applying sufficient infrared radiation to a sufficient amount of the tissue marking to render the tissue marking colorless when desired.
US08039188B2
An electrostatic image developing toner including a binder resin; and a colorant, and satisfying following conditions (1) and (2): 0.02≦CA/CB≦0.20 (1) 1≦Nt/St≦15 (2) wherein CA represents an amount of a carboxyl group and its salt on a surface of the toner, CB represents an amount of a carboxyl group and its salt in the entire toner, Nt represents an amount of a nitrogen element on the surface of the toner, and St represents an amount of a sulfur element on the surface of the toner.
US08039183B2
A pigment particle coated with at least one of a resin and a charge control surface additive, wherein the pigment particle is a pearlescent or metallic pigment. The pigment adds pearlescent effects and is of a size and charge as to be used as a toner material in electrostatographic or xerographic image formation.
US08039182B2
An object is to improve the adhesion strength between a circuit pattern and its substrate without increasing the resistance value of the circuit pattern in preparation of a circuit pattern holding substrate. A circuit pattern formation device 100 forms, after forming a precursor circuit-pattern 12 in the surface of a dielectric thin film body 4, a circuit pattern 14 onto a target substrate 23 from the dielectric thin film body. After forming an electrostatic latent image 2 in the upper surface of the dielectric thin film body, the electrostatic latent image is exposed using an exposure unit 3 to prepare a pattern. A development apparatus 7 supplies a conductive particle dispersion solution 6 to this pattern to form a precursor circuit-pattern. By energizing the circuit pattern holding substrate 8, in which an adhesive layer 22 is formed, the precursor circuit-pattern is temporarily transferred to the circuit pattern holding substrate. The transferred precursor circuit-pattern is heated using the heater 13 to form a circuit pattern. The circuit pattern and the adhesive layer are released from the circuit pattern holding substrate, thereby transferring to the target substrate.
US08039181B2
By taking into consideration the combination of the substrate holders in various lithography tools used during the imaging to two subsequent device layers, enhanced alignment accuracy may be accomplished. Furthermore, restrictive tool dedications for critical lithography processes may be significantly relaxed by providing specific overlay correction data for each possible process flow, wherein, in some illustrative embodiments, a restriction of the number of possible process flows may be accomplished by implementing a rule for selecting a predefined substrate holder when starting the processing of an associated group of substrates.
US08039176B2
In the field of semiconductor production using shaped charged particle beam lithography, a method and system for fracturing or mask data preparation or proximity effect correction is disclosed, wherein a series of curvilinear character projection shots are determined for a charged particle beam writer system, such that the set of shots can form a continuous track, possibly of varying width, on a surface. A method for forming a continuous track on a surface using a series of curvilinear character projection shots is also disclosed. Methods for manufacturing a reticle and for manufacturing a substrate such as a silicon wafer by forming a continuous track on a surface using a series of curvilinear character projection shots is also disclosed.
US08039174B2
Through holes for flow paths of the fuel cell are formed in a thermoplastic polymer film by a process selected from a group consisting of laser drilling, etching and lithography, an inner side surface of the thermoplastic polymer film is coated with a metal layer, and the through holes are filled with a fuel diffusion material and a catalyst to provide an anode. The procedure is repeated to provide a cathode. Then, the anode and the cathode are placed to oppose each other. A cation conducting polymer membrane is disposed, between the anode and the cathode, and the anode, the cation conducting polymer membrane and the cathode are hot-pressed.
US08039172B2
A cathode catalyst for a fuel cell, and a membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell and a fuel cell system that includes the same. The cathode catalyst includes an active material of an A-B-X compound where A is one of Cu, Ag or a combination thereof, B is one of Nb, Hf; Ta or combinations thereof, and X is one of S, Se, Te or combinations thereof, and a carbon-based material supporting the active material as a carrier.
US08039165B2
A proton conductive membrane capable of sufficient proton conductivity even at low humidities and low temperatures is provided. The proton conductive membrane includes a copolymer including an ion conductive polymer segment (A) and an ion nonconductive polymer segment (B) , the membrane absorbing water when it is soaked in 90° C. water for 30 minutes of which the quantity of water showing freezing temperatures in the range of −30 to 0° C. is 0.01 to 3.0 g based on 1 g of the copolymer. The copolymer has a structure in which main chain skeletons of the copolymer are covalently bound at aromatic rings thereof through binding groups.
US08039162B2
A unit cell for use in a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising: a membrane/electrode assembly including a fuel electrode and an oxidant electrode disposed on either side of a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the assembly being sandwiched from either side by a first separator and a second separator to give a stacked construction to form therebetween a fuel gas flow passage and an oxidant gas flow passage. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane has a projecting portion projecting outwardly beyond the fuel electrode and the oxidant electrode, and the projecting portion is coated by a reinforcing resin member. Connecting grooves formed on a primary face of the separators connecting both ends of the fuel gas/oxidant gas flow passages with a fuel/oxidant gas feed/discharge ports, respectively. The reinforcing resin member is placed so as to bridge openings of the connecting grooves in order to give a tunnel construction to the connecting grooves.
