US08244106B2
Apparatus and methods are provided which facilitate the resolution of recording conflicts of a digital video recorder (DVR). A DVR identifies a recording conflict between a first recording timer associated with a first television program and a second recording timer associated with a second television program. A communication is initiated to a communication device associated with a user of the digital video recorder to inform the user of the recording conflict. Responsive to the communication, the user provides information to the DVR via the communication device requesting to resolve the recording conflict. The DVR utilizes the provided information to modify one or more of the conflicted recording timers to resolve the conflict.
US08244101B2
An entertainment system, having a capability to playback a stored digital video record that includes frames of video data received from a television broadcast system, approximates ranges of frames in a digital video record that are either commercials or non-commercials. The system also approximates frames that are either a beginning or an ending of a commercial or a non-commercial. The system then associates as a commercial two of the approximated frames that are a beginning or an ending of a commercial or a non-commercial and one or more of the approximated ranges there between until a predetermined percentage of the playback time of the digital video record is taken up by the associated commercials.
US08244096B2
An optical disk device includes a reproduction component, a determination component, a memory component, a communication component, and an output component. The reproduction component reproduces contents stored in optical disks. The determination component determines genres of the contents while the reproduction component reproduces the contents. The memory component stores a first table that associates each of the genres that have been determined by the determination component with a reproduction counter that indicates a number of times the reproduction component has reproduced the contents that belong to each of the genres. The communication component downloads from a server advertising data corresponding to one of the genres stored in the first table. The one of the genres is selected based on the reproduction counter of the first table. The output component outputs an advertisement based on the advertising data that is downloaded by the communication component.
US08244092B2
One embodiment provides a method of testing humidity, comprising: i) determining a property of a device which encloses a plurality of interferometric modulators and ii) determining a relative humidity value or a degree of the relative humidity inside the device based at least in part upon the determined property, wherein the determined property comprises at least one of i) the thickness and width of a seal of the device and ii) adhesive permeability of a component of the device. In one embodiment, the determined property further comprises at least one of the following: i) temperature-humidity combination inside the device, ii) a desiccant capacity inside the device and iii) a device size.
US08244088B2
A large diameter optical waveguide, grating, and laser includes a waveguide having at least one core surrounded by a cladding, the core propagating light in substantially a few transverse spatial modes; and having an outer waveguide dimension of said waveguide being greater than about 0.3 mm. At least one Bragg grating may be impressed in the waveguide. The waveguide may be axially compressed which causes the length of the waveguide to decrease without buckling. The waveguide may be used for any application where a waveguide needs to be compression tuned. Also, the waveguide exhibits lower mode coupling from the core to the cladding and allows for higher optical power to be used when writing gratings without damaging the waveguide. The waveguide may resemble a short “block” or a longer “cane” type, depending on the application and dimensions used.
US08244086B2
An optical device and methods of using an optical device are provided. The optical device includes a hollow-core fiber including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a hollow core having a first diameter. The second portion includes a hollow core having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The difference between the first diameter and the second diameter is less than 10% of the first diameter.
US08244080B2
The present invention provides a production process for a photoelectric composite substrate having an excellent productivity, comprising a step in which a sheet-like adhesive is stuck to an optical waveguide, a step in which a supporting base material of the above sheet-like adhesive is peeled off to prepare the optical waveguide provided with the adhesive, a step in which the above optical waveguide provided with the adhesive is adhered to an electric wiring board to prepare the electric wiring board provided with the optical waveguide and a step in which an optical path conversion mirror is formed in the optical waveguide of the above electric wiring board provided with the optical waveguide, a photoelectric composite substrate produced by using the above production process and a photoelectric composite module produced by using the above photoelectric composite substrate.
US08244079B2
Provided are a light emitting device and an optical coupling module. The device includes a substrate, a light emitting part provided to the substrate, and a reflecting part provided to a lower surface of the substrate. The light emitting part includes an active pattern disposed on the substrate, an upper mirror provided to an upper portion of the active pattern, and a lower mirror provided to a lower portion of the active pattern. The light emitting part may emit light normal to the substrate, and the reflecting part may reflect the emitted light to a side surface of the substrate.
US08244074B2
Embodiments include an apparatus, device, method, and computer program product. In an embodiment, a device includes a handheld writing device that includes a writing element, and a writing detector module operable to generate information indicative of a handwriting movement of the writing element. The device also includes a context detector module operable to generate information indicative of a content portion of a document proximate to the handwriting movement of the writing element.
US08244062B2
An image processing method comprises analyzing an image of a portion of text, and detecting the inter-line spacing and the inter-word spacing across the area of the image. Based on the inter-line and inter-word spacings, a quadrilateral shape is derived which represents the deformation of the text image from an undistorted image. The image is modified to perform perspective correction based on the derived quadrilateral.
US08244058B1
Various methods and apparatus for removing artifacts in frequency domain processing of light-field images are described. Methods for the reduction or removal of the artifacts are described that include methods that may be applied during frequency domain processing and a method that may be applied during post-processing of resultant angular views. The methods may be implemented in software as or in a light-field frequency domain processing module. The described methods include an oversampling method to determine the correct centers of slices, a phase multiplication method to determine the correct centers of slices, a method to exclude low-energy slices, and a cosmetic correction method.
US08244052B2
The present invention discloses the video coding method using image data skipping. Said method detects whether the encoded macro-block has to be skipped and terminated by a likelihood ratio test prior to mode decision. Therefore, the computation burden such as motion estimating and compensating can be properly eliminated. In one embodiment, the skipping likelihood ratio is composed of the encoded block and its predictions associated with the skipping displacement. While the decision threshold adapts according to the mode decision and detection statistics, the false detection and rate-distortion are substantially preserved.
US08244045B2
A method, system, and machine-readable medium for classifying an image element as one of a plurality of categories, including assigning the image element based on a ratio between an unoccluded perimeter of the image element and an occluded perimeter of the image element and coding the image element according to a coding scheme associated with the category to which the image element is classified. Exemplary applications include image compression, where categories include image foreground and background layers.
US08244043B2
A computer-implemented method for moving information between computing devices includes capturing a digital image of a display of a first computing device using a camera of a second computing device, transmitting, to the first computing device, data that corresponds to the digital image; analyzing the transmitted data on the first computing device to determine whether the digital image matches a current display of the first computing device, and using the analysis to cause one of the first or second computing devices to invoke an application and match a state of an application that is executing on the other of the first or second computing devices.
US08244038B2
Systems and methods are described that facilitate dominant point detection for text in a scanned document. The dominant points are classified as “major” (e.g., structural) and “minor” (e.g., serif). A set of rules or parameters for each character is determined off-line. During the text vectorization, OCR is performed and the rules (parameters) associated with the recognized character are selected. Both major and minor dominant points are detected as a maximization process with the parameter set. For minor dominant points, additional processes are optionally employed.
US08244023B2
A shape measuring device includes: a slit pattern projection unit (1) for projecting a slit light onto a test object (20); an imaging lens (3) and a plane parallel plate (4) for forming a plurality of slit images, which is generated when the slit light is reflected by the object (20), separated in a direction perpendicular to a slit base line direction; an imaging unit (5) for picking up the plurality of slit images and generating a plurality of slit picture images; an XYZ stage drive unit (12) for relatively moving the slit light and the test object (20) in a direction different from the slit base line direction of the slit light; a slit picture image selection unit (8) for comparing the brightness of each pixel of slit picture image on the slit base line direction, and selecting a slit picture image having an optimum brightness to determine the shape of the test object (20) on the slit base line direction, and acquiring image data to determine the shape of the test object (20); and a shape computing unit (9) for computing a shape of the test object (20) using a relative position of the slit light with respect to the test object (20) and the slit picture image data.
US08244021B2
A biological sample such as a tissue section is stained with one or more quantum dots and possibly other fluorophores (total number of fluorophores N). A camera coupled to a microscope generates an image of the specimen at a plurality of different wavelengths within the emission spectral band of the N fluorophores. An analysis module calculates coefficients C1 . . . CN at each pixel from the set of images and reference spectral data for the N fluorophores. The coefficients C1 . . . CN are related to the concentration of each of the individual fluorophores at each pixel location. Morphological processing instructions find biological structures, e.g., cells, cellular components, genes, etc., in the images of the specimen. Quantitative analysis is performed on the identified biological structures. A display module displays the quantitative analysis results to the user, along with images of the specimen. The images can include images constructed from one or more of the coefficients C1 . . . CN. The quantitative analysis display includes histograms of the biological structures, scatter plots of fluorophore concentrations, statistical data, spectral data and still others.
US08244020B2
A method and system for intelligent digital subtraction is disclosed. The method and system for intelligent digital subtraction can be used in a roadmap application for a coronary intervention. A mask image is obtained with vessels highlighted by contrast media. A guide wire is inserted into the vessels, and a guide wire image is obtained. A direct subtraction image is generated from the guide wire image and the mask image. A reduced noise subtraction image is generated based on mutual image information between the subtraction image and the guide wire image and mutual image information between the subtraction image and the mask image.
US08244018B2
A machine-implemented display method that, with respect to a volume dataset being rendered, enables a user to navigate to any position in space and look in any direction. Preferably, the volume dataset is derived from a computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. With the described approach, the user can see details within the dataset that are not available using conventional visualization approaches. The freedom-of-motion capability allows the user to go to places (positions) within the volume rendering that are not otherwise possible using conventional “orbit” and “zoom” display techniques. Thus, for example, using the described approach, the display image enables a user to travel inside physical structures (e.g., a patient's heart, brain, arteries, and the like).
US08244017B2
A computer implemented method and system for constructing a three dimensional (3D) tomographic image from an object's two dimensional (2D) panoramic image are provided. A first geometrical attribute set in a first coordinate system is assigned to one or more focal troughs. A second geometrical attribute set in a second coordinate system is assigned to the 2D panoramic image. Second geometrical attributes are correlated with first geometrical attributes for reconstructing the 2D panoramic image in multiple dimensions. Multiple defocused elements of the object are determined along the 2D panoramic image's horizontal dimension. A transverse dimension is determined for the reconstructed panoramic image by mapping the defocused elements to a translation along the transverse dimension in the first coordinate system on either side of the center of the focal troughs. The multiple dimensions of the reconstructed panoramic image are transformed into an orthogonal coordinate system to generate the 3D tomographic image.
US08244011B2
A magnetic resonance imaging system (1), comprising a plurality of receiving units (4.1-4.4) for receiving magnetic resonance signals from an object (2), and an image reconstruction device (8), said image reconstruction device being adapted to receive magnetic resonance signals of said object (2) from said plurality of receiving units (4.1-4.4) and to perform image reconstruction by combining magnetic resonance signals received by said plurality of receiving units using an image reconstruction algorithm (11), characterized in that said image reconstruction device (8) comprises means (12a) for combining magnetic resonance signal contributions from respective receiving units (4.1-4.4) in such a way that a combined sensitivity of the plurality of receiving units (4.1-4.4) to a predetermined spatial region of the object (2) is reduced.
US08244006B2
There is a need for providing a finger vein image inputting device that can miniaturize and thin a finger vein authentication apparatus and provide high authentication accuracy. The finger vein image inputting device according to the present invention includes a body, a band pass filter for transmitting only light of a specific wavelength, a light source for applying light to a finger placed over the band pass filter, and an imaging means for imaging transmitted light from the finger. A gradient index lens is provided between the band pass filter and the imaging means and causes refractive-index distribution around an optical axis. A polarizing filter is provided at least one of between the light source and the finger and between the finger and an imaging device.
US08243993B2
A method for moving object detection includes the steps: obtaining successive images of the moving object and dividing the successive images into blocks; selecting one block, calculating color feature values of the block at a current time point and a following time point; according to the color feature values, obtaining an active part of the selected block; comparing the color feature value of the selected block at the current time point with that of the other blocks at the following time point to obtain a similarity relating to each of the other blocks, and defining a maximum similarity as a local correlation part; obtaining a motion-energy patch of the block according to the active part and the local correlation part; repeating the steps to obtain all motion-energy patches to form a motion-energy map; and acquiring the moving object at the current time point in the motion-energy map.
US08243985B2
A watermarking system uses distinct bit patterns to identify a logic 0, a logic 1, and a marker bit, which demarcates segments of logic bit information. Marker bits, which are printed on both foreground and background areas of an image, outline message blocks. In message extraction, a preprocessing step removes any white boarders, identifies the best defined corner of a message block, crops the image, and rotates the image to place the identified corner at the top-left corner. Message extraction scans the rotated image in window segments of increasing size during multiple cycles. During each cycle, if a bit pattern cannot be identified as a data bit, then the size of the examined bit area is increased and rechecked to see it specifically is a marker bit. If no bit information can be definitively identified, then it is assigned a logic bit value based on a 50% random assignment.
US08243980B2
Registration data embedded in an image is used to determine and compensate for geometric transformation of the image. The registration data may include frequency domain features of the image that are used to compute the rotation and/or scaling of the image. The registration method may be used in conjunction with digital watermarking and other signal processing applications.
US08243978B2
A transducer utilizes a sound-producing member positioned in the area of magnetic flux concentration between magnetic poles of opposite polarity. The sound-producing member is variably vibratable in a magnetic structure between the poles to generate acoustic waves, and an acoustic conduit carries the acoustic waves through the magnetic poles e to a location outside the magnetic structure.
US08243973B2
A frame assembly worn to maintain at least one transparent eye panel in front of a wearer's eyes. A processor receives an incoming audio signal and wirelessly transmits it to an earpiece which audibly communicates the incoming signal to the wearer. An outbound microphone assembly picks up an outbound audio signal from the wearer and transmits it to the processor which transmits it to a remote recipient. An ambient microphone assembly picks up an ambient audio signal and transmits it to the processor. The processor is structured to enhance the incoming and/or the outbound audio signal based on the ambient audio signal. The processor transmits a voice component of the ambient audio signal to the earpiece. A camera assembly picks up an outbound visual signal and transmits it to the processor which further transmits it to a remote recipient. A display assembly displays an incoming visual signal.
US08243971B2
An optically unnoticeable and acoustically improved behind-the-ear hearing device having a housing which can be worn behind the ear, a signal processing facility which is arranged in the housing, and which comprises an optoelectrical converter, and at least one optical microphone is provided. The optical microphone is arranged outside the housing and can be positioned in the concha or in the auditory canal. Furthermore, the optical microphone is connected to the signal processing facility by way of an optical wave guide for optical signal transmission purposes. An optical microphone of this type can be realized small and in an unnoticeable fashion on/in an otoplastic, such that during the acoustic recording, the typical frequency behavior through the concha can also be used.
US08243969B2
A method of generating parameters representing Head-Related Transfer Functions, the method comprising the steps of a) sampling with a sample length (n) a first time-domain HRTF impulse response signal using a sampling rate (fs) yielding a first time-discrete signal, b) transforming the first time-discrete signal to the frequency domain yielding a first frequency-domain signal, c) splitting the first frequency-domain signal into sub-bands, and d) generating a first parameter of the sub-bands based on a statistical measure of values of the sub-bands.
US08243967B2
A hand-held electronic device for producing stereo effect sound in both a first and a second orientation of the device. The first and second directions are perpendicular to each other. The device comprises a pair of loudspeakers spaced from each other in two directions perpendicular to each other. One direction always lies in a horizontal plane irrespective of whether the device is in its first or second orientation.
US08243965B2
An electro-acoustic transducer is disclosed. The electro-acoustic transducer includes an electret diaphragm, an orifice plate and a plurality of dividing structures. The dividing structures, disposed between the electret diaphragm and the orifice plate, are cross-shaped. Each of the dividing structures includes two extending portions intersecting with each other.
US08243958B2
The present invention provides a receiver for making an earphone cord of an earphone function as an earphone antenna. The receiver includes a receiver circuit for receiving a broadcast wave signal received at the earphone code of the earphone and outputting an audio signal, an earphone jack into which a earphone plug is inserted, a first detector circuit for detecting whether the earphone is one of stereo and monaural functionalities, and a second detector circuit for the earphone is connected to the receiver. The earphone jack has an antenna terminal, left channel audio terminal and right channel audio terminal, a first detection terminal and a second detection terminal, and a ground terminal.
US08243955B2
A noise attenuation system attenuates noise in an input signal. The system may estimate a power of the input signal, and determine a noise power value based on the input power estimate. The noise power value corresponds to an estimate of a noise power within the input signal. The system may determine an attenuation factor based on the noise power value, and attenuate the input signal by using the attenuation factor.
US08243954B2
A system for regulating the volume and frequency content of audio producing devices, the system includes: one or more noise making objects (NMO) configured with individual sound control devices in electrical communication with a noise management server and one or more audio producing devices configured with individual sound control devices; wherein the sound control devices have electronic logic processing, storage, and communication capabilities; wherein the noise management server utilize the sound control devices to: determine whether the NMO are producing noise in the audible range of one or more audio producing devices; determine a noise characteristic of the one or more NMO; command the one or more NMO to send the noise characteristic to the one or more audio producing devices; and wherein the volume and frequency content of audio produced by the one or more audio producing devices is adjusted in response to the received noise characteristic.
US08243947B2
An image apparatus and method for transmitting audio data are provided. Audio data of diverse formats are combined to form a single set of transmission data and transmitted in serial transmission over a single physical transmission line, so that convenient connection between A/V apparatuses can be provided.
US08243928B2
An authentication method is provided in which a first portable device generates and transmits a first random number and a first timestamp to a first USIM in the first portable device; the first USIM calculates a first sign for the first portable device; the first portable device requests authentication for authenticated communication from a second portable device through transmission of the first random number, the first timestamp, and the first sign to the second portable device; the second portable device generates a second random number and a second timestamp and transmits the information to a second USIM in the second portable device; the second USIM generates a second sign for the second portable device and a second personal key which the second portable device transmits to the first portable device; the first portable device then transmits the information to the first USIM which generates a first personal key for authenticated communication.
US08243921B1
A method of generating a set of clear packets, involves receiving a selectively encrypted stream of data, detecting encrypted packets within the selectively encrypted stream of data, creating the set of clear packets by decrypting the encrypted packets detected within the selectively encrypted stream of data, and storing the set of clear packets as a computer file separate from the selectively encrypted stream of data. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract without departing from the invention.
US08243919B2
When multiplicative splitting is used to hide a scalar in an Elliptic Curve scalar Multiplication ECSM operation, the associated modular division operation employs the known Almost Montgomery Inversion algorithm. By including dummy operations in some of the branches of the main iteration loop of the Almost Montgomery Inversion algorithm, all branches of the algorithm may be viewed, from the perspective of a Power Analysis-based attack, as equivalent and, accordingly, devoid of information useful in determining the value of the scalar, which may be a cryptographic private key.
US08243913B2
This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.
US08243908B2
Systems and methods for restricting the use and movement of telephone system devices are presented. The system includes an interface configured to allow telephone calls to a limited set of telephone numbers or area codes. The interface may be configured to detect a number during a call attempt and compare the number to a stored sequence list of allowed numbers. If the detected number matches one of the allowed numbers, the call attempt is allowed to continue. However, if the detected number does not match a number in the stored sequence list, the call attempt is blocked. The interface may also be configured to restrict the movement of a cellular telephone based on received location data, configured with a physical lock to prevent removal from a docking station, or configured to generate a locking signal inhibiting use of the telephone after it has been moved greater than the predetermined distance.
US08243905B2
Some embodiments provide an architecture for establishing a multi-participant conference. This architecture has one participant's computer in the conference act as a central content distributor for the conference. The central distributor receives data (e.g., video and/or audio streams) from the computer of each other participant, and distributes the received data to the computers of all participants. In some embodiments, the central distributor receives A/V data from the computers of the other participants. From such received data, the central distributor of some embodiments generates composite data (e.g., composite image data and/or composite audio data) that the central distributor distributes back to the participants.
US08243899B2
A method and apparatus for a processing of a call in a telecommunication system is provided. Multiple personalization policies are specified by a callee (106) for a processing of calls. Each personalization policy is based on one or more conditions. Each condition of the multiple personalization policies is evaluated (202). A set of actions then is selected based on the evaluation of the conditions, wherein each action in the set of actions corresponds to a personalization policy. A subset of the set of actions then may be presented (204) to the callee as a set of options, wherein each option corresponds to an action in the subset of the set of actions and wherein an order of the options presented may be based on an algorithms. Thereafter, an option is selected (206) from a set of options, and the call is processed based on the selected option.
US08243893B2
A messaging and alerting service is described. An implementation includes enrolling a customer in the messaging and alert service, storing a list of businesses selected by the customer, storing a customer contact hierarchy list, and contacting the customer according to the contact hierarchy list. The messaging and alerting service enables real-time, interactive alerts to be delivered to customers in the customer's preferred media. In addition, customers may respond to the alerts to provide important directions to a business.
US08243882B2
A method and a system are disclosed for operating an X-ray imaging subsystem with an X-ray imaging detector. Each subsystem may be one of many that could operate with one another to create X-ray images. An association is established between the imaging subsystem and the imaging detector, and a user-perceptible indication of the association is generated. The user may be prompted to confirm the association. Thereafter, the two subsystems may be used together for X-ray imaging. An X-ray source of the imaging subsystem may be disabled until the association is established or until the confirmation is received.
US08243880B2
According to one embodiment of a substrate measuring method, a shape of a unit structure is measured by making an electromagnetic wave incident on a periodical structure and detecting a scattered electromagnetic wave. Measurement conditions are determined through calculation of a scattering profile representing the distribution of scattering intensities of the electromagnetic wave and optimization corresponding to a comparison result obtained by comparing the scattering profile every time a value of a parameter of attention is changed.
US08243873B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a driver circuit including a normally-on thin film transistor, which driver circuit ensures a small malfunction and highly reliable operation. The driver circuit includes a static shift register including an inverter circuit having a first transistor and a second transistor, and a switch including a third transistor. The first to third transistors each include a semiconductor layer of an oxide semiconductor and are depletion-mode transistors. An amplitude voltage of clock signals for driving the third transistor is higher than a power supply voltage for driving the inverter circuit.
US08243867B2
A receiver may include a clock and data recovery circuit, a detection circuit and a sampling clock generator. The clock and data recovery circuit may receive first data and sample the first data to generate recovered data in response to a reception sampling clock signal. The detection circuit may detect a frequency difference between a transmission sampling clock signal and the reception sampling clock signal by comparing the first data and the reception sampling clock signal to generate a frequency difference detection signal. The sampling clock generator may generate the reception sampling clock signal based on the frequency difference detection signal and a first reference clock signal. Therefore, a communication system including the receiver may effectively reduce a jitter noise.
US08243865B2
A disclosed data processing apparatus includes: a binarization unit binarizing input data based on a threshold voltage; a capture unit capturing data from a binary output binarized by the binarization unit; a duty cycle detection unit detecting a duty cycle of the binary output; and a control unit controlling a level of the input data based on the duty cycle detected by the duty cycle detection unit.
US08243856B2
A method and a circuit for detecting a binary state supported by an analog symbol, comprising sampling the symbol with a sampling signal based on a frequency having a period shorter than the duration of a symbol, selecting a number of significant samples smaller than the number of samples which would be obtained with a sampling of the symbol at said frequency, and deciding of the symbol state based on the selected samples.
US08243845B2
A signal transmission system is provided which is capable of simplifying circuits and shortening time required for automatic adjustment of pre-emphasis. A signal having a single pulse pattern is generated by a single pulse pattern generating circuit. A signal having passed through a selector is divided into two signals whose phases are inverted and which are transmitted to a receiving circuit. An eye aperture of an eye waveform in a direction of time is measured by an eye aperture judging section by using the two signals and a sampling clock output from a sampling clock controlling section. An adjustment controlling section compares the measured eye aperture with a target value for judgment and transmits the judgment result to the transmitting circuit, where pre-emphasis is adjusted based on the judgment result.
US08243841B2
The present invention discloses a symbol interleaving and channel mapping device and method as well as a mobile communication system. The symbol interleaving and channel mapping device is used in a transmitter of a mobile communication system, said transmitter receiving the channel state information fed back from a receiver of the mobile communication system; the symbol interleaving and channel mapping device comprises a symbol classification unit for classifying symbols according to their importance; a symbol sub-carrier mapping unit for performing a sub-carrier mapping according to the classification result of said symbol classification unit and the channel state information such that the important symbols correspond to the non deep fading sub-carrier as much as possible.
US08243838B2
Provided is a measurement apparatus that measures power of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing modulated signal (OFDM modulated signal) output from a transmitting device, comprising an output control section that causes the transmitting device to output the OFDM modulated signal having a prescribed waveform that repeats in each of a plurality of repetition periods; and a power measuring section that measures, over a measurement period that corresponds to an integer multiple of the repetition period, the power of the OFDM modulated signal output by the transmitting device. The output control section may cause the transmitting device to output the OFDM modulated signal having, as the repetition period, a period for which the arrangement of a pilot signal is the same in a direction of sub-carriers and a direction of OFDM symbols.
US08243832B1
Space-time coding is applied to a wave transmitter, receiver, or both. In general, the space-time coding is performed by real or synthetic motion of the transmitter or receiver, with the location of energy radiation/reception varying over the symbol duration with at least one occurrence during the symbol duration of a minimum instantaneous speed greater than a quarter of the ratio of the smallest wavelength of the waves divided by the symbol duration, and with coded acceleration of the modification of location to modify the velocity over the symbol duration.
US08243831B2
An image deblocking filter comprises an instruction memory. A decision unit executes instructions stored in the instruction memory to decide a first path or a second path of instruction fetching from the instruction memory to an execution unit. The execution unit is operable to execute a first instruction in the decided path the in one clock cycle. The first instruction represents a complex of three arithmetic operations and two bitwise operations for three variable operands and two constant operands. The first and second paths respectively realize deblocking formulae of a first and a second image compression standard.
US08243826B2
The accuracy of time information set in a packet is improved. Time information calculator 24 calculates time information, using the encoding information received by control information receiver 23 and the encoded stream received by encoded stream receiver 21. When the time information is not pertinent, time information calculator 24 corrects the time information and outputs the corrected time information. Encoded stream packetizer 22 packetizes the encoded stream by setting the time information output by time information calculator 24 into the header portion.
US08243813B2
The moving picture decoding device receives a moving picture bit stream compressed according to a coding method using interframe prediction and 2-dimensional discrete cosine transform. The device generates a decoded picture in a block unit from an interframe prediction picture generated by decoding the bit stream and a prediction residual generated by performing the 2-dimensional discrete cosine transform and integerization processing on a discrete cosine transform coefficient. The device judges, block-by-block, whether it is highly probable that the prediction residual of “0” is obtained by the processing of the 2-dimensional discrete cosine transform and integerization executed by the encoding device when compressing the bit stream. If YES, the interframe prediction picture is selected and outputted. Otherwise, the prediction residual generated by the decoding device is added to the interframe prediction picture so as to obtain a picture, which is selected and outputted.
US08243811B2
Noise filtering data compression removes noise differences from successive frames in a video signal. This is accommodated by accessing successive frames corresponding to a video signal. Frequency domain representations, for example first row and first column coefficients in the quantized DCT result matrix, are used to determine whether the block in the current frame should be considered identical to the corresponding block in the previous frame. If such is the case, the block data is rendered identical such as by overwriting one for the other. This removes any noise differential between the corresponding blocks from the successive frames.
US08243797B2
Quality settings established by an encoder are adjusted based on information associated with regions of interest (“ROIs”). For example, quantization step sizes can be reduced (to improve quality) or increased (to reduce bit rate). ROIs can be identified and quality settings can be adjusted based on input received from a user interface. An overlap setting can be determined for a portion of a picture that corresponds to an ROI overlap area. For example, an overlap setting is chosen from step sizes corresponding to a first overlapping ROI and a second overlapping ROI, or from relative reductions in step size corresponding to the first ROI and the second ROI. ROIs can be parameterized by information (e.g., using data structures) that indicates spatial dimensions of the ROIs and quality adjustment information (e.g., dead zone information, step size information, and quantization mode information).
US08243789B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems and methods for: authorizing the transmission of audiovisual data based on an iterative changing bit budget, where the bit budget may be based on a value of a total size of the set of Network Abstraction Layer units and a value of an initial size of the group of frames; and determining a bit budget remainder and an adjusted bit budget remainder.
US08243777B2
A method and an apparatus for estimating a symbol timing offset in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication system are provided. A Carrier to Interference Ratio (CIR) of an Reference Signal (RS) is acquired using received pilot signals. The RS CIR includes power information on channel components of the RS. A CIR of a Secondary Synchronization Channel (S-SCH) is acquired using the received pilot signals. The S-SCH CIR includes power information on channel components of the S-SCH. Unnecessary channel components are suppressed from the RS CIR using the S-SCH CIR. Real channel components of the RS remain. An observation window is set having a predetermined duration for windowing the real channel components of the RS. A first arriving channel component is searched for within the observation window. A start point of data is estimated using the first arriving channel component.
US08243766B2
A laser diode system is disclosed in which a substrate made of a semiconductor material containing laser diodes is bonded to a substrate made from a metallic material without the use of any intermediate joining or soldering layers between the two substrates. The metal substrate acts as an electrode and/or heat sink for the laser diode semiconductor substrate. Microchannels may be included in the metal substrate to allow coolant fluid to pass through, thereby facilitating the removal of heat from the laser diode substrate. A second metal substrate including cooling fluid microchannels may also be bonded to the laser diode substrate to provide greater heat transfer from the laser diode substrate. The bonding of the substrates at low temperatures, combined with modifications to the substrate surfaces, enables the realization of a low electrical resistance interface and a low thermal resistance interface between the bonded substrates.
US08243756B2
Thus, the exemplary embodiments of the invention describe methods, computer program products and apparatus that provide improved quantization, as may be useful within the context of a communication system (e.g., a wireless communication system) that has a relay node. In one non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, a method includes: receiving a transmission having source data from an information source; determining an estimate of the source data using a quantization technique based on maximizing data throughput; and transmitting a message including the determined estimate towards an information destination.
