US08300984B2

A method of displaying a map on a wireless communications device includes steps of obtaining map data for rendering the map to be displayed on the wireless communications device, generating corrected map data by applying a spherical correction factor to the obtained map data, and rendering the corrected map data to display the map on a display of the wireless communications device. The spherical correction factor corrects for map distortions that occur at northerly (or southerly) latitudes. Since the spherical correction factor is a simple correction to a 3×3 transformation matrix, this spherical correction can be easily applied without taxing the CPU limitations of small handheld devices.
US08300981B1

A graphical user interface for analyzing multiple thermal images is provided. The interface can be used to identify the temperatures at multiple points defined on multiple images. In some embodiments, the interface can simultaneously display temperature cursors overlaid on multiple images and provide simultaneous numerical identification of the temperatures corresponding to the area under the temperature cursors.
US08300968B2

An accelerator for the speckle atmospheric compensation algorithm may enable real-time speckle processing of video feeds that may enable the speckle algorithm to be applied in numerous real-time applications. The accelerator may be implemented in various forms, including hardware, software, and/or machine-readable media.
US08300966B2

An information source encoding method for encoding a Gaussian integer signal includes the steps of: inputting a signal value sequence of a Gaussian integer signal as an encoding target; transforming signal values included in the input signal value sequence into integer pairs, each having two integers, arranged in the input order; regarding each of the integer pairs as a lattice point on two-dimensional coordinates, and obtaining integer values greater than or equal to zero by performing a two-dimensional-to-one-dimensional mapping in which the shorter the distance from each lattice point to the origin, the smaller the value assigned to the lattice point by the mapping; and encoding the integer values using codes which are used for encoding an information source that follows an exponential distribution.
US08300962B2

A recording device includes: an encoding unit configured to perform compression encoding on single image data obtained by imaging a subject from a predetermined viewpoint to generate first compression-encoded data, and perform compression encoding on composite image data in which a plurality of image data obtained by imaging the subject from mutually different viewpoints have been composited, to generate second compression-encoded data; a file generating unit configured to generate a first image file including the first compression-encoded data generated at the encoding unit, and generate a second image file including the second compression-encoded data generated at the encoding unit; and a file writing unit configured to write the first image file and the second image file generated at the file generating unit, to a recording medium in a correlated manner.
US08300954B2

An information processing apparatus includes a first classification unit configured to set each of pixels forming a first image as a pixel of interest and classify the pixels of interest into one of a plurality of provided classes of a first type in accordance with a predetermined rule; a feature amount generation unit configured to generate a shifted waveform whose phase is shifted with respect to a waveform of the first image containing the pixels of interest and configured to generate a feature amount; a second classification unit configured to be provided with a plurality of classes of a second type in accordance with the feature amount for each of the plurality of classes of the first type and configured to classify the pixels of interest; and a prediction calculation unit configured to predictively calculate pixels forming a second image.
US08300951B1

A method to find symmetries along curved paths in input scenes. The method may detect a curve in an input scene and one or more elements on that curve. The method may define and group points for the one or more element on the curve, and define a centroid for each group. The method may then parameterize a transformation in transformation space between each centroid pair in the input scene. The method may then extract transformation paths by clustering points. The method may create phantom objects in case of mirroring along curved paths to help detect the curved paths.
US08300950B2

A large number of stable local regions can be set with low calculation cost. In a face recognition apparatus which discriminates similar face images using feature amounts extracted from local regions included in an image to be discriminated, a moving destination of a feature point extracted from the image to be discriminated, and the size of an image to be clipped at the moving destination are calculated based on a table which defines information required to designate a moving destination of each feature point, and information required to designate the size of an image to be clipped at the moving destination, and an image with the calculated size is clipped at the calculated moving destination as the local region.
US08300949B2

A method for determining edge features of an image comprising filtering at least a portion of the image to attenuate high frequency signals of the image to an extent greater than low frequency signals of the image. Performing a one-dimensional search in a two different horizontal directions relative to a particular pixel of the image to determine horizontal direction local maximums. Calculating a horizontal gradient based upon the horizontal direction local maximums. Performing a one-dimensional search in a two vertical horizontal directions relative to a particular pixel of the image to determine vertical direction local maximums. Calculating a vertical gradient based upon the vertical direction local maximums. Calculating a gradient for the particular pixel based upon the horizontal gradient and the vertical gradient.
US08300947B2

A method and apparatus for estimating the contour of a user object in a moving picture during video communications so that a personal background image is not provided during video communications. Information about center coordinates as well as a size of a face of the user object is extracted from a moving picture frame. Edges are extracted from the moving picture frame, and a boundary of a head of the user object is estimated using a semicircle. The boundaries of left and right shoulders and left and right arms of the user object are estimated using second-order function graphs that overlap a largest portion of the edges. An entire contour of the user object is estimated according to the boundaries of the head, the left and right shoulders, and the left and right arms of the user object.
US08300945B2

Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for connected-component labeling.
US08300940B2

An information storage medium including graphic data and presentation information, and an apparatus and method of processing the graphic data are provided. The information storage medium includes the graphic data, page composition information which defines page composition of the graphic data, and the presentation information indicating when graphic screen data, which is composed with reference to the page composition information of the graphic data, is output to a display screen. Therefore, a graphic object is reusable in graphic data processing, and accordingly, a time taken to process the graphic data is reducible and memory area may be saved.
US08300933B2

A system and method of generating a color correction matrix (CCM) for an image sensor are disclosed. Quantum efficiency (QE) spectra of pixels of the image sensor illuminated by a physical light source are measured. Subsequently, color values of the image sensor and color values in a predetermined color space are determined according to the QE spectra and predetermined reference data essential for deriving the color values. Finally, the CCM for the image sensor is generated by applying a fitting algorithm on the color values of the image sensor and the color values in the predetermined color space.
US08300929B2

Automatic red-eye object classification in digital photographic images. A method for classifying a candidate red-eye object in a digital photographic image includes several acts. First, a candidate red-eye object in a digital photographic image is selected. Next, RGB pixels of the candidate red-eye object are converted into YUV pixels. Then, the YUV pixels satisfying a constraint that is a function of the YUV pixels are summed. Next, the sum is determined to be greater than or equal to a scaled version of the total number of YUV pixels in the candidate red-eye object. Finally, the candidate red-eye object is transformed into a true red-eye object.
US08300926B2

A cut point detection unit segments a frame sequence including successive frames into one or more subframe sequences. A face discrimination unit identifies an image group in which an object registered in advance appears, of images of respective frames that form one subframe sequence, and a representative frame candidate extraction unit selects one image from the identified image group as a selection image. A representative frame display control unit controls a display unit to display selection images for respective subframe sequences as representative images of the frame sequence.
US08300909B2

An ultrasonographic device is equipped with selecting means for selecting a site for detecting the position of a boundary of an organ of the examinee on the ultrasonic image displayed on the display means, boundary extracting filter setting means for setting a boundary extracting filter comprising two areas which are spaced from each other at a predetermined interval on the ultrasonic image, and boundary position detecting means for analyzing pixel data within the boundary extracting filter set by the boundary extracting filter setting means in the neighborhood of the site selected by the selecting means to detect the position of the boundary, the boundary position detected by the boundary position detecting means being displayed on the display means under the control of the control means.
US08300896B2

A remote sensing and probabilistic sampling based forest inventory method can correlate aerial data, such as LiDAR, CIR, and/or Hyperspectral data with actual sampled and measured ground data to facilitate obtainment, e.g., prediction, of a more accurate forest inventory. The resulting inventory can represent an empirical description of the height, DBH and species of every tree within the sample area. The use of probabilistic sampling methods can greatly improve the accuracy and reliability of the forest inventory.
US08300894B2

A method for decomposition and rendering of video content and user interface for operating the method thereof is disclosed. First, a plurality of target shots are recognized from a video, the video is decomposed into a plurality of video units based on the playtime of each target shot. Then, the video frame of target shot is decomposed into a background scene and at least one foreground object. The editing process is performed on the background to generate the plentiful visual effect. The video content of each video unit is known by analyzing the information of the foreground object, and therefore each video unit can be annotated. Furthermore, the user interface reintegrates the foreground object in the background scene and generates the customized video content according to users' request, so that viewers may get more enjoyment on game watching.
US08300890B1

A first set of unknown pixels is determined for which being located in the foreground portion does not in-and-of-itself determine the pixel to be part of the foreground. A second set of unknown pixels is determined for which being in a current background portion does not in-and-of-itself determine the pixel to be part of the background. A determination is made for the first and second set of unknown pixels whether the pixel is part of the background or foreground based on temporal data. Extracting an image of the foreground that does not include the current background based on the determination of whether the pixel is part of the foreground, the current background, and temporal data. In an embodiment, the system can use multiple types of sensors to determine whether an entity is a likely security risk.
US08300885B2

Methods are provided for encoding watermark information into media data containing a series of digital samples in a sample domain. The method involves: dividing the series of digital samples into a plurality of sections in the sample domain, each section comprising a corresponding plurality of samples; processing the corresponding plurality of samples in each section to obtain a single energy value associated with each section; grouping the sections into groups, each group containing three or more sections; assigning a nominal bit value to each group according to a bit assignment rule, the bit assignment rule based on the energy values of the sections in the group; and assigning a watermark bit value to each group. The methods also involve, for each group, comparing the watermark bit value to the nominal bit value and, if the nominal bit value and the watermark bit value of the watermark information bit do not match, modifying one or more energy values of one or more corresponding sections in the group such that re-application of the bit assignment rule would assign the watermark bit value to the group. The bit assignment rule may comprise: a categorization rule for categorizing each group into one of a plurality of categories; and for each category, a unique category bit assignment rule for assigning a nominal zero bit value or a nominal one bit value to each group.
US08300880B2

A system and method is disclosed for acquiring temperature data from a plurality of features in a chamber including capturing a first image of an interior area of the chamber, capturing a second image of the interior area of the chamber, identifying a plurality of features within the data for the first image and the data for the second image, generating an interior area representation based on the first image data, the second image data, and the identification of each feature of the plurality of features in the interior area, and correlating the interior area representation to temperature information related to the interior area.
US08300877B2

A device may capture an image in a portable device, embed a watermark into the image in the portable device, and transmit the watermarked image through a wireless interface of the portable device.
US08300863B2

The present invention is related in particular to means for a wireless communication to and from a hearing device (10) comprising a first portion (12) adapted for being arranged at a user and for providing a signal, an output transducer (18) for converting said signal to an acoustic output and a second portion (14) adapted for being arranged in an ear canal of said user and for providing said acoustic output to said user and further related to a method for a wireless receiving and/or sending of data in a hearing device (10). In order to provide such a hearing device (10) with sufficient characteristics regarding the ability to send and/or receive data in a wireless manner using desired frequencies without a need for additional external antenna solutions or for a size not meeting the current requirements of smallness for hearing devices a hearing device (10) it is proposed, further comprising a coupling element (16) coupling said first portion (12) and said second portion (14), an antenna, and a wireless interface (22) for receiving and/or sending data by means of said antenna, wherein said coupling element (16) comprises an electrically conducting element (24) coupled to said wireless interface (22), wherein said electrically conducting element (24) is at least a part of said antenna. A corresponding method and use of a hearing device is also proposed.
US08300862B2

Provided herein is a device for wirelessly communicating with hearing assistance devices. According to various embodiments, the device includes a first interface for communicating with a programmer and a second interface for wirelessly communicating with a hearing assistance device. The second interface is adapted to receive a plurality of communication modules. Each of the modules is adapted for communication with at least one specific type of hearing assistance device. The device includes a housing for the first interface, the second interface, and electrical connections between the interfaces. The housing adapted to be worn around the neck of a person wearing the hearing assistance device.
US08300860B2

The present invention provides an electret transducer with solar power. The provided electrets transducer includes a solar power supply device, an amplifier circuit having a first input terminal coupled to the solar power supply device and a second input terminal coupled to an audio signal input terminal, and an electret loudspeaker coupled to an output terminal of the amplifier circuit. The amplifier circuit receives a first voltage level via the first input terminal and boosts the first voltage level to a second voltage level, and receives a first audio signal via the second input terminal and amplifies the first audio signal to a second audio signal. The electret loudspeaker coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier circuit receives the second audio signal and outputs a sound corresponding to the second audio signal.
US08300857B2

An acoustic sensing element has a substrate that includes a back chamber, a vibration electrode plate that is provided in a surface of the substrate while being opposite an upper surface opening of the back chamber, and a fixed electrode plate that is provided opposite the vibration electrode plate, an acoustic hole being made in the fixed electrode plate. The acoustic sensing element outputs an electric signal based on an electrostatic capacitance change generated between the vibration electrode plate and the fixed electrode plate by a displacement of the vibration electrode plate. A lower surface of the back chamber is closed into a pouched shape by the substrate.
US08300845B2

An electronic apparatus is provided that has a rear-side and a front-side, a first microphone that generates a first signal, and a second microphone that generates a second signal. An automated balance controller generates a balancing signal based on an imaging signal. A processor processes the first and second signals to generate at least one beamformed audio signal, where an audio level difference between a front-side gain and a rear-side gain of the beamformed audio signal is controlled during processing based on the balancing signal.
US08300838B2

