US08068366B2

A memory array in a memory device is coupled to an analog I/O data interface that enables analog voltage levels to be written to the memory array. The I/O interface comprises a plurality of analog data paths that each includes a capacitor for storing charge corresponding to a target voltage to which a selected memory cell, coupled to its respective data path, is to be programmed. A plurality of comparators can be included in the I/O interface, with each such comparator coupled to a respective bit line. Such a comparator can compare a threshold voltage of a selected memory cell to its target voltage and inhibits further programming when the threshold voltage equals or exceeds the target voltage.
US08068359B2

A memory array includes a plurality of magnetic tunnel junction cells arranged in a 2 by 2 array. Each magnetic tunnel junction cell is electrically coupled between a bit line and a source line and each magnetic tunnel junction cell electrically coupled to a transistor. Each magnetic tunnel junction cell is configured to switch between a high resistance state and a low resistance state by passing a write current passing though the magnetic tunnel junction cell. A first word line is electrically coupled to a gate of first set of two of the transistors and a second word line is electrically coupled to a gate of a second set of two of the transistors. The source line is a common source line for the plurality of magnetic tunnel junctions.
US08068356B2

This invention discloses a voltage boost circuit which comprise at least one capacitor with a first terminal connected to an output of the voltage boost circuit, a controllable switch connected between a second terminal of the capacitor and a voltage source, the second terminal being different from the first terminal, and a voltage level detector detecting the output voltage level of the voltage boost circuit and providing a control signal to the controllable switch, wherein when the output voltage exceeds a predetermined level the controllable switch is off, and when the output voltage is lower than the predetermined level the controllable switch is on.
US08068352B2

A control system for a power inverter is disclosed. The power inverter may be configured to supply power to a grid. The control system may include a plurality of output voltage sensors and a plurality of output current sensors configured to measure output line voltages and output line currents of the power inverter. The control system may further include a controller coupled to the power inverter. The controller may be configured to provide a control signal associated with a disturbance frequency to the power inverter. The controller may be further configured to determine an output power of the power inverter based on the output line voltages and output line currents, and determine an amplitude of oscillation in the output power caused by the disturbance frequency. The controller may also be configured to detect an islanding condition, if the amplitude of oscillation is below a threshold. The control system may further include an interface circuit coupled to the controller and configured to disconnect the grid from the power inverter if the islanding condition is detected.
US08068347B2

Disclosed herein is a printed circuit board having an RF module power stage circuit embedded therein. Specifically, this invention relates to a printed circuit board having an RF module power stage circuit embedded therein, in which a terminal pad for a resistor, a bead, or an inductor is defined or formed on a power supply plane of a multilayered wired board to connect the resistor, the bead, or the inductor to the power supply plane, and the resistor, the bead, or the inductor is connected in parallel with a decoupling capacitor by using a via hole or by embedding the resistor, the bead or the inductor perpendicular to the power supply plane, thus decreasing the size of the RF module and improving the performance thereof.
US08068340B1

A reversible fan tray device is provided for a power supply unit. The fan tray device includes a mounting panel to be removably mounted to the power supply, a fan unit secured to the mounting panel to provide airflow through the electronic device, and an interconnection board secured to the mounting panel to provide an electrical connection between the fan unit and the power supply unit. The mounting panel can be positioned in either of two orientations, the first orientation to draw external air into the power supply unit and the second orientation to force internal air out of the power supply unit. The interconnection board mates with a connector on the power supply unit when the fan tray cassette is in either of the two orientations. The interconnection board provides an airflow direction indication to the power supply unit for an existing orientation of the two orientations.
US08068328B2

A method of manufacturing an embedded passive device for a microelectronic application comprises steps of providing a substrate (110, 210, 310), nanolithographically forming a first section (121, 221, 321) of the embedded passive device over the substrate, and nanolithographically forming subsequent sections (122, 222, 322) the embedded passive device adjacent to the first section. The resulting embedded passive device may contain features less than approximately 100 nm in size.
US08068323B2

Electronic systems and methods automatically monitor a presence, absence, and change of circuit protectors at specified locations in an electrical system. Circuit protectors may be automatically detected and correlated with specific circuit protection holders as they are installed and replaced in the electrical system. Determinations may be made regarding whether the installation or replacement is proper or improper for optimal protection of the electrical system.
US08068321B2

An input surge suppression device and method that uses a simple JFET structure. The JFET has its gate clamped to a predetermined value, its the drain receives the input voltage from an input power source, its source is connected to the input of a down-stream device, and a resistor connected between the drain and the gate or between the source and the gate. Thus, when the drain voltage approximates the clamped gate voltage, the source voltage nearly equals the drain voltage. When the drain voltage rises above the clamped gate voltage, the source voltage is lower than the drain voltage. The downstream device may be a DC-DC converter and the gate is biased by the enable (EN) pin of a DC-DC converter.
US08068316B2

A magnetoresistive sensor including: a first pinned-magnetization magnetic layer and a free-magnetization magnetic layer, separated by first separating layer for magnetic uncoupling. The sensor further includes a second pinned-magnetization magnetic layer, separated from the free-magnetization magnetic layer by a second separating layer for magnetic uncoupling, the first and second separating layers being located on either side of the free-magnetization magnetic layer, and the respective magnetizations of the first pinned-magnetization magnetic layer and of the free-magnetization magnetic layer, in the absence of an external field, are substantially orthogonal. The orientation of the magnetization of the second pinned layer is selectable.
US08068315B2

A magnetoresisive sensor having a thin seed layer that provides an exceptionally smooth interface between layers of the sensor stack. The exceptionally smooth interface provided by the seed layer reduces interlayer exchange coupling allowing the non-magnetic spacer layer (or barrier layer) to be very thin. The seed layer includes a thin layer of Ru and a thin layer of Si which intermix to form a homogeneous, amorphous thin seed layer of Ru-silicide.
US08068314B1

A novel head stack assembly (HSA) is disclosed and claimed. The HSA includes an actuator including an actuator body and an actuator arm extending from the actuator body, and a flexible printed circuit (FPC) adjacent the actuator body. The FPC includes a slit therethrough. A head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to the actuator arm. The HGA includes a load beam, a laminated flexure attached to the load beam, and a head attached to the laminated flexure. The laminated flexure has a flexure tail that includes an intermediate region that is disposed adjacent the actuator arm, and a terminal region that is electrically connected to the FPC. The terminal region is substantially orthogonal to the intermediate region. The intermediate region of the flexure tail extends into the slit, interferes with the slit, and contacts and deforms the FPC adjacent the slit.
US08068310B2

Base decks for data storage systems include a spindle motor region, a medium support region, an enclosure sidewall, and a recessed channel. The spindle motor region is configured to support a spindle motor assembly. The medium support region is beneath a storage medium when the storage medium is positioned within the base deck, and the enclosure sidewall surrounds an outer periphery of the storage medium when it is positioned within the base deck. The recessed channel is within the media support region and extends from the spindle motor region to the enclosure sidewall. The recessed channel illustratively has curved sidewalls that converge.
US08068304B1

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products are described for calibrating servos, and in some implementations, calibrating spiral servos for use in self-servo-write (SSW) processes. In one aspect, a method is provided that includes determining timing reference information on a machine readable medium, locking a clock signal to the timing reference information, detecting a spiral on the machine readable medium, determining a location of the spiral using the clock signal, and calibrating a spiral servo according to the location of the spiral.
US08068301B2

Magnetic media made using planar magnetic heads. A head may comprise a substrate having conductive thru-hole vias extending therethrough, a first magnetic layer deposited and patterned on the substrate, a first insulation layer deposited and patterned on the first magnetic layer, a conductive coil layer deposited and patterned on the first insulation layer and connected to the conductive thru-hole vias, a second insulation layer deposited and patterned on the conductive coil layer, vias patterned into the insulation layer extending to the first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer deposited in the vias, and a third magnetic layer deposited and patterned on the second insulation layer and second magnetic layer. The third magnetic layer may be connected to the first magnetic layer through the second magnetic layer deposited in the vias of the insulation layers.
US08068297B2

The present invention relates to a pigment composition or pigment dispersion that is ideal for producing the blue pixel portion of a color filter for a liquid crystal display device, and a color filter. The invention has an object of providing a color filter having a blue pixel portion that yields a liquid crystal display device having a high degree of contrast that enables the display screen to be viewed with improved clarity, and a high level of brightness that produces a brighter display screen, as well as providing a pigment composition or dispersion that can be used to produce the color filter. The above object can be realized by using a dioxazine derivative that is substituted with a sulfamoyl group having a specific polyalkylene oxide group, and a pigment composition or dispersion for a color filter that includes this dioxazine derivative and a blue organic pigment or violet organic pigment.
US08068291B2

An imaging lens (LN) includes one or two lens blocks (BK), and an aperture stop (ape). The lens block (BK) includes a plane-parallel lens substrate (LS) and a lens (L) formed of different materials. In the imaging lens (LN), a first lens block (BK1) disposed at the most object-side exerts a positive optical power, and a conditional formula defined by the absolute difference between the index of refraction of a first lens substrate (LS1) and the index of refraction of a lens (L[LS1o]) contiguous with an object-side substrate surface of the first lens substrate (LS) is fulfilled.
US08068288B1

A secondary illumination optic, principally directed toward managing light from light emitting diode illumination sources having a primary optical element, is provided comprising a lens combination arranged along the optical axis, a central convex lens portion being centrally positioned on the optical axis, and a surrounding total internal reflection lens portion, with the central optic having a first and incident surface and a second and exiting surface, both comprising refractive faceted optical lens elements, and the total internal reflection optic lens portion having a cylinder shaped aspheric first and incident surface, a second and internal total reflection surface, and a third and exiting surface comprising refractive faceted optic lens elements, wherein, being constructed of resin having optical characteristic, the central and total internal reflection lens portions are molded as an integrated assembly from an optical resin providing a stepped tulip type lens, thinner and higher yielding than prior art lenses.
US08068283B2

A lenticulated sheet including a polymeric backing sheet, an imaged transparent sheet having a first smooth side and a second side with a lenticulated region, the transparent sheet optionally having at least one printed image area on the first smooth side and an adhesive layer over the printed image areas and non-image areas of the first smooth side. Air is removed from between the backing layer and the lenticular layer second side, and the adhesive layer is adapted to join the backing layer and the lenticular layer second side. The invention also provides processes useful for preparing a lenticular card including an optional core sheet, or optional primer layers.
US08068270B2

Particles for display including a colorant, a first polymer gel having a charging group and a second polymer compound having a hydrophilic group, the first polymer gel and the second polymer compound forming an IPN structure or a semi-IPN structure.
US08068263B2

An apparatus for reading from and/or writing to transmission type holographic storage media is proposed, and more specifically a coaxial type apparatus for reading from and/or writing to transmission type holographic storage media with two or more reference beams, which has an improved Signal to Noise Ratio. The apparatus has a coaxial arrangement of two or more reference beams and an object beam or a reconstructed object beam. The reference beams are arranged on a circle around the object beam or the reconstructed object beam in a Fourier plane of the apparatus behind the holographic storage medium. A mirror is located in or close to this Fourier plane, which is designed such that it reflects the object beam or the reconstructed object beam without reflecting the reference beams.
US08068260B2

In an image reading device, a reading unit scans first rectangle regions located within a maximum reading area equivalent to a maximum size of a document that can be scanned and acquires image data from the first rectangle regions. A transporting unit moves the reading unit to the first rectangle regions in a direction of movement opposite to a direction of movement in normal document reading. A document size judging unit detects whether a document exists in each first rectangle region based on the image data acquired by the reading unit and a predetermined threshold, so that a size of the document is judged. The reading unit is arranged to scan second rectangle regions located outside the maximum reading area, the second rectangles being different from the first rectangle regions, and acquire image data from the second rectangle regions.
US08068258B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for positioning or storing an electro-optical instrument (e.g., spectrophotometer) within a printing device to facilitate calibration or maintenance of the instrument. In various embodiments, the electro-optical instrument may be pivoted or moved to an inclined position to facilitate calibration of the instrument relative to one or more calibration references. The electro-optical instrument may also be moved or inclined along a travel path in the printing device to a position or positions adjacent to various calibration references.
US08068250B2

A system for enabling user interaction is disclosed. The system includes a printer for printing print data on a form. The print data is indicative of a plurality of marks. Each mark has a predetermined pattern common to all marks and coded data. The predetermined pattern includes a rotationally invariant pattern. A sensing device is also included for sensing the marks when moved relative to the form, for using the rotationally invariant pattern to correct for perspective distortion of the marks, for decoding the coded data of the marks, and for generating indicating data indicative of movement of the sensing device relative to the form.
US08068245B2

Techniques, systems, and computer program products for transmitting data between a computer system and an external printing device. A technique may include generating a data packet in accordance with a communications protocol such that generating the data packet includes encoding the data packet according to a second layer of the protocol in a frame format according to a third layer of the protocol, transmitting the data packet from the computer system to the external printing device according to the first layer of the protocol; and decoding the data packet in accordance with the second layer of the protocol. The protocol can be defined to include three layers. In that protocol, a first layer may define transmission line, transmitters, and receivers for transmission, the second layer may define encoding and decoding, and the third layer may define a frame format of the data packet.
US08068244B2

A document disposal management system, which includes a print unit that performs combined printing of plural documents, each of the plural documents being embedded with document identification information and combination identification information; a management unit that manages comparison image data associated with the document identification information and a similarity value used as a threshold value; a determination unit that receives a request containing combined image data and pairs of document identification information and combination identification information, compares each of the combined image data with the comparison image data to calculate a similarity value, and determines approval/disapproval of disposal; a request unit that separates and extracts the combined image data and the pairs of document identification information and combination identification information from the scanned image output, and requests for determination; and a controller that performs control to dispose of or prohibit disposal based on the determination result.
US08068238B2

A method for printing drawing data on the basis of work process steps described in a job ticket, includes: receiving a job ticket and drawing data; judging whether work process steps should be changed on the basis of a process status in the image processing apparatus; a second judgment step of judging whether there is an external device different from the image processing apparatus and capable of executing at least one of the work process steps; and creating a job ticket for causing the external device to execute the work process steps if determined to exist. The method solves the problem that an image processing apparatus cannot change work process steps during the print job process, and a significant delay may occur in a process schedule. Work process steps that should be processed by the image processing apparatus are changed according to a process status in the image processing apparatus.
US08068236B2

It is an object of this invention to provide an image forming apparatus capable of coping suitably with the fluctuation in a used consumption amount at the predetermined period as well as grasping in advance feasibility of a use. To achieve the above, an image forming apparatus according this invention has an entry section for entering image forming data; a using amount storage means for storing a using amount of a consumption used at a predetermined period for purpose of image formation; a setting means for setting a usable consumption amount of the predetermined period; and a usable amount determining means for determining the usable consumption amount of each determined period, the usable amount determining means for determining after the predetermined period the usable amount of a subsequent period corresponding to the using amount.
US08068235B1

Systems and methods are provided for multi-function coherent imaging comprising directing a first coherent radiation beam and a second coherent radiation beam towards a detector, where the second coherent radiation beam is spatially offset, angularly offset, or spatially and angularly offset from the first coherent radiation beam. A portion of the first coherent radiation beam and a portion of the second coherent radiation beam may be combined to form a composite beam. An object may be radiated with the composite beam. A first intensity pattern may be formed by interfering with return radiation from the radiated object with the first coherent radiation beam and a second intensity pattern is formed with the return radiation from the radiated object and the second coherent radiation beam. A detector may simultaneously record a superposition of the first intensity pattern and the second intensity pattern.
US08068230B2

A real-time FROG system provides ultra fast pulse measurement and characterization. The system includes direct, integrated feedback that measures how well the system is retrieving pulses and tracking changes in the pulse train. This feedback is provided in real time and may be in the form of the FROG trace error, the display of the measured and retrieved FROG trace, accuracy of background subtraction or other quality measurement. The system includes preprocessing options that can be used to adjust the dynamic range of the measured signal or to perform different types of filtering. The preprocessing of the FROG trace precedes phase retrieval processing and improves the quality of pulse retrieval.
US08068216B2

A method for remotely sensing air outside a moving aircraft includes generating laser radiation within a swept frequency range. A portion of the laser radiation is projected from the aircraft into the air to induce scattered laser radiation. Filtered scattered laser radiation, filtered laser radiation, and unfiltered laser radiation are detected. At least one actual ratio is determined from data corresponding to the filtered scattered laser radiation and the unfiltered laser radiation. One or more air parameters are determined by correlating the actual ratio to at least one reference ratio.
US08068215B2

An electro-optic laser distance meter (1, 1′) has a hand-held housing (2), an electric radiation source (3) for generating a bundled light beam (4), and receiving optics (5) with a photoreceiver (7) for receiving parts of the light beam (4) that is backscattered in a reception beam bundle (9) from a measurement object (8), with the photoreceiver (7) being arranged along the reception axis (E) in the focal point (6), extending in a plane transverse to the reception axis (E), and being partially shadowed inside the reception beam bundle (9) by a polarization filter (10, 10′, 10″, 10′″).
US08068212B2

A lithographic apparatus configured to apply corrections to the dose, within and/or between fields, to compensate for critical dimension variations due to heating of elements of the projection system is disclosed.
US08068205B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel that is adaptive for preventing a liquid crystal contamination as well as improving an adhesive strength of a sealant and an organic insulating film, and a fabricating method thereof. A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first and a second substrate having a liquid crystal region, a sealant region, and an outer region; a wiring disposed on the first substrate, the wiring crossing the sealant region; a gate insulating film disposed on the wiring; an organic insulating film disposed on a portion of the wiring; and a sealant disposed on the sealant region of the first and second substrates, wherein the sealant is in contact with the gate insulating film.
US08068203B2

A liquid crystal display device includes two substrates, liquid crystal therebetween, and sub-pixel regions. Each sub-pixel region is divided into first to fourth display regions by a first axis extending orthogonal to an optical axis of a polarizing plate and a second axis extending orthogonal to the first axis. Each first to fourth display region includes slit electrodes on the second electrodes along the first axis. First slit electrodes in the first display region and second slit electrodes in the second display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. Third slit electrodes in the third display region and fourth slit electrodes in the fourth display region are symmetric relative to the first axis. The first and fourth slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis. The second and third slit electrodes are symmetric relative to the second axis.
US08068193B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device including a back light in which an electrode support member can be reliably arranged on the base side without concern for thermal expansion. There is provided a liquid crystal display device comprising: a liquid crystal display panel; and a back light arranged on the back surface of the present liquid crystal display panel; wherein the back light is composed of a plurality of bar light sources arranged in parallel in a plane opposing the liquid crystal display panel and a base that supports each of the bar light sources through electrode fittings at electrode sections; wherein the electrode fittings are provided on electrode support members extending in a direction in which the bar light sources are arranged in parallel, in units of the electrode fittings that support a mating electrode section of each bar light source; and wherein the electrode support member includes a portion fixed to the base side at least one point and a portion covered by a projecting portion fixed to the base side at another point, along the extending direction of the electrode support member.
US08068174B2

Devices and methods are disclosed for managing an output of an output stream. One embodiment relates to a method of tracking an output of an A/V decoder. In this embodiment, indication of an output stream time reference and a location of at least one output sample are received. The received time reference is compared to the output sample and the output sample rate of the A/V decoder is adjusted.
US08068173B2

According to one embodiment, an IP converter converts an interlaced color difference signal, in which the number of pixels in a vertical direction of a color difference signal is half that of a luminance signal, into a progressive color difference signal. A diagonal correlation detector detects a diagonal correlation of the progressive color difference signal, and obtains a correlative direction detected signal. A controller outputs a field selection signal to determine whether the progressive color difference signal is a signal in a top or bottom field. And a pixel generator changes a ratio between pixels of an nth and an n+1th line of the progressive color difference signal according to the field selection signal, when generating a new pixel by using corresponding pixels of the nth and n+1th lines based on the correlative direction detected signal.
US08068170B2

Provided is a pen-shaped modular camera assembly having a plurality of modules each with at least one connector to link the modules together. The assembly includes a camera module having an image sensor for capturing an image in an RGB (red, green, blue) color space. Also included is a central processing module arranged in communication with the camera module, the central processing module having a central processing unit with program memory for storing program steps for execution by the central processing unit to operate the camera module, along with image storage memory for storing the captured image. The assembly also includes an image processing module arranged in communication with the image storage memory, the image processing module configured to dynamically convert the stored image from a L*a*b* color space to a CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) color space. Also included is a battery module configured so that electrical energy is supplied to the respective modules via the at least one connector.
US08068163B2

Systems and methods include optics having one or more phase modifying elements that modify wavefront phase to introduce image attributes into an optical image. A detector converts the optical image to electronic data while maintaining the image attributes. A signal processor subdivides the electronic data into one or more data sets, classifies the data sets, and independently processes the data sets to form processed electronic data. The processing may optionally be nonlinear. Other imaging systems and methods include optics having one or more phase modifying elements that modify wavefront phase to form an optical image. A detector generates electronic data having one or more image attributes that are dependent on characteristics of the phase modifying elements and/or the detector. A signal processor subdivides the electronic data into one or more data sets, classifies the data sets and independently processes the data sets to form processed electronic data.
US08068158B2

A solid state imaging device has a pixel region composed of a matrix of pixel cells each including a photodiode and a charge storage portion. First and second output signal lines are in parallel and adjacent to both the charge storage portions of a first pixel cell and a second pixel cells that are adjacent on a same column. A signal voltage of a signal charge in the charge storage portion of the first pixel cell is output to the first output signal line, whereas a signal voltage of a signal charge in the charge storage portion of the second pixel cell is output to the second output signal line. The respective outputs to the first and second output signal lines are processed in parallel. A conductive layer is disposed between the charge storage portion of the first pixel cell and the second output signal line to suppress capacitive coupling.
US08068152B2

Systems and methods are provided that facilitate mitigating pixel or column fixed pattern noise in a CMOS imaging System-on-Chip (iSoC) sensor. Pixel or column fixed pattern noise can be recognized by gating a pixel array without firing a transfer signal (TX). Inhibiting the transfer signal can cause zero input to be provided to pixels in the pixel array; thus, the sampled output from the pixels under such conditions can be a function of noise. Calibration and correction can thereafter be effectuated. Additionally or alternatively, pixel or column fixed pattern noise can be managed by controlling a frame rate; thus, the frame rate can be reduced under low light conditions to enable integrating incident light for longer periods of time as well as providing reference frames of pixels generated from zero input that can be utilized for calibration and correction of pixel or column fixed pattern noise associated with other frames.
US08068151B2

A portable camera with an inbuilt printer device is disclosed. The camera includes a digital image capture device, an inbuilt programming language interpreter internally connected to the digital image capture device for the manipulation of the digital image captured by the capture device and a script input means for inputting a self documenting program script for the manipulation and filtering of the captured digital image to produce visual alterations of the image. A card reader optically reads the script printed as an array of dots on one surface of a portable card, which has a visual example of the likely effect of the script on a second surface of the card. The script is interpreted and executed by the interpreter to modify the captured digital image in accordance with the script to produce a modified digital image. The modification is visually exemplified on the second surface of the card. The modified digital image is then printed out on the inbuilt printer device.
US08068145B1

A system for demosaicing an image that is acquired by a color sensor, the system includes: (i) an interface for receiving intensity values for pixels of the image; wherein the intensity value of each pixel is indicative of an amount of light that was detected by a chromatically filtered sensing element of the color sensor; and (ii) a processor configured to: (a) calculate at least one chrominance value for a pixel in response to intensity values of neighboring pixels; and (b) compute a luminance value for the pixel in response to the at least one chrominance value of the pixel and to an intensity value of the pixel; wherein the processor is further configured to carry out the calculating and the computing for each pixel of a group of pixels of the image.
US08068144B2

An image recording and reproducing apparatus that records and reproduces image data shot at a frame rate higher than a normal reproduction rate employed during reproduction of a moving image can generate a still image by attaching still image recording information to at least one frame image included in the recorded image data and combining a plurality of frame images of the recorded image data in accordance with the still image recording information.
US08068142B2

A recording apparatus includes a communications device which can receive from another communications apparatus by wireless an image-capturing condition of restricting an image-capturing process or a sound recording condition of restricting a sound recording process, and a device which performs an image-capturing or sound recording process according to the received image-capturing condition or sound recording condition. Thus, a user can automatically set a recording function of a recording apparatus in a restricted state without special care in a position where image-capturing, sound recording, etc. are prohibited, thereby recording on an allowed condition. Since it further includes a communications device which can receive by wireless from another communications apparatus a reproducing condition of restricting a reproducing function of an image, and a reproducing device which reproduces an image according to the received reproducing condition, an available function can be used by easily specifying a user of the communications apparatus.
US08068126B2

A multicolor direct thermal imaging method wherein a multicolor image is formed in a thermal imaging member comprising at least first and second different image-forming compositions and a thermal printer for use in practicing the method. Heat is applied to at least the second image-forming composition while the first image-forming composition is at a first baseline temperature (T1) to form an image in at least the second image-forming composition, and heat is applied to at least the first image-forming composition while it is at a second baseline temperature (T2) to form an image in at least the first image-forming composition, wherein T1 is different from T2.
US08068125B2

A luminescence shock avoidance algorithm selectively limits the brightness level of a display device when the display device is activated in a dark environment to prevent the temporary vision impairment that can occur when a display device is activated in a dark environment. The algorithm receives the state of the display (e.g. on or in standby mode), and can optionally receive an ambient lighting value from an ambient light sensor and a user-selectable manual brightness adjustment setting to determine whether luminescence shock avoidance should even be triggered, and if it is triggered, how much should the brightness level of the display be limited.
US08068121B2

Methods of manipulating graphical objects are described. One or more graphical objects are displayed in a fixed orientation with reference to a sensed reference direction. Manipulation is achieved by fixing the orientation or position of a displayed graphical object with reference to an apparatus, such as the display itself or a proxy device, detecting a change in orientation of that apparatus and editing the orientation of the graphical object based on the detected change.
US08068113B2

The present invention provides a display control semiconductor integrated circuit having therein a RAM, capable of repairing a defective bit included in the RAM and improving the yield without significantly increasing the occupation area. A liquid crystal controller/driver in which a RAM for storing display data is provided in a chip and the storage capacity of the built-in RAM is determined according to the size of a display screen of a liquid crystal panel to be driven, includes a fuse circuit for setting a defect address, and a comparing circuit for comparing the defect address set in the fuse circuit with an input address. The liquid crystal controller/driver also has a redundant circuit, when the addresses match each other, for replacing the input address with an address that instructs the spare memory area and supplying the address to an address decoder.
US08068089B2

A display apparatus includes a first substrate provided with a closed container, two types of charged particles held in the closed container and having mutually different charge polarities and a substantially identical color, and first, second and third electrodes for generating an electric field in the closed container, with the third electrode being disposed on the first substrate. The display apparatus alternately executes a first display operation and a second display operation, wherein in the first display operation, the charged particles create a first distribution on a first electrode side by changing a voltage applied to the second electrode or the third electrode after a first reset operation in which the charged particles create a second distribution on a second electrode side and on a third electrode side by applying a first voltage to the second electrode and to the third electrode. In the second display operation, the charged particles create a third distribution on the first electrode side by changing a voltage applied to the second electrode or the third electrode after a second reset operation in which the charged particles create a fourth distribution, substantially identical to the second distribution, on the second electrode side and on the third electrode side by applying a second voltage, opposite in polarity to the first voltage, to the second electrode and to the third electrode.
US08068088B2

A display device includes a display panel having a first panel and a second panel that face each other with a liquid crystal layer therebetween, a plurality of first sense data lines extending in a row direction on the second panel, a plurality of second sense data lines extending in a column direction on the second substrate, and a sense signal processor. A plurality of sensing units are positioned at regions defined by the first and second sense data lines. A first sense data lines is connected to a second sense data line by a contact to output a first sense data signal through the first sense data line and a second sense data signal through the second sense data line. The sense signal processor reads and processes the first and second sense data signals.
US08068084B2

A timing controller includes a receiver and a clock generator connected to output terminals of the receiver. The clock generator receives an external clock signal through the receiver and periodically modulates a frequency of the external clock signal to generate a modulation clock signal that is used to process a plurality of pixel data. The clock generator controls a delay time of the modulation clock signal based on a modulation rate of the frequency of the modulation clock signal. According to the timing controller, circuit blocks connected to output terminals of the clock generator are operated by the modulation clock signal. Thus, the circuit blocks operated by the delayed modulation clock signal may be prevented from malfunction due to electromagnetic interference.
US08068081B2

A driver for driving a display panel and a method for reading/writing in a memory thereof and thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) using the same are provided. The method of the present invention is a reading timing of memory which different than the prior reading timing of memory, so that, if using the method of the present invention in the driver even having only one memory, the tearing effect of the prior TFT-LCD can be solved and the whole power consumption thereof can also be reduced.
US08068077B2

A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a display cell array circuit including a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of thin film transistors, and a plurality of pixel electrodes; a gate driving circuit supplying gate signals to the gate lines; and a signal line connected to the gate driving circuit and including first and second line segments separated from each other and a connection member connected to the first and second line segments through at least a contact hole exposing at least one of the first and the second line segments.
US08068071B2

A pixel circuit and an image display apparatus are provided making use of a hysteresis characteristics of a transistor for driving a display element. The pixel circuit comprises: a transistor providing both different first and second relations between a gate voltage value and a drain current value at a transition from off state to an on state, and from the on state transits to the off state respectively; a display element supplied as a drive current with a current controlled by the transistor; and a capacitor element connected to a gate electrode of the transistor. One of the first and second relations is utilized during a first period for setting the drive current to be supplied to the display element. And, the other of the first and second relations is utilized during a second period for supplying the drive current to the display element to effect light emission.
US08068069B2

Plural subfields are provided in one single field period, where each subfield has an initialization period during which a gradient waveform voltage gently falling is applied to a scan electrode to generate initializing discharge in a discharge cell; a writing period during which a scan pulse voltage is applied to a scan electrode to generate writing discharge in a discharge cell; and a sustain period during which sustain discharge is generated in a discharge cell selected, by the number of times corresponding to a luminance weight. The lowest voltage of a falling gradient waveform voltage in a subfield with the smallest luminance weight is set so as to be lower than that with the largest luminance weight. A method of driving a plasma display panel is provided that generates stable writing discharge without increasing voltage required for generating writing discharge even for a large-screen, high-luminance panel.
US08068068B2

An antenna apparatus comprises selectable antenna elements including a plurality of dipoles and/or a plurality of slot antennas (“slot”). Each dipole and/or each slot provides gain with respect to isotropic. The dipoles may generate vertically polarized radiation and the slots may generate horizontally polarized radiation. Each antenna element may have one or more loading structures configured to decrease the footprint (i.e., the physical dimension) of the antenna element and minimize the size of the antenna apparatus.
US08068063B2

