US08112812B2

In a recording medium, a device administration program for making a computer execute the following steps using a usage restriction definition file is recorded. The usage restriction definition file is capable of defining at least one administration function among a plurality of administration functions of a device and includes a device password for obtaining an authentication of the device. The steps comprises a step of reading a usage availability definition information of the administration functions and the device password from the usage restriction definition file, a step of transmitting the read device password to the device, a step of recognizing usage availabilities of a plurality of administration functions of the device based on the read definition information, and a step of executing processing for using only usage available administration function based on the recognized results.
US08112811B2

A block key to encrypt block data is generated using an ATS (arrival time stamp) appended to each of TS (transport stream) packets included in a transport stream correspondingly to the arrival time of the TS packet. The ATS is a random data depending upon an arrival time, and so a block-unique key can be generated, which enhances the protection against data cryptanalysis. A block key is generated from a combination of an ATS with a key unique to a device, recording medium or the like such as a master key, disc-unique key, title-unique key or the like. Since an ATS is used to generate a block key, any area for storage of an encryption key for each block may not be provided in a recording medium.
US08112807B2

A wireless device having a memory is provided. The memory or a protected portion of the memory is subject to a hard erasure of the memory vs. a soft erasure of the memory if a plurality of sensors indicate a threat to the device exists. The threat may be detected by a plurality of sensors, such as, a timer, a connectivity sensor, a location sensor or geo-fence, a breech sensor, an authentication procedure or the like.
US08112804B2

A method for dealing with attacks of malicious BOTs in a network security system includes detecting and analyzing a domain name receiving excessive DNS queries to judge the infection of a malicious BOT, registering the corresponding domain name as normal or abnormal management target, and redirecting an abnormal DNS query for the abnormal management target to a redirection processing & response system. Thereby, the automatic detection of malicious BOT attacks and the mechanism which performs the measures and the analysis simultaneously can protect the DNS servers and prevent the security accidents by malicious BOT attacks previously.
US08112799B1

A system and method for protecting a user against a cross-site scripting attack or other network attack that relies on scripting code embedded within a uniform resource locator (URL) are described. Validation software executing on a client computer system may intercept a URL in response to a user providing the URL to a web browser or other client application. The validation software may analyze the URL to determine whether the URL includes scripting code. If the URL includes scripting code then the validation software may block the client application from accessing the URL or may otherwise inhibit access to the URL.
US08112798B2

Described is an independent computation environment that is built into one or more hardware components of a computer system, wherein the independent computation environment hosts a logic that measures the health of other software code that executes in memory. Examples of ways to measure health include performing a mathematical computation such as a computing a hash/digital signature on the software code in the memory, and/or evaluating statistical information related to the execution of the code and/or the code's being loaded into memory. By executing the logic in an independent computation environment, the health of software code may be measured against policy/metadata in a tamper-proof or tamper-resistant environment. When the software code measurement does not comply with the policy, some action may be taken action to penalize the computer system.
US08112797B2

A system and method for facilitating the establishment of a virtual private network between a network and a remote computer, the system having: a mobile device connectable to the remote computer and storing a user profile, virtual private network information, and password information; virtual private network software being located on one of the mobile device and the remote computer; an access point communicating with the network; and communication means for communications between the access point and one of the mobile device and the remote computer, wherein the user profile, virtual private network information, and password information is passed to the virtual private network software upon connection of the mobile device to the remote computer, the virtual private network software using the user profile, virtual private network information, and password information to establish a virtual private network through the communications means and the access point to the network.
US08112795B2

There are provided a non-contact type semiconductor device, a mobile terminal device, and a communication system capable of suppressing unauthorized read, thereby assuring security. The non-contact type semiconductor device records information for identifying a read device of a communication destination and a request from a read device in a recording area. Moreover, the non-contact type semiconductor device holds authentication information and access authority, requests the read device to send authentication information, correlates the authentication information with the authentication information and access authority held, and executes the request from the read device according to the correlation result. Furthermore, by performing mutual communication by using the read device, the non-contact type semiconductor device, and a mobile terminal device using the non-contact type semiconductor device, it is possible to suppress unauthorized read, thereby assuring security.
US08112786B2

The invention provides security policy generation methods and devices for generating a security policy that is set up for an information processing apparatus comprises a step of generating an application model having a transmitter and a receiver of a message decided, for each of a plurality of messages that are communicated, a step of storing in advance a plurality of security patterns with a signer of electronic signature appended to the message as an undecided parameter, a step of selecting a security pattern that is a model of security policy to be set up for the transmitter or receiver of the message, corresponding to each of the plurality of messages included in the application model, and a step of substituting the identification information of the transmitter or receiver of each message included in the application model for the undecided parameter of the security pattern selected corresponding to the message.
US08112780B2

A digital broadcast receiving apparatus has two systems as a receiving system: a first receiving demodulation section including a first tuner 2 and the like; and a second receiving demodulation section including a second tuner 5 and the like. A controller 19 establishes either a first receiving mode or second receiving mode. In the first receiving mode, both the receiving systems receive the broadcasting waves of the same station to be viewed according to the signals from a vehicle speed detecting section 15 and receiving level detecting sections 16 and 17. In the second receiving mode, one of the two receiving systems receives the broadcasting wave of the station to be viewed, and the other of them receives the broadcasting wave of another station.
US08112779B2

A method for validating antenna installation to a broadcast provider to ensure proper alignment of the antenna with the broadcast provider's satellite system. The feedback provided by the customer, the installer, and signal strength and quality information communicated from the receiver to the broadcast provider are used to confirm proper installation. Upon confirmation of proper installation, the data can be used to troubleshoot equipment, or issue payment to the installer.
US08112771B2

Methods, systems, and computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform methods in accordance with embodiments hereof, for managing component programs within a service application according to a service model. Initially, configuration settings, which can be administered to the component programs, are extracted from the service model. An instantiation process is initiated to manage the service application in accordance with the changes to a level of load on the service application and/or to specifications within the service model. The instantiation process includes deploying, or identifying as available, the component programs within the data center, and automatically propagating formalized values derived from the configuration settings throughout the deployed component programs. These derived formalized values are installed into the component programs, thereby providing for functionality of the service application consistent with the service model.
US08112770B2

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture or extension to a window manager. In particular, the extension can provide for a window rotation feature that can be exposed as a rotate button. Additionally or alternatively, the rotation feature can be activated based upon a diverse set of conditions, events, and/or commands. Upon activation of the rotation feature, the window manager can rotate a window about an axis to expose a secondary surface that can be populated with alternative content that is distinct from the content of the primary surface of the window. In addition, the architecture provides techniques for identifying both double-sided graphical objects and potentially double-sided objects.
US08112763B2

A computer-implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product in a data processing environment for transmitting information between a CORBA application executing within a client and a server utilizing HTTP are disclosed. An application that is being executed by a client requests a CORBA IDL stub to invoke a method. The CORBA IDL stub transmits requests to a server utilizing Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (IIOP). An HTTP stub is generated that transmits requests utilizing HTTP. The HTTP stub corresponds to the CORBA IDL stub such that the CORBA IDL stub and the HTTP stub define the same methods. The HTTP stub transmits the request of the CORBA IDL stub to invoke the method to the server utilizing HTTP.
US08112755B2

Architecture that employs probabilistic and/or decision-theoretic model(s) of application usage to predict application use and in view of bounded or limited-availability memory. The model(s) is applied with cost-benefit analysis to guide memory management in an operating system, in particular, for both decisions about prefetching and memory retention versus deletion or “paging out” of memory of lower priority items, to free up space for higher value items. Contextual information is employed in addition to computer action monitoring for predicting next applications to be launched. Prefetching is optimized so as to minimize user perceived latencies.
US08112753B2

An embodiment relates generally to a method of managing resources in a virtual environment. The method includes detecting an instantiation of a virtual machine and determining a delay value based on a unique identifier. The method also includes delaying an initiation of at least one support process for the virtual machine by the delay value.
US08112751B2

A developer can declare one or more tasks as being replicable. A library manages all tasks that are accessed by an application, including replicable tasks, and further establishes a task manager during requested task execution. During execution, the library generates a plurality of worker threads, and each of the worker threads is assigned to be processed on one of a plurality of different central processing units. When one or more worker threads have finished processing assigned tasks, and other threads are still busy processing other tasks, the one or more idle worker threads copy over and process replicable tasks assigned to the other, busier worker thread(s) to help with processing. The system can also synchronize processing of the replicable task by the plurality of different worker threads and different processors to ensure no processing discrepancies.
US08112749B2

A method of implementing virtualization involves dynamic, temporary resource pools. A virtualizing subsystem is capable of partitioning a plurality of physical resources to create resource pools. The virtualizing subsystem is further capable of creating separate environments that logically isolate applications from each other, and assigning a created separate environment to a created resource pool. A separate environment is configured by defining properties of the separate environment. Configuring the separate environment includes specifying at least one resource pool attribute. When the separate environment is started, a temporary resource pool is created from available physical resources and the separate environment is assigned to the temporary resource pool. The temporary resource pool is created in accordance with the at least one resource pool attribute specified when the separate environment was configured. The temporary resource pool may be destroyed when the separate environment is shutdown.
US08112735B2

A computer system for partitioning the columns of a matrix A. The computer system includes a processor and a memory unit coupled to the processor. Program code in the memory unit, when executed by the processor, implements the method. Matrix A is provided in a memory device and has n columns and m rows; wherein n is an integer of at least 3; and wherein m is an integer of at least 1. The n columns is partitioned into a closed group of p clusters, p being a positive integer of at least 2 and less than n. The partitioning includes an affinity -based merging of clusters of pairs of clusters of the matrix A based on an affinity between the clusters in each pair of clusters being merged. Each cluster consists of one or more columns of matrix A. The p clusters are stored in a computer-readable storage device.
US08112733B2

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method of routing. The method selects a net with a set of routable elements in a multi-layer layout region. In some embodiments, the method identifies a route for the net based on different congestion goals on different layers. In other embodiments, the method identifies a route for the net based on different congestion goals between different layer pairs. In some embodiments, the method identifies a route for the net based on both the different congestion goals on different layers and between different layer pairs.
US08112728B1

A performance estimation module estimates the performance values of user designs in early phases of compilation and accounts for the performance variability introduced by subsequent compilation phases. The user design is parameterized. The performance estimation model outputs a probability distribution function of estimated performance values of the user design, based upon this parameterization. The performance estimation model is created by parameterizing sample designs. The sample designs are compiled and analyzed to determine their performance values. To account for random variability in compilation phases, the module compiles and analyzes sample designs multiple times. The performance estimation model is created from the relationship between sample designs' performance values and their parameterizations. A regression analysis may be used to determine this relationship. The performance estimation model can be updated with the analysis of compiled user designs. The performance values can include timing, power, and resource consumption.
US08112723B2

A method, program and system for displaying the consequence of an input in a graphical user interface (GUI) are provided. The invention comprises displaying a GUI including a plurality of interaction control mechanisms (controls) having a selected or a deselected state. An input to a first control may cause a change in state to at least one other of the plurality of controls. Responsive to a first input at the first control (e.g., holding down a mouse button with the pointer on the first control), the invention displays a preview of the change in state of the plurality of controls that would occur if a second input is made at the first control (e.g., releasing the mouse button with the pointer still on the first control). If the user does not want the previewed change in state to occur, the user has simply to avoid making the second input (e.g., move the pointer off the first control before releasing the mouse button).
US08112722B2

A method of controlling a cursor displayed on a display device is provided. A three-dimensional environment is displayed on a display device. A cursor and a plurality of objects are displayed on the display device within the three-dimensional environment. The cursor comprises a zone defining a volume to identify at least one object that is at least partially located within the volume. The size of the volumetric activation zone is dynamically adjusted so that a predetermined constraint is satisfied. The predetermined constraint is a function of at least a relationship between the volumetric activation zone of the cursor and at least one of the plurality of objects.
US08112718B2

A playback apparatus includes a menu screen display unit for displaying a content menu screen, an input unit for detecting a user's input operation to detect a selection of the content, and a control unit for causing the menu screen display unit to switch the menu screen, and for instructing playback of the selected content. The menu screen display unit, under the control of the control unit, switches an upper layer menu screen to and from a lower layer menu screen through an intermediate layer menu screen. The upper layer menu screen shows categories of the contents using menus. The lower layer menu screen shows some of contents using menus. The intermediate layer menu screen displays the menu selected in the upper layer menu screen in an area and a plurality of menus displayed in the lower layer menu screen in another area.
US08112717B1

A method for automatically formatting a display screen upon initialization or refresh to reflect a user's prior resizing of frames with respect to one another.
US08112714B2

A system provides customized user interface data to a media application, such as a media discovery interface, or to any application for that matter, thereby extending the original application. Via a network connection, elements of the user interface can be downloaded to the application in a package of markup data and resources, including images, text, and links. A user interface framework of the media application processes the markup data from the downloaded package and utilizes packaged resources, local code components, and externally-obtained (e.g., Web resources) to render a customized application page for the media application. Based on a wide variety of computing system and user parameters, the offerings and application pages presented to the user can be filtered and/or reordered to be more appropriate for the computing system and user.
US08112713B2

Interactive collaboration within a secure, server-based social community integrated with a secured document management system that includes at least one of a plurality of professional functionalities and a plurality of integrative functionalities to members having a member virtual identity within the community. Members of the community may create a personalized custom set of folders within the document management system, which customized arrangement allows the members to view documents, files, and folders as they desire. By creating these personalized custom “alias” folders, the members rearrange folders to be more accessible to themselves, while leaving the actual files and folders unchanged as viewed by every other member of the community. Members or a network administrator may also grant permission to other members of the network to access alias folders of each other member.
US08112710B2

Providing run book and web user interface automation via and manual and automatic web-based procedures. An application engages a teaching mode in a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), wherein a collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI is accentuated. The application records a sequence of selections made among the collection of selectable portions of the web-based GUI as well as data entered within the GUI, where the sequence of selections represent a repeatable user-defined procedure for interacting with the web-based GUI. The application replays the sequence of selections with the web-based GUI.
US08112697B2

A method and apparatus for buffering an encoded signal having a plurality of codewords for a turbo decoder is provided. The method comprises de-interleaving each sub-block of the codeword received at the turbo-decoder; and storing LLRs of the de-interleaved codeword LLRs into an input buffer. Thereafter, each of punctured locations, if any, in the de-interleaved codeword is indicated to a read logic for enabling the latter to fill in each of those locations with a pre-determined LLR value as and when a read request corresponding to one of those locations arrives. This method obviates the need for storing the pre-determined LLRs at the punctured locations into the input buffer and thereby cuts down the input latency of turbo decoder significantly for higher code rates.
US08112693B2

An Error Control Code (ECC) apparatus applied to a memory of a Multi-Level Cell (MLC) method may include: a bypass control signal generator generating a bypass control signal; and an ECC performing unit that may include at least two ECC decoding blocks, determining whether to bypass a portion of the at least two ECC decoding blocks based on the bypass control signal, and/or performing an ECC decoding. In addition or in the alternative, the ECC performing unit may include at least two ECC encoding blocks, determining whether to bypass a portion of the at least two ECC encoding blocks based on the bypass control signal, and/or performing an ECC encoding. An ECC method applied to a memory of a MLC method and a computer-readable recording medium storing a program for implementing an EEC method applied to a memory of a MLC method are also disclose.
US08112692B2

An ECC controller for a flash memory device storing M-bit data (M: a positive integer equal to or greater than 2) includes an encoder and a decoder. The encoder generates first ECC data for input data to be stored in the flash memory device using a first error correction scheme and generates second ECC data for the input data using a second error correction scheme. The input data, the first ECC data, and the second ECC data are stored in the flash memory device. The decoder calculates the number of errors in data read from the flash memory device and corrects the errors in the read data using one of the first ECC data and the second ECC data selectively based on the number of the errors.
US08112687B2

Various embodiments for mitigating impulse noise are disclosed that cooperatively use impulse noise statistics to utilize retransmission, forward error correction (FEC), and blanking to mitigate the effects of a wide variety of impulse noise sources.
US08112686B2

Techniques for storing and using compressed restrict values for selected scan chains and flip-flops, such that the states that need to be applied to those flip flops need not be solved by a linear equation system solver, such as a linear equation system solver provided by an automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tool. Selected restrict values can then be injected into test patterns for those flip-flop combinations that need to be set in a certain shift cycle or those flip-flops that need to be initialized one after another (e.g., for serial settings in one scan chain).
US08112673B2

The present invention improves the stability of a Web browser by identifying plug-in modules that cause failures. Data in memory at the time of a failure is analyzed, and a failure signature is generated. The failure signature is compared to a database of known failure signatures so that the source of the failure may be identified. If a plug-in module to a Web browser is identified as the source of a failure, options are presented to the user who may update the plug-in module with code that does not produce a failure or disable the plug-in module altogether.
US08112669B2

Results of field testing of portions of a distributed system such as a Broadband Communications System from a testing device to a controller which downloads programmed test protocols and sequences thereof to the separate testing device over a wired or wireless link and thereafter can be used to control the testing device as well as display test results and provide analysis of the test results and suggest procedures to technical personnel. The controller then can transmit the test data to a central facility or distribution hub in substantially real-time together with work performance data where full technical analysis can be performed. The test data and results of analysis can then be distributed as desired such as to a management analysis facility to support improvement of efficiency of the system and the operation thereof.
US08112667B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to automated system problem diagnosing. An index is created with problem description information of previously diagnosed problems, a diagnosis for each problem, and a solution to each diagnosis. System states, traces and logs are extracted from a source system with a new problem. The problem diagnosis system generates problem description information of the new problem from the system states, traces and logs. Problem description information of the new problem is compared with problem description information in the problem description index. A search score is computed for each document in the problem description index. The search score is a measure of similarity between each document in the index and the description of the new problem. A matching score is assigned to each previously diagnosed problems based on the search score. The matching score is a measure of similarity between the new problem and each previously diagnosed problem. The system determines a diagnosis and solution of the new problem based on a diagnosis and solution of one of the previously diagnosed problems.
US08112651B2

A power management unit (PMU) may determine an optimal power saving state using a break-even period of a power saving state and an expected idle duration based on a first policy. The PMU may determine the optimal power saving state using a first break even period and actual idle duration based on a second policy. The break-even period may equal a minimum time a computer system should remain in a power saving state to compensate for the power consumed by the system to enter and exit that power saving state. The expected idle time duration is determined as an average of idle duration and a recent sample of idle duration. The actual idle duration is the difference of a first and second time point that represents entry and exit points to and from the power saving state. The PMU may transition the system to the optimal power saving state.
US08112650B2

Methods and apparatus for re-acquiring a WiMAX network after a relatively long power saving mode (e.g., sleep or idle mode) using a “pre-wakeup” scheme are provided. According to this pre-wakeup scheme, a mobile station (MS) may power up receiving circuitry to search for the current channel or, if unsuccessful, a neighbor channel. After a successful network search during sleep mode, the MS may return to sleep for the remainder of the sleep window until the circuitry is powered up a second time to wakeup and then listen for an expected message. By pre-waking up and searching before waking up for the expected message, the MS may counteract the effects of the potential error in the local oscillator frequency accumulated during the long sleep mode. In this manner, the message miss rate may be reduced, thereby saving power and extending the time in which the MS may operate between battery rechargings.
US08112647B2

A system may comprise a plurality of processing units, and a control unit and monitoring unit interfacing with the processing units. The control unit may receive requests for transitioning the processing units to respective target power-states, and specify respective target HW power-states corresponding to the respective target power-states. The monitoring unit may monitor operating characteristics of the system, and determine based on operating characteristics whether to allow the processing units to transition to the respective target hardware (HW) power-states. The control unit may be configured to change the respective target HW power-state to a respective updated HW power-state for each processing units for which it is determined that transition to its respective target HW power-state should not be allowed. The control unit may also be configured to infer a common target HW power-state based on the respective target HW power-states of processing units of a subset of the plurality of processing units, when the processing units of the subset of the plurality of processing units share at least one resource domain.
US08112642B2

A system and method for controlling power and performance in a microprocessor system includes a monitoring and control system integrated into a microprocessor system. The monitoring and control system includes a hierarchical architecture having a plurality of layers. Each layer in the hierarchal architecture is responsive to commands from a higher level, and the commands provide instructions on operations and power distribution, such that the higher levels provide modes of operation and budgets to lower levels and the lower levels provide feedback to the higher levels to control and manage power usage in the microprocessor system both globally and locally.
US08112630B2

A device, system, and method for reporting an execution flow of a program is provided. The system for reporting an execution flow of a program includes a program-providing server that provides a program package having information related a predetermined execution flow, a user device that transmits an execution-flow-reporting message corresponding to a result of measuring and verifying the execution flow integrity of a program package with reference to the information related with execution flow, and an execution-flow-verifying server that limits providing of or execution of a program package by testing the execution-flow-reporting message.
US08112625B2

The present invention provides systems and methods for secure transaction management and electronic rights protection. Electronic appliances such as computers equipped in accordance with the present invention help to ensure that information is accessed and used only in authorized ways, and maintain the integrity, availability, and/or confidentiality of the information. Such electronic appliances provide a distributed virtual distribution environment (VDE) that may enforce a secure chain of handling and control, for example, to control and/or meter or otherwise monitor use of electronically stored or disseminated information. Such a virtual distribution environment may be used to protect rights of various participants in electronic commerce and other electronic or electronic-facilitated transactions. Distributed and other operating systems, environments and architectures, such as, for example, those using tamper-resistant hardware-based processors, may establish security at each node. These techniques may be used to support an all-electronic information distribution, for example, utilizing the “electronic highway.”
US08112621B2

Even if each processor core uses the same logical address, a processing-target program corresponding to each processor core can be selected. A logical address of multiple address mapping tables is set to a same logical address in correspondence with an embedded OS program or a RAID management program, and a physical address is set to a different physical address in correspondence with the actual storage destination of an embedded OS program or a RAID management program. Each processor core, on start-up, uses a self address mapping table to execute address mapping processing with each processor core based on the same logical address, selects an embedded OS program or a RAID management program according to the physical address obtained in the address mapping processing, and executes processing according to the selected program.
US08112619B2

Systems and methods for providing accelerated loading of operating system and application programs upon system boot or application launch are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for providing accelerated loading of an operating system comprises the steps of: maintaining a list of boot data used for booting a computer system; preloading the boot data upon initialization of the computer system; and servicing requests for boot data from the computer system using the preloaded boot data. In another aspect, a method for providing accelerated launching of an application program comprises the steps of: maintaining a list of application data associated with an application program; preloading the application data upon launching the application program; and servicing requests for application data from a computer system using the preloaded application data.
US08112613B2

Disclosed is a mixed mode parallel processor system in which N number of processing elements PEs, capable of performing SIMD operation, are grouped into M (=N÷S) processing units PUs performing MIMD operation. In MIMD operation, P out of S memories in each PU, which S memories inherently belong to the PEs, where P
US08112611B2

Techniques are provided for allocating a plurality of resources on a chip to a plurality of partitions in a partitionable computer system. In one embodiment, a resource allocated to a first partition generates a physical address in an address space allocated to the first partition. A partition identification value identifies the first partition. The first partition identification value is stored in the first physical address to produce a partition-identifying address, which may be transmitted to a system fabric. In another embodiment, a transaction is received which includes a source terminus identifier identifying a source device which transmitted the transaction. It is determined, based on the source terminus identifier, whether the source device is allocated to the same partition as any of the plurality of resources. If the source device is so allocated, the transaction is transmitted to a resource that is allocated to the same partition as the source device.
US08112610B2

A method and system are provided for integrating partitions in a virtual machine environment. Specifically, a partition bus is provided, where the partition bus operatively connects partitions in such a way that it functions as a data transport mechanism allowing for data transfer and device sharing between partitions. The partition bus relies on virtualizing software in order to establish itself and to establish channels of communication between partitions and to inject interrupts to partitions where it is appropriate to do so. Furthermore, the partition bus employs such mechanisms ring buffers, transfer pages, and memory map changes to transfer information (requests and data). Furthermore, it uses policy agents to decide when information should be transferred or when devices should be shared among partitions. Lastly, it employs various mechanisms to ensure smooth integration between partitions, which includes remote services that have proxy devices and device versioning functionalities.
US08112605B2

System and methods for storing electronic data is provided, where the system comprises a storage manager component and a management module associated with the storage manager component. The management module is configured to receive information related to storage activities associated with one or more storage operation components within the storage operation system under the direction of the storage manager component. The management module is adapted to predict storage operation resource allocations based on the received information related to the storage activities.
US08112597B2

Typical computer programs may incur costly memory errors that result in corrupted data. A new memory model is presented wherein it may be determined that certain data is critical and critical data may be stored and protected during computer application execution. Critical Memory allows that data determined to be critical may be stored and retrieved using functions enabled to increase the reliability of the data. Critical Memory presents a memory model where a subset of memory designated as critical memory may be used to store a subset of data deemed critical data. Probabilistic guarantees of data value consistency are provided by the employment of the new memory model. The memory model and functions presented are compatible with existing third-party libraries such that third-party libraries may be compatibly called from processes using critical memory.
US08112592B2

The present invention relates to information processing apparatuses. A content to be checked out is stored in an automatic-checking-out-destination storage section 113 from musical-piece-file storage sections 108-1 and 108-2 for each external-unit/-medium ID which identifies a PD 5. A GUI section 101 determines through a transfer processing section 103 and a PD plug-in 111 whether the PD 5 has been connected. When it is determined that the PD 5 has been connected, a musical-piece file is checked out from the musical-piece-file storage sections 108 to the PD 5 through a musical-piece management section 104, a file search section 106, and a data base 107 according to the information of the content to be checked out stored in the automatic-checking-out-destination storage section 113. The present invention can be applied to music reproduction software.
US08112585B2

A method implements a cache-policy switching module in a storage system. The storage system includes a cache memory to cache storage data. The cache memory uses a first cache configuration. The cache-policy switching module emulates the caching of the storage data with a plurality of cache configurations. Upon a determination that one of the plurality of cache configurations performs better than the first cache configuration, the cache-policy switching module automatically applies the better performing cache configuration to the cache memory for caching the storage data.
US08112581B1

A multicore processor comprises a plurality of cache memories; a plurality of processor cores, each associated with one of the cache memories; one or more memory interfaces providing memory access paths from the cache memories to a main memory; and one or more directory controllers for respective portions of the main memory, each associated with corresponding storage for directory state. Each corresponding storage provides space for maintaining directory state for each memory line that is indicated as stored in at least one of the cache memories such that the space for maintaining directory state is independent of the size of the main memory.
US08112573B2

An improved Flash memory device with a distributed erase block management (EBM) scheme is detailed that enhances operation and helps minimize write fatigue of the floating gate memory cells of the Flash memory device. The Flash memory device of the invention combines the EBM data in a user data erase block by placing it in an EBM data field of the control data section of the erase block sectors. Therefore distributing the EBM data within the Flash memory erase block structure. This allows the Flash memory to update and/or erase the user data and the EBM data in a single operation, to reduce overhead and speed operation. The Flash memory also reduces the process of EBM data structure write fatigue by allowing the EBM data fields to be load leveled by rotating them with the erase blocks they describe.
US08112572B2

An apparatus for swapping output high-speed multimedia signals. In one embodiment the apparatus comprises a plurality of inputs coupled to a multimedia transmitter; a plurality of outputs coupled to a plurality of pins of a multimedia interface connector; and a controller for generating a control signal for configuring an order in which the plurality of inputs are routed to the plurality of outputs, wherein the order in which the plurality of inputs are routed to the plurality of outputs is set to enable un-crossing of one or more conducting wires coupling the plurality of inputs to the multimedia transmitter and to enable un-crossing of one or more conducting wires coupling the plurality of outputs and the plurality of pins of the multimedia interface connector.
US08112571B1

A device may include a first data path coupled between a first port and a data transfer section that enables data paths between the first data path and at least a second port and a third port. A second data path may be coupled between the first port and the second port that bypasses the data transfer section and is not coupled to the second or third ports.
US08112565B2

A multi-protocol interface for coupling a field device to a general purpose computer is disclosed. The interface includes measurement circuitry to perform a plurality of measurements on a connected process communication loop to determine a process communication loop type. Then, if the interface includes a protocol interface module that matches the detected loop type, the protocol interface module can be engaged. A method for coupling a field device to a general purpose computer is also provided. In one aspect, power from the general purpose computer is used to power the process communication loop, if the interface determines that the loop is not powered.
US08112564B2

According to one embodiment, a host bus adapter (HBA) is disclosed. The HBA includes one or more link layer engines, one or more ports, each of the one or more ports associated with one of the one or more link layer engines and token passing logic having a shift register associated with each of the one or more link layer engines. A first link layer engine enables a first storage device coupled to an associated port to spin-up whenever the first link layer engine detects that a first shift register has a first value.
US08112561B2

A hosting partition update mechanism allows updating I/O capability of a logically-partitioned computer system in a way that minimally affects the performance and availability of I/O in the computer system. When an update is needed, a new hosting partition is created with the desired update(s). I/O adapters in the current hosting partition are then migrated to the new hosting partition. The migration of an I/O adapter from the current hosting partition to the new hosting partition is relatively fast, thereby minimally impacting system performance and availability of I/O. Once all of the I/O adapters have been migrated to the new hosting partition, the current hosting partition may be kept as a backup, or may be eliminated. Providing a new or backup hosting partition allows updates to be performed in the new or backup hosting partition in a non-disruptive manner while the current hosting partition continues to service I/O requests.
US08112557B2

Method and apparatus for logging of data within a data storage system, such as a tape drive library. The tape drive library includes a central storage (memory) providing storage space assigned to each tape drive in the tape drive library and allowing each tape drive to directly store data there, that is to log data files. The logging of the data files is at the instigation of each tape drive and not via polling, so as to perform logging synchronous with tape drive events. In one version, the tape drives are coupled to the central storage via an Ethernet network and the log files conform to a standard file protocol, such as a network file system.
US08112556B2

A peripheral device, with first and second communication conductors, is connectable to a computer having one of a first interface and a second interface. The first interface communicates with the peripheral device over a differential data connection having a first data conductor and a second data conductor. The second interface communicates with the peripheral device over a clock conductor and a single ended data connection which includes a data conductor. The peripheral device includes an interface detection component coupled to the first and second communication conductors to detect which of the first and second interfaces the peripheral device is connected to.
US08112553B2

A method for data distribution, including distributing logical addresses among an initial set of devices so as provide balanced access, and transferring the data to the devices in accordance with the logical addresses. If a device is added to the initial set, forming an extended set, the logical addresses are redistributed among the extended set so as to cause some logical addresses to be transferred from the devices in the initial set to the additional device. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the initial set. If a surplus device is removed from the initial set, forming a depleted set, the logical addresses of the surplus device are redistributed among the depleted set. There is substantially no transfer of the logical addresses among the depleted set. In both cases the balanced access is maintained.
US08112552B2

