US08264985B2
In one embodiment, a method includes selecting a locally unique node port identifier at a Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) node in communication with at least one other FCoE node through an Ethernet network, discovering a virtual node port at the other FCoE node, and establishing a virtual link between the FCoE nodes for use in local communication over the Ethernet network. An apparatus and logic are also disclosed.
US08264966B1
An RF communication system comprises RF circuitry, access circuitry, and control circuitry. The RF circuitry receives reverse packets from users over reverse RF links. The access circuitry is operationally coupled to the RF circuitry and transfers the reverse packets over a reverse network link. The control circuitry is operationally coupled to the access circuitry and inhibits the transfer of a set of the reverse packets over the reverse network link in response to a reverse overload condition on the reverse network link. The inhibited set of the reverse packets are from the users having a lowest level of reverse packet loss on the reverse RF links.
US08264960B2
A method and system are provided for sharing AV/record resources in a programmable transport/demultiplexer and personal video recorder (PVR) engine. The method may involve utilizing hardware assist architecture to partially process incoming packets, retrieve information about the packets, and write the retrieved information to a memory. A processor programmed with firmware may then utilize the information in memory to perform further processing on the packet data. The processor programmed with firmware may then set up configuration parameters that may be used by the hardware assist architecture to further process the packet. The parameters may be configured such that they may be independent of the format of the packet, where the hardware assist architecture functions may be utilized for processing packets regardless of their format. The system may comprise the hardware assist architecture, the processor programmed with firmware, and a memory.
US08264952B2
For a ring protection method in a packet transport network a failure is detected at a first network node (N4) in the ring (1, 2). The failure is communicated along the ring (1, 2) using an automatic protection switching protocol. At the first node (N4) or at a second node (N1) adjacent to the failure, a protection switch-over for at least one protected traffic stream (4) is activated by redirecting the traffic stream (4) into the reverse direction of the ring (1, 2). Selected network nodes (N2, N5) along the ring squelch the traffic stream (4) in accordance with pre-configured squelching tables. Squelching is performed only by networks nodes along the ring which perform either an add function or a drop & continue function for the traffic stream (4) to be squelched.
US08264950B2
A packet forwarding device includes a storage that stores a path selection table in which link numbers of a Work path and a Protection path for each flow number of a transfer packet, a flag that indicates whether the link is made up of a plurality of physical lines, a link aggregation number that identifies an aggregation of the plurality of physical lines, and destination information are set in association with one another, a link status table, a node status table, and an LAG status table, and a path selection processor that selects a path that outputs the packet on the basis of the information.
US08264947B1
A fault tolerant wireless system and method is disclosed that provides redundancy against a data center failure. Wireless connections are routed to a switch at a primary data center and forwarded through a gateway router, also located at the primary data center, to the internet. A backup switch and backup gateway router provides redundancy and are located at a backup data center geographically separate from the primary data center. The backup switch and backup gateway router provides an alternate path to the internet if the primary path fails. Both the primary switch and backup switch are assigned to the same subnet but the backup switch is advertised with an offset to favor routes through the primary switch.
US08264939B2
An optical pickup apparatus includes: a laser diode configured to emit a laser beam; and an objective lens configured to condense the laser beam into a laser spot through which a signal recorded on a signal recording layer of an optical disc is read out by the laser beam, the objective lens having formed thereon a lens surface with a second numerical aperture for acting as a lens, which is larger than a first numerical aperture for forming the laser spot.
US08264934B2
The present invention is a method and apparatus for multitrack recording of audio information using handheld digital electronic devices such as suitably equipped portable digital music players. Recording of video tracks by digital electronic devices to complement the audio is also contemplated. One device serves as a master; the remainder are slaves. A key aspect of the invention is the transmission of start and stop recording signals by the master, which facilitates synchronization of the various tracks. In certain embodiments of the invention, some slaves may begin preliminary sampling of audio information prior to the start recording signal. This prepares these slaves to begin the actual track recording without delay. Upon receiving the command to start recording, each slave chooses as the first frame of its, say, audio track that sample closest to the time the signal to record was received. The task of stopping recording is typically handled similarly. A recording device may store an indicator whereby the time offset of its first frame from the start recording signal can be determined, thus facilitating time interpolation of the samples in its track. In this way, all audio tracks, for example, might be transformed to a common set of time points. In a typical configuration, the master might also record a sound track or a video track.
US08264933B1
A sync mark detector for detecting a sync mark having alternative polarities includes an input terminal receiving data bits, wherein the data bits include constant bit groups and each constant bit group includes consecutive bits of the same logic value, the first unit outputting constant bit length values that are representative of bit lengths of constant bit groups, respectively, the second unit outputting combined bit length values, wherein each combined bit length value is representative of a sum of two consecutive constant bit length values, the third unit comparing each combined bit length value to a largest previous combined bit length value to determine a largest combined bit length value, the fourth unit determining a threshold value based on the largest combined bit length value, and the fifth unit outputting a sync mark detection signal when an individual combined bit length value is larger than the threshold value.
US08264930B2
An optical disc discriminating method and an optical disc discriminating apparatus which can discriminate a type of optical disc with a simple configuration, causes a drive means to vary an incident angle of a laser light beam with respect to an optical disc while irradiating the optical disc with the laser light beam from a light beam generating section, causes a photodetector to detect a diffraction light of the laser light beam from a recording track of the optical disc, detects a value corresponding to the incident angle when the diffraction light is detected, and discriminates the type of the optical disc on the basis of the detected value.
US08264921B2
A technique for investigating differences of composition and structural state of a recording layer of an optical disc along with other defects, such as scratches, contamination, warp and distortion, prior to video recording and for setting up appropriate recording conditions in compliance with this result to thereby perform recording is disclosed. In an optical disc recording device capable of recording information on an optical disc, a region to be investigated is defined based on the video recording reservation contents. Then, investigate and evaluate the disc state which can affect the recording quality in a target disc region to be recorded. Next, based on investigation/evaluation results, perform recording setup, recording speed setup, servo control setup and recording position setup to thereby perform the recording. By appropriately modifying the recording setup on a case-by-case basis, it is possible to achieve high-quality recording.
US08264917B2
According to the present invention, heat generation amount control information for controlling a heat generation amount of a heat generating section (20) is arranged to correspond to each of temperatures so that a predetermined heat generation amount is obtained at each of the temperatures. The present invention includes a first computing section (41) that controls the heat generation amount of the heat generating section (20) according to the heat generation amount control information that is arranged in advance to correspond to temperature information that is obtained from a temperature sensor (13). This easily makes it possible to appropriately carry out at least either recording or reproduction with respect to a magnetic recording medium.
US08264916B1
A microwave assisted magnetic head of the present invention includes: at least two or more auxiliary coils that are arranged in a periphery of a writing main pole; and microwave current supply means that applies microwave currents to the at least two or more auxiliary coils. The at least two or more auxiliary coils respectively include linear body parts linearly arranged on an ABS side, two of the linear body parts of the at least two or more auxiliary coils are arranged in a substantially orthogonal positional relationship, and the microwave current supply means is configured such that the microwave current supply means changes phase differences of the microwave currents applied respectively to the at least two or more auxiliary coils. Therefore, the microwave current can be easily controlled, and thus, a circularly polarized magnetic field with high magnetization inversion efficiency can be generated as an assistance magnetic field.
US08264912B2
A watch with a calendar mechanism has a rotatable first date indicator for displaying a ones place of a date, a rotatable second date indicator for displaying a tens place of the date, and a second date indicator feeding lever for rotating the second date indicator. The first date indicator has calendar shift teeth and first date indicator tooth portions. The calendar shift teeth include a first calendar shift tooth, a second calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the first calendar shift tooth at a first interval, a third calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the second calendar shift tooth at a second interval greater than the first interval, and a fourth calendar shift tooth arranged relative to the first calendar shift tooth at a third interval greater than each of the first and second intervals. The second date indicator feeding lever has a spring portion and is mounted to undergo movement from a first position toward the second date indicator in accordance with rotation of the first date indicator and is restored to the first position by a spring force of the spring portion.
US08264892B2
A semiconductor device may include, but is not limited to: a first insulating film; first and second impurity layers on the first insulating film; a semiconductor layer on the first insulating film; a second insulating film covering the semiconductor layer; a first electrode on the second insulating film over the semiconductor layer; and a second electrode on the second insulating film over the semiconductor layer. The first and second impurity layers have a first conductive type. The first impurity layer is separated from the second impurity layer. The semiconductor layer is positioned between the first and second impurity layers. The semiconductor layer has a second conductive type which is different from the first conductive type. The first electrode is electrically insulated from the second electrode. The second electrode at least partially overlaps the first electrode in plan view.
US08264888B2
A flash memory device comprises memory cells connected between a bit line and a common source line, word lines connected to the memory cells, a common source line feedback circuit connected to a common source line (CSL) to detect the voltage level of the common source line, and a CSL feedback control logic configured to control a voltage level of a selected word line or a selected bit line to be compensated to a substantially constant value during a sensing operation of the memory cells based on the detected voltage level of the CSL.
US08264882B2
In programming a selected word line of memory cells, a first program verify or read operation is performed, after one page of a selected word line is programmed, in order to determine a first quantity of memory cells that have been programmed to a predetermined reference point in the programmed first page distribution. Prior to programming the second page of the selected word line, a second program verify or read operation is performed to determine a second quantity of cells that are still at the reference point. The difference between the first and second quantities is an indication of the quantity of cells that experienced quick charge loss. The difference is used to determine an adjustment voltage for the second page verification operation after programming of the second page.
US08264876B2
A semiconductor memory cell is formed in a semiconductor. The semiconductor memory cell includes: a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; and a buried region located within the semiconductor memory cell and located adjacent to the floating body region, wherein the buried region has a second conductivity type.
US08264875B2
A semiconductor memory cell is formed in a semiconductor. The semiconductor memory cell includes: a floating body region defining at least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor memory cell, the floating body region having a first conductivity type; and a buried region located within the semiconductor memory cell and located adjacent to the floating body region, wherein the buried region has a second conductivity type.
US08264864B2
A memory device with band gap control is described. A memory cell can include a conductive oxide layer in contact with and electrically in series with an electronically insulating layer. A thickness of the electronically insulating layer is configured to increase from an initial thickness to a target thickness. The increased thickness of the electronically insulating layer can improve resistive memory effect, increase a magnitude of a read current during read operations, and lower barrier height with a concomitant reduction in band gap of the electronically insulating layer. The memory cell can include a memory element that comprises the conductive oxide layer and the electronically insulating layer and can optionally include a non-ohmic device (NOD). The memory cell can be positioned in a two-terminal cross-point array between a pair of conductive array lines across which voltages for data operations are applied. The memory cell and array can be fabricated BEOL.
US08264861B2
A circuit is proposed for limiting maximum switching FET drain-source voltage (VDS) of a transformer-coupled push pull power converter with maximum DC supply voltage VIN—MAX. Maximum VDS is accentuated by leakage inductances of the push pull transformer and the power converter circuit traces. The limiting circuit bridges the drains of the switching FETs and it includes two serially connected opposing Zener diodes each having a Zener voltage Vzx. The invention is applicable to both N-channel and P-channel FETs. In a specific embodiment, Vzx is selected to be slightly ≧2*VIN—MAX with the maximum VDS clamped to about VIN—MAX+½Vzx. In another embodiment, a proposed power switching device with integrated VDS clamping includes:In another embodiment, a proposed power switching device with integrated VDS-clamping includes a switching FET; and a Zener diode having a first terminal and a second terminal, the second terminal of the Zener diode is connected to the drain terminal of the switching FET.
US08264851B2
A Multi-configuration Processor-Memory device for coupling to a PCB (printed circuit board) interface. The device comprises a substrate that supports multiple configurations of memory components and a processor while having a single, common interface with a PCB interface of a printed circuit board. In a first configuration, the substrate supports a processor and a first number of memory components. In a second configuration, the substrate supports a processor and an additional number of memory components. The memory components can be pre-tested, packaged memory components mounted on the substrate. The processor can be a surface mounted processor die. Additionally, the processor can be mounted in a flip chip configuration, side-opposite the memory components. In the first configuration, a heat spreader can be mounted on the memory components and the processor to dissipate heat. In the second, flip chip, configuration, the processor face can be soldered onto a non-functional area of the PCB interface of the printed circuit board to dissipate heat.
US08264838B2
A display device includes: a display-device main unit having a display screen on the front; a standing pole; a first support member having mounting holes arranged vertically with a predetermined pitch and fixed to the pole; and a second support member having threaded holes arranged vertically with the same pitch as the predetermined pitch and fewer than the mounting holes. The second support member is fixed to the back of the display-device main unit. One of the first support member and the second support member has an engaging hole, and the other has projections arranged vertically with the same pitch as the predetermined pitch and each capable of being inserted into the engaging hole. According to a projection that is one of the projections and inserted into the engaging hole, mounting holes among the mounting holes and as many as the threaded holes are connected to the threaded holes, respectively.
US08264836B2
An exemplary battery cover latching mechanism for latching a battery cover to a rear cover, includes a rod, a suction cup, an elastic element and a sliding key. The rod has a first end and a second end, is hinged to the rear cover, and includes a first positioning slot and a second positioning slot. The suction cup is mounted at the first end of the rod. The elastic element is mounted on the second end of the rod and resisting the rear cover. The sliding key is slidably mounted to the rear cover. When the sliding key latches with the first positioning slot, the suction cup sucks the battery cover to the rear cover; when the sliding key slides out of the first positioning slot to the second positioning slot, the rod rotates relative to the rear cover to release the battery cover.
US08264834B2
A housing, which may contain a hard disk drive, is configured to removably mount to a recessed surface of a console. The housing includes a lip and a biased latch arm so that the lip can be inserted into a corresponding feature in the recessed surface and the housing can be rotatably mounted to the recessed surface. The biased latch arm is retained by a latch arm retainer so that the housing is held in place. A cable connector extends from the bottom of the housing and is configured to connect to a receptor on the console when the housing is installed. When desired, a latch on the housing can be translated where the translation cause the biased latch arm to translate so as to clear the latch arm retainer. Thus the housing can be readily removed from the console. Preferably a portion of the housing extends beyond a wall of the recessed surface so that when installed, the housing alters the profile of the console.
US08264823B2
A portable terminal includes a first body having a first touch screen on an outer surface of the first body, a second body having a second touch screen on an outer surface of the second body, and a hinge unit configured to rotatably connect the first body and the second body. The first touch screen and the second touch screen face the same direction in an unfolded configuration, and the first touch screen and the second touch screen face each other in a folded configuration. The portable terminal further includes a rotation preventing unit configured to prevent relative rotation of the first body and the second body in the absence of an action for relative rotation when the portable terminal is in the unfolded configuration.
US08264815B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic element; a plurality of first and second inner electrodes formed at the interior of the ceramic element and including capacity contribution portions facing each other and capacity non-contribution portions extending from the capacity contribution portions and having one end alternately exposed from the side of the ceramic element; first and second outer electrodes formed at the side of the ceramic main body and electrically connected with the first and second inner electrodes, wherein the thickness of the capacity non-contribution portion is greater than that of the capacity contribution portion and connectivity of the capacity non-contribution portion is higher than that of the capacity contribution portion at one or more of the first and second inner electrodes.
US08264814B2
A downhole release tool for use in conjunction with multiple select-fire perforating guns and a method for electronically actuating the release tool using either positive or negative control voltage. In a preferred embodiment, the release tool employs operating circuitry that allows actuation of the release tool by either a positive or a negative voltage at an absolute magnitude greater than the absolute magnitude of positive or negative voltages used to arm or fire the perforating guns.
US08264812B2
A substrate-chucking electrostatic chuck (ESC) is disclosed which is sub-divided into at least three groups of electrostatic blocks, to uniformly chuck the substrate. A substrate bonding apparatus and method for a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel using the electrostatic chuck is also disclosed. The ESC includes at least three groups of electrostatic blocks which chuck the substrate using electrostatic chucking forces respectively generated by different voltages applied to the electrostatic blocks in association with the electrostatic block groups, and release the chucked substrate when the voltages are cut off.
US08264810B2
Electrically assisted safing of a solenoid linear actuator to provide shock tolerance is provided for a solenoid actuator, the actuator having an armature and at least one electromagnetic inductive coil. A controller, receiving an output from a motion sensor, adjusts an electrical power input to the electromagnetic inductive coil. When the output of the motion sensor indicates onset of an environmental transient exceeding a predetermined threshold of intensity, the controller adjusts the electrical power input such that an electromagnetic field generated by the coil is sufficient to restrain the armature in a desired position during the environmental transient.
US08264801B2
Power supplies are switched in a manner that mitigates parasitic shorts. According to an example, a control circuit (e.g., 310) operates primary and backup power supplies using the higher of the primary and backup supply voltages, for switching between the power supplies.
US08264800B2
A magnetic field detecting element has a first lower layer, a second lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer, wherein the first lower layer, the second lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are stacked adjacent to each other in this order, the first lower layer is formed in an amorphous state; and the second lower layer is made of cobalt, iron, nickel or a combination thereof and that is formed in a substantially amorphous state, the second lower layer being in touch with the first lower layer and the tunnel barrier layer on both sides and a film thickness of the second lower layer is approximately between 0.2 and 1.5 nm.
US08264797B2
A novel head gimbal assembly (HGA) includes a piezoelectric microactuator having a first side and an opposing second side. The first side includes a plurality of anchor regions that extend radially from a center point and are bonded to the gimbal tongue. The first side also includes a first plurality of non-bonded regions lying between the anchor regions. The second side includes a plurality of link regions that extend radially from the center point and are bonded to a top surface of the read head. The second side also includes a second plurality of non-bonded regions lying between the link regions. Each of the plurality of link regions is angularly spaced between two of the plurality of anchor regions.
US08264795B2
A flexible circuit having a first end attached to a clamping mechanism and a second end attached to a carriage to move, a magnetic head to read a tape. The clamping mechanism has a curved surface to allow the flexible circuit to maintain an S-shape when the magnetic head moves with respect to the magnetic tape.
US08264793B2
A tape head has first and second beams each having a recess in a tape bearing surface thereof, a face where the faces of the beams either face each other or face away from each other. A first chip is positioned in the recess of the first beam, and a second chip is positioned in the recess of the second beam. Each chip has circuitry selected from a group consisting of read elements, write elements, and combinations thereof. A tape bearing surface of each chip is generally aligned with the tape bearing surface of the associated beam. Also, an end of each chip is generally aligned with the face of the associated beam. Where closures are used, this eliminates the need to aligning the closure to skiving edges of the beam.
US08264792B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head is fabricated with a multi-level tapered write pole for efficient channeling of magnetic flux. The write pole comprises a main pole with a tapered tip on which is formed at least one yoke that has a tapered edge. The edge of the yoke is recessed from the ABS of the tapered tip, giving the write pole a stepped profile. The tapered tip can be two sloped surfaces that are symmetric about a mid-plane of the main pole or a single sloped edge on the leading side or the trailing side of the pole. The yoke structure can consist of a single yoke formed on one side of the main pole or it can consist of two yokes formed symmetrically on both the leading and trailing sides of the main pole.
US08264791B2
A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string.
US08264788B2
An apparatus includes a recording media including a substrate, a plurality of tracks of magnetic material on the substrate, and a non-magnetic material between the tracks; a recording head having an air bearing surface positioned adjacent to the recording media, and including a magnetic pole, an optical transducer, and a near-field transducer, wherein the near-field transducer directs electromagnetic radiation onto tracks to heat portions of the tracks and a magnetic field from the magnetic pole is used to create magnetic transitions in the heated portions of the tracks; and a plasmonic material positioned adjacent to the magnetic material to increase coupling between the electromagnetic radiation and the magnetic material.
US08264783B2
A lens system includes, in order from the subject side to the image side of thereof, a first lens group of negative refractive power, a second lends group of positive refractive power, and an image plane. The first lens group includes a first spherical lens, a second spherical lens, and a third spherical lens arranged in this order from the subject side to the image side of the lens system. The first spherical lens includes a first subject surface and a first image surface. The lens system satisfies the following formula: 8.9
US08264782B2
Provided is an imaging lens, the imaging lens including in an orderly way from an object side, a first lens including an incidence surface having a positive (+) refractive power and incident with light, a reflecting surface reflecting the incident light and an exit surface outputting the reflected light; a second lens having a negative (−) refractive power; a third lens having a positive (+) refractive power; a fourth lens having a positive (+) refractive power; a fifth lens having a negative (−) refractive power; a sixth lens having a positive (+) refractive power; and a seventh lens having a positive (+) refractive power, wherein the second lens through the seventh lens are disposed in an orderly way from an exit surface of the first lens.
US08264777B2
A portable electronic device (510) having a self illuminating display (200, 202, 204, 206, 300, 512) that reduces both the thickness of known displays and processing steps in the fabrication thereof is provided. The portable electronic device (510) includes an electrowetting display (200, 202, 204, 206, 300, 512) having a plurality of transparent layers defining a cavity (219). A combination of a first fluid (218, 236) and a second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254) are positioned in the cavity. First circuitry (224) is configured to be coupled to a first voltage source (222) for selectively repositioning the second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254) in relation to the first fluid (218, 236). A plurality of quantum dots (208, 360) is positioned within the second fluid (210, 234, 244, 254), and a light source (209, 309) is disposed contiguous to the plurality of layers. Second circuitry (228) is configured to be coupled to a second voltage source (226) for selectively causing the light source (209, 309) to emit photons to strike the plurality of quantum dots (208, 360). Additional similar stacks of layers (204, 206) may be added to provide a color display.
US08264774B2
The present invention relates to a method and device for the generation of reconstructions of information encoded on spatial light modulators by way of illumination with coherent incident waves. The invention includes the following steps: Splitting of the incident wave into at least two incident sub-waves, Modulation of the incident sub-waves with the help of selected apodization functions so to form modulated incident sub-waves, Direction of the modulated incident sub-waves towards the corresponding, spatially separated and pixel-matrix-shifted spatial light modulators, Diffraction of the modulated incident sub-waves at the encoded pixels of the respective spatial light modulators, Additive combination of the sub-waves emitted by the respective spatial light modulators to form one common emitted wave, and Transformation of the emitted wave into the Fourier plane with the help of a projection system.
US08264773B2
A grating structure for splitting light. The grating structure including alternating ridges and grooves. The ridges and grooves are configured such that the grating directs p-polarization components of incident light to the −1st order diffraction mode and s-polarization components of incident light to the 0th order diffraction mode.
US08264767B2
A surgical observation system provided with a supporting arm movable in the three-dimensional direction includes an endoscope objective unit having a tubular insertion section and provided with objective optical systems, a microscope objective unit provided with objective optical systems having a focusing optical system and variable magnification optical systems, and a mounting and dismounting section provided in the supporting arm, mountable and dismountable with respect to the objective units by having interchangeability. The objective optical systems provided in each of the objective units are constructed so that light beams emerging therefrom toward the mounting and dismounting section are changed to afocal light beams, and the mounting and dismounting section is provided with a pair of imaging lenses and a pair of image sensors and is constructed so that, in a state where the objective unit is mounted to the mounting and dismounting section, the objective unit is optically connected with the mounting and dismounting section.
US08264765B2
A light source including a light emitting unit, a nonlinear medium, and a resonant grating. The light emitting unit is arranged to emit a first light into the nonlinear medium. The nonlinear medium is arranged to generate a second light such that an optical frequency of the second light is higher than an optical frequency of the first light. The resonant grating is arranged to stabilize an optical frequency of the first light by providing optical feedback to the light emitting unit.
US08264760B2
An E-ink display device includes an active element array substrate, an E-ink layer, a protective layer and a sealant. The active element array substrate has a surface, and the surface includes a contacting region and a sealing region. The E-ink layer is disposed on the contacting region and has a first side wall, and a first included angle defined between the first side wall and the surface being smaller than 90 degrees or larger than 90 degrees. The protective layer is disposed on the E-ink layer and has a second side wall, and a second included angle defined between the second side wall and the surface is smaller than 90 degrees or larger than 90 degrees. The sealant is disposed on the sealing region and surrounds the E-ink layer and the protective layer. A method for manufacturing the E-ink display device is also provided.
US08264759B2
An apparatus, system, and method for fast all-optical switching is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first light transmitting medium. The apparatus may also include a second light transmitting medium coupled to the first light transmitting medium and disposed to form an interface region between the first light transmitting medium and the second light transmitting medium. Additionally, the apparatus may include a plurality of Lambda atoms disposed in the interface region, the Lambda atoms adapted to cause Electromagnetically-Induced Transparency (EIT) in the interface region in response to an incident photon.
US08264758B2
A total length of members (11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25) formed in an X-axis direction of a spring (1) is larger than a spring length of the spring (1) and larger than a total length of members (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24) formed in a Y-axis direction. With this arrangement, spring constants of respective axes can be increased, and a spring constant in a direction R can be set appropriately and freely within a wider range.
US08264754B2
A document feeding device includes: a document tray on which a document is loaded; a discharge tray to which the original document is discharged; a conveyance path which conveys a document on the original document tray to the discharge tray via a document reading position; a detection unit which is disposed in the conveyance path and detects a jam of the original document in the conveyance path; and an illumination device which illuminates the conveyance path in a state visible from the exterior when the detection unit has detected a jam of the original document.
US08264753B2
Disclosed are an automatic document feeder capable of moving a pickup device between a standby position and a pickup position and carrying out a document pickup operation by using a single driving source, an image reading device having the same and an image forming apparatus having the same. The automatic document feeder includes a pickup device, a lifting device and a pickup driving device. The pickup device includes a pickup roller to pick up a document sheet. The lifting device moves the pickup device between a standby position and a pickup position. The pickup driving device includes a pickup motor to rotate in a first direction and a second direction. The pickup motor drives the pickup roller by rotating in the first direction, and drives the lifting device by rotating in the second direction.
US08264745B2
An image processing apparatus capable of preventing image processing from being performed on data for which an appropriate image processing cannot be carried out and improving the reliability of equipment signature. An MFP as the image processing apparatus reads an original, creates and stores electronic data, and stores electronic data created by an external unit. The electronic data created by the MFP is stored in association with MFP identification information. Electronic data created by the MFP among the stored electronic data is determined based on the MFP identification information. Execution of a function of the MFP on electronic data created by the external unit is restricted.
US08264741B2
A system prints documents according to non-color content. The system includes a processing component that receives a print job that includes at least one of color and non-color content. A threshold selection component allows a user to select a minimum value of non-color content within the received print job. An analysis component evaluates the non-color content within each print job, compares the non-color content with the value selected via the threshold selection component, and modifies the color parameters of the print job to appear as non-color, if the threshold is met or exceeded. A print devices receives the print job information from the evaluation component and outputs the print job as a non-color print job if the non-color content threshold is met or exceeded, and outputs the print job as a color job if the non-color content threshold is not met.
US08264740B2
This invention relates an image printing apparatus capable of copying by executing enlargement/reduction (E/R) processing optimum to an instructed mode. According to the apparatus, a copy mode and an enlargement rate are input. The use priority order of each enlargement/reduction (E/R) unit of the apparatus is decided. The enlargement rate is distributed to each E/R unit in accordance with the copy mode, decided use priority order, and the E/R rate upper limit value of each E/R unit. An image is copied by causing each E/R unit to sequentially execute E/R processing in accordance with the distributed enlargement rate and the decided use priority order and causing a printing unit to print based on the image data that has undergone the E/R processing.
US08264737B2
An image forming apparatus image which is capable of accurately correcting the magnification of an image without degrading the quality of the formed image or reducing productivity, to thereby make it possible to cope with an increase in the operating speed of the apparatus. The image forming apparatus is comprised of an image processing section having an image area-separating section, and an image forming section having an exposure control section. The image area-separating section separates image data into at least two kinds of areas. The exposure control section performs magnification correction on at least one area of the image data separated by the image area-separating unit.
US08264735B2
An image processing apparatus, which includes: an extraction section that extracts a drawing element to be printed in a black color; a contour portion determination section that determines a contour portion of the drawing element extracted by the extraction section; and a controller that controls a printing unit such that, for a portion determined as the contour portion by the contour portion determination section, the portion is overprinted on a printed background image, and for a portion not determined as the contour portion by the contour portion determination section, the portion is printed without printing the background image.
US08264733B2
An image forming apparatus that is capable of carrying out processes such as an image forming process in an efficient manner while reducing downtime. Laser beam is emitted onto an intermediate transfer belt. The light intensities of light scattered from the laser beam reflected by at least a part of the surface of the intermediate transfer belt are detected, and light intensity distribution information on the distribution of the detected light intensities are acquired. Phase information on phases on the intermediate transfer belt is acquired based on the light intensity distribution information. An image forming process in which an image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt is carried out in synchronization with a predetermined phase included in the acquired phase information.
US08264731B1
According to this invention, a printing management system which manages a log of a print job includes a creation unit which creates log information for specifying a print job on the basis of issued print job data, a save unit which saves the log information created by the creation unit in a save location corresponding to the log information in a storage unit, a determination unit which determines, in accordance with a request to access the log information saved in the save unit, whether to permit or reject the access request, and an access unit which reads log information subjected to the access request when the determination unit determines to permit the access request.
US08264730B2
An image processing apparatus includes n line buffer circuits and a delay adjustment section. In a case of a filter process, (i) image data corresponding to n lines stored in the n line buffer circuits and (ii) image data corresponding to one line supplied to the delay adjustment section are outputted to a spatial filter process section in synchronization with each other. In a case of a dilation process, (i) image data corresponding to m lines stored in m line buffer circuits of the n line buffer circuits and (ii) image data corresponding to one line supplied to the delay adjustment section are outputted to a dilation process section in synchronization with each other. This reduces the size of a circuit of an image processing device including a plurality of types of image process sections for carrying out image processes by using image data with different numbers of lines.
US08264724B2
A job history information auditing system includes an image forming apparatus which generates job history information including a log and image data or a link log upon execution of a job, and a data server which saves the job history information in a searchable state.
US08264720B2
A printing control apparatus to store print data in a storage area from a print application and to send the print data to a print apparatus. The printing control apparatus includes a control unit to send, when a billing code is set in a first received print data, the print data to the print apparatus and to control, when no billing code is set in the first received print data, an order of the print data so that subsequent data is sent before (or instead of) the first received print data, a display control unit to display a list of the print data received from the print application, and a setting unit to select one or more print data from the list of the print data displayed by the display control unit to set a billing code according to input by a user. Related methods are also disclosed.