A method of modeling a room impulse response according to an embodiment of the invention includes receiving a sound pressure signal that is obtained by a microphone when an impulse-type sound source is excited and detecting a room impulse response; determining boundaries between a plurality of intervals of the room impulse response such that the room impulse response is divided into the plurality of intervals on a time domain; and modeling the room impulse response for each of the plurality of divided intervals using at least two different modeling schemes.
US08300836B2

A method for testing an audio player device is provided. The method includes: transcribing sound signals of each of the audio files which are supposed to be supported by the audio player device as a sound file; determining the ID code of each of the sound files; and determining whether the ID code of each of the sound files has been listed on a predetermined audio format table by comparing the ID code of each of the sound files with the ID codes listed on the audio format table, thus to determine which of audio formats listed on the audio format table is supported by the audio player device according to the relationships of the ID codes and the audio formats recorded by the audio format table. A test device applying the method to testing audio player devices is also provided.
US08300833B2

A method and circuit for deriving a set of multichannel audio signals from a conventional monaural or stereo audio signal uses an auxiliary multichannel spectral mapping data stream. Audio can be played back in stereo and multichannel formats from a conventional stereo signal on compact discs, FM radio, or other stereo or monaural delivery systems. The invention reduces the data rate needed for the transmission of multichannel digital audio.
US08300831B2

Provided are a computer program product, system and method for a redundant key server encryption environment. A key server transmits public keys associated with the key server and at least one device to at least one remote key server. The key server receives from the at least one remote key server public keys associated with the at least one remote key server. The key server receives a request for an encryption key from a requesting device comprising one of the at least one device and generates the encryption key for use by the requesting device to unlock a storage. The key server generates a first wrapped encryption key by encrypting the encryption key with a requesting device public key associated with the requesting device. The key server generates a second wrapped encryption key by encrypting the encryption key with a public key associated with the key server. At least one additional wrapped encryption key is generated for each of the at least one remote key server by encrypting the encryption key with the at least one public key provided by the at least one remote key server. The key server transmits the first, second and the at least one additional wrapped encryption key to the requesting device.
US08300827B2

A method for updating a key in an active state is disclosed according to the embodiments of the present invention. The method includes steps of: initiating a key update by a user equipment in the active state or a network side when a pre-defined condition is met; updating the key by the network side and the user equipment, and negotiating an activation time of the new keys. An apparatus for updating a key in an active state is also disclosed according to the present invention. With the present invention, the user equipment in an active state and the network side may actively initiate the key update procedure in different cases, thereby solving the problem concerning the key update for a session in an active state.
US08300825B2

In an embodiment, an apparatus is provided that may include an integrated circuit to be removably communicatively coupled to at least one storage device. The integrated circuit of this embodiment may be capable of encrypting and/or and decrypting, based at least in part upon a first key, data to be, in at least in part, stored in and/or retrieved from, respectively, at least one region of the at least one storage device. The at least one region and a second key may be associated with at least one access privilege authorized, at least in part, by an administrator. The second key may be stored, at least in part, externally to the at least one storage device. The first key may be obtainable, at least in part, based, at least in part, upon at least one operation involving the second key. Of course, many alternatives, modifications, and variations are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US08300816B2

It relates to an information processing unit, a terminal unit, an information processing method, a key generation method and a program that enable reduction of the number of keys to be held by users and aims at providing an information processing unit capable of generating a directed-graph representing an encryption key generation logic to derive a set-key for encrypting a content or a content-key. The technique relates to a scheme that divides a set of user terminals into some subsets, allocates a set-key and an intermediate-key to each subset, and upon input of an intermediate-key correlated with a subset, outputs the set-key corresponding to the subset and the intermediate-key of the subset associated by the directed-edge. Further, it relates to a technique of replacing the directed-edge in the directed-graph with a shorter directed-edge. The effect of reducing the number of intermediate-keys held by each user is expected from the technique.
US08300810B2

A method for securely encrypting or decrypting a message or for generating or verifying a digital signature in a message, in which the message is subjected, with the aid of a processor, to a mathematical operation using a key (k) which can be represented in the form of a binary number with a sequence of bits, and computational operations are sequentially carried out on auxiliary variables for each bit. The dependence of the computational result on the values of individual bits is taken into account by reading the memory addresses from the auxiliary variables and assigning them to address variables. The difference between the addresses is calculated and, depending on the respective current bit, is added to, or subtracted from, the computer addresses. The assignment of the auxiliary variables to the address variables can thus be interchanged. As a result, the order and selection of the computational operations is controlled on the basis of bits without the program sequence having to contain jump instructions.
US08300809B2

Disclosed herein are methods for obfuscating data via a modulus operation. A client device receives input data, stores an operation value, performs a modulus obfuscation on the operation value, performs a modulus operation on the operation value and the input data, performs a modulus transformation on the operation value and the input data to obtain client output data, and checks if the client output data matches corresponding server output data. A corresponding server device receives input data, performs a modulus transformation on the input data to obtain a result, performs a plain operation on the result and an operation value to obtain server output data, and checks if the server output data matches corresponding client output data from the client device. The client and/or server can optionally authenticate the client input data and the server input data if the server output data matches the client output data.
US08300808B2

In an arithmetic operation method and an arithmetic operation device arithmetic operations such as exponentiation or scalar multiplication can be performed at high speed. In the case where there exists a plurality of different elements Y and each element Y is represented by tuples in which a plurality of different elements X are combined with an operator, an arithmetic operation method for calculating each element Y by using an electronic computer, associates each element Y with the element X by setting each element X, sets temporary data having an index indicating whether or not each element Y has an identical element X for each element X, and represents each element Y by the temporary data combined with the operator. When there is a combination of temporary data which is common in plurality of elements Y in temporary data contained in each element Y, new temporary data is set by combining the common temporary data and each element Y consisting of each tuple is calculated using the new temporary data.
US08300806B2

Systems and methods are provided that employ two or more cryptographically linked codes. The codes, when encrypted, become cipher texts that appear unrelated. The codes described herein are characterized by a series of bits including one or more switch bits. The cipher text of a code having a switch bit in one state will appear to be unrelated to the cipher text of another code differing only in that the switch bit is in the opposite state. The cryptographically linked codes can be used in various combinations, such as on a product and its packaging, on a product and a component of the product, on a certificate packaged with the product and on the packaging, or on outer and inner packagings of the product.
US08300805B1

Encrypting data using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm uses pipelined registers to perform the AES processing. Any number of registers (two or more) each holds a block of plaintext data. A multiplexer accepts one block of data at a time and feeds it into the pipeline processing unit. The processing unit performs a round of encryption upon the block. A key round generator generates a set of round keys for the pipeline processing unit using a cipher key and the set of round keys are stored in parallel in memory devices, each memory device corresponding to one of the registers. The pipeline processing unit receives the correct round key for each round of encryption from the memory device corresponding to the block of data being encrypted by the add round key unit at that time. A read counter (one per register) indexes one of the round keys in the appropriate memory device thus enabling the indexed round key to be input to the pipeline processing unit for the appropriate round and block.
US08300804B2

The present invention provides a communication instrument mounting apparatus comprising a mounting bracket having one or more mounting members shaped to engage the rear portion of a communication instrument. The mounting bracket of the present invention provides mounting sleeves for receiving mounting members. Such sleeves may be utilized to releasably attach the mounting bracket of the present invention directly to a mounting surface and/or a conventional input junction box. The mounting member of the present invention provides walls defining at least one cavity through which input cables may be inserted. In one embodiment, the cavity of the present invention has a generally rectangular configuration and is positioned upon the mounting bracket so as to be adjacent to one or more attachment ports of the instrument. The relative positioning of the cavity allows cables to be connected and/or disconnected in a convenient manner.
US08300803B2

Included are embodiments for reducing alien crosstalk. At least one embodiment of a method includes receiving noise data associated with a first user signal on a first tone, receiving noise data associated with a second user signal on the first tone, and receiving at least one alien crosstalk canceller coefficient for the first user on the first tone. Some embodiments include applying the at least one alien crosstalk canceller coefficient to the second user signal to reduce alien crosstalk for the first user signal.
US08300802B2

Methods and corresponding systems in an adaptive filter include calculating a signal estimator output using filter coefficients, and calculating an error signal. Next, a coefficient threshold is determined. Thereafter, for each filter coefficient, a first step size is assigned to filter coefficients with a magnitude less than the coefficient threshold, and a second step size is assigned to filter coefficients with a magnitude greater than or equal to the coefficient threshold. Finally, the filter coefficients are updated using the first and second step sizes and the error signal. The coefficient threshold can be selected as the average of the magnitudes of the filter coefficients. Alternatively, the coefficient threshold can be selected as the Mth largest of the filter coefficients ranked in order of magnitude. In one embodiment, the first step size can be less than one and the second step size can be greater than one.
US08300799B2

A process identifies multiple campaign activation points associated with a voice-based menu hierarchy such that the voice-based menu hierarchy is accessed by multiple callers. The process continues by identifying a campaign associated with the voice-based menu hierarchy and determining a campaign value associated with the campaign. Additionally, the process determines an opt-in rate associated with the campaign and determines a likelihood that callers will reach each campaign activation point. A score associated with the campaign is then calculated for each campaign activation point.
US08300798B1

A communications routing system, and method, for representing a plurality of predicted characteristics of a plurality of communications sources, each having an economic utility; representing a plurality of predicted characteristics of a plurality of communications targets each having an economic utility; and determining an optimal routing between the plurality of communications sources and the plurality of communications targets, by maximizing an aggregate utility with respect to the respective predicted characteristics of communications source and communications destination represented by linkages.
US08300797B1

A computer system is provided comprising processor, memory, and application, that, when executed, receives input about a behavior associated with a metric. The system receives input about a first coaching program applied to the behavior and calculates a first change in the metric and receives input about a second coaching program applied to the behavior based on the first change in the metric and based on a first change in the behavior. The system calculates a second change in the metric associated with a second change in the behavior. The system determines a first element of the first coaching program that impacted the first change in the behavior. The system determines a second element of the second coaching program that impacted the second change in the behavior and combines the first element and the second element in a third coaching program for use in applying to instances of the behavior.
US08300794B2

The same number is redundantly set as the extension number associated to a fourth telephone number in different data tables associated to different second telephone numbers. For this reason, it is possible to maintain outstanding scalability of the system in a situation where the total number of settable numbers is limited. Further, even if an outgoing call is made to a caller side terminal from a lost receiver side terminal using the call register, the receiver number is recognized to be either an extension number associated to a fourth telephone number or an extension number associated to a fifth telephone number, and an instruction to disconnect a first call is sent to the call controller. As a result, the above-mentioned outgoing call (first call) from the lost receiver side terminal is disconnected, thereby making it possible to fully ensure security when a terminal is lost.
US08300791B2

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to telephonic phishing and provide a method, system and computer program product for preventing telephonic phishing. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for preventing telephonic phishing can be provided. The method can include receiving in a third-party validation service a request by an enterprise caller to establish a telephone call with a customer, validating the enterprise caller in the third-party validation service, and notifying the customer of whether or not the enterprise caller is legitimate or illegitimate.
US08300783B2

In a communications system, after parties form a voice telephone connection, the parties respective communications devices automatically create or leverage machine readable features or content of the telephone connection to identify the parties to each other or to a rendezvous server, and thereafter the communications devices and/or the rendezvous server automatically establishes a data link between the parties.
US08300779B2

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a method that involves receiving an indication that communications with a subscriber have been interrupted while engaged in voicemail processing, and recording a pointer to a last state of voicemail processing. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08300778B2

An information processing terminal device includes a state monitoring unit that monitors whether or not there exits an unread e-mail or a missed call, a light order control unit that makes an emitting unit emit a color corresponding to each sender in a given order when the unread e-mail or the missed call is detected, where a light order control unit determines a light order of the colors according to a receiving order of the unread e-mail or an incoming order of the missed call.
US08300774B2

A method for operating a voice mail system connected to a telecommunication system, having a recorder with a message storage connected thereto, shall enable a particularly flexible use of a speech message stored in the voice mail system. For this purpose, according to the invention, a speech message collected by the recorder, storable as a speech information in the message storage is converted by means of a speech-to-text conversion module into a text message.
US08300773B2

A telephonic recording method comprises recording, by an electronic device, a live conversation with at least one participant to form a recorded live conversation. The telephonic recording method further comprises presenting a portion of the recorded live conversation beginning at a segment selected by a user while continuing to record the live conversation.
US08300768B2

An X-ray tube includes: a Wehnelt electrode having a dent inside; a filament arranged in the dent of the Wehnelt electrode and configured to emit an electron beam when electricity is passed therethrough; an anode configured to emit an X-ray in response to the incident electron beam; an electrode part configured by at least one pair of electrode members, the electrode members facing each other across a path of the electron beam, a voltage being applied to each of the electrode members; a voltage controller configured to control the voltage applied to the electrode part; and a shield member arranged in contact with the Wehnelt electrode and configured to cover part of the dent by a projecting part.
US08300766B2

A radio tomography imaging method includes calculating a conversion function based on transmission images picked up by using radiation emitted from first and second radiation sources. A position of the second radiation source when the radiation has been emitted coincides with a position of the first radiation source when the radiation has been emitted, and one of the first and second radiation sources emits the radiation when the other emits the radiation, picking up a plurality of first reconfiguration transmission images and a plurality of second reconfiguration transmission images by using a plurality of first reconfiguration radiations and a plurality of second reconfiguration radiations simultaneously emitted from the first radiation source and the second radiation source. The plurality of first and second reconfiguration transmission images are then corrected based on the conversion function. The plurality of corrected transmission images are reconfigured into three-dimensional data.
US08300765B2