In accordance with one or more aspects of the default peripheral device selection based on location, a current location of a computing device is obtained. A mapping record of default peripheral devices to locations is accessed to identify a default peripheral device corresponding to the current location of the computing device, and the identified default peripheral device is returned as a current default peripheral device for the computing device. Additionally, an identification of a peripheral device to be a default peripheral device can be received. A mapping of the current location of the computing device to the identified default peripheral device can also be stored.
US08112546B2

Tools and techniques for routing users to receive online services based on online behavior are provided. These tools may receive representations of activity involving different users in interacting with online services, and may analyze these representations of user activity. The tools may also compute scores for the users based on this previous user activity. The scores may indicate a server system, out of several server systems, which the user is to be routed to obtain online services. The tools may also store the user's score as associated with the user.
US08112542B2

An electronic communication network supports delivery of video program Internet protocol packets and includes a source device, a first recipient device, and a second recipient device. The source device transmits both first and second video program Internet protocol packets. The first recipient device is assigned as positive acknowledgment leader by the source device and the second recipient device that is assigned as negative acknowledgement leader by the source device. The first recipient device is operable to transmit to the source device a positive acknowledgment of receipt of the first video program Internet protocol packet. The second recipient device is operable to transmit to the source device a negative acknowledgment of non-receipt upon not receiving the first video program Internet protocol packet. The source device responds to the negative acknowledgement of non-receipt by the second recipient device by multicast resending the second video program Internet protocol packet to both the first and second recipient devices.
US08112530B2

A method for reserving resources in a packet communication network, preferably an IP protocol network. The method includes sending an active packet containing a request for reservation of resources for an active data flow, receiving the packet by an active node in the network, and reserving resources of the node according to the request. In this method, an active packet communication network node, in particular an IP active router, reserves resources for processing data of an active data flow according to a resource reservation request for this active data flow contained in this active packet received by the node.
US08112529B2

The invention provides a session-based bi-directional multi-tier client-server asynchronous information database search and retrieval system for sending a character-by-character string of data to an intelligent server that can be configured to immediately analyze the lengthening string character-by-character and return to the client increasingly appropriate database information as the client sends the string.
US08112525B2

The SIP server can be comprised of an engine tier and a state tier distributed on a cluster network environment. The engine tier can send, receive and process various messages. The state tier can maintain in-memory state data associated with various SIP sessions. A near cache can be residing on the engine tier in order to maintain a local copy of a portion of the state data contained in the state tier. Various engines in the engine tier can determine whether the near cache contains a current version of the state needed to process a message before retrieving the state data from the state tier. Accessing the state from the near cache can save on various latency costs such as serialization, transport and deserialization of state to and from the state tier. Furthermore, the near cache and JVM can be tuned to further improve performance of the SIP server.
US08112514B2

Method and system for defining media objects, such as images and graphics, to represent computer networked resources and assets, along with their associated events, while monitoring the same in a real-time environment is disclosed.
US08112512B2

A method and system for plugging varbinds in a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) notification is provided. The SNMP notification for an event is sent to customers involved with the event. A pre-defined varbind list is associated with the SNMP notification. The pre-defined varbind list provides the customers with details of the event. The customer analyzes the event with the information in the varbinds, and sends a request for additional varbinds for further analysis of the event. The additional varbinds are configured in the pre-defined varbind list at run time.
US08112510B2

Methods and systems for predictive change management in a network are provided. A configuration change can be specified and pre-validated according to the access path policy, before the actual changes are implemented. The conformance of the implemented configuration change with the access path policy is validated after implementation, because of possible consequential effects of the configuration change. If a change in one or more access paths is specified, then associated component events can be simulated before implementation, so that root causes for resulting access path violations can be detected and remedied before the changes are made.
US08112507B2

According to one embodiment, a device is disclosed. The device includes a first protocol engine (PE) to process tasks to be forwarded to a first remote node, a remote node search unit (RNSU) having a three-dimensional (3-D) task list corresponding to tasks to be forwarded to the two or more sub-nodes, and a connection pointer to maintain a connection between the first PE and the first remote node.
US08112494B2

A method for content data management and provision. The method includes receiving a registration message from a user, the registration message containing user identification information. The user may registered, the registering including storing the received user identification information. A blank message may be received, the blank message being addressed to a number associated with a broadcast entity. A user identity is determined based upon the received blank message, at least one of a date or a time of transmission of the blank message is determined, and a broadcast entity is determined based upon the blank message. The at least one determined date or time is compared with content broadcast information associated with the broadcast entity, and at least one piece of content data is identified based upon the comparing. The at least one piece of identified content data is transmitted to the user.
US08112491B1

A method and system for efficient direct DMA for processing connection state information or other expediting data packets. One example is the use of a network interface controller to buffer TCP type data packets that may contain connection state information. The connection state information is extracted from a received packet. The connection state information is stored in a special DMA descriptor that is stored in a ring buffer area of a buffer memory that is accessible by a host processor when an interrupt signal is received. The packet is then discarded. The host processor accesses the ring buffer memory only to retrieve the stored connection state information from the DMA descriptor without having to access a packet buffer area in the memory.
US08112481B2

A state management sub-system that assists in transmitting and processing documents and messages between two applications in a sequentially correct order through an integration server is disclosed. The state management subsystem analyzes the message and enters state information about the message into a state management table. Once the message is transformed the state management subsystem check the status of the message in the state management table, and checks all waiting parameters. Depending on the status of the check, the state management subsystem changes the state of message in the table. Only when all messages have passed the waiting parameters check is a message posted to the destination system.
US08112480B2

Architecture for seamless role switching in application sharing. A multipoint control unit (MCU) can be used for connecting multiple clients over a network. An application sharing component establishes an application sharing session over the MCU, and application content is exchanged from a sharer client to one or more viewer clients. Each client can communicate a media connection preference to the session. Client sharer and viewer roles are defined during creation of the application sharing session. A client can seamlessly switch roles during the session from a viewer to a sharer, and vice-versa, so that different application content can be shared to the session viewers. The session can be restricted to only one sharer so that the viewing clients view one sharer client at a time.
US08112475B2

Managing power-consuming resources on a first computing device by adjusting data delivery from a plurality of second computing devices based on a state of the first computing device. The state of the first computing device is provided to the second computing devices to alter the data delivery. In some embodiments, the first computing device provides the second computing devices with actions or commands relating to data delivery based on the device state. For example, the second computing devices are instructed to store the data, forward the data, forward only high priority data, or perform other actions. Managing the data delivery from the second computing devices preserves battery life of the first computing device.
US08112463B2

Files stored in a storage system are grouped in a metadata server, and storage servers discretely storing these files are instructed to detect file duplication and to remove duplicate data. The storage servers detect duplicate data by comparing file fragments stored by the storage servers themselves with each other. In a case where duplicate data is detected, the storage servers delete the duplicate data.
US08112460B2

Generally described, the present invention is directed to a network operating system that provides more effective ways of leveraging the connectivity of computer networks. In one embodiment, an XML virtual machine is implemented that accepts high-level application code written in an XML programming language as input. Functionality is provided to interpret or translate the application code written in an XML programming language into code that is suitable for execution across computer platforms. Moreover, the XML virtual machine supports the Model View Controller (MVC) design paradigm that facilitates true data abstraction from applications to a common data model. Multi-instance applications, with each instance potentially supporting multiple views, may be created and executed.
US08112459B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for constructing a database abstraction model that includes logical fields that map to a logical table. The logical table is constructed using data extracted from multiple, differently formatted physical tables. The logical table allows logically related data stored in multiple databases to appear as data from a single table. Relationships between data stored in multiple, differently formatted databases are maintained and logical fields that include multiple access methods that map to the multiple databases are replaced with a single access method that maps to the logical table. Data relationships that are defined for the database abstraction model are modified to reflect the logical table.
US08112454B2

A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function.
US08112452B2

A serverless distributed file system manages the storage of files and directories using one or more directory groups. The directories may be managed using Byzantine-fault-tolerant groups, whereas files are managed without using Byzantine-fault-tolerant groups. Additionally, the file system may employ a hierarchical namespace to store files. Furthermore, the directory group may employ a plurality of locks to control access to objects (e.g., files and directories) in each directory.
US08112451B1

A configuration management database system includes a plurality of configuration items. Each of the configuration items includes at least one property relating to a component of an IT system. The system also includes a plurality of intensional category definitions that provide dynamic categorization of the plurality of information items. Each of the intensional category definitions includes a predicate that is operable to identify an input one of the configuration items as a member of the category based on the at least one property in the input one of the configuration items. The configuration management database system also includes at least one pre-computed category membership data structure to support efficient processing of at least one query.
US08112449B2

Systems and methods for accessing and distributing content objects. Various of the systems and methods utilize a number of content object entities that can be sources and/or destinations for content objects. A combination of abstraction and distinction engines can be used to access content objects from a source of content objects, format and/or modify the content objects, and redistribute the modified content object to one or more content object destinations. In some cases, an access point is included that identifies a number of available content objects, and identifies one or more content object destinations to which the respective content objects can be directed.
US08112443B2

For a database management system installed in a data processing system, the database management system for managing a database having partitions for storing table data based on a partitioning schema, in which each partition has an associated partition identifier, and in which the database has database catalog information associated therewith, a method for executing a query against the database is disclosed. The method includes identifying a partition identifier in accordance with the partitioning schema, selecting the partition identifier based on the contents of the query and the database catalog information, and executing the query against the identified partition. The method improves the execution of queries while minimizing the consumption of network resources.
US08112442B2

A communication device is provided, wherein specific individual information in a database that the communication device stores is viewable from a terminal connected to a network to promote information protection. A communication device can communicate with a terminal through the network. A storage stores the database including a plurality of records, each of which describes individual information. A receiver receives a readout-request, from the terminal, of a specific record in the database. A file creating module creates a terminal-viewable file based on one of the records, from the specific individual information in the record. A transmitter transmits, to the terminal, the file created based on the record designated by a received readout-request.
US08112440B2

A system and method of identifying relational patterns across a plurality of databases using a data structure and the data structure itself. The data structure including one or more data node branches, each of the one or more data node branches including one or more data nodes, each of the one or more data nodes representing a data item of interest and corresponding data item support values for the data item across the plurality of databases in relation to other data items represented in the data node branch. The data structure can be used to mine one or more relational patterns considering pattern support data across the plurality of databases at the same time.
US08112439B2

A data processing system is disclosed. The system includes a processor, a transformer, a first memory buffer, a second memory buffer, a first filter, and a second filter. An obtained transmission signal symbol is first transformed to first data. The first memory buffer stores the first data. The processor obtains peak data based on the first data according to a predetermined threshold. The transformer transforms the peak data to second data and stores the second data in the second memory buffer. The first filter filters the second data to determine reserved data of the second data and removes the reserved data from the second data to generate third data. The transformer transforms the third data to fourth data and stores the fourth data in the second memory buffer. The processor merges the first and fourth data to generate fifth data. The second filter filters the fifth data based on the transmission signal symbol and a previously obtained transmission signal symbol.
US08112425B2

Methods and apparatus consistent with the invention provide the ability to organize, index, search, and present time series data based on searches. Time series data are sequences of time stamped records occurring in one or more usually continuous streams, representing some type of activity. In one embodiment, time series data is organized into discrete events with normalized time stamps and the events are indexed by time and keyword. A search is received and relevant event information is retrieved based in whole or in part on the time indexing mechanism, keyword indexing mechanism, or statistical indices calculated at the time of the search.
US08112416B2

A semantic publish-subscribe system, including: a plurality of subscribers; a plurality of publishers; and a server that receives and stores subscriptions that are described in web ontology language (OWL) graph patterns from the plurality of subscribers and that receives events that are described in semantic graphs formed by OWL assertions from the plurality of publishers, wherein when the server receives an event from a publisher, the server expands the OWL assertions of the event using a reasoner to produce an expanded event, the server matches the expanded event to a subscription, and then, the server notifies a subscriber whose interest matches the event.
US08112413B2

A document management system applies relevant document analysis, metadata extraction, and business process association algorithms and methodology to automatically and dynamically classify documents for routing, processing, and executing customized business logic. The document management system accepts documents from one or more channels, classifies the document and extracts metadata, executes customized application profiles and triggers business logic associated with the process. The document management system comprises a rules engine to detect and classify unstructured forms as well as structured forms, where the locations of attributes and visual layout are not fixed. The document management system provides automatic linkage between disparate systems that manages documents for the complete execution of a business process.
US08112412B1

Attempts by a user to download executable files with unacceptable reputations are detected, and recommendations for similar files with good reputations are made to the user. More specifically, a user's web browsing is tracked, and terms describing software applications are extracted from browsed pages. When a user attempts to download an executable file, a corresponding notification including recently extracted terms is transmitted to a categorization component, which receives such information from many users. The categorization component stores the received information in a database. This maintained database identifies files that are available for download, as well as corresponding extracted terms and reputational scores. If a user initiates a download of an executable file with an unacceptable score, the categorization component identifies executable files in the database with related extracted terms, but with acceptable reputations, to recommend to the user as alternatives.
US08112411B2

A method and system for providing search results only inclusive of valid webpage(s) to a user is disclosed, the method comprising: receiving a first search query from a first user; providing to the first user first search results obtained in response to the first search query; determining whether a webpage selected by the first user from the first search results is valid or not; receiving a second search query from a second user; providing to the second user second search results obtained in response to the second search query if it is determined that the webpage selected by the first user is valid; and correcting the second search results obtained in response to the second search query and providing the corrected second search results to the second user if it is determined that the webpage selected by the first user is not valid and is included in the second search results.
US08112405B2

A method of enabling a real entity to access a service on a communication network using a virtual entity, the method including the steps of establishing a user account including at least first data corresponding to the identity of the real entity and second data corresponding to the virtual entity and not identifying the real entity, storing the first and second data in a first database, linking between the first and second data in the first database, storing the second data at a second database, associating the second database with a communication network site, connecting the communication network site to the communication network, receiving the second data from an unidentified user on the communication network site, identifying the unidentified user as the virtual entity based on receiving the second data, and allowing the virtual entity to access the service.
US08112404B2

Search results are provided for mobile computing devices. Search results are retrieved based on a search term. Each of the search results is assigned to one or more categories. The categories and the assigned search results are provided to the mobile computing device. The mobile computing device is adapted to display each of the categories and a partial list of the search results for each of the categories.
US08112397B2

Various embodiments of a system and method for backing up data to a backup server computer are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the method, a group of backup data sources may be associated with a writer module on the backup server computer. Each backup data source may comprise data to be backed up from one of a plurality of client computer systems. The writer module may write the data from each of the backup data sources in the group to a target storage device in order to concurrently backup each backup data source to the target storage device. The writer module may also keep track of the rate at which data is written to the target storage device. The number of backup data sources in the group may be automatically adjusted based on the write rate, e.g., in order to maximize throughput to the target storage device.
US08112385B2

A query that is based on a predefined format of an arbitrary query language is received. A data analyzing component performs the query to obtain a query result. The query result and a report layout specification are provided from the data analyzing component to a data processing component, the data processing component being on a computer. The data processing component associates the query result with at least one element of the report layout specification to generate an association. The query result is provided from the data processing component through an interface based on the report layout specification without reliance on the type of the arbitrary query language to a rendering component. The report layout specification is provided from the data analyzing component to the rendering component to render the query result in a report according to the association without reliance on the type of the arbitrary query language.
US08112381B2

Machine condition monitoring on a system utilizes a wireless sensor network to gather data from a large number of sensors. The data is processed using a multivariate statistical model to determine whether the system has deviated from a normal condition. The wireless sensor network permits the acquisition of a large number of distributed data points from plural system modalities, which, in turn, yields enhanced prediction accuracy and a reduction in false alarms.
US08112377B2

A client-side business rule engine for executing business rules, at a client, in a rich internet application is disclosed. A set of business rules and a fact base are compiled at a server in accordance with a platform definition model, such that the compiled rules and facts are formatted to conform for use with a business rule engine based on the platform specified in the platform definition model. The business rule engine, embodied in a code module, is served to a requesting web browser application along with a subset of the compiled business rules and facts. At the client, the business rule engine evaluates conditions expressed in the business rules in light of facts received from the server, and facts derived at the client.
US08112374B2

A clustering method yields a searchable hierarchy to speed retrieval, and can function dynamically with a changing document population. Nodes of the hierarchy climb up and down the emerging hierarchy based on locally sensed information. Like previous ant clustering algorithms, the inventive process is dynamic, decentralized, and anytime. Unlike them, it yields a hierarchical structure. For simplicity, and reflecting our initial application in the domain of textual information, the items being clustered are documents, but the principles may be applied to any collection of data items.
US08112373B2

A nerve equivalent circuit, a synapse equivalent circuit and a cell body equivalent circuit are provided whereby electrical characteristics in accordance with the physiological functions and physical structures of nerve cells are reproduced. A nerve equivalent circuit simulating the electrical characteristics of nerve cells wherein an input signal fin(t) and an output signal fout(t) satisfies the relationship represented by [Numerical formula 11], wherein kP, kI and TI are each a definite constant number, N represents the total number of synapses, M represents the total number of the kinds of the first transmitters carried by the synapses, and L represents the total number of the kinds of the second transmitters carried by the synapses.
US08112371B1

Techniques for performing motion recognition using generalized motion recognition capability are disclosed. At least two types of sensors are used to generate sensor signals about a motion made by a user. The sensor signals are then transformed to device-independent motion signals that may be used to build generalized motion recognizers or used with one or more generalized motion recognizers responsive to the sensors. At least one of objects in a virtual interactive environment is responsive to a recognition signal determined from the motion signal and the generalized motion recognizers.
US08112370B2

A method, system, and computer usable program product for classification and policy management for software components are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A metadata associated with an application or component is identified. A mapping determination is made whether the metadata maps to a classification in a set of classifications. A policy that is applicable to the classification is identified and associated with the classification. If the mapping determination is deterministic, the component is assigned to the classification and the policy associated with the classification is associated with the component. If the mapping determination is not deterministic, a user intervention may be necessary, the component may be classified in a default classification, or both. Because of the policy being associated with the classification, associating the policy with the component may occur based on the metadata of the application or component and its resultant classification.
US08112367B2

A hierarchy of computing modules is configured to (i) learn a cause of input data sensed over space and time, and (ii) determine a cause of novel sensed input data dependent on the learned cause. When determining the cause of the novel sensed input data, the computing modules determine likely sequences based on observed inputs. Information identifying one or more of those likely sequences and indexes of observed elements in those sequences may then be stored in external memory to facilitate data compression and/or granularity-based searches.
US08112366B2

A system is disclosed that includes an interface to receive a resource governance rule applicable to one or more hardware resources supporting a monitored software application. The system includes utilization logic to measure usage of a particular hardware resource by the monitored software application. An available utilization of the particular hardware resource is determined based on the resource governance rule, and a total utilization of the particular hardware resource is also determined. One or more utilization metrics are determined based on historical usage of the particular hardware resource as compared to a governed capacity and a non-governed capacity available to the particular hardware resource. The system also includes recommendation logic to determine a recommended action to be taken with respect to the monitored software application.
US08112365B2

A system and method for online employment recruiting and evaluation is provided. An online, web-based environment allows employers to create job descriptions for posting on an Internet-based job search service in communication with the web-based environment, and allows for online recruitment and review of hiring candidates using a multi-phase approach. Each employer/supervisor specified by the candidate is interviewed, and the interview is recorded and is stored as part of the candidate's virtual dossier.
US08112361B2

A method and system for dynamic, real-time addition of advertisements to downloaded static content. The method comprises seamlessly combining a downloaded original content file with personalized information on a user device, and allowing the user either to use the combined original content and personalized information without possibility of personalized information removal, or to remove the personalized information after a fee payment. The seamless combination and removal operations are done by a player located in the user device.
US08112360B2

Improved techniques and systems to facilitate use of credit to acquire digital media assets from a network-based media server are disclosed. Digital media assets can include media items such as songs, albums, images, slideshows, audiobooks, podcasts, or videos. A user can acquire credit in a variety of different ways including, for example, through redeeming a credit invitation. Once a user has available credit by whatever means, the user can acquire one or more digital media assets from the network-based media server using his/her available credit. In one embodiment, the credit is provided as item credits, whereby each item credit can be used to acquire a selected digital media asset. However, not all of the digital media assets available from the network-based media server are permitted to be acquired using item credits. In some cases, the digital media assets that can be acquired with credit can be designated by their cost. The country of origin of the user and/or the type of media asset can also influence the digital media assets that can be acquired using item credits.
US08112353B2

A method to forward a browser client is disclosed. The method comprises storing information at a payment service server. The information includes a return network address corresponding to a interface hosted by a merchant server. Next, the method performs the step of comparing the return network address that is included in the information to a reference return network address corresponding to the interface hosted by the merchant server and identifying whether the return network address matches the reference return network address. Finally, the method comprises forwarding the browser client to the interface hosted by the merchant server responsive to the identifying the match.
US08112340B2

A computerized system and method for evaluating collateralized debt obligations receives user input selecting a scenario or feature, loads data related to a portfolio of securitized assets on to the computer storage medium, determines a scenario default rate using at least one of a beta distributed recovery, a counterparty risk, a loss given default, or a non-zero inter-sector correlation, or models at least one of a short position scenario, a nth to default basket, a forward start date and an equity default swap, and reports a result relating to the scenario default rate.
US08112331B2

A computer-implemented method of providing liquidity to an investment fund utilizing a liquidity vehicle, including determining that the investment fund has a net share outflow, prompting the investment fund having a net share outflow to offer shares to the liquidity vehicle, purchasing an offered share, holding the purchased share in the liquidity vehicle for a period of time, and redeeming the purchased share from the investment fund in response to a net inflow of shares of the investment fund.
US08112325B2

An automatic “photo booth” for capturing images of objects including but not limited to motor vehicles provides consistent and rapid image capture from multiple viewpoints. Ultrasonic sensors or other positional sensing devices are used to both position the object with the photo booth enclosure and calculate field of view parameters controlling digital cameras to provide appropriate image scaling/cropping at time of image capture. The enclosure provides automatic entry/exit door opening/closure and a controlled interior space to provide a controlled environment for image capture. Captured images may be rapidly uploaded to a server for electronic distribution over the World Wide Web or other appropriate network.
US08112321B1

A system, method, and computer readable medium for authorization of independent agents for processing calls and distribution of calls to authorized agents are provided. An independent agent may purchase or otherwise acquire credits for leads related to commerce transactions. The credits may be maintained by a call center and accessed by a device responsible for routing calls to agents. Calls or other transactions leads may then be directed to the independent agent, and the independent agents credits may be deducted accordingly.
US08112307B2

A method of reporting the presentation of data, a data storage medium, and a system for employing a web page is disclosed and that includes accessing a source of data having a specific segment, and reporting a presentation of the specific segment to a remote location.
US08112299B2

A mobile terminal capable of managing schedule and a method of controlling the mobile terminal are provided. In order to register a new scheduled event to the mobile terminal, a schedule place corresponding to the new scheduled event may be displayed on a schedule map. Thereafter, a route between the schedule place and other routes may be established in consideration of a current location of the mobile terminal and traffic information. The clarity, color and/or shape of objects displayed on the schedule map may be changed in consideration of the current location of the mobile terminal or the traffic information. Therefore, a user may easily obtain various schedule information, current location information and traffic condition information from the schedule map.
US08112298B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for an integrated process for optimizing operations at a contact center. In one embodiment, the method comprises: defining contact center business goals; planning at least one campaign to implement the goals; scheduling and deploying a workforce in accordance with the campaign to produce agent-customer interactions; measuring agent performance on the interactions to produce quality metrics; analyzing the metrics to produce a rating; combining quality metrics to produce performance indicators; and using the performance indicators in the planning step of a second campaign or another iteration of the first campaign.
US08112295B1

The invention is a method and system for customizing a plurality of hospitality site amenities based on a stored user profile. Certain check-in procedures are reduced or eliminated. Hospitality sites are able to provide a guest with an abundance of personalized services without a corresponding increase in staff size. Guests experience customized hotel amenities, environments, and media renderings.
US08112292B2

A method and apparatus to perform a procedure that can include a processor assisted surgical procedure. During the procedure patient space and image space can be registered to allow for tracking of various tracking sensors. An instrument can be placed relative to patient space based upon a plan.
US08112287B1

Systems and methods for determining an impact on spend and/or trend for a prescription drug plan are provided. In response to receiving the request to analyze spend and/or trend, a prescription drug spend and/or trend application may retrieve data related to the prescription drug plan from a database. The analysis of spend and/or trend includes a determination of components of spend and/or trend having a significant impact on spend and/or trend. In one example, the spend and/or trend application may determine whether an option is available to improve at least one of the components having the significant impact on spend and/or trend. If an option is available, the impact (e.g., financial impact, member impact) of the implementation of the option on the prescription drug plan may be modeled by the spend and/or trend application.
US08112285B2

A system and method for improving real-time data communications by accounting for sampling rate mismatches between a transmitter and a receiver. Based on an analysis of the average number of packets received at a receiver over a period of time, a buffer monitor cooperating with the receiver can trigger an adjustment to the playback sampling rate to account for mismatches in the sampling rates of the transmitter and receiver. The buffer monitor may adjust the playback sampling rate more dramatically if the average is dangerously high or low, adjust the playback sampling rate less dramatically if the average is near satisfactory conditions, and not adjust the playback sampling rate if the average falls is satisfactory.
US08112283B2

An audio apparatus has a function of correcting an audio signal in response to a noise level. The audio apparatus includes a correction unit that corrects an input audio signal on the basis of a weighting factor, an output unit that produces a played-back audio sound on the basis of the corrected audio signal, a microphone for receiving an external sound that includes the played-back audio sound and noise, a noise-extracting unit that extracts a noise signal from an external sound signal, the noise-extracting unit including a speech-removing unit that removes a speech signal from the noise signal on the basis of noise spectrum data, and a weighting factor calculation unit that calculates the weighting factor on the basis of the extracted noise signal and supplies the calculated weighting factor to the correction unit.
US08112277B2

A node initializing unit generates a root node including inputted phonemic models. A candidate generating unit generates candidates of a pair of child sets by partitioning a set of phonemic models included in a node having no child node into two. A candidate deleting unit deletes candidates each including only phonemic models attached with determination information indicating that at least one of the child sets has a small amount of speech data for training. A similarity calculating unit calculates a sum of similarities among the phonemic models included in the child sets. A candidate selecting unit selects one of the candidates having a largest sum. A node generating unit generates two nodes including the two child sets included in the selected candidate, respectively. A clustering unit clusters the phonemic models in units of phonemic model sets each included in a node.
US08112275B2

The systems and methods described herein may recognize natural language utterances that include queries and/or commands and execute the queries and/or commands based on user-specific profiles. The systems and methods described herein may include a complete speech-based information query, retrieval, presentation and command environment that makes significant use of context, prior information, domain knowledge, and the user-specific profiles to achieve a natural environment for one or more users making queries or commands in multiple domains. Through this integrated approach, a complete speech-based natural language query and response environment can be created and tailored to specific users. For example, the systems and methods described herein may create, store, and use extensive personal profile information for different users, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context and presenting the results that the specific users may expect for a particular question or command.
US08112270B2

A recording and playback system is provided. The system includes an audio capturing device configured to receive an analog input and an encoder coupled to the audio capturing device configured to generate a digital signal based on the analog input. The system further includes a recognition engine coupled to the audio capturing device and configured to generate text data based on the analog input, wherein the encoder and the recognition engine simultaneously generate the digital signal and the text data such that the digital signal and the text data can be provided in a synchronized manner.
US08112269B2

A question search system provides a collection of questions having words for use in evaluating the utility of the questions based on a language model. The question search system calculates n-gram probabilities for words within the questions of the collection. The n-gram probability of a word for a sequence of n−1 words indicates the probability of that word being next after that sequence in the collection of questions. The n-gram probabilities for the words of the collection represent the language model of the collection. The question search system calculates a language model utility score for each question within a collection that indicates the likelihood that a question is repeatedly asked by users. The question search system derives the language model utility score for a question from the n-gram probabilities of the words within that question.
US08112266B2

A memory subsystem is provided including an interface circuit adapted for coupling with a plurality of memory circuits and a system. The interface circuit is operable to interface the memory circuits and the system for emulating at least one memory circuit with at least one aspect that is different from at least one aspect of at least one of the plurality of memory circuits. Such aspect includes a signal, a capacity, a timing, and/or a logical interface.
US08112264B1

A circuit is simulated by using system or network tearing to obtain a real solution. The circuit may be an entire integrated circuit, portion of an integrated circuit, or a circuit block. A circuit simulation technique of the invention generates a system graph, finds a tree, and partitions the tree into two or more subtrees. The technique identifies global links and local links in the graph. Each subtree may be solved individually using distributed, parallel computing. Using the results for the subtrees, the technique obtains a real solution, branch voltages and currents, for the circuit.
US08112254B1

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a system that includes a correspondence generator that determines a distance-based mapping between a set of points in a source object and a point in a target object and stores the distance-based mapping in a surface map. The system also includes an attribute transfer module that transfers surface attributes that determine an appearance or deformation of the set of points in the source object to the point in the target object using the surface map. The system also includes an attribute editor that receives a selection of a region of the target object and applies an interpolation algorithm that determines new values for surface attributes in the selected region from neighboring points in the target object.
US08112250B2

Semiconductor device circuits and methods are provided for adjusting core processor performance and energy-efficiency based on usage metrics. Metric detection, performance state selection, and adjustment are done in digital logic hardware without intervening input from system software or firmware, thus greatly speeding the processor performance adjustment. Mapping usage and state information to desired processor power-performance states is also provided in circuitry rather than firmware or power control software. The mapping values may be programmable software or firmware, but detection, selection, and adjustment occur automatically in hardware without intervening input from firmware or software.
US08112247B2

Introduced herein is a “resource adaptive” algorithm for spectrum and periodicity estimation on a continuous stream of data. The formulation is based on the derivation of a closed-form incremental computation of the spectrum, augmented by a load-shedding scheme that can adapt to available CPU resources to provide a resource efficient solution for real time spectrum estimation.
US08112244B2

A device for the wire-free determination of a position of a mechanical force-transmitting device, having at least one storage device for storing electrical energy, at least one sensor element which detects the position and is monitored by at least one sensor electronic unit, including at least one radio transmitter, and at least one photovoltaic energy supply device supplying the storage device with electrical energy.
US08112240B2