A coupling device is provided. The coupling device has a substrate, a ground element, a first feed conductor and a second feed conductor. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface. The ground element is disposed on the second surface, wherein the ground element has a first annular groove, a second annular groove and a feed slot, the second annular groove surrounds the first annular groove, the feed slot is connected to the first annular groove and the second annular groove. The first feed conductor is disposed on the first surface corresponding to the first annular groove and the second annular groove, wherein the first feed conductor couples the ground element to feed an electric current. The second feed conductor is disposed on the first surface corresponding to the feed slot, wherein the second feed conductor couples the feed slot to feed a magnetic current.
US08068059B2

An antenna device is mounted in a note PC and is used for communication between the note PC and the external of the note PC. The antenna device is provided with an antenna for wireless LAN for transmitting and receiving radio waves, and a cover. The cover is formed of a dielectric material for covering the antenna with a wall and a ceiling, and strengthens the directivity of radio wave communication on the wall side of the antenna device by a double layer structure of the ceiling that is thicker than the wall.
US08068053B1

A low-profile lens element for steering a beam is provided. Specifically, the low-profile lens element is mechanically rotatable such that a beam can be steered in any direction within three-dimensional space. The lens element may include a number of discrete portions for differentially delaying adjacent discrete portions of a beam in order to effect beam steering. These discrete portions may vary in width. In addition, multiple lens elements may be provided.
US08068042B2

An object of the present invention is to achieve high coding efficiency for a companded signal sequence and reduce the amount of codes. A coding method according to the present invention includes an analysis step and a signal sequence transformation step. The analysis step is to check whether or not there is a number that is included in a particular range but does not occur in a second signal sequence (a number sequence that indicates the magnitude (magnitude relationship) of original signals) and output information that indicates the number that does not occur. The signal sequence transformation step is to output a transformed second signal sequence (which is formed by assigning new numbers to indicate the magnitudes of original signals (the magnitude relationship among original signals) excluding the magnitude of the original signal indicated by the number that does not occur and replacing the numbers in the second signal sequence with the newly assigned numbers) in the case where it is determined in the analysis step that there is a number that does not occur. The particular range is defined as a number that indicates a positive value having a minimum absolute value and a number that indicates a negative value having a minimum absolute value, for example.
US08068040B2

A sensor head for sensing light modulated by a moveable member, such as a code wheel or code strip, in an optical encoder. The sensor head has at least one monitor optical sensor and a primary optical sensor positioned to receive light modulated by a modulation track on the moveable member. The monitor optical sensor provides a monitor signal that is compared in a signal comparator to the output from the primary optical sensor to detect light at the primary sensor.
US08068035B1

A weather and bullet proof display system includes a casing that is nested within a headstone and has an opening formed therein. Solar panels are mounted on the headstone. A bullet proof shield is conjoined to the casing within the opening. A display screen is disposed behind the shield. A mechanism for converting solar energy to electrical energy is coupled to the solar panels and housed within the casing. A 12-volt rechargeable battery is coupled to the energy converting mechanism. A mechanism is included for converting a first DC voltage input level to a second DC voltage level, which is coupled to the solar energy converting mechanism. A system board is coupled to the DC voltage level converting mechanism and includes a mechanism for contemporaneously emitting a prerecorded audio and video output. Speakers are nested within the headstone and are coupled to the DC voltage level converting mechanism.
US08068015B2

A medication dispensing system for use with a medication dispenser, includes a physiological module and an ingestion module. The physiological module receives information regarding time-based medication intake, information regarding event-based medication prescription, and sensory input indicating occurrences of events indicative of a patient's physiological condition and/or the patient's physiological clock. The physiological module then determines physiological event-based medication intake based on the information regarding the event-based medication prescription and physiological rules regarding the patient's physiological condition and/or the patient's physiological clock. The ingestion module merges event-based medication intake and time-based medication intake by delaying or accelerating dispensing of a time-based medication. The delay or acceleration can be applied to ensure that the time-based medication is dispensed at the same time as an event-based medication, and/or in order to increase a time difference between ingestion of the time-based medication and the event-based medication.
US08068011B1

Systems and methods for interactively interfacing handheld devices and RFID media are described. A method for interactively interfacing HHDs and RFID media. The method includes starting an application on a HHD for interfacing with RFID media, the HHD including a RFID reader, receiving user input relating to the storing of commands or messages of RFID media, creating one or more commands or messages based on the received user input, and storing the one or more commands or messages on a RFID media using the RFID reader.
US08068009B2

A tag receives wireless signpost signals that include timing data, determines time information associated with an event as a function of the timing data, and transmits a wireless tag signal that contains the time information. In a another configuration, a signpost transmits wireless signpost signals having a selected transmission range; a reader proximate to the signpost receives wireless tag signals with a reception range that is approximately the same as the selected transmission range; and a tag movable relative to the signpost and reader responds to receipt of a wireless signpost signal by transmitting a wireless tag signal containing a tag code associated with the tag.
US08068008B2

A system for collecting, verifying, and managing identity data, skill data, qualification data, certification data, and licensure data of emergency responders. The system trusted verification of identity, skills, qualifications, certifications, and licensure, and disseminates information specific or related to identity, skills, qualifications, certifications, and licensure at the scene of an emergency. The system includes information collection devices, data storage media, information retrieval devices, and information management devices. The information collected, managed, and disseminated may include identity information, medical information, skills information, qualification information, certification information, licensure information. Data in the system is stored in multiple formats, allowing for the retrieval of trusted information in an environment that is part of a network or devoid of network connectivity.
US08068003B2

An integrated circuit inductor may have upper and lower loop-shaped line portions that are connected in series. The upper and lower portions may have 45° bends that form hexagonal or octagonal loops. Each loop portion may have one or more turns. Intervening metal-free regions of metal routing layers may be formed between the two layers to reduce capacitive coupling. Each loop portion may have sets of two or more metal lines shorted in parallel by vias. The upper and lower loops may be laterally offset or nested to reduce capacitive coupling.
US08067999B2

An electrical waveform adjuster capable of adjusting various voltage waveforms supplied to an electric apparatus to improve an operation capability of the electric apparatus, and to provide an electrical waveform adjuster capable of mitigating physical harmful effects on a user of the apparatus. The waveform adjuster can be provided either in a connection line between a power feeding line for feeding an alternating-current voltage to an electric apparatus and a power factor adjusting capacitor connected in parallel with the power feeding line, or in a connection line connected in parallel or in series with a power feeding line for feeding an alternating-current voltage to an electric apparatus. The waveform adjuster includes at least one mass comprised of a conductive material attached to the connection line, a ceramic outer frame formed to enclose the mass; and a non-conductive filling material provided between the outer frame and the mass.
US08067983B2

An error amplifier expected to exhibit rail-to-rail operation, high bandwidth, and high slew rate, is described, the error amplifier comprising a first stage to receive an input differential voltage and to provide transconductance gain, an intermediate stage to provide current gain, and an output stage to drive a load.
US08067982B2

The invention relates to a transconductance amplifier, intended to supply current variations di when it receives voltage variations dv, with a desired conversion coefficient Gm called transconductance: Gm=di/dv.The amplifier comprises a PMOS transistor (MP1) and an NMOS transistor (MP2) connected by their drains, their gates both being connected to the voltage input receiving dv; the source of the first transistor is connected to a constant current source (IB1) and to a resistor (R) and to the drain of a third MOS transistor (MN3) of the same type as the first; the sources of the second (MN2) and third (MN3) transistors are commoned, the gate of the third transistor being connected to the drains of the first and second; the output is connected to a circuit (MN4) which mirrors the current of the third transistor.The resulting amplifier has good linearity and can be used in a sample and hold device used to sample charges.
US08067981B2

Aspects of a method and system for extending dynamic range of an RF signal are provided. In this regard, an amplitude signal that is representative of an amplitude of a pair of baseband signals may be generated, an amplitude of the generated amplitude signal may be modified according to a function; and an amplitude of the baseband signals may be modified according to an inverse of the function. The modifications may adjust the peak-amplitude-to-average-amplitude ratio of one or more signals. An intermediate signal may be generated from the modified baseband signals and the amplitude of the intermediate signal may be amplitude modulated by the intermediate signal. The intermediate signal may be amplitude modulated by controlling a gain of a power amplifier. The intermediate signal may be amplitude modulated by controlling a current source and/or voltage source supplying power to a power amplifier.
US08067973B2

The present invention discloses a smart driver used in flyback converters adopting a transconductance amplifier to turn on a synchronous rectifier FET, and a comparator to quickly turn off the synchronous rectifier FET.
US08067967B2

A phase delay line comprises a phase-locked loop, a duty-cycle adjusting ring and a voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter, wherein the phase-locked loop and the duty-cycle adjusting ring form a loop, and one output of the phase-locked loop is connected with the input of the voltage-sharing to time-sharing converter. The voltage can be precisely divided, and the number of the phases can be easily controlled and expanded. The band gap reference technology enables the working points not affected by the temperature. The negative feedback mechanism of the phase-locked loop determines the period, phase, duty-cycle of the sawtooth wave are same with the reference clock. The ascending and descending time of the sawtooth wave are precisely equal.
US08067965B2

A clock and data recovery circuit includes a phase detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, a voltage-controlled oscillator and a frequency divider. The voltage-controlled oscillator includes a current mirror, a control circuit, a current modulation module and a current-controlled oscillator. The current mirror has a current-controlling path and a current-outputting path. The current-controlling path and the current-outputting path are in a proportional relationship. The control circuit is used for adjusting the current flowing through the current-controlling path according to the control voltage. The current modulation module is used for generating a differential current according to the judging signal. The current-controlled oscillator is used for adjusting the phase of the second output clock signal according to the sum of the differential current and the current flowing through the current-outputting path.
US08067964B2

The present invention is aimed at providing an output circuit that is of relatively small scale and may perform adjustment to make the output-signal rise slew rate and the fall slew rate equal to each other. An output circuit includes a signal output unit configured to produce at a signal output node a signal that makes transition between a first potential and a second potential, a load circuit having a variable load, and a first switch circuit configured to select one of electrical conduction and non-conduction between the signal output node and the load circuit.
US08067962B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit device has a combinational logic circuit including one or plural logic cells connected in series. At least one of the logic cells includes a standard cell which includes a MIS transistor, an input terminal to which an output signal from a previous stage is inputted as an input signal, and an output terminal. A first conductivity-type first MIS transistor which is provided between the output terminal of the standard cell and a first power supply voltage, the first MIS transistor including a control terminal to which a circuit control signal is inputted, and the first MIS transistor supplying the first power supply voltage to the output terminal of the standard cell based on the circuit control signal in order to bring the standard cell into an operation-stopped state. A second conductivity-type second MIS transistor cuts off a leakage current of the MIS transistor in the standard cell.
US08067958B2

Implementations to mitigating side effects of impedance transformation circuits are described. In particular, mitigation circuitry may be coupled to a high impedance circuit to minimize or eliminate non-linear output of the high impedance circuit in order to provide a well-defined bias voltage to the input of a buffer or amplifier device coupled to a capacitive sensor. Additionally, the mitigation circuitry may be coupled to the high impedance circuit to reduce or eliminate rectifying effects of the high impedance circuit. Accordingly, a bias voltage can be utilized to provide a stable operating point of the buffer or amplifier device via a high impedance circuit utilizing one or more impedance transformations.
US08067954B2

The exemplary embodiments provide a resilient integrated circuit. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of composite circuit elements, a state machine element (SME), and a plurality of communication elements. Each composite circuit element comprises an element interface and a selected circuit element which may vary by element type, and which may be configurable. The state machine element assigns various functions based on element type, such as assigning a first configuration to a first element type, assigning a second configuration to a second element type, and providing a first data link for the corresponding assignments. In response to detection of a fault or failure, the state machine element re-assigns the first configuration to another composite circuit element and creates a second data link for performance of the same function. The assignment, routing, fault detection, and re-assignment and data re-routing can occur in real time for a wide variety of programs and algorithms, providing for the IC to continue the same functioning despite defects which may arise during operation.
US08067951B2

A probe card assembly can comprise an interface, which can be configured to receive from a tester test signals for testing an electronic device. The probe card assembly can further comprise probes for contacting the electronic device and electronic driver circuits for driving the test signals to ones of the probes.
US08067950B2

A semiconductor device in which a chip 10 is mounted on a board, includes: a pad group A provided on the chip 10 and electrically connected to an internal circuit in the chip 10; and a test pad pattern B provided on a region of the chip 10 except for a region of the chip 10 where the pad group A is provided. The pad group A includes: pads 12a formed on a principal surface of the chip 10; bumps 16a respectively formed on the pads 12a with a barrier metal layer interposed therebetween, and electrically connected to the board. The test pad pattern B includes: test pads 12b formed on the principal surface of the chip 10; test bumps 16b respectively formed on the test pads 12b with a test barrier metal layer interposed therebetween, and interconnects 11b electrically connecting adjacent ones of the test pads 12b.
US08067947B2

A low noise differential charge amplifier circuit for measuring discrete (e.g., pico coulomb) charges in noisy, elevated temperature and corrosive environments. An input stage of a differential charge amplifier circuit includes a twisted and or untwisted two pair cable with a grounded shield. One twisted and or untwisted pair can be connected to a sensor and a first charge amplifier and a second twisted and or/untwisted pair can be connected to a sensor electrical equivalent impedance circuit and or kept open and a second charge amplifier. The output from the charge amplifiers can be directed to a differential amplifier in order to provide an amplified sensor signal without external noise signal mainly from power supply mains. The differential amplifier and the charge amplifiers can include an auto offset correction circuit to reduce errors due to offsets.
US08067943B2

Provided is a test apparatus, a calibration method, a program causing a computer to perform as a test apparatus, and a recording medium storing the program. The test apparatus includes a response characteristic detecting section that detects a difference between a response time of the comparator for a rising waveform and a response time of the comparator for a falling waveform, based on measurement results, obtained by the comparator, of the waveforms and corresponding reflected waveforms, The response characteristic detecting section calculates a difference between output characteristics of the rising waveform and the falling waveform output from the driver, based on the measurement results from the comparator of the waveforms and the corresponding reflected waveforms, and corrects a difference between the response times of the comparator based on the difference between the output characteristics.
US08067942B2

A method for locating phase to ground faults in DC distribution systems. The method includes utilizing wavelet analysis using Multi-Resolution Analysis (MRA) as a signal processing tool for recognition of characteristic features in the voltage signal. The voltage signal contains characteristic information in the high frequency range above the switching frequencies of the PE converters which allows for localization of the fault.
US08067941B2

A system for measuring electrical resistivity survey checks a border of bedrock or a thickness of a sedimentary layer in a riverbed of a river or lake within a short time. A method for analysis of an underground structure of a riverbed using the same is also provided. The system for streamer electric resistivity survey using a survey boat includes a streamer cable connected to the survey boat and having a plurality of electrodes attached thereto, a multi-channel resistivity meter loaded on the survey boat to measure electric resistivity from the plurality of electrodes, a first RTK GPS (Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System) loaded on the survey boat to measure a position of the survey boat in real time, and a second RTK GPS installed to a tail of the streamer cable to measure a position of the tail in real time.
US08067940B2

In a method and system for processing radio frequency signals of a tubular surface coil, the N channels of coil output signals are generated based on M channels of radio frequency signals acquired by M coil units in the tubular surface coil, wherein N is an even number greater than 1 and is less than or equal to M, and the N channels of coil output signals can be divided into N/2 pairs, with the two channels of coil output signals in each of the pairs respectively coming from the coil units located at symmetrical positions of the tubular surface coil. The respective modulus values of the two channels of coil output signals in said each pair of coil output signals are multiplied to obtain N/2 products which are then summed, and the square root of the summed result is computed, so as to generate a lateral cross-sectional image according to the computed result of square root. The signal strength in an imaging area and the uniformity of signal to noise ratio are thereby improved.
US08067934B2

A measuring device to measure a magnetic field having at least one measuring coil and at least one sensor to measure low-frequency magnetic fields, which measuring coil and which sensor have their planes of extension each positioned or positionable transverse to the flux direction of the magnetic field. The measuring coil and the sensor are connected to a signal processing device with which, depending on a first measurement signal provided by the measuring coil and a second measurement signal provided by the sensor, an output signal that essentially corresponds to the magnetic field can be generated. The measuring coil, the sensor, and the signal processing device are monolithically integrated into a semiconductor chip. The measuring coil may also be formed by means of traces of a printed circuit board on which the semiconductor chip that has the sensor and the signal processing device is located.
US08067919B2

A drive control device and a drive control method for a stepping motor are provided to reduce the number of parts and generation of vibration and noise by a stepping motor. The drive control device controls a drive frequency of the stepping motor according to a measurement value inputted. The drive control device includes storage means for storing the resonance frequency of the stepping motor based on its resonance characteristic as an output-inhibited drive frequency and control means for calculating an instruction angle for operating a needle according to the measurement value, acquiring a first drive frequency of the stepping motor, judging whether the first drive frequency is the output-inhibited drive frequency, and deciding the drive frequency by replacing the first drive frequency with the second drive frequency which is lower than the output-inhibited drive frequency if the first drive frequency is the output-inhibited drive frequency.
US08067917B2

A system and control method mitigates hysteresis of an adjustable component in the system. A control module can allow small control changes to be effected to the component within limits of the component's and/or the system's normal hysteresis band. The control method can allow finer, more accurate and more aggressive control to be obtained from the component. The system and method can utilize two separate control regimes to control adjustments to the component. The first control regime can control changes larger than a hysteresis band and/or changes in a same direction as the last adjustment that was performed with the first control regime. The first control regime can be a feedback-based adjustment to the component. The second control regime can be utilized to control changes within the hysteresis band. The second control regime can use open-loop based adjustments to the component.
US08067916B2

A cutting tool such as a miter saw, arranged to have an arrangement for selectively making and breaking power of a first circuit and an independent second second circuit each connected respectively to a first motor operating the cutting tool and to a second motor operating a dust suppressor such as a vacuum device. The arrangement enables the two circuits to serve the first and second motors in synchrony and to be operated by the switch of the cutting tool. The arrangement may comprise a relay adapted to energize and de-energize the second circuit. The second circuit may comprise one or more electrical receptacles enabling the second motor to operate under control of the switch after being plugged in to one of the receptacles. The cutting tool may comprise a receptacle which is hard wired to the first circuit. The cutting tool may incorporate a dynamic brake.
US08067911B2

An interface module is operable to download data from an electrical machine. The interface module includes a cable for transferring data, the cable having a first connector at a first end thereof, a circuit board having a programmable device electrically coupled in circuit to the cable, and a memory connected to the circuit board and configured to store data related to the operating characteristics of the electrical machine.
US08067910B2

A brushless motor includes: a permanent magnet; a driving coil moving relative to the permanent magnet; a sensor coil disposed to the permanent magnet so as to generate a sensor coil induced voltage having a same phase of a driving coil induced voltage generated in the driving coil; and a driving circuit applying a driving voltage to the driving coil, the driving voltage having a same phase of the sensor coil induced voltage generated in the sensor coil.
US08067902B2

An electronic ballast for driving a gas discharge lamp having first and second electrodes comprises an inverter circuit and a symmetric resonant tank circuit for minimizing the RFI noise produced at the electrodes of the lamp. The inverter circuit receives a substantially DC bus voltage generates a high-frequency AC voltage. The symmetric resonant tank circuit comprises a split resonant inductor having first and second windings magnetically coupled together. The first and second windings electrically coupled between the respective electrodes of the lamp and the inverter circuit. The symmetric resonant tank further comprises first and second capacitors coupled in series electrical connection between the electrodes of the lamp with the junction of the first and second capacitors coupled to the DC bus voltage at the input of the inverter circuit.
US08067900B2

The present invention relates to an electronic device for driving at least a first channel and a second channel of light emitting diodes. The electronic device includes driving means having a first and a second driving portion for driving the first and the second channel of light emitting diodes separately, and configuration means for providing configurability of the driving means for using the driving means at least partially in a shared manner for more than one channel of light emitting diodes.
US08067899B2

A circuit arrangement for operating at least one first and second lamp each provided with a first and second coil electrode includes a first and second terminal for the first coil electrode of the first lamp, a first and second terminal for the second coil electrode of the first lamp, a first and second terminal for the first coil electrode of the second lamp, a first and second terminal for the second coil electrode of the second lamp, at least one supply connection for supplying voltage to the respective first coil electrode of the at least one first and second lamp, and at least one preheating device for the respective first coil electrode of the at least one first and second lamp. The second terminal of the first coil electrode of the first lamp is coupled to the second terminal of the first coil electrode of the second lamp while the preheating device encompasses a first preheating inductor and a second preheating inductor.
US08067887B2

Provided are containment structures having a substrate structure having a plurality of walls extending from a surface to define a space, wherein at least one of the walls has an overall negative slope; a first layer deposited in the space having a first surface energy no greater than 30 mN/m; and a second layer deposited on top of the first layer.
US08067885B2

An organic EL device and display are provided. A red light emitting layer, a green light emitting layer, a blue light emitting layer are laminated in this order between an anode and a cathode, and an intermediate layer “a” formed by use of an organic material is provided between the green light emitting layer and the blue light emitting layer. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap in the intermediate layer “a” is greater than the HOMO-LUMO energy gap of a green light emitting material constituting the green light emitting layer. In addition, the intermediate layer “a” has a hole transporting property. In the case of configuring a display by use of the organic EL devices, color filters are provided on the light take-out surface side. This makes it possible to provide an organic EL device with which light emission components for three colors of red, green and blue with a good balance suited to use for a full-color display can be obtained at a high luminance.
US08067884B2

A lighting arrangement comprising: a light reflective enclosure; at least one radiation source housed within the enclosure and operable to generate excitation light of a first wavelength range; a substantially spherical optical component mounted over the enclosure opening and at least one phosphor operable to absorb at least a portion of the excitation light and to emit light of a second wavelength range, wherein light generated by the arrangement comprises the combined light of the first and second wavelength ranges and wherein the at least one phosphor material is provided as a layer on at least a part of the surface of the optical component that is enclosed within the volume of the enclosure when the component is mounted to the enclosure.
US08067882B2

A sealing member for a cylindrical spark plug having a metal shell with threaded ridges thereon to be screwed into a mounting hole of a combustion engine, the sealing member comprised of a piece of annular sheet material made of austenitic stainless steel or ferritic stainless steel that is folded back in a radial direction so as to form a region where at least two or more layers of the sheet material are overlapped in an axial direction.
US08067873B2

A motor, namely, a motor with minimum loss and improved efficiency is disclosed. More specifically, a motor having enhanced starting torque performance and increased normal operation efficiency is disclosed. In the motor in which a rotor is started using induction torque generated as power is supplied to a coil of a stator, the rotor includes a rotor core, conductive bars arranged, along a circumferential direction, in an outer rim region of the rotor core, to generate an induction current, flux barriers formed in the rotor core, to interrupt flow of a magnetic flux, for generation of reluctance torque, and magnets provided in the rotor core, to generate a magnetic flux, for generation of magnetic torque.
US08067871B2

A permanent magnet rotating electric machine comprises a stator having stator windings wound round a stator iron core and a permanent magnet rotor having a plurality of inserted permanent magnets in which the polarity is alternately arranged in the peripheral direction in the rotor iron core. The rotor iron core of the permanent magnets is composed of magnetic pole pieces, auxiliary magnetic poles, and a stator yoke, and furthermore has concavities formed on the air gap face of the magnetic pole pieces of the rotor iron core of the permanent magnets, gently tilting from the central part of the magnetic poles to the end thereof. In a permanent magnet rotating electric machine, effects of iron loss are reduced, and an electric car using highly efficient permanent magnet rotating electric machine are realized.
US08067864B2

An electric motor for driving an inertia separator is provided, including a stator and a rotor. The stator is arranged in a stator space enclosed by a stator housing. The rotor is arranged in a rotor space concentrically with the stator with regard to an axis of rotation. A ring gap is formed radially between the rotor and the stator such that it separates the stator space from the rotor space. A housing bottom includes a nonmagnetic section extending through the ring gap. An inertia separator includes a second rotor operably connected to the rotor. A separator housing encloses a void containing the second rotor, wherein the housing bottom is arranged on the separator housing on a side facing the electric motor such that the nonmagnetic section of the housing bottom defines an opening in the rotor space that is oriented towards the void.
US08067860B2

The invention is based on an electric device, in particular an electric hand tool, having a removable power supply unit (18, 70, 104), an accommodation region (16, 102, 132, 144, 156) for accommodating the power supply unit (18, 70, 104), and a locking device (20, 76, 114, 134, 146, 154) for locking the power supply unit (18, 70, 104) to the accommodation region (16, 102, 132, 144, 156). It is proposed that the locking device (20, 76, 114, 134, 146, 154) is provided for the purpose of unlocking the power supply unit (18, 70, 104) from a locked state—by means of a force which is exerted on the power supply unit (18, 70, 104) and moves the entire power supply unit (18, 70, 104) in relation to the accommodation region (16, 102, 132, 144, 156).
US08067846B2

The Wind Powered Generator System is a combination of many common automotive parts. Automotive wind power is a new area and incorporates a roof carrier system that have generators mounted on the crossbar or the roof system. The air velocity or wind turns the fan blade when either vehicle is in motion or not, producing an electrical current.
US08067842B2

The invention relates to the fabrication of integrated circuits in general, and notably the circuits of image sensors intended to form the electronic core of photographic apparatus or cameras. The chip is first aligned with respect to the package and then the package is aligned with respect to the optical system. The alignment of the chip with respect to the package is done optically. The alignment of the package with respect to the system is done mechanically with respect to the edges of the package. According to the invention, provision is made for optical marks to be provided on the package, these marks each having an edge aligned with a lateral edge of the package, so as to minimize the positioning errors which would be due to inaccurate positioning of the chip with respect to the edges of the package.
US08067840B2

The power amplifier module comprises a laminate substrate comprising thermal vias and terminals, as well as a platform device with an interconnection substrate of a semiconductor material. This substrate is provided with electrical interconnects at a first side, and having been mounted on the laminate substrate with an opposite second side. Electrically conducting connections extend from the first to the second side through the substrate. A power amplifier device is attached to the second side of the substrate. One of the electrically conducting connection through the interconnection substrate is a grounding path for the power amplifier, while a thermal path is provided by the semiconductor material. There is an optimum thickness for the interconnection substrate, at which both a proper grounding and a acceptable thermal dissipation is effected.
US08067838B2

A semiconductor device having a pad structure for preventing a stress of a silicon nitride film. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower structure formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first insulation film formed on the lower structure, a first metal layer coupled to the lower structure through a first metal contact in the first insulation film, a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, and a plurality of dummy gates having a concentric square structure formed at the lower portion of the pad region on the second metal layer.
US08067836B2

A semiconductor device includes an insulating film including oxygen formed over a semiconductor substrate, a recess formed in the insulating film, a refractory metal film formed on the inner wall of the recess, a metal film including copper, manganese, and nitrogen formed on the refractory metal film, and a copper film formed on the metal film to fill in the recess.
US08067834B2

In various embodiments, semiconductor components and methods to manufacture these components are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method to manufacture a semiconductor component is disclosed. The semiconductor includes a heat sink and a semiconductor die that has a first terminal on a top surface of the semiconductor die, a second terminal on the top surface of the die, and a third terminal on the bottom surface of the die. The method includes attaching a first portion of a leadframe structure to the first terminal of the semiconductor die. The method further includes attaching the second terminal of the semiconductor die to the heat sink after the attaching of the first portion of the leadframe structure to the first terminal of the semiconductor die, wherein the leadframe structure is spaced apart from the heat sink and is electrically isolated from the heat sink. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08067832B2

A method of manufacture of an embedded integrated circuit package system includes: forming a first conductive pattern on a first structure; connecting a first integrated circuit die, having bumps on a first active side, directly on the first conductive pattern by the bumps; forming a substrate forming encapsulation to cover the first integrated circuit die and the first conductive pattern; forming a channel in the substrate forming encapsulation; and applying a conductive material in the channel.
US08067814B2

In the present invention, a first circuit pattern 3 composing a semiconductor element is formed on the front side of a substrate 1, a first insulating layer 2 is formed on the first circuit pattern 3, solder electrodes 5 for external connection are formed on the first insulating layer 2, a second insulating layer 6 is formed on the backside of the substrate 1, a second circuit pattern 7 is formed on the second insulating layer 6, through vias 8 are formed to connect the first circuit pattern 3 and the second circuit pattern 7, chip passive components 9 are placed on the second circuit pattern 7, and the backside of the substrate is integrally molded with epoxy resin 10 such that the epoxy resin 10 covers the chip passive components 9.
US08067813B2

An integrated photosensitive device with a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) photodiode constructed with one or more substantially continuous layers of semiconductor material and with a substantially continuous layer of dielectric material.
US08067812B2

An acceleration sensor includes a weight; a base portion, a beam; and a piezo resistance element. The weight is arranged to displace upon receiving acceleration. The base portion is disposed around the weight apart from the weight. The beam has one end portion connected to the weight and the other end portion connected to the base portion. The beam also has a thick layer portion and a thin layer portion having a thickness smaller than that of the thick layer portion. The piezo resistance element is disposed over the thick layer portion and the thin layer portion.
US08067810B2

Systems and methods for controlling a micro electromechanical device using power actuation are disclosed. The disclosed micro electromechanical systems comprise at least one electrostatically actuatable micro electromechanical device and an actuation device. The micro electromechanical device comprises a first conductor and a second conductor having a moveable portion which in use may be attracted by the first conductor as a result of a predetermined actuation power. The actuation device comprises a high frequency signal generator for generating at least part of the actuation power by means of a predetermined high frequency signal with a frequency higher than the mechanical resonance frequency of the moveable portion of the micro electromechanical device.
US08067808B2

A memory cell includes a FinFET select device and a memory element. In some embodiments a memory cell has a contact element coupled between a surface of the fin and the memory element.
US08067804B2

The present invention provides a semiconductor device capable of suppressing a body floating effect, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor device having an SOI structure includes a silicon substrate, a buried insulating layer formed on the silicon substrate, and a semiconductor layer formed on the buried insulating layer. The semiconductor layer has a body region of a first conduction type, a source region of a second conduction type and a drain region of the second conduction type, and a gate electrode is formed on the body region between the source region and the drain region via a gate oxide film. The source region includes an extension layer of the second conduction type, and a silicide layer which makes contact with the extension layer at its side face, and a crystal defect region is formed on a region of a depletion layer generated in a boundary portion between the silicide layer and the body region.
US08067793B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with high response speed and high reliability. In the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the invention, a bonding layer is formed over a substrate, an insulating film and a storage capacitor portion lower electrode are formed over the bonding layer, a single crystal silicon layer is formed over the insulating film, a storage capacitor portion insulating film is formed over the storage capacitor portion lower electrode, a wiring is formed over the storage capacitor portion insulating film, a channel forming region and a low concentration impurity region are formed over the single crystal silicon layer, and a gate insulating film and a gate electrode are formed over the single crystal silicon layer. The storage capacitor portion insulating film is formed by depositing a YSZ film with a single crystal silicon layer used as a base film, whereby the permittivity increases and thus the leakage current from the storage capacitor portion is suppressed.
US08067782B2