US08039159B2
A fuel cell includes a fuel cell stack, a buffer, an actuator, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the operation of the actuator according to a reference value of a reference volume of fuel disposed in the buffer. The fuel cell is operated by measuring a value corresponding to a volume of fuel disposed in the buffer, comparing the value with a reference value, and operating the actuator according to a result of the comparison.
US08039157B2
A fuel cell stack structure and a method of starting up the fuel cell stack structure are disclosed. The fuel cell stack structure includes a stack of a plurality of solid electrolyte fuel cells, each equipped with a solid electrolyte simplex cell accommodated in a cell space surrounded by a metallic thin plate-like separator and having one surface exposed to the outside, and a gas flow channel formed in and extending through the solid electrolyte fuel cells to supply gas to the respective cell space areas of the solid electrolyte fuel cells, wherein an area with high-heat capacity is preferentially supplied with and heated by high temperature gas at the stage of increasing temperatures of the plurality of solid electrolyte fuel cells during startup thereof.
US08039153B2
A storage battery is provided in which an expand grid is improved with respect to the widths of grid wires 1b, the sectional areas of nodes 1e, and the shapes of meshes 1c, whereby the productivity of the expand grid can be enhanced and the life performance can be improved. As means for attaining the object, a storage battery in which an expand grid is used as a battery plate, the expand grid being a grid member which is formed by expanding a side portion of a collector frame portion 1a of a metal sheet 1 to connect a large number of grid wires 1b to one another in a net-like shape, is configured so that widths of grid wires 1b of a row which is directly connected to the collector frame portion 1a of the expand grid, and a lateral end row are larger than widths of grid wires 1b of at least one of intermediate rows.
US08039148B2
A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of this invention includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode mixture, a negative electrode including a negative electrode mixture, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode mixture includes a material capable of absorbing and desorbing Li and a carbon material. The material capable of absorbing and desorbing Li includes at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si and Sn, and the amount of the carbon material is 3 to 60% by weight of the negative electrode mixture. At least one of the positive electrode, the negative electrode, and the non-aqueous electrolyte contains a lithium perfluoroalkylsulfonyl imide represented by the following general formula (1): LiN(CmF2m+1SO2)(CnF2n+1SO2) (1) where m and n each represent an integer of 1 to 5 and may be m=n. The ratio of the weight of the lithium perfluoroalkylsulfonyl imide to the weight of the carbon material is 10−3 to 10.
US08039145B2
Disclosed herein is a high-output, large-capacity secondary battery module, having a plurality of unit cells electrically connected to each other, for charging and discharging electricity. A plurality of unit cells are stacked one on another and mounted on a plate, preferably, between an upper case and a lower case, which are separated from each other, circuit units are continuously mounted at the side surfaces of the module for sensing the voltage, the current, and the temperature of the battery, controlling the battery, and interrupting electricity when overcurrent is generated, whereby the secondary battery module is constructed in a compact structure, design of the battery module is easily changed depending upon electrical capacity and output, and components of the battery module are stably mounted.
US08039132B2
A compound of the formula (I), and lubricant, and magnetic disk each using the same A-(CH2—Rf—CH2O—B—O)n—CH2—Rf—CH2-A (I) wherein n is an integer of 1 to 4, A is a group of the formula (a) below, and B is a group of the formula (b) below, p being 1 or 2, R being C1-4 fluoroalkyl, Rf is —CF2O(CF2CF2O)x(CF2O)yCF2— or —CF2CF2O(CF2CF2CF2O)zCF2CF2—, x, y and z being each a real number of 0 to 50.
US08039130B2
Heat treatment is conducted at a predetermined temperature of not less than 1250° C. on an underlying substrate obtained by epitaxially forming a first group-III nitride crystal on a predetermined base as an underlying layer. Three-dimensional fine irregularities resulting from crystalline islands are created on the surface of the underlying layer. A second group-III nitride crystal is epitaxially formed on the underlying substrate as a crystal layer. There are a great many fine voids interposed at the interface between the crystal layer and underlying substrate. The presence of such voids suppresses propagation of dislocations from the underlying substrate, which reduces the dislocation density in the crystal layer. As a result, the crystal layer of good crystal quality can be obtained.
US08039129B2
An organic electroluminescence device includes: a cathode; an anode; and an organic thin-film layer including at least one layer and provided between the cathode and the anode. At least one layer of the organic thin-film layer includes: an organic-electroluminescence-device material represented by any one of the following formulae (1), (2) and (3); and at least one phosphorescent material, in which the organic-electroluminescence-device material may have a substituent. A or Ar may be substituted by a phenyl group or a naphthyl group.
US08039125B2
Organic compounds of formula I may be used in optoelectronic devices wherein R1 is, independently at each occurrence, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C3-C20 aromatic radical, or a C3-C20 cycloaliphatic radical; R2 is, independently at each occurrence, a C1-C20 aliphatic radical, a C3-C20 aromatic radical, or a C3-C20 cycloaliphatic radical; a is, independently at each occurrence, an integer ranging from 0-4; b is, independently at each occurrence, an integer ranging from 0-3; Ar1 is a direct bond or heteroaryl, aryl, or alkyl or cycloalkyl; Ar2 is heteroaryl, aryl, or alkyl or cycloalkyl; c is 0, 1 or 2; and n is an integer ranging from 2-4.