Method and apparatus for providing a leak detection circuit for a data monitoring and management system using the guard trace of a glucose sensor by applying a leak detection test signal to determine whether a leakage current is present is provided. The leak detection circuit may include an interface circuit, such as a capacitor, coupled to the guard trace to detect the leakage current when the leak detection test signal is applied to the guard trace, such that the user or patient using the data monitoring and management system, such as glucose monitoring systems, is notified of a failed sensor and prompted to replace the sensor.
US08112239B2

A method of performing a functional test of at least one embedded sub-element of a wind turbine, the wind turbine being controlled by a control algorithm of a wind turbine controller, includes the steps of: executing a predefined event pattern activating at least one sub-element of the wind turbine, obtaining measure data on the basis of measurements of at least one sub-element according to the predefined event pattern, and relating the measure data to predefined reference data and establishing a test result indicating the condition of the embedded sub-element on the basis thereof. The predefined event pattern is executed by a test algorithm overriding the control algorithm of the wind turbine controller at least partly. It is a very advantageous feature according to the present invention that the sub-elements may be tested while being embedded in the wind turbine.
US08112237B2

A method for identifying a location of a wheel of a rail vehicle includes producing a first signal representative of a potential difference between leads electrically coupled with a wheel gate transducer and modifying the first signal that is received over a first channel to produce a second signal over a second channel, where the second signal differs from the first signal. The method further includes monitoring the first and second signals over the first and second channels to identify the location of the wheel relative to the wheel gate transducer.
US08112223B2

Method for determining a dynamic variable representative for a lateral movement of a located object in a driver assistance system for motor vehicles, which has two angle-resolving distance sensors situated laterally offset to one another for locating the object, using which a radial component of the relative velocity of the object along the particular line of sight is also measurable, wherein the dynamic variable is calculated on the basis of the radial components of the relative velocity measured by the two distance sensors.
US08112217B2

An exhaust brake control system includes a braking torque estimation module that estimates a desired braking torque based on engine speed. A volume flow rate determination module determines a desired volume flow rate of an exhaust gas based on the desired braking torque. An adjustment module adjusts an actual volume flow rate to control actual braking torque based on the desired braking torque and a change in exhaust temperature.
US08112209B2

A vehicle driving force control device including an input shaft rotation number sensor which detects a transmission input shaft rotation number to be input from an engine to an automatic transmission, an accelerator opening sensor which detects accelerator opening, a TCU for calculating a required output of the automatic transmission based on the transmission input shaft rotation number and the accelerator opening, and an electronic control unit which controls the engine and the automatic transmission based on the required output. The TCU sets the required output to a constant value regardless of the transmission input shaft rotation number when the accelerator opening is not larger than a predetermined value, and sets to increase or decrease the required output according to increase and decrease of the transmission input shaft rotation number when the accelerator opening is larger than the predetermined value.
US08112207B2

A hybrid transmission includes a torque machine and an energy storage device connected thereto. The hybrid transmission is operative to transfer power between an input member and an output member and the torque machine in a continuously variable operating range state. A method for controlling the hybrid transmission includes determining a preferred output torque, determining a relationship between power from the energy storage device and an output torque of the transmission, determining power constraints from the energy storage device, determining motor torque constraints for the torque machine, determining linear torque constraints to the output torque based upon the motor torque constraints for the torque machine, determining quadratic output torque constraints based upon the power constraints from the energy storage device and the relationship between the power from the energy storage device and the output torque of the transmission device, and determining an output torque to the output member responsive to the preferred output torque and achievable based upon the linear output torque constraints and the quadratic output torque constraints.
US08112197B2

A wiper apparatus includes: a wiper blade driven by a first motor; and a wiper blade driven by a second motor. The motors are drive-controlled by control microcomputers, respectively. The control microcomputers are connected to each other through a communication line. While exchanging position information of the wiper blades through the communication line, the control microcomputers synchronously drive the motors on the basis of a position relationship between both of the wiper blades. When an abnormality occurs in a communication state of an in-vehicle LAN, a setting state of a wiper switch is grasped through a switch signal line directly connected to the wiper switch, and wipers are prevented from being stopped when such communication abnormality occurs.
US08112187B2

The invention relates to a method for controlling the formation flight of at least two aircraft (1,2). The first aircraft (1) includes means of transmitting its position, its velocity and its flight plan. The flight plan has predictions of altitude, velocity and time for at least one next waypoint (WPT). The second aircraft (2) includes means of receiving the information transmitted by the first aircraft (1). According to the invention, the second aircraft (2) determines its future flight plan as a function of the information received from the first aircraft (1) in order to maintain a constant separation (T) from the first aircraft (1).
US08112184B2

An auxiliary power unit has a speed sensor for sensing a speed of operation of the auxiliary power unit. The speed sensor sends a signal to an electronic control box. The electronic control box is operable to control the auxiliary power unit. A branch line is for communicating the speed signal to a health monitoring system. The branch passes through an electronic component that will isolate the speed signal as it passes beyond the component and to the downstream use, such that corruption at a downstream use will not pass back upstream to corrupt the signals used in the electronic control box.
US08112183B2

A substrate processing apparatus detects malfunction of mechanisms in MFC. An inert gas supply line, a first shut-off valve shutting off the inert gas supply, a process gas supply line, and a second shut-off valve shutting off the process gas supply are installed upstream of the MFC. A gas supply pipe connected to a process chamber, a third shut-off valve shutting off gas supply to the gas supply pipe, an exhaust vent line which is exhaustible, and a fourth shut-off valve shutting off gas supply to the exhaust vent line are installed downstream of the MFC. A main control unit determines that the MFC is abnormal if a transition time exceeds a previously set time when the MFC transitions from a closed state to an opened state while the shut-off valves are in a closed state.
US08112181B2

Apparatus for automatic environmental control includes an enclosed, zoned structure. A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is incorporated into the structure. Each zone includes separate controls, separately-controlled air flow into and out of each zone, and separate intake, vent, damper, thermostat and humidistat for each zone. Temperature and humidity are separately controllable for each zone, and controller is in communication with HVAC system for controlling HVAC system and for controlling the damper for each zone, the controller having a map comprising a plurality of relative humidity and temperature combinations and one or more actions for automatic execution based on the combinations of temperature and humidity. A temperature sensor, a relative humidity sensor are included in each zone, and an indicator array/interface panel is in communication with the controller. The system provides for the automatic elimination of environmental conditions favorable to mold and fungus growth for each zone individually.
US08112172B2

A method for extracting gash parameters of a cutting tool, comprises positioning the cutting tool on a moveable stage, scanning two or more gash sections of the cutting tool to generate two or more gash section scanning point clouds, indexing multiple points of the gash section scanning point clouds, detecting multiple gash features using the indexed gash section scanning point clouds, projecting multiple point clouds of the gash features of the indexed gash section scanning point clouds to form one or more projected gash feature point clouds, identifying one or more types of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds, segmenting the one or more projected gash feature point clouds based on the type identification, and extracting one or more gash parameters based on the segmentation of the one or more projected gash feature point clouds. A system for extracting the parameters is also presented.
US08112153B2

A method of comparing cardiac and neurological event detection signals to indicate whether the cardiac event detection signal may facilitate detection of neurological events. The method includes obtaining a signal indicating detected neurological events, obtaining a signal indicating detected cardiac events, analyzing the timing relationships between the detected neurological and cardiac events to identify matched events, and using the matched events to indicate whether the cardiac event detection signal facilitates detection of neurological events.
US08112151B1

An exemplary device includes a processor, one or more communication interfaces, memory and one or more modules stored in the memory that comprise processor executable instructions to receive data from an implantable device via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces, to interrogate the data for one or more particular types of data, to process one or more particular types of data and to transmit information via at least one of the one or more communication interfaces. Various other exemplary devices, methods, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US08112143B2

A novel MR method and system is described for using MR images for planning radiotherapy treatment. The images are obtained by a scanner which generates a magnetic field with a magnetic center (isocenter). First at least one fiducial marker (4; 5) is applied to the body (1) of the patient at a predetermined distance from the isocenter. The patient is repositioned within said scanner such that an anatomical target (2) is located in close vicinity of said isocenter. A first image of said target (2) is obtained and then the patient (1) is shifted such that the fiducial marker (4; 5) is close to the isocenter. A second image is obtained at the shifted position, in which the fiducial marker has an accurate geometrical position, that is merged into said first image.
US08112142B2

Methods are disclosed for assessing the condition of a cartilage in a joint, particularly in a human knee. The methods include converting an image such as an MRI to a three dimensional map of the cartilage. The cartilage map can be correlated to a movement pattern of the joint to assess the affect of movement on cartilage wear. Changes in the thickness of cartilage over time can be determined so that therapies can be provided. Information on thickness of cartilage and curvature of cartilage or subchondral bone can be used to plan therapy. Information on movement pattern can be used to plan therapy.
US08112140B2

A device for detecting and transmitting electrical pulses from the body surface of a patient to device processing the electrical pulses. The device for detecting includes at least two electrical leads of different lengths, at least one electrical insulating material surrounding the at least two electrical leads, a connecting port for connection to the device for processing the electrical pulses at one end of the at least two electrical leads and a recess in the electrical insulating material of the at least two electrical leads, so that an electric contact can be established with the skin surface of the patient. The two leads of different lengths have a ratio of the electrical resistance to the length of the leads and/or the ratio of the impedance to the length of the leads that is/are greater in the shorter lead than in the longer lead. With the construction artifacts caused by external sources of interference are easily filtered out and it can be manufactured at a low cost, so as to be employed for disposable use.
US08112129B2

A seal structure or a sealing method that seals the housing (case) and allows the signal line to pass through a seal portion of the housing is provided. A recessed level difference is formed on at least one of junction faces of first and second housing units (case units) joined together, and, at a portion including the recessed level difference, a first sealing material (double-faced adhesive sheet), the signal line (flexible cable) or circuit unit, and a second sealing material are held between the first housing unit and the second housing unit. The adhesiveness and flexibility of the first sealing material and the elasticity of the second sealing material allow the signal line or circuit unit to pass through the seal portion while maintaining airtightness.
US08112127B2

A communication system capable of adjusting power consumed thereby is adapted for receiving connection information. The communication system includes first and second transceiving devices. The first transceiving device includes a transmitting end and a service end for receiving the connection information. The second transceiving device includes a receiving end capable of forming a communications link with the transmitting end. A power state of each of the first and second transceiving devices is switchable between a power-supplied mode and a power-saving mode. The power state alters status of the communications link.
US08112121B2

A method and an apparatus f preventing transmitting message input error in a mobile communication terminal are provided. When another event is generated while the transmitting message is being inputted, character input keys are inactivated and an event window is displayed. It is checked whether an ENTER key is pressed while the event window is displayed. If the ENTER key is pressed, the event window and an icon notifying generation of the event are closed. Accordingly, a user of the mobile communication terminal can recognize the generation of the event and prevent transmitting message input error after identifying the generated event.
US08112112B2

A radio apparatus includes a receiver which receives a wirelessly transmitted signal as a reception signal, a transmitter which is provided in the vicinity of the receiver and generates a transmission signal having a frequency different from that of the reception signal, and a reception signal extracting unit which extracts a reception signal from an input signal containing the reception signal and the transmission signal, at a timing of a zero crossing of the transmission signal in the input signal, by using phase information including the phase of the transmission signal from the transmitter.
US08112097B2

A base station FLC powered by a commercial power source includes a registration unit 122 for registering information of at least one mobile station using the base station, a battery 160 for supplying power to the base station, a power control unit 150 capable of switching a power supply for the base station from the commercial power source to the battery, and a transmission unit 110, 140 for transmitting a message to a mobile station registered at the registration unit when the power supply for the base station is switched from the commercial power source to the battery by the power control unit.
US08112082B2

An unlicensed-radio access network is connected to a core network portion of a licensed cellular mobile network and includes a broadband network (302) with a plurality of access points (301) each defining a mini-cell and adapted to communicate with mobile stations located within a mini-cell over an unlicensed-radio interface. An access controller (303) is connected to the core network portion and to the broadband network. In accordance with the invention, the access controller (303) is associated with its own location area or areas in the licensed radio mobile network and comprises a database for storing the identification of mobile stations in association with at least one specific access point or broadband network address. This arrangement permits a mobile station to be locating within the access network in response to a paging signal from the core network without undue signalling load.
US08112075B2

The invention provides a method or system where the UE sends the CQI to the base station (Node B) based on whether a HARQ retransmission is expected. For example, if a HARQ retransmission is expected, then the UE can reduce the CQI information to sending less (or no) bits in the uplink. In effect, the UE will automatically stop sending CQIs to the base station (Node B) for time-periods where it is known that HARQ retransmissions will be scheduled. The method or system may include one or more steps or elements for implementing this functionality in the UE.
US08112073B2

The present invention relates to a communications system for mobile radio telephony comprising mobile devices, comprising modules which can be inserted into the mobile devices, with at least one subscriber territory being fixed inside the total territory covered by the communications system, within which subscriber territory communication takes place from and/or to the mobile devices under special conditions, and comprising means by which it can be determined whether the mobile device is located inside the subscriber territory. In accordance with the invention, the means are arranged on the module or in a determination unit which can be accessed by means of remote polling.The present invention furthermore relates to a method of operating a communications system for mobile radio telephony.
US08112056B2

A novel DDCR RF front-end for use in UWB applications combining a distributed approach which provides wideband functionality of the RF front-end with I-Q requirement of DCRs. The distributed architecture uses composite cells of a merged LNA and mixer along the input RF T-line.
US08112051B2

Method and system for false lock free autonomous scan in a receiver is disclosed. The method includes identifying a presence of a desired signal to avoid false frequency lock in a Frequency Modulation receiver. The method includes receiving a signal. The method further includes identifying the desired signal, if a first energy is above a first threshold. The method also includes identifying the desired signal, if an Intermediate Frequency count is below a second threshold. The method includes identifying the desired signal, if a second energy of the signal is above a third threshold. The method includes identifying the desired signal, if an absolute difference between a first Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) value and a second RSSI value of the signal is below a fourth threshold. The method includes determining a third energy. The method includes identifying the desired signal, if the third energy is below a fifth threshold.
US08112045B2

A Radio Frequency RF transmitter includes a translational loop architecture that supports non-constant envelope modulation types and includes by adjusting the envelope of the translational loop at the translational loop output. The RF transmitter includes an Intermediate Frequency (IF) modulator, a translational loop, an envelope time delay adjust block, an envelope adjust block, and a time delay calibration block. The IF modulator receives a modulated baseband signal and produces a modulated IF signal having a non-constant envelope. The translational loop receives the modulated IF signal and produces a modulated RF signal having a constant envelope. The envelope time delay adjust block receives an envelope signal corresponding to the original modulated signal and produces a time delayed envelope signal based upon a time delay control signal. The envelope adjust block adjusts the modulated RF signal based upon the time delayed envelope signal to produce an envelope adjusted modulated RF signal. Finally, the time delay calibration block receives the envelope adjusted modulated RF signal and produces the time delay control signal.
US08112036B2

A wireless communication method implemented by a wireless communication device includes performing a non-contact communication with an other wireless communication device. The method also includes receiving predetermined setting data from the other wireless communication device. Further, the method includes establishing a wireless connection with the other wireless communication device by using the predetermined setting data. The method additionally includes storing the predetermined setting data in a storage medium before the wireless connection is released. In addition, the method includes releasing the wireless connection. The method further includes establishing a wireless reconnection with the other wireless communication device by using the predetermined setting data stored in the storage medium. The wireless connection is not necessarily released by the wireless communication device while power is being supplied from outside.
US08112026B2

A lubricant applying device that faces a rotatable body, and that applies a solid lubricant to the rotatable body, includes: a lubricating roll in which the solid lubricant for application is formed into a circular sectional shape around a rotatable support shaft, and that is contacted with the rotatable body; and a pressing mechanism that presses the lubricating roll toward the rotatable body, wherein the lubricating roll that is pressed against the rotatable body by the pressing mechanism applies the lubricant in a state where the lubricating roll is not rotated relative to the rotatable body, and, when a rotational torque due to the contact with the rotatable body exceeds a predetermined value, the lubricating roll is rotated in accordance with rotation of the rotatable body.
US08112023B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier to carry a toner image and a fixing device to fix the toner image transferred from the image carrier onto a recording medium by applying at least heat to at least one of the toner image and the recording medium. Such a fixing device includes: a magnetic flux generator to generate a magnetic flux; and a heat generating member disposed at least partially in the magnetic flux. The heat generating member includes a heat generating layer to generate heat via eddy currents therein induced by the magnetic flux, magnitudes of the eddy currents varying according to positions thereof in a width direction of the heat generating layer. Included within the heat generating layer is a magnetic layer having a Curie point in a range, e.g., from about 100 degrees centigrade to about 300 degrees centigrade.
US08112013B2

An image forming device includes a frame, a subunit detachably attached to the frame, a frame-side positioning portion, a subunit-side positioning portion, the subunit being positioned relative to the frame by making the subunit-side positioning portion contact the frame-side positioning portion, a contact regulating member attached to the frame movably between a location to contact the subunit before the subunit-side positioning portion comes into contact with the frame-side positioning portion in process of the subunit being attached to the frame from a detached state and a location to be kept from contacting the subunit, a pressing member attached to the frame movably between a position to press the subunit such that the subunit-side positioning portion is made contact the frame-side positioning portion and a position to be kept from pressing the subunit, and an interlocking member interlocking movements of the contact regulating member and the pressing member.
US08112005B2

A receiver scheme for optical signals in Return-to-zero (RZ) systems comprises a conventional receiver at the input of which is placed an all-optical decision element realized with nonlinear optical elements. This allows obtaining a substantial increase in performance compared with a simple conventional receiver optimized for NRZ signals. In particular, an optical decision is made up advantageously of two non-linear optical loop mirrors (NOLMs) arranged in cascade with an optical amplifier at the input and a pass-band filter at the output. The loops lengths may be different, as may be the splitting ratios of the couplers of the NOLMs.
US08112003B2

An optical transmitter according to an exemplary aspect of the present invention is an optical transmitter that includes a variable-wavelength light source and a modulator for modulating and outputting the output light of the variable-wavelength light source in accordance with data to be transmitted, wherein the optical transmitter includes a control unit for varying the bias voltage of the modulator based on the light output power of the modulator to make feedback control of the light output power of the modulator during switching of the output wavelength of the variable-wavelength light source.
US08111995B2

A system and method for dynamically adding/dropping wavelengths in a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) transport network is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of M×N wavelength selective switches (WSS) for locally dropping selected wavelengths at a node, where each M×N WSS has M inputs connected to optical fan-out devices in each of M network degrees, and a plurality of M×N wavelength selective switches for locally adding selected wavelengths to a node, where each M×N WSS has M outputs connected to optical fan-in devices in each of M network degrees. Several expedients of M×N wavelength selective switches comprising M switching elements for use in the system are also disclosed.
US08111990B2

Provided is an apparatus for transferring optical data in an optical switching system using time synchronization. The apparatus performs time synchronization on optical data to input the optical data at regular intervals through fiber delay line for time synchronization respectively disposed on input ports. Therefore, the apparatus can efficiently reduce a data blocking rate in comparison with a conventional optical switching system using an asynchronous electric buffer without a synchronous process, and achieve the same performance as conventional asynchronous technology despite using fewer wavelength converters and buffers, thus reducing system cost. In addition, using dynamic time synchronization modules, the apparatus performs time synchronization for minute time variation due to an environment such as temperature.
US08111979B2

Automated intermittent filtration is employed in the device and method that can include monitoring the elapsed time since the last filtration of the cooking oil, monitoring the amount of food by number of batches or by weight of food product cooked in the oil since the last filtration, and filtering the oil when a predetermined threshold value is reached based on the elapsed time since the last filtration and the amount of food cooked.
US08111974B2

Enabling complete viewing of selected programming content is provided. In response to receiving an input data stream from a programming service provider, the input data stream is stored in a supplemental storage. In response to a user selecting a programming channel after a program starts to air, the input data stream is stored in a programming storage. Then, the stored data stream is outputted from the supplemental storage to a viewing device.
US08111973B2

The present invention provides a television apparatus that can reproduce and show a program when the program is stopped without a user performing troublesome operations even when the user is occupied with a sudden phone call or an unexpected visitor while he/she is watching television. A volume comparator starts recording of the program, which is currently being watched, by using a recording apparatus when a set volume value is lower than a threshold value or is set to a sound cancelling mode. Also, when a newly set volume value is higher than the threshold value or the sound cancelling is released, the volume comparator stops the display of the program that is currently being watched and starts reproducing display of the recorded program by returning to the recording start time point.
US08111971B2

In one embodiment, a method of reducing video delay in a program stream comprises: setting an audio reference clock to an initial value based on a presentation timestamp for a frame that is the first decodable frame in the audio stream; setting a video reference clock to an initial value based on a presentation timestamp for a frame that is the first decodable frame in the video stream; starting audio and video reference clocks responsive to the later of a minimum buffer fill delay and receipt of a frame that is the first entire decodable frame in the video stream; decoding the audio stream in accordance with the audio reference clock; and decoding the video stream in accordance with the video reference clock.
US08111968B2

Optical devices for guiding illumination are provided each having a body of optical material with staircase or acutely angled ramp structures on its top surface for distributing light inputted from one end of the device from the front exit faces of such structures along certain angular orientations, while at least a substantial portion of the light is totally internally reflected within the body until distributed from such front exit faces. Optical devices are also provided each have a body of optical material having a bottom surface with acutely angled ramp structures and falling structures which alternate with each other, such that light is totally internally reflected within the device until reflected by such ramp structures along the bottom surface to exit the top surface of the device or transmitted through the ramp structures to an adjacent falling structure back into the device. Acutely angled ramp structures may be provided on both top and bottom surfaces of optical devices for distributing light along such top surface. Illumination apparatuses are also provided using such optical devices.
US08111965B2

A waveguide and resonator are formed on a lower cladding of a thermo optic device, each having a formation height that is substantially equal. Thereafter, the formation height of the waveguide is attenuated. In this manner, the aspect ratio as between the waveguide and resonator in an area where the waveguide and resonator front or face one another decreases (in comparison to the prior art) thereby restoring the synchronicity between the waveguide and the grating and allowing higher bandwidth configurations to be used. The waveguide attenuation is achieved by photomasking and etching the waveguide after the resonator and waveguide are formed. In one embodiment the photomasking and etching is performed after deposition of the upper cladding. In another, it is performed before the deposition. Thermo optic devices, thermo optic packages and fiber optic systems having these waveguides are also taught.
US08111957B2

Generation of a cylindrically polarized light beam, and in particular, a hybrid-azimuthal-radial polarization beams, called HARP modes, generated from an input linearly polarized Gaussian beam using a spun optical waveguide device is taught. The HARP modes are comprised of hybrid-azimuthal polarization (HAP) and hybrid-radial polarization (HRP) superposition modes. These beams possess a non-zero local angular momentum density that is spatially varying and a zero total angular momentum.
US08111956B2

Provided is a method for confirming optical fibers connection in a connection part in an optical connector, including: allowing light to pass through a first optical fiber and allowing cladding mode light to disappear; and detecting a difference in light intensity in the connection part between before and after the light from the first optical fiber enters a second optical fiber disposed in the optical connector.
US08111952B2

A strain sensing device has a sub-assembly with at least one optical fiber therein, and a metallic coating encasing the sub-assembly. The metallic coating is strain coupled to the sub-assembly. A strain sensing system and a method of anticipating failure in a structure are provided. The strain sensing system and method of anticipating failure in a structure use the strain on the strain sensing device to calculate the strain on a structure of interest.
US08111949B2

A captured image projection apparatus obtains projection parameters and image effect correction parameters from a moving image captured at a low resolution in a task different from a task in which capturing of a high-resolution still image is to be performed, when a change ceases to occur in the moving image and before the capturing of the high-resolution still image is started. The apparatus changes the scale of the obtained projection parameters from one for low-resolution image to one for high-resolution image. The apparatus applies an image conversion process and an image effect process to the captured high-resolution still image by using the projection parameters and image effect correction parameters obtained before the still image is captured. Thereby, the captured image projection apparatus shortens the time required from the capturing of the image to projection thereof.
US08111948B2

An album creating apparatus is provided, for creating an album by automatically moving the position of the main object in a page when the main object is overlapped with a fold of the album. The album creating apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes: an image storage section; an image classification section that classifies a plurality of images into each facing page in an album; an image layout section that lays out the images classified by the image classification section into each facing page in the album; a boundary position storage section that stores the position of the page break of the facing page; a boundary judgment section that judges whether the main object in the image laid out by the image layout section is overlapped with the page break; and a main object moving section that moves the position of the main object such that the main object is not overlapped with the page break.
US08111945B2

A method, a system and a computer program product for generating a blended picture, the system includes: a storage unit, adapted to store pixels of a first picture, pixels of a second picture and alpha data; and a device, coupled to the storage unit via at least one data channel; wherein the device includes: a relevancy determination module, that is adapted to determine a relevancy of pixels of at least one of the first picture and the second picture based upon values of alpha data associated with the pixels of the first picture; wherein the alpha data represents a degree of transparency of the pixels of the first picture to be overlaid over the second picture; an access controller, coupled to the relevancy determination module, adapted to prevent a transfer of irrelevant pixels from the storage unit; and a blending unit that is coupled to the access controller, adapted to provide a blended picture in response to values of the alpha data, by blending relevant pixels of the first and second picture.
US08111944B2

In computer multimedia technology, a system, method and computer program product for optimizing images and transmission of images of a web-page transmitted over the Internet and furthermore, optimizing images of a web page on a network server. The method includes detecting the images in the web page to determine the relationship among the images; in response to the determination of the relationship among the images, combining two or more related images into a combinational image; and updating the web page to replace references to the related images with a reference to the combinational image. By optimizing web page images, the server's work required for handling heavy amount of HTTP requests in transmitting the web page images is decreased and the bandwidth requirement for transmitting the web page images is reduced. The quality of the original image is not lowered. And there is no need to make any change to the operation at the client side.
US08111943B2

Contrast and lightness measures are used to first classify the image as being one of non-turbid and turbid. If turbid, the original image is enhanced to generate a first enhanced image. If non-turbid, the original image is classified in terms of a merged contrast/lightness score based on the contrast and lightness measures. The non-turbid image is enhanced to generate a second enhanced image when a poor contrast/lightness score is associated therewith. When the second enhanced image has a poor contrast/lightness score associated therewith, this image is enhanced to generate a third enhanced image. A sharpness measure is computed for one image that is selected from (i) the non-turbid image, (ii) the first enhanced image, (iii) the second enhanced image when a good contrast/lightness score is associated therewith, and (iv) the third enhanced image. If the selected image is not-sharp, it is sharpened to generate a sharpened image. The final image is selected from the selected image and the sharpened image.
US08111939B2

An image processing device includes: an estimating module configured to estimate boundaries of blocks in an input image; a characteristic value calculating module configured to calculate a characteristic value of a subject pixel group having constituent pixels including a pixel in the frame and at least one pixel that is adjacent to the pixel by calculating a degree of pixel value dispersion between the constituent pixels of the subject pixel group if all the constituent pixels belong to the same block; an strength value calculating module configured to calculate, from the characteristic value, a strength value to be used in performing pixel value smoothing; and a smoothing module configured to perform the pixel value smoothing according to the strength value.
US08111938B2

Fast approximate focus operations providing an approximately focused image that is sufficiently focused to support certain subsequent inspection operations. The operations are particularly advantageous when used to provide images for successive inspection operations that predominate when inspecting planar workpieces. Improved inspection throughput is provided because, in contrast to conventional autofocus operations, the fast approximate focus operations do not acquire an image stack during a run mode as a basis for determining a best focused image. Rather, during learn mode, a representative feature-specific focus curve and a focus threshold value are determined and used during run mode to provide an approximately focused image that reliably supports certain inspection operations. In one embodiment, an acceptable approximately focused inspection image is provided within a limit of two focus adjustment moves that provide two corresponding images. The adjustment moves are based on the representative feature-specific focus curve provided in learn mode.
US08111929B2

A method and system for detecting and quantifying blockiness in a video file is disclosed. The video file is a file that has been decompressed by using standard DCT algorithms. The method includes segmenting each frame of the video file into multiple blocks. The method also involves comparing the intensity gradients of each block with one or more threshold values. The one or more threshold values represent predefined intensity variation characteristics. Further, the method includes determining the intensity variation parameters of each block, based on the comparison. Thereafter, a blockiness index is calculated for each block, after which a blockiness value is calculated for each frame. Finally, a blockiness level is assigned to each frame, based on its blockiness value. The blockiness level is a comparative measure of the blockiness of a frame that represents the blockiness content in the frame.
US08111925B2

According to one aspect, a method for identifying an object in an image includes steps of determining a center of the object; calculating a radius for scanning the image; scanning along a scan circle defined by the center and the radius; and identifying the object according to scanned data of the image along the scan circle.
US08111917B2

The present invention relates to a method for subdividing the road pattern in digital road maps into segments, in which, starting from the digital road maps in which the road pattern is subdivided into successive segments, new segment borders are established via new segment starting points and segment end points, by selecting the segment starting points and the segment end points in such a way that the shape of the segments between the segment starting points and the segment end points does not change. The invention also relates to the computation of the road pattern with the aid of digital road maps, in which the road is subdivided into successive segments, to each of which one segment starting point and one segment end point is assigned. The shape of the segment is established and, from its relative position, its pattern is computed with the aid of the number of support points situated between the segment starting points and the segment end points, and/or with the aid of transition conditions between the segments and/or the consideration of attributes.
US08111914B2

Provided are an image encoding method and apparatus and an image decoding method and apparatus that are capable of canceling a correlation remaining in a residual image by predicting the residual image by using residual pixel values of restored neighboring pixels of a current block and then encoding only the difference between the residual image and a predicted image of the residual image, where the residual image is obtained using an inter color compensation algorithm that predicts one of a plurality of color component images constituting an image by using one of the remnants of the color component images.
US08111912B2

Briefly, embodiments describe a method, article and/or system for determining image similarity.
US08111906B2

A stereoscopic image display device is provided. The stereoscopic image display device includes a display unit including a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, the respective pixels including right/left-eye pixels arranged in a row direction, an area detector for detecting first data respectively corresponding to at least a part of the pixels from a plurality of input data, a data converter for converting the first data to the right/left-eye data corresponding to the right/left-eye pixels, a data combiner for combining stereoscopic image data by arranging the right/left-eye data, and a data driver for applying a data signal corresponding to the stereoscopic image data to the display unit.
US08111901B2