US08243750B2
A method for Fixed Network Equipment (FNE) to control the three of four and one of four slow associated control channel (SACCH) pattern on an Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Project 25 (P25) trunked voice channel is provided. Knowledge of this pattern by both the FNE and radio allows for unique information to be signaled in each type of SACCH. According to some embodiments, an operation enables controlling the floor (inbound) while there is an independent outbound (floor) (e.g. Console takeover). The provided operation also allows each radio to differentiate inbound floor control signaling from outbound caller identification (ID). Having the infrastructure control the inbound SACCH pattern and communicate this to all radios, makes the correct detection of the transmitted pattern from the radio more reliable.
US08243747B2
A system and method for scalable multifunctional network communication between presentation devices and service providers are disclosed. A group of consumer premise equipment (CPE) units are coupled to the presentation devices, and a headend control computer receives upstream messages from the CPE units and for sending downstream messages to the CPE units. A group of service provider control subsystems interface between the headend control computer and the service providers. The head end control computer receives messages from the CPE units and transports them to the service provider control subsystems, and the headend control computer receives messages from the service provider control subsystems and transports them to the CPE units.
US08243742B2
A service access gateway is described that provides enforcement of service level agreements across geographically remote domains. Each domain can comprise an access tier and a network tier that can be scaled by adding or removing server nodes. At the network tier level, a master node can be selected in each domain in order to maintain budget state information for the domain. Additionally, a global master can be elected in order to maintain the state information across multiple domains such that the service level agreements can be enforced in a synchronized manner. A geographical configuration service can also be implemented to generate alarms in cases where service level agreements across the multiple sites are not identical.
US08243739B2
Disclosed herein are methods and apparatus for operating and deploying a broadband wireless network having at least one data transmission node and a plurality of CPE units, wherein there is a wireless data link at least in part between the data transmission node and the CPE units, and further wherein the management and configuration of the network is managed centrally and at least one of authorization, authentication, data stream prioritization or queuing is accomplished through the operation of the CPE units. According to one embodiment there is provided a user group manager that provides a user interface for at least one local service provider to manage information about end users served by the local service provider. In another embodiment, management and configuration of the network is managed using a device that communicates with CPE units and the data transmission nodes. The system and method further provides a data transmission node that includes routing capability, wherein the data transmission node is located with at least one CPE unit. In another embodiment, a network supervision and management device holds an original configuration file for each CPE unit wherein each CPE unit further includes a configuration file that includes an address reference to one or more of the supervision and management devices thereby providing for connectivity to the supervision and management devices and capability of redundancy when more than one supervision and management device is referenced.
US08243736B2
A next sequence number, which is a sequence number that a next packet should have, is compared with the sequence number of a current packet, an identifier of a previous packet is compared with the identifier of the current packet, and a delay is judged to be a simple delay when the next sequence number matches the sequence number of the current packet and the identifier of the previous packet is followed by the identifier of the current packet. Or the delay is judged to be caused by a retransmission when the identifier of the previous packet is not followed by the identifier of the current packet.
US08243735B2
One embodiment provides a system for forwarding packets with hierarchically structured variable-length identifiers (HSVLIs), wherein the computer includes a processor. During operation, the system converts an HSVLI into a number of fixed-length addresses, wherein the HSVLI indicates a piece of content and is hierarchically structured, and comprises contiguous components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level. In addition, the length of a respective HSVLI is not fixed. The system further performs an effective longest-prefix-match lookup by performing multiple exact-match lookups based at least on the fixed-length addresses.
US08243732B2
A method for communicating between a source and a destination includes encapsulating data received from the source in accordance with a service provider format into an upper layer packet. The method includes forwarding the upper layer packet across a service provider network. The upper layer packet is decapsulated into a lower level packet for the destination, based on at least one condition.
US08243717B2
A system includes telephony devices that provide services and applications through the execution of scripts in web pages.
US08243713B2
A cellular radiotelephone signal is disclosed of the type that includes a main symmetrical bi-directional channel comprising a main up-link and a main down-link for the low- or medium-speed transmission of signaling and control information and data; and at least one supplementary channel which is assigned solely to the down-link and which is intended for high-speed data transmission using a multi-carrier technique, which ensures that the data are distributed over frequency/time space and which is structured in the form of pre-defined entities. Each entity contains a pre-determined number of symbols. At least one symbol from each entity of the supplementary channel includes a position identifier, which can be used to identify the position of the symbol within the entity, such that a terminal can read the symbol position identifier and deduce therefrom the start of the next entity, thereby obtaining synchronisation at the relevant entity of the supplementary channel.
US08243712B2
A method for time synchronizing base stations in an asynchronous cellular communication system via multi-communications mode user equipment is described. The method includes receiving time-of-day in a synchronous cellular communication signal with the user equipment operable in a synchronous cellular communications mode. Alternatively, time-of-day is received from a non-cellular system signal with user equipment that is operable to receive signals from the non-cellular system. After time-of-day is received the user equipment is switched to operate in an asynchronous cellular communications mode. Then a frame boundary of a received asynchronous cellular communication signal is time-tagged. Timing information is then transmitted to an entity of the asynchronous cellular communication system to determine time-of-day at the entity.
US08243709B2
A method (400) and arrangement (200) for mitigation of intercell and intracell interference in a 3GPP cellular communication system (100) by, in a receiver in a cell of the system, deriving for a first channel in the cell a signal, representative of first channel transfer function (A(1)); deriving for at least a second channel originating in a different cell a signal (A(2 . . . M)), representative of second channel transfer function, based on: deriving a cell specific scrambling code (s), deriving a channel impulse response (h), and deriving a channelization code (c); and performing multi-user detection using the first and second signals. Where the channelization code is unknown, a substitute channelization code is preferably substituted. It will be appreciated that the technique can be applied to both downlink and uplink. This provides the advantage that both intra-cell interference and intercell interference are mitigated.
US08243701B2
A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) system in which wireless terminals each operate upon battery power. One of the wireless terminals acts as a Master to coordinate the transmission and receptions of the Slaves so as to reduce the power consumed by all of the devices. The Slaves operate according to a power up and power down sequence to conserve battery power. Further, the terminals may alternate between being Slaves and being the Master to equalize battery consumption of the wireless terminals.
US08243700B2
An apparatus and method for acquiring a remote name in a Bluetooth system are provided. The method for acquiring a remote name in a Bluetooth system includes performing an inquiry request to adjacent Bluetooth devices; sorting Bluetooth devices found during the inquiry request in order of Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI); reducing a page timeout during a remote name acquisition; and acquiring a remote name according to the sorted RSSI.
US08243695B2
A system and method for detection of rate determination algorithm errors in variable rate communications system receivers. The disclosed embodiments prevent rate determination algorithm errors from causing audible artifacts such as screeches or beeps. The disclosed system and method detects frames with incorrectly determined data rates and performs frame erasure processing and/or memory state clean up to prevent propagation of distortion across multiple frames. Frames with incorrectly determined data rates are detected by checking illegal rate transitions, reserved bits, validating unused filter type bit combinations and analyzing relationships between fixed code-book gains and linear prediction coefficient gains.
US08243692B2
A method in a wireless communications device for allocating neighbor signals to a candidate set based on signal allocation criteria includes dynamically changing the signal allocation criteria based on at least one of a number of signals in an active signal set and on a signal quality of a strongest of signal in the active signal set. In one embodiment the signal allocation criteria is the length of an IIR filter.
US08243679B1
Systems, methods, and software are provided to manage a handover of a mobile station from a source base station to a target base station. In an embodiment, a method comprises monitoring a condition of a first backhaul link between the source base station and an access node, processing the condition of the first backhaul link to determine if the handover should be initiated, and in response to determining that the handover should be initiated, transmitting a handover request to initiate the handover.
US08243676B2
Methods of selecting an enhanced uplink (EU) transport format combination (E-TFC) are disclosed. A maximum number of bits of scheduled data for an upcoming transmission may be determined, wherein the highest value is lower or equal to: K e , ref · S G L e , ref · A ed , ref 2 · 10 Δ harq / 10 , where SG is a serving grant, Le,ref is the number of EU dedicated physical data channels (E-DPDCHs) used for a selected reference E-TFC, Ke,ref is the number of data bits of the reference E-TFC, Δharq is a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) offset for a specific data flow to be transmitted as signaled by higher layers, and Aed,ref is a ratio derived from a parameter ΔE-DPDCH signaled by higher layers for the selected reference E-TFC.
US08243667B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system providing a wireless communication and a mobile terminal. During data communication between a base station and a terminal in a long term evolution (LTE) system, while the terminal performs a random access channel (RACH) procedure for requesting a radio resource allocation from the base station, if the terminal is allocated with a radio resource using its radio terminal identifier, the terminal is allowed to appropriately select a radio resource, thereby preventing the consumption of radio resources and increasing efficiency.
US08243663B2
A method and apparatus for adaptively obtaining bandwidth requests in a broadband wireless communication system. The method and apparatus includes dynamically varying technique combinations enabling a plurality of users to efficiently request bandwidth from a shared base station. A user may “piggyback” a new bandwidth request upon, or set a “poll-me bit” within, presently allocated bandwidth. A base station may poll users, individually or in groups, by allocating unrequested bandwidth for new requests. Polling may respond to a “poll-me bit,” and/or it may be adaptively periodic at a rate based on communication status parameters, such as recent communication activity and connection QoS levels Group polling permits a possibility of collisions. Polling policies may be established for dynamically varying user groups, or may be determined for each user. Dynamic selection of appropriate polling techniques makes use of efficiency benefits associated with each technique.
US08243662B2
The present invention relates to a method, a system and an apparatus for implementing bandwidth allocation and scheduling management based on a relay station. A mapping information unit for controlling a RS (MAPRS) is set in a frame structure of the physical layer of a BS and an extended frame structure of the physical layer of a BS is constructed in a frame structure of the BS physical layer. The BS constructs a mapping information message MAPRS for controlling the relay station RS base on the extended frame structure of the BS physical layer, and performs bandwidth allocation and scheduling management of a communication channel of the RS by the RS according to the MAPRS message. Through the present invention, a bandwidth allocation is implemented mainly at the BS, and a service scheduling is implemented mainly at the BS. The RS only performs an uplink or downlink scheduling of the RS passively. The complexity of the RS reduced effectively. The Multi-hop relay problem is solved using a bandwidth request relay and a bandwidth allocation relay, without introducing any complex technologies and procedures of the bandwidth request, the bandwidth allocation and the scheduling management. The complexity of the BWA relay network is simplified.
US08243655B2
A portable node capable of forming ad hoc networks with other nodes is disclosed, as well as a method of transferring at least a first and a second information entity (e.g. files) from a first node to other nodes in an ad hoc network. At least the first and the second information entities are jointly encoded, in the first node, into a composite information entity) in a manner so that the composite information entity can be decoded by use of at least the first information entity or the second information entity. The composite information entity is subsequently transmitted.
US08243654B2
For transmitting messages in a radiotelecommunications network from a first subscriber station, a transmission frame at least two data fields with data in a first data format transmitted in a first data field of the short message, and data in a second data format, different from the first data format, are transmitted in a second data field of the short message, a first identification code, which identifies a makeup of the short message, is transmitted in the first data field and includes information about at least one of a number of data fields, one or more data formats of data in the data fields, and a size of the data fields, and in each of two data fields, one data-field-specific identification code, which identifies a makeup and content of the corresponding data field, per data field is transmitted.
US08243646B2
The present invention relates to a method and system of computer communication through an infrastructure multicast IP network, between one or several determined central stations and undetermined groups of receiving stations, especially mobile stations. According to the invention, every mobile station sends its geographical status, e.g. its position, in an IP unicast message to the central station. In response, the mobile station receives an IP unicast message comprising one or more IP multicast addresses corresponding to the transmitted geographical status. The central station also has the necessary routers subscribed or unsubscribed to these multicast addresses, according to the local presence of such receiving stations. Receiving stations may then subscribe such localized multicast addresses, and receive the corresponding multicast messages.
US08243642B2
A method of providing a multimedia multicast service in a digital wireless communication network, the network having a network controller for controlling of at least one base station, comprising establishing a single data stream from the network controller to the base station for transmitting of multimedia data, by means of a single lub link or transport bearer and establishing a separate communication link and a separate data queue for each user equipment in a radio cell of the base station which requests the multimedia data.
US08243639B2
A method is provided which enables the connection of nodes out of communication range while minimizing the energy consumption in standby nodes. Specifically, the present invention provides a method to control the wake up rate of standby nodes in a multi-hop communication system. An access point collects, processes, and refines statistical information regarding one or more system parameters; determines a wake up rate based on the statistical information and one or more historical information; and transmits the wake up rate to nodes in its coverage area. A node receives the wake up rate; and periodically changes from a sleep state to a wake up state at the wake up rate to support routing functions for providing multi-hop communication to the one or more access points.
US08243632B1
To provide high-data-rate wireless communication in both directions between a pair of nodes, the present invention provides for operating at least two asymmetric wireless connections in parallel but in reverse directions between the nodes. One of the asymmetric wireless connections will provide a high-data-rate forward link in one direction between the nodes, while the other asymmetric wireless connection will concurrently provide a high-data-rate forward link in the other direction between the nodes. The lower-data-rate reverse links provided by the asymmetric wireless connections can then be used to carry overhead control data or can be used to supplement the primary high-data-rate communication provided by the forward links. Preferably, 1xEV-DO will be used for both asymmetric wireless data links, but other asymmetric air interface protocols could be used instead.
US08243607B2
A packet delay characteristic measuring apparatus that can accurately only measure a delay in a network even if a delay may occur also in a device that receives packets. The apparatus includes: a sending section for periodically sending out test packets each including sending time information to the network; a branching section for handing over the test packets flowing from the network to each of a plurality of communication paths by electrically branching a communication path; a plurality of receiving sections each of which is connected to the branching section for receiving the identical test packets and calculating delay times based on the sending time information; and a measurement value determining section for comparing a plurality of delay times calculated by each of the plurality of receiving sections for the identical test packets and determining the smallest delay time value as a measurement value.
US08243594B1
A packet switch contains a link state group manager that forms supergroups from multiple link aggregations. The link state group manager collects state information for the link aggregations in a supergroup, and uses state criteria to determine whether the link aggregations are allowed to be up, as a supergroup, for data traffic. This allows a supergroup of links to only come up when it meets a minimum performance criteria, with traffic routed around the supergroup when the supergroup cannot meet the minimum performance criteria, even if some link aggregations in the group are functional.
US08243593B2
A mechanism is disclosed for identifying and penalizing misbehaving flows in a network. In one implementation, a set of behavioral statistics are maintained for each flow. These behavioral statistics are updated as information packets belonging to a flow are processed. Based upon these behavioral statistics, a determination is made as to whether a flow is exhibiting undesirable behavior. If so, a penalty is imposed on the flow. In one implementation, this penalty causes packets belonging to the flow to have a higher probability of being dropped than packets belonging to other flows that do not exhibit undesirable behavior. In one implementation, in addition to penalizing the flow, this penalty also has the effect of correcting the flow's behavior such that the flow exhibits less undesirable behavior after the penalty than before. By correcting the flow's behavior, the penalty makes it possible for the flow to become a non-misbehaving flow.
US08243570B2
An optical article for playback in a player, the optical article including at least one sector having data, and a mark disposed in a predetermined relationship with the at least one sector, wherein the mark renders a portion of the data generally unreadable. The optical article further includes error correction code associated with the at least one sector, wherein data within the error correction code is configured as partially corrupted. The inclusion of partially corrupted error correction code reduces the size of the mark or spot required to render the data sector uncorrectable.
US08243560B2
A heat-assisted magnetic recording head has an internal mirror that includes a reflecting film support body and a reflecting film. The internal mirror reflects light that comes from above a waveguide so that the reflected light travels through the waveguide toward a medium facing surface. The reflecting film support body includes first and second inclined surfaces. The reflecting film includes first and second portions that are located on the first and second inclined surfaces, respectively. The step of forming the reflecting film support body includes two-taper etching operations to be performed on an initial support body.
US08243549B2
In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method for determining properties of a subterranean formation. The method includes obtaining a micro-mechanical model for modeling the subterranean formation as a plurality of particles having low aspect ratio pores therebetween, wherein anisotropy of the subterranean formation is represented by normal compliance and shear compliance that describe deformation of the low aspect ratio pores under an applied stress, determining a ratio of normal compliance over shear compliance of the subterranean formation to obtain an estimated ratio of normal compliance over shear compliance, measuring a first formation parameter of the subterranean formation to obtain a measured first formation parameter based on a sonic measurement technique, determining a second formation parameter based on the micro-mechanical model using the estimated ratio of normal compliance over shear compliance and the measured first formation parameter, storing the second formation parameter of the subterranean formation, wherein the first formation parameter and the second formation parameter comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of an anisotropy parameter and a stiffness coefficient of the subterranean formation.
US08243544B2
The number of fusible links and other circuit components required to provide memory cell redundancy are reduced by sharing physical memory locations among address banks that store memory addresses. Non-trial and error algorithms and techniques determine the number of addresses and the number of identical least significant bit (LSB) values that can share the same physical memory location. By sharing physical locations for identical LSB values, circuit hardware on a memory device (including fusible links and compare circuitry) is reduced. Thus, less die area is needed to provide the same degree of redundancy.
US08243537B2
A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array that stores data and includes a plurality of memory cells two dimensionally arrayed on row and column lines extending along row and column directions, at least one of the memory cells assigned to a redundant memory cell having a larger area size than the other memory cells, the plurality of memory cells and at least one of the redundant memory cells arrayed on at least one of the row lines.
US08243536B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems, methods and circuits for memory utilization. As one example, a memory system is disclosed that includes a memory bank and a memory access controller circuit. The memory bank includes a number of default memory cells and a number of redundant memory cells. The memory access controller circuit is operable to access a usable memory space including both the combined default memory cells and the redundant memory cells.
US08243523B2
Methods for sensing, method for programming, memory devices, and memory systems are disclosed. In one such method for sensing, a counting circuit generates a count output and a translated count output. The count output is converted into a time varying voltage that biases a word line coupled to memory cells being sensed. Target data for each memory cell is stored in a data cache associated with that particular memory cell. When it is detected that a memory cell has turned on, the translated count output associated with the count output that is indicative of the voltage level that turned on the memory cell is compared to the target data. The comparison determines the state of the memory cell.
US08243522B2
A method of applying an inhibit bias to an unselected word line when programming a NAND memory device is provided. The method may include ramping the inhibit bias to the unselected word line to a first predetermined voltage and ramping the inhibit bias to the unselected word line to a second predetermined voltage. Ramping of the inhibit bias to the unselected word line to a first predetermined voltage may occur until a boosted channel reaches a leakage limited saturation potential.
US08243516B2
A NAND-type flash memory device is described. In some embodiments, the memory device includes NAND-type flash memory cells, and a synchronous NAND interface. The synchronous NAND interface includes a standard NAND flash interface pin arrangement and a clock (CLK) pin. The synchronous NAND interface is configured to interface with a NOR-compatible memory interface.
US08243509B2
A nonvolatile memory cell is described, the memory cell comprising a semiconductor diode. The semiconductor material making up the diode is formed with significant defect density, and allows very low current flow at a typical read voltage. Application of a programming voltage permanently changes the nature of the semiconductor material, resulting in an improved diode. The programmed diode allows much higher current flow, in some embodiments one, two or three orders of magnitude higher, at the same read voltage. The difference in current allows a programmed memory cell to be distinguished from an unprogrammed memory cell. Fabrication techniques to generate an advantageous unprogrammed defect density are described. The memory cell of the present invention can be formed in a monolithic three dimensional memory array, having multiple stacked memory levels formed above a single substrate.
US08243504B2
A phase change memory device includes a plurality of bit lines and a reference bit line intersecting a plurality of word lines. A cell array block has a phase change resistance cell arranged where a word line and a bit line intersect. A reference cell array block is configured to output a reference current and is formed where the word line and a reference bit line intersect. A column selecting unit is configured to select a corresponding bit line connected to the cell array block. A reference column selecting unit is connected to the reference cell array block and is configured to select the reference bit line. A sense amplifier is connected to the column selecting unit and the reference column selecting unit and is configured to receive the reference current and a cell data current of the bit line.
US08243502B2
A nonvolatile latch circuit includes: a latch circuit; a first magnetoresistance element and a second magnetoresistance element; and a current supply portion. The latch circuit temporarily holds data. Each of the first magnetoresistance element and the second magnetoresistance element includes a first magnetic layer and a second magnetic layer that are stacked with an insulating film sandwiched therebetween. The current supply portion complementarily changes magnetization states of the first magnetoresistance element and the second magnetoresistance element based on a state of the latch circuit. The first magnetic layer of the first magnetoresistance element and the first magnetic layer of the second magnetoresistance element are series-connected to each other in. The latch circuit has a function that brings data corresponding to the magnetization states to data held by the latch circuit.
US08243501B2
An SRAM device uses a four-terminal double gate field effect transistor as a selection transistor, wherein the four-terminal double gate field effect transistor comprises a gate which drives the transistor and a gate which controls a threshold voltage, which are electrically separated from each other, on both surfaces of a standing semiconductor thin plate, and wherein a voltage used to reduce a threshold voltage is input to the gate which controls the threshold voltage of the selection transistor during a writing operation than during a reading operation. The SRAM device which can increase both the read and write margins is provided.
US08243486B2
The invention provides a semiconductor device having, in each of stacked chip dies, not only vias the number of which corresponds to the number of signals input to and output from a single chip die but also vias the number of which corresponds to the number of signals input to and output from the stacked chip dies, and switches for controlling the input and output to and from the vias. The conduction and non-conduction of the switches are controlled by means of ROMs, whereby signals from the plurality of chip dies stacked can be output in parallel. This eliminates the need of increasing the data transfer speed of each chip die in accordance with the transfer speed of the system.
US08243483B2
Provided are a memory device where data may be recorded one time and/or reproduced repeatedly, and a method and display apparatus for operating the memory device. The memory device may include a program area having a plurality of memory cells and a spare area having a plurality of memory cells. The memory device may include a memory cell layer having the program area and the spare area. The memory cell layer may include a plurality of vertically stacked memory cell layers. Each of the plurality of memory cell layers may include the program area and the spare area. The program area and the spare area may be either vertical or horizontal to one another.
US08243472B2
A power supply having a two-way DC to DC converter has an AC to DC converter and a two-way DC to DC converter. When an AC power is input to the AC to DC converter, the AC to DC converter transforms the AC power to a middle level DC power and the two-way DC to DC converter transforms the middle level DC power to a low level DC power. When the AC power is unavailable and the two-way DC to DC converter obtains an external DC power, the two-way DC to DC converter transforms the external DC power to the middle level DC power. Therefore, if the power supply obtains the external DC power, the power supply can still output the middle level DC power even the AC power is unavailable.
US08243471B2
A display device includes a display screen, a securing frame, and two foldable plates. The securing frame is mounted around the display screen. The two foldable plates are hinged to the securing frame, and arranged at opposite sides of the display screen, respectively. The two foldable plates are made of opaque material, and are respectively rotatable about two parallel rotating axes which are at the opposite sides of the display screen.
US08243455B1
A repository in the form of a cart, and a method for docking a plurality of portable computers in storage within the cart, are disclosed. The cart has an opening at the top of the cart and each computer is placed within a docking bay, connected electrically to an electrical connector at the docking bay. Each docking bay has an entrance at an upper level and a support member for the computer at a lower level located at a predetermined vertical distance from the upper level. The orientation of the docking bays, and the predetermined vertical distance are such that upon movement of a computer toward a fully seated position within a docking bay, the computer is biased by gravity toward and into retention in the fully seated position and is maintained by gravity assistance in such retention during transport and storage in the cart, connected to the electrical connector at the docking bay. In a preferred construction, the support member is in the form of a tray placed in the cart above a lower compartment beneath the tray. The tray is mounted for pivotal movement between a first position wherein the tray is in place for supporting the computers above the lower compartment, and a second position wherein the tray is displaced to open access to the lower compartment from the opening at the top of the cart.
US08243447B2
A power conversion apparatus includes a casing and an inverter unit housed in the casing. The inverter unit includes a unit case, a capacitor block removably provided at a position on an inner side of a detachable side plate of the unit case, and a fan block placed in the unit case in such a manner as to be removable from a front side. The capacitor block includes a capacitor case having a plurality of capacitor insertion holes, a plurality of electrolytic capacitors placed in the capacitor insertion holes, respectively, and a laminated bus bar connected to the electrolytic capacitors. The fan block includes a fan case and a cooling fan provided in the fan case.
US08243433B2
A computer includes a chassis, a combination of a power supply unit and a storage holder formed at a top of the power supply unit attached to the chassis, a hard disk drive held in the storage holder, and a securing member. The hard disk drive includes at least a fixing post and a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment connector positioned at an open end of the storage holder. The securing member is pivotably attached to the storage holder for engaging with the fixing post of the hard disk drive and securing the hard disk drive in the storage holder.
US08243429B2
A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints. The portable electronic device may include a personal media device, a mobile telephone, or any other suitable device or combination thereof.
US08243427B2
A display assembly includes a flat panel display and a stand. The flat panel display includes a display screen and an angular adjusting mechanism. The angular adjusting mechanism includes a rotation motor and a transmission unit coupled to the rotation motor. The stand is pivotably attached to the flat panel display. The stand includes a gear rim. The gear rim is configured to mesh with the transmission unit. The rotation motor is capable of being controlled to actuate the transmission unit and the gear rim of the stand, thereby driving the stand to rotate relative to the flat panel display.
US08243421B2
An electrolytic capacitor in which positions of an anode terminal and a cathode terminal in a wound-type capacitor element can be fixed and consequently increase in leakage current can be suppressed and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The electrolytic capacitor including a wound-type capacitor element having an anode terminal and a cathode terminal, a bottomed case accommodating the wound-type capacitor element, and a sealing member sealing the winding structure portion in the bottomed case, through which the anode terminal and the cathode terminal penetrate, includes a fixing member arranged between the winding structure portion and the sealing member and having openings in number not smaller than the sum of the number of anode terminals and the number of cathode terminals, the anode terminal and the cathode terminal passing through the openings, and the anode terminal and the cathode terminal being fixed by the fixing member.
US08243419B2
A capacitor structure includes: a first electrode configured to include a plurality of openings; a second electrode formed in each center of the openings; and a dielectric layer formed to surround the second electrode and fill the openings of the first electrode.
US08243412B2
The present disclosure generally pertains to surge protection systems that protect outside plant equipment from high-energy surges. In one exemplary embodiment, a protection system is used for protecting Ethernet equipment that is coupled to an outside Ethernet cable. The protection system provides protection and remains capable of coupling signal energy between an Ethernet cable and Ethernet equipment without significantly degrading Ethernet performance. However, the protection system, while allowing the desirable Ethernet signals to pass between the cable and the equipment, prevents the electrical voltages and currents of high-energy surges, such as surges from lightning or AC power faults, from damaging the Ethernet equipment.
US08243411B2
A method for identifying a type of fault condition in a circuit breaker includes monitoring a branch circuit for a fault condition. In response to detecting the fault condition, interrupting current flow through the branch circuit. The type of fault condition is stored in a memory device from which it is retrieved in response to receiving a control signal. The type of fault condition is indicated based on the mechanical position of a circuit breaker handle as a function of time.
US08243405B2
A circuit comprises an inductive load. The circuit further comprises an energy-absorbing component operably coupled to the inductive load and arranged to absorb energy generated by the inductive load.
US08243399B2
A magnetic shield in which all domain patterns and orientations are stable and which are consistently repeated each time the shield is exposed to an initialization field, is disclosed. This is achieved by giving it a suitable shape which ensures that all closure domains can align themselves at a reduced angle relative to the initialization direction while still being roughly antiparallel to each other. Most, though not all, of these shapes are variations on trapezoids.
US08243398B2
A magneto-resistive (MR) device for reading at least one of a legacy data and a present data magnetically recorded on at least one legacy track and a least one present track, respectively, is provided. The device comprises first and second MR elements, and first, second, and third permanent magnets. The first MR read element is positioned between the first and the second permanent magnets to stabilize the first MR read element while reading the legacy data from the media. The second MR element is positioned adjacent to the second permanent magnet and configured to read the present data from the media. The third permanent magnet is positioned adjacent to the second MR element and opposite to the second permanent magnet. The second and the third permanent magnets cooperate with each other to stabilize the second MR read element while reading the present data from the media.
US08243391B2
Systems and methods for a slider and suspension assembly are discussed. The slider and suspension assembly comprises a slider, a suspension, and composite fiber solder. The composite fiber solder is coupled to the suspension and coupled to the slider. The composite fiber solder comprises a fiber, wherein the fiber is configured to increase a fracture resistance of the composite fiber solder compared to a solder without the fiber.
US08243389B2
A recording media design having discrete track recording structure where the trenches between tracks are filled with a soft magnetic material is provided. The soft magnetic material provides a low magnetic impedance path to the soft underlayer such that fringe fields from the write head are conducted to the soft underlayer without having a negative effect such as adjacent track erasure. A method of manufacturing the media includes a nano-imprint step and ion milling out the data layer to create the trenches. A B2O3 material allows the data layer to be ion milled out without redeposition bridging the B2O3 layer thus preventing lift off of the mask. The trenches are then filled by ion deposition with the layers of ferromagnetic material separated by an anti-ferromagnetic coupling that causes the flux to be conducted to the soft underlayer and remnant flux to rotate within the island and not into adjacent tracks.
US08243386B2
In a perpendicular magnetic recording head in which a magnetic pole part of a main magnetic pole layer exposed at a medium-opposing surface exhibits a trapezoidal form narrower at a leading edge than at a trailing edge on the return yoke layer side, a bottom shield layer made of a soft magnetic material is provided below the leading edge of the magnetic pole part of the main magnetic pole layer in the track width direction while interposing a nonmagnetic material layer therebetween. The gap between the bottom shield layer and the leading edge of the magnetic pole part is set to less than 60 nm.
US08243385B2
A magnetic head in one embodiment includes a first array of writers interleaved with readers; a second array of writers interleaved with readers, the writers of the first array being generally aligned with the writers of the second array in a direction of media travel relative thereto, the readers of the first array being generally aligned with the readers of the second array in a direction of media travel relative thereto; and a third array of writers interleaved with readers, the third array being positioned between the first and second arrays, the writers of the third array being generally aligned with the readers of the first and second arrays in a direction of media travel relative thereto, the readers of the third array being generally aligned with the writers of the first and second arrays in a direction of media travel relative thereto. Other embodiments are also presented.
