US08265677B2
A telecommunications network for mobile terminals, in particular a wireless LAN network, includes a plurality of network access points defining a network coverage area and each one associated with a respective transmission channel; at least one mobile terminal adapted to move inside the coverage area and configured for performing a transmission channels scanning; a terminal locating server, configured for determining a position in which the terminal must perform the scanning, for determining a set of channels adapted to be received in the position with predetermined transmission characteristics, and for communicating such set of channels to the mobile terminal, so that the scanning, for example, for tracking or handover purposes, can be performed on a limited number of channels, thereby increasing the useful time for providing telecommunication services.
US08265660B1
Methods are described for handling an incoming call at a mobile switching center when the mobile station is currently in either an access state (in the process of making an outgoing call) or in a paging state (in the process of receiving an earlier incoming call). The mobile switching center waits until the mobile station transitions out of the access state or paging state into a traffic state. The mobile switching center sends an alert message to the mobile station alerting the user of the new incoming call. The mobile switching center handles the incoming call per a response to the alert message. One option would be to send the new incoming call to the user and drop the other incoming call (or the outgoing call). Another option would be to direct the incoming call to voice mail. In either case, the handling of the incoming call is per the user's direction, i.e., as dictated by the response message.
US08265654B2
Embodiments of the present invention include improved communication system and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a wireless communication method comprising, on a first wireless device, receiving one or more wireless device identifications associated with one or more other wireless devices, and transmitting at least one of the one or more wireless device identifications from the first wireless device to a remote computer system, and on the remote computer system, receiving the at least one wireless device identification, and accessing information associated with the at least one wireless device identification. Embodiments of the present invention may be used for electronic dating, social networking and other communication applications.
US08265652B2
A system for geographic tagging of network access points comprises a plurality of access points that have been configured to provide location information as part of their beacon. Each access point provides a service set identifier (SSID) that includes an encoded value that represents the location of the access point. The use of an encoded location value in the SSID of the access point is particularly advantageous because it does not require any additional hardware be added to the access point or the portable computing device. Moreover, location can be determined by any portable device without establishing a connection to the access point. The portable computing devices are adapted to receive the beacon, extract the location information from the beacon and decode the beacon. The present invention also includes a variety of methods including: a method for geographic tagging of network access points, a method for encoding a location into a geographic code, a method for decoding a geographic code into a location, a method for encoding height into a geographic code, a method for decoding height from a geographic code and a method for determining the location using a plurality of geographic codes.
US08265651B2
An apparatus, system and method are provided for integrated wireless location detection. The system includes a location detection (LD) transmitter that transmits first and second radio frequency signals in first and second formats, respectively. First and second LD receivers, respectively, receive the first and second signals and determine first and second information relating to a location of the LD transmitter. An LD server wirelessly receives the first and second information and calculates the location of the LD transmitter from one of the first and second information. The LD server may receive a signal indicating a preferred one of the first and second information and calculate the location from the preferred one of the first and second information.
US08265647B2
The present invention enables assignment to a terminal a sub-band having satisfactory communication quality. A reference-signal reception unit receives from a terminal a reference signal spreading over sub-bands. A communication-quality measurement unit measures the communication quality of each of the sub-bands on the basis of the reference signal. A sub-band assignment unit assigns one of the sub-bands to the terminal on the basis of the communication quality, for the terminal to perform wireless communication with the communication device. A reference-signal transmission unit transmits to the communication device a reference signal spreading over the sub-bands. A sub-band-assignment-information reception unit receives information on one of the sub-bands which is assigned to the terminal by the communication device on the basis of the reference signal. A data transmission unit transmits data to the communication device through the sub-band assigned to the terminal.
US08265646B2
Novel satellite communications systems, methods, and related devices are described. In one set of embodiments, available frequency channels may be dynamically assigned to particular beams of a multi-beam satellite system. The frequency assignment may be based on the amount of frequency allocated to particular beams of the multi-beam satellite system, utilizing a novel frequency selection method employing frequency reuse constraints. There may be a number of distinct frequency channels that are each assigned to one or more different beams. Such a system may be made up of a satellite in communication with terminals (e.g., user terminals or gateways). The satellite may receive and compile bandwidth request data from the terminals, and use this information in frequency assignment.
US08265641B2
Embodiments are directed to determining whether one or more physical user interactions are present, at a wireless communication device, that indicate a near-future potential communication session resource request. Before the determination, a communication interface of the device is in a dormant state characterized by the device not being permitted to engage in a communication session with a wireless communication network. The device transitions the communication interface, after the determination, from the dormant state to an active state. In the active state, the device performs one or more actions to reduce a delay associated with a transmission of the potential communication session resource request in the event that the potential communication session resource request is actually transmitted by the device. For example, in the active state, the device can power-up or wake-up a radio bearer or modem to reduce a delay before transmission of the potential communication session resource request.
US08265640B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate communicating a Buffer Status Report (BSR) from user equipment (UE) while reducing the employment of a RACH procedure. A BSR Prohibit time interval can be triggered by a receipt of uplink data to the UE. The BSR can be conveyed utilizing an uplink-shared channel (UL-SCH) if a Scheduling Request (SR) or a Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) occurs within the duration of the BSR Prohibit time interval. The BSR can be communicated utilizing a RACH procedure if a SR or SPS occurs upon the expiration of the BSR Prohibit time interval.
US08265632B2
A radio communication system includes a plurality of base station apparatuses. In the radio communication system, the communication areas of the plurality of base station apparatuses are connected in a loop to form a borderline separating the inside and the outside of a management area. The radio communication system detects a mobile terminal which enters the management area by crossing the borderline on the basis of communication between the base station apparatuses and a mobile terminal.
US08265621B2
A wireless device capable of matching a user with content based on the user's proximity to other users, by searching for a match between profiles of wireless devices within a wireless coverage area. Wireless devices broadcast profiles within a wireless coverage area. Other wireless devices within the wireless coverage area receive the broadcasted profiles, determine a match between the received profile and a profile stored on the wireless device, and display a match indicator if a match is determined. In this manner, a user having a wireless device may be matched with content based on the user's proximity to other users.
US08265617B2
A media transfer and control system that includes a handheld electronic device and an audio/visual system. The media transfer and control system provides for: (i) the transfer of media files between the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system, (ii) the transmission of control commands from the handheld electronic device to the audio/visual system for controlling the function and operation of the audio/visual system through a user interface provided on the handheld electronic device, and (iii) the unsolicited transfer of media descriptive data between the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system to create a synchronized global view on the handheld electronic device and/or the audio/visual system of all of the media content currently stored on and/or available through both the handheld electronic device and the audio/visual system.
US08265615B2
A system for updating communication services includes user equipment configured to communicate using a first communication service standard and a second communication service standard, a subscriber database, an application server, and a network device. The network device detects an update trigger corresponding to a user equipment, requests that the user equipment discontinue using the first communication service standard, and flags the user equipment as updated by communicating with the application server and the subscriber database. The network device also receives a communication from the user equipment and determines whether the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard or the second communication service standard. If the communication corresponds to the first communication service standard the network device communicates an error message to the user equipment. However, if the communication corresponds to a second communication service standard, the network device processes the communication.
US08265614B2
In one embodiment, a network node is operable, responsive to receiving a request from an enterprise user to initiate origination of an outgoing cellular call to a called party, for establishing a first call leg to the enterprise user by sending a circuit-switched call that identifies an enterprise address of the enterprise user as a calling line identity. The network node includes functionality for establishing a second call leg to the called party upon receiving an indication from the enterprise user that the first call leg has been established. The first and second call legs are then patched to establish an end-to-end communications path between the enterprise user and the called party, wherein the enterprise address instead of the non-enterprise address is presented to the called party as a calling line identity with respect to the outgoing cellular call from the enterprise user.
US08265608B2
A terminal data storage section (18) of a portable communication terminal (10) stores the importance level of each piece of stored data. A connection state prediction judging section (12) predicts a change in the communication state of the connection to a server (20). A terminal processing level determining section (13) determines the terminal processing level of data based on the prediction result. When a data access becomes necessary, a data access managing section (15) determines whether a data access destination is the portable communication terminal (10) itself or the server (20) based on the importance level of the data and the then terminal processing level. When the terminal processing level is changed, a data hold managing section (14) deletes the data whose importance level is changed to an importance level which inhibits the data from being held at the changed terminal processing level from the terminal data storage section (18).
US08265602B2
Visual voicemail privacy protection is implemented by requiring a credential from a user or a user device before providing voicemail data to the user. The credential may be a user name and password combination, a digital certificate, or the like. The user may enable or disable this privacy protection feature at will. A first device being used for visual voicemail services may detect a second device within a defined area around the first device and either enable or disable privacy protection features based on whether the second device is determined to be an authorized or unauthorized device. Privacy protection features may be implemented locally or remotely.
US08265593B2
Described is a method by mobile equipment to communicate with a network. The method includes receiving a network authentication token having a first message authentication code, an authentication message field and a first extended sequence number that includes a first hardware identifier and first sequence number, and authenticating the network based on the first message authentication code, the first hardware identifier, and the first sequence number.
US08265588B2
A wireless communication device and method adapted for temperature monitoring and warning is disclosed. In its simplest form, it can include: providing (510) a multi-mode communication device including an unrestricted mode having an unrestricted operation temperature range and a restricted mode having a restricted operation temperature range; determining (520) if a temperature in proximity to an energy storage device is in at least one of the restricted operation temperature range and the unrestricted operation temperature range; periodically entering (530) the restricted mode when in the restricted operation temperature range and entering the unrestricted mode when in the unrestricted operation temperature range; and entering (540) the unrestricted mode when a user attempts to make an emergency call. Advantageously, this method allows safe battery operation, while allowing a user to make emergency calls.
US08265586B2
A low-noise amplification apparatus and method in a receiver in a wireless communication system are provided, in which a main amplifier amplifies a received signal, a sub-amplifier amplifies a third-order harmonic component more strongly than a signal component in the received signal and cancels the third-order harmonic component by combining the amplified signal with the signal received from the main amplifier. A noise eliminator amplifies noise included in the received signal and eliminates the noise by combining the amplified noise with the signal received from the main amplifier or the signal received from the sub-amplifier.
US08265579B2
A satellite signal reception device has a reception unit that receives a satellite signal transmitted from a positioning information satellite, a reception state display device for displaying the satellite signal reception state, a reception state evaluation unit that determines the reception condition of the satellite signal received by the reception unit, and a display controller that controls the reception state display device to display the reception condition determined by the reception state evaluation unit. The reception state evaluation unit determining the level of the reception condition based on the number of positioning information satellites from which satellite signals are received and the signal level of each received signal, and the display controller displaying the reception level output by the reception state evaluation unit on the reception state display device.
US08265575B2
A communication apparatus is provided. A power amplifier is coupled to an antenna and switched on or off according to a control signal. A baseband processing module is coupled to the power amplifier and a radio transceiver module, receives a bit stream comprising information indicating corresponding transmitting time and sub-carrier frequencies of up-link messages via the radio transceiver module, processes the bit stream to obtain a map profiling allocations of the up-link messages, prepares the up-link messages to be transmitted according to the map, and generates the control signal according to the map. Within a data frame period, when there is no up-link message to be transmitted during a up-link time interval, the power amplifier is switched off in response to the control signal during the up-link time interval.
US08265564B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for transmitting data in a wireless communication system. The apparatus for transmitting a packet data in a wireless communication system includes a Media Access Control (MAC) layer for determining the number of preambles to be inserted based on a feed-back reply signal from a receiver, and generating a multi-preamble aggregation packet by inserting the determined number of preambles into packets received from an upper layer and a physical layer for forming the multi-preamble aggregation packet generated in a data processing unit, by using a physical layer packet, and transmitting the formed multi-preamble aggregation packet.
US08265560B2
A method for reducing cross cell interference in a wireless time division duplex communication system using code division multiple access, the system having at least one user equipment (UE) and a base station (BS) is disclosed. The method begins by measuring an interference level of each timeslot at the BS. A timeslot is eliminated for additional uplink communication if the measured interference level exceeds a first threshold. UEs in nearby cells that are large interferers are identified and their downlink timeslot usage is gathered. A timeslot is eliminated for uplink communication for a large interferer UE that uses the timeslot for downlink communication.
US08265558B2
A device includes a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit and an RF bus controller. Each of the first and second ICs includes a radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver. The RF bus controller is coupled to control intra-device RF communications between the RF bus transceivers of the first and second ICs.
US08265557B2
A mobile terminal and a method of controlling the operation of the mobile terminal are provided. The method includes receiving a first key signal for controlling a first profile and an audio playback operation from an audio output device, the first profile being a profile for playing audio data; connecting the mobile terminal to the audio output device using the first profile; and suspending the processing of a command corresponding to the first key signal for a predetermined amount of time. Therefore, it is possible to suspend the processing of a command for a predetermined amount of time during the connection of the mobile terminal to the audio output device and thus to prevent an unwanted operation from being performed.
US08265556B2
Integrated mobile phone and medical implant system. The disclosed system integrates the available electronic resources that already exist in compact and portable devices, such as any generic mobile phone, with a body implantable medical device such that the sensory data obtained from the implant device is transmitted through an electronic umbilical cord directly to the mobile device where the data is analyzed and presented in a user-friendly manner to the user/patient and/or transmitted wirelessly to a remote location for further action, if necessary, without the need for additional equipment. With the switch of software application from a drop-down menu, the mobile device of the system functions both as a normal mobile phone, as a medical monitoring device, or both simultaneously without any interference between the two modes of operations. Method for using the integrated system is also disclosed.
US08265555B2
A coupling device (1) is provided, especially a tube nozzle (2), for a medical device (3), especially a respirator (4), for the mechanical and electromagnetic coupling of the medical device (3) with the accessory (6), especially a tube system (19). The device includes a mechanical device for coupling the medical device (3) with the accessory (6), at least one inductance (8), at least one capacitance (12) and at least one electric line (18) for forming an electric circuit as a resonant circuit for the electromagnetic coupling of an inductance (8) at the medical device (3) with an inductance (8) at the accessory (6). The coupling device (1) is able to be checked for trouble-free operation without the accessory (6). The coupling device (1) is able to be manufactured at a low cost and make safe and reliable handling possible. The coupling device (1) has a semiconductor chip (16) for storing and/or processing at least one piece of information and/or for sending and/or receiving at least one signal.
US08265549B2
A processor for use in a satellite communications system includes a selector that is configured to select a subset of a plurality of spatially diverse satellite signals based upon a location of a radioterminal. The processor further includes a signal processor that is configured to detect a return-link transmission from the radioterminal responsive to the selected subset of the spatially diverse satellite signals. The respective spatially diverse satellite signals may include respective signals corresponding to respective antenna elements of a satellite. The selector and the signal processor may be ground based.
US08265541B2
A sheet processing apparatus including: a humidifier that humidifies a sheet; a curl correcting section that corrects a curl by applying mechanical bending force on a sheet; and a control section that causes humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for a prescribed sheet, and causes either one of humidification by the humidifier and curl correction by the curl correcting section to be possible for sheets other than the prescribed sheet.
US08265533B2
An apparatus for applying release agent to a fuser roll used in printing a print job is provided. The apparatus has a release agent metering roll supported for contact with a supply of release agent material; a variable speed drive arranged to effect movement of the release agent metering roll in an endless path at different surface velocities; a donor roll supported in contact with the release agent metering roll and the fuser roll, the donor roll arranged to convey release agent material from the release agent metering roll to the fuser roll at various rates depending on a surface velocity of the release agent metering roll; and a controller that controls a velocity of the variable speed drive such that the surface velocity of the release agent metering roll varies relative to a surface velocity of the fuser roll and the engagement and disengagement times at the start and end of the print job. The variable speed drive is operative independently of the fuser roll.
US08265514B2
Toner is removed from a skive mount in a dry electrophotographic printer. An end block is disposed at one end of the rotatable development member, and a skive mount disposed adjacent to the development member connects a skive to the end block. A timing device measures time intervals of printer operation. A process-control time interval and a cleaning time interval that is a non-negative multiple of the process-control time interval are selected. Prints are made until the process-control time interval elapses. A process-control patch is produced in a process-control frame. Once the cleaning interval has elapsed, in the process-control frame, a backup bar is lifted lift away from the photoreceptor, then, after a selected time delay, brought into physical contact with at least one point on the end block, so that toner is removed from the skive mount.
US08265512B2
A first power system supplies electric power to a first control circuit. A second power system supplies electric power to a load further on a downstream side than the second power system. A second control circuit receives the supplied electric power from a commercial power supply. In a power saving mode, a path switching section switches an electric power supply path to interrupt the electric power from the second power system to a cooling fan and supply electric power from an electricity storing section to the cooling fan.
US08265479B2
A camera module advantageous in simplifying an assembly process is provided. A camera module 22 includes a barrel unit 66 having a housing space S; a lens holding unit 68 which holds an imaging optical system 34, which is housed in the housing space S, and which is supported such that the lens holding unit 68 is movable along an optical axis of the imaging optical system 34; an image pickup element 29 which is disposed in the barrel unit 66 and which picks up an object image guided by the imaging optical system 34; and a driving unit 72 which moves the lens holding unit 68 along the optical axis of the imaging optical system 34. The barrel unit 66 includes an inner barrel 80 in which the housing space S is formed and an outer barrel 78 disposed outside the inner barrel 80. A retaining plate 86 includes a front plate portion 86A and two side plate portions 86B. The retaining plate 86 clamps the inner barrel 80 and the outer barrel 78 in the optical axis direction in the state in which the front plate portion 86A retains a front end of the outer barrel 78 and distal ends of the two side plate portions 86B retain the rear end-face wall 8002.
US08265476B2
An imaging apparatus includes a present date and time information obtaining device to obtain present date-time information at a time performing a present photographing operation, a last date-time information recording device to record last date-time information at a time performing a last photographing operation, an image number counting device to compare the present and last date-time information when performing the present photographing operation and to newly count a number of photographed subject images when the present date-time information is not within the predetermined period from the last date-time information and to continuously count the number of photographed subject images when the present date and time information is within the predetermined period from the last date-time information, and a displaying unit having an exit screen displayed when the imaging apparatus is turned off and to display the number of the photographed subject images on the exit screen.
US08265469B2
An operating mechanism for an underwater camera housing includes a shaft adapted to allow in use the shaft to pass through the wall of the underwater camera housing. A sealing element on the shaft allow in use the shaft to be sealed to the underwater camera housing in a substantially waterproof manner. A first pressure device is mounted on the shaft and positioned in use outside the underwater camera housing, and a second pressure device is associated with the shaft and positioned in use within the underwater camera housing. A torque adjustment element is provided between the first pressure device and the second pressure device such that in normal use any feel of resistance to movement of the second pressure device is increased when felt on the first pressure device.
US08265461B2
A method for scaling subpicture data comprises receiving a video data stream and a subpicture data stream; pre-parsing the subpicture data stream to obtain line information of subpicture data, the subpicture data containing both top field pixel data and bottom field pixel data; calculating the number of lines contained in the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data from the pre-parsed line information; interlacing the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data; and scaling the top and bottom field pixel data together in interlaced form for adjusting the number of lines contained in the top field pixel data and the bottom field pixel data.
US08265458B2
Electronic Guide products give the user the ability to videotape selected programs. Once a program has successfully been taped a message is displayed, reminding the viewer that they have taped it. (E.g. “You taped Xxxxx; have you watched it yet?”) Information comprising information that shows are taped, the particular shows taped and viewer profiles allow advertisements targeted to the viewer who typically records a given type of programming to be presented. In an embodiment the display of the reminders is made conditional upon acceptance of advertising (for example, based on a piece of data transmitted along with other data related to that show), and can be sold to the broadcasters who transmitted the show. This information is marketed as a peculiarly well-targeted ad for the show, causing it to continue to produce value for the broadcaster after the broadcast is complete. Broadcasters, in turn, may offer the reminders to major advertisers as they sell commercial air time during the show, as a premium feature of the air time. The advertisement may be sent over channels comprising the video blanking interval, the Internet or on another channel.
US08265457B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product provides for a proxy media editor to combine editing, rendering, and a plurality of output specifications via a unified platform. The proxy media editor accesses at least one output specification and an edit decision list stored on a server system. The proxy media editor receives a request for media output at the server system, the media output associated with an edit decision list stored on the server system. The proxy media editor renders, at the server system, the media output according to the output specification and the edit decision list. The proxy media editor delivers, from the server system, the media output via a media delivery channel compatible with the output specification. Thus, a user can create a single edited video composition in a hosted web-based environment which can dynamically meet the exact requirements of various delivery channels.
US08265450B2
Some embodiments of the invention provide a novel method for processing a high definition (“HD”) digital video that includes video data and closed captioning data. The method (i) imports an HD digital video in a computer system, (ii) extracts closed captioning data from the HD digital video and (iii) stores the extracted closed captioning data in a storage of the computer system (e.g., hard drive of the computer system). Some embodiments first import all of the video before extracting closed captioning data from it, while other embodiments extract closed captioning data from the video as they import the video into the computer system. In some embodiments, a video editing application of a computer system performs this HD-video processing method. Accordingly, in some such cases, the method also edits the video that is extracted from the HD digital video. In addition, when video data is edited, the extracted closed captioning data is also edited in some embodiments.
US08265448B2
An electronic apparatus may include means for storing priority information on priorities of contents, means for receiving a list of the contents stored in another electronic apparatus with attribute information on contents in the list from anther electronic apparatus, means for determining whether a content in the list is a first content with a first priority or a second content with a second priority lower than the first priority, means for causing whole data of the first content to be received if the content is the first content and causing beginning portion data of the second content to be received if the content is the second content, means for storing at least one of the whole data and the beginning portion data, and means for causing the stored whole data to be reproduced and causing subsequent portion data to be received from the other electronic apparatus while the beginning portion data is being reproduced and to be reproduced following the reproduction of the beginning portion data.
US08265444B2
One or more first portions of a reduced optical material wafer are covered with a masking layer that leaves uncovered one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer. The reduced optical material wafer is exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere to reverse a reduction of the one or more second portions of the reduced optical material wafer that makes the one or more second portions receptive for implementation of one or more optical waveguides.
US08265435B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to optical fiber coupling systems and to methods for fabricating optical fiber coupling systems. In one aspect, an optical fiber coupling system includes a first resonant cavity abutting the end of an optical fiber. The optical fiber coupling system includes a second resonant cavity located adjacent to the first cavity. The first and second resonant cavities are separated by a sub-wavelength grating layer configured with a non-periodic sub-wavelength grating. The optical fiber coupling system selectively couples light into and/or out of the optical fiber core.
US08265434B2
In a lens system, such as for use in optical rotary joints, obliquely tilted cavities are inserted in a light path between light-waveguides and lenses to be coupled thereto in order to compensate lateral displacements between the light waveguides and the lenses. The cavities are filled with an optical medium having a predetermined refractive index in order to achieve a parallel displacement of a light-ray path, so that the ray path passes centrally through the lenses.
US08265427B2
Interpolation of signed values A and B is efficiently performed by simple circuitry. To calculate an interpolated value C based on a 4-bit values A (bits a3a2a1a0) and B (bits b3b2b1b0) expressing a negative number by twos complement notation and a 4-bit interpolation rate D (bits d3d2d1d0) consisting of only a decimal part, a basic expression of C=(1−D)*A+D*B is transformed into an expression composed of an unsigned part that includes a sum of products with a bit di or a logically inverted value ei of the bit di (i=0, 1, 2, and 3), and indicates an absolute value of the interpolated value C, and a signed part indicating a sign of the interpolated value C. Then, 7 bits of bits c6 through c0 are generated from an arithmetic operation of the unsigned part, and logic judgement of the signed part is performed by considering a carry from the digit of the bit c6 of the arithmetic operation of the unsigned part to generate a bit c7. Significant digits of the obtained 8-bit value (bits c7 through c0) are outputted as an interpolated value.
US08265425B2
Objects having a flat surface such as a table are detected by processing a depth image and a color image. A mask indicating an area likely to include an object having the flat surface is generated by processing a depth image including the depth information. A color image corresponding to the depth image is then cropped using the mask to detect a portion of the color image that likely include the object having the flat surface. Geometric features of the cropped color image such as lines are then detected to determine the location and orientation of the object having the flat surface. A subset of the detected geometric features is selected as outlines of the flat surface.
US08265423B2
A plurality of images are input, specific regions are set for each of the inputted plurality of images, a typical size of the specific regions of each of the plurality of images is determined, and the ratio of the typical size to the size of the entire image is calculated as a typical size ratio. A typical size ratio used as a reference is selected from the typical size ratios calculated for the respective images as a reference ratio, and a candidate region upon trimming that image is determined based on the specific regions of each of the plurality of images. A trimming region for each of the plurality of images is determined based on the reference ratio, and the typical size ratio and candidate region of each image, and each of the plurality of images is trimmed according to the trimming region.
US08265414B2
An image processing device to process a moving image, which is shot by a video shooting device, in increments of access units, includes: a correcting unit to correct the access unit to be processed by changing the properties of a low-pass filter which indicates imaging blur according to parameter values showing the properties of imaging blur which occurs at the time that the moving image is shot with the video shooting device, generating an inverse filter having inverse properties as to the low-pass filter, and performing processing to apply the inverse filters as to the access unit to be processed; wherein, with a frequency of which the frequency property of the low-pass filter indicating the imaging blur is zero being zero points, performing processing to apply the inverse filter is forbidden for predetermined frequency components of the frequency components of the access unit to be processed including the zero points.
US08265412B2
An image processing method for removing a noise component contained in an original image includes: smoothing a noise component contained in an original image on a temporary basis by using a noise fluctuation index value; extracting a temporary noise component free of a non-noise component based upon a differential signal representing a difference between the original image and a smoothed image; extracting an actual noise component by further excluding a component less likely to be a noise component from the extracted temporary noise component by comparing the extracted temporary noise component with the noise fluctuation index value again; and removing noise from the original image based upon the extracted actual noise component having been extracted.
US08265411B2
An image recording apparatus includes an imaging section which images a subject to obtain imaging data. An image quality information acquiring section acquires a plurality of sets of information concerning image quality. An image quality information converting section converts the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality acquired in the image quality information acquiring section into image processing parameters used in image processing of the imaging data. An image processing section performs image processing with respect to the imaging data based on the image processing parameters converted by the image quality information converting section. A recording section records in a recording medium the imaging data subjected to image processing in the image processing section, or records in the recording medium the imaging data which is not yet subjected to image processing in the image processing section and the plurality of sets of information concerning the image quality.
US08265405B2
A variable-length encoder that feeds a Coded Block Pattern (CBP) as an input symbol to variable-length code output part. Coded symbol memory supplies CBPs in neighboring blocks as coding map table reference information to coding map table provider. Coding map table provider determines a coding map table used in coding of the CBP, based on these CBPs in the neighboring blocks, and provides a coding map table H4 to variable-length code output part. Variable-length coding table provider feeds a variable-length coding table to variable-length code output part. Then the coding target CBP is subjected to variable-length coding, and the resultant is outputted as coded data. This allows information source coding of coding symbols to be performed efficiently according to the coding condition and the property of image.
US08265403B2
The method includes the following units: a coefficient number detecting unit (109) for detecting the number of coefficients which has a value other than 0 for each block according to the generated coefficient, a coefficient number storing unit (110) for storing the number of coefficients detected, a coefficient number coding unit (111) for selecting a table for variable length coding based on the numbers of coefficients in the coded blocks located on the periphery of a current block to be coded with reference to the selected table for variable length coding so as to perform variable length coding for the number of coefficients.
US08265402B2
An image is divided into subbands by wavelet transform using the Haar function as the base, and the lowest-frequency LL subband is entirely encoded. LH, HL, and HH subband coefficients which belong to the wavelet decomposition level of each hierarchy are encoded such that coefficients at the same spatial position are encoded based on a resolution or quantization accuracy mapping at each spatial coordinate. Additionally, an updated region detecting means detects an updated region from a plurality of sequential frames forming the two-dimensional signal, and obtains a changing period during which a signal value changes in each region. A resolution or quantization accuracy is set for each spatial coordinate based on the changing period, and a coefficient map is generated in which the resolution or quantization accuracy of the updated region differs from that of a region other than the updated region.
US08265386B2
A disclosed imaging apparatus includes a wide-angle optical system having at least chromatic aberration of magnification; an imaging device including color filters and configured to receive an optical image from the optical system via the color filters and to convert the optical image into image data; and a chromatic aberration of magnification correcting unit configured to convert coordinates of the image data and thereby correct chromatic aberration of magnification of the image data. The chromatic aberration of magnification correcting unit is configured to convert the image data into different-wavelength image data having wavelength bands different from original wavelength bands of the color filters before correcting the chromatic aberration of magnification.
US08265382B2
In a pen-based computing system, a printed version of a document having preexisting content is annotated using a smart pen. The smart pen captures handwriting gestures to obtain an electronic representation of the annotations. The smart pen computing system identifies a digital version of the document having the preexisting content and stores the electronic representation of the annotations in association with the digital document. The smart pen computing system may overlay the electronic representation of the annotations with the preexisting content to provide a digital representation of the annotated document.
US08265374B2
Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and program and recording medium used therewith
An image processing apparatus acquires and transforms first plane image data representing a space having a depth. The apparatus includes a vanishing point estimating unit for estimating a vanishing point of the first plane image data, an angle-of-view estimating unit for estimating an angle of view of the first plane image data, and an image generating unit for generating, on the basis of the vanishing point estimated by the vanishing point estimating unit and the angle of view estimated by the angle-of-view estimating unit, second plane image data corresponding to a case in which the first plane image data is projected onto a portion corresponding to the angle of view on a curved surface of a cylinder having a predetermined radius by using, as a reference point, a position being the center of the cylinder and being equal in height to the vanishing point.
US08265373B2
An apparatus for inspecting appearance of long-length object takes images of lighted line every predetermined timing while making the hose move in the long-length direction. By this, the contours of the hose are taken continuously and correctly over the length direction of the hose. The height direction position data of the lighted line corresponding to each of the width direction position of the hose are extracted, and the height direction position data are subtracted by the base data provided so as to correspond to each of the width direction position. Thus, the arc shape of the outer surface of the hose is canceled from the height direction position data. Also, the height direction position data of each taken image which are given the subtracting is put in image-taking order, and an inspection image is made on the basis of the predetermined color.
US08265369B2
A system, a method, and computer readable media for generating a corrected image from image information extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate. First, flaw map image information is extracted from an X-ray sensitive plate in order to determine any flaws (e.g., scratches) on the plate. Then the plate is exposed to capture physical image information (e.g., anatomical information) and the physical image information is extracted from the plate. The flaw map information is used to identify corresponding flaws in the extracted physical image information. Image processing is performed to correct the flaws (e.g., due to scratches on the X-ray sensitive plate) in the physical image information to form a corrected physical image.
US08265366B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system is described which records expert review of a 3D image data set, including image plane and view manipulation, annotation, and measurements, for the purpose of generating automated review protocols for 3D ultrasound image acquisitions. The ability to provide a standardized 3D review protocol has benefits such as guiding reviewers of all experience levels through the required steps to extract key images and measurements from 3D image data, enabling automation to improve 3D review workflow and reduce review time, monitoring growth or therapy, and standardizing review presentations for easy comparison with prior examination results.
US08265362B2
A pathological tissue image capturing system includes a pathological image acquirer 100 for capturing a pathological tissue image and an output device 120 for outputting the pathological tissue image. The pathological tissue image capturing system also includes a weighting device 111 for detecting a ROI from the pathological tissue image and adding a weight to pixels positioned in the ROI, and a range selector 112 for selecting an enlarged image capturing range in which to capture the pathological tissue image at an enlarged scale based on the weight added by the weighting device 111. The pathological image acquirer 100 captures an enlarged pathological tissue image in the enlarged image capturing range selected by the range selector 112. The output device 120 outputs the captured enlarged pathological tissue image in the enlarged image capturing range.
US08265342B2
A method, information processing system, and computer program storage product annotate video images associated with an environmental situation based on detected actions of a human interacting with the environmental situation. A set of real-time video images are received that are captured by at least one video camera associated with an environment presenting one or more environmental situations to a human. One or more user actions made by the human that is associated with the set of real-time video images with respect to the environmental situation are monitored. A determination is made, based on the monitoring, that the human driver has one of performed and failed to perform at least one action associated with one or more images of the set of real-time video images. The one or more images of the set of real-time video images are annotated with a set of annotations.