A method for separating an original circuit pattern to be printed on a wafer, into multiple circuit patterns is disclosed. Simulation to obtain an image log-slope (ILS), normalized image log-slope (NILS), or any other characteristic of an image quality on edges of polygons in the circuit pattern obtained from circuit pattern data is performed. Properly printed edges and not-properly printed edges are identified according to a criterion of an ILS level. The original circuit pattern is separated into multiple circuit patterns such that each of the multiple patterns does not have any not-properly printed edges.
US08111892B2

Embodiments for registering a CT image onto ultrasound images are disclosed. At a preoperative stage, a plurality of first ultrasound images are formed during a respiratory cycle and a CT image is obtained at the maximum inspiration. The CT image is registered onto each of the ultrasound images to thereby form ultrasound-CT registered images. The ultrasound-CT registered images may be stored in the storage unit. Subsequently, at an intraoperative stage, a plurality of second ultrasound images may be sequentially formed in real time. Similarities may be measured between the first ultrasound images and the second ultrasound images, and the ultrasound-CT registered images, each corresponding to each of the first ultrasound images having highest similarity to the second ultrasound image may be retrieved. The retrieved ultrasound image and the second ultrasound image may be displayed at the same time.
US08111886B2

A method for stabilizing the reconstruction of an imaged volume is presented. The method includes the steps of performing an analysis of the reliability of reconstruction of a radioactive-emission density distribution of the volume from radiation detected over a specified set of views, and defining modifications to the reconstruction process and/or data collection process to improve the reliability of reconstruction, in accordance with the analysis.
US08111879B2

A duplex camera with common face and iris imaging optics locates an iris in a scene and images the iris without requiring multiple camera alignment or a rapid zoom capability. A wavelength selective mirror separates the light from an imaged scene into visible and infrared components. The visible component supplies a face image in which an iris location can be determined. Visible light optics and a visible light sensor array provide a scene image to an image processor that determines the iris location. Infrared optics and an infrared sensor produce an iris image centered on the iris location. Upon determining an iris location, a motorized stage can position the iris image in the infrared sensor. The common face and imaging optics allow the image sensors to be permanently aligned to one another.
US08111865B2

An apparatus for mounting two speakers to a flat panel display device is disclosed wherein the device, utilizing standardized mounting plates provided in such flat panel display devices, enables the mounting of two speakers while providing the ability to change speaker position in regards to six different position parameters. The apparatus may be utilized in conjunction with flat panel mounting devices, such as pedestal, wall or ceiling mounts, or utilized independently thereof. More specifically, the device further provides independent adjustment of the position of each speaker mounted thereby in regard to height, fore/aft and depth position, as well as rotation about an X, Y and Z axis. The device enables one to make changes in—regard to the position of a speaker—or other peripheral devices mounted thereon—relative to one or more of the aforementioned movements without altering other aspects of speaker position, if desired.
US08111856B2

A variable directional microphone unit includes two capacitor elements. Each of the two capacitor elements has: a back plate formed on one side of an insulating plate to be insulated from a back plate of the other capacitor element; and a vibrating plate disposed to face the back plate with a certain amount of space therebetween, in which a polarization voltage is applied between each of the back plates and the vibrating plates so that an electroacoustically transduced signal is obtainable from each of the back plates. The variable directional microphone unit is characterized in that the two vibrating plates of the two capacitor elements are acoustically connected in series as a plurality of holes are formed on both of the back plates.
US08111854B2

Electrical signals corresponding to sound are received at a wire, and sound is generated at a speaker connected to the wire. The sound is resonated in a cavity of a shell housing the speaker, and then passed along a transmission tube toward a pinna of a user's ear without directing the sound directly toward the user's ear canal.
US08111847B2

A speaker comprises at least one electrode electrically coupled with an audio signal input and a film comprising at least one electret layer. The film is configured to interact with the electrode in response to an audio signal supplied by the audio signal input and to vibrate to generate sound waves. The electret layer is formed from a polymer-containing solution.
US08111838B2

A voice conference apparatus includes a sound collecting unit and a loudspeaker, while the sound collecting unit has a directional polar sensitivity characteristic which has a higher sensitivity with respect to sounds which are radiated from at least one direction, as compared with sounds radiated from other directions. The sound collecting unit of the voice conference apparatus has a plurality of omnidirectional microphones, and forms a desirable sensitivity characteristic. Since the omnidirectional microphones are employed, aging changes and fluctuations contained in the sensitivity characteristics of the respective sound collecting units can be reduced, so that the sensitivity characteristics thereof can become stable, and thus, full duplex communications with higher qualities can be carried out.
US08111836B1

A performance venue with a main speaker system is provided having a target coverage area within the performance venue. A performance area is located within the performance venue outside the target coverage area of the main speaker system. A low frequency directed audio source is positioned with respect to the performance area for active cancellation of low frequency sound spilling over into the performance area from the main speaker system. Control of the low frequency directed audio source is effected by an audio sensor is located in the performance area for generating an output correlated with low frequency spill over into the performance area.
US08111830B2

An active audio matrix decoding method and apparatus to generate multi-channel audio signals from a stereo channel audio signal. The method includes extracting characteristics of a plurality of speaker signals and angles of each of a plurality of multi-channel speakers from arbitrary signals reproduced by the multi-channel speakers, decoding a stereo signal into a plurality of multi-channel signals and correcting the decoded multi-channel signals based on the extracted characteristics of each of the plurality of speaker signals, extracting a power vector of each of the decoded multi-channel signals by multiplying a magnitude of each of the decoded multi-channel signals by an angle of each multi-channel speaker and extracting a vector of a virtual sound source existing between a plurality of channels based on the power vector of each of the decoded multi-channel signals, extracting a vector value of a dominant sound image by linearly combining the extracted vectors of the virtual sound sources and normalizing a position of each multi-channel speaker with respect to the vector value of the dominant sound image to obtain a normalized position value, and distributing a gain value to the position of each multi-channel speaker by comparing a magnitude of a combined decoded multi-channel signal with the magnitude of each of the decoded multi-channel signals.
US08111820B2

The present invention comprises a method for audio/video conferencing. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises using a dynamic threshold value to determine whether there is speech on a line. One aspect, the method comprises determining a dynamic threshold value based on one or more characteristics of signals received on a port, associating that dynamic threshold value with the port; and comparing one or more characteristics of signals subsequently received on the port to the dynamic threshold value. Signals received over a plurality of ports are summed, but for ports whose signal characteristics have a specified relationship to the dynamic threshold value associated with that port, signals are not contained in the sum.
US08111813B2

A technique is disclosed that enables a telecommunications user to initially enter a greeting message in a single media format such as either voice or text. Subsequently, this greeting message is used by a server in response to any communication event that arrives for the user, such as a voice call or an email message, regardless of the media format of the arriving communication event. When the server receives arrival notifications of various communication events, it generates a customized greeting message in response to that event and in the same media format as the event itself. In other words, the server represents a previously-prepared outgoing voice or text message i) as a voice message in response to an incoming voice call and ii) as a textual message in response to an email, SMS text message, or instant message.
US08111811B2

Directing customer service calls based upon remote diagnosis of customer premises equipment (CPE). CPE information is received remotely from the CPE. Network status information is received from a communications network indicative of a current operational status for the network. An issue is detected with the CPE based upon the received CPE information. A recommended customer service center is selected from a plurality of customer service centers based upon at least one of the CPE information and the network status information.
US08111810B2

A highly constrained image processing method is used to improve the quality, including spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), of ultrasound image frames. Ultrasound image frames are accumulated to form a composite image that contains a priori information about the subject being imaged. This composite image is used in a HYPR processing method to improve the quality of the ultrasound image frame. For example, the SNR of the composite image is increased as a function of the number of ultrasound image frames used to produce it, and this increased SNR is passed on to each highly constrained image frame. Additionally, high spatial resolution ultrasound images are produced using an undersampled sampling density, and the quality of these images is restored to substantially the same level as a fully sampled image.
US08111804B2

A CT scanner comprising: a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation: an X-ray source mounted to the rotor having a focal spot from which an X-ray beam emanates; an X-ray detector array comprising a plurality of X-ray detectors for detecting X-rays in the X-ray beam; wherein the detector array has at least one high resolution region in which detectors have a high packing density and at least one low resolution region in which detectors have a low packing density and are separated by X-ray insensitive regions substantially larger than insensitive regions resulting from septa between detectors that function to reduce detector cross talk.
US08111802B2

A method of inspecting, performing maintenance on, or repairing a nuclear reactor may include operatively connecting a fixing device, a first track, an arm including one or more second tracks, and an effector to form an apparatus; inserting the apparatus into the reactor; fixing the apparatus within the reactor; and operating the apparatus. At least one of the one or more second tracks may include at least three track sections. The arm may have a contracted length. The arm may have an expanded length. The expanded length may be greater than two times the contracted length. The first track may include one or more motors configured to move the arm relative to the first track. A method of operating a reactor may include shutting down; inspecting, performing maintenance on, or repairing the reactor; and starting up the reactor.
US08111799B2

A method for reducing power consumption in an information handling system (IHS) where the method includes receiving main data through a main link, wherein the main link provides at least one data lane. The IHS also receives a reference clock corresponding to the main data through an auxiliary channel and provides the reference clock to a first phase-lock loop, wherein the first phase-lock loop outputs a stream clock.
US08111797B2

The present invention is an improved system and method for detecting the leading edge of a waveform. More specifically, the invention relates to detecting the leading edge of an ultra wideband waveform. The invention requires locking to the ultra wideband waveform at a lock reference time, and sampling the ultra wideband waveform during one or more time windows relative to the lock reference time to identify one or more leading edge candidate times based on one or more detection criterion. The ultra wideband signal is sampled at a band limited Nyquist rate that avoids aliasing within a band of interest of the ultra wideband waveform, but allows aliasing outside of the band of interest to minimize the number of samples for leading edge detection processing.
US08111792B2

Circuits and methods for performing adaptive frequency compensation in a serial receiver coupled to a differential signal channel link are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a receiver for signals over a serial channel link is provided including a linear equalization function. A data recovery circuit is coupled to the output of the receiver and receives frequency compensated analog signals. A digital feedback control circuit observes the digital output. A data accumulator circuit receives the output of a comparator and a signal indicating the data pattern observed in the digital data output. A digital filter receives the accumulator data and outputs control signals for modifying the linear equalization in a feedback loop. The receiver and linear equalization function are automatically and adaptively modified to provide frequency compensation. Methods for adaptively modifying the frequency response of a receiver and linear equalizer using digital feedback are disclosed.
US08111773B2

A transmission method for a multiple antenna system including a first device having M (>1) transmitting antennas and a second device having N (>1) receiving antennas is disclosed. The method includes determining whether there is a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) transmission scheme satisfying a condition that it consumes less energy than a single-input single-output (SISO) transmission scheme to transmit a frame at a given transmission power, among one or more MIMO transmission schemes available to the first device and the second device, the one or more MIMO transmission schemes being determined by the numbers of activated transmitting and receiving antennas, and MIMO code; determining a transmission mode as a MIMO mode when there is the at least one MIMO transmission scheme satisfying the condition, and otherwise determining the transmission mode as a SISO mode; and performing frame transmission from the first device to the second device in the determined transmission mode. Thus, frame transmission with power saving can be performed.
US08111764B2

There is provided a method for transmitting channel quality information in a wireless communication system. Over-all band of the wireless communication system is divided by a plurality of sub-bands. The method includes selecting a first sub-band having the highest CQI among the plurality of sub-bands, transmitting CQI of the first sub-band and transmitting CQI of a second sub-band, the second sub-band having the CQI lower than the first sub-band, wherein the number of CQI levels of the second sub-band is less than that of CQI levels of the first sub-band. Overheads incurred by CQI feedback can be reduced.
US08111760B2

Deblock filtering for Microsoft WMV video decoders partitions the computation so that the deblock filtering operations can be performed on horizontal or vertical stripes or in one pass on oversized macroblocks.
US08111758B2

Disclosed is a stereoscopic/multiview three-dimensional video processing system and its method. In the present invention, stereoscopic/multiview three-dimensional video data having a plurality of images at the same time are coded into a plurality of elementary streams. The plural elementary streams output at the same time are multiplexed according to the user's selected display mode to generate a single elementary stream. After packetization of the single elementary stream continuously generated, information about the stereoscopic/multiview three-dimensional video multiplexing method and the selected display mode information are added to the packet header of the stream. Then the packetized elementary stream is sent to the image reproducer or stored in storage media. The present invention multiplexes the multi-channel elementary streams having the same temporal and spatial information, thereby minimizing the overlapping header information, and performs streaming of data suitable for the user's demand and the user system environments.
US08111743B2

A wireless transmitter includes: a plurality of transmission antennas; and a phase rotating unit which adds phase rotation to signals which are respectively input to the plurality of transmission antennas, wherein the phase rotating units adds first phase rotation for controlling the maximum delay time between the plurality of transmission antennas and second phase rotation for controlling the phases of arbitrary antennas among the plurality of transmission antennas.
US08111740B2

The present invention provides a cost-effective TEQ hardware architecture to support multiple VDSL2 profiles. It supports variable TEQ tap length programmable through firmware. Larger TEQ tap length at low-speed profiles is supported by the unique design without adding additional multipliers. The maximum number of TEQ taps supported is actually inversely proportional to the profile frequency. This perfectly meets the requirement to have longer TEQ for low-speed profile and shorter TEQ for high-speed profile.
US08111733B2

Method for generating reference signal sequence using grouping is explained. In this method, base sequences are grouped such that each group contains at least one base sequence of each length, so UE(s) can use various length sequences as a reference signal. And in this method, inter cell interference caused by using various length sequence as a reference signal sequence can be minimized by grouping sequences having the high cross correlation relation.
US08111723B2

An ultrashort pulse/ultra-high power laser diode with a simple structure and configuration is provided. In a method of driving a laser diode, the laser diode is driven by a pulse current which is 10 or more times higher than a threshold current value. The width of the pulse current is preferably 10 nanoseconds or less, and the value of the pulse current is specifically 0.4 amperes or over.
US08111708B2

A distributed processing system includes a first information processing device, two or more second information processing devices connected with the first information processing device via a first network, and the second information processing devices being connected with each other via a second network, wherein the first information processing device includes an input division unit that generates divided input data pieces by dividing an input data set, and a divided input distribution unit that transmits the divided input data pieces to the second information processing devices, and wherein the second information processing devices include a divided input transfer unit that transmits the divided input data piece to the second information processing device assigned as the base terminal from one or more of the second information processing devices assigned as a client terminal, and a divided input combining unit that combines the divided input data pieces to restore the input data set.
US08111707B2

Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to efficient compression processing in system architectures including a control plane and a data plane. Particular implementations feature integration of compression operations and mode selection with a beltway mechanism that takes advantage of atomic locking mechanisms supported by certain classes of hardware processors to handle the tasks that require atomic access to data structures while also reducing the overhead associated with these atomic locking mechanisms.
US08111697B1

In one embodiment, a method includes classifying a data packet received at a switch fabric, selecting an action descriptor in response to the classifying, and processing an action defined in the action descriptor. The classifying is based on a primary classification condition and first portion of the data packet. The action descriptor is associated with the primary classification condition. The processing includes determining whether a secondary classification condition is satisfied by a second portion of the data packet.
US08111671B2

The present invention eliminates a transmission-waiting operation which is unnecessary while accommodating a prioritized traffic. Although a communication station enters a transmission-disallowed state in response to detection of a signal addressed to another station in accordance with medium access control based on CSMA, if the communication station receives a frame transmitted with priority to a local station during the transmission waiting, it cancels the transmission-disallowed state, sends back a frame responding the frame transmitted with priority and effectively operates a transmission prioritized period. The communication station starts a search procedure to perform a processing of evading duplication of the transmission prioritized periods if it judges a possibility of a problem occurring in a time zone in which reception with priority is possible.
US08111664B2

A communication path switching system including a wireless base station having a function of wireless communication with a mobile station and a function of relaying data transmitted from the mobile station over a wireless communication path; and plural transmission apparatuses having a function of wired communication with the wireless base station and capable of establishing respectively a wired communication path to be used to relay the data transmitted from a mobile station toward another mobile station. One wired communication path from the wireless base station to one transmission apparatus is switched to another wired communication path from the wireless base station to another transmission apparatus without re-establishing a wireless communication path between the mobile station and the wireless base station.
US08111661B2

A clear channel assessment CCA method implemented in a multi-band orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, the method including: estimating an energy of a received signal in each window at predetermined intervals of two moving-average windows; detecting a peak value according to a difference of energies estimated in relation to the two moving-average windows, and accumulating a number of detected peak values; and reporting a channel status to a medium access control (MAC) according to the number of the accumulated peak values.
US08111657B2

A method allocates transmission channels to transmit nodes in a wireless network, the network comprising receive nodes and respective transmit nodes. Each receive node receives a data signal from its respective transmit node and is subject to interference from other transmission from other transmit nodes. The method includes: (i) determining the communication link gain of a data signal transmitted via each of communication paths; (ii) for each of the receive nodes, forming a set of the transmit nodes from which the receive node can tolerate interfering transmissions, (iii) collecting the formed set of transmit nodes from step (ii) for each receive node, and using the formed sets to generate a preferred set of transmit node and receive node pairs; and (iv) allocating a communication channel to the transmit nodes contained in the preferred set.
US08111650B2

A data transmission system for minimizing the number of errors during Tx/Rx times of mobile service data under mobile environments, and a data processing method for the same are disclosed. The system additionally codes the mobile service data, and transmits the resultant coded mobile service data. As a result, the mobile service data has a strong resistance to noise and channel variation, and can quickly cope with the rapid channel variation.
US08111634B2

Various systems and methods for integrating ring-protocol-compatible devices into network configurations that also include non-ring-protocol-compatible devices are disclosed. One such method, which can be performed by a network node that supports a ring protocol, involves generating a ring protocol packet and sending that ring protocol packet to a neighboring node. The ring protocol packet includes information, and the presence of this information within the packet causes a network device that receives the ring protocol packet to drop the ring protocol packet unless the network device supports a ring protocol. The information can include a reserved address (e.g., in the destination address field of the packet) as well as a ring protocol identifier.
US08111628B2

A method for measuring Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT (Radio Access Technology) in Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) includes: setting an Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement time to prevent Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement time from overlapping constantly the transmission time of MCCH information; performing Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement by a UE according to the Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement time. In the present invention, the Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement time can be prevented from overlapping constantly the time when UTRAN transmits the MCCH information, so that the problem that the UE cannot receive MCCH information during Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement time may be solved. In the invention, a measurement time setting device is also provided for implementing Inter-Frequency/Inter-RAT measurement in Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service.
US08111623B2

A node configured to communicate with at least one further node. The node includes a buffer configured to receive data transmitted from the at least one further node. The node also includes an output configured to transmit data to the at least one further network element. The data includes information about the ability for the buffer to receive further data transmitted from the further node.
US08111605B2

The invention provides an optical disk system having at least: an optical disk including, on a substrate having pre-pits, an image-recording layer capable of drawing an image by irradiating a laser light; and a reading device which reads information included in the pre-pits by a return light of the laser light when the laser light having a wavelength of in a range of 630 to 680 nm is irradiated to the pre-pit of the optical disk. The pre-pits have a shortest pit length in a range from 0.6 to 0.9 μm being formed on the substrate. The invention further provides an optical disk recording apparatus, an image drawing method and an optical disk which utilize the optical disk system.
US08111598B2

An optical disk apparatus according to the present invention includes a spindle motor that rotates an optical disk on whose information recording surface a plurality of addresses is recorded, an optical pickup that records/reproduces an information signal on/from the information recording surface of the optical disk rotated by the spindle motor, an strobe light-emitting unit that irradiates a label surface of the optical disk with light, and a control unit that causes the strobe light-emitting unit to emit light based on an address selected from the plurality of addresses as a reference address and a reference signal readable from the optical disk.
US08111595B2

An optical disc recording and playback apparatus includes an optical pickup performing an operation for recording and playing back signal information into and from an optical disc; an optical element allowing a light beam irradiated onto an optical disc by the optical pickup to be split into a main beam and sub-beams on both sides of the main beam and supplying the beams to the optical disc; an optical detector detecting return light from the optical disc; and a computation circuit detecting a track control error signal by a phase difference method and a differential push-pull method by using the detection signal from the optical detector and also detecting a wobble signal.
US08111594B2

In an optical disk drive mounting a drive unit 20 having a control use circuit 21, and a pickup 1 having an aberration correction liquid crystal element 13 and a drive use circuit 2 which drives the aberration correction liquid crystal element, wherein the drive use circuit 2 stores astigmatic data for correcting a static astigmatism peculiarly provided in an optical system in the pickup 1 in an astigmatic data storage 6, and drives the aberration correction liquid crystal element 13 based on the astigmatic data. By storing the static astigmatic data peculiar to the pickup, inside the pickup, it is possible to transfer the stored astigmatic data to the optical disk drive side easily, and to correct the astigmatism by driving the aberration correction liquid crystal element based on the astigmatic data.
US08111593B2

An objective lens drive and an optical pickup apparatus are provided which can be reduced in size. Two tilt coils and two tracking coils are disposed so that among planes defined by the respective coils, a plane perpendicular to a winding direction thereof is parallel to a reference plane defined on a lens holder at a predetermined reference distance or less, and are disposed at such positions as to be symmetrical to each other about a center of gravity of the lens holder. A focus coil is disposed so that among planes defined by the focus coil, a plane perpendicular to a recording surface of an optical disk is parallel to the reference plane at a predetermined reference distance or less relative to the two tilt coils and the two tracking coils.
US08111590B2

An electronic timepiece comprises a drive module configured to drive a hand, an electricity generation module, first and second capacitor modules, the second capacitor module having smaller capacitance than the first capacitor module, and an auxiliary drive control module which causes the drive module to perform the auxiliary driving when the charge level of the second capacitor module exceeds a third level indicating an amount of electricity which enables the auxiliary driving, and waits until the charge level of the second capacitor module exceeds the third level after performing the auxiliary driving.
US08111589B2

Digital wristwatch, digital watch, and digital clock. For example, a digital wristwatch comprises: a clocking module able to track: (a) current real time, and (b) rounded time; and a display unit able to display at least the rounded time. Additionally or alternatively, the digital wristwatch comprises: a clocking module able to determine current real time; a rounding unit able to determine that the real current time is at least two seconds prior to a rounded horological hour, and able to calculate rounded-up horological information; and a display unit able to display the rounded-up horological hour.
US08111588B2

Two or more wirelessly networked devices for control or data acquisition functions for real-time application are provided with a error corrected synchronization and data collection process. A single start device transmits a start message, followed by each stop device acknowledging that start message. If one or more stop devices fails to acknowledge the initial start message, one or more start messages are transmitted including an elapsed time since the initial start message. Each stop device receives the initial start message and any subsequent start messages, using the elapsed time in the start message to synchronize a local timer. Upon stop event detection, each stop device records its local timer value and subsequently transmits that value to a collection device or console.
US08111587B2

The present invention aims to provide a watch with a calendar mechanism which allows a reduction in the thickness of a date feeding mechanism and a month feeding mechanism. In a watch with a calendar mechanism according to the present invention, a date indicator includes a month end tooth for driving a month feeding lever at the end of a month and feeding the date indicator at the end of a shorter month. A month indicator includes a month cam for operating a shorter month end feeding lever at the end of a shorter month. The shorter month end feeding lever can feed the date indicator by one day based on the rotation of a date indicator driving wheel and the rotation of the month cam. The month feeding lever moves toward the month indicator at the end of a month based on the rotation of the date indicator, and can feed the month indicator by one month.
US08111580B2

Memories, multi-phase clock signal generators, and methods for generating multi-phase duty cycle corrected clock signals are disclosed. For example, one such clock signal generator includes a delay-locked loop having a first multi-tap adjustable delay line configured to delay a reference signal to provide a plurality of clock signals having different phases relative to the reference clock signal. A periodic signal generated by the delay-locked loop is provided to a second multi-tap adjustable delay line as an input clock signal. Clock signals from taps of the second multi-tap adjustable delay line are provided as the multi-phase duty cycle corrected clock signals.
US08111574B2

The present invention relates to a circuit and a method for controlling a self-refresh cycle of a dynamic random access memory or DRAM. A cell voltage is directly detected so that a self-refresh cycle can be variably controlled. Detectors each detecting whether or not a voltage charged into a capacitor of a detection cell drops to or below a reference voltage and outputs a detection signal. A pulse generator generates a self-refresh pulse while being linked with an enabled detection signal of the plurality of detectors. A self-refresh cycle can be variably controlled and set to be suitable for the charging capacity of a cell. The detection cell is adapted to the change of the charging capacity of the cell in accordance with a change in temperature.
US08111573B2

Provided is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of performing a writing action for a memory cell at high speed. The device includes a memory cell array having a first sub-bank and a second sub-bank each having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a form of a matrix; a row decoder shared by the first sub-bank and the second sub-bank; a first column decoder and a second column decoder provided in the first sub-bank and the second sub-bank, respectively; and a control circuit arranged to execute alternately a first action cycle to perform a programming action in the first sub-bank and a reading action for a programming verifying action in the second sub-bank and a second action cycle to perform the reading action for the programming verifying action in the first sub-bank and the programming action in the second sub-bank.
US08111569B2

A latch structure includes a first inverter that includes a first PMOS transistor and a first NMOS transistor, and a second inverter that includes a second PMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor, receives an output signal of the first inverter, and outputs an input signal to the first inverter. The sources of the first and second transistors of the same type are connected to a common straight source line.
US08111559B2

The non-volatile random access memory (RAM) includes a non-volatile RAM array, a buffer configured to buffer data to be programmed in the non-volatile RAM array and configured to buffer data read from the non-volatile RAM array, and a control block configured to read data from at least one of the non-volatile RAM array and the buffer based on whether the data to be read has been stored in the buffer, a temperature when the data was programmed, and a time lapse since the programming of the data.
US08111556B2

A nonvolatile memory device and a method of operating the same. The nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell array including memory cells for storing data, a temperature sensor and a controller. The temperature sensor outputs a temperature detection signal according to ambient temperatures while changing one or more pieces of reference voltage information, which are previously stored, when data is programmed into the memory cell array. The controller performs a verify operation of the program using a fast verify method and decides the number of steps which are comprised in step-shaped verify voltage pulse of the fast verify method according to the temperature detection signal.
US08111553B2

A non-volatile semiconductor memory device capable of reducing program disturb and a method of programming the same are provided. A bit line connected to a non-selected memory cell in the same block as a selected memory cell enters a floating state by inactivating a bit line selection switch, so that voltage levels of an first conductivity type channel and a source/drain terminal formed in a pocket second conductivity type well below a memory transistor have an intermediate level of a voltage level of a selection line and the pocket P type well. Therefore, program disturb caused by FN tunneling and junction hot electrons can be inhibited.
US08111548B2

A non-volatile storage system stores data by programming the data as binary data into blocks that have not yet been programmed with multi-state data and have not yet been programmed with binary data X times. The system transfers data from multiple blocks (source blocks) of binary data to one block (target block) of multi-state data using a multi-state programming process, where the target block has been previously programmed with binary data X times (or less than X times).
US08111547B2

A multi-bit flash memory and a reading method thereof. Multiple reference memory cells for saving reserved data are provided to operate together with multiple data memory cells. Before the data memory cells are read, data stored in the reference memory cell is sensed based on a present reference current. Then, a value of a new reference current for reading the data memory cells is determined according to a difference between the sensed data and the reserved data.
US08111545B2

A phase-change memory device and its firing method are provided. The firing method of the phase-change memory device includes applying a writing current to phase-change memory cells, identifying a state of the phase-change memory cells after applying the writing current, and applying a firing current, in which an additional current is added to the writing current, to the phase-change memory cells in accordance with the state.
US08111543B2

An SRAM cell includes one pair of drive transistors, one pair of load transistors, one pair of write access transistors, one pair of read drive transistors, and one pair of access transistors. A voltage source potential is supplied to drains of the read drive transistors.
US08111539B2

A memory system includes a substrate, control circuitry on the substrate, a three dimensional memory array (above the substrate) that includes a plurality of memory cells with reversible resistance-switching elements, and a circuit for detecting the setting and resetting of the reversible resistance-switching elements.
US08111537B2

A semiconductor memory that includes a memory cell array by which power consumption can be reduced and that enables a reduction in circuit area. In the memory cell array, each of capacitor plate lines is arranged so as to connect with ferroelectric memory cells in a same row, and each of word lines is arranged so as to connect with ferroelectric memory cells in different rows in a column direction. In addition, of drive circuits for driving the capacitor plate lines and the word lines, part of word line drive circuits (WL drive circuits) are arranged in the column direction. Therefore, it is possible to drive all of the word lines without using a dummy area. As a result, circuit area can be reduced.
US08111533B2

The power consumption of a search engine such as a CAM device is dynamically adjusted to prevent performance degradation and/or damage resulting from overheating. For some embodiments, the CAM device is continuously sampled to generate sampling signals indicating the number of active states and number of compare operations performed during each sampling period. The sampling signals are accumulated to generate an estimated device power profile, which is compared with reference values corresponding to predetermined power levels to generate a dynamic power control signal indicating predicted increases in the device's operating temperature resulting from its power consumption. The dynamic power control signal is then used to selectively reduce the input data rate of the CAM device, thereby reducing power consumption and allowing the device to cool.
US08111527B2

A support element for an electronic control device includes receivers for peripheral electronic components and at least one path region for guiding electrical connections. The electrical connections lead to an integrated standardized interface for connection to central control electronics.
US08111519B2

A hybrid structure of multi-layer substrates comprises a first multi-layer substrate and a second multi-layer substrate. The first multi-layer substrate stacks up first metal layers, first dielectric layers alternately and has VIAs. A border district of a first metal layer connects with a border district of the corresponding first dielectric layer. The border districts are separated from adjacent first metal layers and adjacent first dielectric layers. The second multi-layer substrate stacks up second metal layers and second dielectric layers alternately. A border district of a second metal layer connects with a border district of the corresponding second dielectric layer. The border districts are separated from adjacent second metal layers and adjacent second dielectric layers. The VIAs are located at the border districts of the first dielectric layers and each VIA has electric conductor therein to connect one first metal layer with one second metal layer.
US08111515B2

Methods and apparatuses for transferring heat from stacked microfeature devices are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a microfeature device assembly comprises a support member having terminals and a first microelectronic die having first external contacts carried by the support member. The first external contacts are operatively coupled to the terminals on the support member. The assembly also includes a second microelectronic die having integrated circuitry and second external contacts electrically coupled to the first external contacts. The first die is between the support member and the second die. The assembly can further include a heat transfer unit between the first die and the second die. The heat transfer unit includes a first heat transfer portion, a second heat transfer portion, and a gap between the first and second heat transfer portions such that the first external contacts and the second external contacts are aligned with the gap.
US08111510B2