US08243380B2
A device for selectively inserting an optical lens filter, such as day optical filter and a night optical filter, into an optical path of a camera in accordance with light intensity and/or a signal from a user or timer. The device for switching an optical lens filter may include an electromechanical solenoid that provides a mechanical force to move a cantilevered filter arm between a first position and a second position according to the polarity of the magnetic field generated by the electromechanical solenoid. The device for switching an optical lens filter may include an electrical switch for determining the position of the cantilevered filter arm during operation.
US08243378B2
A holding apparatus for holding an optical element includes: a barrel; a first member having one end connected to the barrel, and an opposite end located apart from the one end in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the barrel and outside the barrel; a second member passing through the hole and having one end connected to the opposite end of the first member and the other end located apart from the opposite end of the first member in the direction and inside the barrel. Their linear expansion coefficients and dimensions are configured so that the opposite end of the second member is in contact with a side of the optical element, and the amounts of displacement of the side of the optical element and the opposite end of the second member due to a change in temperature correspond to each other.
US08243372B2
An optical apparatus includes a collimation optical member for collimating and outputting input light, a condensing optical member for condensing light from the collimation optical member and a light blocking mask member provided at a place on an optical path of the input light for light blocking part of the input light, and enhances the degree of freedom in design of an optical system.
US08243357B2
Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition.
US08243343B2
A recording material detecting apparatus includes a detecting device and a reference member. The detecting device irradiates a recording material with light and detects the light from the recording material. The reference member has a reference portion detectable by the detecting device in order to correct the output from the detecting device. The reference member is capable of moving from a position where the reference portion is detected by the detecting device. The reference member is moved by the recording material. Since a driving unit such as a motor is not necessary, the cost of the apparatus body can be dramatically reduced, and the apparatus structure can be dramatically simplified.
US08243341B2
An imaging device has an adjustable imaging surface that can be readily enlarged by a user from a first size to a second size and reduced by the user from the second size to the first size to meet imaging requirements. The imaging device thus permits imaging of larger documents than its desktop footprint would conventionally support. For example, when a user of such an imaging device has a full sheet document that requires flatbed scanning, the user can temporarily enlarge the imaging surface from half sheet size to full sheet size and scan the document. Once the user has scanned the document, the user can reduce the imaging surface from the full sheet size to the half sheet size to reduce the desktop footprint of the imaging device.
US08243332B2
With the aim of realizing an easy and inexpensive method of realizing a “stealth” dot pattern, whose presence on a medium surface is not visually recognizable, merely through minor improvements in the existing printing technology, the present invention provides dots which form a dot pattern by printing these dots using an ink of any color reactive in the infrared or ultraviolet wavelength range on a medium surface on which a dot pattern is to be formed, for use with a dot pattern reading system that irradiates infrared or ultraviolet light on a medium surface having a dot pattern provided thereon, recognizes the dot pattern by reading the reflections of the light with an optical reading means, converts the dot pattern into the corresponding data, and outputs the text, voice, images and so forth contained in the data.
US08243331B2
A print control apparatus comprising: a first receiving unit that receives, from a printer, support language information indicating whether a particular kind of language is supported by the printer; a judging unit that judges, by referring to the support language information received by the first receiving unit, whether the particular kind of language which is supported by the print control apparatus is supported by the printer; a transmitting unit that transmits, to the printer, a specification information acquisition command for acquiring specification information relating to a specification supported by the printer if the judging unit judges that the particular kind of language is supported by the printer; a second receiving unit that receives the specification information which is transmitted from the printer in response to the specification information acquisition command; and a controller that performs processing according to the specification information received by the second receiving unit.
US08243325B2
A method of matching color elements for objects within a print job prior to printing, includes for each page in the print job, identifying all objects and their associated object properties within the page; for each object, identifying, according to predetermined object property criteria, if the object is a candidate for a color matching task; for each of the identified candidates, filtering the object properties using a predetermined visual relevance metric, such that objects having less than the predetermined visual relevance metric are removed from consideration; defining each candidate object satisfying the predetermined visual relevance metric as a color matching object with respect to at least a second color matching object thus defining a color matching object group; for each such color matching object group, either alerting a user to a problem or resolving the problem by assigning common rendering across the color matching object group.
US08243320B2
A document management apparatus includes an electronic document editing unit which performs processing associated with creation and edit of an electronic document, a processing information obtaining unit which obtains processing information in the electronic document editing unit, a restriction information acceptance unit which accepts input of restriction information that restricts processing for the electronic document, and a uniformed electronic document creation unit which-creates a uniformed electronic document by attaching generation information containing the processing information and the restriction information to the electronic document.
US08243307B2
An HTTP server including a communication section which communicates with a client, and a control section which, as a response to an HTTP request for requesting a report pertaining to a monitoring object received from the client via the communication section, transmits the report via the communication section to the client by making the report with chunked data in chunked transfer coding, upon a change of the monitoring object occurs.
US08243296B2
An image forming apparatus includes an information storage section, an operation section, an image condition information storage section, a comparison section and an operation control section. The information storage section stores image information and attribute information corresponding to the image information. The operation section has an instruction section through which a user inputs instructions for execution of a process on the image information. The image condition information storage section stores image condition information corresponding to the process. The comparison section compares the attribute information with the stored image condition information. The operation control section changes a state of the instruction section based on results of a comparison of the attribute information and the stored image condition information by the comparison section.
US08243294B2
An apparatus and method for loading and configuring a print driver onto a PC/workstation such that upon completion the PC/workstation is fully enabled to send print jobs to a printer connected on a network includes a unique methodology which eliminates virtually all of the steps, data entry, and decision points that a user would typically encounter. This printer-resident system includes the ability to have the target printer, upon a simple printer front panel pushbutton request, synthesize a complete installer program that is then written to a removable storage device, e.g., USB flash drive. Once written, the storage device is removed from the printer and installed on the user's PC/workstation. The user then accesses the flash drive contents and runs the installer program executable. The installer program, owing to the fact that it was created on the target printer, has all the information needed for a one-click, fully automated installation process.
US08243292B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods consistent with disclosed embodiments provide for managing the printing of documents using recycled media. In some embodiments, a printer comprises at least one input tray capable of holding print media; at least one image sensor capable of detecting recycled print media; and a print engine capable of placing marks on documents. The print media received from the input tray is routed to an output tray without marking by the print engine, if the image sensor detects recycled print media in the print media feed path during the processing of a non-recycled print; otherwise the print media is routed to a print engine on the printer.
US08243290B2
A highly accurate three-dimensional measurement base is specified with simple settings. When a peak occurs in the positive Z-axis direction, a hemisphere or semi-spheroid figure (z≧0) is placed to contain a position (xi, yi) where a base point should be obtained, scanning is performed such that the bottom of the figure contains the position (xi, yi), and the minimum value lmin of the difference between the Z position of a surface profile image and the height of the hemisphere or semi-spheroid figure at each position, and the height of the hemisphere or semi-spheroid figure at the position (xi, yi) are obtained. The maximum value of the sums is expressed as L(xi, yi), and a base point (Xi, Yi, L(xi,yi)) is specified. Base points are specified throughout the target surface by the same base point setting method, and a three-dimensional measurement base is specified on the basis of the specified base points.
US08243282B2
A measurement method of the present invention is a measurement method for measuring a shape of a target T from an interference pattern generated by interference between a reflected light of the target and a reference spherical surface. The measurement method includes a first measurement step which positions the target T in a first region 30a at a light source side with respect to a focal position 20 of the reference spherical surface to measure the interference pattern, and a second measurement step which positions the target T in a second region 30b opposite to the first region with respect to the focal position 20 of the reference spherical surface to measure the interference pattern.
US08243281B2
Methods and systems for measuring a surface of an object are provided, wherein portions of the surface of the object are interferometrically measured and data representing a shape of the surface of the object are obtained by stitching the measurement data corresponding to each portion together. For measuring the individual portions of the surface of the object a variable light shaping member is utilized preferably constructed by arranging two diffraction gratings in a beam path of measuring light and appropriately displacing the two diffraction gratings relative to each other depending on a target shape of a particular portion of the surface of the object.
US08243278B2
The present disclosure presents systems and methods for providing for detecting a presence of an object or a user via a non-contact selection switch. An LED may emit a signal, comprising high components and low components within a plurality of pulses. A detector may determine that an average intensity of a received portion of the electromagnetic signal is below a predetermined threshold. The average intensity may be responsive to a ratio of high components duration over a period of time to low components duration over the period of time. An object located in proximity of the non-contact switch may reflect the portion of the signal. The detector may detect presence of the object by determining that a sum of average intensities of the received portion of the electromagnetic signal and the reflected portion of the electromagnetic signal exceeds the predetermined threshold responsive to the ratio of a duration of high components to a duration of low components within or over the period of time.
US08243277B2
A surface plasmon apparatus includes a light source, a sensor unit for Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) which includes a transparent sensor structure forming at least one wall of a cavity, the wall being defined by a concave inner surface and a convex outer surface, wherein the inner surface is provided with a layer of a conductive material capable of supporting a surface plasmon, a flow structure in the cavity so as to form at least one compartment for sample between the flow structure and the inner wall of the cavity, a detector for detecting reflected light from the sensor unit, and a processing unit.
US08243275B2
An apparatus for optical measurement of a liquid or molten material, which has: a transparent container which has a bottom face and is capable of containing a to-be-measured material therein, with the bottom face at least having a flat face and being transparent; and an optical device that irradiates a light to the bottom face of the container and that detects and measures a reflected light from the bottom face; and a method for optically measuring a liquid or molten material using the apparatus.
US08243263B2
In the conventional contaminant particle/defect inspection method, if the illuminance of the illumination beam is held at not more than a predetermined upper limit value not to give thermal damage to the sample, the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed being in the tradeoff relation with each other, it is very difficult to improve one of the detection sensitivity and the inspection speed without sacrificing the other or improve both at the same time. The invention provides an improved optical inspection method and an improved optical inspection apparatus, in which a pulse laser is used as a light source, and a laser beam flux is split into a plurality of laser beam fluxes which are given different time delay to form a plurality of illumination spots. The scattered light signal from each illumination spot is isolated and detected by using a light emission start timing signal for each illumination spot.
US08243258B2
A lithographic apparatus may be provided with an acoustic resonator to dampen an acoustic vibration in the lithographic apparatus. The acoustic resonator may include a Helmholtz resonator. The helmholz resonator may be provided with an active element to provide active damping and/or altering a spring characteristic of the mass spring assembly formed by the resonator. The resonator may be provided at a slit in a shield between the patterning device stage and the projection system to suppress transfer of acoustical vibrations, caused by e.g. a movement of the patterning device stage, to the projection system.
US08243253B2
An exposure apparatus for transferring an image to a device includes an optical assembly, an immersion fluid system, and a device stage assembly. The optical assembly is positioned so that there is a gap above the device. The immersion fluid system fills the gap with an immersion fluid. The device stage assembly includes a sloped region that facilitates movement of the immersion fluid that exits the gap away from the device. The device stage assembly can include a collection region and a recovery system that recovers immersion fluid from the collection region.
US08243252B2
A method for frustrating piracy of a movie, the movie including a plurality of filmed frames, each of the filmed frames including an image, the method including editing the movie prior to projection such that different regions of the image of one of the filmed frames are in different frames so that the different regions will be projected at different times, and repeating the editing for other ones of the filmed frames. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08243251B2
The present invention is directed to the provision of a liquid crystal Fresnel lens that achieves high focusing performance. The liquid crystal Fresnel lens according to the present invention includes a concentrically segmented ring-shaped electrode group, a common electrode disposed opposite the ring-shaped electrode group, a liquid crystal layer provided between the ring-shaped electrode group and the common electrode, a first lens segment region which includes a first plurality of ring-shaped electrodes from the ring-shaped electrode group, and which forms a first retardation distribution by utilizing the first plurality of ring-shaped electrodes, and a second lens segment region which includes a second plurality of ring-shaped electrodes from the ring-shaped electrode group, the second plurality of ring-shaped electrodes being located outwardly of the first plurality of ring-shaped electrodes, and which forms a second retardation distribution by utilizing the second plurality of ring-shaped electrodes, wherein a Fresnel lens-like retardation distribution is formed across the first and second lens segment regions, and the number of the second plurality of ring-shaped electrodes is made smaller than the number of the first plurality of ring-shaped electrodes.
US08243241B2
A liquid crystal display device including first and second substrates with a liquid crystal layer therebetween. A first electrode is formed on the first substrate, and a second electrode is formed on the second substrate. The first electrode is divided into at least two regions such that at least two domains of different liquid crystal orientation directions are defined within a single pixel. A first of the at least two regions and a second of the at least two regions are located in a diagonal manner with respect to each other, and each include a slit pattern. A polymer, formed from a polymerizable compound that has been polymerized, is formed between the first and second substrates, wherein the amount of the polymerizable compound remaining in the liquid crystal layer after the polymerization is not more than 0.05 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystal layer.
US08243240B2
An organic solvent includes a photo decomposition type polyimide acid which forms an alignment film of a liquid crystal display device by radiation of a polarized light. A viscosity of the photo decomposition type polyimide acid is not more than 35 mPa·s.
US08243235B2
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate including gate and data line on a first substrate to define first and second sub-pixel regions and a thin film transistor in each of the first and second sub-pixel regions; a color filter substrate including a color filter layer including first and second color filters corresponding to the first and second sub-pixel regions, respectively, a portion of the first color filter overlapping a portion of the second color filter over the data line; and a liquid crystal layer between the array substrate and the color filter substrate.
US08243227B2
An object of the present invention is to reduce the exterior of a display device while retaining a display screen at a certain size. A liquid crystal display panel including a TFT substrate formed with a glass substrate and a color filter substrate is stored in a frame made of a metal. In order to avoid the direct contact between the glass substrate and the frame made of a metal, part of an optical sheet included in a backlight disposed behind the liquid crystal display panel is extended to lie between the liquid crystal display panel and the frame, and is regarded as a spacer. Since the thickness of the optical sheet is as small as 0.06 mm, the spacer hardly affects the external dimensions of a display device. Consequently, while a crack of the glass substrate is prevented, the exterior of the display device can be reduced.
US08243225B2
An electronic device having a protection panel includes: a display device (3) having a display part (3A); a housing (2) for mounting the display device (3) therein which has a display window (2A) including an opening for allowing the display part (3A) to face externally and a supporting portion (2b) in a shape of a frame; a protection panel (4) fitted into the display window (2A), whose back side rim portion is supported by the supporting portion (2b); and a pressure-sensitive conductive print layer (30) which is disposed between the protection panel (4) and the supporting portion (2b) and configured to detect a pressing operation on the protection panel (4), and includes a resin having a glass-transition temperature (Tg) in a temperature range higher than room temperature as binder, and a conductive material dispersed therein.
US08243221B2
In the array substrate where the display region has the non-quadrangle shape, a sub-capacitance line which forms a sub-capacitance is disposed at the pixel, a intersection region of the scanning lead-out line and a signal lead-out line is located at the frame region on the outside of the display region, a common lead-out line which connects the sub-capacitance line in common is disposed at the frame region side where the scanning lead-out line is disposed, the common lead-out line is not disposed in the intersection region, but disposed in a region between a region of the scanning lead-out line and a region of the signal lead-out line while intersecting any one of the scanning lead-out line and the signal lead-out line.
US08243214B2
A screen apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed. The screen apparatus of the present invention includes a screen (5) for displaying an image thereon, a support frame (10), which supports the screen such that the screen is rotatable between an operation position, at which the screen is perpendicular to a ceiling surface of the vehicle, and a storage position, at which the screen is parallel with the ceiling surface of the vehicle, and a vibration absorbing unit (61), which is provided between the support frame and the ceiling surface of the vehicle and has a plurality of elastic wires (67) for absorbing vibrations transmitted to the support frame in multiple directions. Therefore, the present invention can prevent the screen from undesirably moving, thus making it possible for a user to comfortably watch images.
US08243206B2
A method and an apparatus for selecting a channel at a digital broadcasting receiver when duplicate channel services are found are provided. A method for generating a channel list at a digital broadcasting receiver includes scanning a plurality of broadcast channels, determining whether there exist one or more channels of the same broadcast service among the scanned broadcast channels, and linking the channels of the same broadcast service based on a priority. A method for selecting for a channel at a digital broadcasting receiver includes, when receiving weak broadcast signal while tuning to a first broadcast channel and receiving a broadcast signal, determining whether the first broadcast channel is linked to one or more other broadcast channels, selecting a second broadcast channel of a greater signal strength among the one or more other broadcast channels linked to the first broadcast channel, and tuning to the second broadcast channel and receiving the broadcast signal.
US08243203B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for automatically generating moving picture highlights for video stored in a digital video recorder that detects scene change of stored video, extracts information amount with respect to the relevant video interval on the basis of the scene change detection information, automatically generates moving picture highlights according to moving picture highlight length information set by a user or default value in the system, on the basis of results of the scene change detection and the interval information amount.
US08243195B2
A method for cadence detection in a sequence of video fields is based on at least a search for cadence patterns in a sequence of bits representative of the motion in at least a part of the field from one field to another in the field sequence. The signaling of field skip and/or field repeat commands as applied to the fields in the field sequence is considered during the cadence detection operation so as to field skips and repeats.
US08243194B2
The invention provides a method of frame interpolation, the method comprising: receiving first and second frames from an input video stream; generating an interpolated frame for arranging between the first and second frames in a processed video stream so that the second video stream has a different higher frame rate than the input video stream, wherein generating the interpolated frame comprises: identifying one or more moving objects within the first frame; segmenting the or each of the identified moving objects; and, determining motion parameters for each of the segments of the segmented objects.
US08243192B2
An electronic device includes a body, a camera module, a light source, and a lens. The body includes an upper surface defining a blind hole and a primary recess communicated with the blind hole. The camera module is embedded in the upper surface of the body near the blind hole. The light source is received in the blind hole with has a light emitting surface. The light emitting surface faces the entrance of the blind hole. The lens is movably received in the recess. The lens is capable of partly sliding out from the recess to cover the light emitting surface of the light source.
US08243184B2
A vibration control unit inputs an electrical signal to a vibrating member to generate, in a light-transmitting region of a dust-screening member, vibration forming a plurality of ridges of peaks defining a closed loop around a virtual intersection at which a virtual vibrational axis passing the half-length point of the vibrating member intersects with a virtual vibrational axis passing the half-length point of the dust-screening member. For example, the vibration is vibration whose peak including the virtual intersection gradually increases in terms of amplitude as the amplitude of the peak approaches the virtual intersection, and becomes the largest in terms of amplitude at the virtual intersection. The dust-screening member and the vibrating member have the following relation: 1.2≦Ts/Tg≦1.6, where Tg is the thickness of the thickness of the dust-screening member, and Ts is the thickness of the vibrating member.
US08243183B2
An apparatus includes a zoom lens and an image pickup element. The zoom lens includes an optical path reflecting lens group including a reflecting member and having a positive refracting power, a movable negative lens group that is disposed in the optical path on the image side of the optical path reflecting lens group, has a negative refracting power, and moves during zooming, a movable positive lens group that is disposed in the optical path on the image side of the movable negative lens group, has a positive refracting power, and moves during zooming, and an aperture stop disposed in the optical path between the movable negative lens group and the movable positive lens group. The optical path reflecting lens group is a lens group located closest to the object side in the zoom lens.
US08243156B2
An image-capturing apparatus includes an image-capturing unit configured to capture an image of a subject in order to obtain captured image data; a storage processor configured to perform a process for storing the captured image data obtained by the image-capturing unit; an operation unit configured to perform a self-timer image-capturing operation; a motion detector; and a controller configured to, when the self-timer image-capturing operation is performed using the operation unit, controlling, on the basis of detection information obtained by the motion detector, a shutter operation in which the captured image data obtained by the image-capturing unit is stored by the storage processor after a self-timer set time period passes.
US08243155B2
A method and digital camera module is provided for taking a digital picture of an image. The digital camera module includes a plurality of light sensitive pixel elements, a first memory buffer, a second memory buffer and a controller. The controller is coupled to the plurality of light sensitive pixel elements and the first and second memory buffers and records a first plurality of pixel values representing an image by activating the plurality of light sensitive pixel elements in a first predetermined manner and stores the first plurality of pixel values in the first buffer. The controller then records a second plurality of pixel values representing the image by activating the plurality of light sensitive pixel elements in a second predetermined manner and stores the second plurality of pixel values in the second buffer. The controller further processes the first and second plurality of pixel values in a compressed domain to generate a third plurality of pixel values representative of the image.
US08243154B2
A proposition is to perform a detection of a position shift amount between images which are anteroposterior in a chronological order with high accuracy. Therefore, in an image processing apparatus, a unit A performs a geometric transformation on a pixel group α in an image 1 using an input position shift amount as a parameter, and calculates a gain based on a luminance difference between the pixel group α in the image 1 being performed the transformation and pixels in an image 2 existing at an identical coordinate as the pixel group α. Besides a unit B multiplies an input gain to the image 2 and calculates a position shift amount between the image 1 and the image 2. A detecting unit executes the unit A and the unit B for at least one time or more.
US08243151B2
A vibration prevention control circuit is provided, comprising at least one analog-to-digital converter circuit that converts an output signal of a vibration detection element which detects vibration of an imaging device, and an output signal of a position detection element which detects a position of an optical component, into digital signals, and a logic circuit that generates a control signal which drives the optical component, based on the output signal of the vibration detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit and the output signal of the position detection element which is digitized by the analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein a phase delay circuit (all-pass filter) is provided that delays a phase of the output signal of the vibration detection element without changing an intensity in a predetermined frequency band and outputs the processed signal.
US08243149B2
An exemplary camera module includes a fixture, a lens module, a movable frame, an image sensor, a position sensor, a first and a second magnet, and a first and a second magnetic field generator. The position sensor is used to detect displacements of the lens module caused by shake. The magnetic field generators are used to apply a magnetic field to the corresponding magnets, each of the magnetic field generators is electrifiable in response to detection by the position sensor of displacement of the lens module caused by shake. Accordingly, at least one of the magnets and the corresponding magnetic field generator cooperatively drive the lens module to move and compensate the displacement of the image sensor.
US08243146B2
Disclosed herein is a solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixel units configured to be disposed in an imaging area in such a way that a plurality of pixels corresponding to different colors are treated as one unit, wherein the amount of shift of a position of each of the pixels in the pixel unit is so set as to differ depending on distance from a center of the imaging area to the pixel unit and a color.
US08243145B2
An image capturing apparatus which performs connection setting to a desired processing apparatus among more than one processing apparatus connected to a network comprises a control unit which instructs each of the processing apparatuses so as to perform identification display for identifying the processing apparatus, and an imaging unit which image the identification displays performed by the processing apparatuses based on the instructions. The control unit specifies the desired processing apparatus to perform connection setting on the basis of data acquired by imaging the identification display by means of the imaging unit.
US08243141B2
User occupancy is monitored within a space in which a video display of a content rendering system is viewable. The user occupancy can be monitored based on physical user attributes. At least one of audio rendering and video rendering by the content rendering system is adjusted based on the monitored user occupancy.
US08243140B1
A system and method for conducting traffic surveillance at a deployable checkpoint lane. At least one license plate reader is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane, in a predetermined location relative to a license plate reading zone, for acquiring and interpreting images of a license plate on a vehicle transiting through the license plate reading zone. At least one video camera is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane for capturing images of the vehicle transiting through the license plate reading zone. A trigger device is positioned adjacent to the checkpoint lane for initiating the capture of video images of the vehicle. A field control unit including a processor and a data store, and cooperative with each digital and video camera, compares images of the license plate on the vehicle and determines which license plate characters and vehicle images to store in a vehicle record to be transmitted to an external database for processing and analysis.
US08243134B2
An optical reader includes an imaging device and an photographing optical system for reading images of an object such as a semiconductor wafer. An LED light source is provided as a dark field illumination light source for illuminating the object at an angle of illumination that deviates from the optical axis of the photographing optical system. The LED light source is supported by a swing-type support member having both ends secured to a housing of the optical reader using screws and nuts. This allows the angle and position of the dark field illumination light source to be adjusted so as to provide a first angle of illumination for illuminating the object directly with the illuminating light from the dark field illumination light source, or a second angle of illumination for illuminating the object by reflection from a half mirror that is disposed in an illumination optical system.
US08243130B2
A capsule medical device guidance system including a magnetic field generator that generates either a trapping magnetic field that attracts a magnetic field response unit at any position on a horizontal plane and traps a capsule medical device or a gradient magnetic field that has a substantially uniform magnetic field gradient and forces the magnetic field response unit. When the control unit switches the magnetic field from the trapping magnetic field to the gradient magnetic field, a control unit causes a storage unit to store a generation position on the horizontal plane, and when the control unit switches a magnetic field from the gradient magnetic field to the trapping magnetic field, the control unit causes the magnetic field generator to generate the trapping magnetic field at the position stored in the storage unit.
US08243123B1
Additional cameras, optionally in conjunction with markers or projectors, capture three-dimensional information about the environment and characters of a filmed scene. This data is later used to convert, generally as a post-production process under highly automated computer control, or as a post broadcast process, a relatively high quality two-dimensional image stream to three-dimensional or stereoscopic, generally binocular, format.
US08243121B2
This aims at providing an image recording apparatus and an image recording method which can output an image suitable for an aspect ratio of a display screen. When connection history data does not fulfill a predetermined condition, predetermined viewpoint image data is selected as a representative image. On the other hand, when the connection history data fulfills the predetermined condition, image data of a plurality of viewpoints taken by the image pickup units are synthesized to generate panoramic image data horizontally wider than the image data of viewpoints, and the generated image data is set as representative image data. Then, the panoramic image file which includes image data of respective viewpoints as sub-image data as well as the representative image data, is generated in the multi-page format, and is recorded in the memory card.
US08243115B2
A method for adjusting a spatial light modulator comprising an array of channels, the method includes selecting a plurality of channel sets, wherein all the channels in each set are contiguously arranged; determining a first intensity value for first output radiation in the channel sets; performing a first adjustment based on the first intensity value, including adjusting a control level of a first channel in the first channel set without adjusting a control level of a second channel in the first one of the channel sets; determining a second intensity value for second output radiation, which includes output radiation by some of the channels in the first channel set, and excludes output radiation provided by at least one channel in the first channel set; and performing a second adjustment based at least on the second intensity value.
US08243112B2
The present invention provides a recording head for a photographic printing device. The recording head of the present invention includes on a substrate two heating elements arranged adjacently and parallel to each other on a substrate. Each of the heating elements has connected to its ends a connection section, the connection sections and the heating element lying in a straight line. First and second connection sections are connected to the first heating element and third and fourth connection sections are connected to the second heating element. The heat capacities of the first and fourth connection sections are different from that of the second and of the third connection sections. The heat capacities of the first and fourth connection sections are substantially the same, as are the heat capacities of the second and third connection sections.
US08243109B2
A two-dimensional panel, particularly a liquid crystal display device, has a maximum display area with a width of (T×M) addressable channels. The addressable channels are addressed through a plurality of T source channel integrated circuits (ICs), with each source channel IC having M source channels. The number of addressable channels exceeds the number of channels of data in an image display data array having a width of W pixels, each pixel comprising P subpixels in the width dimension. The excess addressable channels are distributed symmetrically across the width dimension of the displayed image. In other embodiments the number of addressable channels is less than the number of channels of data and excess channels of data are excluded symmetrically across the width dimension of the displayed image. Further embodiments distribute excess addressable channels symmetrically across the height dimension or exclude excess channels of data symmetrically across the height dimension.
US08243104B2
An image display device and an image display method are provided so as to suppress consumption power and provide a more brightly colored display image. The image display device is provided with a light modulating means wherein image data is inputted and an image is formed by modulating light from a light source based on the image data. The image display device is also provided with a color information detecting means for detecting a quantity of a chromatic color component of an image expressed by the image data; a light source control data generating means for generating light source control data for controlling brightness of the light source; and a light source control means for controlling the brightness of the light source based on the light source control data.
US08243103B2
System and methods for distinguishing a laser aiming spot associated with a particular firearm from other laser aiming spots are disclosed. The laser aiming spot may be distinguished by imaging a field of view, the field of view including the laser aiming spot and the other laser aiming spots, identifying the laser aiming spot associated with the particular firearm within the imaged field of view, modifying the imaged field of view to distinguish the identified laser aiming spot from the other laser aiming spots, and displaying the modified imaged field of view.
US08243096B2
Based on a driver programmable stencil reference value command, stencil reference value logic produces a plurality of stencil reference values for a corresponding plurality of pixels or pixel samples. At least one of the plurality of stencil reference values has a different value than at least one other of the plurality of stencil reference values. The driver programmable stencil reference value command may include a reference to instruction data or instruction data itself such that the graphics processing logic produces the plurality of stencil reference values based on the instruction data. Stencil logic performs a stencil test on the produced plurality of stencil reference values with respect to or without reference to a previously produced plurality of stencil values. Stencil logic performs stencil operations based on the result of the stencil test.
US08243091B2
An image processor includes a first data acquiring unit, a second data acquiring unit, a third data acquiring unit, a convergence point setting unit, and a converting unit. The first data acquiring unit acquires first color data that is included in a first color gamut. The second data acquiring unit acquires second color data having a highest chroma of a second color gamut. The second color gamut has a middle point on an achromatic axis. The third data acquiring unit acquires third color data that is located on the achromatic axis and that is closer to the middle point than a point on the achromatic axis having the same lightness of the second color data. The convergence point setting unit sets a convergence point for the first color data on a first line segment defined between the second color data and the third color data. The converting unit converts the first data into fourth data that is included in the second color gamut by moving the first data in a direction toward the convergence point.
US08243089B2
A system and method for controlling lighting conditions in a user environment whereby bandwidth consumption may be managed is disclosed. An inner frame area and an outer frame area adjust certain lighting conditions in the user environment in response to certain lighting conditions detected by the image capture device as those conditions affect bandwidth consumption during transmission of the image capture data. The frame areas may be dynamically controlled as to affect the brightness and/or color of the particular user environment.