US08264704B2
A method of automatically monitoring and controlling print quality in digital printing with a first and second scanner capturing an image from different locations in the printing engine. In an exemplary embodiment, a first scanner captures an image from a surface internal to the print engine while an external scanner captures an image from a printed sheet. If the external print image quality is acceptable, the internally captured image is saved as a reference. The system periodically compares internally captured images with the saved reference and provides automatic image correction if the variation from the reference is within a correctable range. If the image variation is not within a correctable range, the system runs a new test print and creates a new reference image.
US08264697B2
An object detecting device for detecting the existence and general placement of an object residing upon a surface. A preferred embodiment of the invention uses a laser measuring scanner operated positioned by a servo motor to allow the laser measuring scanner to generate signals related to the placement of an object on a surface. Those placement signals are then processed by a computer to make a two or three dimensional determination of the object in coordinates that show the object's location in relation to another device such as a robotic depalletizer that can then be moved into position near the object to allow removal of the object by the robotic depalletizer.
US08264694B2
An optical system includes an optical interferometer that generates interference phenomena between optical waves to measure multiple distances, thicknesses, and indices of refraction of a sample. An excitation-emission device allows an electromagnetic excitation and emission to pass through an objective in optical communication with the sample. An electromagnetic detector receives the output of the optical interferometer and the excitation-emission device to render a magnified image of the sample. A digital delay generator synchronizes the optical interferometer and excitation-emission device to operate in substantially unison to generate a noninvasive depth of field of the portion of the sample that corrects a plurality of optical aberrations in real-time.
US08264692B2
Two optical wavelengths are used to interrogate a fiber optic Fabry-Perot sensor having a moveable diaphragm that changes the width of a gap between two reflective surfaces. By picking the right operating point for the gap, the power output for one wavelength increases as the gap width changes and the power for the other wavelength decreases. A ratio of the difference of the two powers over the sum of the two powers is formed to generate a detected signal independent of power and phase fluctuations in a fiber between signal sources and sensor and between sensor and detector. This ratio, which is called the visibility, has a response proportional to the pressure of acoustic disturbances that move the diaphragm. The push-pull sensor can be used with both TDM and CW fan-out array architectures.
US08264686B2
A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate includes a reference set of gratings provided in the substrate, the reference set including two reference gratings having line elements in a first direction and one reference grating having line elements in a second, perpendicular, direction. A measurement set of gratings is provided on top of the reference set of gratings, the measurement set comprising three measurement gratings similar to the reference gratings. Two of the measurement gratings are oppositely biased in the second direction relative to the respective reference gratings. An overlay measurement device is provided to measure asymmetry of the three gratings in the reference set and the measurement set, and to derive from the measured asymmetry the overlay in both the first and second direction.
US08264675B1
The present invention provides a tool for and method of using an infrared transmission technique to extract the full stress components of the in-plane residual stresses in thin, multi crystalline silicon wafers including in situ measurement of residual stress for large cast wafers. The shear difference method is used to obtain full stress components by integrating the shear stress map from the boundaries. System ambiguity at the boundaries is resolved completely by introducing a new analytical function. A new anisotropic stress optic law is provided, and stress optic coefficients are calibrated for different crystal grain orientations and stress orientations.
US08264674B2
[PROBLEMS] A separation unit can confirms a separation state, a detection unit enhances a lighting efficiency and a light reception sensitivity, and a dispensing unit ensures the normal state of a specimen. [MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A specimen separation device characterized by comprising a container for storing a specimen, a nozzle for sucking and ejecting the specimen from the container, a nozzle operating means for moving the nozzle vertically and laterally, and a nozzle controlling means for controlling the suction force and ejection force of the nozzle. A specimen identification device comprising a nozzle for sucking a specimen from a container storing the specimen, a flow path for allowing the specimen to flow therethrough, and a measuring unit having a monitoring light lighting unit and a light receiving unit for observing (monitoring) the specimen that are installed in a flow path, characterized in that the above nozzle, the flow path and the measuring unit are formed in an integrated structure.
US08264673B2
Two charge quantities (Q1,Q2) are output from respective pixels P (m,n) of the back-illuminated distance measuring sensor 1 as signals d′(m,n) having the distance information. Since the respective pixels P (m,n) output signals d′(m,n) responsive to the distance to an object H as micro distance measuring sensors, a distance image of the object can be obtained as an aggregate of distance information to respective points on the object H if reflection light from the object H is imaged on the pickup area 1B. If carriers generated at a deep portion in the semiconductor in response to incidence of near-infrared light for projection are led in a potential well provided in the vicinity of the carrier-generated position opposed to the light incident surface side, high-speed and accurate distance measurement is enabled.
US08264672B1
A rangefinder calculates Fresnel zones for a location between the rangefinder and a far-end target. Fresnel zone boundaries are calculated at the location. The boundaries are shown in the viewing interface of the rangefinder. Whenever, the Fresnel zone boundary changes, the radius of the Fresnel zone boundary changes accordingly in the viewing interface. The viewing interface enables a user to view obstacles that appear between the rangefinder and the far-end target and are located within the Fresnel zone boundary.
US08264665B2
A cooled spider for grazing-incidence collectors includes an outer ring, an inner ring and spokes that mechanically and fluidly connect the inner and outer rings. Cooling channels in the outer and inner rings and in the spokes define a general cooling-fluid flow path through the spider. The general cooling-fluid flow path has input and output points located substantially 180° apart so that the flow path diverges at the input point into two branch flow paths that flow in opposite directions through the spider, and then converge at the output point. Input and output cooling fluid manifolds are fluidly connected to the outer ring at the input and output points and serve to flow cooling fluid over the cooling-fluid flow path.
US08264664B2
Method for producing a marker on a substrate, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
A method of producing a marker on a substrate includes projecting a patterned beam on a layer of resist disposed on a substrate in a lithographic apparatus to create a latent marker; and locally heating the substrate at the marker location in the lithographic apparatus to transform the latent marker into a detectable marker.
US08264662B2
An immersion lithography system, comprising a lens unit configured to project a pattern from an end thereof and onto a wafer, a hood unit configured to confine an immersion fluid to a region of the wafer surrounding the end of the lens unit, a wafer stage configured to position the wafer proximate the end of the lens unit, and at least one of an image capturing apparatus and a scattering light detection apparatus, wherein the image capturing apparatus is coupled to the wafer stage and is configured to capture an image of a surface of the hood unit proximate the wafer stage, and wherein the scattering light detection apparatus is proximate the end of the lens unit and the hood unit and is configured to detect particles on a surface of the wafer stage.
US08264654B2
A liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel including short sides and long sides, a gate wire extending substantially parallel with the short sides of the liquid crystal panel, a data wire extending substantially parallel with the long sides of the liquid crystal panel and insulated from the gate wire with crossing the gate wire, a first printed circuit board disposed adjacent to a long side of the liquid crystal panel facing a same direction as the liquid crystal panel is and supplying an image signal to the liquid crystal panel, a circuit film electrically connecting the data wire and the first printed circuit board with each other to carry the image signal.
US08264650B2
A liquid crystal display includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer. The first substrate has a pixel electrode having many first slits and many second slits, connected to a third slit. Each first and second slit respectively stretches along a first and a second vector with a starting point in a junction with the third slit. Liquid crystal molecules near an alignment layer of the second substrate is aligned by the alignment layer to pre-tilt. Each projection of the long-axis of at least part of the pre-tilted liquid crystal molecules on the second substrate forms a third vector with a starting point at the end of the liquid crystal molecule near the alignment layer. An included angle between the first and the third vector is θ1, and an included angle between the second and the third vector is θ2. 90°<θ1<160°, and 90°<θ2<160°.
US08264647B2
An image display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel having a liquid crystal layer disposed between a pair of substrates, and an optical compensation plate pair including a first optical compensation plate and a second optical compensation plate, the first optical compensation plate being formed of a negative uniaxial crystal and the second optical compensation plate being formed of a positive uniaxial crystal. The optical compensation plate pair is configured such that an optical phase difference caused by a difference in thickness between the first optical compensation plate and the second optical compensation plate cancels an optical phase difference generated by the liquid crystal panel.
US08264641B2
An optical compensated bend (OCB) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a pixel electrode, a color filter, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer. The pixel electrode is formed on the first substrate of the OCB mode LCD. The color filter is formed on the second substrate of the OCB mode LCD. The common electrode is formed on the color filter. The liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate. A step structure is formed on the second structure, so that the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are twisted into the bend state from the splay state uniformly and quickly.
US08264632B2
A data line repair structure for a liquid crystal display panel is disclosed. The data line repair structure includes a first repair line parallel to the scan line and crossing a first end of the data line; a fourth repair line formed in an oblique line area of the liquid crystal panel, coupled to the first repair line; a second repair line parallel to the data line, coupled to the gate driving chip and the fourth repair line; a third repair line parallel to the scan line, coupled to the second repair line and separated from a second end of the data line; and a floating line connected between the third repair line and the second end of the data line when the data line has a broken point.
US08264630B2
In an auxiliary capacitance electrode of each pixel region, a side end on one side in a direction in which a drain electrode crosses an end of a gate electrode so as to enter from the outside of the gate electrode to the inside thereof is disposed inside of an auxiliary capacitance line, and a side end on the other side in a direction in which the drain electrode crosses the end of the gate electrode so as to go out from the inside of the gate electrode to the outside thereof is disposed outside of the auxiliary capacitance line.
US08264624B2
Provided is a digitizer function-equipped liquid crystal display device capable of preventing the wire shadows of a loop antenna from being projected on a liquid crystal panel and capable of being applied to a large size liquid crystal panel. It is also possible to provide an information processing electronic device and a game device provided with the digitizer function-equipped liquid crystal display device. Here, the digitizer function-equipped liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal panel 1; a light diffusion member 2 which is disposed between the liquid crystal panel 1 and a backlight 5 irradiating the liquid crystal panel 1 with light; an electromagnetic induction type loop antenna which is disposed at a portion apart from the light diffusion member 2 in the direction toward the backlight 5 by a predetermined spacing so as to detect a position on the plane of the liquid crystal panel 1 in one coordinate axis direction and another coordinate axis direction that intersects the one coordinate axis direction; and a spacing retaining means for retaining the spacing between the light diffusion member 2 and loop antenna at a predetermined spacing value. As the spacing retaining means, a first light transmitting member 3 formed of a plate material having a light transmitting property is used.
US08264623B2
Geometrical phase optical elements comprising, as a birefringent means, a liquid crystal material with a spatially inhomogeneous orientation of the molecular director in a plane orthogonal to the direction of propagation of an input radiation beam, ordered according to a predetermined geometrical pattern. Also, an optical system for generating helical modes of propagation of an optical radiation beam, including a geometrical phase optical element orientated transversely to the direction of propagation of the beam, whose optical axis is orientated according to a predetermined geometrical relation adapted to transform a circular polarized input radiation beam into a helical mode with a wavefront having a helical surface whose handedness is a function of the handedness of the input polarization, in which the switching between different orders of helicity of the radiation beam emerging from the geometrical phase optical element is carried out by switching the circular polarization state of the input radiation.
US08264622B2
This invention relates to film layer which is suitable for use in a light guide plate and methods of forming said film layer and light guide plate. The invention also relates to the light guide plate and light guide devices made therefrom. The film and light guide plate are suitable for use in a range of applications, particularly in connection with the backlighting of displays, for example, liquid crystal displays.
US08264611B2
A system and method for downscaling signal data, where the system includes an antenna receiving video signal data; an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the antenna and converting the received analog signal data to digital signal data; a memory component storing video downscaling instructions; and a video downscaling processor, coupled to the memory component and the analog-to-digital converter, wherein the video downscaling processor, upon reading the video downscaling instructions from the memory component and executing the downscaling instructions: divides the digital video signal data into a plurality of blocks, wherein each block comprises a plurality of pixel elements; and cycles through the plurality of blocks, and for every block in the plurality of blocks, generates a new block, wherein the new block comprises a plurality of new pixels evenly spaced within the new block.
US08264610B2
The invention includes a system and the associated method for decoding multiple video signals. The video signals may be component video, composite video or s-video signals each having multiple portions using a multimode video decoder. A selection stage may combine the multiple video signals and select some of their video signal portions for processing. The selection stage may time-multiplex some of the video signal portions. An analog to digital conversion stage may be shared by the time-multiplexing of the video signals. A decoder stage may decode the various signal portions and provide decoded output video signals. These feature may reduce the overall cost of the system. Various clock signals may be used to operate various stages of a multimode video decoder. Some of the clock signals may run at different frequencies and others may operate at a different phase.
US08264596B2
A digital camera of the present invention includes a microcomputer 110 having a live view mode controlling so that image data generated by a CMOS sensor 130 or image data obtained by subjecting the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130 to predetermined processing is displayed on a liquid crystal monitor 150 as a moving image in real time, and the microcomputer 110 controls so that movable mirrors 121a and 121b to enter an optical path of an image pickup optical system after the amount of light from a subject is obtained based on the image data generated by the CMOS sensor 130, a strobe 137 emits light, and measurement results of an AE sensor 133 are obtained. Due to this configuration, in a digital camera that includes a movable mirror and is capable of displaying a subject image in a live view through an electronic viewfinder, the operability thereof can be enhanced.
US08264593B2
A camera device (1) includes an AF value calculating unit (14), a focus position determining unit (15), and an LED control unit (16). The AF value calculating unit (14) calculates an AF value from a camera image captured by an image imaging element (2). The focus position determining unit (15) determines a correct focus position based on the AF value. The LED control unit (16) controls light emission of an LED (13) provided in a main body (4) and indicates the correct focus position to a user. This allows to assist the user in focus adjustment by means of a light emitter provided in the main body. Thus, the camera device which allows the user by himself to adjust focus with ease without the help of others is provided.
US08264590B2
An imaging apparatus includes an imaging device, a light guide mechanism, and a signal processing unit. The imaging device converts light incident on a photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device into electric signals. The light guide mechanism, arranged adjacent to the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device, includes a plurality of apertures that guide light from a subject to the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device. The signal processing unit performs desired signal processing on the electric signals output from the imaging device on the basis of subject information units derived from the light guided onto the photoelectric conversion portion of the imaging device through the apertures.
US08264583B2
This invention enables an intention of a photographer to be reflected with greater accuracy in image processing based on actions performed by the photographer when taking an image. Based on user information acquired by a user information acquisition section, supplementary information such as whether a composition flag is on or off and assignment of an image classification is recorded with an image. Based on the supplementary information, various types of image processing such as setting an image trimming range, imparting an effect, and arranging an image on a mount are performed.
US08264582B2
In a three-TR configuration pixel, the solid-state image capturing apparatus according to the present invention is capable of securing an electric potential difference sufficiently between a signal voltage and a reset voltage at the transferring of a signal charge and performing complete transferring of the signal charge from a photoelectric conversion element to an FD section easily and stably. Each pixel section, constituting a pixel array, has a 3TR configuration including reset transistors, transfer transistors and amplifying transistors. In each row of the pixel array, provided are a level shifter for driving reset drain wiring connected to a drain of the reset transistor, with an electric potential higher than a power supply voltage, and another level shifter for driving a reset signal line connected to a gate of the reset transistor, with an electric potential higher than the power supply voltage.
US08264581B2
A photosurface for receiving and registering light from a scene, the photosurface comprising: a first semiconductor region in which electron-hole pairs are generated responsive to light incident on the photosurface; a single, first conductive region substantially overlaying all of the first semiconductor region; at least one second semiconductor region surrounded by the first semiconductor region; a different second conductive region for each second semiconductor region that surrounds the second semiconductor region and is electrically isolated from the first conductive region; wherein when the second conductive region is electrified positive with respect to the first conductive region, electrons generated by light incident on the first semiconductor region are collected in the second semiconductor region.
US08264571B2
An image capture device includes: an imager for imaging an object and generating image data; an image file generator for generating an image file by adding, to the image data generated by the imager, a header portion which stores at least one type of information concerning shooting circumstances; a timer for outputting information indicating a current time; and a manipulation section which is used to set period information specifying a period. The image file generator changes the type of information to be stored in the header portion depending on whether a time of imaging as indicated by the information which is output from the timer at the time of the imaging falls within the period specified by the period information.
US08264568B2
This invention is an image pickup device that realizes a wide dynamic range while minimizing circuit area using a pixel array that can pick up a low-sensitivity image and a high-sensitivity image. This invention obtains information (S1/S2) needed for generating a correction coefficient using one more than the number of pixels readout circuits (RC1 to RCn+1). This significantly reduces the circuit area compared with the case of using twice as many readout circuits as pixels for generating the correction coefficient.
US08264565B2
An image processing device (200) according to the present invention includes: a shooting period obtaining unit (205) configured to obtain a shooting period; an imaging unit (202) which includes a plurality of pixels each converting light into an electrical signal, and which has a first mode in which a low-resolution image signal is outputted and a second mode in which a high-resolution image signal is outputted, the low-resolution image signal including electrical signals converted by a first number of pixels among the plurality of pixels, the high-resolution image signal including electrical signals converted by a second number of pixels among the plurality of pixels, and the second number being greater than the first number; a control unit (210) configured to cause the imaging unit (202) to operate in the first mode during the shooting period, and to operate in the second mode during a period other than the shooting period; and a super-resolution unit (203) configured to generate a super-resolution image signal by performing a resolution up-converting process on the low-resolution image signal outputted by the imaging unit (202) during the shooting period, using the high-resolution image signal outputted by the imaging unit (202) during the period other than the shooting period.
US08264550B2
There is provided a shake correction apparatus having an image pickup optical system that includes a correction lens capable of moving in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis. The shake correction apparatus comprises: a detection unit that detects shake applied to the shake correction apparatus; a determination unit that determines a reference position of the correction lens; and a drive unit that drives the correction lens with the reference position serving as a center position, so as to correct the shake detected by the detection unit. The determination unit determines the reference position, in a range where a condition that a Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) of the image pickup optical system when the correction lens is positioned at the determined reference position is equal to or larger than a threshold is satisfied.
US08264547B1
Test patterns and associated techniques for testing the fidelity of intensity reproduction are disclosed. One set of embodiments provide test patterns that incorporate anti-aliased features such as anti-aliased edges or lines. In various embodiments, these anti-aliased features expose undesirable, nonlinear transformations of the test patterns by one or more devices in an image output system or chain. Using these test patterns, users may more easily evaluate the end-to-end gamma response of the system, and may more easily calibrate gamma controls accordingly. Additionally, users may more easily identify nonlinear image resampling performed in gamma, rather than linear, space.
US08264544B1
A method for automated content insertion into a video sequence. The video sequence comprising a sequence of frames is received. An automated determination is made of non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames. Thereafter, an automated identification is made of valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
US08264540B2
A bidirectional wireless transmission and communication system is disclosed, including a base station, a wireless microphone and an external control device. A bidirectional wireless transmission and communication may be performed between the wireless microphone and the base station. The external control device is connected to the wireless microphone wirelessly or via a cable for controlling the wireless microphone via at least one push button on the external control device. The external control device is also provided with at least one light-emitting element to show the function operating state of the wireless microphone. The wireless microphone is internally provided with a global positioning system and a G-sensor for locating the coordinates of the wireless microphone under different situations. When the wireless microphone is located beyond the wireless communication range, the wireless microphone emits a high-power pulsed radio frequency signal for the base station to locate the position of the wireless microphone.
US08264538B2
Method for monitoring at least part of a comb-line (18) of a comb plate (14) having a plurality of teeth (16), of a people conveyor (2) having a movable transportation band (4) and the comb plate (14) located at the transition (20) between the movable transportation band (4) and the stationary comb plate (14), wherein the method includes (a) taking a picture of the comb-line (18) with a camera (12); (b) comparing the picture with a reference picture; (c) determining the safety state of the comb-line (18) based on such comparison.
US08264533B2
Disclosed herein is a video conversion device including a color characteristic memory, a color characteristic correction processor, a selector, and a controller.
US08264530B2
A method for processing at least an imprint image of an individual using a processing device that comprises an exhibition glass sheet having a surface for receiving said imprint. The method includes acquiring without contact at least one image of the imprint present in the space upstream from the said surface and which has not yet been in contact with it and detecting the contact between the imprint and the exhibition glass sheet; acquiring by contact at least one image of the imprint after contact with the exhibition glass sheet; and standardizing at least one of the contact-less images in proportions that are identical to those of one of the contact images by analysing at least one of the contact-less images and at least one of the contact images.
US08264526B2
The present invention provides a method, system, and apparatus for solving the stereo vision matching problem. The invention implements a method for solving image correspondence problems so that each front region between consecutive extremal pixels in one image is matched to a corresponding front region between consecutive extremal pixels in another image.
US08264518B2
In one embodiment, a method for transferring a communication session detects a transfer indication generated by a user of a first video conference system, where the transfer indication requests to transfer an active voice communication session. The method acquires image information associated with the transfer indication, where the image information includes at least one frame captured from a second video conference system having an active video conference session with the first video conference system. The method identifies a mobile communication device associated with the transfer indication and having the active voice communication session and identifies a target communication device using the image information associated with the transfer indication. The method also initiates transfer of the voice communication session to the target communication device.
US08264512B2
A thermal printer detects an environmental temperature, and directly or indirectly detects a change in tension of an ink ribbon R. A correction value is read or calculated according to at least one of the detected environmental temperature and the detected change in the tension of the ink ribbon R. Thermal energy of each heating element in the thermal head is controlled based on the correction value so as to adjustably increase or reduce number of print lines on a print medium in a sub-scanning direction.
US08264509B2
An exposure head includes a light emitting segment that emits light; an electrical load that is electrically connected to a circuit in which a current to be supplied to the light emitting segment flows; and a current supply controller that supplies a first current to the light emitting segment to cause the light emitting segment to emit light and supplies a second current to the electrical load during the time when the current supply controller blocks the supply of the first current to the light emitting segment.
US08264508B2
An image of a color misregistration detection pattern is formed, and the amount of color misregistration is detected by reading of the pattern image. The amount of color misregistration detected by a detecting unit and the delay time from the time when image data is requested to the time when the image data is output are stored. The color misregistration is corrected based on the stored delay time and amount of color misregistration.
US08264504B2
The present disclosure provides techniques that can enable a community of users to upload arbitrary images of particular locations and integrate them into a 3D model of that location in such a way that they appear as correctly aligned overlays with the model. Users can estimate rough location, orientation, and field of view, for one or more images and then add metadata such as keyword “tags” including time parameters. From the user estimates, a computer system determines the pose of the image relative to the 3D model and stores the metadata. A display system enables a community of users to freely navigate through the 3D model with visual indicators of all of the posed images, filterable via the metadata. Users also have control over a “snap-to-view” feature as they approach any of the posed images as well as a transparency feature for the degree of visibility of the overlaid image.
US08264503B1
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for rendering an artwork comprising a first plurality of objects. At least one common attribute shared by a second plurality of objects in the artwork may be automatically identified. The second plurality of objects may comprise a subset of the first plurality of objects. Each object of the second plurality of objects may be automatically assigned to a group. It may be determined whether the group is located within an area to be rendered. The group may be culled if the group is not located within the area to be rendered.
US08264501B2
A system, method, and computer program for radial component scattering, comprising calculating a bounding box for each of a plurality of parts; calculating a centroid corresponding to each of said bounding boxes; calculating a scatter circle for placement of said plurality of parts; calculating a number of locations to place said plurality of parts on said scatter circle; whereby said plurality of parts are added to an assembly view in a single operation such that a largest of said plurality of parts is at a start point, and appropriate means and computer-readable instructions.
US08264492B1
A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for programmable processing in a computer graphics pipeline. Initially, data is received from a source buffer. Thereafter, programmable operations are performed on the data in order to generate output. The operations are programmable in that a user may utilize instructions from a predetermined instruction set for generating the same. Such output is stored in a register. During operation, the output stored in the register is used in performing the programmable operations on the data.
US08264491B1
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for controlling a shader to gather statistics. In use, instructions are received utilizing a programmable interface. A shader is then controlled to gather statistics based on the instructions. Such statistics are further output to memory utilizing the shader.
US08264489B2
Machine-readable media, methods, and apparatus are described for interface remoting. In some embodiments, a server may transmit motion commands to a remote device to update a graphical user interface displayed on the remote device. The motion commands may reference an image object of the remote device and may request the remote device to animate the image object. In some embodiments, the animation specified by the motion commands result in the remote device moving the image object from one location to another location, scaling the image object from a first scale to a second scale, and/or rotating the image object from a first orientation to a second orientation.
US08264488B2
Provided is a shape information storage portion in which shape information, which is information specifying a shape of a solid object, which is a three-dimensional object, can be stored; a placement information storage portion in which placement information, which is one or more pieces of information that can be placed on a surface constituting the solid object, can be stored; an acquisition condition information storage portion in which acquisition condition information, which is information indicating a condition for acquiring information that is to be each placed on one or more surfaces constituting the solid object from the placement information, can be stored; and a surface information acquiring portion that acquires surface information, which is information that is to be placed on one or more surfaces of the solid object, from the placement information, using the acquisition condition information.
US08264483B2
An ordered set of physical points, each comprising a nominal point and an associated allowable deviation, is approximated by a sequence of geometric elements determined by a method of intersecting polytopes in a parametric space. A first bundle of geometric elements connecting a first subgroup of physical points is generated and mapped to a first polytope. A second bundle of geometric elements connecting a second subgroup of physical points is generated and mapped to a second polytope. If the intersection between the first polytope and the second polytope is not null, the points in the intersection region correspond to geometric elements which approximate the physical points in the combined two subgroups. The process is repeated iteratively for additional subgroups. The center point of the final intersection region corresponds to an approximate best-fit geometric element.
US08264482B2
A drive circuit for rapidly interleaving image data displayed on an EL device is disclosed. The drive circuit includes a signal source that provides a image data signals. Each image data signal is provided for a specified load period. A multiplexer receives the image data signals, and in response to a selection signal selects one of the image data signals to provide a control signal that directs the EL device to emit light. Additionally, a controller causes interleaving of the image data during multiple display periods; each display period is shorter than the load period.
US08264477B2
An image display device is provided with a display section (10) for displaying a two-dimensional image on a screen; a microlens array board (22), which is arranged in an optical path of display light constituting the two-dimensional image, and transmits the display light to display an actual image of the two-dimensional image on an imaging plane positioned in a space on a side opposite to the screen; and a display control section (100) for controlling the display section (10) to perform blocking process to have a part of an actual object on a side further than the imaging plane not seen by an observer who observes the imaging plane.
US08264474B2
A multi-touch positioning method for a capacitive touch panel includes following steps. A candidate touching position array including a first and a second candidate position groups is generated when the capacitive touch panel is touched by three objects. The first, the second and the third candidate position groups include three candidate positions, respectively. The signal magnitude sensed by a sensing element and respectively corresponding to the first, the second and the third candidate position groups are compared. One of the three first, the three second and the three third candidate positions are respectively determined as a first, a second and a third actual touching positions according to the compared result.
US08264471B2
A device includes a touch screen with a maximum of nine distinct touch areas, displays an input interface on the touch screen, where the input interface includes a scrollable character wheel, receives selections of characters from the character wheel, and displays the selected characters on the user interface. The receiving of selections includes detecting a scrolling up or down of the character wheel to position a character in a particular location, and detecting a pressing action on the character in the particular location. The input interface provides a way for a user to enter a phone number and place a call using only nine distinct touch areas.
US08264470B2
The present invention provides a device that will not force, if the situation permits, the user to abort his or her work entirely when the modes of operation are changed from cleaning into non-cleaning, or vice versa. An information display device includes: a display section; a touchscreen panel, which forms an integral part of the display section and which has an input area that is associated with the display area of the display section; an area locating section for determining, in response to a user's action on the input area, what partial area of the input area has been operated on as a result of the user's action, thereby generating a signal specifying that partial area; and a control section for instructing the display section to display a non-opaque pattern with some degree of transparency. In a cleaning mode for cleaning the input area, the display section displays the pattern on the display area, and the control section increases the degree of transparency of that pattern on the partial area in accordance with the signal specifying the partial area.
US08264453B2
A backlight control device for controlling a driving current of an LED is disclosed. By controlling current outputs from current sources of a plurality of current output units, a display will be able to generate desirable backlight. Then by adjusting currents output by the plurality of current output units, brightness of a plurality of pixels can be dynamically adjusted. The brightness of pixels with higher gray levels can be increased while the brightness of pixels with lower gray levels can be decreased, thereby improving the contrast of image and saving power consumption.
US08264449B2
A method for driving a color-sequential display suitable to reduce the color break-up phenomenon of the color-sequential display is disclosed. The method includes: dividing each sub-frame period into a data-writing period and a backlight turned-on period; within the data-writing period, transmitting a data of first color; during a first duration of the backlight turned-on period, turning on a first color backlight; during a second duration of the backlight turned-on period, turning on a second color backlight.
US08264444B2
A display device includes a pixel electrode; a transistor for supplying a driving voltage to the electrode pixel; and a gate-line driver circuit for providing a gate voltage to the transistor and inversely driving a driving voltage supplied to the electrode pixel via the transistor. The gate voltage has different voltage levels in a first driving state that the gate-line driver circuit drives the transistor with a level of the driving voltage and in a second driving state that the gate-line driver circuit drives the transistor with another level of the driving voltage.
US08264436B2
A gray scale voltage decoder includes a first decoding unit and a second decoding unit, in which the first decoding unit includes row blocks. Each of the row blocks receives one of a number of gray scale voltages and determines whether to output the received gray scale voltage in response to first bits of digital image data provided through data input lines formed along a column direction. Row blocks outputting the received gray scale voltage according to the same values of the first bits are arranged adjacently. The first decoding unit selects part of the gray scale voltages to output the selected gray scale voltages. The second decoding unit selects one of the gray scale voltages selected by the first decoding unit in response to second bits of the digital image data and outputs the selected gray scale voltage.