An imaging system includes a radiation source (110) that emits radiation that traverses an examination region. A controller (116) activates the radiation source (110) to emit radiation and deactivates the radiation source (110) to stop radiation emission. The controller (116) selectively activates the radiation source (110) to emit radiation at one or more pre-determined angles. In another embodiment, the imaging system includes a data processing component (124) that generates a virtual three dimensional image of an object of interest of the scanned subject based on the image data. In another embodiment, the imaging system is in a communication with a data manipulation and packaging component (128) that generates at least a two dimensional or a three dimensional data set based on the volumetric image data and packages the data set in an object provided to a remote system (132) that manipulates and navigates through the data set.
US08300755B2

A comparison period determiner (110) detects whether or not a change occurs in received data during a comparison period including a timing at which a rising edge of a reference clock occurs. A phase determiner (120) determines whether a rising edge of the received data is located before or after the reference clock and determines whether a falling edge of the received data is located before or after the reference clock, and outputs a first determination signal and a second determination signal indicating results of the respective determinations. A synchronous data generator (130) outputs a signal having a level depending on a result of the detection by the comparison period determiner (110) and an output of the phase determiner (120), as synchronous data, in synchronization with a synchronization clock.
US08300750B2

An information processing device includes: a signal receiving portion that receives a signal in which input data that contains first and second bit values different from one another is encoded such that the first bit value is expressed by first amplitude values and the second bit value is expressed by second amplitude values different from the first amplitude values, and such that the same amplitude value does not occur twice in succession and the polarities of the amplitude values are inverted with each cycle; a clock signal extraction portion that extracts a clock signal by detecting polarity inversions in the received signal; a clock signal subtraction portion that subtracts the extracted clock signal from the received signal; and an input data decoding portion that decodes the input data by determining the first and second bit values based on an amplitude value of the signal obtained by subtracting the clock signal.
US08300746B2

A method of a frequency-domain equalization to jointly suppress inter-symbol interference (ISI) and data-like co-channel interference (CCI) includes receiving a transmit signal over a channel, generating a vector by sampling and converting the transmit signal to a frequency domain signal; generating an equalized vector by multiplying an equalization matrix to the vector generated by converting; generating an estimate of data vector by inverse converting the equalized vector; and recovering data included in the transmit signal based on the estimate of data vector, wherein the equalization matrix is generated by approximating a frequency domain correlation matrix. Significant computational complexity is reduced than the LMMSE equalization while resulting in almost no performance degradation compared to the LMMSE equalization.
US08300742B1

Methods and systems that enhance interference cancellation are described. Samples are obtained from stacked carriers in a received signal and a data vector is created from the samples. Stacked carriers are selected using a steering vector received during synchronization of the receiver. The steering vector is calculated to obtain cancellation of interference from another receiver and is calculated based on time domain channel estimation. Specialized time domain training sequences and simple cross correlation are used to obtain a channel estimate for use in stacked carrier beamforming and/or for use in OFDM based spatial beamforming. State space or filter based modeled interpolators in the frequency domain or time domain to interpolation of the channels, or whitening matrix-filters over time or frequency are used for maintaining linear beamforming weights as a function of time or frequency. Space time adaptive processing facilitates beamforming of communications signals OFDM and 802.16 (WiMax) systems.
US08300741B2

An interference detector receives a data stream including predetermined symbols that include a first data and a second data, between which is a frequency offset. The interference detector includes a correlation apparatus that generates a first correlation result and a second correlation result according to the data stream; a power searching unit, coupled to the correlation apparatus, that generates a first maximum correlation result and a first neighboring power according to the first correlation result, and generates a second maximum correlation result and a second neighboring power according to the second correlation result; and a determining unit, coupled to the power searching unit, that generates a determination result according to the first maximum correlation result, the first neighboring power, the second maximum correlation result and the second neighboring power to indicate existence of interferences.
US08300739B2

A demodulator is provided that functions as a reduced-state equalizer and produces reliable soft bit values. According to an embodiment, soft bit values are generated for a sequence of transmitted symbols using a demodulator by updating an M-state trellis managed by the demodulator responsive to a transition from symbol time n−1 to symbol time n, where M is a function of the number of bits per symbol in the sequence of transmitted symbols. Survivor metrics associated with the M states of the trellis are saved each symbol time so that the demodulator can calculate soft bit values with regard to transitions from symbol time n+D−1 to symbol time n+D. The survivor metrics indicate the probability that each respective state represents the transmitted symbol associated with symbol time n+D−1. The trellis is traced back through to calculate soft bit values for a symbol detected at symbol time n−D based on survivor metrics saved for the M states at symbol time n−D.
US08300734B2

In a frequency converting system, an input signal x(t) is supplied to a signal branching section for dividing a predetermined frequency domain into M bands, extracting signal components of the respective divided bands. The respective signal components and local signals each including a frequency difference corresponding to a predetermined intermediate frequency with respect to a center frequency of each band are input to a frequency converting part. The signals of the respective divided bands are converted into signals of intermediate frequency bands each including the predetermined intermediate frequency as the center frequency, the conversion outputs are sampled by using a common clock signal, whereby the conversion outputs are converted into digital signals. Further, after being subjected to phase correction processing, the digital signals are subjected to frequency conversion and combination processing by a signal regeneration part.
US08300732B1

Apparatus and methods for removing dc offsets in feedback loops such as may be used in communication circuits are disclosed. A comparator may be used to sample the output of the feedback loop, with the comparator output applied to a DSP module. The DSP module is configured to determine a dc offset in the output signal and generate an offset correction signal, which may then be applied to the input of the feedback loop to adjust the de offset.
US08300727B2

A method for selecting pre-coding vectors in a base station of a multi-user MIMO system, comprising: transmitting a plurality of pilot signals without being precoded to the plurality of terminals; receiving a plurality of feedback signals from the terminals, wherein at least one feedback signal includes a plurality of recommended pre-coding vector information and a plurality of channel status information, and each of the channel status information corresponds to a recommended pre-coding vector information; generate a pre-coding codebook based on the plurality feedback signals, wherein at least one pre-coding vector in the pre-coding codebook is determined based on a correlation coefficient between at least two recommended pre-coding vectors; and performing a transmission operation using the pre-coding codebook.
US08300723B2

A method and system for channel quantization for multiuser diversity are provided. A quantizer may utilize quantization levels determined based on an objective function J that corresponds to a performance metric for a finite-rate feedback multiuser downlink communication system. The quantization levels may be obtained based on the results of maximizing the objective function J by means of an optimization algorithm. The optimization algorithm may be a multivariate optimization algorithm that may be implemented utilizing an iterative approach. The quantizer may utilize the quantization levels to quantize channel state information (CSI) to achieve multiuser diversity in the finite-rate feedback multiuser system. The performance metric may be based on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), bit error rate (BER), and/or system capacity. The quantization levels may be utilized in a multiuser system where distributed quantization is needed for optimal selection.
US08300721B2

A method for receiving spread spectrum signals and for initial code acquisition from the received signals comprises de-spreading the received signals, based on code phase synchronization, to produce a de-spread signal; and performing a modulation detection based on a change of time-domain characteristic of the de-spread signal.
US08300720B1

Various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein may be used to compute a minimum variance unbiased estimator by receiving a first OFDM signal at a pilot tone, receiving a second OFDM signal sent in the same frequency band and determining a differential phase metric between the first OFDM signal and the second OFDM signal. In some embodiments, the differential phase metric may be used to diversity combine synchronization statistics. In various embodiments, the differential phase metric may be used to detect a narrow-band interference.
US08300716B1

A method of adaptively selecting a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of a communication link includes obtaining a first parameter corresponding to a Quality of Service (QoS) requirement of the communication link, obtaining a second parameter indicative of a physical condition of the communication link, selecting an MCS based on at least the first parameter and the second parameter.
US08300703B2

An adaptive transcoder is provided that includes a shared memory containing a plurality of decoder buffers to store incoming data packets, a plurality of decoder instances to control a decoding process to generate image raw data based on the incoming data packets, and a plurality of encoder instances configured to control an encoding process to generate outgoing packets based on the image raw data; and a data processing element containing a plurality of processing cores, and a core controller. Each decoder instance is paired with an encoder instance; and each decoder buffer is associated with a decoder instance. Each decoder buffer includes a monitoring element to monitor a respective decoder buffer, and provide buffer data corresponding to the status of the decoder buffer. Each encoder instance is associated with a processing core; and the core controller uses the buffer data to associate each decoder instance with a processing core.
US08300696B2

A system and method that computes a threshold based on an average sum of absolute residual (SAR) values and a standard deviation, each SAR corresponding to the sum of absolute values of the residual signal of a non-intra encoded macroblock in a frame of a first video stream encoded according to a first video specification, decodes the macroblocks of the frame, compares a SAR of one of the macroblocks to the threshold, the one of the macroblocks having a first motion vector; and provides the first motion vector for encoding the one of the macroblocks according to a second video specification if the SAR of the one of the macroblocks is less than the threshold.
US08300690B2

A Method, And Associated Apparatus for providing random access to, and gradual refresh of, encoded video sequences. Gradual decoder refresh is enabled through the use of isolated regions, flexible macroblock order, and turn-off of loop filter at slice boundaries. Mechanisms are also provided for reliable detection of random access operations and for the reliable signaling of leading frames and ODR (open decoder refresh) pictures.
US08300688B2

A video transcoding method is provided for transcoding a first signal stream compressed by a first coding scheme to a second signal stream compressed by a second coding scheme. The method employs an adaptive frame rate and a joint temporal-spatial rate control technique, such that the overall quality of compressed MPEG video can be significantly enhanced when the transcoding is controlled in the joint temporal (picture or frame rate) and spatial (quantization) domains. One embodiment considers transcoding from high bit rate video with larger image size (e.g. 4CIF/4SIF, CIF) coded by one coding technique, e.g., MPEG-2 to a lower bit rate video with smaller image size (e.g. CIF, QCIF) coded by the same or another coding technique, e.g., MPEG-4.
US08300687B1

A novel and useful system and method for extracting timing, time and additional information from a broadcast received in a radio controlled clock (RCC) receiver. The RCC receiver extracts timing information represented by a known synchronization sequence that is used for acquisition and tracking purposes. The RCC receiver extracts time information as a merged 26-bit time information word linearly coded into 31 bits comprising the number of minutes (or hours) since the turn of the current century. A minute counter representing the 26 bits is converted into the date, hour, and minute. The RCC extracts additional information including the schedule for the next daylight saving time transition and for an imminent leap second. The communications protocol optionally employs error correcting codes to provide protection for data fields in the frame, which the RCC may use to enhance reception reliability in the presence of noise and interference.
US08300685B2

Embodiments include a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) that includes a first comparator configured to receive as inputs a soft value and a first threshold, a second comparator configured to receive as inputs the soft value and a second threshold, a selector configured to select an output of either the first comparator or the second comparator as a DFE output based on one or more previous bits output by the selector; an error calculator configured to determine an error for the first comparator and the second comparator, and a threshold adjuster configured to adjust the first threshold and the second threshold, the first threshold and the second threshold each being a non-linear combination of one or more previous outputs of the selector.
US08300681B2

A frequency translation system includes first and second translational switches, and a signal bus coupled therebetween. The first translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more first input signals, a first plurality of outputs, and a second plurality of outputs. The second translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more second input signals, a first output, and a second output. The signal bus, coupled between the first and second translational switches, includes (i) a first bus line coupled to a first one of the first plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the first output of the second translational switch, and (ii) a second bus line coupled to a first one of the second plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the second output of the second translational switch.
US08300674B2

A signature sequence is employed in a wireless transmission over a channel and is detected by a receiving station. The signature sequence is selected from a subset of sequences chosen from a set of sequences formed by delay-Doppler shifts of a base sequence. Use of the subset of sequences simplifies detection of the signature sequence by, e.g., facilitating use of a simpler detector structure. A subset of N2 sequences of the specially-constructed delay-Doppler shifted sequence set is selected to facilitate more efficient computation of the detection metric. A simplified detector employs algebraic techniques (such as Discrete Fourier 'Transform (DFT)) that exploit prudent sequence assignment strategy. As an advantageous variation, for a particular class of base sequences that can be represented by segments of equal-length sinusoids, even greater complexity reduction can be achieved by segmenting the delay-Doppler correlation accordingly and reusing past outcome in subsequent overlapping segments.
US08300669B2

A control system and apparatus for use with an ultra-fast laser is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a laser, pulse shaper, detection device and control system. A multiphoton intrapulse interference method is used to characterize the spectral phase of laser pulses and to compensate any distortions in an additional aspect of the present invention. In another aspect of the present invention, a system employs multiphoton intrapulse interference phase scan. Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention locates a pulse shaper and/or MIIPS unit between a laser oscillator and an output of a laser amplifier.
US08300634B2

A variety of methods, systems, devices and arrangements are implemented for communications using a mobile communications device. In connection with various embodiments, one such method relates to routing calls specifying an endpoint device, from a mobile communications device to the endpoint device, using a call forwarding/routing service provider that establishes a connection with the endpoint device. The established connection may include, for example, a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) connection. In some implementations, the authentication server is contacted (e.g., via the Internet) to authenticate the call to be made via the call forwarding/routing service provider.
US08300626B2