US08243087B2
An information processing apparatus including: a display section; a memory section which memorizes a display configuration for displaying each processing condition of a job on the display section, the display configuration having been selected from a plurality of display configuration types and set by being correlated with the each processing condition; and a control section which controls to display a plurality of processing conditions on the display section by utilizing the display configuration having been correlated with the each processing condition and memorized in the memory section.
US08243060B2
A system and processes for generalizing a collection of objects using points not necessarily part of the original objects are provided. Generalization of features in a digital map includes moving points to round number coordinates, while keeping topology correct and not moving points outside an allowed distance range, thus substantially reducing the size of the data so generalized. However, doing so requires moving points from the original polyline to new points. Generalization of polylines to points preferentially chosen from a relatively sparse set is described.
US08243058B2
A gate driving circuit includes a plurality of stages connected to each other. An m-th stage (‘m’ is a natural number) of the stages includes a pull-up part, a pull-down part, a first holding part and a second holding part. The pull-up part outputs a high voltage of a clock signal as a high voltage of an m-th gate signal in response to a high voltage applied to a first output control part. The pull-down part pulls down the high voltage of the m-th gate signal to a first low voltage in response to a high voltage of an (m+1)-th gate signal. The first holding part holds a voltage applied to the first output control part as a second low voltage having a level lower than the first low voltage. The second holding part holds a low voltage of the m-th gate signal to the first low voltage.
US08243047B2
A calibrating apparatus for an image processing apparatus is disclosed. The calibrating apparatus comprises a first operating module and a second operating module. The first operating module determines a third indicating point and a fourth indicating point according to a first indicating point, a second indicating point, and a specific point, and determines a calibration point (i.e. the predetermined position of a sensor) according to a first line through the first indicating point and third indicating point and a second line through the second indicating point and fourth indicating point. The second operating module forms reference lines according to reference points and the calibration point, forms reference angles according to the reference lines and a parallel line, generates reference coordinates of the reference points in an image and generates a calibration function according to the reference coordinates of the reference points and the reference angles.
US08243040B2
A sensor is disclosed. The sensor may be a touch sensor. The sensor may be incorporated into a water delivery system.
US08243036B2
An exemplary display apparatus includes a plurality of pixel units, a plurality of gate lines, a readout line and a plurality of touch control units. The gate lines are for deciding whether to enable the pixel units. Each of the touch control units is electrically coupled to the readout line and a corresponding one of the gate lines and includes a switching element. When one of the touch control units is touched, the switching element of the touched touch control unit is turn on, and thereby a waveform on the gate line corresponding to the touched touch control unit is coupled to the readout line and a position of the touched touch control unit is determined according to a timing sequence of a waveform on the readout line. The present invention also provides a touch detection method adapted to be implemented on the above-mentioned display apparatus.
US08243033B2
A low-cost x-y digitizing system for use in consumer electronic devices, such as portable digital assistants, mobile telephones, web browsers and the like. The digitizer includes a resonant stylus, an excitation winding for energizing the resonant stylus and a set of sensor windings for sensing the signal generated by the stylus, from which the x-y position of the stylus is determined. A novel stylus design is described together with novel digitizer windings and novel excitation and processing circuitry.
US08243032B2
A touch panel includes an insulating substrate, a transparent touch electrode provided on the insulating substrate, and a frame portion connected to a periphery of the touch electrode. The touch panel detects a touched position on the touch electrode based on an electric signal through the frame portion. The frame portion is provided between the insulating substrate and the touch electrode.
US08243026B2
A mobile device includes a character selecting system to select proper characters to edit a short message on the mobile electronic device. Selection of the proper characters by the character selecting system includes generation of a character list to edit a short message, generation of a number list corresponding to the character list, and activation of key-presses on the mobile device corresponding to numbers in the number list, to select the proper characters from the character list to edit the short message.
US08243024B2
The present invention relates to an optoelectronic device for determining relative movements or relative positions of two objects, comprising a first object fixed relative to a frame of the device; a second object mounted in spaced relation to the first object and adapted for movement relative thereto; and a plurality of measuring cells for determining movement or displacement of the second object relative to the first object. Each measuring cell comprises a light-emitting element and a detector for detecting light from the light-emitting element. The invention provides a light shield for the optoelectronic device, the light shield comprising a plurality of channels which together define a non-planar or three-dimensional array of light beam paths between the first and second objects of the optoelectronic device.
US08243023B2
A method is used to switch input method editors (IMEs) in a mobile phone. The mobile phone includes a switch key, a screen, and a group of information input keys. The method includes the following steps. The switch key is firstly pressed to switch to an Arabic numeral IME. An information input key is pressed to input information., Corresponding Arabic numeral is shown on the screen for being inputted. If the Arabic numeral is not accepted within a pre-set time, the screen shows a plurality of letters corresponding to the pressed key of the group of information input keys. One key is pressed to switch to an English letter IME, and a letter is chosen from the plurality of letters to input.
US08243019B2
A computer mouse for use with a computing device is provided. The computer mouse may include a mouse body with an ulnar side digit support structure having a front concave region and a rear convex region formed proximate and behind the front concave region. The front concave region may include an overhang portion on a top side and an outwardly flared region on a bottom side. The front concave region may be sized to receive a distal end of a digit of a user, and the rear convex region may be sized to support a proximate end of a digit of a user. The mouse body may additionally include a radial side digit support structure that has a concave region with an outwardly flared region on a bottom side of the concavity.
US08243014B2
A method and system for reducing power consumption in a display includes driving a display comprising a plurality of display elements characterized by a display state. In a first mode of operation, the display state of substantially all the display elements is periodically re-set so as to display a first series of image frames. Upon changing to a second mode of operation, a second mode of operations comprises re-setting the display state of only a portion of the display elements so as to display a second series of image frames at a display element resolution which is less than said display element resolution used to display said first series of image frames.
US08243012B2
Color cholesteric liquid crystal display devices and driving methods thereof are provided. A color cholesteric liquid crystal display device includes a color cholesteric liquid crystal display panel with a plurality of sub-pixels. A driving module exerts a first voltage on a portion of sub-pixels of the color cholesteric liquid crystal display panel to hold displaying states of the biased sub-pixels. An input element exerts pressure on the color cholesteric liquid crystal display panel to change displaying states of the unbiased sub-pixels.
US08243009B2
The separately-excited inverter circuit for performing the protecting operation upon the rise in the output voltage caused by the contact failure includes a switching circuit 26b which applies the AC to a primary coil of a pressure-rising transformer 26e, a control circuit C1 which starts a switch control of the switching circuit 26b upon an input of a command signal to set an oscillation state ON from a transmission line for the command signal to command to set the oscillation state ON and OFF, an output voltage monitor circuit 51 which allows a comparator 51a to compare an output voltage of the separately-excited inverter circuit with a predetermined voltage, and to output a predetermined reference voltage when the output voltage is higher than the predetermined voltage, and a thyristor circuit 52 which is turned ON to set the transmission line of the command signal into an oscillation OFF state upon the input of the reference voltage to the gate to stop a switch control of the control circuit C1. The output voltage monitor circuit 51 outputs the reference voltage to make a time width sufficient to turn the thyristor circuit 52 ON using a hysteresis of the comparator 51a.
US08243007B2
An image display device is presented to solve problems of high power consumption, insufficient contrast, image flicker, and distortion of image display devices. The image display device includes an image display management module which includes a backlight control unit. The backlight control unit includes an image brightness analyzer, generating a brightness value according to an input image data; a weight generator, generating a weight according to the brightness value; an image variation analyzer, analyzing the input image data to generate an image variance; and a backlight factor generator, coupled to the weight generator and the image variation analyzer to generate a backlight adjusting signal according to the weight and the image variance. By the backlight adjusting signal, the image display device achieves the power-saving and contrast enhancement effects.
US08243005B2
A driving apparatus and method are presented to drive lamps that irradiate a liquid crystal display panel of a liquid crystal display device. A picture implementing period, during which a picture is implemented by the liquid crystal display device, and a shorter, scanning period before the picture implementing period are established. An output power supplied to the lamps to set a reference brightness is determined. A lamp driver changes a duty ratio and/or an amplitude of an AC signal supplied to the lamps to establish the reference brightness during the scanning period. The duty ratio/amplitude of the AC signal is adjusted dependent on the characteristics of the liquid crystal material in the liquid crystal display.
US08242993B2
A display device includes a display panel, a timing controller, a data driver and a scan driver. The display panel includes pixels respectively electrically connected to scan lines and data lines. The timing controller calculates the statistic numbers of pixels whose gray level variations between previous and current frames cross the gray-scale level of the gray point according to scan-line-signal refresh times and high-low gray-scale lookup tables, and thus selects one of the scan-line-signal refresh times and one of the lookup tables corresponding to the lowest statistic number. The scan driver outputs scan line signals to the pixels according to the selected scan-line-signal refresh time. The data driver generates pixel data according to the selected lookup table.
US08242990B2
A liquid crystal display and a method of driving the same are disclosed. The liquid crystal display includes a timing signal multiplying circuit generating a first timing signal and a second timing signal whose frequency is higher than a frequency of the first timing signal, a frame counter detecting a multiplied frame period to be driven at the frequency of the second timing signal, a data processing circuit allowing a frequency of digital data output during the multiplied frame period to be higher than a frequency of the digital data output during a frame period except the multiplied frame period, a timing control signal generating circuit generating a polarity control signal for controlling polarities of the digital data, and a polarity control signal inverting circuit that increases a frequency of the polarity control signal during the multiplied frame period to generate an inverse polarity control signal.
US08242989B2
An organic light emitting display includes a plurality of pixels arranged at intersecting points of data lines, scan lines and light emitting control lines; a sensing unit extracting a signal corresponding to a degradation level of organic light emitting diodes provided in each of the pixels; a storage unit storing the signal obtained from the sensing unit, calculating degradation level information of the organic light emitting diodes using the stored signal and storing the calculated information; a conversion unit for converting an input data (Data) into a correction data (Data′) using the degradation level information stored in the storage unit; and a data driver for receiving the correction data (Data′) outputted from the conversion unit and generating data signals to be supplied to the circuits.
US08242986B2
A semiconductor device having a configuration hardly generating variations in the current value due to a deteriorated EL element is to be provided. A capacitance element is disposed between the gate and the source of a driving TFT, video signals are inputted to the gate electrode, and then it is in the floating state. At this time, when the gate-source voltage of the driving TFT exceeds the threshold, the driving TFT is turned on. Suppose an EL element is deteriorated and the anode potential rises, that is, the source potential of the driving TFT rises, the potential of the gate electrode of the driving TFT, being in the floating state by coupling of the capacitance element, is to rise by the same amount. Accordingly, even when the anode potential rises due to the deteriorated EL element, the rise is added to the gate electrode potential as it is, and the gate-source voltage of the driving TFT is allowed to be constant.
US08242983B2
An pixel of an organic light emitting display device includes: an organic light emitting diode (OLED); a second transistor for supplying a current to the OLED; a first transistor coupled between a data line and a gate electrode of the second transistor, the first transistor being turned on when a scan signal is supplied to its gate electrode; a third transistor for supplying an initialization voltage to a drain electrode of the second transistor, the third transistor being turned on when a control signal is supplied to its gate electrode; a fourth transistor coupled between the drain electrode of the second transistor and a first power supply, the fourth transistor being turned-off when a light emitting control signal is supplied to its gate electrode and turned-on when the light emitting control signal is not supplied; and a storage capacitor coupled between the source and gate electrodes of the second transistor.
US08242978B2
A PDP apparatus having a driving circuit in which a circuit for applying a rising-slope waveform in a reset period, a circuit for applying a falling-slope waveform, and a clamp circuit for generating a falling waveform having a dulled waveform between the rising-slope waveform and the falling-slope waveform are comprised. The clamp circuit comprises a bidirectional switch having two FETs, and a gate feedback circuit is connected to a gate portion of the FET at a panel side. The PDP apparatus reduces a current noise occurring in a sustain electrode throughout the panel when switching the rising-slope waveform and the falling-slope waveform, thereby solving problems such as an increase of unnecessary radiation and stress on elements such as FETs on the path.
US08242958B2
A system and method for positioning using signal transmit power, SNR of the signal receiving unit, signal receive PER or PLR, and distance relationship between the signal source and receiving unit. The system includes a ranging signal transmitting unit and receiving unit. The transmitting unit continuously transmits a fixed number of ranging signal packets using different transmit powers, and the receiving unit receives the ranging signal packets, collect statistics for the PLR at each transmit power, and calculates the distance between the transmitting unit and itself using the distance relationship. The present invention uses the reference signal source and the method for calculating relative distance to reduce the impact from the noise and environment changes on the positioning, and introduces the critical transmit power to further enhance positioning precision. With the method provided in the present invention, using a common active RFID tag achieves high precision and effective positioning.
US08242956B2
A mobile device includes a processor for generating a predicted orbital state vector using an initial satellite position and velocity and force model parameters received from a server, the predicted orbital state vector being used to generate satellite navigation data; and a GNSS receiver in communication with the processor for receiving the satellite navigation data; wherein the satellite navigation data is valid for a time period.
US08242953B2
A method for mitigating atmospheric errors in code and carrier phase measurements based on signals received from a plurality of satellites in a global navigation satellite system is disclosed. A residual tropospheric delay and a plurality of residual ionospheric delays are modeled as states in a Kalman filter. The state update functions of the Kalman filter include at least one baseline distance dependant factor, wherein the baseline distance is the distance between a reference receiver and a mobile receiver. A plurality of ambiguity values are modeled as states in the Kalman filter. The state update function of the Kalman filter for the ambiguity states includes a dynamic noise factor. An estimated position of mobile receiver is updated in accordance with the residual tropospheric delay, the plurality of residual ionospheric delays and/or the plurality of ambiguity values.
US08242944B2
A digital-to-analog conversion circuit includes a gradation voltage generation circuit, a most-significant-bits decoder circuit, a least-significant-bits decoder circuit and a calculation circuit. The gradation voltage generation circuit generates multiple main voltages corresponding to most significant bits of the inputted data, and multiple sub voltages corresponding to least significant bits of the inputted data. The most-significant-bits decoder circuit selects one of the main voltages in accordance with the most significant bits, and the least-significant-bits decoder circuit selects one of the sub voltages in accordance with the least significant bits. The calculator circuit performs calculation processing by use of a first main voltage selected by the most-significant-bits decoder circuit, a first sub voltage selected by the least-significant-bits decoder circuit, and a reference voltage.
US08242939B2
A method and an apparatus of symbol interleaving are provided. A sequence S(i) is transformed to generate a symbol interleaving sequence. A numerical value of the sequence S(i) is corresponding to a serial number of a channel element (CE). The symbol interleaving sequence may also be obtained based on a Costas sequence. Therefore, the number of symbol groups in one CE that are mapped to the same physical resource position by different cells is effectively reduced, so that the effect of interference randomization between the cells is improved, the influence of the interference between the cells on the system performance is lowered, and the generation of the symbol interleaving sequence is simplified.
US08242938B2
A luminous keyboard comprises a housing, a keyboard and a light emitting portion. The keyboard and light emitting portion are held in the housing. The light emitting portion includes at least one housing trough and a lighting element held in the housing trough. The housing trough has at least one first recess portion and at least one second recess portion on the periphery. The first recess portion and second recess portion have respectively an inner wall formed a first curved surface and a second curved surface. The lighting element generates light projected to the first and second recess portions, and the light piercing through the first and second curved surfaces is transmitted towards the concave directions of the first and second recess portions. Thus the light advancing direction in the light emitting portion can be effectively controlled.
US08242937B2
A connecting structure of keyboard appurtenance of the invention includes a base, an appurtenance, a first holding portion and a second holding portion. The first holding portion includes a platform, a first breaking hole that is formed in the platform and includes a first opening, and a passage extending from the first opening to a side of the platform. The second holding portion includes a pillar and a cover connected to an end of the pillar. The base and the appurtenance are equipped with the first holding portion and the second holding portion correspondingly and thus the appurtenance can be connected to the base through disposing the pillar of the second holding portion in the first breaking hole.
US08242930B2
A two-way vehicle communication system has been developed that includes at least one vehicle, at least one vehicle data collection point, at least one operations data supply system, and at least one data communication system, wherein the data communication system is operatively coupled to the at least one vehicle, the at least one vehicle data collection point, the at least one operations data supply system or a combination thereof. A method of monitoring a vehicle using a two-way vehicle communication system has been developed that includes: providing at least one vehicle, providing at least one vehicle data collection point, providing at least one operations data supply system, and providing at least one data communication system, wherein the data communication system is operatively coupled to and communicates with the at least one vehicle, the at least one vehicle data collection point, the at least one operations data supply system or a combination thereof.
US08242927B2
An LED fixture includes multiple LED drivers and multiple LED lamps so that the lifetime of the fixture is a multiple of the lifetime of a conventional fixture that uses only a single LED driver. A central controller activates and deactivates the LED drivers so that the different LED lamps are driven sequentially. An optional multi-lamp LED driver concurrently drives multiple LED lamps that have been previously driven by the LED drivers.
US08242925B2
In an arrangement and associated method for positioning of apparatuses (in particular of a C-arm), the position and orientation of a C-arm and of a pointer instrument are determined by a navigation system, and an alignment of the C-arm is conducted based on the orientation of the pointer apparatus.
US08242920B1
A leak detector is disclosed. The optical leak detector may include a sensor module for transmitting and receiving signals corresponding to the surface level of a monitored fluid and include leak detection logic for detecting a leak signature. The leak detection logic may be configured to determine if fluid contained in a tank is in a non-full state outside of a normal state and activate an alarm.
US08242917B1
Systems and methods for providing and/or simulating weather related information, including temperature information are provided. Weather related data can be obtained from any convenient source. A temperature indication surface can be used to match a temperature value from the weather related data. Indications can also be provided regarding wind speed and general weather condition corresponding to the weather related data.
US08242915B2
A closure assembly is provided that prevents tampering and counterfeiting of a container while at the same time protecting the contents stored therein from contaminants such as air and moisture. The closure assembly may include an upper closure portion securable to the container and a lower closure portion attached to the upper closure portion and securable to the container and adapted to evidence disengagement from the container. The lower closure portion may include a first section having a first cross section and a second section having a second cross section. The second cross section may be smaller than the first cross section, and may be adapted to evidence disengagement from the container if the lower closure portion is disengaged from the container.
US08242913B2
This disclosure discloses an RFID tag communication apparatus comprising: a housing including a bottom surface; an antenna provided at a distance h from the bottom surface; and a radio frequency circuit including a carrier wave transmitting device that generates a carrier wave of a frequency fc; wherein the correlation as fo
US08242909B2
A method of configuring an RFID reader includes (1) collecting information related to an operation environment of an RFID reader, and (2) configuring the RFID reader to operate in a mode that is selected for the operation environment of the RFID reader.
US08242907B2
In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for a Radio Frequency ID (RFID) tag that contains multiple Radio Frequency (RF) network nodes that provide enhanced memory capabilities, redundant functionality, and multiple frequency capabilities to the RFID tag using an inter-RF network node communication connection. The inter-RF network node communication may allow the coordination of RFID tag memory and functionality.
US08242904B2
A multi-mode asset tracking and monitoring system and method is provided that enables comprehensive reporting of asset position, status, and alerts. In one embodiment, the multi-mode system and method is based on the addition of a local network monitoring system to a wide area satellite network monitoring system. In this example, the local network monitoring system would add container presence and status monitoring in crowded environments (e.g., within a port facility, on-board a ship, etc.), while the wide area satellite network monitoring system would provide tracking and monitoring coverage when the container is in dispersed environments. Both the local and wide area monitoring systems work together to provide end-to-end container tracking and monitoring to thereby ensure continuous container tracking and monitoring from container loading to container unloading.
US08242899B2
A battery-powered supplemental alert generator is disclosed that is adapted to be mounted in close proximity to, such as within 3 or 4 feet of, a conventional smoke, heat and/or fire detector/alert device. The supplemental alert generator operates in a relatively low power mode while listening for the nearby detector/alert device to generate a standard audible alert signal. Upon detecting that a monitored sound level has reached a particular threshold, the supplemental alert generator enters into a higher power analysis mode in which it analyzes the detected signal to assess whether it is an audible alert signal. If an audible alert signal is detected, the supplemental alert generator generates one or more supplemental alert signals, such as a 520 Hz audible square wave signal. The supplemental alert generator may be used to retrofit a house, hotel, or other building to comply with new standards or to otherwise increase the effectiveness of the existing detection/alert system.
US08242893B1
A filter assembly that includes a filter housing having a radio frequency identification reader and a blocker; and a filter cartridge insertable into the filter housing having a radio frequency identification tag that the radio frequency reader on the housing can read to determine if the filter cartridge is of the proper type. When the proper filter cartridge is inserted in the filter housing and the tag is matched by the radio frequency identification reader, the blocker will allow the cartridge to go in. When the radio frequency identification reader does not match the tag on the filter cartridge, the blocker will prevent the filter cartridge from being fully inserted into the housing.
US08242889B2
A radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag includes a battery that stores therein electricity and supplies the electricity to the RFID tag, an antenna that receives radio waves transmitted from a reader/writer, an electricity generating unit that generates electricity based on the radio waves received by the antenna, and supplies the electricity to the RFID tag, an electricity storage determining unit that determines whether electricity is stored in the battery, an electricity supply switching control unit that, when the electricity storage determining unit determines that electricity is stored, selects a connection of a circuit to operate the RFID tag with the electricity supplied from the battery, and an electricity generating unit switching control unit that, when the electricity storage determining unit determines that electricity is stored, selects a connection of a circuit not to input the radio waves received by the antenna to the electricity generating unit.
US08242884B2
A system for locating a vehicle may include a hand-held device and a communication device on-board the vehicle. The hand-held device may include a screen, and may be adapted to import a map and display a present location of the hand-held device on the map. The communication device on-board the vehicle may be adapted to communicate a present location of the vehicle to the hand-held device. The hand-held device may be capable of displaying the location of the vehicle and the location of the hand-held device on the map at the same time.
US08242875B2
A thin film type varistor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes: a depositing a first zinc oxide thin film at a low temperature through a sputtering method; and a forming a zinc oxide thin film for a varistor by treating the first zinc oxide thin film with heat at a low temperature in an environment in which an inert gas and oxygen are injected. Accordingly, it is possible to lower a processing temperature and simplify a manufacturing process while maintaining a varistor characteristic so as to be applied to a highly integrated circuit.
US08242874B2
A fuse holder for an electrical fuse includes a first housing portion which has first and second electrical terminals disposed therein. A second housing portion is pivotally attached to the first housing portion, and is configured to carry the electrical fuse. Pivoting the first and second housing portions together automatically and sequentially connects the fuse carried by the second housing portion to the terminals disposed within the first housing portion. This provides a convenient mechanism for connecting and disconnecting the fuse, and facilitates the use of a fuse without its own insulating material.
US08242856B2
There is provided a temperature compensated piezoelectric oscillator which excels in frequency stability and has a good electronic noise characteristic, and with which a circuit can be structured simply. An auxiliary oscillator unit 21 sharing a crystal substrate 2 with a main oscillator unit 11 outputting a set frequency f0 to an outside is used as a temperature detecting unit 32 detecting a temperature T for obtaining a compensation voltage ΔV in a temperature compensated piezoelectric oscillator (TCXO), and electrodes 13, 23 of the main oscillator unit 11 and the auxiliary oscillator unit 21 are provided separately on the crystal substrate 2. For example, a fundamental wave and an overtone are used or a thickness shear vibration and a contour shear vibration are used in the main oscillator unit 11 and the auxiliary oscillator unit 21, respectively.
US08242844B2
A low-noise amplifier (LNA) includes an input terminal for receiving an input signal, an output terminal for providing an output signal related to the input signal. The LNA further includes a first transistor having a first source coupled to the input terminal through the first capacitor, a first gate configured to receive a first direct current (DC) bias signal, and a first drain coupled to the output terminal. The LNA also includes a second transistor having a second source coupled to the input terminal through the second capacitor, a second gate configured to receive a second DC bias signal, and a second drain coupled to the output terminal.
US08242840B2
A capacitive sensor amplifier circuit comprising: a capacitive sensor; a bias voltage supply connected across the capacitive sensor via a bias resistor; an operational amplifier having an input connected to the capacitive sensor; and a feedback capacitor connected between the input and an output of the amplifier, the input and output being of the same sign.
US08242834B2
A charge pump circuit includes an input end, a first reservoir capacitor, a second reservoir capacitor, a first output end, a second output end, and a charge pump unit. The input end is utilized for receiving an input voltage. The charge pump unit includes a first flying capacitor, a second capacitor, a plurality of switches, and a control unit. The control unit is utilized for controlling on/off state of the plurality of switches so that the first flying capacitor provides a positive charge pump voltage to the first output end or a negative charge pump voltage to the second output and the second flying capacitor provides a positive charge pump voltage to the first output end through charge and discharge process.
US08242833B2
A charge pump regulator has a charge pump to establish a charge path and a discharge path alternately, so as to produce a regulated voltage on an output terminal. The charge pump has at least a current control element on the charge path or the discharge path to control the current flowing therethrough according to an output-dependent feedback signal.
US08242831B2
A tamper resistant fuse design is generally presented. In this regard, an apparatus is introduced comprising a plurality of fuses in an integrated circuit device to store values and a plurality of resistors in parallel to the fuses, wherein each fuse includes a parallel resistor to provide a potential dissipation path around the fuse. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08242830B2
A power supply control circuit comprises an output transistor 32 which controls supply of electric power to a load and a gate driving circuit which generates control signals “a” and “b” for controlling on/off of the output transistor based on an external input signal. A first discharge path includes a first depletion-type N-channel MOS transistor provided between a gate and a source of the output transistor and discharges a gate charge of the output transistor based on the control signals, when turning off the output transistor. A second discharge path includes a first depletion-type N-channel MOS transistor discharges more slowly than the first discharge path. A diode is coupled to the first depletion-type N-channel MOS transistor in series and detects that a gate voltage of the output transistor has fallen to a prescribed voltage level, and cuts off a first discharge path.
US08242828B1
A delay circuit is described having a variable capacitor and a triggering circuit. The variable capacitor and the triggering circuit may both include transistors. With both the variable capacitor and the triggering circuit dependent on the threshold voltage, the delay circuit may be less sensitive to process variations. The delay circuit may also include a capacitor, a first triggering circuit, a second triggering circuit, and a pull down circuit. The capacitor may discharge at a first rate, triggering the first triggering circuit which, in turn, activates the pull down circuit to pull down the capacitor at a second rate that is faster than the first rate. The second triggering circuit is triggered as the capacitor is pulled down, thereby reducing the effect of input signal noise on the output of the delay circuit. The discharging of the capacitor may be adjusted by a control input thereby making the delay of the delay circuit programmable.
US08242815B2
A microcontroller unit comprises a reset controller operably coupled to a plurality of logic elements of the microcontroller unit. Low voltage detection logic is operably coupled to the reset controller and arranged to provide a plurality of low voltage interrupt signals to a number of respective logic elements of the microcontroller unit via the reset controller. A method of operating a microcontroller unit is also described.
US08242811B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide techniques and systems for high-bandwidth on-chip communication. During operation, the system receives an input voltage signal which is to be transmitted over a wire in a chip. The system then generates one or more modified voltage signals from the input voltage signal. Next, the system drives each of the voltage signals (i.e., the input voltage signal and the one or more modified voltage signals) through a respective capacitor. The system then combines the output signals from the capacitors to obtain a combined voltage signal. Next, the system transmits the combined voltage signal over the wire. The transmitted signals can then be received by a hysteresis receiver which is coupled to the wire through a coupling capacitor.
US08242808B2
A normally operable decoder circuit is obtained without entailing a delay in decoding operation, an increase in circuit area, and an increase in circuit design cost. An NMOS transistor in a high-voltage circuit portion is inserted between the output of a NAND gate and a node, and receives an input signal at the gate electrode thereof. A load current generating portion in the high-voltage circuit portion includes PMOS transistors coupled in series between a high power supply voltage and the node. One of the PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. The other PMOS transistor receives a control signal at the gate electrode thereof. An inverter receives a signal obtained from the node as an input signal, and outputs the inverted signal thereof as an output signal.
US08242807B2
A scalable non-blocking switching network (SN) having switches and intermediate (stages of) conductors that are used to connect a first plurality of conductors to other multiple sets of conductors in a generally unrestricted fashion within respective interconnect resources constraints. The SN can be applied in a wide range of applications, in tandem or hierarchically, to provide a large switch network used in network, routers, and programmable logic circuits. The SN is used to connect a first set of conductors, through the SN, to multiple sets of conductors in a given logic circuit hierarchy whereby the conductors in each of the multiple sets are equivalent or exchangeable, which in term, by construction, makes the first set of conductors equivalent when used in the next level of circuit hierarchy. The SN is scalable for large sized sets of conductors and can be used hierarchically to enable programmable interconnections among large sized circuits.
US08242799B2
One embodiment of the invention includes a quantum system. The system includes a superconducting qubit that is controlled by a control parameter to manipulate a photon for performing quantum operations. The system also includes a quantum resonator system coupled to the superconducting qubit and which includes a first resonator and a second resonator having approximately equal resonator frequencies. The quantum resonator system can represent a first quantum logic state based on a first physical quantum state of the first and second resonators with respect to storage of the photon and a second quantum logic state based on a second physical quantum state of the first and second resonators with respect to storage of the photon.
US08242791B2
An area-variable type capacitive displacement sensor includes: a stationary element; a movable element; an elastic member for providing a force biasing one of the stationary element and the movable member towards a remaining one thereof in a direction perpendicular to a driving direction so that the stationary element and the movable member are maintained in close contact with each other; a power supply; and a signal detecting circuit. The sensor further includes a guide means for correcting an initial alignment error and reducing an operation alignment error between the stationary element and the movable element.
US08242785B2
An anomaly detection system comprises an echo canceler and anomaly detection logic. The echo canceler has a plurality of taps respectively associated with a plurality of tap coefficients. The anomaly detection logic is configured to determine a difference between a new tap coefficient associated with one of the taps and a previous tap coefficient associated with the one tap. The anomaly detection logic is configured to perform a comparison between the difference and a threshold and to detect an anomaly along a telecommunication line based on the comparison.