US08264434B2
An active matrix substrate used in a display device or the like capable of making substantially uniform the level shift generated in the pixel potential caused by the distribution of resistance and capacity in each signal line is disclosed. On the TFT substrate which is an active matrix substrate including a common electrode line formed parallel to the scan signal line, in order to eliminate non-uniformity of the level shift of the pixel potential generated at the scan signal fall, each pixel circuit is formed so that the capacity between the scan signal line and the pixel electrode becomes greater as electrically going farther from the scan signal line drive circuit and going farther from the common electrode line drive circuit. Embodiments can be applied especially to an active matrix substrate used in a liquid crystal display device, an EL display device, and the like.
US08264424B2
Luminance of a plasma display is enhanced while suppressing deterioration in resolution. In a plasma display module comprising panel sections (12, 18) and a circuit section (27) and performing display by receiving an interlace signal, two horizontal lines adjacent vertically in each of odd field and even field form a set, two vertically adjacent cells belonging to a set of two horizontal lines display one pixel, each field consists of a plurality of subframes, and two cells in the set are lighted or unlighted simultaneously in a certain subframe at least for some display load rate wherein the ratio of emission intensity is different from 1 when the two cells are lighted simultaneously.
US08264415B2
An assembly (10) for installation in a subsurface ground enclosure has an electronic transmitter, an antenna and other circuitry that are encapsulated against moisture conditions. The assembly (10) comprises a circuit board (31) supporting radio frequency transmitter circuitry, the circuit board (31) having at least two orthogonal edges (31b, 31c), an antenna (14, 15) having two 90-degree bent portions extending from orthogonal edges (31b, 31c) of the circuit board (31), a housing bottom portion (11) with an internal barrier (18) separating an L-shaped antenna compartment (13) adjacent two sides of the circuit board (31) from a battery compartment (16) underneath the circuit board (31), sealing material for encapsulating the circuit board (31) and the batteries (17) in the battery compartment (16), and a cover (20) that protects the antenna compartment (13) from entry of the sealing material.
US08264414B2
An antenna apparatus is provided with two feed ports respectively provided at positions on an antenna element, and the antenna element is simultaneously excited through the two feed ports so as to simultaneously operate as two antenna portions respectively associated with the two feed ports. The antenna apparatus is further provided with a slit provided between the two feed ports, for changing a resonant frequency of the antenna element and producing isolation between the feed ports at a isolation frequency, and provided with matching means for shifting an operating frequency of the antenna element from the changed resonant frequency to the isolation frequency.
US08264412B2
Antenna support structures and antennas are provided for wireless electronic devices such as portable electronic devices. Antenna resonating elements may be formed from conductive coatings on two-shot molded interconnect device dielectric antenna support structures. The conductive coatings may be formed from wet-plated copper or other conductive materials. The antenna support structure may have tabs that electrically connect antenna resonating elements to the case of a wireless electronic device that serves as an antenna ground plane. The antenna support structure may be curved about its longitudinal axis so that the antenna resonating elements on the support structure protrude upwards to enhance antenna performance. In a portable electronic device such as a portable computer, the antenna support structure may be mounted within a dielectric portion of the computer housing that is located between the display portion of the housing and the base of the housing.
US08264411B2
An antenna element has a dielectric base, at least a portion of which is arranged in a non-ground region of a substrate. A feeding radiation electrode has an intermediate path that is connected to a feeding portion and that is arranged to extend in a perimeter direction of the dielectric base on a side surface of the dielectric base adjacent to the non-ground region and spaced away from a ground region. The feeding radiation electrode has an open end side path that is arranged to extend along a loop path from the termination of the intermediate path and an open end of the extended distal end is arranged parallel or substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the intermediate path. A dielectric material having a high dielectric constant, which increases the capacitance between the intermediate path and the open end, is located in a region including the spaced region between the intermediate path and parallel or substantially parallel open end.
US08264409B2
An electromagnetic radiation source locating system including an electromagnetic radiation sensor including an antenna configured to detect a radiant energy transmission. A position detector is in communication with the controller and is configured to detect the position of the antenna relative to a reference coordinate system, while an orientation sensor is in communication with the controller and is configured to detect the orientation of the antenna and provide an orientation signal to the controller. A range sensor is configured to detect the distance to an aligned object in the path of a directional vector and provide a distance signal indicative thereof to the controller. An aerial vehicle may be in communication with the controller and configured to drop a marker for guiding navigators to the source of the radiant energy transmission.
US08264401B1
A micro-radar is disclosed that is operated based upon two Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) outputs that control its internal timing and Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal frequency. Calibration and temperature compensation is done through estimating the duty cycle of the transmit signal and possibly the reception signal that stimulate a pulse generator to create the transmit pulse and the reception pulse and adjusting one or both DAC outputs. Sensor processors, wireless sensor nodes and wireline sensor nodes are disclosed for operating the micro-radar. An integrated circuit is disclosed implementing all or portions of the micro-radar. Access points, servers as well as systems that include but are not limited to a traffic monitoring system, a traffic control system, a parking management system and/or a production management system are also disclosed.
US08264399B2
In a radar device including: a transmission antenna group having a plurality of transmission antennas; a reception antenna group having a plurality of reception antennas; and transmission switchover means to transmit transmission waves in a way that sequentially switches over the transmission antennas of the transmission antenna group, the reception antenna group receiving reflected waves, reflected from a target, of transmission waves of the transmission antennas when sequentially transmitting the transmission waves, is made to function as a virtual sub-array corresponding to the transmission antennas. The target is thus detected by executing a space averaging process based on a relative position, to the reception antenna group, of each of the transmission antennas undergoing the transmission switchover with respect to the virtual correlation values corresponding to the plurality of virtual sub-arrays.
US08264392B1
An analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a receiver that includes the ADC is disclosed. The ADC includes a first filter configured to receive a signal in an I-signal path of the receiver and a second filter configured to receive a signal in a Q-signal path of the receiver. The ADC further includes a quantizer alternatingly in connection with the first and second filters, and at least one DAC alternatingly in connection with the first and second filters. Switches in the ADC are configured to alternate connection between an input of the quantizer and outputs of the first and second filters, and are also configured to alternate connection between an output of the at least one DAC and inputs of the first and second filters.
US08264384B2
A keyboard control circuit for a keyboard having P keys includes an array module that includes P key switches, and a key-matrix having N scan lines that intersect M return lines to form N×M intersections, where P
US08264382B2
The present invention relates to a keyboard with a plurality of sensitive key elements (10, 12, 14) arranged on said keyboard according to a predetermined scheme. Each of the key elements (10, 12, 14) provides an analogue electric signal (U1, U2, U3). The analogous electric signal (U1, U2, U3) depends on the position of a fingertip. A contact surface of the key element (12) is subdivided into zones (A, B, C, D). The zones (A, B, C, D) are defined in such a way, that the zones (A, B, C, D) have different distances from the adjacent key elements (10, 14). Each zone (A, B, C, D) corresponds with a range of relationships between the signal (U2) of the key element (12) and the signal (U1, U3) of at least one adjacent key element (10, 14).
US08264377B2
An aircraft collision avoidance system comprising (a) at least one separation monitoring device connectable to at least a portion of an aircraft, the separation monitoring device comprising (1) at least one transmitter and (2) at least one receiver and (b) a master unit.
US08264374B2
There is provided a wireless data transmitting and receiving system that wirelessly transmits a signal regarding a torque acting on a rotary shaft and/or a rotation angle of the rotary shaft from a data transmitting unit disposed in the rotary shaft to a data receiving unit. The wireless data transmitting and receiving system includes: a data transmitting unit (20) provided on the rotary shaft (52) of a tightening machine (50) to detect the torque and the rotation angle, the data transmitting unit (20) including a torque sensor (21) disposed so as to be capable of sensing a toque acting on the rotary shaft (52), a rotation angle sensor (29) disposed so as to be capable of a rotation angle of the rotary shaft (52), and transmitting means (22) that is electrically connected to the foregoing sensors (21,29), and wirelessly transmits signals regarding the torque detected in the torque sensor (21) and the rotation angle detected in the rotation angle sensor (29); and a data receiving unit (30) including receiving means (32) that receives the transmitted signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle, and display means (40) that displays the signals regarding the torque and the rotation angle received by the receiving means (32).
US08264368B2
A warning unit for attachment to a handheld firearm comprises an attachment device for attachment to a firearm, a light source, and a digitally manipulable input device operable to enable selection of a mode of operation. The warning unit is capable of being operated in at least a narrow divergence mode, and a wide divergence mode wherein, in the narrow divergence mode, the warning unit is operable to emit a beam of light of a lower divergence than in the wide divergence mode.
US08264367B2
An in-vehicle image display apparatus comprising a state detecting device that detects a state of vehicle surroundings; a display device provided in at least in a window section of the vehicle and capable of displaying information; an image generating device that generates image data representing an image of the vehicle surroundings based on detection results; a display control device that makes the display device display the image represented by the image data generated by the image generating device; and a storage device that previously stores data representing an object to be detected which is detected by the state detecting device in the vehicle surroundings. The image generating device compares the image data and the data stored in the storage device, and uses data of an object to be detected that is determined to be similar to the object to be detected which is represented by the image data generated by the image generating device itself to thereby generate image data representing the image of the surroundings of the vehicle.
US08264365B2
An apparatus and method comprising of a remote microphone, attached to a portable radio, incorporating a motion sensing component, such as a Solid State Accelerometer, and an orientation sensing component, such as a Solid State Gyroscope or a multidirectional Solid State Accelerometer and activated by the wearer's motionlessness and subsequently activates the Emergency Alert and sends out an audible distress signal, a radio frequency (RF) distress signal, or both, as if the wearer had pressed the Emergency Alert button.
US08264363B2
A method of detecting an occlusion for an infusion therapy in one embodiment includes: monitoring an output signal from a flowrate sensor for a pulsatile fluid flow having a frequency range, the pulsatile flow being through a fluid pathway to a patient; acquiring a data set that includes the output signal as a function of time; filtering the data set with a noise rejection filter to produce a filtered data set; performing spectra analysis on the filtered data set to determine a strength of the output signal in a frequency domain; calculating a signal strength for the frequency range using the strength of the output signal in the frequency domain; and comparing the signal strength of the range to at least one threshold level to determine if an occlusion is present during the infusion therapy.
US08264360B2
A highly sensitive low loss and low flow fluid flow switch is coupled with an automatic timer and/or optional transmitter to indicate the flow of gas to an appliance and to automatically start a reminder timer to turn the appliance off. After a preset time limit has expired, the timer either sounds an alarm or wirelessly triggers an alarm in a remote location. The receiver portion of the wireless timer may be mounted directly to the appliance (grill handle), so that the timer automatically resets when activity (cover opening or closing) is detected, indicating the appliance is still in use. An alarm can also be configured to sound when the grill is attempted to be ignited with the cover closed, thereby avoiding a potential explosion. A biasing attraction magnet is incorporated in the fluid flow switch to offset either the force of gravity or a return spring in order to extend performance to low pressure and low flow applications. The piston is sealed for use in high pressure/low flow applications, and provided with a vent hole for residual gas bleed-off upon a stoppage of gas flow.
US08264359B2
The present invention relates to methods of making capacitors for use in surveillance/identification tags or devices, and methods of using such surveillance/identification devices. The capacitors manufactured according to the methods of the present invention and used in the surveillance/identification devices described herein comprise printed conductive and dielectric layers. The methods and devices of the present invention improve the manufacturing tolerances associated with conventional metal-plastic-metal capacitor, as well as the deactivation reliability of the capacitor used in a surveillance/identification tag or device.
US08264356B2
An alarming electronic article surveillance (“EAS”) tag for securing an item of merchandise includes an EAS sensor, a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) logic block, an alarm transducer, and an alarming tag processor. The RFID logic block includes a transceiver, a memory and a processor. The transceiver operates to receive a first interrogation signal. The memory includes a first identifier associated with the alarming EAS tag and a second identifier associated with the item of merchandise. The processor is operable to send a first trigger signal responsive to the transceiver receiving the first interrogation signal. The alarming tag processor is electrically coupled to the RFID logic block and the EAS sensor. The alarm transducer is operable to produce at least one of a visual indicator and an audible indicator based on the EAS sensor and the alarming tag processor.
US08264352B2
A location based service and method configured to provide recovery assistance for a misplaced or stolen mobile device. The location based system and method is configured to locate (recover) high value mobile devices using location, presence and other IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) based telecommunications network assets. The method includes leveraging location dips performed for other services to drive a recovery process for a mobile device to thereby reduce resource overhead on a location platform; locating the mobile device using the location dips performed for other services; and sending a notification to a subscriber of the location of the mobile device for recovery of the mobile device.
US08264350B2
A security system includes a security device and a spacer. The security device defines a first opening having a first diameter. The spacer is removably positionable in the first opening to create a center opening having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. The security device includes a magnetically actuable locking mechanism and a housing having the magnetically actuable locking mechanism disposed therein. The locking mechanism includes a magnetically actuable latch, a belt configured to provide a latch mating element for the latch, and a flexible element to bias the magnetically actuable latch and the belt into a locked position. The housing includes a passageway which defines a belt pathway configured to slidingly receive the belt therein.
US08264347B2
A sealing system for sealing between two members includes a polymer seal disposed between the two members, a measurement device, and an evaluation unit. The measurement device is at least partially disposed within the polymer seal, is configured for measuring an aspect of the polymer seal indicating sealing performance of the polymer seal, and is configured for creating a signal corresponding to a measured aspect of the polymer seal. The evaluation unit is configured for evaluating the signal corresponding to the measured aspect of the polymer seal and for determining a sealing performance capability of said polymer seal.
US08264340B2
An electronic device fastener (EDF) to protect a portable device that is placed in a holder which may be a case, belt clip, holster, cradle, or the like worn or carried by the user that uses a release sensor, proximity sensor, shock sensor, and clip sensor to protect a portable device such as a cell phone, portable media player, personal digital assistant (PDA), two-way radio, GPS device, headset, or earpiece from loss and misplacement. The system can provide up to five modes of protection against loss and misplacement of a portable device.
US08264336B2
The vehicle-mounted alarm generating apparatus includes an extracting section configured to extract a road boundary marking representing a boundary of a lane from an image of a picture of a road surface ahead of a vehicle, a position setting section configured to set a first position and a second position more distant from the vehicle than the first position in accordance with extraction results by the extracting section, a first alarm generating section configured to generate a first alarm when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined first distance, and a second alarm generating section configured to generate a second alarm, when a distance between the vehicle and the first position becomes shorter than a predetermined second distance. The configuration of the second alarm is different from that of the first alarm.
US08264331B2
A tag can receive first and second wireless signals respectively defining first and second transmission fields that overlap. When the tag moves from the first field to the second field through the region of overlap, the apparatus transitions only once from recognizing the tag is in the first field to recognizing the tag is in the second field. According to another aspect, first and second signposts are supported at spaced locations in the region of a crane, and respectively transmit first and second wireless signals that are different, and that respectively define first and second fields of transmission. According to yet another aspect, a signpost transmits wireless signals having a transmission field, and a system senses positional information regarding a tag movable relative to the signpost, the system using the positional information to determine a location of the tag in relation to the transmission field.
US08264324B2
A keyless device of a vehicle changes a search area “A” of a vehicle exterior antenna to a search area “A2” that is smaller than a normal area “A1”, and sets an overlapped area of a search area “B” of a vehicle exterior antenna and a normal search area “B1” to correspond only to an interior of the vehicle.
US08264310B2
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
US08264305B2
A resonator having respective electrode planes of first and second internal electrodes disposed so as to be substantially parallel to a line of magnetic force of a magnetic field. In the resonator, respective electrode planes of first and second external electrodes are disposed so as to be substantially parallel to the line of magnetic force of the magnetic field in planes different from the electrode planes of the first and second internal electrodes.
US08264303B2
A composite substrate 10 includes: a piezoelectric substrate 12 capable of transmitting an elastic wave and composed of lithium tantalate (LT); a silicon support substrate 14 that is bonded to the rear surface of the piezoelectric substrate in the (111) plane; and an adhesive layer 16 bonding the substrates 12 and 14 to each other.
US08264302B2
A multilayer filter includes a plurality of mutually coupled resonant circuits provided within a multilayer body. Capacitor internal electrodes, inductor internal electrodes, and inductor via electrodes, ground via electrodes, and input-output via electrodes are arranged within the multilayer body. The ground via electrodes and the input-output via electrodes are provided on a dielectric layer on a mounting surface, or a second dielectric layer on a first dielectric layer provided on the mounting surface. The capacitor internal electrodes arranged towards the side of the mounting surface do not overlap the input-output electrodes when viewed in plan view. With this configuration, degradation in frequency characteristics of a resonant circuit is effectively prevented by controlling one of an inductive component and a capacitive component of the resonant circuit.
US08264300B2
A tunable compact time delay circuit assembly is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a tunable delay circuit assembly for controllably delaying signals that propagate along a transmission line, the circuit assembly including an elongated conductor extending in a first direction, the elongated conductor configured to carry the signals, at least one floating strip, each floating strip including a first elongated conductive segment having a first centerline, wherein the first centerline is not parallel to the first direction, and a second elongated conductive segment having a second centerline, wherein the second centerline is not parallel to the first direction, and a first switch coupled between the first segment and the second segment, wherein the first switch, in a first position, is configured to connect the first segment to the second segment, wherein the first switch, in a second position, is configured to electrically isolate the first segment from the second segment, and wherein the at least one floating strip is electrically isolated from other components of the circuit assembly.
US08264291B2
Disclosed herein is a resonator including, a vibrating portion having a conductor portion, and three or more insulating portions provided so as to electrically separate the conductor portion into a plurality of blocks, wherein when a potential difference is caused across both ends in each of the three or more insulating portions, the vibrating portion carries out a resonance vibration based on a longitudinal vibration in accordance with a frequency of an A.C. signal inputted to each of corresponding ones of the plurality of blocks in the conductor portion.
US08264286B2
A first exemplary aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is a phase-locked loop circuit including: a voltage-current converter that converts a control voltage into a control current, the control voltage generated according to a phase difference between an input pulse signal and a feedback pulse signal fed back from an output side of a current controlled oscillator; the current controlled oscillator that generates an output pulse signal having a frequency according to the control current; a current detection unit that detects the control current; and a frequency range switch that switches a frequency range of the output pulse signal according to the detected control current.
US08264277B2
Provided is a differential amplifier circuit in which an offset voltage is independent from input voltages. A first correction current generation circuit and a second correction current generation circuit are provided and configured to cause the same current as a current flowing through a folded cascode amplifying stage to flow into an output stage. Accordingly, transistors included in the folded cascode amplifying stage and transistors included in the output stage have the same bias condition.
US08264271B2
Semiconductor relays switch power supplied from a power source to drive loads, and further detect current values of electric currents flowing through the loads. A control section intermittently turns ON the semiconductor relays via driving circuits, thereby limiting electric power consumption of the loads. Further, the control section calculates, based on the current values detected by the semiconductor relays, load electric power consumption of the loads, and estimated electric power consumption of the loads when the semiconductor relays are continuously ON, and allows a display section to display, as a value indicative of an energy-saving effect, an electric power amount difference i.e. a saved electric energy that is based on an electric power difference obtained by subtracting the load electric power consumption from the estimated electric power consumption.
US08264258B1
A phase lock loop (PLL) circuit having a phase frequency detector (PFD), a coarse tune low-pass filter module, a voltage control oscillation (VCO) module and a feedback loop is provided. The PFD compares phases and frequencies of an input signal and a feedback signal. The coarse tune low-pass filter module is coupled to the PFD and used for low-pass filtering a control signal with a gradually narrowed bandwidth to generate a filtered signal. The control signal indicates the comparison result of the input signal and the feedback signal. The VCO module has a first VCO gain and a second VCO gain, and generates an output signal according to the control signal and the filtered signal. The feedback loop provides the feedback signal to the PFD according to the output signal.
US08264257B2
The disclosure relates to an integrated circuit comprising a data buffer circuit comprising first and second transistors coupled to a contact pad and third and fourth transistors. A first bias voltage is applied on a conduction terminal of the third transistor and a second bias voltage is applied on a conduction terminal of the fourth transistor. A third bias voltage less than the second bias voltage is applied on a control terminal of the first transistor and a fourth bias voltage greater than the first bias voltage is applied on a control terminal of the second transistor. Application notably for the production of a so-called “High Speed” USB port.
US08264256B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to drivers and methods for driving devices, comprising at least one functional unit at least one of which is adapted to deduce a device parameter of an electronic device from a terminal parameter of the electronic device.
US08264254B2
A threshold voltage of a transistor is fluctuated because of fluctuation in film thickness of a gate insulating film or in gate length and gate width caused by differences of used substrates or manufacturing steps. In order to solve the problem, according to the present invention, there is provided a clocked inverter including a first transistor and a second transistor connected in series, and a compensation circuit including a third transistor and a fourth transistor connected in series. In the clocked inverter, gates of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are connected to each other, drains of the third transistor and the fourth transistor are each connected to a gate of the first transistor, sources of the first transistor and the fourth transistor are each electrically connected to a first power source, a source of the second transistor is electrically connected to a second power source, and an amplitude of a signal inputted to a source of the third transistor is smaller than a potential difference between the first power source and the second power source.
US08264249B2
The present invention provides on IC test substrate for testing various signals, a combined flexible and rigid PCB included in the structure is applicable to perform a mission including for example: stabilizing power input/output, signal transfer by a connector; general, power, and high frequency signal transmission in preserved integrity state.
US08264244B2
A capacitance difference detecting circuit includes a control circuit, for generating a control signal according to a first voltage and a second voltage; a first capacitor to be detected; a second capacitor to be detected; a first constant capacitor, having a terminal coupled to the first terminal of the first capacitor to be detected and the first input terminal; a second constant capacitor, having a terminal coupled to the first terminal of the second capacitor to be detected and the second input terminal; a voltage control unit, cooperating with the first capacitor to be detected, the second capacitor to be detected, the first constant capacitor and the second constant capacitor to control the first voltage and the second voltage. The voltage control unit is an adjustable capacitor and a capacitance value of the adjustable capacitor is controlled by the control signal.
US08264242B2
A proximity sensor for determining an approaching direction of an object is provided. Relative detection sensitivity is established in a first detection unit and a second detection unit such that a detection level of the first detection unit is greater than a detection level of the second detection unit when the object approaches from a first electrode in a direction of arranging the first electrode and a second electrode, and that the detection level of the second detection unit is greater than the first detection unit when the object approaches from a direction perpendicular to the direction of arranging the first electrode and the second electrode. A proximity position determining section is adapted to determine the approaching direction of the object based on the detection level of the first detection unit and the detection level of the second detection unit.
US08264230B2
In order to increase result accuracy the noise effect during vessel motion is reduced, wherefore direct current pulses are excited the parameters of which are set basing on section conductivity and deposit depth, the electric field is measured simultaneously on pairs of receiving electrodes basing on the spatial averaging of potential of double electric layer that is generated on the boundary of electrode and water during the pulses and pauses between them, and geoelectrical parameters are determined.The device consists of an exciting field generating unit where a switchboard generates pulses on feeding electrodes, a generator consists of two parallel cable lines with emitting electrodes, a non-emitting ballast device that is a pair of alternating electric dipoles with equal moments, and a measuring unit with pairs of sectional receiving electrodes, the total length of an electrode section does not exceed 5% of the distance between the electrodes, and the connection between the electrode elements that are connected to the receiver line through a common input/output provides composition of the EMF that are generated in them.
US08264225B2
A bore tube for use in an imaging apparatus has a first tube and a second tube. The first tube is a complete cylinder of electrically conductive material; and the second tube is segmented into separate elements, each separately attached to the first tube.
US08264224B2
Magnetic field detection techniques and devices are provided. In one embodiment, a device configured to detect a magnetic field includes a first set of nano-magnets and a second set of nano-magnets. The first set of nano-magnets is operable to induce a RF magnetic field, and the second set of nano-magnets is operable to induce a first electrical signal in response to magnetic resonance signals caused by the RF magnetic field.
US08264220B2
An arrangement and a method for influencing and/or detecting magnetic particles in a region of action includes a selector for generating a magnetic selection field having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in the region of action. A driver is provided for changing the position in space of the two sub-zones in the region of action by a magnetic drive field so that the magnetization of the magnetic particles changes locally. A receiver is also provided for acquiring signals, which signals depend on the magnetization in the region of action, which magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zone. Further, a coil arrangement is provided including a surrounding coil and a magnetic field generator such that the surrounding coil almost completely surrounds the magnetic field generator.
US08264218B2
A wing flap sensor unit (2) having a position sensor (18) for detection of a rotation position of a shaft for operation of wing flaps and having a housing (4) which surrounds the position sensor (18), having an attachment component (20, 22) for attachment in an aircraft wing and having a connecting point (24) for an electrical connector of the position sensor (18). Hereby, the housing (4) is at least partially manufactured from titanium using a precision-casting method. The titanium precision-casting method makes it possible to achieve a particularly robust and lightweight housing.
US08264210B2
A method and apparatus to regulate voltage used to power an ASIC comprising an ASIC having a signal source and a modulator. The modulator establishes a characteristic of a signal created by the signal source to indicate a voltage level to be used to power the ASIC. The signal is communicated to a voltage regulator to apply an optimal voltage to the ASIC.
US08264202B2
A method and apparatus for determining the state of charge (SOC) of a battery is discussed. The method involves measuring the terminal voltage across the battery and the current flowing through the battery at a plurality of different times and fitting a line equation with a slope and an intercept to the terminal voltage and current data. The open-circuit voltage (OCV) is calculated from the intercept of the linear equation and the SOC is determined from the OCV by reference to a lookup table.
US08264200B2
Various apparatuses and methods for detecting cell connection status of a multi-cell battery are disclosed herein. For example, some embodiments provide an apparatus for detecting cell connection status of a multi-cell battery. The apparatus includes a battery cell input for each cell, a cell connection status detector for each cell, and at least one comparator. Each of the cell connection status detectors is connected to a battery cell input and has a current-based status indicator output. The at least one comparator is connected to the current-based status indicator outputs. Each of the plurality of cell connection status detectors floats in a different supply voltage range. The at least one comparator is referenced to a lower voltage potential than at least one of the plurality of cell connection status detectors.
US08264198B2
A battery pack, a battery charger, a method for charging a battery pack are provided. The battery pack includes a secondary battery, a switch element for controlling charging and discharging the secondary battery, a controller for controlling the switch element, and a communication unit for performing with a battery charger. During charging, an initial charging is switched to a quick charging when a voltage of the secondary battery reaches a predetermined voltage, and the battery charger judges the battery pack as abnormal when the voltage does not reach the predetermined voltage within a timeout period after the initial charging is started. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined is stored. At least one of the timeout period and the predetermined voltage to be read out is transmitted through the communication unit to the battery charger.
US08264195B2
Embodiments of a network topology for monitoring and controlling an array of solar panels include an intelligent node adapted to send and receive data and commands by at least two redundant means of communication. An intelligent node includes a solar panel, a node controller, a photovoltaic module, a bypass relay, a bypass bus, PLC and wireless communication interfaces for redundant means of communication, and sensor and actuator interfaces for monitoring and controlling the intelligent node. A PV module in the intelligent node may selectively be bypassed without interrupting network communications. Some embodiments include a plurality of intelligent nodes electrically connected serially into a chain of nodes and further connected to a gateway. Other embodiments include a plurality of chains of nodes connected to an inverter and a transformer, thereby defining an area. Additional embodiments further include a central server in communication with a plurality of areas.
US08264177B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for an efficient hub motor. A stator is attached to a shaft. Coils are embedded in the stator in a circular pattern. Two rotors are rotatably coupled to the shaft with the stator between them. Permanent magnets are embedded in each rotor. Each permanent magnet and each core has a similar cross-sectional shape. The permanent magnets are positioned in a circular pattern corresponding to the coils. The permanent magnets are positioned so that when a coil aligns with a permanent magnet a next coil aligns between two magnets. Shorting bars connect exterior edges of the permanent magnets. A sequence control connects each coil so that current flows in a coil in one direction and the sequence control disconnects the coil and reconnects the coil with current flowing in the opposite direction in response to a set of permanent magnets aligning with a coil.
US08264165B2
An apparatus and method for dimming a light emitting diode (LED) driver. The apparatus includes a triode alternating current (TRIAC) dimmer and an LED driver receiving an input voltage from an output of the TRIAC dimmer so that the state of the LED driver is controlled by the TRIAC dimmer. The LED driver includes an active damping circuit configured for damping, upon detecting a rising edge of a bridge rectified input voltage, resonance caused by the TRIAC dimmer and the LED driver for a fixed period of time.
US08264164B2
A method for driving a discharge lamp having a first electrode and a second electrode includes the steps of, in a situation where a tip portion of the first electrode becomes higher than a tip portion of the second electrode in temperature when power of the same amount is fed to the first and second electrodes during a steady operation, changing a difference between the absolute values of average current values for two polarities during one cycle of the AC current in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and setting an operation time ratio of the first electrode as an anode during one cycle so as to be smaller than an operation time ratio of the second electrode as an anode during one cycle.
US08264145B2
A display filter includes a base layer having a plurality of structures, the plurality of structures being projected from a first surface of the base layer, an external light shielding layer on the plurality of structures, the external layer being on an upper surface and on a first side surface of the structures, and an electromagnetic wave shielding layer on the plurality of structures, the electromagnetic wave shielding layer being on the upper surface and on a second side surface of the structures, the first and second side surfaces of the structures being opposite each other, and a portion of the external light shielding layer being between the structures and a portion of the electromagnetic wave shielding layer.
US08264141B2
An organic light emitting display is provided. The organic light emitting display comprises: a substrate; an anode that is positioned on the substrate; a sub-anode that is positioned on the anode and that is formed with a metallic oxide and nickel (Ni); an organic light emitting layer that is positioned on the sub-anode; and a cathode that is positioned on the organic light emitting layer.
US08264132B2
An ignition plug that maintains excellent ignition performance over a long period of time through effective prevention of channeling. The ignition plug includes an insulator having an axial bore, a center electrode inserted into the axial bore, a metallic shell disposed externally of the outer circumference of the insulator, and a ground electrode fixed to a front end portion of the metallic shell. A cavity is defined by the wall surface of the axial bore and the front end surface of the center electrode. The ground electrode includes a body whose distal end portion is disposed away from the front end of the insulator, and a protrusion protruding from the body.