US08265325B2
An earphone device for a portable terminal, including a body connected to the terminal; an earphone having a pair of ear speakers, a connection plug, and a cable joining the ear speakers to the connection plug; a fixed member fixedly positioned on the cable; and a coupling member adapted to slide on the cable while surrounding overlapping portions of the cable, which is bent at the fixed member. The cable between the coupling member and the fixed member is used as a strap of the terminal when the ear speakers are mounted on the body. This makes it possible to carry the terminal conveniently and prevents the cable from being tangled.
US08265322B2
A headphone has a speaker unit with a diaphragm and a driving source that vibrates the diaphragm along a driving axis that passes through the speaker unit. The speaker unit has a first face and an opposing second face along the driving axis. The diaphragm and the driving source are installed in the speaker unit between the first and second faces. First and second weighting members are fixed as being in contact with the first and second faces, respectively. The speaker unit and the weighting members are installed in a housing. At least either of the weighting members is fixed to the housing. The speaker unit is installed in the housing via the weighting members so that the speaker unit is not in direct contact with the housing. The weighting members have a higher specific gravity than the housing.
US08265320B2
A loudspeaker for projecting siren and other warning signals which is compact to facilitate installation in emergency vehicles, and which provides a horn projector in the compact space. The loudspeaker has a support in which an electrically driven driver unit is mounted. A chamber providing a plurality of cyclonic or spiral paths for sound from the speaker is located at one end of the support as by being connected to the support or being a part thereof. The support has a plurality of passageways for sound from each of the paths to exit ports at an end of the support opposite to the end thereof attached to or having the chamber. The cyclonic paths and the passageways are of like length and taper so that the sound from the exit ports combined in reinforcing relationship and projects outwardly from the exit port end of the support. The support provides a recombiner for the sound propagating along the cyclonic paths and passageways to provide the effect of a long horn in the compact space.
US08265312B2
A hearing aid has improved immunity to RF electromagnetic interference produced from wireless communications devices. A microphone receives audio signals from the environment. Audio circuitry is connected to the microphone and amplifies the audio signals. A speaker is connected to the audio circuitry and directs the audio signals into an ear canal of the user of the hearing aid. The audio connection lines connect the microphone and audio circuitry and the speaker and audio circuitry. A filter is connected into each of the audio connection lines and operative for reducing the RF coupling from a wireless communications device.
US08265311B2
The present subject matter relates generally to methods and apparatus for using text messages to distribute ring tones to adjust and fit hearing assistance devices. In an embodiment, a text message is programmed including information regarding a hearing assistance device adjustment for a wearer. The text message identifies a ring tone playback sequence associated with the adjustment, and is sent to a cellular telephone via a text messaging network. When the ring tone playback sequence is played on the cellular telephone, the hearing assistance device senses the sequence and makes the programmed adjustment.
US08265304B2
A personal microphone that includes a structure having a live-performance form factor, a capsule that converts acoustic energy into an input signal, a signal processor that converts the input signal into a processed output signal, and a microphone output connector. The signal processor has input terminals that receive the input signal and input/output terminals that receive a phantom DC voltage from the microphone output connector while sending the microphone output connector a processed output signal. The signal processor has a dynamic range compressor that compresses the processed output signal, and a programming or adjustment device that sets the signal processor operating parameters. The personal microphone can have a security device for avoiding unwanted changes to the operating parameters of the adjustable signal processor. The personal microphone can be powered by a phantom power supply coupled to the microphone output connector via a mixing console and/or other devices.
US08265302B2
A method and apparatus for providing a volume control with DC supervision in a voice evacuation system are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a volume control comprising a first input interface for receiving an audio signal, a first output interface for forwarding said audio signal to at least one audio device, and a second input interface for receiving an alarm signal. The apparatus also comprises a switch having a plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is an unlabeled node, wherein the switch is in communication with the first input interface and the first output interface for controlling a volume of the audio signal that is sent to the at least one audio device. The apparatus also comprises a filter that is coupled to the unlabeled node of the switch.
US08265294B2
A public address system includes at least one monitoring device, a transmission medium and at least one level monitoring device. The monitoring device is connected to the transmission medium and powered by an AC voltage with a supply frequency present on the transmission medium. The monitoring device receives or transmits or transmits and receives a communication signal utilizing a carrier frequency upon the transmission medium. The carrier frequency is different from the supply frequency and the level monitoring device is adapted to monitor the level of the AC voltage.
US08265288B2
The provision of an individually adapted hearing aid for a patient is intended to be effected more quickly. A method is therefore provided by which, firstly, hearing loss data, in particular an audiogram, are generated by a person skilled in the art for example an ENT specialist, and the hearing loss data are transmitted to a manufacturer. Using a perceptive model based on the hearing loss data, the manufacturer selects a hearing aid and matches the hearing aid to the patient by means of the perceptive model. Finally, the manufacturer delivers the adapted hearing aid directly or indirectly to the patient. Due to the simplified workflow during the adaptation, the waiting times for the provision of the hearing aid are reduced for the patient.
US08265287B2
A microphone-capsule includes a vibrator implemented by a conductor having a flat vibration surface, a dielectric-polarization plate that is defined by a flat first principal surface facing the vibration surface of the vibrating plate and a second principal surface facing parallel to the first principal surface and in which polarization directions are aligned, a back electrode joined to the second principal surface of the dielectric-polarization plate, and an induced-charge measuring unit configured to measure the charges induced between the vibrating plate and the back electrode, in association with the displacement of the vibration surface. The induced-charge measuring unit includes an amplifier connected to the back electrode and an output circuit connected to the amplifier.
US08265279B2
Provided is a polarization coding quantum cryptography system. The quantum cryptography includes a light source, a quantum channel, an optical path selector, and a path-dependent polarization selector. The light source generates a signal light. The quantum channel is used as a path to transmit the signal light to a receiver unit. The optical path selector is disposed between the light source and the quantum channel to transmit the signal light to one of a plurality of propagation paths. The path-dependent polarization selector is disposed between the optical path selector and the quantum channel. Herein, the path-dependent polarization selector is configured to determine the polarization direction of the signal light according to the propagation path of the signal light.
US08265274B2
A data processing device for processing stream data composed of a plurality of frames generated with encoded contents data, which includes a protected storage unit for storing data, being protected from external access, a non-protected storage unit for storing data, a receiving unit for receiving stream data, a separating unit for separating the stream data into protected data including frames necessary for decoding of other frames, and non-protected data not including frames necessary for decoding of other frames, and storing the protected data in the protected storage unit and storing the non-protected data in the non-protected storage unit, and a combining unit for restoring the stream data by combining the protected data stored in the protected storage unit and the non-protected data stored in the non-protected storage unit.
US08265271B2
The present invention concerns a method and a device for encrypting an encoded scalable enhancement frame sent by an emitter to a receiver, the enhancement frame comprising a plurality of complementary streams ordered in term of quality level, each complementary stream corresponding to a combination of more than one scalability type, where a complementary stream of a lower quality level corresponds to a lower quality on each scalability type, comprising at the level of the emitter the steps of generating a key per complementary stream for encrypting said complementary stream in such a way that all scalability types can be either simultaneously or individually used, said keys being generated in such a way that only the keys of the complementary streams of quality levels lower than the quality level of a complementary stream can be obtained from the key of said complementary stream, and sending the key of a complementary stream corresponding to a required quality level to the receiver, the key permitting a receiver to generate the keys of the complementary streams of the lower quality levels only. The present invention also concerns a method and a device for decrypting a received encoded scalable enhancement frame.
US08265269B2
The present invention provides a receiving apparatus including a device key generating unit which generates a device key, a work key generating unit which generates a work key, a device key storing unit which sequentially stores the generated device key, every time the device key is updated, and a recording unit which stores a digital broadcast signal in a transport stream format, wherein in a case where the device key generating unit cannot generate, from the stored transport stream, a device key necessary for descrambling the stored transport stream when the stored transport stream is to be reproduced, the work key generating unit decrypts an encrypted work key that is obtained from the stored transport stream, using the device key stored in the device key storing unit, and generates a work key.
US08265268B2
A converter uses a predetermined parameter a. A generating unit accepts generated inputs x1, . . . , xn, and generates generated outputs, y1, . . . , yn, using recurrence formulas, y1=F1(x1, a) and yi+1=Fi+1(xi+1, y1)(1≦i≦n−1). A key accepting unit accepts key inputs, k1, . . . , kn, and gives them as generated inputs to said generating unit. A repetition controller gives the generated outputs as generated inputs to said generating unit, for an “m” (m≧0) number of times, and sets one of the generated outputs to be given at the end as a random number string, r1, . . . , rn. The data accepting unit accepts data inputs, d1, . . . , dn. The converting unit converts data using, ei=di⋆ri, and, outputs data outputs, e1, . . . , en. The converter can be used both for encrypting and decrypting data.
US08265263B2
In a system having an adaptive filter block for receiving a reference signal and adapting to an input signal, and a block for detecting corruption of the input signal by an interference signal and in response limiting adaptation of the adaptive filter block, the improvement comprising delaying and applying the input signal to the adaptive filter block while applying the input signal to the block for detecting corruption without delay.
US08265259B2
According to various embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for local number portability in a telecommunication network are disclosed. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a telephone number (TN) to test for its porting activity as part of a local number portability (LNP) order, accessing a LNP call tester (LCT) to determine a current local routing number (LRN) for the TN, and determining, based on the TN and current LRN, whether the porting activity is completed for the TN in relation to a core telecommunications carrier servicing an owner of the TN. The porting activity may include at least one of port in, port out, and migration of the TN. In one embodiment, the planned porting activity for the TN associated with the LNP order is known prior to determining whether the porting activity has been completed. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08265258B2
According to various embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for local number portability in a telecommunication network are disclosed. An embodiment of a method includes submitting a local number portability (LNP) order for the TN directly to a first telecommunications carrier that the TN is to be transferred from, triggering a port of the TN in accordance with the LNP order, and porting the TN from the first telecommunications carrier to the second telecommunications carrier, wherein the second telecommunications carrier is bypassed by the customer during the submitting and the triggering of the LNP order. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08265247B2
A methodology wherein a voice service client application on one or more phones and a voice service server perform a call set-up process through a mix of an external data channel and a normal voice channel that enables call subject information to be effectively provided by a calling party to a called party so that it can be displayed along with other caller ID information.
US08265244B2
A method and apparatus for implementation of split charging in an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem, allowing subsystem users to negotiate at setup and at a modification of a session initiation protocol session which user will be charged for each multimedia component of the subsystem. A method includes transmitting a first message to a user equipment for initiating one of a multimedia call setup and a call modification, the first message including a split charging offer request and a first split charging ratio, and receiving a second message from the user equipment, the second message comprising a second split charging ratio. The method also includes processing the second message for determining whether a user of the user equipment accepted one of the multimedia call setup and the call modification, whether the user of the user equipment accepted the split charging offer request or the user offered an increase or decrease in the first split charging ratio, and whether a network element of an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem accepted, approved, and agreed upon the second split charging off ratio for allowing a group of users to negotiate which user will be charged for each component of the Internet protocol multimedia subsystem.
US08265235B2
Automatic access to a secondary or alternate voicemail box while operating or using a first or primary voicemail box is provided. One touch access to an alternate voicemail box from a wireless telephone device is further provided, and access to a given voicemail box from a number of trusted telephone devices is provided without requiring users of the trusted devices to authenticate into the voicemail box (e.g., provide a password).
US08265233B2
The present invention relates to a method of providing an early media service based on a session initiation protocol (SIP), wherein early media of a multimedia form can be provided under SIP-based B2BUA mode operation. According to the present invention, in a case where early media are provided to an originating terminal when a call connection with a terminating terminal is established at the request of the originating terminal, the early media is provided in the form of multimedia data, such as text, image, moving image, flash animation and the like, as well as audio data, and thus users desires are fulfilled and users satisfactions are maximized. In addition, with individual operation management of the terminating terminal and the originating terminal according to B2BUA mode operation based on the session initiation protocol and an early session initiation with the originating terminal, an early media service can be normally provided to the originating terminal even when the terminating terminal is in an abnormal operation state.
US08265230B1
Integrated echo cancellers in a telecommunications system are tested using a test apparatus connected to the main communications trunk where a large number of individual signals are multiplexed together. The signals are de-multiplexed in the test apparatus and specific amounts of echo delay, echo magnitude, and line delay can be introduced for any selected signals within the group on the trunk. The signals are then re-multiplexed and returned to the trunk in a direction back toward the echo canceller.
US08265228B2
A method of making an anti-scatter X-ray grid device, and the X-ray grid device made therefrom, includes providing a substrate made of a material substantially non-absorbent of X-rays that includes channels therein; applying a layer, also of a substantially non-absorbent of X-rays material, onto a sidewall(s) of the channels, wherein the layer comprises a second material; and then applying a material substantially absorbent of X-rays into a portion of the channels, so as to define a plurality of X-ray absorbing elements. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.
US08265223B2
An imaging system includes at least one radiation generating component (210) that alternately emits different radiation that traverse an examination region and a common detector (214) that detects radiation that traverses the examination region and generates a signal indicative thereof. Pulse generating circuitry (304) generates a pulse train, including a plurality of pulses, with a frequency indicative of the signal for the at least one radiation generating component (210) for a sampling interval. Processing electronics (220) determine an approximation of the signal for one of the at least one radiation generating components (210) for the sampling interval based on a number of pulses in the pulse train for the sampling interval and charge of the pulses in the pulse train.
US08265222B2
A shift register is disclosed, which can prevent malfunctioning of device by decreasing the load on a discharging voltage source line, and can decrease a size of stage. The shift register comprises a plurality of stages to sequentially output scan pulses through respective output terminals, wherein each of the stages comprises a pull-up switching unit controlled based on a signal state of node, and connected between the output terminal and any one among a plurality of clock transmission lines to transmit the clock pulses provided with sequential phase differences; and a node controller to control the signal state of node, and to discharge the node by using the clock pulse from any one among the plurality of clock transmission line.
US08265221B2
A debris trap catches debris falling through a fuel bundle orifice in a nuclear reactor. The debris trap includes a shaft and a debris capture tray attached to an end of the shaft. The debris capture tray includes a tray cavity sized larger than the fuel bundle orifice.
US08265211B2
The method of improving the carrier-to-noise ratio for a receiver with diversity, and the associated device, consists, after extracting, by phase shifting, the noise component of the signals to be demodulated, in optimizing the cancellation of the useful component via a feedback loop acting on the phase shifter and in summing the noise component in phase and in phase opposition with these signals to improve the carrier-to-noise ratio.
US08265209B2
Techniques for performing channel and noise estimation for a MIMO transmission sent from multiple transmit antennas to multiple receive antennas are described. Samples are obtained from the receive antennas. For a first scheme, channel estimates are derived by correlating the samples with at least one pilot sequence, and signal, noise and interference statistics are also estimated based on the samples. For a second scheme, total received energy as well as signal and interference energy are estimated based on the samples. Noise is then estimated based on the estimated total received energy and the estimated signal and interference energy. For a third scheme, signal and on-time interference statistics are estimated based on the samples. Noise and multipath interference statistics are also estimated based on the samples. Signal, noise and interference statistics are then estimated based on the estimated signal and on-time interference statistics and the estimated noise and multipath interference statistics.
US08265205B2
A wireless receiver uses a joint detection Viterbi (JDV) algorithm to demodulate a signal that has a desired signal component and an interference signal component. The desired signal component includes a training sequence and at least one data field. The training sequence and a corresponding portion of the interference signal component is demodulated using the JDV algorithm to evaluate possible transmitted training sequences and interference signal sequences, and channel estimations for the desired signal component and the interference signal component are generated. The at least one data field is demodulated according to the JDV algorithm using the channel estimations as initial channel estimates for the JDV algorithm.
US08265204B2
The present invention relates to a decoding device and method for a MIMO system. A linear process is applied to a received signal vector by using a channel matrix estimated from the received signal vector and a poly-diagonalized matrix, and a soft decision value is acquired through a trellis decode by using the linear process result. Since the linear preprocess is performed by using the poly-diagonalized matrix, it is possible to receive a MIMO signal having good packet error rate performance and less complexity. Also, since the tail-biting trellis decoding method is used based on the poly-diagonalized matrix that is generated by poly-diagonalizing the effective channel matrix during the process for eliminating the signal interference, the soft decision value for the symbol can be generated with a simple hardwired device and less operation complexity.
US08265196B2
A signal processing circuit is configured to calculate a gain ratio to efficiently reduce a peak to average signal ratio for an input signal by identifying signal peaks and determining the signal peak magnitudes. A window function in combination with the gain ratio is applied to a portion of the input stream having a peak signal to create a cancellation pulse to be applied to that peak signal. The cancellation pulse phase is aligned with the signal phase, thereby causing minimal phase distortion in the resultant output signal and accurate peak cancellation. The cancellation pulse can also include a finite impulse response filter portion to efficiently handle wide bandwidth signals. The hardware may be configured to process multiple signal streams in parallel to reduce hardware requirements. An algorithm can determine the effect of multiple corrections to the input stream to avoid overcorrection in the signal processing process.
US08265193B2
The present invention provides a method for communicating data over a voice channel of a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a first periodic data signal and modulating the first periodic data signal to produce a second periodic data signal. Modulating the first periodic data signal includes inserting a predetermined silence period into the first periodic data signal at timed intervals to produce the second periodic data signal. The method further includes communicating the second periodic data signal over the voice channel of the wireless communication system. The method of modulating the first periodic data signal may include receiving a control signal that includes parameters for a length of the predetermined silence period and timing of the intervals, modulating the first periodic data signal responsive to the received control signal, and producing the second periodic data signal.
US08265190B2
A method from transmitting data via multiple antennas. The method contemplates modulating data to be transmitted into a plurality of modulated symbols, encoding each pair of modulated symbols from among said plurality of symbols in accordance with a transmission diversity scheme to result in a plurality of 2 by 2 matrices, with each 2 by 2 matrix corresponding to each pair of modulated symbols, orthogonally spreading the plurality of 2 by 2 matrices to generate an output matrix, and transmitting the symbols in the output matrix via a plurality of antennas by using either a space time transmission diversity scheme, a space frequency transmission diversity scheme, or a combination of a space time transmission diversity scheme and a space frequency transmission diversity scheme.
US08265179B2
A data-transmission-side communication apparatus includes a mapping unit that executes a mapping for a data sub-carrier based on a multipath delay time in a transmission path and a guard-band adding unit that changes an amount of a guard band to be added to a signal on the data sub-carrier depending on information on the guard band obtained based on the multipath delay time. A data-reception-side communication apparatus includes an equalizing unit that suppresses a multipath exceeding a guard interval based on the information on the guard band and a demapping unit that executes a demapping for an equalized signal based on the multipath delay time.
US08265173B2
In an analog signal compression method with digital compression and digital expansion of linear based or sine-based linear signals, a signal coordination point is determined in a bi-adaptive scaleable mV/step and a time/step structured plane. To accomplish this, the linear or sine-based input signal is digitized, the breaks of the digitized linear or sine-based signal are detected, and the time difference and the amplitude difference of two successive breaks of the linear or sine-based signal are determined. This permits time differences and amplitude differences of successive breaks to be value coded as a data word on the basis of adaptive scaleable time-per-step tables and voltage-per-step tables so that the time-per-step tables and the voltage-per-step tables are selected depending on the absolute value of the determined time difference and amplitude difference, thus producing compressed data. An associated expansion method for reconstructing the original analog signal is also disclosed.
US08265169B2
According to some embodiments, a video block memory read request may be received from a processing unit. For example, a codec may request to access a macroblock of pixel information from a memory unit. The video block memory read request may then be translated into a plurality of memory access requests.
US08265162B2
A coding method, apparatus, and medium with software encoded thereon to implement a coding method. The coding method includes encoding the position of non-zero-valued coefficients in an ordered series of quantized transform coefficients of a block of image data, including encoding events using variable length coding using a plurality of variable length code mappings that each maps events to codewords, the position encoding including switching between the code mappings based on the context. The coding method further includes encoding amplitudes of the non-zero-valued coefficients using variable dimensional amplitude coding in the reverse order of the original ordering of the series.
US08265160B2
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related motion estimation unit for performing motion estimation on video data comprising a plurality of frames. The method may begin by reading a current frame of the plurality of frames from a memory of a motion estimation unit. The method may then select a motion vector for each respective block of pixels in a current row of the current frame. The step of selecting the motion vector may include, for each respective block, selecting, by the motion estimation unit, a candidate vector for at least one block directly surrounding the respective block based on a determination of whether the directly surrounding block has been processed for the current frame, calculating, for each candidate vector, a difference value, and selecting, as the motion vector, the candidate vector with the lowest difference value.
US08265159B2
Provided is a moving picture decoding apparatus including: a picture memory (103) that stores previously decoded picture data of a picture including macroblocks and macroblock information described on a macroblock basis, in association therebetween; an error judging unit (104) that judges presence or absence of an error for a current picture to be decoded; a picture data replacing unit (109) that replaces, when an error is present, picture data of the current picture to be decoded with that of a previously decoded picture in the picture memory (103); and a macroblock information replacing unit (113) that replaces macroblock information in association with the current picture to be decoded including an error with macroblock information stored in association with the previously decoded picture, or a macroblock information storage unit (602) that stores information that indicates presence of the error for the current picture to be decoded in association therewith.
US08265158B2
A method and apparatus for estimating motion of a pixel block in a first frame, the method including searching a first area in a second frame to identify a first matching block that corresponds to the pixel block, the first matching block including a first error value that is a minimum of at least one error criteria between the pixel block and the first matching block, calculating a first motion vector associated with the first matching block. The method further including searching a second area in the second frame to identify a second matching block that corresponds to the pixel block, the second matching block including a second error value that is a minimum of the at least one error criteria between the pixel block and the second matching block, calculating a second motion vector associated with the second matching block and selecting a final motion vector between the first and second motion vectors based on the first and second error value.
US08265147B2
A method for generating a reduced image of an original image in which macroblocks are adaptively encoded, and an image apparatus thereof are provided. The method including extracting an average of compression blocks of current super macroblocks contained in a compression image, the compression image being encoded by intra prediction; computing an average of prediction blocks, using a portion of components of previous super macroblocks and a portion of components of blocks neighboring the prediction blocks corresponding to the compression blocks, if an encoding technique of the current super macroblocks is different from an encoding technique of the previous super macroblocks at a left edge of the current super macroblocks; and generating a reduced image using the average of the compression blocks and the average of the prediction blocks. The apparatus includes an extractor; a computation part; and an adder.
US08265142B2
An encoding bit-rate control method used in video encoding in which intraframe prediction and interframe prediction are switchably used. The method includes measuring an amount of code generated for quantized information and an amount of code generated for non-quantized information for the picture which has been encoded; computing a ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information to the total amount of generated code, based on the above measured amounts of code; and determining a target amount of code of an encoding target picture by using the computed ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information. The target amount of code may be determined by computing a complex index for the quantized information of the picture which has been encoded, and estimating an amount of code generated when the encoding target picture is encoded using a predetermined assumed quantization step size, based on the above index and the ratio of the amount of code generated for the non-quantized information.
US08265138B2
An image processing method, and an apparatus and an integrated circuit for implementing the method are adapted for use in a liquid crystal display. The method includes the steps of: determining which blocks in a decoded current frame are noisy blocks; finding, in a processed reference frame, a most similar reference block for each noisy block and generating a block velocity for each noisy block; and processing pixels that are in the noisy blocks having block velocities smaller than a liquid crystal response rate of the liquid crystal display, and that are not covered by after-images. The present invention utilizes the characteristics of liquid crystals to increase processing speed.
US08265134B2
A system includes a time-interleaved device. An equalizer effectively can apply different equalization to different interleaved channels. For convenience, these equalizers will be referred to as multi-channel equalizers. In one aspect, an apparatus includes an interleaved device having M interleaved channels, and a multi-channel equalizer coupled to the interleaved device. The multi-channel equalizer is capable of applying a different equalization to different interleaved channels, thus compensating for channel-dependent impairments.
US08265132B2
A high-speed bit stream interface module interfaces a high-speed communication media to a communication Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) via a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The high-speed bit stream interface module includes a line side interface, a board side interface, and a signal conditioning circuit. The line side interface includes a media coupler that receives the line side media, such as copper media or optical media. The board side interface couples the high-speed serial bit stream interface module to the PCB. A signal conditioning circuit communicatively couples to the line side interface and to the board side interface. The signal conditioning circuit receives an RX signal from the line side interface, conditions the RX signal, and provides the RX signal to the board side interface. The signal conditioning circuit receives a TX signal from the board side interface, conditions the TX signal, and provides the TX signal to the board side interface.
US08265129B1
A radio receiver for receiving a selected digital HDTV signal, irrespective of whether it is a complex-amplitude-modulation (QAM) or a vestigial sideband (VSB) signal, using the same tuner. The tuner supplies a final IF signal in a 6 MHz frequency band, the lowest frequency of which is not appreciably more than 2.38 MHz. The final IF signal is digitized for synchrodyning to baseband, with the 2.375 MHz difference between the carrier frequencies of QAM and VSB signals being taken into account in the digital synchrodyning circuitry. The carrier frequencies of the QAM and VSB final IF signals are regulated to be submultiples of symbol frequency by applying automatic frequency and phase control signals developed in the digital circuitry to a local oscillator of the tuner. The presence of the pilot carrier accompanying a selected VSB HDTV signal is detected for automatically switching the radio receiver for operation in a VSB signal reception mode. The absence of pilot carrier accompanying a selected QAM HDTV signal is detected for automatically switching the radio receiver for operation in a QAM signal reception mode.
US08265117B2
Laser systems have a line-narrowed master oscillator and a power oscillator for amplifying the output of the master oscillator. The power oscillator includes optical arrangements for limiting the bandwidth of radiation that can be amplified. The limited amplification bandwidth of the power oscillator is relatively broad compared to that of the output of the master oscillator, but narrower than would be the case without the bandwidth limiting arrangements. The bandwidth narrowing arrangements of the power oscillator function primarily to restrict the bandwidth of amplified spontaneous emission generated by the power oscillator.
US08265105B2
The present invention is directed to methods and apparatuses for performing temporal scanning using ultra-short pulsewidth lasers in which only minimal (micro-scale) mechanical movement is required. The invention also relates to methods for obtaining high-accuracy timing calibration, on the order of femtoseconds. A dual laser system is disclosed in which the cavity of one or more of the lasers is dithered, by using a piezoelectric element. A Fabry-Perot etalon is used to generate a sequence of timing pulses used in conjunction with a laser beam produced by the laser having the dithered laser cavity. A correlator correlates a laser pulse from one of the lasers with the sequence of timing pulses to produce a calibrated time scale. The methods and apparatuses of the present invention are applicable to many applications requiring rapid scanning and time calibration, including, but not limited to metrology, characterization of charge dynamics in semiconductors, electro-optic testing of ultrafast electronic and optoelectronic devices, optical time domain reflectometry, and electro-optic sampling oscilloscopes.
US08265103B2
An apparatus and method for flexible visibility in an integrated circuit are disclosed. As one example, an apparatus for flexible visibility in an integrated circuit is disclosed. The apparatus includes a switch unit disposed in the integrated circuit, the switch unit configured to receive a plurality of signals associated with a plurality of visibility points in the integrated circuit, and output the received plurality of signals in a serial form. Also, the apparatus includes a formatter unit disposed in the integrated circuit and coupled to the switch unit, the formatter unit configured to receive the plurality of signals in the serial form, and output a plurality of formatted signals including the received plurality of signals.
US08265061B1
There is assigned at least one first cost for expanding at least one link to a circuit-switched network that is part of a hybrid network comprising the circuit switched network and a packet switched network. All paths in the packet switched network are represented with a virtual link. A cost is assigned to the virtual link. An integer programming problem is solved to determine a number of links to add to the network, the integer programming problem having as inputs a model of the hybrid network and a demand forecast matrix.
US08265060B2
In a packet data communication system in which communicating nodes assume different modes of communications, and packet data are sent through a monitoring intermediary for data traffic control, the different modes of communications are directly sent to the monitoring intermediary so as to allow the monitoring intermediary to straightforwardly set up data filters for carrying out the data control and monitoring functions.
US08265053B2
A method for setting a periodicity and an offset in rank indicator (RI) reporting in a user equipment in a wireless communication system receives a radio resource control (RRC) signal from a base station, decodes a RI periodicity and offset configuration index, sets the periodicity and offset in accordance with said decoded periodicity and offset configuration index and reports a RI according to the set periodicity and offset. The periodicity is an integer and reporting a RI reports with equal the product of the periodicity and a period of reporting of the channel quality indicator (CQI) and the preceding matrix indicator (PMI).
US08265049B2
According to one aspect of the teachings presented herein, a “smart” phone or other wireless communication device includes a “modem” processor configured to support cellular communication network signaling and an “applications” processor configured to host call control and/or user applications, such as by providing a desired Operating System (OS) for hosting such applications. In at least one embodiment of a wireless communication device contemplated herein, the modem processor implements a cellular network signaling controller, a Generic Access Network (GAN) manager, and a privately routable, first Internet Protocol (IP) stack. Further, the applications processor implements a publicly routable, second IP stack that implements routing, e.g., a Network Address Translation (NAT) routing, for routing GAN traffic to and from the first IP stack on a local IP link bridging the first and second IP stacks.
US08265048B1
A system on chip (SOC) includes a media access control (MAC) device that controls transitions of a wireless local area network (LAN) station between an active mode and a low power mode. A first timing device generates a first clock signal based on timing signals from a crystal oscillator external to the SOC. A second timing device comprises a first oscillator. The first oscillator generates an oscillator signal and generates a second clock signal based on the oscillator signal. During the active mode, the MAC device powers up the first timing device causing a radio frequency (RF) transceiver external to the SOC to transmit data during a predetermined time slot that is assigned to the wireless LAN station and is not assigned to other wireless LAN stations in a LAN. During the low power mode, the MAC device powers down the first timing device and generates the second clock signal using the second timing device.
US08265047B2
A system and method for wireless communication are disclosed. One aspect of the system includes a plurality of wireless devices forming a wireless network. The plurality of wireless devices are configured to wirelessly communicate with one another. Each of the wireless devices includes a device table including a list of one or more of the wireless devices and the directions of the one or more of the wireless devices with respect to the wireless device including the device table. In the wireless system, any one of the plurality of wireless devices is configured to perform device discovery directly with a new wireless device entering the wireless network. The one wireless device is further configured to update the device table therein and to transmit the updated device table to other wireless devices in the wireless network. Other devices in the wireless system can update their device tables, based at least partly on the updated device table without performing device discovery directly with the new wireless device.
US08265046B2
Systems and methods for providing mobile stations (“MS”) registration to a generic access network (“GAN”) via a wireless LAN interface are disclosed. The MS may receive a rejection message from a GAN controller with a “network congestion” indication set. The MS may also receive a “connection status” information element as part of the rejection message. The MS can determine from the information element whether the MS can release the connections made to a security gateway (“SEGW”) and to the GAN controller and whether it can release its WLAN connection facility. When the MS releases these connections, battery power is conserved while performing a timer decrement loop. At the end of the timer decrement loop, the MS makes another registration request. The network can reallocate resources when the MS releases the connections to the SEGW and the GAN controller. Methods for performing the GAN registration during network congestions are described.
US08265033B2
A radio terminal connection may be handed over from a serving base station associated with a serving cell to a closed subscriber group (CSG) cell served by a CSG base station in which only radio terminals belonging to the CSG are permitted to access and receive service from the CSG cell. Radio terminals in the serving cell are generally informed not to report to the serving base station signal quality measurements of signals transmitted by CSG base stations. But if a radio terminal in the serving cell is authorized to access and receive service from the CSG cell, then that radio terminal is instructed to report to the serving base station signal quality measurements of signals transmitted by the CSG base station. Based on that report, the connection may be handed over to the CSG base station. A central node provides a CSG authorization list identifying CSG authorized radio terminals to the serving base station when a listed CSG cell is a neighboring cell which the radio terminal is authorized to access.
US08265026B2
During a contention-free period, or silent measurement period, of a first wireless communications channel, signals received on a second wireless communications channel are analyzed. The results of the analysis are used to perform advanced radio resource management functions, such as frequency selection, load balancing, or power management. Each of a plurality of wireless channels may be measured in order to perform the advanced radio resource management functions. During the analysis, an energy detect threshold may be lowered to a minimal value.