US08039124B2
Electro luminescent metal, e.g. Ir, complexes are disclosed. The metal complexes comprise at least one ligand L1 and at least one ligand L2, wherein ligand L1 is a 2-phenylpyridine ligand (I), comprising a phenyl ring (A) and a pyridine ring (B). The integers 2 to 9 denote positions in which substitutions can be made, and by the use of different substituents, e.g. 2,4-difluoro and 7-N(CH3)2, the emission wavelength of the complex may be tuned. The ligand L2 may e.g. be a compound of the following formula (II).
US08039123B2
Provided are a high-efficiency, photoluminescent heteronuclear copper (I)-iridium (III) complex and an organic electroluminescent device using the complex. The photoluminescent heteronuclear copper (I)-iridium (III) complex can be used to form an organic layer of an organic electroluminescent device, can emit light of 590-630 nm as a high-efficiency, photoluminescent material, and provides a high brightness and a low turn-on voltage.
US08039122B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel material capable of realizing excellent color purity of blue, and a light emitting element and a light emitting device using the novel material. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide which is highly reliable, and a light emitting element and a light emitting device using the novel material. The structure for solving the above problems in accordance with the present invention is an anthracene derivative simultaneously having a diphenylanthracene structure and a carbazole skeleton in a molecule as represented by structural formula (1):
US08039114B2
It is disclosed that a resin composition comprising EVOH resin (A), polyamide resin (B) and inorganic salt (C) capable of forming a hydrate wherein the content amount of the inorganic salt (C) is in the range of 2 to 50 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the EVOH resin (A), and the mass ratio ((B)/(C)) of the polyamide resin (B) to the inorganic salt (C) is in the range of 95/5 to 5/95. The resin composition exhibits excellent gas barrier property and less elution of EVOH resin even after hot water treatment, and excellent long-run processability.
US08039112B2
Interlayer films useful for laminated glass contain a polyvinyl acetal (A), at least on plasticizer (B), fumed silica (C) and at least one basic compound (D), wherein the difference of refractive index between fumed silica (C) and plasticized polyvinyl acetal (A+B) is 0.015 or less, and the weight ratio of C/(A+B) is 2.7-60/100.
US08039105B2
A process for milling amorphous solids using a milling apparatus can result in particles having a median particle diameter d50 of <1.5 μm. The process includes: operating a mill in a milling phase with an operating medium selected from the group consisting of gas, vapor, steam, a gas containing steam and mixtures thereof, and heating a milling chamber in a heat-up phase before the actual operation with the operating medium in such a way that a temperature in the milling chamber, the mill exit or both, is higher than a dew point of the operating medium.
US08039103B2
A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet is characterized by having a substrate having a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer on at least one side thereof, wherein the whole of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is formed of an aqueous dispersion type pressure-sensitive adhesive composition containing, as a base polymer, (A) an acrylic polymer containing a (meth)acrylic acid C4-12 alkyl ester as the major monomer component; and in a surface portion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer within the range of up to 3 nm inward from the outer face of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer, (B) an anionic emulsifier containing a sulfur atom is contained in a specific proportion, and (C) a hydrophilic polymer is contained in a specific proportion.
US08039099B1
Polymer coated aerogel comprising aerogel substrate comprising a substantially uniform polymer coating. In an embodiment, the polymer coated aerogel is comprised of a porosity and has a compressive modulus greater than the compressive modulus of the aerogel substrate.
US08039098B2
A coating composition capable of improving evenness in drying and evenness in airing and causing no impairment of evenness in coating, which is useful for an antireflective film having high uniformity in surface conditions and attaining sufficient antireflection performance and for a polarizing plate and a display device each using such an antireflective film. A coating composition including a fluoroaliphatic group-containing copolymer that includes a repeating unit corresponding to the fluoroaliphatic group-containing monomer represented by the following formula (1) and a repeating unit corresponding to the monomer represented by the following formula (2) was found: in formula [1], R0 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a methyl group; L represents a divalent linkage group; and n represents an integer of 1 to 18, and in formula [2], R11 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a methyl group; L11 represents a divalent linkage group; and R13, R14 and R15 each represents a 1-20C linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group which may have a substituent.
US08039095B2
This invention relates to a laminate electrical insulation part for an electrical device comprising a thermoplastic film positioned between, adjacent to, and attached to two nonwoven sheets. Each of the nonwoven sheets consists of multicomponent polymeric fibers comprising at least a first polymer and a second polymer, the first polymer having a melting point that is at least 15 degrees Celsius lower than both the melting point of the second polymer and the melting point of the thermoplastic film, and the film is attached to the nonwoven sheets by the first polymer in the nonwoven sheets. The electrical insulation part has a breakdown voltage of at least 3 kilovolts, and a surface having a dynamic frictional coefficient of 0.25 or less. This invention also relates to an electrical device component comprising the laminate electrical insulation part.
US08039088B2
A honeycomb structure includes at least one honeycomb unit. The at least one honeycomb unit has a longitudinal direction and includes plural cell walls extending from one end face to another end face along the longitudinal direction to define plural cells. The at least one honeycomb unit includes inorganic particles, an inorganic binder, and inorganic fibers. A degree of orientation of the inorganic fibers in an a-axis direction parallel to the longitudinal direction is about 0.5 or less.