An exemplary LED package includes a dielectric plate, a heat conductor, a first planar electrode and a second planar electrode, a LED chip, and metal wires. The dielectric plate comprises a receiving groove defined therein. The heat conductor is positioned in the dielectric plate opposite to the receiving groove, and the heat conductor comprises a holding portion exposed on bottom of the receiving groove. The first and second planar electrodes are respectively received in the dielectric plate extending to the receiving groove and are spaced from the heat conductor. The first and second electrodes are respectively electrically connected to the LED chip by the metal wires. The LED chip is mounted on the holding portion of the heat conductor.
US08067779B2

A light emitting device includes: a light emitting element; a first lead including a recess in one end portion, the recess including a first bottom surface with the light emitting element bonded thereto, at least one of a through hole and a notch, and a light shielding portion capable of suppressing leakage of emitted light from the light emitting element from the one of the through hole and the notch; a second lead opposed to the first lead; and a molded body filling the one of the through hole and the notch, covering the light emitting element, embedding at least part of the first lead and at least part of the second lead, and made of a translucent resin.
US08067777B2

An electrical device containing multiple light emitting diode (LED) dies each having respective first and second connectors suitable to receive current through the LED die. A common base layer of a first electrically conductive material has cavities into which at least one LED die is mounted with its second connector electrically connected by a conductive bonding material to the first conductive material of the base layer. One or more over-layer sections of a second electrically conductive material each are electrically connected by a bond to at least one of the first connector of an LED die. And an insulator electrically separates the first conductive material of the base layer from the second conductive material of over-layer sections.
US08067774B2

After forming a signal line including aluminum, an upper layer of an oxide layer including aluminum that covers the signal line is formed in the same chamber and by using the same sputtering target as the signal line, or a buffer layer of an oxide layer including aluminum is formed in a contact hole exposing the signal line during the formation of the contact hole. Accordingly, the contact characteristic between an upper layer including indium tin oxide (“ITO”) or indium zinc oxide (“IZO”) and the signal line may be improved to enhance the adhesion therebetween while not increasing the production cost of the thin film transistor (“TFT”) array panel.
US08067769B2

A wafer level package structure with a plurality of compact sensors such as acceleration sensors and gyro sensors is provided. This package structure is composed of a semiconductor wafer with plural sensor units, and a pair of package wafers bonded to both surfaces of the semiconductor wafer. Each of the sensor units has a frame having an opening, a movable portion held in the opening to be movable relative to the frame, and a detecting portion for outputting an electric signal according to a positional displacement of the movable portion. Since the semiconductor wafer is bonded to each of the package wafers by a solid-phase direct bonding without diffusion between a surface-activated region formed on the frame and a surface-activated region formed on the package wafer, it is possible to prevent that variations in sensor characteristics occur due to residual stress at the bonding interface.
US08067764B2

There is provided an electroactive material having Formula I wherein: Q is the same or different at each occurrence and can be O, S, Se, Te, NR, SO, SO2, or SiR3; R is the same or different at each occurrence and can be hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, alkenyl, or alkynyl; R1 through R8 are the same or different and can be hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, halogen, hydroxyl, aryloxy, alkoxy, alkenyl, alkynyl, amino, alkylthio, phosphino, silyl, —COR, —COOR, —PO3R2, —OPO3R2, or CN.
US08067762B2

A bistable resistance random access memory is described for enhancing the data retention in a resistance random access memory member. A dielectric member, e.g. the bottom dielectric member, underlies the resistance random access memory member which improves the SET/RESET window in the retention of information. The deposition of the bottom dielectric member is carried out by a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition or by high-density-plasma chemical vapor deposition. One suitable material for constructing the bottom dielectric member is a silicon oxide. The bistable resistance random access memory includes a bottom dielectric member disposed between a resistance random access member and a bottom electrode or bottom contact plug. Additional layers including a bit line, a top contact plug, and a top electrode disposed over the top surface of the resistance random access memory member. Sides of the top electrode and the resistance random access memory member are substantially aligned with each other.
US08067761B2

The invention provides a memory cell based on variable resistance material memory element that includes an access device having a pillar structure that may also include a protective sidewall layer. The pillar access device selects and isolates the memory cell from other memory array cells and is adapted to both self-align any memory element formed thereon, and to deliver suitable programming current to the memory element. The pillar structure is formed from one or more access device layers stacked above a wordline and below the memory element. Optional resistive layers may be selectively formed within the pillar structure to minimize resistance in the access device layer and the memory element. The pillar access device may be a diode, transistor, Ovonic threshold switch or other device capable of regulating current flow to an overlying programmable memory material.
US08067755B2

A production device and a production method for a grating-type optical component enabling formation of a variety types of FBGs using a single phase mask and an optical component made by the production method or production device for a grating-type optical component are provided. The method involves diffusing at least one of hydrogen or deuterium into an optical fiber and altering the refractive index of the optical fiber by irradiating the fiber with non-interfering UV lamp light.
US08067753B2

A Z stage is placed on an XY stage in avoidance of an area to which a mark table is fixed. The mask M is placed on a holding mechanism provided on the Z stage. A middle value of the range adjustable by the focal adjustment mechanism is made coincident with the height of the mark table. The height of the mark table is measured and the heights of plural measurement points of the mask M are measured. The Z stage is moved in such a manner that the height of a middle value between highest and lowest values of the heights of these measurement points coincides with the height of the mark table.
US08067751B2

A system and method are provided for a high resolution radiation treatment system which provide for projecting a field of radiation energy at targeted patient tissue. The system uses a multi-leaf collimator, which is positioned such that a significant clearance is provided between the multi-leaf collimator and the isocenter plane where the targeted tissue is located. The leaves of the multi-leaf collimator are designed to provide for high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape. Additionally, an embodiment of the system and method herein can provide for a high step resolution in the projected radiation energy shape, and for a dose calculation matrix which has matrix units which coincide with the high step resolution in the projected radiation shape.
US08067749B2

The invention relates to cleanable spiral modules and a method for production thereof.
US08067742B2

An apparatus for detecting and determining a source azimuth for gamma radiation includes at least two scintillation crystals at angular offsets and directed toward a common plane of detection, photodetectors adjacent to each of the scintillation crystals for converting the light response of the scintillation crystals into distinct electrical signals, and a digital processing system configured to analyze spectral data from each electrical signal produced for each crystal. The digital processing system monitors a finite number of spectral windows corresponding to a selected set of radioisotopes, and uses one or more of the electrical signals to determine a signal intensity and a likely source azimuth for a detected radioisotope in the plane of detection. Another scintillation crystal directed outside of the common plane of detection may be used for three-dimensional detection. Related methods for detection and location of gamma ray sources are discussed.
US08067739B2

A photoconductive element for generating or detecting a terahertz wave comprises a carrier generation layer for generating carriers on light irradiation, a pair of conductive electrodes provided in opposition on one face of the carrier generation layer, each containing a strip line, a pair of conductive antennas placed in opposition with a gap for light irradiation onto the carrier generation layer, each being joined to the electrodes, a pair of conductive adjusting stubs for adjusting a propagation state of the terahertz wave generated or detected by the carriers, wherein each of the adjusting stubs has a length of not longer than the wavelength λ of the terahertz wave generated by the carriers, and is placed at a distance of not more than the wavelength λ from a joint between the antenna and the electrode.
US08067736B2

The electromagnetic radiation detector comprises at least one membrane suspended above a substrate by at least one nanowire. The nanowire forms a thermoelement comprising an electrically conducting core and external layer, respectively doped of different types and insulated form one another by an electrical insulation layer. When the substrate and membrane are at different temperatures, the nanowires constitutes a thermometer providing measurement signals, by Seebeck effect, representative of heating the membrane.
US08067734B2

A method of marking a target includes intersecting a thermal infrared beam from a handheld housing at room temperature with the target, a portion of a beam path extending from the housing to the target being substantially optically direct. The method also includes viewing the intersected beam with a remote thermal imaging device.
US08067711B2

Microspray apparatus and methods involve injecting powdered material into a plasma gas stream. The material comprises first and second component powders. The second powder is a majority by the weight of the powdered material. The first powder acts as a melting point depressant. The first and second powders may have similar compositions but with the first powder including a greater quantity of a melting point depressant element.
US08067705B2

A lower portion of a slide door of a windshield for a weighing apparatus is located in a guide groove of the main body of the windshield, along which guide groove the slide door opens and closes. A protrusion is protruded in a lower portion of the slide door and the protrusion engages an upper face of a frame in which the guide groove is formed. The protrusion supports weight of the slide door, and is slid on the upper face of the frame while the slide door does not come into contact with a bottom surface of the guide groove, thereby opening and closing the slide door.
US08067698B2

On a printed-wiring board 1-1, a conductor layer 2 is laminated to both the top surface and the bottom surface of a substrate core 7 so as to pattern the substrate core, and a solder resist 4 is laminated to the substrate core. The solder resist 4 laminated to the top surface of the printed-wiring board 1-1 forms a raised portion 40 in a semiconductor chip mounting area such that the thickness of the raised portion is greater than the thickness of the solder resist 4 laminated to areas other than the semiconductor chip mounting area, so that the surface of the semiconductor chip mounting area is flat.
US08067695B2

A wiring board (package) includes: a cavity formed at a position corresponding to a chip mounting area of the outermost insulating layer on one side of both surfaces of the wiring board; a pad exposed from the surface of the insulating layer in the cavity; and a pad exposed from the surface of the insulating layer in a peripheral region of the cavity. A chip is flip-chip bonded to the pads in the cavity of the package, and another package is bonded to the pads in the peripheral region of the cavity, to thereby form a semiconductor device having a package on package (POP) structure.
US08067690B2

A module receptacle having a main frame arranged to hold a mountable functioning module in a specified position with respect to a covering frame. The covering frame can be attached by means of at least one fastening element to the main frame. The covering frame is at least large enough to cover the main frame.
US08067683B2

A sensed signal corresponding to a note played on a musical instrument is electronically sustained by electronically combining the sensed signal with a synthesized signal whenever a sustain control switch is activated. The set of characteristics of the synthesized signal are, initially, substantially the same as the set of characteristics of the sensed signal, but may be varied over time.
US08067680B2

A novel garden bean cultivar, designated SB4372, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of garden bean cultivar SB4372, to the plants of garden bean line SB4372 and to methods for producing a garden bean plant by crossing the cultivar SB4372 with itself or another garden bean line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a garden bean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other garden bean lines derived from the cultivar SB4372.
US08067678B2

A soybean cultivar designated 94222415 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 94222415, to the plants of soybean 94222415, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 94222415, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 94222415 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety 94222415, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 94222415, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 94222415 with another soybean cultivar.
US08067669B2

A method for the identification of peptides having an affinity for the surface of fungi is provided as is a method for the identification of peptides capable of affecting the development of a fungus. Also provided are compositions comprising peptides identified using the method of the present invention. In addition, isolated polynucleotides, vectors, expression cassettes and transformed cells capable of expressing peptides identified by the method of the present invention are provided. Such polynucleotides, vectors, expression cassettes may be introduced into and confer upon plants the capability to resist fungal infection.
US08067668B2

The invention relates to methods for generating or increasing a pathogen resistance in plants by reducing the expression, activity or function of an NADPH oxidase.
US08067666B2

A model rodent animal with a phenotype in which hair growing after birth is black, with the animal spontaneously developing white hair after aging. By way of example, the model rodent animal may have a genotype in which an activated RET gene is genetically inserted in a heterozygous form and the endothelin receptor B gene is deficient in a heterozygous form.
US08067665B2

A non-human animal that produces human tissue factor (TF) without substantially producing non-human animal tissue factor, said animal having a genome in which cDNA encoding human TF has been inserted upstream of the translation initiation codon for the non-human animal genomic TF gene.
US08067656B2

A process for separating an ionic liquid from hydrocarbons employs a coalescer material having a stronger affinity for the ionic liquid than the hydrocarbons. The coalescer material can be a high surface area material having a large amount of contact area to which ionic liquid droplets dispersed in the hydrocarbons may adhere. The process includes feeding a mixture comprising ionic liquid droplets dispersed in hydrocarbons to a coalescer comprising the coalescer material. The process further includes a capture step involving adhering at least a portion of the ionic liquid droplets to the coalescer material to provide captured droplets and a coalescing step involving coalescing captured droplets into coalesced droplets. After the capture and coalescence steps, the coalesced droplets are allowed to fall from the coalescer material to separate the ionic liquid from the hydrocarbons and provide a hydrocarbon effluent.
US08067655B2

This invention is a process for producing diisobutylene from isobutylene. The process comprises first contacting a sulfonic acid resin with a reaction feed comprising isobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol to produce a product stream comprising diisobutylene, isobutylene, tertiary butyl alcohol, and water. The product stream is distilled to produce a first overhead stream comprising water and isobutylene and a first bottoms stream comprising diisobutylene and tertiary butyl alcohol. Water is separated from the first overhead stream, and the resulting isobutylene-enriched stream is recycled back to the reaction step. The first bottoms stream is distilled to produce a second overhead stream comprising tertiary butyl alcohol and a bottoms product stream comprising diisobutylene.
US08067640B2

The present invention relates to a novel method for the preparation of diol intermediates having the formula (II) and/or the opposite enantiomer of an acylated diol having the formula (IV) useful for the preparation of escitalopram involving selective enzymatic acylation or deacylation.
US08067623B2

This invention relates generally to olefin metathesis, and more particularly relates to the ring-opening, ring insertion cross-metathesis of cyclic olefins with internal olefins such as seed oils and the like. In one embodiment, a method is provided for carrying out a catalytic ring-opening cross-metathesis reaction, comprising contacting at least one olefinic substrate with at least one cyclic olefin as a cross metathesis partner, in the presence of a ruthenium alkylidene olefin metathesis catalyst under conditions effective to allow ring insertion cross metathesis whereby the cyclic olefin is simultaneously opened and inserted into the olefinic substrate. The invention has utility in the fields of catalysis, organic synthesis, and industrial chemistry.
US08067620B2

A means and method for treating malaria, schistosomiasis, and cancer using a spiro or dispiro 1,2,4-trioxolane is described. The preferred 1,2,4-trioxolanes include a spiroadamantane group on one side of the trioxolane group, and a spirocyclohexyl on the other side of the trioxolane group. In comparison to artemisinin semisynthetic derivatives, the compounds of this invention are structurally simple, easy to synthesize, non-toxic, and potent against malarial parasites. The compounds of the invention unexpectedly provide a single-dose cure for malaria, as well as prophylactic activity against the same. The compounds are also active against schistosomiasis and cancer.
US08067619B2

The present invention is directed to coumarin derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of disorders related to ion channels such as potassium channels.
US08067615B2

Compounds of a certain formula (I), in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 have the meanings indicated in the description, are novel effective HDAC inhibitors.
US08067605B2

Processes are disclosed for preparing piperidine derivative compounds of the formulae I, II or III: The processes involve reacting a compound of formula Ia, IIa or IIIa with isobutyrate or an isobutyrate equivalent.
US08067596B2

The invention generally provides processes and intermediate compounds useful for the production of (+) nal morphinan compounds. In particular, the process encompasses synthetic routes for the production of (+) nal morphinan compounds or derivatives of (+) nal morphinan compounds from (+)-morphinan substrates such as (+)-hydrocodone, (+)-norhydrocodone or derivatives of either compound.
US08067588B2

(1,3,5)-Triazinyl phenyl hydrazones are effective at controlling insects.
US08067587B2

A process for making monoalkali metal cyanurates in a powdery form from a cyanuric acid powder by adding thereto a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide such as sodium or potassium hydroxide. The concentrated aqueous alkali hydroxide solution is added sequentially to the cyanuric acid powder as the admixture is vigorously mixed, forming a monoalkali metal cyanurate as a hydrated powder.
US08067584B2

Compounds of formula: (1) pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, solvates of such salts and prodrugs thereof and their use as ileal bile acid transport (IBAT) inhibitors for the treatment of hyperlipidaemia are described. Processes for their manufacture and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are also described.
US08067583B2

The present invention is a method for synthesizing furanosteroids. The method involves intramolecular Diels-Alder/retro-Diels-Alder reaction and tautomerization of a functionalized alkyne oxazole to produce a furo[2,3-b]phenol derivative which is elaborated by intermolecular and intramolecular condensations to generate ring-A of the furanosteroid. Furanosteroids and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same are also provided.
US08067580B2

The invention provides a method for the separation and purification of two or three cellular components selected from genomic DNA, RNA and proteins from a single biological sample. The method comprises generating an aqueous solution containing the cellular components by lysing cells with a lysis solution; contacting the aqueous solution with an ion exchanger for genomic DNA and RNA to bind to the ion exchanger; collecting the flow-through which contains unbound proteins; eluting RNA from the ion exchanger; and eluting DNA from the ion exchanger. For the purification of any two of the cellular components, one of the components is not collected. The invention also provides reagent kits for carrying out the methods.
US08067578B2

The present invention provides novel processes for the large scale preparation of arrays of polymer sequences wherein each array includes a plurality of different, positionally distinct polymer sequences having known monomer sequences. The methods of the invention combine high throughput process steps with high resolution photolithographic techniques in the manufacture of polymer arrays.
US08067575B2

This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of cyclin (e.g., cyclin D1) and/or cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) genes.
US08067573B2

The present invention provides isolated oligonucleotides capable of down-regulating a level of H19 mRNA in cancer cells. Articles of manufacture comprising agents capable of downregulating H19 mRNA in combination with an additional anti-cancer treatment are disclosed as well as methods of treating cancer by administering same.
US08067567B2

The present invention relates to a transcriptional regulatory sequence with enhanced tumor-specificity and strength and a recombinant vector comprising the transcriptional regulatory sequence. More particularly, the present invention relates to a transcriptional regulatory sequence comprising a human telomere reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter linked to a nucleotide sequence that comprises one or more c-Myc binding sites and/or one or more Sp1 binding sites, and a recombinant vector comprising a certain gene that is operably linked to the above transcriptional regulatory sequence.
US08067565B2

The invention relates to live attenuated VDV1 (VERO-Derived Dengue serotype 1 virus) strains which have been derived from the wild-type dengue-1 strain 16007 by passaging on PDK and sanitization on Vero cells and nucleic acids thereof. The invention further relates to a vaccine composition which comprises a VDV1 strain.
US08067560B2

This invention relates to an SRSV detection kit comprising all antibodies against SRSV-related virus constituting peptides selected from the following peptide groups (a) to (k), respectively: (a) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and the like, (b) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2, and the like, (c) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3, and the like, (d) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4, and the like, (e) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 5, and the like, (f) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 6, and the like, (g) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 7, and the like, (h) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 8, and the like, (i) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 9, and the like, (j) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 10, and the like, and (k) a peptide having an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 11, and the like.Use of the kit makes it possible to detect most SRSV-related viruses and further to distinguish their serotypes and genogroups, easily and surely.
US08067558B2

The present invention provides a novel RNA, designated herein as the “HSR1” (Heat Shock RNA), constitutively active HSR1 fragments, and the use of HSR1 and constitutively active HSR1 fragments for generation of novel therapeutics for the treatment of various diseases in animals and for generation of stress-resistant plants.
US08067556B2

The present invention provides compositions and improved methods for multi-site directed mutagenesis and DNA shuffling. The present compositions and methods provide increased mutation frequency and increased number of transformants which allow one to sequence only a few clones in order to identify the correct mutants and to obtain the desired mutant by screening large number of transformants in a short time. Moreover, the inclusion of FEN-1, PEF and optimized buffer and cycling conditions provided in the present invention should also facilitate random mutagenized library construction and the mutagenesis of large or difficult templates.
US08067552B2

The present invention relates to a method for separating and purifying a target protein, a method for preparing a target protein, and a method for bioconversion by a whole cell enzyme or a partially purified enzyme. According to the present invention, when the sHSPs are added in cultivation, separation and purification processes for preparing a target protein, the target protein can be obtained at high yields by preventing the loss of protein by proteases. Also, when sIISPs are added in a reaction process using a whole cell enzyme or a partially purified enzyme, the yield of bioconversion using enzyme can be increased by preventing the loss of enzyme by proteases.
US08067540B2

The present invention provides a novel protein containing an armadillo repeat, a gene encoding this protein, and production and use thereof. The present inventors identified a gene named ALEX1 encoding a human-derived novel armadillo repeat-containing protein. It was clarified that ALEX1 interacts with several proteins including insulin-degrading enzyme, presenilin-1, and JNK interacting protein 1. This gene shows significantly decreased expression in cancer cells. The protein ALEX1 and the gene encoding this protein are usable as tools in testing for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease and developing pharmaceutical agents.
US08067533B2

The invention relates to peptides and peptide derivatives of the following general Formulas (Ia) and (Ib) as well as in particular anti-inflammatory drugs containing these peptides.
US08067530B2

A scytovirin domain 1 (SD1) polypeptide, a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide, and related fusion proteins, conjugates, isolated cells, vectors, and antibodies, as well as a method of inhibiting a viral infection using the same.
US08067520B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a two-component curable composition whose component A is easy to be handled, and which shows excellent internal curability and good storage stability. This problem is solved using a two-component curable composition, comprising component A comprising 100 parts by weight of an organic polymer containing a reactive silicon group, (B) 0.1-300 parts by weight of an epoxy group-containing compound, and (C) 0.1-20 parts by weight of water, and component B comprising (D) 0.1-20 parts by weight of a curing catalyst, and (E) 0.1-200 parts by weight of an amine compound.
US08067516B2

A copolymer for positive type lithography, having at least a recurring unit (A) having a structure wherein an alkali-soluble group is protected by an acid-dissociating, dissolution-suppressing group, represented by the following formula (A) [in the formula (A), R10 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group which may be substituted by fluorine atom; R11 is a crosslinked, alicyclic hydrocarbon group; n is an integer of 0 or 1; and R12 is an acid-dissociating, dissolution-suppressing group], and a terminal structure (B) having a structure wherein an alkali-soluble group is protected by an acid-dissociating, dissolution-suppressing group, represented by the following formula (B) [in the formula (B), R21 is a hydrocarbon group which may contain nitrogen atom; R22 is an acid-dissociating, dissolution-suppressing group; and p is a site of bonding with copolymer main chain]. The copolymer is used in chemically amplified positive type lithography and is superior in lithography properties (e.g. dissolution contrast).
US08067513B2

The present invention relates to the use of Styrenated Phenol Ethoxylates as surfactants in emulsion polymerization. The present invention further relates to the use of both anionic and nonionic Styrenated Phenol Ethoxylates in emulsion polymerization. Latexes with small average particle and narrow particle size distributions are obtained. Prepared latexes also have low coagulum levels and exhibit excellent mechanical and chemical stability.
US08067506B2

Water-soluble fluorescent particles are formed in a simple process. A mixture comprising a solvent, water, a fluorescent polymer dissolved in the solvent, and an amphiphilic molecule is provided. The fluorescent polymer comprises a hydrophobic segment. The amphiphilic molecule comprises hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments. The solvent is removed from the mixture to allow the fluorescent polymer and the amphiphilic molecule to entangle in the presence of water, thus forming the water-soluble fluorescent particles. In the formed particles, the hydrophilic segments of the amphiphilic molecule are entangled with one another, and the hydrophobic segments of the fluorescent polymer and amphiphilic molecule are entangled with one another. The amphiphilic molecule encapsulates the fluorescent polymer and at least some of the hydrophilic segments are exposed to render the particle soluble in water.
US08067505B2

Methods for preparing water soluble, non-peptidic polymers carrying carboxyl functional groups, particularly carboxylic acid functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymers are disclosed, as are the products of these methods. In general, an ester reagent R(C═0)OR′, wherein R′ is a tertiary group and R comprises a functional group X, is reacted with a water soluble, non-peptidic polymer POLY-Y, where Y is a functional group which reacts with X to form a covalent bond, to form a tertiary ester of the polymer, which is then treated with a strong base in aqueous solution, to form a carboxylate salt of the polymer. Typically, this carboxylate salt is then treated with an inorganic acid in aqueous solution, to convert the carboxylate salt to a carboxylic acid, thereby forming a carboxylic acid functionalized polymer.
US08067496B2

The invention relates to curable silicone compositions which contain silane based crosslinkers and a mixture of different organopolysiloxanes. The compositions are particularly suitable as curable impression materials in dental applications.
US08067494B2

Magnesium oxide (MgO) compounded into a polymer can subsequently be hydrated in-situ within the polymer to form magnesium hydroxide. In the case of silane-based or peroxide-based crosslinkable resins, the MgO hydration and polymer crosslinking can be done in a single process step, or in sequential steps. In the case of non-crosslinkable compounds, hydration can be carried out after compounding (no crosslinking step). In all cases, steam CV, sauna, or hot water bath are options for hydration. This approach enables preparation of polymer compounds that are flame retarded with metal hydrates yet free of the traditional limitations posed by shelf instability, extrusion scorch, undesired dehydration, and processing temperature limitations posed by metal hydrates.
US08067487B2

The present invention is directed to a heavy duty pavement structure comprising an open-graded asphalt layer fortified with a non-segregating grout mixture. The heavy duty pavement structure is made through the steps including forming an open-graded asphalt layer and then fortifying the layer with a non-segregating grout mixture that includes a predetermined amount of portland cement, sand and cement binder system.
US08067467B2

The present invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) wherein X1 and X2 independently represent O, NH or S, R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of a C1-C30 hydrocarbyl group, an amino acid bonded via an amide bond or a peptide bonded via an amide bond each having up to 200 amino acids, the conjugated residue X1 or X2 in this case being NH, and hydrogen, both radicals R1 and R2 preferably not being H, wherein R3 is a residue selected from group consisting of —S—R6, wherein R6 is a C1-C30 hydrocarbyl group, at least one of R1 and R2 not being H when X1 and X2 are oxygen, —S—CH2—CH(NH2)(COOH) (cysteine-S-yl), a homologue or derivative (e.g. N-acetyl cysteine-S-yl) thereof, a peptide having up to 200 amino acids which contains at least one amino acid radical with a thiol group, preferably a cysteine radical, and is bonded via the thio sulfur, preferably via the cysteine sulfur (peptide-S-yl), coenzyme A which is bonded via a thiol group or fragments thereof, acyl carrier protein bonded via a thiol group, and dihydrolipoic acid bonded via a thiol group, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The present invention also relates to the use of these compounds for preparing a drug and drugs containing the same.
US08067465B2

Novel tricyclic-bis-enone derivatives (TBEs) as well as the process for the preparation of such TBEs are provided. Also provided are methods for prevention and/or treatment of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotropic lateral sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and all other diseases whose pathogenesis is believed to involve excessive production of either nitric oxide (NO) or prostaglandins or the overexpression of iNOS or COX-2 genes or gene products. Further, methods for the synthesis of the TBE compounds of the invention utilize cheap commercially available reagents and are highly cost effective and amenable to scale-up. Additional high efficiency synthetic methods that utilize novel intermediates as well as the synthesis of these intermediates are also provided. Furthermore, the invention also provides methods for designing novel and water-soluble TBEs.
US08067461B2

Compounds of Formula I: wherein R1, R2, M, Q and n are as defined herein, are useful as antiproliferative agents including, for example, as anticancer agents.
US08067458B2

The invention relates to new alkoxyalkyl-substituted cyclic ketoenols of the formula (I) in which A, B, D, G, W, X and Y have the definitions indicated above, to processes and intermediates for their preparation, and to their use as pesticides and/or microbicides and/or herbicides. The invention further provides selectively herbicidal compositions which comprise alkoxyalkyl-substituted cyclic ketoenols on the one hand and a crop plant tolerance promoter compound on the other. The invention further relates to the boosting of the action of crop protection compositions comprising compounds of the formula (I) through the additions of ammonium salts or phosphonium salts and optionally penetration promoters.
US08067449B2

The present application provides for a compound of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, and/or ester thereof, compositions containing such compounds, therapeutic methods that include the administration of such compounds, and therapeutic methods and include the administration of such compounds with at least one additional therapeutic agent.
US08067448B2

This invention provides compounds of formulas I, Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie, and or salts thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formulas I, Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie, and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient, methods of modulating the androgen receptor, methods of treating diseases beneficially treated by an androgen receptor modulator (e.g., sarcopenia, prostate cancer, contraception, type 2 diabetes related disorders or diseases, anemia, depression, and renal disease) and processes for making compounds of formulas I, Ia, Ib, Ic, Id, Ie, and intermediates useful in the preparation of same.
US08067447B2

Novel non-steroidal compounds are provided which are useful in treating diseases associated with modulation of the glucocorticoid receptor, and/or AP-1, and/or NF-κB activity including inflammatory and immune diseases, obesity and diabetes having the structure of formula (I), its enantiomers, diastereomers, or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, or hydrate, thereof, wherein (Ia) is heterocycle or heteroaryl; J, Ja, E, F, G, Ma, M, Q, Za and Z are as defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating inflammatory- or immune-associated diseases and obesity and diabetes employing said compounds.
US08067445B2

Described herein are compounds that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions and medicaments that include the compounds described herein that are antagonists of PGD2 receptors. Also described herein are methods of using such antagonists of PGD2 receptors, alone and in combination with other compounds, for treating respiratory, cardiovascular, and other PGD2-dependent or PGD2-mediated conditions or diseases.
US08067444B2

The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising dosage units of pyridoxamine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, and methods for their use in limiting the progression of renal disease and/or diabetic complications in human diabetic patient.
US08067443B2

Novel vinylazacycloalkane compounds of Formula (I) are disclosed. The compounds are ligands of various nAChRs. The compounds and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be used to prepare pharmaceutical compositions and/or medicaments intended to prevent or treat disorders associated with dysfunction of nAChRs, especially within the central nervous system or the gastrointestinal system. Examples of types of disorders that can be treated include neurodegenerative disorders, including central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, cognitive disorders, motor disorders such as Parkinson's disease, drug addiction, behavioral disorders and inflammatory disorders within the gastrointestinal system. The compounds can also serve as analgesics in the treatment of acute, chronic or recurrent pain.
US08067438B2

Compounds of formula (I): wherein B, X, R3, L0, L1, L2, R2, R1 and RC are defined herein. The compounds are useful as inhibitors of HCV NS3 protease for the treatment of hepatitis C viral infection.
US08067426B2