A Flip-out multimedia car stereo comprises a top casing, a bottom casing, a disk loading driver, a flip-out device and a control circuit board. The flip-out device is installed between the top and bottom casing. The flip-out device further comprises a display monitor mount, a folding mechanism, a display monitor circuit board, a slide frame and an operating device. A slideway is placed on the inner two sides of the top casing for accommodating the slide frame. The disk loading driver is fixed onto the top of the bottom casing. The control circuit board is installed at the back of the disk loading driver. The operating device is installed at one side of the slide frame. The display monitor circuit board is installed on the slide frame.
US08111508B2

A hinge for rotatably connecting a lid to a base includes a first fixing member for being fixed to the lid, a second fixing member for being fixed to the base, a hollow member, and an axle member. The hollow member defines a chamber having a lateral surface. A protrusion protrudes from the lateral surface. The axle member includes a protruding wall received in the chamber, a first end and a second end extending out of the chamber, the first end is fixed to the first fixing member. The second end is rotatably connected to the second fixing member. The protruding wall cooperates with the protrusion to divide the chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber.
US08111495B2

A low forward voltage drop transient voltage suppressor utilizes a low-reverse-voltage-rated PN diode electrically connected in parallel to a high-reverse-voltage-rated Schottky rectifier in a single integrated circuit device. The transient voltage suppressor is ideally suited to fix the problem of high forward voltage drop of PN diodes and high leakage of low reverse breakdown of Schottky rectifiers. The low-reverse-voltage PN rectifier can be fabricated through methods such as 1) double layers of epi (with higher concentration layer epi in the bottom) or 2) punch through design of PN diode by base with compression.
US08111492B2

An intelligent electronic device creates one or more virtual communications channels using unused or dedicated bits from a primary real-time communications channel. The virtual communications channels are used to transport low-speed information, such as executable commands, or automatic functions not requiring high bandwidth.
US08111485B2

An actuator for supporting data transfer elements includes an arm, a flexible circuit assembly and a sensor. The flexible circuit assembly includes a stiffener having a mount feature and a turnaround feature. The flexible circuit assembly also includes a flexible cable having a plurality of conductive traces for electrically connecting the data transfer elements to circuitry. The flexible cable has a service loop portion, a mounting portion coupled to the mount feature of the stiffener and a turnaround portion coupled to the turnaround feature of the stiffener. The turnaround portion is configured to couple the mounting portion to the service loop portion. The sensor is in contact with a surface of the arm and is electrically coupled to the flexible cable.
US08111482B2

According to one embodiment, a slider of a head includes a trailing step portion which protrudes from a facing surface of the slider, is situated on the downstream side of a negative-pressure cavity with respect to an airflow, and has a top surface, a trailing pad which protrudes from the top surface, and an adjustment recess which is formed in the top surface on the upstream side of the trailing pad with respect to the airflow and is shallower than the negative-pressure cavity. The adjustment recess defines a first step portion, which extends across a first direction and hangs from the top surface toward a bottom of the adjustment recess, and a second step portion, which extends across the first direction, is spaced in the first direction from the first step portion, and rises from the bottom of the adjustment recess toward the top surface.
US08111476B2

A disk drive configured to control spindle spin is provided. The disk drive includes a spindle motor for spinning a disk configured for storing data, a nonvolatile memory comprising instructions associated with a first process for spin-up of the spindle motor from a power-on mode and the nonvolatile memory comprising instructions associated with a second process for spin-up of the spindle motor from a power save mode, a controller for determining which of the first or the second process for spin-up of the spindle motor to implement in accordance with the instructions stored in the nonvolatile memory and a motor driver for spinning up the spindle motor according to the first process or according to the second process for spin-up of the spindle motor.
US08111472B2

The present invention relates to a color wheel which allows for an easy to perform balancing. The color wheel comprises a motor and a color rotor with a carrier. Filter segments are mounted to the carrier. In addition the color rotor comprises a body with a surface perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor. The surface comprises a two dimensional matrix of holes which can be filled with balancing masses. In order to balance the color rotor it is rotated. During rotation, the unbalance is detected. In addition the location where to put balancing mass is detected. At this location balancing mass, such as for example adhesive is filled into the respective hole.
US08111461B2

The invention relates to a transparent substrate comprising, on its surface, a light-diffusing array comprising at least 10 juxtaposed sub-gratings of parallel lines of features, said features being separated by domains with a refractive index differing from that of the features, each sub-grating comprising at least 20 repeated successive identical features equally spaced apart with a period p, said period varying non-monotonically from one edge of the sub-grating array to the other. This substrate redirects the light without iridescence in a daylighting application.
US08111460B1

The present invention provides a solar tracking skylight system for illumination, primarily including a light guide, a solar tracking controller, a two-axis tracking mechanism, an energy converter and energy storage system, and a weather protective cover. The system uses the solar tracking controller to detect the direction of the light, thereby enabling the two-axis tracking mechanism to move toward the light to facilitate the light guide in collecting light and diffusing it indoors for illumination use. The protective cover provides waterproofing, and the energy converter and energy storage system is used to store electrical energy generated by the solar energy panel for system use. External power is not needed for the system to operate and provide indoor lighting, thereby achieving the objective of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions.
US08111448B2

An electrophoretic display device includes pixel electrodes, a transparent electrode, and an electrophoretic ink layer including cavities. Each cavity is arranged between one of the pixel electrodes and the transparent electrode, and each cavity comprises suspension fluid, charged particles, and neutral particles, the charged particles and neutral particles being dispersed in the suspension fluid. The neutral particles are dispersed in the center of the cavities and substantially stationary, and the charged particles are capable of moving through the suspension fluid. Application of an electric field to a pixel electrode and the transparent electrode causes a migration of the charged particles of a cavity connected to the pixel electrode and a corresponding color becomes viewable.
US08111443B1

A plasmonic transistor device includes an electro-optic substrate and a conductive layer placed on said electro-optic substrate to establish an interface therebetween. The first conductive layer and electro-optics substrate are made of materials that are suitable for transmission of a surface plasmon along the interface. The conductive layer is further formed with a source input grating and a drain output grating, for establishing the surface plasmon. A means for varying the electro-optic substrate permittivity, such as a light source or voltage source, is connected to the electro-optic substrate. Selective manipulation of the varying means allows the user to selectively increase or decrease the substrate permittivity. Control of the substrate permittivity further allows the user to control surface plasmon propagation from the source input grating along the interface to a drain output grating, to achieve a transistor-like effect for the surface plasmon.
US08111442B2

A display apparatus using electroplating on an electrode for modulating light includes a layer formed on the electrode. The layer has an insulator with a gap therein, and conductive fine particles are dispersed in the gap.
US08111440B2

A structure includes a film having a plurality of nanoapertures and a semiconductor layer in connection with the film. The nanoapertures are configured to allow the transmission of a predetermined subwavelength of light through the film via the plurality of nanoapertures. The semiconductor layer facilitates the modulation of the predetermined subwavelength of light transmitted through the film. The structure also includes a carrier generator for modulating the predetermined subwavelength of light by generating charge carriers.
US08111421B2

The present invention discloses an apparatus 100 that provides an order separator 330 for photographic order fulfillment. The present invention includes one or more output print devices 110 that print one or more photographic prints 320 of a photographic order 402/404/406 using photographic paper 300. Additionally included is a separator print 330 that is a sheet of photographic paper 300 that is larger than the photographic prints 302 of the photographic order 402/404/406. The present invention further includes a system controller 102 that controls the utilization of the photographic paper 300 of the output print devices 110 for the photographic prints 320. The system controller 102 controls whether to create the separator print 330 or the photographic prints 320. The individual separator print 330 creates a tab 401/403/405 separating different photographic orders 402/404/406 of the photographic prints when multiple photographic orders 400 are stacked together.
US08111419B2

A rasterizing device is provided with a first storage area capable of storing a downloaded DL object, and a rasterizer that creates bit-mapped data in band units by rasterizing data. With respect to a predetermined band in which a predetermined DL object is to be included, the rasterizer performs following processes: (1) the rasterizer downloads the predetermined DL object and stores it in the first storage area in a case where the predetermined DL object has not been stored in the first storage area, wherein the predetermined DL object is not downloaded in a case where the predetermined DL object has been stored in the first storage area; (2) the rasterizer rasterizes the predetermined DL object stored in the first storage area; and (3) the rasterizer deletes the predetermined DL object from the first storage area in a case where bit-mapped data of the predetermined DL object for the predetermined band is created and the predetermined DL object is not to be included in a band after the predetermined band, wherein the predetermined DL object is not deleted from the first storage area in a case where the predetermined DL object is to be included in the band after the predetermined band.
US08111417B2

A system and method for modeling print jobs provides a central server that is accessible to remotely located print shops. The remote print shops are able to communicate with the central server to forward print job parameters and to receive the output from a modeling program to enable the print shop to run “what-if” scenarios to maximize print shop efficiency. The central server is also provided with various other print shop tools to assist with print shop design and organization.
US08111413B2

An approach is provided for securely printing policy-enabled electronic documents. According to the approach, a determination is made at a client device whether policy-enabled printing has been specified for a particular electronic document. If policy-enabled printing has been specified for the particular electronic document, then a determination is made whether a print driver, installed on the client device for supporting printing for a particular printing device, is configured to support policy-enabled printing. Also, a determination is made whether the particular printing device is currently configured to support policy-enabled printing. The particular electronic document is allowed to be processed at the client device for printing only if both the print driver is configured to support policy-enabled printing and the particular printing device is currently configured to support policy-enabled printing.
US08111404B2

A method for measuring a saturated photorefractive index and a recording time constant to correct the precision includes measuring the diffraction efficiency as a function of time for both phase matching and phase mismatching. The saturated photorefractive index and the recording time constant are verified by substitution into a theoretical formula derived from the Coupled Wave Theory. Thus, the method allows a precise determination of the dynamic range of volume holographic memories and thus their storage capacities. The same procedure can also apply to photopolymers.
US08111395B2

In one general aspect, a spectroscopic apparatus is disclosed for investigating heterogeneity of a sample area. The apparatus includes an image acquisition system operative to acquire images of a plurality of sub-areas in the sample area and a sub-area selection interface operative to receive a selection designating one of the sub-areas for which an image has been obtained. A spectrometer has a field of view and is operative to acquire a spectrum of at least part of one of the sub-areas in its field of view, and a positioning mechanism is responsive to the sub-area selection interface and operative to position the field of view of the spectrometer relative to the sample area based on a received selection.
US08111378B2

Disclosed is an exposure method which illuminates a first object with an exposure beam and exposes a second object with the exposure beam through the first object and a projection optical system, wherein at least a part of one of the first object and the projection optical system is irradiated with a light beam having a wavelength range different from that of the exposure beam through a space waveguide mechanism, to correct an imaging characteristic of the projection optical system.
US08111374B2

An analysis method includes a developing process (SA60), which develops the substrate, a first measuring process (SA50), which measures the abnormalities of the pre-development substrate, a second measuring process (SA70), which measures the abnormalities of the post-development substrate, and an analyzing process (SA80), which analyzes the exposure defects of a substrate exposed via a liquid based on the measurements results of the first measuring process (SA50) and the measurement results of the second measuring process (SA70).
US08111373B2

An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member (70) having a supply outlet (12) that supplies a liquid (LQ) and a collection inlet (22) that collects a liquid (LQ), and a vibration isolating mechanism (60) that supports the nozzle member (70) and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member (70) from a lower side step part (7) of a main column (1).
US08111372B2

A coating film forming apparatus for immersion light exposure includes one or more coating units configured to apply a resist film or a resist film and an additional film onto a substrate, one or more thermally processing units configured to perform a thermal process, a defect eliciting unit configured to perform a process for eliciting a latent defect of a coating film at an edge portion of the substrate, a checking unit configured to check a state of the coating film after the process by the defect eliciting unit, a control section configured to use a check result obtained by the checking unit to make a judgment of the state of the coating film and permit transfer of the substrate to the light exposure apparatus, and a cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning on the substrate before the process by the defect eliciting unit.
US08111370B2

A liquid crystal display panel (1x) includes an active matrix substrate (3), a liquid crystal material (40), and a color filter substrate (30), wherein a spacer (33) is provided between the active matrix substrate (3) and the color filter substrate (30), and the color filter substrate (30) includes a step section (7) for restricting a movement of a spacer, the step section being provided so as to surround the spacer (33). This makes it possible to restrict the movement of the spacer in the liquid crystal display panel, thereby improving evenness of a cell gap.
US08111357B2

An optical element is arranged in such a manner that a screen thereof can be hardly observed from a predetermined direction, and a deterioration of an image quality caused by moire does not occur. The optical element is constituted by a first polarizing layer, a second polarizing layer, and a liquid crystal layer arranged between these two polarizing layers. In the optical element, absorption axes of the first polarizing layer and the second polarizing layer are located parallel to each other; the liquid crystal layer is made of hybrid-aligned discotic liquid crystal; and an alignment axis of the liquid crystal layer is located parallel to, or perpendicular to both absorption axes of the first polarizing layer and of the second polarizing layer.
US08111356B2

There is provided a liquid crystal display panel with microlenses in which deformation, peeling, and the like of an optical film are not likely to occur and which has a good displaying quality.A liquid crystal display panel according to the present invention includes: a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of a liquid crystal display panel; a support provided on the light-incident side of the liquid crystal display panel so as to surround the microlens array; and an optical film attached to the liquid crystal display panel via the support. A gap is formed between the microlens array and the optical film; at least one vent hole connecting a space outside the support and the gap is formed in the support; and, when seen perpendicularly with respect to the plane of the liquid crystal display panel, the vent hole extends in a bending manner or the vent hole extends in an oblique direction with respect to an inner face of the support.
US08111351B2

The disclosure relates to the backlight unit for preventing the optical sheet from cracking and the liquid crystal display using the backlight unit. The backlight unit comprises a light having a plurality of light sources; a bottom cover housing the light and having a first protrusion; a support side engaging to both open ends of the bottom cover to support the light and having a second protrusion; an optical sheet disposing on the light and including a first hook having a first elliptical hole for inserting the first protrusion and a second hook having a second elliptical hole for inserting the second protrusion; and a first slit between an edge of the first hook and the first elliptical hole within the first hook, and a second slit between an edge of the second hook and the second elliptical hole within the second hook.
US08111340B2

A display apparatus includes scanning lines; signal lines crossing the scanning lines; thin-film transistors connected to the scanning lines and the signal lines; capacitors connected to the thin-film transistors; interlayer insulating films disposed over the scanning lines with the signal lines, the thin-film transistors, and the capacitors disposed between or on the interlayer insulating films; upper interlayer insulating films disposed above the signal lines, the thin-film transistors, and the capacitors; common lines disposed between or on the upper interlayer insulating films; pixel electrodes disposed between or on the upper interlayer insulating films; and connection holes continuously penetrating the interlayer insulating films disposed between the common lines and the capacitors. The common lines and the capacitors are directly connected via the connection holes, and the connection holes have a ratio of depth to opening width of more than 1.
US08111332B2

An apparatus for suppressing noise of a video signal. The apparatus includes: a difference-signal generation section generating a difference signal being a field or frame difference between the input and the output video signals; a noise compensation-signal generation section generating a noise compensation signal; a noise-compensation signal subtraction section; and a feedback-ratio control section, wherein the feedback-ratio control section includes a signal-level determination section determining a signal level of the difference signal for each area and detecting an abrupt change in an input signal, a count section counting the number of input fields or frames from the time of an abrupt change in a signal level to the subsequent abrupt change, and a feedback-ratio setting section setting a feedback ratio for the area in accordance with a count value, wherein the feedback-ratio setting section sets the feedback ratio such that the ratio gradually increases as the count value increases.
US08111328B2

An image signal processing apparatus, an image display, and an image display method that enable detecting a black band region included in an input image signal in a shorter time and realizes a more viewable image are provided. The image signal processing apparatus includes a black band detecting means for detecting in a unit frame period a black band region included in an input image signal, a calculating means for calculating a scaling ratio of the input image signal while maintaining an aspect ratio thereof based on a detection result from the black band detecting means, and a scaling means for scaling the input image signal up or down based on the ratio obtained by the calculating means.
US08111323B2

A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 133 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 133 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, wherein the microcomputer 110 controls so that, when the live view mode is set, the digital camera comes out of the live view mode, and setting information on the digital camera is displayed on the liquid crystal monitor 150, in accordance with the manipulation of the manipulation portion 140. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
US08111322B2

An optical apparatus including an imaging apparatus and a lens apparatus each having a communicating portion performing communications is disclosed. The optical apparatus is provided with: an imaging optical unit; a memory in which information of an optical performance of the imaging optical unit is stored; an image pickup device imaging a subject image from the imaging optical unit; an imaging controller changing an information size of image information from the image pickup device; and a lens controller connected to the imaging controller through the communicating portions and performing communications with the imaging controller. The lens controller takes out the information of the optical performance from the memory in response to an instruction from the imaging controller, and transmits the information to the imaging controller through the communicating portions. The imaging controller changes the information size of the image information in accordance with the information of the optical performance from the lens controller.
US08111315B2

An imaging device including an image pickup device which converts an optical image of a photographic subject received through an imaging lens into an image signal; a displaying device which displays a through-the-lens image based on the image signal; a person detecting device which detects one or more persons from the image signal; a distance calculating device which calculates a distance between a plurality of the detected persons; and a composition assisting device which displays on the displaying device information as to whether the distance between the detected persons is proper or not based on the calculated distance between the detected persons. Thereby, it is possible to obtain an image with a proper composition in a case when there are a plurality of persons being the photographic subjects.
US08111312B2

A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of pixels which are arranged in a matrix; a sequential scanning device that selects each row of pixels; and an analog-to-digital conversion unit having a first analog-to-digital converter that is connected to a vertical signal line to which a pixel signal is supplied from the pixel and performs a first bit-length analog-to-digital conversion on an output signal from the vertical signal line or a pixel output signal obtained by sampling the output signal, and a second analog-to-digital converter that, when the first analog-to-digital converter completes the conversion operation, subtracts an analog signal corresponding to the first bit-length from the pixel output signal and then performs a second bit-length analog-to-digital conversion.
US08111303B2

An album creating apparatus is provided to insert a title appropriate for the timing at which the image stored in the album is captured. The album creating apparatus includes: an image acquiring section for acquiring a plurality of images in association with image capturing times; a reference time acquiring section for acquiring a reference time indicative of the time and date of a main event in an album; an image capturing timing specifying section for specifying an image capturing timing indicative of a period for the reference time acquired by the reference time acquiring section, which includes the image capturing time and dates of the plurality of images acquired by the image acquiring section; a title determining section for determining a title to be inserted into the album based on the image capturing timing specified by the image capturing timing specifying section; and an album creating section for creating the album by laying out the title determined by the title determining section and the plurality of images acquired by the image acquiring section.
US08111300B2

Systems and methods to selectively combine video frame image data are disclosed. First image data corresponding to a first video frame and second image data corresponding to a second video frame are received from an image sensor. The second image data is adjusted by at least partially compensating for offsets between portions of the first image data with respect to corresponding portions of the second image data to produce adjusted second image data. Combined image data corresponding to a combined video frame is generated by performing a hierarchical combining operation on the first image data and the adjusted second image data.
US08111296B2

The present invention relates to apparatus and method for generating a panorama image, and a computer readable medium stored thereon computer executable instructions for performing the method.The apparatus for generating a panorama image according to the present invention comprises an input unit for receiving a plurality of input object images for panorama image generation; an edge detecting unit for outputting edge data of the input object images; a matching area output unit for outputting a matching area, namely, a standard area for pattern matching, within the edge data; a pattern matching unit for matching patterns of a plurality of the object images based on the matching area; and a stitching unit for generating a plurality of the object images into a panorama image based on the matched patterns.
US08111290B2

A method of calibrating a brightness value measured by a camera with an amount of light received by the camera includes creating a series of measurements, wherein for each measurement the amount of light received at an image plane in the camera is controlled to be a known ratio of two opposed irradiance values: a high irradiance value and a low irradiance value. Each ratio is correlated with the brightness value measured by the camera. A function is obtained describing the correlation.
US08111269B2

An object of the invention is to provide a plant information display device which deforms and displays drawing data without hiding all pieces of information necessary for plant monitoring and plant instrument operation while visibility is not lowered. The plant information display device according to an aspect of the invention includes an input unit; a region determination unit into which an interest region and a deformation condition in a plant are fed using the input unit, the region determination unit specifying a deformation target region based on the interest region and deformation condition supplied from the input unit; a region division unit which divides a drawing into plural regions based on the deformation target region specified by the region determination unit, the region division unit performing management while the deformation target region and a non-deformation target region are divided; a drawing distortion unit which separately deforms the deformation target region and non-deformation target region in a display region; a drawing output unit; and a display unit.
US08111267B2

A method of displaying information on a mobile terminal. The method includes displaying an object on a screen of the mobile terminal, receiving at least two least two input signals corresponding to the displayed object, and animating the displayed object based on the at least two signals corresponding to the displayed object. In addition, the at least two input signals include a) first and second touching signals of the screen of the mobile terminal, b) touching and tilting signals of the mobile terminal, or c) a first proximity signal and a second proximity signal of the mobile terminal.
US08111262B2

Methods are described for selecting reflective layer distances in an interferometric modulator display that result in reduced color sensitivity to temperature and process variation. Colors are selected for interferometric modulator subpixels that correspond to a minimum in the rate that the colors change with respect to reflective layer distance. In some cases, colors are selected that deviate from the minimums in order to obtain a desired target color (e.g., a desired white point).
US08111259B1

An apparatus for use in image processing is set forth that comprises a pixel processor, context memory, and a context memory controller. The pixel processor is adapted to execute a pixel processing operation on a target pixel using a context of the target pixel. The context memory is adapted to store context values associated with the target pixel. The context memory controller may be adapted to control communication of context values between the pixel processor and the context memory. Further, the context memory controller may be responsive to a context initialization signal or the like provided by the pixel processor to initialize the content of the context memory to a known state, even before the pixel processor has completed its image processing operations and/or immediately after completion of its image processing operations. In one embodiment, the pixel processor executes a JBIG coding operation on the target pixel.
US08111255B2

A mobile communication terminal and a method of controlling display of a webpage thereof are disclosed. When a web browser is initiated to gain access to a webpage, the web browser screen is formed as a 3D polyhedron structure and a plurality of webpage screens are displayed on a plurality of facets of the 3D polyhedron structure. Therefore, a user is provided with various webpage screens on the web browser. Since different webpage screens are displayed on the plurality of facets of the polyhedron structure, the user is able to access a desired webpage screen easily in a single step.
US08111251B2

To increase the proportion of the perfects to the whole lot of final products and to reduce the cost for active matrix EL display devices by checking the operation of a TFT substrate before depositing an EL material. A capacitor for testing is connected to a drain terminal of a driving TFT in a pixel portion to observe charging and discharging of the capacitor. Whether the driving TFT is normal or not is judged by the observation, so that the rejects can be removed before the manufacturing process is completed.
US08111245B2

An exemplary touch panel includes a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate separated from the first electrode plate. The first electrode plate includes a first substrate and a first conductive layer disposed on a lower surface of the first substrate. The second electrode plate includes a second substrate and a second conductive layer disposed on an upper surface of the second substrate. Each of the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer includes a plurality of spaced carbon nanotube structures. A display device incorporates the touch panel and also includes a display element adjacent to the touch panel.
US08111241B2

System and methods for an application that allows users to interactively create, transform and play music using cell phones, iPhones™ and other enabled mobile communication devices communicating with a remote host are disclosed. Using an enabled mobile communication device, users are able to strike the mobile device like a drum to create and record rhythms, enter melodies using the keypads, add voice recordings, and manipulate musical tracks by tilting the mobile device continuously in three dimensions. The musical input is sequenced in multiple tracks and the transformative manipulations are applied in real time, allowing users to create their songs in an expressive motion-based manner.
US08111236B2

A backlight driving device for driving a backlight that illuminates a display panel is disclosed. The backlight driving device includes: a luminance data input device into which luminance data indicated by a video signal is entered; a drive signal-generating device configured to create a drive signal; a power supply device configured to supply electric power to the backlight according to the drive signal so as to drive the backlight; a video signal decision device configured to make a decision as to whether each value of the luminance data entered into the luminance data input device is smaller than a given value; and a thinning-out device configured to thin out components of the drive signal when the video signal decision device has determined that the value of the luminance data is smaller than the given value and supply the thinned drive signal to the power supply device.
US08111230B2

In a drive circuit of a display apparatus in which a plurality of scanning lines and a plurality of data lines are orthogonalized, a first data latch circuit latches image data for every line in response to a horizontal signal. A decoder circuit decodes the latched image data. A gradation voltage selecting circuit selects voltage lines based on the decoded image data, to connect each of the plurality of data lines with any of the voltages lines. A data determining circuit generates determination signals based on the selected voltage lines such that each of a plurality of gradation amplifiers is selectively set to an inactive state based on the determination signal. A gradation amplifier circuit includes the plurality of gradation amplifiers, each of which amplifies a corresponding one of gradation voltages when being in an active state and does not amplify the corresponding gradation voltage when being in an inactive state, and the amplified gradation voltage being outputted on a corresponding one of the voltage lines. An output circuit drives the plurality of data lines based on the amplified gradation voltages on the voltage lines.
US08111229B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel including a plurality of data lines, a plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of liquid crystal cells, the plurality of liquid crystal cells associated to a first and second liquid crystal cell groups, a data drive circuit to supply a data voltage to the data lines in response to a polarity control signal, a gate drive circuit to supply a scan pulse to the gate lines, and a polarity control circuit to generate different polarity control signals for each frame period and to control data voltage frequencies of the first and second liquid crystal cell groups to be different from each other.
US08111227B2

Systems for displaying images incorporates a display device that includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines intersecting the plurality of gate lines, a plurality of switches each having a first end coupled to a corresponding gate line and a second end coupled to a corresponding data line, a plurality of storage units each coupled to a third end of a corresponding switch for storing data received from a corresponding data line, a power line formed in parallel with the plurality of gate lines, and a plurality of coupling capacitors each having a first end coupled to the power line and a second end coupled to a corresponding data line.
US08111222B2

The output uniformity of a display device, such as a self light emitting display device, is improved by detecting the emitted brightness of pixels of the display device using an external detection system, controlling the pixel intensity to determine the non-uniformity of the driver circuits connected with the pixels, and generating a calibration factor for the pixels to modify the output of the driver circuits. Calibration can be performed for each pixel, or each group of pixels, such as each row and column of pixels.
US08111217B2

A driving circuit of an OLED diode is inserted between a first and a second voltage reference and having at least one input terminal receiving an input voltage signal and an output terminal for the generation of a driving current of the OLED diode, the driving circuit having at least one driver transistor having a first conduction terminal connected to the first voltage reference, a second conduction terminal connected to the output terminal and a control terminal connected to at least one first capacitor and one second capacitor. The first capacitor is inserted between this control terminal and an inner circuit node and the second capacitor is inserted between the inner circuit node and the second voltage reference, the driving circuit 10 further including: a first switch inserted between the input terminal and the inner circuit node; a second switch inserted between the first conduction terminal and control terminal of the driver transistor, and a third switch inserted between the inner circuit node and the second voltage reference, in parallel to the second capacitor, as well as a fourth switch inserted between the first voltage reference and the first conduction terminal of the driver transistor.
US08111210B2

A system for operating a color flat panel display (FPD) is provided that includes a color FPD, a light source, and a display processing device. The color FPD has an adjustable color depth and is configured to reflect ambient light. The light source transmits light through the bottom surface of the color FPD. The display processing device is coupled to the color FPD and decreases the color depth of the color FPD when the light source is activated and increases the color depth of the color FPD when the light source is turned off.
US08111209B2

A composite display is disclosed. A first paddle has a first plurality of pixel elements wherein the first paddle is arranged to sweep out a first area during a first paddle cycle. A second paddle has a second plurality of pixel elements wherein the second paddle is arranged to sweep out a second area during a second paddle cycle and wherein the first and second areas include first and second nonoverlapping portions. A first pixel element on the first paddle is configured to be activated when the first pixel element coincides with a first image pixel. A second pixel element on the second paddle is configured to be activated when the second pixel element coincides with a second image pixel. An image corresponding to the first and second image pixels is represented on the composite display by activating the first and second pixel elements.
US08111200B2

Disclosed is a planar antenna, including: a film formed of a planar insulating material; an antenna portion which is a planar conductor on the film; and a ground portion which is a conductor to be grounded, wherein the antenna portion comprises: at least one first short stub; a first antenna element which is connected to the ground portion through the at least one first short stub and whose shape has such an angle that a distance between the first antenna element and the ground portion increases with increasing distance from a feeding point along the ground portion, the feeding point being provided between the first antenna element and the ground portion; a second short stub; and a second antenna element which is connected to the first antenna element through the second short stub.
US08111195B2

A multi-frequency antenna (100) comprises a radiating patch (20) having a first radiating body operating in lower frequency band and a second radiating body operating in higher frequency band; a grounding patch (10) spaced apart from the radiating patch; a connecting element (30) electrically connecting the first radiating body, the second radiating body, and the grounding patch; a feeding line (5) comprising an inner conductor and an outer conductor. The first radiating body comprises a first radiating element and a second radiating element extending from the first radiating element. The second radiating body comprises the first radiating element and a third radiating element extending from the first radiating element. The radiating patch also comprises a fourth radiating element extending from an end of the connecting element and a coupling element extending from the grounding patch. The inner conductor electrically connects to a joint of the fourth radiating element and the connecting element. The outer conductor electrically connects to the grounding patch.
US08111193B2

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for estimating the distance between a transmitter and a receiver. A method comprising obtaining a signal from a receiver; determining whether the signal more likely propagated through a line-of-sight (LOS) radio channel or a non lme-of-sight (NLOS) radio channel; using a model including parameters selected according to the radio channel to estimate the distance between the receiver and a transmitter which sent the signal.
US08111191B2

Embodiments of the invention include a method to control an antenna pattern of a wideband array antenna wherein a wideband array antenna unit comprising the wideband array antenna and transforming means is accomplished. Embodiments of the invention further include the corresponding wideband array antenna unit and transforming means arranged to control an antenna pattern of an antenna system. The separation between antenna elements in the wideband array antenna can be increased to above one half wavelength of a maximum frequency within a system bandwidth when the array antenna is arranged to operate with an instantaneously wideband waveform.
US08111187B2

