US08045852B2
An algorithm is disclosed for performing channel balancing on channels between optical network elements within an optic-fiber communications system. The algorithm groups at least a portion of the channels into channel pairs, differentially adjusts the transmitter output power level of each of the channel pairs until the bit error ratio (BER) of at least one channel in each of the channel pairs exceeds a threshold, and records a respective power margin for each of the channels as the difference between the initial and final power levels. From the recorded power margins, a mean power margin is determined that is used to shift the transmitter output power level of each of the channels.
US08045849B2
The present invention generally relates to a water treatment system and a sanitization system and method. A sanitization fluid, typically water at a pharmaceutically acceptable temperature, is intermittently provided to the water treatment system for minimal periods of time.
US08045844B2
A playback device includes a reading unit that reads extent blocks from a recording medium. A switching unit extracts a main-view stream and a sub-view stream from the extent blocks. Each stream is stored in a different read buffer. A decoding unit reads and decodes each stream from a corresponding read buffer. A time (t) required for the decoding unit to decode all data blocks in one extent block is greater than or equal to the sum (t1+t2+t3) of a time (t1) required for the reading unit to read the data blocks except for the top data block in the extent block, a time (t2) required for the reading unit to start to read the top of a next extent block from the time of finishing reading the tail of the extent block, and a time (t3) required for the reading unit to read the top data block in the next extent block.
US08045837B2
A picture photographed by a camera portion is sent to a video capturing portion of a computer. The picture is displayed in an operation area of a monitor. A panorama picture of which pictures in part or all moving range of a pan tiler are combined is displayed in a panorama operation area. A pan tilter portion sends positional information of pan and tilt to the computer through a mode controller. With a mouse, the operation area and the panorama operation area are operated so as to select an object. The computer obtains data for driving the pan tilter. Thus, the selected object is displayed at the center of the operation area.
US08045830B2
A wave-guiding system and method for mode-selective transmission of a spatially coherent light beam is disclosed. The system comprises a wave-guide with an inlet and an outlet for transmitting one or more modes; a first mode-shaping optical element for shaping the spatially coherent light beam before it enters through the inlet of the wave-guide to a desired mode of the wave-guide; and a second mode-shaping optical element for shaping light beam after it exits from the outlet of the wave-guide for obtaining a desired vectorial field.
US08045829B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an optical waveguide. The inventive method includes steps of providing a transfer member comprising a transfer sheet and a first metal film. The transfer sheet and the first metal film are detachable from each other. A laminated body made of a core layer disposed between two clad layers is formed on the transfer member. The invention also relates to optical waveguides produced by the inventive process and devices incorporating the optical waveguides of the invention.
US08045825B2
A left-eye color discrimination unit (1101) and right-eye color discrimination unit (1102) generate mask images from virtual space images. If an error part exists at the boundary between a chroma key region and non-chroma key region in the mask image, each of a left-eye mask correction unit (1108) and right-eye mask correction unit (1110) corrects the error part using another mask image generated based on the other virtual space image in addition to the virtual space image.
US08045821B2
A coding method conversion apparatus converts the first coded data coded by the first coding method into the second coded data. The coding method conversion apparatus includes: an H.264 decoder which decodes the first coded data; a deblocking filter strength calculation unit which calculates a filter strength of deblocking filtering of a second coding method, using at least one piece of decoding information except a coding type of the first coded data, the decoding information being obtained by decoding the first coded data; and a deblocking filter which performs the deblocking filtering to reduce noise in a boundary of blocks according to the filter strength calculated by the deblocking filter strength calculation unit.
US08045819B1
A method of filtering image data is described. In one embodiment, the method includes storing in line buffers image data corresponding to a plurality of rows of an image; filtering image data on one row of multiple of rows; and filtering image data on another row of the multiple rows without changing the image data stored in the line buffers between filtering image data on the one row and filtering image data on the another row.
US08045815B2
An image capturing apparatus 100 first executes JPEG encoding on RAW data. On the basis of the compression ratio of JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table to encode the RAW data. With the higher compression ratio of the JPEG data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 assumes that the RAW data is image data with a larger number of low frequency components. The image capturing apparatus 100 thus selects a Huffman table that assigns a particularly short code to a predictive differential value with a smaller absolute value. In contrast, with the lower compression ratio of the JPEG image data obtained, the image capturing apparatus 100 selects a Huffman table that assigns a code of a relatively equal length to the predictive differential value regardless of its absolute value.
US08045814B2
An image compression device having a prediction unit for predicting a value of a compressing target pixel from peripheral values, and quantizing prediction error between a prediction value of the prediction unit and a value of an actual pixel in a predetermined quantizing step, comprising: a specific pixel level difference evaluation unit sequentially calculating the difference value between the level values as a sum of the prediction values corresponding to each of the compressed pixel immediately before the compressing target pixel and peripheral compressed pixels adjacent to the pixel and the quantization value of the prediction error, and evaluating the sameness of the difference value; and a quantization switching unit controlling the quantization in the quantizing step more precise than the quantizing step used when the difference value continuously indicates the same value as a result of the evaluation by the specific pixel level difference evaluation unit.
US08045810B2
A method and system for reducing the number of mathematical operations required in the JPEG decoding process without substantially impacting the quality of the image displayed is disclosed. Embodiments provide an efficient JPEG decoding process for the purposes of displaying an image on a display smaller than the source image, for example, the screen of a handheld device. According to one aspect of the invention, this is accomplished by reducing the amount of processing required for dequantization and inverse DCT (IDCT) by effectively reducing the size of the image in the quantized, DCT domain prior to dequantization and IDCT. This can be done, for example, by discarding unnecessary DCT index rows and columns prior to dequantization and IDCT. In one embodiment, columns from the right, and rows from the bottom are discarded such that only the top left portion of the block of quantized, and DCT coefficients are processed.
US08045808B2
A pure adversarial optical character recognition (OCR) approach in identifying text content in images. An image and a search term are input to a pure adversarial OCR module, which searches the image for presence of the search term. The image may be extracted from an email by an email processing engine. The OCR module may split the image into several character-blocks that each has a reasonable probability of containing a character (e.g., an ASCII character). The OCR module may form a sequence of blocks that represent a candidate match to the search term and calculate the similarity of the candidate sequence to the search term. The OCR module may be configured to output whether or not the search term is found in the image and, if applicable, the location of the search term in the image.
US08045804B2
A method and apparatus for estimating vanishing points from an image, a computer program and a storage medium thereof are provided. One of the methods for detecting the vanishing points from an image includes a dividing step for dividing the image into small patches, a first detecting step for detecting each patch's local orientations, a composing step for composing lines of pencils from which at least one vanishing point is to be computed based on the local orientations detected in the first detecting step, and a computing step for computing at least one vanishing point based on the lines of pencils composed in the composing step. On the basis of the computed vanishing points, the perspective rectification on a document image can be executed accurately and quickly.
US08045803B2
A novel symbollogy derived from the lower-case cursive English alphabet (which is compatible with Latin alphabet derived languages), and a multi-step identification program designed to invoke the strengths of the XY Cartesian coordinate mapping system and a specific multi-step identification criteria designed to work in concert so as to allow absolute identification of each symbol. Each symbol is written onto an electronic tablet capable of identifying and distinguishing each individual symbol from a range of possible stroke patterns and then outputting or storing the symbol's assigned English alphabet counterpart. The combination of this symbollogy and recognition program allows high writing speed with the highest possible recognition potential.
US08045801B2
An image processing apparatus segments an image into a plurality of regions in accordance with attributes of a plurality of types, and acquires feature amount data from image information of a region of a first attribute (an image region) from among the plurality of regions. The apparatus then applies compression processing to the image and acquires compressed data. The apparatus outputs the acquired feature amount data and compressed data as output data of the image.
US08045799B2
Image data for a digital photograph is segmented into a first portion and a second portion. The image data of the second portion is processed to have a quality lower than the image data of the first portion. An image file for the scene is stored where the image file contains image data corresponding to the first and second portions so that the image file has a high quality portion and a low quality portion.
US08045797B2
An image processing method for carrying out predetermined correction processing with respect to one or more items regarding the quality of color images and the image processing method comprises a judgment step for judging the necessity/nonnecessity of correction with respect to each of the above-mentioned items and a correction processing step for carrying out the predetermined correction processing with respect to the item judged as required to be corrected at the above-mentioned judgment step.
US08045794B2
In an image processing device adapted to restore sub-information from composite image information produced by a composite image producing device which embeds invisible sub-information into visible main image information to produce the composite image information, the frequency components of the sub-information extracted for each of its color components are smoothed, and the optimum one is selected from among the results of the smoothing process performed for each color component of the sub-information.
US08045789B2
In the inspection apparatus for a defect of a semiconductor and the method using it for automatically detecting the defect on a semiconductor wafer and presuming the defect occurrence factor using the circuit design data, a plurality of shapes are formed from the circuit design data by deforming the design data with respect to shape deformation items stipulated for respective defect occurrence factor for comparison with the inspection object circuit pattern. The defect is detected by comparison of the group of shapes formed and the actual pattern. Further, the occurrence factors of these defects are presumed, and the defects are classified according to respective factor.
US08045780B2
The invention relates to a device for merging a 2D radioscopy image with an image obtained from a 3D image data record, having a memory unit that stores the 2D radioscopy image and the 3D image data record, a segmentation unit that segments an inner surface of a hollow organ from the 3D image data record, a registration unit that registers the 2D radioscopy image with the 3D image data record, a back-projection unit that back-projects the pixels of the 2D radioscopy image onto the segmented surface, taking account of the projection geometry of the 2D radioscopy image and the registration, and an image merger unit that generates a virtual endoscopy view of the surface from the segmented surface using the back-projected pixels. The device primarily allows 2D radioscopy images to be superimposed during interventional procedures with a fly display of the interior of an interesting organ.
US08045775B2
A method of estimating the location of the anterior and posterior commissures in a brain scan image is proposed. Firstly, a geometrical object is constructed using points on a brain scan image of an individual which are on the surface of the brain, such as an ellipse fitting the cerebral surface of a sagittal image of the mid-sagittal plane, or an adjacent sagittal plane. The locations on the MSP of the AC and PC landmarks (and optionally other landmarks) are estimated using the five parameters which define the ellipse, plus numerical values obtained in advance from statistical analysis of other individuals.
US08045764B2
An encoding system for an iris recognition system. In particular, it presents a robust encoding method of the iris textures to compress the iris pixel information into few bits that constitute the iris barcode to be stored or matched against database templates of same form. The iris encoding system is relied on to extract key bits of information under various conditions of capture, such as illumination, obscuration or eye illuminations variations.
US08045759B2
An object detection system, comprising an unit for calculating relationship information between a position on an image of an object existing on a road surface and a size of an image picked up by one camera, using an actual size of a target object and camera parameter, a unit for evaluating an existence possibility of a symmetry axis in a specific pixel incase of an interval determined on the basis of geometric information, a unit for evaluating density and continuity in the vicinity of the center axis of a rectangular area of a pixel whose symmetry value is equal to or more than a specific threshold and detecting the lowest end point of the symmetric object and a unit for outputting a position and size of a candidate area of the symmetric object on the basis of the lowest end point.
US08045756B2
A method of linking a content object with a network resource presents a content object to a reader, discerns an identifier associated with the content object, transfers the identifier to an indexing system, and in response receives an internet address corresponding to the content object. To enhance the response of the indexing system, it includes multiple routers, which it selects based on location relative to the reader. For example, the method sends user location data to a master system, and in response, receives an address of an indexing system close to the user location.
US08045748B2
A method for controlling watermark embedding in a media object through the use of a watermark embedding command. The use of the embedding command enables watermark embedding to be adapted for the transmission channel at the time of transmission.
US08045745B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, there is provided a speaker apparatus includes: a voice coil bobbin; and a diaphragm that is vibrated by the voice coil bobbin, the diaphragm including an edge portion at an outer circumference of the diaphragm, the edge portion including at least two ridge portions protruding forward.
US08045739B2
In a method and hearing aid (200) for processing sound signals for hearing impaired persons by providing multi-band compression processing an input sound signal is filtered by a band split filter (202) into a number of frequency bands to obtain band split signals. A signal level for each of the band split signals is determined and the frequency bands are arranged into a number of groups. Based on the signal levels in each of the groups, a compressor input level for a number of band split compressors each associated to one of the frequency bands is calculated. A compressor gain for each band split compressor is determined based on the corresponding compressor input signal and the band split signals are amplified with the corresponding compressor gain and summed in a summing unit (208) to produce an output sound signal.
US08045733B2
A backplateless silicon microphone and a wire protection method for improved impact resistance are disclosed. A circular diaphragm is surrounded by a circular spring having a plurality of slots and perforations to facilitate air damping reduction, release of in-plane stress, and improve out-plane flexibility. Anchored at a substrate, the circular spring holds the silicon microphone suspended over a backside hole in the substrate but allows the diaphragm to vibrate perpendicular to the substrate. A microphone variable capacitor is formed between the perforated spring and substrate. Slot size is minimized to prevent particles from entering an underlying air gap. A plurality of “n” bonding pads near the outer edge of the circular spring are connected by “n/2” bonding wires that serve as a stopper to restrict an upward motion of the diaphragm. The bonding wires may cross each other to enable lower loop height for more effective resistance to impact.
US08045720B2
The invention provides a method for dynamic determination of time constants to be used in a detection of the signal level of an input signal of unknown level in an electric circuit, comprising the following steps: —feed the input signal through an auxiliary level detection means that is reacting faster to changes in the input sound signal level than the detection of the signal level as a whole, —feed either the input signal or the output of the auxiliary level detection means through a guided level detection means, which is arranged with a guided time constant, and where the guided level detection means outputs an estimate of the level of the input signal, —analyze the outputs of the auxiliary and the guided level detector means, determine the time constant of the guided level detection means based on this analysis.
US08045714B2
Systems and methods for managing multiple keys for file encryption and decryption may provide an encrypted list of previously used keys. The list itself may be encrypted using a current key. To decrypt files that are encrypted in one or more of the previous keys, the list can be decrypted, and the appropriate previous key can be retrieved. To re-key files, an automated process can decrypt any files using previous keys and encrypt them using the current key. If a new current key is introduced, the prior current key can be used to decrypt the list of keys, the prior current key can be added to the list, and the list can be re-encrypted using the new current key.
US08045707B2
Systems and systems that protect data are provided. In one embodiment, a system may include, for example, a memory and a processor. The memory may store, for example, encrypted data. The processor may be coupled to the memory and may include, for example, a decryptor that decrypts the encrypted data. The decryptor may be adapted, for example, to variably bit roll the encrypted data, to fixedly bit shuffle the bit-rolled data, to add a first key to the bit-shuffled data and to process the added data with a second key.
US08045701B2
In a speakerphone device identification of signals (i.e., voice input or speaker output) in a process for reducing acoustic feedback, in a communication device, is accomplished by adding a signature noise (i.e., an identification mark) to output signals radiated by the speaker to enable these signals to be separated from speech input to the microphone. Having identified the signal (i.e., speech output) likely to cause a “singing” phenomenon, appropriate insertion loss to reduce the feedback may be added to the appropriate speech path within the communication device, to reduce a probability of singing.
US08045693B2
A message sending device sends a message. A message receiving device generates reception authentication information of the message when receiving the message, and further generates reception confirmation information of the message by using the reception authentication information of the message, to send the reception confirmation information of the message to a reception confirmation information verification device. The reception confirmation information verification device verifies the received reception confirmation information. The message sending device obtains a reception confirmation of the message for the message receiving device based on the verification result. This configuration reduces a processing load in each node as much as possible for confirming whether data to large numbers of nodes under a multihop environment have been received in each node.
US08045691B2
The invention provides a method and apparatus for communication and provision of routing address information. The prior owner of a called telephone number is referred to herein as a “prior subscriber”. When a number is released by a prior subscriber, it is placed into a database referred to as the “spare pool” which includes available (unsubscribed) telephone numbers. When a caller dials a number that is in the spare pool, the invention intercepts the call and takes any number of possible actions. In one embodiment, the invention automatically forwards the caller to a new number based on a database that stores the new number of the prior subscriber or routes the caller to a message that gives the caller the option (either via a charge or after listening to an advertisement) of being connected to, or being given, the current number of the prior subscriber.
US08045684B2
A system notifies a computing device of an incoming message. In the system, a message server is coupled to a data communications network for receiving the incoming message, and a communications system is coupled to the message server so that the message server can communicate to the communications system that the incoming message awaits retrieval by the computing device. A communications line is coupled to the communications system and to the computing device so that the communications system can signal the computing device over the communications line that the incoming message awaits retrieval by such computing device. The computing device is for receiving the aforementioned notification and retrieving the incoming message from the message server, and includes a communications device for coupling with the aforementioned communications line. The communications device implements an on-hook signaling protocol for receiving data sent when the communications line is on-hook, where the received data includes the notification of the new incoming message.
US08045682B2
An electronic equipment includes a monitor circuit and a message generation circuit. The monitor circuit is operative to obtain information corresponding to media content reproduced by the electronic equipment, and the message generation circuit is operative to include the obtained information in an outgoing message.
US08045673B2
Example embodiments are directed to core spray sparger T-box repairs, specifically, to universal core spray sparger T-box weldless clamps having remote-friendly operation and methods of using universal core spray sparger T-box weldless clamps. Example embodiment clamps may be secured without welding to a variety of upper and lower sparger T-box configurations. Example embodiment clamps may be configured to simultaneously engage a sparger T-box in multiple dimensions to allow a universal fit. Further, example embodiment clamps may be accessed, installed, or removed by interacting only with a front side of the example embodiment clamps, thus potentially reducing difficulty and cost in remote access repairs to example clamps.
US08045672B2
A core spray sparger T-box clamp for a sparger T-box in a shroud of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, the sparger T-box clamp including: an anchor plate substantially aligned with a closed end of the T-box; a carrier plate slidably secured to an upper side the anchor plate and latched to the T-box; a saddle bracket secured to a lower side of the anchor plate and latched to the T-box, and a pair of clamp blocks on opposite sides of the anchor plate fixed to sparger pipes coupled to the T-box.
US08045668B2
A frame synchronization apparatus and method for controlling a frame synchronization process. The frame synchronization apparatus includes a correlation-value computation section; an IQ component select section; and a synchronization-signal outputting section. The correlation-value computation section computes a correlation value representing a correlation between a known delay wave detection series and a received delay wave detection series. The IQ component select selects a larger one of absolute values representing the amplitudes of I and Q. The synchronization-signal outputting section carries out a peak detection process to detect a peak in pieces of data arranged along a time axis to form a correlation-value series and output a frame synchronization signal for said input signal in accordance with a result of said peak detection process.
US08045666B2
Disclosed are embodiments of methods and circuits to generate spread spectrum clocks.
US08045662B2
The output bits of a binary ripple counter are used to control the sampling of those output bits, thereby ensuring accurate sampling. A sampler is provided with adjustable delay elements that permit accurate sampling regardless of: delay mismatch between the sampler and a data path of the counter; the length of the counter; operating speed; or PVT variations.
US08045658B2
A reception apparatus includes: an extraction section; a transmission line characteristic estimation section; an estimation section; a frequency shift amount production section; a control section; an addition section; a first frequency shifting section; a second frequency shifting section; an interpolation section; a compensation section; a detection section; and an operation section.
US08045657B2
A method is provided for estimating a frequency offset in a carrier signal caused by the Doppler effect. The method determines a frequency offset estimate by utilizing a multi stage estimation scheme. More specifically, the method determines the frequency offset estimate of a data frame by iteratively estimating the frequency offset by comparing different portions of the preamble. As the length of the sampled patterns varies, the frequency offset estimates vary in accuracy and range. The method may adjust frequency offset estimates that are out of range. Finally, the receiver obtains a frequency offset estimate for the data frame from a weighted combination of frequency offset estimates. This method is applicable in WiFi (IEEE 802.11a/g), WiMax (IEEE 802.16), and WAVE (IEEE 802.11p) systems.
US08045656B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a digital mixer to receive and digitally mix incoming weather band radio data with a control signal, a digital demodulator to demodulate the data to obtain a demodulated signal, and a digital feedback loop coupled between the demodulator and the digital mixer. The digital feedback loop includes a loop filter to receive the demodulated signal and to generate a filtered output and a fine tune controller to receive the filtered output and a frequency control signal and to generate the control signal based on them. In this way, audible artifacts caused by a frequency step change occurring in an analog front end to which the digital circuitry is coupled can be reduced or removed.
US08045651B2
Aspects of a method and system for redundancy-based decoding in 8-PSK GSM systems are provided. A burst process may utilize a gradient search equalization operation to process a received 8-PSK modulated symbol sequence. A frame process may generate a redundancy-based decoded output bit sequence based on the burst process results. Iterative steps of the gradient search equalization operation may be utilized to converge to the burst process results. The redundancy-based decoded output bit sequence of the frame process may be fed back to a subsequent burst process. Results from the subsequent burst process may be utilized to generate a subsequent redundancy-based decoded output bit sequence by a subsequent frame process. The fed-back redundancy-based decoded output bit sequence may be combined with results from a Viterbi equalization operation within the subsequent burst process. Symbol-to-bits and bits-to-symbol conversions may be utilized during the burst process and during the subsequent burst process.
US08045650B2
A radio receiving apparatus capable of making compensation for both amplitude variations and phase variations and of suppressing image interference in a short period of time is provided. A correction value calculation section combines a signal, obtained by multiplying a first digital signal by an amplitude correction candidate value and rotating the phase of the first digital signal, with a signal obtained by multiplying a second digital signal by a multiplicative inverse of the amplitude correction candidate value and performing, for the second digital signal, phase rotation which is in a quadrature relationship to phase rotation performed for the first digital signal, so as to obtain a first combined signal, obtain an inflection point of the first combined signal, and input, to a demodulation section, the amplitude correction candidate value and a phase correction candidate value, which correspond to the inflection point, as an amplitude correction value and a phase correction value, respectively. The demodulation section makes compensation for the amplitudes and the phases and suppresses image interference, based on the amplitude correction value and the phase correction value.
US08045648B2
An amplitude-shift-keying radio-frequency (ASK RF) signal decoding method includes separating a low frequency and a high frequency from an ASK RF signal, which includes a pause section and a non-pause section, generating a divided signal by dividing the high frequency signal, counting the divided signal for the non-pause section of the low frequency signal, and decoding the ASK RF signal based on a result of the counting.
US08045645B2
A device that estimates information from a signal includes a receiver for receiving an input signal and electronic processing circuitry. The electronic processing circuitry generates a matrix associated with the input signal and determines an approximation of an inverse of the matrix based on the adjoint of the matrix and a scaling factor associated with the determinant of the matrix. This approximation avoids possible mathematical difficulties that may be encountered in certain situations when a typical matrix inversion is calculated. The approximated inverse matrix is applied to the input signal to transform the input signal into an output signal. Information associated with the input signal is then determined based on the output signal.
US08045637B2
A digital broadcasting system including a transmitting system and a receiving system, and a method of processing data are disclosed. A method of processing data of a transmitting system includes sequentially grouping N number of columns (Kc) configured of A number of enhanced data bytes having information included therein, thereby creating a frame having a size of N (rows)*Kc (columns), wherein N and A are integers, encoding the created frame, and multiplexing and transmitting enhanced data included in the encoded frame and main data.
US08045636B1
Autocorrelation algorithms are employed in systems and methods to detect preamble symbols for frame synchronization in WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) or OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) systems. An ML (“Maximum Likelihood”) estimator estimates segment index and frame timing information for an ideal signal scenario. When using the ML estimator, a received time domain signal is sampled. Groups of samples are formed, and the group is further divided into a plurality of portions. Then, an autocorrelation between time domain samples of each portion results in a maximum value which indicates the start of a preamble of the time domain signal. Frame synchronization can then be performed. In other transmission scenarios, the algorithm is modified to use modified estimators of the preamble symbol location. When using the modified estimators, less than all of the portions of samples are compared to one another to find a maximum value.
US08045625B2
An encoding method includes partitioning an input stream into first sub-blocks and second sub-blocks, encoding the second sub-blocks based on a number and location of reference sub-blocks to generate third sub-blocks when at least one of the first sub-blocks corresponds to a forbidden pattern, and rearranging the first sub-blocks and the third sub-blocks to generate an output stream. The reference sub-blocks indicate the second sub-blocks that correspond to a reference pattern and the third sub-blocks includes a redundant information sub-block and non-redundant information sub-blocks. Thus, the encoding method may properly control a direct current (DC) component.
US08045623B2
An image decoding apparatus is capable of decoding coded bit streams with different coding schemes. The image decoding apparatus includes a coding scheme decision section for deciding a coding scheme from coding scheme identification information multiplexed into a coded bit stream, a setting unit for setting header information on a second coding scheme in accordance with header information in a first coding scheme, and a decoder for decoding image coded data in the first coding scheme in response to the header information on the second coding scheme, which is set.
US08045614B2
The quantization parameter QP is well-known in digital video compression as an indication of picture quality. Digital symbols representing a moving image are quantized with a quantizing step that is a function QSN of the quantization parameter QP, which function QSN has been normalized to the most significant bit of the bit depth of the digital symbols. As a result, the effect of a given QP is essentially independent of bit depth—a particular QP value has a standard effect on image quality, regardless of bit depth. The invention is useful, for example, in encoding and decoding at different bit depths, to generate compatible, bitstreams having different bit depths, and to allow different bit depths for different components of a video signal by compressing each with the same fidelity (i.e., the same QP).
US08045611B2
A method for video processing. A first video sequence (VS) is received. The first VS is processed to generate a second VS in a first resolution. The second VS is adjusted to a third VS in a second resolution. It is determined whether the difference between the first VS and the third VS is lower than a predetermined bias level. The second VS is encoded and output if the difference between the first VS and the third VS is lower than the predetermined bias level.
US08045610B2
A decision feedback equalizer has a feedback filter and K feed forward filter branches. Each of the K feed forward filter branches receives an input signal from a corresponding one of a plurality of channels associated with a corresponding one of a plurality of antennas, where K>1. Each of the K feed forward filter branches provides an output. An instantaneous SNR level γk is determined for each of the K feed forward filter branches. The instantaneous SNR level γk for each of the K feed forward filter branches is compared to an upper threshold TH and to a lower threshold TL. The outputs from the K feed forward filter branches are selectively added dependent upon the comparing of the instantaneous SNR level γk for each of the K feed forward filter branches to the upper threshold TH and to the lower threshold TL.
US08045606B2
A bidirectional equalizer and an equalization method using the bidirectional equalizer. The bidirectional equalizer includes: a first equalizer to eliminate inter-symbol interference present in a data sequence transmitted from a transmitter and to generate a first candidate data sequence; a first time reverse operator to reverse the order of the transmitted data sequence and to generate a reversed data sequence; a second equalizer to eliminate inter-symbol interference present in the reversed data sequence and to generate a second candidate data sequence; a forward Viterbi decoder to receive the first candidate data sequence, and to decode and output the first candidate data sequence for every data symbol using a first minimum path metric calculated by a maximum likelihood (ML); a reverse Viterbi decoder to receive the second candidate data sequence, and to decode and output the second candidate data sequence for every data symbol using a second minimum path metric calculated by ML; a second time reverse operator to reverse the order of the decoded second candidate data sequence output from the reverse Viterbi decoder and to output the reversed decoded second candidate sequence; and an arbitrator to compare the first minimum path metric with the second minimum path metric, and to selectively output an output of the forward Viterbi decoder or an output of the second time reverse operator according to the comparison result.
US08045604B2
Log likelihood ratios for data bits transmitted in a multi-dimensional signal are estimated using multiple Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations (MCMC). The MCMC simulations can include constraining symbols based on a most-likely symbol to improve the likelihood of finding distances for non-most-likely symbols. The log likelihood ratios can be calculated based on distances of the most-likely symbol and the non-most-likely symbols.
US08045603B2
A transceiver and method for communicating over a communications channel having a plurality of subchannels are described. In particular, the transceiver is capable of dynamically switching between communicating data for a first active application set and communicating data for a second different active application set. An active application set is defined as the set of one or more active applications for which the transceiver is currently communicating data. As part of communicating data for the first active application set, the transceiver allocates the subchannels to the one or more applications in the first application set. The transmission requirements of the first active application set defines a first communication state of the transceiver. When the transceiver dynamically transitions to communicating data for the second different application set, the transceiver reallocates the subchannels to the one or more applications in the second different application set. The transmission requirements of the second different active application set defines a second communication state of the transceiver. In one embodiment the transceiver modifies the data rates of subchannels in the Bit Allocation Table according to the transmission requirements of the application whose data is being transmitted on the particular subchannel. In another embodiment, the transceiver is capable of dynamically switching from transmitting data for an Internet access application to transmitting data for a voice telephony application in addition to the Internet access application. In a further embodiment, the ABCD voice telephony signaling bits can be transmitted with either the data from the Internet access application or the data from the voice telephony application.
US08045591B2
A broadcasting signal receiver and a method for transmitting/receiving a broadcasting signal are disclosed. An identifier of a cell is set in the broadcasting signal and, if the cell is changed, channel information of the changed cell can be obtained from program table information having the channel information of the cell. Accordingly, the broadcasting signal receiver can continuously output a program although the cell is changed.
US08045590B2
The present invention relates to a radio communications system which transmits same downlink information to a plurality of cells by using downlink common channels. The radio communications system includes a radio network controller and a base station. The radio communications system is configured to measure delays between the time when the radio network controller transmits the downlink information and the time when the base station transmits the downlink information to each of the plurality of cells; and to control timing for transmitting the downlink information to each of the plurality of cells by the base station in accordance with measured delays.
US08045584B2
A method for utilizing a tag to optimize portion of data transfer is disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage location is provided on a single node for storing at least one portion of data received from at least one data stream. The header containing information about the portion of data coupled with the portion of data is accessed. A database entry is generated at the node based on the information contained on the header. A tag pointing to the database entry is also generated. The tag pointing to the database entry is then correlated with the portion of data. In so doing, when the portion of data is processed, the processing is based on the context information of the database pointed to by the tag without requiring access to the header or other data within the portion of data.