US08265020B2
Techniques for adapting error control codes (ECCs) based on memory conditions in a channel. A wireless communication system may be adapted to detect and quantify memory in a channel, such as memory resulting from multipath fading, and adjust an ECC to reduce the possibility of errors impacting communication in the channel. In some implementations, adjusting the ECC may comprise determining a probability that a channel in an error-prone state will remain in an error-prone state, and selecting an ECC based on that probability. In other implementations, a concatenated code may be used, and the relative size of an inner and outer code may be adjusted, and/or an interleaver between the inner and outer code may be adjusted, based on the parameter quantifying the memory in the channel.
US08265008B2
The present invention discloses a transmission resource assignment method for response signals, a feedback method of response signals and a processing method of response signals. The transmission resource assignment method for response signals according to the present invention includes the steps of: determining a list of mobile stations required to transmit response signals currently; determining the number of the response signals required to be transmitted by each mobile station; and assigning a frequency-domain sequence and a time-domain sequence for each mobile station to transmit the response signals; wherein for multiple mobile stations assigned with the same frequency-domain sequence, the time-domain sequence assigned to the mobile station required to transmit multiple response signal groups is divided into multiple subsequences to be used to transmit the multiple response signal groups of the mobile station respectively; and parts of the time-domain sequences of different mobile stations corresponding to the multiple subsequences are orthogonal to each other respectively.
US08264995B2
A method and system for adjusting a duty cycle to save power in a computing system is described. The system includes a network interface card (NIC) that has an active mode and a sleep mode. The NIC is coupled to an adjusting element that adjusts a duty cycle of the active time to the sleep time based at least in part on minimizing power consumption.
US08264981B2
A quality level analysis unit 504 specifies a coding method, communication line conditions, and a quality level, such as an S/N ratio and the like, of voices of an input channel, received by a corresponding receiving unit 501. A channel allocation/mixing unit 502 controls the allocation or mixing of voices of respective input channels to or into respective output channels 503 (output units 505) on the basis of the results of analysis by the quality level analysis unit 504. Consequently, loud speakers from which poor quality voices and good quality voices are output can be separated from one another, thus improving the total intelligibility of received voices.
US08264980B2
A method determines a quality of a communication connection between a selected secondary station and a main station of a radio-operated multi-hop hazard reporting system. The method includes the determination of a value of a first parameter for the selected secondary station, the value of the first parameter is indicative of the connection security only between the selected secondary station and the main station. The method further includes a determination of a value of a second parameter for the selected secondary station, wherein the value of the second parameter is indicative of the connection security only between any directly adjacent secondary stations of the selected secondary stations and the main station, and a determination of the quality of the communication connection based only on the value of the first parameter and the value of the second parameter.
US08264975B2
Techniques for estimating thermal noise and rise-over-thermal (RoT) in a communication system are described. Thermal noise in a sideband may be measured and used as an estimate of thermal noise in a signal band. In one design, samples containing a desired signal centered at DC or a frequency higher than DC may be partitioned into blocks of K samples. Each block of K samples may be transformed with an FFT to obtain a corresponding block of K transform coefficients for K frequency bins. The power of transform coefficients for frequency bins in the sideband may be computed. Thermal noise may be estimated based on power values for the frequency bins in the sideband. Power values for frequency bins in the signal band may also be obtained and used to estimate total received power. RoT may then be estimated based on the estimated thermal noise and the estimated total received power.
US08264973B2
A method and system for analytically simulating the state of a 802.11 WLAN network having a plurality of stations at discreet timesteps, including analytically generating a plurality of sample paths of a network state, including obtaining probability distribution values for aspects of the network. The probability distributions may be precomputed and stored in a cache to be accessed during a simulation of a network.
US08264972B2
Methods, apparatuses, data structures, and computer readable media are disclosed that represent network devices with encapsulated protocol stacks communicating via a common physical port. The encapsulated protocol stacks include variable combinations of a multiple encapsulation protocols.
US08264964B1
A method and system is disclosed for enhanced reverse-link auxiliary pilot triggering in an access terminal. An access terminal operating in a first state in which it transmits a primary beacon signal on an air interface link to a base station and concurrently transmits a secondary beacon signal to the base station upon a condition that the access terminal transmits packets with payloads exceeding a threshold size, may receive a command from the base station to unconditionally transmit the secondary beacon signal. In response to receiving the command, the access terminal will transition to operating in a second state in which it transmits a primary beacon signal on the air interface link to a base station and concurrently and unconditionally transmits the secondary beacon signal to the base station.
US08264959B2
Load balancing for layer-2 link aggregation involves initial assignment of link aggregation keys (LAGKs) and reassignment of LAGKs when a load imbalance condition that merits action is discovered. Load conditions change dynamically and for this reason load balancing tends to also be dynamic. Load balancing is preferably performed when it is necessary. Thus an imbalance condition that triggers load balancing is preferably limited to conditions such as when there is frame drop, loss of synchronization or physical link capacity exceeded.
US08264957B1
In one embodiment, a node receives packets from one or more input interfaces, and may place the packets in an appropriate output queue for a corresponding output interface. The node may also place received unmarked packets from each of the input interfaces in a corresponding virtual queue of a virtual scheduler for the corresponding output interface. The virtual scheduler may be served at a configured rate, and any unmarked packets in the virtual queue that exceed a configured threshold may be marked.
US08264951B2
A system and method for resilient communication services under multi-chassis APS protected routers, including one or more of the following: an add-drop multiplexer; a working chassis; a plurality of working lines of communication between the add-drop multiplexer and the working chassis; a protection chassis; a plurality of protection lines of communication between the add-drop multiplexer and the protection chassis; and a multi-chassis APS control link between the working chassis and the protection chassis, wherein a plurality of active entities in the working chassis having state information send their state information to parallel inactive entities in the protection chassis by way of the multi-chassis APS, the active entities send changed state information to parallel inactive entities through the multi-chassis APS control link upon a state change in the active entities, and the inactive entities that were down request current state information from the active entities through the multi-chassis APS control link when the inactive entities that were down come back up after being down.
US08264949B2
Method and apparatus for selecting between available neighbors in a rapid alternate path calculation
A weighting process may be used to select between alternate neighbors in a RAPID calculation to enable policy and/or traffic engineering considerations to affect the selection of an alternate path through the network. The information used to weight the neighbors may static administratively assigned weighting information or dynamic weighting information such as local statistical traffic condition information. The process may take into account the amount of traffic being handled by the current primary next hop for the destination, the available capacity of the available alternate neighbors, the ability of the alternate neighbors to handle the additional traffic, and other considerations. Weighting may occur after a set of available loop free alternate neighbors has been determined. Alternatively, weighting may occur before the RAPID calculation has been performed to cause the neighbors to be ordered prior to RAPID processing. This may enable RAPID calculation to stop without considering all available neighbors.
US08264931B2
According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the second light reflecting layer is larger than the thickness of the first light reflecting layer.
US08264926B2
The invention provides an information recording medium including highly reliable power calibration areas, as well as an information recording and reproducing device utilizing it. The medium is an information recording medium having a recording layer including a data recordable area 50 for recording user information signals, a lead-in area provided on the inner periphery of the data recordable area 50, an inner power calibration area provided further on the inside of the lead-in area for recording test recording patterns, and a recording management area for recording management information related to the inner power calibration area. An outer power calibration area 70 is provided on the outer periphery of the final point of recording of the user information signal on the recording layer.
US08264923B2
An optical disc device including: a light source; an object lens to focus light emitted from the light source on an information recording surface of an optical disc; a movable lens that is arranged on an optical path between the light source and the objective lens and arranged such that position thereof is adjustable along a direction of a light axis; a lens moving portion to move the movable lens along the direction of the light axis; a tracking servo system which makes a beam spot that is formed of the light from the light source through focusing by the objective lens keep on track of the optical disc; and a control part which controls gain of a servo loop of the tracking servo system is made temporarily larger when the movable lens is moved by the lens moving portion in comparison with a case where moving of the movable lens by the lens moving portion is not performed.
US08264913B2
A time information obtaining apparatus, comprises: an input waveform data generating section for sampling a received signal including a time code at a predetermined sampling period to obtain sampling points every one unit time length, and generating input waveform data having one or more unit time lengths based on data having at least one unit time length including the obtained sampling points; a predicted waveform data generating section for generating a plurality of pieces of predicted waveform data with respect to each class of a standard time radio wave; a correlation value calculating section for calculating correlation values between the input waveform data and the plurality of pieces of predicted waveform data of each of the classes; a correlation value comparing section for comparing the correlation values to calculate optimum values; and a judging section for judging the class of the standard time wave based on the optimum values.
US08264909B2
A system and method for making an accurate estimate of the activation depth for an impulse acoustic source includes recording sounds produced by the activation of the underwater impulse acoustic source over a time period sufficient to capture reverberation, performing a cepstral scan of the recording to determine a quefrequency corresponding to the impulse from the underwater impulse acoustic source and deriving a depth estimate from the quefrequency corresponding to the impulse from the underwater impulse acoustic source.
US08264907B2
A method is provided for writing data to a memory array operating in synchronization with a clock signal having a transition edge. A data strobe signal having a transition edge corresponding to the transition edge of the clock signal is provided. The transition edge of the clock signal is used to relay the data corresponding to the transition edge of the data strobe signal if the transition edge of the data strobe signal is coming in earlier than the transition edge of the clock signal, wherein the clock signal has a rising edge and a falling edge, the data strobe signal has a rising edge and a falling edge respectively corresponding to the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal, and the transition edge of the clock signal is one of the rising and the falling edges of the clock signal.
US08264903B1
A memory module according to certain aspects has a plurality of memory devices arranged into one or more logical ranks. Each logical rank may correspond to a set of at least two physical ranks. The memory module can include a circuit operatively coupled to the plurality of memory devices and configured to be operatively coupled to a memory controller of a computer system to receive a logical rank refresh command. In response, the circuit can initiate a first refresh operation for one or more first physical ranks and then initiate a second refresh operation for one or more second physical ranks. The memory module can further include a memory location storing a refresh time (tRFC) value accessible by the memory controller and based at least in part on a calculated maximum amount of time for refreshing the logical rank.
US08264902B2
A memory control method that carries out first-in first-out access control for a memory having a plurality of storage areas, including: selecting, as write positions, an address of a storage area in a storage block having at least one or more storage areas and an address of a storage area in any one of a plurality of redundant blocks that are made redundant with respect to the storage block and have at least one or more storage areas when the write positions are selected to write data to the memory; and selecting, as read positions, an address of a storage area of the storage block and an address selected by the selecting of the write position from among the addresses of a plurality of the redundant blocks when the read positions are selected to read data written by the writing of the data to the memory.
US08264900B2
Over-erasure induced noise on a data line in a nonvolatile memory that couples into an adjacent data line is mitigated by using twisted data lines and differential sensing amplifiers. Noise coupled into data lines is compensated by similar noise coupled into reference data lines and cancelled in the differential sensing amplifiers.
US08264899B2
A system is capable of assisting in reset of a data storage array including data storage array including one or more data storage array nodes. The system includes a control unit coupled to the data storage array configured to produce a control signal to reset the data storage array, and a reset unit communicatively coupled to the data storage array and the control unit configured to reset the data storage array by charge injection to the one or more data storage array nodes.
US08264894B2
In a memory cell array, a plurality of memory cells connected to word lines and bit lines are arranged in a matrix. A data storage circuit is connected to the bit lines and stores write data. The data storage circuit includes at least one static latch circuit and a plurality of dynamic latch circuits when setting 2k threshold voltages (k is a natural number equal to 3 or more) in each memory cell in the memory cell array. A control circuit refreshes data by moving the data in one of the plurality of dynamic latch circuits to the static latch circuit and further moving the data in the static latch circuit to one of the plurality of dynamic latch circuits.
US08264891B2
An erase method for a non-volatile memory device having a defined erase unit divided into first and second inner erase units includes; applying an erase voltage to at least one of the first and second inner erase units in accordance with respective states of corresponding first and second fail flags, after applying the erase voltage to the at least one of the first and second inner erase units, performing an erase verification on the at least one of the first and second inner erase units, and updating the at least one of the first and second fail flags in accordance with erase verification results.
US08264889B2
A memory device has a pair of conductive layers and an organic compound having a liquid crystal property that is interposed between the pair of conductive layers. Data is recorded in the memory device by applying a first voltage to the pair of conductive layers and heating the organic compound, to cause a phase change of the organic compound from a first phase to a second phase.
US08264886B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive an external read command at a control circuit coupled to a memory array. Individual wordline activation may be delayed according to a delay period determined by a read level voltage magnitude associated with a plurality of memory cells included in the array.
US08264870B2
When threshold voltages of constituent transistors are reduced in order to operate an SRAM circuit at a low voltage, there is a problem in that a leakage current of the transistors is increased and, as a result, electric power consumption when the SRAM circuit is not operated while storing data is increased. Therefore, there is provided a technique for reducing the leakage current of MOS transistors in SRAM memory cells MC by controlling a potential of a source line ssl of the driver MOS transistors in the memory cells.
US08264869B2
A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array in which a memory cell including an MOS capacitor is arranged; a power supply unit that supplies a plate voltage to a plate line that is coupled to a gate electrode of the MOS capacitor; and a switch that couples the plate line to a first power supply line when an access to the memory cell array is caused.
US08264866B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes a memory cell. The memory cell is connected to a first interconnection and a second interconnection and includes a plurality of layers. The plurality of layers includes a memory layer and a carbon nanotube-containing layer which is in contact with the memory layer and contains a plurality of carbon nanotubes.
US08264852B2
Apparatus includes a plurality of terminal base assemblies each having at least one module, at least some of the plurality of terminal base assemblies having varying levels of redundancy in the at least one module, the plurality of terminal base assemblies being connected together by circuitry within each of the plurality of terminal base assemblies.
US08264849B2
An apparatus includes a coreless substrate with an embedded die that is integral to the coreless substrate, and at least one device assembled on a surface that is opposite to a ball-grid array disposed on the coreless substrate. The apparatus include an at least one stiffener layer that is integral to the coreless substrate and the stiffener layer is made of overmold material, underfill material, or prepreg material.
US08264847B2
An electronic circuit module and a method of manufacturing the electronic circuit module are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic circuit module includes i) a substrate on which a circuit is formed, ii) a plurality of electrical devices electrically connected to the circuit and iii) a first molding unit coated on the substrate to cover at least the electrical devices. The module further includes i) a test terminal unit comprising a plurality of test wires and configured to inspect the circuit, wherein each of the test wires comprises a first end electrically connected to the circuit and a second end exposed from the first molding unit, and wherein the second ends of the test wires form an inspection unit and are adjacent to each other on the substrate and ii) a second molding unit coated on the substrate to cover the second ends of the test wires.
US08264845B2
An electronic device includes a main body including a guiding portion, and a back cover and a cover ejection mechanism. The cover ejection mechanism includes an ejection member and a locking member. The ejection member includes a sliding block defining an inclined surface. The locking member includes a locking element defining a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and en elastic element. To close the back cover, the back cover is rotated and the sliding block is pushed to slide. When the inclined surface touches the first inclined surface, the locking element is pushed to move, causing the elastic element to be compressed. After the sliding block slides over the locking element, the elastic element rebounds to push the locking element to return to an initial position where the sliding block is blocked by the second inclined surface of the locking element.
US08264841B2
The present invention is directed to improve reliability by preventing deterioration in the structure of an inner wall of a water channel caused by galvanic corrosion. A heat sink in which a water channel of a cooling fluid is formed by stacking and bonding a plurality of thin plates, in which a surface in the water channel is made of the same metal material except for at least an end of a bonded part of the thin plates.
US08264835B2
A base includes an engaging module, a release button and a code lock module. The release button presses the engaging module to release the host. The code lock module includes a cam assembly, a plurality of dials and a retaining assembly. The cam assembly includes cams arranged along an axis. Each of the dials has a recess for containing one of the cams. The retaining assembly includes a lock head and an elastic element. When one of the dials is rotated to separate one of the cams from the recess, the cam assembly pushes the lock head to be fastened to the release button and make the elastic element deform. When the dials are rotated to allow each recess to contain one cam, the cam assembly moves away from the lock head, and the elastic element restores to drive the lock head to be separated from the release button.
US08264824B2
An exemplary assembly includes a drive that includes two substantially parallel sides and, for receipt of media, a substantially rectangular opening; a plate that includes a tab; a positioning mechanism to position the plate with respect to either one of the two parallel sides of the drive; and a bay configured to at least partially receive the drive, with the plate, in first and second orientations of the substantially rectangular opening with respect to the bay where the bay includes a lower slot configured to receive the tab if the plate is positioned with respect to one of the two parallel sides of the drive in the first orientation of the opening and where the bay includes an upper slot configured to receive the tab if the plate is positioned with respect to the other of the two parallel sides of the drive in the second orientation of the opening. Various other apparatuses, systems, methods, etc., are also disclosed.
US08264816B2
A capacitor with a combined with a resistor and/or fuse is described. This safe capacitor can rapidly discharge through the resistor when shorted. The presence of a fuse in series with the capacitor and results in a resistive failure when this opens during and overcurrent condition. Furthermore, the presence of a resistor in parallel to the capacitor allows the energy to be rapidly dissipated when a failure occurs.
US08264813B2
An electrostatic chuck device which enables to perform a plasma process having high in-plane uniformity to a plane-like sample by improving the in-plane uniformity of the electric field intensity in a plasma when applied to a plasma processing apparatus. Specifically disclosed is an electrostatic chuck device (21) including an electrostatic chuck section (22), a metal base section (23) serving as a high-frequency generating electrode, and an insulating plate (24). The electrostatic chuck section (22) is composed of a dielectric plate (31) whose top surface (31a) serves as a mounting surface on which a plate-like sample (W) is placed, a supporting plate (32), an electrostatic-adsorption inner electrode (25), and an insulating layer (33). The electrostatic-adsorption inner electrode (25) is made of a composite sintered body containing an insulating ceramic and silicon carbide, while having a volumetric resistance of not less than 1.0×10−1 Ωcm but not more than 1.0×108 Ωcm.
US08264807B2
A protection circuit for protecting DCDC converter with a power MOS transistor from start-up in-rush current includes a coupling capacitor and a voltage clamping circuit. By using the coupling capacitor to turn-off the power MOS transistor, there is no current consumed during the normal operation of the circuit. Enable signal or leakage current circuit is used to discharge the capacitor so that the circuitry can work in another turning-on of power supply.
US08264806B2
An electronic device is provided that includes a protection circuit for a light-emitting device. The protection circuit comprises a first node adapted to be coupled to an anode of the light-emitting device and a second node adapted to be coupled to a cathode of the light-emitting device. A voltage detection stage is coupled between the first and second nodes. The voltage detection stage is adapted to detect an overvoltage condition between the first and second nodes. Furthermore, the protection circuit comprises a thyristor coupled with its anode to the first node, its cathode to the second node to the voltage detection stage. When the overvoltage condition is detected in normal operation the thyristor is controlled to open so that the current can flow through the thyristor.
US08264798B1
A magnetic recording head including a write pole and a shield. The write pole has a pole tip face that is parallel to the air bearing surface of the magnetic recording head, a leading surface having a leading edge at the pole face, a first side surface having a first side edge at the pole face, a second side surface having a second side edge at the pole face, and a trailing surface having a trailing edge at the pole face. The shield surrounds the first side surface, the trailing surface, and the second side surface of the write pole tip, and is separated from the first side surface of the write pole tip by a first side gap, from the trailing surface of the write pole tip by a trailing gap, and from the second side surface of the write pole tip by a second side gap. There is a notch formed in the inner wall of the shield adjacent to the corner of the write pole tip formed by one side surface and the trailing surface of the write pole tip.
US08264785B2
An imaging lens includes, sequentially from an object side, a first lens (L11) configured by a negative meniscus lens disposed with the convex surface on the object side; a second lens (L12) configured by a positive biconvex lens; a negative third lens (L13); and a fourth lens group (L14) configured by a positive meniscus lens disposed with the convex surface on the image plane IMG side. By satisfying given conditions, the imaging lens is able to control ghosting occurring between the last lens surface and the imaging element and ghosting caused by light reflected by the lens surface nearest the object, without sacrifice to the compact-size of the optical system or high optical performance.
US08264784B2
There is provided an optical system configured of 4-sheet lenses to have a wide angle of view. The optical system includes: a first lens having a positive refractive power, with both surfaces being convex; a second lens having a negative refractive power, with both surfaces thereof being concave; a third lens having a positive refractive power and a meniscus shape; and a fourth lens having a negative refractive power, with both surfaces thereof being concave, all of which are disposed in order from an object to a front upper surface. In the optical system, the refractive powers of the first lens to the fourth lens satisfy the following Conditional Expression 1. f 1 f 4 < - 1.1 Conditional Expression 1 In Conditional Expression, f1: a focal distance of the first lens and f4: a focal distance of the fourth lens.
US08264768B2
A microscope system that is capable of changing a status of observation of a sample comprises an instruction unit for giving instruction for driving one or more optical members including an objective lens or for changing a relative position of the sample and the objective lens; and an image capturing unit for capturing an observed image of the sample as a still image or a live image. The microscope system changes an order for performing operations in accordance with the instruction from the instruction unit, the operations including an operation of driving the one or more optical members or changing the relative position; an operation of switching the illumination light for the sample from being cut-off or reduced to being applied; and an operation of switching the image displayed in a display unit from the still image to the live image.
US08264757B2
Methods create images viewable under different selected angles on optical storage devices and other photosensitive surfaces and optical storage devices with super-imposed images. Generally, a photosensitive surface is exposed with multiple diffraction patterns creating super-imposed images. These diffraction patterns create super-imposed images on the photosensitive surfaces, which can be read by either a human or a computer.
US08264752B2
An image reading system includable in an image forming apparatus includes a document feed tray to contain original documents including either or both of a non-electronic recording medium and an electronic paper that includes a memory and a first communication element, a primary sensor to read the electronic data from the memory of each electronic paper before transfer of the original documents starts, a secondary sensor to sequentially detect the original documents during the transfer thereof and determine a media type of each original document, a transfer unit to transfer the non-electronic recording medium to a scanning position, a transfer controller to control the transfer unit based on the determination result of the secondary sensor, and an optical image reader to optically read an image formed on each non-electronic recording medium at the scanning position.
US08264747B2
In an image reading device, a sampling-and-holding circuit generates a plurality of analog image signals by sampling an image signal at each sampling-and-holding timing and holding sampled image signals for a predetermined amount of time, an analog-to-digital converting unit converts the analog image signals into a plurality of digital image signals at each sampling-and-holding timing, a phase regulating unit performs phase regulation of each sampling-and-holding timing based on corresponding digital image signals to obtain phase-regulated sampling-and-holding timing. The sampling-and-holding circuit generates the analog image signal at each phase-regulated sampling-and-holding timing.
US08264744B2
An instruction of image processing for an image and an object included in the image is received from a client. The operation environment of the client is stored as the metadata of the object included in the image. When an instruction is input to re-evaluate the attribute of the object included in the image, a record is made as metadata indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated. Upon receiving another image different from the image, when the operation environment of a client which has given an instruction to perform image processing of the other image is identical to the operation environment of the client which is stored by the storage unit, and the record is in the recording unit indicating that the attribute has been re-evaluated, the attribute of the received other image is re-evaluated.
US08264743B2
An information processor includes a display part displaying a configuration pattern combining values set for corresponding two or more of printing conditions; a management part managing default values for the printing conditions for an image forming apparatus; a recording part recording the configuration pattern and optionally setting an identifier as a value for the individual printing conditions, the identifier being indicative of the individual default values; and a setting part, in response to the identifier being set for at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions in the recorded configuration pattern, obtaining one of the default values corresponding to the at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions from the management part and setting the obtained one of the default values for the at least one of the two or more of the printing conditions in the configuration pattern.
US08264739B2
A print controlling apparatus is supplied capable of adjusting image of electronic document to an optimum size. In the print controlling apparatus which includes an inputting section for inputting image data of electronic document and an expanding section for expanding the inputted image data into print data, and is used for printing the electronic document onto record medium, a first obtaining section obtains page size information representing page size of the electronic document; a second obtaining section obtains medium size information representing medium size of the record medium; a comparing and judging section compares the page size information with the medium size information, and judges whether the two size information are coincident; and when the two size information are coincident, an extracting section extracts image data inside of region corresponding to print region of the record medium from the image data, wherein the expanding section expands the extracted image data inside of region and generates print data inside of region corresponding to the print region.
US08264732B2
A system and method for continuously printing images on a web material and continuously transferring the images to identity documents. A print component prints images on the web material. A registration component registers select images to identity documents. An applicator component applies the select images to the identity documents. A controller maintains throughput of the web material through the print component, registration component, and applicator component. The controller allows the system to continuously print images on the web material and continuously transfer the images to identity documents, in that it synchronizes cycles of the components, so that the components have simultaneous processing cycles and have simultaneous intervals between processing cycles.
US08264725B1
In one embodiment, a registry of network-connected printers that are members of a social print group is maintained at a computer system. Content is obtained. A first request is received from a first printer that is a member of the group. The first request is a request to share the content with a second printer that is a member of the group. A communication that the content is accessible at the second printer is sent. A second request is received from the second printer. The second request is a request to provide the content to the second printer. Content is provided to the second printer.
US08264722B2
The subject application is directed to a document processing device user interface system and method having functional controls specified by device attribute querying. A plurality of components associated with a document processing device is queried, and device information data corresponding to operational characteristics of each component is received in accordance with the query. Device operation data corresponding to a selected document processing operation is then received via an associated user interface and is compared relative to the device operation data. Indicia is generated on the user interface display corresponding to controls of a subset of the components based upon the comparison output. Secondary selection data corresponding to selected indicia on the display is received, and the selected document processing operation is commenced in accordance with the received secondary selection data.
US08264713B2
In an image forming apparatus, a delivery instruction receiving part receives a delivery instruction for instructing a delivery form a request originator, and a delivering part delivers data indicated by a delivery instruction description in accordance with the delivery instruction indicated by the delivery instruction by a deliver type indicated by the deliver instruction description, so that delivery processes corresponding to a plurality of different delivery types can be conducted. The delivery instruction description is written in a form which can be shared and used for the plurality of different delivery types.
US08264710B2
In an exemplary device implementation, the device includes: a scanner capable of scanning a scanning target to produce an electronic image of the scanning target; and a printer capable of printing an image of the scanning target on a media, the printer including a print engine; wherein the device is adapted to overlap the scanning of the scanning target with preparation of the print engine for printing.
US08264708B2
A printing system is provided. A user directs an instruction apparatus to an electronic board in a state where an image of image data to be desirably printed is displayed, and presses a file selection button. While pressing the file selection button, the user directs the instruction apparatus to a printer desirably caused to print, and while directing the instruction apparatus to the printer, the user releases the file selection button. When the print instruction button is pressed while the instruction apparatus being directed to the printer, desired image data is printed from the printer to which the instruction apparatus is directed.
US08264700B2
Image forming apparatus that forms an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photosensitive member with a laser beam, including a generation unit configured to generate a high-speed clock and a low-speed clock mutually different in frequency, a scanning unit configured to perform scanning of the laser beam in a main scanning direction based on the low-speed clock, a detection unit configured to detect the laser beam during a scanning operation performed by the scanning unit, a first shift register unit configured to receive a detection signal from the detection unit according to the high-speed clock, and an output unit configured to receive a parallel output of the first shift register unit in synchronization with the low-speed clock and to output detection timing of the laser beam as a detection signal synchronized with the low-speed clock and a value corresponding to a shift number defined by the high-speed clock.
US08264688B1
A method and apparatus for enhancing the accuracy of spectroscopic measurements using a cavity ringdown spectrometer (CRDS) is provided. A first aspect of the invention consists of a novel algorithm for the processing of ring-down data that significantly reduces the amplitude of an exponential fitting artifact, and thereby gives a better estimate of the actual loss. The primary cause of the artifact is the presence of an unwanted backwards-traveling wave that counter-propagates within the ringdown cavity. Scattering due to small imperfections at the cavity mirrors produces this wave and its intensity may be minimized by adjustment of the mirror positions during cavity construction. A second aspect of the invention consists of an apparatus for measuring the backscattered wave within a cavity to allow such cavity mirror adjustments to be made.
US08264683B2
Flow cytometry concepts are modified to enable dynamic characterizations of particles to be obtained using optical scattering data. Particles in flow will be introduced into a sample volume. Light scattered by a particle in the sample volume is collected and analyzed. What differentiates the concepts disclosed herein from conventional flow cytometry is the use of an acoustic source that is disposed to direct acoustic energy into the sample volume. As the particle passes through the sample volume, it responds to the acoustic energy, causing changes in the light scattered by the particle. Those changes, which are not measured during conventional flow cytometry, can be analyzed to determine additional physical properties of the particle.
US08264682B2
An optical spectrum analyzer includes a diffraction-grating control unit configured to change an angle of a diffraction grating to change a wavelength of a dispersed light beam extracted from incident light, a calculator unit configured to calculate an angle of the diffraction grating such that the wavelength of the dispersed light beam has a sampling wavelength, and to store the data indicating the angle, a FIFO memory configured such that part of the data is inputted to it, for outputting the data at each reception of a trigger signal indicating timing of sampling, and an FIFO memory control unit configured to output the subsequent data to the FIFO memory, when a remaining data amount of the FIFO memory reaches a predetermined value or lower.
US08264680B2
A biochip reader wherein spectroscopic information of a sample under analysis is arranged in spaces between images of the sample arranged on a biochip. The reader comprises a confocal microscope and the biochip comprises a transparent substrate to allow passage of the excitation light and fluorescent light from the sample with the excitation light being applied from the side opposite that on which the samples are arranged so that noise from dust and the like is avoided by the transmitted light avoiding contact with the dust. Another aspect is an electrophoresis system wherein different coloring material are used for each of a variety of target substances, so that the same lane and area are utilizable to concurrently detect a polychrome fluorescent pattern of the different targets. A confocal scanner or fluorescence imaging system is used with a plurality of filters to detect the multi-colored fluorescences of the target substance. Advantageously, in the biochip reader, a lower S/N ration is obtained together with lower cost; and in the electrophoresis system, concurrent detection of multiple polychromatic fluorescence patters is attained.
US08264679B2
An inspection apparatus and method for detecting defects and haze on a surface of a sample includes illumination optics which emit light to illuminate an inspection region on the surface of the sample from an oblique direction relative to the inspection region, first detection optics which detect first scattered light from the inspection region and having a beam analyzer through an optical path, second detection optics which detect second scattered light from the inspection region, the second scattered light being scattered from a direction different than a direction of the first scattered light, and a signal-processing unit which treats different processings for a first signal of the detected first scattered light and for a second signal of the detected second scattered light and detecting defects and haze on the surface of the sample on the basis of at least one of the first signal and the second signal.
US08264678B2
A light sensor and light sensing system to detect an intensity of incident light and an angle of incidence of the incident light. The light sensor includes a dielectric layer, a plurality of photo detectors coupled relative to the dielectric layer, and a plurality of stacks of opaque slats embedded within the dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is substantially transparent to the incident light. The photo detectors detect the incident light through the dielectric layer. The stacks of opaque slats are approximately parallel to an interface between the dielectric layer and the photo detectors. The stacks of opaque slats define light apertures between adjacent stacks of opaque slats. At least some of the stacks of opaque slats are arranged at a non-zero angle relative to other stacks of the opaque slats.
US08264676B2
A partially coherent Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (OTDR) apparatus has a light source comprising a directly modulated semiconductor Distributed FeedBack (DFB) laser diode for transmitting partially coherent light pulses along a monomode optical fibre. Light Rayleigh backscattered from the light pulses as they travel along the optical fibre is output from the end of the fibre into which the light pulses are transmitted to a Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) filter. The FBG filter reduces the supectral width of light received at a photodetector. In one embodiment, the supectral width of the FBG filter is around one fifth of the supectral width of the light pulse after it has travelled around 1 km along the optical fibre. As a consequence of reducing the supectral width of the light received at the photodetector, the FBG filter increases the temporal coherence of the light. So, the FBG filter can ensure that the detected light is sufficiently coherent that a temporal supeckle pattern can be detected at the photodetector. At the same time, the light traveling in the optical fibre can be relatively supectrally broad so that non-linear effects in the optical fibre, such as Brillouin scattering, can be reduced.