US08039085B2
There is provided a honeycomb structure 10 comprising a honeycomb segment joined body 10 having a plurality of honeycomb segments 2 integrally joined with one another at a joint face of each of the honeycomb segments by means of a bonding material layer 9 and having a plurality of cells 5 functioning as fluid passages disposed in parallel with one another in a direction of central axis. Porosity in an outside portion of the bonding material layer 9 (portion from the interface of the joint face of honeycomb segments to the point corresponding to 20% thickness of the total bonding material layer) is smaller than that in the central portion located on the inner side of the outside portion.
US08039078B2
An energy-absorbing pad structure includes an energy-absorbing pad that is encapsulated by a polymeric film. The polymeric film is sufficiently air-permeable to permit air to escape during rapid compression of the pad structure, such as from a high-speed dynamic impact, but nonetheless is water resistant under ordinary conditions. It is desirable that the polymeric film is made from an elastic polymer. The air-permeability can be provided from a series of perforations such that the film's elastic quality tends to contract the perforations thereby impeding the progress of water through them under normal conditions. The energy-absorbing pad can be a semi-rigid viscoelastic foam.
US08039077B2
Fiberglass-based materials and fire retardant compositions are described, wherein the fiberglass materials and the fire retardant compositions are encapsulated in a plastic cover. Methods for making encapsulated fiberglass articles are also described.
US08039069B2
A composite part including a fibrous assembly including at least two preforms each of which includes layers of fibrous cloths. Each preform includes at least one opening or protruding structure which is substantially complementary to the structure of the other preform. The first and second preforms are engagement with one another and are firmly connected by a polymer matrix being injected around the preforms.
US08039068B2
A thermal transfer image receiving sheet, excellent in releasability even after printing based on a thermal transfer process is performed a plurality of times, is provided. The thermal transfer image receiving sheet has: a substrate sheet; and an image receiving layer which is formed on the substrate sheet and having a binder resin, a high molecular weight silicone, and a low molecular weight-modified silicone. A kinematic viscosity of the high molecular weight silicone is 500000 mm2/s or more, and a kinematic viscosity of the low molecular weight-modified silicone ranges from 100 mm2/s to 100000 mm2/s.
US08039067B2
A cellulous acylate film in which X-ray diffractive intensity satisfies the following Formulae (I) to (V) and in which a half-value width of the peak at 2θ2 is 2.8° or less as observed in the sectional view in a direction parallel to the transport direction of the film: 0.60≦Ici/Ico Formula (I) Iam=I1+{(I3−I1)/(2θ3−2θ1)}×(2θ2−2θ1) Formula (II) Ic=I2−Iam Formula (III) Ici=Ic11/Ic12 Formula (IV) Ico={(Ic21/Ic22)+(Ic31/Ic32)}/2. Formula (V)
US08039062B2
Methods of forming a metal-containing film by atomic layer deposition is provided. The methods comprise delivering at least one precursor to a substrate, wherein the at least one precursor corresponds in structure to Formula II: wherein: M is Hf or Zr; R is C1-C6-alkyl; n is zero, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; L is C1-C6-alkoxy. Further methods are provided of forming a metal-containing film by liquid injection atomic layer deposition. The methods comprise delivering at least one precursor to a substrate, wherein the at least one precursor corresponds in structure to Formula III: wherein: M is Hf or Zr; R is C1-C6-alkyl; n is zero, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5; L is amino, wherein the amino is optionally independently substituted 1 or 2 times with C1-C6-alkyl.
US08039055B2
A method for increasing the efficiency of additive drag reduction by establishing a drag-reducing viscoelastic coating on a surface. The method includes mixing a polymer into a concentrated solution that has approximately the same density as a fluid flowing over the surface, ejecting the mixture/solution into the flowing fluid in a manner such that a coating of polymer, which initially grows thicker with time, is adsorbed onto the surface, and reducing the ejection rate of the first fluid such that the coating of polymer then grows thinner with time. These steps may be repeated so that a desired minimum coating thickness is maintained over an extended period of time. The method reduces the polymer expenditure rate for a given drag reduction. Moreover, the produced viscoelastic coating impedes the attachment and growth of drag-producing natural organisms and may be applied without “down-time” (e.g., while underway).
US08039053B2
An interphase coating is formed by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) on the fibers constituting a fiber preform, the interphase coating comprising at least an inner layer in contact with the fibers for embrittlement relief to the composite material, and an outer layer for bonding with the ceramic matrix. The fiber preform is then kept in its shape by the fibers provided with the interphase coating and is consolidated by being impregnated with a liquid composition containing a ceramic precursor, and by transforming the precursor into a ceramic matrix consolidation phase. The consolidated preform is then densified by an additional ceramic matrix phase. No support tooling is needed for forming the interphase coating by CVI or for densification after consolidation using the liquid technique.