US08045577B2
A wireless resource allocation apparatus and method which maintain quality of service (QoS) in a wireless communication network are provided. The wireless resource allocation method includes calculating the number of medium access slots (MAS) to be allocated to at least one of a plurality of divided zones of at least one superframe, designating a reference location for MAS allocation to divided zones out of the plurality of divided zones of the superframe based on the calculated number of medium access slots, and allocating the medium access slots to the divided zones based on the designated reference location. Accordingly, more uniform service intervals can be supported, and thus efficient MAS resource allocation can be performed to satisfy media access control (MAC) based QoS requirements.
US08045575B2
A communications system includes a network that is coupled to a number of terminals, at least some of which are capable of audio or other forms of real-time interactive data communications over the network. Each of the terminals includes a network adapter that is capable of detecting a collision with another terminal on the network. If a collision is detected, transmission of a data frame is aborted, and a backoff time delay is selected. The backoff time delay is selected from a group of delay periods that vary at a rate different than exponentially with a number of collisions. The group of one or more delay periods can contain delay periods that increase linearly with the number of collisions, delay periods that increase according to some power of n, where n is the number of collisions, or a delay period that is selected at random based on a predetermined mean backoff delay. Alternatively, the selected backoff time delay is selected from a group of delay periods that increases exponentially with the number of collisions, but with a maximum value set that is less than the maximum set according to conventional backoff algorithms.
US08045572B1
A packet loss concealment system includes first and second buffers that stores audio samples prior to and subsequent to a missing section of audio samples. A forward propagation module generates a forward propagated waveform by propagating a first waveform period that is based on the first buffer. The forward propagation module increases periodicity of the first waveform period nonlinearly when propagating the first waveform period. A backward propagation module generates a backward propagated waveform by propagating a second waveform period that is based on the second buffer. A ratio control module selectively determines a ratio between a first periodicity of the audio samples in the second buffer and a second periodicity of the audio samples in the first buffer. The forward propagation module selectively propagates the first waveform period using the ratio, and the backward propagation module selectively propagates the second waveform period using an inverse of the ratio.
US08045571B1
An audio decoding system comprises a buffer module that receives packets including encoded audio frames that each store audio parameters. A packet loss concealment module that selectively extracts the audio parameters from ones of the encoded audio frames, determines recovered audio parameters based on the extracted audio parameters, and encodes the recovered audio parameters into recovered audio frames. An audio decoding module that decodes the encoded audio frames and the recovered audio frames and outputs decoded audio samples.
US08045564B2
Mechanisms are disclosed for detecting protocols independently of the ports used by streams associated with the protocols or applications that may send out such streams. The detecting may entail using a content filter that is hosted on a networking stack, where the content filter may be composed of a stream buffer and handlers for detecting the protocols. The handlers may be further used to modify streams incoming to a port or streams outgoing from an application. The handlers can modify the streams in a variety of ways, including reading, inserting, replacing, deleting, and completing data in the streams according to some policy criteria, such as those set by parental controls. Individual handlers may be selected from a plurality or set of handlers so that they can be matched up to the appropriate streams.
US08045561B1
A first traffic flow directed to a first wireless device is received. A second traffic flow directed to a second wireless device is received. These traffic flows comprise at least a first service flow classification and a second service flow classification. The first traffic flow and the second traffic flow are scheduled based on the first service flow classification and the second flow classification. This produces first and second device scheduled flows. The first and second device scheduled flows are classified into a plurality of flow classes. The plurality of flow classes comprises at least a first flow class and a second flow class. The first scheduled flow and the second scheduled flow are scheduled based on the first flow class and the second flow class. This produces an aggregate traffic flow.
US08045547B2
A method and apparatus for routing and forwarding between virtual routers is described. A method in a single network element comprises peering a first virtual router to a second virtual router, wherein the first and second virtual routers have separate address spaces and separate routing tables, distributing a set of one or more routes from the first virtual router to the second virtual router, wherein a first of the set of routes identifies the first virtual as a next hop of the first route, said first route including a destination, and downloading to a set of one or more forwarding tables, the destination and the next hop.
US08045541B2
An IP telephone system includes a source IP telephone apparatus, a destination telephone apparatus, a Web server and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses are connected to an IP network. The Web server stores call reception screen information corresponding to a telephone number assigned to the source or destination IP telephone apparatus. The ENUM server stores a NAPTR resource record in which a URI specifies link information related to the call reception screen information stored on the Web server. In the IP telephone system, the IP telephone apparatus that has received a call transmits, to the ENUM server, a query for a NAPTR record corresponding to an intended recipient's telephone number. The IP telephone apparatus then transmits, to the Web server, a request for the call reception screen information corresponding to the intended recipient's telephone number according to the obtained NAPTR resource record, and displays a call reception screen according to the obtained call reception screen information.
US08045538B2
In a wireless communication method, a base station device allocates elements of a sequence having an index indicative of a communication parameter to synchronization channel symbols generates a synchronization channel while maintaining symmetry of the sequence, and transmits signals including the synchronization channel. A mobile station device restores synchronization of the signals which are faded corrects the signals based on the symmetry of the sequence, and extracts the communication parameter.
US08045534B2
Provided is a method for switching a piconet device to a coordinator in a piconet. The method receives the latest order of precedence as the next PNC information from the current PNC. Thereafter, the method detects a P-CTA allocated to devices of the piconet using a beacon of a superframe received from the PNC. On failing to receive a beacon from the PNC, the method detects whether “beacon non-receipt” indicating information that is transmitted between piconet devices during the detected P-CTA. If the “beacon non-receipt” indicating information is not detected, the method does not perform a PNC appropriation operation. If the “beacon non-receipt” indicating information is detected, the method determines that the PNC has left the piconet without performing a normal PNC handover procedure and thus performs a PNC appropriation operation according to the order of precedence information.
US08045531B2
A method for negotiations between various entities of a wireless local area network (WLAN) including negotiations between controlling nodes (CNs) and wireless access points (WAPs) and negotiations between WAPs is disclosed. These negotiations are used for the purpose of establishing the capabilities of the various entities, determining how such capabilities may be optimally divided among the negotiating entities and then dividing the capabilities among the entities based on this determination. The capabilities include those required for the operation, control and management of the WLAN entities and the encompassing WLAN. The disclosed method introduces means for flexibly accommodating the varying degrees of differences in capabilities among the WLAN entities between the WLAN entities including dynamic changes in WLAN topologies.
US08045520B2
The present invention is a method and system for controlling downlink transmission power levels in a spread spectrum time division communication system having frames with time slots for communication, which receives at a user equipment (UE) a downlink communication from a base station and determines an error rate of the received communication. The UE then produces power level adjustments for each of the time slots based in part on the error rate and transmits an uplink communication to the base station which includes the power level. In response to the power level adjustments and (or) other information, transmission power level is set for each time slot in the downlink communication.
US08045518B2
To avoid degrading the packet transmission performance, a method for improving a determining procedure of stopping a high speed downlink operation corresponding to a CELL_FACH state for a user equipment, also called UE, in the CELL_FACH state in a wireless communications system is provided. The method includes changing a setting of a dedicated variable corresponding to a dedicated HS-DSCH radio network transaction identifier, hereinafter called H-RNTI, from a use state to a close state; and determining that the setting of the dedicated variable and a setting of a common variable corresponding to a common H-RNTI are valid configuration if the setting of the common variable is a close state.
US08045517B2
A method for transmitting/receiving data in a communication system using multiple frequency bands. The transmission method includes fragmenting a desired transmission Service Data Unit (SDU) in units of Packet Data Units (PDUs); and transmitting the fragmented PDUs over at least two frequency bands among the multiple frequency bands. Each of the multiple frequency bands is supported by a system having backward compatibility with a legacy system. The reception method includes decrypting a wireless resource (MAP) allocated separately for each of the frequency bands to extract fragment information therefrom; and receiving PDUs over the frequency bands separately, and restoring the SDU according to fragment information corresponding to the corresponding frequency band.
US08045513B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving downlink control information in a mobile communication system supporting an uplink packet data service are provided. To transmit packet data in an HARQ mobile communication system, a second transceiver receives an RG as rate control information from a first transceiver. The second transceiver sets the allowed maximum data rate of an HARQ process to which the RG is applied to the allowed maximum data rate of an HARQ process previous to the HARQ process, if the RG indicates hold. The second transceiver transmits packet data within the set allowed maximum data rate to the first transceiver.
US08045512B2
To support mobile stations that are not capable of demodulating the entire bandwidth or that can be made to demodulate less than the entire bandwidth, a system, apparatus and method are provided to schedule users on less than all of the bandwidth. Further, certain users can be scheduled on more of the bandwidth than others.
US08045511B2
A method and an apparatus for transmitting sensor data by using AER sensing and collaborative sensing in order to increase the energy efficiency in a wireless sensor network. The method includes calculating an AER for each of said at least one sensor using sensor data measured from said at least one sensor and sensor profile information corresponding to said at least one sensor, and determining sensor data to be transmitted to a higher node from among sensor data provided by the sensor module based on the AER.
US08045510B2
A process for transmitting a document from a server to a mobile device on a per page basis, comprising building a graph structure within the server representing a map of the document, transmitting a page size limit from the mobile device to the server indicative of the size of a single page of the document to be displayed by the mobile device, traversing and paginating the graph structure into successive pages based on the page size limit, caching the pages within the server, and transmitting the successive pages from the server to said the mobile device for display by said the mobile device.
US08045507B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for transmitting uplink data by a terminal performing a DRX operation in a mobile telecommunication system. According to the method and apparatus, when a UE transmits the uplink data, the UE variably controls given active and sleep periods in consideration of whether or not retransmission for the uplink data is performed, thereby more flexibly operating in the DRX mode.
US08045491B1
An apparatus having a corresponding method and computer program comprises an input circuit to receive packets of data from a network; a memory to store packet filter criteria for one or more wireless clients; a filter circuit to drop one or more of the packets of data according to the packet filter criteria; and a wireless output circuit to wirelessly transmit, to the one or more wireless clients, only the packets of data that are not dropped by the filter circuit.
US08045478B2
A data packet transmission network comprises a stream of packets of data sent by a first terminal passes in transit through at least one network equipment with which there is associated a stream measurement unit; wherein the first terminal and the measurement unit are connected to a collection unit. The measurement method comprising the following steps: the first terminal sends a specific stream of packets, each having a different determined size, the sizes being such that in a set of r packets, r being a positive integer less than or equal to the number of packets of the stream, there are not any two subsets of the set of r packets comprising the same number of packets and having the same cumulative total size; the measurement unit analyzes at least one packet and at most r packets of the stream passing in transit through the network equipment.
US08045471B2
A method for controlling packet flow in a packet transmission network. The method includes determining a parameter representative of packet congestion on the network, and adjusting a flow of packets onto the network in accordance with such parameter. The adjusting is a function of the time history of the parameter and the time average of such parameter relative to predetermined threshold levels. The adjusting selects one of a plurality of states, transitions between the states being a function of the time history of the parameter and the time average of such parameter relative to predetermined threshold levels.
US08045470B2
The invention is related to a method and a monitoring system for sample-analysis of data comprising a multitude of data packets. Defined parent population numbers (N) of data packets are sampled by an out of N sampling and classified or vice versa. Classification is done by classification rules to create sample-flow-groups of specific flows. Each sample-flow-group consists of a sample-flow-quantity of data packets having a sample-flow-size. According to the invention in each sample-flow-group sample-flow-variances and sample-flow ratios defined by the sample-flow-quantity in proportion to the sample number (n) are determined. Furthermore, an estimated flow size defined by an estimated sum of data sizes of data packages in a flow of the parent population number of data packets and its variance are calculated. For the calculation the parent population number, the sample number and at least one of the sample-flow-ratios, the sample-flow-mean-sizes and the sample-flow-variances are used, comprising the step of determination of at least one of parent population flow-ratios parent population flow-mean-sizes and parent population flow-variances for each flow in the parent population number of data packets.
US08045468B2
Provided is an apparatus and method of displaying power line communication (PLC) channel information. The apparatus for displaying PLC channel information includes a channel information determining unit which performs channel estimation of a PLC channel, and, based on the channel estimation, determines channel information on the PLC channel including a bandwidth of the PLC channel which is available for a user in a PLC network; and a channel information displaying unit which displays the channel information to the user.
US08045461B2
The present invention provides a method and a device for implementing a V-Switch. Through setting up a V-Switch correlation with respect to at least two VLAN tags, a DRE performs a V-Switch transmission on an Ethernet frame received according to the V-Switch correlation with respect to at least two VLAN tags. The invention can expand the number of V-Switch connections carried on a local link to 4096×4096, or even to 4096×4096×4096 . . . Therefore, the problem of insufficient VLAN tag resources is solved, and the requirements for the scale of V-Switch technology is met. Moreover, a more effective V-Switch method is provided, the switching capability of V-Switch is improved, and the application scale of V-Switch technology is enlarged.
US08045457B1
Intentionally dropping packets to prevent unauthorized transfer of data through multimedia tunnels is disclosed. A stream of media transport protocol packets is received. One or more packets are dropped intentionally from the stream to render unusable at the destination a file or other data transported through the multimedia tunnel without authorization.
US08045454B2
The present invention introduces a congestion control mechanism for constant bit rate (CBR) multimedia data flows in cable operator IP networks. A flow drop method within a congestion control unit of the present invention chooses a subset of multimedia data flows to drop, in whole, to alleviate a congestion condition. After the congestion condition is detected and the congestion control unit begins dropping multimedia data flows, the remaining multimedia data flows are no longer degraded for the end user, as compared to conventional congestion management systems.
US08045453B2
Congestion in connection-oriented data networks is alleviated by simulating the rerouting of circuits to uncongested parts of the network and then rerouting such circuits in a manner that causes little, or no, disruption to other parts of the network.
US08045440B2
An optical disk polishing device which includes: a disk holder for rotatably holding an optical disk, the disk holder installed in a lower fixed portion; a cylindrical buff disposed in parallel with the surface of the optical disk and perpendicular to a rotary shaft of the disk holder in an offset manner; a drive motor to rotate the buff; and an upper opening-and-closing portion normally urged to an open state to the lower fixed portion by a spring or other member. The device makes it possible to clean a readout surface of the optical disk in a short period of time, and to be offered at a low price owing to the simple and small-sized structure thereof.
US08045438B2
An optical storage system modulates a laser beam based on a high frequency modulation (HFM) signal and a pattern to be recorded on an optical storage medium. At least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the HFM signal is adjusted when using the light beam to record the pattern on the optical storage medium or read data from the medium.
US08045422B2
Provided is a near-field light generating element in which as much amount as possible of waveguide light can be coupled with a plasmon antenna. The element comprises a light waveguide and a plasmon antenna comprising a surface or edge for propagating surface plasmon excited by waveguide light, extending to a near-field light generating end. A groove is formed in a waveguide side surface. And at least a portion of the surface or edge is embedded in the groove or located directly above the groove, being opposed to a wall or bottom surface of the groove with a predetermined distance, so as for waveguide light to be coupled with the plasmon antenna in surface plasmon mode. This configuration enables the surface or edge to be located at the position in which the surface or edge can be coupled with more amount of light, thereby to improve the light use efficiency.
US08045421B2
Structures are disclosed that can improve the visibility of instrument displays. With some implementations, an instrument is provided with an illumination system having a light source and a light diffusion device proximal to the light source. The light diffusion device has at least one surface parallel to a primary plane of the display of the instrument. When the light source is activated, light propagates through the light diffusion device toward the display of the instrument.
US08045419B1
The invention as disclosed is a method for mitigating spatial aliasing that takes advantage of the forward motion of towed array elements to overcome the frequency constraints imposed on beam forming by the spatial separation of the array elements. The method employs the motion of a towed array of hydrophones to generate at least one synthetic array element to compensate for spatial under sampling.
US08045416B2
Methods, devices and systems for reducing the quantity of external interconnections of a memory device are disclosed. Implementation of one such method, device and system includes inputting over an address bus a first portion of an address of a next row of memory cells to be activated. The first portion of the address of the next row of memory cells to be activated is embedded in a command related to the previously activated row of memory cells. The next row of memory cells is subsequently activated according to a concurrently received second portion of the address of the next row of memory cells also received over the address bus. The portioning of the address signals can reduce the width of the address bus and, therefore, the number of required respective external interconnections.
US08045412B2
Apparatus and associated method for transferring data to memory, such as resistive sense memory (RSM). In accordance with some embodiments, input data comprising a sequence of logical states are transferred to a block of memory by concurrently writing a first logical state from the sequence to each of a first plurality of unit cells during a first write step, and concurrently writing a second logical state from the sequence to each of a second non-overlapping plurality of unit cells during a second write step.
US08045410B2
A complementary field-effect (CMOS) circuit is provided which includes a current-limiting device arranged along a power-supply bus or a ground bus of the circuit The current-limiting device is configured to prevent latch up of the CMOS circuit. More specifically, the current-limiting device is configured to maintain a junction of the parasitic pnpn diode structure as reverse-biased. A method is also provided which includes creating a current-voltage plot of a pnpn diode arranged within a first CMOS circuit which is absent of a current-limiting device arranged along a power bus of the circuit. In addition, the method includes determining a holding current level from the current-voltage plot and sizing a current-limiting device to place along a power bus of a second CMOS circuit comprising similar design specifications as the first CMOS circuit such that the current through the second CMOS circuit does not exceed the holding current level.
US08045405B2
A memory system, memory, and memory system command protocol are disclosed. Within the memory system, a memory controller communicates a command to the memory, the command being selected from a set of commands including a write command and a plurality of non-write commands. A Hamming distance value calculated between a digital value indicating the write command and a digital value indicating any one of the plurality of non-write commands is greater than 1.
US08045399B2
A data output circuit in a semiconductor memory apparatus includes a pre-driver configured to receive input data and then produce a pull-up signal and a pull-down signal, a pull-up driver configured to pull-up drive a first node in response to the pull-up signal and provide an additional pull-up drive when a voltage level on the first node transitions, a pull-down driver configured to pull-down drive a second node in response to the pull-down signal and provide an additional pull-down drive when a voltage level on the second node transitions, and a pad coupled to the first and second nodes to generate output data.
US08045397B2
A semiconductor memory device is capable of controlling an address and data mask information through the use of a common part, thereby reducing chip size. The semiconductor memory device for receiving the addresses and data mask information via a common pin includes a buffer unit and a shift register unit. The buffer unit receives the addresses and data mask information. The shift register unit is comprised of a plurality of latch stages connected in series, for sequentially latching the addresses and data mask information being inputted in series, and an address output unit and a data mask information output unit for outputting information from different latch stages.
US08045389B2
A dummy cell array is provided in a memory cell array, and an intermediate buffer is provided between input/output circuits, whereby control signals to the input/output circuits can be operated at high speed and with a high frequency while the area increasing effect is reduced even in a memory with a large bit width.
US08045382B2
Disclosed is an erasing method for a flash memory device that includes erasing memory cells of a selected memory block and post-programming the erased memory cells to have a threshold voltage distribution with the lowest level that is at or near 0V. The post-programming includes first post-programming the memory block in the unit of memory block and second post-programming the memory block in the unit of word line.
US08045381B2
A memory is secured against an error injection during the reading of a datum. The memory includes: means for reading a reference datum in the memory during a phase of reading a datum stored in the memory; means for comparing the reference datum read with an expected value; and means for generating an error signal if the datum read is different from the expected value. Application is provided particularly but not exclusively to the protection of memories integrated into smart cards.
US08045375B2
Multiple programming processes are performed for a plurality of non-volatile storage elements. Each of the programming processes operate to program at least a subset of the non-volatile storage elements to a respective set of target conditions using program pulses. At least a subset of the programming processes include identifying a program pulse associated with achieving a particular result for a respective programming process and performing one or more sensing operations at one or more alternative results for the non-volatile storage elements. Subsequent programming process are adjusted based on a first alternative result and the identification of the program pulse if the one or more sensing operations determined that greater than a predetermined number of non-volatile storage elements achieved the first alternative result. Subsequent programming process are adjusted based on the identification of the program pulse if the one or more sensing operations determined that less than a required number of non-volatile storage elements achieved any of the alternative results.
US08045373B2
Disclosed are a method and device for programming an array of memory cells.
US08045361B2
A non-volatile memory cell and method of writing data thereto. In accordance with some embodiments, the memory cell includes first and second resistive memory elements (RMEs) configured to concurrently store complementary programmed resistive states. The first RME is programmed to a first resistive state and the second RME is concurrently programmed to a second resistive state by application of a common write current in a selected direction through the memory cell.
US08045360B2
A sense amplifier in a semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell for storing information on the basis of the size of the resistance value between a signal input/output terminal and a power supply terminal, the semiconductor storage device having a structure in which the bit line capacitance during signal reading from the memory cell is reduced, wherein the amplifier amplifies a signal outputted from an input/output terminal through the use of a single MOS transistor that has a single-ended structure.
US08045352B2
A power converter includes a switching device composed of parallel-connected semiconductor chips evenly divided into two groups. The power converter includes a positive conductor, a capacitor and an output electrode. The positive conductor includes first and second terminal portions. The output electrode includes an end portion joined to a base portion having first and second connecting portions. The output electrode is formed so as to reduce or cancel a difference existing between an inductance L1 of a current path from a positive terminal of the capacitor to the first terminal portion and an inductance L2 of a current path from the positive terminal to the second terminal portion, by providing a difference between an inductance L3 of a current path from the first connecting portion to the end portion and an inductance L4 of a current path from the second connecting portion to the end portion.
US08045351B2
A biased current-limit circuit for limiting a maximum output power of a power converter includes an oscillator for generating a pulse signal. A waveform generator generates a waveform signal in response to a switching signal and a second-sampling signal. A sample-hold circuit is used to sample the waveform signal to generate a hold signal in response to a first-sampling signal. The sample-hold circuit further samples the hold signal to generate a current-limit threshold in response to the second-sampling signal. A current comparator is utilized to compare a current-sensing signal with the current-limit threshold to limit a maximum on-time of the switching signal.
US08045340B2
The invention relates to a data processing system with a main board, in which main board has at least one multipoint connector, in which at least one riser card is accommodated, and a first daughter card is accommodated in first riser card in such a manner that first daughter card is arranged parallel to main board. The data processing system further comprises a second multipoint connector, wherein a second riser card is accommodated in second multipoint connector, and a second daughter card is accommodated in second riser card in such a manner that second daughter card is arranged parallel to main board. The First multipoint connector and the second multipoint connectors are arranged on opposite outer sides of the main board. Each daughter card comprises a respective I/O interface which each cooperates with a common rear panel and is pointed towards the common rear panel. Relative to second daughter card, first daughter card is arranged rotated by 180° about an axis running parallel to main board.
US08045335B2
A semiconductor device includes first and second assembled bodies (12A, 12B). The first assembled body is provided with a first semiconductor chip, a high voltage bus bar (21) connected to one surface of the first semiconductor chip, a first metal wiring board (24-1) connected to the other surface of the first semiconductor chip with a bonding wire, and a third metal wiring board (24-3) connected to the first metal wiring board. The second assembled body is provided with a second semiconductor chip, a low voltage bus bar (23) connected to one surface of the second semiconductor chip with a bonding wire, a second metal wiring board (24-2) connected to the other surface of the second semiconductor chip, and a fourth metal wiring board (24-4) connected by being returned from an end portion of the second metal wiring board and arranged in parallel to the second metal wiring board. The first assembled body and the second assembled body are arranged in a stacked structure wherein the assembled bodies are being separated. Inductance of a main circuit is reduced by the semiconductor module structure.
US08045331B2
A printed circuit board includes a core layer, an insulation layer formed on the core layer and having a cavity formed on a part of the insulation layer, and a circuit pattern formed on the insulation layer, wherein the circuit pattern comprises one or more external terminals positioned above the cavity.
US08045329B2
According to one embodiment, a heat dissipation system includes an elongated radar absorbing member configured with a thermal dissipation mechanism. The radar absorbing member extends proximate a junction of a microwave antenna enclosure that houses an antenna and a radome that covers an opening in the microwave antenna enclosure. The radar absorbing member absorbs electro-magnetic energy incident upon the junction. The thermal dissipation mechanism absorbs heat generated by the absorbed electro-magnetic energy.
US08045328B1
A server and cooler module arrangement includes a server accommodating a stack of an operating system and an electronic device in an accommodation chamber therein at one side and an access device unit in the accommodation chamber at an opposite side, and a cooler module, which comprises a rack mounted in a partition way in the accommodation chamber between the stack of operating system and electronic device and the access device unit and a plurality of fans respectively adjustably mounted in respective open frames at different elevations and adapted for drawing air or sending air toward different heat sources in the operating system, the electronic device and the access device unit for quick dissipation of waste heat.
US08045326B1
A bracket for holding a disk drive or other subassembly in a chassis may have a pair of rails that lie under the disk drive when the disk drive is coupled to the bracket. A bracket assembly may include an injector pivotably coupled to a base of the bracket. The injector may include a pin that engages a slot in the chassis to urge the bracket assembly into the chassis. The injector and base may, include latch elements for latching the injector to the base. A latch element of the base may be integrally formed with a body of the base.
US08045317B2
An integrated electronic device includes circuitry for providing a regulated output supply voltage level at an output node from an adjustable current. The circuitry includes an adjustable current source for providing the adjustable current and for adjusting the adjustable current to a magnitude of a target value in response to a configuration signal, an auxiliary adjustable current source providing an auxiliary adjustable current having a magnitude corresponding to the target value, and an output supply voltage level regulating loop coupled to the output node and adapted to keep the output supply voltage level at a preset value. A current selecting stage is adapted to receive the adjustable current and the auxiliary current. The current selecting stage is further adapted to supply a selected current corresponding to a lesser value of the adjustable current and the auxiliary adjustable current. Further, a current limiting stage is coupled to the output node for limiting the selected current to a predefined magnitude.
US08045315B2
An electronic device includes an ion cooling system for cooling system components of the device. Through an arrangement, ionization of an air flow caused by the ion cooling can be determined and the electrostatic charge on the components that are located within the air flow can be measured.
US08045305B2
A first transistor is an N-channel MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) with a first terminal of the conduction channel, the gate, and the back gate thereof connected to a terminal to be protected. A second transistor is an N-channel MOSFET with a first channel of the conduction channel, the gate, and the back gate thereof connected to a fixed voltage terminal, and with a second terminal of the conduction channel thereof connected to the second terminal of the conduction channel of the first transistor. The first transistor and the second transistor are floating MOSFETs formed in a common N-type well formed in a P-type semiconductor substrate, and are provided in the form of separate devices. A common connection node which connects the first transistor and the second transistor is connected to an N-type well for device separation.
US08045294B2
An opening (3) is formed on a surface of a metal film (2), a plurality of axes (4, 5, 6, 7) cross each other substantially perpendicularly at the opening (3), a plurality of periodic grooves (8, 9, 10, 11) are provided for respective axes (4, 5, 6, 7), and each of the periodic grooves (8, 9, 10, 11) includes a plurality of grooves (8-n, 9-n, 10-n, and 11-n) substantially perpendicular to the axis for which each periodic groove is provided, and the periodic grooves (8, 9, 10, 11) is positioned point-symmetrically with respect to the opening (3).
US08045284B2
In an implementation, a media drive comprises bit patterned magnetic media and one or more modules. The one or more modules are to cause data to be written on the bit patterned magnetic media in a data sector that includes a synchronization mark disposed between data blocks of the data sector.
US08045283B2
In a hard-disc drive, a defect region on the hard disc is classified as corresponding to either thermal asperity (TA) or media defect (MD) by generating two statistical measures. A first measure (e.g., α1) is based on (i) the magnitudes of one or both of signal values (e.g., equalizer input or output signal values) and the corresponding expected values of those signal values and (ii) the signs of one or both of the signal values and the expected signal values. A second measure (e.g., α2) is based on the magnitudes of one or both of the signal values and the expected signal values, but not the signs of either the signal values or the expected signal values. The two measures are then compared to determine whether the defect region corresponds to TA or MD.
US08045282B2
The eccentricity of tracks defined on a rotating bit patterned media are measured using a readback signal, and the measured eccentricity may be used to control centering of the disk relative to a rotational spindle and/or to control movement of a read/write head relative to a selected track on the disk.
US08045279B2
A lens is manufactured by hardening soft material filled inside a molding tool by cooling. The lens includes a convex lens portion having an optical axis, and a marking portion located outside of an effective diameter of the lens portion. The shape or the position of the marking portion is set to prevent deformation of the marking portion by contact with the molding tool due to shrinkage of the material during cooling.
US08045274B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit with a negative refractive power, a second lens unit with a positive refractive power, and a third lens unit with a positive refractive power in order from the object side to the image side. The first lens unit includes a negative lens and a positive lens. When the curvature radius of the object side surface and that of the image side surface of the negative lens are respectively defined as R11 and R12 and the curvature radius of the object side surface and that of the image side surface of the positive lens are respectively defined as R21 and R22, the following conditional expression is satisfied: −5.6<(R12+R21)/(R12−R21)<−4.7 and 1.5<(R11+R22)/(R11−R22)<2.3.
US08045273B2
A projection apparatus includes a first, a second and a third light sources, a first reflective element, a first and a second dichroic mirrors, a light-homogenizing element, a light valve and a projection lens. The first reflective element is configured to reflect the first light beam, and the first dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the second light beam and to transmit the first light beam transmitted from the first reflective element. The second dichroic mirror is configured to reflect the first and the second light beams transmitted from the first dichroic mirror and to transmit the third light beam. The light-homogenizing element is used for homogenizing the combined light beam, and the light valve is used for modulating the combined light beam to form an image beam. The projection lens is used for receiving and then projecting the image beam.
US08045259B2
The invention relates to optical fibers for use in optical amplification of light, such as in optical fiber amplifiers and lasers and for use in delivery of high power light, in particular to a scheme for reducing amplified spontaneous emission at undesired wavelengths. The invention further relates to articles, methods and use. An object of the invention is achieved by a micro-structured optical fiber, which is adapted to guide light by the photonic bandgap effect and to have one or more pass bands and at least one stop-band over a wavelength range from λstop1 to λstop2. In an aspect of the invention, the at least one stop-band provides filter functions that suppress nonlinear effects. In another aspect, the core region is actively doped, and the active material has an emission spectrum with a higher value of the emission cross section σE at a wavelength λASE between λstop1 and λstop2 than outside said wavelength range such that amplified spontaneous emission and lasing within the wavelength range from λstop1 to λstop2 is reduced. In still another aspect, the optical fiber exhibits photonic bandgaps at different wavelength ranges in different radial directions of a cross section of the optical fiber.