US08264130B2
A compact fluorescent lamp which includes a compact fluorescent light source and a ballast operatively connected to and controlling operation of the light source. An outer light transmissive envelope surrounds the light source and an elastic protective shield surrounds the ballast.
US08264123B2
A piezoelectric vibration device system includes a piezoelectric vibration device that performs predefined movements using the vibration of the piezoelectric element; and a control unit that controls the behavior of the piezoelectric vibration device by controlling the frequency of the piezoelectric element, where the control unit includes: a first signal generating unit that generates a fundamental frequency signal having a fundamental frequency adjacent to the mechanical resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element; a second signal generating unit that generates a variable frequency signal whose frequency periodically rises or falls; and a frequency modulator that generates a frequency modulated signal, whose frequency changes into one of three or more frequencies existing around the fundamental frequency periodically and in sequence, by executing frequency modulation using the fundamental frequency signal and the variable frequency signal, and that outputs the frequency modulated signal as a control signal for controlling the piezoelectric vibration device.
US08264117B2
A stator core comprises a laminated part made by stacking a plurality of sheet-like plates and one sheet-like plate into an integral unit in a manner to form dimple portions on both surfaces in the stacking direction thereof, and side plates each having extended portions and nib portions formed on a surface opposite the side where the extended portions are provided and disposed in a manner to sandwich the both surfaces of the laminated part, wherein the laminated part and the side plates are fastened together by inserting the nib portions on the side plates into the dimple portions formed on the laminated part.
US08264116B2
Apparatus including a monolithic, motor/generator phase insulation article having a manufactured state and a ready-to-use state. The insulation article has longitudinally-spaced-apart first and second tabs and flexible, transversely-spaced-apart first and second legs each having a first end monolithically joined to the first tab and a second end monolithically joined to the second tab. The first and second tabs are disposed longitudinally closer together in the manufactured state than in the ready-to-use state. In the manufactured state the first and second legs each have a more serpentine shape, and in the ready-to-use state the first and second legs each have a less serpentine shape. A method for manufacturing the insulation article is also described which cuts a monolithic, substantially-rectangular sheet of motor/generator phase insulation to create the insulation article.
US08264113B2
A brushless motor including a stator having teeth and a rotor having magnetic pole portions is disclosed. The magnetic pole portions are arranged to have the same polarities as each other. The rotor includes gaps that function as magnetic resistance at circumferential ends of each of the magnetic pole portions so that an iron core portion is formed between the circumferentially adjacent magnetic pole portions. Magnetic flux of the magnetic pole portions passes through the iron core portion along the radial direction. The gaps include a first gap located on the leading end of the magnetic pole portion in the rotation direction of the rotor and a second gap located on the trailing end of the magnetic pole portion in the rotation direction of the rotor. The circumferential width of the first gap is set to be greater than the circumferential width of the second gap.
US08264109B2
A stator for an external rotor motor, containing at least a stator core (1) having multiple teeth (4) and a shaft (3), a stator winding (2), multiple slots (5), a pair of end plates (6), a patch board (7) having a first through hole (8), a power wire (11), and a fastening device (9). The shaft (3) is disposed at the center of the stator core (1). The slot (5) is formed between adjacent teeth (4) of the stator core (1). The stator winding (2) is received in the slot (5) and wrapped around the teeth (4). The patch board (7) is disposed above one of the end plates (6). The shaft (3) passes through the first through hole (8) of the patch board (7). The fastening device (9) is disposed at the top of the patch board (7) and operates to fix the weld-connecting portion (10).
US08264108B2
A stator includes an annular core back portion, a plurality of teeth extending radially outward from an outer circumference of the core back portion, and coils. A cylindrical portion of a housing includes a contact portion and a coming-off preventing portion arranged above the contact portion on an outer circumference of the cylindrical portion. The core back portion includes a small-diameter opening defining portion and a large-diameter opening defining portion arranged above the small-diameter opening defining portion. The cylindrical portion is arranged radially inward of the core back portion. The stator is held by the cylindrical portion with a lower surface of the core back portion arranged in contact with the contact portion and an upper surface of the small-diameter opening defining portion arranged in contact with the coming-off preventing portion. A bearing member is arranged radially inside the large-diameter opening defining portion and above the coming-off preventing portion.
US08264090B2
A semiconductor device includes a circuit block formed in a peripheral edge portion of a semiconductor chip, a circuit block pad formed on the circuit block providing an electrical connection for said circuit block, and a bonding pad laterally offset from the circuit block and the circuit block pad, the bonding pad being electrically connected to the circuit block pad and electrically connected to a lead frame by a bonding wire, the laterally offset bonding pad thereby functioning as a substitute wire bonding pad for the circuit block.
US08264087B2
A semiconductor package for quickly discharging heat and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor package module having a first insulation member and at least one fluid passage passing through the insulation member. Circuit patterns are formed on a first face of the first insulation member. Semiconductor chips are then disposed on the first face and are electrically connected with the circuit patterns respectively. A second insulation member is formed so as to surround the side faces of the semiconductor chips, the first insulation member, and the circuit patterns. Finally, a through electrode is formed passing through the second insulation member of the semiconductor package module and electrically connecting to the circuit patterns.
US08264086B2
A via structure having improved reliability and performance and methods of forming the same are provided. The via structure includes a first-layer conductive line, a second-layer conductive line, and a via electrically coupled between the first-layer conductive line and the second-layer conductive line. The via has a substantially tapered profile and substantially extends into a recess in the first-layer conductive line.
US08264082B2
Electronic elements with very low resistance back-side coupling are provided by forming one or more narrow trenches or pipes, preferably dielectric lined, in front sides of substrates, filling the trenches or pipes with a conductor having a coefficient of expansion not too different from that of the substrate but of higher conductivity, forming an epitaxial SC layer over the front side of the substrate in Ohmic contact with the conductor the trenches or pipes, forming various semiconductor (SC) devices in the epi-layer, back grinding the substrate to expose bottoms of the conductor filled trenches or pipes, and providing a back-side conductor contacting the conductor in the trenches or pipes. For silicon SCs, tungsten is a suitable conductor for filling the trenches or pipes to minimize substrate stress. Series ON-resistance of the elements due to the substrate resistance is substantially reduced.
US08264076B2
A group of LED chips mounted on the frame, with an exterior wrapping layer made of a fluorescent substance, wherein said support frame contains a left support and an opposite right support placed at a distance from each other. A group of LED chips is respectively fixed onto a chip-fixing surface of the left support and the right support, with all LED chips serial-connected or parallel-connected with conducting wires. One of the supports is used as the positive pole and the other is used as the negative pole. The middle segment of the left and right supports is wrapped with an insulating layer which combines the left and right supports into an integrated support frame and insulates them from each other. The outer side of the upper part of the two-support frame is covered with a fluorescent layer which can enclose LED chips.
US08264066B2
An integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a through-semiconductor via (TSV) opening extending into the semiconductor substrate; and a TSV liner in the TSV opening. The TSV liner includes a sidewall portion on a sidewall of the TSV opening and a bottom portion at a bottom of the TSV opening. The bottom portion of the TSV liner has a bottom height greater than a middle thickness of the sidewall portion of the TSV liner.
US08264034B2
A fin field effect transistor (fin FET) is formed using a bulk silicon substrate and sufficiently guarantees a top channel length formed under a gate, by forming a recess having a predetermined depth in a fin active region and then by forming the gate in an upper part of the recess. A device isolation film is formed to define a non-active region and a fin active region in a predetermined region of the substrate. In a portion of the device isolation film a first recess is formed, and in a portion of the fin active region a second recess having a depth shallower than the first recess is formed. A gate insulation layer is formed within the second recess, and a gate is formed in an upper part of the second recess. A source/drain region is formed in the fin active region of both sides of a gate electrode.
US08264032B2
A FinFET includes a substrate and a fin structure on the substrate. The fin structure includes a channel between a source and a drain, wherein the source, the drain, and the channel have the first type dopant. The channel includes a Ge, SiGe, or III-V semiconductor. A gate dielectric layer is located over the channel and a gate is located over the gate dielectric layer.
US08264030B2
A flash memory device and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The flash memory device can include first and second memory gates on a substrate, an oxide layer on sides of and on the substrate outside of the first and second memory gates, a source poly contact between the first and second memory gates, first and second select gates outside the first and second memory gates, a drain region outside the first and second select gates, and a metal contact on the drain region and the source poly contact.
US08264015B2
A semiconductor device in which a first insulated gate field effect transistor (1) is connected in series with a second field effect transistor, FET, (2), wherein the second field effect transistor (2) has a heavily doped source region (19A) which is electrically connected to a heavily doped drain contact region (191) of the first insulated gate field effect transistor, and further that the breakthrough voltage of the first insulated gate field effect transistor (1) is higher than the pinch voltage, Vp, of the second field effect transistor (2).
US08264007B2
A cell of a semiconductor device includes a substrate portion formed to include a plurality of diffusion regions, including at least one p-type diffusion region and at least one n-type diffusion region separated from each other by one or more non-active regions. The cell includes a gate electrode level including a number of conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Each of the conductive features within the gate electrode level is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature. Some of the conductive features form respective PMOS and/or NMOS transistor devices. A total number of the PMOS and NMOS transistor devices in the cell is greater than or equal to eight. The cell also includes a number of interconnect levels formed above the gate electrode level.
US08264006B2
A semiconductor epitaxial substrate includes: a single crystal substrate; an AlN layer epitaxially grown on the single crystal substrate; and a nitride semiconductor layer epitaxially grown on the AlN layer, wherein an interface between the AlN layer and nitride semiconductor layer has a larger roughness than an interface between the single crystal substrate and AlN layer, and a skewness of the upper surface of the AlN layer is positive.
US08264002B2
An AlN buffer layer, an undoped GaN layer, an undoped AlGaN layer, a p-type GaN layer and a heavily doped p-type GaN layer are formed in this order. A gate electrode forms an Ohmic contact with the heavily doped p-type GaN layer. A source electrode and a drain electrode are provided on the undoped AlGaN layer. A pn junction is formed in a gate region by a two dimensional electron gas generated at an interface between the undoped AlGaN layer and the undoped GaN layer and the p-type GaN layer, so that a gate voltage can be increased.
US08263994B2
A LED package includes a substrate, at least one LED chip, a transparent adhesive and a lens. The at least one LED chip is mounted on the substrate. The transparent adhesive is filled between the LED chip and the lens. A number of through holes is regularly defined in an optical non-effective portion of the lens. The through holes are configured for increasing the air convection between inside and outside of the lens.
US08263993B2
Embodiments of an LED disclosed has an emitter layer shaped to a controlled depth or height relative to a substrate of the LED to maximize the light output of the LED and to achieve a desired intensity distribution. In some embodiments, the exit face of the LED may be selected to conserve radiance. In some embodiments, shaping the entire LED, including the substrate and sidewalls, or shaping the substrate alone can extract 100% or approximately 100% of the light generated at the emitter layers from the emitter layers. In some embodiments, the total efficiency is at least 90% or above. In some embodiments, the emitter layer can be shaped by etching, mechanical shaping, or a combination of various shaping methods. In some embodiments, only a portion of the emitter layer is shaped to form the tiny emitters. The unshaped portion forms a continuous electrical connection for the LED.
US08263989B2
A semiconductor light emitting device comprises a first nitride semiconductor layer comprising a plurality of concave portions, a reflector in at least one of the concave portions of the first nitride semiconductor layer, and a second nitride semiconductor layer on the first nitride semiconductor layer.
US08263987B2
There is provided a semiconductor light emitting device, a method of manufacturing the same, and a semiconductor light emitting device package using the same. A semiconductor light emitting device having a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second conductivity type semiconductor layer, a second electrode layer, and insulating layer, a first electrode layer, and a conductive substrate sequentially laminated, wherein the second electrode layer has an exposed area at the interface between the second electrode layer and the second conductivity type semiconductor layer, and the first electrode layer comprises at least one contact hole electrically connected to the first conductivity type semiconductor layer, electrically insulated from the second conductivity type semiconductor layer and the active layer, and extending from one surface of the first electrode layer to at least part of the first conductivity type semiconductor layer.
US08263986B2
Quantitative understanding of neural and biological activity at a sub-millimeter scale requires an integrated probe platform that combines biomarker sensors together with electrical stimulus/recording sites. Optically addressed biomarker sensors within such an integrated probe platform allows remote interrogation from the activity being measured. Monolithic or hybrid integrated silicon probe platforms would beneficially allow for accurate control of neural prosthetics, brain machine interfaces, etc as well as helping with complex brain diseases and disorders. According to the invention a silicon probe platform is provided employing ultra-thin silicon in conjunction with optical waveguides, optoelectronic interfaces, porous filter elements, and integrated CMOS circuitry. Such probes allowing simultaneously analysis of both neural electrical activities along with chemical activity derived from multiple biomolecular sensors with porous membrane filters. Such porous silicon and polymer filters providing biomolecular filtering and optical filtering being compatible with post-processing wafers with integrated CMOS electronics.
US08263980B2
An active matrix substrate including: a substrate; a display section having a pixel circuit formed on the substrate; and a protection circuit connected to an interconnection of the display section. The protection circuit has a diode-connected transistor, an insulating layer provided so as to cover the transistor, and a light-shielding layer provided in a region above the insulating layer so as to face at least a channel region in the transistor and electrically connected to at least any one of a gate electrode and a source electrode of the transistor.
US08263969B2
A laminated structure includes a wettability variable layer formed on a substrate, including a material whose critical surface tension varies by receiving energy so that high and low surface energy regions are formed; a conductive layer formed in one of the high surface energy regions; and an insulating layer formed in such a manner as to cover the conductive layer, wherein another one of the high surface energy regions is formed in such a manner as to surround a periphery of a circuit formation region in which a plurality of the conductive layers are formed; and the insulating layer is formed in such a manner as to also cover the another one of the high surface energy regions so that an adhesive guard ring region is formed between the wettability variable layer and the insulating layer.
US08263965B2
A single-crystal layer of a first semiconductor material including single-crystal nanostructures of a second semiconductor material, the nanostructures being distributed in a regular crystallographic network with a centered tetragonal prism.
US08263964B2
Provided are three-dimensional (3D) nanodevices including 3D nanostructures. The 3D nanodevice includes at least one nanostructure, each nanostructure including an oscillation portion floating over a substrate and support portions for supporting both lengthwise end portions of the oscillation portion, supports disposed on the substrate to support the support portions of each of the nanostructures, at least one controller disposed at an upper portion of the substrate, a lower portion of the substrate, or both the upper and lower portions of the substrate to control each of the nanostructures, and a sensing unit disposed on each of the oscillation portions to sense an externally supplied adsorption material. Thus, unlike in a typical planar device, generation of impurities between a nanodevice and a substrate can be reduced, and mechanical vibration can be caused. In particular, since 3D nanostructures have mechanical and electrical characteristics, 3D nanodevices including new 3D nanostructures can be provided using nano-electro-mechanical systems (NEMS). Also, a single electron device, a spin device, or a single electron transistor (SET)-field effect transistor (FET) hybrid device can be formed using a simple process unlike in planar devices.
US08263951B2
System and method for fabricating macroscopic objects, and nano-assembled objects obtained therewith
A method and a system for fabricating a macroscopic object, comprising, in an environment at least one energy source; at least one hollow cathode separated from an anode by a bias potential; and a support; a flow of gas through the hollow cathode generating a hollow cathode discharge, particles emitted by the hollow cathode being assembled on the support under action of energy from the energy source.
US08263950B2
A radiation source may include a radiation emitter for emitting radiation, a collector for collecting radiation emitted by the radiation emitter, and an outlet configured, in use, to introduce a cooled gas into the radiation source.
US08263946B2
A method and an apparatus are suggested for high-resolution optical scanning, particularly in a laser scanning fluorescence microscope. A sample to be scanned comprises a first and a second substance that are switchable into a first and second energy state. In the scanning process, excitation, de-excitation and detection for the first substance is carried out at a different point in time than for the second substance. This achieves a high spatial resolution beyond the diffraction limit while at the same time a high level of information is provided with physically simple and economical means.
US08263939B2
An apparatus comprising a mirror array having a plurality of mirrors and a control system. The plurality of mirrors is capable of receiving a signal for an image. The control system is capable of controlling a first portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array to direct a first portion of the signal to a detector. The control system is also capable of controlling a second portion of the plurality of mirrors in the mirror array to direct a second portion of the signal away from the detector.
US08263926B2
It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device which detects light ranging from weak light to strong light. The present invention relates to a photoelectric conversion device having a photodiode having a photoelectric conversion layer, an amplifier circuit including a thin film transistor and a bias switching means, where a bias which is connected to the photodiode and the amplifier circuit is switched by the bias switching means when intensity of incident light exceeds predetermined intensity, and accordingly, light which is less than the predetermined intensity is detected by the photodiode and light which is more than the predetermined intensity is detected by the thin film transistor of the amplifier circuit. By the present invention, light ranging from weak light to strong light can be detected.
US08263923B2
Disclosed are a 4T-4S step & repeat unit pixel used in an image sensor and an image sensor having the same. The 4T-4S step & repeat unit pixel has four diffusion area patterns for photodiodes and three diffusion area patterns for an image signal conversion circuit. An aperture ratio of the image sensor increases in maximum by using four photodiodes arranged in a diagonal direction from each other and three diffusion area patterns arranged between the photodiodes near their edges.
US08263920B2
A method and device are disclosed for diodeless terrestrial photovoltaic solar power arrays. In one or more embodiments, the method and device involve a solar power array device without blocking diodes and/or without bypass diodes. The method comprises providing a solar module, a solar array tracker, a power bus, a controller, and an inverter. In one or more embodiments, the method further comprises providing a circuit breaker and/or a bi-position switch. When the controller senses that the solar module power is below a threshold level, the controller commands the solar tracker to vary the solar module's pointing until the solar module is operating at its maximum power point for the solar module's level of illumination. In some embodiments, when the controller senses that the solar module power is less than a minimum bypass threshold level, the controller commands a bi-position switch to bypass current around the solar module.
US08263918B2
A microwave packaging made of a flexible, heat-sealable laminate has a grid structure made of electrically non-conductive cells that do not absorb microwaves, and an electrically conductive metal grid that separates the cells from one another. The metal grid has a layer thickness of at least 1 μm, and the cells each have a size between 100 mm2 and 1200 mm2. The proportion of the non-conductive area formed by the cells amounts to at least 50% of the total area. A liquid-tight outer film follows a first side of the metal grid directly or by way of at least one connecting layer, and a moisture-absorbent layer follows a second side of the metal grid directly or by way of at least one intermediate layer, and has a polymer base substance and extends essentially over the entire area of the laminate. The microwave packaging is formed from the laminate by heat-sealing.
US08263916B2
In an induction heating body 1 in which heat is generated by eddy current induced by a high-frequency magnetic field, when forming a radially-directed separation section 31 separated from the center to the outer periphery, one of end brim parts 31a1 is superimposed on the other end brim parts 31a2 or they are close to each other with the end surfaces thereof 31b1 and 31b2 being abutted.
US08263915B2
An impeder for use in an electric induction welding process is provided. A cooling medium is circulated centrally through the impeder's magnetic material and between the interior of the impeder's high temperature enclosure and the exterior of the magnetic material within the impeder with the impeder entry and exit passages for the cooling medium located on the same side of the impeder.
US08263911B2
This invention discloses an electronic device with a heating protection circuit and a heating protection method thereof. The electronic device includes a control module, a heating protection circuit, a heating switch module, and a heating module. The control module provides a first control signal and a second control signal via a plurality of control pins, respectively. The heating protection circuit generates a third control signal according to the first control signal and the second control signal. The heating switch module controls the heating module whether to heat according to the third control signal.
US08263910B2
A heater has an outer casing and at least one core assembly. An air inlet is formed through a rear surface of the outer casing. Two air outlets are formed respectively through two sides of the outer casing. Each core assembly is mounted in the outer casing and has at least one fan and two heating assemblies. Each fan draws air axially from the air inlet and blows air radially towards the air outlets. The heating assemblies are mounted respectively in the sides of the outer casing and correspond respectively to the air outlets. With such positioning of the air inlet and the air outlets of the outer casing, and with the fan drawing air axially and blowing air radially, the warm air blows out from both sides of the outer casing. Thus, convection speed is increased and ambient air temperature is warmed more effectively.
US08263903B2
A method for stabilizing an output of a pulsed laser system includes a directly modulated laser diode by mitigating the effect of switching transients on the temporal shape of the outputted pulses. The method includes controlling a pulse shaping signal to define, over time, processing and conditioning periods. During the processing periods, the pulse shaping signal has an amplitude profile tailored to produce the desired temporal shape of the output. Each conditioning period either immediately precedes or follows a processing period. During a given processing period, the amplitude profile of the pulse shaping signal is tailored so that the drive current of the laser diode is lower than its maximum value during the corresponding processing period, and is of the same order of magnitude as the laser threshold current of the laser diode. In this manner, the stability of the output during the corresponding processing period is improved.
US08263902B2
The invention relates to a laser scribing system (10) for structuring substrates, said system being characterized in that the planar rotor (56) together with the laser device (60) has a mass that is essentially less than the mass of the table (20) and the substrate (30) such that the machining speed is increased, and the substrate arranged on the table (20) is still during the machining, or moves in a direction at a constant speed vSubstrat such that vibrations are reduced and the precision of the scribing traces increased. Furthermore, other planar rotors (56) can be mounted with a laser device (60) without changing the structure of the machine such that the productivity is easily increased. The laser light (65) is also guided, by means of optical fibers, as close as possible to the machining point, reducing the free length of the light beam (65) such that the adjustment requirements for the optical-mechanical components are reduced and the system is more robust.
US08263900B2
A laser beam processing machine is provided which includes a laser beam irradiation unit including a laser beam oscillation unit and a processing head provided with a condenser lens condensing a laser beam oscillated from the laser beam oscillation unit. The processing head includes a liquid column forming mechanism provided with a jet nozzle adapted to jet liquid along an optical path for the laser beam condensed by the condenser lens, and a water droplet suction mechanism disposed below the liquid column forming mechanism and provided with an insertion passage through which a liquid column jetted from the jet nozzle is passed and with an annular suction port formed to surround the insertion passage and communicate with suction means.
US08263890B2
A switch includes a blade-type moving contact that extends in a radial direction from a turning center and reciprocates such that its free end draws a turning locus, and a fixed contact that moves toward and away from the moving contact in a turning range of the moving contact. The blade-type moving contact and the fixed contact are accommodated a tank. The moving contact is supported by the movable-side support conductor. The fixed contact is supported by the fixed-side support conductor. An opening through which the moving contact enters is arranged to be opposed to a turning center of the moving contact. The movable-side support conductor and the fixed-side support conductor are arranged substantially on a same straight line extending along a center axis of the tank.
US08263886B2
A key mechanism for actuating a circuit board includes a housing whereon an opening is formed, a key button installed inside the opening of the housing, and a waterproof structure installed between the key button and the circuit board for preventing fluid from leaking into the circuit board via an interface of the housing and the key button. A space is formed between the waterproof structure and the key button for containing the fluid leaking from the interface of the housing and the key button. The space is lower than the interface of the housing and the key button.
US08263879B2
A contact structure and assembly and a method for manufacturing the same for a microelectronics device includes first and second electrically conductive contacts being helically shaped. A carrier element is attached to and positioned between the first and second contacts. The first and second contacts are in electrical communication with each other, and the first and second contacts are in a mirror image relationship with each other. A pair of insulating substrates each include electrically conductive members. A contact point on each of the first and second contacts is attached and electrically communicating to respective electrically conductive members such that the first and second electrically conductive contacts between the pair of insulating substrates form an electrically conductive package. A metal layer on the carrier element provides electrical conductivity through a first opening defined by the carrier element between the first and second portions of the helix shaped contact.
US08263873B2
Provided is a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for a large capacity signal transmission medium that may maintain an impedance suitable for accurately transmitting a large capacity signal such as a low-voltage differential signaling (LVDS) signal and may also have an excellent flexibility. A copper foil large capacity signal wire includes a plurality of first pads and a plurality of second pads that are spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals and are alternately provided, to receive a large capacity signal from a television main board and to transmit the received large capacity signal to a display device. The first pad has a positive phase and the second pad has a negative phase. A copper foil ground layer is attached at a distance from the cooper foil large capacity signal layer to ground the large capacity signal that is transmitted to and is returned from the display device.
US08263856B2
A method of manufacturing a solar cell by providing a first substrate; depositing sequentially on the first substrate a plurality of semiconductor layers, the plurality of semiconductor layers comprising a first layer and a last layer in the direction of deposition; forming a backside contact layer on the last semiconductor layer; forming on the last semiconductor layer a back cathode contact isolated from at least a first portion of the backside contact layer, the first portion forming the anode contact; attaching a second substrate on the backside contact layer and removing the first substrate to expose the first semiconductor layer and to define a front surface and an opposite back surface of a solar cell; forming a front cathode contact on the front surface of the solar cell; etching a first trench through the plurality of semiconductor layers to define an active portion of the solar cell with a first mesa structure including the front cathode contact and the anode contact and being surrounded by the first trench, the first mesa having a first sidewall in the first trench and a lateral peripheral region beyond the sidewall, and forming in the lateral peripheral region an electrically conductive layer extending from the front surface where it is electrically connected to the front cathode contact along the first sidewall of the first trench to be electrically connected to the back cathode contact.
US08263851B2
A saddle for a multi-stringed instrument efficiently couples to transducer elements, vibrations from plucked musical instruments strings includes a unitary saddle body and a top surface that support tensioned strings and receive vibratory energy therefrom. The body portion includes a plurality of integral cavities, each integral cavity in correspondence with a respective string defining a vertically compliant area of sensitivity beneath each string that couple the string vibrations to a flexurally responsive transducer element mounted within and mechanically coupled to a respective integral cavity for converting vibratory energy from the respective string to an electric signal. A first conductor element and a second conductor element are embedded within the saddle body and configured in communication with each transducer at electrical coupling points for electrically connecting the transducer element to the first and second conductors at each respective the integral cavity structure.
US08263849B2
A flash-memory based stored-sample electronic music synthesizer enables the electronic reproduction of a large number of independent voices while accommodating the exacting demands of voice continuity, minimal note-start latency, and voice synchronicity.
US08263844B2
Described herein are fingerboards and neck assemblies for use with stringed musical instruments. The neck assembly can include a light-system disposed therein. The light system has a light matrix of light elements. The fingerboard is adapted to conceal the presence of the light elements when the light elements are not illuminated and to allow the passage of at least some illumination from the light elements when the light elements are illuminated.
US08263843B2
A metal matrix composite is disclosed that includes graphene nanoplatelets dispersed in a metal matrix. The composite provides for improved thermal conductivity. The composite may be formed into heat spreaders or other thermal management devices to provide improved cooling to electronic and electrical equipment and semiconductor devices.
US08263841B1
A novel maize variety designated PH13JC and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH13JC with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH13JC through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH13JC or a locus conversion of PH13JC with another maize variety.
US08263836B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH571775. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH571775, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH571775 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH571775.
US08263828B2
A soybean cultivar designated S070141 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S070141, to the plants of soybean S070141, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S070141, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S070141 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S070141, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S070141, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S070141 with another soybean cultivar.
US08263818B2
The present invention involves methods for isomerization of 1234zc. Also provided are methods for managing 1,1,3,3-tetrafluoropropene produced as a byproduct in a process for synthesizing trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene from 245fa, wherein 1234zc is converted into trans/cis-1234ze with the help of a catalyst in the absence of HF and in an isomerization reactor, or is converted into 1234zc and/or 245fa with the help of a catalyst in the presence of HF in a separate reactor or preferably in the same reactor of 245fa dehydrofluorination.
US08263817B2
Disclosed is a process for the manufacture of 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene comprising: (a) contacting 1,1,1,2,tetrafluoro-2-chloropropane with a catalyst comprised of chromium (III) oxide, and at least 1% of an alkali metal, to produce a product mixture comprising 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene; and (b) recovering said 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene from the product mixture produced in step (a) above.
US08263815B2
Processes for removing water from organic solvents, such as ethanol. The processes include distillation to form a rectified overhead vapor, compression of the rectified vapor, and treatment of the compressed vapor by two sequential membrane separation steps.
US08263814B2
The present invention provides methods and systems for extracting ethanol from an ethanol-water solution comprising (1) extracting ethanol from an ethanol-water solution with a first solvent comprising an esterified fatty acid, wherein the esterified fatty acid comprises a hydroxylated fatty acid component and an alcohol component such that the alcohol component is a C3-6 alcohol, such that the distribution coefficient for ethanol in the mixture of the ethanol-water solution and the first solvent is at least 0.02 favoring the transfer of ethanol from the ethanol-water solution to the first solvent, thereby extracting the ethanol from the ethanol-water solution into the first solvent, and (2) extracting the ethanol-enriched first solvent with carbon dioxide, such that the carbon dioxide is at a liquid or near supercritical phase, wherein the distribution coefficient for ethanol in a mixture of the first solvent and the carbon dioxide is at least 0.1 favoring the transfer of ethanol from the first solvent to the carbon dioxide.
US08263812B2
The present invention describes improved methods of introducing promoters to catalysts. This invention provides a method for dispersal of a promoter onto a solid surface. A catalyst material and a deliquescent material can together be contacted with a gas phase comprising a solvent under conditions effective for deliquescence whereby the promoter is dispersed onto the solid surface. This invention combines practical benefits of dry-mixing with the enhanced dispersion that can be realized by solvent-based methods.
US08263807B2
Compounds of formulas: are disclosed. The compounds are useful for ameliorating the side effects of therapeutic opiates.
US08263804B2
Hydrocarbon compounds having at least one nitrile function are converted into compounds having at least one carboxylic function by hydrating the nitrile functions into amide functions by reaction with water in the presence of a strong inorganic acid, and then hydrolyzing the amide functions into carboxylic functions by reaction with water and a strong inorganic acid; the carboxylic compounds thus obtained can be esterified into diesters, advantageously diester solvents.
US08263789B2
The present invention relates to a process for gas-phase oxidation, in which a gaseous stream comprising an aromatic hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is passed through two or more catalyst zones. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a catalyst system for gas-phase reaction using a preliminary zone.
US08263785B2
The present invention is a process for the preparation of chymase modulators, useful in the treatment of inflammatory and serine protease mediated disorders.