Compounds of formula (I): wherein R1 is C1-6alkylamino, C1-6alkoxy, or C3-7cycloalkyloxy; m is an integer having a value of 3 to 6; n is an integer having a value of 0 to 4; and salts thereof are inducers of human interferon. Compounds which induce human interferon may be useful in the treatment of various disorders, for example the treatment of allergic diseases and other inflammatory conditions for example allergic rhinitis and asthma, the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer, and may also be useful as vaccine adjuvants.
US08067417B2

The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase, represented by Structural Formula (I): wherein the variables in Structural Formula (I) are as described herein. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions.
US08067415B2

The present invention provides compounds of general formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein X, n, Y, and R1 are defined generally and in subsets herein. Compounds of the invention are inhibitors of CCR2 and accordingly are useful for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory, allergic, and autoimmune diseases, disorders, or conditions.
US08067408B2

The present invention is directed to novel compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions and their use in therapy, for example as inhibitors of phosphodiesterase type IV (PDE4) and as antagonists of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), in the treatment of/and or prophylaxis of respiratory diseases, including antiinflammatory and/or allergic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, rhinitis (e.g. allergic rhinitis), atopic dermatitis or psoriasis.
US08067399B2

Methods, formulations, and devices for providing transdermal or transmucosal delivery of active agents to subjects in need thereof. The formulations and methods treat symptoms of hormonal disorders including hypogonadism, female sexual desire disorder, female menopausal disorder, and adrenal insufficiency.
US08067391B2

The present invention includes methods of treating or preventing malaria by administering an anti-malarial effective amount of 6-substituted uridine derivatives to a subject need thereof. The invention also includes new 6-substituted uridine derivatives for use as therapeutics, in particular to treat malaria.
US08067389B2

The present application is directed to siRNA-based silencing of the type II receptor of TGFβ. siRNAs that target this receptor abrogate the receptor protein and transcript, TGFβ-mediated processes such as fibronectin assembly and cell migration also are inhibited and the molecules of the invention are efficacious in reducing the inflammatory response and matrix deposition. These findings show that siRNAs can be successfully delivered both in vitro and in vivo to regulate the TGFβ type II receptor level and modulate wound response. Methods and compositions exploiting the findings of the present invention have a wide-ranging application, extending from treatment of disorders of the eye to other organs and tissues throughout the body.
US08067388B2

A pharmaceutical composition is provided for treatment and prevention of a disease caused by expression of a gene controlled by NF-κB or ets. The composition comprises at least one decoy and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The decoy is an NF-κB decoy, an ets decoy, or a chimera decoy of NF-κB and ets. The disease is cerebral aneurysm, cancer, Marfan's syndrome, aortic detachment, post-angioplasty restenosis, chronic articular rheumatism, asthma, atopic dermatitis, nephritis, renal failure, or plaque rupture. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier may be a hydrophilic polymer.
US08067387B2

The present invention relates to a method for stimulating angiogenesis using by DKK2 and composition comprising the same. The DKK2 protein of the present invention showed stimulating activities of tube formation on HUVEC, promoting activity of the sprouting of arterial circle tissues and promoting activity of vascular development in the embryo of mouse. Therefore, it can be used as the therapeutics or functional health food for treating and preventing ischemic disease.
US08067382B2

The invention relates to a novel formulation having the advantage of including triclabendazole in solution. In addition a further anthelmintic may be included. The formulation is made by mixing the abamectin and benzyl alcohol and mixing this with triclabendazole and butyl dioxitol. The mix is then heated to dissolve the active, and allowed to cool at which stage the solution is diluted to volume with PEG 4000. The present invention overcomes the solubility difficulties of triclabendazole and presents the triclabendazole in a solution.
US08067377B2

The present invention concerns methods and compositions for in vivo and in vitro targeting. A large number of targeting peptides directed towards human organs, tissues or cell types are disclosed. The peptides are of use for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents, including but not limited to gene therapy vectors. A novel class of gene therapy vectors is disclosed. Certain of the disclosed peptides have therapeutic use for inhibiting angiogenesis, inhibiting tumor growth, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting pregnancy or inducing weight loss. Methods of identifying novel targeting peptides in humans, as well as identifying endogenous receptor-ligand pairs are disclosed. Methods of identifying novel infectious agents that are causal for human disease states are also disclosed. A novel mechanism for inducing apoptosis is further disclosed.
US08067371B2

This invention provides methods, compositions and articles of manufacture for inhibiting the onset of and treating inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. The instant invention is based on the blockade of RAGE G82S function.
US08067367B2

A method of increasing hematopoietic stem cell production is disclosed. The method includes administering a TPO mimetic compound to a subject. Pharmaceutical compositions including a TPO mimetic compound and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier are also disclosed.
US08067354B2

[PROBLEMS] To provide a softening detergent composition capable of washing a fibrous manufactured article having softening ability, and at the same time allowing a clay mineral to be less likely to remain on clothes.
US08067352B2

The invention relates to an aqueous cleaning composition for use in a cleaning process during or after a chemical mechanical planarization for a copper integrated circuit processing, comprising 0.05 to 20 wt % of a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic organic base, 0.05 to 50 wt % of an alcohol amine, 0.01-10 wt % of a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and water. When used during or after the planarization process, the inventive cleaning composition of the invention can effectively remove residual contaminants from the surfaces of the wafers and simultaneously maintain a good surface roughness of the wafers.
US08067347B2

An oil-soluble lubricating oil additive composition prepared by the process which comprises reacting a copolymer, with at least one ether compound, with at least one aliphatic compound, and with at least one aromatic compound.
US08067320B2

There is provided by the present invention a spunbonded nonwoven fabric which is formed from fibers comprising a propylene-based polymer and has MFR of 65 to 150 g/10 min and a fineness of 0.01 to 1.5 deniers, wherein the basis weight is in the range of 5 to 40 g/m2 and the embossed area ratio is in the range of 6.5 to 25%.
US08067314B2

Disclosed are methods and devices for targeting CD of selected transistors in a semiconductor device. Varying CD is done by forming hard mask lines in a hard mask layer that have varying amounts of spacer material associated therewith. Hard mask lines corresponding to selected transistors are either left covered or uncovered by a resist applied over the hard mask layer. Then, spacer material is selectively removed from the hard mask lines to vary the width of hard mask lines and associated side wall spacers. A gate layer is then etched through the spaces in the hard mask lines to form gate lines having varying widths and targeted CD.
US08067305B2

Provided are methods for forming an electrically conductive structure of a desired three-dimensional shape on a substantially planar surface of a substrate, e.g., a semiconductor wafer. Typically, the particulate matter is deposited in a layer-by-layer manner and adhered to selected regions on the substrate surface. The particulate matter may be deposited to produce a mold for forming the structure and/or to produce the structure itself. A three-dimensional printer with associated electronic data may be used without the need of a lithographic mask or reticle.
US08067302B2

A method and apparatus for implanting a semiconductor substrate with boron clusters. A substrate is implanted with octadecaborane by plasma immersion or ion beam implantation. The substrate surface is then melted, resolidified, and annealed to completely dissociate and activate the boron clusters.
US08067296B2

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a thinned substrate of a semiconductor or semiconductor device is handled without cracks in the substrate and treated with heat to improve a contact between semiconductor back surface and metal in a high yield and a semiconductor device may be manufactured in a high yield. In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention, a notched part is formed from a surface to a middle in a semiconductor substrate by dicing and the surface of the substrate is fixed to a support base. Next, a back surface of the substrate is ground to thin the semiconductor substrate and then a metal electrode and a carbon film that is a heat receiving layer are sequentially formed on the back surface of the substrate. Next, the carbon film is irradiated with light at a power density of 1 kW/cm2 to 1 MW/cm2 for a short time of 0.01 ms to 10 ms to transfer heat from the carbon film and alloy an interface between a semiconductor and the metal electrode. Subsequently, the semiconductor substrate is separated at the notched part into pieces.
US08067285B2

In a method of forming a conductive layer structure and a method of manufacturing a recess channel transistor, a first insulating layer and a first conductive layer are sequentially formed on a substrate having a first region a second region and the substrate is exposed in a recess-forming area in the first region. A recess is formed in the recess-forming-area by etching the exposed region of the substrate. A second insulating layer is conformally formed on a sidewall and a bottom of the recess. A second conductive layer pattern is formed on the second insulating layer to fill up a portion of the recess. A spacer is formed on the second conductive layer pattern and on the second insulating layer on the sidewall of the recess. A third conductive layer pattern is formed on the second conductive layer pattern and the spacer to fill up the recess.
US08067283B2

A semiconductor device fabricating method is described. The semiconductor device fabricating method includes providing a substrate. A first gate insulating layer and a second gate insulating layer are formed on the substrate, respectively. A gate layer is blanketly formed. A portion of the gate layer, the first gate insulating layer and the second gate insulating layer are removed to form a first gate, a remaining first gate insulating layer, a second gate and a remaining second gate insulating layer. The remaining first gate insulating layer not covered by the first gate has a first thickness, and the remaining second gate insulating layer not covered by the second gate has a second thickness, wherein a ratio between the first thickness and the second thickness is about 10 to 20. A pair of first spacers and a pair of second spacers are formed on sidewalls of the first gate and the second gate, respectively.
US08067265B2

A process for manufacturing an electrical device, the process comprising the steps: providing a substrate; bringing a stamp into contact with the substrate whereby areas of the substrate contacted by the stamp have decreased wettability; and depositing a liquid comprising an electrically active material over areas of the substrate located between the areas of decreased wettability.
US08067252B2

According to one exemplary embodiment, a method for determining a power spectral density of an edge of at least one patterned feature situated over a semiconductor wafer includes measuring the edge of the at least one patterned feature at a number of points on the edge. The method further includes determining an autoregressive estimation of the edge of the at least one patterned feature using measured data corresponding to a number of points on the edge. The method further includes determining a power spectral density of the edge using autoregressive coefficients from the autoregressive estimation. The method further includes utilizing the power spectral density to characterize line edge roughness of the at least one patterned feature in a frequency domain.
US08067247B2

The invention relates to the use a BD16 and/or BB18 anti-CD100 antibody or of a chimeric or humanized or human form thereof, or a fragment thereof, for the therapy or diagnosis of a central nervous system disorder, more particularly a myelin disorder or a disease that affects oligodendrocytes, such as multiple sclerosis or HTLV-1 associated myelopathy or peripheral myelinating cells.
US08067231B2

Compositions useful for detecting Clostridial toxin activity comprising a cell that contains an exogenous Clostridial toxin substrate which comprises a fluorescent member, a membrane targeting domain and a Clostridial toxin recognition sequence comprising a cleavage site, where the cleavage site intervenes between the fluorescent member and the membrane targeting domain; and methods useful for determining Clostridial toxin activity using such Clostridial toxin substrates.
US08067230B2

Prostatic stem cells have been isolated. Benign prostatic hyperplasia and other proliferative diseases of the prostate may arise in prostatic stem cells. The prostatic stem cells are used as a research tool for studying cancer and other proliferative diseases of the prostate, and for developing diagnostics and therapeutics for proliferative diseases of the prostate. Antibodies to the antigens expressed by prostatic stem cells can be used as therapeutics or diagnostics or can be used to deliver therapeutic or diagnostic agents directly to the prostatic stem cells.
US08067225B2

The invention relates to a novel microalga species and to the use thereof for animal and/or human consumption and in the production of carotenoids. A novel strain of Scenedesmus has been isolated at the Las Palmerillas experimental station, Cajamar, identified as microorganisms that had not been previously registered by the University of Gottinghem and deposited within the Culture Collection of Alagae and Protozoa (CCAP) as Scenedesmus almeriensis. The novel strain, which can be used for animal and/or human consumption, produces large quantities of carotenoids, particularly lutein and beta-carotene. Scenedesmus almeriensis grows adequately in a wide range of temperatures from 10° C. to 40° C. at a pH of between 7 and 9.5 and can tolerate high concentrations of copper, up to 1 mg/L. The microalgal strain is grown in a 4000 L photobioreactor, into which the culture is inserted mechanically, and produces less than 4 mg of lutein per gram of dry material. Said strain is suitable for the production of carotenoids that can be used in the treatment of ocular macular disorders.
US08067224B2

Presenilin Associated Membrane Protein (PAMP), and nucleic acids encoding this protein, are provided. PAMP and PAMP nucleic acids provide diagnostic and therapeutic tools for evaluating and treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases. In a specific embodiment, mutations in PAMP are diagnostic for Alzheimer's Disease or spina bifida. The invention further relates to screening, particularly using high-throughput screens and transgenic animal models, for compounds that modulate the activity of PAMP and presenilins. Such compounds, or gene therapy with PAMP, can be used in treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's Disease. In addition, the invention provides PAMP mutants, nucleic acids encoding for PAMP mutants, and transgenic animals expressing PAMP mutants, which in a preferred aspect result in biochemical changes similar to those induced by mutations in βAPP, PS1, or PS2, associated with familial Alzheimer's disease.
US08067222B2

The invention is directed to polypeptides having pectate lyase (pectinase) activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. The polypeptides of the invention can be used as pectate lyases to catalyze the beta-elimination or hydrolysis of pectin and/or polygalacturonic acid, such as 1,4-linked alpha-D-galacturonic acid. The invention provides methods of treating fibers, fabrics or any pectate- or polygalacturonic acid-comprising material using one or more pectate lyases of the invention.
US08067216B2

In order to ensure consistently good maceration of biological material in an electroporation reactor, it is proposed to monitor the conductivity of the mixture therein and to detect any arcing which occurs therein. The results of such monitoring are used to modify the operating voltage of the electroporation reactor and/or the composition of the mixture located in the reactor channel.
US08067213B2

There is disclosed an improved poppy straw of a stably reproducing Papaver somniferum for the extraction of thebaine and/or oripavine, the threshed straw having thebaine and oripavine constituting about 50% by weight or greater of the alkaloid combination consisting of morphine, codeine, thebaine and oripavine.
US08067203B2

The present invention relates to an animal vaccine directed to progressive atrophic rhinitis (PAR), comprising at least two fragments of recombinant subunit Pasteurella multocida toxins (rsPMT) capable of eliciting the production of antibodies against Pasteurella multocida associated with PAR, and to a method for producing the animal vaccine of the invention, said fragments each having an amino acid sequence that substantially corresponds to the 2-486, 486-986 or 986-1281 amino acid residues of Pasteurella multocida toxin (PMT), respectively. Also disclosed is a multivalent animal vaccine, comprising said fragments as active components against PAR, and at least a pathogenic antigen or epitope thereof associated with other animal disease(s), such as inactivated gE-deleted Pseudorabies virus.
US08067191B2

Methods for detecting IL-16 biological activity, detecting modulation of IL-16 biological activity, and diagnosing the presence of or susceptibility of a subject to an IL-16-related disorder involve measuring and comparing the levels of RANTES proxy produced by eukaryotic cells, such as CD4+ and CD9+ cell lines, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, HuT-78 cells, and/or THP-1 cells.
US08067190B2

The invention provides new methods, means and uses in connection with detection, characterization and prognosis of colo-rectal cancer, via the identification of the SATB2 protein as a marker for this cancer type.
US08067186B2

The present application describes a monoclonal antibody selected from the group consisting of monoclonal antibody DS6, monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to the antigen or epitope bound by monoclonal antibody DS6, and fragments of the foregoing that specifically bind to the antigen or epitope bound by monoclonal antibody DS6. Methods of use of such antibodies and the isolated antigen bound by such antibodies are also described.
US08067183B2

This invention defines novel research methodology for use in (a) monitoring the ongoing status of the physiological expression of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and (b) screening candidate therapeutic drug agents for possible effectiveness. The presence of this neurodegenerative disease can be characterized in part by the expression in cultured fibroblasts obtained from the patient of one or more proteins which are not the product of a defective disease-inducing gene, but which are stress proteins, one or more other proteins modified by conditions of oxidative stress or other disease-related proteins. This candidate drug screening technology offers advantages in terms of (a) providing new research opportunities, (b) cost effectiveness, (c) ability to be used readily on a large scale, (d) ability to generate meaningful data in a comparatively short period of time, and (e) providing an opportunity to obtain information based on direct interaction of a candidate drug and a living tissue disease model.
US08067177B2

Methods are provided for amplification and monitoring of oligonucleotide amplification in which a primer has an overlap with one or more bases of a detection probe.
US08067166B2

The invention provides methods and compositions for diagnosing risk of low BMD and risk of osteoporosis based on the detection of SNP identity for human chromosome 1p36 polymorphisms designated in the NCBI SNP database (dbSNP) as rs2794328, rs446529, rs397559 and rs1802353.
US08067165B2

Binary probe and clamp compositions conduct methods for target hybridization detection. Where the probe is a substrate for exonuclease cleavage, the composition provides quantitation and detection of PCR products, by real-time and end-point measurements. Where the probe is an amplification primer, the composition provides an improved method for labelling and detection of PCR products. Probes and clamps may be labelled with fluorescent dyes, quenchers, hybridization-stabilizing moieties, chemiluminescent dyes, and affinity ligands. Clamps may be nucleic acid analogs, such as 2-aminoethylglycine PNA.
US08067162B2

The present invention provides a primer that effectively can detect, for example, the double helix structure of a nucleic acid. The primer is a labeled nucleic acid containing at least one structure represented by the following formula (16), where B is an atomic group having a nucleobase skeleton, E is an atomic group having a deoxyribose skeleton, a ribose skeleton, or a structure derived from either one of them, or an atomic group having a peptide structure or a peptoid structure, and Z11 and Z12 are each an atomic group that exhibits fluorescence and are identical to or different from each other.
US08067156B2

Sequences are provided that are capable of directing circular adeno-associated virus replication, useful in vectors for providing therapeutic agents to a subject in need thereof. The vectors of the invention are particularly useful in the treatment of acute medical conditions requiring rapid gene expression. Further provided are methods for producing packaged defective viral vectors.
US08067150B2

A method for rapid, in-situ flushing of organs of a non-heart beating donor, and solutions for carrying out the flushing, are provided. The method initiates organ preservation, and the solutions are formulated to counteract basic mechanisms of ischemic cell injury, and to activate known biochemical survival pathways in the cell. Viability of the organ for transplant is thus maintained.
US08067149B2

A method for processing and preserving an acellular collagen-based tissue matrix for transplantation is disclosed. The method includes the steps of processing biological tissues with a stabilizing solution to reduce procurement damage, treatment with a processing solution to remove cells, treatment with a cryoprotectant solution followed by freezing, drying, storage and rehydration under conditions that preclude functionally significant damage and reconstitution with viable cells.
US08067145B2

A developing solution includes at least one of a compound represented by formula (I) and a compound represented by formula (II) and being at pH 2 to 10: wherein, in the formula (I) and (II), R1 to R10 each independently represent one of a hydrogen atom an alkyl group; “l” represents an integer of 1 to 3; and X1 and X2 each independently represent one of a sulfonate salt, a sulfate monoester salt, a carboxylate salt and a phosphate salt, provided that the total sum of the carbon atoms in R1 to R5 and the total sum of the carbon atoms in R6 to R10, respectively is 3 or more.
US08067141B2

A carrier is provided including a core and a resin layer located overlying the core, wherein the carrier has a weight average particle diameter (Dw) of from 22 to 50 μm, a ratio (Dw/Dp) of the weight average particle diameter (Dw) to a number average particle diameter (Dp) of from 1 to 1.30, a shape factor SF-1 of from 100 to 120, and a shape factor SF-2 of from 100 to 120, and wherein the carrier comprises core particles satisfying the following relationship 0.52<(d/D)<1.0 in an amount of from 0 to 10,000 ppm by number: wherein D (μm) represents a diameter of a circle having the same area as that of a projected image of a core particle and d (μm) represents a diameter of a circle having the same area as that of a projected image of a maximum hollow present in the core particle.
US08067126B2

A fuel cell, a method for operating a fuel cell and a fuel cell system, which ensure no dew condensation for a wet reaction gas in the inlet area of gas channels in plates in a fuel cell stack, are provided. Gas channels 2 and heat medium channels are disposed on one surface and the other surface of one plate 1, respectively. Gas channels are disposed on the other plate such that they face the gas channels 2 in the plate 1. A gas inlet header 3 is disposed at the upper part of the gas channel 2 in the plate 1 and a heat medium inlet header is disposed at the upper part of the heat medium channels such that they face the gas inlet header on the other side. Cooling water such as heat medium is supplied from the heat medium supply manifold hole 7 to the heat medium inlet header, thereby warming up the same. The water vapor in the reaction gas (wet fuel gas) is prevented from being condensed in the inlet area of the gas channels 2 by heating up the gas inlet header by the heat conduction.
US08067124B2

A fuel cell system for removing sulfur compounds adsorbed on the surfaces of a catalyst. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell in which a plurality of unit cells, each having an electrolyte membrane held between electrode catalyst layers, are stacked, and a control device for recovering catalytic activity of the electrode catalyst layers by increasing an amount of water discharged from the electrode catalyst layers to a predetermined amount or more.
US08067120B2

The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention includes a positive electrode containing a lithium-containing transition metal oxide as a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode, a separator interposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The non-aqueous electrolyte includes a non-aqueous solvent and a solute dissolved therein, and the non-aqueous solvent includes a solvent having an electron-withdrawing substituent. The solvent having an electron-withdrawing substituent includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a sulfonic solvent, a nitrile solvent, a ketonic solvent, a fluorine-containing solvent, a chlorine-containing solvent and a carboxylic acid ester solvent. The separator includes a material containing an electron-withdrawing substituent or an atom having an unshared electron pair.
US08067118B2

A mixed positive electrode active material is used. The mixed positive electrode active material is obtained by mixing a layered oxide whose initial charge-discharge efficiency when lithium metal is used for a counter electrode is less than 100% (hereinafter referred to as a first layered oxide) and a layered oxide whose initial charge-discharge efficiency is 100% or more (hereinafter referred to as a second layered oxide). Examples of the first layered oxide include Li1+aMnxCoyNizO2. A sodium oxide such as LiANaBMnXCoYNiZO2 other than a layered compound from which lithium is previously extracted by acid treatment or the like can be used as the second layered oxide whose initial charge-discharge efficiency is 100% or more. A layered oxide obtained by replacing (ion exchange) sodium in the foregoing LiANaBMnXCoYNiZO2 with lithium can be also used as the second layered oxide.
US08067116B2

Disclosed are an electrode active material, having a composition of SnPx (0.9≦x≦0.98), an electrode comprising the same, and a lithium secondary battery comprising the electrode. Also disclosed is a method for preparing an electrode active material having a composition of SnPx (0.9≦x≦0.98), the method comprising the steps of: preparing a mixed solution of a Sn precursor, trioctyl phosphine (TOP) and trioctyl phosphine oxide (TOPO); and heating the solution. The application of the teardrop-shaped single-crystal SnP0-94 particles as an anode active material for lithium secondary batteries can provide an anode having very excellent cycling properties because the active material has a reversible capacity, which is about two times as large as that of a carbon anode, along with a very low irreversible capacity, and it is structurally very stable against Li ion intercalation/deintercalation in a charge/discharge process, indicating little or no change in the volume thereof.
US08067113B2

A polymer battery module packaging sheet includes, as essential components, a base layer (61), an aluminum layer (62), chemical conversion coatings (64a, 64b) coating the opposite surfaces of the aluminum layer (62), and an innermost layer (63). The chemical conversion coatings (64a, 64b) are formed by processing the opposite surfaces of the aluminum layer (62) by a phosphate treatment method. The base layer (61) and the innermost layer (63) are bonded to the chemical conversion coatings (64a, 64b) of the aluminum layer (62) with adhesive layers (65a, 65b), respectively.
US08067110B2

A sorbent media protective device includes an enclosure having a gas inlet, gas outlet and a thin-film multilayer indicator. The thin-film multilayer indicator is proximate sorbent media that can sorb a vapor of interest flowing from the gas inlet towards the gas outlet. The indicator includes a porous detection layer whose optical thickness changes in the presence of the vapor, located between a semireflective layer and a reflective layer permeable to the vapor. With equilibration at the applied vapor concentration between at least a portion of the media and the vapor, the vapor can pass through the reflective layer into the detection layer and change the detection layer optical thickness sufficiently to cause a visibly discernible change in the indicator appearance if viewed through the semireflective layer.
US08067101B2

This invention relates to a capacitor electrode which includes porous layers made of a fiber and/or a whisker containing crystal tungsten oxides. The tungsten oxide fiber and/or whisker contain W18O49 as a main ingredient. The tungsten oxide fiber and/or whisker are made on a substrate. When manufacturing the capacitor electrode the substrate or its precursor is heated in vacuo or in an inactive containing a minute amount of oxygen, thereby completing the fiber and/or whisker.
US08067096B2

There is provided an electrode material for electrolytic capacitor that attains an unprecedentedly high capacitance. The electrode material for electrolytic capacitor comprises a layer of valve metal particles furnished on the surface thereof with an oxide film, the layer having a porosity of 20 to 60% and a specific surface area of 30×103 to 400×103 cm2/cm3, wherein the valve metal particles are mixed together, with the particle diameters exhibiting a given distribution at least within the range of 0.005 to 0.1 μm, and form a base material surface, and wherein the valve metal consists of aluminum, and wherein the composition ratio of Al/O of the layer of valve metal particles furnished on the surface thereof with the oxide film is within the range of 2.0 to 5.5. The electrode material thus realizes high capacitance.
US08067091B2

A method for preparing resin-impregnated graphite articles, including providing a sheet of compressed particles of exfoliated graphite having two major surfaces; impregnating the sheet with a first resin system to form a resin-impregnated sheet; surface treating the resin-impregnated sheet to form at least one structure on at least one of the major surfaces of the sheet to form a surface treated sheet; and treating the sheet with a second resin system.
US08067082B2

A white film including polymer film wherein both the thermal shrinkage rate in the longitudinal direction and that in the transverse direction of the film are not less than −0.2% and not more than 0.5% at 90° C., and a backlight for liquid crystal displays using such a white film. Since the white film hardly suffers from undulation or rise in its end portions, it is most suitable as a reflection film for backlights of liquid crystal displays. Since a backlight for liquid crystal displays using this white film can be used for a long time, it is applicable to liquid crystal displays of various electrical/electronic devices.
US08067081B2

A screen includes: a reflection surface which reflects projection light, wherein a plurality of convexes are disposed on the reflection surface, and each of the convexes contains a spherical surface having a ¼ spherical shape, a curved surface having curvature larger than curvature of the spherical surface and disposed along an end of the spherical surface, and a cover surface having a flat surface shape and disposed at an end of the curved surface.
US08067077B2

There are disclosed methods of making RFID transponder webs and intermediate webs such as RFID strap webs and antenna webs, as well as such webs per se.
US08067064B2

A process for making a faux finish with a two-part reactive system of materials includes providing a base material liquid of Poly Vinyl Acetate resin and water mixed with a dry powder functional filler and adding an activator liquid to the base material liquid. The activating liquid is a mixture of water and muriate of potash or boric acid product.
US08067062B2

A platinum-based nano catalyst supported carbon nano tube electrode and a manufacturing method thereof, more particularly to a manufacturing method of a carbon nano tube electrode and a carbon nano tube electrode supported with the platinum-based catalyst by growing the carbon nano tube on the surface of the carbon paper and using a CVD method on the surface of the carbon nano tube. By growing the carbon nano tube directly, the broad surface area and excellent electric conductivity of the carbon nano tube can be utilized maximally, and especially, the nano catalyst particles with minute sizes on the surface of the carbon nano tube by using the CVD method as a supporting method of the platinum-based catalyst on the surface of the carbon nano tube, the amount of the platinum can be minimized and still shows an efficient catalyst effect and by improving the catalyst activity by increasing the distribution, so academic and industrial application in the future is highly expected.
US08067060B2

A polymer layer is deposited on a surface of a support, said surface comprising a flat main part and at least one recessed zone with respect to the flat main part. The polymer layer is achieved by at least the following successive steps: deposition of a predetermined quantity of a liquid mixture comprising at least a polymer or at least a precursor of said polymer on the flat main part of the surface of the support, introducing at least a part of the liquid mixture into the recessed zone by moving a cylinder placed on the flat main part of the surface, deposition of an additional quantity of liquid mixture on the flat main part of the surface, and rotation of the support along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the surface.
US08067059B2

Novel hydrophobic composites, particularly hydrophobic particulates and free-flowing hydrophobic aggregates and methods utilizing same are disclosed.
US08067057B2

A dispenser for a liquid crystal display panel includes a syringe having a nozzle provided at an end thereof, a body in which the syringe is mounted, a vertical driving stepping motor for moving the body in a vertical direction, a first sensor for detecting whether the nozzle of the syringe is in contact with a substrate, a second sensor for detecting a gap distance between the nozzle and the substrate, and a main unit for controlling the vertical driving stepping motor in response to an output from the second sensor to obtain a desired gap distance between the nozzle and the substrate.
US08067056B2

The invention relates to a method for producing tamper-proof identification elements, and to tamper-proof identification elements produced according to said method and consisting respectively of at least one layer (2) reflecting electromagnetic waves (3), a spacer layer, and a layer consisting of metallic clusters (4). According to said method, a partial or all-over layer reflecting electromagnetic waves is applied to a carrier substrate (1), followed by at least one partial and/or all-over polymer layer having a defined thickness (3), and a layer consisting of metallic clusters which is produced by means of a method using vacuum technology or from systems based on solvents is then applied to said spacer layer(s).
US08067045B2

Nutritional formulations and methods for imparting positive health benefits to a subject are disclosed and described. In particular, methods and nutritional formulations for providing increased absorption of antioxidants are taught. In some aspects, the nutritional formulation can include Gac fruit extract in combination with at least one other antioxidant. Such nutritional formulations can in some respects produce enhanced or synergistic results with respect to the amount of antioxidants absorbed by a subject.
US08067036B2

Gnetum extract which can be obtained from Gnetum fruit or Gnetum seeds that provide antimicrobial action and antioxidative effect (radical scavenging action) without carrying out special operation. The relevant Gnetum extract has various physiological (pharmacological) actions and can be used as active ingredients of foods , nourishments (nutritional supplements), medicines, cosmetics, etc. In addition, Gnetum extract is obtained by immersing sliced or ground Gnetum fruit or Gnetum seeds in water or water containing organic solvent and aging.
US08067035B2

Described herein are chlorite formulations having a pH between about 7 and about 8.5, wherein the chlorite formulations are substantially free of deleterious non-chlorite components. Described herein are chlorite formulations, including pharmaceutical formulations, which are formulated for systemic, parenteral, or intravenous administration. Described herein are methods of preparing and methods of using the chlorite formulations described herein.
US08067034B2