A passive system is described for detecting radar emissions from vessels, receiving the radar emissions and analysing the data using a series of algorithms and software manipulation to extract radar signatures representative of the identity of the vessel. The data output is capable of comparison with a stored set of data enabling accurate identification of the vessel. The resulting output is displayed on a suitable display. A system having a library of vessel emission signatures can either be created within the operator's library through measurement made, or it can be supplied from a central database. The system is capable of installation on sea, land or air-based platforms.
US08111184B2

A m-bit DAC outputs a voltage that is the result of interpolation from two reference voltages. The two reference voltages are selected, inclusive of redundant selection of the same reference voltage (inclusive also of reference voltages other than adjacent voltages) out of a plurality of reference voltages. The plurality of reference voltages are grouped into first to (3S+1)th groups (where S is a power of 2). An ith group includes [3S(j−1)+i]th reference voltages (where j=1, 2, . . . h, and h is a prescribed integer). The decoder includes (3S+1)th subdecoders, each selecting one voltage responsive to a first MSB group; and a (3S+1)-input and 2-output subdecoder for selecting two voltages, inclusive of redundant selection of the same reference voltage, out of (3S+1) voltages selected by the respective first to (3S+1)th subdecoders, responsive to a LSB group and outputs them to an interpolation amplifier (ratio 1:1).
US08111182B2

In some embodiments, digital to analog converters are provided which comprise a plurality of cells. Each cell comprises a mixer and coupling circuitry to selectively couple a local oscillator signal to said mixer.
US08111174B2

A method and apparatus for identifying running vehicles in an area to be monitored using acoustic signature recognition. The apparatus includes an input sensor for capturing an acoustic waveform produced by a vehicle source, and a processing system. The waveform is digitized and divided into frames. Each frame is filtered into a plurality of gammatone filtered signals. At least one spectral feature vector is computed for each frame. The vectors are integrated across a plurality of frames to create a spectro-temporal representation of the vehicle waveform. In a training mode, values from the spectro-temporal representation are used as inputs to a Nonlinear Hebbian learning function to extract acoustic signatures and synaptic weights. In an active mode, the synaptic weights and acoustic signatures are used as patterns in a supervised associative network to identify whether a vehicle is present in the area to be monitored. In response to a vehicle being present, the class of vehicle is identified. Results may be provided to a central computer.
US08111173B2

According to the present invention, a first measured data packet M1 of a first vehicle 1 at a first measuring time point tM1 and a first image data packet B1 are generated, and measured data packets MX of additional vehicles X are generated at additional measuring time points tMX, to which measured data packets duplicates of the first image data packet B1 are linked to the extent that the additional measuring time points tMX occur within a predetermined time interval α after the first measuring time point tM1.
US08111164B2

One example of a solution provided here comprises: identifying a location of one or more animals that are on a path to collide with a vehicle or device; directing millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy toward the location; and administering an effective amount of the electromagnetic energy to repel the animals. Another example comprises: identifying a location of one or more animals that are in a vehicle's path; directing millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy toward the location; and administering an effective amount of the electromagnetic energy to repel the animal, thereby avoiding a collision between the animal and the vehicle. The vehicle could be an aircraft, for example, or another kind of vehicle. Examples in the aviation context involve moving birds or mammals away from runways and taxiways, or otherwise repelling birds that are in the path of an aircraft.
US08111162B2

The presence or absence of objects is determined by interrogating or exciting transponders coupled to the objects using pulsed wide band frequency signals. Ambient or background noise is evaluated and a threshold adjusted based on the level of noise. Adjustment may be based on multiple noise measurements or samples. Noise detection may be limited, with emphasis placed on interrogation to increase the signal to noise ratio. Match filtering may be employed. Presence/absence determination may take into account frequency and/or Q value to limit false detections. Appropriate acts may be taken if detected noise is out of defined limits of operation, for example shutting down interrogation and/or providing an appropriate indication.
US08111159B2

A pad is provided for monitoring administration of medical products to a patient, each of the medical products including a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag for storing data related to the respective medical product. The pad includes an RF antenna for reading RFID tags associated with medical products placed in close proximity to the pad to obtain data stored in the RFID tags. A processor coupled to the antenna compares the data with data associated with a patient to verify that the patient is intended to receive the medical products. The pad may include an output device that is activated when the processor detects a mismatch between the data from the RFID tags and the patient data. Optionally, the patient data may be accessed by a remote computer device communicating with the processor to verify that the patient is intended to receive the medical products.
US08111157B2

A system, method, and apparatus for monitoring and detecting movement of components of a shipping container latch. A latch monitor may embody an electromagnetic sensing unit and a nearby magnet or light emitter for measuring and characterizing the profile of a nearby electromagnetic field. The field profile is monitored to detect a change in the profile, log the change, and report any abnormal disturbance to the electromagnetic field, indicating a breach of the integrity of a latching mechanism on a shipping container. An alert of a breach event may be sent via a communication network to an authority for response. The invention can distinguish authorized, incidental, and tampering events, and also store and upload an electronic manifest for a shipping container.
US08111155B2

Among the embodiments of the present invention are pest control devices (1010, 1110, 1210) each operable to detect the presence of pests. The pest control device (1010, 1110, 1210) has a bait (1032) that is consumed or displaced by one or more species of pest, a pest sensing circuit (1052, 1152, 1252), and a monitoring circuit (1069, 1169, 1269). The pest sensing circuit (1052, 1152, 1252) can be altered by pest activity. The monitoring circuit (1069, 1169, 1269) detects this alteration and reports it automatically or in response to an external stimulus or interrogation to indicate pest presence.
US08111151B2

A WAN-based remote mobile monitoring method and device of electrophysiological data, including microprocessor circuit, electrophysiological signal sampling processing circuit, data storage circuit, image liquid crystal circuit, real-time clock, emergent calling circuit, working power supply management circuit, wireless network interface circuit, USB interface circuit, etc, has the in-built binding IP address of the remote electrophysiological data monitoring server, TCP/IP protocol, PPP protocol and BlueTooth protocol. Application controls self-adaptive analysis computing, exception event warning and alarming privilege graded setting, event data package combination, network digital communication, data storage circuit area management, safety information data storage management and remote emergent calling of the remote mobile monitoring devices. It can have access to Internet in motion and roaming access to Internet by inter-network switch, and have access to the exterior networks wirelessly including Internet, LAN, ADSL, VDSL, ISDN, etc, for digital communication with the remote electrophysiological data monitoring server.
US08111147B2

A lane change assist and/or lane departure warning system adapted for use with a vehicle having a module engaged by an operator, wherein the vehicle travels within a lane, and the system includes a steering wheel sensor, at least one sensor operable to detect a lane-marking or an approaching object in adjacent lanes in the direction of host vehicle travel, a warning device including an active material element engaged with the module, and a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and device and configured to determine a spatial relationship between the vehicle and the lane-marking or approaching object in the direction of host vehicle travel, compare the relationship to a threshold, transmit an activation signal to the element when the relationship exceeds the threshold or when an object is detected and the wheel sensor indicates a turn towards the object, and generate an alert by activating the element.
US08111146B2

An ultrasonic sensor provided at a flip-up back door that opens and closes via a pivot shaft provided at a rear top of a vehicle, the ultrasonic sensor detecting an object in a vicinity of the vehicle by intermittently transmitting an ultrasonic wave, which hits the object to thereby generate a reflected wave as a reflection of the ultrasonic wave, the ultrasonic sensor including a sensor head provided at the back door and including a transmitter transmitting the ultrasonic wave and a receiver receiving the reflected wave, wherein the sensor head is provided at a position in a vicinity of a centerline of the vehicle in a width direction thereof and where a distance from a corner of an edge portion of the back door to the sensor head is shorter than a distance from the sensor head to a small aboveground structure provided on the ground.
US08111145B2

A single-button ignition control and starting system for a vehicle. The system comprises an onboard computer, a start button, a light source, a clutch sensor, engine sensor and an identity sensor. The computer is connected to the ignition system and starter motor. The start button is connected to the computer to indicate whether the start button is depressed. The light source is connected to the computer to selectively illuminate the start button in a first, a second and a third illumination color. The clutch sensor is connected to the computer to indicate whether the clutch pedal is depressed. The engine sensor is connected to the computer to indicate whether the engine is running. The identity sensor adapted to receive identity indicia and is connected to the computer for producing signals indicative of the identity indicia. When the onboard computer 1) receives signals from the identity sensor indicative of a predetermined identity indicia being received, 2) of the engine not running, and 3) of the clutch pedal not being depressed, then the onboard computer 1) energizes the light source to illuminates the start button in the first illumination color and 2) does not energize the starter motor if the start button is depressed.
US08111136B2

A fingerprint scanner is provided. The fingerprint scanner includes a control module for detecting and controlling the transmission of signals, an electrical connector coupled to the control module for connecting the fingerprint scanner to a periphery device, a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) indicators coupled to the control module to indicate operation status of the fingerprint scanner, and a fingerprint scanning module. The fingerprint scanning module is coupled to the control module to detect fingerprints and sense touches, and send fingerprint signals and touch signals to the control module. The fingerprint scanning module includes a touch sensor for sensing different touches that represent different command signals.
US08111134B2

A phone used in an authentication process. The phone includes a processor, a display coupled to the processor, and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor. The computer readable medium includes (i) code for displaying a first authentication image including a plurality of image elements including a set of image elements, where the image elements in the set of image elements are located at a first set of positions on a display screen, (ii) code for receiving a first glyph having a first configuration corresponding to the set of image elements from a user while the first authentication image is displayed, (iii) code for displaying a second authentication image including the plurality of image elements including the set of image elements, where the image elements in the set of image elements are located at a second set of positions on the display screen, where the second set of positions is different than the first set of positions, and (iv) code for receiving a second glyph having a second configuration corresponding to the set of image elements from a user while the second authentication image is displayed.
US08111125B2

A Nb3Sn superconducting coil can be formed from a wire including multiple unreacted strands comprising tin in contact with niobium. The strands are wound into a cable, which is then heated to react the tin and niobium to form a cable comprising reacted Nb3Sn strands. The cable comprising the reacted Nb3Sn strands are then mounted in and soldered into an electrically conductive channel to form a reacted cable-in-channel of Nb3Sn strands. The cable-in-channel of reacted Nb3Sn strands are then wound to fabricate a superconducting coil. The Nb3Sn superconducting coil can be used, for example, in a magnet structure for particle acceleration. In one example, the superconducting coil is used in a high-field superconducting synchrocyclotron.
US08111120B2

An electronic device having two cases and a display module disposed therebetween is disclosed. Magnets are disposed at the two cases and the display module. When an acceleration sensed by a sensing unit of the electronic device is larger than a threshold value. The display module may be suspended via the magnetic repellent between the magnets disposed at the display module and the magnets disposed at two cases.
US08111119B2

A reed switch apparatus utilizes one or more reed switches to communicate with one or more devices. In one configuration, the reed switch apparatus utilizes a single magnetic field to, simultaneously activate two or more reed switches. In another configuration, two or more reed switches, each acting independent of one another are simultaneously activated by a single magnetic field. Additionally, a method of controlling at least two devices includes exposing a reed switch apparatus to a single magnetic field. Yet another method includes activating a device via the use of a single reed switch mounted to a portion of a warehouse structure.
US08111115B2

Novel quadruple-mode, dual-mode, and dual-band filters as well multiplexers are presented. A cylindrical dielectric resonator sized appropriately in terms of its diameter D and length L will operate as a quadruple-mode resonator, offering significant size reduction for dielectric resonator filter applications. This is achieved by having two mode pairs of the structure resonate at the same frequency. Single-cavity, quad-mode filters and higher order 4n-pole filters are realizable using this quad-mode cylindrical resonator. The structure of the quad-mode cylinder can be simplified by cutting lengthwise along its central axis to produce a half-cut cylinder suitable for operation in either a dual-mode or a dual-band. Dual-mode, 2n-pole filters are realizable using this half-cut cylinder. Dual-band filters and diplexers are further realizable using the half-cut structure and full cylinder by carrying separate frequency bands on different resonant modes of the structure. These diplexers greatly reduce size and mass of many-channel multiplexers at the system level, as each two channels are overloaded in one physical branch. Full control of center frequencies of resonances, and input and inter-resonator couplings are achievable, allowing realization of microwave filters with different bandwidth, frequency, and Return Loss specifications, as well as advanced filtering functions with prescribed transmission zeros. Spurious performance of the half-cut cylinder can also be improved by cutting one or more through-way slots between opposite surfaces. Size and mass reduction achieved by using the full and half-cut resonators described, provide various levels of size reduction in microwave systems, both filter level, and multiplexer level.
US08111108B2

Micromechanical resonating devices, as well as related methods, are described herein. The resonating devices can include a micromechanical resonating structure, an actuation structure that actuates the resonating structure, and a detection structure that detects motion of the resonating structure.
US08111107B2

An integrated circuit includes a charge pump having a voltage output. A voltage level detector is arranged to receive the voltage output, wherein the voltage level detector provides a first enable signal for the charge pump. A ring oscillator has multiple inverters. The ring oscillator is coupled to the charge pump. A counter control circuit is configured to provide a control signal for adjusting a frequency of the ring oscillator based on the first enable signal of the voltage level detector.
US08111106B2

Some embodiments of the present invention may include a DPLL circuit comprising a firmware. The firmware may comprise a re-sampled NCO phase detector capable of receiving a reference clock timing signal and a VCXO clock timing signal. The re-sampled NCO phase detector may comprise a resampler capable of receiving phase output and the VCXO clock timing signal and resampling the phase output; and a subtractor capable of receiving the resampled phase output and subtracting the resampled phase output from a calculated mean value of the phase output. The firmware may further comprise a frequency detector capable of receiving the reference clock timing signal and the VCXO clock timing signal; and a multiplexer capable of switching between the re-sampled NCO phase detector and the frequency detector dependent upon a frequency lock status.
US08111103B2

An amplifier circuit with overshoot suppress scheme including an input amplifier, an output amplifier, and a diode is provided. A first and a second input ends of the output amplifier are coupled to a differential output pair of the input amplifier. A first end of the diode is coupled to an output end of the output amplifier. A second end of the diode is coupled to the first input end of the output amplifier. When the voltage difference between the output and the input ends of the output amplifier is greater then the barrier voltage of the diode, the diode is turned on, so that the output end of the output amplifier is coupled to the input end of the output amplifier. In the transient state, it rapidly smoothes the overshoot signal. In the steady state, the diode is cut off to maintain the normal operation of the operational amplifier.
US08111098B2

Various apparatuses and methods for amplifying an FM signal in a segmented linear power amplifier are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide an apparatus including a signal input, a signal output, and an output driver connected between the signal input and the signal output. The output driver includes a number of driver segments connected in parallel, each having an input connected to the signal input and each having an output. The output driver also includes a number of series capacitors, each associated with one of the driver segments. The series capacitors are each connected between the output of its associated driver segment and the signal output. The output driver also includes a number of shunt capacitors, each associated with one of the driver segments having an associated series capacitor. The shunt capacitors are each connected between the output of their associated driver segment and a ground.
US08111096B2

This variable gain amplifier is provided with an operational amplifier. The non-inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier is connected to a reference potential. A feedback resistor is connected between the output terminal and inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier. An input resistor is inserted between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the input terminal of the variable gain amplifier circuit. An adjustment resistor is connected between the inversion input terminal of the operational amplifier and the reference potential. The resistance value of the adjustment resistor is controlled in such a way as to maintain constant against the resistance value change a combined resistance value in its parallel connection with the input resistor when changing the resistance value of the input resistor.
US08111078B1

A method based on the measurement of the oxidation power or the cathodic current density using a corrosion-resistant electrode (noble electrode) to derive the bounding corrosion rates of the corroding metal, which is either a stand-alone electrode or an actual component of an equipment, is disclosed. During the measurement, the potential of the noble electrode is controlled at the corrosion potential of the corroding metal. A modified version the sensor that provides a correction factor for the estimation of the corrosion rate according to the bounding corrosion rate is also disclosed. The correction factor is derived based on the cathodic currents measured for the noble electrode and for the corroding metal at a potential that is significantly lower than the corrosion potential, so that the measured cathodic current density from the corroding metal equals the true cathodic current density on the corroding metal.
US08111065B2

There is described a sensor unit (3) for a rotary encoder which serves for detecting the rotary movements of a drive shaft (1) in both directions and which has a single-stage transmission with an input gear (15) which is arranged concentrically with respect to and is non-rotatably connected to the drive shaft (1). The sensor unit includes an absolute segment counter which serves for counting the angle segments through which the drive shaft passes within each 360° rotation and has the following components: a magnetic segment counter exciter arrangement non-rotatably mounted on the second gear (16) of the transmission, that engages into the input gear, a stationary segment counter sensor arrangement which includes a Wiegand or pulse wire (28) with wound-on induction coil (29) and which delivers electrical pulses whenever the magnetic segment counter exciter arrangement passes through predetermined angular positions, and an electronic circuit (32) which counts said electrical pulses, stores the respectively acquired count value and calculates therefrom the instantaneous angular position of the drive shaft having regard to the transmission ratio of the transmission.
US08111064B2

A magnetic rotational angle transducer has at least one Hall sensor (14) rotatable in a magnetic field of a given configuration relative to and offset from the rotational axis (16). To enable linearization of the output signal without additional signal processing over a large range of rotational angles, it is proposed that the Hall sensor is aligned radially and axially to the rotational axis (16) and lies in a central position parallel to the field lines of the magnetic field, wherein the magnetic field is created by at least one permanent magnet (18) in circular segment form around the rotation axis and the Hall sensor (14) is offset from the rotational axis (16) towards the permanent magnet (18) in circular segment form.
US08111063B2

Embodiments for rotation sensing are provided. The device may include a magnet apparatus comprising a magnet, the magnet apparatus configured to be coupled to a dial apparatus of a meter. Also included may be a magnetic field sensor configured to be coupled to a dial cover. When the magnet apparatus is coupled to the dial apparatus and the magnetic field sensor is coupled to the dial cover, the distance between the magnet and the magnetic field sensor may be a function of the strength of the magnet and the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensor. Also, the magnetic field sensor may be configured to generate an analog signal. The device may also include a memory component storing logic configured to detect an abnormal condition based on a data value of the analog signal. The detected condition may be magnetic tampering, a missing dial cover, and/or a missing dial hand.
US08111059B1

The disclosure herein provides an apparatus for location of a quantity of current vectors in an electrical device, where the current vector has a known direction and a known relative magnitude to an input current supplied to the electrical device. Mathematical constants used in Biot-Savart superposition equations are determined for the electrical device, the orientation of the apparatus, and relative magnitude of the current vector and the input current, and the apparatus utilizes magnetic field sensors oriented to a sensing plane to provide current vector location based on the solution of the Biot-Savart superposition equations. Description of required orientations between the apparatus and the electrical device are disclosed and various methods of determining the mathematical constants are presented.
US08111057B2

A cascode current mirror circuit and a bandgap circuit are provided. The circuits are used together and function as a reference voltage circuit. The reference voltage circuit outputs a reference current resistant to temperature variation and ripple-voltage. Accordingly, a voltage stabilizing/regulating circuit corrects error voltage precisely and promptly, and the resultant voltage is temperature insensitive and ripple-voltage-independent.
US08111053B2

The present invention provides a DC-DC converter including a first series circuit connected to both ends of a first switch and formed of a winding of a first transformer, a first reactor, a first diode, and a smoothing capacitor, a second diode connected to a connection point of a primary winding of the first transformer, the winding of the first transformer and the first switch, and to one end of the smoothing capacitor, a second series circuit connected to both ends of a second switch and formed of a winding of a second transformer, a second reactor, a third diode, and the smoothing capacitor, a fourth diode connected to a connection point of a primary winding of the second transformer, the winding of the second transformer and the second switch, and to the one end of the smoothing capacitor, a third reactor connected to both ends of a series circuit of a secondary winding of the first transformer and a secondary winding of the second transformer, and a control circuit which alternately turns on the first switch and the second switch every ½ cycle, turns off the first switch during an on-period of the second switch, and turns off the second switch during an on-period of the first switch.
US08111049B2

In the case of a power supply device (2) for an electric circuit (3), an energy source (4) and an electric filter (7) are provided for the reliable and low-emission supply of energy to the electric circuit (3), wherein the energy source (4) and the electric filter (7) interact in such a way that the power supply device (2) has, at a filter output (9), a voltage source characteristic in a first frequency range and a current source characteristic in a second frequency range, which has a higher frequency than the first frequency range.
US08111046B2

A constant voltage/constant power AC adapter converts AC voltage to DC voltage to provide power to a plurality of loads. The adapter's output characteristic is approximately a constant voltage as long as the output current draw by the loads is less than a threshold (e.g., a safety threshold for the adapter). If, however, the power draw on the adapter is such that the output current exceeds the threshold, the adapter then decreases its output voltage to maintain the power draw at a safe level. One or more loads that draw power from the adapter may be adapted to detect a drop in the AC adapter's output voltage. When such a voltage drop is detected, that information tells the load that too much current is being drawn from the adapter and that the load should throttle back (e.g., reducing battery charge current, CPU clock frequency, display brightness, etc.).
US08111044B2

An accessory for a portable electronic device, such as a digital music player, includes a set of device controls for controlling the portable electronic device. The accessory includes a microprocessor and a memory that contains function codes corresponding to the functions selected by the controls. Preferably, the accessory is a charger is adapted to be inserted into for a 12-volt car auxiliary power outlet and the protruding face of the charger body is a click wheel controller that rotates. The accessory may also include a FM transmitter for transmitting an audio signal received from the portable electronic device to the car stereo and a verification system for insuring the charger is produced by an authorized supplier.
US08111035B2

A charging system is provided with a secondary battery, a charging current supplier for supplying a charging current to the secondary battery, an internal resistance detector for detecting the resistance value of the internal resistance of the secondary battery, and a charge controller for increasing the charging current to be supplied to the secondary battery by the charging current supplier as the resistance value detected by the internal resistance detector decreases.
US08111028B2

An integrated fan drive system for a cooling tower comprising a high-torque, low speed permanent magnet motor having a rotatable shaft, a fan comprising a hub that is directly connected to the rotatable shaft and a plurality of fan blades that are attached to the hub, and a variable frequency drive device in electrical signal communication with the permanent magnet motor to control the rotational speed of the permanent magnet motor. The high-torque, permanent magnet motor comprises no more than two bearings in operative association with the shaft. The variable frequency drive device has a variable frequency controller that has an input for receiving AC power and an output for providing electrical signals that control the operational speed of high-torque, permanent magnet motor. The variable frequency drive device also includes a user interface in electronic data signal communication with the variable frequency controller to allow a user to input motor speed control data.
US08111027B2

The present motor control device detects from the speed of a motor and a current driving the motor that the motor is overloaded, and exerts control to set a target torque based on the detected overload state of the motor to cause the motor to output a maximal torque that the motor can output, intermittently within a preset allowable speed range. If the motor is overloaded, the motor's output torque is not decreased and a drive circuit can also be protected.
US08111024B2

A synchrocyclotron comprises a resonant circuit that includes electrodes having a gap therebetween across the magnetic field. An oscillating voltage input, having a variable amplitude and frequency determined by a programmable digital waveform generator generates an oscillating electric field across the gap. The synchrocyclotron can include a variable capacitor in circuit with the electrodes to vary the resonant frequency. The synchrocyclotron can further include an injection electrode and an extraction electrode having voltages controlled by the programmable digital waveform generator. The synchrocyclotron can further include a beam monitor. The synchrocyclotron can detect resonant conditions in the resonant circuit by measuring the voltage and or current in the resonant circuit, driven by the input voltage, and adjust the capacitance of the variable capacitor or the frequency of the input voltage to maintain the resonant conditions. The programmable waveform generator can adjust at least one of the oscillating voltage input, the voltage on the injection electrode and the voltage on the extraction electrode according to beam intensity and in response to changes in resonant conditions.
US08111016B2

The present invention is directed to an apparatus that drives a lighting system with multiple lamps. A phase shift mechanism is produced either by a digital method, an analog method, or a mixture of the two methods. In a digital method, phase shifts are generated by digital circuits comprising counters, a divider, an adder, and a comparator. The digital circuits analyze the signal and use the necessary information to form a series of phased driving signals. In an analog method, phase shifts are generated by analog circuits comprising ramp waveform generators, comparators, and at least one shot generator. Also, an apparatus for driving a lighting system with multiple lamps can be realized by mixing the two methods mentioned above.
US08111011B1

A method and apparatus for adjusting the drive signal of an LED luminaire is provided and includes an LED light source assembly, an ambient sensor circuit, a comparator circuit, and a driver circuit. The ambient sensor circuit provides an ambient signal to the LED light source assembly, which is a function of the ambient (such as temperature, humidity or air visibility) proximate to the LED light source assembly. The comparator circuit provides a bidirectional ambient adjustment signal to the driver circuit, which is a function of the ambient signal and a reference signal. And the driver circuit provides an adjustable drive signal to the LED light source assembly, which is a function of the bidirectional ambient adjustment signal.
US08111003B2

A backlight assembly with a light source unit, includes: a drive signal generator which generates a switching drive signal on the basis of a predetermined drive frequency and a feedback power fed back from the light source unit; a switching unit which outputs a power to the light source unit in response to the switching drive signal; and a controller which decreases the drive frequency if the feedback power is higher than a predetermined critical value.
US08111002B2

A device for operating a high-pressure discharge lamp (930) with a bipolar supply current and a regulated power input. The device includes a regulator (961) with an asymmetrical regulating characteristic curve for forming a current or power impulse (K1, K2) close to the zero crossing of the supply current.
US08110996B2

Disclosed is a modular lighting system that incorporates wireless technology and a standard interface. The lighting system may be installed in new buildings or retrofitted into existing buildings in such a way that provides many lighting configurations and programmability options while minimizing the amount of new wiring. The system includes a transceiver that controls one or more lamps using a dimming ballast or a relay and a low cost ballast. The dimming ballast, and the relay (if used) provide low voltage power to the transceiver over a cable having a standard interface, such as an RJ11 telephone jack. The transceiver provides on/off switching control and dimmer control, through the same cable, to the relay or dimming ballast. The transceiver can be located in the same room as the lamps it controls, or remotely located. A central computer or controller can control multiple transceivers over a wireless link.
US08110990B2

Disclosed is an atmospheric pressure plasma apparatus for enhancing and or controlling the dissociation of a secondary gas by converting a source gas into a plasma state at atmospheric pressure and controlling the interaction between that plasma and the secondary gas using porous metal, and ceramic tubes to create a path having controllable isolation from the region where plasma is generated.
US08110982B2

An organic light emitting diode display device having a frit which can improve mechanical strength and adhesion between the upper substrate and the lower substrate, and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed. The organic light emitting diode display device includes a lower substrate, an organic light emitting diode disposed on the lower substrate, an upper substrate to be coupled to the lower substrate, and a frit disposed between the lower substrate and the upper substrate to couple both the lower substrate and the upper substrate to each other where the frit has a plurality of pores.
US08110980B2

A novel anthracene derivative represented by General Formula (1) is provided, which enables the production of a light-emitting element with high luminous efficiency and a long lifetime. A high-performance light-emitting device and electronic device in which the anthracene derivative is employed are also disclosed. The anthracene derivative of the present invention is represented by General Formula (1), in which the unit A represents any one of substituents represented by General Formulae (1-1) to (1-3). The variables shown in Formulae (1) and (1-1) to (1-3) are defined in the specification.
US08110975B2

A field emission device includes an insulating substrate, one or more grids located on the insulating substrate. Each grid includes a first, second, third and fourth electrode down-leads and an electron emitting unit. The first, second, third and fourth electrode down-leads are located on the periphery of the grid. The first and the second electrode down-leads are parallel to each other. The third and the fourth electrode down-leads are parallel to each other. The electron emitting unit includes a first electrode, a second electrode and at least one electron emitter. The first electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode down-lead, and the second electrode is electrically connected to the third electrode down-lead. One end of the electron emitter is connected to the second electrode and an opposite end of the electron emitter is spaced from the first electrode by a predetermined distance.
US08110963B2

An ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit or receive ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducer includes a vibrating member and a piezoelectric member coupled to the vibrating member. The piezoelectric member includes a first piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to vibrate the vibrating member or configured and arranged to be deformed by vibration of the vibrating member to produce a potential difference, and a second piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to statically deflect the vibrating member.
US08110954B2

The electric rotating machine is provided with an intermediate plate having a power circuit connection portion that is connected with an outgoing lead drawn out from a power circuit unit and an armature winding connection portion that is connected with the power circuit connection portion and an outgoing lead drawn out from an armature winding. The power circuit connection portion and the armature winding connection portion are arranged at desired positions and outgoing leads from the armature winding of the stator are drawn out in such a way as to fall within a given space, so that intermediate connection lines for connecting windings can be shortened. Accordingly, not only the breakage of an intermediate connection line caused by a vibration can be prevented, but also the switching elements can separately be arranged so as to reduce thermal interference between the switching elements; therefore, the switching elements can effectively be cooled.
US08110951B2

An electromagnetic vibrator includes a vibration sheet, suspension edge, basin frame and magnetic return path system. The electromagnetic vibrator is prepared as connecting back surface of vibration sheet to voice coil being set in magnetic return path system, injecting the vibration sheet and suspension edge to be an integral unit, connecting suspension edge with basin frame by ultrasonic mode and connecting vice coil wire to terminal sheet on basin frame after the wire is connected by vibration sheet.
US08110949B2

Provided is a wireless power transmission device. The wireless power transmission device includes a power coil in which a high frequency current is applied, a transmission coil in which the high frequency current is induced by magnetic induction, the transmission coil configured to generate an non-radiative electromagnetic wave when the transmission coil has the same resonant frequency as an at least one external target device, and a resonant frequency regulator configured to regulate the resonant frequency of the transmission coil. The wireless power transmission device can transmit the power when it has the same resonant frequency as the target device. Therefore, the overheating due to an eddy current may not occur, and the design may be easily varied.
US08110942B2

A remote-controlled mains power switch is provided, which is suitable for supplying mains-powered equipment such as TVs or personal computers with electricity. The switch comprises mains power input, an electricity storage device, a control circuit and a sensor for receiving signals from remote controlling equipment, which is ordinarily supplied with the mains-powered equipment. In use, the electricity storage device is charged by the mains power whilst the mains-powered equipment is in use, the control circuit is powered by the electricity storage device and is operative to selectively switch the mains power supply on or off in response to signals received from controlling equipment.
US08110938B2

A line connection structure for a PCU includes: the PCU mounted in an engine room positioned on a front side of a hybrid vehicle; an air cleaner that is provided on a rear side of the vehicle so as to face the PCU and that includes a resin portion deforming easier than electric equipment; and a cable connected to the PCU. The cable is formed by three-phase cables of U, V, and W phases being gathered. The cable is connected to the PCU on the side surface of the PCU positioned on the vehicular-rear side. The three-phase cables positioned between the PCU and the air cleaner is provided so as to align on the identical plane parallel to the width direction of the hybrid vehicle.
US08110934B2