US08045256B2
In one embodiment of the invention, a display is provided and includes a plurality of interferometric display elements. The display further includes at least one diffuser. Optical properties of the diffuser are selected to reduce color shift of the display when viewed from at least one angle.
US08045254B2
The present invention discloses an image display system implemented with a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a plurality of pixel elements wherein each of the pixel elements further comprises an electrode having a structural body comprising: a first electrically conductive layer; a second electrically conductive layer; and a semiconductor layer disposed adjacently to the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer and the semiconductor layer further comprises a doped conductive area for electrically connecting the first electric conductive layer and second electric conductive layer.
US08045252B2
A spatial light modulator comprises an integrated optical compensation structure, e.g., an optical compensation structure arranged between a substrate and a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements, or an optical compensation structure located on the opposite side of the light-modulating elements from the substrate. The individually addressable light-modulating elements are configured to modulate light transmitted through or reflected from the transparent substrate. Methods for making such spatial light modulators involve fabricating an optical compensation structure over a substrate and fabricating a plurality of individually addressable light-modulating elements over the optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may be a passive optical compensation structure. The optical compensation structure may include one or more of a supplemental frontlighting source, a diffuser, a black mask, a diffractive optical element, a color filter, an anti-reflective layer, a structure that scatters light, a microlens array, and a holographic film.
US08045244B2
Video image data is converted into spatial frequency information using Fourier transformation. The spatial frequency information is provided to an information display unit. The spatial frequency information as a phase distribution is displayed on the information display unit, light is irradiated onto the information display unit using a light source, and the amount of light that is irradiated by the light source is adjusted based on the video image data. And diffraction light, which is irradiated by the light source and modulated as the spatial frequency information by the information display unit, is projected onto a projecting unit.
US08045230B2
A halftone pixel detection unit detects pixels near center pixels of halftone pixels by comparing a density difference between a target pixel and each of neighboring pixels of image data with a predetermined threshold. A halftone pixel rearranging unit rearranges the halftone pixels detected by the halftone pixel detection unit relative to the target pixel and a halftone-area detection unit detects a halftone area based upon a pattern of the halftone pixels that is rearranged.
US08045229B2
An image processing apparatus comprises an extraction unit configured to extract areas having predetermined attributes from image data of a document; a calculation unit configured to calculate skew angles of the areas extracted by the extraction unit; a selection unit configured to select necessary elements by determining, as unnecessary elements, the areas having the calculated skew angles not less than a threshold and by determining, as the necessary element, the areas having the calculated skew angles less than the threshold; and a processing unit configured to apply image processing to the necessary elements selected by the selection unit.
US08045227B2
Disclosed is a print controlling device including a control unit to control printing according to an instruction which relates to the printing, wherein the control unit analyzes a page description language which relates to the printing, determines whether the printing is practically monochrome printing or color printing, and changes a first command of the page description language to a second command for monochrome printing when it is determined that the printing is monochrome printing.
US08045226B2
A multi-module device having first and second modules is disclosed. The first and second modules communicate through a serial bus. The first module has a memory for storing image data in a RGB format and a processing unit for converting the image data from the RGB format to a L*a*b* format, before outputting image data in the L*a*b* format through the serial bus. The second module receives the image data in the L*a*b* format, converts the image data to a CMY format and prints the image data in the CMY format.
US08045215B2
A printer contains a list of objects to be printed under control of a controller. Different resolutions for the objects are included in the list of objects to be printed. In one embodiment, each item has an associated resolution indicating a minimum resolution for printing the item, unless the item before it has the same resolution. In such a case, the previous resolution is used to render ensuing objects for printing until an object requires a different resolution. A rendering module renders the object for printing as a function of the listed resolutions and resolutions supported by the printer. If the desired resolution is lower than that supported by the printer, the lowest resolution of the printer is used to render the object.
US08045208B2
A method of translating printed text using a handheld display device having a touch-sensitive screen and a transceiver for sending and receiving digital information. The method comprises the steps of: imaging an area of the substrate containing printed text in a first language and generating image data using an optical sensor; determining interaction data using the image data, the interaction data identifying a substrate identity, the substrate identity being indexed with a page description corresponding to the printed substrate; retrieving display data using the interaction data and the page description, the display data identifying the printed text translated into a second language; and displaying, on the touch-sensitive screen, display information based on the display data. The display information comprises displayed text corresponding to the printed text translated into the second language.
US08045204B2
A method for a computer includes determining a call-in fax telephone number called by a facsimile transmission device, receiving the facsimile transmission from a facsimile transmission device including a digitized representation of a transmission page including an optical representation of data associated with an e-mail address, determining the data optically, which is independent of the call-in number, determining a graphics template associated with the call-in number, combining a digitized representation of the transmission page with the graphics template to form a digitized representation of a composite page, formatting the digitized representation of the composite page into a second format, determining additional service provider data in response to the facsimile or the scanned image, and transmitting the additional service provider data and the digitized representation of the composite page in the second format to the electronic destination address.
US08045188B2
Provided is a method for the automated selection of sample documents or pages from a large collection, and more particularly an application of the method in a proof presentment environment—where the method is employed for selection and review of representative or extreme pages from a large document, such as one scheduled for printing. The method characterizes pages or documents in a multi-dimensional vector space based upon a set of characteristics, and then uses clustering techniques to group the pages, enabling the selection of typical pages from the groups, outlier pages from extremes lying outside of the groups, or both typical and outlier pages.
US08045185B2
In an image processing apparatus that is capable of setting desired image processing conditions for each of images that have been shot, an image of interest for which number of prints is to be set is specified and it is determined whether image processing conditions have been set for the specified image of interest. If image processing conditions have not been set for the specified image of interest, a number of prints for the image of interest is allowed to be set. If setting of number of prints has been allowed, then the setting of number of prints is accepted and the set number of prints is stored in correlation with the image of interest.
US08045182B2
A location detection apparatus is disclosed that includes: a light source; a light output side reflector having a reflecting surface for reflecting light from the light source to a space; a rotation mechanism for rotating the light output side reflector; a first light receiving element for receiving the light reflected from an object existing in the space; a light reception side reflector for reflecting the light from the object to the first light receiving element; a second light receiving element for receiving the light from the light output side reflector; a light conductor for conducting the light reflected from or transmitted through the reflecting surface toward the second light receiving element when the light output side reflector is in a predetermined position; and a rotational position detector that detects rotational position of the light output side reflector based on a detection result of the second light receiving element.
US08045176B2
Various methods are disclosed for mapping optical coherence tomography (OCT) data to facilitate review and diagnosis. In one aspect, high resolution 2D line scans are obtained along with lower density 3D cube scans and displayed in a manner to provide context to the clinician. In another aspect, OCT data is analyzed to provide information about non-uniformities of the tissue. Binary image maps of maps useful for determining tautness of membranes are also disclosed.
US08045169B2
The present invention provides an optics assembly, a reflectometer, and a diagnostic device for providing quantitative measurement of optical radiation reflected from a sampling area on an assay matrix. The reflectometer includes an optical radiation source and a detector. The optical radiation source and the detector are mounted in a single plane. An optics assembly is configured to direct the illumination from the optical radiation source to the sampling area on the assay matrix and to direct the radiation diffusely reflected from the sampling area to the detector. The optics assembly is positioned over the face of the circuit board having the optical radiation source and detector mounted directly thereto. The present invention also provides a method for determining the presence of one or more selected analytes in a sample employing a plurality of sampling areas on one or more assay matrixes.
US08045165B2
A method and apparatus for focusing a device for imaging a biologic sample is provided. A method aspect of the disclosure includes the steps of: 1) disposing lenslets within a field of a biologic sample, which lenslets have a height, and have a refractive index and which refractive index is different from that of the sample, wherein one or both of the imaging device and the sample are relatively locatable so a focal position of the imaging device can be moved along the height of the lenslets; 2) imaging at least a portion of the sample including a plurality of lenslets using transmittance at one or more predetermined wavelengths; 3) determining an average light transmittance intensity of the sample at the wavelengths; 4) determining an average light transmittance intensity of a region of each lenslet at the wavelengths; and 5) determining the focal position of the imaging device using the average light transmittance intensity of the sample and the average light transmittance intensity of the region of the lenslets.
US08045161B2
A coherent confocal microscope for fully characterizing the elastic scattering properties of a nanoparticle as a function of wavelength. Using a high numerical aperture lens, two-dimensional scanning and a simple vector beam shaper, the rank-2 polarizability tensor is estimated from a single confocal image. A computationally efficient data processing method is described and numerical simulations show that this algorithm is robust to noise and uncertainty in the focal plane position. The measurement of the polarizability removes the need for a priori assumptions regarding the nanoparticle shape.
US08045139B2
An exposure apparatus of a semiconductor device may include an exposure light source; an asymmetric adjustment filter for asymmetrically adjusting intensity of a light which passes through the exposure light source; a photomask for passing the light of which intensity is adjusted by the asymmetric adjustment filter; a projection lens for projecting the light passing through the photomask; and a wafer stage for mounting a wafer on which an image is formed by the light from the projection lens.
US08045138B2
An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate through a liquid. The apparatus includes a stage that holds the substrate and moves, and a support plate disposed on the stage and around the periphery of the substrate and supporting the liquid together with the substrate. The support plate includes a liquid-repellent structure portion on the surface of which is formed a texture repellent to the liquid, and a flat portion on the surface of which is formed a film repellent to the liquid.
US08045128B2
A backlight unit includes a light source, an optical member for adjusting a traveling path of light exiting from the light source, a frame accommodating and fixing the optical member and including a plane portion, a sidewall portion vertically extending from the plane portion and at least one frame fastening portion downwardly extending from the sidewall portion and a lower receiving member for accommodating and fixing the frame. The lower receiving member includes a bottom portion having at least one hole formed therein to be fastened to the frame fastening portion and a side surface portion upwardly extending from edges of the bottom portion.
US08045116B2
A liquid crystal display includes a pair of transparent substrates opposed to each other with liquid crystal therebetween, and one of the substrates has a plurality of drain signal lines, gate signal lines, and pixel regions defined by the drain signal lines and the gate signal lines. The pixel regions include a semiconductor region which constitutes a channel of a TFT element, a first electrode formed of a transparent electrode, and a second electrode formed of a transparent electrode. The second electrode is disposed between the first electrode and the one of the substrates, the second electrode is overlapped with the first electrode in the pixel region, the second electrode is overlapped with the gate signal line, and the second electrode is connected with the second electrode of an adjacent pixel region. The second electrode is not formed at a position on the TFT element.
US08045113B2
A thin film transistor (TFT) substrate including a base, a plurality of scan lines and data lines and a pixel unit is provided. The scan lines are disposed on the base. The data lines are disposed above the scan lines and are perpendicular to the scan lines to define a plurality of pixel areas. The pixel unit is disposed on the base and inside one of the pixel areas. The pixel unit comprises a TFT and a pixel electrode. The TFT comprises a source and a drain. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the drain. The pixel electrode comprises a first main electrode, a second main electrode and a plurality of branch electrodes. The first main electrode is perpendicular to the second main electrode. The branch electrodes are connected to the first main electrode and/or the second main electrode. The first main electrode substantially divides the pixel area evenly.
US08045108B2
To provide a liquid crystal display device in which it is possible, with a simple configuration, to avoid a bright spot defect caused by a polishing flaw, called a dimple, formed in a surface of an observer side substrate of a liquid crystal display panel.A liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal display panel having a first substrate, a second substrate disposed on an observer side of the first substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a transparent cover affixed by means of a first bonding member to a surface of the liquid crystal display panel on the observer side, wherein the transparent cover has an optical member affixed by means of a second bonding member to a surface of the transparent cover facing the second substrate, the second substrate has a chemically polished surface on the observer side, the first bonding member, as well as making direct contact with both the polished surface of the second substrate and the optical member, covers all of a surface portion of the second substrate facing a display area, and the first bonding member is 30 to 200 μm in thickness, while the second bonding member is 10 to 25 μm in thickness.
US08045106B2
A substrate for a liquid crystal device includes: an electrode film provided on a display area on the substrate; an alignment film which covers at least the display area and is subjected to an alignment process by rubbing; and a band-shaped projection provided in a peripheral area outside the display area so as at least to intersect the rubbing direction and extend along the display area, in which the height of the band-shaped projection on the substrate is higher than the height of the surface of the electrode film.
US08045104B2
A liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same that can reduce the increase in the black level due to light leakage, without reducing the aperture ratio while improving the contrast ratio. The liquid crystal display includes a TFT array substrate comprising a data line, a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and the data line, the pixel electrode and the common electrode have at least one bent structure; a color filter array substrate opposite to the TFT array substrate, the color filter array substrate comprising a black matrix covering an area corresponding to at least the data line and the common electrode; and a liquid crystal layer formed between the TFT array substrate and the color filter array substrate, wherein the black matrix comprises a first black matrix line covering an area where light leakage is minimal, and a second black matrix line covering an area where light leakage is excessive, the second black matrix having a line width larger than a line width of the first black matrix.
US08045101B2
A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal display panel having a first substrate, a second substrate disposed on an observer side with respect to the first substrate and opposed to the first substrate, a liquid crystal held between the first substrate and the second substrate, an upper polarizing plate disposed on the observer side with respect to the second substrate, and a resin film disposed on the observer side with respect to the upper polarizing plate and affixed in contact with the upper polarizing plate. The resin film is higher in surface hardness than the upper polarizing plate and has a surface hardness of at least 3H in terms of surface pencil hardness. Each of the first and second substrates have a thickness of no greater than 0.5 mm, and a total thickness of the liquid crystal display panel is no greater than 2 mm.
US08045098B2
A LCD device includes first and second LCD panels stacked one on another. Each of the first and second LCD panels includes a pair of transparent substrates, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched therebetween, and a pair of polarizing films sandwiching therebetween the pair of transparent substrates. A light diffusion layer having light diffusion function is interposed between the first LCD panel and the second LCD panel. The light diffusion layer reduces the intensity of the light passed by the first LCD panel, thereby alleviating the periodicity of the arrangement of dark areas and bright areas to alleviate the moire caused by light interference.
US08045094B2
A backlight device capable of preventing or reducing, even when an optical sheet bends, occurrence of luminance nonuniformity and/or shades due to the bend. The backlight device 1 controls the properties of light emitted by a light source 12 using two upper and lower diffusion sheets 16, 20 and a lens sheet 18 placed between the diffusion sheets and illuminates the back side of a display panel with the light, in which a space 24 for expansion is provided between the lens sheet 18 and the upper diffusion sheet 20, the space for expansion accommodating a bend of the lens sheet 18 which is caused by expansion due to heat from the light source 12.
US08045093B2
A backlight unit for slimmed structure and exhibiting uniform brightness through the improvement of its luminance efficiency and the quality in appearance of which is improved by the removal of bright lines, and a liquid crystal display device having the same are disclosed. The backlight unit includes a plurality of light emitting lamps disposed above a cover bottom such that the light emitting lamps are arranged at regular intervals, a diffusion plate disposed above the light emitting lamps, the diffusion plate including a substrate, a light control part formed on the bottom surface of the substrate corresponding to the light emitting lamps, and lens parts mounted on the top surface of the substrate, and an optical film disposed above the diffusion plate.
US08045088B2
An exemplary liquid crystal display device (20) includes a rear frame (25) including a plurality of first through holes (251) and a shield (24) including a back frame (241). The back frame includes a plurality of second through holes (244) corresponding to the first through holes, respectively. The back frame further includes a plurality of fixing units (245), and the shield further includes a plurality of shielding units (240) corresponding to the fixing units respectively. Each of the shielding units is fixed to a corresponding one of the fixing units by insert directly into the fixing unit.
US08045086B2
A backlight unit having a decreased thickness includes at least one lamp which emits light; and at least one light-diffusion plate which diffuses the light emitted from the light, and is positioned above each lamp, wherein the lamp and the light-diffusion plate are fixed and supported by a lamp guide.
US08045083B2
A liquid crystal display includes a substrate; a common voltage line formed on the substrate and transmitting a common voltage; a pixel electrode formed on the common voltage line and including a first subpixel electrode and a second subpixel electrode; a first thin film transistor connected to the first subpixel electrode, and including a first gate electrode, a first source electrode, and a first drain electrode; a second thin film transistor connected to the second subpixel electrode, and including a second gate electrode, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode; a boosting capacitor connected to the first subpixel electrode; a third thin film transistor connected to the common voltage line and the boosting capacitor, and including a third gate electrode, a third source electrode, and a third drain electrode; and a fourth thin film transistor connected to the second subpixel electrode and the boosting capacitor, wherein the common voltage line is formed in the same layer as the third source electrode, and is electrically connected to the third source electrode.
US08045076B2
An active matrix substrate includes a transistor, a pixel electrode connected with one of the current-flowing electrodes of the transistor, a storage capacitor wiring, a lead wiring extending from one of the current-flowing electrodes of the transistor, and a repair wiring extending from the storage capacitor wiring. The repair wiring overlaps a portion of the lead wiring with an insulating layer interposed therebetween. As a result, TFT defects (for example, a short circuit between a source electrode and a drain electrode) can be repaired, and performance of fast display and reduction in electric power consumption can be realized.
US08045073B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can more improve a luminance when the liquid crystal display device includes a column spacer. The present invention is a liquid crystal display device including a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the pair of substrates, and the liquid crystal display device having a red pixel, a green pixel, and a blue pixel, wherein a column spacer structure is arranged in the red pixel among three pixels of the red, green, and blue pixels, and the red pixel has the smallest aperture ratio of the three pixels.
US08045070B2
An electronic display device using a barrier includes a display unit displaying an image corresponding to a two dimension (2D) or a three dimension (3D), and a barrier facing the display unit and providing a 2D image or 3D image to a user. The barrier includes first and second substrates facing each other. First and second electrodes are alternately formed on the first substrate and having first gaps therebetween. A third electrode is formed on the second substrate. A dark colored layer is formed to correspond to the first gap. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second substrates.
US08045067B2
A method for searching a frequency band to locate a channel. The method includes the steps of setting an initial frequency and a first frequency step; determining a frequency point based on the initial frequency and the first frequency step; determining whether the frequency point satisfies a first condition, which is continuously detecting a horizontal signal a predetermined number of times. When the first condition is satisfied, the frequency point is recorded as an entrance point. A second frequency step based on the entrance point determines a second frequency point, wherein the second frequency step is less than the first frequency step. It is then determined if a channel exists at the second frequency point. The entrance point is recorded as the updated initial frequency for the next search. The described steps are repeated for the entire frequency band.
US08045065B2
A Sync On Green signal detection circuit includes a clamping circuit for clamping a voltage of a video graphics signal within a default range and then outputting a clamped input signal; a first PGA (programmable gain amplifier) for receiving and amplifying the clamped input signal by a first gain to generate a first gain signal; a first low-pass filter for receiving the first gain signal and then generating a first filtered signal; a second PGA for receiving and amplifying the clamped input signal by a second gain to generate a second gain signal, wherein the second gain is different from the first gain; a second low-pass filter for receiving the second gain signal and then generating a second filtered signal; a programmable voltage shifter for receiving and adjusting the first filtered signal and then outputting a level shifted signal; and a comparator for receiving the level shifted signal and the second filtered signal and then generating a comparison signal as a SOG signal.
US08045059B2
A gain control circuit includes an automatic gain controller (AGC), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a saturation field detecting block, a sync detector and a gain control block. The AGC controls amplitude of an analog image signal including a luminance signal, a color signal and a sync signal. The ADC converts the amplitude-controlled analog image signal to a digital image signal. The saturation field detecting block determines on a per field basis whether the digital image signal is saturated. The sync detector is configured to detect the sync signal in the digital image signal. The gain control block provides a gain control signal to the AGC based on an output signal of the saturation field detecting block and an output signal of the sync detector. Therefore, the gain control circuit may prevent saturation of the analog image signal by controlling gain of the analog image signal.
US08045058B2
A method of determining the status of a plurality of input ports in a television receiver having a plurality of signal input ports, and including a main-screen signal processor and a sub-screen signal processor, automatically verifies the presence or absence of an input signal at each signal input port. The port status determining method includes detecting signal presence at each of the plurality of signal input ports via the sub-screen signal processor to determine whether the corresponding input signal exists, by sequentially setting an input mode in correspondence to each of the plurality of signal input ports; and recognizing as a valid input port each signal input port at which signal presence is detected.
US08045057B2
A synchronization detector of a video signal processor includes a line buffer, a parameter extraction unit and synchronization detection unit. The line buffer sequentially stores a digital video signal corresponding to an input analog video signal, line by line of the input analog video signal. The parameter extraction unit continuously extracts horizontal synchronization parameters from the digital video signal stored line by line and continuously extracts vertical synchronization parameters from a portion of the digital video signal stored line by line. The synchronization detection unit generates horizontal and vertical synchronization signals of the input analog video signal using time information related to local minimum values of the horizontal synchronization parameters and time information related to local minimum values of the vertical synchronization parameters.
US08045053B2
A video image deinterlacing apparatus includes intrafield and interfield processors therein. The intrafield processor is responsive to field data (e.g., sequence of video image fields) depicting a time-varying video image. The intrafield processor is configured to determine edge and edge steepness characteristics for a plurality of omitted pixels within fields of the time-varying video image. The interfield processor, which is also responsive to the field data, is configured to identify pixels possessing time-invariant properties.
US08045046B1
Camera depth estimation is performed in response to picture matching based on blur difference computed between images captured at different focal positions. A blur difference model is stored in the camera based on characterization of the camera with a series of matching curves in which blur difference varies depending on the focal length, aperture, subject distance, and lens focus position. A four-dimensional polynomial model is created to fit the matching curves for use in estimating subject distance. During operation, images are captured for use in estimating subject distance. Motion compensation is applied and blur difference is determined. Blur difference is utilized in the polynomial model to estimate subject distance. Subject distance estimates can be output or utilized within an auto focus process to provide accurate focus adjustments.
US08045036B2
An apparatus for sorting a raw data with horizontal division is provided. The apparatus includes a frame memory and a frame data sorting device coupled to the frame memory. The frame memory stores a frame data having m vertical fields, and each of the vertical fields has n horizontal fields. The frame data sorting device sorts at least one first data block having Vstripe rows of the frame data according to the value n to generate a sorted first data block and overwrites the first data block with the sorted first data block. The frame data sorting device also sorts at least one second data block having Hstripe columns of the frame data according to the value m to generate a sorted second data block and overwrites the second data block with the sorted second data block.
US08045029B2
A CMOS image sensor includes: a plurality of CDS/PGAs (correlating double sampling/programmable gain amplifiers) for processing output signals of pixels corresponding to same colors on different paths; and an offset difference removing part for removing offset difference that occurs when the same color signals are processed on the different paths, wherein the offset difference removing part includes: a dummy pixel array where light is shielded; a unit for reading signals of the dummy pixel array through the CDS/PGAs and storing average offset values for each path; and a signal synthesizing unit for synthesizing the average offset values and signals of an effective pixel array, which are read through the respective CDS/PGAs, and outputting signals of which offset difference is removed.
US08045020B2
An imaging apparatus, comprising: a first recording module, which has a first initialization time from initialization to coming into a recordable condition; a second recording module which has a second initialization time from initialization to coming into a recordable condition, being longer than the first initialization time; a mode switching module, which is configure to switch over a power OFF mode, a mode for recording into the first recording module, and a mode for recording into the second recording module, wherein the mode exchange switch, which is configured to exchange the mode in an order from the power OFF mode to the mode for recording into the first recording module, and to the mode for recording into the second recording module, whereby shortening an apparent initializations time of the recording module having a long initialization time, while using a high-speed initialization characteristic of the recording module having a short initialization time effectively, thereby obtaining an improvement on the operability for a user.
US08045018B2
An imaging processing unit signal-processes main picture data outputted from an imaging device. A zoom processing unit subjects the signal-processed main picture data to picture resize processing. A display picture management unit subjects the signal-processed main picture data to resize processing by the zoom processing unit to generate display picture data, aside from the main picture data recorded onto a recording medium at the time of photographing, and temporarily stores the display picture data in a memory area set inside or outside the integrated circuit. A display picture processing unit subjects the main picture data and the display picture data to display processing.
US08045016B2
To reduce flicker appropriately according to illumination condition of an imaging subject, a video camera is provided. The video camera includes an imaging unit for generating a subject image; a superimposing image generator for generating a superimposing image; an image synthesizer for synthesize the subject image and the superimposing image to generate a synthesized image; a video signal generator for generating a video signal from the synthesized image so as to display the synthesized image. The video camera also includes a flicker reduction unit to reduce flicker caused by luminance fluctuation of a light source. The flicker reduction unit has a plurality flicker reduction modes. The mode setting unit makes the superimposing image generator to generate a settings screen as the superimposing image for assisting selection of one of the flicker reduction modes.
US08045014B2
A normal AWB (auto white balance) correction value is calculated based on inputted image data. Further, a face area is identified from the inputted image data and a face AWB correction value is calculated based on image data in the face area. Then, first feature data and second feature data are extracted from the inputted image data and image data in the face area, respectively. A total AWB correction value is calculated in accordance with at least one of the face AWB correction value and the normal AWB correction value based on a comparison result of the first feature data and the second feature data. Thus, an erroneous correction can be prevented in an AWB correction using a face detection function.
US08045012B2
An image-pickup apparatus includes: an image-pickup device for converting light into an electric signal and outputting a first image data; a transmitting unit for successively transmitting the first image data to an apparatus in the exterior of the image-pickup apparatus; and a storage unit for storing a second image data extracted from the first image data per frame unit under a predetermined condition.
US08045002B2
Various exemplary embodiments may provide systems and methods for strobe illumination of a workpiece. The systems may include an illumination source, an image acquisition device and a control system. The illumination source may emit visible, UV, or near-IR light as a transient flash to the workpiece, the transient flash occurring in response to a lamp trigger. The illumination source may emit the light at an illumination intensity that rises from a begin threshold to a peak and afterwards diminishes to an end threshold during a flash duration. The image acquisition device may capture the light associated with the workpiece for an exposure duration starting from an exposure trigger. The control system may control the illumination source and the image acquisition device to synchronize the lamp trigger so that the exposure duration ends during the flash duration, such that a remaining portion of the flash does not affect the image exposure.
US08044998B2
A sensing apparatus for a host vehicle or the like, the apparatus comprises sensing means arranged to capture a first dataset of digital data comprising a set of data points representative of an image of a scene around the host vehicle, said image including at least one salient feature; first data processing means arranged to identify a subset of the data points which correspond to the at least one salient feature, and second data processing means arranged to apply a transformation to the subset of data points to produce a processed subset which corresponds to a digital image of the salient features in the scene that has been corrected for at least one type of distortion in the image.
US08044993B2
There is provided an image recording apparatus including an image-capturing section that captures an image of the observed person, an observation result input section that inputs a result of the observation done by the observer, an input detecting section that detects the input of the observation result by the observation result input section, and an image storing control section that stores the image of the observed person which is captured by the image-capturing section when the input detecting section detects the input of the observation result.
US08044990B2
A teleconferencing system includes: a camera system for imaging a plurality of persons; a voice collector for capturing voices generated by a plurality of persons; and a transmitter for multiplexing an image signal acquired from the camera system and a voice signal acquired from the voice collector and transmitting a multiplexed signal via a communication line. The camera system includes: a camera; a driver for changing the viewing direction of the camera; and a camera controller for controlling the driver. The camera controller includes: a face position detection unit; a registration unit; a timing unit; a drive control unit; and a hold time control unit.
US08044978B2
An image display apparatus and a method of providing a high quality image are provided. The image display apparatus includes an image signal processing unit which analyzes an input image signal and outputs an average picture level (APL) and histogram information of one frame; and a controlling unit which calculates contrast control information and average signal level (ASL) information corresponding to the APL and the histogram information. The image signal processing unit enhances the contrast of the input image signal based on the contrast control information output from the controlling unit, and outputs a resulting image signal. Accordingly, a high quality image can be provided to users.
US08044973B2
Embodiments of the invention provide an auto layer sorting feature for a computer aided drawing (CAD) application where drawing elements are sorted into different drawing layers based on the graphic style associated with each individual drawing element. Objects added to the drawing may be automatically associated with a layer such that all objects on the layer have the same graphic style. If the user changes the properties of a given graphics style associated with one of the auto-sort layers, the updated style may be applied to each objects on that layer.
US08044972B2
Systems and methods that visualize medical data having image rendering circuits configured to substantially concurrently display a first image view of breast tissue using a stack of primary tomosynthesis image data and a second image view of breast tissue using a reference image data set, the second image view rendered from at least one of a 2D X-ray mammogram reference image data set or a reference stack of tomosynthesis image data. The first view is visualized based on: (a) anatomical and/or geometric position properties of the reference image data set of the patient; (b) properties of a current view of the reference image data set of the patient; or (c) anatomical and/or geometric position properties of the reference image data set and properties of a current view of the reference image data set.
US08044967B2
A method of converting a three-primary input color signal (IS) comprising three input components (R, G, B) per input sample into an N-primary color drive signal (DS) comprising N≧4 drive components (D1, . . . , DN) per output sample for driving N sub-pixels (SP1, . . . , SPN) of a color additive display. The N sub-pixels (SP1, . . . , SPN) have N primary colors. The method comprises adding (10), to three equations defining a relation between the N drive components (D1, . . . , DN) and the three input components (R, G, B), at least one linear equation defining a value for a combination of a first subset of the N drive components (D1, . . . , DN) and a second subset of the N-drive components (D1, . . . , DN) to obtain an extended set of equations. The first subset comprises a first linear combination (LC1) of 1≦M1
US08044964B2
A data processor that includes a central processing unit, a graphic controller, a display controller, an image recognizing module, a memory controller and image data input units is disclosed. The components can be formed on a single semiconductor substrate. The display controller can perform display control on image data. The image data input unit stores the image data into a first area in the external memory. The image recognizing module or central processing unit executes an image process on the image data in the first area or image data in a second area, and stores a result of the process in a third area of the external memory.