In one embodiment, a method includes a mesh point receiving mesh advertisement messages from advertising mesh points of a wireless mesh network having a mesh portal with a wired connection to a wired network. Each mesh advertisement message specifies a corresponding metric for reaching the mesh portal and has a corresponding signal strength indicator. An ordered group of parent access points, ordered based on the respective metrics, is generated from among the advertising mesh points, starting with a first parent access point having a corresponding optimum metric for reaching the mesh portal and independent of the corresponding signal strength indicator. A registration message is sent to each of the parent access points identifying a corresponding specified priority based on a corresponding position in the ordered group, for use by the corresponding parent access point in selecting a minimum interframe spacing for forwarding a wireless packet received from the mesh point.
US08300624B2

The invention provides a signalling method in a first base station of a mobile communications system adapted for synchronized multimedia broadcast/multicast transmissions, the first base station transmitting to a wireless terminal, the mobile communication system further comprising a set of base stations neighboring the first base station, the method comprising: transmitting a signal describing the set of base stations over a broadcast channel by the first base station to at least a wireless terminal. Further, a first bit of the signal indicates if a first subframe allocation pattern of synchronized subframes per radio frame in the first base station equals a second subframe allocation pattern of synchronized subframes per radio frame for all base stations of the set of base stations. The set of base stations neighboring the first base station are candidates for starting a transmission to the wireless terminal.
US08300622B2

Systems and methods are provided for reducing signal distortion during tandem free operation signal transmission from a first mobile station to a second mobile station over a network; the systems and methods reduce the signal distortion in tandem free operation mobile to mobile communications that occurs when there is a loss of synchronicity between a plurality of transcoder rate adapter units that is caused by oscillation of the transcoder rate adapter units between different functional states during signal transmission. The systems and methods of the invention reduce the time gaps that are associated with these oscillations, resulting in reduced signal distortion and improved signal transmission.
US08300620B1

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for adjusting a timer mechanism based on radio frequency (RF) conditions of a network connecting source and destination devices are provided. Initially, data packets transmitted by the source device are assigned an ordering. This ordering is compared to an actual order in which the data packets are received at the destination device to ascertain whether any data packets were missing due to RF conditions. A negative response indicating missing, or lost, data packets may be returned, thereby invoking the source device to retransmit the data packets identified as missing. The device(s) may compute a probability of packet-loss (utilizing a recorded history of the transmitted packets in conjunction with the data packets actually received) and utilize the packet-loss probability to dynamically tune a time-interval of the timer mechanism. Upon expiration of the time-interval, the timer mechanism instructs the source device to retransmit the initial data packets.
US08300615B2

Methods and systems are disclosed herein for synchronizing network time in a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET). Each node in the MANET may be synchronized with all of its neighbors for effective communications. More specifically, a local timing reference may be adjusted according to measured errors in incoming control packets so that time slotted transmissions can be scheduled without collisions with other nodes. The method and system is a low overhead protocol that only requires a small amount of data attached to each scheduled transmission avoiding the requirement for separate messaging. This may reduce the overhead of maintaining the MANET providing additional efficiency and robustness.
US08300601B2

A method for implementing effective channel quality indication includes, at an endpoint of a wireless network, establishing a communication session with an access station via a wireless connection. The method also includes determining a highest modulation and coding scheme (“MCS”) value supported by the endpoint using the wireless connection. The method further includes determining whether an immediately preceding MCS level is supported by the endpoint using the wireless connection. The method additionally includes transmitting a message from the endpoint. The message comprises an effective channel quality indication (“ECQI”) provides an indication of the highest supported MCS level for the wireless connection and an indication of whether the endpoint supports the immediately preceding MCS value for the wireless connection.
US08300600B2

A system and a method for releasing quality of service (QoS) resources in a mobile communication network enable QoS resources allocated to a mobile terminal to be released, if, after the mobile terminal is allocated with resources for QoS through an Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) Revision A (rA) network to receive data serves, the mobile terminal escapes from the EVDO rA network without first performing a resource release request to the EVDO rA network. The system and method may be implemented in the mobile terminal, the access network, the text message server, or any combination thereof, for releasing the allocated QoS resources without requiring the mobile terminal to re-connect to the EVDO rA network.
US08300599B2

An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a wireless station (STA) operable to communicate with a first access point (AP) and roam to a next access point (AP), wherein said next AP pre-caches a number of IP addresses from a backend Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server; and wherein said wireless station (STA) gathers IP layer address and sub-network information from said next Access Point (AP) during roaming.
US08300586B2

Wireless broadband resource allocation indexing is generally presented. In this regard a method is introduced comprising determining a total number of allowable continuous logical resource unit (LRU) allocations for a bandwidth, removing allowable allocations to generate a set of allocations that can be indexed with fewer bits than the total number of allowable allocations, and storing an index of the set of allocations in a memory. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US08300584B2

A method is provided for scheduling transmission resources to a mobile station served by a plurality of base stations. According to the method of the invention, feedback information respecting data received by the mobile station from each of at least two of the plurality of base stations is received by the each of the plurality of base stations. An inference is then drawn at a second of the plurality of base stations of throughput parameters respecting a transmission channel between a first of the plurality of base stations and the mobile station. Transmission resources for the mobile station are then scheduled by the second base station as a function of the inferred throughput parameters.
US08300580B2

A call setup method is provided for a MVPN which includes at least one access point apparatus, at least one database, and a plurality of users. The database records a private extension number, a user phone number, and a user identity module of each user and a link address of the corresponding access point apparatus. The access point apparatus corresponding to a MO user receives a call setup request message for setting up a call with a MT user from the MO user. The access point apparatus corresponding to the MO user determines whether the link address of the access point apparatus corresponding to the MT user is valid according to the database. If the link address of the access point apparatus corresponding to the MT user is valid, the MO user and the MT user set up the call through the access point apparatuses corresponding to the link addresses.
US08300572B2

A method and system for controlling power in a communication system are provided, in which a base station calculates a power control value for an mobile station based on feedback information received from the mobile station, transmits power control information including the power control value to the mobile station, measures the strength of a signal received corresponding to the transmit power control information from the mobile station, determines the status of the mobile station using the signal strength and the power control value, and schedules the mobile station according to the determination.
US08300567B2

Embodiment and methods and means for scheduling an access point (AP) traffic destined for multiple stations (STAs) in a downlink multiple-user multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) network transmission are provided.
US08300564B2

A system and method for optimizing wireless vehicle to vehicle communications is configured to maximize the amount of data that can be transferred from one vehicle to another during a transient encounter by adaptively adjusting the message packet size and data modulation rate during an inter-vehicle communication session.
US08300560B2

A method and a wireless device (120, 122) utilize auxiliary information associated with an emergency alert system alert message to direct a user of the wireless device (120, 122) to safety. A wireless communication system (102) wirelessly transmits an emergency alert system (EAS) alert message to a wireless device (120, 122). The wireless communication system (102) also wirelessly transmits an augmented EAS alert message to the wireless device (120, 122). The augmented EAS alert message includes auxiliary information that provides information to the wireless device (120, 122) to direct a user of the wireless device (120, 122) to move at least one of toward a safe zone (150) and away from a danger zone (158). The auxiliary information in the augmented EAS alert message is optionally adjusted based on any combination of: the location of the wireless device, the safe zone, and the danger zone, and the logistics of a vicinity affected by the danger zone.
US08300559B2

The call states of all devices in a call are monitored and reported even when the devices belong to networks that use different types of call identifiers. A first device and a second device are different types of devices selected from a group of types comprising: a legacy device type, a SIP basic device type, and a SIP advanced device type. In response to a request from an application to monitor the first device and a request to establish a call between the first device and the second device, a Universal Call Identifier (UCID) is generated for the call and the call is established. A request to monitor the second device is sent using the UCID. When a change in the call state of the second device is detected, the change of the call state is reported to the application based on the UCID.
US08300550B2

Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing virtual posting services. Methods include receiving content from a communications device located in a geographic proximity that is serviced by an access node, storing the content in a storage device that is in communication with the access node, and tracking an amount of time the content item is stored. If the amount of time does not reach a pre-established threshold, the methods include transmitting the content to another communications device in response to detecting the presence of the other communications device within the geographic proximity and in response to an inquiry from the other communications device.
US08300544B2

A method and apparatus of a wireless subscriber requesting an Uplink (UL) grant size from a base station (BS) are disclosed. One method includes the subscriber analyzing traffic patterns of uplink data, the subscriber selecting a new grant size based on the analyzed traffic patterns, and the subscriber requesting the new grant size by signaling the new grant size to the BS.
US08300534B2

A programmable packet switching controller has a packet buffer, a programmable packet classification engine and an application engine. The packet buffer stores inbound packets, and includes a header data extractor to extract header data from the inbound packets and store the extracted header data in a header data cache. The header data extractor also generates a header data cache index and provides it to the packet classification engine for it to retrieve the extracted header data. The application engine has a number of programmable sub-engines arrayed in a pipelined architecture. The packet classification engine provides start indicators based on the packet classification to the programmable sub-engines to identify application programs to be executed.
US08300527B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates dynamic allocation of upstream bandwidth in a passive optical network which includes a central node and at least one remote node. Each remote node is coupled to at least one logical entity, which corresponds to a device or a user, that transmits upstream data to the central node and receives downstream data from the central node. The central node is coupled to an external network outside of the passive optical network through a shared out-going uplink.
US08300523B2

In one embodiment a method is provided for forwarding traffic through a standby device in the event of an uplink connection failure. The method generally includes forwarding traffic received on a first downlink connection with a dual-homed device to an uplink connection with a network core, detecting a failure on the uplink connection with the network core, and in response to detecting the failure, notifying a standby device of the failure and sending a message to the dual-homed device to trigger the dual-homed device to begin forwarding traffic to the network core via a second downlink connection between the standby device and the dual-homed device.
US08300520B2

A method and apparatus for interference signal code power noise variance estimation employing a reduced number of samples is disclosed. A recursive technique may be employed wherein the noise variance is estimated from ignored coefficients of the estimated channel output and upgraded recursively.
US08300519B2

A method and a device are provided for crosstalk evaluation of a channel, wherein the channel is represented and/or modeled by a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) system connecting a first network component with at least one second network component. The MIMO system contains first coefficients associated with transmission lines that are in particular associated with crosstalk. The crosstalk contains a near-end crosstalk (NEXT) portion and a far-end crosstalk (FEXT) portion. The first network component sends a signal to one second network component; the far-end crosstalk portion and the near end crosstalk portion are evaluated.
US08300514B2

In the invention, a movable lens varying the rate of convergence or divergence of light reaching an objective lens by moving in an optical axis direction has its position adjusted to correspond to ambient temperature. The objective lens is arranged to be tilted with respect to an optical axis of light reaching the objective lens from the movable lens. First coma aberration of which the amount produced varies according to movement of the movable lens, and second coma aberration of which the amount produced varies due to variation in the warping state of an optical disc that is caused along with variation in ambient temperature both occur in the radius direction of the optical disc, and the objective lens has its tilting direction adjusted such that the first coma aberration and the second coma aberration have their increasing and decreasing directions of the amount of coma aberration produced with respect to variation in ambient temperature reversed.
US08300513B2

It is aimed to provide an optical head, an optical head manufacturing method and an optical disc device capable of correcting coma aberration generated due to different positions of emission points of a plurality of laser lights having different wavelengths.A two-wavelength laser light source 1 is arranged to correct coma aberration generated in a radial direction of a CD 80 in the case where an objective lens 6 is tilted to locate an inner peripheral end of the objective lens 6 in the radial direction of the CD 80 lower than an outer peripheral end thereof, and an objective lens actuator 9 tilts the objective lens 6 to locate the inner peripheral end of the objective lens 6 in the radial direction of the CD 80 lower than the outer peripheral end thereof.
US08300510B1

A laser diode write driver is described. This laser diode write driver comprises: a feedback loop coupled for receiving an input current signal, the feedback loop operative for reaching a steady state and comprising a Class AB driver in series with a Class A driver, wherein the feedback loop transmits a first current signal; a current mirror adapted to receive the first current signal, the current mirror operative for replicating the first current signal and transmitting a second current signal; a differential device adapted to receive the second current signal, the differential device operative for steering current in at least one direction and transmitting a first voltage signal; a second class AB driver adapted to receive the first voltage signal and transmit a first drive signal, a second Class A driver adapted to receive the first drive signal and transmit a second drive signal; and an output device coupled to the second drive signal and operative for transmitting a driver output signal that drives the light source in response to receiving the second drive signal.
US08300509B2

A movement device of a recording determination apparatus moves a pickup in a radial direction of an optical disc. The pickup irradiates laser light to the optical disc to output an electric signal, based on reflected light from a laser spot. A control device acquires address information relating to an arrangement position of the laser spot, based on the electric signal. The control device controls the movement device to move the laser spot from a data area to a recordable area. The control device determines whether or not data is recorded in the recordable area, based on the electric signal until a reference time has elapsed from a border potion between the data area and the recordable area, the border portion being specified based on the address information.
US08300506B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, comprising iteratively writing a plurality of test portions to a storage medium sing a corresponding plurality of test parameter sets; iteratively erasing the plurality of test portions from the storage medium using corresponding erase power levels included within the corresponding plurality of test parameter sets and determining an overwrite parameter set for writing user data to the storage medium, the determining based on write performance characteristics of the plurality of test portions after the plurality of test portions have been iteratively erased and rewritten for a predetermined number of iterations.
US08300505B2