Disclosed are agents for phase-adjusting or enhancing the amplitude of an endogenous melatonin secretion rhythm and for improving a circadian rhythm, as well as functional food containing such an agent, which may prevent or ameliorate various symptoms, such as sleep disorder or prolonged sleep latency. The agent contains whey as the active component.
US08067016B2

The present invention relates to fusion proteins containing at least two Mycobacterium species antigens. In particular, it relates to nucleic acids encoding fusion proteins that include two or more individual M. tuberculosis antigens, which increase serological sensitivity of sera from individuals infected with tuberculosis, and methods for their use in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tuberculosis infection.
US08067014B2

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) capsid proteins are provided. Methods for generating the recombinant adeno-associated viral capsid proteins and a library from which the capsids are selected are also provided.
US08066996B2

Antibodies, or antigen-binding fragment thereof, which bind to a CCR7 receptor are capable of selectively killing, impairing migration and/or blocking dissemination of tumor cells expressing a CCR7 receptor. Use of said antibodies for killing or for inducing apoptosis of said tumor is disclosed, thus providing an alternative therapy for treatment of cancer which tumor cells express a CCR7 receptor.
US08066995B2

Anti-myostatin antibodies are identified that are characterized as having high affinity and may be chimeric, humanized or fully human antibodies, immunoconjugates of the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof. The antibodies of the invention are useful for increasing muscle mass, increasing bond density, or for the treatment of various disorders in mammalian and avian species, X17251.
US08066983B2

A novel and stable attenuated poliovirus, which replicates in neuroblastoma cells, is produced by engineering an indigenous replication element (cre), into the 5′ non-translated genomic region and inactivating the native cre element located in the coding region of 2C (mono-crePV). The stably attenuated poliovirus replicates in a neuroblastoma model (Neuro-2aCD155 tumors) expressing CD155, the poliovirus receptor, and is effective for oncolytic treatment and cure of solid tumors, such as neuroblastoma.
US08066974B2

The present invention relates to a class of compounds and to diagnostic compositions containing such compounds where the compounds are iodine containing compounds. More specifically the iodine containing compounds are chemical compounds containing an aliphatic central moiety containing urea or urethane functions allowing for the arrangement of three iodinated phenyl groups bound thereto. The invention also relates to the use of such diagnostic compositions as contrast agents in diagnostic imaging and in particular in X-ray imaging and to contrast media containing such compounds.
US08066965B2

A process is disclosed for recycling carbon dioxide emissions from a fossil-fuel power plant into useful carbonated species The process primarily comprises the steps of: a) burning the fossil fuel, thereby generating heat and a hot exhaust gas containing CO2; and b) converting the heat into energy. The process is characterized in that it further comprises the steps of: c) cooling the exhaust gas; and d) biologically transforming the CO2 contained in the cooled exhaust gas into carbonated species, thereby obtaining a low CO2 exhaust gas and producing useful carbonated species. The low CO2 exhaust gas obtained in step d) can be released in the atmosphere without increasing the problem of greenhouse effect.
US08066964B2

A modified graphite oxide material contains a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 m2/g to 2600 m2/g, wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide displays no signature of the original graphite and/or graphite oxide, as determined by X-ray diffraction.
US08066963B2

The exhaust gas of internal combustion engines operated with a predominantly stoichiometric air/fuel mixture contains, as well as the gaseous hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollutants, also ultrafine particulates. There is disclosed a catalytically active particulate filter, an exhaust gas cleaning system and a process for cleaning the exhaust gases of predominantly stoichiometrically operated internal combustion engines, as well as the gaseous CO, HC and NOx pollutants, also for removing particulates from the exhaust gas. The particulate filter comprises a filter body and a catalytically active coating consisting of two layers. Both layers contain alumina. The first layer contains palladium. The second layer contains rhodium. The latter is disposed above the first layer.
US08066959B2

An automatic analyzer capable of performing analysis in terms of a number of analysis items with high reliability through a simple operation. The automatic analyzer comprises a probe adapted to be moved on a circular arc path and capable of sucking or discharging a sample or reagent, a plurality of sample containers disposed at different positions on the path of the probe and containing different analyte samples, and a rotor capable of carrying a plurality of reagent cartridges. Each of the reagent cartridges comprises a photometric cuvette that is empty when not in use, and a reagent cuvette in which a reagent used for a particular analysis item is hermetically sealed. A two-dimensional code with information regarding the analyte type and analysis conditions, for example, is affixed to the reagent cartridge. The two-dimensional code information is read by a reading unit. Based on the information read from the reagent cartridge, a control unit identifies the sample container in which a analyte sample required by a particular reagent cartridge is contained, and causes the probe to be moved to that sample container. The sample in the sample container is sucked and then discharged into the photometric cuvette of the reagent cartridge. The control unit also causes the probe to suck the reagent in the reagent cuvette of the reagent cartridge and then causes the reagent to be discharged into the photometric cuvette.
US08066954B2

A plug flow reactor having an inner shell 27 surrounded by outer shell 21 and having at least one annular flow passage 35 therebetween can be used to prepare compositions, including polymers. The plug flow reactor also includes inlet port 36, an outlet port 37 and a plurality of exchanger tubes 26 wherein the exchanger tubes are in fluid communication to the at least one annular flow passage. Polystyrene and high impact polystyrene can be prepared using the reactor.
US08066953B2

Apparatus and method for hydrolyzing biological material for safe disposal thereof without the necessity of incineration or use of disinfectants are described. An alkaline solution having a concentration and an amount effective for hydrolyzing the biological material is brought into contact therewith by means of rotating paddles which both pound the biological material into small pieces and thoroughly mix the alkaline solution with the material under pressure and at elevated temperature. Following the hydrolysis of the biological material, a chosen portion of the water is removed from the alkaline solution and from the liquefied biological material, such that the resulting product solidifies when cooled. The present safe disposal of the biological material does not require incineration thereof, the addition of disinfectants thereto, or the discharge of liquid effluent containing processed biological material into the sewage system.
US08066940B2

Simultaneous application of ozone and ultraviolet light (UV185 and UV254) in water to be purified will create hydroxyl radicals, which combination will cause conversion of AS (III) that may be present to As (V), oxidation of inorganic matter such as manganese, sulfur, phosphorus and organic matter and provide virucidal and germicidal effects to purify the water.
US08066934B2

The present invention relates to a process of production of polyamide compounds with natural fibers and polyamide compounds with natural fibers, establishes the fact of using natural fiber to obtain a compound with mechanical properties close to the one obtained with inorganic loads by means of continuous process with extrusion and molding by injection process; the processes presented allows the obtainment, by means of injection, of finished products with precise dimensional and complex features; the fact that the compound with natural Curauá fiber presenting suitable mechanical properties combined to a lesser density than the compound with inorganic load is interesting to the automotive industry as vehicles manufactured with lighter parts consume less fuel.
US08066932B2

Apparatus and methods for fabricating nanofibers by reactive electrospinning are described. An electrospinning process is coupled with an in-line reactor where chemical or photochemical reactions take place. This invention expands the application of the electrospinning and allows the production of nanofibers of crosslinked polymers and other new materials, such as gel nanofibers of ceramic precursors.
US08066930B2

The present invention is directed to a method of forming an imprinting layer on a substrate including high resolution features, and transferring the features into a solidified region of the substrate. Desired thickness of the residual layer may be minimized in addition to visco-elastic behavior of the material.
US08066918B2

The invention provides an apparatus for producing molecular membranes or particles, having a) a fluid supplying member configured to store a fluid, b) a plunger unit configured to extrude the fluid from the fluid supplying member, and c) an emulsifier holding member having at least two or more through-holes for holding an emulsifier, the through-holes allowing the fluid extruded from the fluid supplying member to pass therethrough, the emulsifier holding member being attachable to and detachable from the fluid supplying member.
US08066916B2

The present invention relates to lithium secondary batteries and more specifically to positive electrode materials operating at potentials greater than 2.8 V vs. Li+/Li in non-aqueous electrochemical cells. In particular, the invention relates to crystalline nanometric olivine-type LiFe1-xMxPO4 powder with M is Co and/or Mn, and 0
US08066913B2

The present invention relates to Li—Ni composite oxide particles for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell which have a large charge/discharge capacity, an excellent packing density and excellent storage performance. The Li—Ni composite oxide particles for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell which have a composition represented by the formula: LixNi1-y-zCoyAlz02 in which 0.9
US08066898B2

A surface treatment solution for finely processing a glass substrate containing multiple ingredients is used for the construction of liquid crystal-based or organic electroluminescence-based flat panel display devices without invoking crystal precipitation and/or increasing surface roughness. An etching solution of the invention contains, in addition to hydrofluoric acid (HF) and ammonium fluoride (NH4F), at least one acid whose dissociation constant is larger than that of HF. The concentration of the acid in the solution can advantageously be adjusted to maximize the etching rate.
US08066897B2

A method for manufacturing a current perpendicular to plane magnetoresistive sensor that allows for dynamic adjustment of free layer biasing to compensate for variations in thickness of an electrically insulating layer that separates the hard bias layers from the free layer. During fabrication of the sensor, the actual thickness of the insulation layers is measured. Then, to maintain a desired magnetic stabilization of the free layer one of three options can be utilized. Option one; adjust the stripe height target to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization. Option two; adjust the hard magnet thickness to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization. Option three; use a combination of option one and option two, adjusting both the stripe height target and the hard magnet thickness to maintain the desired magnetic stabilization.
US08066894B2

A substrate can be appropriately oxidized, while oxidation of the substrate can be suppressed.The present invention includes a step of generating mixed plasma by causing a mixed gas of hydrogen (H2) gas and oxygen (O2) or oxygen-containing gas supplied to a processing chamber to form a plasma discharge, and processing the starting substrate by the mixed plasma; and a step of generating hydrogen plasma by causing hydrogen (H2) gas supplied to the processing chamber to form a plasma discharge, and processing the substrate by the hydrogen plasma.
US08066884B2

The present invention relates to a process for the purification of water by adding surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate or an aqueous suspension comprising surface-reacted calcium carbonate and having a pH greater than 6.0 measured at 20° C., to the medium, wherein the surface-reacted calcium carbonate is a reaction product of natural calcium carbonate with carbon dioxide and one or more acids and the use of the surface-reacted natural calcium carbonate for this process.
US08066882B2

A method for packing a media bed in a column (3) from a slurry being a dispersion of said media particles and a liquid, said method comprising the steps of: a) estimating a slurry concentration; b) filling the column (3) with a certain volume of the slurry from a slurry tank (13) connected to the column; c) packing a test media bed from the slurry; d) detecting where the test media bed is consolidated; e) use the information about the consolidated test media bed height for providing to the column an amount of slurry that after further packing will give a user target bed height; f) packing a media bed from the slurry.
US08066874B2

An apparatus for treating an aqueous solution containing arsenic. The apparatus comprises a container that includes a housing, an inlet located at a first end of the housing and an outlet located at a second end opposite the first end. An outer wall extends between the first and second ends and enclosing a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet and an arsenic fixing agent is disposed in the fluid flow path. The arsenic fixing agent can include an insoluble rare earth-containing compound, more specifically, a compound comprising one or more of cerium, lanthanum, or praseodymium. The inlet and the outlet are adapted to be closed during transport and storage. The container is adapted to be sealed for long term disposal after exposure to an aqueous solution containing arsenic.
US08066871B2

A hydraulic filter includes a canister extending along the longitudinal axis. A closed end cap is at one end of the canister for closing one end thereof. A removable filter element is contained within the canister and a modular one-piece input end cap is at an end of the canister. The one-piece input end cap includes a hydraulic input chamber and a hydraulic output chamber which can be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. The one-piece input end cap also allows for sensors to be positioned in any one of three mutually perpendicular directions. In addition, the one-piece input end cap can be utilized in base-ported or top-ported configurations while also allowing for side-to-side or side-to-end configurations.
US08066870B2

A system for separating hydrocarbons from a solid source including a primary separation tank including a first hydrocarbon removing device to remove hydrocarbons from a slurry of water and solids. Further, the system including a transfer device between the primary separation tank and a secondary separation tank, wherein the transfer device is configured to transfer solids from the slurry to the secondary separation tank. Further still, the system including a second hydrocarbon removal device, a fine particle separation device to remove remaining solids in the secondary separation tank, and a product collection tank to receive hydrocarbons removed from the primary and secondary separation tanks.
US08066866B2

Electrochemical measurement techniques for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a physiological fluid sample are described. More particularly, the present invention relates to techniques for distinguishing a signal caused by an extraneous event from a desired information providing signal such as one indicative of a measurement error.
US08066843B2

The invention relates to a seamless hybrid gasket and the method of making the same. The gasket includes a unitary polymer construction and an insert for enhanced pressure resistance, reduced stress to seal, improved thermal cycling performance and structural support.
US08066839B2

Methods of making adhesive articles providing air egress by supplying a route for the air to flow out from under the construction are described. One method includes providing a release liner comprising a moldable layer having a release surface and a back surface; applying a first pattern of a first non-adhesive material to a first portion of the release surface; applying a second pattern of a second non-adhesive material to a second portion of the release surface, wherein the second pattern partially overlaps the first pattern; embedding at least one of the first or second non-adhesive materials into the moldable layer; and transferring an adhesive layer having a front and back surface and end edges onto the release liner, wherein the front surface of the adhesive layer is adhered to the release surface of the release liner.
US08066836B2

Continuous pultrusion of prepreg material systems is provided. A prepreg material, comprising fibers infiltrated with a partially cured resin, is introduced into a pultrusion die with a barrier layer between surfaces of the prepreg material and facing inner surfaces of the die. The prepreg material and the barrier layers are continuously pulled through the pultrusion die. The barrier layer is removed from each surface of the prepreg material after exiting the die.
US08066832B2

A delay composition for a detonator or delay device. The composition comprising a mixture of silicon and barium sulfate, and an amount of red lead in the range of about 3 to 15%, and preferably 6 to 12%, by weight of the mixture. The invention also relates to a delay element comprising a rigid metal tube containing the delay composition, and a delay device incorporating the delay element.
US08066825B2

A (CoFe)Zr/Nb/Ta/Hf based target material is provided which is capable of achieving a high sputtering efficiency and a high sputtering effect by increasing the leakage magnetic flux in the magnetron sputtering, and a method for producing the target material. This target material is made of an Fe—Co based alloy comprising not less than 80 atomic % in total of Fe and Co having an Fe:Co atomic ratio of 80:20 to 0:100, and less than 20 atomic % of one or more selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, Nb and Ta. The Fe—Co based alloy comprises a Co—Fe phase being a ferromagnetic phase, and the one or more selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, Nb and Ta are incorporated in solid solution form into the Co—Fe phase in a total amount of 0.5 to 2 atomic %.
US08066819B2

Water-free, gaseous sulfur trioxide is used as an agent to remove various organic coatings, films, layers and residues from the surface of a substrate when used in conjunction with certain other physical and chemical treatments applied at the appropriate time during the process.
US08066818B2

A detergent multi-compartment pouch having a plurality of water-soluble films forming a plurality of compartments the pouch comprising two side-by-side compartments superposed onto another compartment wherein at least two different compartments contain two different compositions.
US08066817B2

Methods and apparatus for reducing deposits from a petroleum flow line are disclosed. An embodiment of an apparatus for removing deposits from a petroleum flow line may include a pipe capable of being attached to a petroleum flow line. The pipe may have a pipe axis that defines a direction for fluid flow in the petroleum flow line. The apparatus may also include a first and a second field winding circumferentially disposed around the pipe, and an electric wave generator adapted to electrically communicate an electric wave to the first field winding and the second field winding. In response to the electric wave, the first field winding is adapted to produce a first magnetic field having a first magnetic axis and the second field winding is adapted to produce a second magnetic field having a second magnetic axis. The first magnetic axis may be noncollinear with respect to the second magnetic axis, and at least the first magnetic axis may be noncollinear with respect to the pipe axis.
US08066816B2

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning measuring probes (18) of a gas turbine engine (1). The invention further relates to a method for cleaning measuring probes (18) of an gas turbine engine (1). The apparatus comprises distribution means (30) comprising a plurality of supply means (31, 32, 33), each comprising connection means (33) arranged for connection to a probe (18), and each supply means (31, 32, 33) being arranged to, when connected to a probe (18), distribute pressurized cleaning liquid to said measuring probe (18), wherein a substantially simultaneous cleaning of probes connected to said distribution means (30) via said supply means (31, 32, 33) can be obtained.
US08066813B2

A method of making a cementitious composition comprises (a) selecting at least one pozzolanic particulate material; (b) selecting and grinding at least one feldspar material to a fineness of at least 3000 Blaine; (c) mixing calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide with gypsum; (d) mixing the ground feldspar with the lime-gypsum mixture to produce an activator; (e) conditioning the pozzolanic particulate material with an aqueous solution; (f) adding the activator to the conditioned material to produce a slurry; and (g) curing the slurry in a sealed container. The pozzolanic particulate material can be slag, fly ash, or siliceous rock. A cementitious composition of the invention comprises a pozzolanic particulate material, a ground feldspar material, a lime compound and gypsum, and uses readily available materials, as an economic replacement for Portland cement, fly ash or other materials in filling, backfilling and paving, particularly for backfilling or stabilizing mine sites.
US08066809B2

Reactive dyes of formula wherein R1 and R2 independently of one another are hydrogen or unsubstituted or substituted C1-C4alkyl, D is a radical of a diazo component of the formula X1 and X2 independently of one another are halogen, T is a fiber-reactive radical of the formula (R3)0-2 denotes from 0 to 2 identical or different substituents from the group halogen, C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy and sulfo, Z is vinyl or a —CH2—CH2—U radical and U is a group that is removable under alkaline conditions, Q is a —CH(Hal)-CH2-Hal or —C(Hal)=CH2 group, Hal is halogen, n is the number 0, 1 or 2, and m and q are independently of one another the number 0 or 1, are suitable for dyeing cellulosic or amide-group-containing fiber materials.
US08066804B2

A scrubber for separation of liquid phase and any other constituents from a fluid now that in substance includes a gas. The scrubber is formed as a standing vessel with round cross section, with an outlet for liquid from the bottom and an outlet for gas from the top. The scrubber is distinguished in includes a fluid inlet that either is tangentially oriented relative to the inner wall of the scrubber or equipped with a deflection plate, such that introduced fluid is directed tangentially horizontal or with a small downward slope along the inner wall of the scrubber, into and through a fluid way arranged as a downwards directed spiral within the scrubber, along the inner wall, from a level over or at the inlet to a level at or close to the outlet for liquid, with an opening for gas escape inwards toward the center of the scrubber. The scrubber according to the invention results in very low liquid entrainment.
US08066799B2

The present disclosure relates to a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer. Such high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers are useful in forming crosslinked polymer membranes for the separation of fluid mixtures. According to its broadest aspect, the method of making a crosslinked membrane comprises the following steps: (a) preparing a polyimide polymer comprising carboxylic acid functional groups from a reaction solution comprising monomers and at least one solvent; (b) treating the polyimide polymer with a diol at esterification conditions in the presence of dehydrating conditions to form a monoesterified polyimide polymer; and (c) subjecting the monoesterified fiber to transesterification conditions to form a crosslinked fiber membrane, wherein the dehydrating conditions at least partially remove water produced during step (b). The crosslinked membranes can be used to separate at least one component from a feed stream including more than one component.
US08066793B2

Dry fertilizers of biologically degraded crushed minerals such as limestone, rock, or rock phosphate together with micro-organisms, including one or more selected supplementary trace elements, are described. Minerals, some sawdust, an inoculum, and nutrients or other protein material, including bound selected micro-elements or trace elements are stored under aerobic conditions for some weeks during thermophilic biological degradation. The resolution fertilizer releases the macro-elements and micro-elements over a long period of time. The microelements are include within a biomass of micro-organism (5-6% carbon in the resulting fertilizer) and are more effective in remedying plan or animal deficiencies than if administered as inorganic salts. Furthermore this fertilizer avoids leaching of mineral including phosphate (phosphorus) and microelements into groundwater, streams, rivers or lakes.
US08066785B2

The present invention provides a process which utilizes biodiesel and other high boiling esters containing short alkyl groups to produce liquid fuels from waste material. The waste material is added to a solvent having a predetermined cycle starting solvent volume. An energy source is introduced into the solvent for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature and pressure to form a non-grindable product. The energy source is removed and the product is cooled to a predetermined temperature to produce the fuel. The invention also encompasses the fuel formed by the process described.
US08066782B2

The invention relates to the dyeing of keratin fibres using azomethine direct dyes or precursors of azomethine dyes obtained from 2-alkylresorcinols. The invention relates to a dye composition comprising at least one azomethine direct dye or pre-cursor of an azomethine direct dye, to a process for dyeing keratin fibres, using the said composition, and to their uses in the dyeing of keratin fibres. This composition allows a particularly stable and fast coloration to be obtained.
US08066764B2

A vascular stent comprising a drug-eluting outer layer of a porous sputtered columnar metal having each column capped with a biocompatible carbon-containing material is described. This is done by placing the stent over a close-fitting mandrel and rotating the assembly in a sputter flux. The result is a coating that is evenly distributed over the outward-facing side of the stent's wire mesh while preventing the sputtered columnar coating from reaching the inward facing side where a smooth hemocompatible surface is required. The stent is then removed from the mandrel, exposing all surfaces, and finally coated with a layer of carbon such as amorphous carbon or diamond-like carbon. The carbonaceous coating enhances biocompatibility without preventing elutriation of a therapeutic drug provided in the porosity formed between the columnar structures. The result is a stent that is adapted to both the hemodynamic and the immune response requirements of its vascular environment.
US08066757B2

Systems, methods, and devices for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke that provide immediate blood flow restoration to a vessel occluded by a clot and, after reestablishing blood flow, address the clot itself. Immediate blood flow restoration advantageously can facilitate natural lysis of the clot and also can reduce or obviate the concern for distal embolization due to fragmentation of the clot. Several embodiments of the invention provide for progressive, or modular, treatment based upon the nature of the clot. For example, the progressive treatment can comprise a three-step progressive treatment process that includes immediate restoration of blood flow, in-situ clot management, and/or clot removal depending on the particular circumstances of the treatment. The in-situ clot management can include, for example, lysis and maceration. The progressive, or modular, treatment can be provided by a system or kit of one or more treatment devices.
US08066748B2

An apparatus for affixing a plurality of body structures together in a flexible manner includes a first articulated fastener having substantially rigid proximal and distal portions, longitudinally separated by a first flexible articulating portion. The first articulated fastener has a first thread direction. A second articulated fastener has substantially rigid proximal and distal portions, longitudinally separated by a second flexible articulating portion. The second articulated fastener has a second thread direction opposite the first thread direction. The first and second articulated fasteners are both adapted for insertion into each of the plurality of body structures. A method of affixing a plurality of body structures together in a flexible manner is also provided.
US08066747B2

A dynamic stabilization, motion preservation spinal implant system includes an anchor system, a horizontal rod system and a vertical rod system. The systems are modular so that various constructs and configurations can be created and customized to a patient.
US08066742B2

An intervertebral prosthetic device for spinal stabilization and a method of using same according to which a body member is implanted between two adjacent vertebrae so that a spinous processes of a vertebrae extends into a notch formed in the body member. A groove is also formed in the body member that engages one of the vertebrae.
US08066738B2

A pacifier includes an inner substrate layer and an outer substrate layer comolded over the inner substrate layer. The outer substrate layer forms a nipple and a handle. The inner substrate layer has a first portion covered by the outer substrate layer and a portion uncovered by the outer substrate layer forming a shield portion.
US08066733B2

Described are devices, methods and systems useful for achieving occlusion of vascular vessels. Percutaneous procedures can be used to occlude and obliterate the greater saphenous vein, for example in the treatment of varicose vein condition caused by venous reflux. Certain embodiments encompass the percutaneous delivery of an occlusion device inverted within a cannula, its deployment and filling, so as to occlude or obliterate a portion of a vascular vessel.
US08066730B2

A medical dilating system and method are provided that include a dilator device having an elongated shape with an exterior surface, a first end and a second end. The first end of the dilator device includes a tapered tip configured to penetrate and provide an opening in the tissue of a patient, and a plurality of sleeves cooperatively configured to widen the opening in the tissue. The dilator device includes an interior wall that generally defines an open interior volume extending from an opening of the second end of the dilator device to one or more openings in the tapered tip at the first end of the dilator device. Each of the plurality of sleeves has an elongated shape with an exterior surface, a first end, a second end, and an interior wall that generally defines an open interior volume substantially extending from an opening of the first end of the respective sleeve to the second end of the respective sleeve. The plurality of sleeves include at least a first sleeve operable to allow the internal wall of the first sleeve to be substantially positioned around the exterior surface of the dilator device, and a second sleeve operable to allow the internal wall of the second sleeve to be substantially positioned around the exterior surface of the first sleeve.
US08066722B2

A clip applier includes a body 21, an insertion tube 22 extending from the body 21 and inserted in a channel of an endoscope and a clamp mechanism 24 disposed at a distal end of the insertion tube 22. The clamp mechanism 24 has a support member 28 fixed at the distal end of the insertion tube 22 and a pair of clamp members 30 rotatably supported by the support member 28. The clamp members 30 are connected to a distal end of a wire 25 via a pair of links 35. The clamp members 30 respectively include gripping portions 32 protruding form the support member 28. A clip 50 is received in receiving grooves 32a of the gripping portions 32. When the wire 25 is pulled by operating an operation member disposed on the body 21, the clamp members 30 are rotated against an elastic force of a hinge portion 51 of the clip 50, thereby causing a pair of clip portions 53 of the clip 50 to be opened.
US08066711B2

Systems and methods for repairing a weakened or fractured bone are disclosed herein. A system for repairing a fractured bone includes a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, wherein the delivery catheter has an inner void for passage of bone cement components and an inner lumen for passage of a mixing element; an internal bone fixation device releasably engaging the distal end of the delivery catheter, wherein the internal bone fixation device moves from a first compact state to a second expanded state when the bone cement components are delivered to the internal bone fixation device and mixed within the internal bone fixation device; and a spinning mechanism engaged to a rotatable shaft, wherein the spinning mechanism is inserted into the internal bone fixation device.
US08066707B2

A method is disclosed for preparing a space in bone of a human body to receive an insert at least in part therein. The method is performed with a device having a mid-longitudinal axis and a rotatable abrading element having an abrading surface. The method includes the steps of: activating the device to cause the abrading surface to move; contacting the abrading surface of the abrading element against the bone to remove bone therefrom to form a surface on the bone to create the space; rotating the abrading element about an axis different from the mid-longitudinal axis of the device; removing the abrading surface from the space; and positioning an insert into the space created in the bone.
US08066704B2

An improved electrode for electrosurgery comprises at least one orifice in the active surface of the electrode connected to a lumen in the probe of larger cross-sectional area than the area of the orifice(s), the lumen being connected to a vacuum, such that a venturi is formed extending from the one or more orifices in the active surface of the electrode to the lumen, whereby flow of fluid, ablated tissue, and other debris in the vicinity of the surgical site is accelerated through the orifice(s), reducing clogging, whereby any particle passing through the orifice(s) is unlikely to become clogged downstream, and whereby the edges of the orifice(s) are ablative, tending to reduce any particles caught at the orifice(s) to a size small enough to pass therethrough.
US08066699B2

Catheters and methods for epicardial ablation are provided. A suitable catheter comprises an elongated catheter body and an ultrasound transducer mounted at or near the distal end of the catheter body. The transducer has a front surface and an opposing back surface, wherein the transducer is positioned to transmit ultrasound energy toward tissue facing the front surface but not toward tissue facing the back surface. A sensor is mounted within the catheter near the ultrasound transducer for sensing a location and an orientation of the ultrasound transducer within a patient. A suitable method involves introducing the distal end of the catheter introducing into the pericardium of a patient. The transducer's front surface is positioned so that it generally faces tissue to be ablated, and the tissue is ablated with ultrasound energy generated by the transducer.
US08066691B2

A method is disclosed for preparing a soft tissue site, and augmenting the soft tissue site, such as the breast(s) of a subject through use of devices that exert a distractive force on the breast(s) and grafting of autologous fat tissue such as domes with sealing rims for surrounding each of the breasts and a regulated pump. The method for preparing the soft tissue site, and enhancing fat graft results, entails application of the distracting force to the targeted soft tissue site for several weeks prior to the graft procedure. A related aspect of the invention includes following the preparation steps by transfer of fat from other areas of the subject to the subject's breast(s), and then reapplication of the distractive force to the breast(s) that received the autologous fat graft. Alternatively, fat from genetically related sources may be used, and the fat may be further processed prior to injection. Substantial breast augmentation, high rates of graft survival and negligible graft necrosis (data demonstrating 80% survival and only 20% necrosis is presented) or calcification result from the practice of these methods.
US08066690B2

A method for preventing a restenosis within a vessel wall requires a medicament be delivered at predetermined locations into the vessel wall and allowed to subsequently disperse in a predetermined pattern. To deliver the medicament, a catheter with an expanding member is advanced into the vasculature of a patient until the expanding member is located as desired. The expanding member is then expanded to force dispensers into the vessel wall to the proper depth. A medicament is then pumped through the dispensers to create a plurality of equally spaced, localized medicinal deliveries which subsequently disperse to medicate an annulus shaped volume within the vessel wall.
US08066685B2

Absorbent articles with carefully controlled stretch properties are disclosed. In particular, the articles exhibit stretch not only in the lateral direction but also in the longitudinal direction. Specifically, the articles have a biaxial stretch ratio, which refers to a ratio of stretch along the hip circumference of the article to the amount of stretch in the longitudinal direction, that is from about 1.0 to about 2.5, and particularly from about 1.1 to about 1.5. Absorbent articles made in accordance with the present invention are capable of accommodating a relatively large size range of wearers. The articles also exhibit improved fit and prevent sagging or drooping of the crotch region, even after the crotch region has been wetted.
US08066679B2

A needle shield is provided for a medical device having a needle cannula. The needle shield includes a guard that is slidably movable along the needle cannula from a proximal position where the tip of the needle cannula is exposed to a distal position where the tip of the needle cannula is shielded. A hinged arm connects the guard to the proximal end of the needle cannula. The hinged arm can be collapsed upon itself, such that the guard is adjacent to the proximal end of the needle cannula. The hinged arm can be extended to cause the guard to move distally along the needle cannula and into a position for shielding the tip of the needle cannula. Structure is provided to prevent excessive additional rotation of the hinged elements of the hinged guard after the tip of the needle cannula is shielded.
US08066671B2