US08039045B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a plating method on a glass base plate. The method allows forming a plating film on a base plate composed of a glass material with excellent adhesivity and homogeneity by means of an electroless plating method even to a thickness of 1 μm or more. Before forming a plating film by a step of electroless plating S6, a surface treatment process is conducted on a surface of the base plate composed of a glass material. The surface treatment process comprises at least a step of glass activation treatment S2 to increase quantity of silanol groups on the surface of the base plate at least by a factor of two using an aqueous solution of diluted acid, a step of silane coupling agent treatment S3, a step of palladium catalyst treatment S4, and a step of palladium bonding treatment S5.
US08039044B2
A plurality of gravure rolls are rotated while being allowed to abut against a surface of a moving electrode hoop, thereby applying a coating fluid serving as a precursor of porous layers onto a plurality of linear mixture layers. In this way, a plurality of linear porous layers are formed on the associated linear mixture layers formed on the surface of the electrode hoop. In this case, the location at which each gravure roll abuts against the surface of the electrode hoop is controlled according to variations in the lateral location of associated one of the mixture layers independently of the other gravure rolls.
US08039043B2
The invention provides a method of forming a resistance film with even thickness and at high speed even in a substrate having micro depressions and projections in its surface. A fine particle dispersion solution is prepared by adding a solution which decreases the absolute value of a ξ potential at the fine particles and a solution which decreases dispersion stability of the fine particles into a solution in which metal oxide fine particles are stably dispersed, a substrate having an insulating surface is immersed in the fine particle dispersion solution to deposit a fine particle aggregation film, and then a resistance film is obtained by performing heat treatment.
US08039024B2
A device and composition for delivering menthol, camphor, eucalyptus essential oils, and other essential oils with balsamic benefits, to be used for the relief of symptoms of common cold.
US08039023B1
A composition is disclosed which provides relief from menstrual cramps and muscle cramps within three to seven minutes after ingestion. The composition is preferably a mixture in the form of an aqueous solution with components mixed within approximately fifty percent of the following amounts: 60 mg/liter of calcium gluconate, 75 mg/liter of potassium bicarbonate, 90 mg/liter of L glutamine, 5 mg/liter of calcium chloride, 150 mg/liter of potassium chloride; 60 mg/liter of calcium ascorbate; 100 mg/liter of magnesium glycinate, and 15 mg/liter of potassium citrate. The liquid solution is taken by a human in a dosage of one to four ounces, depending upon the body weight of the person, whether the person is experiencing menstrual cramps or muscle cramps, and the area affected when the person is seeking relief from muscle cramps.
US08039018B2
The present invention relates to a solid pharmaceutical composition (such as a solid dosage form) comprising a delivery agent and wetted heparin. The inclusion of wetted heparin rather than un-wetted heparin in the solid pharmaceutical composition results in increased delivery of the heparin. Without being bound by any particular theory, applicants believe that because the polymer chain of the wetted heparin is already in an “open” form, while un-wetted heparin is not, less of the wetted heparin is broken down in the gastrointestinal tract and is more readily absorbed in the stomach.
US08039016B2
Described are malleable medical compositions such as pastes or putties that include solids combined with a liquid carrier. The solids can include particulate collagen and particulate demineralized bone matrix. The liquid carrier includes an aqueous medium comprising one or more polysaccharides. Also described are methods for making and using such medical compositions.
US08039005B2
Forms of GAS25 (streptolysin O) which are not toxic but which still maintain the ability to induce protection against S. pyogenes are useful in vaccine compositions to induce protection against S. pyogenes.
US08038996B2
Anti-CEACAM6 antibodies and antibody fragments, nucleic acids encoding them, methods of their manufacture, and methods to treat cancer using these compounds are provided.
US08038990B2
Compositions and methods for the prevention and removal of biofilms on inert and biological surfaces
Organisms, compositions, and methods for at least partially reducing the formation of a biofilm and/or at least partially removing a biofilm are provided. The organisms, compositions, and methods may be used on biotic and abiotic surfaces.
US08038989B2
The invention provides a hair conditioning composition comprising an aqueous carrier, a lamellar gel phase formed from cationic surfactant and fatty material and a rheology modifier for the lamellar gel phase which comprises a fatty acid and a water-soluble, nonionic polymer of alkylene oxide of the general formula: H(OCH2CHR)nOH in which R is H, methyl, or mixtures thereof, and n has an average value of at least 150. Compositions of the invention provide a superior viscosity profile.
US08038979B2
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a metal oxide nano powder comprising preparing a first dispersed solution by adding a nano-sized metal powder to water and dispersing the metal powder within the water, performing a hydration reaction of the first dispersed solution at a temperature of about 30 to about 70° C. to generate a precipitation, and filtering and drying the precipitation to prepare a metal oxide powder. Also, disclosed is a metal oxide nano powder manufactured by the method described above, and having any one of a bar-form, a cube-form, and a fiber-form.
US08038977B2
Carbon powder having low temperature calcined carbon derived from pitch adhered to a portion of the surface of natural graphite powder is obtained by solids mixing of natural graphite powder and pitch powder as a carbon precursor followed by heat treatment at 900-1500° C. to carbonize the pitch. The amount of pitch powder is such that the ratio V2/V1 of the pore volume V2 of pores having a diameter of 50-200 nm to the pore volume V1 of pores having a diameter of 2-50 nm in a pore size distribution curve obtained by analysis of the nitrogen desorption isotherm of the resulting carbon powder by the BJH method is at least 1. This carbon powder can be used as a negative electrode material for a nonaqueous secondary battery able to operate at low temperatures.