Method and apparatus for writing repeating patterns of features to a substrate, such as a data storage medium. In accordance with some embodiments, a multi-dimensional pattern of discrete features of different sizes to be written to a substrate is divided into a plurality of contiguous regions. A unique set of compensation values is assigned to each region. A write beam of a write system is used to write the features to the substrate responsive to said unique sets of compensation values so that all of the features having a common size in at least one region are written using the same compensation values from the associated set.
US08300504B2

An operation signal corresponding to an input operation on a rotating body by a user is output to an information-processing unit 400 and the operation signal is processed by a processing condition in accordance with the condition of the input operation. Based on the information property such as sound volume processed based on the operation signal and output by the output unit 200 or a setting position such as a cue point that is set by the input operation on the switch section 340 and at which a reproducing position is changed by a processing unit 440 in accordance with a pressing operation on the rotating body 600, the location of the reproducing position that is moved in accordance with the condition of the input operation on the rotating body 600 is recognized. And the rotating body 600 is operated (conducting click-like movement restriction, vibration and the like) in accordance with output condition corresponding to the condition of the input operation based on the property. A touch such as the movement restriction and vibration can be provided in accordance with the input operation and the property of the information, thereby providing efficient information-processing by the input operation.
US08300499B2

A method for providing a combined linear and circular downscan sonar display may include receiving linear downscan sonar data from a linear downscan transducer, receiving conical downscan sonar data from a circular downscan transducer, and combining the linear downscan sonar data and the conical downscan sonar data to produce combined downscan sonar data. A corresponding computer program product and apparatus are also provided.
US08300494B2

Various circuits include MOS transistors that have a bulk voltage terminal for receiving a bulk voltage that is different from a supply voltage and ground. The bulk voltage may be selectively set so that some MOS transistors have a bulk voltage set to the supply voltage or ground and other MOS transistors have a bulk voltage that is different. The bulk voltage may be set to forward or reverse bias pn junctions in the MOS transistor. The various circuits include comparators, operational amplifiers, sensing circuits, decoding circuits and the other circuits. The circuits may be included in a memory system.
US08300488B2

A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) device has an array of DRAM cells of rows by columns. Each DRAM cell of the array is coupled with a wordline of a corresponding row and a bitline of a corresponding column. An entry into and an exit from the self-refresh mode are detected by a mode detector and a self-refresh mode signal is provided. An oscillation circuit generates in response to the self-refresh mode signal generates a basic time period. A first frequency divider/time period multiplier changes the basic time period in accordance with a process variation factor relating to the DRAM device. A second frequency divider/time period multiplier further changes the changed time period in accordance with a temperature change factor relating to the DRAM device. In the self-refresh mode, data stored in the DRAM cells is refreshed. In accordance with the two factors, the DRAM devices perform and achieve reliable self-refresh for variable DRAM cell retention time.
US08300485B2

A sense amplifier is configured to transfer data on a first data I/O line to a second data I/O line or to transfer data on the second data I/O line to the first data I/O line. The first data I/O line is substantially continuously coupled to the second data I/O line during an active operation.
US08300479B2

Consistent with the present disclosure, a plurality of FIFO buffers, for example, are provided in a switch, which also includes a switch fabric. Each of the plurality of FIFOs is pre-filled with data for a duration based on a skew or time difference between the time that a data unit group is supplied to its corresponding FIFO and a reference time. The reference time is the time, for example, after a delay period has lapsed following the leading edge of a synch signal, the timing of which is a known system parameter and is used to trigger switching in the switch fabric. Typically, the delay period may be equal to the latency (often, another known system parameter) or length of time required for the data unit to propagate from an input circuit, such as a line card of the switch or another switch, to the FIFO that receives the data unit. At the reference time, temporally aligned data unit groups may be read or output from each FIFO and supplied to the switch fabric. Since the timing of the output from the FIFOs is based on known system parameters, instead of the actual arrival of the slowest data unit group at its corresponding FIFO, time aligned data unit groups may be output regardless of whether the slowest data unit group is available.
US08300474B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to repeat an application of a write pulse and a verify read operation to a selected word line, perform a read operation from a selected memory cell after storing of program data is judged to be completed by a verify circuit, and output a status information indicating that a program operation has passed to a external controller when data read by a read operation and a program data match and the status information indicating that the program operation has failed to the external controller when both do not match. A data latch circuit continues to latch the program data even after the storing of the program data is judged to be completed by the verify circuit.
US08300466B2

A NAND flash memory, in a read operation, a p-type semiconductor substrate is set at a ground potential, a bit line is charged to a first voltage, a source line, a n-type well and a p-type well are charged to a second voltage, which lies between a ground potential and a first voltage, and in a block not selected by said row decoder, said drain-side select gate line and said source-side select gate line are charged to a third voltage, which is higher than said ground potential and is equal to or lower than said second voltage.
US08300463B2

A nonvolatile memory device comprises a memory cell array comprising a plurality of memory blocks each divided into a plurality of regions, and a control logic component. The control logic component selects a memory block to be programmed based on program/erase cycles of the memory blocks, and selects a program rule used to program the regions of the selected memory block.
US08300456B2

An MRAM has a pinned layer and a magnetic recording layer connected to the pinned layer through a tunnel barrier layer. The magnetic recording layer has a first free layer, a second free layer being in contact with the tunnel barrier layer, and an intermediate layer provided between the first free layer and the second free layer. The first free layer includes a magnetization switching region whose magnetization direction can be switched by domain wall motion method. The second free layer has no domain wall. The intermediate layer is formed to cover at least the magnetization switching region. The magnetization switching region and the second free layer are magnetically coupled to each other through the intermediate layer.
US08300448B2

A semiconductor storage device is provided for solving the problem of the inability to simultaneously realize high reliability and decreased cell area. A selection electrode (106) is formed to sandwich an insulating film (105) with a p-type semiconductor region (102). A first n-type semiconductor region (103) and a second n-type semiconductor region (104) are formed in the p-type semiconductor region (102) at two sides of the selection electrode (106). A first resistance-changing layer (107) is connected to the first n-type semiconductor region (103), and a second resistance-changing layer (109) is connected to the second n-type semiconductor region (104). In addition, a first wiring layer (108) is connected to the second resistance-changing layer (109), and a second wiring layer (110) is connected to the second resistance-changing layer (109).
US08300440B2

The present invention provides an AC-DC converter and AC-DC conversion method for converting an AC input provided by a power transfer winding. The AC-DC converter includes a rectifying means for rectifying the AC input into a rectified output, and a control means for controlling the rectifying means based on a comparison between a reference signal and a voltage feedback signal, the voltage feedback signal being based on the rectified output.
US08300439B2

Method and apparatus for monitoring, measuring and recording the operating values of each of a plurality of inter-connected AC PV modules and performing a diagnostic analysis, including comparing the those operating values to each other and to operating values recorded at an earlier time to determine laminate degradation and the performance-attenuating effect of temperature, soiling, shading, and snow cover on the modules.
US08300436B2

A power factor correction (PFC) protection device used when an abnormal current of a three-phase inverter occurs and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. If any mis-connection (or non-connection) occurs due to a mistake of a producer at a power-supply input terminal applied to the reactor and the switching element, a current applied to the switching element becomes an abnormal current, such that the PFC cannot be controlled. During the PFC control, the device detects a current waveform generated from the switching element at a current sensor of the common potential terminal, and determines whether there is a mis-connection caused by the abnormal current. If the mis-connection is decided, the device compares a current pattern with a mis-connection pattern, and changes the PFC control output applied to the switching element according to the searched mis-connection pattern, such that the PFC control can be normally carried out.
US08300433B2

An isolated primary circuit regulator is applied to a primary side of a transformer of a power supply. The isolated primary circuit regulator outputs a switching signal, and switches the transformer by using the switching signal, thereby stabilizing an output current. The isolated primary circuit regulator includes a discharge time detector, an oscillator, a pulse width modulator and a control circuit. The discharge time detector is used for detecting a discharge time of a switching current generated at a secondary side of the transformer. The oscillator is used for generating an oscillation signal. The control circuit is used for outputting an adjustment signal. The pulse width modulator outputs a switching signal according to the oscillation signal output by the oscillator and the adjustment signal output by the control circuit. The switching signal has a duty cycle and a frequency corresponding to the oscillation signal and the adjustment signal.
US08300431B2

A fly-back AC-DC power converter has a constant-current control loop that senses the primary output current in a transformer to control the secondary output without an expensive opto-isolator. A primary-side control circuit can use either a Quasi-Resonant (QR) or a Pulse-Width-Modulation (PWM) control loop to switch primary current through the transformer on and off. A feedback voltage is compared to a primary-side voltage sensed from the primary current loop to turn the switch on and off. A multiplier loop generates the feedback voltage using a multiplier. A level-shift inverter and a low-pass filter act as the multiplier by multiplying an off duty cycle of the switch by the feedback voltage to generate a filtered voltage. A high-gain error amp compares the filtered voltage to a reference voltage to generate the feedback voltage. The multiplier produces a simple relationship between the secondary current and the reference voltage, yielding simplified current control.
US08300426B2

Methods and systems for transforming electric power between two or more portals. Any or all portals can he DC, single phase AC, or multi-phase AC. Conversion is accomplished by a plurality of bi-directional conducting and blocking semiconductor switches which alternately connect an inductor and parallel capacitor between said portals, such that energy is transferred into the inductor from one or more input portals and/or phases, then the energy is transferred out of the inductor to one or more output portals and/or phases, with said parallel capacitor facilitating “soft” turn-off, and with any excess inductor energy being returned back to the input. Soft turn-on and reverse recovery is also facilitated. Said hi-directional switches allow for two power transfers per inductor/capacitor cycle, thereby maximizing inductor/capacitor utilization as well as providing for optimum converter operation with high input/output voltage ratios. Control means coordinate the switches to accomplish the desired power transfers.
US08300425B2

An apparatus is disclosed that improves density of electrical components in a circuit assembly. Electrical components 202, 204 are stacked so that they overlap each other and are encapsulated in an electronic insulating material 104. The resulting subassembly may be integrated onto a printed circuit board or into a reverse-interconnection process assembly.
US08300421B2

An electronic component and a method of manufacturing an electronic component including a first surface mount device and a second surface mount device are provided. The first surface mount device and the second surface mount device are joined to a substrate via joint materials such that either or both of the first and second surface mount devices are shifted from the locations corresponding to land electrodes located on the substrate so as to be aligned with each other and are subjected to a reflow process. The outer land electrodes are formed at locations shifted inwardly from the locations corresponding to a virtual arrangement state in which the first surface mount device and the second surface mount device are arranged in series such that an end surface of the first surface mount device is in contact with an end surface of the second surface mount device.
US08300418B2

An electronic device includes a chassis, a motherboard installed in the chassis, a fixing member, and a flexible printed circuit board electronically coupled to the motherboard. The chassis forms two hooks adjacent to the motherboard. The fixing member includes a plate resisting against the flexible printed circuit board, and two legs extending down from the plate. Two latches extend from the corresponding legs to engage with the corresponding hooks.
US08300417B2

There is provided an apparatus for accommodating at least two different sized cards, the apparatus comprising a card housing comprising one or more card slots, each card slot being adaptable for inserting the at least two different sized cards; and a card guide system for adapting said one or more card slots for insertion of at least one of the at least two different sized cards. There is also provided a modified mezzanine card having at least one increased non-standard physical dimension relative to a standard mezzanine card suitable for insertion in the apparatus using the card guide system.
US08300416B2

An electronic device includes a cover, a body, and two sliding members. The body includes a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and two sliding slots. Each sliding slot extends along the first surface to the second surface. The two sliding members are pivotally coupled to the cover. The cover is rotatably and slidably coupled to the body by the two sliding members engaging with the two sliding slots, and is capable of sliding along the two sliding slots from the first surface to the second surface.
US08300409B2

A fan duct includes a top plate, two side plates extending downward from opposite sides of the top plate, and plural guiding plates extending downward from the top plate. The side plates and the top plates cooperatively define an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet and the air outlet are located at another two opposite sides of the top plates, respectively. The guiding plates are located between the side plates and adjacent to the air outlet. Each of the guiding plates forms a guiding face facing the air inlet. The guiding face is obliquely oriented with respect to the top plate. An electronic device incorporating the fan duct is also provided.
US08300400B2

A fixing mechanism for fixing a number of hard disks includes a first frame; a second frame facing the first frame, and a fixing structure for fixing the hard disk. One side of each hard disk is fixed on the first frame, and the fixing structure is positioned and fixed on the second frame and also fixed on the other side of the hard disk.
US08300397B2

An electronic device includes a main body, two positioning members, a cover, at least one positioning post, and at least one latching member. The main body includes a first casing, a second casing, and a HDD. The second casing defines an opening, from which the HDD is capable of being placed into and removed from the electronic device. The positioning members protrude from the first casing. The cover is rotatably connected to the positioning members. When the cover is rotatable to be received in the opening, the cover and the positioning members cooperatively define a receiving space to receive the HDD. Each of the at least one positioning post perpendicular extends from one of the positioning members. Each of the at least one latching member is rotatably connected to the cover and includes a hook capable of engaging with at least one of the positioning post to latch the cover.
US08300385B2