A peritoneal dialysis system includes a hardware unit including a piston having a contact surface and a stepper motor configured to move the piston; and a disposable unit received by the hardware unit, the disposable unit including a moveable membrane operable with the contact surface of the piston, the piston moveable towards and away from the disposable unit, wherein (i) the piston and the membrane are positioned relative to each other and (ii) the hardware unit is configured to apply a negative pressure to the moveable membrane of the disposable unit so that the negative pressure causes the moveable membrane to contact and conform to a shape of the contact surface and to follow the piston as the piston is moved away from the disposable unit by the stepper motor, and wherein the shape-contacted membrane moves with the piston as the piston is moved into the disposable unit by the stepper motor.
US08066670B2

A vascular access device may include a septum and a gas permeable vent in communication with at least a portion of the septum. The vent may be capable of venting gas from an extravascular system to which the vascular access device is capable of attaching. A method of venting a medical device may include providing a vascular access device having a septum and forming part of an extravascular system, providing a gas permeable vent in communication with at least a portion of the septum, and venting gas from the extravascular system through the gas permeable vent of the device.
US08066663B2

There are provided an intermediate slide valve as well as a plunger slide valve equipped in a syringe in direct contact with injection liquids and a syringe equipped with such slide valves, the injection liquids nor valves being not affected with each other.The intermediate slide valve 10 equipped in the syringe 10 comprises an approximately cylindrical first elastic body 13 and an approximately cylindrical second elastic body 14 which is jointed with one bottom surface 13c of the first elastic body 13, the other bottom surface 13a of the first elastic body 13 and a side surface portion continued therefrom being laminated with a synthetic resin film 15 and the other bottom surface 14a of the second elastic body 14 and a side surface portion continued therefrom be laminated with a synthetic resin film 16.
US08066643B2

The present invention provides an ultrasonic endoscope, comprising: an ultrasonic transducer in a cylindrical shape including a plurality of piezoelectric devices, an acoustic matching layer stacked on a principal plane on a sound emitting plane side, an acoustic lens on a plane of the acoustic matching layer opposite to a plane facing the piezoelectric devices, and a backing material stacked on another principal planes of the piezoelectric devices; an endoscopic observation and endo-therapy unit provided, for performing endoscopic image observation, at a proximal end side of the ultrasonic transducer; a cable assembly including a plurality of cables for transmitting signals to and from the ultrasonic transducer. In the above configuration, the cable assembly is arranged in such a manner that the cable assembly passes through an inside portion of the ultrasonic transducer, and is connected to the ultrasonic transducer at a distal end side of the ultrasonic transducer. Thereby, an ultrasonic endoscope is provided that has an ultrasonic transducer in which the ultrasonic transducer and coaxial cables will not be disconnected even under thermal or mechanical loads.
US08066636B2

A system and method for allowing a patient to access an automated process for managing a specified health problem called a disease. The system performs disease management in a fully automated manner, using periodic interactive dialogs with the patient to obtain health state measurements from the patient, to evaluate and assess the progress of the patient's disease, to review and adjust therapy to optimal levels, and to give the patient medical advice for administering treatment and handling symptom flare-ups and acute episodes of the disease. The medical records are updated, the progression of the disease is stored and tracked, and the patient's preferences for treatment are stored and then used to offer medical advice based on the current state of the disease. A prestored general disease trend curve is compared against a patient specific disease trend curve, and the system makes an automated response such as adjusting therapy.
US08066635B2

A speculum having a generally U-shaped frame with a pair of arms, each arm having a free end, a pair of cups, each cup coupled with the free end of one of the arms, and a pair of surfaces, each surface coupled with one of the cups and having a portion extending upward at an angle from the frame.
US08066633B2

An electric bending endoscope device includes an endoscope with a driving unit, a control unit and an operation portion with a bending instruction portion. The operation portion includes a correction algorithm calculating portion in which the output range of instruction signal of the joystick is converted to coincide with the predetermined output range of the bending instruction portion instruction-signal being the operation signal outputted by the operation portion according to the joystick being the bending instruction portion to be fitted to the operation portion, to generate the bending instruction portion operation-signal.
US08066625B2

An exercise aid useful in allowing human subjects with amputations or other infirmities to use standard exercise equipment is described. In one embodiment, the exercise aid has a harness that securely encircles a shoulder of the subject and has a transverse wing that extends towards the other shoulder of the subject. The exercise aid has a sleeve, preferably adjustable, that fits securely around the upper arm and other shoulder of the subject and has an extension directed toward the transverse wing of the harness. The harness and sleeve may be detachably connected by a fastener. Exercise facilitating features, such as rings, are integrated into the sleeve of the exercise device for attachment to standard exercise equipment thus allowing human subjects with amputations or other infirmities the ability to engage in a full range of exercise options in order to prevent, or reverse, muscular atrophy associated with amputation.
US08066619B2

A clutch control system is interposed between an engine and a piece of driven equipment. The clutch control system includes a clutch assembly with input and output speed sensors for providing signals corresponding to the shaft rotational speeds of the engine and the driven equipment, respectively. A pressure sensor is connected to the clutch assembly and provides an output signal corresponding to clutch pressure. A temperature sensor is also associated with the clutch assembly and provides a temperature signal corresponding to the operating temperature of the clutch assembly. Transducers of various types are also employed to sense operating conditions such as shock loads or the like. Also included is a machine control system connected to the driven equipment and an engine control module connected to the engine, both of which are interconnected through an SAE J1939 CAN to the clutch control unit. These signals are passed to a clutch control unit that employs the signals to assess the operating conditions of the system and accordingly adjust the clutch pressure through a pressure control valve. A vast array of operating data is available from the system and is employed by the clutch control unit to ensure optimum operation, by tailoring the clutch pressure to the engine and driven equipment, thus minimizing clutch slippage and avoiding or instantaneously correcting shock load situations.
US08066618B2

A hydraulic control device includes a first oil path; a second oil path; a third oil path; an engagement pressure generation unit; a signal pressure generation unit; and an internal pressure switching unit that switches between a non-reduced pressure state where locking occurs due to the signal pressure inputted and a source pressure is outputted unchanged as internal pressure to the first oil path, and a reduced pressure state where the signal pressure is not inputted and a hydraulic pressure is regulated to a constant pressure from the source pressure, based on a feedback pressure of the internal pressure and an urging force of a first urging unit, and outputted as the internal pressure to the first oil path.
US08066614B2

A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.
US08066609B2

The present disclosure provides a power split transmission with three forward Electric Variable Transmission (EVT) modes, one reverse EVT mode, and five fixed gears for use in hybrid electrical vehicles (HEV). The present disclosure utilizes two electric motors (“E-motors”), an engine, three planetary gear sets, three selectively engageable clutches, and two selectively engageable brakes. The clutches and brakes are engaged in different combinations to engage the different gears and EVT modes. In the five fixed gears, power is transmitted only on the mechanical path for the highest transmission efficiency. In the EVT modes, a part of the power is transmitted electrically. Additionally, the present disclosure includes a front E-motor designed allowing scalable E-motors and a modular transmission design and a center E-motor design.
US08066605B2

A planetary transmission includes a sun gear, which constitutes an input drive to the planetary transmission, a ring gear arranged around the sun gear, and a planet carrier which is designed to rotate and which carries at least one planet wheel, which planet wheel meshes with the sun gear and the ring gear. The planet carrier constitutes an output drive from the planetary transmission. The planetary transmission further includes a wet disk brake, a first set of brake disks in the brake being rotationally locked to the planet carrier and thereby in operation rotating at the rotational speed of the planet carrier. The planetary transmission further comprises an arrangement for circulation of a cooling fluid through the brake which is rotationally locked to the sun gear and thereby in operation rotates at the rotational speed of the sun gear.
US08066604B2

The chain comprises a plurality of external links (2), each defined by a pair of parallel external plates (4, 5) and by two rotation pivots (6) interpositioned between the two external plates (4, 5). The chain also comprises a plurality of internal links (3), each defined by a pair of parallel internal plates (7, 8) and by two bushes (9) interpositioned between the plates and each internal link (3). Each of the rotation pivots (6) is inserted coaxially in a bush (9) and so defines an alternated succession of external links (2) and internal links (3) and defines with the bush (9) a spherical coupling surface. The chain also comprises anti-rotation elements (12) for reducing a possibility of rotation with respect to an alignment direction of each pair of adjacent links (2, 3).
US08066589B2

An improved multi-adjustable batting practice tee featuring a base assembly with an improved tube assembly thereby enhancing tube movement and overall batting tee stability is disclosed. The base assembly is configured to have standard dimensions for a “HOME PLATE” in accordance with the rules of Major League baseball. The base assembly includes a continuous channel positioned across the entire horizontal plane of the base assembly that includes an inner-locking guide rail system for enhanced batting tee stability.
US08066588B2

A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, wherein the golf ball has a weight of about 1.39 oz to about 1.62 oz, and at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095, the golf ball has a lift-to-weight ratio of greater than about 1.7 and a drag-to-weight ratio of greater than about 2.7.
US08066578B2

A challenge course (10) comprising a frame (20) having a substantially horizontally oriented track (120), a vertically oriented column (60) fixed to and extending downwardly from said substantially horizontally oriented track beam (30), said vertically oriented column (60) terminating in a bottom portion that is fixed to a substantially oriented foundation (40). The track (120) has a channel (150) therein in which a moveable member (360) slides. The track (120) has interchanges whereby the moveable member (360) can be moved in one of different directions. Descending downwardly from said moveable member (360) is a safety cable (350). The safety cable (350) extending downwardly to a safety harness (600). A further embodiment includes the challenge course (10) that can be deployed and re-deployed by hauling with a motor-vehicle. Further, a participant can be secured to the track (120) while still on the ground before ascending to the activity height.
US08066576B2

An amusement ride, such as a roller coaster or vertical tower track ride, includes an attachment assembly movably connected to a track system. A vehicle assembly is connected to the attachment assembly and includes a seat assembly having at least one rider seat. The vehicle assembly is coupled to the attachment assembly and configured such that the seat assembly is capable of fully rotating about first and second, and preferably even third axes independent of the track system.
US08066566B2

A gaming machine has at least one video screen, but preferably three. One screen displays a primary game and the other two screens preferably display pay tables, a secondary game, or artwork related to the primary and/or secondary game. The content of the video screens is reconfigurable. The content may be downloaded over a network connecting a plurality of gaming machines to a central computer or the content of several different games may be stored locally within the gaming machine.
US08066556B2

A method and apparatus (10) for scalding and plucking slaughtered poultry, by way of example chickens, hens, turkeys, ducks or geese, where the poultry is transported via a sluice device through a scalding tunnel (10) are slaughtering, preferably suspended at the feet, where the poultry in the scalding runnel is conveyed successively between rows of nozzles (36) that are adapted to apply scalding agent to the poultry, where a plurality of different scalding agents are applied, where in a first scalding zone hot water is used as scalding agent, where in succeeding scalding zones scalding agents with mutually differing temperatures are applied, where in the said succeeding scalding zones warm humid air is used as scalding agent which is at least blown onto specific sub areas of the poultry. In a simple way optimal plucking may occur subsequently without the poultry subjected to unnecessary heat action, and so that a considerable reduction of the required energy consumption is simultaneously attained.
US08066555B2

A polishing pad includes polishing elements interdigitated with one another over a surface of the polishing pad. Each of the polishing elements is secured so as to restrict lateral movement thereof with respect to others of the polishing elements, but remains moveable in an axis normal to a polishing surface of the polishing elements. Different densities of the polishing elements may be positioned within different areas of the surface of the polishing pad.
US08066549B2

A method is provided for removing iron oxide scale from sheet metal and producing a sheet metal surface with rust inhibitive properties. The sheet metal is advanced through the descaling cell and a slurry mixture is propelled against at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal across the sheet metal width as the material is advanced through the descaling cell. The rate of slurry impact against the at least one of the top surface and bottom surface of the sheet metal is controlled in a manner to remove substantially all of the scale from a surface of the sheet metal, and in a manner to create a passivation layer on the descaled surface of the sheet metal. The passivation layer comprises at least one of silicon, aluminum, manganese and chromium and inhibits oxidation of the descaled surface of the processed sheet metal.
US08066548B1

A multi-axes contouring machine for contouring a workpiece within a cavity of a main frame by moving a machining part along one or more axes simultaneously to the movement of the workpiece along one or more different axes. In an exemplary embodiment, the machining part simultaneously moves along an X and Y axis, while a workpiece moves along a Z axis. Here, the main frame comprises two adjacent side walls each having an opening cut out. A first carriage is attached to one of the side walls to move in the X direction, and a second carriage is attached to the first carriage to move in the Y direction. The machining part is actuated by the X and Y axes-oriented carriages. On another side wall, a carriage is attached to move in a Z direction, and the workpiece is actuated by the Z axis-oriented carriage.
US08066540B2

A collapsible flotation device is provided that uses a coilable spring coupled to a panel to collapse the device when the spring is coiled, and to expand the device when the spring is uncoiled configuration. The spring can be contained within a sleeve along the outer portion of the panel. A support member that traverses the panel is provided. An inflatable bladder disposed about a part of the outer portion of the panel and coupled to the support member buoyantly supports a body weight of a user. The combination of the inflatable bladder and the support member provide support for a user in a seated position on the panel. Many configurations are disclosed, including a multi-user collapsible flotation device, multiple connected single-user flotation devices, and so forth. A back support member and a headrest, both of which can be inflatable, provide additional support for a user to maintain a seated position on the panel. A foot support member is provided for the comfort of the user.
US08066539B2

A marine propulsion system includes a transmission mechanism arranged to transmit a driving force generated by an engine to propellers with a speed thereof changed to a low speed reduction ratio and a high speed reduction ratio; a control lever section operated by a user in controlling drive of the engine; and a control portion and an ECU controlling a shift between reduction ratios of the transmission mechanism based on operation of the control lever section by the user. The control portion and the ECU control a shift between reduction ratios of the transmission mechanism based on a transmission control map providing a reference for a shift between reduction ratios of the transmission mechanism taking into consideration an engine speed of the engine and a lever opening of the control lever section. This arrangement provides a marine propulsion system in which both acceleration performance and maximum speed can approach levels that a user desires.
US08066538B1

A jet boat comprising an engine-balance system, the engine-balance system comprising a first impeller and a second impeller, wherein water can be driven out of the first impeller for forward motion and water can be selectively driven out of the second impeller, regulated by a balance detecting device, wherein water from the second impeller can provide balance to the jet boat.
US08066537B1

A probe connector adapted for fastening a cable thereto includes a shell, a plunger and an elastic element. The shell has a barrel and a base shell with an accommodating chamber therein. The base shell is connected with the barrel. A bottom of the base shell extends downward to form a connecting piece of which two opposite side edges oppositely extend outward to form two clipping pieces. The clipping pieces are bent towards each other to clip a core wire of the cable therebetween. The plunger is movably inserted in the barrel and further projects out of the barrel. The elastic element is telescopically assembled in the barrel and the accommodating chamber along the movement direction of the plunger, with one end thereof resisting against a bottom of the plunger and the other end thereof abutting against an inner side of a bottom plate of the base shell.
US08066533B2

An electric device according to the present invention includes a main body portion of the electric device that is designed to be connected to a battery park. A connecting portion for connecting the battery pack is formed to the main body portion of the electric device. A terminal supporting plate having at least a pair of terminals and for connecting terminals of the battery pack is fixed to the connecting portion. The terminals and are arranged on a front surface side of the terminal supporting plate that is exposed from the connecting portion. An electric material component is arranged on a rear surface side of the terminal supporting plate.
US08066532B2

An electrical connector assembly (100) includes an insulative housing (1) with a plurality of terminal passages (12), a plurality of contacts (2) received in the corresponding terminal passages and a PCB (3) electrically connected with the contacts. The PCB has a terminal soldering area (31) and a wire soldering area (32), the terminal soldering area defines a plurality of first conductive pads (311) on a top surface and a bottom surface of the PCB, the first conductive pads are electrically connected with corresponding contacts. The wire soldering area defines a plurality of second conductive pads (321) on the top surface and the bottom surface of the PCB, the second conductive pads are electrically connected with corresponding wires, and the first conductive pads are electrically connected with the second conductive pads, the number of the first conductive pads located on the top surface is different from the second conductive pads on the top surface.
US08066522B2

A device for preventing electrical shock from a device with electrical interfaces. A shutter or other barrier associated with the device that physically prevents access or contact to one of the electrical interfaces while another electrical interface is in use.
US08066520B2

Apparatuses and methods are provided for conductively connecting a voltage source ignition cable to a spark plug terminal. A spark plug boot assembly is provided and can include a body member, a coiled terminal, and a voltage source ignition cable. The coiled terminal can have a first end, a second end, and a middle portion and can include one or more coils that can extend to form an inner area with the coils having a varying inside diameter. The first end can be configured to receive a spark plug terminal. Also, the voltage source ignition cable can be configured to provide an additional electrical contact to the coiled terminal.
US08066511B2

A dental implant is provided for supporting a dental prosthesis. The implant can include a body having an outer surface, an apical end, and a coronal portion. The dental implant can include at least one thread located on at least a portion of the outer surface of the body. The dental implant can include a collar having a top surface that defines two peaks and two valleys, where the one valley is more coronal than the second valley.
US08066509B2

A device for combusting fuel which contains or consists of hydrogen, is described, with a burner provided with a swirl generator and also a feeder for feeding fuel and a feeder for feeding combustion air into the swirl generator. A first feeder, for feeding liquid fuel along a burner axis, and a second feeder for feeding liquid fuel or gaseous fuel along air inlet slots which are tangentially delimited by the swirl generator, with a transition section connected downstream to the swirl generator, and with a mixer tube connected downstream to the transition section and with a changeable flow cross-sectional transition leads into a combustion chamber are provided. Along the transition section, a third feeder for feeding fuel which contains or consists of hydrogen, and also a fourth feeder for the selective feed of fuel which contains or consists of hydrogen, or of the gaseous fuel are also provided.
US08066502B2

An exemplary molding material feeding barrel includes a main body, a blocking member, and an electrically conductive member. The main body has a chamber defined therein. The main body has a first inner surface in the chamber. The blocking member protrudes inward from the first inner surface of the main body. The electrically conductive member has a first end exposed at an inside of the main body, and a second end grounded.
US08066491B2

An air operated pump (10) uses a magnet (14) mounted in the valve cup (16) of the air motor (18) and two reed sensors (20) mounted in the valve cover (22) to monitor the speed and position of the valve (16). A solenoid (24) is mounted on the valve cover (22) and can be commanded to extend a plunger (26) into the valve cup (16) to stop valve movement and therefore the pump from running away. Three methods may be used to increase battery life and monitor the solenoid plunger position, two of which use the changing inductance of the solenoid (24) to monitor the solenoid movement.
US08066487B2

A fan shaft seat structure including a shaft bushing and a heat dissipation member. The shaft bushing has an open end, a closed end and a, connection section. A receiving space is defined between the open end and the closed end. The connection section extends from the closed end in a direction reverse to the receiving space. The heat dissipation member has a first face and a second face. The first face is flush with a first end of the connection section in contact with the closed end of the shaft bushing. The second face is flush with a second end of the connection section. The shaft bushing is integrally connected with the heat dissipation member to increase heat dissipation area and save working time and manufacturing cost as well as achieve better heat dissipation effect.
US08066479B2

A section of a gas turbine engine includes a damper which extends from a disk between a first blade and a second blade to provide a dissipating vibratory motion energy in the form of friction heating.
US08066478B1

A system for cooling includes a surface to be cooled, at least one film-cooling hole within the surface for allowing a film cooling jet of coolant to reach the surface, each of the at least one film-cooling hole having a diameter and at least two spaced apart flow-aligned blockers positioned downstream of the at least one-film cooling hole, each of the flow-aligned blockers extending upwardly from the surface to assist in preventing hot-gas entrainment and increasing adiabatic effectiveness by confining coolant flow downstream of the at least one film-cooling hole between the blockers.
US08066474B1

A variable guide vane actuator for positioning the guide vanes of a turbine engine in a hypersonic missile uses compressor exhaust to drive a linked, floating piston assembly that is coupled to the guide vanes. The relatively low pressure compressor exhaust is metered by a valve to drive the piston arrangement to accurately position the guide vanes in proportion to the input control signal. Reliability and accuracy gains are achieved by inhibiting the effects of vibration and thermal distortion through the elimination of piston/bore contact, the use of a rigid, cantilevered mounting arrangement and cooling with the pre-combusted liquid fuel.
US08066464B1

The present invention is a hidden fastener for securing deck boards to supporting joists. The fastener consists of a head shaft; one or more blades attached to the head shaft oppositely, if there are two blades, at the top outer surface of the head shaft and being formed to penetrate into deck boards, whether wood or composite, when rotated therein to; a driver attachment being located in the upper portion of the head shaft and shaped to fixedly hold a driver for turning the head shaft and one or more blades; and a fastening device in a lower portion of the head shaft. The fastening device may be an integral part of the head shaft or a screw mounted in lower port of the head shaft. After the location of the fastener is defined on the joist, the fastening device is driven into the joist to hold the head shaft thereto. One or more adjacent boards are butted against the head shaft. A driver is then inserted into or on to the driver attachment and the head shaft is rotated a sufficient amount to cause the one or more blades to be imbedded within the boards. The deck boards also may be removed as desired by reversing this procedure thus allowing for the replacement of damaged boards or for gaining access to the space under the deck without the tedious task of removing and replacing conventional deck screws, for example.
US08066458B2

A cargo loading system capable of retaining a pallet along a centerline of a cargo aircraft and outside the wingbox area of the aircraft includes a number of devices. Included among these are first and second centerline end restraints mounted on the centerline, at least one caster panel mounted on one side of the cargo hold and across the centerline from a side door of the aircraft, and a plurality of mechanical restraints mounted on a floor of the cargo hold on either side of the centerline and outside the wingbox area. The first and second centerline end restraints each have at least one retractable lockhead configured and dimensioned to engage an end of a pallet. The at least one caster panel includes at least one retractable guide formed at a first end thereof, and at least one retractable guide formed along a first side thereof. Lastly, the plurality of mechanical restraints are mounted with a portion of each mechanical restraint overlying a laterally extending floor joist in the cargo hold, such that a lateral load applied to a given mechanical restraint is transferred to at least one laterally extending floor joist.
US08066452B2

An equipment for constructing micropiles in soil, includes a drilling rod with a bit with at least one nozzle jetting fluid forward, and at least one nozzle jetting fluid substantially orthogonal; an element pulling a protective tube, not adhering to the rod. A corresponding method includes drilling with a drilling rod jetting liquid in front of the bit until reaching stable soil strata; drilling and injecting high-pressure grout with one or more lateral nozzles, while the drilling rod rotates; pulling the protective tube, the tube being inserted to the area of grout injection; when the required depth is reached, the proximal end of the drilling rod is anchored to a plate; when the grout is consolidated, traction is applied to the drilling rod if necessary. Grout is injected into the protective tube.
US08066449B2

A needle-beam cofferdam, needles and associated method for dry isolation of a water passage of a dam, the method comprising providing a support beam which spans between piers of the water passage, providing at least one hollow metal needle having a major axis, and positioning the hollow needle with the major axis substantially vertically oriented, the hollow needle engaging with a sill of the dam and engaging with the support beam. A plurality of vertically positioned needles may thereby isolate the water passage. The method also includes positioning of hollow needles with the major axis in a substantially horizontal orientation.
US08066441B2

An adjustable connecting mechanism for a camera device includes a frame, a tubular fixing member and a locking screw The frame forms a mounting portion; the mounting portion defines a through hole. The fixing member defines a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion spaced a predetermined distance from the first engaging portion along an axis of the fixing member. The locking screw is able to pass through the through hole and selectively engage in the first engaging portion or the second engaging portion, to adjust a height of the fixing member relative to the frame.
US08066438B2

A camera apparatus includes an adjusting member configured to adjust a pan of an optical member included therein; a cover member configured to cover the optical member; and a fixing member fixed to an installation surface and configured to include a first engaging mechanism and a second engaging mechanism for respectively engaging the adjusting member and the cover member thereto. The pan of the optical member is adjusted by respectively engaging a groove or a protrusion of the first engaging mechanism and protrusion or a groove of the adjusting member, and rotating the adjusting member along the groove. The cover member is locked to the fixing member by respectively engaging a groove or a protrusion of the second engaging mechanism and a protrusion or groove of the cover member, and rotating the cover member a given angle along the groove.
US08066436B2

The invention relates to a male contact for an optical fiber (1), that comprises an outer body (2) of an elastically deformable material, a cylindrical guide (6) having a front portion (5) attached in the rear portion (4) of the outer body (2) and a rear portion (7) protruding from the rear portion (4) of the outer body (2). A cable adapter (65) extends through the cylindrical guide (6). An elongated floating ferrule (18) extends through the front portion (3) of the outer body (2). The ferrule (18) is connected to a ferrule holder (13) movably mounted in said outer body (2). It comprises abutment means (19) bearing on the first shoulders (11) of the outer body (2), and a helical spring (21) provided between the front portion (5) of the cylindrical guide (6) and the abutment means (19) of the ferrule holder (13). The cable adapter (65) is mounted so as to float within the cylindrical guide (6).
US08066434B2

A belt-shaped base of a female member of a zipper tape attached to an inner surface of a bag body has a wide portion that extends wider toward an opening of the bag body than a belt-shaped base of the male member. An open tape is disposed on the wide portion and a seal layer is laminated on a surface of the open tape. A first projecting portion is also provided on the wide portion. A second projecting portion is provided on an opening-side end of the belt-shaped base. The projecting portions have a substantially trapezoidal cross section. When the zipper tape is bonded to the bag body and is sealed by the seal layer, a gap is provided between the open tape and the first and the second projecting portions.
US08066431B2

An apparatus that allows for the testing of multiple wraps of cable in environments of varying temperature, pressure, and in different fluids in a single apparatus, and can be tested against the varying loads the cable may encounter is disclosed. In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the multiple wraps of cable are simulated by layering electrically-insulated portions of the cable on top of one another inside an environmentally controlled container. This container has two parts: a thermally-insulated container and a pressure container.
US08066429B2

A thermal measurement apparatus and method for performing heat flux differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is disclosed. A variable thermal resistor is used to couple a measurement assembly to a heat sink in the thermal measurement apparatus, such that samples can be rapidly heated and rapidly cooled. The apparatus can be configured with a highly conductive sample assembly enclosure. The enclosure can include a high emissivity coating. In one embodiment, the enclosure extends along a longitudinal direction that is about the same as that of an infrared lamp assembly used to heat the enclosure, thereby increasing the efficiency of heating the sample enclosure. In one configuration, the variable thermal resistor comprises a gap whose gas composition can be varied during a sample measurement to independently optimize sample heating and cooling rates.
US08066420B2

An aroma diffusing night lamp system having the characteristics of high level of safety and installation angle adjustability is disclosed to include a lamp socket, a light emitting device mounted in the top side of the lamp socket, an electric plug rotatably coupled to the lamp socket and a lampshade surrounding the light emitting device and having a top trough that holds an aromatic substance that gives off a pleasant smell when heated by heat energy from the light emitting device during its operation.
US08066404B2

An LED lamp includes a plurality of LED light units juxtaposed together and a connecting member engaging with the LED light units. Each LED light unit includes a heat sink and an LED module engaged on the heat sink. The heat sink defines a groove group at each lateral portion thereof. The connecting member includes a plurality of inserts received in grooves of the groove groups of the heat sinks of neighboring LED light units and clasping the neighboring LED light units together thereby to secure the LED light units into the LED lamp.
US08066401B2

Light emitting devices having unitary and simplified construction for securing a lighting assembly within the device, and ease of replacement of the light emitting element of the lighting assembly. The lighting assembly is mounted within the light emitting device though use of a fastener.
US08066377B1

A system and method for improving stereoscopic images produced by a projecting device containing a single chip DMD, seen through an eye-switching device, such as a pair of liquid crystal (LC) shutter glasses. The system and method are used with a video projector designed to be used with a multiple-color, color switching device, such as a color wheel. The color wheel includes at least three critical color segments. The color wheel may also physically include or be electronically re-defined to include at least one non-critical segment. A color sequencing firmware resident in the video projector is used to align a non-critical segment in front of the projector's main light source during the eye-switching device's unstable transition phase. If the non-critical segment is transmissive, the firmware controls the DMD so that light is discontinued. If the non-critical segment is non-transmissive, the light is physically blocked. If the non-critical segment is electronically defined, the firmware directly controls the DMD to discontinue the transmission of light for at least the duration of the eye-switching device's unstable transition phase.
US08066362B2

A liquid discharging head includes a head chip including a plurality of energy generating elements configured to discharge liquid and liquid chambers provided around the corresponding energy generating elements, and a common passage member configured to define a common passage communicating with all the liquid chambers in the head chip. the liquid is discharged from the liquid chambers by driving the energy generating elements so as to apply a discharging force to the liquid. The common passage member includes an inlet through which the liquid is supplied to the common passage, and an outlet through which the liquid is ejected from the common passage. The common passage includes a ceiling surface having a groove extending from the inlet toward the outlet.
US08066359B2

An ink supply system for supplying ink to an inkjet printhead at a predetermined hydrostatic pressure, the ink supply system comprising: a pressure-regulating chamber having an outlet port connected to an ink inlet of the printhead, the chamber comprising a float valve configured for maintaining a predetermined level of ink in the chamber, the level of ink controlling the hydrostatic pressure; and an ink reservoir connected to an inlet port of the pressure-regulating chamber, the ink reservoir being positioned above the predetermined level of ink.
US08066357B2

An object of the present invention is to reduce force acting, when an ink-jet head moves, on a distal end portion of an ink supply pipe connected to a brancher, to thereby prevent damage to the ink supply pipe as much as possible. An ink supplier, which supplies ink to respective ink introduction ports of at least one ink-jet head, has an ink supply pipe connected to an ink cartridge, a brancher to which a distal end portion of the ink supply pipe connected, and branch pipes extending from the brancher to the respective ink introduction ports. The brancher and the branch pipes are adapted to move integrally with the at least on ink-jet head, and in addition the distal end portion of the ink supply pipe and the brancher are connected to each other in a relatively rotatable manner.
US08066354B2

A cartridge for a pagewidth inkjet printer has a body configured to fit in a cradle of the inkjet printer. A printhead capper is mounted on the body, the capper and the body defining a print media feed path along which print media is fed. A printhead is housed in the body to print on the print media. An ink distribution support mounts the printhead to the body and distributes ink to the printhead. An ink supply is arranged in the body for supplying the printhead with ink via the ink distribution support.
US08066333B2