An apparatus for producing electricity includes an elongated body and an electricity generating device operatively connected to the elongated body. A drive shaft is positioned along the elongated body, the drive shaft having an input and an output. A driven shaft is positioned along the elongated body and spaced apart from the drive shaft, the driven shaft having an input and an output, the output driving the electricity generating device. There is a first mechanical linkage between the drive shaft and the driven shaft. A method of producing electricity includes positioning a combustion engine powered vehicle over at least a portion of the apparatus, mechanically linking an output shaft of the combustion engine powered device to the input of the drive shaft, and powering the electricity generating device with the combustion engine powered vehicle.
US08110916B2

A chip package structure includes a chip module, a plurality of pre-patterned structures, a filling material layer, and a redistribution layer. The chip module includes a chip including an upper surface, a side surface, and an active surface. The pre-patterned structures are disposed around the chip. Each of the pre-patterned structures includes a circuit, a first surface, an upper surface opposite the first surface, and a side surface. The filling material layer encapsulates the chip and the pre-patterned structures. The filling material layer includes a second surface, and encapsulates the upper and side surfaces of the chip, and the upper and side surfaces of each of the pre-patterned structures. The active surface, each first surface, and the second surface are substantially co-planar. The redistribution layer is disposed on the active surface, each first surface, and the second surface. The redistribution layer electrically connects the chip and each circuit.
US08110914B2

A wafer level package includes a chip, a removable resin layer, a molding material, a dielectric layer, redistribution lines and a solder resist. The removable resin layer is formed to surround side surfaces and a lower surface of the chip. The molding material is formed on the lower surface of the removable resin layer. The dielectric layer is formed over the removable resin layer including the chip and having via holes to expose portions of the chip. The redistribution lines are formed on the dielectric layer including insides of the via holes to be connected to the chip. The solder resist layer is formed on the dielectric layer to expose portions of the redistribution lines.
US08110912B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a foil formed of an insulating material, where the foil includes at least one electrically conducting element, providing a chip having contact elements on a first face of the chip, and applying the foil over the contact elements of the chip.
US08110906B2

A semiconductor device includes a carrier, a semiconductor chip including an active area on a first face and a separate isolation layer applied to a second face, and an adhesion material coupling the isolation layer to the carrier with the second face facing the carrier.
US08110905B2

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a substrate; mounting a base integrated circuit on the substrate; forming a leadframe interposer, over the base integrated circuit, by: providing a metal sheet, mounting an integrated circuit die on the metal sheet, injecting a molded package body on the integrated circuit die and the metal sheet, and forming a ball pad, a bond finger, or a combination thereof from the metal sheet that is not protected by the molded package body; coupling a circuit package on the ball pad; and forming a component package on the substrate, the base integrated circuit, and the leadframe interposer.
US08110904B2

Provided are a semiconductor device lead frame and a method of manufacturing of the same that improve adhesive properties between plating layers when a plurality of plating layers are laminated, that control deterioration in wire bonding properties during the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device and worsening of solderability during packaging, and that effectively reduce manufacturing cost. Specifically, the lead frame (2a, 2b) has a laminated structure that includes a lower plating layer (22) formed on a conductive base material (21) and an uppermost plating layer (23), with an organic film (22) that has metal-binding properties formed between the lower plating layer (21) and the uppermost plating layer (23). The organic film (22) is formed as a monomolecular film in which functional organic molecules (11) self assemble. Each of the organic molecules (11) has functional groups (A1, A1) with metal-binding properties on both ends of a main chain (B1).
US08110903B2

An improved Quad Flat No-Lead package is described. The package is formed by encapsulating a die mounted on a leadframe with a moulding compound using a mould chase. The mould chase comprises a number of internal projections which form openings in the mould compound to expose regions of the leadframe. These exposed regions of the leadframe may then be used for soldering the package to a substrate. The arrangement of the openings may be designed such that each aperture is the same shape and size and/or that the apertures are arranged in multiple rows on the underside of the package.
US08110898B2

A structure consisting of well-ordered semiconductor structures embedded in a binder material which maintains the ordering and orientation of the semiconductor structures. Methods for forming such a structure include forming the semiconductor structures on a substrate, casting a binder material onto the substrate to embed the semiconductor structures in the binder material, and separating the binder material from the substrate at the substrate. These methods provide for the retention of the orientation and order of highly ordered semiconductor structures in the separated binder material.
US08110885B2

Provided is a MOS type solid state imaging device, including a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of pixels arranged on the semiconductor substrate, each pixel having a light receiving element for generating a signal charge due to incident light, and a MOS transistor for reading the signal charge, and a hydrogen supply film arranged on the semiconductor substrate over the plurality of pixels and having a region corresponding to the light receiving element at least a part of which has a film thickness greater than the other part of the region.
US08110865B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a charge storage layer formed on the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the charge storage layer, and a control electrode formed on the second insulating film, the second insulating film including a lower silicon nitride film, a lower silicon oxide film formed on the lower silicon nitride film, an intermediate insulating film formed on the lower silicon oxide film and containing a metal element, the intermediate insulating film having a relative dielectric constant of greater than 7, an upper silicon oxide film formed on the intermediate insulating film, and an upper silicon nitride film formed on the upper silicon oxide film.
US08110863B2

A rewriteable nonvolatile memory cell having two bits per cell is described. The memory cell preferably operates by storing charge in a dielectric charge storage layer or in electrically isolated conductive nanocrystals by a channel hot electron injection method. In preferred embodiments the channel region has a corrugated shape, providing additional isolation between the two storage regions. The channel region is deposited and is preferably formed of polycrystalline germanium or silicon-germanium. The memory cell of the present invention can be formed in memory arrays; in preferred embodiments, multiple memory levels are formed stacked above a single substrate.
US08110835B2

A light emitting component can include a substrate, a light emitting device supported by the substrate, wherein the light-emitting device has first and second terminals, and a switching element supported by the substrate and having first and second terminals electrically connected to the first and second terminals of the light-emitting device, respectively. The switching element is configured to, at least in part, divert at least some current away from the light emitting device when the switching element is in a closed state. An electrical connection between the first terminal of the switching element and the first terminal of the light emitting device can have a length of less than 5 cm (e.g., less than 2 cm, less than 1 cm, less than 5 mm, less than 1 mm). A current regulator may be supported by a second substrate and can supply current to the light emitting device.
US08110831B2

A display device is provided with a pair of a first electrode and a second electrode at least one of which is transparent or translucent and a phosphor layer formed so as to be sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode, and the phosphor layer has a polycrystal structure made of a first semiconductor substance in which a second semiconductor substance different from the first semiconductor substance is segregated on a grain boundary of the polycrystal structure, and the phosphor layer has a plurality of pixel regions that are selectively allowed to emit light in a predetermined range thereof and non-pixel regions that divide at least one portion of the pixel regions.
US08110827B2

A light emitting device includes a stack of layers of a substrate, with a basic layer, first and second electrode layers, and an organic light-emitting layer which is sandwiched between the first and the second electrode layers. At least a part of the basic layer is covered by a shielding structure that includes a plurality of lamella elements that extend sheet-like from the stack of layers in such a way, that the lamella elements guide light out of the light emitting device.
US08110825B2

An organic light-emitting element comprises a large number of unit pixels each at least composed of a base, an auxiliary electrode, a first insulating layer to cover at least the auxiliary electrode, a charge injection layer on the first insulating electrode, laminated bodies each consisting of a first electrode and a second insulating layer and provided in a predetermined pattern, an organic light-emitting layer formed in regions where the laminated bodies are not provided, and a second electrode to cover at least the organic light-emitting layer. The unit pixel has first partitions provided to demarcate the organic light-emitting layer from other adjacent unit pixels and at least one or more second partitions to have a uniform coated thickness, and at least one of the first partition and the second partition is the laminated body.
US08110823B2

Photonic integrated circuits on silicon are disclosed. By bonding a wafer of III-V material as an active region to silicon and removing the substrate, the lasers, amplifiers, modulators, and other devices can be processed using standard photolithographic techniques on the silicon substrate. The coupling between the silicon waveguide and the III-V gain region allows for integration of low threshold lasers, tunable lasers, and other photonic integrated circuits with Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits.
US08110819B2

A system and method including a wand-type ultraviolet (UV) light assembly positioned above a keyboard and other computer peripheral device(s) to be sanitized. The UV light assembly is preferably moved across the peripheral device surface to eliminate nearly all germs, bacteria, viruses, pathogens and other microorganisms that have accumulated on the surfaces of the keyboard and other peripherals. Desirably, the system operation is managed by a controller device which is in communication with a host computer. In addition, the system allows for the collection and analysis of system performance data. The invention provides an extremely effective, compact, virtually cost-free and environmentally-friendly solution to disinfecting surfaces of keyboards and other peripheral devices.
US08110814B2

Ion sources, systems and methods are disclosed.
US08110813B2

A charged particle optical system comprising a beamlet generator for generating a plurality of beamlets of charged particles and an electrostatic deflector for deflecting the beamlets. The electrostatic deflector comprises first and second electrodes adapted for connection to a voltage for generating an electric field between the electrodes for deflection of the beamlets, the electrodes being at least partially freestanding in an active area of the electrostatic deflector. The electrodes define at least one passing window for passage of at least a portion of the beamlets between the electrodes, the passing window having a length in a first direction and a width in a transverse direction. The system is adapted to arrange the beamlets in at least one row and to direct a single row of the beamlets through the passing window of the electrostatic deflector, the beamlets of the row extending in the first direction. A substantial part of the electrostatic deflector extends beyond the passing window in the first direction.
US08110807B2

The invention uses a series of combined passive neutron and gamma ray sensors systematically placed along a path of commercial traffic, for example an airport runway, combined with a pulsed source of low energy protons and deuterons. The pulsed source produces monoenergetic gamma rays and low energy (60 keV) neutrons. This pulsed source uses a pinch-reflex ion diode operated on a pulsed power generator to produce proton beams. These beams bombard a PTFE (Teflon) target to produce characteristic gamma-rays. These gamma rays would induce a fission reaction in any fissile material creating gamma rays and neutrons. The passive sensors located in the path of commercial traffic would sense both the resultant gamma and neutron products of the reaction. The short interrogation pulse, approximately 50 nanoseconds, provides a timing marker which can be used to turn on the passive detectors after the interrogation pulse so as to avoid saturation and to enable measuring the spectrum of the fast neutrons using time of flight. The decay rate of the intensity of fast and slow (thermalized by interaction with the runway materials) neutrons provides an unambiguous signature of the presence of fissile material.
US08110798B2

Methods for cooling ions retained in an ion trap are described. In various embodiments, a cooling gas is delivered into a linear ion trap causing a non-steady state pressure elevation in at least a portion of the trap above about 8×10−5 Torr for a duration less than the ion-retention time. In various embodiments, the duration of pressure elevation can be based upon a period of time required for an ion to lose a desired amount of its kinetic energy.
US08110793B2

The invention relates to acquisition methods for fragment ion spectra of biopolymer molecules in tandem mass spectrometers which are coupled to separation devices. The invention provides a real-time method for calculating a quality coefficient for each fragment ion spectrum. The quality coefficient indicates whether the fragment ion spectrum can be used successfully for identifying the biopolymer molecule or whether it should be acquired once more, possibly with other acquisition parameters.
US08110790B2

A system for imaging an object comprising a surface for receiving the object to be imaged and an imaging device. The imaging device comprises a housing and a fixed focusing optical device mounted to the housing, whereby the fixed focusing optics comprises a lens for focusing light reflected from the object. A plurality of independent linear imaging sensors are positioned in the housing at different distances from the fixed focusing lens so that a face of each of the plurality of independent linear imaging sensors is aligned parallel to the surface. A processor is coupled to the plurality of independent linear imaging sensors for receiving an output signal from each of the plurality of independent linear imaging sensors representative of the reflected light. The lens defines a plane parallel to the surface, and the plurality of independent linear imaging sensors are adapted to receive reflected light from the object.
US08110784B2

A projectile including: a casing; first and second windows provided on the casing for at least one of transmitting a first optical signal into an interior of the casing and transmitting a second optical signal from the interior of the casing; a receiving element disposed on the interior of the casing and in optical communication with one or more of the first and second windows for at least one of converting the first optical signal into electrical energy and storing data provided in the first optical signal; and a transmitting element disposed on the interior of the casing and in optical communication with one or more of the first and second windows for transmitting data provided in the second optical signal to outside the casing.
US08110781B2

The present invention provides a golf club head cover which provides conventional protection to golf clubs and in addition provides a heating function for a hitting surface of the golf club in order to keep the temperature within a optimized range for hitting. The golf club head cover has a main housing having an opening side for inserting a top portion of the golf club and a heating side for disposing a temperature controlling device for heating. The temperature controlling device has a power source, a circuit board, and a heating plate which couples with the hitting surface of the top portion of the golf club to apply heat to control the temperature.
US08110776B2

Glass substrate cutting apparatuses using lasers are disclosed, where a laser cutting head is moved. A glass substrate cutting apparatus includes two parts for a laser cutting head: heavy laser beam generators fixed to respective ends of a gantry structure moving in parallel along two gantry stages located on either side of a cutting table, and relatively lightweight laser irradiation heads moving horizontally in parallel with the gantry structure. The glass substrate cutting apparatus includes a cutting table for maintaining a glass substrate in a horizontal state; biaxial gantry stages for moving a gantry structure along the cutting table; the gantry structure moving in between an upper part of the biaxial gantry stages; laser beam generators fixed to respective ends of the gantry structure for oscillating the laser; and laser irradiation heads that move horizontally on respective ends of the gantry structure and irradiate the laser upon the glass substrate.
US08110771B2

A vacuum insulating switch gear formed by integrally molding with epoxy resin of a vacuum double-break three-position type switch including a movable contact, a fixed contact, and a vacuum container composed of an insulating cylinder for covering the movable contact and the fixed contact, a lower lid for closing a lower part of the insulating cylinder, and an upper lid for closing an upper part of the insulating cylinder and an operation rod side of the movable contact, and an earthing switch with a vacuum closed container, comprising a first silicone rubber layer coated on an upper edge corner portion of each insulating cylinder composing the vacuum containers of the switch and the earthing switch, a self fusing insulating tape layer wound around an outer surface of the first silicone rubber layer, a second silicone rubber layer coated on the self fusing insulating tape layer and an outer periphery of the each insulating cylinder, a ring easing shield installed at a position corresponding to a lower end corner portion of the each insulating cylinder after a vacuum deaeration process performed for the first and the second silicone rubber layers, and an epoxy resin portion for integrally molding the each vacuum container so as to cover the first silicone rubber layer, the self fusing insulating tape layer, the second silicone rubber layer, and the ring easing shield.
US08110767B2

A structured touch switch, which is of an electrostatic capacitance, type is provided. The structured touch switch comprises a substrate made of a material having a non-conductive characteristic, a conductive member made of a material having a conductive characteristic and formed integrally with the substrate so that a portion of the conductive characteristic member appears at a surface of the substrate and a detection electrode positioned at a backside of the substrate and in opposed relation to the conductive member in a state where a space is defined with respect to the conductive member.
US08110763B2

A key assembly comprises a base plate, two elastic elements and a key body. Each elastic element has a securing portion and two compressing portions protruding from two ends of the securing portion. The securing portions are latched to the base plate. The key body is slidably mounted to the base plate between the two elastic elements. The key body includes a first key section resisting one of the two elastic elements and a second key section resisting another elastic element. When the first key section slides toward and compresses the corresponding elastic element, the second key section slide away from the corresponding elastic element.
US08110762B2

A single-pole or multi-pole device for low-voltage systems, in particular a circuit breaker or a disconnector, which comprises: an outer casing containing for each pole at least one fixed contact and at least one mobile contact that can be coupled to/uncoupled from one another; a rotating element, defined by a shaped body comprising at least one seat for each pole of said switch, said seat being designed to house at least one mobile contact of a corresponding pole; a control mechanism operatively connected to said rotating element for enabling movement thereof; reinforcement elements positioned in said at least one seat of said mobile contact.
US08110750B2

A multilayer printed wiring board has a core substrate, an interlayer insulation layer formed over the core substrate, conductive layers formed over the core substrate, and a via hole for providing electrical connection between the conductive layers. The conductive layers include a conductive layer formed on the core substrate, and the conductive layer formed on the core substrate has a side face in a form of rounded taper tapering toward the core substrate.
US08110748B2

The present invention provides a wiring, a display device, and a method of manufacturing the same. A first metal diffusion-preventing layer is formed on a substrate or on a circuit element formed on the substrate. Then, a metal wiring layer is selectively formed on the first metal diffusion-preventing layer by an electroless metal plating method or a metal electroplating method. Further, the undesired portion of the first metal diffusion-preventing layer is removed. Finally, a second metal diffusion-preventing layer is formed selectively by an electroless metal plating method in a manner to cover the metal wiring layer or both a seed layer and the metal wiring layer.
US08110747B2

A flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) includes a signal layer, upper and lower ground layers, and two dielectric layers. The signal layer includes a differential pair comprising two transmission lines to transmit a pair of differential signals. The dielectric layers are located on and under the signal layer to sandwich the signal layer. The upper ground layer is attached to the dielectric layer on the signal layer, opposite to the signal layer. The lower ground layer is attached to the dielectric layer under the signal layer, opposite to the signal layer. Each ground layer includes a grounded sheet made of conductive material. Two voids are defined in each ground layer and located at opposite sides of the corresponding grounded sheet. Distances between the middle line of the grounded sheet of each ground layer and middle lines of the two transmission lines are equal.
US08110744B2

A flexible shielded cable is disclosed. The cable may include a plurality of conductors formed on a common base, a dielectric material disposed about the plurality of conductors, and a shielding material disposed adjacent the dielectric material. At least one of the plurality of conductors may include an unshielded portion not overlaid by the shielding material and at least one of the plurality of conductors may include a shielded portion overlaid by the shielding material.
US08110739B2

The invention provides a solar cell and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, includes a semiconductor structure combination and a multi-atomic-layer structure formed of at least one oxide. The semiconductor structure combination includes at least one p-n junction and has an illuminated surface. The multi-atomic-layer structure overlays the illuminated surface of the semiconductor structure combination. In particular, the multi-atomic-layer structure serves as a surface passivation layer, a transparent conductive layer, and further as an anti-reflective layer.
US08110738B2

A solar cell includes a substrate, a protective layer located over a first surface of the substrate, a first electrode located over a second surface of the substrate, at least one p-type semiconductor absorber layer located over the first electrode, an n-type semiconductor layer located over the p-type semiconductor absorber layer, and a second electrode over the n-type semiconductor layer. The p-type semiconductor absorber layer includes a copper indium selenide (CIS) based alloy material, and the second electrode is transparent and electrically conductive. The protective layer has an emissivity greater than 0.25 at a wavelength of 2 μm, has a reactivity with a selenium-containing gas lower than that of the substrate, and may differ from the first electrode in at least one of composition, thickness, density, emissivity, conductivity or stress state. The emissivity profile of the protective layer may be uniform or non-uniform.
US08110731B1

A transmission linkage for a drum assembly of the present invention is adapted for connecting a pedal unit to a striking portion. The transmission linkage includes a pole a first joint, a second joint, two threaded members and two bearing units. At least one of the first joint and the second joint includes a first unit and a second unit. The first unit and the second unit are rotatable about an axis. The first unit has two arms which are formed with threaded holes. The second unit has two coaxial recesses. The bearing units are carried in the recesses. The threaded units are screwed in the threaded holes, being held by the bearing units. As such, an easy-fabricated transmission linkage is provided.
US08110711B2

Disclosed is a process for producing 2-bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol, which comprises reducing a bromodifluoroacetic acid derivative represented by the formula [1] by using an ate hydride complex as a reducing agent. 2-Bromo-2,2-difluoroethanol thus produced can be used as the starting material to carry out the esterification step, the sulfination step and the oxidation step in this order, thereby producing a 2-alkylcarbonyloxy-1,1-difluoroethanesulfonic acid salt, wherein A represents a substituted or unsubstituted linear, branched or cyclic alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 15 carbon atoms, a heteroaryloxy group having 4 to 15 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.
US08110707B2

A fatty acid salt of an alkyl quaternary ammonium is used as a novel surfactant which is a cationic surfactant having high detergency and low foaming property.
US08110705B2

A method is disclosed for preparing hydrazides from hydrazine and an acyl chloride which comprises the steps of (a) preparing a stirred substantially uniform slurry comprising hydrazine and an inert solvent at low temperature; and (b) adding an acyl chloride continuously to said slurry. The method avoids or limits production of undesired bis-hydrazide by-products. The method is used to prepare 3-methyl-3-mercaptobutanoic acid hydrazide, a molecule used to link calicheamicin to a monoclonal antibody.
US08110695B2

The present invention relates to compounds, intermediates, compositions, and methods of making compounds and intermediates related to the compounds of Formula (I) and/or Formula (II) and/or Formula (III) and/or Formula (IV) and/or Formula (VI) and/or Formula (VII) as disclosed herein wherein the various substituents are as defined in the written description.
US08110692B2

The present invention relates to new organic-inorganic hybrid silicates and metal-silicates called ECS, characterized by an X-ray powder diffraction pattern with reflections exclusively at angular values higher than 4.0° of 2θ, preferably at angular values higher than 4.7°, and an ordered structure containing structural units having formula (a) wherein R is an organic group: Formula (a) and possibly containing one or more elements T selected from groups III B, IV B, V B and transition metals, with a Si/(Si +T) molar ratio in said structure higher than 0.3 and lower than or equal to 1, wherein Si is the silicon contained in the structural unit (a). A process is also described, starting from disilanes, for the preparation of these materials, which does not include the use of templates or surfactants. These materials can be used as molecular sieves, adsorbents, in the field of catalysis, in the field of electronics, in the field of sensors, in the field of nanotechnologies.
US08110691B2

A new industrial process for the synthesis of solvate-free 17α-acetoxy-11β-[4-(N,N-dimethyl-amino)-phenyl]-19-norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione [CDB-2914] of formula (I) which is a strong antiprogestogene and antiglucocorticoid agent. The invention also relates to compounds of formula (VII) and (VIII) used as intermediates in the process.
US08110690B2

A substituted indolocarbazole comprising at least one optionally substituted thienyl.
US08110680B2

The present invention discloses an optically active quarternary ammonium salt having axial asymmetry and a method for producing an α-amino acid and a derivative thereof using the same. The optically active quarternary ammonium salt having axial asymmetry of the present invention is a chiral phase-transfer catalyst that has a simple structure and that can be produced in a smaller number of process steps. The compound of the present invention is very useful as a phase-transfer catalyst in the synthesis of an α-alkyl-α-amino acid and a derivative thereof as well as an α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acid and a derivative thereof. Therefore, the compound of the present invention can be used in the development of novel foods and pharmaceuticals.
US08110678B2

This invention is the design and synthesis of a caprolactone monomer which bears a pendant protected carboxyl group. This monomer has been copolymerized with caprolactone in varying ratios. After polymerization, the protecting group can be removed and an antibiotic can be attached as a new pendant group. The bioactivity of the antibiotic-bound poly(caprolactone) polymer is described.
US08110671B2

The specification relates to a method for producing a chimeric non-human animal, which comprises preparing a microcell containing a foreign chromosome(s) or a fragment(s) thereof and transferring the foreign chromosome(s) or fragment(s) thereof into a pluripotent cell by fusion with the microcell; a chimeric non-human animal which can be produced by the above method and its progeny; tissues and cells derived therefrom; and a method for using the same. Further, a pluripotent cell containing a foreign chromosome(s) or a fragment(s) thereof, a method for producing the same, and a method for using the same are also provided. Moreover, a pluripotent cell in which at least two endogenous genes are disrupted, and a method for producing the same by homologous recombination are provided.
US08110668B2

Nucleic acid and protein sequences relating to a cation channel which is sperm-specific (CatSper3) are disclosed. The CatSper3 protein is shown to be specifically expressed in sperm. Nucleic acids, vectors, transformed cells, transgenic animals, polypeptides, and antibodies relating to the CatSper3 gene and protein are disclosed. Also provided are methods of in vitro fertilization and contraception, methods of identifying modulators of CatSper3 activity, methods of genotyping subjects with respect to CatSper3, and methods of diagnosing and treating CatSper3-mediated disorders, including infertility. Related business methods are also disclosed.
US08110661B2

The invention relates to fully human antibodies, and fragments thereof, that bind to interferon-inducible-protein-10 (IP-10, CXCL10), thereby modulating the interaction between IP-10 and its receptor, CXCR3, and/or modulating the biological activities of IP-10. The invention also relates to the use of such anti-IP-10 antibodies in the prevention or treatment of immune-related disorders and in the amelioration of one or more symptoms associated with an immune-related disorder.
US08110650B2

Methods of making unsaturated polyester compositions are provided and include reacting: (i) plant and animal oil triglycerides, an alkyl ester of a saturated or unsaturated fatty acid or mixtures thereof; (ii) a difunctional, or polyfunctional glycol or mixtures thereof; (iii) a difunctional or polyfunctional acid, their anhydrides or alkyl esters and mixtures thereof; (iv) a strained cycloolefin; (v) a component(s) that function as a compound capable of initiating polymerization at high temperature and which is stable at room temperature; and (vi) low profile additives, fillers and reinforcements.
US08110644B2

Disclosed is a bimodal Ziegler-Natta catalyzed polyethylene, having a density of from 0.930 g/cc to 0.960 g/cc, and a molecular weight distribution of from 10 to 25, wherein an article formed therefrom has a PENT of at least 1500. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a tubular article including obtaining a bimodal polyethylene having a density of from 0.930 g/cc to 0.960 g/cc and a molecular weight distribution of from 10 to 25, and processing the polyethylene under conditions where a specific energy input (SEI) is less than 300 kW·h/ton, and wherein the article has a PENT of at least 1500. Further disclosed is a method for controlling the degradation of polyethylene including polymerizing ethylene monomer, recovering polyethylene, extruding the polyethylene, and controlling the degradation of polyethylene by measuring the SEI to the extruder and adjusting throughput and/or gear suction pressure keep SEI less than 300 kW·h/ton, and forming an article.
US08110640B2

The present invention provides polymerization catalyst compositions employing half-metallocene compounds with a heteroatom-containing ligand bound to the transition metal. Methods for making these hybrid metallocene compounds and for using such compounds in catalyst compositions for the polymerization and copolymerization of olefins are also provided.
US08110626B2

The present invention is directed to compositions comprising (a) a synthetic polymer, (b) a talc as a filler, wherein the talc particles have a mean particle size of from 0.4 to 25 μm, and are present in an amount of from 0.1 to 10% based on the weight of component (a) and (c) a dispersing agent which is based on a non-ionic surfactant or an amphiphilic statistical, block or comb copolymer, provided that when the synthetic polymer (a) is a polyamide, this is present in an amount of less than 55% based on the weight of (a), (b) and (c).
US08110620B1

A process for producing an uncured rubber composition containing a rubber wet master batch obtained by using, as raw materials, at least a filler, a dispersing solvent, and a rubber latex liquid made mainly of a natural rubber latex, mainly comprising: a step (I) wherein at the time of dispersing the filler into the dispersing solvent, at least one portion of the rubber latex liquid is added thereto, thereby preparing a slurry containing the filler to which rubber latex particles adhere, a step (II) wherein the slurry is mixed with the rest of the rubber latex liquid, thereby preparing the rubber latex liquid containing the rubber-latex-particle-adhering filler.
US08110606B2

A method is provided for treating pain in patients recovering from post-surgical trauma by administering between about 13 to about 30 mg of diclofenac potassium in a liquid dispersible formulation over a period of at least 24 hours, wherein the daily total amount of diclofenac potassium administered is less than or equal to about 100 mg. The method is particularly useful in treating acute pain in bunionectomy patients.
US08110602B2

The invention relates to Heterocyclic-Substituted Piperidine Compounds, compositions comprising an effective amount of a Heterocyclic-Substituted Piperidine Compound and methods to treat or prevent a condition, such as pain, comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an effective amount of a Heterocyclic-Substituted Piperidine Compound.
US08110587B2

This invention relates to new aryl ureas and methods for their synthesis. The inventive compounds are useful in the treatment of (i) raf mediated diseases, for example, cancer, (ii) p38 mediated diseases such as inflammation and osteoporosis, and (iii) VEGF mediated diseases such as angiogenesis disorders.
US08110585B2

The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group optionally having substituent(s), amino optionally having substituent(s), hydroxy optionally having a substituent or a heterocyclic group optionally having substituent(s); R2 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group optionally having substituent(s); Xa and Xb are each C, N, O or S; Xc and Xd are each C or N; m is 0-2; n is 1-3; ring A is a 5-membered ring optionally having substituent(s); ring B is a 6-membered ring optionally having substituent(s); and ring C is a 3- to 5-membered ring optionally having substituent(s), provided that when Xa, Xc and Xd are each C, then Xb is N or S, or a salt thereof, which is useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of a disease relating to an action of melatonin, and the like.
US08110583B2

Compounds of the formula I, in which s, k, I, W, R1, R2, R3, and U have the meanings indicated in claim 1, can be employed, inter alia, for the treatment of tumours.
US08110582B2

The present invention provides a method of protecting a subject against UV-induced epidermal neoplasia. Generally, the method includes administering to a subject an IRM compound in an amount effective to provide protection against UV-induced epidermal neoplasia. The present invention also provides compositions that include an IRM compound in an amount effective for providing protection against UV-induced epidermal neoplasia.
US08110580B2

The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and the use of such compounds as corticotropin releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonists in the treatment of psychiatric and neuroendocrine disorders, neurological diseases, and metabolic syndrome.
US08110575B2

The present invention relates to new CGRP-antagonists of general formula I wherein U, V, X, Y, R1, R2, R3 and R4 are defined as in the description, the tautomers, the isomers, the diastereomers, the enantiomers, the hydrates, the mixtures thereof and the salts thereof and the hydrates of the salts, particularly the physiologically acceptable salts thereof with inorganic or organic acids or bases, medicaments containing these compounds, their use and processes for preparing them.
US08110573B2

The invention provides a compound of the formula (I): or a salt, solvate, tautomer or N-oxide thereof, wherein M is selected from a group D1 and a group D2: and R′, E, A and X are as defined in the claims. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, processes for making the compounds and the use of the compounds in the prophylaxis or treatment of a disease state mediated by a CDK kinase, GSK-3 kinase or Aurora kinase.
US08110571B2