US08264661B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a pixel matrix where a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines cross each other and a plurality of liquid crystal cells are arranged, first data switching thin film transistors respectively connected to data lines of a first group of the data lines, and second data switching thin film transistors respectively connected to data lines of a second group of the data lines.
US08264659B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a sealed housing part, a liquid crystal display part disposed at the front face of the housing part, a light source part housed in the housing part to generate the light to be displayed on the liquid crystal display part, an electric power supply part housed in the housing part to perform electric power supply, a control part housed in the housing part to perform control, and a heat exchange part disposed at the rear face of the housing part to cool the heat generated in the housing part. The heat exchange part includes an air stirring part for stirring the air in the housing part, a forced air cooling part covered with a duct in which the air stirring part is installed and constructed from a plate extending into the housing part, and a natural air cooling part constructed from a plate extending to the outside of the housing part. The forced air cooling part and the natural air cooling part are integrated with a rear face plate of the housing part.
US08264658B2
A liquid crystal display device includes an array substrate, a color filter substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the array substrate and the color filter substrate. The color filter substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of color filter units provided on the substrate in the form of matrix, and a black matrix pattern including a lateral structure and a longitudinal structure. The black matrix pattern is provided between the array substrate and the color filter substrate and partially contacts with the array substrate to block light and maintain a cell thickness between the array substrate and the color filter substrate.
US08264652B2
A fringe field switching thin film transistor substrate includes a gate electrode connected to the gate line, a source electrode connected to the data line, a drain electrode opposed to the pixel electrode and a semiconductor layer defining a channel between the source electrode and the drain electrode. A common electrode extends from the common line into the pixel area. A pixel electrode extends from the drain electrode into the pixel area overlapping the common electrode with the gate insulating film. The gate line and the common line are formed from a first conductive layer group having double conductive layers, and the common electrode is formed by an extension of the lowermost layer of the common line. The data line, the source electrode and the drain electrode are formed of a second conductive layer group having double conductive layers.
US08264645B2
A multi-mode Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) capable of functioning in a multi-mode, a monochrome reflective mode and a color transmissive mode. One embodiment provides an LCD with color filters only over most or all of the transmissive part of a pixel but only part of the reflective portion of a pixel, enabling readability in the ambient light. Embodiments eliminate the black matrix mask used typically in color filter creation. Additionally, an embodiment provides diagonal pixels to improve the resolution of the LCD in the color transmissive mode. Further, an embodiment enables the light to switch between two colors, while a third color (typically green) is always on, thereby decreasing the required frame rate of the LCD, when used in the hybrid field sequential approach. Yet another embodiment creates colors from the backlight, eliminating the need for color filters. Another embodiment involves use of color filters over only the green pixels, eliminating the need for using additional masks for making the color filter array.
US08264640B2
There is provided an optical sheet for use as a display device surface, which has a functional layer on at least one side of a transparent base material and has a diffusion factor on the outer surface and/or interior of the functional layer, wherein the relationship represented by the following formula (I) is satisfied. 1.92<γ<5.11 (I) γ: The diffusion angle representing 1/10 of the diffusion intensity, obtained by extrapolating a straight line connecting the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection ±2 and the reflection intensity at diffuse regular reflection ±1, to the diffuse regular reflection angle.
US08264637B2
Example embodiments relate to a photonic crystal optical filter, a reflective color filter using the photonic crystal optical filter, a display apparatus using the reflective color filter, and a method of manufacturing the reflective color filter. The photonic crystal optical filter may include a transparent substrate; a barrier layer formed on the transparent substrate; and a photonic crystal layer formed on the barrier layer. The photonic crystal layer may have a structure in which a first material having a relatively high refractive index and a second material having a relatively low refractive index are periodically arranged so as to reflect light having a wavelength band corresponding to a photonic band gap.
US08264626B2
A stereoscopic image display device includes a display panel configured to display an image, a barrier placed over the display panel and configured to include a plurality of liquid crystal cells each of which is selectively driven to become a transparent cell or an opaque cell, a polarizing plate placed between the display panel and the barrier, and a phase retarder placed between the internal polarizing plate and the display panel.
US08264606B2
A digital audio encoder, digital video conditioner, and a digital modulator are described for producing a television broadcast signal at a desired channel frequency range. Left and right audio channel signals are digitized and encoded according to a stereo standard and then combined to form a stereo audio signal. A second audio programming channel signal may be included. A video input can be digitized and conditioned to form a digital video channel. The stereo audio signal can be placed directly at a desired channel frequency by frequency modulation without the need for using an intermediate frequency. The digital video channel can be placed at a desired frequency by amplitude modulation. The digital and audio channels can be digitally combined to create a television transmission signal at a desired frequency and according to a desired standard.
US08264605B2
A method and system are provided in which a processor may detect one or more changes in video cadence in a video signal and may adjust a counter value based on each detected change in video cadence. The processor may increase the counter value by a determined amount for each detected change in video cadence. When the counter value becomes larger than a first threshold value, the processor may filter the video signal. The video signal may be filtered utilizing a vertical Nyquist notch filter. Moreover, after each increase, the processor may decrease the counter value based on a decay parameter. When the counter value is less than a second threshold value, where such second threshold value is less than the first threshold value, the processor may disable the filtering of the video signal.
US08264599B2
A laptop includes a housing; a keyboard mounted on the housing; a rectangular frame element pivotably secured to a front end of the housing and being adapted to open or close onto the keyboard; a screen enclosed by the frame element; an inverted U-shaped frame member pivotably secured to front corners of the housing and being adapted to open or close onto the frame element; a micro-projector pivotably mounted on a transverse part of the frame member; and a camera pivotably mounted on the transverse part of the frame member besides the micro-projector.
US08264591B2
An auto focus image system that includes an image sensor coupled to a controller. The image sensor captures an image that has at least one edge with a width. The controller generates a focus signal that is a function of the edge width. A lens receives the focus signal and adjust a focus. The edge width can be determined by various techniques including the use of gradients. A histogram of edge widths can be used to determine whether a particular image is focused or unfocused. A histogram with a large population of thin edge widths is indicative of a focused image.
US08264576B2
A color filter enhancement method for a portable digital image acquisition device includes digitally exposing color pixels of a color sensor array for a first digital exposure duration and digitally exposing white pixels of a color sensor array for a second digital exposure time shorter than the first digital exposure duration. A color filter enhanced digital image is generated using data from both the color pixels exposed for the first digital exposure duration and the white pixels exposed for the second digital exposure duration.
US08264574B2
An electronic image capture system for capturing a reduced noise image of a scene includes a detector array and an image processing apparatus. The detector array provides to the image processing apparatus data representing at least one image of a scene detected by the array. The image processing apparatus holds a noise model that characterizes the noise performance of the image capture system. Based on the image data and the noise model the image processing apparatus identifies one or more portions of the scene that are predicted to contribute disproportionately to visible noise in an image formed from said image data. Based on the identified portions of the scene and the noise model, the image processing apparatus determines an exposure pattern for the image capture system that is predicted to produce multiple exposures of the scene that are combinable to produce an image with a minimal predicted noise.
US08264573B2
An imaging unit outputs a video signal at a frame rate higher than a standard frame rate. During a zoom operation period or a period including the zoom operation period and periods before and after the zoom operation, a video signal from the imaging unit is recorded in a recording medium at a high recording frame rate. Other than this period, a video signal is recorded in the recording medium at the standard frame rate. The recording frame rate and zoom operation information is recorded as metadata in the recording medium. During reproduction, based on a set reproduction mode, thinning processing is carried out on a video signal recorded during a zoom operation, and the processed signal is output at the standard frame rate. In this way, it is possible to change a frame rate in view of a photographer's intention and assure compatibility with existing viewing and reproduction environments.
US08264572B2
An electronic camera includes: an image capturing device that performs photoelectric conversion on a subject image formed by a photographic optical system and outputs image data; an image display device that displays an image based upon the image data; a first storage device achieving a first access speed; a second storage device achieving a second access speed lower than the first access speed; and a control device that, if image data for display are present in the first storage device when an image reproduction mode for displaying the image based upon the image data at the image display device is set, displays an image based upon the image data in the first storage device at the image display device, and if the image data for display are not present in the first storage device, displays an image based upon image data in the second storage device at the image display device.
US08264567B2
An electronic apparatus includes a time measuring unit that measures time, a time information acquiring unit that acquires time information, a determining unit that determines whether a specific process using time measured by the time measuring unit is being performed, and a time correcting unit that corrects time measured by the time measuring unit on the basis of the time information when the determining unit determines that the specific process is not being performed.
US08264566B2
Disclosed is an apparatus and method for processing image data in a portable terminal including obtaining a first image having a first resolution for display from an image obtaining unit of the portable terminal, receiving a semi-shutter signal during display of the first image on a display unit of the portable terminal, obtaining a second image having a second resolution from the image obtaining unit in response to the semi-shutter signal prior to receiving a full-shutter signal, and capturing a still image from the second image when the full-shutter signal is received.
US08264563B2
An image signal generation portion 11 generates an image signal of a variable frame-rate picked-up image. A signal generation control portion 24 drives the image signal generation portion 11 and generates image pick-up setting information IF to generate an image signal that is frame-synchronized with a generated image signal DVd. The generated image signal DVd is output in condition where the image pick-up setting information IF is inserted in it. When supplied with image pick-up setting information IFex, the signal generation control portion 24 controls the driving operations of the image signal generation portion 11 based on the image pick-up setting information IFex, to frame-synchronize the generated image signal with an image signal of a reference variable frame-rate picked-up image of a source that has supplied the image pick-up setting information IFex. If a plurality of image pick-up devices capable of varying a frame rate is used, the image signals can be frame-synchronized with each other.
US08264560B2
An image capturing device includes a lens module defining an optical axis, a holder defining an opening and a space communicating with the opening, an image processing unit received in the space, and an image sensor received in the space and fixed on the image processing unit. The holder is configured for receiving the lens module. The image processing unit is electrically connected to the image processing unit and inclined relative to the optical axis. The image sensor is configured for capturing images of objects. The optical axis passes through the center of the sensing surface of image sensor.
US08264536B2
A depth-sensitive imager for imaging a scene in three dimensions. The depth-sensitive imager comprises a light source configured to project a polarized illumination onto a surface of the scene, and a detector configured to capture an image of the scene by detecting light from the scene, in which image a polarization state of the light is encoded. The detected light includes a portion of the polarized illumination reflected from the surface. The depth-sensitive imager further comprises an analyzer configured to generate output responsive to a distance between the light source and the surface based on the image.
US08264535B2
The invention relates to a method for analyzing a group of at least two masks for photolithography, wherein each of the masks comprises a substructure of a total structure, which is to be introduced in a layer of the wafer in the lithographic process, and the total structure is introduced in the layer of the wafer by introducing the substructures in sequence. In this method, a first aerial image of a first one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. Then, a second aerial image of a second one of the at least two masks is recorded, digitized and stored in a data structure. A combination image is generated from the data of the first and second aerial images, which combination image is represented and/or evaluated.
US08264520B2
In a system including a plurality of terminals and a connection controller that controls connection among the respective terminals, the connection controller records terminals of a previous connection session and information on participants as session history information. In response to a request for a connection destination candidate from a terminal, the connection controller references the session history information and presents connection destination candidate terminals. The plurality of terminals transmits a connection request to the connection controller and receives a list of connection destination candidate terminals from the connection controller.
US08264519B2
A video conferencing system provides realistic presence of participants in a videoconference by way of standards-based communication. The system includes three large displays, and at least one slave codec and one camera for each display. In addition, there is an extra codec installed which is the master codec. The master codec is able to establish a conference by instructing the slave codecs at its own site and at the other participating sites to set up point-to-point connections with other slave codecs at different participation sites in a pattern providing an optimal feeling of natural communication so that when a user A talk to user B at another site, user B will experience that the user A turns to him.
US08264499B1
A method, system, and media are provided for enhancing viewability of information presented on a mobile device. The media includes presenting a user interface on a mobile device that includes foreground information that overlaps a background image. The background image may be converted into a first set of color values and the foreground information into a second set of color values. A dominant color may be determined for the background image and foreground information. The dominant colors may be used to calculate a contrast ratio that may be compared to a threshold value. At least a portion of the color values may be modified when the contrast ratio is less than the threshold value. A set of modified color values may then be derived and a modified presentation may be presented to the user that includes the modified color values.
US08264498B1
System, apparatus, and method for presenting a monochrome image of terrain on a head-up display unit
A present novel and non-trivial system, apparatus, and method for presenting a monochrome, three-dimensional image of terrain on a Head-Up Display (“HUD”) unit is disclosed. Based upon aircraft navigation and terrain data, an image data set representative of a lighted solid image of terrain comprised of a plurality of intensities of one color may be generated. The image data set may be determined as a function of terrain data and color intensity data, where the color intensity data could be comprised of one or more shading effects, one or more texturing effects, or a combination of both. Based upon the image data set, a three-dimensional perspective of a terrain scene outside the aircraft may be presented to the pilot.
US08264496B2
An image processing system includes a memory for storing data associated with pixels of images, with the pixels having spatial coordinates in an image coordinate system having first and second axes; a processing device including a processor which processes the associated data; and an interface device which accesses in memory addresses associated with pixels of a block of pixels. In the interface device, access information is received indicating a base memory address, information regarding the dimensions of the block along the axes of the image coordinate system, and a storage method. At least one access rule is selected from multiple rules as a function of the storage method. The memory is accessed at the addresses associated with the pixels in the block, by applying the selected rule starting from the base address and taking into account the dimensions of the block.
US08264490B2
Techniques are described for modeling layered facial reflectance consisting of specular reflectance, single scattering, and shallow and deep subsurface scattering. Parameters of appropriate reflectance models can be estimated for each of these layers, e.g., from just 20 photographs recorded in a few seconds from a single view-point. Spatially-varying specular reflectance and single-scattering parameters can be extracted from polarization-difference images under spherical and point source illumination. Direct-indirect separation can be employed to decompose the remaining multiple scattering observed under cross-polarization into shallow and deep scattering components to model the light transport through multiple layers of skin. Appropriate diffusion models can be matched to the extracted shallow and deep scattering components for different regions on the face. The techniques were validated by comparing renderings of subjects to reference photographs recorded from novel viewpoints and under novel illumination conditions. Related geometry acquisition systems and software products are also described.
US08264485B2
At least one embodiment of the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for visualizing 3D image data from tomographic imaging modalities using a rendering technique in which every pixel is calculated by integrating or summing along respectively one ray through a volume surrounded by the 3D image data. In the method, a peeling function is additionally introduced into the integration or summation, by which, in the integration or summation, the 3D image data on the respective ray only contributes with its full data value to reducing the optical transparency beyond a prescribable value of an optical skin depth. The peeling function is selected such that, in a transition region before the prescribable value of the optical skin depth is reached, the 3D image data on the ray still contributes to reducing the optical transparency with a fraction of its full data value such that there is a smooth profile, generated by the peeling function, when an outer layer is peeled off. The method and the associated apparatus make it possible to avoid image artifacts such as pixel flickering during volume visualization.
US08264480B2
An image display apparatus for displaying an image produced by image signals on a display section includes: a plurality of input terminals for receiving each of the image signals supplied from a plurality of input sources; an input selector for selecting a predetermined input terminal from the plural input terminals; a judging section for determining whether the image signals have been inputted to the input terminal selected by the input selector; an operating section which receives requirement of search processing for determining whether the image signals have been inputted to each of the plural input terminals; an image signal correcting section which generates image signals for producing a source search screen indicating search status for each of the input source names corresponding to the input terminals; and a control section for displaying an image of the source search screen produced by the image signals at least on the display section in response to search processing executed through the operation section.
US08264478B2
A demultiplexer is provided within a liquid crystal display (LCD) to transfer respective data levels of a time multiplexed data signal to respective sub-pixels within a pixel group. The last of sequentially activated switches in the demultiplexer is activated for the longest time so as to provide sufficient time for charge to transfer from the demultiplexer to a subsidiary data line (SDL) of the last supplied sub-pixel and from that last SDL through a respective TFT of the last sub-pixel to the last supplied sub-pixel.
US08264475B2
An electronic device with infrared touch input function is provided. The electronic device includes a display unit defining an signal display area; an infrared input device including a circuit board having two pairs of oppositely disposed sides defining an open area corresponding in size and shape to the signal display area, at least one light emitting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for emitting infrared light; at least one light detecting device positioned on the circuit board, configured for detecting infrared light emitted; a micro-processing unit configured for controlling the at least one light emitting device to emit infrared light, detecting infrared light paths obstructed via the light detecting devices, sending information of the obstructed infrared light paths to a central processing unit(CPU); and the CPU configured for performing functions according to the information of the obstructed infrared light paths.
US08264473B2
To provide a timing controller and the like, which can display an image properly regardless of the scanning direction even when an image display device is formed by using signal-line driving ICs having residual output terminals that are not connected to the signal lines. The timing controller includes: a reset signal storage section which stores a plurality of reset signals including a normal reset signal and a specific reset signal; a reset signal setting section which sets one of the plurality of reset signals stored in the reset signal storage section for each of the plurality of ports in accordance with a signal from the outside; and a reset signal synthesizing section which synthesizes the reset signals set by the reset signal setting section and the video data, and simultaneously outputs acquired data to the plurality of ports, respectively.
US08264460B2
A method and system for inputting a character string using a handheld input device, such as a mouse wheel or touchpad. Signals are grouped depending on a change in direction, depressing the mouse button as an interrupt, holding a mouse button down, etc., and the groupings are translated into symbols. Translation can be pre-determined or from a mapping file. Symbols can be appended into a character string and provided as a password, PIN, credit card, account number, or as other sensitive data.
US08264458B2
The present invention provides variable compliance joysticks with mechanical and software customization, and with an integrated control capability, and a method of systematically determining the best mechanical settings and compensatory algorithms to embed in the joysticks to offer an individual with substantial upper extremity motor impairments a personal fit and maximum function. The joysticks may include components for varying the compliance and dampening of the joystick shaft. The method may include providing the user access to operate the joysticks, operatively connecting the joysticks to a driving simulator, displaying an icon on the driving simulator, controlling movement of the icon by the joysticks, evaluating performance of the user based upon the user's ability to control movement of the icon, and modifying hardware settings and software algorithms for the joysticks based upon the evaluation.
US08264455B2
Physical controls on a physical controller device (PCD) are dynamically mapped to application controls for an application being executed on a computer having a touch-sensitive display surface. The computer identifies a PCD which has been placed by a user on the display surface and displays a mapping aura for the PCD. When the user touches an activate direct-touch button displayed within the mapping aura, the computer activates a mapping procedure for the PCD and displays a highlighted direct-touch button over each application control which is available to be mapped to the physical controls on the PCD. When the user selects a particular application control which is available to be mapped by touching the highlighted button residing over the control, the computer creates a dynamic mapping between the selected application control and a user-selected physical control on the PCD.
US08264450B2
The present invention provides an illuminating apparatus locally reducing light intensity without depending on the configuration of a light source itself. An illuminating apparatus used as a backlight of a display apparatus having a liquid crystal display panel with a pair of first polarizers, including a light source and a liquid crystal light control panel. The liquid crystal light control panel has a pair of second polarizers and suppresses amount of transmission of light from the light source, thereby allows the light from the light source to have such a light intensity distribution along a plane that light intensity is locally reduced. The polarization degree in the second polarizers is optimized so that transmission light amount ratio of the second polarizers is lower than that of the first polarizers.
US08264439B2
A LCD panel includes a data line, first and second scan lines, first and second pixels and an auxiliary electrode. The first pixel has a first pixel electrode, first and second switches. The first switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line, a control terminal coupled to the first scan line and an output terminal coupled to the first pixel electrode. The second switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line and a control terminal coupled to the first scan line. The second pixel has a second pixel electrode and a third switch. The third switch has an input terminal coupled to the data line, a control terminal coupled to the second scan line and an output terminal coupled to the second pixel electrode. The auxiliary electrode coupled to an output terminal of the second switch is adjacent to the second pixel electrode.
US08264438B2
A liquid crystal display device has a vertical alignment type liquid crystal panel. The vertical alignment type liquid crystal panel is provided with an active matrix substrate whereupon a light reflection pixel electrode for reflecting light and a light transmission pixel electrode for transmitting light are provided in each pixel section; a counter electrode substrate; and a liquid crystal layer made of a liquid crystal material having negative dielectric anisotropy. The counter electrode substrate includes a convex section so that the liquid crystal layer in the light reflection section has the thickness thinner than that in the liquid crystal layer of the light transmission section. A liquid crystal panel driving device carries out gray scale transition enhancement processing in which the input gray scale is corrected in accordance with gray scale transition.
US08264433B2
A display apparatus includes a display part in which a plurality of light guide elements are extended in the column direction, and are arranged in the row direction in parallel with each other. A plurality of scanning lines are extended in the row direction to intersect the light guide elements, arranged in the column direction, transmission lines are extended along the light guide elements, and each of the transmission lines is connected to the scanning lines, respectively. Control elements are provided at intersections of the light guide elements and the scanning lines, and each of the control elements causes a part of a light beam traveled in the light guide element to the outside of the light guide element in response to a scanning signal supplied to the scanning line through the transmission line.
US08264431B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide for an array, and corresponding method of forming an array, that includes a plurality of light emitting devices. The light emitting devices are disposed over a substrate, and a photodetector detects light emitted through the substrate from the light emitting devices. Further, a substantially constant brightness may be maintained in a plurality of light emitting devices disposed over the upper surface of a substrate in an array. Light emitted through the substrate from each of the light emitting devices is measured, and the voltage level applied to each of the light emitting devices is varied to maintain a substantially constant brightness level of light emitted from the light emitting devices.
US08264428B2
A pixel driving method for an organic light emitting device includes charging a data voltage supplied through a data line to a storage capacitor and driving an N-channel switching transistor while cutting off supply of an upper power supply voltage to an organic light emitting diode; and powering the organic light emitting diode emit light by driving the N-channel driving transistor by the data voltage charged onto the storage capacitor while supplying the upper power supply voltage to the light emitting diode.
US08264426B2
A system on panel (SOP)-type scan driver for an organic light emitting display (OLED) device. The scan driver includes flip-flops. Each of the flip-flops receives an input signal, a clock signal, and an inverted clock signal and outputs a scan signal. The scan signal is shifted and input to an adjacent flip-flop. Each of the flip-flops includes three transistors of the same conductivity type and a capacitor. Thus, layout area is minimized owing to simplification of circuits, and static current is cut off to reduce power consumption.
US08264408B2
A system used for calibrating a direction-finding system. A device may include a signal receiver array. The signal receiver array may be utilized to determine the direction of arrival for signals emitted by other devices, and therefore, may be used to resolve the direction towards another device using the received signal. For example, an external tag may be utilized to emit a wireless signal usable inducing a response in each signal receiver of the signal receiver array. The device may also include one or more sensors usable in determining device orientation and/or a change in device orientation. The combined signal receiver response information and orientation information may be recorded at various instants as the device is moved for use in calibrating the antenna array.
US08264407B2
A mechanism for processing beamforming steering matrices in a transceiver system. A plurality of beamforming steering matrices associated with a plurality of subcarriers of an RF signal received at the transceiver system are generated. The beamforming steering matrices are compressed and stored. The beamforming steering matrices may also be grouped or sub-sampled prior to being stored. The beamforming steering matrices are decompressed and ungrouped before being applied to data to be transmitted. Prior to ungrouping the beamforming steering matrices, a phase difference between corresponding beamforming steering vectors of consecutive beamforming steering matrices is determined. Phase rotation is performed on the corresponding beamforming steering vectors based on the determined phase difference associated with the corresponding beamforming steering vectors to improve phase continuity between consecutive beamforming steering matrices.
US08264406B2
A method and apparatus for determining stream weights is provided herein. During operation, an uplink direction of arrival (DOA) and a downlink direction of departure (DOD) calibration procedure is implemented using uplink signals and GPS information from a subset of mobiles without the need of calibration circuitry at the base. Because the presented calibration procedure needs no new hardware it can be deployed in existing deployments with only a soft-ware upgrade.
US08264403B2
Requests for location fix for a mobile device, received from one or more Location Based Service (LBS) applications are queued in a queue in the mobile device. Based on information in a first queued request, the mobile device runs a location engine in a first fix mode to obtain a location fix for the mobile device, for a response to the first request. While the location engine is running to obtain the fix for the response to the first request, the mobile device analyzes information in a second queued request, to determine a second fix mode for response to the second request. Based on a comparison of the first and second fix modes, the mobile device may change the information in the second request to correspond to the first fix mode, before output of the second request from the queue to the location engine.
US08264390B2
Provided are, among other things, systems, apparatuses, methods and techniques for converting a discrete-time quantized signal into a continuous-time, continuously variable signal. An exemplary converter preferably includes: (1) multiple oversampling converters, each processing a different frequency band, operated in parallel; (2) multirate (i.e., polyphase) delta-sigma modulators (preferably second-order or higher); (3) multi-bit quantizers; (4) multi-bit-to-variable-level signal converters, such as resistor ladder networks or current source networks; (5) adaptive non-linear, bit-mapping to compensate for mismatches in the multi-bit-to-variable-level signal converters (e.g., by mimicking such mismatches and then shifting the resulting noise to a frequently range where it will be filtered out by a corresponding bandpass (reconstruction) filter); (6) multi-band (e.g., programmable noise-transfer-function response) bandpass delta-sigma modulators; and/or (7) a digital pre-distortion linearizer (DPL) for canceling noise and distortion introduced by an analog signal bandpass (reconstruction) filter bank.
US08264383B2
A group keypad structure in compliance with a standard keyboard installation includes group keypads corresponding to characters of a standard keyboard input method; for example, the structure includes ten group keypads installed from left to right on a base, and the ten group keypads include characters of “Q, A, Z”, “W, S, X”, “E, D, C”, “R, F, V”, “T, G, B”, “Y, H, N”, “U, J, M”, “I, K, ,”, “O, L, .” and “P, ;, /” respectively, and further includes ten numeric characters “1˜0”, so as to achieve the effects of reducing the area of a keyboard, shortening the moving distance of a user's fingers, providing an easy and convenient carry, complying with the user's using habit, and improving the input speed.
US08264357B2
A wireless IC device includes an electromagnetic coupler module including a wireless IC chip processing transmission and reception signals, and a feeder circuit board. In the wireless IC device, a first coupler defining a feeder circuit arranged on the feeder circuit board is electromagnetically coupled with a first mount of a first radiation plate, and a second coupler is electromagnetically coupled with a second mount of a second radiation plate. The couplers are respectively defined by line electrodes. Input and output terminal electrodes of the wireless IC chip are electrically connected to the line electrodes. The wireless IC chip is operated by the first and second couplers in response to a signal received by first and second radiation plates. A response signal from the wireless IC chip is radiated to the outside from the first and second radiation plates via the first and second couplers.
US08264354B2
A data center equipment location system includes both hardware and software to provide for location, monitoring, security and identification of servers and other equipment in equipment racks. The system provides a wired alternative to the wireless RFID tag system by using electronic ID tags connected to each piece of equipment, each electronic ID tag connected directly by wires to a equipment rack controller on the equipment rack. The equipment rack controllers then link over a local area network to a central control computer. The central control computer provides an operator interface, and runs a software application program that communicates with the equipment rack controllers. The software application program of the central control computer stores IDs of the equipment rack controllers and each of its connected electronic ID tags in a database. The software application program in operation receives information from the electronic ID tags in real time enabling the central control computer to monitor the status, such as temperature and movement or tampering of each piece of equipment through its connected electronic ID tag. Further, the software application program can send a signal to an individual electronic ID tag to activate a sensory indicator to enable a technician(s) to locate a piece of equipment that is in need of repair or replacement.
US08264337B2
A pressure tank including, a tank wall; a supporting member which includes fiber reinforced plastic and supports an outer surface of the tank wall; a supersonic wave sensor which is connected to the tank wall, and which detects a sonic wave propagated in the tank wall; and an internal abnormality determination member which is connected to the supersonic wave sensor, and which determines whether an internal abnormality exits in the tank wall, wherein the internal abnormality determination member determines the existence of the internal abnormality based on the detection result during gas is charged into the pressure tank, and outputs an abnormality signal when the internal abnormality was determined to exist.
US08264325B2
In accordance with input user ID, a personal template fetcher reads biometric feature data and biometric shape data from a template storage. A verification area finder determines a verification area that matches a detection area of a verification sensor within an area of biometric features. A guide information generator combines the verification area with a contour shape reconstructed from the biometric shape data, received from the personal template fetcher, to generate a guide pattern. A guide information presenter presents the generated guide pattern to the user. A verification sensor extracts biometric feature information from an input image of biometric features and converts it into numeric data to obtain biometric feature data. A biometric feature verifier then verifies the biometric feature data obtained by the verification sensor in comparison with the biometric feature data received from the personal template fetcher in the verification area received from the verification area finder.
US08264316B2
To provide a coil component that can adequately ensure component accuracy even when miniaturization is pursued. A coil component includes a main body portion structured with green compact containing magnetic material, a coil arranged inside the main body portion, a pair of lead wires each drawn out from the coil to outside of the main body portion, terminal fittings electrically connected to the lead wires at the outside of the main body portion, and welding portions connecting the lead wires and the terminal fittings. The pair of lead wires is both drawn out towards a first direction that is orthogonal to an axis direction of the coil. Drawing surfaces of the main body portion are disposed towards the coil side from a first side surface that is an end of the main body portion in the first direction. The drawing surfaces perpendicularly intersect the lead wires.
US08264312B2
A linear solenoid includes a shaft to reciprocate in an axis direction, a movable member fixed to the shaft, a front stator, a rear stator, a coil, a front housing, and a rear housing. The front housing is made of metal, and covers the front stator and the coil in the axis direction. The rear housing is made of metal, and is connected to the front housing so as to define a space to accommodate the movable member, the front stator, the rear stator and the coil. The rear housing covers the rear stator and the coil in the axis direction.
US08264299B2
A boundary acoustic waves device includes a piezoelectric substrate having piezoelectricity, interdigitated electrodes formed on the piezoelectric substrate, a first medium formed on the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the interdigitated electrode, and a second medium formed on the first medium. The interdigitated electrodes include a plurality of electrode fingers and bus bars that connect ends of the plurality of electrode fingers. A third medium is formed on the first medium. The second medium and the third medium are in contact with the first medium. The first medium, the second medium, and the third medium are formed of different materials. The first medium, the second medium, and the third medium are different in a ratio in length of a part with the third medium formed with respect to a length of a propagation path of boundary acoustic waves in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the electrode fingers, in the longitudinal direction of the electrode fingers.
US08264297B2
A balun signal splitter for use in transceiver systems, such as wireless communications systems, including a wide-band balun with a secondary winding for signal splitting between two operating bands (e.g., high-band and low-band) or modes. An example of a balun signal splitter configured for dual-band or dual-mode operation or includes a balun having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the secondary winding having a first port and a second port, a first network coupled to the first port and configured to present a short circuit impedance at the first port at out-of-band frequencies or during out-of-mode operation, and a second network coupled to the second port and configured to present a short circuit impedance at the second port at out-of-band frequencies or during out-of-mode operation.
US08264293B2
Provided is a transformer-based oscillator which is suited to oscillate frequencies in multiple bands. An oscillator includes a transformer resonance unit and a plurality of complementary transistors. The transformer resonance unit includes a primary coil and a secondary coil corresponding to the primary coil. The plurality of complementary transistors have gates and drains between which both ends of the transformer resonance unit are respectively connected. Thus, the oscillator may operate in a differential mode or common mode according to the phase of the transformer resonance unit. Also, a complementary transistor constituting a multiband oscillation loop may be independently connected to both ends of the transformer resonance unit, and an oscillation loop of at least one band may be selected out of a multiband oscillation loop using a switch unit. Thus, the oscillator may be suited to oscillate resonance frequencies in multiple bands.
US08264292B2
A device for compensating for the frequency of a resonator includes (a) a temperature sensor, (b) a sequencer determining a second compensation signal on the basis of the temperature and corresponding to a positive value N, and a third compensation signal on the basis of the temperature corresponding to a ratio between a positive integer S and N, S being lower than or equal to N, and (c) a variable counter receiving the compensation signals and generating a fourth output signal every N periods of a clock signal from the resonator and generating a fifth signal for modifying the charge capacity of the resonator.