US08044961B2
Data tables that are required for the proper processing of font glyphs are automatically synthesized if they do not form part of an original font definition. The synthesized tables are stored in an annex file that is associated with the font, rather than being incorporated into the font definition. As a result, the integrity of the original font data is maintained, and does not adversely affect font protection systems that are based upon font data.
US08044953B2
A system that transitions from freeform camera motion to surface following motion as a surface of an object is approached by clipping the vectors for closest point and look-at point. When the surface is reached and while following the surface the user can designate an up model that sets an up vector to conform the view to a users expectations while the system operates using a local up vector for computations. A restricted surface field of view along with an obstacle field of view can be used by the system to allow the view to traverse cavities and maintain a specified surface following distance from an obstacle, from a wall and from a floor.
US08044947B2
A method for transmitting a coded information to a user via a graphical display. The method comprises the step of obtaining coded information by a scanner, which has to be positioned near the graphical display. The coded information is transmitted to a number of code points that are arranged in the direction of the fast refresh rate of the display.
US08044938B2
To provide a thin input device capable of preventing foreign materials from entering into a gap between an input panel and a chassis and thus preventing malfunctioning of the input panel. A first detection base 3 is made of a thin material and has a planar size larger than a second detection base 4. A chassis 8 includes a side portion 9 opposed to a side surface of a touch panel 2 and a supporting portion 10 opposed to a bottom surface. The touch panel 2 is received in the inside of the chassis 8 in a state where an inner surface 3a of the first detection base 3 is opposed to a top surface 9a on an input side of the side portion 9 of the chassis so as to cover a gap 14 between the side portion 9 of the chassis 8 and a side surface of the touch panel 2 with the first detection base 3 from the input side of the chassis 8. The inner surface 3a of the first detection base 3 is attached to the top surface 9a of the side portion 9.
US08044923B1
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide m Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption of backlit displays are described. Power consumption is reduced by dimming backlighting by a first scale factor and boosting pixel values by a second scale factor to compensate for the dimming. The scale factors may be constant values. Alternately, one or both of the scale factors may be determined based on pixel values for one or more frames to be displayed and/or one or more frames that have been displayed. For example, scale factors may be calculated based on an average linear amplitude of one or more frames of pixel values or from a maximum pixel value of one or more frames of pixel values. A graphical processing system is described including an integrated circuit capable of transforming a pixel value from a gamma-compensated space to a linear space.
US08044922B1
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide m Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption of backlit displays are described. Power consumption is reduced by dimming backlighting by a first scale factor and boosting pixel values by a second scale factor to compensate for the dimming. The scale factors may be constant values. Alternately, one or both of the scale factors may be determined based on pixel values for one or more frames to be displayed and/or one or more frames that have been displayed. For example, scale factors may be calculated based on an average linear amplitude of one or more frames of pixel values or from a maximum pixel value of one or more frames of pixel values. A graphical processing system is described including an integrated circuit capable of transforming a pixel value from a gamma-compensated space to a linear space.
US08044920B2
The present invention discloses a backlight control circuit, and a method for controlling light emission devices. The method comprises: providing a plurality of light emission device paths connected in parallel; and setting a total current of the paths connected in parallel to a constant.
US08044903B2
A display device includes a data voltage generating circuit supplied with a data signal and generating a data voltage. The data voltage generating circuit includes a gamma reference voltage generator generating first and second gamma reference voltages and a gray level voltage generator including a plurality of gray level voltage dividers generating a plurality of 2k gray level voltages. The gray level voltage dividers use the first and second gamma reference voltages, wherein one of the plurality of gray level voltage dividers is selected and supplied with the first and second gamma reference voltage. The data voltage is one of the selected 2k gray level voltages corresponding a gray level of a data signal. A display panel displays images using the data voltage.
US08044896B2
A pixel driving circuit includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor, a forth transistor, a switching circuit, a first voltage generator, a second voltage generator, and a light emitting element. The source of the first transistor is electrically connected to the drain of the second transistor. The gate of the third transistor is electrically connected to the gate of the first transistor. The drain of the forth transistor is electrically connected to the source of the third transistor, and the gate of the forth transistor is electrically connected to the gate and the drain of the second transistor. The first voltage generator is coupled to the source of the second transistor and of the forth transistor. The light emitting element is coupled to the drain of the first transistor via a first electrode, and to the second voltage generator via a second electrode. The switching circuit is electrically connected to the drain and the gate of the third transistor.
US08044882B1
A method is applied on an active matrix display. A pixel element includes at least one switching transistor, at least one nonlinear element, and at least one capacitive element. The method includes the following steps: (1) creating multiple rows of enabled pixel elements during a predetermined time period; (2) selecting a row of pixel elements in the multiple rows of enabled pixel elements to create a plurality of selected pixel elements during a sub-time-period that is a fraction of the predetermined time period; and (3) charging the at least one capacitive element in a selected pixel element. The step of creating includes driving a semiconductor channel of the at least one switching transistor in an enabled pixel element into a conducting state. The step of selecting includes driving the at least one nonlinear element in a selected pixel element into a conducting state.
US08044881B2
A system and method for driving a stereoscopic image display device includes, during a first period wherein no image is displayed, writing a first data signal corresponding to a first image on a first display cell and writing a second data signal corresponding to a second image on the second display cell. During a second period, the first image and the second image are displayed by driving the barrier to become a first format. During a third period in which no image is displayed, the second data signal is written on the first display cell and the first data signal is written on the second display cell. During a fourth period, the first and second images are displayed by driving the barrier to become a second format. The barrier intercepts and transmits light at different angles in the first format than in the second format.
US08044872B2
A method and system for aligning an antenna reflector with satellites in a satellite configuration. A method in accordance with the present invention comprises pointing the reflector to an orbital slot used in the satellite configuration, wherein only one satellite in the orbital slot transmits first circularly polarized signals, and adjusting the reflector to maximize reception of the first circularly polarized signals from the orbital slot. A system in accordance with the present invention comprises a reflector, a power meter coupled to the reflector, wherein the power meter and reflector are tuned to receive first circularly polarized signals, and an alignment mechanism, coupled to the reflector, wherein the alignment mechanism is manipulated to point the reflector at an orbital slot wherein only one satellite in the orbital slot transmits the first circularly polarized signals, and to adjust the reflector to maximize reception of the first circularly polarized signals from the orbital slot.
US08044870B2
An antenna apparatus includes an antenna, and a resin material provided between the antenna and a reflector (windshield). The resin material includes portions, and the thickness (or dielectric constant) of each portion of the resin material is determined in accordance with a length of a straight line connecting a feeding point of the antenna, each portion of the resin material, and the reflector. Therefore, a phase of a reflected wave can be easily adjusted, thereby improving a performance of the antenna.
US08044869B2
A system for mounting a wireless antenna and equipment to a stealth communication tower in coastal areas and inland waterways, camouflaged as a sailboat. The Cellboat is retrofitted to securely and discreetly store wireless transceiver equipment, and an antenna is attached at the top of the mast. Access doors are disposed in the side of the Cellboat to provide access to the equipment for maintenance purposes. The Cellboat is stored at drydock, allowing for access and protection from flooding of the equipment. Alternatively, when the Cellboat is deployed in the water, the access doors will be located on the top deck of the Cellboat.
US08044868B2
The invention provides a PCB type dual band patch antenna and a wireless communication module incorporating the antenna. The antenna includes a substrate. A ground pattern is formed on the substrate. A radiating patch is formed on the substrate to be spaced apart from the ground pattern at a predetermined distance. The radiating patch includes an input arm and a main radiator which are divided by a slot with ‘L’ and inverse ‘L’ shapes combined. The main radiator has an open terminal opposing the input arm across the slot. Also, a feeding part is connected to the input arm of the radiating patch to apply an electrical signal to the radiating patch. Further, wireless devices are integrally mounted on the PCB substrate used for the antenna, thereby achieving a high efficiency and wide-bandwidth dual band patch antenna and a minimal-sized and low-cost wireless communication module.
US08044857B2
Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) pseudorange measurements are compensated for receiver hardware and directionally dependent antenna errors to obtain desired accuracies for high precision GNSS positioning applications using a multiple element controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA). Pseudorange errors are calibrated and stored in a sky map by azimuth, elevation, radio frequency (RF) channel, and frequency. Corrections are applied in real time to each pseudorange measurement by applying a combination of the stored errors. The coefficients of the errors in the combination are computed as a function of steering vectors and CRPA filter weights. This implements a generalized pseudorange correction able to compensate a GNSS CRPA sensor for channel dependent errors such as group delay for both the case of uniform weights for all frequencies and the more complex case of frequency-dependent weights.
US08044856B1
A selectable frequency source for use in GPS receivers. A device in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises at least one reference frequency source, a circuit, coupled to the at least one reference frequency source, and a mixer, coupled to an output of the circuit, for mixing a GPS signal with the output of the circuit, wherein a frequency output of the mixer is changed based on an input to the circuit.
US08044850B2
A system for determining the position and orientation of a flying object such as a missile includes a ground segment having at least one pseudolite station located on the earth's surface which transmits into space a navigation signal that uniquely identifies the pseudolite station, and a user segment having at least one sensor which is situated in the missile and is designed to receive the navigation signal from the at least one pseudolite station and to determine its absolute position and orientation in space on the basis of the received navigation signal.
US08044846B1
A method for displaying information relating to the range and Doppler of a remote target includes transmitting electromagnetic energy toward the target, and receiving reflected signals defining a two-dimensional (range-Doppler) radar image. The reflected signals are matched-filtered, which tends to blur the image. The image is deblurred while the features of thermal noise enhancement and irregularity of the deconvolved output are constrained to produce a single point deblurring output.
US08044836B2
A continuous time sigma-delta analog-to-digital converter comprising: a summator of an input analog signal and a feedback signal; a feed-forward integrator path connected to the summator and configured to provide a digital signal; a feedback digital-to-analog converter to convert the digital signal into a feedback analog signal; a feedback low pass filter structured to filter the feedback analog signal and provide the feedback signal to the summator.
US08044830B2
A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving a maximum number of band and a code value of at least one section length, calculating a bit number corresponding to the code value of the at least one section length using the maximum number of the band, and obtaining the section length information by decoding the code value of the section length based on the bit number. A method of processing a signal is disclosed. The present invention includes receiving factor information of a current frame, receiving flag information indicating whether a coding mode of the factor information is an absolute value mode or a relative value mode, and obtaining factor data of the current frame using factor data of a previous frame and the received factor information based on the flag information.
US08044828B2
A method for encoding a message communicated between devices, the message having at least one field, the method comprising: if the field is not optional and contains a value, writing the value to one or more data bytes in a byte buffer; and, if the field is optional and contains a default value, marking a bit in a reserved byte in the byte buffer to indicate that the field contains a default value.
US08044827B2
A communication device comprising an input device for inputting text character-by-character from a sequence of characters, a memory device for storing a plurality of reference character sequences of characters and a prediction device for comparing individual ones of the input characters with the reference character sequences and for proposing at least one of the reference character sequences after the inputting of individual input characters of the sequence of characters to be input in the case of a corresponding comparison result. The prediction device compares the input characters with not-immediately-adjacent characters of the reference character sequences. The input device may further a number of syllables or vowels between two input characters of the sequence of characters to be input and the prediction device compares the number of input syllables or vowels with corresponding numbers of syllables or vowels of the reference character sequences.
US08044825B2
An aircraft has a passenger cabin security alert system for alerting authorized personnel (flight crew) in the flight deck to a problem in the passenger cabin. The system employs portable wireless transmitter units suitable to be carried or worn on the person of authorized personnel (cabin crew) in the passenger cabin. Each transmitter unit is adapted to transmit a warning signal when actuated that is received by detector units that communicate with control means operable to determine the position P in the passenger cabin of the transmitter unit that has been actuated. The control means activates an alert unit in the flight deck to indicate the existence and position of the problem to authorized personnel (flight crew) in the flight deck.
US08044811B2
The invention relates to a method and sensing device capable of determining a temperature of a liquid and an electrical conductivity of the liquid at the temperature. The sensing device comprises at least one temperature sensor for providing temperature measurement data arranged such that the temperature sensor is physically isolated from the liquid when the sensing device is immersed in the liquid. The device further comprises an electrical conductivity sensor, storage means containing temperature characteristics and a processor. The processor is arranged for instantly measuring an electrical conductivity of a liquid and for evaluating temperature measurement data for determining the temperature of the liquid on the basis of the temperature characteristics.
US08044802B2
A method and apparatus for monitoring work flow of a resource is disclosed. The method accounts for the expected work flow of the resource in determining the location of the resource as well as dwell times at each work zone. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by determining if subsequent work zones sequentially follows the first work zone in the expected sequence of work zones.
US08044798B2
A passive microwave receiver, receiving a WARC protected frequency of 1420 MHz may be used for fire, temperature speed detection and intrusion detection. One or more receiver arrays can be used to provide a plurality of frequency ranges that can be detected. In an interior installation, one or more receiver arrays can be placed inside a wall made of non-metallic substance and capable of passively receiving frequencies at less than 3 GHz. In other embodiments, the receiver and array can be in the form of a hand-held or wearable device. This method and apparatus achieves high performance by exploiting conventional low noise amplification block conversion circuits and provides the detection of thermal signals through clear, smoky, misty, or environmentally untenable conditions as well as the detection of automobiles and intruders via black box emission. A passive microwave detector may be used at a highway where the highway intersects an associated antenna lobe for a distance, mounted on a wall or pole and have line-of-sight view of an intruder or automobile.
US08044790B2
A third light is added above the lower two rear turn signal lights of an automotive vehicle Detection hardware is included which senses when both lower lights begin flashing simultaneously due to activation of the vehicle's 4-way hazard warning system. Such detection also introduces current pulses to the third light which flashes simultaneously with the lower two lights to generate a triangular configuration of the three flashing lights. Retrofit circuitry is described to enable installing the modified triangular signal into existing vehicles.
US08044786B2
Systems and methods for diagnosing battery voltage misreporting is described. According to various embodiments, battery voltage may be monitored with respect to a state of charge and/or time. Based on this monitored information, battery charge state data may be generated by computing time derivatives of the monitored battery voltage across a voltage range. This battery charge state data may be compared with an expected set of charge state data if substantial differences exist, an error may be generated. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08044785B2
The degradation of a feeling of ride is prevented by preventing engagement/disengagement (sudden engagement/disengagement) of a motorcycle hydraulic clutch due to a lack of hydraulic pressure. Before a hydraulic sensor issues a hydraulic pressure-lowering detection signal Sx, an oil level sensor issues an oil level-lowering warning signal Sf in a state wherein a sufficient oil quantity is such so as not to bring an neutral drive switching clutch into a disengagement state is present even if hydraulic pressure lowers resulting from an inclined oil level due to sudden deceleration, sudden start, drive in a slope, or the like. Thus, the neutral drive switching clutch can be prevented from disengaging or engaging (suddenly disengaging or engaging).
US08044783B2
An external solenoid positioned external to a tire, and an internal solenoid provided inside a valve of the tire, which transmits and receives power by an alternating magnetic field in a predetermined high frequency band that generates an induced alternating current in the internal solenoid, is used as a new source of power for a tire pressure/temperature detection device instead of a battery. If the alternating magnetic field in a predetermined high frequency band is well matched to the physical structure and electrical structure of the tire, then, in the space between the tire and a wheel, an induced alternating magnetic field component is distributed that is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the tire. If the internal solenoid is matched to the direction of maximum magnetic field reception, when the tire rotates, and when the position of the wheel is stopped, substantially stable power may be received.
US08044778B2
A container for a product uses a location circuit for determining the location of the container, a storage element for storing a container identification code, a plurality of data acquisition components for acquiring status of at least two characteristics of at least one of the container, the product and a user of the product, and a communication interface for generating and sending a communication signal including (a) the container identification code from the storage element, (b) the location of the container from the location circuit, and (c) the status of the at least two characteristics from the data acquisition components. The container may be an auto-injector for containing a medicament, or a case for containing an item such as an auto-injector. Generally, the location circuit uses the global positioning system (GPS). The data acquisition components are chosen from a camera, and at least one sensor for sensing at least one of a thermal image, vibration, temperature, humidity, a chemical and an audio signal. The characteristic may be use of the product, or lack of use of at least one of the container and the product.
US08044777B2
A vehicular rearview mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an interior electrochromic reflective element that assumes an interior mirror partial reflectance level in response to an interior mirror electrochromic reflective element drive signal. The mirror assembly includes a control that has circuitry operable to provide the drive signal to the reflective element. The control includes a bus interface that interfaces with a vehicle bus of the equipped vehicle. The control is in communication with at least one other vehicle accessory via the vehicle bus. The interior rearview mirror assembly includes a forward-facing camera. The control may control at least two of (a) dimming of the interior electrochromic reflective element, (b) operation of a video display, (c) operation of the forward-facing camera and (d) operation of a headlight control for controlling a headlight of the equipped vehicle.
US08044776B2
A rear vision system includes a video camera for capturing video images and a video display disposed in the cabin of the vehicle for displaying the video images captured by the camera. The camera has a field of view that at least encompasses a vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle. The display displays the video images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle to assist the driver in connecting the vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle to a tow hitch connector of a trailer. The camera may have an adjustable zoom, an adjustable iris and/or an adjustable field of view. A graphic overlay may be superimposed on the displayed video images for viewing by a driver of the vehicle to guide the driver during a reversing maneuver and/or to assist the driver in connecting a tow hitch connector of a trailer to the vehicle hitch connector of the vehicle.
US08044772B1
Methods and systems using one or more expert systems to quickly assist (e.g., advise and/or rescue) persons in danger at a location (e.g., buildings, tunnels, bridges, factories, refineries, recreational areas, such as parks, golf courses, ski-slopes, public transportation vehicles, such as buses, subways, trains, planes, ships, and equivalents), to screen and selectively test the location and/or person and assist the person if danger to the person is determined. One embodiment is a method to advise a person in danger, possibly having an impairment, using one or more expert systems. A second embodiment is a method to assist people in danger, possibly having an impairment, such as chemical impairment, physical impairment, medical impairment, or emotional impairment, using one or more expert systems. A third embodiment is a system to assist a person, if the system determines a danger at a location and/or if the system determines if a person has an impairment, such as chemical impairment, physical impairment, medical impairment, or emotional impairment, using one or more expert systems.
US08044766B2
An assistive apparatus and method for remote control of an appliance by a subject are provided. The apparatus can comprise a tracer unit affixed to the tongue of the subject such that a change in position of the tongue changes position of the tracer; at least one sensor for detecting a position of the tracer unit; and a transmitter for transmitting a sensor signal to an appliance based on the detected position of the tracer unit, wherein the sensor signal effects control of the appliance. A method for tracking movement, position, or both of a tongue in a subject using the assistive apparatus is also provided.
US08044763B2
A surface-mounted over-current protection device with positive temperature coefficient (PTC) behavior is disclosed. The surface-mounted over-current protection device comprises a first metal foil, a second metal foil corresponding to the first metal foil, a PTC material layer stacked between the first metal foil and the second metal foil, a first metal electrode, a first metal conductor electrically connecting the first metal foil to the first metal electrode, a second metal electrode corresponding to the first metal electrode, a second metal conductor electrically connecting the second metal foil to the second metal electrode, and at least one insulated layer to electrically insulate the first metal electrode from the second metal electrode. The surface-mounted over-current protection device, at 25° C., indicates that a hold current thereof divided by the product of a covered area thereof and the number of the conductive composite module is at least 0.16 A/mm2.
US08044744B2
A method and apparatus is described for a time modulated signal. A cosine function is used as the basis for the signal with time intervals at the maximum and minimum values of the cosine function defining the encoded data. The received waveform is twice differentiated to provide a cosine function from which zero crossings are detected and the time intervals determined.
US08044743B2
A method for reducing the transition rate of a pulse width modulated signal representing an original signal having a predetermined frequency range of interest and producing an output signal, the method including the steps of: combining pulses from a predetermined number of consecutive frames into a combined pulse; and positioning the combined pulse within the predetermined number of consecutive frames, such that the output signal has substantially the same Fourier Transform phase as the pulse width modulated signal, for at least the predetermined frequency range of interest of the original signal.
US08044736B2
Timing oscillators as well as related methods and devices are described. A timing oscillator may include a mechanical resonating structure with major elements and minor elements coupled to the major element. The timing oscillator can generate stable signals with low phase noise at very high frequencies which allows a timing oscillator to be used effectively in a number of devices including computers and mobile phones for time and data synchronization purposes. The signal generated by the timing oscillator can be tuned using a driver circuit and a compensation circuit.
US08044734B2
Techniques for mitigating VCO pulling are described. In an aspect, VCO pulling may be mitigated by (i) injecting an oscillator signal, which is a version of a VCO signal from a VCO, into a transmitter and (ii) using coupling paths from the transmitter to the VCO to re-circulate the oscillator signal back to the VCO. In one design, an apparatus includes a VCO and a coupling circuit. The VCO generates a VCO signal at N times a desired output frequency. The coupling circuit receives an oscillator signal generated based on the VCO signal and injects the oscillator signal into a transmitter to mitigate pulling of the frequency of the VCO due to undesired coupling from the transmitter to the VCO. The apparatus may include a phase adjustment circuit that adjusts the phase of the oscillator signal and/or an amplitude adjustment circuit that adjusts the amplitude of the oscillator signal.
US08044726B2
A method for self testing a multiband voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is described. A first frequency band in a VCO is selected. An N value is selected for a frequency divider that produces a tuning voltage for the VCO that is between a low tuning voltage limit and a high tuning voltage limit for the VCO. The N value is adjusted in one direction until the tuning voltage reaches one of the tuning voltage limits. This N value at the tuning voltage is a first limit value. The frequency bands are switched from the first frequency band to a second frequency band that is adjacent to the first frequency band.
US08044725B2
A signal generator including a DDS-signal source that is configured to operate according to the principle of direct digital synthesis (DDS), and a PLL signal synthesizer that is configured to operate according to the principle of phase locked loop (PLL) using an output signal from the DDS-signal source as a reference signal. The DDS-signal source can be connected via a direct connection, without further frequency division or mixing, directly to an output of the signal generator or directly to a level-adjustment device of the signal generator in order to generate a portion of an overall frequency range of an output signal of the signal generator.
US08044711B1
A method and apparatus for clock signal noise shaping are described. Embodiments of a clock circuit include a filter coupled to receive an input clock signal and to provide an output clock signal. The filter filters noise of the input clock signal to shape the noise to provide the output clock signal. In a method for adjustment of phase noise, input clock signaling having the phase noise is obtained, and the input clock signal is filtered to adjust the phase noise to provide output clock signaling.
US08044710B2
A filter cut-off frequency correction circuit, inputted with a step function increasing from a first voltage to a second voltage, comprises a linear passive filter, for integrating the step function to obtain a third voltage; a first comparator, outputting a first high-level signal when the third voltage is greater than a first predetermined reference voltage; a second comparator, outputting a second high-level signal in a first period from the time that the second voltage is applied to the time that the first comparator outputs the first high-level signal; a counter, for counting a number of clock pulses of a reference clock inputted in the first period; a digital block, for calculating a variation rate of time constant according to the number of clock pulses of the reference clock, and generating a correction code; and a filter, for correcting the cut-off frequency according to the correction code. The correction circuit can improve the speed of cut-off frequency adjustment.
US08044700B2
An exemplary embodiment of such a system includes: a level shifter operative to transform an input signal into an output signal, the level shifter includes: a voltage distributor operative to receive the input signal and distribute potential levels at a first node and a second node to respectively output a first signal and a second signal, and the voltage distributor includes: a current limiter, operative to provide a limited current passing through the first node; a switch, operative to selectively establish an electrical connection between the first node and the second node; and a first transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first control electrode, wherein the first electrode is connected to the second node, the second electrode is utilized to receive the input signal, and the first control electrode is coupled to the first node; and an output circuit, operative to generate the output signal.
US08044699B1
A level-shift circuit translates a control signal to a level-shifted output. The level-shift circuit includes a pulse generator circuit for providing Set and Reset pulses based on the control signal and a level-shift circuit for translating the Set and Reset pulses to level-shifted Set and Reset pulses. First and second differential detectors are connected to monitor the level-shifted Set and Reset pulses to provide detection of communicated Set and Reset pulses despite the presence of transients in the level-shift circuit. A gate drive circuit employs the Set and Reset pulses communicated by the differential detectors to generate a gate drive signal.
US08044697B2
Methods and apparatus to provide per die temperature programming for thermally efficient integrated circuit (IC) operation are described. In some embodiments, the junction temperature of an IC component is determined, e.g., to reduce power consumption and/or improve performance. Other embodiments are also described.
US08044691B2
A method of detecting a minimum operational frequency includes: generating a signal that becomes an oscillating signal at a first predetermined frequency; and generating a logic signal to provide a level transition when a frequency of the oscillating signal reaches a second predetermined frequency corresponding to the minimum operational frequency. The logic signal is generated by: providing a transistor that is activated at the second predetermined frequency; providing a capacitor; storing charges in the capacitor when the oscillating signal is below the second predetermined frequency; discharging the capacitor when the transistor is activated by the oscillating signal; and outputting the logic signal when the capacitor discharges.
US08044677B2
A voltage generation circuit that includes: a voltage generator integrated in a semiconductor chip and structured to generate an output voltage in accordance with a calibration parameter; a heater operable to heat the voltage generator; a control device configured to receive the output voltage, activate the heater and provide the calibration parameter to the voltage generator.
US08044676B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to device-embedded IDDQ testing in the field to detect defects, aging, and other reliability reducing problems. Methods of testing integrated circuits and integrated circuit devices are disclosed. For example, an integrated circuit device can comprise an integrated circuit, a buffer capacitor coupled to the integrated circuit; and IDDQ test circuitry coupled to the buffer capacitor and configured to suspend normal operation of the integrated circuit and measure a discharge time of the buffer capacitor, wherein the discharge time is related to a leakage current of the integrated circuit.
US08044670B2
An apparatus for determining a resonant frequency of a wind turbine tower is provided. The apparatus includes a processing unit configured to receive an acceleration measurement value, the acceleration measurement value representative of the acceleration of the wind turbine tower in the direction parallel to a rotor rotational axis of the wind turbine and/or in the direction perpendicular to both the rotor rotational axis and the tower axis of the wind turbine. The apparatus includes a memory configured to store a series of acceleration measurement values, and the processing unit includes a Fourier transform module configured to calculate a spectral vector based on calculating a convolution-based fast Fourier transform of the series of acceleration measurement values, and includes a resonant frequency calculation module configured to calculate the tower resonant frequency based on the calculated spectral vector.
US08044661B2
A provisional three-dimensional reconstruction of an examination object is determined based on two-dimensional original projection images. Provisional metal volumes are determined on the reconstruction by segmentation and mapped into the original projection images to define provisional metal areas. Edge points on edge zones of the provisional metal areas are selected. Data values of the original projection images within the provisional metal areas are modified as a function of data values of the selected edge points to determine modified projection images. Differential images are determined based on the original projection images and the corresponding modified projection images. Definitive metal areas are determined in the differential images by segmentation. The differential images are added to the modified projection images with the definitive metal areas deducted. A definitive three-dimensional reconstruction of the examination object is determined based on the modified projection images including the added differential images.
US08044660B2
An arrangement for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles, and/or calibrating such an arrangement includes generating a magnetic selection field having a magnetic field strength pattern such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in the region of action. A driver changes the position in space of the two sub-zones in the region of action by magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of the magnetic particles changes locally. The arrangement includes a drive signal chain, a detection signal chain, and a receiver for acquiring detection signals that depend on the magnetization in the region of action. The magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zones. A compensation controller provides a compensation signal to the drive signal chain and/or to the detection signal chain by a coupler.
US08044653B2
A low drop-out DC voltage regulator regulates a voltage from a DC supply and includes: a pass device controllable to maintain a voltage at an output of the regulator and arranged to provide a first current from the DC supply, at least part of said first current being provided to a load coupled to the output of the regulator; and a current regulator coupled to said pass device and to the output of the regulator. The current regulator is arranged to conduct a second current controllable such that the first current through said pass device remains constant irrespective of variations in a load current to said load.
US08044651B2
This patent discloses an efficient PWM controller for generating a pulse signal in response to a feedback signal, capable of operating in a normal mode or a green mode, comprising: a capacitor for building a saw-tooth signal by current integration, the saw-tooth signal having a ramp-up period and a ramp-down period; a first composite current source for the ramp-up period, detachable into a first constant current source and a first variable current source; and a second composite current source for the ramp-down period, detachable into a second constant current source and a second variable current source; wherein, the first variable current source is attached to the first constant current source and the second variable current source is attached to the second constant current source respectively in the green mode.
US08044650B2
Methods and apparatus for current sensing in mutually coupled inductors according to various aspects of the present invention may operate in conjunction with a control system adapted to control current through the inductors and multiple current sensors connected to the control system. Each current sensor may comprise a series combination comprising a capacitor and a resistor. The series combination may be connected in parallel with one of the inductors, and may be adapted to generate branch inductor current signals according to a sensed current in the connected inductor. In addition, a coupling capacitor may be coupled between at least two of the current sensors to compensate a time constant of the current sensor for mutual coupling inductance between the inductors.
US08044648B1
A voltage regulator is operated by, during a finite period of a voltage regular start mode having a plurality of current pulses, monotonically increasing the maximum current of the current pulses and a target voltage.
US08044641B2
A step-down switching regulator prevents an output voltage undershoot and enables a quick lowering of an output voltage immediately after turning off of power supply. The step-down switching regulator includes an NMOS transistor connected between an output terminal and a ground voltage and another NMOS transistor connected in parallel with a synchronous rectification transistor. Upon reception of an on/off signal for terminating the operation of the switching regulator, the NMOS transistors are turned on into an on-state.
US08044636B2
An LED lamp adapted for use as a bicycle light includes a lamp/switch module and a power supply/control module. The control includes a microcontroller that performs both light operating functions and battery charging control functions. A low battery warning is provided as a non-repeating, short sequence of flashes of the lamp.