Composite carbon electrodes for use in, for example, Capacitive Deionization (CDI) of a fluid stream or, for example, an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) are described. Methods of making the composite carbon electrodes are also described. The composite carbon electrode comprises an electrically conductive porous matrix comprising carbon; and an electric double layer capacitor, comprising an activated carbonized material, dispersed throughout the pore volume of the electrically conductive porous matrix.
US08300383B2

A variable capacitor includes: a dielectric sheet disposed on a substrate and covering an electrode pattern on the substrate; a resilient conductive supporting seat mounted on the dielectric sheet for supporting an insulating operating cap on a central portion thereof; a conductive cover body covering the conductive supporting seat and permitting the operating cap to extend outward; and a biasing member for biasing the central portion of the conductive supporting seat to move away from the substrate. The cover body is connected electrically to the conductive supporting seat and a conductive contact on the substrate. When the operating cap is depressed, the operating cap forces a contact portion of the conductive supporting seat to deform such that a surface area of the deformed contact portion that contacts the dielectric sheet is increased, thereby changing the capacitance between the conductive supporting seat and the electrode pattern.
US08300380B2

An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable. The apparatus includes at least one relay, at least one voltage source, and at least one voltage increasing unit. The relay, the voltage source and the voltage increasing unit as embodied, are matched to one another, and are connected with one another in such a manner that, when the voltage source supplies the relay with voltage for pull-in of the relay, the voltage increasing unit causes such an increase of the voltage applied to the relay, that the applied voltage corresponds at least to the pull-in voltage of the relay.
US08300377B2

A transient voltage surge suppressor assembly comprising: a first energy absorbing device; a second energy absorbing device in parallel with the first device; and a voltage sense circuit configured to take the first device off-line when a voltage swell lasts for a duration. The first and second devices may be wired in parallel between a line and a neutral. The assembly may include a third energy absorbing device wired between the line and a ground, the third device also being configured to be taken off-line when the voltage swell lasts for the duration. The voltage sense circuit may be powered by a line voltage or a lower supply voltage. The first device may be more sensitive than the second device. For example, the first device may have a lower clamping voltage than the second device. The first device may be smaller and/or include fewer components than the second device.
US08300373B2

A transient blocking unit (TBU) is an arrangement of two or more transistors connected to each other in series such that they automatically switch off when a TBU current passing through these transistors exceeds a predetermined threshold. Voltage turnoff capability is provided for a TBU by adding a voltage comparison circuit to the TBU. The voltage comparison circuit provides gate voltages to one or more of the TBU transistors that tend to turn off the TBU transistors, if the voltage at the TBU output (i.e., the protected device output voltage) falls outside a predetermined range. The voltage provided by the voltage comparison circuit adds constructively to the gate voltages provided by normal TBU operation. Accordingly, TBU switch off can be driven by an over-current condition (TBU current out of range) and/or by an over-voltage condition (TBU output voltage out of range).
US08300368B2

The present invention provides a circuit interrupting device, preferably a ground fault circuit interrupter, which provides a quick and reliable connection/disconnection of electrical continuity through a combined use of a reset spring and a quick trip spring; an innovative circuit interrupting assembly containing a pair of input flexible metal pieces, a pair of user accessible load flexible metal pieces, and two pairs of fixed contacts on the load terminals; an automatic end-of-life testing mechanism by way of a simulated leakage current metal piece assembly; a reverse wiring protection by way of a reset start switch; an electrical surge protection through a power discharge mechanism; and a periodical end-of-life testing using a timer chip.
US08300361B2

The present application is directed to a slider supporting apparatus for flying a slider of a hard disk drive in the manufacturing process to provide electrical performance characteristics. The present invention discloses an integrated design including the electrical interconnect, the gimballing mechanism, the preload mechanism and the slider supporting mechanism integrated into a single supporting structure.
US08300356B2

A spin transfer oscillator with a seed/SIL/spacer/FGL/capping configuration is disclosed with a composite seed layer made of Ta and a metal layer having a fcc(111) or hcp(001) texture to enhance perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in an overlying (A1/A2)X laminated spin injection layer (SIL). Field generation layer (FGL) is made of a high Bs material such FeCo. Alternatively, the STO has a seed/FGL/spacer/SIL/capping configuration. The SIL may include a FeCo layer that is exchanged coupled with the (A1/A2)X laminate (x is 5 to 50) to improve robustness. The FGL may include an (A1/A2)Y laminate (y=5 to 30) exchange coupled with the high Bs layer to enable easier oscillations. A1 may be one of Co, CoFe, or CoFeR where R is a metal, and A2 is one of Ni, NiCo, or NiFe. The STO may be formed between a main pole and trailing shield in a write head.
US08300355B2

A fluid dynamic bearing includes an auxiliary bearing portion, a first radial bearing portion and a second radial bearing portion arranged along an axial direction of the fluid dynamic bearing, wherein the auxiliary groove formed in the auxiliary bearing portion is shallower in depth than the radial dynamic pressure groove formed in the first radial bearing portion, and wherein a gap size in the auxiliary bearing portion is set to be equal to or larger than a gap size in the radial bearing portions.
US08300353B2

A bearing unit includes a shaft and a hub as a conductive rotating body that supports a recording disk. Also, the bearing unit includes a conductive resin housing configured to surround at least part of the shaft to support the shaft and to be able to conduct electricity to the recording disk via the shaft. The conductive resin housing includes a conductive adhesive to be applied to secure conduction with the base housing. The conductive resin housing has an exposed portion where the inner layer of the conductive resin housing is exposed, at a position to which the conductive adhesive is applied.
US08300347B2

A magnetic data eraser includes a holding drawer means for holding a magnetic recording medium which means has a mounting tray for mounting the magnetic recording medium, wherein the mounting tray is inclined a predetermined value of degrees of angle. The magnetic data eraser further includes a magnetizing means for magnetizing the magnetic recording medium, wherein the magnetizing means is covered by a magnetizing coil and has a hollow body portion. The holding drawer means being accommodated in the hollow body portion, and the magnetic recording medium being placed on the mounting tray of the holding drawer means.
US08300340B2

According to one embodiment, a servo area of a magnetic recording medium includes magnetic dots arrayed at a period L0. The magnetic dots include a plurality of magnetic dot regions divided in the cross track direction. A width Wm in the down track direction of the mth magnetic dot region from the innermost circumference and a number Nm of dot rows in the down track direction of the mth region meet a relationship represented by L0{Nm√3/2−0.3}≦Wm≦L0{Nm√3/2+0.3}  (1).
US08300332B2

A lens mounting assembly includes a lens barrel with a first lens assembly. A lens mount includes an image sensor, and the lens barrel matingly connects with the lens mount in a manner which allows the first lens assembly to be moved along an optical axis to adjust a focus on the image sensor. A second lens assembly is provided for adjusting the focus on the image sensor during use of the lens. An alignment projection is provided on at least one of the first or second lens assemblies, the alignment projection being adapted to mate with a portion of the other of the first or second lens assemblies in order to directly optically align the first and second lens assemblies with the image sensor.
US08300326B2

A miniaturized optical head provided to equip the distal end of a beam of flexible optical fibers scanned by a laser beam, is designed to come in contact with a sample and to excite the sample confocally. This optical head includes elements for correcting spherical aberrations and focusing members. The focusing members include: at least a first lens (L4) of high convergence associated with a spherical or hemispherical lens (L5) arranged at the distal end of the optical head, and elements for correcting the axial and lateral chromatic aberration provided with a single divergent lens (3b) whose curvature is substantially centered on the pupil of the optical fiber beam and arranged at the exact distance for this pupil for which the conditions of lateral achromatization coincide with the conditions of axial achromatization; this divergent lens being associated with a second convergent lens (L3a) in the form of a doublet (L3).
US08300319B2

A zoom lens system includes, in the order from the object side to the image side thereof, a first lens group of positive refraction power, a second lens group of negative refraction power, a third lens group of positive refraction power, a fourth lens of positive refraction power, and an imaging plane. The first lens group and the third lens group are immovably mounted. The second lens group and the fourth lens group are movably mounted. The zoom lens system satisfies the formulae: 5
US08300306B2

A Raman amplifier includes at least a first and a second optical Raman-active fiber disposed in series with each other. A first pump source is connected to the first Raman-active fiber, and is adapted for emitting and coupling into the first Raman-active fiber a first pump radiation including a first group of frequencies. A second pump source is connected to the second Raman-active fiber, and is adapted for emitting and coupling into the second Raman-active fiber a second pump radiation including a second group of frequencies. The whole of said first and second group of frequencies extends over a pump frequency range having a width of at least the 40% of the Raman shift. The minimum and the maximum frequency in each of said first and second group of frequencies differ with each other of at most the 70% of said Raman shift.
US08300293B2

The invention relates to a beam-forming array for projecting a divergent isotropic cloud of light points. The array comprises a source (4) for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a receiving or connecting possibility for a power source (2), an electrical or electronic subassembly (5), and an optical unit (6) that is arranged in a housing (1) along with the radiation source (4). The radiation source (4) is a semiconductor diode laser or a light emitting diode (LED) while the optical unit (6) is composed of at least two superimposed and grid-shaped spectral films that are offset relative to each other or a diffractive optical element. The optical unit (6) limits the intensity of the emitted radiation and the distance of the light point beams relative to one another to a value that does not pose any risk to a human eye. The invention has the advantage of providing a miniature portable array that is inexpensive to produce and easy to handle for a large spectrum of indoor and outdoor uses in order to project any clouds of light points, particularly of real constellations.
US08300288B2

Color adjusting apparatus and method for a light source. A reflector of a required color is added to a light source of a scan module, a plating film of the required color is formed on a lens, or the lens is dyed with the required color. Or alternatively, the color of the light source is directly changed into the required color. As a result, the inconsistent intensities for the light in the primary color, red, green and blue output from the charge-coupled device caused by different brightness of the light source, different wavelength transmission of the lens, and different light sensitivity of the charge-coupled device is improved.
US08300284B2

According to a method and apparatus taught herein, an optical sensor uses pattern recognition in its optical detection processing to “see” detection patterns that correspond to predefined configuration settings. In one embodiment, for example, an optical sensing system selects an operational configuration by detecting a pattern embodied in received light data and comparing the detected pattern to one or more internally stored patterns. Each stored pattern represents a different operational configuration of the optical sensing system. If the detected pattern matches one of the stored patterns, the optical sensing system adopts the operational configuration corresponding to the matched stored pattern. Further, in one or more embodiments, the optical sensing system enters a configuration mode by an external stimulus, e.g., responsive to a configuration mode input, and the aforementioned pattern detection-based configuration selection is enabled only while in the configuration mode.
US08300267B2

An image forming apparatus includes an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data, a generation unit configured to generate a histogram based on a signal value of each pixel in the image data acquired by the acquisition unit, a derivation unit configured to derive the number of pixels matching a first condition in the histogram generated by the generation unit, and a selection unit configured to select, according to the number of pixels derived by the derivation unit, one of a fixing processing adjustment mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by adjusting fixing processing and a transparent toner mode for increasing a degree of gloss of a print product by using a transparent toner.
US08300251B2

It is determined whether or not a change request for changing an array of a plurality of items of job information on a job list screen to a second array being different from a first array is inputted via a user interface. If it is determined that the change request is inputted, a job list screen is displayed in which the array of the plurality of items of job information is changed to the second array. Display contents of the user interface are changed in response to a user operation with respect to a print job displayed on the job list screen. If the change request is inputted prior to the user operation, the job list screen in the second array is redisplayed upon the conclusion of processing due to the user operation. If the change request is not inputted prior to the user operation, the job list screen in the first array is redisplayed.
US08300246B2

An image forming apparatus includes a storing section, an interface an abnormality-detecting section, and an information-outputting section. The storing section stores a first item of information on a print job that has been processed in accordance with data received in the image forming apparatus. The interface provides the first item of information stored in the storing section to an external apparatus. The abnormality-detecting section determines whether an abnormality has occurred in the external apparatus. The abnormality is detected based on a manner in which communication is performed between the image forming section and the external apparatus. The information-outputting section outputs a second item of information based on detection of abnormality performed by the abnormality-detecting section.
US08300218B2

Gas analyzer systems and methods for measuring concentrations of gasses and in particular dry mole fraction of components of a gas. The systems and method allow for rapid measurement of the gas density and/or dry mole fraction of gases for a number of environmental monitoring applications, including high speed flux measurements. A novel coupling design allows for tool-free removal of a cell enclosing a flow path to enable in field cleaning of optical components.
US08300215B2

The present invention relates to an optical sensor based on the transit time principle. The sensor includes a light source for the emission of emergent light pulses into an observed region, comprising a rotating device for rotating a beam direction of the emergent light pulses about a rotation axis orientated at right angles to the beam direction, comprising a detector for the detection of light pulses reflected by objects in the observed region, and comprising a control and evaluation unit for controlling the light source, for evaluating the light pulses detected by the detector, and for determining a distance away of an object on the basis of a measured transit time of the light pulses. The optical sensor is characterized in that the rotating device has a rotor and a stator and that the light source, the detector, and an electronic assembly forming part of the control and evaluating unit are disposed for joint rotation on the rotor.
US08300205B2