US08038969B2
The present invention provides a rare metal/platinum-group metal extractant, which has a completely new structure compared with the conventional rare metal/platinum-group metal extractant and which exhibits excellent extraction performance; it also provides a method for extracting rare metals and platinum-group metals using the extractant. The rare metal/platinum-group metal extractants of the present invention is the one to extract rare metals and platinum-group metals by contacting a solution, in which several kinds of rare metals and platinum-group metals are dissolved, with a solution in which a cyclic phenol sulfide of the following Formula (1) is dissolved to make the rare metals and platinum-group metals move into the cyclic phenol sulfide solution.
US08038968B2
Embodiments are disclosed that relate to increasing a temperature in a low temperature zone in a steam reforming reactor via a radiative heating shunt. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a steam reforming reactor comprising a reaction chamber having an interior surface, a packing material located within the reaction chamber, and a radiative heating shunt extending from the interior surface into the reaction chamber. The radiative heating shunt comprises a porous partition enclosing a sub-volume of the reaction chamber bounded by the porous partition and a portion of the interior surface, the sub-volume being at least partly free of packing material such that radiative heat has a path from the interior surface to a distal portion of the porous partition that is unobstructed by packing material.
US08038965B2
The present invention relates to a diagnostic kit and more specifically to a self contained diagnostic kit providing analysis of a sample by a sample collectin element and an immunochromatography test strip.
US08038962B2
A device for the impregnation of a porous bone replacement material with an impregnation agent includes a container with a central axis and a cavity with a lid. The container has two sealable openings and elastic means. The elastic means are arranged in the cavity allowing a clamping force to be exerted on a bone replacement material inserted in the cavity. A single size container is sufficient for housing variously sized implants, where the implant placed in the cavity of the container is held, centered and protected against damage or breakage, for example, by shaking back and forth or during transportation of the container.
US08038959B2
A reacting device includes a base plate, a first reaction unit provided on the base plate, a reaction material being supplied thereto, the first reaction unit being set at a first temperature, a reaction flow channel being formed such that the reaction material flows therein, the first reaction unit causing a reaction of the reaction material and at least one heating unit which sets the first reaction unit at the first temperature. The first reaction unit has a plurality of reactors that communicate with each other, and the heating unit is provided between the adjacent reactors.
US08038956B2
Catalyzed soot filters comprising a wall flow monolith having microcracks and pores and a catalyst comprising support particles with particle sizes greater than about the size of the microcracks and less than about the size of the pores are disclosed. Methods of manufacturing catalyzed soot filters and diesel engine exhaust emission treatment systems are also disclosed.
US08038952B2
A flash atomizer comprising a channel substrate configured to generate a vapor and form a two-phase flow of a fluid; and an enhanced surface disposed on the channel substrate and configured to change a temperature and a pressure required to form the vapor, wherein the enhanced surface texture comprises a plurality of active nucleation sites configured to promote heterogeneous bubble nucleation.
US08038950B2
A fluidized-bed reactor for carrying out a gas-phase reaction, in which a gaseous reaction mixture flows from the bottom upward through a heterogeneous particulate catalyst forming a fluidized bed and internals are arranged in the fluidized bed, wherein the internals divide the fluidized bed into a plurality of cells arranged horizontally in the fluidized-bed reactor and a plurality of cells arranged vertically in the fluidized-bed reactor, with the cells having cell walls which are permeable to gas and have openings which ensure an exchange number of the heterogeneous particulate catalyst in the vertical direction in the range from 1 to 100 liters/hour per liter of reactor volume, is proposed.
US08038949B2
A modular germicidal light grid system for use inside an air treatment apparatus that has a plenum in which a stream of air is enclosed. The system comprises at least one elongate member and at least one lamp assembly. Each lamp assembly comprises a housing defining at least one socket and is mounted to one elongate member at a predetermined position. The system further comprises at least one linear germicidal light source. Each light source has a longitudinal axis and a distal end constructed and arranged to mount within one socket of the housing. The elongate member is mounted within the plenum and the lamp assembly is mounted to the elongate member such that the longitudinal axis of the light source extends therein the stream of air and is positioned at an acute light angle relative to the direction of flow of the stream of air.
US08038944B1
Electrokinetic devices and methods are described with the purpose of collecting assayable agents from a dielectric fluid medium. Electrokinetic flow may be induced by the use of plasma generation at high voltage electrodes and consequent transport of charged particles in an electric voltage gradient. In one embodiment, the agents are directed electrokinetically to the sample collection assay device with no intermediate transfer steps. The agents are directed by creation of an electrokinetic potential well, which will effect their capture on to an assay device. Environmental agents such as biowarfare agents, pathogens, allergens or pollutants are collected autonomously on to the assay device, without any human intervention. The dielectric fluid medium, such as air, is sampled by electrokinetic propulsion with no moving parts or optionally, by transporting the dielectric fluid by a fan, pump or by breath. A further embodiment for collection of pathogen samples entails breathing into a tube where the sample is exposed to an electric plasma in the neighborhood of a high voltage electrode or electrodes, further transported by the breath through a potential well created at a sample collection device, where charge particles are electroprecipitated. The dielectric fluid medium may further include non-conductive liquids, such as oils. Oils may be sampled for the presence of contaminants, contaminating organisms or bio-degrading organisms.