A vehicle for use with a plurality of interchangeable truck beds, i.e., functional units. The vehicle includes a chassis and an engine and cab mounted on the chassis. The chassis extends rearwardly from the cab from a first location to a second location at the rear end of the chassis. A first mounting interface is disposed near the first location and a second mounting interface is disposed near the second location. The mounting interfaces each include a substantially horizontal support surface and a guide member. The interchangeable truck beds include mounting structures that are secured to the mounting interfaces on the chassis. The guide members on the mounting interfaces are used to properly position the mounting structures on the chassis. The truck bed may be a dump truck bed that includes a hydraulic ram having a base structure that is secured to the first mounting interface and a hinge structure that is secured to the second mounting interface.
US08066327B2

An energy storage mechanism for folding seats for vehicles and the like includes an energy-storing component such as a spring that assists in moving the seat or other component. The mechanism provides for relatively small user input forces and distances, yet provides a relatively large force acting over a relatively large distance as an output of the mechanism. The mechanism may be configured to provide for a single user input/release, without requiring powered actuators or the like.
US08066311B2

A device for retrieving animal feces including a handle portion and a scoop and/or rake portion having a surface. The scoop and/or rake portion contacts the feces for removal, and a portion of the surface of the scoop and/or rake portion includes a coating, wherein the coating exhibits a coefficient of friction (μ) of less than or equal to 1.0 and a contact angle of 90° or greater.
US08066278B2

In the state that a preceding sheet awaits at an awaiting position, a pair of conveying rollers are separated from each other, and the front end of a subsequent sheet sent out from a main conveying path passes the gap between the pair of conveying rollers. Based on a configuration that the distance from the trailing end of the subsequent sheet in the conveying direction to the pair of conveying rollers becomes equal to that from the front end of the preceding sheet to the pair of conveying rollers, the preceding sheet and subsequent sheet are sandwiched by the pair of conveying rollers so as to be conveyed in a first direction, thereby making the sheets into a state that the sheets are put on each other. Thereafter, the sheets are conveyed in a second direction by the pair of conveying rollers, so as to be discharged into discharging unit.
US08066277B2

The present invention provides a sheet feeder apparatus in which a regulating member can securely be fixed without generating lateral slip of a sheet and an image forming apparatus. The regulating member regulates a sheet position in a width direction, and a fixing portion fixes the regulating member to a position according to a sheet size. The fixing portion includes plural rack gears which are provided in a surface opposite a surface abutting on the sheet of the regulating member; plural relay gears which engage the plural rack gears; a rotating shaft on which the plural relay gears are provided; and a lock mechanism which regulates rotation of the rotating shaft when the regulating member is moved away from the regulated sheet, the lock mechanism permitting the rotation of the rotating shaft when the regulating member is moved in a direction in which the regulating member contacts the regulated sheet.
US08066263B1

A rotary disk humidifier of the type that has multiple parallel spaced disks rotatably mounted in a water reservoir in a housing with controls for maintaining the water level in the housing to obtain an optimum wetted disk area above the water level exposed to air flow to achieve optimum humidification. At one theoretical extreme, the water level is at or above the center of rotation of disks decreasing the area of the disks exposed to free air flow through the housing. At the other theoretical extreme with the water level just at or slightly above the outer diameter of the disks, there is a grossly insufficient wetted area of the disk to approach the optimum area. Between those extremes there is a mathematical optimal range of the ratio inner wetted diameter of the disk Ri to the outside wetted diameter of the disk Ro (or the average outer diameter of the disk—the disk may not be circular) of about 0.30.
US08066260B1

A cable pulling system comprising a lower pulley assembly, an intermediate pulley assembly, and an upper pulley assembly. The system allows for a cable to be pulled through a range of angle and elevation without damage to the cable.
US08066258B2

A valve seat apparatus for use with fluid valves is described. An example valve seat apparatus includes a flexible seal disposed between a cage and a valve body such that an outer seating surface of a closure member slidably coupled to the cage slidingly engages the flexible seal to prevent fluid flow through the valve body when the valve is in a closed position and an end of the closure member is not driven into abutting engagement with another seating surface when the valve is in the closed position.
US08066253B2

An embedment member of a foamed resin article such as a seat pad formed in a mold. The mold is provided with engaging projections and a pocket portion formed in or on an inner surface of a core thereof. A surface of the embedment member is positioned to face the core and the surface is superposed onto the surface of the core such that the projections enter into large opening portions. Then, the embedment member is slid in such a manner as to introduce the projections into narrow portions and wide portions, thereby retaining the embedment member to the core. In this state, an end portion of the embedment member is fitted into the pocket portion. To release the foamed resin article from the mold, the foamed resin article is slid in a direction opposite to the direction of the aforementioned sliding.
US08066250B2

A clip assembly for attaching two component assemblies while reducing NVH characteristics comprising a first clip portion; a second clip portion; and a middle clip portion that connectively spans between the first clip portion and the second clip portion; wherein the middle clip portion comprises a material that absorbs at least a portion of vibration energy that may be caused by one or both of the two component assemblies.
US08066234B2

A large-screen image display apparatus includes a stand for supporting the display module, which has a leg portion. The leg portion of the stand is inserted into the main frame. The leg portion and the main frame are fastened together at a first screw hole formed through the leg portion. In addition, the leg portion and a fixing part of the outer frame are fastened together at a second screw hole formed through the leg portion. The first screw hole and the second screw hole are formed on different faces of the leg portion and at different heights. This can provide a large-screen image display apparatus with a less-wobble, high-safety, high-reliability, and low-cost stand-attaching structure.
US08066195B2

There is provided a two-dimensional code capable of performing accurate recognition. The two-dimensional code includes: a code data portion (102) where a plurality of square cells (106) are two-dimensionally arranged to constitute code data; and a plurality of corner cells (104) arranged so as to surround the code data portion (102). The corner cells (104) are configured with a greater area than the square cells (106). When the two-dimensional code is imaged by an imaging device, the corner cells (104) can be recognized in a large scale, thereby improving the two-dimensional code read accuracy.
US08066194B2

A system and method for managing a complex information process. The system includes an interface for allowing a user to manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and a processor responsive to the interface for compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process. The method includes the steps of manipulating identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.
US08066189B2

A case has a front surface facing an image sensing area, a concave formed on the front surface, and an opening on the bottom of the concave. The case accommodates an area image sensor to image-sense the image sensing area through the opening, and an illumination device to illuminate the entire image sensing area. There are provided a photoelectric converting unit converting an output of the area image sensor into an electric image signal, and an output unit outputs an image signal converted by the photoelectric converting unit to an image processing device. The case also accommodates a lens to form an image of the image sensing area on the area image sensor with a depth of field so as to the image processing device obtain a resolution to enable analysis of a code symbol included in the image signal. A lens side limit position of the depth of field corresponds with the position of the front surface of the case.
US08066188B2

A solid-state imager is mounted at a point-of-transaction workstation for capturing images of one- and two-dimensional indicia and is operated at high speed to resist image blurring due to relative movement between the target and the imager. Dedicated hardware assistance and computation resources are allocated to decode multiple, continuous and simultaneous video streams from multiple imagers at the workstation.
US08066184B2

A ballot or sheet having an anti-copying feature provides for detecting from an image of the ballot or sheet whether the ballot or sheet is an original or is a copy. The anti-copying feature may lighten or darken, or both, when copied and may or may not be evident to the human eye. A reader comprising an imager and a processor is for reading the ballot or sheet and for determining whether the ballot or sheet is an original or is a copy, and for determining selections marked thereon. A method for reading the ballot or sheet is for determining from an image of the ballot or sheet whether the ballot or sheet is an original or is a copy, and for determining selections marked thereon.
US08066181B2

A system and method for securing Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transactions is provided. An exemplary method includes using a random number in an authentication tag and authorizing an RF transaction in response to verifying the authentication tag. The method may also involve variously validating an RFID device authentication tag and an RFID reader authentication tag. Additionally, a system and method is disclosed for verifying an RFID transaction device and RFID reader operable with an RF transaction system. The method involves presenting an RFID device to an RFID reader, receiving a random number, creating an RFID transaction device authentication tag using the random number and a counter value, providing the RFID transaction device authentication tag to an RFID reader, creating an RFID reader authentication tag using the counter, random number, and RFID authentication tag, and providing the RFID reader authentication tag and RFID transaction device authentication tag for authentication.
US08066178B2

A carton for a plurality of products comprising a front panel and a rear panel, the front panel and the rear panel connected one to the other by a top panel and a bottom panel, each of the front panel, the top panel and the bottom panel having appended side flaps. Each of the appended side flaps of the top panel and the bottom panel having a recess, the recesses of the top panel flaps being in alignment with the recesses of the bottom panel flaps to form a combined recess. A product separator is located in the carton, the product separator having a separator panel with an appended first panel and a second panel, each of the first panel and the second panel being fitted into a combined recess to thereby secure the product separator in the carton. The front panel is at least partially transparent. Each of the front panel flaps having an appended glue flap, the appended glue flaps having a plurality of glue tabs. The top panel and the rear panel having an appended hanger panel with an aperture and a structure to reclose the carton.
US08066174B2

A friction stir welding method including: feeding a filler material through a first passage in a friction stir weld tool and into a substrate during friction stir welding of the substrate; and rotating the filler material with respect to the substrate while feeding the filler material. In this method, heat generated by rotational frictional contact of the filler material contributes to plasticization of the filler material.
US08066171B1

An apparatus for bonding a conductive lead to a conductive terminal of a device by the use of a conductive metal ball is disclosed. A ball-forming wire comprises a first conductive metal having a first melting temperature. A clamping surface has a closed position in contact with the ball-forming wire. A wire-clamping actuator is coupled to the clamping surface and is electrically connected to a clamping signal source. A sparking pin comprises a second conductive metal having a second melting temperature higher than the first melting temperature. The sparking pin is electrically connected to a power source. A current detection transformer includes a magnetic core at least partially encircling the ball-forming wire. An analyzing circuit is electrically connected to the current detection transformer.
US08066169B2

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an anvil assembly for a circular stapling apparatus, is disclosed. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head configured to support an anvil plate thereon; a shaft extending from the anvil head and configured to selectively engage a connection member of the circular stapling apparatus; an anvil plate operatively connected to the anvil head, the anvil plate defining a plurality of staple forming pockets therein; and a wound treatment material disposed in each staple forming pocket of the anvil plate. The wound treatment material is at least one of an adhesive, a sealant, a hemostat and a medicament.
US08066168B2

A surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure includes a frame and two jaws. The jaws have proximal portions that are mounted to each other for movement in a substantially parallel relation between a fully open position wherein the jaws are separated for receiving tissue therebetween and an approximated position wherein the jaws are closer together. Preferably, the jaws are in the fully open position when the distal portion of at least of the jaws is located in an extended position and are in the approximated position when the distal portion of the extended jaw or jaws is located in a retracted position. The surgical instrument may further include a detachable knife assembly and knife actuating mechanism.
US08066167B2

Circular stapling instruments for cutting and applying one or more surgical staples to tissue are disclosed. The instruments include various forms of anvil locking systems designed to selectively prevent the anvil from moving axially relative to the stapling head of the stapling instrument. One embodiment employs an elongated gear rack that is selectively engagable with locking gears to prevent axial motion of the elongated gear rack and an adjustment shaft used to axially position the anvil. Other embodiments employ a gear assembly that cooperates with the elongated gear rack. A locking member is movably supported by a handle assembly that houses the gear assembly and elongated gear rack. The locking member is configured for selective meshing engagement with the gear assembly to ultimately prevent axial movement of the gear rack and adjustment shaft.
US08066165B2

A clearance is set between a nail feeder and an outer profile portion so that the nail feeder can turn. A pin as a first restriction member that inhibits movement of the nail feeder to an ejection portion by engaging with the nail feeder and can release the engagement with the rotation of the nail feeder is provided to the outer profile portion. The position at which the nail feeder and a spring engage is set in deviation from the position at which the nail feeder and the pin engage, in a reciprocating direction of the nail feeder and in a vertical direction.
US08066162B2

A modulator for supporting arms of a rear bicycle carrier comprises a support frame including a central post having two ends with which first and second supporting arms are connected; a ratchet holder integrally formed with or separately disposed on the connecting position of the central post, and including a plurality of inner teeth arranged around the internal periphery thereof; a connecting shaft inserted through the ratchet holder, on the two sides of an intermediate seat of the connecting shaft being mounted two ratchet members for engaging with the inner teeth of the ratchet holder; a control unit fixed on a predetermined position of the rear bicycle carrier for being rotated clockwise or counterclockwise to disengage at least one ratchet member from the inner teeth of the ratchet holder such that the first and second supporting arms can be adjusted toward a suitable angle relative to the central post.
US08066159B2

A dosing device (1) for sprinkling granules (2) comprises upper elements (3) which delineate a storage space (4) for the granules, and lower elements (5) with a portion (6) which forms the bottom (6a) of the storage space and is provided with delivery apertures (7) for the granules. For rapid and even distribution of the granules (2), the delivery apertures (7) are distributed along the whole surface of the portion (6) of said lower elements (5) which forms the bottom (6a) of the storage space (4), and said lower elements comprise a dosing arrangement (8) in the form of a delivery element (9) which surrounds the delivery aperture, runs upwards in the storage space and is provided with an upper inlet aperture (10) and a delivery duct (11), and of a hoodlike element (12) which covers the delivery element, narrows upwards in the storage space, delineates between itself and the delivery element a flow duct (13) and runs to the vicinity of the bottom of the storage space, the section (4a) of the storage space which is situated radially within an imaginary downward extension of the hoodlike element being in communication with the delivery aperture so that granules in that section, upon rapid vertical and/or substantially vertical movements downwards, are guided in by the flow duct to above the inlet aperture of the delivery element in order to be able, via the inlet aperture, to fall through the delivery duct of the delivery element to the delivery aperture.
US08066158B2

A closure for a container is disclosed having a body portion, a top portion, and a plurality of sealing rings. The body portion has an open bottom formed of a skirt and an end wall defining an opening. The top portion has a flap that is movable from a closed position where the opening is covered to an open position where the opening is at least partially uncovered to allow for matter to be dispensed. The plurality of sealing rings are within the skirt beneath the end wall and comprise (1) a first ring with a sealing surface provided a first radial distance from the skirt and a first axial distance from the end wall and (2) a second ring with a sealing surface provided a second radial distance from the skirt and a second axial distance from the end wall. The first radial distance is different than the second radial distance and the first axial distance is different than the second axial distance. The sealing surface of the first ring is configured to fit over a mouth of a receptacle having a first diameter and the planar sealing surface of the second ring is configured to fit over a mouth of a receptacle having a second diameter.
US08066144B2

A waste can comprises a receptacle having a rim with at least one bag lock located on the rim. The bag lock has a first portion defining a cavity and a second portion movable with respect to the first portion between a first position where it is locked to the first portion and a second position where it is spaced from the first portion. The second portion locks a trash bag in the cavity when in the first position.
US08066140B1

A door sealing system is used to seal a container of a vacuum system. In a preferred embodiment the vacuum system has a container door supported on a frame and adapted to seal the container when the container door is closed. A latch assembly supported on the container door is used to latch the container door to the container along a load bearing axis. A power operated pulling assembly located within the container forces the container door against the container by applying a load on the door that is collinear with the load bearing axis of the latch assembly. The power operated pulling assembly seals the container door to the container. The mechanical locking assembly is adapted to maintain the door in a sealed configuration after the power operated pulling assembly has sealed the container.
US08066136B2

A container includes a plurality of resilient wall panels. Each wall panel is connected to each adjacent wall panel at a hinged connection, and the wall panels are arranged so as to articulate at the hinged connections between a collapsed position and an expanded position defining a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and defining an upper lip. At least one of the hinged connections between adjacent side walls is an arched hinge. The container also includes a downwardly projecting bracket disposed proximate the upper lip on an exterior side of a side wall.
US08066133B2

The present invention provides a synthetic resin cap comprising: a cap body (4) having a top plate portion (2) and a cylinder portion (3) hanging from a circumferential edge portion (2b) thereof; an annular inside seal projection (12) to be fitted to a container mouth portion (21); a connector portion (15) formed between the top plate portion (2) and the inside seal projection (12); and an outside thin wall portion (16) formed on the top plate portion (2), and provides a closing device using thereof, and a container-packed beverage.When the internal pressure of the container has risen, the top plate portion (2) is deformably swelled upward, and an inward tensile force is applied to the inside seal projection (12) by the connector portion (15). Since the outside thin wall portion (16) undergoes bending deformation, the portion positioned inside the outside thin wall portion (16) to undergo significant bulging deformation upward, and the slope of the top plate portion (2) at the portion where the inside seal projection (12) is formed is increased. Thus, the inside seal projection (12) is displaced inward, and gas in the container may be easily discharged to the outside.
US08066131B2

An overhead rack system is provided that may be mounted to the ceiling of a structure such as a garage for storing items in an organized manner off the floor. The overhead rack system includes a first and second adjustable mounting track and a support surface having a number of side rails connected together by a plurality of rail connectors. The first and second adjustable mounting tracks are adjustable relative to the ceiling mount such that the space between the ceiling and the support surface as well as the overall length of the side rails may be adjusted by the user according to the intended space.
US08066126B2

A screening arrangement in a vibrating screen for screening of material, such as crushed stone, gravel or the like. The screening arrangement is a cross-tensioned or longitudinally tensioned screening media including elements arranged on top of the screening media for stirring or mixing the screened material, the stirring elements being raised portions, which are arranged transversely to the travel direction of the screened material.
US08066118B1

A method and apparatus for use in the dairy industry to affect the time in preparing a dairy cow for milking and the transference of mastitis in dairy cows with the method the present invention provides: retrieving a quantity of the disposable single fold towels/wipes of the present invention before teat cleaning; extracting a towel/wipe from the quantity and having the maximum surface area of the towel/wipe upon extraction available for use without further manipulation; wiping the udder teats until dry and disposing of the used disposable single fold towel of the present invention. The apparatus of the present invention is a Nonwoven Airlaid or Nonwoven DRC (Double Recreped Cellulose) or 2-6 ply Scrim single fold, interfold towel with a basis weight between 40 GSM (grams per square meter) and 80 GSM, consisting of both virgin pulp (longer fibers) and also recycled pulp (broken or shorter fibers), in the dairy industry.
US08066117B2

Disclosed is a preparation-at-use device comprising: (1) a pre-formed hydrogel component packaged in a first compartment; the pre-formed hydrogel component comprising a gelling agent and a solvent; and (2) a benefit component packaged in a second compartment; the benefit component comprising at least one compound that is unstable when contacted with the pre-formed hydrogel component; wherein the first and second compartments are separately packaged prior to use, and wherein the device comprises means for contacting the pre-formed hydrogel component and benefit component upon use.
US08066107B2

A marine reverse and reduction transmission with modulatable marine transmission clutches including fluid operated nonrotating pistons for effecting clutch engagement by compression of the plates, the pistons generating thrust that is transferred through bearings between the pistons and the rotating clutch packs and gears to the transmission housing parts.
US08066099B2

The present invention discloses a retractable ladder which is a common climbing tool in daily life and engineering industry. The retractable ladder comprises a pedal operated unlock device, section-positioning lock devices and an accidental operation preventing device. The main components of the unlock device is disposed in the first ladder section and enclosure caps at upper ends of each ladder section, except for the uppermost ladder section, are provided with the lock devices and unlock nose spikes. The retractable ladder is changed from an extended state to a folded state simply by operating the unlock device with foot of the user so as to release the lock of the ladder. Consequently, the retractable ladder will automatically retract to descend all of the ladder sections from top to bottom in turn. When the ladder is changed from the folded state to the extended state, section-positioning pins are pulled out downwardly from the uppermost ladder section so as to lock the ladder sections. The retractable ladder of the present invention is configured to extend and retract conveniently, and the use of the ladder is very easy. Further, the retractable ladder is advantageous in ease of assembling and maintenance, Meanwhile, safety is ensured so as to prevent hurts of hands of the user which may occur when a manual retractable ladder is used. In addition, the retractable ladder has advantages of low cost, safe operation and prominent improvements to the art.
US08066098B2

An acoustic structure that includes a honeycomb having cells in which septum caps are located. The septum caps are formed from sheets of acoustic material and include a resonator portion and a flange portion. The flange portion has an anchoring surface that provides frictional engagement of the septum caps to the honeycomb cells when the caps are inserted into the honeycomb during fabrication of the acoustic structure. An adhesive is applied to the anchoring surface of the septum caps after the caps have been inserted into the honeycomb cells to provide a permanent bond.
US08066091B2

A steering system, comprising: an input cylinder having a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber; a transmission mechanism, wherein a transmission efficiency for converting and transmitting a linear motion of the input cylinder to a rotary motion of a steering wheel is less than a transmission efficiency for converting and transmitting the rotary motion of the steering wheel to the linear motion of the input cylinder; an output cylinder connected to a steerable vehicle wheel and having a third hydraulic chamber and a fourth hydraulic chamber; a first hydraulic passage for connecting the first hydraulic chamber to the third hydraulic chamber; a second hydraulic passage for connecting the second hydraulic chamber to the fourth hydraulic chamber; a flow rate control mechanism for exchanging hydraulic oil with: a first hydraulic circuit including the first and third hydraulic chambers and the first hydraulic passage; and a second hydraulic circuit including the second and fourth hydraulic chambers and the second hydraulic passage, in order to adjust a ratio of hydraulic oil quantities in the first and second hydraulic circuits; a steering actuator for providing the steerable vehicle wheel with a steering power assistance; and a controller for cooperatively controlling the flow rate control mechanism and the steering actuator.
US08066088B2

A biologically inspired climbing device with toes and spines is provided. The device has toes capable of moving independently from each other. Each toe distinguishes a compliant linkage, which has non-compliant parts and compliant parts. Spines are distributed over each of the toes. The spines have a diameter that is less than or equal to a diameter of an asperity of a surface. The toes with spines could be arranged into one or more feet. The feet could then be organized in legs enabling the device to climb a surface in a gait pattern. The device uses low power and is quiet, leaves no traces or tracks behind, works well on smooth, rough, uneven, porous and dirty surfaces, and is able to carry and support its own body weight.
US08066077B2

A wellbore fluid production system that is disposable in a wellbore comprising a separator, a pump, a compressor, and a motor. The separator segregates the gas and liquid and delivers the gas to the compressor inlet and the liquid to the pump inlet. The pump pressurizes the liquid for delivery to the surface. The compressor pressurizes the gas for reinjection into the wellbore, injection into another subterranean formation, or for delivery to the surface.
US08066075B2

A completion suspension valve system is described which allows a well to be suspended and desuspended remotely without a dual bore riser to the surface. This is achieved by incorporating a remotely actuatable valve into the production bore of a tubing hanger. The valve is hydraulically operable and may be controlled via the tubing hanger running tool or via the xmas tree. The valve can be closed and tested after the tubing hanger has been installed, thereby isolating the well. The dual bore riser and running tool are retrievable and the MODU type vessel is then free to continue drilling and completion operations elsewhere. The xmas tree can therefore be deployed from a workclass supply boat instead of a MODU type vessel.
US08066063B2

A mineral extraction system includes a branch having a branch passage, a diverter coupled to the branch passage, and a capillary injection conduit disposed inside to the branch passage. A method of injecting chemicals includes injecting a chemical into a capillary injection conduit disposed internal to a production passage, wherein the chemical injection capillary conduit comprises an inlet and an outlet configured to terminate proximate a well formation.
US08066057B2

A distributor (1) for distributing a flow of cooling fluid over one or more surface(s) (3) to be cooled has a housing (13) that may be manufactured in a single piece together with inlet (8) and outlet (9) manifolds and a plurality of flow cells (26, 27, 28, 29). The flow cells (26, 27, 28, 29) may be connected in parallel between the manifolds (8, 9), and may be adapted to cool multiple surfaces (3) simultaneously. The present invention is also directed to a fluid-coolable unit comprising a distributor (1) for removing heat from an electronic circuit, such as integrated circuit or CPU.
US08066056B2

A heat exchange method and system for heat transfer includes a plate fin and tube or finned tube heat exchanger that reduces the plume of a stream that is being rejected to atmosphere by reducing the water dew point of the stream.
US08066054B2

A measuring system for measuring the strand condition of a continuous casting machine, the system comprising a plate member mounted on a caster chain (10) in use, the plate member (12) having an edge (14) that protrudes outwardly from one surface (13) of the caster chain (10); a pivotally mounted arm (16) capable of protruding outwardly from the opposing surface (17) of the caster chain (10); and means to determine the distance between the tip (18) of the arm (16) and the plate edge (14) at any given interval during use.
US08066052B2

A casting includes a wall thickness check feature for measuring thickness of a wall second aside an in-wall cooling passageway. The thickness is determined by observing the existence and/or size of an opening formed by the feature. The casting is cast from a pattern including portions forming the feature. To manufacture the pattern, a pattern-forming die is assembled with a ceramic feedcore and a refractory metal core (RMC). The assembling leaves an inlet portion of the RMC engaged to the ceramic feedcore and leaves an outlet portion of the RMC engaged to the die. A pattern-forming material is molded in the die at least partially over the ceramic feedcore and RMC. The die is disengaged from the pattern-forming material. The assembling engages a stepped projection of the RMC with a mating surface of the die.
US08066041B2

A routing machine comprises a base unit including an inner surface and a motor unit. The motor unit is releasably positioned in the base unit. The motor unit includes an outer surface engaging the inner surface of the base unit and a clamp mechanism moveable between a clamping position and a release position. The clamp mechanism is configured to apply a clamping force to the outer surface of the motor unit when in the clamping position. A moveable clamp adjustment member is positioned on the base unit. Movement of the clamp adjustment member, when the clamp mechanism is in the clamping position, adjusts the clamping force applied to the outer surface of the motor unit by the clamp mechanism.
US08066031B2

A microfluidic device includes a substrate including multiple electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-hydraulic pumps that each include a flow channel and one or more hydraulic control channels, actuators for controlling the electro-hydraulic valves and/or electro-hydraulic pumps, and a hydraulic pressure source operatively connected to the hydraulic control channels.
US08066026B2

A diaphragm controlled bypass valve includes a diaphragm valve portion and a needle valve portion. The diaphragm valve portion regulates pressurized gas supplied from a pump to determine whether or not to open or close a needle valve. The needle valve portion includes an inlet port, an outlet port and a flow pathway defined between the inlet and outlet ports. A needle pin is disposed within the flow pathway and is coupled to a diaphragm positioned within the diaphragm valve portion. When the diaphragm is displaced in response to changes in pressure, the needle valve pin is likewise displaced which opens and closes the flow pathway.
US08066025B2

A simplified piercing valve stem assembly system and apparatus which includes a valve stem component to which a piercing point has been securely affixed, and an easily manufactured stub-out with a flattened or partially flattened end adapted for piercing.
US08066016B2

A hair styling device with a handle part, at least one heater part and two metallic molded parts that are preferably made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and serve, in particular, for straightening, curling or waving hair. Hairs can be inserted between facing contact surfaces of the molded parts and the molded parts can be changed from an open state into a closed state. In order to ensure particularly good sliding properties for the hair, the invention proposes that the contact surfaces are at least regionally provided with an enamel coating.
US08066005B2

A complex respirator is provided that includes a first shell, at least a first filter layer and a second filter layer. The first filter layer is replaceable and arranged on an outer side of the first shell while the first shell is disposed on an outer side of the second filter layer. A slot is formed on an outer side of the first shell for accommodating the first filter layer. The filtering area of the first filter layer is smaller than that of the second filter layer while pore size of the first filter layer is larger than that of the second filter layer. The second filter layer filters the gas that the first filter layer is unable to filter. Moreover, the type of first filter media of the first filter layer may be chosen based on the location that the complex respirator is to be used.
US08065996B1

A leg is adapted to be inserted into a standard removable hitch receiver. The leg has spaced vertical plates. Forward and rearward horizontally spaced lower pivot apertures are provided. A plurality of positioning apertures are provided in an arcuate pattern. A pivoting grill platform has associated plates. Forward and rearward horizontally spaced upper pivot apertures are provided. A coupling assembly includes a pivoting support arm and a pivoting leveling arm. Each arm has an upper aperture and bolt coupling upper pivot apertures of the grill. Each arm has a lower aperture and bolt coupling the pivot apertures of the vertical plates of the leg. A removable self locking pin is positionable through the locking aperture and a preselected one of the plurality of positioning apertures.
US08065990B2

A compression ignition internal combustion engine system combusts DME as fuel using high fuel injection pressures (e.g., above 800 bar) and low oxygen concentrations (e.g., below 17%, through high levels of EGR), thereby resulting in simultaneously very low NOx and PM engine-out emissions.
US08065988B2

An average pressure P12 in an exhaust port at an overlap period T12 during which a period T1 during which an exhaust valve of a first cylinder unit is in an EGR opening state overlaps with a period T2 during which an intake valve of the first cylinder unit is in an opening state is set to be lower than an average pressure P12′ in the exhaust port within the EGR opening period T1 and after a lapse of the overlap period T12, or an overlapped opening time area S2 at the overlap period T12 is set to be not more than one-fourth of an opening time area S1 at the EGR opening period T1.
US08065984B2

The invention relates to a piston (10, 110, 210, 310, 410) for an internal combustion engine, comprising a piston head (11) with at least one piston crown (12) which is exposed to at least one jet of combustion gases, and a piston shaft (17), the piston head (11) and the piston shaft (12) being configured as interconnected individual components including a peripheral outer cooling channel (27). The invention is characterized in that an annular partition wall (35, 135, 235, 335, 435) is provided in the cooling channel (27) in parallel to the piston crown (12) and has one or more nozzle-type openings (37, 45, 137, 237, 337, 437) that are arranged in such a manner that their respective outlet jet is directed against the underside (12a) of the piston crown (12).
US08065983B2

A cam cover for a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine which has an aperture in the cam cover adapted to permit spark plug installation into the cylinder head and two tabs protruding vertically from the cam cover adapted to retain a boss extending from an ignition coil is disclosed. The ignition coil has a portion adapted to fit over the spark plug and an orifice through the boss. The cam cover also has a recess between the tabs with the recess extending into the cam cover which is adapted to accept a self-tapping screw in the event of a tab failure. The tabs have a varying cross-section along their length such that they allow the orifice to be slid over the tabs by them squeezing together and then snapping into place when the orifice clears the ramps on the side of the tabs.
US08065981B2

A stratified scavenging two-cycle engine that has a simpler structure than conventional stratified scavenging two-cycle engines and that has an excellent blow-by prevention effect etc. In an air intake stroke, lead air passes a lead-air port (12) etc. to flow into an inner space of a piston (6) during a period from the instant at which a lateral groove (21b) starts to superpose on the lead-air port (12) until the superposing between the lateral groove (21b) and the lead-air port (12) disappears after the piston (6) passes its top dead center. Further, in a scavenging stroke, lead air passes a scavenging path (17) etc. to flow into a cylinder (4) from a scavenging port (18) during a period from the instant at which a scavenging connection opening (20) and a scavenging inflow opening (19) start to superpose on each other until the superposing between the scavenging connection opening (20) and the scavenging inflow opening (19) disappears after the piston (6) passes its bottom dead center. Then, a mixture gas passes the inside of the piston (6) to flow into the cylinder (4) from the scavenging port (18).
US08065973B2