The present invention relates to an alignment film printing mask, and more particularly, to a jig for an alignment film printing mask. A jig according to the present invention includes a plurality of supporting members each having at least one bent portion, arranged at regular intervals along a width direction of the alignment film printing mask for supporting the alignment film printing mask, at least one connection member for connecting the supporting members, and fastening units for securing the alignment film printing mask supported by the supporting members.
US08300193B2

A liquid crystal display panel including an opposite substrate, an active device array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer is provided. The opposite substrate has a common electrode. The active device array substrate has a plurality of scan lines, data lines, and pixels. Each of the pixels is controlled by one of the scan lines and one of the data lines, correspondingly. Each pixel has an active device, a first pixel electrode having a first slit and electrically connected to the active device, a dielectric layer covering the first pixel electrode, and a second pixel electrode having a second slit and disposed between the dielectric layer and the opposite substrate. The first pixel electrode is electrically connected to the second pixel electrode. The first and second slits are substantially aligned to each other, and the width of first slit is smaller than that of second slit.
US08300192B2

A liquid crystal display with improved viewing angle and uncompromised transmittance is provided, along with a thin film transistor (TFT) array panel usable for such liquid crystal display. The TFT array panel includes a substrate, a plurality of gate lines formed on the substrate, a plurality of data lines formed on the substrate and intersecting the gate lines, and a plurality of thin film transistors. Each of the thin film transistors includes a gate electrode connected to one of the gate lines, a source electrode connected to one of the data lines, and a drain electrode. The TFT array panel also includes a plurality of pixel electrodes, each of the pixel electrodes connected to one of the drain electrodes and having a pair of oblique edges parallel to each other, and covering at least a portion of the drain electrodes.
US08300188B2

A liquid crystal display panel includes a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of pixels; a microlens array provided on a light-incident side of the liquid crystal panel; a first polarizing plate and a first optical compensation element provided on a light-outgoing side of the liquid crystal panel; and a second polarizing plate and a second optical compensation element provided on a light-incident side of the microlens array. The retardation of the first optical compensation element along the thickness direction is greater than the retardation of the second optical compensation element along the thickness direction.
US08300185B2

A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal display panel; and first and second light diffusing layers, each of which has a first major surface and a second major surface and each of which is arranged such that the first major surface opposes a viewer side surface of the liquid crystal display panel. Each of the first and second light diffusing layers includes a first region formed of a first substance which has a first refractive index N1 and a plurality of second regions formed of a second substance which has a second refractive index N2(
US08300184B2

A color filter substrate is provided. In the color filter substrate, transparent protective films are formed on respective sub-pixels of a color filter. The color filter substrate has improved electric field characteristics without the need for additional optical or circuit compensation to achieve an improvement in contrast and a reduction in color difference.
US08300177B2

A backlight device (10) includes: an LED package (12) including an LED chip (12A) and an Ag reflective layer (12B); and an optical member (for example, a prism sheet (16)) for adjusting light emitted from the LED package (12). The optical member (16) adjusts an amount of a halogen thus contained and the like so that emission of halogen is decreased to a degree in which no silver halide is generated on the Ag reflective layer (12B).
US08300175B2

A lighting device has a light source, a light guiding plate having first and second opposite main surfaces, and a reflector confronting the second main surface of the light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a light entrance part that introduces light from the light source into the light guiding plate and reflecting parts formed on one of the first and second main surfaces for reflecting light introduced into the light guiding plate toward the first main surface. The reflecting parts are arranged on respective sets of arcs of concentric circles with each concentric circle having the light entrance part as its center. Each of the reflecting parts has a long axis extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to a line connected between a center of the corresponding reflecting part and the center of the light entrance part.
US08300167B2

A display panel includes: pairs of electrodes each forming an auxiliary capacitor (Cs2) by overlapping each other, wherein one electrode of each pair of the electrodes is an electrode (79) to have a picture element electrode potential, and the other one electrode of each pair of the electrodes is an auxiliary capacitor electrode (91); and auxiliary capacitor bus lines (CSLj+1) for applying voltages to the auxiliary capacitor electrodes (91), respectively each auxiliary capacitor electrode (91) being provided on an upper side of a corresponding auxiliary capacitor bus line (CSLj+1) in a film thickness direction and being connected with the corresponding auxiliary capacitor bus line (CSLj+1) through a contact hole (82), and each electrode (79) to have the picture element electrode potential being provided on an upper side of the auxiliary capacitor electrode (91) paired therewith, in the film thickness direction. This makes it possible to achieve a display panel in which the variation in the auxiliary capacitance within substrates can be minimized even if the auxiliary bus line is patterned by wet etching.
US08300162B2

A multi-view display (49) is arranged to provide large viewing zones (23, 24) while producing little or no cross-talk. The display may include a barrier (20) comprising a plurality of color portions (20a, 20b, 20c) that co-operate with color filters (19a-19f) in a display panel (14) to selectively direct light to the viewing zones (23, 24). A lenticular screen (30) may be arranged to create or image light lines onto imaging units (32a, 32f) of the display panel (14) that are spaced from one another, so that adjacent units (32a, 32f) are illuminated by light from different lenses (30a, 30b, 30c), directed towards different viewing zones (23, 24). A light source (35) may generate the light at positions aligned with boundaries between adjacent lenses (30a, 30b, 30c). The imaging units may be operated so that units (32a, 32b) displaying information for the first viewing zone (23) are separated from units (32d, 32e) displaying information for the second viewing zone (24) by units (32c, 32f) not used to display information. Adjacent columns of units (32a, 32b) may be used to display information to one viewing zone (23). The viewing zones (23, 24) may be enlarged using a scatterer (36). A switchable diffuser (40) or barrier (48) may be provided so that the display (49) can operate in different multi-view and/or single view modes.
US08300160B2

A projector system includes a light source module, a light guiding plate, a polarizing beam splitter (PBS) module and a projection lens module. The light source unit includes a red-color light source, a green-color light source and a blue-color light source respectively for emitting red, green and blue light. The light guiding plate optically combines light emitted from the red-color light source, the green-color light source and the blue-color light source. The PBS module is positioned opposite to the light output surface of the light guiding plate and is configured for splitting the combined light into s-polarization light and p-polarization light, reflecting the s-polarization light and converting the reflected s-polarization light into p-polarization light, modulating and outputting the converted p-polarization light using a display information signal. The projection lens module projects light with information onto a screen.
US08300159B2

A pico projector includes a light-emitting diode module, collimators, a lens array, magnification lenses, a reflection mirror, a polarizing beam splitter, an LCoS (light crystal on silicon) panel, and an image lens module, wherein the light-emitting diode module emits red, green, and blue lights. The collimators convert light from the light-emitting diode module into collimated light. The lens array homogenizes the collimated light. The magnification lenses magnify the homogenized light from the lens array with a predetermined ratio to be projected onto the LCoS panel. The reflection mirror changes direction of the light path. The polarizing beam splitter allows for transmission of a horizontal polarization light component and reflects a vertical polarization light component. The LCoS panel reflects and modulates the light to form an optic signal. The image lens module includes, in sequence, positive, positive, negative, positive, and positive lenses to project the optical signal to a screen.
US08300156B2

A remote control for a digital video recorder includes an integrated display screen configured to display a recording list including programs scheduled to be recorded.
US08300152B2

A television (TV) image adjusting method includes performing a variance calculation on luminance values of a plurality of pixels adjacent to target pixels of an image frame to generate a weight index; performing a decay function calculation according to the weight index to generate a weight distribution corresponding to the plurality of pixels adjacent to the target pixels. A function value of the decay function is inversely proportional to both the weight index and a target pixel distance between the target pixels and the plurality of pixels adjacent to the target pixels. The target pixel distance is a sum of vertical distances and horizontal distances between the target pixels and the plurality of pixels adjacent of the target pixels. The method further performs a weight calculation on the luminance values of the plurality of pixels adjacent to target pixels according to the weight distribution to generate an output luminance value.
US08300150B2

An image processing apparatus includes a pixel difference calculator, a summing unit, a determining unit, and an output unit. The pixel difference calculator receives a present image having first pixels and a previous image having second pixels, calculates pixel differences between corresponding first and second pixels, and outputs positive and negative pixel difference values. The summing unit obtains a first output value by adding up those of the positive pixel difference values and a second output value by adding up those of the negative pixel difference values. The determining unit determines a noise level of the present image from the first and second output values, and outputs a blended value. The output unit adds together weights of pixels at the same positions of the present and previous images according to the blended value to generate an output image. An image processing method is also disclosed.
US08300149B2

A video layer effects processing system which receives normal video and special effects information on separate layers has been presented. The system selectively mixes various video layers to transmit a composite video signal for a video display such as a television, or a virtual reality system. Special effects include spotlights, zooming, etc. Additional special effects such as shaping of objects and ghost effects are created by masking and superimposing selected video layers. The selective mixing, for example, to enable or disable, strengthen or weaken, or otherwise arrange special effects, can be directed from a remote source or locally by a user through real-time control or prior setup. The video layer effects processing system can also be incorporated into a set-top-box or a local consumer box.
US08300146B2

A display frequency boosting system for increasing image display frequency includes a buffer to receive a first frame, a second frame, and a third frame of image data and store the frames in a form of zero to fifth fields, a motion estimation device to perform a motion estimation on the fields to produce a motion vector, an interpolator connected to the buffer to perform an interpolation on the fields to produce an interpolated field, a motion compensation device to perform a motion compensation according to the motion vector, the fields and the interpolated field to produce sixth and seventh fields, and a controller to control read and write operations of the buffer, wherein each frame is composed of an odd field and an even field, and a fourth frame corresponding to the sixth and the seventh fields locates between the first and second frames in a display time axis.
US08300142B2

An imaging apparatus includes: a power supply; a first voltage converter producing first and second voltages which are different from each other based on an output of the power supply and outputting them to first and second output systems, respectively; a second voltage converter producing the first voltage based on the second voltage and outputting the first voltage to a third output system; an imaging element operated by the first voltage; at least one circuit element operated by at least one of the first and second voltages; a sensitivity setting section setting an input sensitivity of the imaging element based on at least one of a user's operation and information of a photographic subject; and a power supply switching section switching to supply the first voltage of the first output system to the imaging element in the case where the input sensitivity is lower than a predetermined sensitivity and switching to supply the first voltage which is outputted from the third output system to the imaging element in the case where the input sensitivity is higher than the predetermined sensitivity.
US08300137B2

In an image sensing apparatus including an image sensing unit with an image sensor and an EVF, first image signals obtained every preset number of frames, of image signals output from the image sensing unit are displayed on the EVF, focus evaluation values indicating a focus state of an image are obtained from second image signals obtained in frames other than the frames for the first image signals of the image signals output from the image sensing unit, a direction of driving a focus lens for an in-focus state is determined on the basis of the obtained focus evaluation values, and the determined driving direction is displayed on the EVF. Further, the focus lens is moved for image sensing in the frames for the second image signals to carry out image sensing of the subject at different focus lens positions for each frame.
US08300135B2

A digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. When the composition of a subject displayed on a display of the apparatus is changed during application of a first shutter-release signal, a current auto-focus (AF) region moves along with the subject and displayed on the display at the same time as the subject. The apparatus can further display an initial AF region on the display in a manner distinguishable from the current AF region. After the composition of the subject is changed, while the current AF region moving along with the subject is being displayed on the display, when the application of the first shutter-release signal is interrupted, an AF region is reset as the initial AF region. Also, an image file can be generated and stored after application of a second-shutter release signal which occurs after application of the first shutter-release signal.
US08300125B2

A method and apparatus for using TFT transistors or MIS capacitors as light-sensing elements in charge mapping arrays. A bias stress may be applied to a plurality of pixels in a charge map array. As a result, charge carriers may be trapped in each of the plurality of pixels responsive to the bias stress, which may be observed as a value shift such as a threshold voltage VT shift. Light may then be transmitted toward the plurality of pixels in the charge map array causing some of the pixels to absorb the light. The trapped charge carriers are released in the pixels that absorbed the light and not released in the pixels that did not absorb the light. The value shift in each of the pixels can be compared to determine which of the pixels absorbed the light.
US08300124B2

An image sensor module comprises an image sensor including a pixel region picking up an image from light incident from the outside and a signal processing region having bumps formed in the outer portion of the image sensor so as to process an electrical signal with respect to the image picked up by the pixel region; and a board attached to the image sensor by a liquid adhesive and provided with a window such that the pixel region of the image sensor receives light, the board including: a first dummy pattern formed on at least a portion around the window; a circuit pattern formed in a position spaced in a predetermined distance outward from the first dummy pattern; and board-side pads electrically connected to the circuit pattern so as to come in contact with the bumps formed in the image sensor.
US08300114B2

Systems and methods for operating cameras are described. An image signal received from an image sensor can be processed as a plurality of video signals representative of the image signal. An encoder may combine baseband and digital video signals in an output signal for transmission over a cable. The video signals may include substantially isochronous baseband and digital video signals. The baseband video signal can comprise a standard definition analog video signal and the digital video signal may be modulated before combining with the baseband video signal and/or transmitting wirelessly. The digital video signal may be a compressed high definition digital video signal. A decoder demodulates an upstream signal to obtain a control signal for controlling the position and orientation of the camera and content of the baseband and digital video signals.
US08300110B2