This invention relates to benzimidazole and benzothiazole compounds of formula (I) to methods of preparing such compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, and to methods of treatment comprising administering of such compounds.
US08110570B2

The present invention provides compounds of formula I: along with methods of use of these compounds as pharmaceuticals, particularly in the treatment of obesity, metabolic syndrome, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, diseases associated with reduced neuronal metabolism, and cancer as well as the use of these compounds for treatment of pathogens of humans and animals, and for the control of agricultural pests, particularly fungi, weeds and insects.
US08110566B2

Disclosed herein are compounds of formula I in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, A, X, Y are as described in the specification, their use in pharmaceutical compositions and in methods of treatment or prophylaxis of a melanin-concentrating hormone related disease or condition.
US08110565B2

A composition for transdermal administration resulting from an admixture includes: a therapeutically effective amount of a drug that includes a parent drug and a prodrug; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the parent drug and prodrug are individually present in an amount sufficient for a pharmacological effect. In a preferred embodiment, the admixture includes: a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutically active agent that includes a corresponding steroid and a steroid derivative; and a carrier for the pharmaceutically active agent. The steroid and the corresponding steroid derivative are present in a weight ratio of 10:1 to 1:10 steroid:corresponding steroid derivative. In a preferred embodiment ratio is 6:1 to 1:6. In a preferred embodiment, the corresponding steroid derivative is a steroid ester. In another preferred embodiment, the carrier is a polymer that includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive. In another preferred embodiment, the parent drug is an ACE inhibitor such as ramipril and the prodrug is an ACE inhibitor prodrug such as ramipril ethyl and/or methyl ester.
US08110564B2

The present invention relates to the use of a bile acid or bile salt fatty acid conjugate of general formula II W—X-G in which G is a bile acid or bile salt radical, which, if desired, is conjugated in position 24 with a suitable amino acid, W stands for one or two fatty acid radicals having 14-22 carbon atoms and X stands for a suitable bonding member or for a direct C═C bond between said bile acid or bile salt radical and the fatty acid(s) or of a pharmaceutical composition comprising same for the reduction of Cholesterol in blood, for the treatment of Fatty Liver, Hyperglycemia and Diabetes.
US08110563B1

The present invention features a composition for killing fire ants. In some embodiments, the composition comprises an insecticide and a triclosan composition. In some embodiments, the composition is a liquid composition.
US08110561B2

A therapeutic composition for treatment of a body tissue which includes an aqueous solution of a cross-linked polymer being capable of: (i) maintaining a liquid state in storage at room temperature for at least 24 hours; and (ii) assuming a gel state following deposition within the body tissue. The therapeutic composition can be effectively administered into a damaged body tissue via injection or catheterization, thereby treating the damaged body tissue.
US08110560B2

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions capable of blocking the inhibitory effect of a newly-identified intronic inhibitory sequence element, named ISS-N1 (for “intronic splicing silencer”), located in the SMN2 gene. The compositions and methods of the instant invention include oligonucleotide reagents (e.g., oligoribonucleotides) that effectively target the SMN2 ISS-N1 site in the SMN2 pre-mRNA, thereby modulating the splicing of SMN2 pre-mRNA to include exon 7 in the processed transcript. The ISS-N1 blocking agents of the invention cause elevated expression of SMN protein, thus compensating for the loss of SMN protein expression commonly observed in subjects with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
US08110557B2

This invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of malignancies associated with gamma-herpesvirus infection. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of gamma-secretase inhibitors to prevent the production of intracellular Notch1 thereby arresting the growth of the infected cells.
US08110554B2

A generic structure for the peptides of the present invention includes A-X-B-C, where C is a cargo moiety, the B portion includes basic amino acids, X is a cleavable linker sequence, and the A portion includes acidic amino acids. The intact structure is not significantly taken up by cells; however, upon extracellular cleavage of X, the B-C portion is taken up, delivering the cargo to targeted cells. Cargo may be, for example, a contrast agent for diagnostic imaging, a chemotherapeutic drug, or a radiation-sensitizer for therapy. Cleavage of X allows separation of A from B, unmasking the normal ability of the basic amino acids in B to drag cargo C into cells near the cleavage event. X is cleaved extracellularly, preferably under physiological conditions. D-amino acids are preferred for the A and B portions, to minimize immunogenicity and nonspecific cleavage by background peptidases or proteases.
US08110549B2

The invention relates to relatively short peptides (termed α-conotoxins herein), about 10-30 residues in length, which are naturally available in minute amounts in the venom of the cone snails or analogous to the naturally available peptides, and which preferably include two disulfide bonds.
US08110541B2

The present invention relates to fluorocarbon vectors for the delivery of antigens to immunoresponsive target cells. It further relates to fluorocarbon vector-antigen constructs and the use of such vectors associated with antigens as vaccines and immunotherapeutics in animals.
US08110537B2

A liquid detergent composition is described. The liquid detergent composition includes an emulsion having a water phase and an oil phase. The liquid detergent composition includes a detersive amount of a nonionic surfactant component, an emulsion stabilizing amount of a cationic surfactant component, about 5 wt. % to about 94 wt. % water, and at least about 5 wt. % of a suspended particulate component. A detergent use solution and methods for using a liquid detergent composition are described.
US08110533B1

A liquid cleansing composition is provided which includes from 5 to 25% by weight of a fatty acids mixture and from 30 to 90% by weight of water, wherein the fatty acids mixture is present in a weight amount greater than a total of all surfactants other than soap present in the composition. Further, the fatty acids mixture is 70-95% of lauric and myristic fatty acids in a weight ratio from 9:1 to 1:2, and 5-30% C16-C20 fatty acid, all by weight of the fatty acids mixture. Still further, 60-90 mole % of the fatty acids mixture is neutralized into soap.
US08110529B2

Liquid aqueous formulations of water-soluble active crop protectant ingredients which comprise (a) one or more water-soluble active crop protectant ingredients (type (a) ingredients), (b) one or more water-dispersed active crop protectant ingredients (type (b) ingredients), (c) one or more surfactants from the class of the polyacrylic acid derivatives, (d) one or more aluminum silicates as stabilizer(s), (e) if desired, further anionic or nonionic, cationic and/or zwitterionic surfactants, (f) if desired, other customary formulation assistants, and (g) water are suitable as stable coformulations for use in crop protection.
US08110527B2

The present invention discloses an alumina support having multiple pore structure, wherein the alumina support has a specific surface area of from 40 to 160 m2/g and a total pore volume of from 0.3 to 1.2 cm3/g; a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of less than 30 nm comprises 5 to 60% of the total pore volume; a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of from 30 to 60 nm comprises 20 to 75% of the total pore volume; and a pore volume of pores having a pore diameter of larger than 60 nm comprises 20 to 60% of the total pore volume. The present invention further discloses a catalyst used for selective hydrogenation of a pyrolysis gasoline, comprising: (a) the alumina support according to the invention; and (b) 0.01 to 1.2 wt. % of metal palladium or palladium oxides, based on the weight of the alumina support.
US08110518B2

Supported catalyst systems and methods of forming the same are described herein. In one specific embodiment, the methods generally include providing an inorganic support material and contacting the inorganic support material with an aluminum fluoride compound represented by the formula AlFpX3-pBq to form an aluminum fluoride impregnated support, wherein X is selected from Cl, Br and OH−, B is H2O, p is selected from 1 to 3 and q is selected from 0 to 6. The method further includes contacting the aluminum fluoride impregnated support with a transition metal compound to form a supported catalyst system, wherein the transition metal compound is represented by the formula [L]mM[A]n; wherein L is a bulky ligand, A is a leaving group, M is a transition metal and m and n are such that a total ligand valency corresponds to the transition metal valency.
US08110516B2

An object is to provide a sintered body having a sufficiently higher polishing rate than a conventional AlTiC sintered body and providing a sufficiently smooth air bearing surface. The sintered body according to the present invention consists of Al2O3 and a compound represented by the chemical formula (1) below: TiCxOy  (1) wherein x+y≦1, x>0 and 0.3
US08110506B2

Methods of forming a semiconductor device can be provided by simultaneously forming a plurality of mask patterns using self-aligned reverse patterning, including respective mask pattern elements having different widths.
US08110492B2

Disclosed in this specification is a semiconductor package with a die attach pad and a lead frame which are electrically and mechanically connected to one another through a conductive wire ribbon. Such a configuration reduces the package footprint and also permits different styles of die attach pads and lead frames to be interchanged, thus reducing production costs.
US08110486B2

A semiconductor wafer is produced at a step of forming a lattice relaxation or a partly lattice-relaxed strain relaxation SiGe layer on an insulating layer in a SOI wafer comprising an insulating layer and a SOI layer, wherein at least an upper layer side portion of the SiGe layer is formed on the SOI layer at a gradient of Ge concentration gradually decreasing toward the surface and then subjected to a heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere.
US08110483B2

Solutions for forming an extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) layer are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a wafer including a plurality of semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) layer regions separated by at least one shallow trench isolation (STI); amorphizing the plurality of SOI layer regions by implanting the plurality of SOI layer regions with an implant species; and removing a portion of the amorphized SOI layer region to form at least one recess in the amorphized SOI layer region.
US08110481B2

To provide a method of segmenting a semiconductor wafer, which is capable of preventing chippings.A semiconductor wafer 1 is partitioned into a circumferential ring-shaped region 1a and a segmentation region placed in the inner side of the ring-shaped region 1a. The semiconductor wafer 1 included in the segmentation region is cut into the form of a lattice along a plurality of perpendicular cutting lines 4 and is segmented into a plurality of chips 2. On the other hand, the semiconductor wafer 1 included in the ring-shaped region 1a is cut along two partition lines 5 extending in parallel to the cutting lines 4 from the center O of the semiconductor wafer 1 and is partitioned into four independent regions.
US08110480B2

A photovoltaic cell device, e.g., solar cell, solar panel, and method of manufacture. The device has an optically transparent substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface. A first thickness of material (e.g., semiconductor material, single crystal material) having a first surface region and a second surface region is included. In a preferred embodiment, the surface region is overlying the first surface of the optically transparent substrate. The device has an optical coupling material provided between the first surface region of the thickness of material and the first surface of the optically transparent material.
US08110460B2

A method for producing stacked and self-aligned components on a substrate, including: providing a substrate made of monocrystalline silicon having one face enabling production of components, forming a stack of layers on the face of the substrate, selective etching by a gaseous mixture comprising gaseous HCl conveyed by a carrier gas and at a temperature between 450° C. and 900° C., depositing resin, implementing lithography of the resin, replacing resin eliminated during the lithography with a material for confining remaining resin, and forming elements of the components.
US08110459B2

A semiconductor device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate, an n-channel MOSFET formed on the substrate and a p-channel MOSFET formed on the substrate. A first layer is formed to cover the n-channel MOSFET, wherein the first layer has a first flexure-induced stress. A second layer is formed to cover the p-channel MOSFET, wherein the second layer has a second flexure-induced stress.
US08110452B2

A lower substrate for a liquid crystal display device and the method of making the same are disclosed. The method includes steps of: (a) providing a substrate; (b) forming a patterned transparent layer having plural recess on the substrate; (c) forming a first barrier layer on the surface of the recess; (d) coating a first metal layer on the first barrier layer and making the surfaces of the first metal layer and the transparent layer in substantially the same plane; and (e) forming a first insulated layer and a semi-conductive layer in sequence. The method further can optionally comprise the steps of: (f) forming a patterned second metal layer, wherein part of the semi-conductive layer is exposed, thus forming the source electrode and the drain electrode; and (g) forming a transparent electrode layer on part of the transparent layer and part of the second metal layer.
US08110449B2

The HVIC includes a dielectric layer and an SOI active layer stacked on a silicon substrate, a transistor formed in the surface of the SOI active layer, and a trench isolation region formed around the transistor. The dielectric layer includes a first buried oxide film formed in the surface of the silicon substrate, a shield layer formed below the first buried oxide film opposite the element area, a second buried oxide film formed around the shield layer, and a third buried oxide film formed below the shield layer and the second buried oxide film. Therefore, the potential distribution curves PC within the dielectric layer are low in density and a high withstand voltage is achieved.
US08110447B2

A lead frame with patterned conductive runs on the top surface to accept a wire bonded or flip-chip or COL configuration is disclosed. The top pattern is completed and the bottom is etched away creating cavities. The cavities are filled with a pre-mold material that lend structural support of the lead frame. The top is then etch through the lead frame to the pre-mold, except with the top conductive runs exist. In this manner the conductive runs are completed and isolated from each other so that the placement of the runs is flexible. The chips are mounted and the encapsulated and the lead frames are singulated. The pattern on the top and the bottom may be defined by first plated the patterns desired.
US08110446B2

A method of making a semiconductor chip assembly includes providing a post and a base, mounting an adhesive on the base including inserting the post into an opening in the adhesive, mounting a conductive layer on the adhesive including aligning the post with an aperture in the conductive layer, then flowing the adhesive into and upward in a gap located in the aperture between the post and the conductive layer, solidifying the adhesive, then providing a conductive trace that includes a pad, a terminal and a selected portion of the conductive layer, mounting a semiconductor device on a heat spreader that includes the post and the base, electrically connecting the semiconductor device to the conductive trace and thermally connecting the semiconductor device to the heat spreader.
US08110439B2

An electronic component is disclosed including a plurality of stacked semiconductor packages. A first such embodiment includes an internal connector for electrically coupling the stacked semiconductor packages. A second such embodiment includes an external connector for electrically coupling the stacked semiconductor packages.
US08110438B2

A method and apparatus for assembling a semiconductor device. A chip (901) with solder bodies (903) on its contact pads is flipped onto a substrate (904). After the reflow process, a gap (910) spaces chip and substrate apart. A polymer precursor is selected for its viscosity of known temperature dependence. The apparatus has a plate (800) with heating and cooling means to select and control a temperature profile from location to location across the plate. After preheating, the assembly is placed on a mesa (801) of the plate configured to heat only a portion of the substrate. Movable capillaries (840, 921) blow cooled gas onto selected locations of the assembly. After the temperature profile is reached, a quantity of the precursor is deposited at a chip side and pulled into the gap by capillary action. The capillary flow is controlled by controlling the precursor viscosity based on the temperature profile, resulting in a substantially linear front, until the gap is filled substantially without voids.
US08110434B2

A circuit board has a curved portion provided in at least one side of an external shape thereof. An external connecting terminal is provided on a first main surface of the circuit board. A semiconductor element is mounted on a second main surface of the circuit board. A first wiring network is provided in a region except the terminal region on the first main surface. A second wiring network is provided on the second main surface. Distance from the side including the curved portion to the first wiring network is larger than distance from at least one of the other sides to the first wiring networks, and distance from the side including the curved portion to the second wiring network is larger than distance from at least one of the other sides to the second wiring networks.
US08110433B2

A method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor is disclosed, which comprises steps of (S1) forming a gate electrode on a substrate; (S2) forming a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode; (S3) providing a gas on the surface of the gate insulating layer to form hydrophobic molecules on the surface of the gate insulating layer; (S4) forming an organic semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode over the gate insulating layer having hydrophobic molecules thereon, wherein the gas of step (S3) is at least one selected from the group consisting of halogen-substituted hydrocarbon, un-substituted hydrocarbon, and the mixtures thereof. The method of the present invention utilizes gases comprising carbon or fluorine atom to perform surface treatment on the surface of the gate insulating layer, therefore the hydrophobic character of the surface of the gate insulating layer can be enhanced and the electrical properties of the OTFT can be improved. Also, a method of surface treatment for the gate insulating layer is disclosed.
US08110432B1

Thin film transistor substrates with conductor components in conjunction therewith, and related methods of fabrication.
US08110419B2

An inline process for manufacturing a photovoltaic device on a removable substrate is disclosed. The process discloses two semiconductor layers forming an active region; at least one of the semiconductor layers is formed by a high-purity plasma spray process; optional layers include a release layer, one or more barrier layers, a cap layer, a conductive support layer, a mechanical support layer, an anti-reflection layer, and distributed Bragg reflector. The process may also be used to form multiple active regions.
US08110408B2

This invention discloses using SPR technology to simultaneously and quantitatively measure the concentrations of diabetes related immunological makers in a serum sample, which can be used to diagnose and/or early diagnose diabetes as well as to predict the onset risk of diabetes in first-degree relatives. It also discloses an efficient formula to make a mixed SAM that can greatly enhance the immobilization ability of the metal surface in SPR based techniques, which is good for the immobilization of relevant antigens and antibodies used for the detection of respective diabetes related immunological makers in a serum sample.
US08110407B2

Disclosed is a fluorescent semiconductor microparticle assembly comprising at least three kinds of fluorescent semiconductor microparticles with an average particle size of from 1 to 10 nm, having the same chemical composition, a different average particle size and a different emission maximum wavelength in the emission spectra, wherein a standard deviation of emission intensity in each of the at least three kinds of fluorescent semiconductor microparticles is not more than 15%.
US08110400B2

A method for the differentiation of mammalian pluripotent stem (PS) cells into a mortal multi-lineage progenitor cell population is provided which comprises culturing the pluripotent stem cells in the presence of Hyaluronan (HA). The mortal multi-lineage progenitor cell population may be a population of mesenchymal stem cells. The mortal multi-lineage progenitor cell population may form cells of the mesodermal lineage, suitably osteoblasts. Alternatively, the mortal multi-lineage progenitor cell population may form cells of the endodermal lineage or of the ectodermal lineage, which may be neuronal progenitors.
US08110396B2

The invention relates to a thermocycler module for heating and/or cooling of a thermocycling device comprising a thermal switch, a heating block and a heat sink. The thermal switch comprises a thermoconducting liquid, e.g. a magnetic fluid or a liquid metal, and a stimulating unit, e.g. a magnetic unit or a Lorentz-force unit, for moving the thermoconducting liquid. The movement of the thermoconducting liquid provides, in an on-state of the thermal switch, a thermal connection between the heating block and the heat sink.
US08110395B2

Certain embodiments and aspects of the present invention relate to a photobioreactor including covered photobioreactor units through which a liquid medium stream and a gas stream flow. The liquid medium comprises at least one species of phototrophic organism therein. Certain methods of using the photobioreactor system as part of fuel generation system and/or a gas-treatment process or system at least partially remove certain undesirable pollutants from a gas stream. In certain embodiments, a portion of the liquid medium is diverted from a photobioreactor unit and reintroduced upstream of the diversion position. In certain embodiments, the disclosed photobioreactor system, methods of using such systems, and/or gas treatment apparatus and methods provided herein can be used as part of an integrated combustion method and system, wherein photosynthetic organisms used within the photobioreactor are harvested from the photobioreactor, processed, and used as a fuel source for a combustion system such as an electric power plant.
US08110385B2

A linear biodevice is provided with fibers that have a curved portion in its cross section approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and approximately spherical adhesive cells that adhere to the periphery of the fiber. A membrane-like biodevice is provided with a sheet that has an opening and approximately spherical adhesive cells that adhere to the opening. A curved portion is present in the cross section on an inner edge of the opening. A bioreactor is provided with a membrane-like biodevice in which spherical adhesive cells grow densely so as to close the openings of the sheet.
US08110378B2

Nucleic acids encoding mammalian, e.g., primate, receptors, purified receptor proteins and fragments thereof. Antibodies, both polyclonal and monoclonal, are also provided. Methods of using the compositions for both diagnostic and therapeutic utilities are described.
US08110367B2

The present invention relates to methods for diagnosing the presence and progress of pathologies characterized by an accumulation of the extracellular matrix components by measuring the level of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) in a sample. The method of the present invention is directed to diagnosing kidney fibrosis and associated renal disorders, in particular, complications associated with diabetes, hyperglycemia, and hypertension.
US08110352B2

The invention relates to method of diagnosing and treating cancer, in particular β-catenin related cancers. The invention further relates to methods of identifying CTNNB1 related cancer CTNNB1 therapeutics.
US08110345B2

Provided are a high resolution lithography system and method. In one example, a method for producing a pattern on a substrate includes separating the pattern into at least a first sub-pattern containing lines oriented in a first direction and a second sub-pattern containing lines oriented in a second direction. Lines oriented in the first direction are created on a first layer of photosensitive material on the substrate using a first standing wave interference pattern. A portion of the created lines are trimmed to create the first sub-pattern. A second layer of photosensitive material is applied to the substrate after creating the first sub-pattern. Lines oriented in the second direction are created on the second layer using a second standing wave interference pattern. A portion of the created lines are trimmed to create the second sub-pattern.
US08110334B2

A radiation-sensitive composition containing a resist compound having a high sensitivity, a high resolution, a high etching resistance, and a low outgas which forms a resist pattern with a good shape is described. Further described is a method of forming a resist pattern using the radiation-sensitive composition. Still further described are a novel composition for forming a photoresist under coat film which is excellent in optical properties and etching resistance and contains substantially no sublimable substance and an under coat film formed by the composition. Still further described are a radiation-sensitive composition containing a solvent and a cyclic compound having a specific structure, for example, a cyclic compound (A) having a molecular weight of 700 to 5000 which is synthesized by the condensation reaction of a compound having 2 to 59 carbon atoms and 1 to 4 formyl groups (aldehyde compound (A1)) with a compound having 6 to 15 carbon atoms and 1 to 3 phenolic hydroxyl groups (phenol compound (A2)), and a cyclic compound for use in the radiation-sensitive composition.
US08110330B2

To provide a toner that contains at least a binder resin, a colorant, a releasing agent and zeolite, the toner being manufactured through O/W type wet granulation and having an average circularity of 0.970 or greater, and a developer and image forming method using the toner.
US08110319B2

An interconnect for a fuel cell stack includes a first set of gas flow channels in a first portion of the interconnect, and a second set of gas flow channels in second portion of the interconnect. The channels of the first set have a larger cross sectional area than the channels of the second set.
US08110312B2

A fuel cell system and a starting method therefore prevent problems when the system is started. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery that is electrically connected with the fuel cell, and a cell temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the fuel cell. Energy which is necessary for starting the fuel cell system is calculated based on the temperature of the fuel cell detected by the cell temperature sensor. The calculated value is used as a threshold for determining a start-up mode of the fuel cell system.
US08110310B2

Coal is reacted in a furnace 22 to obtain a coal gasification gas. The coal gasification gas is cooled by a gas cooler 23, passed through a porous filter 24, and desulfurized by a desulfurizer 25 to produce a CO-containing gas as an anode. The CO gas-containing gas is subjected to an exothermic reaction in a shift reactor 26 to form H2 and CO2, and the anode gas containing H2 is supplied to an anode 7 of MCFC 2. Thus, in the absence of an extra heat source and a heat exchange source, a desired anode gas is obtained from the coal gasification gas, and with heat buildup of the MCFC 2 being inhibited and its performance being maintained, reduction of CO2 is taken into consideration. A power generating plant equipped with the MCFC 2 capable of using a coal gasification fuel substantially containing a CO gas is thus achieved.
US08110305B2

A rechargeable lithium battery including: a negative electrode comprising lithium-vanadium oxide having the following Formula 1 and being capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions, and a carbon-based material; a positive electrode comprising a positive active material capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium ions; and an electrolyte comprising a monomer including alkylene oxide and a reactive double bond, a lithium salt, and a non-aqueous organic solvent. LixMyVzO2+d  Chemical Formula 1 In Formula 1, 0.1≦x≦2.5, 0≦y≦0.5, 0.5≦z≦1.5, 0≦d≦0.5, and M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Cr, Mo, Ti, W, and Zr.
US08110294B2

A fluorene compound and an organic light-emitting element including the fluorene compound are provided. The fluorene compound is represented by the following general formula [1], and the fluorene compound is a material for an organic light-emitting element. A steric hindrance group is introduced directly on a fluorene ring in the fluorene compound.
US08110293B2

Provided is a white organic light emitting device including an anode, a cathode and an organic layer disposed therebetween, the organic layer having a structure wherein an arrangement of a green emissive layer and a blue emissive layer is formed on both surfaces of a red emissive layer such that the resultant structure is symmetrical around the red emissive layer, and a spacer layer is disposed between opposing surfaces of the blue emissive layer and the green emissive layer, where the white organic light emitting device including this structure exhibits a constant luminescence spectra irrespective of any change in current density. A method of forming the white organic light emitting device is also disclosed.
US08110292B2

The present invention provides high strength steel plate with excellent low temperature toughness, high strength steel pipe using this as a base metal, and methods of production of the same. The steel plate of the present invention contains Mo: 0.05 to 1.00% and B: 0.0003 to 0.0100%, has a Ceq of 0.30 to 0.53, has a Pcm of 0.10 to 0.20, and has a metal structure which has an area percentage of polygonal ferrite of 20 to 90% and has a balance of a hard phase comprised of one or both of bainite and martensite. To obtain this steel plate, strain-introducing rolling is performed with a start temperature of not more than Ar3+60° C., an end temperature of Ar3 or more, and a reduction ratio of 1.5 or more, then the plate is air-cooled and then acceleratedly cooled from Ar3−100° C. to Ar3−10° C. in temperature by 10° C./s or more.
US08110286B2

A peelable sealing structure includes a sealing layer and one or more optional additional layers. The peelable sealing structure includes a sealing surface that is formable into a peelable seal upon contact with a sealing substrate at all temperatures in a peelable seal temperature range. Moreover, the peelable sealing structure comprises a thermoplastic polymer and an additive dispersed within at least a portion of the thermoplastic polymer with the peelable sealing structure defining the sealing surface.
US08110284B2

The invention relates to microcapsules having a core material encapsulated within a microcapsular shell, the core material comprises at least one active ingredient, wherein the microcapsular shell comprises at least one inorganic polymer comprising polymerized precursors obtained by in-situ polymerization of the precursors; wherein the concentration of the core material based total weight of the microcapsules is above 95% w/w. The invention further relates to a composition and to a suspension comprising the microcapsules. The invention additionally relates to a process for preparing the microcapsules.
US08110283B2

An article includes a membrane having pores and that is air permeable. A nanoparticle precursor is dispersed throughout the pores, and the nanoparticle precursor is responsive to a stimulus to form a catalytically active nanoparticle. An associated method is also provided.
US08110275B2

Mixed particles including noble metal particles of a noble metal, first particles of one or more metal oxides, and second particles of a metal oxide. The first particles of one or more metal oxides are selected from Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2 and TiO2. The second particles of a metal oxide have a larger adsorptive interaction with the noble metal of the noble metal particles as compared with the metal oxide of the first particles. The noble metal particles are carried by the second particles in a larger proportion than by the first particles.
US08110269B2

A frictional holding pad removably attaches handheld items, such as a cell phone, to a surface, such as a dash, to allow storage of handheld items on the surface with the pad to prevent the items from shifting or sliding due to the movement of the support surface. A smoother application side of the pad clings to the handheld item by specific or mechanical adhesion, and a contoured exposed side of the pad clings to the surface by specific or mechanical adhesion. The smoother application side of the pad can have a greater surface area than the contoured exposed side so the pad remains with the handheld item when removed from the surface. Indicia can be formed on the pad. The pad can be translucent or transparent. The pad can include an expanded vinyl material or a polyurethane material.
US08110267B2

An artificial or modified natural blood flow tubing has a helical-flow inducer to induce helical flow in such a fashion as to eliminate or reduce turbulence. One inducer is a tubular stent of expansible mesh having a helical vane.
US08110263B2

The double packing materials according to the present invention which primarily packs the infusion solution with a polypropylene packing material and secondarily vacuum packs and hermetically seals the packed polyethylene packing material with a material including an aluminum foil ensures safety of the content therein from light and has high thermal resistance and excellent preservation properties that resists to the damage and tearing by external force on long-term storage despite that it is not stored in dark place, and thus is very useful as the packing material for storing expensive infusion solution such as the contrast medium which is radiological diagnostic solution.
US08110260B2

A container for a moisture-sensitive product. The container has an openable container body defining an interior volume for holding the product. More specifically, a rigid container defining an interior volume for holding a moisture-sensitive product, and comprising at least an inner layer and an outer layer, the inner and outer layers being coextruded layers, the inner layer comprising a polymeric material and a desiccant material, the outer layer comprising a moisture-barrier material.
US08110258B2

A glazing unit has a at least one self-supporting insert of light-transmissive insulation material in the form of honeycomb arrangement of cells sandwiched in a gap between a pair of glass lites. A granular, light-transmissive, thermally insulating filler, such as silica aerogel, substantially fills the cells.
US08110252B2

The invention is directed to a solution and process for improving the solderability of a metal surface. In one embodiment, the invention is a silver deposit solution comprising an acid, a source of silver ions, and an additive selected from among pyrroles, triazoles, and tetrazoles, as well as derivatives and mixtures of those components. In another embodiment, the silver deposit solution also includes a 6-membered heterocyclic ring compound, wherein three members of the 6-membered heterocyclic ring are nitrogen atoms. Still another embodiment is a process for improving the solderability of a metal surface which involves applying a silver deposit solution as previously described to a metal surface.
US08110248B2

A fuel cell structure comprises a diffusion layer and/or a catalyst layer which are made of a carbonaceous porous material having a nano-size structure, such as carbon nanowall (CNW). A method of manufacturing the structure is also disclosed. The structure and method simplify the process of manufacturing a fuel cell electrode comprised of an electrode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer. The electrical conductivity of the catalyst layer is increased and the diffusion efficiency of the diffusion layer is improved, whereby the electricity generation efficiency of the fuel cell can be improved.
US08110247B2

A method of depositing various materials onto heat-sensitive targets, particularly oxygen-sensitive materials. Heat-sensitive targets are generally defined as targets that have thermal damage thresholds that are lower than the temperature required to process a deposited material. The invention uses precursor solutions and/or particle or colloidal suspensions, along with optional pre-deposition treatment and/or post-deposition treatment to lower the laser power required to drive the deposit to its final state. The present invention uses Maskless Mesoscale Material Deposition (M3D™) to perform direct deposition of material onto the target in a precise, highly localized fashion. Features with linewidths as small as 4 microns may be deposited, with little or no material waste. A laser is preferably used to heat the material to process it to obtain the desired state, for example by chemical decomposition, sintering, polymerization, and the like. This laser processing may be performed in an ambient environment with laser powers of less than 100 milliwatts. Cover gases and/or forming gases may be used during thermal processing to change the material properties, for example by preventing oxidation.
US08110245B2

There is provided a semiconductor device comprising: a first plating layer formed on one surface of an interconnect pattern; a second plating layer formed within through holes in the interconnect pattern; a semiconductor chip electrically connected to the first plating layer; an anisotropic conductive material provided on the first plating layer; and a conductive material provided on the second plating layer, wherein the first plating layer has appropriate adhesion properties with the anisotropic conductive material, and the second plating layer has appropriate adhesion properties with the conductive material.
Patent Agency Ranking