US08263777B2
The present invention relates to anhydrous and hydrated forms of Compound 1, which are useful in the inhibition of c-Met protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising compounds of formula I and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of proliferative disorders.
US08263773B2
Provided herein are Thieno[2,3-b]pyridine compounds with mGluR activity. Also provided herein are processes and intermediates for the preparation of the Thieno[2,3-b]pyridine compounds, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and the use of these compounds in treatment, therapy, and/or prevention of conditions which require modulation of mGluR1 and mGluR5 receptors.
US08263772B2
The present invention relates to a melanin concentrating hormone antagonist compound of formula (1): wherein R1, Ra, Rb, R2, L1, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, enantiomer, diastereomer or mixture of diasteromers thereof useful in the treatment, obesity and related diseases.
US08263771B2
A method for manufacturing a dispersion of a quinoline derivative that is dispersed at a high concentration and has a small particle size. The method includes the steps of preparing a solution by dissolving an N-arylanthranilic acid derivative in an organosulfonic acid, heating the solution and obtaining a reaction liquid in which a quinoline derivative has been produced by a condensation ring-closing reaction, and obtaining a dispersion of the quinoline derivative by mixing the reaction liquid with an aqueous solution. The step of mixing the reaction liquid with an aqueous solution may be performed in a mixing field having a micro-channel.
US08263760B2
The current invention provides for methods and medicaments that apply an oligonucleotide comprising aninosine and/or an uracile and/or a nucleotide containing a base able to form a wobble base pair, said oligonucleotide being preferably RNAse H substantially independent and being complementary only to a repetitive sequence in a human gene transcript, for the manufacture of a medicament for the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a cis-element repeat instability associated genetic disorders in humans. The invention hence provides a method of treatment for cis-element repeat instability associated genetic disorders. The invention also pertains to a modified oligonucleotide which can be applied in a method of the invention to prevent the accumulation and/or translation of repeat expanded transcripts in cells.
US08263752B2
The invention relates to soluble selenium compositions and methods of production, separation and purification thereof. In particular the present invention provides methods of preparing water soluble selenoglycoproteins (e.g., via extracting selenoglycoproteins from selenium enriched yeast), methods of supplementing a selenium deficient composition via admixing water soluble selenoglycoproteins with the selenium deficient composition, compositions comprising the water soluble selenoglycoproteins and methods of administering the same.
US08263751B2
The methods disclosed herein are useful for achieving higher protein concentrations in reverse micelle solutions by extracting a protein from a metal chelate resin using a reverse micelle solution comprising a polyamine that competitively binds to the metal chelate resin, allowing the protein to elute from the resin. The extracted protein in the reverse micelle solution can then be effectively analyzed, for example using NMR spectroscopy.
US08263747B2
This invention provides antibodies that specifically bind to and neutralize botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) and the epitopes bound by those antibodies. The antibodies and derivatives thereof and/or other antibodies that specifically bind to the neutralizing epitopes provided herein can be used to neutralize botulinum neurotoxin and are therefore also useful in the treatment of botulism.
US08263738B2
The present invention provides isolated polypeptides having an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to SEQ ID NO:20, wherein the polypeptide has ER-α36 activity. The invention further provides methods for identifying agents that bind to such polypeptides, methods for detecting such polypeptides, and methods for altering the activity of such polypeptides. Also provided are antibodies that specifically bind to an amino acid sequence depicted at SEQ ID NO:1, or an immunogenic fragment thereof, and methods for making and using such antibodies.
US08263737B2
Peptides are provided that have binding affinity for polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The polymethyl methacrylate-binding peptides may be used to prepare peptide-based reagents suitable for use in a variety of applications. The peptide-based reagents may be used to couple benefit agents to a PMMA polymer surface or may be used to couple a benefit agent comprising a PMMA polymer surface to a target surface, such as a body surface.
US08263732B2
[Object] To obtain an alignment film having excellent alignment stability of a liquid crystal and a high voltage holding ratio by application of linearly polarized light to a polyamic acid having a specific structure and then imidization under heat.[Solving Means] A photo-alignment film is obtained by: applying a polyamic acid solution on a substrate, where the polyamic acid contains, in its main chain, at least a group having unsaturated groups having 1 to 3 carbon-carbon double bonds or 1 to 4 triple bonds; vaporizing a solvent from a film formed; applying linearly polarized light to the film after the vaporization of the solvent; and then heating the film to imidize the polyamic acid.
US08263730B2
Disclosed is a polymer having excellent solvent resistance which can be produced by using a polycarbonate diol having a repeating unit represented by the formula (1) and/or (2), having a hydroxyl group at both termini, and having a number average molecular weight of from 300 to 50,000: wherein R1 represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 2 to 50 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer of 2 to 50, wherein R2 represents a linear or branched hydrocarbon group having 10 to 50 carbon atoms.
US08263728B2
A method for producing polyester resin includes: esterifying an alcoholic component, and an acid component containing polyvalent carboxylic acid and/or an ester-forming derivative thereof in a reaction solution. A condition of reaction pressure is changed from a pressurized state to a normal pressure state, or to a depressurized state under a condition (I) that an acid-based extent of reaction of the esterification is 76-94%, and a condition (II) that an undissolved acid component is present in the reaction solution.
US08263726B2
Cardanol based dimers are provided. The cardanol dimers are formed by hydrosylylation with silanes. Cardanol based dimers may be further reacted to form epoxy curing agents and epoxies which can be used as anti-fouling coatings on ship hulls and marine structures. The cardanol dimers may also be used to produce friction particles or phenolic resins. Methods of synthesizing the cardanol based dimers, the epoxy curing agents and the epoxies are also provided.
US08263722B2
The invention relates to a continuous polymerization process for preparing a random ethylene interpolymer with propylene and/or 1-butene which comprises: (A) polymerizing ethylene, and as an α-olefin comonomer propylene and/or 1-butene under continuous random polymerization conditions in the presence of single site catalyst system employing an ionic activator having cyclic ligands shielding a central charge bearing atom, at a temperature of 140° C. to 250° C. at a conversion of ethylene of 80 to 99% and a comonomer conversion of from at least 30% and (B) devolatilizing the polymer to provide an ethylene copolymer having a density of from 0.85 to 0.92 g/cm3, an MI of from 0.01 to 100 g/10 min, preferably from 0.1 to 20, and an I21/I2 of from 30 to 400. The invention also relates to polymers made by such processes containing as α-olefin comonomer propylene and/or 1-butene, having a density of from 0.85 to 0.92 g/cm3, an MI of from 0.01 to 100 g/10 min and an I21/I2 of from 30 to 400 obtained by solution polymerization using a transition metal complex as a catalyst and a non-coordinating anion to provide a level of NCA derived residue, as determined by boron content, less than 0.5 ppm. as determined by ICP, preferably undetectable by ICP. The polymers may be blended with EP rubber elastomers and be used for electrical cable insulation.
US08263713B2
An Amine neutralized sulfonated block copolymer and a method for neutralizing a sulfonated block copolymer, the process including providing a solution comprising an organic solvent and the non-neutralized block copolymer in micellar form, and adding at least one amine to the solution.
US08263712B2
In a process for producing a functionalized polyalkenamer, at least one monomer comprising a monocyclic olefin having at least one pendant alkyl group bonded thereto, wherein the pendant alkyl group has at least two carbon atoms and is substituted with a polar moiety spaced by at least one carbon atom from the monocyclic olefin, is contacted with a polymerization catalyst under conditions effective to effect ring opening polymerization of the monocyclic olefin and produce the functionalized polyalkenamer.
US08263708B2
This invention pertains to sealing articles of vulcanized (per)fluoroelastomer compositions incorporating particles of a vinylidene fluoride (VDF) polymers having a Shore A hardness of at least 85 when determined according to ASTM D 2240 Type A Durometer method, and a compression set of less than 30%, when determined according to ASTM D395 at 200° C. for 70 h on O-ring according to ASTM D1414, and to a process for their manufacture by vulcanizing-molding and thermal post-treating at a temperature above the melting point of the VDF polymer.
US08263695B2
The invention relates to compositions of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymers that have been modified with an onium salt. The PVDF compositions exhibit an increased melting point, a reduced heat distortion and piezo properties. The improved properties can be further enhanced through annealing, and/or the addition of nanoclays. Additionally, the combination of PVDF, nanoclays and annealing can also produce a PVDF with an increased melting point and piezoelectric properties.
US08263694B1
Grout compositions having a binder including water-borne polyurethane and a filler are described herein. An accelerator component is provided to control the rate of grout curing, thereby decreasing the time required between grout application and grout use. This result is achieved while providing sufficient time for grout application. Grout may be light-transmissive and include light-transmissive binder and filler.
US08263689B2
The invention relates to water-based adhesives for industrial applications obtained by mixing water-redispersible polymer powder and water-soluble polymer powder with water, wherein the weight ratio of the water-redispersible polymer powder to the water-soluble polymer powder is from about 0.001:1 to 100:1 and the water-based adhesive has a set speed of less than 300 sec, when measured with a 36 μm thick layer at 23° C. and 50% relative humidity and 385 μm thick carton boards with a weight of 275+/−3 g/m2 and Cobb values on one side of 43 g/min/m2 and 27 g/min/m2 on the other side, has a solids content of about 7.5 to 70 wt.-% and a Brookfield viscosity at 23° C. at 20 rpm, measured according to the ASTM D1084 standard, of about 500 to 10,000 mPas. The water-based industrial adhesive has the capability to bond a low surface tension substrate to a cellulosic substrate, in particular with a weight-ratio of water-redispersible polymer powder to water-soluble polymer powder from about 0.5:1 to 100:1 thus can replace conventional aqueous adhesives based on synthetic polymer dispersions. The benefits of the invention are manifold such as faster set speeds and increased machine speeds, logistical advantages due to handling powders instead of liquids, leading to e.g. prolonged shelf life, no water transportation and being an environmentally friendly, low VOC containing adhesive.
US08263685B2
Nanoparticle dispersions, inks, pastes, lotions and methods of their manufacture are disclosed. Multifunctional, nanocomposite, hollow nanoparticles, and coated nanoparticle dispersions are also discussed.
US08263673B2
The present invention provides a closed-cell foamed rubber sheet whose sealability is less likely to decrease even after long-time use and which has excellent water resistance. The closed-cell foamed rubber sheet of the present invention comprises a rubber-based resin, and is provided by the steps of: providing a foamable resin composition containing the rubber-based resin and a foaming agent; irradiating the foamable resin composition with ionizing radiation to cross-link the foamable resin composition; and foaming the cross-linked foamable resin composition. In the case where the foamable resin composition further contains 0.5 parts by weight or more of a powdery additive other than the foaming agent per 100 parts by weight of the rubber-based resin, the rubber-based resin preferably contains a rubber-based resin ingredient which is in a liquid state at normal temperature.
US08263668B2
The present invention discloses a tunable fluorescent gold nanocluster. The tunable fluorescent gold nanocluster is formed by mixing gold trichloride (AuCl3) with toluene solvent without reductant. The tunable fluorescent gold nanocluster emits blue fluorescence that can be red shifted through ultrasonic vibration. The spectral region of the tunable fluorescent gold nanocluster is from 400 nm to 550 nm.
US08263660B2
The present invention concerns new preservative-free hyperbaric compositions of prilocaine HCI intended for use in intrathecal narcosis, characterized by high stability at ambient temperature (15° C. -27° C.). The present invention also concerns a method for manufacturing said compositions.
US08263658B2
Compounds of formula (I) are provided, wherein X is CH═CH, CH2O wherein the oxygen atom is bound to ring B, or OCH2 wherein the oxygen atom is bound to ring A; Y is hydrogen, straight or branched C1-C6 alkyl or a pharmaceutically acceptable inorganic cation; R1 is ethyl or cyclopropyl; and R2 and R3 are the same or different and are selected from F, Cl, Br, CF3 and OCF3. The compounds are useful for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, organ transplant rejection, and malignant neoplasia. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, methods of using the compounds, and methods for preparing the compounds are also provided.
US08263657B2
A medicament having inhibitory activity against NF-κB activation, which comprises a compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a pharmacologically acceptable salt as an active ingredient: wherein X represents a connecting group, A represents hydrogen atom or acetyl group, E represents an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, and ring X represents an arene or a heteroarene.
US08263654B2
Compositions for the treatment of the skin. The compositions reduce and/or reverse the visible appearance of skin damage. In the preferred embodiment, the composition includes Retinyl Palmitate Polypeptide; Ascorbylmethylsilanol Pectinate; Tocopheryl Polypeptide; Cholecalciferol Polypeptide; and Niacinamide Polypeptide.
US08263639B2
Disclosed herein are the compounds shown below and methods of their synthesis. The value m is a positive integer. R comprises an alkyl chain or an alkoxy chain. Each X comprises a metal binding group. Each E is a methoxy group or comprises a biomolecule reactive group or a residue thereof. E optionally comprises a protecting group. The value n is a positive integer. The value p is zero or one. Y is OCH3, OH, NH2, or COOH.
US08263637B2
Methods of treating, preventing and/or managing cancer as well as and diseases and disorders associated with, or characterized by, undesired angiogenesis are disclosed. Specific methods encompass the administration of a selective cytokine inhibitory drug alone or in combination with a second active ingredient. The invention further relates to methods of reducing or avoiding adverse side effects associated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, biological therapy or immunotherapy which comprise the administration of a selective cytokine inhibitory drug. Pharmaceutical compositions, single unit dosage forms, and kits suitable for use in methods of the invention are also disclosed.
US08263635B2
The present invention provides compounds of Formula (I) and (II), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, where R53, R54, p, q, and n are as defined herein. The compounds of the present invention have been found to be useful as 17α-hydroxylase/C17,20-lyase inhibitors.
US08263629B2
The present invention provides a compound of formula I′; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, X and n are defined herein. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing the compounds of the invention, and its therapeutic uses. The present invention further provides a combination of pharmacologically active agents and a pharmaceutical composition.
US08263624B2
The invention relates to aryl-substituted heterocycles, to processes for their preparation, to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and to their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, in particular of thromboembolic disorders.
US08263623B2
The invention relates to compounds of formula (1) and to processes for the preparation of, intermediates used in the preparation of, compositions containing and the uses of, such derivatives. The compounds according to the present invention are useful in numerous diseases, disorders and conditions, in particular inflammatory, allergic and respiratory diseases, disorders and conditions.
US08263601B2
This invention relates to novel compounds that are substituted xanthine derivatives and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. In particular, this invention relates to novel substituted xanthine derivatives that are derivatives of a pentoxifylline metabolite. This invention also provides compositions comprising one or more compounds of this invention and a carrier and the use of the disclosed compounds and compositions in methods of treating diseases and conditions for which pentoxifylline and related compounds are beneficial. The compounds of the invention are represented by one of the following structural formulas: wherein the values of R1, R2, Y1 and Y2 are described herein.
US08263596B2
The invention is directed to a compound represented by the following structural formula and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: Compounds represented by this structural formula are kinase inhibitors and are therefore disclosed herein for the treatment of cancer. Definitions for the variables in the structural formula are provided herein.
US08263593B2
Compounds comprising formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, are disclosed, wherein J, B, Y, and A are as described. Methods, compositions, and medicaments related thereto are also disclosed, for treating baldness, glaucoma or inflammatory bowel diseases.
US08263590B2
Novel pyrimidine derivatives of formula I to processes for their production, their use as pharmaceuticals and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them.
US08263583B2
This invention relates to the hydrochloride salt of 5-[3-{3-hydroxyphenoxy)azetidin-1-yl]-5-methyl-2,2-diphenyl-hexanamide or derived form thereof and its use as a medicament.
US08263571B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions useful for inhibiting expression of the gene encoding the transcription factor, Brother of the Regulatory of Imprinted Sites (BORIS) by RNA interference. Methods of the present invention can be used to silence BORIS in cancer cells, which results in apoptosis and may be useful as for treating cancer in mammals. The methods of the invention directed to cancer therapy can be used alone or in combination with standard cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
US08263570B2
Treatment of picornavirus infection by inhibiting miR-141 activity. Also disclosed herein are a method for identify miR-141 inhibitory compounds and a method for identifying a target viral infection to be treated by anti-miR-141 therapy.
US08263569B2
Methods are disclosed for gene silencing (e.g. post transcriptional gene silencing) in an organism using small RNA molecules.
US08263568B2
A high performance liquid chromatography method to routinely and reproducibly detect and quantitate metal complexes is provided. The metal complexes used in the method of the invention can be different metal complexes, or they can be stereoisomers of the same metal complexes. The high performance liquid chromatography method of the present invention is suitable for the separation of diastereomers of the same metal complexes. Also provided is a chiral high performance liquid chromatography method to separate enantiomers of metal complexes. Superoxide dismutase mimetic compounds are also provided.
US08263562B2
The application of a peptide having sequence of formula I or its derivant in preparing the medicine for preventing or treating liver damage, especially liver damage and hepatitis C is disclosed, Xaa1-Gln-Xaa2-Xaa3-Thr-Ser-Gly-Xaa4 (formula I) wherein, Xaa1 is deletion, Ala, Gly, Val, Leu or Ile, Xaa2 is Thr or Ser, Xaa3 is Tyr, Phe or Trp, and Xaa4 is deletion, Ala, Gly, Val, Leu, Ile or Pro. The composite medicine containing the said peptide, its preparation method, and the polynucleotide for coding the said peptide are also disclosed.
US08263561B2
The present invention relates to a therapeutic composition comprising a pharmaceutically active agent and a diarrheagenic agent, wherein the diarrheagenic agent induces diarrhea to reduce the harmful or undesired side effects of the pharmaceutically active agent when the pharmaceutically active agent is ingested at a dose higher than the prescribed dose.
US08263558B2
Methods of preparation of recombinant forms of human beta-amyloid protein and uses of these proteins
The subject invention relates to the cloning, expression and isolation of recombinant forms of beta-amyloid protein containing a N-terminal methionine (or one or more amino acids) as well as to methods of using this recombinant protein in the production of therapeutic antibodies, in the identification of therapeutic small molecules, and in the performance of diagnostic assays.
US08263553B2
Compositions and methods for folding proteins belonging to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily are disclosed. The compositions and methods allow for the folding of such proteins when produced in an expression system that does not yield a properly folded, biologically active product.
US08263549B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the present invention.
US08263547B2
The invention relates to methods of treating neurological disorders in a subject, by activating a DISC1 pathway. Methods of promoting neurogenesis in adult neural progenitor cells, enhancing nerve generation and treating GSK3 disorders as well as related compositions are also provided.
US08263546B2
Subjects lacking Nfat1 display osteoarthritis in weight-bearing joints. Osteoarthritic changes associated with Nfat1 deficiency are characterized by articular cartilage degradation, articular chondrocyte proliferation/clustering, progressive articular surface destruction, periarticular chondro-osteophyte formation, and exposure of thickened subchondral bone. Methods of treating osteoarthritis, methods of diagnosis and early prediction of the onset of osteoarthritis, and methods for screening drug candidates that may be useful for treatment of osteoarthritis are presented.
US08263533B2
The present invention relates to a method of treating porous and permeable underground formations or cavities of reservoir rock or sand foundation type. The method consists in injecting a liquid composition comprising microgels into the formations in order to reduce the production of water, gas or sands, and/or for zone abandonment.
US08263532B2
Provided are a microarray substrate comprising a solid substrate coated with a chemical having a functional residue represented by Formula 1 or 2 below, a method of analyzing a biomolecule using the microarray substrate, and a lab-on-a-chip comprising the microarray substrate: wherein n, the structure within brackets [ ], R1, R2, R3, R10, n and l are as defined in the specification.
US08263522B2
A method for converting a supported metal nitrate into the corresponding supported metal oxide comprises heating the metal nitrate to effect its decomposition under a gas mixture that contains nitrous oxide and has an oxygen content of <5% by volume. The method provides very highly dispersed metal oxide on the support material. The metal oxide is useful as a catalyst or as a catalyst precursor.
US08263516B2
A method for manufacturing a DDR zeolite membrane element including the steps of: immersing a porous substrate in a raw material solution, forming a DDR zeolite membrane containing 1-adamanthanamine on a surface of the porous substrate by subjecting a DDR zeolite to hydrothermal synthesis in the presence of DDR zeolite seed crystals, applying a glass paste onto the surface of the porous substrate so as to contact the membrane, and heating the membrane at 500 to 800° C., thereby burning away the 1-adamanthanamine contained in the membrane and melting the glass paste to form a membrane-like glass seal contacting the membrane on the surface of the porous substrate. The method for manufacturing a DDR zeolite membrane element can inhibit the permeation of the DDR zeolite membrane from being hindered in a contact portion between the membrane and the glass seal and inhibit poor seal of the glass seal.
US08263509B2
A process for the production of a glass-ceramic comprises the following steps: a) providing a mixture comprising at least SiO2, Al2O3, BaO and TiO2, b) melting the mixture in order to produce a glass phase, c) cooling the glass phase, and d) ceramicizing the glass phase. In the process, the glass phase is heated over the course of at most 5 minutes, preferably over the course of at most 3 minutes, to a temperature in the region of the crystallization temperature of Ba1-xZ1xTi1-yZ2yO3, whereby Z1 is an element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ca, Ce, Pb, La and Sm, whereby Z2 is an element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, Nb, V, Y, Sc and Ta, and whereby x and y are each independently of one another 0≦x,y≦0.5, preferably 0≦x,y≦0.1, but substantially below the crystallization temperature of Ba[Al2Si2O8].
US08263505B2
This disclosure relates to a “hybrid” fabric made from a textured multifilament yarn in combination with an untextured multifilament yarn. The portion of multifilament yarns comprising this hybrid fabric are substantially without bulk or texture while the textured portion of multifilament yarns comprising the fabric have bulk. Such hybrid fabrics from this combination of yarns retain substantially similar abrasion resistance and tactility of a fabric made entirely of high tenacity air textured multifilament yarns. Nylon woven hybrid fabrics disclosed herein provide excellent properties especially for uses in apparel, rucksacks, softsided luggage, duffle bags, tenting and the like.
US08263499B2
A plasma etching method includes disposing first electrode and second electrodes; preparing a part in a processing chamber; supporting a substrate by the second electrode to face the first electrode; vacuum-evacuating the processing chamber; supplying a first processing gas containing an etchant gas into a processing space between the first electrode and the second electrode; generating a plasma of the first processing gas in the processing space by applying a radio frequency power to the first electrode or the second electrode; and etching a film on the substrate by using the plasma. Further, a resist modification process includes vacuum-evacuating the processing chamber; supplying a second processing gas into the processing space; generating a plasma; and applying a negative DC voltage to the part, the part being disposed away from the substrate in the processing chamber and injecting electrons discharged from the part into the resist pattern on the substrate.
US08263490B2
A formation method of a metallic electrode of a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes: acquiring data about surface shape of a surface part of a semiconductor substrate; and causing a deformation device to deform the semiconductor substrate based on the data so that a distance between a cutting plane and the surface part falls within a required accuracy in cutting amount. In deforming the semiconductor substrate, multiple actuators are used as the deformation device. A pitch of the multiple actuators is set to a value that is greater than one-half of wavelength of spatial frequency of a thickness distribution of the semiconductor substrate and that is less than or equal to the wavelength.
US08263484B2
This method for manufacturing a high resistivity silicon wafer includes pulling a single crystal such that the single crystal has a p-type dopant concentration at which a wafer surface resistivity becomes in a range of 0.1 to 10 k Ωcm, an oxygen concentration Oi of 5.0×1017 to 20×1017 atoms/cm3 (ASTM F-121, 1979), and a nitrogen concentration of 1.0×1013 to 10×1013 atoms/cm3 (ASTM F-121, 1979) by using a Czochralski method, processing the single crystal into wafers by slicing the single crystal, and subjecting the wafer to an oxygen out-diffusion heat treatment process in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.
US08263480B2
Methods for the site-selective growth of horizontal nanowires are provided. According to the methods, horizontal nanowires having a predetermined length and diameter can be grown site-selectively at desired sites in a direction parallel to a substrate to fabricate a device with high degree of integration. Further provided are nanowires grown by the methods and nanodevices comprising the nanowires.
US08263475B2
A method for manufacturing heterostructures for applications in the fields of electronics, optics or opto-electronics. This method includes providing a silicon oxide layer with a thickness of less than or equal to 25 nanometers on one of a donor substrate or a receiver substrate or on both substrates, heat treating the substrate(s) that contains the silicon oxide layer at 900° C. to 1,200° C. under a neutral or reducing atmosphere that contains at least one of argon or hydrogen to form layer trapping through-holes inside the silicon oxide, bonding the substrates together at a bonding interface with the silicon oxide layer(s) positioned between them, reinforcing the bonding by annealing the substrates at 25° C. to 500° C. such that the trapping holes retaining gas species at the bonding interface, and transferring an active layer as a portion of the donor substrate onto the receiver substrate to obtain the heterostructure.
US08263474B2
A method is provided for reduced defect such as void free or reduced void Si or SiGe deposition in a micro-feature on a patterned substrate. The micro-feature includes a sidewall and the patterned substrate contains an isolation layer on the field area and on the sidewall and bottom of the micro-feature. The method includes forming a Si or SiGe seed layer at the bottom of the micro-feature, and at least partially filling the micro-feature from the bottom up by selectively growing Si or SiGe onto the Si or SiGe seed layer. According to one embodiment, the Si or SiGe seed layer is formed by depositing a conformal Si or SiGe layer onto the patterned substrate, removing the Si or SiGe layer from the field area, heat treating the Si or SiGe layer in the presence of H2 gas to transfer at least a portion of the Si or SiGe layer from the sidewall to the bottom of the micro-feature, and etching Si or SiGe residue from the field area and the sidewall.
US08263470B2
There is provided a method of fabricating a semiconductor including: forming a first and a second bipolar transistors on a semiconductor substrate; forming a dummy layer on, or on the periphery of, at least one region of the emitter region, the base region, or the collector region of the second bipolar transistor and on an area surrounding a contact region for establishing an electrical connection to the outside in the at least one of the emitter region, the base region, or the collector region; forming an insulation layer so as to cover the first bipolar transistor, the second bipolar transistor, and the dummy layer; forming, together with the insulation layer and in a contact region of each region of the first bipolar transistor and the second bipolar transistor, a contact hole for establishing contact with each of those regions; and embedding a conductive member in the contact holes.
US08263469B2
A bipolar transistor, comprising a collector, a base and an emitter, in which the collector comprises a relatively heavily doped region, and a relatively lightly doped region adjacent the base, and in which the relatively heavily doped region is substantially omitted from an intrinsic region of the transistor.
US08263464B2
A memory structure that combines embedded flash memory and PPROM. The PPROM can be used as a memory structure. The flash memory can be used, e.g., as air replacement cells or back up memory, or additional memory cells. The PPROM cells are stacked on top of the flash memory cells and the PPROM density can be increased by implementing three-dimensional PPROM structures.
US08263462B2
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor substrate having a first portion and a second portion. A first Fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) is formed over the first portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the first FinFET includes a first fin having a first fin height. A second FinFET is formed over the second portion of the semiconductor substrate, wherein the second FinFET includes a second fin having a second fin height different from the first fin height. A top surface of the first fin is substantially level with a top surface of the second fin. A punch-through stopper is underlying and adjoining the first FinFET, wherein the punch-through stopper isolates the first fin from the first portion of the semiconductor substrate.
US08263461B2
Disclosed are lateral double diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) transistors having a uniform threshold voltage and methods for manufacturing the same. The methods include forming a polysilicon layer over the semiconductor substrate including a shallow trench isolation region, etching a portion of the polysilicon layer over an active region, implanting first conductive-type impurity ions using the polysilicon layer as a mask to form a first conductive-type body region, implanting second conductive-type impurity ions using the polysilicon layer as a mask to form a second conductive-type channel region in the first conductive-type body region, removing the polysilicon layer, forming gate electrodes in the polysilicon-free region, and forming a source region and a drain region in the first conductive-type body region using the gate electrode and the shallow trench isolation as ion-implantation masks.
US08263454B2
An embedded semiconductor device which a logic region and the memory region are planarized with planarization resistance patterns and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The embedded semiconductor device includes a substrate, gates formed on the substrate, source/drain regions formed on both sides of the gates in the substrate, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer which covers the gates and the source/drain regions, first via plugs which vertically penetrate the first ILD layer and are selectively connected to the source/drain regions, capacitors and second via plugs selectively connected to the first via plugs, a second ILD layer that fills the space between the capacitors and the second via plugs, planarization resistance patterns formed on the second ILD layer, a third ILD layer formed on the second ILD layer and the planarization resistant patterns, and third via plugs which vertically penetrate the third ILD layer, and are selectively connected to a top electrode of the capacitors and the second via plugs.
US08263447B2
A pixel structure and a manufacturing method thereof and a display panel are provided. An electrode material layer, a shielding material layer, an inter-layer dielectric material layer, a semiconductor material layer and a photoresist-layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. The semiconductor material layer, the inter-layer dielectric material layer, the shielding material layer and the electrode material layer are patterned using the photoresist-layer as a mask to form a semiconductor pattern, an inter-layer dielectric pattern, a shielding pattern and a pixel electrode. A source/drain electrically connected to the pixel electrode and covering a portion of the semiconductor pattern is formed on the pixel electrode. A channel is another portion of the semiconductor uncovered by the source/drain. A dielectric layer covering the source/drain, the semiconductor pattern, the inter-layer dielectric pattern, the shielding pattern and the pixel electrode and a gate disposed on the dielectric layer above the channel are formed.
US08263433B2
Methods of fabricating active device array and organic light emitting diode array are provided. A first pattern metal layer is formed over a substrate. An oxide semiconductor layer is formed entirely over the substrate. A first insulation layer covering the first patterned metal layer and the oxide semiconductor layer is formed entirely on the substrate. A second patterned metal layer is formed on the first insulation layer. The oxide semiconductor layer and the first insulation layer is patterned by using the second patterned metal layer as a mask to form a first patterned oxide semiconductor layer and a first patterned insulation layer. A second insulation layer is entirely formed on the substrate. A second patterned oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the second insulation layer. A third patterned metal layer is formed over the second insulation layer.