US08044635B2
Electrical energy is transmitted to charge the implanted medical device, and an electrical parameter (e.g., a steady-state voltage) indicating a rate at which the implanted medical device is charged by the electrical energy is detected. A threshold (e.g., by modifying a stored threshold value) at which the charge strength indicator generates a user-discernible signal is adjusted based on the detected electrical parameter.
US08044627B2
The invention relates to a piece of furniture and to a device for controlling the movement of furniture parts which can be moved with respect to one another, having a drive unit by means of which a first furniture part can be moved relative to a second furniture part, in a driven manner, via a monitoring unit for monitoring the movement of said first furniture part. According to the invention, the monitoring unit is designed such that, after an initiating action by the monitoring unit, the first furniture part is moved to a predetermined position and is stopped there, with the predetermined position differing from a final position of the first furniture part.
US08044623B2
The drive control circuit for an electric motor is provided. The drive control circuit includes: an original drive signal generator that generates an original drive signal; an excitation interval setter that is able, for each half cycle of respective length π in each 2π excitation cycle of the original drive signal, to arbitrarily set excitation intervals during which to excite coils of the electric motor to any one of a plurality of intervals which include at least either one of a symmetrical interval centered on a center of each half-cycle and an unsymmetrical interval; and a drive signal shaping circuit that generates a drive signal for driving the electric motor, by validating the original drive signal during the excitation intervals and invalidating the original drive signal during non-excitation intervals other than the excitation interval.
US08044612B2
An intelligent light source converts color and luminous flux data to luminous flux levels of individual color sources and automatically compensates for variations in operating conditions.
US08044593B2
An agricultural vehicle lighting system includes a plurality of HID lamps and a lighting controller. The HID lamps are configured to be mounted to the agricultural vehicle and powered by an existing electrical circuit of the agricultural vehicle. The lighting controller controls activation of the lamps and is configured to initially activate a first set of the lamps and to subsequently activate a second set of the lamps once it determines that the electrical circuit has the capacity to safely handle both the first and second sets of the lamps. The lighting controller may determine that the electrical circuit has sufficient capacity by determining when current drawn from the first set of the lamps drops below a threshold current level. Alternatively, the lighting controller may determine that the electrical circuit has sufficient capacity by delaying activation of the second set of the lamps for a time period corresponding to a current decay characteristic of the lamps.
US08044592B2
A heat dissipating structure for a lamp includes at least an illuminating element, a lamp base, a metal housing, a ring-shaped coil and a metal base. The metal housing has a great heat conducting capability, and the illuminating element is mounted on the lamp base, which is engaged with the metal housing. The ring-shaped coil which includes a primary winding and a secondary winding wound on a ring iron core is mounted between the metal housing and lamp base, wherein the ring iron core further includes an inner space for accommodating plural electronic components connected with the secondary winding, and the ring-shaped coil is electrically connected with the illuminating element and metal base. And, the metal base is electrically connected to a power source, so that through a conduction of the metal base, the ring-shaped coil can acquire and transform electricity to provide to the illuminating element for operation.
US08044583B2
An organic electroluminescent device is provided. The structural components of the organic electroluminescent device can be excluded from external conditions without using a cap and whose thickness can be remarkably reduced without installing a getter. The organic electroluminescent device as embodied has the structure that a protective layer with a multi-layered structure is formed on the entire structure of the structural components to exclude the structural components completely from external conditions. The protective layer is consisted of an organic material layer formed on the structural components of the device, an inorganic material layer formed on the organic material layer, and a coating layer formed on the inorganic material layer. The coating layer formed on the inorganic material layer is made from titanium aluminum nitride (TiN).
US08044568B2
To provide a light emitter substrate which is characterized in that discharge current reduction performance is excellent, plural phosphors are arranged in an X direction and a Y direction on a substrate, metal backs are arranged on the phosphors, ribs extending in the Y direction are arranged between the phosphors adjacent in the X direction, first resistors to electrically connect the metal backs adjacent in the Y direction are formed on the ribs respectively, and second resistors to electrically connect the metal backs adjacent in the X direction are formed under the ribs respectively.
US08044566B2
A fluorescent lamp includes a lamp body, a fluorescent layer and a discharge electrode. The lamp body has a discharge space in which ultraviolet light is generated. The fluorescent layer is formed on an inner surface of the lamp body to change the ultraviolet light into visible light. The discharge electrode is on an end portion of the lamp body to apply a voltage to the discharge space. A ratio of intensities of the visible light at wavelengths of about 545 nm and about 516 nm is about 1.32:1 to about 1.71:1. Therefore, color reproducibility and luminance may be improved.
US08044560B2
The invention is a spark plug having multiple precise spark gaps (G} with a donut shaped electrode (20) attached to the firing end of the central electrode (32), as well as a cylindrical ground sleeve (40) that is pressed on to the primary shell (36) of the spark plug. The electrode donut (20) is generally flat and laded out in a radial direction towards the ground prongs (42) that protrude up towards the firing end from the ground sleeve (40). In conjunction with their structure, allow for the generation of a spark from every single ground prong (42) on the ground sleeve (40). This is spark potential area (G). Such multiple spark potential area along with the electrode donut (20) and ground sleeve (40) relation provides a more rapid and complete combustion of the air-fuel mixture within the internal combustion engine, which, in turn, results in more torque and more horse power.
US08044557B2
An upper adhesion layer 35 formed between a piezoelectricity layer 32 and an upper electrode layer 34 so as to abut on the piezoelectricity layer 32 and the upper electrode layer 34 is included. The upper adhesion layer 35 includes a first tungsten layer 47 made of tungsten in which an α phase and a β phase coexist and a second tungsten layer 48 made of α-phase tungsten. The first tungsten layer 47 is configured so as to abut on the piezoelectricity layer 32. It is possible to obtain a piezoelectric device which is capable of improving the adhesion property of both the piezoelectricity layer and the electrode layer and reducing a basic point voltage fluctuation at the time of high-temperature operation so as to improve reliability.
US08044551B2
A stator for an electric motor is provided. The stator includes segmented cores each having one yoke and at least one pole protruding from the yoke in a radial direction, bobbins formed to receive the at least one pole therein, having blocking walls that extend from one side of ends of the at least one pole in a circumferential direction thereby to block a space between the at least one pole, and coupled to the at least one pole, and stator coils wound on the bobbins. A temperature of the segmented cores and the stator coils are prevented from rising and a noise occurrence is reduced.
US08044549B2
An electric machine includes a housing, a stator mounted within the housing, and a rotor including a spool assembly. The spool assembly includes a spool having a main body portion having a first end portion that extends substantially uninterrupted to a second end portion through an intermediate portion. The spool further includes a first plurality of mounting elements provided on the first end portion and a second plurality mounting elements provided on the first end portion. A star member is secured to the first end portion of the spool.
US08044548B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a permanent-magnet-type rotating electrical machine capable of realizing a variable-speed operation at high output in a wide range from low speed to high speed and improving efficiency and reliability. The permanent-magnet-type rotating electrical machine of the present invention includes a stator provided with a coil and a rotor in which there are arranged a low-coercive-force permanent magnet whose coercive force is of such a level that a magnetic field created by a current of the stator coil may irreversibly change the flux density of the magnet and a high-coercive-force permanent magnet whose coercive force is equal to or larger than twice that of the low-coercive-force permanent magnet. At the time of high-speed rotation with a voltage of the permanent-magnet-type rotating electrical machine being around or over a power source maximum voltage, the low-coercive-force permanent magnet is magnetized with a magnetic field created by a current in such a way as to decrease total linkage flux of the low- and high-coercive-force permanent magnets, thereby adjusting a total linkage flux amount.
US08044544B2
A cylindrical roller bearing 41 comprises an inner ring 42, an outer ring 43 having the same axial width as the inner ring 42 and having an insulation layer 43a formed on an outer diameter surface and both end faces thereof, cylindrical rollers 44 arranged between the inner ring 42 and the outer ring 43, a retainer 45 retaining intervals of the cylindrical rollers 44, and a sealing seal 46 as a sealing member having a roughly channel-shaped configuration in cross section projecting from both end faces of the inner ring 42 and the outer ring 43. Thus, a relation between a length L3 of the roller 44 and an axial width W3 of the inner ring 42 and the outer ring 43 satisfies L3/W3≧0.4, and a relation between a bearing volume V3 of the cylindrical roller bearing 41 and an internal space capacity C3 of the cylindrical roller bearing 41 satisfies 0.25≦C3/V3≦0.55.
US08044537B2
A modular HVDC converter system including a high voltage direct current network, and at least two DC/AC converters being connected in series to the HVDC network. Each of the DC/AC converters is arranged to provide AC to a separate AC load.
US08044527B2
A power generation system includes: a prime mover; an electrical machine coupled to the prime mover and configured for converting mechanical power to electrical power, the electrical machine having a power factor of less than or equal to 0.7; a reactive power supply assembly coupled to the electrical machine and configured to supply reactive power to the electrical machine; and a power electronic converter coupled to the reactive power supply assembly and configured for transferring power from the electrical machine to a grid.
US08044525B2
The invention relates to a substrate with a check mark and a method of inspecting position accuracy of conductive glue dispensed on the substrate. The method is implemented on the substrate having at least one transfer pad and at least one check mark arranged near the border of the transfer pad. After the conductive glue spot is dispensed on the transfer pad, the method includes first capturing an image by a video capturing element, then determining whether the conductive glue spot exist in the image and determining whether the conductive glue spot from the image matches a predetermined standard, if not, generating a report and a warning.
US08044505B2
A prepreg which can meet a demand for thickness reduction is provided. The prepreg has first and second resin layers having different applications, functions, capabilities, or properties, and allows an amount of a resin composition in each of the first and second resin layers to be set appropriately depending on a circuit wiring portion to be embedded into the second resin layer. Further, a method for manufacturing the above prepreg, and a substrate and a semiconductor device having the prepreg are also provided. The prepreg according to the present invention includes a core layer including a sheet-shaped base member and having one surface and the other surface which is opposite to the one surface, the first resin layer provided on the one surface of the core layer and formed of a first resin composition, and the second resin layer provided on the other surface of the core layer and formed of a second resin composition, wherein at least one of a requirement that a thickness of the first resin layer is different from that of the second resin layer and a requirement that a constitution of the first resin composition is different from that of the second resin composition is satisfied.
US08044502B2
An electrical interconnect assembly for electrically interconnecting terminals on a first circuit member with terminals on a second circuit member. The electrical interconnect includes a housing having a plurality of through openings extending between a first surface and a second surface. A plurality of composite contacts are positioned in a plurality of the through openings. The composite contacts include a conductive member having a central portion and at least first and second interface portions. One or more polymeric layers extend along at least the central portion conductive member. One or more coupling features on the composite contacts engage with the housing. At least one engagement feature formed in the polymeric layers proximate the first interface portion mechanically couples with the terminals on the first circuit member.
US08044482B2
A semiconductor device includes an insulating film formed on a semiconductor substrate, a contact wiring formed in the insulating film, a protective film formed on the contact wiring and the insulating film, an opening portion formed in the protective film, the contact wiring being exposed through the opening portion, and an electrode pad formed in the opening portion, the electrode pad being electrically connected to the contact wiring. A region where the contact wiring is not provided is present below the opening portion.
US08044479B2
Embodiments disclosed herein include methods in which a pair of openings are formed into semiconductor material, with the openings being spaced from one another by a segment of the semiconductor material. Liners are formed along sidewalls of the openings, and then semiconductor material is isotropically etched from bottoms of the openings to merge the openings and thereby completely undercut the segment of semiconductor material. Embodiments disclosed herein may be utilized in forming SOI constructions, and in forming field effect transistors having transistor gates entirely surrounding channel regions. Embodiments disclosed herein also include semiconductor constructions having transistor gates surrounding channel regions, as well as constructions in which insulative material entirely separates an upper semiconductor material from a lower semiconductor material.
US08044470B2
Provided is a semiconductor device including a transistor that has a silicide layer formed over a semiconductor substrate. The gate electrode of each transistor is composed of a polysilicon electrode and the silicide layer formed thereon. Each transistor further has source/drain impurity-diffused layers composed of low-concentration doped regions and high-concentration doped regions, and silicide layers formed over the source/drain impurity-diffused layers. The surface of each silicide layer is positioned above the surface of the semiconductor substrate. The silicide layers contain a silicidation-suppressive metal, and have a concentration profile of the silicidation-suppressive metal over a region of the silicide layers ranging from the surface to a predetermined depth, such as increasing the concentration from the surface of each silicide layer in the depth-wise direction of the semiconductor substrate.
US08044469B2
A semiconductor device and associated methods, the semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate with a first well region, a first gate electrode disposed on the first well region, and a first N-type capping pattern, a first P-type capping pattern, and a first gate dielectric pattern disposed between the first well region and the first gate electrode.
US08044468B2
The present invention enhances voltage conversion efficiency of a semiconductor device. In a non-isolated DC-DC converter that includes a high-side switch power MOSFET and a low-side switch power MOSFET, which are series-connected, the high-side switch power MOSFET and driver circuits for driving the high-side and low-side switch power MOSFETs are formed within one semiconductor chip, whereas the low-side switch power MOSFET is formed in another semiconductor chip. The two semiconductor chips are sealed in a single package.
US08044465B2
The invention relates to a method for producing a semiconductor structure comprising a superficial layer, at least one embedded layer, and a support, which method comprises: a step of forming, on a first support, patterns in a first material, a step of forming a semiconductor layer, between and on said patterns, a step of assembling said semiconductor layer with a second support.
US08044461B2
A monolithically integrated trench FET and Schottky diode includes a plurality of trenches extending into a FET region and a Schottky region of a semiconductor layer. A trench in the Schottky region includes a dielectric layer lining the trench sidewalls, and a conductive electrode having a top surface that is substantially coplanar with a top surface of the semiconductor layer adjacent the trench. An interconnect layer electrically contacts the semiconductor layer in the Schottky region so as to form a Schottky contact with the semiconductor layer.
US08044459B2
In one embodiment, a field effect transistor has a semiconductor body, a drift region of a first conductivity type and a gate electrode. At least one trench extends into the drift region. A field plate is arranged at least in a portion of the at least one trench. A dielectric material at least partially surrounds both the gate electrode and the field plate. The field plate includes a first semiconducting material.
US08044456B2
A cell array includes a memory cell region in which memory cells are formed and a peripheral region that is provided around the memory cell region. In the memory cell region, first lines are extended in parallel with a first direction, and the first lines are repeatedly formed at first intervals in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. In the peripheral region, each of the first lines located at (4n−3)-th (n is a positive integer) and (4n−2)-th positions in the second direction from a predetermined position has a contact connecting portion on one end side in the first direction of the first line. In the peripheral region, each of the first lines located at (4n−1)-th and 4n-th positions in the second direction from the predetermined position has the contact connecting portion on the other end side in the first direction of the first line. The contact connecting portion is formed so as to contact a contact plug extended in a laminating direction.
US08044444B2
A fabricating method of a CMOS image sensor includes the steps of: forming a transfer gate on a semiconductor substrate where a device isolation layer is formed; forming a first n-type ion implantation region for a photodiode beneath a surface of the semiconductor substrate, the first n-type ion implantation region being aligned at one side of the transfer gate and having a first width and a first ion implantation depth; forming a second n-type ion implantation region aligned at one side of the transfer gate, the second n-type ion implantation region enclosing the first n-type ion implantation region and having a second width wider than the first width and a second ion implantation depth deeper than the first ion implantation depth and a second depth; forming a p-type ion implantation region between a surface of the semiconductor substrate and the first n-type ion implantation region, the p-type ion implantation region being aligned at one side of the transfer gate and partially overlapped with the first n-type ion implantation region; forming spacers on both sidewalls of the transfer gate; and forming a floating diffusion region at the other side of the transfer gate.
US08044442B2
A gated nano-electro-mechanical (NEM) switch employing metal-insulator-metal (MIM) technology and related devices and methods which can facilitate implementation of low-power, radiation-hardened, high-temperature electronic devices and circuits. In one example embodiment a gate electrode is configured as a cantilever beam whose free end is coupled to a MIM stack. The stack moves into bridging contact across a source and drain region when the applied gate voltage generates a sufficient electrostatic force to overcome the mechanical biasing of the cantilever beam. A second set of contacts can be added on the cantilever beam to form a complementary switching structure, or to a separate cantilever beam. The switching can be configured as non-volatile in response to stiction forces. NEM circuits provide a number of advantages within a variety of circuit types, including but not limited to: logic, memory, sleep circuits, pass circuits, and so forth.
US08044438B2
Disclosed are a liquid crystal display and a substrate for the same. The substrate comprises first wires formed in one direction on the substrate; second wires intersecting and insulated from the first wires; pixel electrodes formed in pixel regions defined by the first wires and the second wires; and switching elements connected to the first wires, the second wires and the pixel electrodes, wherein an interval between two adjacent second wires has a predetermined dimension that repeatedly varies from one set of adjacent second wires to the next, and a side of the pixel electrodes adjacent to the second wires is shaped in a pattern identical to the second wires such that the pixel electrodes have a wide portion and a narrow portion. The liquid crystal display comprises a first substrate; first wires formed in one direction on the first substrate; second wires intersecting and insulated from the first wires; pixel electrodes formed in pixel regions defined by the crossing of the first wires and the second wires, and a side of the pixel electrodes adjacent to the second wires is shaped in a pattern identical to the second wires such that the pixel electrodes have a wide portion and a narrow portion; switching elements connected to the first wires, the second wires and the pixel electrodes; a second substrate provided opposing the first substrate; a black matrix formed on the second substrate; common electrodes formed on the second substrate; and domain controlling means for controlling the formation of domains of the pixel electrodes.
US08044433B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a GaN-based semiconductor layer formed on the substrate, a gate electrode embedded in the GaN-based semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on both sides of the gate electrode, a first recess portion formed between the gate electrode and the source electrode, and a second recess portion formed between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. The first recess portion has a depth deeper than that of the second recess portion.
US08044431B2
Some embodiments provide a microdisplay integrated circuit (IC), a substantially transparent protective cover coupled to the microdisplay IC, and a base coupled to the microdisplay IC. Thermal expansion characteristics of the base may be substantially similar to thermal expansion characteristics of the protective cover. According to some embodiments, at least one set of imaging elements is fabricated on an upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and a base is affixed to a lower surface of the semiconductor substrate to generate substantially negligible mechanical stress between the semiconductor substrate and the base.
US08044429B2
A light-emitting device including a light-emitting element and a substrate where the light-emitting element is arranged. A housing part housing the light-emitting element and having a shape that is tapered upward from the substrate and a metal frame surrounding the light-emitting element and including the side face of the housing part made into an almost mirror-polished surface are provided on the substrate.
US08044420B2
The present invention relates to a method for forming a package structure for a light emitting diode (LED) and the LED package structure thereof. By employing the same sawing process to cut through the trenches of the leadframe, the package units are singulated and different lead portions are simultaneously separated from each other in each package unit. Therefore, the overflow issues of the encapsulant can be avoided without using extra taping process.
US08044415B2
A luminous structure based on light-emitting diodes, which includes: a first dielectric element with a substantially plane main face associated with a first electrode; a second dielectric element with a substantially plane main face associated with a second electrode that faces the first electrode and lies in a different plane; at least a first light-emitting diode including a semiconductor chip including, on first and second opposed faces, first and second electrical contacts, the first electrical contact being electrically connected to the first electrode, the second electrical contact being electrically connected to the second electrode, and at least the first element at least partly transmitting radiation within the ultraviolet or in the visible.
US08044413B2
In order to produce a powerful bass, bass boxes require a relatively large installation volume, for which insufficient space is frequently available in the interior of a motor vehicle, in particular in a passenger motor vehicle. When drivers and front-seat passengers require the sound installation to have a powerful bass, a bass box requires a volume in the order of magnitude of at least 10 to 15 liters. In order to restrict the physical space which is required for this purpose in the vehicle interior, the active sound transducer of the loudspeaker system is acoustically coupled on its rear face to a resonant area which is formed at least in parts by the cavity within a supporting structure of the vehicle. In this case, the sound transducer is acoustically coupled in the area surrounding an area of the vehicle in which at least two elements of the supporting structure meet one another, such that at least a portion of the resonant area is jointly formed by the cavities in these at least two elements of the supporting structure.
US08044410B2
The present invention discloses a white light-emitting diode based on In—Ga—N nitride heterojunction is characterized by that the light-emitting diode has primary blue light emission of a specific wavelength and a light conversion layer so as to generate white light. Further, the present invention also discloses a light conversion layer and its fluorine oxygen garnet phosphor powder.
US08044409B2
A semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a conductive carrier-tunneling layer over and contacting the substrate. The conductive carrier-tunneling layer includes first group-III nitride (III-nitride) layers having a first bandgap, wherein the first III-nitride layers have a thickness less than about 5 nm; and second III-nitride layers having a second bandgap lower than the first bandgap, wherein the first III-nitride layers and the second III-nitride layers are stacked in an alternating pattern. The semiconductor structure is free from a III-nitride layer between the substrate and the conductive carrier-tunneling layer. The semiconductor structure further includes an active layer over the conductive carrier-tunneling layer.
US08044402B2
An amorphous insulator film is provided which is composed of silicon (Si) oxide, in which the amorphous insulator film includes Ar and an amount of Ar included therein is equal to or larger than 3 at. % in terms of atomic ratio with respect to Si.
US08044397B2
To realize a high-performance liquid crystal display device or light-emitting element using a plastic film. A CPU is formed over a first glass substrate and then, separated from the first substrate. A pixel portion having a light-emitting element is formed over a second glass substrate, and then, separated from the second substrate. The both are bonded to each other. Therefore, high integration can be achieved. Further, in this case, the separated layer including the CPU serves also as a sealing layer of the light-emitting element.
US08044383B2
A light emitting diode (LED) having a p-type layer having a thickness of 100 nm or less, an n-type layer, and an active layer, positioned between the p-type layer and the n-type layer, for emitting light, wherein the LED does not include a separate electron blocking layer.
US08044376B2
The present invention provides devices and methods that protect against exposure to remote sources of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). As such, the devices provide protection against a plurality of electrical equipment used in ordinary households and employment settings. The device includes a housing, a solenoid operably connected to a driver and a polymer. The solenoid generates incident radiation which results in the polymer emitting electromagnetic oscillations at frequencies that counter adverse effects associated with the subject's exposure to the electromagnetic radiation.
US08044373B2
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a projection system housing supporting internally one or more lens elements, and a movement damper connected to the projection system housing, the movement damper configured to damp movement of the projection system housing at an eigenfrequency of at least one of the one or more lens elements and/or of the projection system housing.
US08044368B2
A magnetic lens for a charged particle beam device and a charged particle beam device are provided. The magnetic lens includes a coil with coil windings to be excited for generation of a magnetic field, a pole piece to guide the magnetic field, a heat shield, which is connected to a cooling system, and a thermal insulation layer provided between the heat shield and the coil.
US08044363B2
A portable UV detection apparatus is disclosed. In one embodiment, the UV detection apparatus includes a UV detection device integrated with a skin type measuring device. A controller can be included in the apparatus that is in communication with the skin type measuring device and the UV detection device. The controller can provide information to the user regarding the amount of ultraviolet radiation present in the environment. In an alternative embodiment, the UV detection apparatus includes a UV detection device in conjunction with a light sensor. The light sensor can be configured to activate the UV detection device should light at a particular intensity be present in the environment. The UV detection device as described above can be configured to measure UVA radiation, UVB radiation, and/or UVC radiation.
US08044360B2
The present invention provides a radiation detector that can suppress a deterioration of image quality of a radiation image while suppressing the size of the radiation detector. Namely, a conductive layer configured by a conductive member is disposed at a portion that corresponds to at least the back side of the peripheral edge portion of a bias electrode, on the surface of an insulating substrate.
US08044355B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for viewing an area includes a dewar and an optical system positioned within the dewar. The dewar permits operation of the flux detector at cryogenic temperatures, in some embodiments. The optical system includes an infrared radiation system capable of focusing one or more light beams. The inclusion of the optical system within the cryogenic space of the dewar allows reduction of the overall system length and weight, if desired.
US08044349B2
A mass spectrometer includes a linear multipole electrode, an auxiliary electrode that applies a DC potential on the center axis of the linear multipole electrode, and a DC power supply that supplies a DC power to the auxiliary electrode. The DC potential slope formed on the center axis of the multipole electrode is changed according to the measuring condition. The ejection time of ions can be adjusted optimally by adjusting the potential slope so as to satisfy the measuring condition. If the ejection time of ions is shortened, confusion of different ion information items that might otherwise occur on a spectrum can be avoided. If the ejection time of ions is lengthened, detection limit exceeding can be avoided and ions can be measured efficiently, thereby highly efficient ion measurements are always assured.
US08044343B2
A plurality of molecule components included in a gas are to be ionized at the same time by PI method. For instance, a plurality of molecule components included in a gas generated at a certain instance are accurately analyzed in real time based on PI method. A gas analyzer is provided with a gas transfer apparatus for transferring a gas generated from a sample in a sample chamber to an analyzing chamber; an ionizer for ionizing the gas; a quadruple filter for separating ions by mass/charge ratio; and an ion detector for detecting the separated ions. The ionizer is provided with an ionizing region arranged in the vicinity of a gas exhaust of the gas transfer apparatus, and a lamp for applying light on the ionizing region. Since the lamp outputs light which has light directivity lower than that of a laser beam and travels by spreading, the gas entered the ionizing region in the ionizer receives light in a wide range, and the gas components inside are ionized at the same time.
US08044340B2
An encoder is provided in which the absolute angle can be detected with high accuracy even when the irradiated position of light to be detected with respect to a scale is displaced from a reference, and a photodetecting device for an encoder used for such an encoder. In the encoder 1, by passing light to be detected through a straight-line light transmitting portion 17, a bright portion 19 to which the light to be detected is irradiated is formed in an area of a scale plate 11 containing mutually separate parts of arranged lines L1 and L2 and also a dark portion 20 to which no light to be detected is irradiated is formed in the other area.
US08044332B2
According to various embodiments, provided herein is an optical system and method that can be configured to perform image analysis. The optical system can comprise a telescope assembly and one or more hybrid instruments. The one or more hybrid instruments can be configured to receive image data from the telescope assembly and perform a fine guidance operation and a wavefront sensing operation, simultaneously, on the image data received from the telescope assembly.
US08044327B2
Temperature sensor device inserted into a radiant heater (1) that incorporates at least one heating resistance (2) and is adapted to a glass ceramic cooking hob (4), comprising a film-type resistive sensor element (11) with metal wires (12) for its connection to terminals (18) and a support element (13) that passes through the radiant heater (1), at least in part. The sensor element (11) is inserted into the free end of said support element (13) so that the top and bottom faces are exposed in relation to said support element (13), and the sensor device also comprises an insulating element (14) disposed beneath the sensor element (11), separated from the support element (13) at least in the area in which the sensor device passes through the radiant heater (1).
US08044325B1
A wet wipe heating system includes a housing that has a bottom wall and a perimeter wall. An inner compartment is positioned within the housing and includes a lower wall and a peripheral wall. The inner compartment is spaced from the housing and a receiving space having water therein is defined between the inner compartment and housing. A heat emitter is positioned within the receiving space and heats the water. A thermostat is in thermal communication with the receiving space and is electrically coupled to the heat emitter to turn the heat emitter on when the water is less than the selected temperature. A cover is hingedly coupled to the housing and is selectively positionable in an open position exposing the inner compartment or in a closed position covering the inner compartment. A plurality of wet wipes is positioned in the inner compartment and heated by the water.
US08044324B2
A solid wire contains C of 0.020 to 0.100 mass percent, Si of 0.25 to 1.10 mass percent, Mn of 1.20 to 1.65 mass percent, P of 0.008 to 0.017 mass percent, S of 0.045 to 0.150 mass percent, O of 0.0050 mass percent or less, N of 0.0050 mass percent or less, wherein P*(O+N)*105≦15 is satisfied, and the remainder including Fe and impurities, wherein the relevant impurities contain Ti of 0.15 mass percent or less, B of 0.0050 mass percent or less, and Cr, Ni, Al, Nb, V, Zr, La and Ce of 0.20 mass percent or less respectively. According to such a configuration, a solid wire is provided, in which while increase in welding cost is controlled to the minimum, stability of wire feed, burn-through resistance, undercut resistance, and crack resistance are excellent, slag and spatter are hardly produced, hardness of weld metal is equal to or higher than that of base metal, and brittle fracture hardly occurs.
US08044310B2
A combination switch including a pressure switch moveable between closed and open positions in response to a working pressure of a fluid, an unloader valve moveable between open and closed positions, a mechanical interconnection between the pressure switch and the unloader valve and operable to move the unloader valve in response to movement of the pressure switch, and a mechanical lever selectively operable to move the pressure switch between the closed and the open position.
US08044309B2
An isolating apparatus for an electric power line includes an elongate insulator having opposed insulator ends and a pair of electrically conductive end members each secured to a respective one of the insulator ends. At least one of the end members includes a mounting slot that receives its respective one of the insulator ends.
US08044308B2
An electronic balance is provided where precise correction can be carried out by using incorporated weight and the weight and the size can both be reduced. The electronic balance is provided with a main Roberval mechanism R1 for conveying the load of an object to be measured mounted on a scale 16, a first beam 14 to which the main Roberval mechanism R1 is connected, and at the same time, a connection means 43 is connected, a second beam 42 to which the first beam 14 is connected via the connection means 43, and at the same time, an electromagnetic force generating apparatus 17 for generating an electromagnetic force which is balanced with the load of the object to be measured that is conveyed from the first beam 14 is connected, incorporated weight 18 for correction, a sub-Roberval mechanism R2 for conveying the load of the incorporated weight in the vertical direction, and a linking member 44 for conveying the load of the incorporated weight to the second beam 42 via the sub-Roberval mechanism R2, and characterized in that the linking member 44 is connected the second beam 42 on the electromagnetic force generating apparatus 17 side relative to the second fulcrum 41.