US08264289B2
Nth-order voltage- and current-mode arbitrary phase shift oscillator structures are synthesized using n operational trans-conductance amplifiers (OTAs) or second-generation current controlled conveyors (CCCIIs) and n grounded capacitors. Linking up the I/O characteristics of the OTA and the CCCII and the reactance of grounded capacitor, the step of synthesis is first based on the algebraic analysis to oscillatory characteristic equations, resulting in a quadrature oscillator structure. Secondly, instead of the quadrature characteristic, to control each output signal with one another by a desired phase difference > or <90°, selectively superposing any of two fundamental OTA/CCCII-C sub-circuitries benefits the transformation of quadrature to arbitrary-phase-shift characteristic for the sinusoidal oscillator structure. Furthermore, several compensation schemes are presented for reducing the output parameter deviation due to the non-ideal effects.
US08264284B2
The present invention relates to an atomic frequency acquisition device comprising a gas cell (400) filled with an atomic gas, a laser light source (100) emitting a laser beam which enters the gas cell (40) and excites a first energy transition of the atomic gas, a local oscillator (700) for generating an oscillator frequency in a frequency range including a frequency of a HFS transition of the atomic gas, and a modulator (600) modulating the laser light source (100) so as to emit laser radiation modulated with the oscillator frequency. An optical reflector (500) is arranged behind the gas cell (400) to reflect the laser beam after passage through the atomic gas so as to re-enter the laser cavity. A photodetector (200) detects beat frequencies caused by self-mixing interference within the laser cavity. A control unit (750, 800) controls the local oscillator (700) so as to periodically vary the oscillation frequency between two frequency margins which are adapted in such a way that a maximum beat frequency in the output signal of the photodetector (200) is within the two frequencies margins. The proposed device allows miniaturization and cost reduction by using a VCSEL with an integrated photodiode and achieves operation with fewer detection problems.
US08264283B1
A single side band mixer is composed of standard digital logic elements and field effect transistors, forming a pair of quadrature generators coupled with a mixer-splitter circuit. This design results in a single side band mixer with a bandwidth from DC to at least 100 MHz when realized with CMOS digital logic circuitry. This design allows the single side band mixer to bring particular improvement to circuits including frequency synthesizers, quadrature demodulators and up-converters.
US08264282B1
Embodiments provide a configurable low noise amplifier circuit including a gain stage coupled to the input of the low noise amplifier circuit, the low noise amplifier circuit being configurable between one of a first topology in which the low noise amplifier circuit includes a degeneration inductance whereby the low noise amplifier circuit operates as an inductively degenerated low noise amplifier, and a second topology in which the low noise amplifier circuit includes an impedance matching stage coupled to an input of the configurable low noise amplifier circuit, the output of the impedance matching stage providing an input bias voltage for the impedance matching stage, and a feedback stage coupled to an output of the impedance matching stage and a voltage source, the feedback stage providing a compensated operating voltage for the impedance matching stage.
US08264276B2
Traditionally, low-noise amplifiers or LNAs have been used in high frequency applications, but for very high frequency ranges (i.e., 60 GHz), building an LNA to meet performance needs has been difficult. Here, however, an LNA has been provided that operates well around 60 GHz. In particularly, this LNA is generally unconditionally stable, has a generally low noise factor or NF, and has a generally high gain around 60 GHz.
US08264268B2
Provided is an offset-voltage calibration circuit. The circuit includes a comparator configured to receive at least two comparison voltages and output a result of a comparison between the comparison voltages, an up/down counter (UDC) configured to output an up-counting or down-counting output signal in response to an output signal of the comparator, and a current digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured to control the amount of current supplied from a node to which the comparison voltage is applied, in response to the output signal of the UDC and control the magnitude of the comparison voltage.
US08264260B2
Provided are a delay locked loop (DLL) having a pulse width detection circuit and a method of driving the DLL. The DLL includes a pulse width detection circuit and a delay circuit. The pulse width detection circuit receives a reference clock signal, detects a pulse width of the reference clock signal, and outputs the detection result as a pulse width detection result signal. The delay circuit receives and delays the reference clock signal, and outputs the delayed reference clock signal as an output clock signal. The delay circuit receives the pulse width detection result signal from the pulse width detection circuit, and controls a time delay in the reference clock signal in response to the pulse width detection result signal.
US08264255B2
In one form, a power detector includes first and third transistors of a first conductivity type, and second and fourth transistors of a second conductivity type. A control electrode of the first transistor receives a first bias voltage plus a positive component of a differential input signal. The second transistor is coupled in series with the first transistor and has a control electrode receiving a second bias voltage plus a negative component of the differential input signal. The third transistor is biased using the first bias voltage plus the negative component. The fourth transistor is coupled in series with the third transistor and is biased using the second bias voltage plus the positive component. A common interconnection point of the first and third transistors forms an output node. In another form, a power detector compares an output of a power detector core to multiple threshold voltages in corresponding comparators.
US08264250B2
In an array substrate and a display apparatus, a pixel part has a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines, and a plurality of pixels electrically connected to the gate and data lines. A driving circuit drives the pixel part electrically connected to a first end of the gate lines. An inspection circuit is electrically connected to a second end of the gate lines, and inspects the pixel part in response to an inspection signal externally provided. Thus, positions and causes for defects of the pixel part may be accurately detected, thereby improving inspecting efficiency.
US08264247B2
The present invention provides an electric potential sensor for the measurement of potentials non-invasively. The sensor comprises at least one detection electrode arranged for capacitive coupling with a sample under test and for generating a measurement signal, and a sensor amplifier adapted to receive the measurement signal as input and to supply an amplified detection signal as output. Input impedance enhancing means are included for providing a high input impedance to the sensor amplifier for increasing the sensitivity of the electrode to reduced electric potentials, and a discrete pre-amplifier stage is arranged to co-operate with the sensor amplifier to reduce the input capacitance of the amplifier.
US08264245B2
According to a device and system for measuring the properties of cells, there is an advantage in that, since a cell accommodation unit having a volume is provided, the properties of three-dimensional cells can be measured. Further, the present invention is advantageous in that it enables passive measurement of multiple properties which passively measures the electrical, mechanical and/or optical properties of cells, and active measurement of multiple properties which actively applies electrical, mechanical and optical types of stimulation to cells and measures their electrical, mechanical and/or optical reactions, thus measuring the multiple properties of cells with high reliability.
US08264234B2
An electric vehicle incorporates a ground fault detecting system and has first and second ungrounded power supplies. The ground fault detecting system includes a first insulation resistance detector for detecting a first insulation resistance of the first ungrounded power supply with respect to a grounded region of the electric vehicle, and a second insulation resistance detector for detecting a second insulation resistance of the second ungrounded power supply with respect to the grounded region. The first insulation resistance detector and the second insulation resistance detector detect the first insulation resistance and the second insulation resistance at different times, respectively.
US08264233B2
A magnetoresistive electrostatic discharge (ESD) event detector includes at least one magnetoresistive device. The at least one magnetoresistive device detects an ESD event in an ESD sensitive device based on magnetoresistive properties of the at least one magnetoresistive device. The magnetoresistive device has an ESD failure level that is lower than the ESD failure level of said ESD sensitive device.
US08264231B2
A switch circuit includes: a first charge/discharge circuit having a fixed first time constant; a second charge/discharge circuit having a second time constant associated with the operation statuses of a plurality of switches; first and second input/output ports to which the first and second charge/discharge circuits are connected, respectively; and a control section adapted to measure the first and second time constants by charging or discharging the first and second charge/discharge circuits and determine the operation statuses of a plurality of switches based on the ratio of the measured first and second time constants.
US08264228B2
Logging tools having protected tilted antennas are disclosed, along with construction methods therefor. In one method embodiment, a tilted antenna on a retrievable segment of a downhole tool is constructed by: forming an elliptical recess on the segment; forming an antenna within the elliptical recess; and forming an elliptical pattern of windows over and perpendicular to the axis of the elliptical antenna. Some tool embodiments comprise a retrievable segment of a downhole tool having an elliptical recess; an elliptical antenna disposed within the elliptical recess; and an elliptical pattern of windows formed over and perpendicular to the plane of the elliptical antenna.
US08264227B2
A method for estimating the effects of an airwave in marine electromagnetic data measured using a source and at least one receiver. The method involves measuring the electromagnetic response at two different under water source-receiver separations and using measurements at the larger separation to estimate the airwave response at that separation. The airwave effect in the response measured at the shorter separation can then be determined using the estimated airwave response at the larger separation.
US08264226B1
A system and method for locating buried cables, pipes and other utilities includes a man portable receiver/locator which is linked by a wireless mesh connection to a transmitter which either directly applies, or induces, a signal onto a buried utility.
US08264206B2
A lithium ion battery and a method of power conservation for the same are provided. A bare cell including an electrode assembly with a plurality of electrodes and a protective circuit are coupled together via the plurality of electrodes. The protective circuit includes a remaining charge control circuit that internally detects a long-term nonuse state of the lithium ion battery and blocks current between the bare cell and the protective circuit when the long-term nonuse state is detected. The method includes: detecting whether the battery is used as a power source for an external instrument; determining and recording a value of an accumulated nonuse time when the lithium ion battery was not used as a power source; and blocking an internal current and converting the battery to a long-term nonuse mode when the value of the accumulated nonuse time is above a value indicative of a predetermined time.
US08264199B2
Provision is made for an interchangeable accumulator unit comprising a housing (10, 20) and a lithium accumulator cell (40) arranged in the housing. Provision is further made in the housing of the accumulator unit for a charging circuit (50) for controlling the charging process of the lithium accumulator cell (40). Provision is made on the housing (10, 20) for at least one first charging contact unit (100, 200).
US08264197B2
The present invention provides a non-contact charging system with an elevating-type primary coil, which is convenient to align the position of a primary coil and a second coil and is energy-saving.In preferred embodiment, the non-contact charging system with an elevating-type primary coil of the present invention includes: a primary coil elevated from the ground surface to face a secondary coil of a vehicle; a concave portion in which a vehicle tire is put; a pressure plate installed on the concave portion and pushed to a predetermined depth by a vehicle load from the tire; and a hydraulic cylinder elevating the primary coil when the pressure plate is pushed down.
US08264182B2
A power factor correction system includes a rectifier that rectifies the voltage of an alternating current (ac) power source to produce a voltage waveform that transitions, in a half sinusoid, from a minimum amplitude to a maximum amplitude and back to the minimum amplitude twice in the period of the ac power source. A phase winding of a motor conveys current induced by the voltage waveform, and a regulator regulates the flow of the current conveyed by the phase winding for storage as energy in a storage component.
US08264174B2
A proton acceleration system is provided for accelerating protons within a target. The system includes a laser source generating a laser beam having a wavelength λL and intensity and a target formed of foil having a selected thickness. The target is irradiated by the laser beam and transformed into a plasma that has a target density. This causes a treatment energy to be emitted from the foil due to the irradiation. The thickness of the foil of the target is selected so that the foil has a thickness within a range of optimal thickness Δs to 2×Δs, wherein Δs is less than the laser wavelength and is a function of the laser intensity, laser wavelength, and target density sufficient to achieve radiation pressure acceleration (RPA).
US08264168B2
A location commissioning method for a lighting system, having several lighting arrangements, includes selecting an illuminated position, assigning the position a position id, measuring light at the position, deriving light data associated with each lighting arrangement from the measured light, associating the light data with the position id, determining light transfer data from the light data and current drive data for the lighting arrangements, and storing in a light effect setting array for the position id. A light effect setting method includes requesting a selected light effect at a selected position, receiving a position id and a target light effect setting associated with the position, deriving the associated initial light effect setting array, for example by retrieving a stored one, determining the drive data for obtaining the target light effect setting, via the light transfer data in the array.
US08264166B2
A lamp control system includes at least one lamp structure; comprising: a lamp body; a ballast connected to the lamp body; the ballast including: a first stage for converting AC current into DC current and boosting of voltage; a buck DC-DC converter; a transistor of the buck DC-DC converter having an input end; a PWM controller being installed between an output end of the lamp body and the input end of the transistor; a frequency controllable oscillator being connected to the PWM controller and an oscillation controlling processor being connected to the frequency controller oscillator for generating instructions to change the oscillation frequency of the oscillator and thus to adjust the modulation frequency of the PWM controller; sensors about voltages, currents, and illuminations are installed for light strength control, temperature control, auto-turning on and off of the HID lamp, power control and time and illumination control.
US08264157B2
An electronic device can include an organic diode and a shunt that allows a significant current to bypass the organic diode, wherein the shunt is separate from the organic diode. Alternatively, an electronic device can include an organic diode lying along a first conduction path. The electronic device can also include a resistive member lying along a second conduction path that is parallel to the first conduction path. In another aspect, a process of forming an electronic device can include forming a first conductive member, forming a resistive member over the first conductive member, and forming an organic semiconductor layer over the first conductive member. The process can also include forming a second conductive member over the resistive member and the organic semiconductor layer, such that the resistive member and the organic semiconductor layer lie along parallel conduction paths between the first and second conductive members.
US08264155B2
A solid state lighting apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting diodes, a sensor configured to output a sensor signal indicative of at least one operating condition of the solid state lighting apparatus, and a control circuit coupled to the sensor. The control circuit is configured to temporarily interrupt electrical current to ones of the plurality of light emitting diodes at respective intervals responsive to the sensor signal indicating that the operating condition does not meet a desired operating threshold to provide a visible indicator thereof in light emitted by the apparatus. Related devices and methods of operation are also discussed.
US08264153B2
A plasma source for a substrate is provided. The plasma source may include a source electrode and an impedance box. The source electrode receives a source Radio Frequency (RF) from the external and generates plasma based on capacitive coupling within a vacuum chamber. The impedance box connects at one end to an outer circumference surface of the source electrode, and is grounded at the other end to the vacuum chamber, and controls an electric current flowing from the source electrode to the vacuum chamber by the source RF.
US08264151B2
A field emission device having a simple structure and capable of readily changing emission colors of light by adjusting emission intensity of red, green and blue light is provided. In the field emission device, current that flows into each cathode electrode block is adjusted according to a very low control pulse signal of 0 to 5 V with a predetermined voltage applied to an anode electrode and a gate electrode over time, so that emission intensities of red, green and blue are individually adjusted. Therefore, the current that flows into each cathode electrode block is adjusted in a simple manner using a control pulse signal of a low level without a separate pulse driving high-voltage power supply, so that emission intensities of red, green and blue can be arbitrarily adjusted and emission colors of the field emission device can be readily changed.
US08264150B2
A modular magnetron for use in UV curing lamp assembly is disclosed. The modular magnetron includes a vacuum tube having a vacuum tube body, a top assembly, and a bottom assembly. The top assembly is configured to substantially overlay the vacuum tube. The bottom assembly is configured to substantially extend about the vacuum tube, the vacuum tube being positioned to partially protrude from the bottom assembly, the bottom assembly including a cooling assembly configured to employ a flexible clamp-type fitting about the vacuum tube body for substantially maintaining thermal and electrical conductivity. The top assembly is configured to be releasably fastened to the bottom assembly about the vacuum tube with removable fasteners.
US08264133B2
An incandescence lamp comprises an arc tube where both ends form sealing portions, a filament that extends in the arc tube in a tube axis direction, and a reinforcement rib that extends along the arc tube in the tube axis direction.
US08264127B2
The present invention provides a low frequency acoustic transducer for non-destructive testing of a test structure. The transducer is arranged for conversion between electrical energy and acoustic energy associated with an acoustic wave propagating through a portion of the test structure. The transducer comprises a bending actuator for generating the acoustic wave by generating a vibration from an electrical signal or for generating an electrical signal from a vibration generated by the received acoustic wave. The bending actuator has a vibration surface and a contact area surrounded by a portion of the vibration surface. The transducer further comprises a mode setting member that has a rigid portion which is in direct mechanical contact with the bending actuator at the contact area such that, within the contact area, an amplitude of the vibration is substantially suppressed. The location and shape of the contact area determine a bending mode associated with a resonance frequency of the bending actuator.
US08264105B2
The drive system for a personal care appliance, such as a toothbrush, includes a first opposing pair of permanent magnet assemblies positioned longitudinally along the length of the internal surface of a cylindrical appliance housing, each first permanent magnet assembly having one portion with a north polarity and the other portion a south polarity, and a second pair of permanent magnet assemblies which are orthogonal to the first pair of permanent magnet assemblies, one second permanent magnet assembly having a plurality of abutting first parts along the length thereof, the parts alternating between a north polarity and a south polarity, the other second permanent magnet assembly having similar parts with reversed polarity. First and second armatures are mounted on, or a portion thereof forms, a spindle element which extends along the length of and outward from the cylindrical housing. A plurality of drive windings are positioned around the armatures in such a manner that application of current to the windings, under programmable control, produces axial and/or tangential movement of the spindle and the workpiece.
US08264103B1
An information handling system component contained within an information handling system housing uses the information handling system housing as at least a portion of a safety enclosure for hazardous functions of the component. A lock out device disables the hazardous function if the information handling system housing is moved relative to the component. For example, an optical disc drive laser is disabled if a Hall effect sensor in the chassis of the optical disc drive no longer senses a magnet placed in a portion of the information handling system housing used to enclose the optical disc drive.
US08264095B2
A machine which capitalizes on the descent of water which has been elevated by making use of the random use of waves and or the velocity of the waters.A device which determines the true surface level in spite of random motions of the waters such as waves, surges and etc. by establishing the theory that water seeks its own level.A device which capitalizes on the velocity and weight of water, such as is present in waves and river waters, wherein the current has sufficient velocity to depress a ramp and produce useful energy.
US08264079B2
While bumps formed on pads of a semiconductor chip and a board having a sheet-like seal-bonding resin stuck on its surface are set face to face, the bumps and the board are pressed to each other with a tool, thereby forming a semiconductor chip mounted structure in which the seal-bonding resin is filled between the semiconductor chip and the board and in which the pads of the semiconductor chip and the electrodes of the board are connected to each other via the bumps, respectively. Entire side faces at corner portions of the semiconductor chip are covered with the seal-bonding resin. Therefore, loads generated at the corner portions due to board flexures for thermal expansion and contraction differences among the individual members caused by heating and cooling during mounting as well as for mechanical loads after mounting so that internal breakdown of the semiconductor chip can be avoided.
US08264064B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate on which an internal circuit is formed in a central position an insulating layer formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a moisture-resistant ring formed by a metal plug embedded in the insulating layer, the moisture-resistant ring surrounding the internal circuit, the moisture-resistant ring extending over the semiconductor substrate in a shape, the moisture-resistant ring including a first extending portion linearly extending in a first direction in parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a vertical portion connected to the first extending portion extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first extending portion, and a second extending portion orthogonal to the vertical portion and parallel to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second extending portion spaced apart from the first extending portion, the second extending portion crossing the vertical portion.
US08264062B2
A first capacitor recess and a wiring trench are formed through an interlayer insulating film. A lower electrode fills the first capacitor recess, and a first wiring fills the wiring trench. An etching stopper film and a via layer insulating film are disposed over the interlayer insulating film. A first via hole extends through the via layer insulating film and etching stopper film and reaches the first wiring, and a first plug fills the first via hole. A second capacitor recess is formed through the via layer insulating film, the second capacitor recess at least partially overlapping the lower electrode, as viewed in plan. The upper electrode covers the bottom and side surfaces of the second capacitor recess. A capacitor is constituted of the upper electrode, etching stopper film and lower electrode. A second wring connected to the first plug is formed over the via layer insulating film.
US08264061B2
A device with a memory array is disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory array includes a plurality of memory cells, each including an electrode and a phase change material. The electrode may be disposed on a substrate, the electrode having a sublithographic lateral dimension parallel to the substrate. The phase change material may be coupled to the electrode and include a lateral dimension parallel to the substrate and greater than the sublithographic lateral dimension of the electrode.
US08264055B2
A CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator made of an NMOS transistor and PMOS transistor connected in series through a cold terminal is disclosed. Active areas of the NMOS and PMOS transistors are less than 300 nanometers wide, to reduce thermal conduction between the cold terminal and the IC substrate. Drain nodes of the NMOS and PMOS transistors are connected through hot terminals to a biasing circuit. The drain node of the NMOS transistor is biased positive with respect to the drain node of the PMOS transistor, to extract hot electrons and hot holes from the cold terminal. Biases on the drain nodes and gates of the NMOS and PMOS transistors may be adjusted to optimize the efficiency of the CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator or maximize the thermal power of the CMOS thermoelectric refrigerator. The cold terminal may be configured to cool a selected component in the IC, such as a transistor.
US08264053B2
To provide a semiconductor device that has an improved adhesion between a bottom conductive layer and a protection film protecting an MTJ element. This semiconductor device includes a bottom electrode formed over a semiconductor substrate, an MTJ element part formed over a part of the bottom electrode by lamination of a bottom magnetic film, an insulating film, a top magnetic film, and a top electrode in this order, and a protection film formed over the bottom electrode so as to cover the MTJ element part, wherein the bottom electrode is formed by amorphized metal nitride and the protection film is formed by an insulating film containing nitrogen.
US08264051B2
A semiconductor device includes: a sensor element having a plate shape with a surface and including a sensor structure disposed in a surface portion of the sensor element; and a plate-shaped cap element bonded to the surface of the sensor element. The cap element has a wiring pattern portion facing the sensor element. The wiring pattern portion connects an outer periphery of the surface of the sensor element and the sensor structure so that the sensor structure is electrically coupled with an external element via the outer periphery. The sensor element does not have a complicated multi-layered structure, so that the sensor element is simplified. Further, the dimensions of the device are reduced.
US08264045B2
A semiconductor device including a SRAM section and a logic circuit section includes: a first n-type MIS transistor including a first n-type gate electrode formed with a first gate insulating film interposed on a first element formation region of a semiconductor substrate in the SRAM section; and a second n-type MIS transistor including a second n-type gate electrode formed with a second gate insulating film interposed on a second element formation region of the semiconductor substrate in the logic circuit section. A first impurity concentration of a first n-type impurity in the first n-type gate electrode is lower than a second impurity concentration of a second n-type impurity in the second n-type gate electrode.
US08264040B2
A power transistor includes a semiconductor layer an electrode layer. The semiconductor layer having a source zone, a drain zone spaced apart from the source zone in a lateral direction, a drift zone adjacent to the drain zone, and a body zone. The body zone is interposed between the drift zone and the source zone. The electrode layer is dielectrically insulated from the semiconductor layer, and includes a gate electrode divided into at least two sections and a field plate. The field plate is arranged at a first height level relative to the semiconductor layer. A first gate electrode section is arranged at least partially at a second height level, which is lower than the first height level relative to the semiconductor layer. A second gate electrode section, which is laterally displaced from the first gate electrode section, is disposed at a first intermediate level arranged between the first and second height levels.
US08264036B2
A semiconductor device according to the invention includes n-type semiconductor substrate 1; trenches 15 formed in the surface portion of semiconductor substrate 1; a protruding semiconductor region between trenches 15; p-type base layer 2 in the protruding semiconductor region, p-type base layer 2 being positioned as deep as or shallower than trench 15; an n++-type emitter region or a source region in the surface portion of p-type base layer 2; gate insulator film 4a on the first side wall of the protruding semiconductor region; and gate electrode 6 on gate insulator film 4a. Trench 15 is from 0.5 μm to 3.0 μm deep and the short side of trench 15 is 1.0 μm or longer. The short side of the protruding semiconductor region is from 0.5 μm to 3.0 μm long. Gate electrode 6 contains electrically conductive polycrystalline silicon as its main component. Gate electrode 6 is from 0.2 μm to 1.0 μm thick. The semiconductor device according to the invention is manufactured with very low manufacturing costs and with a high throughput of non-defective products. The semiconductor device according to the invention facilitates exhibiting a high IE effects, exhibiting a low ON-state voltage, preventing electric field localization from causing and realizing a high breakdown voltage.
US08264033B2
A semiconductor device includes a first trench and a second trench extending into a semiconductor body from a surface. A body region of a first conductivity type adjoins a first sidewall of the first trench and a first sidewall of the second trench, the body region including a channel portion adjoining to a source structure and being configured to be controlled in its conductivity by a gate structure. The channel portion is formed at the first sidewall of the second trench and is not formed at the first sidewall of the first trench. An electrically floating semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type adjoins the first trench and has a bottom side located deeper within the semiconductor body than the bottom side of the body region.
US08264028B2
Memory cells comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a source region and a drain region disposed below a surface of the substrate and separated by a channel region; a tunnel dielectric structure disposed above the channel region, the tunnel dielectric structure comprising at least one layer having a hole-tunneling barrier height; a charge storage layer disposed above the tunnel dielectric structure; an insulating layer disposed above the charge storage layer; and a gate electrode disposed above the insulating layer are described along with arrays and methods of operation.
US08264026B2
Nonvolatile memory devices and related methods of manufacturing the same are provided. A nonvolatile memory device includes a tunneling layer on a substrate, a floating gate on the tunneling layer, an inter-gate dielectric layer structure on the floating gate, and a control gate on the inter-gate dielectric layer structure. The inter-gate dielectric layer structure includes a first silicon oxide layer, a high dielectric layer on the first silicon oxide layer, and a second silicon oxide layer on the high dielectric layer opposite to the first silicon oxide layer The high dielectric layer may include first and second high dielectric layers laminated on each other, and the first high dielectric layer may have a lower density of electron trap sites than the second high dielectric layer and may have a larger energy band gap or conduction band-offset than the second high dielectric layer.
US08264024B2
A spin transistor includes a non-magnetic semiconductor substrate having a channel region, a first area, and a second area. The channel region is between the first and the second areas. The spin transistor also includes a first conductive layer located above the first area and made of a ferromagnetic material magnetized in a first direction; and a second conductive layer located above the second area and made of a ferromagnetic material magnetized in one of the first direction and a second direction that is antiparallel with respect to the first direction. The channel region introduces electron spin between the conductive layers. The spin transistor also includes a gate electrode located between the conductive layers and above the channel region; and a tunnel barrier film located between the non-magnetic semiconductor substrate and at least one of the conductive layers.
US08264023B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a lower electrode, a magnetoresistive element, an upper electrode, and a protective film. The lower electrode is formed over the semiconductor substrate. The magnetoresistive element includes a fixed layer, a tunneling insulating film, and a free layer. The upper electrode is disposed over the free layer. The protective film covers the sides intersecting the main surfaces of the lower electrode, the fixed layer, the tunneling insulating film, the free layer, and the upper electrode. The fixed layer, whose magnetization direction is fixed, is disposed over the lower electrode. The tunneling insulating film is disposed over the fixed layer. The free layer, whose magnetization direction is variable, is disposed over a main surface of the tunneling insulating film. The width of the upper electrode is smaller than that of each of the lower electrode and the fixed layer.
US08264022B2
A semiconductor device and associated methods, the semiconductor device including a semiconductor layer including a first region and a second region, a first contact plug disposed on the semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the first region, a second contact plug disposed on the semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the second region, a conductive layer electrically connected to the first contact plug, the conductive layer having a side surface and a bottom surface, and an insulating layer disposed between the conductive layer and the second contact plug so as to insulate the conductive layer from the second contact plug, the insulating layer facing the side surface and a portion of the bottom surface of the conductive layer.
US08264020B2
A static RAM cell may be formed on the basis of two double channel transistors and a select transistor, wherein a body contact may be positioned laterally between the two double channel transistors in the form of a dummy gate electrode structure, while a further rectangular contact may connect the gate electrodes, the source regions and the body contact, thereby establishing a conductive path to the body regions of the transistors. Hence, compared to conventional body contacts, a very space-efficient configuration may be established so that bit density in static RAM cells may be significantly increased.
US08264019B2
A detector array for an imaging system may exploit the different sensitivities of array pixels to an incident flux of low energy photons with a wavelength falling near the high end of the range of sensitivity of the semiconductor. The detector array may provide the de-multiplexable spatial information. The detector array may include a two-terminal multi-pixel array of Schottky photodiodes electrically connected in parallel.
US08264016B2
A semiconductor device as described herein includes a body region of a first conductivity type adjoining a channel region of a second conductivity at a first side of the channel region. A gate control region of the first conductivity type adjoins the channel region at a second side of the channel region opposed to the first side, the channel region being configured to be controlled in its conductivity by voltage application between the gate control region and the body region. A source zone of the second conductivity type is arranged within the body region and a channel stop zone of the second conductivity type is arranged at the first side, the channel stop zone being arranged at least partly within at least one of the body region and the channel region. The channel stop zone includes a maximum concentration of dopants lower than a maximum concentration of dopants of the source zone.
US08264014B2
Methods and apparatus relating to very large scale FET arrays for analyte measurements. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes. In one example, chemFET arrays facilitate DNA sequencing techniques based on monitoring changes in hydrogen ion concentration (pH), changes in other analyte concentration, and/or binding events associated with chemical processes relating to DNA synthesis.
US08264011B2
CMOS inverters are included in a standard cell. Power supply lines are electrically connected to CMOS inverters, and include lower layer interconnects and upper layer interconnect. Lower layer interconnects extend along a boundary of standard cells adjacent to each other and on the boundary. Upper layer interconnects are positioned more inside in standard cell than lower layer interconnects, as viewed from a plane. CMOS inverters are electrically connected through upper layer interconnects to lower layer interconnects. Thus, a semiconductor device is obtained that can achieve both higher speeds and higher integration.
US08264009B2
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a diffusion level including a plurality of diffusion regions separated by inactive regions. The cell also includes a gate electrode level including conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Adjacent ones of the conductive features that share a common line of extent in the first parallel direction are fabricated from respective originating layout features that are separated from each other by an end-to-end spacing having a size that is substantially equal and minimized across the gate electrode level. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A number of the PMOS transistor devices is equal to a number of the NMOS transistor devices in the cell. A width of the conductive features in the gate electrode level is less than a wavelength of light used in a photolithography process for their fabrication.
US08263998B2
A light-emitting device comprising a semiconductor light-emitting stack, comprising a light emitting area; an electrode formed on the semiconductor light-emitting stack, wherein the electrode comprises a current injected portion and an extension portion; a current blocking structure formed between the current injected portion and the semiconductor light-emitting stack, and formed between a first part of the extension portion and the semiconductor light-emitting stack; and an electrical contact structure formed between a second part of the extension portion and the semiconductor light-emitting stack.
US08263992B2
A light emitting unit includes a substrate, a first reflecting element, a light-emitting diode (LED), and a second reflecting element. At least one part of the substrate is light permeable. The LED is disposed between the substrate and the first reflecting element, and the first and second reflecting elements are disposed on two opposite sides of the substrate, respectively.
US08263991B2
A light-emitting gallium nitride-based III-V group compound semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The light emitting device includes a substrate, a n-type semiconductor layer over the substrate, an active layer over the n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer over the active layer, a conductive layer over the p-type semiconductor layer, a first electrode disposed on the conductive layer and a second electrode arranged on exposed part of the n-type semiconductor layer. A resistant reflective layer or a contact window is disposed on the p-type semiconductor layer, corresponding to the first electrode so that current passes beside the resistant reflective layer or by the contact window to the active layer for generating light. When the light is transmitted to the conductive layer for being emitted, it is not absorbed or shielded by the first electrode. Thus the current is distributed efficiently over the conductive layer. Therefore, both LED brightness and efficiency are improved. Moreover, adhesion between the conductive layer and the p-type semiconductor layer is improved so that metal peel-off problem during manufacturing processes can be improved.
US08263988B2
Solid state lighting devices and associated methods of manufacturing are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a solid state lighting device includes a substrate material having a substrate surface and a plurality of hemispherical grained silicon (“HSG”) structures on the substrate surface of the substrate material. The solid state lighting device also includes a semiconductor material on the substrate material, at least a portion of which is between the plurality of HSG structures.
US08263983B2
The present invention provides a thin wiring pattern such as wiring formed by discharging a droplet. In the present invention, a porous (including microporous) substance is formed as a base film in forming pattern by using a droplet discharge method (also referred to as an ink-jetting method). One feature of a wiring substrate according to the present invention provides a porous film and a conductive layer thereon. One feature of a semiconductor device of the present invention provides a thin film transistor in which a gate electrode is formed by the conductive layer having the above-described structure.