US08263432B2
A material composition having a core-shell microstructure suitable for manufacturing a varistor having outstanding electrical properties, the core-shell microstructure of the material composition at least comprising a cored-structure made of a conductive or semi-conductive material and a shelled-structure made from a glass material to wrap the cored-structure, and electrical properties of the varistors during low temperature of sintering process can be decided and designated by precisely controlling the size of the grain of the cored-structure and the thickness and insulation resistance of the insulating layer of the shelled-structure of material composition.
US08263429B2
A light-emitting component comprising organic layers and having several layers between a base contact and a cover contact, the corresponding process for its preparation. At least one polymer layer and two molecular layers are arranged, so that when the cover contact is a cathode, the layer adjacent to the cover contact is designed as an electron-transporting molecular layer and is doped with an organic or inorganic donor, the electron-transporting layer comprising a principal organic substance and a donor-type doping substance, the molecular weight of the dopant being more than 200 g/mole. When the cover contact is an anode, the layer adjacent to the cover contact is designed as a p-doped hole-transporting molecular layer and is doped with an organic or inorganic acceptor, the hole-transporting layer comprising a principal organic substance and an acceptor-like doping substance, the molecular weight of the dopant being more than 200 g/mole.
US08263424B2
A method for growing III-V nitride films having an N-face or M-plane using an ammonothermal growth technique. The method comprises using an autoclave, heating the autoclave, and introducing ammonia into the autoclave to produce smooth N-face or M-plane Gallium Nitride films and bulk GaN.
US08263415B2
A method of determining the total concentration of an analyte in a fluid sample, wherein at least part of the analyte is present as a complex with an analyte-binding species. The methods includes the steps of: a) subjecting the sample to conditions that reduce the binding affinity between analyte and analyte-binding species sufficiently to dissociate substantially any analyte complex and provide substantially all analyte in free form, b) subjecting the sample to conditions that restore the binding affinity between analyte and analyte-binding species, and c) immediately after the binding affinity has been restored, and before any substantial re-complexing of the analyte has taken place, determining the concentration of free analyte in the sample. A method of determining the concentration of complex-bound analyte in a sample is also disclosed.
US08263411B2
A method to monitor the progress of hybridization between nucleic acid strands in solution and Morpholino strands immobilized on a solid support such as a working electrode in-situ, in real-time, and using label-free electrochemical measurements sensitive to hybridization-induced changes in the near-surface dielectric constant and charge organization.
US08263410B2
Disclosed is an innovative method for detecting metal ions based on selective plasmonic resonance energy transfer between metal-ligand complexes and a single nanoplasmonic particle as a probe. The selective plasmonic resonance energy transfer occurs if a resonance frequency matching condition between the single nanoplasmonic particle and the metal-ligand complexes is satisfied.
US08263403B2
The present invention relates to methods for expanding a stem cell population. More particularly, the invention relates, inter alia, to methods and compositions for expanding a stem cell population, particularly a hematopoietic stem cell population.
US08263400B2
A method for the expansion of adult stem cells from blood, particularly but not only peripheral blood, involves removing adult stem cells from blood of a mammal, immediately expanding the stem cells via in-vitro treatment with MCSF (Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor) at a concentration of about 8-15 nM, and purifying the expanded stem cells. Compositions and methods of using the expanded adult stem cells are also described.
US08263399B2
Five novel plant transcription terminators MYB2, KTI1, PIP1, EF1A2, and MTH1 are isolated from soybean and their functions in the regulation of RNA transcription and processing in plants are described.
US08263395B2
The invention concerns compositions and methods for preparing recombinant adenoviruses. The resulting adenoviruses can be used for transferring and/or expressing genes in cells, in vitro, ex vivo or in vivo, or also in functional genomics. More particularly, the invention concerns in particular efficient methods for producing adenovirus banks and the use of said banks in functional genomics. The invention also concerns plasmids used for constructing said adenoviruses.
US08263389B2
A perifusion device includes at least one sample container for cells, the sample container having an inlet and an outlet. The container receives test liquid through the inlet and discharges the liquid through the outlet. A manifold having a plurality of liquid inlets, control valves, and liquid outlets can be provided so that the flow of liquids from source containers to the sample containers can be varied and controlled. A receptacle housing has a plurality of receptacles for receiving fluid from the outlet of the sample container. A drive is connected to the receptacle housing for moving the receptacle housing such that liquid samples are collected sequentially from the outlet of the sample containers. A programmable controller can be provided to control movement of the receptacle housing at predetermined times, and to record data identifying liquid samples in the receptacles. The test liquid includes at least one stimuli for the cells, which can be the presence, absence, or concentration of a compound in the liquid, or a physical property of the liquid such as temperature. The liquid collected in the receptacles is analyzed to determine the response of the cells to the stimuli.
US08263386B2
An aspect of embodiment relates to a digital bio disc (DBD) including new valve control means and fluid movement system, a digital bio disc (DBD) driver apparatus, and an assay method using the same. More particularly, an aspect of embodiment relates to a DBD with a lab-on-a-chip for various diagnostic assays, nucleic acid hybridization assays, or immunoassays, a DBD driver apparatus integrated with a controller for controlling the DBD and a general optical disc (CD or DVD), and an assay method using the same.
US08263385B2
S-triazine-herbicide-degrading bacteria, product for the bioremediation and method of bioremediation
The present invention provides a bacterial strain which is able to degrade or mineralize s-triazine compounds, such as simazine, which corresponds to Pseudomonas sp. strain MHP41, deposited under the accession number NRRL B-30908. The present invention provides a product for the bioremediation of environments contaminated with s-triazine, where the product includes a bacterial inoculum of Pseudomonas sp. strain MHP41. The present invention further provides a method for the bioremediation of environments contaminated with s-triazines, which uses this product for the bioremediation.
US08263383B2
The present invention relates to polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences of novel carbonic anhydrase variants having increased stability under high temperature conditions compared to native carbonic anhydrase.
US08263380B2
The present invention relates to a recombinant process for the production of truncated or mutated dextransucrases while conserving the enzymatic activity or their specificity in the synthesis of the α-1,6 bonds. The present invention relates to nucleic acid sequences of truncated or mutated dextransucrases, vectors containing the nucleic acid sequences and host cells transformed by sequences encoding truncated or mutated dextransucrases. In another aspect, the invention concerns a method for producing, in a recombinant manner, truncated or mutated dextransucrases which conserve their enzymatic activity or which conserve their specificity in the synthesis of α-1,6 bonds and can produce, from saccharose, dextrans with high molar mass and modified rheological properties compared with the properties of dextran obtained with the native enzyme and isomalto-oligosaccharides with a controlled molar mass and dextrans. The dextrans and isomalto-oligosaccharides of the invention can be used namely as texturing agents or as prebiotics.
US08263373B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to the microbial production of polyhydroxyalkanoic acids, or polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), from substrates which cannot be used as a source of carbon and/or energy for microbial growth or PHA synthesis and which have microbial and environmental toxicity. According to one embodiment of the invention, a process for the production of PHA is provided wherein an enzyme such as methane monooxygenase is used to convert volatile organic compounds into PHA through the use of microorganisms that are unable to use volatile organic compounds as a source of carbon for growth or PHA production.
US08263371B2
The claimed invention relates to a process for preparing (meth)acrylates of N-hydroxyalkylated amides, in which open-chain N-hydroxyalkylated amides are esterified with (meth)acrylic acid or transesterified with at least one (meth)acrylic ester in the presence of at least one heterogeneous catalyst selected from the group consisting of an inorganic salt and an enzyme.
US08263365B2
The present invention relates to a novel method for analyzing nucleic acid sequences based on real-time detection of DNA polymerase-catalyzed incorporation of each of the four nucleotide bases, supplied individually and serially in a microfluidic system, to a reaction cell containing a template system comprising a DNA fragment of unknown sequence and an oligonucleotide primer. Incorporation of a nucleotide base into the template system can be detected by any of a variety of methods including but not limited to fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection. Alternatively, microcalorimetic detection of the heat generated by the incorporation of a nucleotide into the extending template system using thermopile, thermistor and refractive index measurements can be used to detect extension reactions.
US08263360B2
The present invention features hydrophilic IR-transparent porous membranes, particularly hydrophilic IR-transparent porous polyethylene membranes and methods of preparing the hydrophilic membranes by treatment of hydrophobic IR-transparent porous membranes with plasma. The present invention further features spectroscopic sample holders which incorporate the hydrophilic IR-transparent porous membranes and methods of identifying bacteria and other microorganisms in samples by infrared spectroscopy.
US08263359B2
A method and the relevant instrumentation to fractionate living, adherent stem cells, particularly of human origin, from different sources is disclosed, said method is based on the non-equilibrium, dynamic fractionation of cells assisted by the Earth gravity field.
US08263356B2
The present invention relates to antibodies, binding portions thereof, or probes that bind specifically to glucosyltransferase enzymes, and uses of these agents for detecting glucosyltransferase enzyme(s) in a sample and for diagnosing predisposition of a human child to early childhood caries. The present invention also relates to a kit for detecting a glucosyltransferase enzyme in an oral sample from an animal.
US08263334B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, a pair of oligonucleotide strands are anchored onto the surface of a substrate by immobilizing one of the ends thereof onto the substrate. Each of the immobilized oligonucleotide strands is bound to a target nucleic acid sequence (single-stranded) having complementary sequences thereto to form a cross-linked structure on the substrate, thereby forming a finely reticulated space. Ligands are captured by this reticulated space through physical adsorption and caused to color with active substances reactive to the ligands. As a result of this, the present invention is capable of highly sensitively detecting even an exceedingly small concentration of a particular target nucleic acid sequence to be detected, at low cost and for a short time.
US08263331B2
A device and a method are disclosed for the detection and/or for the quantification of an analyte. In at least one embodiment, the device includes a basic matrix and magnetized nanoparticles, which are arranged in moveable fashion in or at the basic matrix and to which catcher molecules that bind specifically to the analyte are anchored. Further, the mobility of the nanoparticle in the basic matrix can be influenced by a binding of the analyte to be detected to the catcher molecules and can be read out magnetically.
US08263328B2
A device is disclosed for conducting a non-invasive analysis of a bodily fluid to determine the presence and level of a certain constituent carried by the bodily fluid. An indicator formulation of the device changes color in response to exposure to the constituent to provide a visible indication of the presence and level of the constituent carried by the bodily fluid. A carrier substrate of the device is constructed of a material having voids providing a high void volume within the substrate. The device is made by applying a chromagen to the carrier substrate to create a chromagen-laden carrier member. Then, a selected reagent having a particular constituent-specific formulation is applied to the chromagen-laden member. The selected reagent then combines with the chromagen, thereby establishing the indicator formulation within the carrier substrate in place for reception of a sample of the bodily fluid.
US08263311B2
A photosensitive lithographic printing plate precursor for infrared laser includes in the following order: a support having a hydrophilic surface; a lower layer containing a polymer compound having at least a unit derived from a polymerizable monomer represented by the following formula (I); and an upper layer containing a polymer compound having a group represented by the following formula (II) in a side chain, wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 represents a methylene group or an ethylene group, R3 represents a methyl group, and X represents O or NH, wherein Z1, Z2 and Z3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent composed of at least one nonmetallic atom.
US08263309B2
A radiation-sensitive composition and method for using the composition to reduce the probability of pattern collapse is provided. The radiation-sensitive composition includes a bulk matrix of radiation-sensitive material with a base-reactive, surface-modifying agent dispersed throughout the matrix. The base-reactive, surface-modifying agent is reactive to hydroxide and increases the surface hydrophobicity of a pattern formed in a layer of the radiation-sensitive composition upon treatment with a basic developing solution during lithographic processing of a substrate.
US08263303B2
A method for producing a colored resin particle dispersion liquid comprises: polycondensing a polyester-forming monomer in a nonaqueous solvent to produce an unsaturated polyester; graft-polymerizing an ethylenic unsaturated monomer to the unsaturated polyester in a nonaqueous solvent to produce a modified polyester resin; and dispersing a colorant and the modified polyester resin to produce a colored resin particle dispersion liquid, the polycondensing and the graft-polymerizing being carried out at a temperature of 150° C. or less.
US08263302B2
A carrier for electrophotographic developer, including a core material; and a layer comprising a binder resin, located overlying the core material, wherein the binder resin includes a segment including one or more polymerizable vinyl monomers as a structural unit; and another segment including a partial cleavage structure of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane and/or another partial cleavage structure of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane as a structural unit.
US08263299B2
An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises: an electroconductive support; and a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer having a dynamic hardness of from 20×109 to 150×109 N/m2 and an elastic deformation ratio of from 15 to 80%.
US08263297B2
An electrophotographic photoconductor including a conductive support and a photosensitive layer, wherein the photosensitive layer contains a charge generation agent, a charge transport agent and a binder resin, and wherein the charge generation agent contains an asymmetric disazo pigment represented by General Formula (I), the charge transport agent contains a triphenylamine compound represented General Formula (IX), and the mass ratio of the charge transport agent to the binder resin is 0.3 to 2.0, where R1 and R2 each represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group or heterocyclic group, provided that R1 and R2 are different, where R3 to R5 each represent hydrogen, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms.
US08263295B2
A method for optical proximity correction (OPC) of a desired pattern for a substrate is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots are determined which can form on a surface an OPC-corrected version of the desired substrate pattern. Shots within the plurality of VSB shots are allowed to overlap each other. Dosages of the shots may also be allowed to vary with respect to each other. The union of the plurality of shots may deviate from the OPC-corrected version of the desired pattern for the substrate. In some embodiments, optimization may be used to minimize shot count. In other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots, that is, glyphs. A method for creating glyphs is also disclosed, in which patterns that would result on a surface from one or a group of VSB shots are pre-calculated.
US08263286B2
A membrane-electrode assembly for polymer electrolyte fuel cells comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane and two gas diffusion electrodes being bonded to the membrane so that the membrane can be between them, in which assembly each gas diffusion electrode is comprised of an electrode catalyst layer and a gas diffusion layer, intermediate layer(s) being an ion conductor is/are arranged between the electrode catalyst layer(s) and the membrane, the ion conductor mainly comprises a block copolymer comprising a polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups and a polymer block (B) having no ion-conductive group, both blocks phase-separate from each other, (A) forms a continuous phase, and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the polymer electrolyte membrane and the contact part(s) of the intermediate layer(s) with the electrode catalyst layer(s) are comprised of polymer block (A) having ion-conductive groups; and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell wherein the assembly is used. By the invention, a membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell are provided which are economical, environment-friendly, good in moldability, and small in interface resistance and excellent in power generation efficiency.
US08263280B2
The invention provides a solid oxide fuel cell system including a fuel cell stack having an anode side and a cathode side, an anode tailgas oxidizer for oxidizing an anode exhaust flow from the anode side to produce an oxidized anode exhaust flow, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a first inlet for receiving a cathode exhaust flow from the cathode side of the fuel cell stack, a second inlet for receiving the oxidized anode exhaust flow, and a mixing region for combining the cathode exhaust flow and the oxidized anode exhaust flow to produce a combined exhaust flow. An air flow path for supplying air to the fuel cell stack to support an energy-producing reaction in the fuel cell stack extends through the heat exchanger so that heat is transferred from the combined exhaust flow to the air traveling along the air flow path.
US08263278B2
A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell which generates electricity; and control means which supplies an output power from the fuel cell to a predetermined load power source while realizing a low-efficiency operation of the fuel cell, thereby driving and controlling the load power source. The control means sets the output voltage of the fuel cell during the low-efficiency operation to a value not smaller than the minimum drive voltage of the load power source.
US08263277B2
One or more operating parameters, such as electrical current flow from and air flow to, a fuel cell stack within a fuel cell assembly is periodically modulated during rehydration intervals to intermittently increase hydration levels of the fuel cell stack independently of the electrical current demand on the fuel cell assembly from an external load, while maintaining electrical current delivery to that external load.
US08263276B1
A method for starting up a fuel cell arrangement includes receiving a first electrical signal from an alternative power source. At least a portion of the first electrical signal is provided to a balance of plant (BOP) load, where the BOP load is in electrical communication with a fuel cell system. It is determined whether a startup threshold of the fuel cell system is met. If the startup threshold is met, a second electrical signal is provided from the fuel cell system to the BOP load, where a combination of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal corresponds to a load demand of the BOP load. A value of the second electrical signal is increased and a value of the first electrical signal is decreased until the load demand of the BOP load is met by the fuel cell system.
US08263272B2
A cogeneration system using a fuel cell includes a gas-mixture-supply passage L supplied with a fuel gas and an oxidant gas; a gas combustor 31 for combusting the gas mixture which has passed through the gas-mixture-supply passage L; a combustion chamber 3 for housing the gas combustor 31; and a power generator 2 disposed on the gas-mixture-supply passage L and having at least one fuel cell that generates power from the gas mixture flowing through the supply passage L. The power generator 2 is located in the combustion chamber 3, so as to be heated by the heat of combustion produced in the combustion chamber 3.
US08263255B2
A battery includes a battery case, an electrode assembly in the battery case, the electrode assembly including a first electrode, a first terminal exposed to an exterior of the battery case, the first terminal being electrically connected to the first electrode, a first fixing member mechanically coupling the first terminal to the battery, the first fixing member forming at least part of an electrical path from the first terminal to the first electrode, and a corrosion resistance member providing an electrical path from the first terminal to the first fixing member and being in direct contact with each of the first terminal and the first fixing member.
US08263252B2
The present invention relates to a unit set having a plurality of lithium rechargeable batteries, which can receive and protect a plurality of lithium rechargeable batteries comprised of an pouch and an electrode tap and facilely change a voltage and a capacity thereof according to a degree of freedom in a stack structure of the lithium rechargeable batteries, and a set having a plurality of the unit sets.
US08263247B2
An electrolyte injection hole is formed in a current collector extension part between negative and positive active material layers of a quasi-bipolar electrode, and another electrolyte injection hole corresponding to the electrolyte injection hole of the quasi-bipolar electrode is formed in a sidewall of a hollow core around which the electrode is wound, so as to easily inject a predetermined amount of electrolyte into each unit cell of an electrode assembly through an electrolyte injection port and the core. Therefore, simple, reliable, and easy-to-manufacture electrochemical cell can be provided.
US08263238B2
Some embodiments provide a compound represented by Formula 2B: wherein Ph1 and Ph2 are independently optionally substituted 1,4-interphenylene or optionally substituted 1,3-interphenylene, y may be 0 or 1, and z may be 0 or 1. In some embodiments, R9 and R10 are independently H, C1-3 alkyl, or C1-3 perfluoroalkyl. In some embodiments, R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R19, R20, R21, and R22 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-12 alkyl, C1-6F1-13 fluoroalkyl, and optionally substituted phenyl. Other embodiments provide an organic light-emitting diode device comprising a compound of Formula 2B.
US08263237B2
A red phosphorescent compound, includes a host material being capable of transporting an electron or a hole; and a dopant material represented by the following formula 1: wherein each of R1 to R4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atom (H), C1 to C6 alkyl and C1 to C6 alkoxy, and at least one of R1 to R4 is C1 to C6 alkyl, and wherein each of R5 to R7 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1 to C6 alkyl and pyrrole, and at least one of R5 to R7 is pyrrole, and wherein each of X and Y is selected from the group consisting of H, non-substituted C1 to C6 alkyl and C1 to C6 alkyl substituted by fluorine.
US08263234B2
A high-strength steel sheet includes a stress-strain diagram obtained by a tensile test of the steel, and a gradient of stress in the stress-strain diagram, wherein the gradient dσ/dε in 3 to 7% of true strain is 5000 MPa or more.
US08263233B2
A frame member for use in a two-wheeled vehicle and an all-terrain vehicle that includes a plurality of Al members each made of a 7000 series Al alloy having a high strength is provided in which weld crack sensitivity is reduced and a weld joint having an excellent strength is provided. The alloy composition of the 7000 series Al alloy, which provides the Al member, containing Cu: 0.01 to 0.50%, Mg: 0.5 to 2.1%, and Zn: 4.0 to 8.5%, with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities. Further, in the production of the frame member, the plurality of Al members are integrated by welding using a filler metal containing Mg: 5.5 to 8.0%, Cr: 0.05 to 0.25%, Ti: 0.25% or less, Si: 0.4% or less, Fe: 0.4% or less, Cu: 0.1% or less, Zr: 0.05% or less and Zn: 0.25% or less, and with the balance being Al and inevitable impurities.
US08263226B2
The present invention relates to moisture-curing hotmelt adhesive compositions which comprise at least one silane-functional polyurethane prepolymer of the formula (I). The compositions have neither heating nor curing bubbles and feature an exceptional viscosity stability at high temperatures. These hotmelt adhesives are therefore suitable especially for industrial manufacture and especially of transparent materials.
US08263224B2
Disclosed is a resin composition containing a hexagonal ferrite and a resin, which is characterized in that the hexagonal ferrite is contained in an amount of 50-98 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the total of the resin composition.
US08263223B2
A wound closure apparatus is provided which utilizes blood fluid by activating the clotting cascade of blood fluid outside the body within a substantially enclosed sterile container then introducing, the blood fluid to the wound site to complete clotting. An apparatus for providing ways of inhibiting anticoagulating agents, and slowing fibrin clot degradation are also disclosed. Kits for practicing the invention singularly or in combination with, and/or associated with preferred procedures are also disclosed. The invention provides a clotting cascade initiation apparatus (1) including a substantially enclosed sterile containment chamber within which an aliquot of blood fluid, either autologous or from donor sources can be received, and retained. In preferred embodiments, the sterile containment chamber further includes a heparin binding agent which will bind heparin and remove it from the blood fluid. In further embodiments, the containment chamber will also include a procoagulating agent, wherein a clotting cascade can be initiated when the blood fluid is accepted into the sterile containment chamber.
US08263213B2
Painted composite articles having good mechanical properties and smooth surface appearance comprising a reinforced thermoplastic polymeric components, a film, and a coating.
US08263212B2
A repaired composite material component 24 comprises parent composite material 12, a primary region 14 of replacement composite material and a secondary region 26 of replacement composite material which has a greater tendency to debond under loading of the repaired composite material component 24 than the primary region 14.
US08263208B2
The invention relates to a plastic film, at least one side of which is provided with a surface structure comprising parallel rows of elevations (a). Said elevations (a) are interconnected by means of webs (b) that are at least 10 percent lower than the elevations (a). The inventive films can be used for producing laminated glass.
US08263204B2
A hook surface fastener excellent in the heat resistance, flame resistance, retention of hook shape, and pull-out resistance of hook engaging elements (fibers). The hook surface fastener is composed of a base fabric and the hook engaging elements formed on the base fabric. The base fabric is a woven fabric composed of warp yarns, weft yarns and fibers constituting the hook engaging elements. The warp yarns and the fibers constituting the hook engaging elements are polyphenylene sulfide fibers. The weft yarns are substantially non-twisted, paralleled yarns of polyphenylene sulfide fibers and heat-fusible fibers having a melting point or softening point each being 230° C. or lower. The polyphenylene sulfide fibers constituting the hook engaging elements have a crystal orientation of 85.0 to 90.0% and a crystallinity of 32.0 to 42.0% so that the retention of hook shape is good. The fibers constituting the hook engaging elements are anchored to the base fabric by fusion of the heat-fusible fibers. Therefore, the pull-out resistance of the hook engaging elements (fibers) is good even if a resin coat layer is substantially not provided on the back surface of the base fabric. A hook surface fastener substantially free from the resin coat layer has a good heat resistance and flame resistance.
US08263200B2
A method of making a composite structure (1) that comprises a curved body (5) and an integral rim (3) extending from an end of the curved body. The method comprises the steps of: forming a diaphragm pack (19) comprising a flat stack (13) of composite plies between two diaphragms (15 A, 15B), wherein each ply (L1, L2, L3) of the flat stack (13) is made up of a plurality of composite tiles (9). Each tile (9) includes at least a first portion (9A) and a second portion (9B) that have side edges of the first portion (9A) configured to abut against side edges of adjacent tiles and side edges of the second portion (9B) configured to overlap side edges of adjacent tiles. Air is evacuated from within the diaphragm pack (19) either before or after placing the diaphragm pack (19) within a double diaphragm forming apparatus comprising a hollow forming tool (23), wherein the first portion (9A) of the composite tiles (9) is supported on an upper surface (23 A) of the tool (23). Heat (25) is applied to the diaphragm pack (19); when the stack reaches the forming temperature a vacuum (Pv) is applied between the lower diaphragm (15B) and the hollow forming tool (23) such the second portion (9B) of the composite tiles (9) are drawn downwards into contact with the internal wall (23B) of the forming tool (23) to move the edges of the second portion (9B) of adjacent tiles to abut against side edges of adjacent tiles (9). The first portion (9A) of each tile (9) forms part of the rim (3) and the second portion (9B) of each tile forms art of the curved body (5).
US08263197B2
A heat-shrinkable polylactic acid (PLA) film and a method of its manufacture are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the PLA films exhibit heat-induced shrinkage in the transverse direction with little to no concomitant shrinkage in the machine direction. The films may comprise any grade of PLA polymer, optionally including additives, such as antiblock, slip, plasticizers, viscosity enhancers and combinations thereof. A method of cast and tenner manufacture is disclosed, which includes a temperature conditioning step.
US08263189B2
A layer-forming apparatus coats a solution containing a layer component and a flammable solvent on a surface of a base material, and forms a layer on the surface of the base material. In the layer-forming apparatus, a coating chamber in which the solution is coated on the surface of the base material is closed substantially hermetically, and a clean air is supplied from a clean-air supplier to the coating chamber. Then, ions that are produced by a corona discharger are sprayed to the surface of the base material in a state that a vapor concentration of the solvent in the coating chamber is below a burning lower limit, and dusts are removed from the base material. Then, the solution is coated on the surface of the base material from which the dusts are removed.
US08263184B2
A method is provided for the production of an active-breathing composite in the form of a web, consisting of a nonwoven made of synthetic material and a layer fully or mainly consisting of polyurethane for utilization as counter ceiling webs for roofs and as facade webs. PU or a mixture of materials with a high fraction of PU is heated to melting temperature and extruded on a nonwoven made of PP in order to form a diffusion-open coating of the PP nonwoven and then pressing the PP nonwoven in order to form an active-breathing composite.
US08263182B2
An inkjet printing system comprises an inkjet printer and an inkjet ink comprising water, a self-dispersing carbon black pigment, and a water soluble polymer containing carboxylate groups, wherein: the carbon black pigment comprises greater than 11 weight % volatile surface functional groups; and the ink also contains an organic base having a pKa>7.5 and an optional inorganic base in combined amounts sufficient to provide alkaline equivalents of at least 150% of the acid equivalents of the water soluble polymer; provided the equivalents of the organic base are greater than or equal to the equivalents of the inorganic base.
US08263175B2
A color organic EL display includes: a substrate; a color filter layer disposed on the substrate; a gas barrier layer disposed on the color filter layer; and an organic EL structural body disposed on the gas barrier layer. The substrate and the color filter layer provide an underlayer of the gas barrier layer. The underlayer is a degassed underlayer. The gas barrier layer is provided by an atomic layer deposition method at a temperature equal to or lower than a decomposition starting temperature of the color filter layer.
US08263166B2
An in-shell-scrambled-egg is shown. The scrambled egg includes a natural poultry natural egg wherein the nested layers of the egg are scrambled and the shell of the egg is unbroken. In addition an in-shell egg scrambler is also shown and includes a rotation unit operatively connected to an egg retention portion designed adapted to rotate the egg retention portion such that an egg retained therein is scrambled without breaking the shell thereof. The egg rotation can be controlled by a controller and a sensor can recognize that the egg is scrambled.
US08263165B2
The invention is directed to a process for producing consumable alcohols and components thereof, in particular for producing consumable alcohols and components thereof using high throughput rapid screening and production of combinatorial libraries of consumable alcohols and components. In particular, the consumable alcohol is wine, Scotch, cognac, ports, beer, gin, vodka, rum, sherry, champagne, tequila, and the like and components thereof. Most particularly, the consumable alcohol is wine, wine blends, and components thereof.
US08263153B2
The present invention provides a method for preventing or reducing haze development in a beverage. Silane-treated silica filter media are synthesized. By contacting the beverage with the silane-treated silica filter, one or more haze-forming components bind to the silane-treated silica filter media and are removed by filtration. In addition, particulates in the beverage are removed by filtration. Beverages that tend to develop haze on standing and/or chilling such as alcoholic, fruit, and vegetable beverages, are suitable for the present invention. This haze in a beverage is mainly caused by polyphenols and proteins. The present invention provides a method that can reduce the levels of both polyphenols and proteins. The silica filter media useful for the present method include rice hull ash, oat hull ash, or diatomaceous earth.
US08263151B2
Methods and compositions for treating produce to control microorganisms are provided. The method treats produce by contacting the surface of the produce with an aqueous solution comprising i) an organic peracid of the formula RC(O)OOH wherein R is methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or s-propyl; ii) a 2-hydroxy organic acid selected from tartaric acid, citric acid, malic acid, mandelic acid, and lactic acid; and (optionally) iii) an anionic surfactant; wherein the aqueous solution has a pH from 2.5 to 6.0.
US08263146B2
The present invention relates to any kinds of consumable products enriched with probiotics and a method for obtaining them. After production of probiotic biomass, the probiotics are applied to the product. Also metabolites obtained from a fermentation product may be directly applied to a consumable product.
US08263133B2
The present invention provides clustered ligand vehicles for the delivery of a nucleic acid therapeutic agent to a target expressing a receptor. The invention further provides methods for treating a disease state by targeting a nucleic acid therapeutic agent to a target expressing a receptor using clustered ligand vehicles.
US08263122B2
Disclosed are tablets comprising hydrolytically stable formulations of (6-(5-fluoro-2-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenylamino)pyrimidin-4-ylamino)-2,2-dimethyl-3-oxo-2H-pyrido[3,2-b][1,4]oxazin-4(3H)-yl)methyl phosphate disodium salt (Compound 1) prepared by a wet granulation process.
US08263120B2
The present invention relates to oral pharmaceutical compositions with controlled and/or programmed release containing at least one active ingredient having antimicrobial and/or anti-infectious activity for the treatment of infections of the large intestine, in particular the colon.