US08044293B2
A thermoelectric device includes a nanocomposite material with nanowires of at least one thermoelectric material having a predetermined figure of merit, the nanowires being formed in a porous substrate having a low thermal conductivity and having an average pore diameter ranging from about 4 nm to about 300 nm.
US08044292B2
A thermoelectric material comprises core-shell particles having a core formed from a core material and a shell formed from a shell material. In representative examples, the shell material is a material showing an appreciable thermoelectric effect in bulk. The core material preferably has a lower thermal conductivity than the shell material. In representative examples, the core material is an inorganic oxide such as silica or alumina, and the shell material is a chalcogenide semiconductor such as a telluride, for example bismuth telluride. A thermoelectric material including such core-shell particles may have an improved thermoelectric figure of merit compared with a bulk sample of the shell material alone. Embodiments of the invention further include thermoelectric devices using such thermoelectric materials, and preparation techniques. The use of core-shell nanoparticles allows highly uniform nanocomposites to be formed, and embodiments of the invention also includes other materials and devices using core-shell particles.
US08044273B2
Hybrid pepper cultivar designated ‘E 499526’ which is a Sweetbite type and suitable for covered cultivation and open field, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499526’ and to the plants of hybrid pepper cultivar ‘E 499526’. The invention also relates to methods for producing a pepper plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the hybrid cultivar ‘E 499526’ with itself or another pepper cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing other pepper cultivars derived from the hybrid ‘E 499526’.
US08044266B2
Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a delta-endotoxin and delta-endotoxin-associated polypeptides are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated delta-endotoxin and delta-endotoxin-associated nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS:3, 5, and 7, and the nucleotide sequences set forth in SEQ ID NO:1, 2, 4, and 6, as well as variants and fragments thereof.
US08044263B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions and methods include expression cassettes and transformed plants and provide for downregulation of cytokinin oxidase in a plant.
US08044262B2
The present invention is directed to plants that display a pathogen resistance and increased drought tolerance phenotype due to altered expression of a PRDT1 nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with a pathogen resistance and increased drought tolerance phenotype.
US08044261B2
Proteins are provided herein, including proteins capable of catalyzing the acetylation of glyphosate and other structurally related proteins. Also provided are polynucleotides capable of encoding these proteins, compositions that include one or more of these proteins and/or polynucleotides, recombinant cells and transgenic plants comprising these compounds, diversification methods involving the compounds, and methods of using the compounds. Some of the methods and compounds provided herein can be used to render an organism, such as a plant, resistant to glyphosate.
US08044256B2
The present invention relates to an absorbent article having a stable skin care composition disposed on its skin-contacting surface. The skin care composition is readily transferable to the skin via normal contact, wearer motion, and/or body heat. Importantly, the skin care composition contains at least one skin care ingredient imparting visible skin benefits to the skin upon transfer to the skin and at least one theological agent for stabilizing the composition such that agglomeration, stratification and/or settling of the composition are minimized. The present invention also relates to a process for making the absorbent articles having a stable skin care composition disposed thereon.
US08044254B2
A processing scheme and arrangement for enhanced olefin production involves cooling or treating an olefin cracking reactor effluent stream by contacting the olefin cracking reactor effluent stream with a quench oil stream in a single contact cooler contact zone to produce a cooled vapor stream and to form a heated quench oil stream. A pressure differential across the single contact cooler is less than about 3.5 kPa. The heated quench oil stream can be subsequently cooled and returned to the single contact cooler.
US08044251B2
Described is a process for preparing a halo-olefin comprising contacting a halogenated hydrocarbon with a metal dehalogenating agent, in a solvent, in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst, under conditions sufficient to dehalogenate said halogenated hydrocarbon to produce a product stream comprising said halo-olefin. In one embodiment, the halogenated hydrocarbon is trifluorotrichloroethane and the halo-olefin is chlorotrifluoroethylene.
US08044248B2
In a method of reducing the viscosity of a residue stream from the production of bisphenol-A, the residue stream is combined with at least one of (a) a bottoms stream comprising polyalkylaromatic compounds and remaining after the fractionation of an effluent from an aromatics alkylation process to remove monoalkylaromatic compounds, (b) a stream containing at least 90 wt % phenol and (c) a mixture of phenol and said bottoms stream (a) to produce a combined stream.
US08044247B2
The present invention refers to a process for the preparation of fluoromethyl 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(trifluoromethyl)ethyl ether (sevoflurane) which includes a step that consists of reacting hexafluoroisopropanol with a formaldehyde equivalent selected among paraformaldehyde or 1,3,5-trioxane, a chlorinating agent selected from the group consisting of oxalyl chloride, phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus oxychloride, sulfuryl chloride and thionyl chloride, and a strong acid selected from the group consisting of concentrated or fuming sulfuric acid resulting in the formation of the intermediate sevochlorane which is converted to sevoflurane in a second step which consists of reacting sevochlorane with an alkali metal fluoride, or a linear or branched chain tetra-alkyl quarternary ammonium fluoride in the presence of a sub-stoichiometric quantity of an alkali metal iodide, or a linear or branched alkyl chain tetra-alkyl quarternary ammonium iodide, preferably in a solvent.
US08044245B2
Optically active 2-sulfonyloxy-1-phenylethanol derivative of formula (II) can be prepared easily and selectively by the method of the present invention using an asymmetric reduction of an α-sulfonyloxy acetophenone compound with a rhodium catalyst having petamethylcyclopentadienyl group and a hydrogen donor, and the compound of formula (II) obtained in the inventive method exhibits a higher e.e. (enantiomer excess) value than that of the products in the conventional methods.
US08044244B2
A process for preparing aromatic amines by catalytic hydrogenation of the corresponding nitro compound in a fluidized-bed reactor, in which a gaseous reaction mixture comprising the nitro compound and hydrogen flows from the bottom upward through a heterogeneous particulate catalyst forming a fluidized bed, wherein the fluidized bed is provided with internals which 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.
US08044236B2
A compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof, or a hydrate thereof or a solvate thereof having an inhibitory action against plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1): wherein R1 represents a C6-10 aryl group; or a substituted C6-10 aryl group, R2 represents a C6-10 aryl group; or a C6-10 aryl group substituted with a group or groups selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, nitro group, a C1-6 alkyl group, a halogenated C1-6 alkyl group, a C1-6 alkoxy group, a halogenated C1-6 alkoxy group, a phenyl group and carboxy group, X represents —CH2—, —CH2CH2—, —CH═CH— or —N(R3)—C(═O)—, Y represents carboxy group or a bioisostere of carboxy group, R3 represents hydrogen atom, a C1-4 alkyl group or a C7-12 aralkyl group, m represents 0 or 1.
US08044226B2
A high-purity diphenyl carbonate, wherein the diphenyl carbonate is unsubstituted or substituted with a lower hydrocarbon, and has a halogen content of not more than 0.1 ppm, a content of an intermediate boiling point material of not more than 100 ppm, and a content of by-products having a higher boiling point than that of said diphenyl carbonate of not more than 100 ppm. A specific industrially useful process for the production of a high-purity diaryl carbonate in which a diaryl carbonate having low contents of intermediate boiling point and high boiling point impurities is produced is disclosed. As a starting material, a reaction mixture containing an alkyl aryl carbonate obtained through a transesterification reaction between a dialkyl carbonate and an aromatic monohydroxy compound is used. The process in which separation by distillation is carried out uses three distillation columns in a specified order.
US08044224B2
The invention relates to a chiral iridium aqua complex of formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each is an aryl group optionally having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a haloalkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a nitro group, a carboxyl group and a cyano group, or the like; and wherein R3 and R4 are the same or different and each is an alkyl group or the like, as well as the use of such a chiral iridium aqua complex for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation.
US08044213B2
The invention is directed to compounds of formula (1) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, methods for the preparation thereof, and methods of use thereof.
US08044211B2
Compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of p38 MAP kinase, and are therefore of utility in the treatment of, inter alia, inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and COPD: wherein: G is —N═ or —CH═; D is an optionally substituted divalent mono- or bi-cyclic aryl or heteroaryl radical having 5-13 ring members; R6 is hydrogen or optionally substituted C1-C3 alkyl; P represents hydrogen and U represents a radical of formula (IA); or U represents hydrogen and P represents a radical of formula -A-(CH2)z—X1-L1-Y—NH—CHR1R2 wherein A represents an optionally substituted divalent mono- or bicyclic carbocyclic or heterocyclic radical having 5-13 ring members; z, Y, L1, and X1 are as defined in the specification; R1 is a carboxylic acid group (—COOH), or an ester group which is hydrolysable by one or more intracellular esterase enzymes to a carboxylic acid group; and R2 is the side chain of a natural or non-natural alpha amino acid.
US08044209B2
The present invention relates to novel IAP inhibitor compounds of: Formula (I).
US08044208B2
The present invention is directed to a compound of formula I: or any stereoisomeric form of the compound of the formula I or a mixture of these forms in any ratio or a physiologically acceptable salt of the compound of the formula I which inhibit the enzyme TAFIa (activated thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor), and to a process for their preparation and to their use to treat described diseases where the substituents are as described in the specification.
US08044205B2
This present disclosure relates to a process for manufacturing 3(R)-(2-hydroxy-2,2-dithien-2-ylacetoxy)-1-(3-phenoxypropyl)-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bromide by reacting 2-hydroxy-2,2-dithien-2-ylacetic acid 1-azabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-3(R)yl ester and 3-phenoxypropyl bromide, wherein the reaction takes place in a solvent or mixtures of solvents having a boiling point from 50° C. to 210° C. and chosen from ketones and cyclic ethers.
US08044204B2
The invention provides compound and salts of Formula I and II, disclosed herein, which includes compounds of Formula A and Formula B: Such compounds possess useful antimicrobial activity. The variables R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, and R9 shown in Formula A and B are defined herein. Certain compounds of Formula I and Formula II disclosed herein are potent and/or selective inhibitors of bacterial DNA synthesis and bacterial replication. The invention also provides antimicrobial compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions, containing one or more compounds of Formula I or Formula II and one or more carriers, excipients, or diluents. Such compositions may contain a compound of Formula I or Formula II as the only active agent or may contain a combination of a compound of Formula I or Formula II and one or more other active agents. The invention also provides methods for treating microbial infections in animals.
US08044202B2
The present invention is concerned with novel indol-3-yl-carbonyl-azaspiropiperidine derivatives as V1a receptor antagonists, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use for the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders and other diseases. In particular, the present invention is concerned with compounds of the general formula (I) wherein R1 to R6, U, V, W, X, Y and Z are as defined in the specification.
US08044199B2
Novel N-formyl hydroxylamine compounds of formula I: wherein R1 is hydrogen, alkyl, heteroaryl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or cycloalkyl; R3 is hydrogen, halogen or alkoxy; R4 is pyridazinyl; n is 0 to 3; and wherein one or more of the ring nitrogen heteroatoms of said pyridazinyl is optionally oxidized and their derivatives are disclosed. These N-formyl hydroxylamine compounds inhibit peptidyl deformylase (PDF), an enzyme present in prokaryotes. The compounds are useful as antimicrobials and antibiotics. The compounds of the invention display selective inhibition of peptidyl deformylase versus other metalloproteinases such as MMPs. Methods of preparation and use of the compounds are also disclosed.
US08044198B2
Provided herein are novel sirtuin-modulating compounds and methods of use thereof. The sirtuin-modulating compounds may be used for increasing the lifespan of a cell, and treating and/or preventing a wide variety of diseases and disorders including, for example, diseases or disorders related to aging or stress, diabetes, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, blood clotting disorders, inflammation, cancer, and/or flushing as well as diseases or disorders that would benefit from increased mitochondrial activity. Also provided are compositions comprising a sirtuin-modulating compound in combination with another therapeutic agent.
US08044179B2
Antibodies which target clusterin, a protein involved in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of carcinoma cells, are identified and characterized. The antibodies may be used to modulate tumour cell activity through binding to clusterin.
US08044178B2
Anti-5T4 antibodies, anti-5T4 antibody/drug conjugates, and methods for preparing and using the same.
US08044176B2
Peptides have been generated that have binding affinity to carbon nanostructures and particularly carbon nanotubes. Peptides of or the invention are generally about twelve amino acids in length. Methods for generating carbon nanotube binding peptides are also disclosed.
US08044171B2
The invention relates to a polyamide molding material or copolyamide molding material and the use of such a polyamide molding material or copolyamide molding material for producing steam-sterilizable transparent moldings and extrudates. This polyamide molding material is characterized in that it comprises at least one copolyamide formed from 35-42 mol % of bis(4-amino-3-methylcyclohexyl)methane (MACM), 35-42 mol % of isophthalic acid (IPS) and 16-30 mol % of laurolactam (LC12). MACM may be replaced up to 50% by bis(4-aminocyclohexyl)-methane (PACM) and IPA up to 50% by terephthalic acid (TPA). The polyamide molding material may also be a blend of copolyamides or a blend of copolyamides with polyamide 12. The relative viscosity (RV) of the polyamide molding material or copolyamide molding material is in any case adjusted to a value which is greater than 1.45. Steam-sterilizable and transparent standard specimens which are produced from such polyamide molding materials or copolyamide molding materials and whose composition corresponds to the transparent moldings and extrudates have a tensile strain at break which, after undergoing at least 140 and especially preferably at least 350 steam sterilization cycles, is above the stretching limit.
US08044155B2
A catalyst system obtainable by the process comprising the steps of contacting an adduct of formula (I) MgT2.yAlQj(OR″)3-j (I) wherein T is chlorine, bromine, or iodine; R″ is a linear or branched C1-C10 alkyl radical; y ranges from 1.00 to 0.05; and j ranges from 0.01 to 3.00; with at least one metallocene compound having titanium as central metal and at least one ligand having a cyclopentadienyl skeleton.
US08044148B2
The present invention relates to a modified styrene-maleic acid copolymer obtained by reacting a carboxylic acid group in a styrene-maleic acid copolymer with a halogen and/or epoxy compound. The modified styrene-maleic acid copolymer is useful as a low profile additive for a thermosetting resin, a water-absorbing material, etc.
US08044129B2
Provided is an aqueous binder for inorganic fibers, which is formaldehyde-free, has excellent strength, and is suitable for use under conditions of weakly acidic to weakly basic, and by which a cured product composed of the binder having excellent strength is obtained, and an thermal and/or acoustical insulation material made of inorganic fiber using the same. The thermal and/or acoustical insulation material is molded by using an aqueous binder for inorganic fibers including: an acrylic resin with an acid value of 350 to 850 mgKOH/g; a crosslinking agent containing at least one dialkanolamine; and a curing accelerator, in which a molar ratio of the total number of the hydroxyl groups and imino groups in the crosslinking agent to the total number of carboxyl groups in the acrylic resin is 0.8:1 to 1.5:1, and in which pH of the binder is adjusted to 6.0 to 8.0 with a volatile basic compound.
US08044120B2
The present invention relates to a liquid composition which comprises at least one polymer and at least one ionic liquid, the cations of which are derived from polycyclic amidine bases, and a process for isolating cellulose from cellulose-containing sources using at least one such ionic liquid.
US08044108B2
A porous polymer blend, and a method of producing a porous polymer blend from at least two immiscible polymers. The at least two immiscible polymer being blended together and exhibiting the absence of complete phase separation. The method of producing a porous polymer blend comprising: forming a liquid composition comprising at least two immiscible polymers dissolved in a common solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to a reduction in temperature to cause at least two immiscible polymers to phase separate into a common polymer rich phase and a common polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least two immiscible polymers in the common polymer rich phase so as to avoid complete phase separation of the at least two immiscible polymers; and removing the common polymer pore phase to provide a blend of the at least two immiscible polymers having a porous morphology.
US08044107B2
A method of producing an embedded recycled container sheet includes: (a) providing a plurality of empty recycled plastic containers; (b) flattening the plurality of empty recycled plastic containers to reduce their width by at least 80%; (c) providing a base substrate of plastic; (d) placing the plurality of flattened, empty recycled plastic containers on the base substrate; and, (e) applying a molten top layer of plastic on the plurality of flattened, empty recycled plastic containers and on the base substrate, and cooling the molten top layer, so as to embed the plurality of empty recycled plastic containers between the top layer and the base substrate. A method of producing product from the resulting sheet involves creating the product using a processing step selected from the group consisting of molding, casting, cutting, machining, and combinations of these.
US08044103B2
The present invention provides 4-substituted-2-azetidinone compounds, bicyclic 2-5-diketopiperazine compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof that are potent, safe and effective neuroprotective agents. Due to their strong central nervous system (CNS) activity, the compounds can be used to enhance memory and to treat a variety of neurological disorders. The compounds are particularly useful for treating neurological disorders caused by, or associated with, CNS trauma.
US08044087B2
Hepatitis C virus inhibitors having the general formula are disclosed. Compositions comprising the compounds and methods for using the compounds to inhibit HCV are also disclosed.
US08044085B2
The invention relates to novel active compound combinations of certain having very good insecticidal and acaricidal properties and containing (a) cyclic ketoenols having the formula in which the groups W, X, Y, Z, A, B, D, and G have the meanings given in the disclosure, and (b) the active compounds (1) to (29) listed in the disclosure.
US08044081B2
Formula (I) compounds are described where the groups are as defined here below, processes for their preparation, and their uses for the preparation of conjugates with radionuclides for use in human and animal therapy and diagnostics, particularly for the diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions such as tumours.
US08044079B2
The invention relates to novel oxindole derivative of general formula (I), wherein the substituents R1, R2, A, B, and Y are defined as in Claim 1. The invention further relates to medicaments containing said derivatives, and use thereof for the prevention and/or treatment of vasopressin-dependent diseases.
US08044078B2
The invention relates to a compound of the general formula (I), as defined herein which is useful for the treatment of a pathology in a patient wherein a CCR3 receptor plays a role in the development of the pathology, and pharmaceutical preparations containing such compound. The invention is also directed to a process for preparing the compound of the general formula (I), and intermediate useful in the preparation.
US08044077B2
The present disclosure provides novel deuterated alpha-(N-sulfonamido)acetamide compounds, their pharmaceutical composition, processes thereof and a method for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, head trauma, traumatic brain injury, and/or dementia pugilistica and/or other conditions associated with β-amyloid peptide.
US08044075B2
This invention relates to novel compounds, compositions and combinations thereof, useful in the treatment of disease states mediated by the chemokine, Interleukin-8 (IL-8).
US08044072B2
The invention relates to compounds having the formula (I): Wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 and A-R9 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are the preparative methods for the compounds of formula (I) and their use in therapy.
US08044067B2
Compounds of the formula (I): were synthesized. In at least one embodiment, they were found to down-regulate or inhibit the expression or function of the IGF-1 receptor.
US08044064B2
The present invention relates generally to selected fused pyrrolocarbazoles, including pharmaceutical compositions thereof and methods of treating diseases therewith. The present invention is also directed to intermediates and processes for making these fused pyrrolocarbazoles.
US08044063B2
The present invention relates to quinazoline derivatives of the formula (I) useful as anti-tumor medicaments, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, the definition of the substituents R1, R1′, R2, R2′ are as defined in the description. It also relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing same, and a method for the preparation of quinazoline derivatives of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08044061B2
Disclosed are novel compounds of the general formula (Ia), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, isomers, diastereomers or enantiomers thereof and their use as medicines, for example in the treatment of dopamine-related movement disorders.
US08044055B2
The invention relates to 2-phenyl-6-aminocarbonyl-pyrimidine derivatives and their use as P2Y12 receptor antagonists in the treatment and/or prevention and/or treatment of peripheral vascular, of visceral-, hepatic- and renal-vascular, of cardiovascular and of cerebrovascular diseases or conditions associated with platelet aggregation, including thrombosis in humans and other mammals. Formula (I).
US08044052B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; processes for the preparation of the compounds; intermediates used in the preparation of the compounds; compositions containing the compounds; and uses of the compounds in treating diseases or conditions associated with fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity.
US08044047B2
The present invention is concerned with 5-substituted benzoxazine derivatives of formula (I) wherein X, R1 and R2 are as described herein, as well as their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them. Compounds of the present invention are 5-HT5A receptor antagonists, and are useful in the prevention and/or treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, panic disorders, agoraphobia, social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, pain, memory disorders, dementia, disorders of eating behaviors, sexual dysfunction, sleep disorders, abuse of drugs, motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease, psychiatric disorders or gastrointestinal disorders.
US08044045B2
The invention provides novel indazole-carboxamide 5-HT4 receptor agonist compounds. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds to treat diseases associated with 5-HT4 receptor activity, and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US08044042B2
A thienotriazolodiazepine compound of the following formula (I) a pharmaceutical agent containing the compound as an active ingredient, and a production intermediate and a production method of the thienotriazolodiazepine compound. Since this compound has an inhibitory action on costimulatory signal from CD28 on T cell, it is useful for the prophylaxis or suppression of rejection reaction in transplantation of organ or bone marrow and the like, and the prophylaxis or treatment of autoimmune diseases or allergic diseases.
US08044040B2
N-heterocyclic compounds that block cytokine production via inhibition of p38 kinase are disclosed. In one embodiment, compounds of the present invention are represented by Formula (I): Methods of production, pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating conditions associated with inappropriate p38 kinase activity or TNF-α expression utilizing compounds of the present invention are also disclosed.
US08044029B2
Disclosed herein are methods for the treatment of autoimmune or immune related diseases or disorders. Also disclosed are methods for treating such autoimmune or immune related diseases or disorders with the administration of sulfatides. Also disclosed herein are methods of treating autoimmune or immune related diseases or disorders by administering an amount of a sulfatide to the body of a patient effective to reduce or prevent the symptoms of the autoimmune or immune related disease or disorder.
US08044026B2
Provided herein are a composition for promoting cartilage formation or regeneration comprising a NELL gene product and a method of treating cartilage-related conditions using such a composition.
US08044015B2
Disclosed are compositions and systems having utility in numerous situations, including in particular solvent cleaning systems, as well as refrigerant lubricants and/or compatibilizing agents, and to methods which utilize such compositions and systems. More particularly, the present invention in preferred aspects is directed to solvents, blowing agents, heat transfer fluids and compatibilizing agents comprising the compound 3-chloro-1,1,1,6,6,6-hexafluoro-2,4-hexadiene.
US08044014B2
A water-in-oil (w/o) or oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion consists of an oily phase that includes one or more oils of vegetable and/or mineral origin, and/or synthesis oils, at least one non-ionic and/or anionic emulsifying surfactant, and an aqueous phase that includes water, characterized in that the aqueous phase includes at least one phyllosilicate, so as to obtain a fluid and stable emulsion over time. The use, the process for preparation, a concentrate of the above-mentioned emulsion as well as its process for production are also described.
US08044013B2
The present invention relates to the use of metal complex compounds with terpyridine ligands as oxidation catalysts. The present invention relates also to formulations comprising such metal complex compounds, to novel metal complex compounds, and to novel ligands. The metal complex compounds are used especially tor improving the action of peroxides, for example in the treatment of textile material, without at the same time causing any appreciable damage to fibres and dyeings.
US08044010B2
The present invention relates to compositions comprising fluorinated olefins or fluorinated ketones, and at least one alcohol, halocarbon, hydrofluorocarbon, or fluoroether and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, these compositions are azeotropic or azeotrope-like. In another embodiment, these compositions are useful in cleaning applications as a degreasing agent or defluxing agent for removing oils and/or other residues from a surface.
US08044006B2
A composition is disclosed which comprises an aryl perfluoropolyether, optionally a halogenated oil, and further optionally a thickening agent. The composition can be used as a lubricant itself or as an additive to an oil or grease lubricant and can withstand temperatures higher than 300° C. without decomposition. The halogenated oil can be a perfluoropolyether, a fluorosilicone, a polytrifluorochloroethylene, or combinations of two or more thereof. The thickening agent can be finely divided silica, boron nitride, clay, soap, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), clay, talc, silica, titanium dioxide, polydimethylsiloxane, polyurea, polyurethane, or combinations of two or more thereof.
US08044005B2
A rolling bearing, for use in household appliances, having a high degree of quietness, an excellent durability at high temperatures and rotational speeds, a low torque, and excellent fretting property; and a lubricant composition which can be sealed into the rolling bearing. The lubricant composition includes a base oil and a thickening agent. The base oil is a mixed oil having the following characteristics of (a) to (c): (a) The base oil consists essentially of a synthetic hydrocarbon oil and an ester oil; (b) A kinematic viscosity of the mixed oil at 40° C. is 40 to 70 mm2/second; (c) A mixing weight ratio between the ester oil of the mixed oil and the synthetic hydrocarbon oil thereof is 30:70 to 70:30. The thickening agent comprises a diurea compound shown by a formula (1): where R1 and R3 are a straight-chain alkyl groups having 9 to 22 carbon atoms respectively, and R2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms. The lubricant composition is sealed into the rolling bearing.
US08044001B2
A solid zirconium cross-linking agent is prepared comprising zirconium and hydroxyalkylated ethylene diamine ligand. Use of the cross-linking agent in compositions for oil field applications such as hydraulic fracturing and plugging of permeable zones is also disclosed.
US08043999B2
This invention relates to compositions and methods of treating a subterranean formation penetrated by a well bore including providing a treatment composition comprising a rheological polymer, a partitioning agent, a charged polyelectrolyte, and a first liquid medium, forming a stabilized heterogeneous mixture comprising a dispersed rheological polymer-rich phase and a partitioning agent-rich phase, and injecting the treatment fluid into the well bore. The invention relates to methods and compositions for preparing a well treatment fluid, including mixing polyethylene glycol partitioning agent, a charged polyelectrolyte, a first aqueous medium, and one or more rheological polymers selected from the group consisting of guar, modified guar, cellulose, modified cellulose, heteropolysaccharide, heteropolysaccharide derivative, or polyacrylamide, to hydrate the one or more polymers and form a water-in-water emulsion, and mixing the water-in-water emulsion with a second aqueous medium to form a well treatment fluid.
US08043998B2
The present invention includes compositions and methods of treating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the formation having at least one fracture, by contacting the fracture with a composition that includes a solvent and a nonionic fluorinated polymeric surfactant, wherein the composition interacts with at least a portion of the proppants in the fracture.
US08043997B2
A lost circulation material and method for well treatment employing the material that is effective at sealing or plugging small fissures and large fractures and has utility over a wide range of temperatures, including high temperatures. The material has an optimized bimodal particle distribution and optionally has a polymer flocculent or water swellable polymer.
US08043993B2
In an embodiment, an image element having a thermally sensitive coating on at least a first side thereof is provided. The image element may further include an adhesive for attaching to an object such as a pharmaceutical container. Information about the object may be thermally printed on the image element.
US08043985B2
Provided are SiO2—Al2O3-based or Li2O—Al2O3—SiO2-based crystallized glass which has various properties intrinsic to the crystallized glass of the type and which contains an arsenic component or an antimony component in an amount as small as possible or does not contain an arsenic component and an antimony component; and a method for producing the crystallized glass. The crystallized glass contains components of SiO2 and Al2O3 (as oxides) and contains an SnO2 component (as oxide) and/or a CeO2 component (as oxide). Preferably, the glass contains from 0.01 to 5.0% (as oxide) of an SnO2 component and/or from 0.01 to 5.0% (as oxide) of a CeO2 component.
US08043973B2
A method of forming IC devices includes providing a substrate and forming a patterned masking layer including at least one masked region having at least one masking layer, and a feature region bounded by the masking layer. Etching forms an etched feature in the substrate, wherein undercutting during the etching forms at least one mask overhang region over a surface portion of the etched feature that is recessed relative to an outer edge of the masking layer. A pullback etch process exclusive of any additional patterning step laterally etches the masking layer. The conditions for the pullback etch retain at least a portion of the masking layer and reduce a length of the mask overhang region by at least 50%, or eliminate the mask overhang region entirely. The etched feature is then filled after the pullback etch process to form a filled etched feature.
US08043971B2
[Problem to be Solved] In a plasma processing apparatus for executing a process using plasma, promoting the sharing of an apparatus in executing a plurality of different processes and plasma states amongst apparatuses in executing same processes in a plurality of apparatuses are provided.[Solution] A ring member formed of an insulating material is disposed to surround a to-be-treated substrate in a processing vessel and an electrode is installed in the ring member for adjusting a plasma sheath region. For example, a first DC voltage is applied to the electrode when a first process is performed on the to-be-treated substrate and a second DC voltage is applied to the electrode when a second process is performed on the to-be-treated substrate. In this case, the plasma state can be matched by applying an appropriate DC voltage according to each process or each apparatus executing the same process. Therefore, the sharing of an apparatus can be promoted and the plasma state can be readily adjusted.
US08043966B2
Disclosed are embodiments of a method that both monitors patterning integrity of etched openings (i.e., ensures that lithographically patterned and etched openings are complete) and forms on-chip conductive structures (e.g., contacts, interconnects, fuses, anti-fuses, capacitors, etc.) within such openings. The method embodiments incorporate an electro-deposition process to provide both the means by which pattern integrity of etched openings can be monitored and also the metallization required for the formation of conductive structures within the openings. Specifically, during the electro-deposition process, electron flow is established by applying a current to the back side of the semiconductor wafer, thus, eliminating the need for a seed layer. Electron flow through the wafer and into the electroplating solution is then monitored and used as an indicator of electroplating in the etched openings and, thereby, as an indicator that the openings are completely etched.
US08043958B1
Methods of forming a capping layer on conductive lines in a semiconductor device may be characterized by the following operations: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate comprising a dielectric layer having (i) exposed conductive lines (e.g., copper lines) disposed therein, and (ii) an exposed barrier layer disposed thereon; and (b) depositing a capping layer material on at least the exposed conductive lines of the semiconductor substrate. In certain embodiments, the method may also involve removing at least a portion of a conductive layer (e.g., overburden) disposed over the barrier layer and conductive lines to expose the barrier layer.
US08043956B2
In semiconductor devices having a copper-based metallization system, bond pads for wire bonding may be formed directly on copper surfaces, which may be covered by an appropriately designed protection layer to avoid unpredictable copper corrosion during the wire bond process. A thickness of the protection layer may be selected such that bonding through the layer may be accomplished, while also ensuring a desired high degree of integrity of the copper surface.