US08263982B2
A thin film transistor includes a gate electrode and a semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer includes a channel region, a source region, a drain region, a low-concentration impurity region provided between the channel region and the source or drain region and a high-concentration impurity region. The high-concentration impurity region overlaps with the gate electrode.
US08263977B2
An object of the invention is to provide a TFT substrate and a method for producing a TFT substrate which is capable of drastically reducing the production cost by decreasing the number of steps in the production process and improving production yield. A TFT substrate comprises: a substrate; a first oxide layer formed above the substrate; a second oxide layer formed above the first oxide layer with a channel part interposed therebetween; a gate insulating film formed above the substrate, the first oxide layer and the second oxide layer; a gate electrode and a gate wire formed above the gate insulating film.
US08263972B2
An organic electroluminescent device includes: a pair of electrodes including a positive electrode and a negative electrode, at least one of the electrodes being transparent or semi-transparent; and an organic compound layer including one or more layers interposed between the pair of electrodes, at least one layer included in the organic compound layer containing one or more compounds represented by the following formula (I): in formula (I), R1s each independently representing a linear alkyl, linear alkoxy, branched alkyl, or branched alkoxy group having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms; and R2s each independently representing a hydrogen atom, a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a linear alkoxy group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms, or a branched alkoxy group having from 3 to 20 carbon atoms.
US08263967B1
A bi-layer pseudo-spin field-effect transistor (BiSFET) is disclosed. The BiSFET includes a first and second conduction layers separated by a tunnel dielectric. The BiSFET transistor also includes a first gate separated from the first conduction layer by an insulating dielectric layer, and a second gate separated from the second conduction layer by an insulating layer. These conduction layers may be composed of graphene. The voltages applied to the first and/or second gates can control the peak current and associated voltage value for current flow between top and bottom conduction channels, and interlayer current voltage characteristic exhibiting negative differential resistance. BiSFETs may be used to make a variety of logic gates. A clocked power supply scheme may be used to facilitate BiSFET-based logic.
US08263962B2
An inverted variable resistance memory cell and a method of fabricating the same. The memory cell is fabricated by forming an opening in an insulating layer deposited over a semiconductor substrate, etching the top portion of the opening to have a substantially hemispherical-shape, forming a metal layer in the opening, and overlying a variable resistance material over the metal layer.
US08263961B2
A thin film storage device includes a first electrode (3), a first variable resistance thin film (2), and a second electrode (1). The first electrode (3) is formed over a surface of a substrate (4). The first variable resistance thin film (2) is formed over a surface of the first electrode (3). The second electrode (1) is formed over a surface of the first variable resistance thin film (2). The first variable resistance thin film (2) comprises a material whose resistance in a bulk state changes in accordance with at least one of a lattice strain and a change of charge-order.
US08263960B2
Memory cells are described along with methods for manufacturing. A memory cell described herein includes a bottom electrode, a top electrode overlying the bottom electrode, a via having a sidewall extending from a bottom electrode to a top electrode, and a memory element electrically coupling the bottom electrode to the top electrode. The memory element has an outer surface contacting a dielectric sidewall spacer that is on the sidewall of the via, and comprises a stem portion on the bottom electrode and a cup portion on the stem portion. A fill material is within an interior defined by an inner surface of the cup portion of the memory element.
US08263942B2
A dispenser cathode which comprises an emission surface, a reservoir for material releasing, when heated, work-function-lowering particles, and at least one passage for allowing diffusion of work-function-lowering particles from said reservoir to said emission surface, said emission surface comprising at least one emission area and at least one non-emission area covered with emission-suppressing material and surrounding each emission area, said non-emission area comprising at least one passage connecting said reservoir with said non-emission area and debouching within a diffusion length distance from an emission area for allowing diffusion of work-function-lowering particles from said reservoir to said emission area.
US08263938B2
In one embodiment, a method of examining an object is disclosed comprising scanning an object at first and second radiation energies, detecting radiation at the first and second energies, and calculating a function of the radiation detected at the first and second energies. The function may be calculated for corresponding portions of the object. It is determined whether the object at least potentially comprises high atomic number material having an atomic number greater than a predetermined atomic number based, at least in part, on the function. The function may be a ratio. The function may be compared to a second function, which may be a threshold having a value based, at least in part, on material of the predetermined atomic number. The second function may be the same as the first function.
US08263936B2
A transmission electron microscope is capable of correcting, with high efficiency and high accuracy, an electron energy loss spectrum extracted from each of measured portions included in an electron energy loss spectral image with two axes representing the amount of an energy loss and positional information on a measured portion. The transmission electron microscope has an electron spectroscope and a spectrum correction system. The spectrum correction system corrects a spectrum extracted from each measured portion included in an electron energy loss spectral image acquired from a sample based on a difference between a spectrum extracted from a standard portion of a standard spectral image and a spectrum extracted from a portion different from the standard portion.
US08263932B2
A variety of ions generated in an ion source are made to fly while bypassing a loop orbit and mass analyzed to create a mass spectrum. Among the peaks appearing on the mass spectrum, peaks complying with predetermined conditions are extracted to determine a plurality of mass ranges to be measured (S1 through S3). Next, the ion selection conditions for the timing when ions should be injected into the loop orbit and on the loop orbit are determined for each mass range. In addition, deviation conditions under which selected ions will not be mixed are determined (S4 and S5). When the second measurement is performed for the same sample, ions are put into the loop orbit and unnecessary ions are removed from the loop orbit in accordance with the ion selection conditions (S6 and S7). Thus, only the ions to be measured are left on the loop orbit with a high mass resolving power. Then, these ions are sequentially deviated from the loop orbit in accordance with the ion deviation conditions, dissociated, and then mass analyzed (S8). In this manner, MS/MS analyses are performed for each of the plurality of ions to be measured to create an MS/MS spectrum (S10).
US08263928B1
An input analog signal is applied to electrodes bracketing electro-optically responsive waveguides being driven by a continuous wave or pulsed laser. The waveguides have reflection elements installed with transmission spectra sized, located and designed to transmit the laser light to photodetectors. The transmission of the laser light depends on the shift in transmission spectra caused by the applied analog voltage. The reflection element transmits laser light according to a digital encoding design. The second embodiment describes a device and method for converting high frequency analog signals greater than approximately 10 GHz into digital signals. The high frequency quantizer relies on reflectors reflecting the laser light as a high frequency RF pulse propagates along electrodes bracketing the electro-optically responsive material in the opposite direction of the laser light.
US08263919B2
A surveillance vehicle (10) comprising a vessel (11) and a parasail (12). The vehicle (10) is loaded, in a pre-launch condition, into a mortar tube for projection therefrom towards an area of interest. In this pre-launch condition, the vessel (11) resembles a conventional mortar round and the parasail (12) is stowed within the vessel (11). Upon arrival at the area of interest, the parasail (12) is deployed from the vessel (11) and instrumentation collects survey data.
US08263917B2
In a heating device having a microwave generator for generating microwaves, a waveguide for propagating the microwaves, a matching element for adjusting the impedance inside the waveguide and a flow pipe for passing a substance to be heated, an outer pipe of low dielectric constant is arranged to circulate a heat transfer medium for heat exchange around the flow pipe adapted to pass the heated substance and a circulation constant temperature bath is provided for adjusting the temperature of the heat transfer medium for heat exchange and for circulating it, so that microwaves are irradiated while adjusting the temperature of the heat transfer medium for heat exchange to a desired value by means of the circulation constant bath and circulating the heat transfer medium around the flow pipe.
US08263912B2
A PWM driver for driving an electric device by a PWM signal includes an ECU that provides a command signal, first circuit that provides a carrier signal of a triangular shape having a preset frequency, a second circuit that forms a PWM signal having a duty ratio formed based on the carrier signal and the command signal and an output circuit that drives an output device. The second circuit includes a duty ratio limiting circuit that limits the duty ratio of the PWM signal to a range between a first duty ratio and a second duty ratio to prevent the wave shape of the PWM signal from becoming a shape of an impulse.
US08263906B2
A pellet warming system includes a charging unit capable of warming a plurality of pellets contemporaneously. Each of the plurality of pellets comprise an internal heating element which resistively heats the body of the pellet from a regulated electrical current that is provided from the charging unit. The charging unit also comprises a controller board with means to control the duration of electric current supplied to each of the pellets as well as means for cycling electrical current to each of the pellets in order to maintain the resistively generated heat. Once heated, each pellet may have comestible goods disposed indirectly thereon through a plate, the pellet maintaining the comestible goods at an elevated temperature for an extended period of time. The charging unit further comprises means for a user to connect their PC to the controller board in order to alter its internal programming and view its operational history.
US08263899B2
A solar cell is formed using a solar cell ablation system. The ablation system includes a single laser source and several laser scanners. The laser scanners include a master laser scanner, with the rest of the laser scanners being slaved to the master laser scanner. A laser beam from the laser source is split into several laser beams, with the laser beams being scanned onto corresponding wafers using the laser scanners in accordance with one or more patterns. The laser beams may be scanned on the wafers using the same or different power levels of the laser source.
US08263894B2
Disclosed is an electrode for a vacuum interrupter, capable of reducing damage of contacts due to heat concentration to the center of the contacts, by reducing magnetic flux concentration to the center of the electrode, and capable of rapidly extinguishing an arc by diffusing the arc by forming a wide range of magnetic flux.The electrode for a vacuum interrupter comprises: a contact electrode plate configured to provide contacts; an inner coil electrode formed of one electric conductor having an open loop shape, and through which a current flows in a first rotation direction; an outer coil electrode formed of one electric conductor having an open loop shape, concentrically arranged with the inner coil electrode at an outer side of the inner coil electrode in a radius direction, and through which a current flows in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction parallel to the current flowing to the inner coil electrode; a first conductive pin formed of a conductive material, and configured to provide an electric current path by connecting the contact electrode plate and the inner coil electrode with each other; and a second conductive pin formed of a conductive material, and configured to provide an electric current path by connecting the contact electrode plate and the outer coil electrode with each other.
US08263887B2
A backlit key assembly having a reduced thickness for an electronic device, and an electronic device having such a backlit key assembly are provided. The key assembly utilizes a local sink (recess) in a backing plate of the key assembly to lower the light source (e.g. LED) and flexible printed circuit board relative to the backing plate. The key assembly described herein provides a suitable leading space for the light source while permitting the overall thickness of the key assembly to be reduced compared with conventional backlit key designs.
US08263885B2
A switch device has a slider that advances and retreats in a front-back direction, a push button that is integrally provided at a front end of the slider, a switch contact whose on and off states are switched according to an operation for pushing down the push button to cause the slider to retreat, a biasing member that biases the slider in an advancing direction in order to return the push button and the slider to a non-manipulated position, a case in which the switch contact, the biasing member, and the slider are assembled, the push button being disposed in an opening at a front end of the case, a front-portion constituent member that is attached to the case while disposed around the push button in the opening, and a coil that is wound around a bobbin formed in an outer circumference of the front-portion constituent member.
US08263881B2
A weighing scale has a display unit for displaying the weight of an object loaded on a platform measured by a weight measurer, a communication unit for transmitting weight data to, or receiving from, another weighing scale, a determiner that determines whether the weighing scale is capable of communicating via the communication unit with another weighing scale, and a controller that, in a case in which a result of the determination by the determiner shows that the weighing scale is not capable of communicating with another weighing scale, controls the display unit to display weight data output by the weight measurer, and in a case in which a result of the determination by the determiner shows that the weighing scale is capable of communicating with another weighing scale, that transmits weight data to, or receives from, another weighing scale.
US08263880B2
A module of electric and/or electronic components, wherein the module is cast with a curable electrically insulating casting material in a housing, characterized in that at least one terminal extending at least slightly into the housing and remaining accessible from outside the housing is provided on the housing, is electrically connected to the module, and is cast together with the module from the inside.
US08263866B2
A method and assembly for protecting a device connected to a wiring harness is disclosed. The assembly includes a protective shield having a bore for receiving the device and a positioning device. An elongated wiring harness extends from the device being protected and through the bore of the protective shield. The positioning device is formed having a band that surrounds a central space. At least one flexible, resilient finger extends radially inwardly from the band into the central space. At least one of the fingers forcibly engages the harness sleeve to maintain the positioning device and the protective shield in a predetermined protection position along the harness sleeve at least partially surrounding the device being protected.
US08263865B2
A wire connection unit includes a connector, a first case, and a second case. The connector electrically connects a first wire and a second wire. The second case is joined with the first case, and has an inner face opposing the first case. The inner face is formed with a groove and a concave portion. The groove holds the first wire and the second wire. The concave portion is disposed at the groove and accommodates the connector. A projection is provided in the groove. The projection protrudes toward the first case from a bottom of the groove.
US08263864B2
The invention relates to an electrical bonding device of a shielding (3) of electrical cables (5) in aircraft arranged in its structure in an area (15) made with a carbon fiber-based composite, comprising a metallic plate (9) with a lug (7) where a bonding lead (1) projecting from the shielding (3) is connected, being fixed to said area (15) by means of titanium rivets (11) installed under dry conditions with cadmium steel rings (17), which are coated with a sealing material (19).
US08263863B2
A cable radius anchor for providing cable transition to and from a wire mesh basket tray includes a mounting portion and a drop portion. The mounting portion has an undercut tab at an outer edge thereof for adjoining placement relative to a first wire of the wire mesh basket tray, and the drop portion extends from the mounting portion and is configured to curve away from the mounting portion. The drop portion includes drop ears at each side thereof for adjoining placement relative to at least one additional wire of the wire mesh basket tray that is transverse to the first wire. The drop portion has a width greater than a width of the mounting portion.
US08263848B2
A drum having a resonant chamber for producing a range of sounds and at least one device for allowing the sound so produced to be altered, which includes a plurality of internal snares which can be brought into contact with the internal surface of the external surface of the resonant chamber which is struck by the player. The drum may also include a bass drum stick mounted within the chamber and adapted for movement to be able to selectively strike the inner surface of the drum which is struck by the player. The bass drum stick may include a pedal, or other device, operable by the player and external to the drum for effecting movement of the bass drum stick.
US08263845B2
The finger-mounted striking devices described herein are for use on stringed musical instruments, in particular for but not limited to electric or acoustic bass instruments. The paired devices consist of elongated cylindrical wooden shafts of differing length. The offset in length allows the striking tips to be effectively even when worn as intended on the index and middle fingers. The striking tip of each shaft contains a permanently embedded weight to accelerate the transfer of finger movement to the shaft tip. The mechanism for attaching the elongated shaft to each finger is an adjustable metal ring permanently attached to the shaft end opposite the striking tip. An upward-sloped fingertip rest is provided forward of the ring. The entire body of each elongated shaft and the integral metal ring are encased in an elastomeric coating that prevents scratching of the instrument surface during use by the devices and seals the metal ring against corrosion from moisture. Additional layers of elastomer coating are added to the sinking tip to eliminate impact damage to the outer windings of instrument strings.
US08263837B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV480351. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV480351, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV480351 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 CV480351 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 CV480351.
US08263831B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1016054. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1016054. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1016054 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1016054 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08263829B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1015993. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1015993. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1015993 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1015993 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08263825B1
A novel maize variety designated X7N819 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X7N819 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7N819 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7N819, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7N819. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7N819.
US08263820B2
Absorbent core for disposable absorbent articles. The core comprises a substrate layer and a non uniform layer of absorbent material comprising an absorbent polymer material and a first and second surface. The non uniform layer of absorbent material comprises a layer of a thermoplastic material comprising a layer of thermoplastic material first surface and a layer of thermoplastic material second surface. The non uniform layer of absorbent material second surface is in at least partial contact with the substrate layer. Portions of the layer of thermoplastic material second surface are in direct contact with the substrate layer first surface and portions of the layer of thermoplastic material second surface are in direct contact with the non uniform layer of absorbent material first surface. The substrate layer comprises a fibrous material substantially free of cellulose fibers, the substrate layer having a basis weight from about 25 g/m2 to 120 g/m2.
US08263819B2
The invention resides in a method for manufacturing a metallic hydroxide-based and metallic oxide-based powder, which is self-dispersing in water, characterized in that a metallic oxide powder is partially treated with a polymer in the form of an aqueous emulsion and/or solution, in such a way that the level of metallic hydroxide by dry weight within said treated powder is less than 99% of its total weight, and in that said polymer is a water-soluble homopolymer or copolymer containing at least one vinylic monomer. In one particular variant, the polymer is a water-soluble copolymer containing a vinylic monomer and a non-ionic monomer, and the metal is calcium and/or magnesium. The invention also pertains to the powders obtained, their uses in aqueous suspensions, in treating waste, as a chemical additive, or as a soil amendment.
US08263816B2
A process is disclosed for making CF3CF═CHF. The process involves reacting CF3CClFCCl2F with H2 in a reaction zone in the presence of a catalyst to produce a product mixture comprising CF3CF═CHF. The catalyst has a catalytically effective amount of palladium supported on a support selected from the group consisting of alumina, fluorided alumina, aluminum fluoride and mixtures thereof and the mole ratio of H2 to CF3CClFCCl2F fed to the reaction zone is between about 1:1 and about 5:1.Also disclosed are azeotropic compositions of CF3CClFCCl2F and HF and azeotropic composition of CF3CHFCH2F and HF.
US08263811B2
Process for preparing one or more iodinated organic substances having a molecular mass of less than 2000 (substances (S)) using (A) at least one free-radical-generating substance chosen from peroxides, diazo compounds, dialkyldiphenylalkanes, substances derived from tetraphenylethane, boranes and iniferter substances comprising at least one thiuram disulphide group, (B) an ethylenically unsaturated substance capable of adding a free radical to its ethylenic double bond, (C) molecular iodine, which comprises the steps according to which at least a fraction of (A), at least a fraction of (B) and at least a fraction of (C) are introduced into a reactor, and then the contents of the reactor are caused to react, while introducing therein the possible remainder of (A), the possible remainder of (B) and the possible remainder of (C), until a moment is reached when the content of the reactor is a mixture comprising one or more substances (S). Iodinated organic substances for whose preparation the abovementioned process is particularly well suited.
US08263808B2
The invention relates to a method for removing an alkyl sulfonyl or aryl sulfonyl protecting group from a primary or secondary amine by contacting an alkyl sulfonamide or an aryl sulfonamide with a Stage 0 or Stage I alkali metal-silica gel material in the presence of a solid proton source under conditions sufficient to form the corresponding amine. The invention also relates to a method for removing an alkyl sulfonyl or aryl sulfonyl protecting group from a primary or secondary amine by a) reacting an alkyl sulfonamide or an aryl sulfonamide with a Stage 0 or Stage I alkali metal-silica gel material, and b) subsequently reacting the reaction product from step a) with an electrophile or a proton source. Preferred Stage 0 or Stage I alkali metal-silica gel materials include Na, K2Na, and Na2K.
US08263802B2
A process for redissociating Michael adducts which are present in a liquid F with a proportion by weight of ≧10% by weight and have been formed in the preparation of acrylic acid or esters thereof in a redissociating apparatus which comprises a pump P, a separating column K with separating internals and a circulation heat exchanger UW, wherein, for the purpose of supplying the cleavage energy, the pump P sucks in bottoms liquid from the bottom space of the separating column K and, via the circulation heat exchanger UW, continually recycles it into the bottom space above the level of the bottoms liquid, and wherein the pump P is a radial circulation pump with an open impeller.
US08263801B2
A process for producing allyl acetate is disclosed. The process comprises reacting a feed comprising propylene, acetic acid, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in the presence of a supported palladium catalyst. The feed comprises from 2 to 6 mole percent carbon dioxide, which improves the selectivity to allyl acetate.
US08263800B2
The present invention comprises a compound comprising Formula 1A, 1B, or 1C (Ra—O—CO—)2X Formula 1A Ra—O—CO—X—CO—O—(CH2CH2)Rf Formula 1B Ra—O—CO—X—CO—O—R Formula 1C wherein Ra is the group Rf(CH2CF2)d—(CgH2g)—; RfOCF2CF2—(CgH2g)—; RfOCFHCF2O(CH2CH2O)v—(CgH2g)—; RfOCFHCF2O(CwH2w); RfOCF(CF3)CONH—(CgH2g); or Rf(CH2)h[(CF2CF2)i(CH2CH2)j]k; Rf is CcF(2c+1); d is 1 to about 3; g is 1 to 4; v is 1 to about 4; w is from about 3 to about 12; h is 1 to about 6; i, j, and k are each independently 1, 2, or 3, or a mixture thereof; provided that the total number of carbon atoms in group (vi) is from about 8 to about 22; X is a linear or branched difunctional alkyl sulfonate group —CeH(2e−1)(SO3M)-, wherein e is 2 or 3; M is a monovalent cation selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ammonium, alkali metal, or alkaline earth metal; R is H or a linear or branched alkyl group CbH(2b+1)—; and b is from 1 to about 18.
US08263799B2
The present invention relates to chiral binaphthyl compounds having good solubility and high helical twisting power. The chiral binaphthyl compounds as dopants in the liquid crystal compositions can help enhance the display quality of the liquid crystal panels.
US08263798B2
The present invention discloses an optically active quarternary ammonium salt having axial asymmetry and a method for producing an α-amino acid and a derivative thereof using the same. The optically active quarternary ammonium salt having axial asymmetry of the present invention is a chiral phase-transfer catalyst that has a simple structure and that can be produced in a smaller number of process steps. The compound of the present invention is very useful as a phase-transfer catalyst in the synthesis of an α-alkyl-α-amino acid and a derivative thereof as well as an α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acid and a derivative thereof. Therefore, the compound of the present invention can be used in the development of novel foods and pharmaceuticals.
US08263794B2
Disclosed is a process for the manufacture of unsaturated fatty acid alkyl esters or glycerides having a total content of C18:1 of about 30 to about 80 Mol-%, by partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acid esters having a total content of (C18:2+C18:3) of at least 65 Mol-%, calculated on the total amount of C18 moieties in the ester, wherein the hydrogenation is conducted in an aqueous/organic two-phase system in the presence of a water-soluble catalyst consisting of a Group VIII, Group IX, or Group X metal and a hydrophilic ligand.
US08263793B2
The present invention relates to a new process for the preparation of 9-dihydrobaccatin III intermediates as useful precursors for the preparation of paclitaxel, 1, docetaxel, 2, and analogues thereof. More particularly, the process comprises the steps of (i) concomitantly deacetylating esters at the 10-position and 13-position of 9-dihydro-13-acetylbaccatin III to form 9-dihydro-10-deacetylbaccatin III; (ii) protecting a hydroxy group at the 7-position of 9-dihydro-10-deacetylbaccatin III; and (iii) acylating a hydroxy group at the 10-position to form a compound of formula II.
US08263791B2
A convenient, rapid, and highly sensitive protein detection method is provided. According to the present invention, an easily water-soluble compound of formula I is provided: [wherein, R1 and R2 are same or different, each of which is an aryl or heteroaryl group substituted with one or more anionic substituents].
US08263774B2
A quinoline-oxazoline compound having the formula: where one of X1 and X2 is N and the other is C and one of R1, R2 and R3 is Z wherein Z is an oxazoline radical having the formula such that when X1 is N R2 is Z and R1 is absent, and when X2 is N either R1 or R3 is Z and R2 is absent. R1 and R3 through R12 are independently H or a pendant moiety which does not interfere with coordination of either N in the quinoline compound with a coordination center. These compounds can be complexed with a suitable coordination center such as catalytically active palladium and can be highly useful in catalytically oxidizing alkenes with high regioselectivity.
US08263770B2
This invention provides an organic EL material useful for the emissive layer of an organic EL element which deteriorates little in luminance when operated over a prolonged period of time and shows excellent durability. The material is an aluminum chelate complex which is represented by general formula (1) in which Ar1 is a mono- or bicylic arylene group, Ar2 is a mono- or bicyclic aryl group, R1-R6 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon groups containing 1-8 carbon atoms and contains a compound represented by general formula (1) in which Ar2 is a halogen as an impurity in an amount of 350 wt ppm or less.
US08263767B2
The present invention provides compounds are disclosed herein having the formula: Wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 0 or 1; R1 is aryl, heteroaryl or alkyl; R2 is C1-6 hydrocarbyl, alkylacyl or hydroxyalkyl; R3 is aryl, heteroaryl, or alkyl; R4 is H, OH, —O—(C1-6 alkyl), —NH—(C1-6 alkyl), or oxide; R5 is H, halogen, C1-6 alkyl, O—(C1-6 alkyl), aryl, heteroaryl, —C(═O)(C1-6 alkyl), substituted or un-substituted oxazolin-2-yl; X=O, NH, —C(═O)— or —N═CH—; and Each L is independently alkylene and carbonyl.
US08263763B2
This invention discloses chemically modified polyaminosaccharides, in particular chemically modified chitosans, in the molecular structure of which a predetermined proportion of the amino functional groups is sulfonated by the hydrocarbyl sultone compound via a covalent bond. Such chemically modified polyaminosaccharides may be produced by a process of sulfonating an un-modified polyaminosaccharide having amino functional groups by a hydrocarbyl sultone compound in the presence of an organic solvent under a suitable temperature. Chemically modified chitosans of this invention may be used in a variety of applications, including wound healing.
US08263759B2
A method of diagnosing a disease that includes obtaining experimental data on gene selections. The gene selection functions to characterize a cancer when the expression of that gene selection is compared to the identical selection from a noncancerous cell or a different type of cancer cell. The invention also includes a method of targeting at least one product of a gene that includes administration of a therapeutic agent. The invention also includes the use of a gene selection for diagnosing a cancer.
US08263749B2
Novel conjugates and immunogens derived from imatinib and monoclonal antibodies generated by these immunogens are useful in immunoassays for the quantification and monitoring of imatinib or its pharmacologically active salts in biological fluids.
US08263742B2
The invention provides methods for enriching methyl-CpG sequences from a DNA sample. The method makes use of conversion of cytosine residues to uracil under conditions in which methyl-cytosine residues are preserved. Additional methods of the invention enable to preservation of the context of me-CpG dinucleotides. The invention also provides a recombinant, full length and substantially pure McrA protein (rMcrA) for binding and isolation of DNA fragments containing the sequence 5′-CMeCpGG-3′. Methods for making and using the rMcrA protein, and derivatives thereof are provided.
US08263740B2
Non-natural amino acids and polypeptides that include at least one non-natural amino acid, and methods for making such non-natural amino acids and polypeptides are disclosed. The non-natural amino acids, by themselves or as a part of a polypeptide, can include a wide range of possible functionalities, but typically have at least one oxime, carbonyl, dicarbonyl, and/or hydroxylamine group. The non-natural amino acid polypeptides are further modified post-translationally. The non-natural amino acid polypeptides and modified non-natural amino acid polypeptides have many uses, including therapeutic, diagnostic, and other biotechnology uses.
US08263739B2
The present invention provides compounds for targeting endothelial cells, tumor cells or other cells that express the NP-1 receptor, compositions containing the same and methods for their use. Additionally, the present invention includes diagnostic, therapeutic and radiotherapeutic compositions useful for visualization, therapy or radiotherapy.
US08263733B2
Helical tube evaporators are used to concentrate aqueous extract solutions from the extraction of polyamides based on polyamide 6.A process for preparing polyamides based on polyamide 6 comprises the stages of b) monophasic or biphasic reaction of aqueous extract solutions from the extraction of polyamides based on polyamide 6, which may be enriched with caprolactam, aminocapronitrile, aminocaproic acid or mixtures thereof, in a prereactor at pressures in the range from 5 to 40 bar and temperatures in the range from 150 to 300° C., the gaseous phase formed being removable from the liquid phase in the case of the biphasic reaction, c) discharge of the reaction mixture from stage b) through a helical tube evaporator at a temperature in the range from 220 to 300° C. with pressure reduction to about atmospheric pressure and removal of a gaseous phase to obtain a liquid phase, d) further reaction of the liquid phase from stage c) at temperatures in the range from 240 to 300° C. and pressures in the range from atmospheric pressure to 2 bar with removal of a gaseous phase.
US08263729B2
A method of making polycarbonate comprises polymerizing, in a melt polymerization reaction, an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a diaryl carbonate in a presence of a polymerization catalyst and producing a by-product vapor stream comprising the dihydroxy compound, the diaryl carbonate and a diaryl carbonate by-product, adding a low vapor pressure compound to the by-product vapor stream to produce a modified by-product vapor stream, introducing the modified by-product vapor stream to a separation unit, removing the volatile diaryl carbonate by-product from the modified by-product vapor stream in the separation unit to form a treated by-product stream and returning the treated by-product stream to the polymerization reaction. Alternatively, the low vapor pressure compound can be added directly to the separation unit.
US08263727B1
A compound having the formula below. Each R is methyl or phenyl; R2 comprises one or more of silane, siloxane, and aromatic groups; n is a nonnegative integer; and m is 1 or 2. The dashed bond is a single bond and the double dashed bond is a double bond, or the dashed bond is a double bond and the double dashed bond is a triple bond. A polymer made by a hydrosilation reaction of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane having pendant siloxane groups with an acetylene- and silicon-containing compound having at least two vinyl or ethynyl groups, and a crosslinked polymer thereof. The reaction occurs between the pendant siloxane groups and the vinyl or ethynyl groups.
US08263725B2
Cured products constituted with conventional epoxy compounds have been disadvantageous in heat-resistant and light-resistant transparency, and crack resistance. An object of the present invention is to provide: a modified polyorganosiloxane compound having an epoxy group and/or an oxetanyl group which provides a cured product that is excellent in heat-resistant and light-resistant transparency, and crack resistance; a curable composition thereof; and a cured product obtained by curing the same. Disclosed is a modified polyorganosiloxane compound having two or more epoxy group and/or oxetanyl group in a molecule, the compound being a hydrosilylation reaction product of the following compounds: (α1) an organic compound having 2 to 6 carbon-carbon double bonds reactive with a SiH group in a molecule; (β1) a linear and/or cyclic polyorganosiloxane compound having at least two SiH groups in a molecule; and (γ1) an organic compound having at least one epoxy group or oxetanyl group and one carbon-carbon double bond reactive with a SiH group in a molecule.
US08263724B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a surface treating agent which provides a surface where stain does not easily adhere, does not stand out and is easily wiped off.The present invention is a perfluoropolyether group-containing polyorganosiloxane represented by the following formula (1) and a surface treating agent comprising the same, Ak(R)nZ-Q-Rf-Q-Z(R)nAk (1) wherein Rf is a divalent perfluoropolyether group; Q is a divalent group linking Rf with Z; Z is a polyorganosiloxane group having at least three siloxane bonds with its valency being trivalent to undecavalent; R is a monovalent organic group having 8 to 40 carbon atoms, n is an integer of from 1 to 8; A is a group represented by the following formula (2); and k is an integer of from 1 to 9, provided that a total of n+k=the valency of Z−1 wherein R′ is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a phenyl group; X is a hydrolysable group, a is 2 or 3; and b is an integer of from 2 to 10.
US08263716B2
Thermoplastic molding compositions comprising A) from 10 to 99.99% by weight of at least one thermoplastic polyester B) from 0.01 to 50% by weight of a highly branched or hyperbranched polyester of AxBy type where x is at least 1.1 and y is at least 2.1 C) from 0 to 60% by weight of other additives, where the total of the percentages by weight of components A) to C) is 100%.
US08263715B2
A block copolymer includes a hydrophobic block and a hydrophilic block, wherein the hydrophobic block and the hydrophilic block include repeating units derived from ring opening polymerization of one or more cyclic carbonate monomers. The one or more cyclic carbonate monomers are independently selected from compounds of the general formula (II): wherein each Q′ and Qa group independently represents a hydrogen, an alkyl group, a halide, a carboxy group, an ester group, an amide group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, or a foregoing Q′ or Qa group substituted with a carboxy group or an ester group, at least one Q′ and Qa group includes an ester group; each Y independently represents O, S, NH, or NQ″; n is an integer from 0 to 6, wherein when n is 0, carbons labeled 4 and 6 are linked together by a single bond; each Q″ group independently represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a foregoing Q″ group substituted with a carboxy group, or an ester group.