US08242784B2
A test structure for testing electrical properties of a material comprises a first loop and a second loop, which are connected to form a closed test loop. A signal generator, for generating a test signal, is coupled to the first loop and the second loop. A signal propagation switching logic is coupled to the first loop and to the second loop for alternatingly flipping the test signal between the first and second loops, such that the test signal moves uninterrupted through the closed test loop. A probe logic detects any degradation of the test signal as the test signal travels along the closed test loop.
US08242781B2
An array of electromagnetic receiver antennae is arranged and operated in conjunction with the operation of an array of far field electromagnetic transmitter antennae for mapping subsurface features of an existing well site reservoir. Mapping is performed according to the relative intensities, frequencies, phase shifts, and/or other reflected signal parameters of the reflections received by the receiver antennae (relative to the transmit signals) associated with a given location or target area within a reservoir so as to aid in determining the geological features about an oil deposit for an existing oil well.
US08242780B2
In a magnetic resonance method and device for automatic differentiation of respective pixels as representing either a silicon-dominated substance, or fat-dominated tissue, or water-dominated tissue, a first magnetic resonance signal and a second magnetic resonance signal are acquired per pixel, wherein the first magnetic resonance signal per pixel is acquired at a point in time at which the phase of a magnetic resonance signal originating from water-containing tissue exhibits a phase opposite to the phase of a magnetic resonance signal originating from fat-containing tissue, and the second magnetic resonance signal is acquired per pixel at a point in time at which the phase of the magnetic resonance signal originating from water-containing tissue exhibits a phase identical to the phase of the magnetic resonance signal originating from fat-containing tissue, and the phase of a magnetic resonance signal originating from a silicon-containing substance exhibits a phase opposite to the phase of the magnetic resonance signal originating from water-containing or fat-containing tissue. A first intermediate result is determined that indicates whether the pixel represents water-dominated tissue or fat-dominated tissue on the basis of first magnetic resonance signals. A second intermediate result is determined that indicates whether the pixel represents the silicon-dominated substance on the basis of second magnetic resonance signals. The pixel is designated as representing water-dominated tissue, fat-dominated tissue or the silicon-dominated substance on the basis of the first intermediate result and the second intermediate result.
US08242775B2
An apparatus for detecting tampering with an integrated circuit (IC), the apparatus comprising a second circuit comprising at least one conductor for conducting electrical current, the electrical current comprising, during at least one period of time, current of known strength, the electrical current generating a magnetic field, at least one magnetic field sensing device operatively associated with the IC, the sensing device having at least one electrical characteristic responsive to changes in a sensed magnetic field, the magnetic field sensing device being positioned so as to sense the magnetic field generated by current in the at least one conductor, and an analyzer operatively associated with the at least one magnetic field sensing device and the IC, the analyzer determining that the IC is being tampered with based, at least in part, on changes in the at least one electrical characteristic of the at least one magnetic field sensing device in response to changes in the sensed magnetic field generated by the electrical current in the at least one conductor during the at least one period of time. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
US08242774B2
An incremental displacement transducer and method for determining a displacement of a first object relative to a second object having a scanning unit linked or to be linked with the first object for scanning a spacing or division track linked or to be linked with the second object having first areas and second areas arranged in alternating manner with a period length, the first areas having a first physical property and the second areas a second physical property differing therefrom, and where the scanning unit has a plurality of sensors for scanning the first areas and the second areas on the basis of the first and/or second physical property, and having an evaluation unit linked with the scanning unit for determining the displacement on the basis of measuring signals of the sensors.
US08242771B2
An inductor design having a detection winding which is magnetically coupled to the existing winding and its induction voltage is used to cancel that of the existing winding. Having the induction voltage cancelled, the voltage across the existing winding represents a resistive voltage drop of the existing winding current. The detection winding is furthermore built with a non-inductive portion having a significantly higher DC resistance in proportion to that of the existing winding. This resistance proportion is insensitive against temperature variations when both the existing and the detection windings are built with the same material and subjected to the same environment. A reference current is fed through the detection winding to produce a reference resistive voltage drop which is used to cancel the resistive voltage drop across the existing winding. When a precise cancellation occurs, the existing winding current is known to be in exact proportion to the reference current.
US08242766B2
A controller for dimming control of a switching power supply includes a phase angle measurement block and a drive logic block. The phase angle measurement block is to be coupled to receive an input sense signal. The phase angle measurement block generates a phase angle signal representative of a phase angle of an input voltage of the power supply in response to the input sense signal. The drive logic block is to be coupled to control switching of a switch included in the power supply. The drive logic block controls the switch in a closed loop dimming control when the phase angle is less than or equal to a phase threshold and in a open loop dimming control when the phase angle is greater than the phase threshold.
US08242765B2
In a switching power supply device in which an operation reference voltage of a control circuit has an electric potential identical to that of a connection point between a switching element and a coil that is an energy conversion circuit, an output voltage detection circuit includes: a rectification circuit which converts an output voltage into a voltage signal rectified relative to the operation reference voltage terminal of the control circuit; and a voltage-to-current converter which is connected between an input terminal of a current detection circuit and the rectification circuit, and which converts the rectified voltage signal into a current signal. The current detection circuit is a sampling type which detects a current by sampling the current signal applied to the input terminal of the current detection circuit.
US08242762B2
A transient recovery circuit for switching devices. The transient recovery circuit includes a detecting circuit for detecting a rapid transient in an output voltage of a switching device by detecting a rate of the output voltage transient; an auxiliary controlling circuit in a feedback loop of the switching device for correcting the output voltage by changing a bandwidth of the feedback loop if the rapid transient is detected; and an initializing circuit for initializing the feedback loop to expected operating points in a continuous conduction mode after correcting the output voltage.
US08242761B2
A low-dropout linear regulator includes an error amplifier comprising a cascaded arrangement of a differential amplifier and a gain stage having interposed therebetween a frequency compensation network for a loading current to flow therethrough. The regulator includes a current limiter inserted the flow-path of the loading current for the compensation network to increase the slew rate of the output of the differential amplifier by dispensing with the capacitive load in the frequency compensation network during load transients in the regulator.
US08242751B2
A charging device includes a hand-operated generating circuit, a steady-state voltage circuit electrically connected with the hand-operated generating circuit, a pulse charging circuit electrically connected with the steady-state voltage circuit, a voltage detection circuit electrically connected with the pulse charging circuit, a discharging voltage limiting circuit electrically connected with the pulse charging circuit, a load circuit electrically connected with the discharging voltage limiting circuit and a charging selection circuit electrically connected between the steady-state voltage circuit and the pulse charging circuit. Thus, the charging device can be used to charge an alkaline battery or a common chargeable battery. In addition, the alkaline battery can be replaced when it fails without having to replace the charging device.
US08242750B2
A method and apparatus to balance adapter power supply and computing device power demand. In one embodiment, power to/from battery pack(s) maybe controlled by adjusting the output voltage of the power adapter via the current input to the power adapter through a feedback pin to meet power demand of electrical loads. Another embodiment provides a way to adjust the activities of the electrical loads such that neither adapter power rating nor the electrical load power limit is exceeded while avoiding system shutdown.
US08242745B2
A battery management system for a battery pack comprising multiple battery modules is disclosed. Each of the battery modules includes multiple battery cells. The battery management system includes multiple first balancing units, multiple first controllers, a second balancing unit including multiple second balancing circuits, and a second controller coupled to the battery modules and the second balancing circuits. The first controllers are operable for controlling the first balancing units to adjust voltages of battery cells in the battery module if an unbalance occurs between the battery cells. The second controller is operable for controlling said second balancing circuits to adjust voltages of said battery modules if an unbalance occurs between battery modules.
US08242744B2
In a battery charger for charging a built-in secondary battery of a compact electric apparatus such as an electric shaver, an erroneous detection due to incomplete mounting of the compact electric apparatus on a mounting base is prevented with a simple and inexpensive configuration. A detection structure for detecting mounting of the compact electric apparatus on the mounting base comprises a charge contact member, a common contact member and a signal contact member which are electrically connected to a positive power source line, a negative power source line and a control signal line of the compact electric apparatus, respectively. A detection contact which electrically connects the signal contact member to the common contact member when the compact electric apparatus is not mounted on the mounting base is integrally formed on the signal contact member. When compact electric apparatus is mounted on the mounting base, the detection contact is displaced corresponding to mounting of the compact electric apparatus so that the signal contact member is electrically disconnected from the common contact member. Thereby, it is possible to detect that the compact electric apparatus is mounted on the mounting base.
US08242742B2
A charger includes a detection pin, a voltage divider, and a comparator. The detection pin can couple the charger to a power source via a first data line. The voltage divider and the comparator are coupled to the detection pin. The voltage divider divides a power voltage provided by the power source and provides a detection voltage at the detection pin. The comparator compares the detection voltage with a predetermined reference voltage and identifies a type of the power source according to the comparing.
US08242741B2
Disclosed are systems, apparatus and devices for wireless charging of electronic devices that include magnets in close proximity to primary and secondary inductive charging coils to move the coils within close proximity and within axial alignment to one another. The system includes a charging apparatus including a first coil having within close proximity a first magnet, the primary coil and magnet together capable of moving within the charging apparatus in accordance with magnetic attraction. A battery charging device includes a secondary coil having within close proximity a second magnet. The magnets can attract so that the coils are moved close together. In this way the respective coils are coupled so that inductive charging may be provided. An engagement structure of the charging apparatus can help to maintain the first coil in a particular orientation within the charging apparatus so that the alignment of the coils is optimized.
US08242738B2
When the load of a battery powered device is removed or significantly reduced, the voltage response may be recorded or analyzed in real time. The parameters of a battery's equivalent circuit can be found by fitting recorded or real time voltage response to a model function. The model function may describe the equivalent circuit voltage response to the load transition through equivalent circuit parameters. The model function may account for a duration of a load application prior to a transition as well as values of the load before and after the transition. Response of battery voltage to load application or load release is time dependent. Modeling of this time dependence can provide significant advantages in fuel gauging implementation, for example, to significantly reduce the waiting time before measured voltages can be used for state of charge (SOC) correlation and to improve the accuracy of the prediction of run-time for devices that drain a battery in short high-current pulses.
US08242730B2
A robot teach tool is provided that enables automatic teaching of pick and place positions for a robot. The automated robot teach tool obviates the need for manual operation of the robot during the teaching. The result is an automated process that is much faster, more accurate, more repeatable and less taxing on a robot operator.
US08242728B2
One embodiment relates to modernizing a technical system, in particular a producing system with the aim of obtaining economic and technical advantages. The technical system comprises at least one drive mechanism provided with at least one drive motor powered by a power element, a torque controller controlling the power element and a speed controller prescribing the nominal value of the torque (Msoll) for the torque controller. When the determination of the nominal value of the torque (Msoll) for the torque controller by the speed controller is deactivated, a standard drive element is available. The drive element comprises at least one speed controller, a torque controller and a power element. The nominal value of the torque (Msoll) of the torque controller of the drive motor is determined by a speed controller of the standard drive element.
US08242722B2
A controller for rotating electrical machines comprises a processing unit, to which a plurality of parameters are input, for generating a switching instruction to control a switching operation of a switching semiconductor device and outputting a signal corresponding to the switching instruction to a power converter. The processing unit includes at least a function to input thereto signals having been output from each of sensors such as a current sensor to detect current passed between the power converter and a winding of an armature, a temperature sensor to detect temperature of the winding of the armature, and a magnetic pole position sensor to detect magnetic pole position of a magnetic field system, and, based upon information on current, temperature, and rotation speed of the rotating electrical machines, having been obtained from those sensor signals, detects a magnetic flux that interlinks with the winding of the armature from a permanent magnet.
US08242720B2
Embodiments of the present invention permit the optimization of torque control of a permanent magnet machine including obtaining instantaneous terminal voltages of the machine, transforming the instantaneous terminal voltages to a zero direct axis voltage and a non-zero quadrature axis voltage, using a mathematical transformation, regulating the electrical frequency of the permanent-magnet machine such that the zero direct-axis voltage is adjusted to have a value of zero, determining a non-final electrical angle of the permanent-magnet machine by applying an integrator to the regulated electrical frequency of the machine, determining a final electrical angle of the of the machine by integrating the non-final electrical angle and an electrical angle from a previous calculation cycle, and regulating the current vector of the machine such that the current vector is perpendicular to the final electrical angle of the machine, thereby optimizing the torque of the machine.
US08242718B2
A lighting system comprising a lamp arranged to transform electricity into a light beam having properties such as intensity, lour, lour temperature, direction and beam cone angle, a light control system arranged to adjust said light beam properties, an ultrasonic transmitter arranged to transmit ultrasonic signals, an ultrasonic receiver arranged to receive reflected ultrasonic signals, and a processing system arranged to derive a time-of-flight signal representing the time differences between said transmitted and received ultrasonic signals and to send control signals to said light control system in dependence of said time-of-flight signal.
US08242716B2
A backlight driving circuit for a liquid crystal display device including a light emitting diode controlling portion for outputting a brightness control signal, a light emitting diode driving portion that amplifies an input voltage to produce the first driving voltage and that uses the brightness control signal to adjust a second driving voltage, a backlight unit including a plurality of channels, each of the plurality of channels including a light emitting diode array supplied in common with the first and second driving voltages from the light emitting diode driving portion, a feedback voltage terminal on each of the plurality of channels that outputs a feedback voltage to the light emitting diode controlling portion, a detecting element on each of the plurality of channels that detects the feedback voltage, and a current set resistor disposed between the plurality of channels and a ground terminal of the light emitting diode driving portion.
US08242715B2
A lighting system comprising a plurality of light units, wherein said light units are arranged in at least two groups forming concentric polygons or circles, wherein the light beams of substantially each pair of adjacent light units overlap each other, wherein the light beams of the inner group are directed substantially parallel to each other, wherein the light beams of the light units in the outer group diverge from the light beams of the light units in the inner group, and wherein the light system comprises a light control means which is arranged to adjust the intensity of each one of said plurality of light units individually.
US08242714B2
A dimmer switch for controlling the intensity of a dimmable screw-in compact fluorescent lamp provides smooth dimming of the fluorescent lamp and prevents flickering of the lamp due to multiple re-strikes. The dimmer switch prevents multiple re-strikes by avoiding multiple firings of a controllably conductive switching device of the dimmer circuit by limiting the high-end light intensity of the fluorescent lamp. Specifically, the dimmer switch limits the length of a conduction interval of the controllably conductive switching device to less than approximately 75% of each half-cycle. The dimmer switch may include a user-accessible adjustment actuator for changing the dimmer switch between an incandescent operating mode and a screw-in compact fluorescent mode. The dimmer switch may also be operable to automatically change the dimmer switch between the incandescent operating mode and the screw-in compact fluorescent mode by detecting the occurrence of the multiple firings of the controllably conductive switching device.
US08242711B2
A power adaptor (20) for a lighting unit (50) having a solid state light source (50a,50b,50c) is disclosed. The power adaptor (20) comprises an input (22) for connection to a mains power supply, a power transfer module (40a,40b,40c,140a) that is coupled to the input (22) and provides an output suitable for driving the solid state light source (50a,50b,50c), and a controller (30) that receives a voltage signal from the input (22) and is able to deliver a control signal to the power transfer module (40a,40b,40c,140a) for reducing the power drawn from the input (22). The power adaptor (20) draws current from the input (22) as a function of the voltage at the input (22) in order that the power adaptor (20) appears as a variable resistor to the mains supply.
US08242710B2
The invention relates to a driver device for a load (11), particularly an LED/OLED unit (12; 20, 22), comprising a shunting switch (30) parallel to the load, a control unit (14, 26) for controlling the shunting switch (30), an energy storage element (40) adapted to supply energy to at least the control unit (14, 26), and a recharge control circuitry (46) arranged in series with the energy storage element (40), the series connection of energy storage element (40) and recharge control circuitry (46) being provided parallel to the shunting switch (30), wherein said control unit (14, 26) is adapted to activate said recharge control circuitry (46) and to switch said shunting switch (30) off, when said energy storage element (40) is to be recharged. The invention also relates to a method of driving a load (11).
US08242704B2
An apparatus, method and system are disclosed for supplying power to a load such as a plurality of light emitting diodes. A representative apparatus comprises a primary module, a first secondary module couplable to a first load, and a second secondary module couplable to a second load. The primary module comprises a transformer having a transformer primary. The first secondary module comprises a first transformer secondary magnetically coupled to the transformer primary, and the second secondary module comprises a second transformer secondary magnetically coupled to the transformer primary, with the second secondary module couplable in series through the first or second load to the first secondary module.
US08242702B2
A method for driving a fluorescent lamp and lamp ballast is disclosed. In one embodiment, an excitation AC voltage having an excitation frequency is applied to the series resonant circuit using a half-bridge circuit, having an output, to which the series resonant circuit is coupled, and having a first and a second switch, which are driven in the on state and in the off state with a fundamental frequency predetermined by a frequency signal or with an increased frequency. The switches are driven with the fundamental frequency or with the increased frequency with respect to the fundamental frequency in a manner dependent on a temporal change in the resonant circuit current between two temporally spaced-apart evaluation instants lying within a switched-on duration of one of the switches.
US08242698B2
The present invention overcomes image defects such as the brightness inclination or smears by reducing the line resistance of a power source bus line which supplies electricity to organic EL elements. A plurality of pixels which are arranged in a matrix array is connected to power source lines, and the plurality of power source lines are connected to a power source bus line. Both ends of the power source bus line are connected to a power source part via a FPC. By supplying electricity to both ends of the power source bus line from the power source part, the line resistance of the power source bus line can be reduced.
US08242696B1
Various apparatuses and methods for a vacuum electronic device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a vacuum electronic device includes a vacuum housing, an array of slow wave structures inside the vacuum housing sharing a common electron beam tunnel, an electron beam input port at a first end of the common electron beam tunnel, and an electron beam output port at a second end of the common electron beam tunnel.
US08242682B2
A method of fabricating a light emitting screen 1 comprises steps of providing a resistance layer 6 having a plurality of apertures arranged in a lattice pattern and having light emitting members each arranged in each of the apertures, on a substrate 2 having an image display region 10 and a peripheral region 11 at an outer periphery of the image display region, such that the resistance layer extends from the image display region to the peripheral region, and such that the plurality of apertures are arranged in the image display region, providing a resistance adjusting layer having a resistance value larger than that of the resistance layer, on the resistance layer, to divide the image display region and the peripheral region into a plurality of segments, and forming a film of an electroconductive layer to cover the resistance layer and the light emitting member positioned in the segments.
US08242678B2
An automotive discharge lamp, having an inner tube including a light emitting unit having a first space therein and seal portions formed on the light emitting unit, a discharge medium containing a first gas enclosed in the first space, a metal foil sealed in the seal portions, electrodes with one end connected to the metal foil and other end extended into the first space, and an outer tube connected to the inner tube to form a second space between the outer tube and the inner tube, wherein the second space has a second gas enclosed therein and the oxygen concentration in the second space is 1.0 volume % or less.
US08242676B2
A field emission device, a field emission display device, and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The field emission device includes: i) a substrate; ii) an electrode positioned on the substrate; iii) a mask layer positioned on the electrode and including one or more openings; and iv) a plurality of nanostructures positioned on the electrode via the openings and formed to extend radially. The plurality of nanostructures may be applied to emit an electron upon receiving a voltage from the electrode.
US08242675B2
The present invention discloses a peripheral line scheme of a display device. The routing of the peripheral lines is designed with a grating configuration to electrically connect to a driver IC or an integrated circuit. When the repair line is employed, a part of the peripheral lines could be separated by a laser optionally, and it subsequently could be welded to the repair line by the laser to improve the ability of the repair line. The display device of the present invention includes a display panel with a plurality of signal lines including the data lines and the scan lines. At least one integrated circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of signal lines to drive the display panel for displaying, and at least one repair line is electrically connected to the integrated circuit. At least one peripheral line is electrically connected to the integrated circuit in the grating configuration and in parallel to the repair lines.
US08242671B2
A short arc lamp comprises front and back subassemblies including mating weld rings, whereby the lamp can be assembled and sealed through welding of the weld rings. Each subassembly includes a number of self-aligning components to facilitate assembly and improve alignment accuracy. The metal body of the lamp can have a cooling projection portion, which can be received by a heat sink to remove heat from near the anode. A heat sink also can be formed as part of the metal body. The lamp reflector can be a drop-in reflector, or can be formed as part of the metal body through a process such as metal injection molding. A single strut can be used to position the cathode, which can be part of the sleeve or received by a portion of the sleeve. A trigger electrode can be used to simplify the power supply for the lamp.
US08242659B2
The mold commutator of the present invention comprises a plurality of commutator segments made of copper or copper alloy and circumferentially arranged, a plurality of spark absorbing elements, disposed between adjacent commutator segments, with paired parallel surfaces respectively having electrodes thereon, and a resin mold portion which integrates these portions into one piece. The spark absorbing element is electrically connected to the commutator segment via the electrode, and spark voltage generated at the commutator segment is absorbed by current flowing between the electrodes.
US08242657B2
The main problem to be solved by the invention is to provide a superconductive rotor, a superconductive rotating machine and a superconductive rotating-machine system which are capable of inductive and synchronous rotation while employing the induction machine configuration and also offer satisfactory heat dissipation performance, stability under an excessive load, and easy magnetic flux trap for synchronous rotation. To solve the problem, the invention provides a superconductive rotor, as shown in FIG. 1, including a superconductive squirrel-cage winding formed by superconductive wires having a plurality of superconductive wires covered with a highly conductive metal; a normally conductive squirrel-cage winding formed by a normally conductive material; a cylindrical rotor core having a plurality of slots for accommodating the rotor bars of both of the squirrel-cage windings; and a rotor shaft coaxially provided to the rotor core, wherein, when the superconductive squirrel-cage winding is in a non-superconductive state, rotations are mainly made by an induced torque generated on the normally conductive squirrel-cage winding due to a rotating magnetic field and, when the superconductive squirrel-cage winding is in a superconductive state, rotations are mainly made by a synchronous torque generated by the superconductive squirrel-cage winding trapping magnetic flux of the rotating magnetic field.
US08242653B2
A rotor surface has magnetic salient poles and island-shaped magnetic poles alternately in circumferential direction, and the island-shaped magnetic pole is constituted so that a magnetic flux coming from an external source does not flow through. A magnetic excitation part magnetizes the island-shaped magnetic poles and the magnetic salient poles collectively in the same direction, and then control a flux amount flowing through an armature. The armature has armature coils that face the magnetic salient pole and the island-shaped magnetic pole simultaneously so that driving torque fluctuation or power generation voltage waveform distortion is controlled. The magnetic excitation part changes magnetization state of a field magnet irreversibly, or changes an excitation current to an excitation coil to control a flux flowing through the armature.
US08242650B2
A weight used in a vibration motor includes first and second weight parts that extend along adjacent wing parts to hold the wing parts therebetween; an insertion part that is formed between the first and second weight parts and into which the adjacent wing parts are inserted in the radial direction of the core; and a third weight part that is inserted between the adjacent wing parts (that is, slot) and connects the first weight part and the second weight part in a direction of the rotation axis line such that the insertion part is decoupled.
US08242642B2
A vibration actuator includes a coil that extends in a vibration direction and has a flat shape and a magnet that extends in the vibration direction and has a flat shape, so that a case can be made flat or low profile. A weight portion is supported by a shaft, so that, when a drop impact is applied, the weight portion can move along the shaft and the weight portion is not freely moved in the case. A coil spring is disposed between a spring receiving portion and a weight portion. Therefore there is no unnecessary space in the case, so that space can be saved and the vibration actuator can be made compact.
US08242641B2
A vibration motor includes a first resilient member and a second resilient member providing resilient forces in opposite directions; a first vibrator and a second vibrator coupled to the first resilient member and the second resilient member respectively; a magnetic body coupled to the first vibrator to create a magnetic field; and a coil applying a current of a predetermined frequency band in the region where the magnetic field is created.
US08242612B2
A wiring board includes a core substrate including an insulation base member; linear conductors configured to pierce from a first surface of the insulation base member to a second surface of the insulation base member; a ground wiring group including a first ground wiring formed on the first surface of the core substrate, and a belt-shaped second ground wiring formed on the second surface of the core substrate and electrically connected to the first ground wiring by way of a part of the linear conductors; and an electric power supply wiring group including a first electric power supply wiring formed on the first surface, and a second electric power supply wiring formed on the second surface and electrically connected to the first electric power supply wiring by way of a part of the plural linear conductors.
US08242605B2
In a semiconductor device having an LDMOSFET, a source electrode is at the back surface thereof. Therefore, to reduce electric resistance between a source contact region in the top surface and the source electrode at the back surface, a poly-silicon buried plug is provided which extends from the upper surface into a P+-type substrate through a P-type epitaxial layer, and is heavily doped with boron. Dislocation occurs in a mono-crystalline silicon region around the poly-silicon buried plug to induce a leakage failure. The semiconductor device has a silicon-based plug extending through the boundary surface between first and second semiconductor layers having different impurity concentrations. At least the inside of the plug is a poly-crystalline region. Of the surface of the poly-crystalline region, the portions located on both sides of the foregoing boundary surface in adjacent relation thereto are each covered with a solid-phase epitaxial region.
US08242604B2
A through-silicon via (TSV) structure forming a unique coaxial or triaxial interconnect within the silicon substrate. The TSV structure is provided with two or more independent electrical conductors insulated from another and from the substrate. The electrical conductors can be connected to different voltages or ground, making it possible to operate the TSV structure as a coaxial or triaxial device. Multiple layers using various insulator materials can be used as insulator, wherein the layers are selected based on dielectric properties, fill properties, interfacial adhesion, CTE match, and the like. The TSV structure overcomes defects in the outer insulation layer that may lead to leakage. A method of fabricating such a TSV structure is also described.
US08242601B2
The invention provides a semiconductor chip comprising a semiconductor substrate comprising a MOS device, an interconnecting structure over said semiconductor substrate, and a metal bump over said MOS device, wherein said metal bump has more than 50 percent by weight of gold and has a height of between 8 and 50 microns.
US08242598B2
A semiconductor module includes: an insulating resin layer; a wiring layer which is provided on one main surface of the insulating resin layer and which includes an external connection region; bump electrodes which are electrically connected to the wiring layer and each of which is formed such that it protrudes from the wiring layer toward the insulating resin layer; a semiconductor device which is provided on the other main surface of the insulating resin layer and which includes device electrodes connected to the bump electrode; and a wiring protection layer provided on the wiring layer and the insulating resin layer so as to expose the external connection region. In the semiconductor module, the outer edge portion of the wiring protection layer is in contact with the external edge portion of the semiconductor device such that it shields at least a part of the semiconductor resin layer at the side edge.
US08242595B2
A heatsink carries a UV-ray light emitting diode. Flow passages for causing circulation of a fluid that cools the UV-ray light emitting diode are opened in the heatsink. Supply ports and discharge ports are opened in a mount surface of a header where supply and discharge of the fluid for cooling purpose to and from the heatsink are performed. A pair of circulation orifices corresponding to the supply port and the discharge port are opened in the contact surface that contacts the mount surface in the heatsink. Recesses are formed around the respective circulation orifices, and an annular sealing member that exhibits rubber elasticity and that is compressed between the heatsink and the header is disposed in each of the recesses.
US08242586B2
An integrated circuit chip includes an analog and/or RF circuit block and a seal ring structure surrounding the analog and/or RF circuit block. The seal ring structure comprises a continuous outer seal ring and an inner seal ring, wherein the inner seal ring comprises a gap that is situated in front of the analog and/or RF circuit block.
US08242585B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device formed over an insulating substrate, typically a semiconductor device having a structure in which mounting strength to a wiring board can be increased in an optical sensor, a solar battery, or a circuit using a TFT, and which can make it mount on a wiring board with high density, and further a method for manufacturing the same. According to the present invention, in a semiconductor device, a semiconductor element is formed on an insulating substrate, a concave portion is formed on a side face of the semiconductor device, and a conductive film electrically connected to the semiconductor element is formed in the concave portion.
US08242584B2
An integrated circuit (IC) chip is provided comprising at least one trench including a stress-inducing material which imparts a stress on a channel region of a device, such as a junction gate field-effect transistor (JFET) or a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). A related method is also disclosed.
US08242583B2
A semiconductor device including a CMP dummy pattern and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The warpage of a wafer can be prevented by forming the CMP dummy pattern in the same direction and/or at the same angle as a pattern of a cell region. Accordingly, overlay error caused by etching residues is reduced, thereby improving the yield of the semiconductor device.
US08242582B2
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip possessing a shape with corners and has a circuit section. The semiconductor chip has one or more chamfered portions which are formed in a first corner group that includes one or more of the corners. Data bonding pads are disposed on the semiconductor chip and are electrically connected to the circuit section. A chip selection pad is disposed adjacent to a second corner group that includes at least one of the corners which is not formed with a chamfered portion. The chip selection pad is electrically connected to the circuit section. A plurality of the semiconductor packages may be stacked so that the chip selection pad of one of the semiconductor packages is left exposed when another semiconductor package is stacked thereover due to the chamfered portion of the other semiconductor package.
US08242580B2
Provided is a method which is capable of producing polycrystalline silicon resistors with a high ratio accuracy so that a precision resistor circuit may be designed. A semiconductor device has a structure in which an occupation area of a metal portion covering a low concentration impurity region constituting each of the polycrystalline silicon resistors is adjusted so that ratio accuracy may be further corrected after a resistance is corrected.
US08242575B2
A thin-film device incorporates a device main body and four terminal electrodes. The device main body has four side surfaces. The terminal electrodes are disposed to touch respective portions of the side surfaces. The device main body includes a lower conductor layer that is not used to form a passive element, and an upper conductor layer used to form the passive element. The upper and lower conductor layers include respective lead electrode portions that have respective end faces located at the side surfaces of the device main body. At the side surfaces of the device main body, the end face of the lead electrode portion of the lower conductor layer and the end face of the lead electrode portion of the upper conductor layer are electrically and physically connected to each other. The terminal electrodes touch these end faces and are thereby connected to the upper and lower conductor layers.