US08038942B2
A system for a clinical lab that is capable of automatically processing, including sorting, of multiple specimen containers. The system comprises a central controller, a workstation, one or more analyzers, and an automated centrifuge. The workstation has automatic detectors for detecting the presence of a holder holding specimen containers. The workstation has a bar code reader for reading bar codes on the containers. The system has a transport subsystem, preferably a workstation robotic arm and an analyzer robotic arm for transporting the specimen containers, moving them to and from the workstation, to and from the analyzers, and to and from the centrifuge. The centrifuge is loaded with buckets containing specimen containers. The workstation can be provided with a balance system for balancing the weight of the buckets used. The workstation can also have a decapper for automatically removing caps from the specimen containers.
US08038941B2
A method for maximizing analyzer throughput irregardless of the mix in demand of different assays to be conducted by duplicating the reagents required to conduct selected assays in at least two separate reagent servers and also enabling newly incoming selected assays to be conducted using reagents from whichever reagent server has the smaller backlog of such high-volume assays.
US08038937B2
The device with biofouling control for monitoring aquatic (or gaseous) environment encloses an environmental sensor instrument in a sensor chamber which programmably opens for allowing direct communication between the sensors and the water of interest for sampling and which is closed after the sampling sequence is completed to create an anti-fouling environment in the sensor chamber by adding a biocide into the chamber and exposing the sensors to the anti-fouling environment for a predetermined period of time. The monitoring device includes a microprocessor which is preprogrammed prior to deployment of the device (and which may be re-programmed from a remote host computer during the deployment) into the aquatic environment and which controls the operation of the entire device for a long deployment (up to several months). The opening/closing of the sensor housing, instrument sampling and release of the biocide into the chamber are synchronized to provide the most effective sampling/anti-fouling sequence of operations of the autonomous device.
US08038936B2
A cooking device includes a cooking chamber; a first deodorization region along which air from the cooking chamber flows and in which a plasma discharge is generated for removing odor-producing materials generated in the cooking chamber from the air; and a bypass region along which air from the cooking chamber flows to bypass the first deodorization region.
US08038927B2
The present invention relates to methods for making oxidation resistant medical devices that comprise polymeric materials, for example, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The invention also provides methods of making antioxidant-doped medical implants, for example, doping of medical devices containing cross-linked UHMWPE with vitamin E by diffusion and materials used therein.
US08038924B2
The present invention relates to a method of controllably conveying an object. The method comprises the steps of determining an intended conveying of the object, dividing, on the basis of a predefined profile for a second section (G) of the conveying, the intended conveying of the object into a first section (F) and a second section (G), conveying the object the first section (F), conveying the object the second section (G), and, during the second section (G) of the conveying of the object, registering an actual position of a predefined element linked to the object. The present invention further relates to an apparatus for reducing this method into practice.
US08038911B2
An oxide target including indium (In) and an element (A) selected from the following group A, wherein it contains an oxide shown by AInO3,Group A: lanthanum (La), neodymium (Nd), ytterbium (Yb), erbium (Er) and dysprosium (Dy).
US08038908B2
An aggregate of carbon nanotubes satisfying all of the following requirements (1) to (3):(1) the volume resistivity is from 1×10−5 Ω·cm to 5×10−3 Ω·cm;(2) at least 50 out of 100 carbon nanotubes are double-walled carbon nanotubes in observation by a transmission electron microscope; and(3) the weight loss from 200° C. to 400° C. in thermogravimetry at a temperature rise of 10° C/min is from 5% to 20%.
US08038906B2
A process for the adjustment of the composition of a synthesis gas produced in a high temperature black liquor gasifier. The process includes the steps of (a) generating a gasifier effluent stream from black liquor in the gasifier by a blast and optionally an atomising stream; (b) optionally quenching the gasifier effluent stream with a gas stream to form a gas quenched effluent stream; (c) quenching the gasifier effluent of step (a) or the gas quenched effluent gas stream of step (b) with a water stream to form a raw synthesis gas; (d) further cooling and cleaning and separating the raw synthesis gas to form a purified unprocessed synthesis gas with an appropriate H2/CO ratio; (e) partly converting the purified synthesis gas to dimethyl ether in a synthesis section, producing at least a product stream of DME and a hydrogen rich purge stream of processed; (f) splitting and recycling individual or combinations of split streams of the processed or the unprocessed synthesis gas to step a and/or step (b); and recycling a by-product stream of CO2 being further generated in step (e) in part or completely to step (a) and/or step (b).
US08038905B2
The invention concerns an illumination system for generation of colored, especially amber or red light, comprising a radiation source and a fluorescent material comprising at least one phosphor capable of absorbing a part of light emitted by the radiation source and emitting light of wavelength different from that of the absorbed light; wherein said at least one phosphor is a amber to red emitting a rare earth metal-activated oxonitridoalumosilicate of general formula (Ca1−x−y−zSrxBayMgz)1−n(Al1−a+bBa)Si1−bN3−bOb:Ren, wherein 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦1, 0≦a≦1, 0
US08038897B2
A method for inspecting semiconductor wafers patterned by a photomask includes loading a first wafer and scanning a first image of the first wafer, loading a second wafer and scanning a second image of the second wafer, comparing the first and second images, and classifying a difference detected between the first and second images as a potential defect on the photomask. The potential defect includes a haze defect on the photomask.