US08043943B2
A method for forming polycrystalline semiconductor film from amorphous semiconductor film at reduced temperatures and/or accelerated rates. The inclusion of a small percentage of semiconductor material, such as 2% within the metal layer, reduces the temperatures required for crystallization of the amorphous semiconductor by at least 50° C. in comparison to the use of the metal layer without the small percentage of semiconductor material. During a low temperature isothermal annealing process adjacent Al-2% Si and a-Si films undergo a layer exchange resulting in formation of a continuous polycrystalline silicon film having good physical and electrical properties. Formation of polycrystalline-semiconductor in this manner is suitable for use with low temperature substrates (e.g., glass, plastic) as well as with numerous integrated circuit and MEMs fabrication devices and practices.
US08043942B2
Disclosed is a method for producing core-shell nanowires in which an insulating film is previously patterned to block the contacts between nanowire cores and nanowire shells. According to the method, core-shell nanowires whose density and position is controllable can be produced in a simple manner. Further disclosed are nanowires produced by the method and a nanowire device comprising the nanowires. The use of the nanowires leads to an increase in the light emitting/receiving area of the device. Therefore, the device exhibits high luminance/efficiency characteristics.
US08043933B2
Embodiments of the present invention generally relates to an apparatus and a method for processing semiconductor substrates. Particularly, embodiments of the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for forming shallow trench isolations having recesses with rounded bottoms. One embodiment of the present invention comprises forming a recess in a filled trench structure by removing a portion of a material from the filled trench structure and rounding bottom corners of the recess. Rounding bottom corners is performed by depositing a conformal layer of the same material filled in the trench structure over the substrate and removing the conformal layer of the material from sidewalls of the recess.
US08043916B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes preparing a semiconductor substrate having first and second regions, forming a mask layer pattern on the second region, growing an oxidation retarding layer on the first region and removing the mask layer pattern. The method further includes growing a silicon oxide layer on the semiconductor substrate to form gate insulating layers having different thicknesses from one another on the first and second regions.
US08043915B2
Crisscrossing spacers formed by pitch multiplication are used as a mask to form isolated features, such as contacts vias. A first plurality of mandrels are formed on a first level and a first plurality of spacers are formed around each of the mandrels. A second plurality of mandrels is formed on a second level above the first level. The second plurality of mandrels is formed so that they cross, e.g., are orthogonal to, the first plurality of mandrels, when viewed in a top down view. A second plurality of spacers is formed around each of the second plurality of mandrels. The first and the second mandrels are selectively removed to leave a pattern of voids defined by the crisscrossing first and second pluralities of spacers. These spacers can be used as a mask to transfer the pattern of voids to a substrate. The voids can be filled with material, e.g., conductive material, to form conductive contacts.
US08043914B2
Provided are methods of fabricating flash memory devices that may prevent a short circuit from occurring between cell gate lines. Methods of fabricating such flash memory devices may include forming gate lines including a series of multiple cell gate lines and multiple selection gate lines. Each gate line may include a stacked structure of a tunnel insulating layer, a floating gate, a gate insulating layer, and/or a polysilicon layer operable to be a control gate, all formed on a semiconductor substrate. Methods may include forming a first insulating layer that selectively fills gaps between the cell gate lines from the bottom up and between adjacent ones of the cell gate lines and the selection gate lines, and does not fill a space located on outer sides of the selection gate lines that are opposite the plurality of cell gate lines. A spacer may be formed on the outer sides of the selection gate lines that are opposite to the cell gate lines, after forming the first insulating layer. A second insulating layer may be formed in a space where the spacer is formed.
US08043909B2
The present invention provides a porous semiconductive structure, characterized in that the structure has an electrical conductivity of 5·10−8 S·cm−1 to 10 S·cm−1, and an activation energy of the electrical conductivity of 0.1 to 700 meV, and a solid fraction of 30 to 60% by volume, and a pore size of 1 nm to 500 nm, the solid fraction having at least partly crystalline doped constituents which are bonded to one another via sinter necks and have sizes of 5 nm to 500 nm and a spherical and/or ellipsoidal shape, which comprise the elements silicon, germanium or an alloy of these elements, and also a process for producing a porous semiconductive structure, characterized in that A. doped semimetal particles are obtained, and then B. a dispersion is obtained from the semimetal particles obtained after step A, and then C. a substrate is coated with the dispersion obtained after step B, and then D. the layer obtained after step C is treated by means of a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water, and then E. the layer obtained after step D is treated thermally to obtain a porous semiconductive structure.
US08043906B2
A III-nitride device includes a recessed electrode to produce a nominally off, or an enhancement mode, device. By providing a recessed electrode, a conduction channel formed at the interface of two III-nitride materials is interrupted when the electrode contact is inactive to prevent current flow in the device. The electrode can be a schottky contact or an insulated metal contact. Two ohmic contacts can be provided to form a rectifier device with nominally off characteristics. The recesses formed with the electrode can have sloped sides. The electrode can be formed in a number of geometries in conjunction with current carrying electrodes of the device. A nominally on device, or pinch resistor, is formed when the electrode is not recessed. A diode is also formed by providing non-recessed ohmic and schottky contacts through an insulator to an AlGaN layer.
US08043903B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to the following processes. A first recess is formed in a semiconductor substrate to define an active region on the semiconductor substrate. The active region includes a protruding portion of the semiconductor substrate surrounded by the first recess. The protruding portion has a sloped side surface. A first insulating film that fills the first recess is formed. A gate recess is formed in the active region to form a thin film portion that upwardly extends. The thin film portion is positioned between the gate recess and the first insulating film. The thin film portion is a part of the protruding portion. An upper part of the thin film portion is removed by wet-etching to adjust a height of the thin film portion.
US08043900B2
To provide a circuit layout design method that can prevent degradation of the circuit reliability even in highly miniaturized circuit cells.In order to prevent noise from a power supply potential or a reference potential with a large potential difference from affecting a gate electrode and causing a malfunction, a first plug connected to the gate electrode and a second plug to which the power supply potential or the reference potential is supplied are required to be spaced from each other by a distance sufficient for the noise from the power supply potential or the reference potential not to affect the first plug. To this end, among the second plugs placed at equal intervals under the wiring, only the second plug placed at a layout position that is not sufficiently spaced from the first plug is deleted at the time of planar layout design.
US08043899B2
A photosensitive resin composition comprising a photosensitive silicone compound of specified molecular weight having any of specified photosensitive substituents and a photopolymerization initiator in any of specified proportions is used. Thus, there can be obtained a resin composition containing a photosensitive silicone compound that provides a material suitable for a rewiring layer or a buffer coat material of LSI chip, less in a film loss between before and after curing and improved in the stickiness of pre-exposure stage. Further, there can be obtained a resin insulating film utilizing the resin composition.
US08043893B2
An electrical structure and method for forming electrical interconnects. The method includes positioning a sacrificial carrier substrate such that a first surface of a non-solder metallic core structure within the sacrificial carrier substrate is in contact with a first electrically conductive pad. The first surface is thermo-compression bonded to the first electrically conductive pad. The sacrificial carrier substrate is removed from the non-solder metallic core structure. A solder structure is formed on a second electrically conductive pad. The first substrate comprising the non-solder metallic core structure is positioned such that a second surface of the non-solder metallic core structure is in contact with the solder structure. The solder structure is heated to a temperature sufficient to cause the solder structure to melt and form an electrical and mechanical connection between the second surface of the non-solder metallic core structure and the second electrically conductive pad.
US08043888B2
A method for forming a phase change memory cell (PCM) includes forming a heater for the phase change memory and forming a phase change structure electrically coupled to the heater. The forming a heater includes siliciding a material including silicon to form a silicide structure, wherein the heater includes at least a portion of the silicide structure. The phase change structure exhibits a first resistive value when in a first phase state and exhibits a second resistive value when in a second phase state. The silicide structure produces heat when current flows through the silicide structure for changing the phase state of the phase change structure.
US08043886B2
Processes for fabricating a contact grid for a photovoltaic cell generally includes providing a photovoltaic cell having an antireflective coating disposed on a sun facing side, the photovoltaic cell comprising a silicon substrate having a p-n junction; soft stamping a pattern of a UV sensitive photoresist and/or polymer onto the antireflective coating; exposing the UV sensitive photoresist and/or polymer to ultraviolet radiation to cure the UV sensitive photoresist and/or polymer; etching the pattern to form openings in the antireflective coating that define the contact grid; stripping the UV sensitive photoresist and/or polymer; and depositing a conductive metal into the openings defined by the pattern. The metal based paste can be aluminum based, which can be annealed at a relatively low temperature.
US08043880B2
One embodiment of a microelectronic component system includes a base adapted for supporting a microelectronic component, a membrane sealed to the base, and a glass lid built-up on the membrane and hermetically sealing the membrane.
US08043879B2
A semiconductor light emitting device manufacture method is provided which can manufacture a semiconductor light emitting device of high quality. A first substrate of an n-type ZnO substrate is prepared. A lamination structure including an optical emission layer made of ZnO based compound semiconductor is formed on the first substrate. A p-side conductive layer is formed on the lamination structure. A first eutectic material layer made of eutectic material is formed on the p-side conductive layer. A second eutectic material layer made of eutectic material is formed on a second substrate. The first and second eutectic material layers are eutectic-bonded to couple the first and second substrates. After the first substrate is optionally thinned, an n-side electrode is formed on a partial surface of the first substrate.
US08043874B2
Methods and systems for coating of semiconductor devices using droplets of wavelength conversion or phosphor particles in a liquid medium. A plurality of nozzles delivers a controlled amount of the matrix material to the surface of the semiconductor device, with each of said nozzles having an opening for the matrix material to pass. The opening has a diameter wherein the diameter of the phosphor particles is less than or approximately equal to one half the diameter of the opening. The phosphor particles are also substantially spherical or rounded. The nozzles are typically arranged on a print head that utilizes jet printing techniques to cover the semiconductor device with a layer of the matrix material. The methods and systems are particularly applicable to covering LEDs with a layer of phosphor materials.
US08043870B2
In one embodiment a method is provided for maintaining a substrate processing surface. The method generally includes performing a set of measurements on the substrate processing surface, wherein the set of measurements are taken using a displacement sensor coupled to a processing surface conditioning arm, determining a processing surface profile based on the set of measurements, comparing the processing surface profile to a minimum profile threshold, and communicating a result of the profile comparison.
US08043868B2
A method for determining a concentration of an analyte is provided. The method includes providing a substrate including a conductive region and a recognition layer where the conductive region has a first surface operatively coupled with the recognition layer; The method also includes contacting the substrate with the sample to bind at least some of the analyte that may present in the sample with the recognition layer; The method further includes directing radiation through the conductive region and the recognition layer, where the conductive region comprises at least one particle and a combination of the at least one particle effect when the radiation is directed through the conductive region and the recognition layer; The method still further includes measuring at least a part of a spectrum of the radiation that is absorbed or transmitted by or through the substrate, the at least part of the spectrum being related to one or more of the at least one particle effects; The method further includes determining a change of the at least part of the spectrum as compared with a reference spectrum and determining the concentration of the analyte from the change.
US08043865B2
A device and method of metering and mixing a dose of a sample liquid with a diluent liquid includes introducing a sample liquid into a channel defined in a housing. The housing defines a pocket open to the channel and sized to both collect a metered dose of the sample liquid, and to retain the collected dose by capillary force when the channel is emptied. The sample liquid is then removed from the channel under conditions that enable retention of the collected, metered dose of the sample liquid in the pocket. Following a cleaning step, a volume of diluent liquid is introduced into the channel to induce diffusion and mixing of the diluent liquid with the dose of sample liquid to form a mixture.
US08043862B2
A sample cup for retaining a sample material to be subjected to an x-ray spectrochemical analysis. The sample cup comprises a cell body of a cylindrical configuration having an open top end and an open bottom end and defining a hollow between the two open ends, the open top end having an outer wall and an inner wall encircling the open top end. The outer wall and the inner wall extend axially and are positioned in concentric relationship with one another and form an internal reservoir space therebetween.
US08043859B2
A method is described for preparing a mixture for quality control of 0.1 g glycine tablets for sublingual application. The mixture for quality control includes a 100:0.5 ratio of ethanol to porphyrized tablets, each tablet containing 0.1 g microcapsules of non-agglomerated crystals of amino-acetic acid covered with a polymeric film of water-soluble methylcellulose, each tablet further containing 0.001 g of magnesium stearate. The process for preparing the mixture includes dissolution of the tablet in ethanol for 20 minutes and is carried out at a temperature of 40° C. in an apparatus using a paddle rotation speed of 200 revolutions per minute. After the mixture is dissolved, it is allowed to stand for 10 minutes at room temperature, and then a light transmission coefficient is measured at 700±2 nm for a 10 mm thick layer of the mixture. A transmission value within the limits of 90% to 100% compared with 50% ethanol corresponds to the proper quality.
US08043854B2
In the transplant of a living organism tissue, such as a heart valve, taken from an animal, etc. into a human body, a cell removing solution for removing original cells from the living organism tissue is provided with flow approximately equal to the bloodstream of transplant recipient living body, and the living organism tissue is placed in the flow so as to effect immersion of the living organism tissue in the cell removing solution. In the immersion, it is preferred that the living organism tissue placed in the cell removing solution, while being rotated, be irradiated with microwave. As a result, original cells can be removed from the living organism tissue uniformly and reliably, so that the biocompatibility of living organism tissue after transplant can be enhanced.
US08043850B2
The present invention provides a novel fluorescent protein the wavelength of the maximum of the fluorescence of which exists in a wavelength side longer than 510 nm, and which exhibits yellow fluorescence or yellowish green fluorescence and can be expressed in a heterogeneous cell, and a gene encoding the same, wherein the fluorescent protein has an amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1 and it is a fluorescent protein derived from a copepod taxonomically classified to Chiridius Poppei.
US08043846B2
The invention features devices for mixing fluids, e.g., for lysing cells, and methods of use thereof. One device is based on the ability to control the flow of fluids, e.g., by contact angle and channel size. Fluids in this device can be divided to form segments of controlled volume, which are then brought together to initiate mixing. An exemplary use of the device is for the lysis of single cells. Another device is based on the ability to two mix two fluids in a channel and affinity capture of analytes. The devices can be integrated on the same chip with other devices, for example, for cell handling or analysis of DNA, mRNA, and proteins released from the lysis of a cell.
US08043829B2
Disclosed is a composition of matter comprising a ShK toxin peptide analog, and in some embodiments, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. A pharmaceutical composition comprises the composition and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Also disclosed are DNAs encoding the inventive composition of matter, an expression vector comprising the DNA, and host cells comprising the expression vector. Methods of treating an autoimmune disorder and of preventing or mitigating a relapse of a symptom of multiple sclerosis are also disclosed.
US08043819B2
The present invention relates to a method for discrimination of p16INK4a overexpressing metaplasias from neoplastic or preneoplastic p16INK4a overexpressing lesions by determination of the level of high risk HPV encoded gene-products such as e.g. HPV E2 and/or HPV E7 molecules in biological samples in the course of cytological testing procedures. The method thus enables for reduction of false positive results in the p16INK4a based detection of anogenital lesions in cytological testing procedures.
US08043818B2
The invention provides human protease molecules (HUPM) and polynucleotides which identify and encode HUPM. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for treating or preventing disorders associated with expression of HUPM.
US08043808B2
The invention can be summarized as follows. There is provided a method for amplifying hypomethylated genomic nucleotide sequences and/or hypermethylated genomic nucleotide sequences and comparing the methylation state between different samples, for example control and test samples. Also disclosed is a microarray based method for analyzing hypo and/or hypermethylated genomic nucleotide sequence. Further, kits comprising reagents for practicing the method are provided.
US08043789B2
A photosensitive compound whose size is smaller than conventional polymer for photoresist, and which has well-defined (uniform) structure, and a photoresist composition including the same are disclosed. The photosensitive compound represented by the following formula. Also, the present invention provides a photoresist composition comprising 1 to 85 wt % (weight %) of the photosensitive compound; 0.05 to 15 weight parts of a photo-acid generator with respect to 100 weight parts of the photosensitive compound; and 10 to 5000 weight parts of an organic solvent. In the formula, n is 0 or 1, x is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, y is 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, z is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, R, R′ and R″ are independently hydrocarbon group of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms, and R′″ is a hydrogen atom or hydrocarbon group of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms.
US08043785B2
The present invention provides a method for producing a carrier that includes dissolving at least a coating material in carbon dioxide in a liquid state, and forming a coating layer on a core material surface by reducing the solubility of the liquid with at least the coating material dissolved therein through control of at least any one of the pressure and temperature. The present invention also provides a carrier produced by the method for producing a carrier.
US08043783B2
The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to imaging members for use in electrostatographic, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the embodiments pertain to processes for preparing the substrate of such imaging members that use laser technology.
US08043782B2
A toner for electrophotography is provided including a binder resin, a coloring agent, a charge controlling agent, and a releasing agent, wherein when the temperature of the toner is in the range from a temperature 40° C. lower than a fixing temperature of the toner to a temperature 10° C. lower than the fixing temperature of the toner, the D Log η*/DT absolute value is 0.02 or more, when the temperature of the toner is in the range from a temperature 10° C. lower than the fixing temperature of the toner to a temperature 10° C. higher than the fixing temperature of the toner, the D Log η*/DT absolute value is 0.005 or less, and the complex viscosity (η*) of the toner at a fixing temperature and an angular velocity of a fixing heat roller is in the range from about 5.0×101 Pa·s to 1.0×102 Pa·s. The toner has excellent fixing properties so that the quality of an image can be stabilized, and cause less contamination.
US08043776B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising a conductive support and a photosensitive layer provided on or above the conductive support, the photosensitive layer having an outermost layer comprising a cured product of a composition comprising a curable resin, a surfactant containing a fluorine atom, and a charge transporting organic compound having a specific structure.
US08043773B2
An image bearing member including an electrostatic substrate, a photosensitive layer located overlying the electrostatic substrate, a surface layer located overlying the photosensitive layer, and the surface layer is a cross-linking resin layer in which particulates having a needle form are dispersed and which is formed by curing a monomer having at least three radical polymerizable functional groups without a charge transport structure and a radical polymerizable compound having a charge transport structure.
US08043769B2
According to one embodiment, a direct methanol fuel cell includes an anode having a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector, a cathode having a current collector and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector, and an electrolyte membrane placed between the catalyst layers of the anode and the cathode. The anode-side catalyst layer includes a catalyst and a sheet-like organic compound consisting of a plurality of molecules having an aliphatic cyclic skeleton in which two carbon atoms are bonded to a cationic functional group and an anionic functional group, respectively. The sheet-like organic compound has a layered branch structure in which the molecules are layered by bonding different ions of the aliphatic cyclic skeleton to one another so that the molecules are displaced from one another, and a plurality of units each having the layered branch structure are present in the catalyst layer.
US08043767B2
An electrochemical fuel cell includes a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) having a cathode face and an anode face. The MEA is between a cathode fluid flow field plate and an anode fluid flow field plate. A diffusion structure is between the MEA and a corresponding fluid flow field plate, which is either the cathode fluid flow field plate or the anode fluid flow field plate. The diffusion structure has a first face in contact with, or adjacent to, the MEA and a second face in contact with, or adjacent to, the corresponding fluid flow field plate. The diffusion structure includes a first layer having a first level of hydrophobicity and a second layer that is hydrophilic. The second layer is adjacent to the corresponding fluid flow field plate, and includes a hydrophilic binder material.
US08043760B2
An electrochemical apparatus having a plurality of ceramic electrochemical cells, a plurality of gas feed members and a plurality of gas discharge members. The electrochemical cell has a first electrode contacting with a first gas, a solid electrolyte layer and a second electrode contacting with a second gas. A gas flow channel for flowing the first gas therethrough, a first through hole and a second through hole are provided in the electrochemical cell. The gas feed member is inserted into the first through hole, the gas discharge member is inserted into the second through hole. The adjacent gas feed members are airtightly coupled to each other thereby forming a gas feed channel, and the adjacent gas discharge members are airtightly coupled to each other thereby forming a gas discharge channel.
US08043759B2
A product includes a fuel cell stack, and an enclosure apparatus sealingly enclosing the fuel cell stack to define a hydrogen chamber between the fuel cell stack and the enclosure apparatus. An operation of the product may include maintaining a positive pressure of hydrogen in the hydrogen chamber.
US08043758B2
A method of operating a fuel cell includes the step of selectively connecting and disconnecting the fuel cell to at least one electrical load dependent at least in part upon at least one of a fuel cell voltage, a fuel cell current and a fuel cell temperature.
US08043756B2
An electronic apparatus having a fuel cell which sufficiently supplies air to the fuel cell without a separate air pump or fan. In the electronic apparatus, a cooling fan cools heat-generating parts of an external device having the fuel cell mounted thereon. A guide bracket guides wind of the cooling fan, upon having cooled the heat-generating parts, toward a fuel cell.
US08043749B2
An electrolyte for a lithium ion secondary battery and a lithium ion secondary battery comprising the electrolyte. The electrolyte comprises a non-aqueous organic solvent, a lithium salt, and at least one aromatic phosphate compound. Exothermic reactions are inhibited in the battery upon overcharge or during high-temperature storage to prevent an increase in the temperature of the battery, resulting in an improvement in safety. In addition, the battery exhibits good swelling stability during high-temperature storage as well as improved cycle life characteristics. The electrolyte further comprises an ethylene carbonate-based compound. The presence of the ethylene carbonate-based compound leads to further improvements in the overcharge safety, high-temperature safety and cycle life characteristics of the battery.
US08043748B2
Active material for a positive electrode of a rechargeable alkaline electrochemical cell is made with nickel hydroxide particles or cobalt-coated nickel hydroxide particles treated with strongly oxidizing reagents such as alkali metal persulfate in alkaline solution. The active material also may be made with cobalt-coated nickel hydroxide particles having a high percentage of cobalt(III) on a surface or an average cobalt oxidation state of about 3 measured across the particles. The treated nickel hydroxide or cobalt-coated nickel hydroxide decreases the cobalt solubility in the alkaline electrolyte and increases the high-rate charge and discharge capability. The lower cobalt solubility decreases cobalt migration that can increase self discharge and lead to premature failure.
US08043738B2
A liquid action substance battery having its external terminal welded after assembling the battery in which safety of the battery is enhanced by protecting an explosion-proof valve against being torn apart in the subsequent welding work of the external terminal even if the position of a negative pole action substance being press-bonded to the inner surface of the battery can is shifted and that substance is extruded to the bottom face of the battery can. The liquid action substance battery employing an alkaline metal such as lithium, sodium or potassium or its alloy as the negative pole action substance, and an oxyhalide such as thionyl chloride, sulfuryl chloride or phosphoryl chloride in a liquid state at normal temperature as the positive pole action substance, and storing and sealing the negative pole action substance and the positive pole action substance in the bottomed battery, wherein a metal plate is welded to the inner surface at the bottom part of the battery can to form a partial space between them so that welding heat is not transmitted directly to the negative pole action substance when the external terminal is welded.
US08043737B2
A secondary battery and method, with the secondary battery including a can having a polygonal section, and with the can having an opening portion of which one end is opened, and having a short side portion and a long side portion. The secondary battery includes an electrode assembly constructed by stacking a negative electrode plate, a separator and a positive electrode plate, with the electrode assembly being wound up in a jelly roll shape, pressed in a predetermined direction, and received in the can. The secondary battery further includes at least one electrode tap connected to a corresponding electrode plate of the electrode assembly and protruded toward an opening portion of the can from an outer circumferential portion of the electrode assembly, at the short side portion of the can.
US08043734B2
The invention relates to granular perpendicular magnetic recording media with a capping layer comprised of a material having high surface mobility and low surface energy. The capping layer surface is oxidized to produce a passivating surface that is impervious to corrosion.
US08043722B2
An optionally substituted oligomer or polymer comprising a repeat unit of formula (I); wherein each Ar1 and Ar3 is the same or different and independently represents an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl; n is at least 1; Ar2 represents an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl comprising a linking ring to which the two nitrogen atoms are both directly linked; and at least one of Ar2 and either or both of Ar1 is substituted with at least one substituent.
US08043718B2
A combustion turbine component (10) includes a combustion turbine component substrate (16) and an alloy coating (14) on the combustion turbine component substrate. The alloy coating (14) includes nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), aluminum (Al), and yttrium (Y). Furthermore, the alloy coating includes at least one of titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), and rhenium (Re). The alloy coating also includes at least one rare earth element, and an oxide of at least one of the yttrium (Y) and the at least one rare earth element.
US08043713B2
An aqueous dispersion including (A) at least one base polymer selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-based co-polymer and a propylene-based co-polymer; (B) at least one polymeric stabilizing agent; and at least one filler; wherein the polymeric stabilizing agent is different from the at least one base polymer and is compatible with the at least one base polymer and the at least one filler, and wherein the dispersion has filler in the range of greater than 0 to about 600 parts per hundred parts of a combined amount of the at least one base polymer and the polymeric stabilizing agent is disclosed.
US08043710B2
The present invention discloses a ultra-hydrophilic and antibacterial thin film coated metal product, and its manufacturing method. In order to easily produce an air conditioning metal material having excellent hydrophilic performance, aging property, corrosion resistance and antibacterial property on an industrial production scale without a special preprocess or postprocess, an anticorrosive thin film is selectively formed on both surfaces of a metal substrate sheet, and an ultra-hydrophilic and antibacterial Ti—(Ag, Cu and/or Co)—O—C group compound thin film is coated on both surfaces of the metal substrate sheet on which the anticorrosive thin film has been or not been formed. The metal substrate sheet is mechanically processed into a target shape.
US08043693B2
A flame-resistant polymer excels in moldability capable of providing a flame-resistant molded item of novel configuration; a relevant flame-resistant polymer solution; a process for easily producing them; a carbon molding from the flame-resistant polymer; and a process for easily producing the same. A flame-resistant polymer is modified with an amine compound. Further, a flame-resistant polymer solution has the polymer dissolved in a polar organic solvent. A flame-resistant molding whose part or entirety is constituted of the flame-resistant polymer modified with an amine compound. A carbon molding was part or entirety constituted of a carbon component resulting from carbonization of the flame-resistant polymer modified with an amine compound. From the solution containing the flame-resistant polymer, moldings of various configurations can be obtained through further work.
US08043675B2
A packaged glass sealant product, is formed of a sealant composition having a processing temperature in the range of from greater than 70° C. up to 220° C. and a skin of thermoplastic polymeric material around said sealant composition. The skin constitutes no more than 10 wt % of the total weight of said product, and said polymeric material has a minimum film forming temperature of at least 50° C. and a softening point which is lower than the processing temperature for application of said sealant composition by a difference of more than 10° C. The product alleviates the necessity of disposing of non-recyclable, silicone coated packaging by environmentally unfriendly methods in particular land-fill.
US08043671B2
Disclosed are a liquid-crystalline medium based on a mixture of dielectrically negative polar compounds of each of formulae I and II and the use thereof in an electro-optical display, particularly in a display with passive matrix addressing, based on a VA, ECB, PALC, FFS or IPS effect, and such displays.
US08043661B2
A method is described for producing a decorative laminate including: providing a decorative layer, applying a mixture of a thermohardening synthetic resin and hard particles to said layer, pressing the decorative layer and the mixture in a hot press at a press temperature in order to obtain a laminate, the mixture also containing a wax whose melting point is less than approximately 140° C. and/or by more than approximately 50° C. lower than the press temperature. A decorative laminate, a decorative laminate board and a method for producing a decorative prepreg sheet are also disclosed.
US08043650B2
Described is a method of sanitizing animal carcasses using aqueous streams having an antimicrobial composition added to the stream. Preferably, the antimicrobial composition includes a mixture of one or more carboxylic acids having up to 18 carbon atoms and one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having up to 12 carbon atoms, preferably a mixture of a C2–C4 peroxycarboxylic acid and a C8–C12 peroxycarboxylic acid. Also described is a novel antimicrobial composition adapted for sanitizing animal carcasses containing a mixture of one or more C2–C4 peroxycarboxylic acids and one or more C8–C12 peroxycarboxylic acids and an alpha-hydroxy mono- or dicarboxylic acid.
US08043645B2
The present embodiments generally relate to beverages with enhanced flavors and aromas and method of making same. Some embodiments of the present application are directed to soluble coffee and methods of making soluble coffee with improvements in such qualities as taste and aroma.
US08043638B2
The present invention relates to a mutant acetohydroxy-acid reductoisomerase gene (mutant ILV5 gene) and use thereof, in particular, a brewery yeast for producing alcoholic beverages with superior flavor, alcoholic beverages produced with said yeast, and a method for producing said beverages. According to the method for producing alcoholic beverages of the present invention, because of reduction of the production of VDKs, especially DA, which are responsible for off-flavors in products, alcoholic beverages with superior flavor can be produced.
US08043635B2
The present invention relates to isolated bioactive compositions containing bioactive fractions derived from Theacea plants. The present invention also relates to bioactive topical formulations containing the bioactive compositions. The present invention further relates to methods of using the bioactive compositions of the present invention, including, for example, methods for inhibiting inflammatory activity in skin tissue of a mammal, for protecting skin tissue of a mammal from ultraviolet light-induced damage, and for normalizing skin disorders in skin tissue of a mammal. The present invention also relates to methods for isolating bioactive fractions derived from cell juice or a cell walls component a Theacea plant.
US08043627B2
The invention relates to an osteogenic composite matrix consisting of collagen and non-collagen components of an extracellular matrix (ECM-components), to a method for producing said matrix, to a method for producing an implant or a scaffold for tissue engineering which is provided with a coating formed by said osteogenic composite matrix and is used for stimulating and accelerating a hard tissue formation such as, for example. The implant osseointegration in bones. The inventive osteogenic composite matrix comprises a collagen and at least one non-collagen ECM component or the derivatives thereof, wherein the collagen component consists of non-crosslinked collagen fibers produced by fibrillogenesis and the non-collagen ECM component or the derivatives thereof are integrated into said collagen fibers.
US08043613B2
The present invention relates to a novel bacteriophage, more precisely a Podoviridae bacteriophage having killing activity specific to Staphylococcus aureus which is the causing agent of infectious disease in human and animals, a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of the disease caused by Staphylococcus aureus, an antibiotic and a disinfectant containing the bacteriophage as an active ingredient.