US08242573B2
There are provided a semiconductor device and a method of forming the same. The semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate including a digital circuit region and an analog circuit region, a device isolation layer on the boundary between the digital circuit region and the analog circuit region, a conductive region adjacent to the side surface and the bottom surface of the isolation layer, and a ground pad which is electrically connected to the conductive region and to which a ground voltage is applied.
US08242571B2
Provided is a waveguide photodetector that may improve an operation speed and increase or maximize productivity. The waveguide photodetector includes a waveguide layer extending in a first direction, an absorption layer disposed on the waveguide layer, a first electrode disposed on the absorption layer, a second electrode disposed on the waveguide layer, the second electrode being spaced from the first electrode and the absorption layer in a second direction crossing the first direction, and at least one bridge electrically connecting the absorption layer to the second electrode.
US08242565B2
An electrostatic discharge protection device includes a substrate where an active region is defined by an isolation layer, a gate electrode simultaneously crossing both the isolation layer and the active region, and a junction region formed in the active region at both sides of the gate electrode and separated from the isolation layer by a certain distance in a direction where the gate electrode is extended. The electrostatic discharge protection device is able to prevent the increase of a leakage current while securing an electrostatic discharge protection property that a semiconductor device requires.
US08242561B2
A field effect device includes a channel region disposed on a silicon on insulator (SOI) layer, a gate portion disposed on the channel region, a source region disposed on the SOI layer and connected to the channel region having a horizontal surface and a vertical surface, the vertical surface arranged perpendicular to a linear axis of the device, a silicide portion that includes the horizontal surface and vertical surface of the source region, a contact including a metallic material in contact with the horizontal surface and vertical surface of the source region, and a drain region connected to the channel region disposed on the SOI layer.
US08242536B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface. A main region and a sensing region are formed on the first surface side of the semiconductor substrate. A RC-IGBT is formed in the main region and a sensing element for passing electric currents proportional to electric currents flowing through the RC-IGBT is formed in the sensing region. A collector region and a cathode region of the sensing element are formed on the second surface side of the semiconductor substrate. The collector region is located directly below the sensing region in a thickness direction of the semiconductor substrate. The cathode region is not located directly below the sensing region in the thickness direction.
US08242528B2
A conversion LED is provided. The conversion LED may include a primary light source which emits in the short-wave radiation range below 420 nm, and a luminophore placed in front of it consisting of the BAM system as a host lattice for at least partial conversion of the light source's radiation into longer-wave radiation, wherein the BAM luminophore is applied as a thin layer having a thickness of at most 50 μm directly on the surface of the light source, the BAM luminophore having the general stoichiometry (M1−r Mgr)O*k(Al2O3), where r=0.4 to 0.6 and M=EAeEu1−e, with EA=Ba, Sr, Ca, and e=0.52 to 0.8, and k=1.5 to 4.5.
US08242527B2
A light emitting device for generating infrared light includes a substrate, a first metal layer, a dielectric layer and a second metal layer. The substrate has a first surface. The first metal layer is formed on the first surface of the substrate. The dielectric layer is formed on the first metal layer. A thickness of the dielectric layer is greater than a particular value. The second metal layer is formed on the dielectric layer. When the light emitting device is heated, the dielectric layer has a waveguide mode such that the infrared light generated by the light emitting device can be transmitted in the dielectric layer. A wavelength of the infrared light generated in the waveguide mode relates to the thickness of the dielectric layer.
US08242522B1
An optical device. The optical device comprises a GaN substrate having a non-polar surface region, an n-type GaN cladding layer, an n-type SCH layer comprised of InGaN, a multiple quantum-well active region comprised of five InGaN quantum well layers separated by four InGaN barrier layers, a p-type guide layer comprised of GaN, an electron blocking layer comprised of AlGaN, a p-type GaN cladding layer, and a p-type GaN contact layer.
US08242518B2
A solid state light sheet and method of fabricating the sheet are disclosed. In one embodiment, bare LED chips have top and bottom electrodes, where the bottom electrode is a large reflective electrode. The bottom electrodes of an array of LEDs (e.g., 500 LEDs) are bonded to an array of electrodes formed on a flexible bottom substrate. Conductive traces are formed on the bottom substrate connected to the electrodes. A transparent top substrate is then formed over the bottom substrate. Various ways to connect the LEDs in series are described along with many embodiments. In one method, the top substrate contains a conductor pattern that connects to LED electrodes and conductors on the bottom substrate.
US08242517B2
The present invention relates to a light-emitting diode die package having an LED die and an accommodating housing. The LED die has a first doped layer doped with a p- or n-type dopant and a second doped layer doped with a different dopant from that doped in the first doped layer. Each of the first and second doped layers has an electrode-forming surface formed with an electrode, on which an insulation layer is formed. The insulation layer is formed with exposure holes for exposing the electrodes corresponding thereto. Each of the exposure holes is formed inside with an electrically conductive linker. The accommodating housing has an open end through which an accommodating space is accessible. The LED die is positioned within the accommodating space in such a manner that the electrically conductive linker protrudes outwardly from the accommodating space.
US08242514B2
A semiconductor LED and a method manufacturing the semiconductor LED are disclosed. The method can include: forming a light emitting structure, which includes an N-type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a P-type semiconductor layer stacked together, on a substrate; processing a division groove in the shape of a dotted line from the direction of the substrate or from the direction of the light emitting structure; and dividing the substrate and the light emitting structure along the division groove by applying pressure to at least one of the substrate and the light emitting structure. Embodiments of the invention can prevent total reflection for light emitted through the sides, and as a result, the light emitting efficiency can be improved.
US08242513B2
Disclosed herein is a method for growing a semiconductor layer which includes the step of growing a semiconductor layer of hexagonal crystal structure having the (11-22) or (10-13) plane direction on the (1-100) plane of a substrate of hexagonal crystal structure.
US08242495B2
A digital X-ray detecting panel includes a wavelength transforming layer and a photoelectric detecting plate. The wavelength transforming layer is configured for transforming X-ray into visible light. The photoelectric detecting plate is disposed under the wavelength transforming layer. The photoelectric detecting plate includes a substrate and a number of photoelectric detecting units disposed on the substrate and arranged in an array. Each of the photoelectric detecting units includes a thin film transistor and a photodiode electrically connected to the thin film transistor. The thin film transistor has an oxide semiconductor layer. The digital X-ray detecting panel can avoid a photocurrent in the thin film transistor, and thereby improving detecting accuracy of the digital X-ray detecting panel. A method for manufacturing the digital X-ray detecting panel is also provided.
US08242494B2
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor at low cost with high productivity in such a manner that a photolithography process is simplified by reducing the number of light-exposure masks. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a channel-etched inverted-staggered thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film and a conductive film are etched using a mask layer formed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted so as to have a plurality of intensities. In etching steps, a first etching step is performed by wet etching in which an etchant is used, and a second etching step is performed by dry etching in which an etching gas is used.
US08242493B2
An organic photosensitive optoelectronic device includes an anode, a cathode, and a donor-acceptor heterojunction between the anode and the cathode, the heterojunction including a donor-like material and an acceptor-like material, wherein at least one of the donor-like material and the acceptor-like material includes a subphthalocyanine, a subporphyrin, and/or a subporphyrazine compound, wherein the subporphyrin or subporphyrazine compound includes boron.
US08242492B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate including a display area and a non-display area, subpixels arranged in the display area in a matrix form, a contact electrode that is formed in the non-display area, transfers a power received from the outside, and includes at least one of electrodes included in each subpixel, and a contact unit that includes at least one of insulating layers included in each subpixel and exposes a portion of the contact electrode. An upper electrode included in each subpixel is formed in the display area and the non-display area and is electrically connected to the contact electrode through the contact unit.
US08242486B2
An object is to provide technology for manufacturing a higher-reliability memory device and a semiconductor device that is equipped with the memory device at low cost. A semiconductor device of the present invention has a first conductive layer, a first insulating layer that is provided to be in contact with a side end portion of the first conductive layer, a second insulating layer that is provided over the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and a second conductive layer that is provided over the second insulating layer. The second insulating layer is formed of an insulating material, and wettability against a fluidized substance when the insulating material is fluidized, is higher for the first insulating layer than the first conductive layer.
US08242462B2
The invention relates to a plurality of light sources to power a variety of applications including microarray readers, microplate scanners, microfluidic analyzers, sensors, sequencers, Q-PCR and a host of other bioanalytical tools that drive today's commercial, academic and clinical biotech labs.
US08242455B2
A radiation detector comprises a substrate of diamond material and at least one electrode formed at a surface of the substrate. The electrode comprises electrically conductive material deposited in a cavity in the surface of the substrate so that at least a portion of the material of the electrode is below the surface of the substrate. The cavity will typically be an elongate trench or channel in which electrically conductive material such as boron-doped diamond is deposited. In some embodiments, at least two electrodes are located adjacent to one another at the surface of the substrate. In other embodiments, the device has a plurality of electrodes, at least one of which is located at a first surface and at least one of which is located at an opposed second surface of the substrate. In the latter case, an electrode at one surface of the substrate can be connected to an electrode at the opposed surface of the substrate by means of a conductive via, which consists of a through-hole filled or coated with conductive material. Typically, the electrodes are arranged in an interdigitated configuration, each electrode having a plurality of elongate electrode elements. Each such electrode element extends parallel to at least one adjacent electrode element of another electrode.
US08242453B2
A imaging system for acquiring an image of a subject comprising a gantry (810) having a plurality of detection modules (812). Each detection module comprising a radiation detector and a collimator adjacent a radiation receiving face of the detector. The collimator comprises a plurality of spaced slats and a body adjacent the slats which defines at least one elongated slit extending in an axial direction (824). The slit is arranged such that radiation (822) passes through the slit and between the slats to the detector. The body is opaque to the radiation. The detection modules have a common focus (820) and do not move during acquisition of the image.
US08242451B2
An aperture arrangement is disclosed, such as an aperture arrangement suitable for use with a dual wavelength infrared detector. A detector is disclosed which includes a casing; an aperture defined in one end of the casing; and a filter having an inner region and an outer region substantially (e.g., greater than 50%) covering the aperture; wherein the outer region of the filter transmits radiation within a first range of wavelengths and reflects radiation within a second range of wavelengths.
US08242449B2
A metering device and a method for reconfiguring the device to satisfy those regulatory agencies that require that a metering device be disassembled in some way prior to allowing any reconfiguration of the device, but do so without breaking or otherwise affecting the environmental sealing of the device.
US08242445B1
In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, a portable inspection system is disclosed to capture inspection data, such as for example an infrared image, sound information, and/or electrical measurement information. The inspection data may be securely recorded (e.g., with an encryption algorithm) along with associated information, which may include for example date, time, system settings, operator identification, and location.
US08242440B2
A method for analyzing a sample comprising the steps of: generating ions from the sample within an ionization chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure; entraining the ions in a background gas; transferring the background gas and entrained ions to an evacuated chamber of a mass spectrometer system using a single-piece capillary having an inlet end and an outlet end, wherein a portion of the capillary adjacent to the outlet end comprises an inner diameter that is greater than an inner diameter of an adjoining portion of the capillary; and analyzing the ions using a mass analyzer of the mass spectrometer system.
US08242439B2
A mass spectrometric method for determining the position of unsaturation in a compound is disclosed.
US08242433B2
Provided are a centrifugal force based platform formed to be rotatable and including a home mark having a retro-reflective property of light, and a centrifugal force based microfluidic system including the platform. The method of determining a home position of the centrifugal force based platform includes: rotating the platform formed and including a home mark having a retro-reflective property of light; emitting light from a light-emitting unit to the platform; and detecting the emitted light, which is retro-reflected by the home mark, in a light-receiving unit, and then determining the home position of the platform based on the detected light.
US08242432B2
The optical device includes a waveguide and a light sensor on a base. The light sensor includes a ridge extending from slab regions positioned on opposing sides of the ridge. The ridge includes a multiplication layer and an absorption layer. The absorption layer is positioned to receive at least a portion of the light signal from the waveguide. Additionally, the absorption layer generates a hole and electron pair in response to receiving a photon of the light signal. The multiplication layer is positioned to receive the electron generated in the absorption layer and to generate additional electrons in response to receiving the electron.
US08242425B2
A projector includes: first and second lamps; a combining member configured to combine the light from the first and second lamps; a light modulation device arranged on the downstream side of an optical path of the combining member configured to provide higher modulation contrast with respect to the light emitted from the first lamp and entering in a state of being inclined in a first direction with respect to a system optical axis than modulation contrast with respect to the light emitted from the second lamp and entering in a state of being inclined in a second direction; and an illumination control device configured to turn ON the first lamp having the higher contrast with respect to the light modulation device on a priority basis for illumination of the light modulation device in a one-lamp mode in which only one of the first and second lamps is turned ON.
US08242419B2
An aquarium heater including a tubular plastic housing that houses a positive temperature coefficient element and two metal radiation fins and filled up with a thermal conductive filler, and a top cover capped on the tubular plastic housing to hold a power cable for transmitting electricity to the positive temperature coefficient element to generate heat. Because of the positive temperature coefficient element, no temperature control loop is necessary for controlling the temperature level. Further, the aquarium heater has a self-protection function because of the positive temperature coefficient element.
US08242404B2
A plasma jet system includes a housing with a single opening. A plasma generator is coupled to ionize a fluid in the housing. An electromagnetic accelerator is coupled to generate an electric field that accelerates ionized fluid in the housing toward the opening. A controller can modulate the frequency of the electric field to cause the ionized fluid to form a plasma vortex flow through the opening. A magnetic field is applied normal to the direction of the plasma vortex flow to mitigate the momentum of the electrons. The electrons slowed by the magnetic field can be collected and conducted to a location where they are re-inserted into the plasma vortex flow to maintain charge neutrality.
US08242399B2
An operating mechanism operates a multi-pole circuit breaker assembly. For each circuit breaker in the multi-pole circuit breaker assembly, the following elements are provided: a connection assembly for connection to an operating shaft of the circuit breaker, an actuator for changing between an ON and OFF state of the operating mechanism, a translation assembly for transferring a movement of the actuator to the connection assembly, and a compression spring exerting a force on the operating shaft in the ON state of the operating mechanism. The force exerted by the compression spring is adjustable by a force setting assembly in a continuous manner.
US08242393B2
A pressure switch is disclosed for use with electronic modules of several appliances having a machine control electronic module, using further its own printed circuit board for the task of controlling, the motor electric supply to a washing machine, for example, in addition to other appliances. A diaphragm with a plunger is connected to the pressure signal entrance and receives a spring subject to being tensioned by means of a sliding cup. After reaching the desired pressure level, a signal is sent through the entrance, following the displacement of diaphragm and plunger, and then touching and pressing a micro switch on the printed circuit board of the machine control module; the machine is then turned off through the printed circuit board.
US08242392B1
What is disclosed is a multi-directional momentum-change sensor, adaptable to a variety of practical applications, including, but not limited to, its use as a collision-detector for automatic passenger-safety airbag deployment systems in a motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the sensor is an electro-mechanical switch having a pivotable boom assembly that is responsive to sudden changes to forward and lateral momentum that exceeds a predetermined threshold. The pivotable boom assembly is able to close electrical circuits to external circuitry that pertain to the position of the boom member in order to allow for the sensing of collisions along different vectors and facilitate safety responses, such as the deployment of automobile passenger-safety airbags.
US08242386B1
In an aspect, a universal conduit body assembly comprises a universal conduit body having a first port attached thereto. The first port is sized and shaped to connect the conduit body with one or more conduits or plugs. A cavity is at least partially defined by the conduit body, and the cavity comprises at least two open sides and sufficient space for containment of one or more spliced wires within the conduit body. Two or more removable panels each sized and shaped to cover a portion of the universal conduit body and selectively attach to each of the at least two open sides of the cavity are provided. At least one of the two or more panels includes a second port sized and shaped to connect the panel with the one or more conduits or plugs.
US08242385B2
An electronic circuit unit includes a multi-layer substrate in which high frequency circuits are provided on two different layers and a ground layer is formed between the two layers, and grounding lands connected to peripheral conductive members through connection bars formed on a plurality of layers of the multi-layer substrate. The grounding lands are connected to each other through a via hole and conducted to the ground layer, and the connection bars protruding radially outward from at least two grounding lands provided on different layers are arranged in different directions with respect to a circumferential direction such that the connection bars do not overlap each other along a thickness direction of the multi-layer substrate.
US08242382B2
Aluminum filled via disks are manufactured utilizing a plurality of drilled substrates placed into a metal can in a stacked, interdisposed assembly with a corresponding number of graphite molds. Aluminum infiltration ingots are added and the can is heated to a temperature to melt the ingots. The molten aluminum is pressurized so that it flows into the vias. The substrates are then cooled, removed from the can, separated from between the graphite molds, and the flat surface faces are ground and polished to expose the filled vias.
US08242381B2
A through-hole structure for a wafer level packaging includes a wafer, a RF passage penetrating through the wafer, and a through-hole structure disposed around the RF passage. The through-hole structure has three types of structure. The through hole structure includes a plurality of holes filled with metal material thereinside. On the other hand, the through hole structure can be a plurality of holes coated with a metal layer on the internal surface thereof. Alternatively, the through hole structure has both of the two above hole structure. Depending on the structure, the through hole structure performs an electric reference for preventing the RF signal from decay or interference.
US08242373B2
A flexible wiring board is provided having a wiring structure which can reduce transmission loss by reducing impedance mismatching even if being folded in a three-dimensional manner. In a flexible wiring board 10 having a characteristic impedance control circuit 20, the flexible wiring board has a planar projection shape of a folded spot 20A in the characteristic impedance control circuit after folding in an arc state along a tangent.
US08242364B1
Implementations of an electrical cover plate assemblies feature a frame having at least one adapter plate recess in a finished surface, the adapter plate recess comprising an electrical device aperture and at least one adapter coupling aperture through the frame such that the electrical device aperture is recessed with respect to the finished surface, at least one adapter plate configured to couple directly to the frame, and a door hingedly coupled to the adapter plate.
US08242356B2
Organic photovoltaic cells, as well as related components, photovoltaic systems, and methods, are disclosed.
US08242341B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV599033. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV599033, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV599033 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV599033 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV599033.
US08242326B2
The present invention is directed to fish whose genome has integrated therein an oncogenic nucleic acid operably linked to a promoter. Methods of making the fish and methods for their use are also provided. The fish may advantageously be utilized in methods of screening for drugs or agents that modulate oncogene-mediated neoplastic or hyperplastic transformation, or that modulate sensitivity to chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Immortal tumor cells lines, methods of making immortal tumor cell lines and methods of their use are also provided.
US08242317B2
Recovery of a halogenated hydrocarbon is performed by removing the halogenated hydrocarbon from an accompanying gas and/or temporarily storing the halogenated hydrocarbon on sorption filters, and releasing the halogenated hydrocarbon in targeted manner. The halogenated hydrocarbon serves for removal of an expiration gas using a steam carrier. A flow of the halogenated hydrocarbon takes place through two sorbents, (1) a hydrophobic carbon molecular sieve and (2) a hydrophobic zeolite, in two sorbent beds, spatially following one another. Air mixed with steam or steam has a temperature of the gases between 90° C. and 100° C. at normal pressure. In a filter for carrying out theabove recovery method, two filter beds are disposed to spatially follow one another.
US08242314B2
This invention relates to a method of producing purified methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) comprising subjecting a feed stream containing MIBK and impurities to a first distillation procedure from which acetone is recovered and a bottom product containing MIBK and impurities is withdrawn. This bottom product is fed to a second distillation column, where a vapor overhead product is withdrawn, condensed and fed to an overhead liquid-liquid separator. Part of an organic phase from the overhead liquid-liquid separator is fed to the second distillation column and part is fed to a third distillation column. A vapor overhead product is withdrawn from the third column which is condensed in the same said condenser. The condensed product is fed to the same said overhead liquid-liquid separator, and purified MIBK is withdrawn from the third distillation column. This invention also relates to an apparatus used in such a method.
US08242310B2
Processes for synthesizing aminosulfone compounds are provided. Aminosulfone compounds obtained using methods provided herein are useful in production or synthesis of isoindoline based PDE 4 modulators.
US08242309B2
Compositions are disclosed comprising novel fluorinated cationic alcohols in a cosmetically acceptable vehicle. The fluorinated compounds alter a surface property of the hair to provide hair conditioning, for example. In embodiments, the compounds have improved water solubility and deposition properties.
US08242307B1
A process of forming a double strand cleavage in DNA includes providing a reaction mixture containing double stranded DNA having a break in a first strand defining a target site in a second strand. The method continues by adding to the reaction mixture a photoreactive lysine conjugate selected from a lysine-enediyne conjugate, a lysine-acetylene conjugate or a combination thereof, for a time sufficient for the lysine conjugate to bind to the DNA adjacent the target site. The reaction mixture is then irradiated with electromagnetic radiation sufficient to photoactivate the lysine conjugate to cleave the second strand adjacent the target site.
US08242306B2
The invention provides a process which enables, in preparation of acrolein by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of propylene in the presence of molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas or in preparation of acrylic acid by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of acrolein in the presence of molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas, using single kind of catalyst, to suppress occurrence of localized extraordinarily high temperature spots (hot spots) in the catalyst layer and can stably maintain high acrolein or acrylic acid yield for a long time. The process is characterized by use of an oxide catalyst containing molybdenum as an essential component and having relative standard deviation of its particle size in a range of 0.02 to 0.20.
US08242304B2
A method for producing isophthalic acid, comprising: subjecting a m-phenylene compound and a molecular-oxygen-containing gas to liquid-phase oxidation reaction in the presence of a catalyst comprising a heavy metal compound and a bromine compound, and hydrous acetic acid having a water content of 1 to 15 mass %, to thereby yield a slurry; regulating the temperature of the slurry to 35 to 140° C., to thereby precipitate isophthalic acid; removing the isophthalic acid through solid-liquid separation, to thereby recover a mother liquor; and recovering the catalyst from the mother liquor by following steps (1) to (4) as described.
US08242292B2
Provided is a method of producing FDCA by which high-purity FDCA can be produced in high yield. 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid is produced by: bringing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural into contact with an oxidant in an organic acid solvent in the presence of bromine and a metal catalyst; and allowing 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and the oxidant to react with each other while removing water produced by the reaction.
US08242291B2
A process is described for the preparation on an industrial scale of N-[2-(8S)-1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-indeno[5,4-b]furan-8-yl]ethyl]propionamide, ramelteon, having the structure illustrated below:
US08242283B2
A pesticide, particularly an insecticide or an acaricide, including a substituted isoxazoline compound of formula (1) or a salt thereof: wherein A1, A2 and A3 independently of one another are carbon atom or nitrogen atom, G is benzene ring, etc., L is —N(R2c)—, or —CH(R2a)N(R2c)—, etc., X is halogen atom, C1-C6 haloalkyl, etc., Y is halogen atom, C1-C6alkyl, etc., R1 is —C(O)R1a, —C(O)OR1a, —C(O)NHR1a, etc., R2 is hydrogen atom, C1-C6haloalkyl, —C1-C4alkoxy C1-C4alkyl, cyano C1-C6alkyl, C3-C6alkenyl, C3-C6alkynyl, —C(O)R15, —C(O)OR15, etc., R3 is C1-C6haloalkyl, etc., m is an integer of 0 to 5, n is an integer of 0 to 4. The pesticide containing these compounds.
US08242273B2
This invention relates to methods of making pyrimidinyl-substituted imidazole compounds by sequential substitution of the 4- and 2-chloro groups of 2,4-dichloropyrimidine, nucleophilic substitution to form pyrimidinylalkyne derivatives, oxidation to the corresponding 1,2-diketones, and cyclocondensation reactions.
US08242266B2
The Phosphorus-containing bisphenols and preparing method thereof are disclosed. A method for producing the phosphorus-containing bisphenol of the formula (1) includes reacting compounds respectively defined by a formula (a), (b), (c) and an acid catalyst to yield compounds of phosphorus-containing bisphenol.
US08242262B2
A process is described for preparing chlorides of phthalocyanine derivatives comprising at least a quaternary ammonium group, products useful as photosensitizing agents in photodynamic therapy.
US08242261B2
The invention provides an oxo-titanylphthalocyanine crystal which is stable, is superior in dispersibility in a photoreceptive layer and efficiently contributes to improvements in sensitivity and charge retention rate of an electrophotographic photoreceptor when it is used as a charge generating agent, a method for producing the oxo-titanylphthalocyanine crystal, and an electrophotographic photoreceptor. The oxo-titanylphthalocyanine crystal has predetermined optical characteristics and thermal properties and is produced by a production method including the following steps (a) to (d): (a) a step of dissolving a crude oxo-titanylphthalocyanine crystal in an acid to obtain an oxo-titanylphthalocyanine solution; (b) a step of adding the oxo-titanylphthalocyanine solution dropwise in a poor solvent to obtain a wet cake; (c) a step of washing the wet cake with an alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and (d) a step of stirring the washed wet cake under heating in a nonaqueous solvent to obtain an oxo-titanylphthalocyanine crystal.
US08242255B2
Antisense oligonucleotides against cPLA2 are provided, which are capable of inhibiting cPLA2 expression as well as superoxide production, especially in phagocytes. These antisense oligonucleotides are powerful agents for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, in particular arthritis, as well as in neurodegenerative diseases. The antisense oligonucleotides or compositions comprising the same may be used in methods of treatment of such diseases.
US08242251B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and nucleic acid reporter molecules for the detection of nucleic acid in a sample. The nucleic acid reporter molecule comprises two unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties, which may be the same or different, that are covalently attached by a linker comprising at least one aromatic, heteroaromatic, cyclic or heterocyclic moiety comprising 3-20 non-hydrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of O, N, S, P and C. The linker may be rigid, relatively flexible or some degree thereof. The unsymmetrical cyanine monomer moieties comprise a substituted or unsubstituted benzazolium moiety and a substituted or unsubstituted pyridinium or quinolinium moiety that is connected by a methine bridge that is monomethine, trimethine or pentamethine. The linkers form the cyanine dimer compounds by attaching to the pyridinium or quinolinium moiety of the monomer moieties. The present nucleic acid reporter molecules find utility in forming a nucleic acid-reporter molecule complex and detecting the nucleic acid. In particular, present nucleic acid reporter molecules with a rigid linker and monomer moieties with a monomethine bridge find utility in detecting RNA in the presence of DNA.
US08242248B2
As disclosed herein, the present invention provides for kits and a composition for diagnosis, prognosis, drug discovery, drug development, and patient stratification. The kits can comprise a plurality of binding elements for cell surface markers, and a plurality of binding elements for state-specific intracellular markers. The kits can further comprise a plurality of modulators directed for the particular cell function or signaling pathways. The kits can further include fixatives, permeabilizing agent, buffers, containers, instructions, and software for data analysis/compilation.
US08242244B2
This invention provides methods and compositions for incorporation of an unnatural amino acid into a peptide using an orthogonal aminoacyl tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair. In particular, an orthogonal pair is provided to incorporate 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan in a position encoded by an opal mutation.
US08242240B2
The present invention provides anti-inflammatory compounds, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods of use thereof for treating inflammatory disorders. The present invention also provides methods of identifying anti-inflammatory compounds and methods of inhibiting NF-κB-dependent target gene expression in a cell.
US08242239B2
The invention relates to a tumor-associated peptide with an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO. 1 to SEQ ID NO. 577 from the attached sequence protocol, the peptide being capable of binding to a molecule of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I. The invention further relates to the use of the peptides for preparation of a drug and for the treatment of tumor diseases and/or adenomatous diseases. Furthermore, a pharmaceutical composition is described comprising at least one of the peptides.
US08242226B2
The present invention relates to an organopolysiloxane composition that can be vulcanized at room temperature into an elastomer that is crosslinked by polycondensation and that does not contain alkyltin-based catalysts and also to novel organopolysiloxane polycondensation catalysts.
US08242205B2
A novel method of preparing an aqueous dispersion of non-uniform polyurethane particles which comprises (a) preparing at least two isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers having different hydrophilicities; (b) preparing a uniform mixture of said prepolymers, and (c) dispersing the mixed prepolymers in an aqueous medium. The resulting dispersion of the prepolymers may optionally be chain extended. This method enables the preparation of core-shell particles as well as particles of other morphologies, including “raspberry”, interpenetrating network, “salt-and-pepper”, “ice-cream cone” and particles of gradient composition. Similarly, an aqueous dispersion of two different polyurethane polymers may be obtained by first preparing at least two different isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymers, preparing a uniform mixture of such prepolymers and thereafter dispersing the mixture in an aqueous medium.
US08242203B2
A composition comprising a pH indicator, a polymerizable group, and a spacer therebetween. The polymerizable group can be acrylate or methacrylate and the spacer can be an oxyalkayl group, an oxypropyl group, or an oxybenzoyl group. The composition can be polymerized to copolymers to form indicating polymers and optodes.
US08242200B2
A process is described in which, through the combination of certain components, a thermal insulated coating paint is obtained having the properties of flexibility and lightness (low density) in a film of low thickness. This coating paint offers better thermal insulation properties with a low thickness film than other insulators having greater thickness, without requiring any additional protection. These properties are provided due to the internal structure of the coating paint wherein internal caverns are formed by the reaction of ramified chain polymers and additional materials. These characteristics are not present in traditional coating paints.
US08242190B2
The invention provides a process for producing a crayon having a desired hardness stably without poor gelation using a benzylidene sorbitol gelling agent together with the use of carbon black as a black pigment.The process comprises: dissolving and dispersing a resin component, carbon black having a pH of less than 5.0 and an organic amine in an organic solvent, dissolving at least one gelling agent selected from the group consisting of dibenzylidene sorbitol, tribenzylidene sorbitol and derivatives thereof in the resultant under heating to prepare a raw material solution, pouring the raw material solution into a molding container, and cooling and gelling the raw material solution.
US08242188B2
A dental self-etching primer composition and a dental self-etching primer kit comprising a mixture of (A) a polymerizable monomer, (B) a reducing inorganic compound containing sulfur, (C) a ketone-based solvent and (D) water and having a storage stability of 2 hours or longer at 65° C.