US08038894B2
A process for selectively stripping a coating from a component of a turbomachine, and particularly a coating having a ceramic matrix that contains metallic particles dispersed therein that render the coating more difficult to remove from the component after the component has been subjected to elevated temperatures during operation of the turbomachine. The process generally includes immersing the component in an aqueous solution containing ferric chloride, nitric acid, and phosphoric acid, for a duration sufficient to attack the metallic particles in the coating. The component is then removed from the aqueous solution and its surface rinsed of the aqueous solution. The immersing and removing steps are then sequentially repeated a sufficient number of times to sufficiently attack the metallic particles to enable the coating to be mechanically removed from the component.
US08038891B2
The method of manufacturing a nozzle plate includes: a lyophobic film forming step of preparing a nozzle plate having a recess-shaped counterbore section and a nozzle opened in a bottom surface of the counterbore section, and forming a lyophobic film on a surface of the nozzle plate including the bottom surface of the counterbore section of the nozzle plate and at least a portion of an inner wall of the nozzle; an abutting step of preparing a protective plate having a projecting section, and abutting a top surface of the projecting section of the protective plate against the bottom surface of the counterbore section of the nozzle plate in such a manner that the top surface of the projecting section of the protective plate makes tight contact with an opening edge of the nozzle on a liquid ejection side of the nozzle plate; a lyophobic film removing step of removing the lyophobic film from the inner wall of the nozzle of the nozzle plate by etching the nozzle plate from a liquid supply side which is opposite to a side of the nozzle plate that is abutted against the protective plate; and a separating step of separating the protective plate from the nozzle plate.
US08038888B2
A periphery of a fluid passage (1) extended through a casing (10) is enclosed by a conductive metal layer (5) formed from a non-magnetic material. Four permanent magnets (M1 to M4) are arranged along an outside surface of the inside conductive metal layer (5). The individual permanent magnets (M1 to M4) are closely spaced from each other as defining gaps (G) therebetween. The north poles and the south poles of the magnets are closely spaced from each other at a gap (G) between a first permanent magnet (M1) and a second permanent magnet (M2), and a gap (G) between a third permanent magnet (M3) and a fourth permanent magnet (M4). The permanent magnets (M1 to M4) are totally and solidly enclosed by a magnetic material layer (7).
US08038887B2
Nanoporous membranes comprising single walled, double walled, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes embedded in a matrix material were fabricated for fluid mechanics and mass transfer studies on the nanometer scale and commercial applications. Average pore size can be 2 nm to 20 nm, or seven nm or less, or two nanometers or less. The membrane can be free of large voids spanning the membrane such that transport of material such as gas or liquid occurs exclusively through the tubes. Fast fluid, vapor, and liquid transport are observed. Versatile micromachining methods can be used for membrane fabrication. A single chip can comprise multiple membranes. These membranes are a robust platform for the study of confined molecular transport, with applications in liquid and gas separations and chemical sensing including desalination, dialysis, and fabric formation.
US08038883B2
The present invention relates to a process to prepare salt comprising the following steps: (i) preparing an aqueous salt solution containing at least 100 g/l of sodium chloride and at least 0.01 ppm of polyvalent cations by dissolving a sodium chloride source in industrial water, (ii) adding an effective amount of at least one positive retention enhancing component to the aqueous salt solution, (iii) subsequently subjecting the solution to a nanofiltration step, thereby separating the solution into a retentate which is enriched for the polyvalent cations and a permeate which is the purified aqueous salt solution, and (iv) concentrating the permeate to produce salt.
US08038881B2
A system and method for treating wastewater by continuously flowing wastewater into a chemostat and continuously discharging clean water out of the chemostat. The system can include sensors and an electronic controller for on-line measuring ambient parameters in the chemostat and adjusting the chemostat's operating conditions accordingly.
US08038879B2
A fluid strainer device is disclosed. The device includes a housing which defines an open chamber, the chamber having both at least one fluid input port and at least one fluid outlet port. A plurality of spaced strainer baskets are disposed within the chamber. Each basket has a pair of spaced perforated side panels, a perforated rear panel, a perforated top panel and an open front portion in fluid communication with the chamber fluid input port. Finally, each strainer basket is aligned within the chamber for fluid flow from the chamber input port into the basket's open front portion and out through the perforations thereof to filter debris from the fluid while preventing substantial fluid pressure drop between the input and outlet ports substantially independent of debris buildup within the basket.
US08038876B2
A filter assembly of a washer is disclosed, by which laundry can be prevented from being damaged by friction with the filter assembly in a manner of efficiently filtering off particles contained in water in the course of washing the laundry. In a washer including an inner wall having an outlet and a circulation passage provided between the inner wall and a wash tub to enable water to circulate to the outlet from a bottom of the wash tub, the present invention includes a filter unit filtering off particles from the water discharged from the outlet and a cap having an injection hole to enable the water through the filter unit to be injected into the wash tub.