A panel for an indicating instrument has a base plate. The base plate has a line pattern with lines. The line pattern is defined by projections and grooves. A desired metal-like appearance is converted into a glossiness ratio Gp/Gv. The projections and grooves are formed at intervals and have at least one dimension in a direction perpendicular to the surface such that the surface has a predetermined glossiness ratio Gp/Gv. Gp is a glossiness measured in a direction parallel to an axis of at least one line. Gv is a glossiness measured in a direction perpendicular to an axis of at least one line.
US08065965B2

A portable video game table comprising: a table surface with an underside; at least one spring-loaded floor leg rotatably attached to the underside; at least one spring-loaded sofa leg rotatably attached to the underside; a floor leg locking mechanism located on the at least one spring-loaded floor leg; a sofa leg locking mechanism located on the at least one spring-loaded sofa leg; where the table is configured such that the portable video game table can change to and from a folded configuration and a ready-for-use extended configuration.
US08065964B2

A hopper car discharge section may be wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Outflow is controlled by movable closure members. The hopper car has a plurality of hoppers of which two hoppers share a common ridge assembly. The ridge assembly forms a common mating and fit up location for the upper margins of the slope sheets of two lengthwise adjacent hoppers. The ridge assembly includes an horizontal center section and two end plates that angle upwardly outboard toward the top chords of the sidewalls. The ridge assembly stands proud of the upper margin of the respective adjacent slope sheets. A gusset is mounted between the adjacent slope sheets below the ridge plate such that the slope sheets and gusset form a reinforcement tube running across the car, the end plates forming the stems of a vertical T-section attached to the sidewall and overlapping the top chord.
US08065962B2

A projectile, particularly a practice round, has a projectile body that includes a hollow ogive that bursts upon striking the target into which marking material is inserted. The marking material is released when the projectile strikes the target and the ogive bursts. The marking material is covered by a protective cap that breaks when the projectile bursts on the target.
US08065958B2

The use of polymers which comprise amino groups modified with acid groups for the preparation of fountain solutions for offset printing. A process for printing by means of the offset technique, in which a fountain solution which comprises polymer which comprises amino groups modified with acid groups is used.
US08065956B2

A press with a cylinder for the movement of a pressure element is described. The cylinder is connected to a toggle lever, wherein the toggle lever is connected to a drive and wherein the drive moves the cylinder via the toggle lever.
US08065954B2

The present invention relates to a food fryer. The food frying apparatus generally comprises two sections: a frying section and an oil removal section. The frying section houses and/or heats oil for frying the food, and the oil removal section is operable to reduce the oil content of the food. Exemplary embodiments of the invention comprise a basket well that is configured to be movable between a cooking section and a spinning section. The basket well may be configured to comprise a bearing surface and a basket well gear. The fryer device may further comprise a frame that comprise a bearing configured to interface with the bearing surface. Further, the fryer device may comprise a rotational motor that comprises a spinning gear configured to interface with the basket well gear. The fryer device may also comprise a drawer configured to be slidably removable from the fryer device. The fryer device may also comprise a retrofit fryer device configured to be adaptable to pre-existing fryer devices. In other embodiments, the fryer device may be configured to be operated at least in part by a processor, and the processor may receive instructions from a storage medium. Various aspects of the fryer device are configured to be automatically controlled.
US08065948B1

A protection device to close the gun slit (or opening) of a mount, such gun slit delimited by two lateral flanges and two end flanges and in which pivots or moves a mobile organ carrying a mobile wall positioned between the exterior and interior of the mount, device which comprises at least one flexible bellows integral on one side with an end flange of the gun slit and on the other with the mobile organ (3), such device wherein the bellows and wall delimit an intermediate chamber that is linked to the internal space (10) of the mount, such space being pressurized by pressurization means.
US08065937B2

A method and device for positioning a power tong (2) at the pipe joint (14) of a pipe string (12), where, after the pipe joint (14) has been brought within the working area of the power tong (2), the power tong (2) must be displaced to a position that corresponds with that of the pipe joint (14), and where a camera (16) which may be displaced in parallel with the pipe (12), and which is linked to a display (18), is displaced until the image of the pipe joint (14) coincides with a marker (40) in the display, whereupon a signal is transmitted to a control (26), indicating that the power tong (2) is to be displaced to a position that corresponds with that of the camera (16) and thereby that of the pipe joint (14).
US08065926B2

The present application relates to an input torque measuring device for a drive train of a bicycle. The drive train includes a first crank arm and a second crank arm. An inboard end of each crank arm is rotatably mounted to the bicycle at a bottom bracket of the bicycle. At least one chain ring is configured to rotate a driven wheel of the bicycle. A spider is connected to the first crank arm adjacent the bottom bracket and extends out to the at least one chain ring. The spider is configured to transmit force applied to the crank arms directly to the at least one chain ring. The spider may include a plurality of sensors configured to respond to the force applied by the spider to the at least one chain ring. The sensors produce an electronic signal relative to the force transmitted by the spider to the at least one chain ring and a processor configured to receive the electronic signals from each sensor of the spider.
US08065924B2

A disposable assembly for use with a sensor assembly, and method for making the same, the disposable comprises a body, a flow restricting element, and a fluid pressure membrane. The body has a lid portion and a base portion. The body defines a fluid flow passage that forms an inlet and an outlet. The flow restricting element is positioned along the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid pressure membrane is at a location in the fluid flow passage between the inlet and the outlet. The fluid pressure membrane defines an opening for receiving the flow restricting element. The fluid pressure membrane is located between the lid portion and the base portion of the body.
US08065921B2

An airflow speed detection device for measuring an airflow speed includes an airflow speed switch, and a connector. The airflow speed switch includes a detection head, and an elastic piece. The connector is electrically connected to the testing the airflow speed switch to connect an indicator to indicate close and open states of the airflow speed switch. If the airflow speed is not faster than a critical value, the elastic piece contacts the detection head to close the airflow speed switch. If the airflow speed is faster than the critical value, the elastic piece is blown away from the detection head to open the airflow speed switch.
US08065908B2

Provided is an atomic force microscope capable of increasing the phase detection speed of a cantilever vibration. The cantilever (5) is excited and the cantilever (5) and a sample are relatively scanned. Displacement of the cantilever (5) is detected by a sensor. An oscillator (27) generates an excitation signal of the cantilever (5) and generates a reference wave signal having a frequency based on the excitation signal and a fixed phase. According to vibration of the cantilever (5), a trigger pulse generation circuit (41) generates a trigger pulse signal having a pulse position changing in accordance with the vibration of the cantilever (5). According to the reference wave signal and the trigger pulse signal, a phase signal generation circuit (43) generates a signal corresponding to the level of the reference wave signal at the pulse position as a phase signal of vibration of the cantilever (5). As the reference wave signal, a saw tooth wave is used. A phase signal generation circuit (43) is formed by a sample hold circuit.
US08065893B2

A process and apparatus for making silicon or silicon/germanium core fiber is described, which uses a plasma process with reducing agent to make a preform. The process also makes the recommendations in selecting the adequate cladding tube for better fiber properties. An improved fiber drawing apparatus is also disclosed in order to draw this new type of preform.
US08065887B2

In a basic embodiment of a display for public use including a stand, an internal computer and an internal air conditioning system, the computer (10) is arranged according to the invention inside a housing (7) of the display, an evaporator (1) of an air conditioning device acting as an air delivering member is connected from below to an opening (18) in the floor panel of the housing (7) of the display, with said device being arranged inside the hollow stand (8) of the display, while a compressor (2) of the air conditioning device acting as a member for drawing in air is arranged on the floor panel of the stand (8). Modifications of said solution refer to standless displays providing the equipment either entirely in the housing of the display or entirely outside the housing of the display or partly inside partly outside.
US08065885B2

A refrigeration and freezing device with fresh-keeping function by supplying nitrogen comprises a box body, a refrigerating and freezing chamber disposed inside the box body, a door to the refrigerating and freezing chamber, a control device and a nitrogen generator; wherein said nitrogen generator is disposed either inside or outside the box body of the refrigeration and freezing device, said nitrogen generator comprises an air inlet, an oxygen outlet, a nitrogen outlet, an air filter connected with the air inlet, a compressor, a pipe device for transmitting gas, at least one carbon molecular sieve absorber, at least one control valve to control different absorbers to work alternately, a nitrogen storage container, a nitrogen purifier, a pressure reducing valve for adjusting the pressure of the produced nitrogen, a ventilating muffler disposed on a pipe to the oxygen outlet and a control circuit.
US08065883B2

A method and apparatus for the controlled storage of liquefied gases such as liquefied natural gas in an enclosed insulated container, in which part of the liquid is withdrawn and fed to an external refrigeration unit for subcooling and the subcooled liquid is reintroduced into the container via one or more valve-controlled headers under the control of a control system operated in response to pressure and temperature signals from within the container, wherein the level of subcooling is matched to the heat inleak into the container and most or all of the subcooled liquid is reintroduced directly into the stored liquid so as to maintain stable conditions in the stored liquid and to minimise evaporation thereof.
US08065877B2

A solar energy converting device includes a frame, a container, a thermal expansion member, a connecting rod, an inductor and magnetic members. The frame defines an opening. The container is positioned on an inner surface of the frame and positioned adjacent to the opening. The container defines a thermally sealed void space filled with an inert gas. The thermal expansion member is positioned on the container and partially surrounded by the container. The connecting rod has an end connected to the thermal expansion member. The magnetic members are positioned on the inner surface of the frame and configured for generating a magnetic field. The inductor coils around the connecting rod and is positioned among the magnetic members. The inductor is configured for being driven by the thermal expansion member to move back and forth in the magnetic field so as to generate a voltage.
US08065876B2

An engine and a method for operating the engine comprising a chamber defined by at least one fixed wall and at least one movable wall, the volume of the chamber variable with movement of the movable wall; an injector arranged to inject liquid into the chamber while the chamber has a substantially minimum volume; apparatus through which energy is introduced that is absorbed by the fluid which then explosively vaporizes, performing work on the movable wall; and apparatus which returns the movable wall to a position prior to the work being performed thereon so the chamber has the substantially minimum volume, substantially evacuating the chamber of vaporized fluid without substantially compressing the vaporized fluid.
US08065874B2

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08065873B2

A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control.
US08065871B1

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for real-time diagnosis of a NOx-adsorption catalyst (NAC). The method includes verifying that a NAC temperature exceeds a threshold, determining that the NAC is in a steady-state operating condition, and surveying a first oxygen sensor upstream of the NAC and a second oxygen sensor downstream of the NAC. The method further includes calculating a lambda difference between the first and second oxygen sensors, and interpreting a NAC regeneration indicator. The method further includes determining a lean-to-rich transition and a rich-to-lean transition area based on the lambda difference and the regeneration indicator. The method concludes with setting a NAC function indicator according to the lean-to-rich transition area and the rich-to-lean transition area.
US08065866B2

A lawn mower includes a base, a motor that drives a cutting assembly, and a catcher removably coupled to the base. Grass is cut by the blades of the cutting assembly, with the grass being propelled along a channel extending angularly beneath the base of the lawn mower. An exit channel portion delivers the cut grass to a rear opening that communicates with the catcher. A pivotally mounted flap opens and closes the exit channel portion to switch the lawn mower between a catching operational mode and a mulching operational mode.
US08065865B1

An agricultural harvesting machine including a flexible cutterbar and associated draper belts for carrying cut agricultural material to a center location. The belts are guided by a drive rollers and idler rollers. The idler roller for each belt is pivotable about an axis generally at 90 degrees to the axis of the belt and the drive roller for each belt is translatable axially to minimize diagonal stresses caused by flexing of the elongated endless belt. A spring assembly is positioned on a frame for the machine and acts to yieldably urge the drive rollers in an aft condition to alleviate stresses for an extended period of operation.
US08065863B2

A process for filling a container with a liquid includes providing a plastic container comprising a spout, a base, and a sidewall. The container is filled with a liquid and the spout is sealed with a closure. An internal vacuum or depression is formed within the container, resulting in visible deformation of the container. Heat is applied to the container to bring about internal pressurization of the container to at least compensate for the depression or vacuum.
US08065862B2

A method and a device for packaging a confectionery product (P) in a shaped wrapper of sheet material (1, 2) having a cup-shaped portion (1c, 2c) (pleated cup) formed from the same sheet material as the product wrapper; the method and the device comprise the use or a mandrel with petals (14a, 14b) which cooperates with a forming cavity (11) and which may assume a retracted configuration so that it can penetrate into the forming cavity to shape the wrapper into a cup shape adhering to the product. The packaging is characterized in that the wrapper has a central region (2a) on which the product bears and from which the cup extends with a transverse dimension (or diameter) smaller than the maximum transverse dimension of the packaged product.
US08065858B2

Systems and methods for branding medication are provided, including, a first capper system that caps a first medication container with a first cap of a first branding including first identification of a third party supplier of one of the prescription and medication order; a second capper system that caps a second medication container with a second cap of a second branding including second identification of another third party supplier of the one of the prescription and medication order; a transport system that transports the first and second medication containers; and a control system that controls the transport system to transport the first and second medication containers based on customer information, and controls the one of the first capper system and the second capper system to cap the first and second medication containers with one of the first and second caps.
US08065857B2

Stackable containers that, in various embodiments, are adapted to be vertically and/or horizontally interlocked with other, like, containers to, for example, increase the stability of stacks of the containers. In one embodiment, a stackable container comprises: (A) a top surface comprising a shoulder portion that extends upwardly from the top surface and that is substantially disposed within a perimeter defined by the top surface; (B) a bottom surface defining a stacking recess; (C) a plurality of substantially vertical side surfaces that extend between the top surface and the bottom surface. In various embodiments, a recessed portion of the bottom surface adjacent the stacking recess is adapted to substantially mate with at least a portion of a shoulder portion of a like container.
US08065856B2

A marker installation system comprises a marker comprising a shaft having a bottom end and a top end, and including an insertion portion, a mast portion, and an engagement portion located between the insertion portion and the mast portion. The engagement portion is configured to resist further insertion of the shaft into the ground beyond the insertion portion. The system includes a marker installation apparatus including a magazine assembly defining a magazine space in which the marker is positioned. The magazine space has a push position in the magazine space for receiving the marker. The apparatus includes a push assembly mounted on the magazine assembly to engage the engagement portion of the marker when the marker is located in the push position. The push assembly pushes the marker from the push position of the magazine assembly when the push assembly is actuated.
US08065855B2

An enclosed structure, such as a patio enclosure, sunroom, or solarium, is attachable to the exterior wall of a building, has a high proportion of windows and a roof, and constructed from a framework of composite members and insulating wall panels, the panels and wall members being extruded from material having improved thermal characteristics and stability.
US08065849B2

A decking plank (1) comprising a core (2) which acts as a support beam, one or more layers (3,4) bonded to said core without the use of releasable attachment means and one or the layer being an outer slip resistant covering layer with a relief; characterised in that at least one of said layers (3) is relatively soft compared to said core which is relatively hard; whereby the core acts as a support beam and said at least one layer has a cushioning effect.
US08065837B2

An automotive door comprises an outer metal panel and an inner metal panel which are coupled with each other to constitute a door base construction. The door base construction has therein a clearance that is defined between the outer and inner metal panels. A module base is incorporated with the inner metal panel and has a swelled portion that is projected into the clearance. Due to provision of module base having such swelled portion, rigidity of the door is increased.
US08065835B2

A device for displaceably holding a glass pane (1) in a sliding rail has at least one fastening part (2) to which a hot-melt adhesive cushion (7) is fitted and which has at least one locking element (10, 11). Furthermore, there is an elongate holding rail (3) which can be brought into engagement with the or each locking element (10, 11). The or each locking element (10, 11) can be moved between a locking position, in which the or each fastening part (2) is connected fixedly to the holding rail (3), and a release position in which the engagement with the holding rail (3) is released and the glass pane (1) can be removed from the holding rail (3). As a result, repair due to wear of the holding rail (3) is less cost-intensive, since the glass pane (1) is connected releasably to the holding rail (3).
US08065824B2

Snow removing machine includes an auger for removing accumulated snow, an accumulated snow height detection section for detecting a height of accumulated snow in front of the auger, an auger lifting and lowering section for lifting and lowering the auger, and a control section for controlling the auger lifting and lowering section to lift the auger in response to detection, by the accumulated snow height detection section, of the accumulated snow. By the provision of the accumulated snow height detection section, the present invention can save a human operator a trouble of setting in advance a target height position of the auger and thereby alleviate a load on the human operator.
US08065819B2

A hands-free fastening mechanism for releasably securing a user's foot to footwear is disclosed. The fastening mechanism comprises at least one pivotable strap which is coupled to a hinge mechanism which, in turn, is secured to the footwear. The hinge mechanism allows the strap to pivot between an open and a closed position. The strap is further coupled to a lever which is engageable by a user's foot so as to cause the strap to move from the open position to the closed position. When the strap moves to the closed position, a catch will engage, thereby securing the user's foot within the footwear. The footwear may then be removed by using the other foot to apply pressure to a protruding member and then withdrawing the secured foot such that the catch is disengaged and the foot is released.
US08065807B2

A weapon sight to facilitate alignment a weapon with a target comprises a housing further comprising a video camera for generating a first video signal corresponding to a first field of view, a processor for processing the first video signal into a second video signal corresponding to a second field of view and outputting the second video signal to a video display, and a reticle disposed on the video display, wherein one of the first or the second video signals is electronically positionable with respect to other of the second or first video signal.
US08065800B2

A rear axle/suspension module (18) is associated with a chassis frame (10) in a way that facilitates installation and removal to provide more efficient assembly plant operations with fewer parts and less floor space. Also provided is a method of re-equipping a truck that has one particular model of drive axle and suspension module with a different model.
US08065798B2

A fabrication method which can improve electrical properties, shorten processing time, and reduce the thickness of a chip package by achieving an ultra-thin fine circuit pattern. The method for fabricating a printed circuit board includes: providing an insulating material; forming in the insulating material at least one via-hole for interlayer electrical connection; ion beam treating the surface of the insulating material having the via-hole formed therein; forming a copper seed layer on the surface-treated insulating material using a vacuum deposition process; and plating a copper pattern on the copper seed layer to form a circuit pattern.
US08065794B2

The present invention has for its object to provide a process for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit boards which is capable of simultaneous via hole filling and formation of conductor circuit and via holes of good crystallinity and uniform deposition can be constructed on a substrate and high-density wiring and highly reliable conductor connections can be realized without annealing. The present invention is related to a process for manufacturing multilayer printed circuit boards which comprises disposing an interlayer resin insulating layer on a substrate formed with a conductor circuit, creating openings for formation of via holes in said interlayer resin insulating layer, forming an electroless plated metal layer on said interlayer resin insulating layer, disposing a resist thereon, performing electroplating, stripping the resist off and etching the electroless plated metal layer to provide a conductor circuit and via holes, wherein the electroplating is performed intermittently using said electroless plated metal layer as cathode and a plating metal as anode at a constant voltage between said anode and said cathode.
US08065786B2

Provided is a manufacturing method of heat-assisted magnetic recording head, in which a light source unit can be easily joined to a slider with sufficiently high accuracy, under avoiding the excessive mechanical stress. The manufacturing method comprises the steps of: moving relatively the light source unit and the slider, while applying a sufficient voltage between an upper electrode of the light source and an electrode layer provided in the slider; and setting the light source unit and the slider in desired positions in a direction perpendicular to the element-integration surface of the slider substrate. The desired positions are positions where the light source just emits due to a surface contact between: the protruded portion of the lower surface of the light source; and the upper surface of the electrode layer, which is a portion of the wall surface of a step formed on the head part.
US08065776B2

A cleaning implement comprises a handle (1), a plate frame (2) connected to the handle, and a mop (3) that is detachably attached to the plate frame. At least one pair of holding members, consisting of a permanent magnet and a counterpart cooperating therewith, has been arranged for holding of the mop (3) onto the plate frame (2). The magnet and the counterpart have been attached to the plate frame (2) and to the mop (3), respectively, so that they face each other in the operating position of the mop. The counterpart may consist of a permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic substance and it has been anchored, for example, by sewing inside the mop (3) under a fabric that forms the upper surface of the mop. The specification also relates to the mop (3) per se, which is provided with at least one magnetic holding member arranged in the vicinity of the upper surface of the mop and, in the operating position of the mop, cooperating with the magnetic fastening part which is in a corresponding position on the plate frame.
US08065770B2

An example dock leveler for a loading dock includes a position sensor system that not only senses upper and lower travel limits of the dock leveler's deck and/or lip but can also sense a plurality of intermediate positions between the limits. In some examples, the system includes one or more cable-extension transducers that provide a feedback signal that varies as a function of the deck's position relative to a dock platform and/or varies as a function of the lip's position relative to the deck. Such a position sensor system makes it possible to operate the dock leveler automatically with little to no manual intervention.
US08065766B1

A pillow for side-sleeping providing support of the shoulder and lumbar regions and thereby increasing comfort, where the pillow is constructed of tiers of foam, with each foam layer laminated to an adjacent foam layer and where the foam layers vary in thickness and density producing compression zones. The pillow has a raised area that is placed under the axilla, while the remaining portion of the pillow is placed under the upper ribcage. The pillow may be used as a therapeutic adjunct to a conventional fiber-filled pillow placed under the head and neck, or as a therapeutic adjunct to a specialty pillow, such as a cervical pillow.
US08065761B2

An inflatable mattress for use on a truck bed is disclosed and claimed. The inflatable mattress includes left and right lateral sides. Each lateral side includes a recession dimensioned to receive a respective one of the wheel wells. The inflatable mattress also includes left and right side cushions disposed above and in contact with an upper surface of the mattress adjacent the left and right lateral sides, respectively.
US08065756B2

Tilting Bowl Toilet comprises a frame, a toilet basin, and a tilting bowl. The tilting bowl is supported below the toilet basin to receive and hold water/waste delivered from the toilet basin. The tilting bowl tilts to discharge its content to drainage. The tilting bowl at standby is sustained to stay in a horizontal position by forces applied to the tilting bowl creating a resultant sustaining turning moment about its support axis. When the turning moment produced by the tilting bowl with its content becomes larger than the sustaining turning moment, the tilting bowl moves to a tilted position to discharge its content. The effective support axis shifts with respect to the tilting bowl as guided by a motion guide.
US08065744B2

A glove has fingers. The glove include a spaced thumb. The glove includes an arcuate lower edge. The glove includes an opening located centrally. The glove has upwardly projecting side edges. A web is secured between the thumb and fingers. In this manner an arcuate upper edge is formed. The glove has an insert. The insert has limited flexibility. The insert is in an arcuate configuration. The insert is secured within the glove. The insert has ends. A width line is provided between the ends. An enlarged pocket is provided in the glove. Stiffener is provided below and a width line above.
US08069490B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that non-intrusively detects counterfeit components in a target computer system. During operation, the system collects target electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals generated by the target computer system using one or more antennas positioned in close proximity to the target computer system. The system then generates a target EMI fingerprint for the target computer system from the target EMI signals. Next, the system compares the target EMI fingerprint against a reference EMI fingerprint to determine whether the target computer system contains a counterfeit component.
US08069481B2

The present invention is directed to systems and methods for detecting unsolicited and threatening communications and communicating threat information related thereto. Threat information is received from one or more sources; such sources can include external security databases and threat information data from one or more application and/or network layer security systems. The received threat information is reduced into a canonical form. Features are extracted from the reduced threat information; these features in conjuntion with configuration data such as goals are used to produce rules. In some embodiments, these rules are tested against one or more sets of test data and compared against the same or different goals; if one or more tests fail, the rules are refined until the tests succeed within an acceptable margin of error. The rules are then propagated to one or more application layer security systems.
US08069474B2

A software-usage management system that manages a usage of a software function by a client connected to a network includes a test-conducting unit that conducts a test relevant to a software function for a user of a client for which a specific software function is not available from a standpoint of security; and a usage allowing unit that allows a user who passed the test conducted by the test-conducting unit to use the specific software function.
US08069468B1

A method and apparatus for controlling access to information over a network. Information and video/audio streams are transmitted across a network by a head end to a member space manager or set-top box where the information may be utilized or viewed. The frequency that a given stream of information is transmitted on is rotated or switched based on a switching algorithm. For example, a given stream (e.g., a motion picture on a pay-per-view station) may be transmitted on one frequency for a specified time interval, then switched to another frequency for a specified time interval, etc. To enable the member space manager to determine which frequency a given stream of information is transmitted on at a particular point in time, switching software may be provided by the head end server to the member space manager. Switching software may be encrypted prior to transmission to the member space manager. According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the stream-to-frequency mapping is determined, the mapping is transmitted to the member space manager where it is installed and executed, the stream of information is transmitted on varying frequencies to the member space manager, and the member space manager tunes into the appropriate frequency to receive and utilize a continuous stream of information. By transmitting information in this manner, all encryption, frequency/channel switching, configuration issues, etc. are transparent to the end user who merely has to select a virtual channel to view.
US08069450B2

A method of computer operating system data management comprising the steps of: (a) associating data management information with data input to a process (300); and (b) regulating operating system operations involving the data according to the data management information is provided (310). A computing platform (1) for operating system data management is also provided. Furthermore, a computer program including instructions configured to enable operating system data management, an operating system, and an operating system data management method and apparatus arranged to identify data having data management information associated therewith when that data is read into a memory space are provided.
US08069442B2

A computer system provides for the secure installation and operation of software. The computer system includes a platform, such as a personal computer, having a processor and the Microsoft® Windows® operating system. The computer system also includes a first drive, such as a network, DVD or CD-ROM drive, adapted for access by the processor, and a second drive, such as a hard disk, adapted for access by the processor. The second drive includes an NT File Structure logical volume. The computer system further includes an installer operatively associated with the first drive. The installer cooperates with the processor to write a Primary Data Stream file to the NT File Structure logical volume, to associate data with the Primary Data Stream file, and to write the associated data to the NT File Structure logical volume as an Alternate Data Stream file.
US08069440B2

A method and mechanism for producing and executing self-steering program code. A method comprises analyzing program code and identifying portions which may be amenable to optimization. Having identified such a portion of code, at least one optimized version of the identified code is added to the program code. Additionally, a selection mechanism is added to the program code which is configured to select between two or more versions of the portion of code during runtime. The modified program code is then compiled with the added optimized version and the selection mechanism. During execution, monitoring of behavior of the code may be enabled or disabled. Based upon such monitored behavior, a different version of the code may be selected for execution. Various optimized versions may be selected for execution in a manner which takes advantage of the current behavior of the program.
US08069438B2

Facilitating declaration of a class or function using a programming language that is not a class-based object-oriented programming (OOP) language is disclosed. A call to a function, defined using the programming language, that has a name that is a near variant of the reserved word “class” is received. In response to the call, a new function that includes, if applicable, the methods and variables of a parent function designated, using a syntax that is a near variant of a corresponding class-based OOP syntax, to be a super class of the new function and includes one or more methods, variables, or both designated, using a syntax that is a near variant of a corresponding class-based OOP syntax, to be implemented by the new function is defined programmatically.
US08069436B2

A user application is generated in response to user input, wherein the user application is described in a user application description. Processing device code is generated for a targeted processing device based at least in part on the user application description without user intervention, wherein the processing device code includes a system layer, wherein functionality of the system layer is independent of the targeted processing device.
US08069434B2

A plurality of constraints are identified for a model of a software deployment in an integrated development environment. Each of the constraints are associated with one of a plurality of analysis levels. It is determined for each analysis level whether the corresponding associated constraints are met so that an identification indicating the same may be provided. Related techniques, apparatus, systems, and articles are described.
US08069432B2

A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for performing statistical leakage power characterization to estimate yield of a circuit in terms of leakage power. According to some approaches, this is performed with consideration of bi-exponential modeling.
US08069429B2

A detailed placement process which optimizes cell placement with up to one hundred percent densities in a linear run time. The output from a conjugate-gradient coarse placement process is input to the detailed placement process. A dynamic programming technique is used to optimize cell placement by swapping cells between two or more rows. The search space is pruned beforehand. A greedy cleanup phase using an incremental row placer is used. Thereby, the detailed placement process handles congestion driven placements characterized by non-uniform densities expeditiously and efficiently.
US08069425B2

Some embodiments provide a method of monitoring the implementation of a user design in a configurable integrated circuit (IC). The method receives a user design for an IC and optimizes the user design to produce a second IC design. The optimization results in the elimination of circuit elements(s). The method defines the second IC design for the configurable IC and generates output data for the eliminated circuit element(s) to allow for monitoring the user design.
US08069420B2

A system for controlling the communication of medical imaging data is disclosed generally comprising a computer, a plurality of sources of medical imaging data and a plurality of destinations of medical imaging data in communication with the computer, and a touchscreen for simultaneously displaying a plurality of source icons and a plurality of destination icons controlled by the computer. The source icons correspond to the plurality of sources to allow a user to select a particular source of imaging data, and the destination icons correspond to the plurality of destinations to allow the user to select at least one particular destination for the imaging data. In certain embodiments, the touchscreen includes a display window for displaying medical images generated from the imaging data supplied by the presently selected source. In some embodiments, the touchscreen includes a set of controls associated with the presently selected source.
US08069418B2

A system advantageously populates Flowsheet data fields with predetermined exemplary patient parameter data in response to user selection of a designated displayed trigger parameter and enables user preview of Flowsheet format including the exemplary data resulting from tentative configuration settings without exiting a configuration window. A user interface display system supports entry of medical information concerning administration of treatment to a patient. A display generator generates at least one display image for use in configuring a display image to be used in supporting entry of information concerning administration of medication to a patient. The at least one display image includes data entry elements supporting user selection of a plurality of predetermined data item values associated with an individual parameter and a display window including particular user entered predetermined data item values in a format substantially the same as the format the particular predetermined data item values are to have in a configured display image.
US08069416B2

As a user navigates through a sequence of screens by selecting certain “aid” keys, a graph will be built reflecting the navigation history of the user. When a user requests a certain screen by selecting a particular key, screen data is received from a host on a web server. The screen data for the requested screen is compared to the screen data for the screen(s) in the graph associated with the selected key. If a match is established, the user has visited this screen before and its data has already been converted (e.g., scraped). As such, the screen can be retrieved from storage and served to the user. If, however, a match cannot be established, the requested screen will be converted and stored, and the graph will be updated.
Patent Agency Ranking