US08242179B2
The invention provides a system and method for treating an orthopedic condition using a hydrogel-forming composition, which forms a hydrogel in situ at a target location and at least bio-mechanically treats the condition. The invention also provides a hydrogel forming composition designed to form a hydrogel with desirable biocompatible and biomechanical properties. In some aspects the hydrogel is formed in a water-permeable casing, which is delivered to an orthopedic joint in a minimally invasive manner. In particular, the system and method can be used for intervertebral disc replacement or repair.
US08242176B2
A novel combination of a biocide (Glutaraldehyde or OPA), a surfactant, alcohol, and functional excipients for the oil and gas recovery industry. The surfactant is preferably a dual chain quaternary ammonium compound consisting of a mixture of alkyl dimethy-benzylammonium chlorides and alkyl dimethylethylbenzylammonium, that absorbs onto a surface and alters the free energy of that surface. The alcohol is preferably isopropyl alcohol. The functional excipients for the oil and gas recovery industry are a cellulose type proppant, a poloxamer wetting agent, a friction-reducing pluronic block copolymer, a drag reducing agent such as polethylene oxide, and a flocculating agent. The biocide may be OPA of the dialdehyde C6H4(CHO)2 form, or Glutaraldehyde of formula C5H8O2. Both will produce an inherent bacteriostatic effect and lower surface tension and thus aids in the spread of the dual quat on the biofilm covered surface where it is readily absorbed by the negative surfaces of proteins and bacteria. It thus serves as a binding agent between the dual quat and the application surface. This multi purpose component helps create the unique aspect of the formulation. The foregoing constituents are combined in preferred concentrations within acceptable ranges to provide a synergistic formulation that combines biocidal molecules in a biological chemical system that actively transports itself into the cells, through biofilm and cell wall/membranes, thereby overcoming penetration restraints to improve kill and kill time, without the need for activation or any time or temperature control. This is an effective example of synergistic complementarity.
US08242171B2
Provided herein are methods and compositions for modulating the activity or level of a sirtuin, thereby treating or preventing obesity or an insulin resistance disorder, such as diabetes in a subject. Exemplary methods comprise contacting a cell with a sirtuin activating compound or an inhibitory compound to thereby increase or decrease fat accumulation, respectively.
US08242163B2
The present invention relates to a method for treating insulin resistance, neuronal loss associated with stroke, ischemia, central nervous system trauma, a central nervous system disorder, a neurodegenerative disease, the adverse consequences of the over-stimulation of excitatory amino acids, a psychiatric disease, epilepsy or other convulsive disorder, chronic pain, CMV retinitis, urinary incontinence, or for inducing anesthesia; which comprises administering to an animal or human in need thereof an effective amount of a pharmaceutical formulation comprising an effective amount of a pyrone-indole derivative of formula (I): Ar—B—Ar′ (I) wherein Ar represents an indole nucleus ring system: Ar′ represents an alpha-, beta- or gamma-pyrone nucleus ring system: and each of B, R1-4, and R1-2′ are one of the groups as defined herein.
US08242158B1
The presently disclosed subject matter relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising dexmedetomidine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof wherein the composition is formulated as a liquid for parenteral administration to a subject, and wherein the composition is disposed within a sealed container as a premixture. The pharmaceutical compositions can be used, for example, in perioperative care of a patient or for sedation.
US08242156B2
The present invention discloses compounds of Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit RNA-containing virus, particularly the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US08242154B2
Described herein are compounds useful in the modulation of blood uric acid levels, formulations containing them and methods of making and using them. In some embodiments, the compounds described herein are used in the treatment or prevention of disorders related to aberrant levels of uric acid.
US08242152B2
This invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing 4-[(4-thiazolyl)phenoxyl]alkoxy-benzamidine derivatives expressed by the following formula 1 for the prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis and more particularly, to the use of 4-{5-[4-(5-isoproply-2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)phenoxyl]pentoxy}-benzamidine or N-hydroxy-4-{5-[4-(5-isopropyl-2-methyl-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)phenoxyl]pentoxy}-benzamidine expressed by the following formula 1 as a pharmaceutical composition for the prophylaxis and treatment of osteoporosis.
US08242151B2
The present invention provides a PPAR γ agonist comprising, as an active ingredient, a tricyclic compound represented by the formula (I) (wherein R1 represents lower alkyl optionally having substituent(s) or the like, R2 and R3 are the same or different and each represents lower alkyl optionally having substituent(s) or the like, R4 and R5 are the same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom or the like, Q1-Q2-Q3 represents CH═CH—CH═CH or the like, Y represents a single bond or the like, Z1-Z2 represents C═CR13 (wherein R13 represents a hydrogen atom or the like), or the like, and A represents —COOH or the like), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and the like.
US08242144B2
The present disclosure provides non-naturally occurring polyphenol compounds that upregulate the expression of Apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I). The disclosed compositions and methods can be used for treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease and related disease states, including cholesterol or lipid related disorders, such as, e.g., atherosclerosis.
US08242141B2
Disclosed are methods of treating a seizure disorder by administering to a patient in need of such treatment a compound having the following formula:
US08242138B2
The invention relates to compounds of formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, where R1-3, R5, R7, a, b, Q, X, X′, X″, Y, Z, and Ar are as defined in the specification. These compounds are muscarinic receptor antagonists. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, processes for preparing such compounds and methods of using such compounds to, for example, treat pulmonary disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
US08242137B2
The invention provides crystalline forms of biphenyl-2-ylcarbamic acid 1-(2-{[4-(4-carbamoylpiperidin-1-ylmethyl)benzoyl]methylamino}ethyl)piperidin-4-yl ester, and pharmaceutically acceptable solvates thereof. The crystalline form can be a freebase, or a salt such as a diphosphate, monosulfate or dioxalate salt. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising these crystalline compounds or prepared using these compounds; processes and intermediates for preparing the crystalline compounds; and methods of using these compounds to treat a pulmonary disorder.
US08242133B2
Disclosed is a harmful arthropod control composition comprising, as an active ingredient, a fused heterocyclic compound represented by formula (1) [wherein A1 and A2 independently represent a nitrogen atom or the like; R1 and R4 independently represent a halogen atom or the like; R2 and R3 independently represent a halogen atom or the like; R5 and R6 independently represent a linear C1-C6 hydrocarbon group which may be substituted, or the like (provided that both R5 and R6 cannot represent a hydrogen atom simultaneously); and n represents 0 or 1]. The harmful arthropod control composition has an excellent efficacy to control harmful arthropods.
US08242132B2
Methods of treating stuttering include treating people with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor modulators, including cyclopyrrolones. A second active agent may be used with GABA receptor modulators. Active enantiomers, active metabolites, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor modulators, including cyclopyrrolones, are acceptable components of the compositions. The cyclopyrrolone class of modulators includes pagoclone, suriclone, zopiclone, 2-(7-chloro-2-naphthyridin-1,8-yl)-3-(5-methyl-2-oxohexyl)isoindolin-1-one, 2-(7-chloro-2-naphthyridin-1,8-yl)isoindolin-1-yl-4-acetamidobutyrate, and 2-(7-chloro-1,8-naphthyridin-2yl)-3-(5-methyl-5-hydroxy-2-oxohexyl)-1-isoindolinone.
US08242121B2
The present invention is. directed to pyridyl piperidine compounds of formula (I) which are antagonists of orexin receptors, and which are useful' in the treatment or prevention of neurological and psychiatric disorders and diseases in which orexin receptors are involved. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which orexin receptors are involved.
US08242118B2
The present invention relates to a sulfonamide derivative which is useful as an active ingredient of pharmaceutical preparations. The sulfonamide derivatives of the present invention have CCR3 (CC type chemokine receptor) antagonistic activity, and can be used for the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases associated with CCR3 activity, in particular for the treatment of asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis and other inflammatory/immunological disorders.
US08242109B2
The present invention relates to novel chemical compounds, methods for their discovery, and their therapeutic use. In particular, the present invention provides benzodiazepine compounds, and structurally and functionally related compounds, and methods of using such compounds as therapeutic agents to treat a number of conditions associated with the faulty regulation of the processes of programmed cell death, autoimmunity, inflammation, hyperproliferation, vascular abnormalities, and the like.
US08242107B2
The present invention relates to diazepane-acetamide derivatives of formula I as selective inhibitors of the enzyme 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD-1) and the use of such compounds for the treatment and prevention of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, lipid disorders, glaucoma, osteoporosis, cognitive disorders, anxiety, depression, immune disorders, hypertension and other diseases and conditions.
US08242106B2
The present invention is directed generally to stable formulations of a TLR agonist preferably a TLR7 or a TLR8 agonist, for use in the treatment of cancer, preferably solid tumors and lymphomas. Specifically, the present invention is directed to stable formulations of up to 50 mg/ml of a TLR agonist which comprise a cyclodextrin.
US08242099B2
Methods for treating inflammation-mediated conditions of the eye are described, comprising: implanting into the vitreous of the eye of an individual a bioerodible implant comprising a steroidal anti-inflammatory agent and a bioerodible polymer, wherein the implant delivers the agent to the vitreous in an amount sufficient to reach a concentration equivalent to at least about 0.05 μg/ml dexamethasone within about 48 hours and maintains a concentration equivalent to at least about 0.03 μg/ml dexamethasone for at least about three weeks.
US08242088B2
The invention concerns peptide vectors, comprising a transduction domain, and a nuclear export sequence, for carrying a molecule of interest through an epithelium with tight junctions, such as the blood-brain barrier.
US08242067B2
A cleaning compound is disclosed for removing particulate contaminants from a semiconductor substrate surface. The cleaning compound includes a liquid and carboxylic acid solid components dispersed in a substantially uniform manner in the liquid. A concentration of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid exceeds a solubility limit of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid. In one embodiment, a concentration of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid is within a range extending from about 3 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight. In one embodiment, the carboxylic acid solid components are defined by a carbon number of at least four. The carboxylic acid solid components are defined to interact with the particulate contaminants on the semiconductor substrate surface to remove the particulate contaminants from the semiconductor substrate surface. The cleaning compound is viscous and may be formed as a gel.
US08242066B2
Aniline compounds useful as ashless TBN sources for lubricating oil compositions that are compatible with fluoroelastomeric engine seal materials, and lubricating oil compositions containing such aniline compounds.
US08242062B2
A method and composition for identifying chemically tagged petroleum products can be achieved by adding one or more chemicals to a selected petroleum product wherein the chemical is immune to extraction from the petroleum product by conventional inexpensive absorbents, cannot be removed by extraction with acids, bases, or immiscible solvents, cannot be easily oxidized, reduced or reacted with common agents, is difficult to disguise by masking with other agents, has a low polarity, and has a boiling point in the range of the petroleum products the chemical is being added to. The presence of the chemical is determined by using ion mobility spectroscopy.
US08242061B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer that carries a toner image, and a lubricant supplying device that supplies lubricant to the surface of the image bearer. A lubricant supplying device is provided in the image forming apparatus and includes a lubricant block and a brush roller. The brush roller shaves and supplies the lubricant from the lubricant block to the image bearer via the brush roller. The lubricant is made by molding under pressure.
US08242056B2
An aqueous composition is provided having a pH of from about 2.0 to about 12.8 and comprising boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules. A method of delivering an agriculture active to a substrate is further provided comprising applying to the substrate an aqueous composition comprised of agriculture active containing, boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked, polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules, as well as a method of treating a substrate to protect from pests or promote crop growth comprising applying to the substrate an aqueous treating composition comprised of agriculture active containing, boron or persulfate ion-crosslinked, polyvinyl alcohol microcapsules.
US08242049B2
A catalytic material which includes a metal oxide catalyst anchored to a nano-sized metal oxide crystal as support and functions well at low temperatures. The catalytic material may optionally include another metal oxide as a promoter deposited on the surface of the support to modify the properties of the metal oxide catalyst and/or the properties of the support. The catalyst may be vanadium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese oxide, chromium oxide or molybdenum oxide; the support may be TiO2, SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2, or WO3; and the promoter may be vanadium oxide, tungsten oxide, manganese oxide, chromium oxide or molybdenum oxide. The present invention also provides a method of producing the catalytic materials, which is useful in removing ammonia and other nitrogen containing contaminants.
US08242048B2
Process for the selective oxidation of ethane to ethylene and/or acetic acid, and/or the selective oxidation of ethylene to acetic acid, by contacting ethane and/or ethylene with a molecular oxygen-containing gas at elevated temperature in the presence of a spray-dried supported catalyst composition. The supported catalyst composition includes molybdenum, vanadium and niobium metal components, supported on a support comprising alpha-alumina. The supported catalyst is prepared by forming a slurry of the metal components and alpha-alumina support particles or an alpha-alumina support precursor, and spray-drying the slurry.
US08242033B2
Methods for making and/or treating articles of semiconducting material are disclosed. In various methods, a first article of semiconducting material is provided, the first article of semiconducting material is heated sufficiently to melt the semiconducting material, and the melted semiconducting material is solidified in a direction substantially parallel to a shortest dimension of the melted article of semiconducting material. Articles of semiconducting materials made by methods described herein are also disclosed.
US08242030B2
A method of electrically activating a structure having one or more graphene layers formed on a silicon carbide layer includes subjecting the structure to an oxidation process so as to form a silicon oxide layer disposed between the silicon carbide layer and a bottommost of the one or more graphene layers, thereby electrically activating the bottommost graphene layer.
US08242029B2
An atomic layer deposition-deposited silicon dioxide/metal oxide-nanolaminate, comprising at least one layer of silicon dioxide and at least one layer of a metal oxide, and having a wet etch rate in an etchant, said wet etch rate being either greater or smaller than both a wet etch rate of a film of silicon dioxide and a wet etch rate of a film of said metal oxide in said etchant. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the same.
US08242027B2
Prior to a step of providing a stress layer covering a first transistor, a second transistor and a gate structure, another silicon oxide film is formed over the second transistor to form a silicon oxide film with a predetermined thickness over the second transistor. By a step of removing the portion of the stress layer over the second transistor and the gate structure and leaving the portion of the stress layer over the first transistor, the silicon oxide film over the second transistor is prevented from becoming excessively thinner than the silicon oxide film over the first transistor. The source region and the drain region of the second transistor can be prevented from being shaved because of thinness of the silicon oxide film over the second transistor when removing silicon oxide films over the first transistor and second transistor.
US08242017B2
A method for forming an integrated circuit device including an interconnect structure, e.g., copper dual damascene. The method includes providing a substrate and forming an interlayer dielectric layer overlying the substrate. The method also includes patterning the interlayer dielectric layer to form a contact structure and forming a barrier metal layer overlying the contact structure. The method includes forming a seed layer comprising copper bearing species overlying the barrier metal layer and applying an oxygen bearing species to treat the seed layer to cause an oxide layer of predetermined thickness to form on the seed layer. The method protects the seed layer from contamination using the oxide layer while the substrate is transferred from the step of applying the seed layer and contacts a copper bearing material in liquid form overlying the oxide layer to dissolve the oxide layer while forming a thickness of copper bearing material using a plating process to begin filling the contact structure.
US08242014B2
A semiconductor device is manufactured by forming a first reinforcing insulating film and a first sacrificial interlayer. A first trench is formed and then filled with an interconnect covered with a cap metal. First and second sacrificial barrier dielectrics are formed, and the second sacrificial interlayer and the sacrificial barrier dielectric are selectively removed to form a hole exposing the cap metal. A conductive via connects the interconnect by forming a conductor in the hole, and a second cap metal covers the via. The interconnect exposes the via by selectively removing the sacrificial interlayers and dielectric. An insulating film covers the side wall and the upper portion of the interconnect, and the side wall of the conductive via which is connected to the interconnect from the side wall of the interconnect through the side wall of the via. An air-gap is provided in the insulating film.
US08242012B2
Disclosed are embodiments of a structure having a metal layer with top surface and sidewall passivation and a method of forming the structure. In one embodiment, a metal layer is electroplated onto a portion of a seed layer at the bottom of a trench. Then, the sidewalls of the metal layer are exposed and, for passivation, a second metal layer is electroplated onto the top surface and sidewalls of the metal layer. In another embodiment, a trench is formed in a dielectric layer. A seed layer is formed over the dielectric layer, lining the trench. A metal layer is electroplated onto the portion of the seed layer within the trench and a second metal layer is electroplated onto the top surface of the metal layer. Thus, in this case, passivation of the top surface and sidewalls of the metal layer is provided by the second metal layer and the dielectric layer, respectively.
US08242001B2
Embodiments of an apparatus and methods of providing a quantum well device for improved parallel conduction are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08241989B2
An integrated circuit with stacked devices. One embodiment provides a surface of a first semiconductor structure of a first crystalline semiconductor material including first and second portions. First structures are formed on the first portions. The second portions remain uncovered. Sacrificial structures of a second, different crystalline material are formed on the second portions. A second semiconductor structure of the first crystalline semiconductor material is formed over the sacrificial structures and over the first structures.
US08241987B2
A method of forming a capacitor includes providing material having an opening therein over a node location on a substrate. A shield is provided within and across the opening, with a void being received within the opening above the shield and a void being received within the opening below the shield. The shield is etched through within the opening. After the etching, a first capacitor electrode is formed within the opening in electrical connection with the node location. A capacitor dielectric and a second capacitor electrode are formed operatively adjacent the first capacitor electrode.
US08241983B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method to fabricate a hetero-junction in a Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (TFET) device configuration (e.g. in a segmented nanowire TFET). Since in prior art devices the highly doped source is in direct contact with the lowly doped or undoped channel, some amount of dopants will diffuse from the source to the channel which cannot be avoided due to the source deposition thermal budget. This out-diffusion reduces the steepness of the doping profile and hence deteriorates the device operation. Particular embodiments comprise the insertion of a thin transition layer in between the source region and channel region such that the out-diffusion is within a very limited region of a few nm, guaranteeing extremely good doping abruptness thanks to the lower diffusion of the dopants in the transition layer. The transition layer avoids the direct contact between the highly doped (e.g. Ge or SiGe) source region and the lowly doped or undoped (e.g. Si) channel and allows to contain the whole doping (e.g. B atoms) entirely within the source region and transition layer. The thickness of the transition layer can be engineered such that the transition layer coincides with the steep transition step from the highly doped source region to the intrinsic region (channel), and hence maximizing the tunneling current.
US08241977B2
In sophisticated transistor elements, enhanced profile uniformity along the transistor width direction may be accomplished by using a gate material in an amorphous state, thereby reducing channeling effects and line edge roughness. In sophisticated high-k metal gate approaches, an appropriate sequence may be applied to avoid a change of the amorphous state prior to performing the critical implantation processes for forming drain and source extension regions and halo regions.
US08241966B2
An electronic component package having an EMI shielded space is disclosed. The package comprises a substrate having an electronic component located on its surface and a conductive enclosure having a top and downwardly extending sides enclosing the component and defining a shielded space. A vent opening is provided through the substrate and is located in the shielded space for venting the shielded space. A second vent opening may be provided in the top of the conductive enclosure.
US08241964B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die with a plurality of bumps formed over a surface of the first semiconductor die. A penetrable adhesive layer is formed over a temporary carrier. The adhesive layer can include a plurality of slots. The semiconductor die is mounted to the carrier by embedding the bumps into the penetrable adhesive layer. The semiconductor die and interconnect structure can be separated by a gap. An encapsulant is deposited over the first semiconductor die. The bumps embedded into the penetrable adhesive layer reduce shifting of the first semiconductor die while depositing the encapsulant. The carrier is removed. An interconnect structure is formed over the semiconductor die. The interconnect structure is electrically connected to the bumps. A thermally conductive bump is formed over the semiconductor die, and a heat sink is mounted to the interconnect structure and thermally connected to the thermally conductive bump.
US08241943B1
A method of sodium doping in fabricating CIGS/CIS based thin film solar cells includes providing a shaped substrate member. The method includes forming a barrier layer over the surface region followed by a first electrode layer, and then a sodium bearing layer. A precursor layer of copper, indium, and/or gallium materials having an atomic ratio of copper/group III species no greater than 1.0 is deposited over the sodium bearing layer. The method further includes transferring the shaped substrate member to a second chamber and subjecting it to a thermal treatment process within an environment comprising gas-phase selenium species, followed by an environment comprising gas-phase sulfur species with the selenium species being substantially removed to form an absorber layer.
US08241942B2
A method of fabricating a back-illuminated image sensor that includes the steps of providing a first substrate of a semiconductor layer, in particular a silicon layer, forming electronic device structures over the semiconductor layer and, only then, doping the semiconductor layer. By doing so, improved dopant profiles and electrical properties of photodiodes can be achieved such that the final product, namely an image sensor, has a better quality.
US08241941B2
The invention relates to a method of purifying a crystalline silicon substrate and to a process for producing a photovoltaic cell. The method of purifying a crystalline silicon substrate according to the invention is of the type that includes a step of extracting impurities by external gettering and which includes, before said step of extracting the impurities by external gettering, at least one step of rapidly annealing the substrate at a temperature of between 750° C. and 1000° C. inclusive for a time of between 1 second and 10 minutes inclusive. The invention is particularly applicable in the photovoltaic cell field.
US08241937B2
An optical semiconductor device includes a light emitting element having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having a first electrode provided thereon, the second surface being located on the opposite side from the first surface and having a second electrode provided thereon; a first conductive member connected to the first surface; a second conductive member connected to the second surface; a first external electrode connected to the first conductive member; a second external electrode connected to the second conductive member; and an enclosure sealing the light emitting element, the first conductive member, and the second conductive member between the first external electrode and the second external electrode, and being configured to transmit light emitted from the light emitting element.
US08241928B2
A semiconductor process test structure comprises an electrode, a charge-trapping layer, and a diffusion region. The test structure is a capacitor-like structure in which the charge-trapping layer will trap charges during various processing steps. Gate-induced drain leakage (GIDL) measurement techniques can then be used to characterize the charging status of the test structure.
US08241926B2
A wafer of semiconductor integrated circuits with wafer-level chip-scale packages is tested in two stages. The chip-scale packages include conductive posts extending through a sealing layer and capped by terminals. Measurements strongly affected by contact resistance are carried out before the terminals are formed, using a first probe card having probe pins that contact the ends of the conductive posts. Other measurements are carried out after the terminals are formed, using a second probe card having probe pins that contact the terminals. Accurate measurements can be made in this way even if the terminals are lead-free solder bumps with variable contact resistance. Fabrication yields are improved accordingly.
US08241921B2
The present invention is directed to polymeric matrices for the controlled release of a hydrophilic bioactive agent. Generally, the elution control matrix includes a polymeric matrix having a first polymer and a plurality of microparticles that include the hydrophilic bioactive agent. In one embodiment, the matrix includes a polymer comprising hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions. In another embodiment, the microparticles include a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer.
US08241920B2
In at least one embodiment, the inventive technology relates to in-vessel generation of a material from a solution of interest as part of a processing and/or analysis operation. Preferred embodiments of the in-vessel material generation (e.g., in-vessel solid material generation) include precipitation; in certain embodiments, analysis and/or processing of the solution of interest may include dissolution of the material, perhaps as part of a successive dissolution protocol using solvents of increasing ability to dissolve.
US08241909B2
The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a glycoprotein having a human-type sugar chain comprising a step in which transformed plant cell is obtained by introducing to a plant cell the gene of glycosyltransfetase and the gene of an exogenous glycoprotein, and a step in which the obtained transformed plant cell is cultivated.
US08241902B2
Methods of generating and expanding proliferative, multipotent connective tissue progenitor cells from adult stem cells are provided. Also provided are methods of generating functional tendon grafts in vitro and bone, cartilage and connective tissues in vivo using the isolated cell preparation of connective tissue progenitor cells.
US08241900B1
Isolated mpl ligand, isolated DNA encoding mpl ligand, and recombinant or synthetic methods of preparing mpl ligand are disclosed. These mpl ligands are shown to influence the replication, differentiation or maturation of blood cells, especially megakaryocytes and megakaryocyte progenitor cells. Accordingly, these compounds may be used for treatment of thrombocytopenia.
US08241899B2
The present invention relates to anti-TNF antibodies comprising all of the heavy chain variable CDR regions of SEQ ID NOS:1, 2 and 3 and/or all of the light chain variable CDR regions of SEQ ID NOS:4, 5 and 6, specific for at least one human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) protein or fragment thereof, as well as nucleic acids encoding such anti-TNF antibodies, complementary nucleic acids, vectors, host cells, production methods and therapeutic methods.
US08241892B2
The present invention pertains to an apparatus for holding cells. The apparatus comprises a mechanism for incubating cells having a dynamically controlled environment in which the cells are grown, which are maintained in a desired condition and in which cells can be examined while the environment is dynamically controlled and maintained in the desired condition. The apparatus also comprises a mechanism for determining the state of the cells. The determining mechanism is in communication with the incubating mechanism. The present invention pertains to a method for holding cells. The method comprises the steps of incubating the cells in a dynamically controlled environment which is maintained in a desired condition and in which the cells can be examined while the environment is dynamically controlled and maintained in the desired condition. Additionally, there is the step of determining the state of the cells.
US08241885B2
The present invention is directed to the identification of a protease prodomain that is capable of binding a corresponding protease with high affinity. The protease prodomain of the present invention is fused to a second protein to form a protease prodomain fusion protein. The presence of a protease prodomain protein in a fusion protein allows for easy and selective purification of the second protein by incubation with the corresponding protease.
US08241880B2
Biomass is pretreated using an organic solvent solution under alkaline conditions in the presence of one or more alkylamine and optionally one or more additional nucleophile to fragment and extract lignin. Pretreated biomass is further hydrolyzed with a saccharification enzyme consortium. Fermentable sugars released by saccharification may be utilized for the production of target chemicals by fermentation.
US08241876B2
A method is disclosed for the generation of triacylglycerols from gums that have been separated from an oil product. The gums are treated with an enzyme having PLC activity, which results in the formation of diacylglycerols and phosphates, and treated with an enzyme having PLA activity, which results in the formation of lyso-phospholipids and free fatty acids. The diacylglycerols and the free fatty acids from these two separate reactions then combine in the presence of the enzymes to generate new triacylglycerol molecules.
US08241867B2
An integrated filtration and detection device for collecting and detecting the growth of microorganisms in a specimen includes a container defining a chamber therein. The container has an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber. A filter is mounted in the chamber between the inlet and the outlet. A sensor is mounted in the chamber. The sensor is operative to exhibit a change in a measurable property thereof upon exposure to changes in the chamber due to microbial growth.
US08241866B2
A kit is disclosed for preparing a measurement sample for detecting live cells, injured cells, VNC cells and dead microorganism cells in a test sample by the following steps: a) the step of treating the test sample with an enzyme having an activity of decomposing cells other than those of the microorganism, colloidal particles of proteins or lipids existing in the test sample, b) the step of treating the test sample with a topoisomerase poison and/or a DNA gyrase poison. c) the step of treating the test sample treated in the steps a) and b) with a nuclear stain agent, and d) the step of detecting the microorganism in the test sample treated with the nuclear stain agent by flow cytometry.
US08241865B2
An antimicrobial susceptibility assay enabling a more rapid and direct result, including an assay dish including at least one chamber, at least one growth medium carried by the assay dish, at least one antimicrobial agent sample positionable at a sample location adjacent a growth medium in the assay dish, at least one interpretive indication positionable at a predetermined distance from the sample location adjacent a growth medium in the assay dish, and at least one interfitting element, said at least one interfitting element configured cooperate with the assay dish to enable at least one of: a) more accurately positioning said at least one antimicrobial sample at the sample position in contact with the growth medium; b) carrying said at least one interpretive indication positionable at a predetermined distance from said sample position; said assay enabling the interpretative indication to be visually compared with a margin of a zone of inhibition of microbial organism growth on said growth medium to determine an assay result.
US08241863B2
The present invention relates to a method of screening for a compound that regulate SUMOylation of the nuclear receptor proteins comprising contacting the compound of interest to the nuclear receptor protein, and detecting SUMOylation of the nuclear receptor protein, thereby screening for a compound that regulates SUMOylation.
US08241861B1
The invention provides methods of screening a mammalian subject to determine if the subject is at risk to develop or is suffering from, cardiovascular disease. In one embodiment, the method comprises detecting a measurable feature of at least two biomarkers in an HDL subfraction, or in a complex containing apoA-I or apoA-II isolated from a biological sample obtained from the subject, wherein the at least two biomarkers are selected from the group consisting of apoA-I, apoA-II, apoB-100, Lp(a), apoC-I, and apoC-III, combinations or portions and/or derivatives thereof, and comparing the measurable features of the at least two biomarkers from the biological sample to a reference standard, wherein a difference in the measurable features of the at least two biomarkers from the biological sample and the reference standard is indicative of the presence or risk of cardiovascular disease in the subject.
US08241860B2
Provided are rapid and sensitive cell-free assay methods for detecting and/or measuring specific bimolecular or higher order interactions via reassembly of a split monomeric reporter protein, and methods of detecting or identifying modulators of such interactions by the effect on the signal provided by the reassembled split reporter protein. This methodology is adaptable to protein-protein, protein-peptide, protein-nucleic acid, protein-methylated or nonmethylated nucleic acid and other small or large molecule ligands and binding proteins.
US08241857B2
To provide an immunological detection method which can detect or quantify a pneumococcal antigen in a sample derived from a living body conveniently, rapidly, and with high sensitivity, and an antibody for use in the method. The present invention provides an antibody which specifically recognizes a pneumococcal F-antigen; a method for detecting or quantitating a pneumococcal antigen, characterized in that the method detects or quantitates a pneumococcal F-antigen in a sample derived from a living body through immunological assay employing the antibody; and a kit for detecting a pneumococcal antigen, the kit containing the antibody.
US08241855B2
A method is described for the detection of 5-methylcytosine in genomic DNA samples. First, a genomic DNA from a DNA sample is chemically converted with a reagent, whereby 5-methylcytosine and cytosine react differently. Then the pretreated DNA is amplified with the use of a polymerase with primers of different sequence. In the next step, the amplified genomic DNA is hybridized to an oligonucleotide array and PCR products are obtained, which must be provided with a label. Alternatively, the PCR products can be extended in a primer extension reaction, wherein the extension products are also provided with a label. In the last step, the extended oligonucleotides are investigated for the presence of the label.