US08263711B2
Described is a pre-adhesive, curable composition comprising an acid-functional (meth)acrylate copolymer and a novel (meth)acryloyl-aziridine crosslinking agent, which when crosslinked provides a pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
US08263705B2
A method for preparing polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl acetate latex by use of a kettle bottom residue from vinyl acetate production process includes: distilling a kettle bottom residue of vinyl acetate to obtain a crude acetic acid and a distillation residue; multiple washing the distillation residue with water under boiling condition to obtain a washing residue containing polyvinyl acetate; dissolving a first portion of the washing residue into a first solvent to obtain a first polyvinyl acetate solution; subjecting the first polyvinyl acetate solution to saponification with an alkali aqueous solution; dissolving a second portion of the washing residue into a second solvent; and dispersing the second polyvinyl acetate solution into the polyvinyl alcohol solution, and optionally recovering the solvent to obtain a polyvinyl acetate latex; or adding the second polyvinyl acetate solution into an emulsion reaction system and optionally recovering vinyl acetate, to obtain a polyvinyl acetate latex.
US08263688B2
The present invention provides a dispersion-retaining agent for a hydraulic composition being excellent in both fluidity retainability and viscosity retainability and further a dispersion-retaining agent exhibiting fluidity retainability and viscosity retainability regardless of the type of hydraulic powder. The present invention relates to a dispersion-retaining agent for a hydraulic composition, containing a copolymer obtained by polymerizing specific monomer 1 represented by formula (1), with monomer 2 represented by formula (2), the corresponding alcohol compound of which satisfies specific physical properties, wherein, in the constituent monomers of the copolymer, the proportion of the monomer 1 is in a specific range, a specified monomers is used as at least a part of the monomer 2, and the proportion of monomers having an acid group or a neutralized group thereof is 5% by weight or less.
US08263687B2
A curable composition comprising a) an epoxy resin containing on average more than one epoxy group per molecule, and b) as curing agent a hybrid hardener, whereby said hardener is a blend of b1) an aminic compound selected from aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic amines, imidazoline group-containing amidoamines based on mono- or polybasic acids, adducts of said amines or amidoamines made from glycidyl compounds, adducts of said amines or amidoamines with cyclic carbonates, whereby said aminic compound contains, on average per molecule, at least two reactive hydrogen atoms bound to nitrogen atoms, and b2) a polyphenol novolac, and wherein the polyphenol novolac is used in an amount of from 30% to 45% by weight, based on the total weight of hardener blend comprising b1) and b2), useful for rapid setting and protective coatings and adhesives in application fields like civil engineering, marine, architectural and maintenance.
US08263684B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a coating composition which can attain low friction performance without impairing the functions of a conventional coating composition, a coated film formed by using the same and a method of reducing friction in water.A coating composition containing an organic polymer particle,wherein said organic polymer particle has the solubility at 23° C. in the artificial seawater specified in ASTM D1141-98 of 15 g/liter or less, the water-absorbing amount for the artificial seawater specified in ASTM D1141-98 of 0.01% by mass or more and a particle diameter of 0.05 to 100 μm.
US08263682B1
A solvent-based dye sublimation ink composition includes specific chemical formulations of production agents for its manufacture in several colors. The sublimation ink composition includes a vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer, a polymeric amide, 2-methoxy-1-methylethyl acetate, N-butyl acetate, butan-2-OL, petroleum distillate, disperse and/or solvent dyes, propylene glycol and one or more acetates. Once produced, the solvent-based dye sublimation ink of the present invention may be used with ink jet printers and prevents or minimizes paper cockling while exhibiting outstanding stability and high print density capabilities.
US08263678B2
Provided are compositions for repelling fluids comprising a volatile liquid carrier, a powder-feel agent and less than 5 weight % of an ester selected from the group consisting of formula I, formula II, formula III, and combinations of two or more thereof: wherein R1, R2, R3, R5, R6, R8 and R9 are independently linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, C3-C22 alkyl or alkenyl groups, R4 is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated, C3-C22 alkylene or alkenylene moiety, and R7 is a linear or branched, substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated C3-C22 moiety, the composition being substantially anhydrous. Also provided are methods of improving dryness and/or comfort associated with the intimate area, as well as, kits comprising the composition and an absorbent article.
US08263675B2
The present invention relates to a photosensitive resin composition for a color filter and a color filter fabricated using the same. The photosensitive resin composition includes (a) an acrylic-based resin, (b) a photopolymerizable monomer, (c) a photopolymerization initiator, (d) a pigment, and (e) a solvent. The acrylic-based resin is a copolymer including a repeating unit of an ethylenic unsaturated monomer including a carboxyl group and a repeating unit of an ethylenic unsaturated monomer including an alkoxy 4-oxo butanoic acid group. The photosensitive resin composition for a color filter can have residue removing characteristics, and is capable of forming fine pixels and providing a color filter having high resolution.
US08263666B2
Composition for topical application in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion containing an oily phase dispersed in an aqueous phase, and a hydrophilic polymer, the composition further containing (1) at least one elastomeric organopolysiloxane and (2) at least one lipophilic compound chosen from lipophilic amino acid compounds and lipophilic salicylic acid compounds. Uses thereof, including topical application to the skin, lips, hair, etc. Stabilization of certain emulsions using a lipophilic compound.
US08263665B2
The present invention relates to the field of polymer chemistry and more particularly to multiblock copolymers and micelles comprising the same.
US08263663B2
The present invention relates to the field of polymer chemistry and more particularly to multiblock copolymers and micelles comprising the same.
US08263651B2
The invention relates to the discovery that cis-epoxyeicosatraenoic acids (EETs) bind to and act as agonists of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor and the cannabinoid CB2 receptor. The invention provides methods of reducing symptoms of conditions whose activity is mediated by these receptors, including inhibiting anxiety, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells expressing peripheral benzodiazepine receptors, and reducing oxygen radical damage to cells, by contacting the cells with a cis-epoxyeicosantrienoic acid, an inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), or both. The invention further provides methods of inhibiting irritable bowel syndrome by administering to individuals with inhibiting irritable bowel syndrome a cis-epoxyeicosantrienoic acid, an inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), or both. In some embodiments, the method comprises administering to the individual a nucleic acid which inhibits expression of sEH.
US08263647B2
The present invention provides a new composition for treating pain-associated sleep disturbances, especially shortened sleep duration, comprising ibuprofen and diphenhydramine. The composition is further prepared as a bilayer tablet or caplet, or alternatively as a soft gelatin capsule composition, to prevent interaction between the active ingredients.
US08263640B2
The present disclosure describes inhibitors of fatty acid uptake and methods of using such inhibitors. Specifically, the present disclosure describes inhibitors with specificity for FATP2.
US08263636B2
The present invention relates to substances capable of specifically inhibiting Ala-p-nitroanilide-cleaving peptidases and Gly-Pro-p-nitroanilide-cleaving peptidases as well, for a use in the medical field. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of at least one of such substances or of at least one pharmaceutical or cosmetic composition containing at least one such substance for a prophylaxis or a therapy of diseases, particularly for a prophylaxis and a therapy of diseases accompanied by an excessive immune response (autoimmune diseases, allergies, transplant rejections), of other chronic-inflammatory diseases, of neuronal diseases and cerebral damage, of skin diseases (inter alia acne, psoriasis), of tumor diseases and of specific virus infections (inter alia SARS).
US08263631B2
Method of treating persons having carcinoma, sarcoma or hematopoietic cancer by administering (i) a compound of the formula (I) and (ii) an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibitor and pharmaceutical compositions for use in said method. A method for treating gastric cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, pancreas cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, medulloblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, liposarcoma, multiple myeloma and leukemia by administering a compound of the formula (I).
US08263630B2
Novel compounds are provided which are 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitors. 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitors are useful in treating, preventing, or slowing the progression of diseases requiring 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I inhibitor therapy. These novel compounds of formula (I): or stereoisomers or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, and R3 are defined herein.
US08263622B2
The present invention provides compounds useful as agents for the prevention or treatment of a disease associated with abnormal plasma uric acid level and the like. The present invention relates to fused ring derivatives represented by the following formula (I) having xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities and useful as agents for the prevention or treatment of a disease associated with abnormality of plasma uric acid level, prodrugs thereof, salts thereof or the like. In the formula (I), X1 and X2 represent CH or N; ring U represents aryl or heteroaryl; m represents integral number from 0 to 2; n represents integral number from 0 to 3; R1 represents a hydroxy group, amino or C1-6 alkyl; R2 represents C1-6 alkyl, C1-6 alkoxy C1-6 alkyl or the like.
US08263619B2
The present invention relates generally to the field of ligands for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nACh receptors), activation of nACh receptors, and the treatment of disease conditions associated with defective or malfunctioning nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, especially of the brain. Further, this invention relates to novel compounds (e.g., indazoles and benzothiazoles), which act as ligands for the α7 nACh receptor subtype, methods of preparing such compounds, compositions containing such compounds, and methods of use thereof.
US08263615B2
Heterocyclic compounds of the general formula (I) are provided in which R, R1, R2, R3, R4 and n have the definitions elucidated in more detail in the description, to a process for preparing them and to the use of these compounds as medicaments, particularly as aldostereone synthase inhibitors,
US08263610B2
The present invention relates to substituted imidazolyl-5,6-dihydrobenzo[n]isoquinoline compounds and methods of synthesizing these compounds. The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions containing substituted imidazolyl-5,6-dihydrobenzo[n]isoquinoline compounds and methods of treating cell proliferative disorders, such as cancer, by administering these compounds and pharmaceutical compositions to subjects in need thereof.
US08263609B2
The present invention relates to new tetrahydro-β-carbolin-sulfonamide derivatives of general formula (I), optionally in form of one of their stereoisomers, preferably enantiomers or diastereomers, their racemates or in form of a mixture of at least two of their stereoisomers, preferably enantiomers or diastereomers, in any mixing ratio, or corresponding physiologically acceptable salts or corresponding solvates. These compounds are suitable as pharmacologically active agents in a medicament for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of disorders or diseases related to 5-HT6 receptors. The invention also relates to two different methods for obtaining the mentioned compounds and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08263606B2
This invention is directed to spiro-oxindole compounds, as stereoisomers, enantiomers, tautomers thereof or mixtures thereof; or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates or prodrugs thereof, for the treatment and/or prevention of sodium channel-mediated diseases or conditions, such as pain.
US08263602B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I): or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, corresponding preparation processes, pharmaceutical formulations and methods for use as inhibitors of matrix metallproteinase enzymes (MMPs).
US08263600B2
A liquid suspension comprising an antifungally effective amount of the micronized compound represented by the chemical structural formula I: at least one thickening agent, a non-ionic surfactant, and a pharmaceutically acceptable liquid carrier is disclosed.
US08263591B2
This invention relates to compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and methods for use in the prevention and treatment of cerebral insufficiency, including enhancement of receptor functioning in synapses in brain networks responsible for basic and higher order behaviors. These brain networks, which are involved in regulation of breathing, and cognitive abilities related to memory impairment, such as is observed in a variety of dementias, in imbalances in neuronal activity between different brain regions, as is suggested in disorders such as Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, respiratory depression, sleep apneas, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and affective or mood disorders, and in disorders wherein a deficiency in neurotrophic factors is implicated, as well as in disorders of respiration such as overdose of an alcohol, an opiate, an opioid, a barbiturate, an anesthetic, or a nerve toxin, or where the respiratory depression results form a medical condition such as central sleep apnea, stroke-induced central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea, congenital hypoventilation syndrome, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, sudden infant death syndrome, Rett syndrome, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, Cheney-Stokes respiration, Ondines curse, Prader-Willi's syndrome and drowning, hi a particular aspect, the invention relates to bicyclic amide compounds useful for treatment of such conditions, and methods of using these compounds for such treatment.
US08263589B2
The invention relates generally to the use of diaminophenothiazine compounds to inhibit or reverse the aggregation of synuclein, and for their use in the manufacture of medicaments for this purpose (e.g. for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease). Also provided are related methods of detecting or labelling of aggregated synuclein.
US08263587B2
The invention provides a novel benzoxazepine compound of the general formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 are as defined in the specification; or a stereoisomer, a geometric isomer, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, a pharmaceutically acceptable solvate, or a polymorph thereof; a process for its preparation; and a pharmaceutical composition including an effective amount of the compound. The compounds are useful in the treatment of insulin resistance and clinical conditions associated therewith.
US08263585B2
The present invention concerns a compound of formula (I) or a salt, suitably a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, or solvate thereof, wherein the groups R1, R2, Ar′, A and B are defined in the description, to compositions and use of the compounds in the treatment of diseases ameloriated by inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.
US08263577B2
Water-soluble iron-carbohydrate derivative complex obtainable from an aqueous iron(III) salt solution and an aqueous solution of the product of the oxidation and subsequent derivative of one or more maltodextrins with an aqueous hypochlorite solution at an alkaline pH value, wherein when one maltodextrin is used its dextrose equivalent is from 5 to 20 and when a mixture of a plurality of maltodextrins is used the dextrose equivalent of the mixture is from 5 to 20 and the dextrose equivalent of each individual maltodextrin in the mixture is from 2 to 40, and the subsequent derivative is carried out with a suitable reagent, process for the preparation thereof, and medicament for the treatment and prophylaxis of iron deficiency states.
US08263576B2
This disclosure provides a composition useful for inhibiting caveolar endocytosis, plasma membrane microdomain formation, virus binding and infection, transmembrane signaling, and integrin function in cells. The composition is composed of non-natural analogs of sphingolipids, and may have applications in the treatment or amelioration of diseases associated with caveolar endocytosis, plasma membrane microdomain formation, transmembrane signaling, and integrin function. Methods for making and using the described composition are also provided.
US08263572B2
The present invention is based on the in vivo demonstration that RSV can be inhibited through intranasal administration of iRNA agents as well as by parenteral administration of such agents. Further, it is shown that effective viral reduction can be achieved with more than one virus being treated concurrently. Based on these findings, the present invention provides general and specific compositions and methods that are useful in reducing RSV mRNA levels, RSV protein levels and viral titers in a subject, e.g., a mammal, such as a human. These findings can be applied to other respiratory viruses.
US08263563B2
Inhibitors for the endoprotease furin are provided for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and study of human and animal pathologies, which involve furin activity. These pathologies include infections caused by bacteria and virus that exploit host furin activity. These pathologies also include diseases that involve the expression of host proproteins that are processed by furin as a part of growth, development, and maintenance of the host organism including certain cancers of the head and neck.
US08263559B2
The present invention relates to canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF proteins; to canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode canine interleukin-4, canine or feline Flt-3 ligand, canine or feline CD40, canine or feline CD154, canine interleukin-5, canine interleukin-13, feline interferon alpha, and/or feline GM-CSF proteins, respectively; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to inhibitory compounds that regulate such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to identify and obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. Also included in the present invention are therapeutic compositions comprising such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies and/or inhibitory compounds as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to regulate an immune response in an animal.
US08263557B2
A method and a composition for photochemical cross linking of collagen by photoactive agent in-vivo are presented. The method includes a non-toxic photoactive formulation of the composition with collagen, which is administered to treatment area locally; followed by irradiation with suitable wavelength. In one of the embodiment liposomal formulated mTHPC is added to the collagen and is irradiated with a 652 nm laser, resulting in producing efficient collagen scaffolds with strengthen and stabilized microstructure, thus improving the physiochemical properties of the collagen scaffold. It improves the thermostability, mechanical property and swelling ratio of newly formed scaffold. Photochemical cross-linked collagens shows antimicrobial effect, when irradiated with suitable wavelength it disinfects the treatment site and curbs microbial growth.
US08263551B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical formulations comprising insulin, an insulin analog, an insulin derivative, or a combination of any of the foregoing, and a salt of protamine, to methods of preparing such formulations, and to uses of such formulations in the treatment of diseases and conditions for which use of the insulin peptide(s) contained in such formulations is indicated. The present invention further relates to methods for increasing the stability and/or solubility of insulin in insulin-containing formulations at a pH less than 7.0 by adding a salt of protamine to the insulin-containing formulations.
US08263548B2
The invention provides a method of reducing the damage done by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in an animal. The invention also provides a method of reducing the concentration of a metal in an animal. These methods comprise administering to the animal an effective amount of a metal-binding compound as further described in the application. The invention further provides a method of reducing the damage done by ROS to a cell, a tissue or an organ that has been removed from an animal. This method comprising contacting the cell, tissue or organ with a solution or medium containing an effective amount of a metal-binding compound of the invention. The invention further provides novel metal-binding compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the metal-binding compounds, and kits comprising a container holding a metal-binding compound of the invention.
US08263545B2
The present invention relates generally to novel GIP analogs and GIP hybrid polypeptides with selectable properties, useful as agents for the treatment and prevention of metabolic diseases and disorders, for example those which can be alleviated by control plasma glucose levels, insulin levels, and/or insulin secretion, positive inotropic effects, reduction of catabolic effects, slowing of gastric emptying. Such conditions and disorders include, but are not limited to, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, critical care, insulin-resistance, obesity, and diabetes mellitus of any kind, including type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
US08263541B2
Washing products which comprise a dye transfer inhibitor selected from the group consisting of triazine derivatives of the general formulae I, II, III and combinations thereof: T(NH—Ar(SO3Na)a)bHalc (I) X(NH-T(NH—Ar(SO3Na)a)eHalf)2 (II) X(NH-T(NH—Ar(SO3Na)d—NH-T(NH—Ar(SO3Na)a)Hal)Hal)2 (III) wherein T represents a 1,3,5-triazinyl residue; each Ar independently represents a naphthalene or benzene moiety; X represents a divalent hydrocarbyl moiety selected from the group consisting of linear or branched C1-20 hydrocarbon groups which may optionally include one or more —N(H)— carbon chain interruptions, stilbene groups and biphenyl groups which may optionally be mono- or poly-SO3Na-substituted; each Hal independently represents a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine, and iodine; each of a and d independently represents 1, 2 or 3; b and c each represent 1 or 2 such that b+c=3; e represents 1 or 2 and f represents 0 or 1 such that e+f=2; and wherein the triazinyl residue substituents are located at the 2, 4 and 6 positions of the 1,3,5-triazinyl residue.
US08263540B2
A warewashing detergent composition is provided for use for in cleaning of alkaline sensitive metals such as aluminum or aluminum containing alloys. The compositions include alternatives to sodium tripolyphosphate and/or other phosphorous containing raw materials, while retaining cleaning performance and corrosion prevention. According to the invention, a synergistic combination of polyacrylic and polymaleic polymers are used as corrosion inhibitors in traditional alkaline detergent compositions.
US08263528B2
The present invention relates to a method for providing flowers characterized in that they have the look and feel of fresh flowers. The method comprises a selection and cutting step, a step of setting up holder devices on grids, and three optionally repeatable dehydration, infiltration and evaporation steps. The present invention does not require the use of molecular sieves during the method. The method is also technically advanced and can therefore be implemented on an industrial scale.
US08263521B2
The present invention provides a process for producing bisphenol A by reacting phenol with actone, wherein reaction is performed at higher temperatures while maintaining high selectivity, and thus high productivity is obtained. The invention relates to a cation-exchange resin, wherein a cation-exchange group is introduced into a syndiotactic polystyrene polymer and the amount of acid is 0.8 milliequivalent/g or more, to a catalyst comprising the cation-exchange resin, and to a process for producing bisphenol A using a cation-exchange resin catalyst.
US08263520B2
Two atom bridged dicarbonate compounds as internal donors in catalysts for polypropylene manufacture
A solid, hydrocarbon-insoluble, catalyst component useful in polymerizing olefins, said catalyst component containing magnesium, titanium, and halogen, and further containing an internal electron donor having a structure: [R1—O—C(O)—O—]xR2 wherein R1 is independently at each occurrence, an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon, or substituted hydrocarbon group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; x is 2-4; and R2 is an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon, or substituted hydrocarbon group containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, provided that there are 2 atoms in the shortest chain connecting a first R1—O—C(O)—O— group and a second R1—O—C(O)—O— group.
US08263515B2
A high energy density multilayer ceramic capacitor, having at least two electrode layers and at least one substantially dense polycrystalline dielectric layer positioned therebetween. The at polycrystalline dielectric layer has an average grain size of less than about 300 nanometers, a particle size distribution of between about 150 nanometers and about 3 micrometers, and a maximum porosity of about 1 percent. The dielectric layer is selected from the group including TiO2, BaTiO3, Al2O3, ZrO2, lead zirconium titanate, and combinations thereof and has a breakdown strength of at least about 1100 kV per centimeter.
US08263512B2
A porous ceramic (honeycomb) structure skin coating and a method of producing a porous ceramic structure skin coating which provides a hardshell, strong, acid- and alkali-resistant, chip-resistant ceramic honeycomb structure coating which resists pollution control catalyst from being absorbed into the skin coating.
US08263511B2
A fused silica glass article having a low absolute refractive index and low concentrations of hydroxyl groups, halogens, and metal having a low absolute refractive index. The glass article contains less than about 10 ppm protium-containing and deuterium-containing hydroxyl groups by weight and less than about 20 ppm halogens by weight. The silica glass article also has an absolute refractive index (ARI) less than or equal to 1.560820. In one embodiment, the ARI of the fused silica article is achieved by lowering the fictive temperature of the fused silica. A method of lowering the fictive temperature is also described.
US08263510B2
An optical class comprising, by mass %, 12 to 30% of total of B2O3 and SiO2, 55 to 80% of total of La2O3, Gd2O3, Y2O3, ZrO2, Nb2O5 and WO3, 2 to 10% of ZrO2, 0 to 15% of Nb2O5, 0 to 15% of ZnO and 0% or more but less than 13% of Ta2O5, wherein the ratio of the content of Ta2O5 to the total content of La2O3, Gd2O3, Y2O3, Yb2O3, ZrO2, Nb2O5 and WO3 is 0.23 or less, the ratio of the total content of La2O3, Gd2O3, Y2O3 and Yb2O3 to the total content of B2O3 and SiO2 is from 2 to 4, the optical glass having a refractive index nd of 1.86 or more and an Abbe's number νd of 38 or more, and a rod shaped glass shaped material and an optical element formed of the above optical glass each.
US08263498B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device fabricating method. A substrate is provided thereon with: an inorganic insulating film; a first inorganic sacrifice film stacked on the inorganic insulating film and having components different from those of the inorganic insulating film; a second sacrifice film formed of an inorganic insulative film stacked on the first sacrifice film, wherein a pattern for forming grooves for wiring embedment is formed in the second sacrifice film; and an organic layer including a photoresist film, wherein a pattern for forming holes for wiring embedment is formed in the organic film. According to the present invention, the thickness of the organic layer is set to be greater than the sum of the thicknesses of etch target films, i.e., the insulating film, the first sacrifice film and the second sacrifice film; the etch target films are etched in a selectivity-less manner by using plasma generated from a mixed gas of CF4 gas and CHF3 gas.
US08263496B1
A method of preparing a stepped structure in a multi-layer film stack on a substrate is described. The multi-layer film stack includes alternating layers of differing composition, wherein the alternating layers of differing composition include one or more layers of a first composition and one or more layers of a second composition. The method includes transferring a mask pattern to the one or more layers of the first composition to form a first layer pattern in the one or more layers of the first composition using a first etch process, trimming the mask pattern to expose another portion of the one or more layers of the first composition using a mask trim process, and following the trimming, transferring the first layer pattern to the one or more layers of the second composition using a second etch process.
US08263495B2
A method of forming an integrated circuit structure on a wafer includes providing a first etcher comprising a first electrostatic chuck (ESC); placing the wafer on the first ESC; and forming a via opening in the wafer using the first etcher. After the step of forming the via opening, a first reverse de-chuck voltage is applied to the first ESC to release the wafer. The method further includes placing the wafer on a second ESC of a second etcher; and performing an etching step to form an additional opening in the wafer using the second etcher. After the step of forming the additional opening, a second reverse de-chuck voltage is applied to the second ESC to release the wafer. The second reverse de-chuck voltage is different from the first reverse de-chuck voltage.
US08263491B2
A substrate has at least one feedthrough with at least one channel from a first main surface of the substrate to a second main surface of the substrate. The at least one channel is closed off with a first material. The at least one closed-off channel is filled with an electrically conductive second material.
US08263485B2
A method for fabricating semiconductor device includes forming an etch target layer over a substrate including a cell region and a peripheral region, forming a first mask pattern having a first portion and a second portion over the etch target layer in the cell region and forming a second mask pattern having a first portion and a second portion over the etch target layer in the peripheral region, forming a photoresist pattern over the cell region, trimming the first portion of the second mask pattern, removing the photoresist pattern and the second portion of the first mask pattern and the second portion of the second mask pattern, and etching the etch target layer to form a pattern in the cell region and a pattern in the peripheral region.
US08263483B2
A method including producing a monocrystalline layer is disclosed. A first lattice constant on a monocrystalline substrate has a second lattice constant at least in a near-surface region. The second lattice constant is different from the first lattice constant. Lattice matching atoms are implanted into the near-surface region. The near-surface region is momentarily melted. A layer is epitaxially deposited on the near-surface region that has solidified in monocrystalline fashion.
US08263482B2
This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed in a semiconductor substrate and the semiconductor substrate has a plurality of trenches. Each of the trenches is filled with a plurality of epitaxial layers of alternating conductivity types constituting nano tubes functioning as conducting channels stacked as layers extending along a sidewall direction with a “Gap Filler” layer filling a merging-gap between the nano tubes disposed substantially at a center of each of the trenches. The “Gap Filler” layer can be very lightly doped Silicon or grown and deposited dielectric layer. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of trenches are separated by pillar columns each having a width approximately half to one-third of a width of the trenches.
US08263472B2
A semiconductor includes a bulk substrate of a first polarity type, a buried insulator layer disposed on the bulk substrate, an active semiconductor layer disposed on top of the buried insulator layer including a shallow trench isolation region and a diffusion region of the first polarity type, a band region of a second polarity type disposed directly beneath the buried insulator layer and forming a conductive path, a well region of the second polarity type disposed in the bulk substrate and in contact with the band region, a deep trench filled with a conductive material of the first polarity type disposed within the well region, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protect diode defined by a junction between a lower portion of the deep trench and the well region.
US08263471B2
A method of producing a multilayer structure is provided, wherein the method comprises forming a phase change material layer onto a substrate, forming a protective layer, forming a further layer on the protective layer, patterning the further layer in an first patterning step, patterning the protective layer and the phase change material layer by a second patterning step. In particular, the first patterning step may be an etching step using chemical etchants. Moreover, electrodes may be formed on the substrate before the phase change material layer is formed, e.g. the electrodes may be formed on one level, e.g. may form a planar structure and may not form a vertically structure.
US08263468B2
A method for fabricating an FET device is disclosed. The method includes providing a body over an insulator, with the body having at least one surface adapted to host a device channel. Selecting the body to be Si, Ge, or their alloy mixtures. Choosing the body layer to be less than a critical thickness defined as the thickness where agglomeration may set in during a high temperature processing. Such critical thickness may be about 4 nm for a planar devices, and about 8 nm for a non-planar devices. The method further includes clearing surfaces of oxygen at low temperature, and forming a raised source/drain by selective epitaxy while using the cleared surfaces for seeding. After the clearing of the surfaces of oxygen, and before the selective epitaxy, oxygen exposure of the cleared surfaces is being prevented.
US08263466B2
A process for forming a FET (e.g., an n-FET or a p-FET), in which during formation a metal which makes up a source or drain of the transistor is stressed so that stress is induced in a semiconductor channel of the transistor.
US08263460B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming a buried gate after forming an active region to have a line type. The buried gate comprises an operational gate and a dummy gate. A height of a gate electrode layer (conductive material) of the dummy gate is formed to be lower than that of a gate electrode layer of the operational gate, thereby increasing a threshold voltage and preventing an overlap of the ion-implanted active region with the dummy gate. As a result, a Gate Induced Drain Leakage (GIDL) is prevented to improve a refresh characteristic of the semiconductor device.
US08263457B2
A method of forming a plurality of capacitors includes an insulative material received over a capacitor array area and a circuitry area. The array area comprises a plurality of capacitor electrode openings within the insulative material received over individual capacitor storage node locations. The intervening area comprises a trench. Conductive metal nitride-comprising material is formed within the openings and against a sidewall portion of the trench to less than completely fill the trench. Inner sidewalls of the conductive material within the trench are annealed in a nitrogen-comprising atmosphere. The insulative material within the array area is etched with a liquid etching solution effective to expose outer sidewall portions of the conductive material within the array area. The conductive material within the array area is incorporated into a plurality of capacitors.
US08263456B2
A capacitor includes a first capacitor structure on a substrate, the first capacitor structure including a first electrode, a first dielectric layer pattern, and a second electrode, a second capacitor structure on the first capacitor structure, the second capacitor structure including a third electrode, a second dielectric layer pattern, and a fourth electrode, at least one first contact pad on a side of the first electrode, and a wiring structure connecting the at least one first contact pad and the fourth electrode.
US08263448B2
Thin film transistor with contact holes having different widths and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor comprises a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region; a gate insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor layer and on the substrate; a gate electrode disposed on the insulating layer over the channel region; an passivation layer disposed on the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer; a source electrode disposed in contact with upper, lower and side surfaces of the source region via a first contact hole through passivation layer, the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer; and a drain electrode disposed in contact with upper, lower and side surfaces of the drain region via a second contact hole through the passivation layer, the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
US08263443B2
Provided is a semiconductor device formed to an SOI substrate including a MOS transistor in which a parasitic MOS transistor is suppressed. The semiconductor device formed on the SOI substrate by employing a LOCOS process is structured such that a part of a polysilicon layer to becomes a gate electrode includes: a first conductivity type polysilicon region corresponding to a region of the silicon active layer which has a constant thickness and is to become a channel; and second conductivity type polysilicon regions corresponding to LOCOS isolation edges in each of which a thickness of the silicon active layer decreases.
US08263440B2
A method for fabricating an etching barrier includes forming wall bodies with a trench in between the wall bodies in a semiconductor substrate. An etching barrier is formed by performing a deposition having a directionality in an oblique direction with respect to the surface of the semiconductor substrate, wherein one of two bottom edge portions of the trench is not covered by the deposition due to a shadow effect by upper portions of the wall bodies.
US08263439B2
A semiconductor device has a carrier for supporting the semiconductor device. A first semiconductor die is mounted over the carrier. A first dummy die having a first through-silicon via (TSV) is mounted over the carrier. The first semiconductor die and the first dummy die are encapsulated using a wafer molding material. The carrier is removed. A first redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over a first surface of the first semiconductor die and a first surface of the first dummy die to electrically connect the first TSV and a contact pad of the first semiconductor die. An insulation layer is formed over the first RDL. A second RDL is formed over a second surface of the first dummy die opposite the first surface of the first dummy die and electrically connected to the first TSV. A semiconductor package is connected to the second RDL.
US08263434B2
A semiconductor device has a substrate with a cavity formed through first and second surfaces of the substrate. A conductive TSV is formed through a first semiconductor die, which is mounted in the cavity. The first semiconductor die may extend above the cavity. An encapsulant is deposited over the substrate and a first surface of the first semiconductor die. A portion of the encapsulant is removed from the first surface of the first semiconductor die to expose the conductive TSV. A second semiconductor die is mounted to the first surface of the first semiconductor die. The second semiconductor die is electrically connected to the conductive TSV. An interposer is disposed between the first semiconductor die and second semiconductor die. A third semiconductor die is mounted over a second surface of the first semiconductor die. A heat sink is formed over a surface of the third semiconductor die.
US08263423B2
Highly uniform silica nanoparticles can be formed into stable dispersions with a desirable small secondary particle size. The silican particles can be surface modified to form the dispersions. The silica nanoparticles can be doped to change the particle properties and/or to provide dopant for subsequent transfer to other materials. The dispersions can be printed as an ink for appropriate applications. The dispersions can be used to selectively dope semiconductor materials such as for the formation of photovoltaic cells or for the formation of printed electronic circuits.
US08263422B2
An improved method of creating LEDs is disclosed. Rather than using a dielectric coating to separate the bond pads from the top surface of the LED, this region of the LED is implanted with ions to increase its resistivity to minimize current flow therethrough. In another embodiment, a plurality of LEDs are produced on a single substrate by implanting ions in the regions between the LEDs and then etching a trench, where the trench is narrower than the implanted regions and positioned within these regions. This results in a trench where both sides have current confinement capabilities to reduce leakage.
US08263420B2
Optimized electrodes for ReRAM memory cells and methods for forming the same are discloses. One aspect comprises forming a first electrode, forming a state change element in contact with the first electrode, treating the state change element, and forming a second electrode. Treating the state change element increases the barrier height at the interface between the second electrode and the state change element. Another aspect comprises forming a first electrode in a manner to deliberately establish a certain degree of amorphization in the first electrode, forming a state change element in contact with the first electrode. The degree of amorphization of the first electrode is either at least as great as the degree of amorphization of the state change element or no more than 5 percent less than the degree of amorphization of the state change element.