US08263118B2
The present invention describes a new bioresorbable filler constituted by hyaluronic acid and/or the derivatives thereof structured with/in phospholipid liposomes, which increase the residence time of the starting polymer in situ. Said fillers described herein are substantially intended to increase the soft tissues in aesthetic surgery and dermocosmetics for the correction of mild to medium defects, but because of their special characteristics they can also be used in other fields of application.
US08263108B2
A coaxial implant has been developed using entirely biodegradable polymeric materials. As referred to herein, a coaxial implant is a device having a core containing drug, surrounded by a semi-permeable membrane that controls the rate of release of material from the core. The device is formed by extrusion, using a pre-milling and extruding step to maximize uniformity of drug dispersion within the polymeric material. In one embodiment, the polymer is processed to yield a semi-crystalline polymer, rather than an amorphous polymer. The core containing the drug and the polymer membrane(s) can be the same or different polymer. The polymer can be the same or different composition (i.e., both polycaprolactone, or both poly(lactide-co-glycolide) of different monomer ratios, or polycaprolactone outside of a core of poly(lactide)), of the same or different molecular weights, and of the same or different chemical structure (i.e., crystalline, semi-crystalline or amorphous). The core acts as a reservoir of drug, which partitions from the core polymer to form a saturated solution of at least 10% drug at the polymer membrane.
US08263102B2
A coated medical device an a method of providing a coating on an implantable medical device result in a medical device having a bio-absorbable coating. The coating includes a bio-absorbable carrier component. In addition to the bio-absorbable carrier component, a therapeutic agent component can also be provided. The coated medical device is implantable in a patient to effect controlled delivery of the coating, including the therapeutic agent, to the patient.
US08263100B2
A method of producing a hydrophilic polyurethane foam structure containing a silver salt, chosen from the group of silver sulphate, silver citrate, silver acetate, silver carbonate, silver lactate and silver phosphate, or a mixture of these salts includes the steps of (a) providing a water phase containing a surfactant, and at least one silver salt, wherein the at least one silver salt is dispersed in the water phase; (b) providing a isocyanate-terminated polyether having functionality of more than (2); (c) mixing the water phase and the isocyanate-terminated polyether, immediately transferring the resulting mixture to a mould whereby a foam structure is obtained; and (d) drying the foam structure until it has a moisture content of at most 10% (wt). The hydrophilic polyurethane foam structure produced by the method and a wound dressing containing the foam structure are also described.
US08263098B2
This invention relates to a “high lower alcohol content” (>40% v/v of a C1-4 alcohol) liquid composition able to be dispensed as a stable foam with the use of non-propellant foam dispensing devices from non-pressurized containers. The liquid compositions comprise an alcohol, C1-4 (>40% v/v), a silicone-based surfactant of at least 0.001% by weight to prepare a foamable composition, 0-10% w/w of additional minor components added to obtain the desired performance (a foamable composition), and the balance being purified water. The compositions may include emulsifier-emollients and mosturizers, secondary surfactants, foam stabilizers, fragrances, antimicrobial agents, other type of medicinal ingredients, and the like ingredients or additives or combinations thereof commonly added to alcohol gels or foams, aerosol compositions or to toiletries, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the like.
US08263092B1
The immune response to an antigen of interest, either in purified form or expressed via an alphavirus replicon particle, can be enhanced by the simultaneous administration of an alphavirus replicon particle which expresses interleukin-12. This allows for the use of significantly smaller quantities of the antigen and this immunization strategy can also eliminate the need for boosting administration of the antigen or it can reduce the number of boosts required for an effective immune response to the antigen.
US08263089B2
Compounds and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydial infection are disclosed. The compounds provided include polypeptides that contain at least one antigenic portion of a Chlamydia antigen and DNA sequences encoding such polypeptides. Pharmaceutical compositions and vaccines comprising such polypeptides or DNA sequences are also provided, together with antibodies directed against such polypeptides. Diagnostic kits containing such polypeptides or DNA sequences and a suitable detection reagent may be used for the detection of Chlamydial infection in patients and in biological samples.
US08263080B2
Provided are methods of modulating cytokine activity, e.g., for the purpose of treating viral infections. Also provided are reagents for use in screening for agonists or antagonists of IL-23.
US08263077B2
Provided is a cell growth inhibitor that can be used for treating diseases based on abnormal cell proliferation, and in particular cancer. The cell growth inhibitor contains an anti-glypican 3 antibody as an active ingredient.
US08263072B2
ADAMTS4 is found to be useful as a blood biomarker for chronic renal failure and also as a therapeutic target for treating chronic renal failure in a human individual. A change in the level of expression of selected genes as disclosed herein in kidney tissue of an individual may also be used to diagnose chronic renal failure in an individual.
US08263069B2
Methods of treating an arthritic joint of a subject, including administering a pharmaceutical composition by injection into the arthritic joint, wherein the composition includes an anthocyanin or anthocyanidin, glucose, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US08263064B2
A method of treating an autoimmune disease such as Multiple Sclerosis is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of CXCL11. Polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions for treating same are also disclosed.
US08263053B2
The present invention relates to hair treatment compositions and methods. More particularly, the invention relates to hair treatment compositions comprising lipids and creatine. The hair treatment compositions of the present invention may be used to improve the tensile properties of hair, such as hair elasticity and strength.
US08263026B2
A system and method for producing a fuel gas is provided. In particular, a combustion product of an internal combustion engine is converted by a catalytic converter heated by the beam of the laser to a subject component of a fuel gas. Other gases can be formed simultaneously in other catalytic converters heated by the laser beam. The resulting converted gases can be used to produce a fuel gas which can be stored and/or used to further fuel the internal combustion engine.
US08263021B2
The present invention discloses a rotating mechanism for rotationally driving a solid-solid direct-heating reaction disc, comprising a fixed hollow shaft, a rotating sleeve assembly and a signal commutator, wherein the fixed hollow shaft is fixed, the rotating sleeve assembly rotatably surrounds the fixed hollow shaft, the reaction disc is supported by the rotating sleeve assembly so as to rotate along with the rotating sleeve assembly, and the signal commutator has a stationary end fixed to the fixed hollow shaft and a moving end co-rotating with the rotating sleeve assembly. By the rotating mechanism, the signal commutator is hold, and signal input and output between the moving end and the stationary end can be achieved.
US08263007B2
The present invention relates to a slurry bed loop reactor comprising a riser and at least one downcomer (3), wherein two ends of the riser are connected to two ends of the downcomer (3) via lines (16) and (7), respectively. The riser comprises a reaction section (1) and a settling section (2) with an increased tube diameter disposed on the reaction section (1). A gas outlet (13) exists at the top of the settling section (2). Each of the downcomers (3) is divided into a filtrate section (5) and a slurry section (6) by filter medium (4), wherein the filtrate section (5) is connected to a liquid outlet (10); two ends of the slurry section (6) are respectively connected to two ends of the riser, and the filtrate region (5) may further be connected to a back purging system. When used in a gas-liquid-solid three phases reaction system, the reactor can realize successive separation of gas, liquid and solid particles in slurry, and realize the back purging regeneration of filter tubes without influencing the reaction processes. In addition, said reactor has the advantages of high separation efficiency, simple structure, flexible and easy operation.
US08263003B2
The invention relates to a device (1) for transporting and/or storing radioactive materials (10), comprising a closed enclosure (8) and a system (12, 16) for securing said closed enclosure, said system comprising catalytic means (12) for recombining hydrogen and oxygen into water, placed in said closed enclosure. According to the invention, the system for securing said closed enclosure further comprises a device (16) for the controlled release of oxygen in said closed enclosure (8).
US08263001B2
An integrated bio-chip includes a substrate and one or more excitation light absorbing waveguides disposed in the substrate. The substrate includes one or more reaction regions on which samples are disposed. An end portion of each of the one or more excitation light absorbing waveguides is exposed from the substrate at an upper surface thereof, another end portion of each of the one or more excitation light absorbing waveguides is exposed from the substrate at a lower surface thereof, and the one or more reaction regions are disposed at a upper surface of the substrate. The one or more excitation light absorbing waveguides absorbs excitation light incident to the samples, and transmits fluorescent light emitted from the samples.
US08262992B2
The invention concerns a sensor cassette that can be inserted into an analyzer comprising a continuous measuring channel for receiving fluidic media and sensory elements for determining chemical and/or physical parameters of the fluidic media. According to the invention the sensor cassette consists of at least two permanently connected but separately manufactured modules which each have a housing and a measuring channel section wherein the measuring channel sections of adjacent modules are connected to the continuous measuring channel by a fluidic coupling and wherein at least one of the connected modules is designed as a sensor module and has a sensor array comprising at least two sensory elements. Furthermore, a memory element is allocated to the sensor cassette on which specific information for the sensor cassette in particular with regard to its construction from the respective modules is stored.
US08262991B2
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for analysing fluid taken from a body, and more in particularly for analysing body fluids from mammals. The analysis apparatus is coupled to a dairy system for milking of cows, wherein it may be useful to analyse the status of the milk. The apparatus is preferably located as early as possible in the production chain in order to obtain results as close as possible to the cows. Hence the environment in which the apparatus is to be used may be harsh towards internal apparatus modules or consumables, therefore the apparatus is isolated and the internal environment is conditioned regarding humidity, temperature as well as the amount of ammonium. Furthermore the steps for analysing milk is automated inside the apparatus in order to avoid influence from the external environment.
US08262983B2
A tilting rotary furnace with a door assembly that seals against a furnace vessel. The seal between the door and the furnace vessel allows for regulation of the internal environment of the furnace and control over thermitting of the aluminum. As a result, aluminum recovery may be carried out without the use of salt. A portion of the door may rotate with the furnace vessel and a portion of the door may remain rotationally stationary with respect to the furnace vessel and the rotating portion of the door.
US08262971B2
A method for centralising and retaining a molded end coil (20) in a magnet former (12) which includes an oversleeve (24) for retaining the end coil in position, the radially outer (A2) surface of the end coil being of lesser diameter than the radially inner surface of the oversleeve. The method comprises the steps of: (a) centralising the end coil (20) on the former (12) by passing a spigot (28) through the bore of the end coil and into the end of the bore of the former to locate the end coil within the oversleeve and to leave a gap (30) between the radially outer surface of the end coil and the oversleeve; (b) retaining the end coil in position against an axially adjacent surface of the former by applying an axial force to the end coil in the direction of the former; (c) filling the gap with a hardening material (42) along at least part of its axial length; (d) causing or allowing the hardening material to harden, thereby to securely and accurately retain the end coil onto the former; and (e) removing the spigot.
US08262969B2
An apparatus and method of forming a stringer or an integral stringer and fuselage skin. The apparatus may be a solid bladder made of silicone, urethane, or any similar material or combination thereof. The method may comprise placing composite material onto a surface of a tooling having a channel sized and shaped to correspond to a desired stringer size and shape. Then the solid bladder may be placed onto the composite material relative the channel. The shape of the solid bladder may correspond to the shape of the channel. Composite material may then be placed over the solid bladder, vacuum-sealed against the bladder and the tooling, and cured to harden the composite material, thereby forming a stringer or an integral stringer and fuselage skin.
US08262959B2
Useful articles are produced from shredded post-industrial (scrap), including post-consumer automotive interior trim parts obtained from vehicles. Feedstock is shredded into a fluff and mixed with an isocyanate prepolymer adhesive composition. The mixture may be placed into a mold, onto a continuous web or between laminating rolls to cure the mixture under pressure. The curing step can take place at room or elevated temperatures and only requires moisture either from the atmosphere or present in the shredded scrap or fluff. The articles produced may natural wood sheets such as Luan or wood composite boards currently adhered with urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resins. Other applications include structural or non-structural parts such as bulk heads, roofs, floors or vertical walls used in automotive vehicles, tractor trailers, recreational vehicles or marine vessels.
US08262952B2
A mold assembly for the manufacture of at least one ophthalmic device used in or on the eye is disclosed. The mold assembly includes a mateable pair of mold parts wherein at least one of the mold parts comprises at least an oxygen-absorbing mold material and an oxygen scavenger composition containing (i) an oxygen scavenging polymer comprising a polymer backbone and one or more substituted or unsubstituted cyclic olefinic groups covalently linked to the polymer backbone; and (ii) an oxygen scavenging catalytic amount of a transition metal catalyst.
US08262942B2
The inventive subject matter relates to hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNS) as a material for making ion storage material, and particularly lithium ion storage material used for batteries.
US08262940B2
The present invention provides a coated conductive powder in which the aggregation of conductive particles is suppressed and which is also excellent in electrical reliability, and a conductive adhesive using the same that can provide connection with high electrical reliability even for the connection of the electrodes of miniaturized electronic parts, such as IC chips, and circuit boards. The coated conductive powder of the present invention is a coated conductive powder obtained by coating the surfaces of conductive particles with insulating inorganic fine particles, wherein the volume resistivity value of the coated conductive powder is 1 Ω·cm or less, the specific gravity of the insulating inorganic fine particles is 5.0 g/ml or less, the particle diameter ratio of the insulating inorganic fine particles to the conductive particles (the insulating inorganic fine particles/the conductive particles) is 1/100 or less, and the insulating inorganic fine particles adhere to the surfaces of the conductive particles.
US08262938B2
Chromate-free corrosion-inhibiting coating compositions comprising film-forming binders and galvanic aluminum alloy powders prepared in an oxygen (oxidizing), nitrogen (inert) or nitrogen-hydrogen (reducing) atmosphere having particle sizes ranging up to 100 microns. The aluminum alloy powders having the formula: aluminum-zinc-X (AlZnX) wherein X is an element selected from the group consisting of indium, gallium, tin and bismuth. Improvement in corrosion protection is obtained by the addition of chemical inhibitors such as an azole or talcite clay to the coating which further inhibits the self-corrosion of the aluminum alloy and extends the corrosion protection of the metal substrate being protected.
US08262931B2
A polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I) is disclosed. R0 and R1 represent a hydrogen atom, or C1-4 alkyl; L0 and L1 represent a hydrogen atom, or C1-4 alkyl group; A0 and A1 represent a divalent linking group having a 5- to 12-membered cyclic structure; B0 and B1 represent a single bond or a divalent linking group having a 5- to 12-membered cyclic structure; D0 and D1 represent —O—, —S—, or —NR2—; X0 and X1 represent a hydrogen atom, acyl group or cyano; Y0 and Y1 represent a single bond or a divalent group; Q0 and Q1 represent a C1-20 divalent aliphatic group; Z0 and Z1 represent a hydrogen atom, cyano, halogen atom or polymerizable group; and n and m each independently represent an integer of from 0 to 2.
US08262928B2
An etchant includes about 0.1 percent by weight to about 30 percent by weight of ammonium persulfate (NH4)2S2O8, about 0.1 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of an inorganic acid, about 0.1 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of an acetate salt, about 0.01 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of a fluorine-containing compound, about 0.01 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of a sulfonic acid compound, about 0.01 percent by weight to about 2 percent by weight of an azole compound, and a remainder of water. Accordingly, the etchant may have high stability to maintain etching ability. Thus, manufacturing margins may be improved so that manufacturing costs may be reduced.
US08262927B2
The invention provides a process for working up glycol-containing aircraft deicers, by (1) removing the suspended impurities from the used aircraft deicer, (2) treating the product thus obtained in such a way that the thickeners present therein are no longer capable of gel formation, (3) before or after step (2) establishing a pH of >7, (4) and then fractionally distilling off the glycols.
US08262913B2
A method for packing a media bed in a column (3) from a slurry being a dispersion of said media particles and a liquid, said method comprising the steps of: a) estimating a slurry concentration; b) filling the column (3) with a certain volume of the slurry from a slurry tank (13) connected to the column; c) packing a test media bed from the slurry; d) detecting where the test media bed is consolidated; e) use the information about the consolidated test media bed height for providing to the column an amount of slurry that after further packing will give a user target bed height; f) packing a media bed from the slurry.
US08262911B2
A method for treatment of sludge with a facultative-organism-adapted membrane bioreactor by providing a sludge treatment system comprising a facultative digestion tank, a membrane module, an aeration system, a sludge pump, and a drainage pump, pumping sludge into the facultative digestion tank via the sludge pump and allowing for digestion, synchronously aerating and scouring the membrane module by the aeration system, pumping the sludge by the drainage pump and filtrating by the membrane module so that sludge and water are separated, and draining the water via the drainage pump. The method can digest sludge completely in the digestion tank, and solves problems existing in conventional sludge treatment methods such as large investment and high transportation cost, even achieves a subject of zero discharge of sludge.
US08262910B2
Some embodiments of the present invention relate to a reverse osmosis (RO) system that includes a housing and a pre-filter within the housing such that feed water flows into the housing and enters the pre-filter. The reverse osmosis (RO) system further includes a membrane element within the housing such that the pre-filtered water flows from the pre-filter and enters the membrane element and permeate exits the membrane element through the housing. In some embodiments, the housing includes a first end cap at one end and a second end cap at an opposing end such that feed water flows through the first end cap into the pre-filter and pre-filtered water flows from the pre-filter into the first end cap. In addition, the pre-filtered water may flow from the first end cap to the membrane element such that permeate exits the membrane element through the first end cap in order to exit the housing.
US08262909B2
A fluid separation method for performing fluid analysis of an unfiltered fluid. The fluid separation method includes providing a structure with a fluid analyzer and a power supply. Using a substrate for receiving a fluid flow stream of a multiphase mixture through a fluid sample inlet, wherein the substrate interconnects with the structure. Providing a membrane disposed across the fluid sample inlet for separating a fluid of interest from the multiphase mixture, wherein the fluid flow stream of the multiphase mixture has a shear rate that prevents a fouling of the membrane. Finally, the fluid separation method includes the substrate having fabricated channels, such that the fabricated channels are arranged substantially tangent to the fluid stream downstream of the porous membrane.
US08262907B1
Disclosed are vertical sock filters for aquarium filter assemblies. The sock filters typically include an annular collar coupled to filter material. The filter material typically is a composite material that includes upper material and lower material, where the upper material typically is more porous than the lower material. The assembly and the annular collar may include respective first and second coacting components that mate or interlock with each other.
US08262906B2
A flow selection device for removal of detritus from a body of water, the device including at least one inlet manifold having a forward face with an opening, at least one outlet located in an upper rear portion of the device and at least one chamber located between the at least one inlet and at least one outlet and defining an annodated flow path between the opening in the forward face and the at least one outlet.
US08262899B2
A sensor system including devices and methods for determining the concentration of an analyte in a sample is described. Input signals including amperometric and voltammetric duty cycles of excitations and relaxations may provide a shorter analysis time and/or improve the accuracy and/or precision of the analysis. The disclosed system may reduce analysis errors, thus improving measurement performance, by adjusting the potential and/or scan rate in response to output currents obtained from voltammetric scans. The disclosed system also may determine the concentration of more than one ionizable species in the sample by adjusting the potential and/or scan rate in response to output currents obtained from voltammetric scans. The multiple, determined concentrations may be used to determine the concentration of multiple analytes or to correct the concentration determined for an analyte, thus improving the measurement performance of the system.
US08262896B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing hydrogen comprising: contacting steam 20 with a proton conducting membrane 7 supported on a porous redox stable substrate 8, through said substrate 8. The membrane 7 is non-permeable to molecular gas and to oxide ions. A DC voltage is applied across an anode 15 coupled to the substrate side of the membrane and a cathode 9,11 coupled to its other side so as to dissociate at least part of the steam 20, into protonic hydrogen and oxygen at said anode 15. The protonic hydrogen passes through the membrane and forms molecular hydrogen 23 at the cathode 9, 11.
US08262892B2
A method for electrochemical modification of liquid streams employing an electrolytic cell which utilizes an oxidation site defined by an anode, an anode compartment comprising liquid electrolyte anolyte where oxidation is effected, a cathode compartment comprising liquid electrolyte catholyte where reduction is effected, a cathode comprising conducting cathode particulates forming a cathode particulates bed and a current feeder device in at least intermittent contact with said cathode particulates where the cathode particulates are in motion and the particulates motion is substantially independent of bulk electrolyte flow, a separator which confines the cathode particulates to the cathode compartment, constrains electrolyte flow through the cathode particulates bed and permits ionic conduction of current between the anode and cathode, a cathode particulates conveyance system that manipulates cathode particulates motion. A separate system circulates the liquid undergoing modification through the electrolytic cell. An unidirectional current driving system drives unidirectional electric current supported by the liquid streams from the anode through the anolyte and the separator and into the catholyte and to the cathode particulates and to the current feeder device during the contact between the cathode particulates and the current feeder device.
US08262891B2
Leveling agents for metal plating baths are provided. Plating baths containing such leveling agents provide metal deposits having substantially level surfaces. Such leveling agents may be selected to selectively incorporate desired levels of impurities into the metal deposit.
US08262882B2
Disclosed are methods for passivating metal substrates, including ferrous substrates, such as cold rolled steel and electrogalvanized steel. The methods comprise the steps of autodepositing copper, silver, a IIIB metal and/or IVB metal onto at least a portion of the substrate, and simultaneously and/or immediately subsequently electrophoretically depositing on the substrate a curable, electrodepositable coating composition; wherein the copper, silver, IIB metal and/or IVB metal and the curable, electrodepositable coating composition are both contained within a single bath composition. The present invention also relates to coated substrates produced by the above methods.
US08262879B2
Devices and methods for detecting the length of analytes and/or sequencing analytes are provided in which two or more electrical signals are obtained as an analyte traverses a fluidic channel. Detection of the relative position of probes hybridized to a biopolymer and/or the length of the analyte (e.g., a biopolymer) does not rely on the absolute time between detection events of a given electrical signal to determine a distance associated with the biopolymer. Instead, multiple signals are obtained (e.g., as functions of time) corresponding to a plurality of detector volumes at known locations along a fluidic channel through which the biopolymer passes, and the distances are determined from the multiple signals.
US08262872B2
Electrochemical apparatus and processes for the point-of-use production of cleansing, sanitizing, and antimicrobial agents, such as sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) or hypochlorous acid (HOCl). The processes may be used to produce NaOCl from seawater, low purity un-softened or NaCl-based salt solutions. HOCl may be produced from HCl solutions and water. NaOCl is produced using a sodium ion conductive ceramic membrane, such as membranes based on NASICON-type materials, in an electrolytic cell. HOCl is produced using an anion conductive membrane in an electrolytic cell. The cleansing, sanitizing, and antimicrobial agent may be generated on demand and used in household, industrial, and water treatment applications.
US08262870B2
Apparatus and methods for removing coatings from metal components, such as metal components used in aircraft and other aerospace vehicles and the oil industry, as well as aqueous bath compositions. The metal component may be DC coupled with a counter electrode and immersed in an aqueous bath that includes an active oxygen source and a ligand in a composition effective to remove the coating. The aqueous bath may include hydrogen peroxide as the active oxygen source and may be maintained in a specific pH range if the temperature of the aqueous bath is controlled. In an alternative embodiment, the composition of the aqueous bath may include a non-peroxide active oxygen source, such as sodium perborate, and be maintained in a different specific pH range. An oxygen sensor may be provided to periodically monitor the concentration of active oxygen in the aqueous bath.
US08262865B2
The invention relates to improved bitumen recovery processes and systems. The process may include providing a bitumen froth feed stream, separating the stream in a froth separation unit to produce a diluted bitumen stream, treating the diluted bitumen stream in an electrostatic desalter to produce a treated bitumen stream, and separating the treated bitumen stream into a solvent recycle stream and a bitumen product stream. The system may include a combined AC/DC desalter with a control unit for optimizing the treatment process to produce a product bitumen stream using less solvent and smaller separators than conventional bitumen froth treatment plants and processes.
US08262864B2
This aims to provide a paper making machine belt (a shoe press belt) having excellent wet squeezability but less damages (such as cracks or wear) of the outer periphery of a belt being used. The paper making shoe press belt includes drainage conduits extended in the felt-side surface thereof. The drainage conduits are discontinuous grooves, and are made semi-arcuate on at least one of the belt ends in a belt running direction (an MD direction).
US08262860B2
A pulp pre-processor for the papermaking industry uses pulp fiber analyzers to determine the distribution of fiber parameters, such as length, curl or coarseness from a feed source, such as recycled pulp, and mixes metered portions of pulp from augmenting pulp sources on an as-needed basis to provide a uniform distribution of a particular fiber parameter while maximizing use of recycled pulp.
US08262857B2
Tissue products are disclosed containing an additive composition. The additive composition, for instance, comprises an aqueous dispersion containing an alpha-olefin polymer, an ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer, or mixtures thereof. The alpha-olefin polymer may comprise an interpolymer of ethylene and octene, while the ethylene-carboxylic acid copolymer may comprise ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer. The additive composition may also contain a dispersing agent, such as a fatty acid. The additive composition may be incorporated into the tissue web as the web is being formed. Alternatively, the additive composition may be topically applied to the web in a post processing operation. For instance, in one embodiment, the additive composition may be applied to the web as a creping adhesive during a creping operation.
US08262855B2
A method and an apparatus for determining the total peroxide content of a cellulose pulp suspension in the pulp suspension bleaching stage, wherein the bleaching chemical is peroxide. A sample is taken from the pulp suspension, which sample is measured in a measuring device (25, 25′). Before measuring, the pH of the sample is adjusted and after that the total peroxide content or the perhydroxyl content of the sample is measured, of which measurement the total peroxide content of the sample is determined.
US08262847B2
A method and apparatus for processing a substrate in a capacitively-coupled plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber and at least an upper electrode and a lower electrode. The substrate is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The method includes providing at least a first RF signal, which has a first RF frequency, to the lower electrode. The first RF signal couples with a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, thereby inducing an induced RF signal on the upper electrode. The method also includes providing a second RF signal to the upper electrode. The second RF signal also has the first RF frequency. A phase of the second RF signal is offset from a phase of the first RF signal by a value that is less than 10%. The method further includes processing the substrate while the second RF signal is provided to the upper electrode.
US08262836B2
A microwave processing device/system can create strong temperature gradients in biodegradable polymer material. Novel physical phenomena caused by the heated particles cause local changes in viscosity and flow, leading to high mass transport and current densities in activated polymer matrix materials and to dramatically shorter reaction times and solvent-free reaction conditions. Advancements in the process speed and quality of packaging films in general can be achieved by increasing the polymeric amorphous to crystalline ratio, especially with regard to the claimed methods for manufacturing and sealing biodegradable packaging films. Micron-size particles or nanoparticles in the processed materials can interact with microwaves of different frequencies and intensities to create intentionally varied local material property changes to create an tunable flexible packaging product that is sustainable and “green.” Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are also described.
US08262834B2
An exemplary a method for manufacturing a lens is provided. In the method, a first lens preform and a second lens preform is formed. The first lens preform includes a first surface and an opposite second surface. The second lens preform includes a third surface and an opposite fourth surface. An oxygen plasma is applied to the second and fourth surfaces so as to form a number of groups capable of being irreversibly bonded. The second surface is contacted with the fourth surface. The groups capable of being irreversibly bonded take place an irreversible bonding reaction to chemically combine the second and fourth surfaces, thereby obtaining a double sided lens preform. The double sided lens preform is diced into a number of double side lenses.
US08262825B2
Composite tubes may be fabricated by filament winding a layer of resin impregnated carbon fiber with a near-axial fiber orientation over a mandrel and over end-fittings. Bands of resin-impregnated fibers are then wound circumferentially around this near-axial layer in a position that coincides with a circumferential groove in the underlying end-fittings. The ends of the near-axial layer are folded back over the bands, resulting in a double layer of intact near-axial fibers locked into the groove on the end-fittings by the bands of intact circumferential fibers. Testing has shown this arrangement to be effective for introducing very high axial loads onto the composite tube.
US08262824B2
A method for manufacturing electret diaphragms is provided. First, a dielectric film is attached to a frame by an adhesive material and a fastening element grips the peripheral area of the dielectric film on the frame. Afterward, the dielectric film is subjected to a metal sputtering process to form a conductive material layer thereon. Finally, the dielectric film is subjected to a polarizing process thereby forming an electret diaphragm.
US08262823B2
A lightweight, structurally strong skin panel having one or more transparent areas forming see-through windows, and a method of making same. A pre-impregnated resin tape comprised of a plurality of fibers impressed into a resin is provided. A metal sheet is provided. The pre-impregnated resin tape and the metal sheet are layered onto a molding tool such that the metal sheet and the pre-impregnated resin tape are aligned one atop the other. The tool, metal sheet, and pre-impregnated resin tape are heated such that the resin flows and at least partially covers the metal sheet and the fibers. The resin and fibers are substantially transparent to form a see-through window portion in the skin panel. The transparent window skin panel eliminates the bulky and heavy frame structure traditionally employed on aircraft, and which has heretofore limited the size of aircraft windows.
US08262821B2
A jig is used in the assembly of a laminated end product. The jig includes a generally flat sheet of rigid material that has a first step configured in the surface of that flat sheet. A laminated product such as an invitation is mounted on the jig. A second leaf is then mounted on the jig at the larger line of the step to perfectly align the first and second leafs on the jig.
US08262812B2
In one embodiment, a method for forming an article with a diffusion portion comprises: forming a slurry comprising chromium and silicon, applying the slurry to the article, and heating the article to a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient period of time to diffuse chromium and silicon into the article and form a diffusion portion comprising silicon and a microstructure comprising α-chromium. In one embodiment, a gas turbine component comprises: a superalloy and a diffusion portion having a depth of less than or equal to 60 μm measured from the superalloy surface into the gas turbine component. The diffusion portion has a diffusion surface having a microstructure comprising greater than or equal to 40% by volume α-chromium.
US08262790B2
The present invention relates to colored particles containing a dye and a dispersant, wherein the average particle diameter of the colored particles is 10 nm or more, and 80 nm or less, the solubility index represented by Formula (1) of the dye is 9.20 or more, and the dye content and the dispersant content in the colored particles satisfy the relationship represented by Formula (2).
US08262789B2
A coloring matter which has a good hue, and is capable of forming an image high in fastness property under various use conditions and environmental conditions, and particularly suitable for an ink. The coloring matter is represented by the following formula (I): wherein in the formula, G represents a heterocyclic group, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3; when n is 1, R, X, Y, Z, Q, and G each represents a monovalent group; when n is 2, R, X, Y, Z, Q, and G each represents a monovalent or divalent substituent, provided that at least one represents a divalent substituent; and when n is 3, R, X, Y, Z, Q, and G each represents a monovalent, divalent or trivalent substituent, provided that at least two each represents a divalent substituent, or at least one represents a trivalent substituent.