US08241854B2
The present application relates to methods and compositions for triggering RNAi. Triggered RNAi is highly versatile because the silencing targets are independent of the detection targets. In some embodiments, methods of silencing or modulating the expression of a marker gene are provided. The methods generally comprise providing an initiator to a cell comprising a detection target and a silencing target gene, wherein the detection target is different from the silencing target gene, wherein binding of the detection target to the initiator initiates formation of an inactivator double-stranded RNA (inactivator dsRNA). The inactivator dsRNA can silence the silencing target gene to modulate the expression of a marker gene.
US08241850B2
The invention is drawn to isolating sequence variants of a genetic locus of interest using a modified iterative primer extension method. The nucleic acids analyzed are generally single stranded and have a reference sequence which is used as a basis for performing iterative single nucleotide extension reactions from a hybridized polymerization primer. The iterative polymerization reactions are configured such that polymerization of the strand will continue if the sequence of the nucleic acid being analyzed matches the reference sequence, whereas polymerization will be terminated if the nucleic acid being analyzed does not match the reference sequence. Nucleic acid strands that have mutations can be isolated using a variety of methods and sequenced to determine the precise identity of the mutation/polymorphism. By performing the method on both strands of the nucleic acid being analyzed, virtually all possible mutations can be identified.
US08241848B2
This invention concerns the discovery of two distinct PCA3 mRNA sequences. One of these sequences corresponds to a short PCA3 mRNA molecule whereas the other PCA3 RNA molecule is longer as it comprises an additional sequence between exon 3 and exon 4a. The short RNA is associated with prostate cancer whereas the long RNA sequence is associated with a non-malignant state of the prostate. Based on the differential expression levels of these two PCA3 RNA sequences, protocols for the diagnosis of prostate disease are provided. The invention also relates to therapeutic approaches to prostate cancer.
US08241842B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of magnetic resonance imaging and, more particularly, to devices and methods used in the observation of the diffusion of molecules across a permeable membrane using magnetic resonance techniques. A typical embodiment of the invention is a method of observing the diffusion of a molecule in a container having a permeable membrane that is disposed between a first solution and a second solution in the container, by using magnetic resonance imaging to obtain an image of the diffusion of the molecule in the first solution across the membrane in to the second solution.
US08241828B2
The present invention is a method of manufacturing porous polymer particles comprising: forming a dispersion of porous polymer particles in an external aqueous phase, wherein individual porous particles each comprise a continuous polymer phase and internal pores containing an internal aqueous phase; and filtering the dispersion of porous polymer particles with a filter to remove the external aqueous phase, wherein the filtering is done while agitating the porous particles.
US08241820B2
Provided is a photomask used in fabrication of a semiconductor device. The photomask includes first and second regions to be transferred onto a semiconductor substrate having a step difference. The first and second regions have mask patterns. The mask patterns of the first region have a different shape from the mask patterns of the second region. The mask patterns of the second region have concave and convex portions disposed in opposite lateral portions thereof.
US08241814B2
A solid polymer electrolyte membrane having (a) an ion exchange material and (b) dispersed in said ion exchange material, a hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst bound to a carbon particle support, wherein the hydrogen peroxide decomposition catalyst comprises (i) polyvinylphosphonic acid and (ii) transition metal with multiple oxidation states or a lanthanide metal with multiple oxidation states.
US08241810B2
A system includes power modules received within a frame of a ventilation enclosure. Each of the power modules has a fuel cell stack. A ventilation shaft is arranged along a rear side of the ventilation enclosure and sealingly receives the power modules so that exhaust outlets of the power modules discharge into the ventilation shaft. Each of the power modules is removably attachable to the ventilation shaft through the front side of the ventilation enclosure. A fuel supply pipe in the ventilation shaft supplies fuel to fuel inlets of the power modules. An exhaust pump draws exhaust fluid out of the ventilation shaft.
US08241807B2
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell (1) configured to generate electric power by a reaction between fuel and an oxidizing agent; a cooling passage (3) through which a first heat medium for cooling down the fuel cell (1) flows; a heat exchanger (5) disposed on the cooling passage (3); and an exhaust heat recovery passage (7) through which a second heat medium which exchanges heat with the first heat medium by the heat exchanger (5) flows, wherein a deceleration portion (7c) configured to reduce a flow velocity of the second heat medium and a bubble release portion (7d) configured to discharge bubbles in the deceleration portion (7c) to an outside of the exhaust heat recovery passage (7) are disposed on the exhaust heat recovery passage (7).
US08241804B1
A method includes determining, if an instruction to stop a operation of a fuel cell is detected, whether an in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, a fuel gas being to be stopped and an oxide gas being to be supplied to the fuel cell to generate power from the oxide-gas supply apparatus in the in-stop-mode power generating process, and shortening a time for a diluting process to be executed by a scavenging apparatus when it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has been executed, as compared with a case where it is determined that the in-stop-mode power generating process has not been executed.
US08241797B2
A fuel cell has an anode and a cathode with anode enzyme disposed on the anode and cathode enzyme is disposed on the cathode. The anode is configured and arranged to electrooxidize an anode reductant in the presence of the anode enzyme. Likewise, the cathode is configured and arranged to electroreduce a cathode oxidant in the presence of the cathode enzyme. In addition, anode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the anode to transduce a current between the anode and the anode enzyme and cathode redox hydrogel may be disposed on the cathode to transduce a current between the cathode and the cathode enzyme.
US08241795B2
A battery capable of improving the storage characteristics and the cycle characteristics is provided. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is impregnated in a separator provided between the cathode and the anode. A solvent of the electrolytic solution contains a given sulfone compound such as bis(trimethylsilyl)-2,2-difluorosulfoacetate. Compared to a case that a solvent does not contain the foregoing sulfone compound, the chemical stability of the electrolytic solution is improved, and the decomposition reaction of the electrolytic solution is suppressed.
US08241789B2
An energy storage device includes a first electrode comprising a first material and a second electrode comprising a second material, at least a portion of the first and second materials forming an interpenetrating network when dispersed in an electrolyte, the electrolyte, the first material and the second material are selected so that the first and second materials exert a repelling force on each other when combined. An electrochemical device, includes a first electrode in electrical communication with a first current collector; a second electrode in electrical communication with a second current collector; and an ionically conductive medium in ionic contact with said first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of the first and second electrodes form an interpenetrating network and wherein at least one of the first and second electrodes comprises an electrode structure providing two or more pathways to its current collector.
US08241782B2
A battery cover which detachably mounted on a portable electronic device to protect the battery of the portable electronic device. The battery cover includes a main cover and a sliding cover, the sliding cover is slidably mounted on the main cover. Two opposite ends of the main cover and the sliding cover each includes at least one tab or projection protruding there from respectively. The battery cover has a simple structure, and is easy for operating. The invention also includes a portable electronic device using the battery cover.
US08241779B2
A battery assembling mechanism of electronic device includes a housing and a sliding assembly, the housing has a first sidewall, the first sidewall defines an assembling hole; The sliding assembly includes a sliding unit slidably assembled on the housing and able to block a portion of the assembling hole. The battery can be latched or taken out from the housing by sliding the sliding unit.
US08241775B2
A fixing mechanism for fixing a battery in a sleeve with a battery cover includes a fixing member fixed to the battery cover and two fixing positions positioned on opposite inner surfaces of the sleeve. Each fixing position includes two latch grooves. The fixing member forms two elastic latch portions, each latch portion forms two latch protrusion corresponding to the latch grooves. The latch protrusions and the latch grooves both include a sliding surface and two abutting surfaces. The latch protrusions engage in or disengage from the latch grooves, thus the fixing member can be fixed in or detached from the sleeve. An electronic device using the fixing mechanism is also provided.
US08241767B2
A magnetic storage medium is formed of magnetic nanoparticles that are encapsulated within nanotubes (e.g., carbon nanotubes), which are arranged in a substrate to facilitate the reading and writing of information by a read/write head. The substrate may be flexible or rigid. Information is stored on the magnetic nanoparticles via the read/write head of a storage device. These magnetic nanoparticles are arranged into data tracks to store information through encapsulation within the carbon nanotubes. As carbon nanotubes are bendable, the carbon nanotubes may be arranged on flexible or rigid substrates, such as a polymer tape or disk for flexible media, or a glass substrate for rigid disk. A polymer may assist holding the nano-particle filled carbon-tubes to the substrate.
US08241766B2
An apparatus includes a plurality of bilayer structures positioned adjacent to each other, each of the bilayer structures including a first layer of magnetic material having a first Curie temperature and a second layer of magnetic material positioned adjacent to the first layer, wherein the second layer has a second Curie temperature that is lower than the first Curie temperature, and magnetic grains of the first layer are unstable when the second layer of magnetic material is heated above the second Curie temperature. The recording temperature is reduced due to the smaller switching volume achieved by using vertically decoupled laminations at elevated temperatures.
US08241764B2
The present invention relates to an organic light-emitting diode which has a light-emitting layer C which comprises at least one hole-conducting material CA and at least one phosphorescence emitter CB, to mixtures comprising at least one carbene complex in combination with at least one hole-conducting material or in combination with at least one phosphorescence emitter, and to the use of mixtures comprising at least one hole-conducting material and at least one phosphorescence emitter as a light-emitting layer in OLEDs for prolonging the lifetime of the light-emitting layer. The inventive organic light-emitting diode may have, in at least one of the layers of the organic light emitting diode, preferably in the hole-blocking layer and/or the electron-blocking layer and/or the light-emitting layer C, in addition to the hole-conducting material CA and the emitter CB, at least one compound selected from disilylcarbazoles, disilyldibenzofurans, disilyldibenzothiophenes, disilyldibenzophospholes, disilyldibenzothiophene S-oxides and disilyldibenzothiophene S,S-dioxides.
US08241756B2
The invention relates to compositions for coating of printing paper, said compositions comprising microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and one or more polysaccharide hydrocolloids, and use of said compositions. Further, the invention relates to coated paper, comprising a first layer of polysaccharide hydrocolloid(s) and a second layer of MFC, and use of said paper. A method for reducing the linting and/or dusting of a paper is also disclosed.
US08241746B2
A multilayer label comprising a polymeric film or cloth, e.g., a polyester film or a polyester woven cloth, having opposing facial surfaces, one facial surface of which is in intimate contact with a xylene-resistant, water-based topcoat and the other facial surface of which is in intimate contact with a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) if the other facial surface is a cloth, or a water-based, melted wax-resistant PSA if the other facial surface is a film.
US08241742B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coated steel sheet, properties of which such as tape peeling resistance, solvent resistance, alkali resistance and abrasion resistance are improved.A coated steel sheet coated with a composite coat, wherein said composite coat comprises a compounded resin (A) in which polyurethane resin particles (A-1) and ethylene-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymerization resin particles (A-2), respectively having an average particle diameter of 20 to 100 nm and a silanol group and/or an alkoxysilyl, group, are contained in a mass ratio of 20:80 to 90:10 and silicon oxide particles (A-3) having an average particle diameter of 5 to 20 nm and an organic titanium compound (A-4) are compounded, polyolefin wax particles (B) having an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 4 μm and a softening point of 100 to 140° C., and silicon oxide particles (C) having an average particle diameter of 70 to 200 nm, and wherein an amount of a coat of said composite coat is 0.5 to 3 g/cm2.
US08241739B2
The object of the invention is a new Sheet Molding Compound (SMC), Thick Molding Compound (TMC), or Bulk Molding Compound (BMC) comprising at thermosetting resin on the basis of renewable resources with which molded parts can be produced in a molding process at elevated temperature and pressure said process being suitable to produce molded parts in an industrial process.
US08241735B2
There is provided a substrate for a display device that has excellent gas barrier properties, flexibility, heat resistance and transparency, and has excellent dimensional stability, operability, and secondary processing characteristics. A substrate for a display device according to the present invention includes: an inorganic glass; and resin layers placed on both sides of the inorganic glass. Preferably, a ratio drsum/dg between a total thickness drsum of the resin layer and a thickness dg of the inorganic glass is 0.5 to 2.2. Preferably, the resin layers on both sides of the inorganic glass are each composed of the same material, each have the same thickness, and a thickness of each of the resin layers is equal to the thickness of the inorganic glass. Preferably, an average coefficient of linear expansion at 170° C. of the substrate for a display device is 20 ppm ° C.−1 or less.
US08241731B2
A display panel includes a sheet having first and second spaced apart surfaces defining a space therebetween and a plurality of partitions extending from the first surface to the second surface and dividing the space into a plurality of cells, wherein the thickness of each partition is in a range of 0.01 to 10 μm.
US08241728B2
An exterior cladding that combines the benefits of stone, metal and tar in a laminate form that makes the most with the least expensive forms of each of these three base materials. A construction laminate having an asphaltic core body covered with a metallic facing on a top side and part of a bottom side. A granular coating is applied to the metallic facing on the top side and front edge. The laminate is useful as exterior cladding such as a roofing shingle, siding etc. . . . and is durable and easy to install.
US08241720B2
To provide an article support structure used when attaching an article to an adherend with a stretch-releasable adhesive tape in which components and the like do not fly off when releasing the adhesive tape from the adherend, the double-sided adhesive tape does not tear, and damage to high-sensitivity adherends can be effectively suppressed. An article support structure comprises a base plate which can be removably attached to an article, and a double-sided adhesive tape intervening between the base plate and an adherend, and having a stre tenable base material and an adhesive layer. The base plate has a project ion-shaped gripping member, and at least one pair of spacer members disposed on both sides thereof which can form a gap between the surface of the adherend and the bottom surface of the base plate, and is configured so that the position of the gripping member and the position of the spacer members at least partly overlap in the length direction of the “double-sided adhesive tape.
US08241715B2
The present invention relates to a container packing structure, characterized in that it comprises a crystalline phase containing 55 to 97% by weight of xonotlite crystallites and 3 to 45% by weight of tobermorite crystallites. It also relates to a method for fabricating such a packing structure, and the container containing same, and its use for storing fluids such as gases.
US08241709B2
A method for producing an electrode having immobilized π-conjugated ligands is provided. The method includes bringing an aqueous solution into contact with an electrically conductive base material, the aqueous solution including π-conjugated ligands and at least one of (i) a surfactant, and (ii) a water-soluble molecule having a structure different from that of the π-conjugated ligands, the water-soluble molecule having a π-conjugated structure, and immobilizing the π-conjugated ligands on the base material.
US08241704B2
A multi-step method for depositing ruthenium thin films having high conductivity and superior adherence to the substrate is described. The method includes the deposition of a ruthenium nucleation layer followed by the deposition of a highly conductive ruthenium upper layer. Both layers are deposited using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) employing low deposition rates.
US08241696B2
A drinkable food product comprises a liquid and a hydrolyzed, dried, agglomerated grain powder.
US08241684B2
The present invention relates to a preventive and/or a therapeutic agent for inflammatory bowel diseases containing a fermentation product of a propionic acid bacterium as an active ingredient.
US08241683B2
The invention provides a decolonizing agent that can effectively decolonize Helicobacter pylori. The decolonizing agent for Helicobacter pylori contains Elsholtzia rugulosa hemsl honey as an active ingredient.
US08241678B2
The present invention comprises mixtures of herb extracts which exert synergistic antioxidant effect and comprise the herb licorice and at least one other herb selected from the group consisting of ginger, kudzu, sophora, and thyme. Skin care preparations incorporating such herb extract mixtures, and their methods of preparation and use, are also claimed.
US08241671B2
In order to provide a biocompatible material consisting mainly of a fish scale-derived hydroxyapatite and a fish scale-derived collagen, which is adjusted so that easily digested and absorbed in a human body, the material contains a composite consisting mainly of a fish scale-derived hydroxyapatite and a fish scale-derived collagen.
US08241668B2
Polymers (i.e. polyesters, polyamides, and polythioesters or a mixture thereof) which degrade hydrolytically into biologically active compounds are provided. Methods of producing these polymers, intermediates useful for preparing these polymers, and methods of using these polymers to deliver biologically active compounds to a host are also provided.
US08241665B2
A matrix formulation for a soft chewable capsule is provided which includes a gel-forming composition, a plasticizer, a polymer modifier, and water. The polymer modifier may be a carboxylic acid or other organic compound that alters the physical and/or chemical properties of the capsule formulation. A chewable soft capsule is also provided, having enhanced organo-leptic and processing properties. An active material may be delivered to a user using this dosage form. A method of forming the chewable soft capsule is also provided.
US08241640B2
Botulinum toxin, a well know systemic poison, produces favorable therapeutic effect by virtue of regionally attaching to nerves within the myoneural junction and possibly other tissues in a target region of a particular tissue. The present invention provides compositions of botulinum toxin and a sequestration agent that increase sequestration and delivery of the botulinum toxin to neural and associated tissues, as compared with available formulations of botulinum toxins, and thereby produce a beneficial clinical effect. The sequestration agents of the present invention include proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. A preferred composition of the present invention comprises a botulinum toxin and an albumin. The present invention also provides methods of treating neuromuscular diseases and pain using the disclosed compositions and methods of making the disclosed compositions.
US08241635B2
The present invention relates to silver-ionized plant extraction liquid and the use thereof. Particularly, there are provided herein a silver-ionized liquid extraction liquid prepared by ionizing silver in a plant extraction liquid used as an electrolyte and an antimicrobial composition comprising the same.
US08241630B2
A composition comprising a main species HER2 antibody that binds to domain II of HER2, and an amino acid sequence variant thereof comprising an amino-terminal leader extension is disclosed. Pharmaceutical formulations comprising the composition, and therapeutic uses for the composition are also disclosed.
US08241627B2
The present invention provides a method for stabilizing a protein in a desired conformation by introducing at least one disulfide bond into the polypeptide. Computational design is used to identify positions where crysteine residues can be introduced to form a disulfide bond in only one protein conformation, and therefore lock the protein in a given conformation. Accordingly, antibody and small molecule therapeutics are selected that are specific for the desired protein conformation.The invention also provides modified integrin I-domain polypeptides that are stabilized in a desired conformation. The invention further provides screening assays and therapeutic methods utilizing the modified integrin I-domains of the invention.
US08241625B2
The antibody based medicament contains ultra low doses of monoclonal, polyclonal, immune or natural antibodies to a protein or a peptide involved in the vascular tone regulation or mediating the effects of other regulators; these antibodies are used in activated (potentiated) form produced by multiple subsequent dilution and external impact, preferably in accordance with homeopathic technology. The method of treatment for diseases accompanied by disturbances of the vascular tone utilizes the use of ultra low doses of antibodies to a protein or a peptide involved in the vascular tone regulation or mediating the effects of other regulators; these antibodies are used in activated form produced by multiple subsequent dilution and external impact.
US08241621B2
Disclosed are cells, methods of modulating cells, and therapeutic uses of the cells for the immune modulation of mammals in need thereof. Immune modulation including alteration of cytokine profile, cytotoxic activity, antibody production and inflammatory states is achieved through the administration of various cell types that have been unmanipulated or manipulated in order to endow specific biological activity. Cellular subsets and administration of the subsets in combination with various agents are also provided. One embodiment teaches the previously unknown finding that adipose tissue derived mononuclear cells contain T cells with immune regulatory properties that alone or synergistically with various stem cells induce immune modulation upon administration. Another embodiment is the finding that stimulation of stem cell activation results in stem cell secondary activation of immune modulatory cells, one type which is T regulatory cells (Tregs). One specific embodiment involves extraction of a heterogenous stem cell pool, which contains T regulatory cells, treatment in culture of the population with agents known to stimulate stem cell activation, then subsequent extraction and administration of the purified Tregs. Other embodiments include expansion of Tregs in the presence of antigen in order to generate anti-specific Tregs.
US08241618B2
A the process of producing a hydrophobically modified polymer that can be used as a cosmetically acceptable composition prepared by incorporating hydrophobic moieties into a polymer composed acrylamide, one or more cationic monomers and optionally one or more anionic monomers. The composition may be incorporated into products for treating hair, skin and nails and also into household products such as household cleaners and laundry detergents.
US08241614B2
A composition and method for imparting a sunless tan to skin is described. The composition and method make use of a sunless tanning agent like dihydroxyacetone in combination with an adjuvant such as a phosphorylated peptide.
US08241609B2
A method for embolization using liquid embolic materials is described. The method comprises the use of two liquid components. The first liquid component is an aqueous solution or dispersion comprising at least one oxidized polysaccharide. The second liquid component is either an aqueous solution or dispersion comprising at least one water-dispersible, multi-arm amine, or a water-dispersible multi-arm amine in the form of a neat liquid. The two components crosslink in situ to form a hydrogel that should act as an effective embolic agent.
US08241604B2
A method for making a metal-titania pulp and photocatalyst is provided, including firstly acidically hydrolyzing a titanium alkoxide solution in presence of an alcohol solvent to get a colloidal solution; then, adding at least one metal salt solution into the colloidal solution to produce a nano-porous metal/titania photocatalyst under appropriate conditions by appropriate reaction. The nano-porous metal/titania photocatalyst thus prepared has excellent optical activity and is applicable in research of water decomposition with light to improve production efficiency of hydrogen energy. In addition, the photocatalyst is further processed in the form of powder or film to facilitate industrial application in wastewater treatment.
US08241596B2
A hot trap for removing a reactive constituent gas from a gas stream via chemical reaction and/or thermal disassociation includes a trap chamber with a heater assembly and a trap medium in its core inner portion and annular pre-heating and counterflow heating ducts in its outer and intermediate portions surrounding the core inner portion for heating an inflowing gas stream and conservation of heat energy in the trap as well as to maintain lower temperatures on external surfaces.
US08241589B2
A measurement fluidic channel (17) is formed at almost the center of a flow cell (1). In general, the measurement region of a measurement apparatus is set to focus on almost the center of a measurement chip. When the flow cell (1) is mounted in the measurement apparatus, the focus of the measurement region is positioned just above the measurement fluidic channel (17). The measurement apparatus can more reliably measure a sample solution flowing through the measurement fluidic channel (17). A suction pump (18) is formed in regions around the measurement fluidic channel (17). When the flow cell has the same planar shape as a conventional one, the amount of sample solution which can be supplied can be increased, compared to a conventional structure in which components are formed in line. The time during which a sample solution flows through the fluidic channel can be prolonged, the amount of sample solution can be increased, and the measurement time can also be prolonged. A sample solution flowing through the fluidic channel can be measured more reliably.
US08241588B2
A binding assay product (1) for detecting the presence of an analyte in a sample comprising a labelling module (5), a label, a capture module (9) and a visualization module (10). The labelling module (5) comprises a first binding component capable of binding the analyte. The label is connectable to the first binding component. The capture module (9) comprises a second binding component capable of binding the analyte. The visualization module (10) is for detecting the first binding component connected to the label and bound to the second binding component via the analyte. The labelling module and the capture module comprise a fluid conducting medium in which the binding components are embedded. The labelling module (5), the capture module (9) and the visualization module (10) together define a flow path along which the sample is capable of flowing.
US08241587B2
A collapsible single-use sterilization container for use in the sterilization of medical instruments is provided. The sterilization container includes a lid having central portion defined by a frangible region. Upon activation of the frangible region, the central portion may be removed rendering the sterilization container inoperable for future use.
US08241586B2
This ozone appliance for the professional dental office and other medical applications introduces dissolved ozone into dental and surgical operatory water lines. This dissolved ozone can not only disinfect water and water lines; it can also reduce gum bleeding, gingivitis, bad breath, teeth stains and oral bacteria. Additionally, it can aid in wound disinfection in surgery and attack microbial contamination of water from dental and surgical operatory water lines and attached hand pieces and dispensing devices by automatically killing waterborne germs and destroying biofilms where germs can hide and grow. It can, therefore, be used to disinfect water lines in dental operations and for other medical applications such as providing liquid containing ozone for cleaning and disinfecting skin prior to surgery (and tissue exposed during surgery). Further, a unit connected to operatory water lines can give an audible or other alarm if the water becomes unsafe.
US08241583B2
A process for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a reactor assembly comprising: a reactor vessel; a solid catalyst inlet by which catalyst is introduced and a solid catalyst outlet by which catalyst is removed from the reactor vessel; a plurality of feed nozzles by which feed is introduced at the bottom of the vessel; a product outlet for removing a product mixture of gas and solid catalyst at the upper part of the reactor; at least one partition plate, that divides the interior of the reactor vessel into two or more compartments, wherein the partition plate intersects the solid catalyst inlet.
US08241574B2
An ophthalmic device which comprises a holographic element comprising a medium comprising a phenylboronic acid group and, disposed therein, a hologram, wherein an optical characteristic of the element changes as a result of a variation of a physical property of the medium, and wherein the variation arises as a result of interaction between the medium and an analyte present in an ocular fluid.
US08241568B2
A reaction tank for causing a reaction for analyzing a specimen in a humidity-applied atmosphere in a storage vessel, includes a humidifying unit that includes a water reservoir reserving water and a humidifier releasing moisture of the water reservoir to an inside of the storage vessel, the humidifying unit humidifying the inside of the storage vessel, and a humidity detector that detects humidity inside the storage vessel. An operation of the humidifier of the humidifying unit is turned ON when the humidity inside the storage vessel becomes lower than a predetermined suitable humidity whereas the operation of the humidifier of the humidifying unit is turned OFF when the humidity inside the storage vessel exceeds the predetermined suitable humidity.
US08241567B2
The invention relates to compositions comprising a hydrogel matrix, where the matrix comprises poly(ethylene glycol) dimethyacrylate (PEGDMA), an acrylate, such as methacrylic acid (MAA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA), as well as 2-hydroxy-2 methyl propiophenone (HMPP).
US08241561B2
Inventors of the present invention have found that, by manufacturing a stress-buffering material with a Ca-containing aluminum alloy including 0.1 to 12 at % of Ca, the stress-buffering material at low cost, capable of expanding its use in various fields, and having low Young's modulus that is beyond a conventional level, can be obtain.
US08241559B2
The invention relates to a steel material having a high silicon content, and to a method for the production thereof, the steel material being particularly suitable for piston rings and cylinder sleeves. In addition to iron and production-related impurities, the steel material contains 0.5 to 1.2 wt. % carbon, 3.0 to 15.0 wt. % silicon and 0.5 to 4.5 wt. % nickel. Also, the steel material can contain small amounts of the following elements Mo, Mn, Al, Co Nb, Ti, V, Sn, Mg, B, Te Ta La, Bi, Zr, Sb, Ca, Sr, Cer, rare earth metals and nucleating agents such as NiMg, MiSiMg, FeMg and FeSIMg. due to the high Si content, a degree of saturation higher than 1.0 is attained, with the melting temperature of the steel material corresponding to normal cast iron. The steel material can be produced according to a conventional cast-iron technique and has a high resistance to wear and tear and a high structural strength (minimal distortion).
US08241558B2
High-Cr, high-Ni, heat-resistant, austenitic cast steel and exhaust equipment members formed thereby
A high-Cr, high-Ni, heat-resistant, austenitic cast steel comprises as main components C, Si, Mn, Cr, Ni, W and/or Mo, and Nb, the balance being substantially Fe and inevitable impurities, N being 0.01-0.5%, Al being 0.23% or less, and O being 0.07% or less by weight. Exhaust equipment members are produced by using this high-Cr, high-Ni, heat-resistant, austenitic cast steel.
US08241545B2
The present disclosure provides a method for preparing polylactic acid and its products using a twin-screw extruder, comprising the step of mixing carbon dioxide adducts of carbene and lactide, and obtaining polylactic acid and its products via reactive extrusion using a twin-screw extruder. Some of the carbon dioxide adducts or carbene have the following general formula:
US08241541B2
The invention provides a pre-mix of positive electrode material in transportable solid form comprising polymer and solid particles of electrochemically active material and/or electronically conductive additives and a process for preparing a pre-mix positive electrode in transportable solid form. The pre-mix positive electrode material may also comprise an alkali metal salt either dissolved or dispersed in the mixture. The invention also provides making a cathode film from the transportable solid pre-mix of positive electrode material.
US08241540B2
A method of manufacturing a liquid discharge head including a flow path member for forming a flow path communicating with a discharge port discharging a liquid includes forming a mold of the flow path made of a positive photosensitive resin on a substrate; applying a coated layer on the mold for forming the flow path member, which coated layer includes a solvent, an epoxy resin, and a curing agent of the epoxy resin; removing the solvent from the coated layer at a normal temperature under substantially 1 atm. so that the weight of the coated layer may become 93% or less of that thereof at a time of applying of the coated layer, and then further removing the solvent from the coated layer under a depressurized condition; curing the coated layer; and removing the mold to form the flow path.
US08241537B2
An electrospinning apparatus is described. The electrospinning apparatus has a rotary nozzle mechanism that moves simultaneously along a non-linear track for forming polymeric fibrils, so that the polymeric fibrils can be piled to form a uniform web on a receiving carrier from any receiving angle. Therefore, the electrospinning apparatus resolves problems of the prior polymeric fibrils, such as various distribution and slow production rate. In addition, a method of manufacturing polymeric fibrils in the aforementioned electrospinning apparatus is further described.
US08241534B2
To reduce the types of blanks such as a semi-finished lens blank, materials, and processing time, a spectacle lens design device disposed at a factory on a manufacturing side and a lens processing device connected thereto block an applicable semi-finished lens blank or lens blank. The semi-finished lens blank or lens blank are blocked so that a reference surface thereof tilts at a predetermined angle using a numerical-control curve generator. The reference surface tilts based on order information sent from an order terminal disposed at a spectacle store on a order-placement side. Both surfaces of a plastic material are formed so that a geometric center of an edge shape positions at a center of a circle of a circular lens thereby satisfy an optical specification of the spectacle lens-related to the order. Next, the circular lens is processed to have the edge shape of the spectacle lens-related to the order to thereby obtain the spectacle lens-related to the order.
US08241532B2
Neutron source comprising a composite, said composite comprising crystals comprising BeO and AmBe13, and an excess of beryllium, wherein the crystals have an average size of less than 2 microns; the size distribution of the crystals is less than 2 microns; and the beryllium is present in a 7-fold to a 75-fold excess by weight of the amount of AmBe13; and methods of making thereof.