US08263413B1
Methods for accurately comparing the levels of ionizable lipids in two cell populations that differ in some respect from each other using mass spectroscopy and isotopic labeling are provided. The methods can be used to identify a change in a lipid of interest in response to a cellular, chemical, genetic, or environmental change to the cell population (i.e., a lipid response to a cell perturbation). The change in the lipid of interest can be a change in composition, rate of synthesis, and/or location of the lipid.
US08263409B2
An apparatus for estimating or supervising one or more internal mechanical properties of a metal alloy object with a known chemical composition based on the resistivity of the metal alloy object. The apparatus includes a device for measuring the resistivity of the metal alloy object, and a computation unit adapted to calculate the content of dissolved alloying elements in the metal alloy object based on the measured resistivity and the known chemical composition of the metal alloy, and based thereon to calculate at least one internal mechanical property of the metal alloy object.
US08263404B2
An antigen-dependent negative selection blood cell separation method is described. Rare circulating epithelial cells can be separated from blood by depleting erythrocytes from a blood sample. Erythrocytes are depleted by agglutination. The new method comprises the use of an agglutinating agent, such as an anti-glycophorin A or glycophorin B antibody, as glycophorin A or B are present on erythrocytes and not on the desired epithelial cells. With regular mixing, desired rare circulating epithelial cells do not become entrapped in the red cell agglutinate.
US08263398B2
The invention constructs an activating KRASmutant but not p53-responsive promoter and generates an E1B-55kD-deleted (ΔE1B-55kD) adenovirus, harboring a transcriptionally activating transgene and holding lytic replication ability in the tumor cells with activating KRASmutant. The adenovirus of the invention can be used in the treatment of cancers.
US08263394B2
The present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding immunogenic HIV polypeptides. Uses of the polynucleotides in applications including immunization, generation of packaging cell lines, and production of HIV polypeptides are also described. Polynucleotides encoding antigenic HIV polypeptides are described, as are uses of these polynucleotides and polypeptide products therefrom, including formulations of immunogenic compositions and uses thereof.
US08263393B2
Described are means and methods for providing a cell with a protein expression unit, the method comprising providing a nucleic acid sequence comprising the unit with a nucleic acid sequence encoding a binding site for a member of a chromatin modification system for rendering chromatin more accessible for transcription (opener), wherein the opener is present in the cell. Preferred openers comprise histone modification proteins, chromatin remodeling proteins and trithorax group proteins or equivalents. The cells thus generated and nucleic acid sequences encoding such openers are provided. Openers are preferred in the context of STAR and TRAP sequences.
US08263388B2
An apparatus for detecting the presence of a microorganism in a sample includes a housing that includes a base fixed with a first DNA primer having a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to a DNA sequence of the microorganism of interest, a fibrinogen-splitting agent that is bound with a second DNA primer having a nucleotide sequence that is also complementary to a DNA sequence of the microorganism of interest, a rinsing unit configured to rinse the housing; and a fibrinogen adding unit configured to add fibrinogen to the housing so that the fibrinogen chemically reacts with the fibrinogen-splitting agent to produce a viscous substance, an ultrasonic emitter configured to emit ultrasonic signal to the housing, and an ultrasonic receiver configured to receive ultrasonic signal from the housing and transmit the received ultrasonic signal to an ultrasonic analyzer, wherein the ultrasonic analyzer determines whether the microorganism of interest exists.
US08263379B2
A modified Family 6 glycosidase enzyme comprising amino acid substitutions at one or more positions selected from the group 182, 367, 399, 400 and 427 is provided (the position determined form alignment of a parental Family 6 glycosidase with SEQ ID NO: 1). Genetic constructs and genetically modified microbes comprising nucleic sequences encoding the modified Family 6 glycosidase are also provided. Family 6 glycosidase of the invention display decreased hydrolysis activity of beta 1-4 linked polysaccharides and increased hydrolysis activity of beta 1-3, 1-4 linked polysaccharides compared with a parental Family 6 glycosidase. Such glycosidases find use in a variety of applications in industry, e.g., in hydrolysis of beta 1-3, 1-4 linked polysaccharides during the processing of cereal grains or the production of alcohol, animal feed or food products.
US08263377B2
This disclosure describes methods and compositions for measuring the binding specificity, kinetics and affinity of kinase inhibitors indirectly using mass sensing analytical techniques, such as SPR, through the competitive displacement of detectable signal-inducing kinase binding molecule. Further provided are methods for preparing such molecules.
US08263376B2
The present disclosure relates to an isolated lipoxygenase. The lipoxygenase of the present disclosure includes polypeptide with at least 80% sequence homology to the mature peptide shown in SEQ ID NO: 2. Lipoxygenase of the present disclosure is suitable for use in, among other things, baking and in detergent compositions.
US08263372B2
The present invention relates to improvement in efficiency in gasification for use with syngas fermentation. In particular, the invention relates to increasing the overall carbon capture efficiency of a gasification/fermentation process to produce products such as alcohols.
US08263363B2
The invention described herein relates to a chimeric protein comprising the NTHi twitching pilus major subunit protein (PilA) presenting a portion of the NTHi OMP P5 protein. The invention provides for vaccine compositions comprising the recombinant chimeric protein and methods of eliciting an immune response using the recombinant chimeric proteins of the invention.
US08263362B2
The invention features isolated cytochrome P450 polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules, as well as expression vectors and transgenic plants containing these molecules. In addition, the invention features uses of such molecules in methods of increasing the level of resistance against a disease caused by a plant pathogen in a transgenic plant, in methods for producing altered compounds, for example, hydroxylated compounds, and in methods of producing isoprenoid compounds.
US08263351B2
The invention provides an assay for the quantification of circulating glycophorin in biological fluid samples. The circulating glycophorin measured by this assay is a truncated glycophorin diagnostic for congestive heart failure (CHF).
US08263349B2
Polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies which are specific for a mammalian sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform protein and methods for detecting the presence of sphingosine kinase type 2 isoform using the antibodies.
US08263345B2
Method for preparing standardized serum mixture for determining allergen potency and the use thereof
A method for preparing standardized serum mixture for determining allergen potency which comprises: 1) providing multiple serum samples from patients moderately hypersensitive to said allergen; 2) determining the relative content of sIgE against said allergen in each serum sample, obtaining the mean value of the relative content of sIgE of said multiple serum samples, and obtaining deviation value of the relative content of sIgE of each serum with respect to said mean value; 3) removing at least 5% of serum samples that have the largest and smallest deviation values respectively, and mixing the residual sera in the same volume. A serum mixture prepared by the method as well as the use of such serum mixture are also described.
US08263344B2
The present invention relates to a method for determining the susceptibility of a patient tumor cell to a cancer treatment, which method comprises the detection or measure of CRT, KDEL receptor and/or ERp57 on the surface of a tumor cell.
US08263343B2
The present invention relates to a method of separating a target from a liquid, which includes providing a polymer in an aqueous liquid, which polymer comprises at least one hydrophobic portion; contacting the polymer-containing liquid with the liquid comprising the target; applying a stimulus to the resulting mixture; and maintaining it until a reversible phase separation is obtained. One phase is polymer-rich and contains target(s) and another phase is polymer-poor. By either maintaining the stimulus, or applying a different stimulus and maintaining it, the polymer-rich phase is transformed into a substantially solid phase.
US08263342B2
The invention relates, in part, to methods of using proteomic biomarkers to diagnose preeclampsia. In some aspects the invention, in part, relates to the detection of serpina-1 polypeptide and/or albumin polypeptide in samples from pregnant subjects. Samples from subjects may be compared to control samples to diagnose preeclampsia and/or to determine the onset, progression, or regression of preeclampsia in a subject. The invention also relates, in part, to screening methods to identify agents that can be used to treat preeclampsia and to determine the efficacy of a preeclampsia treatment. The invention, in part, also includes kits that are useful to diagnose and assess preeclampsia in a subject.
US08263339B2
The present invention provides methods for detecting biomarkers based on Abscription®, abortive transcription technology. Particularly, the present invention provides bisulfate free methods for detecting methylation of CpG islands from small samples of DNA. The methods are suitable for multiplexing and can be used to analyze multiple CpG islands from a single sample in a short time.
US08263337B2
The invention includes method of determining if a subject has a genetic predisposition to clinically diagnosed schizophrenia (SZ), schizotypal personality disorder (SPD), and/or schizoaffective disorder (SD).
US08263323B2
A method of forming a fine pattern includes forming an organic guide layer on a substrate, forming a photoresist pattern on the organic guide layer, the photoresist pattern including a plurality of openings exposing portions of the organic guide layer, forming a material layer on the exposed portions of the organic guide layer and on the photoresist pattern, the material layer including block copolymers, and rearranging the material layer through phase separation of the block copolymers into a fine pattern layer, such that the fine pattern layer includes a plurality of first blocks and a plurality of second blocks arranged in an alternating pattern, the plurality of first blocks and the plurality of the second blocks having different repeating units of the block copolymers.
US08263316B2
Electronic devices having a metal line-containing layer including an air gap region and a low-k dielectric material region where the air gap region includes a dense packing of metal lines is provided. Methods of forming such electronic devices are also provided.
US08263314B2
The invention pertains to a method for preparing a composite printing form from a single precursor that is capable of forming a relief and a carrier. The single precursor can be a single photosensitive element or a single laser-engravable print element having a reinforced elastomeric layer. The single precursor has a size that is at least 70% of a size of the carrier. The single precursor is located on the carrier by approximately positioning the precursor on the carrier that has no registration markings. Precise registration of the single precursor is achieved by using digital information generated from a computer to create the registered image on the composite form. The method is particularly suited for preparing composite printing forms for relief printing, and in particular for preparing composite printing forms for flexographic printing of corrugated substrates.
US08263307B2
A positive resist composition including a resin component (A) which exhibits increased solubility in an alkali developing solution under action of acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates acid upon exposure, the resin component (A) including a structural unit (a0) represented by general formula (a0) (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms or a halogenated lower alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; Q represents a divalent linking group containing a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom; R6 represents a lower alkyl group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1 to 5 carbon atoms; p represents an integer of 1 to 3; and q represents an integer of 0 to 2) and a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acid dissociable, dissolution inhibiting group exclusive of groups that exhibit aromaticity.
US08263305B2
Provided is a method for producing a toner having excellent particle size distribution and storage stability. The method set forth in the present specification is a method for producing a toner by aggregating and fusing base microparticles whose main component is a binder resin including anionic groups, wherein an aggregate is produced by aggregating the base microparticles in a base microparticle suspension, in a presence of a non-ionic surfactant such that a surface tension of an aqueous solution thereof is not lower than 45 mN/m at any concentration at or above a critical micelle concentration, and the toner is produced through fusion of the aggregate. According to this method, drops in a glass transition temperature of the toner can be curbed, and the toner having excellent storage stability and good particle size distribution can be obtained.
US08263301B2
Present embodiments pertain to an improved electrostatographic imaging member having low contact friction surfaces to ease sliding mechanical interaction and suppressing abrasion/wear failure and methods of preparing thereof. The improved imaging member has layers comprising one or two low surface energy polymeric materials that enhance the physical and mechanical functions and reduce the layers surface contact friction of the imaging member to extend service life.
US08263296B2
A lithographic system includes a monitored lithographic projection apparatus arranged to project a patterned beam onto a substrate. A scatterometer measures a plurality of parameters of the pattern transferred to the substrate including at least one CD-profile parameter and at least one further parameter of the pattern transferred to the substrate which is indicative of a machine setting of the monitored lithographic projection apparatus. A matching system includes a database storing information representative of reference CD values and reference values for the further feature. A comparison arrangement compares the measured values with the corresponding stored values, a lithographic parameter calculation means calculating a corrected set of machine settings for the monitored lithographic apparatus dependent on the differences between the measured and reference values.
US08263285B2
A membrane-electrode assembly (10) is characterized by including an electrolytic membrane (11) having proton conductivity and a first electrode (12) jointed on the electrolytic membrane. The first electrode has a catalyst (121, 122) and a first ionomer (123) covering the catalyst and acting as a proton exchange group. A ratio of water-generation amount (mol/min) at rated output point of the membrane-electrode assembly/volume (cm3) of the first ionomer in the first electrode is 1350 or larger.
US08263283B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell which has an anode. A fuel supplying device circulates a supply of aqueous methanol solution to the anode in the fuel cell. The fuel supplying device includes an aqueous solution tank for storing the aqueous methanol solution. By moving aqueous methanol solution from the aqueous solution tank to a water tank, the amount of aqueous methanol solution which is in circulation at the time of start-up is made smaller than the amount for normal operation. The fuel cell system and a control method therefore are capable of shortening a time that is necessary for heating aqueous fuel solution to be supplied to the fuel cell to a predetermined temperature without reducing fuel utilization efficiency.
US08263275B2
There is provided a fuel cell system in which a constantly accurate impedance measurement is made possible regardless of a response characteristic of the voltage converting device. A superimposed signal analysis section analyzes an impedance measuring signal after passing through a DC/DC converter to thereby notify a superimposed signal amplitude control section of an analysis result. A superimposed signal amplitude control section controls an amplitude value of the impedance measuring signal generated by a superimposed signal generating section based on the result notified from the superimposed signal analysis section.
US08263273B2
A control device 7 obtains a reformed carbon quantity C supplied to a reform reaction flow channel 21 from a supplied fuel quantity Qf and also obtains a reformed water quantity S supplied to the reform reaction flow channel 21 from a generated power quantity W. Further, it obtains a oxygen consumed quantity consumed through power generation in a fuel cell 3 from the generated power quantity W, a supplied oxygen quantity to be supplied to a cathode flow channel 33 from a supplied cathode gas quantity Qc, and a reformed oxygen quantity O to be supplied to the reform reaction flow channel 21 based on a difference between the supplied oxygen quantity and the consumed oxygen quantity. By correcting a reformed carbon quantity C (delivery of a fuel pump 51) in accordance with the reformed oxygen quantity O, each of O/C and S/C is kept in a target value range.
US08263259B2
Bipolar plates and end plates for fuel cell stacks. The bipolar plates or end plates may include semi-conductive or conductive bodies, intricate features with close tolerances such as narrow flow channels and conduits with complex flow paths, integral resistive heating elements, internal catalytic reforming capability, integral heat exchanging structure, substantially flat and undistorted contact faces, integral sensors, and internal recuperative heat exchanging capacity. Methods of making bipolar plates and end plates for fuel cell stacks. The methods involve a range of integrated processing techniques that enable a flexible approach to bipolar and end plate design. In addition, the ability to reliably produce features on a small scale allows for the potential miniaturization of bipolar plates and end plates and is therefore ideally suited to further the development of small scale portable fuel cell systems.
US08263257B2
A battery with a pair of handle assemblies that includes a battery casing having a pair of lips extending outwardly from the end walls near the opening in the battery casing. Each lip has a recessed portion with a slot defined by the end wall and a slot side wall. The battery casing also has a pair of protrusions on each of the end walls located below the slot. Each of the handle assemblies has a handle and an attachment structure that includes a substantially flat, rectangular base and a side wall. The back of the side wall has a cavity and a channel extending from an open end at the top edge to a closed end proximate the cavity. The handle includes a strap connected to the side wall on a first end and a loop on the second end. The handles are adapted to pass through the slots on the end walls of the battery casing, the channels are adapted to slidably contact the protrusions on the end walls, the cavities are adapted to detachably engage the protrusions and the bases are adapted to contact the slot side walls.
US08263249B2
Disclosed herein is a battery cartridge having two or more unit cells mounted therein, wherein the battery cartridge includes a rotation part, which is formed at a cartridge case constructed generally with a plate-shaped structure, in the longitudinal direction of the battery cartridge and/or in the lateral direction of the battery cartridge, such that the battery cartridge can be folded by a predetermined angle in the longitudinal direction of the battery cartridge and/or in the lateral direction of the battery cartridge. The battery cartridge can be folded by a predetermined angle through the provision of the rotation part, and therefore, the battery cartridge is constructed in various structures as compared to the conventional rigid battery cartridge.
US08263232B2
The present invention provides a composite coated zinc-containing plated steel material different from the plated steel materials treated by conventional chromate replacement technologies and superior in all of corrosion resistance, blackening resistance, coating adhesion, and alkali resistance. The composite coated zinc-containing plated steel material of the present invention is characterized by having a composite coating formed by coating and drying on the surface of a plated steel material a treatment solution containing a basic zirconium compound, vanadyl (VO2+)-containing compound, phosphoric acid compound, cobalt compound, organic acid, and water and having a pH 7 to 14, the composite coating containing, with respect to the Zr element as 100 parts by mass, V in an amount of 10 to 45 parts by mass, P in 5 to 100 parts by mass, Co in 0.1 to 20 parts by mass, and an organic acid in 10 to 90 parts by mass.
US08263221B2
Disclosed are processes for preparing polyareneazole polymers characterized as providing polymer solutions having an inherent viscosity of at least about 22 dl/g at 30° C. at a polymer concentration of 0.05 g/dl in methane sulfonic acid. Polyareneazoles, filaments and yarns are also disclosed.
US08263214B2
The web of the invention can comprise a super absorbent layer that can act as an moisture sensitive fuel shut-off valve, absorbent, adsorbant or reactant. The web of the invention can comprise a super absorbent fabric or layer made of a superabsorbent particle or fiber. The web can comprise a nanofiber layer having dispersed within the nanofiber layer a super absorbent particulate and optionally a second particulate material that can act as an absorbent, adsorbant or reactant. Fluid, gas or liquid, that flows through or by the assemblies of the invention can have any gas, liquid or solid material dispersed or dissolved in the fluid interact with the super absorbent particulate. If needed these materials can also react with, be absorbed by, or adsorbed onto, the active particulate within the nanofiber layer. The structures of the invention can act simply as flow-by reactive, absorptive, or adsorptive layers with no filtration properties, or the structures of the invention can be assembled into filters that can filter particulate from a mobile fluid in a flow-through mode while simultaneously reacting, absorbing, or adsorbing materials from the mobile fluid.
US08263205B2
Layers of unidirectional (UD) fiber prepreg are formed into a pre-plied, multi-directional, continuous fiber laminate that is used as a molding compound to form three dimensional structures. Cut-outs from the laminate are slotted and folded along fold lines to provide near-net-shaped preforms that may be compression molded to form fiber-reinforced composite structures having complex shapes.
US08263203B2
Artificial turf for use with an artificial turf system, which may also include a base layer and a support layer. The artificial turf comprising a backing supporting pile tufts of between ¼″ to 4″ in length, in position on its upper surface. The backing may comprise a porous synthetic foam or backing sheet. A filler of particles shaped to have no sharp edges and of substantially equal size are interspersed over the backing and about the tufts up to at least half thick length. The artificial turf substantially retains its resiliency, porosity and equal density throughout.
US08263196B2
A print medium having increased resistance to gasfade. An inhibitor comprising a sulfur-containing polymer is incorporated into the print medium. The sulfur-containing polymer is poly(1,4-phenylene sulfide) or poly(1,3-phenylene sulfide). The inhibitor is present in at least a surface of the print medium and may be present in the print medium in a concentration from approximately 0.25% by weight per cm2 of the print medium to approximately 30% by weight per cm2 of the print medium. A method of forming the print medium is disclosed as is a method of producing a printed image having increased resistance to gasfade.
US08263194B2
A color filter having a bi-layer metal grating is formed by nanoimprint lithography. Nanoimprint lithography, a low cost technology, includes two alternatives, i.e., hot-embossing nanoimprint lithography and UV-curable nanoimprint lithography. Manufacture steps includes providing a substrate with a polymer material layer disposed thereon. A plurality of lands and grooves are formed in the polymer material layer, and a first metal layer and a second metal layer are disposed on the surfaces of the lands and grooves, respectively. Finally, a color filter having a bi-layer metal grating is obtained.
US08263188B2
Provided is a composition for a photo-alignment film includes a compound expressed by the following general formula (I) and a compound expressed by the following general formula (II):
US08263187B2
A cylindrical body is produced which is composed of a fiber structure with a basis weight of 1-50 g/m2 and having a diameter of 0.5-50 mm and a bellows-shaped section, wherein the crest-to-crest spacing of the bellows-shaped section is no greater than 2 mm and the crest-to-valley depth of the bellows-shaped section is 0.01-1 mm; collagen is added to the cylindrical body to produce a composite including the cylindrical body and collagen.
US08263181B2
A Ti-based film forming method includes a step (step 1) of cleaning inside a chamber by introducing a cleaning gas containing fluorine into the chamber in a state where a wafer W is not provided on a susceptor; a step (step 2) of heating the susceptor in a state where the wafer W is not provided on the susceptor, injecting a processing gas containing Ti from a shower head into the chamber, and forming a pre-coated film at least on the surface of the shower head; and a step (step 3) of mounting the wafer W on the susceptor 2 in a state where the susceptor is heated, supplying a processing gas into the chamber 1 and forming a Ti-based film on the wafer W. The pre-coated film forming step is performed at a temperature lower than that in the film forming step.
US08263180B2
Tin powder is heated in a flowing stream of an inert gas, such as argon, containing a small concentration of carbon-containing gas, at a temperature to produce metal vapor. The tin deposits as liquid on a substrate, and reacts with the carbon-containing gas to form carbon nanotubes in the liquid tin. Upon cooling and solidification, a composite of tin nanowires bearing coatings of carbon nanotubes is formed.
US08263178B2
A process for the in-flight surface treatment of powders using a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Torch operating at atmospheric pressures or soft vacuum conditions is described herein. The process comprising feeding a powder material into the Dielectric Barrier Discharge Torch yielding powder particles exhibiting a reduced powder agglomeration feature; in-flight modifying the surface properties of the particles; and collecting coated powder particles. An apparatus for surface treating micro- and nanoparticles comprising a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Torch operating at atmospheric pressure or soft vacuum conditions is also described herein.
US08263176B2
A method for fabricating a photovoltaic element with stabilized efficiency is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a boron-doped, oxygen-containing silicon substrate; forming an emitter layer on a surface of the silicon substrate; and a stabilization treatment step. The stabilization treatment step comprises keeping the temperature of the substrate during a treatment time within a selectable temperature range having a lower temperature limit of 50° C., preferably 90° C., more preferably 130° C. and even more preferably 160° C. and an upper temperature limit of 230° C., preferably 210° C., more preferably 190° C. and even more preferably 180° C., and generating excess minority carriers in the silicon substrate during the treatment time, for example, by illuminating the substrate or by applying an external voltage. This method can be used to fabricate a photovoltaic element, e.g. a solar cell or a solar module having an efficiency which is stable at a value higher than that of photovoltaic elements fabricated without the stabilization treatment step.
US08263174B2
Disclosed is a light emitting device manufacturing apparatus including a plurality of processing chambers for performing a substrate processing for forming, on a target substrate, a light emitting device having multiple layers including an organic layer, wherein each of the plurality of processing chambers is configured to perform a substrate process on the target substrate while maintaining the target substrate such that its device forming surface, on which the light emitting device is to be formed, is oriented toward a direction opposite to a direction of gravity.
US08263172B2
A method for producing an optical element, in which a multi-layered film is provided on a plastic substrate, having a resistance against lights in a wavelength range of 300 nm to 450 nm, is provided. The method for producing the optical element according to the invention, is an method for producing an optical element having a multi-layered film in which a layer made of a low-refractive-index material and a layer made of a high-refractive-index material are alternately formed on a plastic substrate, the optical element being used for light in a wavelength range of 300 nm to 450 nm. The optical element producing method includes the steps of forming alternately the layer made of the low-refractive-index material and the layer made of the high-refractive-index material on the plastic substrate to produce the optical element while plasma or ionized gas is generated by a generation source in forming at least the layer made of the high-refractive-index material under a predetermined producing conditions; measuring an oxygen permeability coefficient of the produced optical element; and changing one of an output of the generation source, an ambient gas pressure in forming the layer made of the low-refractive-index material, and an ambient gas pressure in forming the layer made of the high-refractive-index material among the predetermined producing conditions when the oxygen permeability coefficient of the produced optical element is more than 30 cm3·mm/(m2·24 hr·atm).
US08263164B2
A heat stable nutritional beverage having a pH of 6.6-8.2 comprising 5-12% w/w whey protein is obtained by incorporating 4-16% w/w of at least one sugar selected from di-oligo- and polysaccharides, wherein at least one monosaccharide is other than glucose.
US08263160B1
A system and method for preparation of meat flavorants, and flavorants, having increased flavor and aromatic intensity and which more closely resemble the natural flavor and aroma of cooked meat. Preheated edible, food grade oils and fats are exposed to temperatures between 290° C. and 475° C. under vacuum, in the presence of oxygen. The developing flavor vapors are immediately and completely removed from the heated oils and fats. The mixture of air-purge/flavor-vapor is immediately carried away from the heat transfer surface of the edible oil or fat. An evaporator, preferably a spinning disc, spinning band or thin film evaporator, without a condenser is used as process equipment. The air-purged flavor-vapors are diffused and absorbed in an absorption device into suitable food-grade liquids.
US08263159B2
A method of producing an extruded water-based frozen composition having a high ice content, using a screw barrel extruder having a barrel provided with an inlet and an exit die, the method comprising (a) feeding an unfrozen composition into the barrel of the extruder via the inlet thereof, the unfrozen composition comprising (i) at least 85%, preferably at least 90% by weight of the water; and (ii) at least 0.5%, preferably at least 1%, more preferably at least 2% by weight of a balance consisting of one or more other ingredients; (b) freezing the unfrozen composition inside the barrel to form the frozen composition; and (c) extruding the frozen composition through the exit die of the extruder to form said water-based frozen product; wherein at least part of the barrel is cooled with a coolant at a first temperature sufficient to form the frozen composition, and preferably the exit die is cooled with a coolant at a temperature higher than the first temperature, such that the frozen composition is still frozen but extrudable.
US08263157B2
An objective of the present invention is to enable 100% assimilation of all the nutritional components of raw royal jelly, by manufacturing pelletized royal jelly of a predetermined granule size distribution that is easy to ingest, which can be preserved at room temperature and pressure. The pelletization method for raw royal jelly in accordance with the present invention comprises the steps of preparing raw royal jelly; mixing the raw royal jelly with a predetermined partially pregelatinized starch at a predetermined mixture ratio, at room temperature and pressure but without heating; pelletizing the resultant product at room temperature and pressure but without heating; and dehydrating the resultant product at room temperature and pressure to a predetermined moisture, in order to create pelletized royal jelly having a predetermined granule size distribution.
US08263154B2
A process and apparatus for the continuous production of whole nixtamalized corn flour, includes a whole clean corn precooking with a lime solution to effect a partial hydrolysis of pericarp and bran with reduced soluble corn loss in Nejayote wastewater. Moisture content is then stabilized, followed by milling and drying preconditioned corn for further endosperm gelatinization in the whole ground kernel, venting and separating the dry-milled fractions. Adiabatic cooling under a partial vacuum of the vented dry-grind fractions and classifying with an upwardly airstream to strip the fine-grind from the coarse grind while the latter is separated downwardly as a moving bed. Venting and separating the classified fine grind fraction; sifting and recovering the cooled and classified fine grind so segregated from the coarse grind, remilling and further screening the coarse grind produces a whole nixtamalized corn flour for tortilla and whole grain corn-based foods.
US08263152B2
An ice-candy forming container is provided which produces ice-candies having a complicated shape copying the face of a cartoon character or the like with higher quality and without a loss in shape. A forming container includes a first mold having a pattern portion formed in one face thereof, and a second mold configured to slide over and along the one face of the first mold, in a close contact relation, in directions designated by arrows A1-A2, so as to contain the first mold therein. In such a containing position, the second mold contacts externally and closely substantially an entire surface of the outer periphery of the pattern portion.
US08263150B2
The present disclosure relates to beverage compositions comprising low levels of preservative, without the need for hot or aseptic packing. In particular, the present invention relates to beverage compositions comprising: (a) from about 20 ppm to about 90 ppm of a preservative selected from the group consisting of sorbic acid, benzoic acid, alkali metal salts thereof and mixtures thereof; (b) from about 300 ppm to about 3000 ppm of a polyphosphate having the structure: where n averages from about 3 to about 100 and each M is independently selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium; and (c) water; wherein the beverage composition has a pH of from about 2 to about 5 and a total hardness of from 0 to about 300.
US08263149B2
Disclosed is a container-packed milk coffee beverage which has an excellent hypertension ameliorating effect and can be ingested in an ordinary manner. A container-packed milk coffee which has a pH falling within the range from 5 to 7 and satisfies the following requirements (A) to (C): (A) a chlorogenic acid: 0.01 to 1% by mass; (B) hydroxyhydroquinone: 0.08% by mass or less relative to the mass of the chlorogenic acid; and (C) the chlorogenic acid/a coffee solid content≧0.03 (by mass).
US08263142B2
The invention provides olive-derived hydroxytyrosol. According to one aspect of the invention, vegetation water is collected from olives. Acid is added to stabilize the vegetation water and prevent fermentation. The mixture is incubated to allow oleoeuropein to convert to hydroxytyrosol, and then fractionated to separate hydroxytyrosol from other components. The hydroxytyrosol is useful as a natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral and fungicidal product for agricultural and pest control applications. In addition, it is useful as a therapeutic and anti-oxidant for a variety of health purposes.
US08263141B2
The invention discloses a pharmaceutical composition useful for treatment and prevention of medical disorders and ailments. The aforesaid composition comprises active ingredients comprising; Turmeric extract, Turmeric powder, Selenium or source of Selenium, especially Selenomethionine, and Green tea extract. The disclosed pharmaceutical composition is especially adapted for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC).
US08263135B2
Process for isolating biomaterial from tissue and an isolated biomaterial extract prepared therefrom
A process for isolating a biomaterial extract from tissue is disclosed. The process comprises the step of contacting the tissue with an extracting solution so as to extract a biomaterial into solution. A solution containing the biomaterial extract is separated before being freeze-dried at a rate sufficient to enable the biomaterial to be isolated. The examples relate to the extraction of collagen from skin or hide using an acetic acid solution as the solvent.
US08263132B2
A method for making a pharmaceutical by emulsion aggregation, the method including emulsifying a first pharmaceutical agent and a biodegradable resin to form a primary emulsion of pre-aggregated particles in a slurry; aggregating the pre-aggregated particles to form aggregated pharmaceutical particles in the slurry; and isolating the pharmaceutical particles. The method may be used to make time-released, multi-formulation, and inhalable pharmaceuticals.
US08263129B2
The presently disclosed subject matter describes the use of fluorinated elastomer-based materials, in particular perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-based materials, in high-resolution soft or imprint lithographic applications, such as micro- and nanoscale replica molding, and the first nano-contact molding of organic materials to generate high fidelity features using an elastomeric mold. Accordingly, the presently disclosed subject matter describes a method for producing free-standing, isolated nanostructures of any shape using soft or imprint lithography techniques.
US08263128B2
Spray dried solid dispersions comprising a sparingly soluble drug and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) provide increased aqueous solubility and/or biavailability in a use environment.
US08263119B2
The present invention includes an oral pharmaceutical capsule comprising a shell, lanthanum carbonate or lanthanum carbonate hydrate, and a lubricant such as talc, wherein the shell encapsulates the lanthanum carbonate or lanthanum hydrate and the lubricant. Capsule shells comprise, for example, gelatin. The capsules of the present invention dissolve at a similar rate before and after storage. The oral pharmaceutical capsules of the present invention can be administered to treat a patient at risk for or suffering from hyperphosphatemia, at risk for or suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD), at risk for or suffering from soft tissue calcification associated with CKD, or at risk for or suffering from secondary hyperparathyroidism.
US08263116B2
A method for producing a silver-bonded antimicrobial moist wound dressing. A silver-containing compound is added to a 0.1-30% aqueous solution of an alkaline solvent to dissociate silver ions from the silver-containing compound, dissolving CMC in water or an organic solvent to obtain a CMC solution, the silver ion-containing solution is mixed with the CMC solution so that the hydrogen ions (H+) of the hydroxyl groups of the CMC are replaced by the silver ions to prepare a silver-CMC compound, the silver-CMC compound is dispersed and absorbed in a medium, and the medium is dried.