US08262786B2
A combustible energy filtering and recycling system includes a filtering tank, a gas exhaust vent, an overflow vent, and a water-collection chamber. A Venturi gas filter pipe is fixed to the filtering tank and connected with a gas intake pipe which is used for introducing a combustible gas into the gas filter pipe. A first end of the gas filter pipe is connected to a water intake pipe, such that the cooling water can be flowed through the gas filter pipe and collected at the water-collection chamber, and thus dusts and impurities in the combustible gas can be submerged into the cooling water due to the effects of pressure accumulation, air acceleration and pressure reboost produced by the gas filter pipe and the inertia effect. The combustible gas insoluble in water will then be introduced into the gas exhaust vent, so that manufacturers can recycle a high-quality and pollution-free combustible gas.
US08262782B2
A gas mask filter canister of varying shapes is filled by orienting the a fill opening to face upwardly, introducing into the fill opening a particulate filter material, and vibrating the filter canister at a frequency and amplitude, and for a time until a predetermined packing density is reached. The invention can be used to fill elliptical or other odd shaped filter canisters having a concave profiles to conform closely to the curvature of the wearer's face.
US08262781B2
A method is provided which can efficiently remove conidia and microbe or the like of a phytopathogen from air and does not cause generation of ozone originated from discharge or so, thereby preventing occurrence of a plant disease without damaging a plant. There are also provided a flying organism removing apparatus and a plant protecting apparatus which can adequately capture flyable organisms, such as spores of a phytopathogen and/or small vermin, by applying an electrostatic field to the flyable organisms. An electrostatic field generated by dielectric polarization is applied to flyable organisms.
US08262771B2
A flammable gas concentration device comprises an adsorption tower filled by an adsorbent for adsorbing a flammable gas. Raw gas containing air and a flammable gas is fed to the adsorption tower via a feeding path and an exhaust gas in the raw gas which has not been adsorbed to the adsorbent is discharged to an outside of the adsorption tower via a discharge path. Pressure in the adsorption tower is reduced lower than an atmospheric pressure, and the flammable gas adsorbed by the adsorbent is desorbed and collected through a collection path. A flammable gas adsorption step of feeding the raw gas to the adsorption tower and discharging the exhaust gas from the adsorption tower, and a flammable gas desorption step of collecting the desorbed flammable gas are sequentially executed.
US08262764B2
A sheet member including inorganic fibers includes a first outer layer; a center layer; and a second outer layer. The first outer layer, the center layer, and the second outer layer are laminated with each other such that both the first and the second outer layers are outermost layers; the center layer includes inorganic fibers having diameters equal to or less than approximately 3 micrometers; and the first and the second outer layers include inorganic fibers having diameters greater than approximately 3 micrometers.
US08262762B2
Methods, techniques, and constructions are provided for use to apply an evacuation valve arrangement on an air cleaner assembly that is configured for pulse jet operation. An example evacuation valve arrangement is provided which comprises a valve member in the form of a sleeve that extends completely around a sidewall portion of an air cleaner housing of a pulse jet air cleaner. Examples are depicted in which the sidewall portion can comprise: a portion of a housing sidewall section that surrounds an installed filter cartridge, in use; a portion of an access cover; or, a drop tube secured to a portion of the housing, for example either on an access cover or on another portion of a housing. Specific features and alternatives are described. Also, methods of assembly and operation are described.
US08262758B2
An equipment for making abrasive particles in even distribution, array pattern and preferred orientation comprises an adsorbing releasing apparatus being composed of a plurality of acicular soft magnetic metallic sticks, an upper and a lower stators, and a plurality of windings. Each winding forms an electric circuit through a electrical source, a resistance, and a switch a plurality of blind holes being distributed on face of the blind hole feeding tropism board. Using electric current to form magnetic field for the acicular soft magnetic metallic sticks absorb or release abrasive particles plated with soft magnetic materials. The equipment is simple, convenient in operation, high in efficiency and reliability. The equipment makes abrasive particles in matrix with an ideal state in distributing density, uniformity, arrange, and tropism. Thereby, the function of the abrasive materials is fully exerted and the life of products is prolonged.
US08262752B2
Hydrogen-producing fuel processing assemblies and methods for delivering feedstock to a hydrogen-producing region of a hydrogen-producing fuel processing assembly. In some embodiments, the fuel processing assemblies include a feedstock delivery system that includes a pump assembly and a stall prevention mechanism that is adapted to reduce pressure in an outlet conduit during periods in which the pump assembly is not emitting a liquid outlet stream within or above a hydrogen-producing pressure range. In some embodiments, pressure in the outlet conduit is isolated from pressure in the hydrogen-producing region of the fuel processing assembly and is reduced during periods in which a liquid stream is not being pumped within or above a hydrogen-producing pressure range.
US08262746B2
A production method for producing an electrode plate that can hold well the active material and producing a battery using the electrode plate. A production method for an electrode plate of a battery includes the steps of: forming at least one electrode plate prototype by forming a layer filled with an active material on a main surface of a plate-shaped core body; and infiltrating a liquid containing a resin and an organic solvent into at least part of a circumference of the layer filled with the active material. The applied liquid infiltrates into the circumferential region of the active material filling area, namely an outer edge of the layer and an area in its vicinity including the outer edge. The resin contained in the liquid enhances the bonding force between the conductive core body and the active material particles and between the active material particles.
US08262743B2
Novel compounds based on distyryl-biphenyl are provided. The compounds conform to the general structure The compounds are useful as optical brighteners. Compositions, such as laundry care compositions, containing such compounds are also provided.
US08262736B2
Orthopedic implants being at least in part radially expandable at one of the leading or trailing ends to expand both the height and at least a portion of the width of the implant, and instruments and methods for inserting the implants into an implantation space are disclosed.
US08262732B2
An intervertebral prosthesis for insertion between adjacent vertebrae includes upper and lower prosthesis plates locatable against respective vertebrae and having opposing, concavely curved recesses therein, and a core located between the plates. The core has opposed, convexly curved surfaces received in the recesses of the plates to allow the plates to slide in articulated manner over the core. The opposed surfaces of the core and the recesses of the plates have cooperating spherical curvatures. The recess of each plate surrounds a locating peg projecting centrally from the base of the recess and is bounded by an annular rim, such that the annular rims of the plates are arranged to contact one another at a predetermined limit of sliding movement of the plates over the core. The peg locates loosely in an opening located centrally in a curved surface of the core, whereby the plates can slide over the core in all directions while the peg holds the core captive.
US08262730B2
This invention provides methods and processes to attach or bond hydrogels to suitable surfaces using irradiation techniques and also provides methods and processes to create crosslinked regions in hydrogel articles using these irradiation techniques. Specifically, lasers at wavelengths tuned to the irradiation absorption bands of hydroxyl groups, carboxylic acid groups or water may be used to attach or bond hydrogels to surfaces such as soft tissue and hydrogel surfaces or to crosslink regions in hydrogel articles.
US08262722B2
An endoprosthesis, in particular an intraluminal endoprosthesis, for example a stent, having a base body composed at least partially of a metallic material, and having a functional element which is attached to the base body or imbedded therein and which contains material that is radiopaque and/or X-ray opaque and has a different material composition, at least in a portion of its volume, compared to the material of the base body. To avoid contact corrosion and undesired corrosion, the functional element is provided with a barrier layer which electrically insulates the radiopaque and/or X-ray opaque material from the base body.
US08262715B2
The invention provides a medical device having a thermostat for temperature measurement, irrigation/aspiration ports for fluid exchange and application of therapeutic modalities, a pressure manometer for pressure measurement, and an external system for control of temperature, pressure, and flow rate. When applied to the eye, eyelid and orbit, this device can be used in hypothermia or hyperthermia applications, the control of intraocular pressure (IOP), and the application of treatment modalities. Methods of using the device in treating patients suffering from central retinal artery occlusion, anterior optic nerve disease, pathology of the choroid and retina including the macula, inflammation of the eye including the vitreous and anterior segment, glaucoma, inflammation and/or infections of the anterior and/or posterior segment of the eye, treatment before/during/after surgery of the eye, and the application of treatment modalities including iontophoresis through a semi-permeable membrane are described.
US08262711B2
A vertebral column construct for stabilizing a segment of a vertebral column can include first and second plate segments, and a spring connected between adjacent plate segments. The spring can be adapted and configured to provide a predetermined preload between the first and second plate segments. Such a preload can advantageously enhance fusion across a bone graft. Alternatively, the spring can be adapted and configured to resist, by a predetermined degree, loading between the first and second plate segments. A cam can be provided on one of the first and second plate segments, wherein engagement between the cam and the cam surface prevents dynamic connection between the first and second plates. The cam can be adapted and configured to adjust a preload applied between segments, such as by adjusting tension in the spring.
US08262710B2
A dynamic vertebral stabilization device for constraining motion of adjacent vertebrae is provided. The bone stabilization device comprises a first plate having a vertebral mating surface for positioning against a vertebrae, wherein the first plate defines a recess. The device further comprises a second plate having a vertebral mating surface for positioning against an adjacent vertebrae. The second plate includes a projection configured to travel in the recess of the first plate. The vertebral mating surface of the first plate is non-coplanar with respect to the vertebral mating surface of the second plate.
US08262706B2
An osteonsynthesis implant has a plate-shaped base component having at least one hole, at least one axially extending rod-shaped tie rod having a first and a second end and at least one threaded component. The first end of the rod-shaped tie rod can be placed in the hole of the base component. The hole and the first end of the tie rod are formed such that the first end of the tie rod can be locked axially in the hole and is pivoted about an axis of the hole while locked to the plate. The second end of the tie rod is provided with a thread and the threaded component can be screwed onto the thread of the first tie rod. The tie rod can perform a pivoting movement of up to about 20° around the hole axis while locked in the plate hole.
US08262699B2
An article including a spinal prosthesis having a unitary body with at least three attachment points attachable to spinal structure, the unitary body including a flexure assembly positioned between first and second attachment members, wherein flexure of the flexure assembly permits movement of the first attachment member relative to the second attachment member.
US08262697B2
A modular interspinous fixation system and method are shown. The system and method comprise a first plate, a second plate and a locking cross bar for locking the first and second plates together and into locked engagement with a first spinous process and a second spinous process. A bridge is mounted or received on the locking cross bar so that it becomes locked onto the locking cross bar when the locking cross bar is in locked engagement. The bridge and locking cross bar are adapted so that the bridge does not rotate about its axis while on the locking cross bar. Various other embodiments are shown illustrating various bridges of different shapes and sizes, integral and non-integral locking cross bars and even a ramped locking cross bar for facilitating preventing separation of the first and second plates after they are mounted to the first and second spinous processes.
US08262683B2
Surgical micro-resecting and evoked potential monitoring system and method. The system includes a micro-resecting instrument, handpiece, and evoked potential monitor. The instrument includes an outer tube forming a cutting window at which a cutting tip of an inner member is located. A hub assembly rotatably maintains the inner and outer members. An electrically non-conductive material covers a region of the outer tube, and wiring is connected to an exposed surface of the outer tube. The instrument defines a probe surface proximate the cutting window as part of an electrical pathway with the wiring. The hub assembly is powered by the handpiece, and the wiring is connected to the evoked potential monitor. Evoked potential monitoring is performed at the probe surface via stimulation energy delivered along the electrical pathway, and tissue/bone resection occurs with rotation of the cutting tip.
US08262679B2
A surgical clip applier and methods for applying surgical clips to a vessel, duct, shunt, etc., during a surgical procedure are provided. In one embodiment, a surgical clip applier is provided and can include a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end with opposed jaws thereon, a guide member disposed within the shaft and configured to guide a clip into the opposed jaws, the guide member having a channel formed in a surface thereof, and an advancer movably disposed within the shaft and configured to advance a clip over the guide member and into the opposed jaws, the advancer having a distal tip that slidably engages the channel for maintaining contact with a surgical clip as it is advanced into the opposed jaws. In other embodiments, the guide member can also include a proximal channel formed in a superior surface thereof. The advancer can be configured to deflect downward into the proximal channel to move proximally beneath an inferior surface of the apex of the clip to position itself proximally to the clip to advance the clip into the opposed jaws.
US08262672B2
A delivery device includes an outer sidewall and an inner sidewall extending therein. An outer surface of the inner sidewall defines a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves, each of which interlock with a corresponding inward protruding member of a plurality of longitudinally extending inward protruding members defined by an inner surface of the outer sidewall. A longitudinally extending lumen of the device, which may accommodate delivery of an implantable medical device, is defined, at least in part, by the inner surface of the inner sidewall. A slitting zone of the device, for example, provided by one of the sidewalls extending less than 360 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the device, enables removal of the delivery device from around the delivered device.
US08262671B2
A vascular introducer includes a proximal hub portion with an interior bore, an elongated sheath extending distally from the hub portion, with a lumen in communication with the interior bore of the hub portion, and a hemostatic valve disposed within the bore of the hub portion. The hemostatic valve has a passage extending therethrough, and includes a sealing flap movable between an open position relative to the passage and a closed position relative to the passage.
US08262670B2
A surgical tool includes a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end. The surgical tool has a fastener engagement tip having a spring extension extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the surgical tool. The spring extension is resiliently flexible and deflectable between a first arrangement, in which the spring extension is in a relaxed state, and a second arrangement, in which the spring extension is deflected to facilitate insertion of the fastener engagement tip into a fastener slot.
US08262664B2
A method of performing a tibial tubercle osteotomy includes cutting a bone portion of a tibial tubercle from a remaining portion of the tibial tubercle, at least a portion of a patella ligament being attached to the bone portion. The bone portion of the tibial tubercle is separated from the remaining portion of the tibial tubercle such that the patella ligament remains attached to the bone portion. After completing a surgical procedure, the separated bone portion of the tibial tubercle is reattached to the remaining portion of the tibial tubercle.
US08262662B2
The present invention provides minimally invasive devices and methods for delivering a spinal connector to one or more spinal anchor sites in a patient's spinal column. In one embodiment, a spinal implant and access device is provided that includes a U-shaped receiver member, a bone-engaging member, and an extension member. The U-shaped receiver member can have a recess formed therein that is adapted to seat a spinal connector. The bone-engaging member can extend distally from the receiver member and it can be adapted to engage bone to thereby mate the receiver member to bone. The extension member can extend proximally from the receiver member and it can include a frangible portion formed thereon that is adapted to break when a predetermined force is applied thereto thereby allowing at least a portion of the extension member to be separated from the receiver member.
US08262656B2
An external fixation device for the setting and corrective treatment of bone fractures is disclosed. The device comprises a splint member having a first and a second axially slidable and mutually fastenable base portions for adjusting the length of the splint member and a plurality of bone pins. Each of the base portions of the splint member includes mountings for the bone pins to traverse the site of the bone fracture in a multi-angle and multi-planar pin configuration, so as to permit direct fixation of the fracture and provide a significant degree of stability.
US08262654B2
The high-frequency treatment instrument is a high-frequency treatment instrument for performing a high-frequency treatment on a pathological lesion portion (subject tissue) not shown and includes a sheath (elongated extension member), a treatment electrode which is rotatably disposed at a distal end of the sheath and which extends in a direction substantially parallel to a diameter direction of the rotation, an operating wire (axial member) for allowing the treatment electrode to rotate around the distal end of the sheath, and an operating portion to which proximal ends of the sheath and the operating wire are connected. According to a high-frequency treatment instrument, by enabling a treatment on a subject tissue without using a curving operation of an endoscope it is possible to facilitate a procedure.
US08262639B2
The present disclosure relates to clamps for controlling the flow of liquid through a fluid circuit. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to flow control clamps that can be substantially irreversibly secured in a closed position, thereby discouraging reopening of the flow path of the tube.
US08262635B2
A reusable diaper may include an inner layer and an outer layer. A fluid-absorbing insert may be coupled to the inner layer for use in absorbing fluids. The inner layer may be disposed generally between the outer layer and the fluid-absorbing insert such that both the fluid-absorbing insert and the inner layer are in position for absorbing fluids. The fluid-absorbing insert may be adjustable relative to the inner layer for accommodating use by a male and/or a female. The reusable diaper may also include forward and rearward waist portions generally defined by the inner and outer layers. Liquid-resistant regions may be disposed adjacent the waist portions, generally between the waist portions and the fluid-absorbing insert, for resisting movement of fluid from the fluid-absorbing insert to the waist portions.
US08262634B1
An absorbent article having a barrier sheet against a skin care composition is disclosed. The absorbent article has a body surface and a garment surface. The absorbent article comprises an absorbent core. At least a portion of the absorbent article has a skin care composition provided thereon. The absorbent article has a barrier sheet. The barrier sheet is treated to reduce the migration of the skin care composition therethrough.
US08262633B2
An absorbent article having a central colored region, an intermediate colored region, an outer colored region, and a background region. The intermediate colored region can be between the central colored region and the outer colored region. The intermediate colored region can substantially circumscribe the central colored region. The central colored region, intermediate colored region, and outer colored region differ in color from the background region.
US08262629B2
The invention relates to a catheter port for supplying an active substance to an active site which is distant from the port. According to the invention, the housing (1) of the port is designed to have two parts, an upper housing part (7) and a lower housing part (6). The upper housing part (7) holds an insertion part (10) in a clamping manner in a housing recess (8) of the lower housing part (6), wherein a chamber (11) is arranged in said insertion part for receiving the active substance with the interpositioning of a punctured membrane (17) that can be pierced with an injection cannula. While the insertion part (10) and the chamber (11) can be manufactured from a material resistant to the active substance, preferably a heavier ceramics, the upper and lower housing parts may consist of a lighter biocompatible plastic material. It is advantageous that the patient only comes into contact with the upper and lower housing parts made of a biocompatible plastic material and not with the insertion part.
US08262624B2
An anchor for maintaining a portion of a therapy delivery element within a desired location of a patient has (i) a first opening, (ii) a second opening, (iii) a body member formed of elastic material disposed between the first and second opening, (iv) and a lumen extending though the body member from the first opening to the second opening, and (v) a retention element secured to or integrally formed with the body member for retaining the anchor within a tissue location of a patient. The therapy delivery element has an outer diameter and an outer surface about which the anchor is disposable. The body member has a first inner diameter defined by the lumen in a relaxed state and a second inner diameter defined by the lumen in a radially stretched state. The first inner diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the therapy delivery element, which is smaller that the second inner diameter. The lumen is configured to be disposed about at least a portion of the therapy delivery element. Radially compressive forces, due to the elastic material of the body member, contribute to retaining the anchor relative to the therapy delivery element.
US08262619B2
An introducer sheath includes a tubular body portion having a proximal region and a distal region, and defines an internal lumen configured and dimensioned to slidably receive a catheter. A penetrating portion at a distal end of the tubular body has a first tapered configuration to enlarge an opening in a body tissue during distal advancement of the introducer sheath through the body tissue and a second expanded configuration to enable the passage of a distal end portion of a catheter through the penetrating portion.
US08262617B2
A medical infusion pump and a method for logging a power source voltage of a medical infusion pump are disclosed. The medical pump may include a power source, a processor, and a voltage supervisor which responds if a voltage (VDD) drops to a response voltage level which is above a reset voltage level of the processor. When the voltage supervisor responds, the processor start logging the voltage (Vbat) of the power source in a memory, thus generating a voltage log. The memory maintains the logged data when the power supply by the power source is interrupted, thus enabling retrospective analysis of the voltage log.
US08262612B1
Embodiments of a method and apparatus to prevent reperfusion injury. In one embodiment, blood flow proximal to a lesion is occluded. An infusion catheter is advanced to a region distal to the lesion and an anti-reperfusion injury drug is delivered. The lesion may then be treated with a dilating device to reintroduce blood flow to the region distal to the lesion.
US08262611B2
Catheters for occluding, visualizing, irrigating, evacuating, and delivering agents to a treatment area are disclosed. The catheters comprise a catheter body comprising five lumens, first and second occlusion balloons coupled to the catheter body, an optional space-occupying balloon coupled to the catheter body and disposed between the first and second occlusion balloons, and an optional visualization means that enables visualization between the first and second occlusion balloons. Methods for using these catheters are also disclosed. A method comprises inflating the first and second occlusion balloons, inflating the space-occupying balloon, allowing fluid to exit via an evacuation lumen, optionally irrigating or aspirating to facilitate fluid exit via said lumen, and delivering an agent to a treatment area via the agent lumen.
US08262605B2
Described are devices and methods related to the needleless injection of fluid into tissue of the lower urinary tract, such as the urethra and prostate.
US08262604B2
A single-use injector is disclosed comprising a housing (10), arranged in which are at least one mechanical spring energy store (50), at least one piston-cylinder unit (100), which can be effectively filled at least for a certain time, at least one piston-actuating ram (60) and at least one triggering unit (80). The spring energy store comprises at least one pre-tensioned spring element. The spring-loaded piston-actuating ram (60) has at least one retaining rod or hook (62), which can be moved transversely, at least in certain regions, and by means of a supporting portion supports the tensioned spring energy store on at least one resting surface of the housing. When actuation occurs, the triggering unit (80) releases the supporting portion to allow it to move away from the resting surface.
US08262603B2
A fluid flow device includes a housing configured to releasably mate with a surgical control unit for controlling fluid flow during a surgical procedure. First and second ports measure fluid pressure within a fluid path provided within the housing. The fluid flow device includes a restrictor for restricting fluid flow at a restriction location along the fluid path. The first port is located upstream of the restriction location and the second port is located downstream of the restriction location. A fluid pump is provided within the housing.
US08262598B2
A hyperextension brace with a frame construction has adjustable upper and lower supports as well as adjustable side members. The frame comprises a sub-clavicula support and a pelvic and pubic support connected by side members. The height of the side members and the width of the sub-clavicula support and the pubic support are adjustable by using non-rotational telescopic and lockable connections. The sub-clavicula support may be connected by a turnbuckle screw arrangement to the side members. The frame may be made of composite material, suitably a polymer reinforced by glass fiber and/or carbon fiber. All adjustments may be made without requiring any tools.
US08262581B2
A practical method for estimating cardiac output and pulmonary artery wedge pressure with good accuracy is provided. A method is provided for estimating the impedance arising from solid tissue by determining the impedance at the intersection between the line of identity and the extrapolated regression line, where the regression line is obtained by linearly regressing the maximum value to the minimum value of the impedance signal of each of multiple data sets, where each data set contains the maximum value and the minimum value of the impedance signal during one cardiac cycle, where impedance signal is obtained between a can electrode implanted in the left thoracic wall and an electrode inserted into the coronary vein, over a specific period of time following the infusion of hypertonic saline into the pulmonary circulation.
US08262580B2
In a method for intermittently occluding the coronary sinus, in which the coronary sinus is occluded using an occlusion device, the fluid pressure in the occluded coronary sinus is continuously measured and stored, the fluid pressure curve is determined as a function of time, and the occlusion of the coronary sinus is triggered and/or released as a function of at least one characteristic value derived from the measured pressure values. The pressure increase and/or pressure decrease per time unit each occurring at a heart beat are used as characteristic values.
US08262579B2
Systems and methods for prediction and detection of circulatory shock using estimates or measurements of arterial blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, total peripheral resistance, cardiac ejection fraction, cardiac contractility and ventricular end-diastolic volume are provided. These estimates and measurements are used to determine a type of circulatory shock. In some embodiments, the type of circulatory shock is determined to be one of septic shock, hypovolemic shock, anaphylactic shock, hemorrhagic shock, and cardiogenic shock.
US08262570B2
A retraction apparatus and method are provided including slider assemblies for being slidably connected to a retractor body with end portions of the slider assemblies disposed within a central retractor opening. A retractor blade is slidably connected to one of the slider assembly end portions such that the depth of the retractor blade can be readily adjusted. Once the retractor blade is at the desired depth within the incision, a handle is pivoted to a locked position to fix the blade relative to the slider assembly. A cantilever lock between the blade and the slider assembly pivots the blade relative to the slider assembly to fix the blade thereto. In one form, the retractor body has a substantially flat surface configured to be placed adjacent a bone and slide connections which position slider assemblies such that the connected blades avoid contact with the bone during retraction.
US08262568B2
Embodiments of a surgical access system useful for single or limited port procedures comprise a trocar comprising a fixation cannula, a retractor, and a gel cap removably coupled to the retractor. The gel cap comprises a gel pad that acts as an artificial body wall, through which instruments may be inserted into a body cavity, either directly or through one or more trocars. The fixation cannula comprises a retainer and a bolster, which together, capture the artificial body wall therebetween, thereby fixing the trocar thereto. The gel pad permits flexible instrument placement, as well as translational and angular degrees of freedom for the instruments while maintaining a gas tight seal.
US08262566B2
An in vivo imaging device comprises a viewing window, an illumination unit, a lens holder and a light guide. The light guide may be positioned to create uniformly dispersed illumination and to eliminate backscatter from the viewing window. The light guide may guide light from the illumination unit to a desired position within the in vivo device. In one embodiment, the light guide may be embedded into the lens holder.
US08262557B2
Improved methods and apparatuses for treatment of pelvic organ prolapse are provided. A specialized mesh having a shape for convenient subcutaneous placement to support the levator ani muscles is provided, as is a method of use of such a device. Appropriate devices for introducing such a mesh implant are also disclosed.
US08262554B2
An apparatus and method for determining optimized path traversal in a radiation delivery system is described. In one embodiment, determining an optimized path traversal in a radiation delivery system involves providing a plurality of spatial nodes used in a treatment plan, where each of the plurality of spatial nodes represents a position of a radiation source made available to the treatment plan for delivering radiation to a target, identifying a number of unused spatial nodes, from among the plurality of spatial nodes, at which radiation is not delivered according to the treatment plan, and skipping travel to one or more of the unused nodes by the radiation source when administering the treatment plan. Other embodiments are also described.
US08262549B2
A tapered roller thrust bearing is disposed in each of both sides in an axial direction of a cylindrical roller bearing with aligning housing ring which is provided with an inner ring, an outer ring, cylindrical rollers and an aligning housing ring. The tapered roller thrust bearing is constituted by disposing tapered rollers between a first raceway surface which is an outer side face in the axial direction of the outer ring and a second raceway surface of a side raceway ring disposed in an outer side in the axial direction of the outer ring. An intersection of lines extended from generatrices of each of the tapered rollers which are in contact with the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface, and an intersection of lines extended from the first raceway surface and the second raceway surface are disposed on a curvature center of the aligning sliding surface.
US08262545B1
A weighted vest includes a pair of mirror image front panels joined to a back panel to form a sleeveless weight supporting vest. A plurality of pliable easily conformed weight packets are secured within the vest interior by fabric attachment pads together with a combination of elastic bands and belts. The vest provides weight distribution particularly suited to activities of substantial acceleration such as sprint starting, American football or the like. A porous liner and mesh outer layer over certain areas of the vest allow heat to be vented from the vest interior. A pair of variable spring rate expansion joints are coupled between the front panels and the back panel passing over the shoulder, neck and collar bone region of the athlete's body to provide reduction of localized stress upon the athlete.
US08262541B2
There is provided a machine for rehabilitation or exercise, comprising: a frame; a first arm movably secured to the frame via a first actuator; a first force sensor for measuring a force exerted by a user on the first arm; and a control unit adapted for controlling a displacement speed for the first arm via the first actuator as a function of the force and for increasing the displacement speed of the first arm via the first actuator when the force is superior to a target force. In one embodiment, there is further provided an electromyograph for location on the exercised muscle for measuring an electrical potential generated by the muscle and for lowering the target force when the electrical potential is superior to a predetermined maximum electrical potential. There is further provided a system for exercising a muscle.
US08262540B2
A shift control device for a work vehicle that has a stepped automatic transmission includes: a control device that controls an engine rotation rate at the work vehicle and the stepped automatic transmission; a forward/reverse switchover member that outputs a forward/reverse switchover command for the work vehicle; and an operation quantity detection device that detects an accelerator pedal operation quantity in the work vehicle is operated. As the forward/reverse switchover command is output via the forward/reverse switchover member, the control device executes forward/reverse switchover control for the stepped automatic transmission and also controls the engine rotation rate so as to decrease the engine rotation rate gradually to a target lower limit value selected to ensure that a reverse rotation of a turbine runner at a torque converter in the work vehicle does not occur.
US08262533B2
The invention provides a transmission providing a gear ratio between an input shaft and an output shaft. The transmission comprises an annulus ring, a sun wheel being rotatable around a central axis of the transmission, a planet carrier being rotatable around the central axis of the transmission, and a set of planet wheels, each wheel comprising a plurality of wheel segments with different diameters, the planet wheels being fixed in rotational bearings of the planet carrier and being arranged to rotate epicyclically around the central axis. The annulus ring and the sun wheel each interacts with one of the wheel segments e.g. via meshing toothed gear wheels. The gear facilitates various interaction means at different locations in the gear, and thus facilitates a potentially less noisy, lighter, smaller or stronger gear by use of a low amount of components.
US08262532B2
A low-ratio transmission system configured to obtain the multiplication or reduction of speed, and the reduction or multiplication of stress between an input shaft and an output shaft with at least four different values, such that the input-output ratio can be close to one and furthermore that the four values form a geometric progression close to one.
US08262523B2
V-ribbed belts are formed by thermoplastic shaping and contain ribs that run at least on a first side in a longitudinal direction of the V-ribbed belt. The first side contains a layer composed of a textile warp-knit fabric made up of two different yarns. The warp-knit fabric is constructed from a first yarn composed of filaments with a module of more than 5N/1000 dtex, and a second yarn composed of filaments with a module of less than 2 cN/1000 dtex, both based on 5% extension. The first and second yarns form a coherent network and the yarns do not twine around one another. V-ribbed belts can be formed using an elastic warp-knit fabric, whose extension is based on the construction of the knitted fabrics. The belts maintain better noise reduction both in the new state and after a relatively long service life.
US08262521B2
The invention relates to a tensioner assembly for a traction medium drive, specifically a chain drive, with at least two traction medium wheels and a flexible traction medium, comprising a tensioning rail which can be pressed against the traction medium by means of a tensioning device, wherein the tensioning rail is applied against at least one sliding guide and can be displaced along the at least one sliding guide by means of the tensioning device.