US08043604B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of ultrasonography, utilizing a gel comprising a reverse phase polymer which facilitates the transmission of high-frequency sound waves. Further, the inherent properties of the reverse phase polymer result in increased adhesion at higher temperatures, thereby helping to maintain the desired position of the ultrasound probe until the user intends to adjust the probe's position. In certain embodiments, the method is utilized in a medical procedure in which stability of an ultrasound probe or transducer in an intended desired position can improve the outcome or increase the efficiency of the procedure. In certain embodiments, the gel further comprises an additive to increase the ultimate adhesion of the gel. In still other embodiments, the gel can be used on the skin, on a protective sheath encasing an ultrasound probe, or between the sheath and the probe, or any or all of them.
US08043598B2
Rare earth element(s) doped alumina nanowires are formed by a thermal evaporation method in which vapor from aluminum powder and vapor from a rare earth element compound (such as an halide) are reacted in an oxygen-containing inert gas stream to form alumina which deposits as alumina nanowires and as a rare earth element and oxygen-containing material that deposits with and/or on the alumina nanowires. Where the RE-doped alumina nanowires are to be used as catalyst supports, a catalyst material, such as platinum, may be deposited as small particles on the nanowires.
US08043594B2
Methods and systems for generating sulfuric acid are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes combusting a sulfur-containing material with a gas including oxygen to produce a first stream of sulfur dioxide, mixing water with the first stream of sulfur dioxide to produce a mixed stream, using an energy, electrolytically converting the mixed stream of sulfur dioxide and water into sulfuric acid and hydrogen, generating a source of energy from the hydrogen, and providing the source of energy as at least a portion of the energy for electrolytically converting the first stream of sulfur dioxide and water into sulfuric acid and hydrogen. In some embodiments, the system includes a first chamber for combusting a sulfur-containing material to produce a first stream of sulfur dioxide, an electrolytic cell for converting the first stream into sulfuric acid and hydrogen, and a fuel cell for generating an energy source from the hydrogen.
US08043590B2
A system for NOx reduction in combustion gases, especially from diesel engines, incorporates an oxidation catalyst to convert at least a portion of NO to NO2, a particulate filter, a source of reductant such as NH3 and an SCR catalyst. Considerable improvements in NOx conversion are observed.
US08043588B2
This invention relates to a method and plant for energy-efficient removal of CO2 from a gas phase by means of absorption. The invention is particularly suitable for use in connection with thermal power plants fired by fossil fuels, and is also well-suited for retrofitting in existing thermal power plants. A processing plant according to the invention comprises three sections: a primary CO2-generating process that serves as main product supplier; a CO2-capture and separation plant based on absorption and desorption of CO2 respectively by/from at least one absorbent; and a second CO2-generating process where combustion of carbonaceous fuel in pure oxygen atmosphere serves as energy supply to at least a part of the thermal energy necessary to drive the regeneration of the absorbent in the desorption column(s).
US08043586B2
Methods of using an adsorption medium to remove at least one constituent from a feed stream. The method comprises contacting an adsorption medium with a feed stream comprising at least one constituent and removing the at least one constituent from the feed stream. The adsorption medium comprises a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix and at least one metal hydroxide homogenously dispersed therein. The adsorption medium may comprise from approximately 15 wt % to approximately 90 wt % of the PAN and from approximately 10 wt % to approximately 85 wt % of the at least one metal hydroxide. The at least one metal hydroxide may be selected from the group consisting of ferric hydroxide, zirconium hydroxide, lanthanum hydroxide, cerium hydroxide, titanium hydroxide, copper hydroxide, antimony hydroxide, and molybdenum hydroxide.
US08043584B2
Cd-112 isotope is recycled from a Cd-112 chemical separated solution or a remainder of an electroplating solution having a Cd-112 target. The present invention recycles Cd-112 isotope with a low cost, a high purity and a high recycle rate. The recycled Cd-112 isotope can be easily stored. And, the Cd-112 isotope can be used as an imaging agent in nuclear medicine.
US08043573B2
Systems and methods for cleaning emitter electrodes of air conditioner systems are provided. The air conditioning system includes an emitter electrode, a collector electrode and a high voltage generator to provide a high voltage potential difference between the emitter and collector electrodes. The system also includes a cleaning member having a channel through which the emitter electrode passes. A plunger mechanism and a spring, or a lever and a fulcrum, are used to force the cleaning member to travel upward along the emitter electrode to thereby frictionally removing debris from the emitter electrode. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures and the claims.
US08043559B2
The present invention relates to a system for temperature control within an automatic biological analyzer, the automatic analyzer essentially comprising: support, guidance, and step-by-step transport means for reaction cuvettes on a path comprising a predetermined number of positions, a support turntable for analyte samples, a support turntable for reactants, means for taking defined quantities of samples and reactants and for injecting the same into the reaction cuvettes, means for washing the cuvettes, means for optical reading of the determination results and a computerized control system which permits carrying out pre-programmed analysis cycles. It consists in the fact that the temperature control system is connected to the lower part of the support turntable for the analyte samples, said system comprising within itself: at least one inlet air deflector, at least one outlet air deflector, a circular air transfer path positioned between the inlet deflector and the outlet deflector, and means for generating circulating air in the circular path, thereby permitting a reduction in the thermal variation between the inlet air and outlet air temperatures within the temperature control system. The invention finds a preferential application in the diagnostic field.
US08043555B2
An earth-boring bit has a steel body and bearing pin for rotatably supporting a cone. The cone has an exterior surface containing rows of cutting elements. The cone and cutting elements are formed of cemented tungsten carbide. The cone may be manufactured by applying pressure to a mixture of hard particles and metal alloy powder to form a billet, then machining the billet to a desired over-sized conical shaped product. Then the conical-shaped product is liquid-phase sintered to a desired density, which causes shrinking to the desired final shape.
US08043545B2
Methods and apparatus to evenly clamp semiconductor substrates in a transfer mold process are disclosed. A disclosed split mold base includes a first plate having a first surface, a second plate having a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of springs that are disposed between the first and second plates to distribute a clamping pressure applied by a mold press.
US08043541B2
Various embodiments of a mold assembly system include a mold defining at least one trench along a surface of the mold and two or more hook fastener elements disposed on the surface of the trench in an end-to-end relationship. Each hook fastener elements includes: (1) an elongated base, (2) a plurality of hooks extending upwardly from an upper surface of the base, and (3) a magnetic material disposed within the base. The hook fastener elements are unattached to each other and are separately disposed within the trench, and the magnetic portion of the trench is configured to attract the hook fastener elements toward the magnetic portion and hold the hook fastener elements adjacent thereto in an end-to-end relationship substantially along the length of the trench. In one embodiment, the hook fastener elements are substantially the same length and are usable in straight trenches, curved trenches, or trenches having various lengths.
US08043539B2
Using a metal mold (20a) consisting of a convex mold part (21a) and a concave mold part (22a), a molding material (14) is placed between a pair of coating films (12), and after clamping, the molding material (14) and the coating film (12) are heated and molded to make a biodegradable expanded molded article, and at the same time, the coating film (12) is softened and pressure-bonded to a surface of the biodegradable expanded molded article. An exhaust hole (31a) and (32a) are provided on the convex mold part (21a) and the concave mold part (22a), respectively. At the time of heating and molding, gaseous matter existing between the coating film (12) and a surface of the metal mold (20a) is discharged out of the metal mold (20a) through the exhaust holes (31a) and (32a). Accordingly, it is possible to provide a method and a mold to manufacture a biodegradable expanded molded article easily and with excellent accuracy of dimension, having enough strength, enough water resistance, very excellent biodegradability and excellent surface smoothness even if the biodegradable molded article has a complicated shape.
US08043536B2
A conductor paste for a ceramic substrate contains a) a conductive metal powder comprising a silver powder and a palladium powder; b) a glass powder; and c) an organic solvent, wherein the conductive metal powder has an average particle diameter of not more than 1.2 μm, and the glass powder is a Bi2O3—SiO2—B2O3 type glass powder, and the content of the glass powder is in a range of from 1 to 6 wt % based on the weight of the paste.
US08043533B2
The present invention is to provide a diamond sintered compact having good conductivity together with the characteristics, such as hardness, thermal conductivity, thermal resistance, chemical stability, almost equal to those of a natural diamond. A boron-doped diamond sintered compact having good conductivity and high thermal resistance is produced by a sintering process, in which 90 to 99.9 wt. % of a boron-doped diamond powder and 0.1 to 10% wt. % of a powder comprising, one or more of carbonates including Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, and/or one or more of composite carbonates composed by two or more of these elements, as a bonding phase component, are sintered together under Ht/HP conditions, and the bonding phase component melts and then fills into the space between the boron-doped diamond powder particles.
US08043532B2
Disclosed herein is a composition for electrodes that enables a firing process in air at a temperature of 600° C. or less and does not cause an increase in absolute resistance and a substantial variation of the resistance even when the composition is repeatedly subjected to the firing process. The composition for electrodes comprises: about 5 to about 95% by weight of aluminum powder, the aluminum powder having a particle size distribution of about 2.0 or less as expressed by the following Equation (1) and having D50 in the range of about 0.1 μm≦D50≦about 20 μm; about 3 to about 60% by weight of an organic binder; and the balance of a solvent: Particle size distribution=(D90−D10)/D50 (1) wherein D10, D50, and D90 represent particle diameters at 10%, 50% and 90% points on an accumulation curve of a particle size distribution when the total weight is 100%.An electrode and a PDP fabricated using the composition are also disclosed.
US08043530B2
A fuel reformer catalyst includes a substrate, and disposed thereon a carrier and combination of at least two metals selected from the group consisting of Rh, Ni, Ir, Pd, Pt, Au, and combinations thereof. Rh is present in the catalyst in an amount not exceeding about 0.5 wt. %, based on the total combined weight of the metals and carrier.
US08043519B2
In a through hole closing process, a metal plate is attached to one surface of a conductive base member having a plurality of through holes by the use of a magnet, in a copper plating process, a copper plating layer is formed on the conductive base member and the metal plate exposed within the through holes, from the side of the conductive base member where the metal plate is not attached, thereby to fill up the through holes, in a film forming process, a Pd alloy film is formed by plating on the surface of the conductive base member after removal of the metal plate, and in a removal process, the copper plating layer is removed by selective etching, thereby to produce a hydrogen production filter that is used in a reformer a fuel cell so as to be capable of stably producing high purity hydrogen gas.
US08043517B2
A method of forming an opening through a substrate includes defining an area on a first surface of the substrate where the opening is to be formed, the area having a center region flanked by edge regions. A top layer having a substantially closed space located over the area is formed on the first surface. Structure for promoting etching of the center region is provided, and the first surface of the substrate is etched in the area. In one embodiment, the method can fabricate an inkjet printhead having a substrate having an ink feed hole formed therethrough and an orifice plate formed thereon. A plurality of particle tolerance elements located over a center region of the ink feed hole promoted etching during the fabrication of the printhead.
US08043515B2
A thin film magnetic head has a configuration in which a main magnetic pole film having a magnetic pole end portion on a medium opposing surface (ABS) side facing a magnetic disk, a write shield film facing the magnetic pole end portion so as to form a recording gap film on the medium opposing surface side, and a thin film coil wound around at least a part of the write shield film are laminated. Further, the thin film magnetic head has an upper yoke magnetic pole film whose size is larger than that of the main magnetic pole film at a part more distant from the ABS than the recording gap film, and this upper yoke magnetic pole film is bonded to the side of the main magnetic pole film close to the thin film coil. In the upper yoke magnetic pole film, an end portion on the ABS side is retracted in a direction apart from the ABS in accordance with an increase in film thickness which is measured from the surface of the main magnetic pole film.
US08043512B2
Fluid treatment arrangements and methods involve a spirally wound fluid treatment pack. The fluid treatment pack includes a fluid treatment medium, a feed region, and a permeate region. The feed region extends along a feed surface of the fluid treatment medium and the permeate region extends along a permeate surface of the fluid treatment medium. The fluid treatment pack is spirally wound around a core assembly to form a plurality of windings of the feed region, a plurality of windings of the fluid treatment medium, and a plurality of windings of the permeate region.
US08043510B2
Methods and apparatus relate to treatment of fluids to remove mercury contaminants in the fluid. Contact of the fluid with active outer surfaces of particles magnetically separable from the fluid loads the particles with the mercury contaminants. Magnetic separation then removes from the fluid the particles loaded with the mercury contaminants such that a treated product remains.
US08043509B2
Devices and methods for water purification are provided. An improved demister (70) for removing liquid or other particles from steam is disclosed. The demister can have adjustable outlets. In other embodiments, a demister apparatus is placed, at least partially, inside a boiler apparatus (310). Additionally, a filter flow indicator (401) that provides an optical indication of the efficiency of a water filter is also provided. The filter flow indicator has a viewable side passage that connects the input and output sides of a filter unit. A weighted object, such as a ball (440), can move up and down the side passage in response to the pressure differential in the filter system. The user can determine the status of the filter by viewing the location of the weighted object in the side passage. Additionally, a device and method of adding various minerals back to purified water in order to improve the flavor of the water is described. The device and method involve the use of a ground mineral mixture, typically chosen from minerals (230,240,250) that are common in natural springs. Pure water that runs through the mineral filter apparatus can take up some of the minerals, thus creating water that, although free from unhealthy contaminants, tastes like natural spring water.
US08043503B2
A quick attachment feature for a filter includes i) a pair of radially-outward projecting pivots on opposite sides of the filter canister toward a lower end thereof; and ii) a pair of flexible retaining clips also located on opposite side of the canister toward the upper end thereof, each clip in substantial axial alignment along the canister with a respective pivot. The filter can be supported in a bracket including a pair of side walls, each of the side walls including i) a hook-shaped opening dimensioned to receive a respective pivot on the filter, and allow the filter to pivot from an orientation at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the bracket, to an orientation where the filter is substantially axially-aligned with the bracket; and ii) a catch dimensioned to engage and retain a respective retaining clip, when the filter is substantially aligned with the bracket.
US08043498B2
A storm drain protector with a top layer having a generally horizontal surface in which there is at least one hole that allows water to pass vertically through the surface. The horizontal surface also has several vertical projections emanating from the surface that permit the passage of water over the surface while impeding the passage of debris.
US08043489B2
The multi-layer strip for use in measuring biological material and the system for measuring a biological material are provided, wherein the multi-layer strip includes a stack of a plurality of strips, each having a flow channel and a reaction unit, and the strips may react with specific materials contained in a biological material injected into the multi-layer strip. Thus, it is possible to quantitatively analyze various materials contained in a biological material and to optically and electrochemically measure and quantitatively analyze various materials in a biological material.
US08043484B1
Conductive or barrier material is deposited on a semiconductor substrate having recessed features by a method that has at least two operations. The first operation involves depositing a layer of the material on at least a portion of the field regions of the wafer. The second operation involves resputtering at least the layer residing on the field region of the wafer under high pressure. If the pressure is sufficiently high, momentum transfer reflection of the resputtered material will take place, such that at least some of the resputtered material is placed in the recessed features of the wafer. This approach can, among other advantages, offer improved step coverage and better utilization of the material.
US08043472B2
A substrate processing apparatus that can reliably improve the efficiency of heat transfer between a focus ring and a mounting stage. A housing chamber with the interior thereof evacuated houses a substrate. The substrate is mounted on a mounting stage that is disposed in the housing chamber. An annular focus ring is mounted on the mounting stage such as to surround a peripheral portion of the mounted substrate. A heat transfer film is formed on a surface of the focus ring which contacts the mounting stage by printing processing.
US08043470B2
The present invention relates generally to plasma processing chambers and electrode assemblies used therein. According to one embodiment, an electrode assembly comprises a thermal control plate, a silicon-based showerhead electrode, and a probe assembly comprising an electrically conductive probe body and a silicon-based cap. The electrode assembly is configured such that the handedness of a threaded engagement of the silicon-based cap and a head section of the probe body and the handedness of the threaded engagement of the thermal control plate and a mid-section of the probe body have a common direction of rotation. Thereby, an application of torque to the silicon-based cap in a tightening direction of rotation tightens both threaded engagements. Further, the electrode assembly is configured such that the threaded engagement of the silicon-based cap and a head section of the probe body permits repetitive non-destructive engagement and disengagement of the silicon-based cap and the probe body.
US08043464B2
Systems and methods for assembling lightweight RF antenna structures are provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a process for forming a lightweight antenna including a process for forming a first feed assembly for the antenna, the process for forming the first feed assembly including providing a flat flexible circuit substrate, providing a formed flexible circuit substrate, applying an adhesive to a plurality of locations on a surface of the flat substrate or the formed substrate, joining the flat substrate and the formed substrate using the adhesive, and heating the joined flat substrate and the formed substrate to bond the substrates.
US08043461B2
A method for manufacturing fiber reinforced cement board includes the steps of preparing a formed sheet from slurry containing cement and reinforcing fiber material, cutting off the formed sheet so that each cut-off formed sheet has the same length equal to the circumference of a making roll, forming a laminated sheet by winding the cut-off formed sheet around the making roll a plurality of times so that every layer of the laminated sheet has a cut-off mark wherein the making roll is equipped with a cutting-off wire accommodated in a lateral groove formed in the periphery of the roll, producing a mat by separating the laminated sheet from the making roll by cutting off the laminated sheet by jumping out the cutting-off wire into the cut-off mark portion so that the cut-off section of the cut-off laminated sheet is inclined to the bottom surface of the laminated sheet, and hardening and curing the produced mat.
US08043449B1
An apparatus for adhering coupons together for adhesive shear testing may include a first member, a second member, at least one alignment device, and at least one separation device. The first member may have at least one first member cavity for holding at least one first member coupon. The second member may have at least one second member cavity for holding an overlapping area of at least one second member coupon adjacent to and separate from the at least one first member coupon. The overlapping area of the at least one second member coupon may be adhered to the at least one first member coupon. The at least one alignment device may control a size of the overlapping area. The at least one separation device may control a separation distance between the overlapping area of the at least one second member coupon and the at least one first member coupon.
US08043444B2
A steel wire for a cold-formed spring according to the present invention contains a prescribed chemical component composition, wherein: a martensitic transformation start temperature MS1 shown by the following expression (1) is in the range from 280° C. to 380° C.; the austenite grain size number N of austenite grains is No. 12 or more; the grain boundary share of carbide precipitated along the austenite grain boundaries is 50% or less; the amount of retained austenite after austenitized and tempered is 20 vol. % or less; and the tensile strength is 2,000 MPa or more; MS1=550−361[C]−39[Mn]−20[Cr] (1), where [C], [Mn] and [Cr] represent the contents (mass %) of C, Mn and Cr, respectively. Such a steel wire can: secure hot-rolling formability and subsequent drawability while aiming at higher strength and higher stress; moreover exhibit excellent corrosion resistance; and obtain a spring (mainly a suspension spring for an automobile) excellent also in fatigue strength which is a basic required characteristic.
US08043442B2
Counterbalance devices are provided for a closure mounted with respect to a container. The devices can include a stationary friction member, an elongated flexible member, and a biasing member. The stationary friction member can be comprised of a mounting portion and a friction portion. An intermediate portion of the elongated flexible member can also slidingly engage the friction surface of the stationary friction member.
US08043441B2
A method for cleaning a substrate is provided. In this method, a flow of non-Newtonian fluid is provided where at least a portion of the flow exhibits plug flow. To remove particles from a surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate is placed in contact with the portion of the flow that exhibits plug flow such that the portion of the flow exhibiting plug flow moves over the surface of the substrate. Additional methods and apparatuses for cleaning a substrate also are described.
US08043440B2
A control mechanism of a cleaning apparatus is preset to control the apparatus for a cleaning process or a rinsing process to include delivering a process liquid, which is corresponding one of a cleaning liquid and a rinsing liquid, from a back surface liquid supply nozzle through a liquid delivery port, thereby forming a liquid film on the back surface of a substrate, and then once stopping and then re-starting delivery of the process liquid from the back surface liquid supply nozzle, thereby forming a liquid film also on a portion around the liquid delivery port, so as to process the portion around the liquid delivery port as well as the substrate.
US08043435B2
A cleaning liquid for an electronic material, in particular, a silicon wafer, uses ultra-pure water or hydrogen water as raw material water, and performs cleaning in combination with ultrasonic irradiation under the presence of hydrogen micro-bubbles. The method enables efficient cleaning and removal of particle components and the like on the wafer surface and prevention of re-contamination.
US08043434B2
A method and apparatus remove photoresist from a wafer. A process gas containing sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) is provided, and a plasma is generated from the process gas in a first chamber. A radical-rich ion-poor reaction medium is flown from the first chamber to a second chamber where the wafer is placed. The patterned photoresist layer on the wafer is removed using the reaction medium, and then the reaction medium flowing into the second chamber is stopped. Water vapor may be introduced in a salvation zone provided in a passage of the reaction medium flowing down from the plasma such that the water vapor solvates the reaction medium to form solvated clusters of species before the reaction medium reaches the wafer. The photoresist is removed using the solvated reaction medium.
US08043426B2
A method for treating cement kiln dust containing alkaline metal salts includes the steps of hydration (formation of calcium hydroxide), dehydration i.e. drying, fractionation by sieving and carbonation (reaction of the fractionated moistened cement kiln dust) with CO2 gas in a fluidized bed reactor.
US08043424B2
Aqueous coating composition comprising an oxidatively drying resin and an alkali-soluble acrylate having an acid number of at least 15 mg KOH/g in a content of at least 1.5 wt. %. Optionally a second acrylate can also be used, such as a polyurethane acrylate.
US08043412B2
A portable high air volume electrostatic collection precipitator for analyzing air is provided which is a relatively small, self-contained device. The device has a collection electrode adapted to carry a variety of collecting media. An air intake is provided such that air to be analyzed flows through an ionization section with a transversely positioned ionization wire to ionize analytes in the air, and then flows over the collection electrode where ionized analytes are collected. Air flow is maintained at but below turbulent flow, Ionizable constituents in the air are ionized, attracted to the collection electrode, and precipitated in the selected medium which can be removed for analysis.
US08043402B2
A method for producing a foamed slag (1) on a metal bath (2) in a metallurgical furnace (3), in which a mixture (4) containing at least one metal oxide and carbon is introduced into the furnace (3), the metal oxide is reduced by the carbon below the slag (1) that is located there, and the gases produced during the reduction process form bubbles such that the slag is foamed. In order to optimize the formation of foamed slag, the mixture (4) is delivered into the furnace (3) in such a way that a desired height (h) or a desired section of the height (h) of the layer of foamed slag (1) is generated or maintained.
US08043400B1
The Inventive System disclosed herein relates to an improved system for extracting metals from ore.
US08043393B2
A bonded abrasive article is provided that includes abrasive grains within a bond matrix, the abrasive grains including cubic boron nitride (cBN) and the bond matrix including a polycrystalline ceramic phase. The bonded abrasive may have a Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of not less than about 40 MPa. Certain embodiments may have porosity, such as greater than about 5.0 vol %.
US08043366B2
A medical device may comprise a body portion and an outwardly deployable side branch structure, and may be formed from a first stent and a second stent. In some embodiments, the first stent and second stent may be connected by at least one connection. At least a portion of the second stent may be oriented within the first stent and may be coaxially aligned with the first stent. Either stent may include the side branch structure, and the stent not having side branch structure may include a side branch opening. The first and second stents may overlap at various locations to provide additional vessel support.
US08043364B2
A tubular implant having an axial end to which is attached a ring of spoons of a material different from that of the implant. In another aspect, the invention provides a method of attaching elements to an axial end of a tubular implant comprising the steps of providing said elements on one end of a support tube having a radius substantially that of the implant in its unexpanded configuration, abutting the implant and elements end-to-end, fixing the elements to the implant; and parting the elements from the support tube. In a third aspect, the invention provides an implant carrying an element of another material, the element and implant having complementary tapered mating surfaces for achieving a taper form fit of the element onto the implant.
US08043359B2
According to an aspect of the invention, medical devices are provided, which have at least two superhydrophobic surface regions which engage one another when the medical device is deployed in vivo.
US08043354B2
A stent graft introducer for intraluminal deployment of a stent graft (26), the introducer comprising a stent graft release mechanism (6) to allow partial release of the stent graft (26) when carried on the introducer, whereby control of the stent graft can be maintained while allowing access into the lumen of the stent graft from at least one end of the stent graft. The partial release can comprise partial release of one end of the stent graft.
US08043352B2
Delivery systems for delivering and deploying expandable intraluminal medical devices at a desired point of treatment within a body vessel are provided. The delivery systems comprise a sheath member and an inner member slideably disposed within a cavity formed by the sheath member. An expandable intraluminal medical device is disposed about the inner member and is initially positioned within the delivery system. A means for preventing axial movement of the inner member holds the inner member in position so that, while the delivery system and medical device are positioned at a desired point of treatment, the sheath member can be retracted while an axial position of the inner member is substantially maintained.
US08043335B2
A method includes positioning a medical device within a body between adjacent spinous processes, moving the medical device from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration within the body using an actuator removably coupled to the medical device, and removing the actuator from the body while the medical device remains between the adjacent spinous processes.
US08043332B2
A cable in accordance with the invention includes at least one core filament having a visually distinctive appearance; and a jacket, wrapped around at least a portion of said core filament. The jacket is adapted to change its opacity in response to tensile stress, thereby modulating the visibility of the core filament in relation to such stress. As a result, the overall appearance of the cable responds to stress, by changing at least one of chroma, hue, or value (visual appearance) quantifiably in response to tension.
US08043329B2
Disclosed is an adjustable occlusion device for use in a body lumen such as the left atrial appendage. The occlusion device is removably carried by a deployment catheter. The device may be enlarged or reduced to facilitate optimal placement or removal. Methods are also disclosed.
US08043328B2
A hydraulically actuated medical instrument includes an elongated shaft having proximal and distal ends, a hydraulically actuated end effector at the distal end of the shaft and a fluid flow path extending through the shaft to the end effector. The shaft may be capable of an angled configuration where at least a portion of the shaft is manually movable to a direction in which it extends at an angle to another portion of the shaft. The end effector is not limited to a linear configuration and at least a portion of an elongated end effector extends at an angle relative to another portion of the end effector as is needed or desirable for the particular procedure to be performed.
US08043325B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a device for delivering an embolization coil into a microcatheter for deployment of the embolization coil from the microcatheter into a body vessel of a patient is provided. The device comprises a cannula that has a proximal portion extending to a distal portion. The cannula has a lumen formed through the proximal and distal portions. The distal portion has a distal tip that is formed from metal and is configured to interface with the microcatheter for advancing the embolization coil from the lumen into the microcatheter. The proximal portion is at least partially formed of a transparent material for viewing into the lumen to facilitate delivery of the embolization coil into the microcatheter.
US08043321B2
An embolic coil comprises an elongated core element formed of a shape memory material treated to define a memorized secondary coil shape and an elongated outer element wound around the elongated core element to define a primary coil shape of the embolic coil. A method of forming an embolic coil, comprises the steps of imparting a memorized shape to a core element formed of a shape memory material, wherein the memorized shape defines a secondary coil of the embolic coil and straightening the core element in combination with the steps of winding an elongated outer element around the straightened core element to form a primary coil of the embolic coil and releasing the straightened core element when the device has been positioned at a deployment location to form the secondary coil of the embolic coil.
US08043315B2
A method and apparatus for repairing isolated chondral defects using allograft implants. Lesions in articular tissue are corrected by forming a recipient socket in the tissue. A donor graft of a size corresponding to the recipient socket is harvested from a partial tissue specimen obtained from allograft material. The donor graft is implanted into the recipient socket.
US08043314B2
Systems and methods for crossing stenosis, partial occlusions, or complete occlusions within a body lumen. The systems generally include an elongate member such as a hollow guidewire that houses a rotatable and translatable drive shaft. The drive shaft typically has a distal portion that is advanced to create a path in the occlusive material that is large enough to allow the hollow guidewire to cross the occlusive material.
US08043312B2
Systems and methods for crossing stenosis, partial occlusions, or complete occlusions within a body lumen. The systems generally include an elongate member such as a hollow guidewire that houses a rotatable and translatable drive shaft. The drive shaft typically has a distal portion that is advanced to create a path in the occlusive material that is large enough to allow the hollow guidewire to cross the occlusive material.
US08043310B2
A distal assembly of an endoscopic surgical device, and a related method, having a first arm and a second arm pivotal relative to the first arm. Each arm is configured to hold a part of a two-part fastener at a distal end of the arm. A closing mechanism is positioned proximate a proximal end of each of the first and second arms opposite the distal end of each of the first and second arms. The closing mechanism is configured to move in relation to the first and second arms so as to close over at least one of the first and second arms to cause the distal ends of the arms to come together. An actuation member is also attached to the closing mechanism actuable to cause the closing mechanism to move in relation to the first and second arms.
US08043308B2
Devices and methods useful for suturing soft tissue to bone are disclosed. In one embodiment, a bone-suturing device is provided and can include a delivery needle, a delivery needle driving element, a capture needle, and a capture needle driving element. The delivery needle driving element and capture needle driving element can advance the delivery needle and the capture needle through soft tissue and into bone, respectively, and the paths of the delivery needle and the capture needle can intersect therein. The delivery needle can be adapted for holding a suture and the capture needle can be adapted for receiving the suture held by the delivery needle. In another embodiment, an injection device can be provided to deliver an adhesive material into bone. The devices and methods disclosed herein can provide simple and minimally invasive ways to suture soft tissue to bone with a high resistance to pullout and reduced recovery time, and may be used as part of percutaneous, arthroscopic, or open surgical procedures.
US08043292B2
A surgical sagittal saw blade that including a guide bar shaped to be releasably secured in a static position to a complementary surgical sagittal saw. A blade is mounted to the guide bar to pivot around a pivot point. The blade has teeth located outside of the guide bar. Drive rods extend from the blade. The drive rods connect to a complementary driver integral with the saw. When the saw driver is actuated, the drive rods undergo reverse reciprocation. The reciprocation of the driver rods cause the blade to oscillate around a pivot point.