An image sensing apparatus that includes an image sensing portion outputting the image data of an image by shooting and that generates an output image based on the output data of the image sensing portion obtained in response to a predetermined shooting command has: a first correction portion which, based on the image data of a first image shot by the image sensing portion and the image data of a second image shot by the image sensing portion with an exposure time longer than the exposure time of the first image, performs position adjustment between the first and second images and then synthesizes the first and second images to generate the output image; a second correction portion which generates the output image by reducing noise in the first image without using the second image; and a correction control portion which executes selection processing to alternatively select one of the first and second correction portions based on a shooting condition set for shooting of the second image or based on the output data of the image sensing portion, and which makes the so selected correction portion generate the output image.
US08300108B2

A multi-channel imaging device is provided. The multi-channel imaging device includes a focal plane array having an array of pixels configured to detect radiation in a predetermined wavelength band. Subsets of the array of pixels are arranged to define a plurality of unit cell image areas. The multi-channel imaging device also includes a lens array having a plurality of lens elements configured to image a scene onto the plurality of unit cell image areas. The lens elements and the unit cell image areas define a plurality of unit cells having at least one lens element and at least one unit cell image area. Each of the plurality of unit cells is configured to create a complete image of the scene. Additionally, a plurality of unit cell filters corresponding to the plurality of unit cells is configured to filter radiation such that each unit cell is dedicated to an image channel is also provided.
US08300105B2

A shake correction module for a photographing apparatus is provided. The shake correction module includes: a base plate; a slider member disposed on the base plate so as to be able to move in a first axis direction and a second axis direction crossing the first axis direction, and accommodating an imaging element; and first and second drive members that are disposed between the base plate and the slider member, wherein the first and second drive members are arranged to be symmetric with a centroid of the slider member, and move the slider member in the first axis direction and the second axis direction.
US08300101B2

A system using an in-vehicle camera mounted on a vehicle for an image pickup object of the face of the driver, for: continuously taking an image of the image pickup object; performing manipulation, such as enlargement of an area including the image pickup object with a reference point being the center, for a second image based on image pickup after a first image, on the basis of the range of the image pickup object detected from the first image, the width of the facial contour of the driver, for example, and also a reference point such as the center of the face to be decided based on the location of the eyes and nose of the driver; and performing image processing, such as detection of the range of the image pickup object and decision of the reference point, for the manipulated second image.
US08300094B2

An image pickup module comprises a lens assembly including a lens having a flange part, and a frame component for shading a circumferential surface excluding a neighborhood of a top portion of the flange part in the lens; an image pickup element which the top portion of the flange part touches; and an illumination element arranged around the lens assembly and the image pickup element. The image pickup module is constituted so that exit light from a luminescent surface of the illumination element does not reach directly to an exposed portion that is not shaded by the frame component of the flange part.
US08300090B2

An in-vivo image acquiring system having a body-insertable apparatus and a processing apparatus. The body-insertable apparatus has an imaging unit which captures images of the inside of the subject, and a transmitting unit which attaches type information to the image information and transmits the image information to the outside of the subject. The processing apparatus has an image processing unit which acquires optical information corresponding to the type information attached to image information to be processed and processes the image information to be processed using an image processing program which corresponds to the acquired optical information. The type information indicates an applied portion of the body-insertable apparatus. The processing apparatus also processes image information corresponding to portions other than the applied portions of the body-insertable apparatus as image information to be processed.
US08300076B2

A line head, includes: a substrate which is provided with a plurality of luminous element groups which respectively include a plurality of luminous elements in a first direction which emit light beams; a lens array which includes a plurality of imaging lenses which are provided corresponding to the plurality of luminous element groups; and a light shielding member which is disposed between the substrate and the lens array and includes a plurality of light guiding holes which correspond to the plurality of luminous element groups, wherein the lens array is away from the light shielding member, an inner diameter of each of the plurality of light guiding holes in the first direction is a first light guiding hole diameter, and a bore diameter of each of the plurality of imaging lenses in the first direction is a first lens diameter, and the first light guiding hole diameter is smaller than the first lens diameter.
US08300075B2

A laser driving device in the embodiment includes: a laser light source that emits laser light; a light source drive control unit that adjusts a light amount of laser light emitted from the laser light source constant and controls on-off driving of the laser light source; a light amount adjustment element that is disposed in an optical path of laser light emitted from the laser light source and is capable of electrically changing transmittance or reflectance of the laser light that is entered thereinto; and a peak light amount control unit that controls the transmittance or the reflectance of the light amount adjustment element, so as to adjust a peak light amount of the laser light that is output from the light amount adjustment element after having traveled through or having been reflected by the light amount adjustment element.
US08300065B2

A rotatable display device and a method of adjusting an image on a display screen of the same include a command input unit which allows a user to input an image adjustment command, a display unit which displays images on a display screen, a first pivot processor which rotates the images corresponding to input signals according to a rotating direction of the display unit and outputs signals of the rotated images to the display unit, and a controller which adjusts the images on the display screen according to a relationship between the image adjustment command and the rotating direction of the display unit.
US08300062B2

A method, computer system and computer program is provided for using a suggestive modeling interface. The method consists of a method of a computer-implemented rendering of sketches, the method comprising the steps of: (1) a user activating a sketching application; (2) in response, the sketching application displaying on a screen a suggestive modeling interface; (3) the sketching application importing a sketch to the suggestive modeling interface; and (4) the sketching application retrieving from a database one or more suggestions based on the sketch. The method is operable to allow a user interactively using the sketching application to create a drawing that is guided by the imported sketch by selectively using one or more image guided drawing tools provided by the sketching application. The present invention is well-suited for three-dimensional modeling applications.
US08300059B2

Min-axis based mip map determination logic receives a plurality of texture space derivatives with respect to screen space for a given pixel and texel location and selects from a plurality of mip map levels a mip map level based on a min-axis without using a max-axis value and without using an amount of anisotropy. The plurality of mip map levels corresponds to mip map levels of a mip chain. The min-axis may be identified as the squares of the texture space derivatives with respect to either the x-axis or the y-axis of screen space. Selecting the mip map level based on the min-axis ensures that each texel of the selected mip map never maps to more than one pixel during texture mapping where the main texture is of sufficient resolution. Thus, using the mip map level based on the min-axis to fetch texture data from memory and render images results in few aliasing artifacts.
US08300053B2

An electronic device includes an image fitting system to fit an image to identify characters of the image and graphics of the image in the electronic device. Operations of fitting the image by the image fitting system includes generation of a standard character database to fit characters of the image, generation of character fitting results by fitting each character of the image according to the standard character database, and generation of graphic fitting results by fitting each graphic of the image according to a standard graphic that is defined by a graphic equation.
US08300048B2

A three-dimensional shape data recording/display method including: a data inputting step S1 for inputting into a computer coordinate values on a three-dimensional shape; a model structuring step S3 for structuring an environment model for partitioning a spatial region into a plurality of voxels made from rectangular solids, of which the boundary surfaces are mutually perpendicular, and stores the positions of the individual voxels; a matching step S4 for setting and recording a representative point and an error distribution within the voxel corresponding to the coordinate value; a model updating step S5 for updating the environment model; and an outputting step S6 for outputting, to an outputting device, at least one of the voxel position, representative point, and error distribution.
US08300042B2

An interactive video display system uses strobing light to allow easy and unencumbered interaction between a person and projected video images. A camera may be synchronized to the strobing light and the strobing light may be in an infrared spectral range. A processing system detects images of a human in the field of view of the camera and controls the display so that the projected video images are changed based on an interaction between the human and the projected video images. The system may project the video images on a surface around the person and may move the projected video images on the surface based on a movement of the person. The projected video images may include computer-generated characters and/or virtual objects that react to the movement of a person.
US08300039B2

An inverter circuit includes: first to third transistors; and first and second capacity elements. The first transistor makes/breaks connection between an output terminal and a first voltage line in response to potential difference between an input terminal and the first voltage line or its correspondent. The second transistor makes/breaks connection between a second voltage line and the output terminal in response to potential difference between a gate of the second transistor and the output terminal or its correspondent. The third transistor makes/breaks connection between a gate of the second transistor and a third voltage line in response to potential difference between the input terminal and the third voltage line or its correspondent. The first and second capacity elements are inserted in series between the input terminal and the gate of the second transistor. A junction between the first and second capacity elements is connected to the output terminal.
US08300037B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of data signal lines and scanning signal lines intersecting orthogonally with the data signal lines; pixel electrodes each provided at each of intersections of the plurality of data signal lines and scanning signal lines; and a counter electrode, the plurality of data signal lines are divided into sets each including data signal lines that are provided next to one another so as to respectively correspond to primary colors constituting a display color, the data signal lines in each set being connected to one of output signal lines to which data signals corresponding to the primary colors are supplied during a single horizontal scanning period by time division, the data signals supplied to the output signal lines being switched, the counter electrode being subjected to application of a voltage being varied during at least one horizontal scanning period.
US08300021B2

A position sensing display integrates a touch sensor with an active matrix LCD panel. X sense electrodes and y sense electrodes in respective layers on a front panel are coupled capacitatively to respective sense circuits on active rear panel. A common electrode is driven, and the resulting signal on the x-sense electrodes and y sense electrodes is measured by the respective sense circuits. Changes in the resulting signal when sensed object approaches are measured to locate the sensed object.
US08300005B2

The present invention is to reduce power consumption in a display that concurrently (or alternately) implements light emission and light reception in parallel. A display is provided with a display panel configuration including a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix and a plurality of light-receiving elements that are disposed adjacent to the plurality of display elements and receive light incident on a display plane. In addition, the display includes a position detector that determines the position of contact or proximity to the display plane based on a light reception signal arising from light reception by the light-receiving elements. Furthermore, the display includes a controller that shifts the displaying state or the position detection state from the low power consumption mode to the normal operation mode if the position detector has determined the presence of contact or proximity in a predetermined state.
US08300002B2

A gate driving circuit receives a plurality of clock signals in a sequence and includes a plurality of cascaded drive units sequentially outputting an output signal, wherein a first-stage drive unit of the gate driving circuit receives a scan start signal or a scan end signal while a last-stage drive unit thereof receives a scan end signal or a scan start signal; wherein a driving direction of the gate driving circuit is reversed by reversing the sequence of the clock signals and exchanging the scan start signal and the scan end signal. The present invention further provides a driving method of a gate driving circuit.
US08300001B2

A demultiplexer drive circuit includes a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth switching devices. The first switching device is connected to the first and the second scan clock signals. The control terminal of the second switching device is connected to the first switching device, and the rest of its terminals are connected to the data line and a first pixel electrode. The control terminal of the third switching device is connected to the first switching device, and the rest of its terminals are connected to the data line and a second pixel electrode. The fourth switching device is connected to the first and the second scan clock signals and its control terminal is connected to the third switching device. The control terminal of the fifth switching device is connected to the fourth switching device, and the rest of its terminals are connected to the data line and a third pixel electrode. The first scan clock signal and the second scan clock signal have a substantially identical pulse width and a phase difference of substantially half of the pulse width.
US08299991B2

A method of providing an LCD overdrive drive scheme, which comprises measuring a stabilized transmission level of an LCD display pixel corresponding to a target drive level. An overdrive transmission level is measured corresponding to an overdrive drive level. The measured overdrive transmission level is compared with the measured stabilized transmission level to determine if the overdrive drive level is too high or too low. An iterative process then changes the overdrive drive level until a suitable overdrive drive level is found. This is used to derive overdrive drive scheme parameters which are stored in a memory of the LCD device. This method enables an overdrive scheme to be determined during use of the device. It can therefore take account of temperature and display ageing, without the effects of these being modeled.
US08299990B2

A flat panel display sequentially supplying data signals to a pixel portion using a demultiplexer and a method of driving the flat panel sufficiently supply scan signals in a horizontal period to prevent deformation and distortion of the data signal supplied to each pixel and compensate for a threshold voltage of a drive transistor of the pixel. The flat panel display includes a pixel portion having a plurality of pixels, a scan driver to supply scan signals to the pixel portion, a data driver to generate data signals, a demultiplexer portion to sequentially supply the data signals to the pixel portion, and a lighting tester to supply a lighting test signal and an initialization signal to the pixel portion. Alternatively, the flat panel display includes a pixel portion having a plurality of pixels, a scan driver to supply scan signals to the pixel portion, a data driver to output data signals and a demultiplexer portion to sequentially supply an initialization signal and the data signal to the pixel portion.
US08299989B2

A system for displaying image is provided. The system includes a pixel unit coupled to a source driver and including a first switch, a second switch, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a driving transistor, and a luminiferous device. The first switch includes a first control terminal receiving a first scan signal, a first terminal receiving a first operation voltage, and a second terminal. The second switch includes a second control terminal receiving a second scan signal, a third terminal, and a fourth terminal coupled to the source driver. The first capacitor is coupled between the first and the second terminals. The second capacitor is coupled between the second and the third terminals. The driving transistor includes a gate coupled to the second terminal, a source receiving the first operation voltage, and a drain. The luminiferous device is coupled to the drain and receiving a second operation voltage.
US08299981B2

The driving method of the plasma display device has a plurality of combination sets for display that includes a different number of combinations. The signal levels of a red image signal, a green image signal, and a blue image signal are compared with each other. For an image signal of a color that has a low signal level, a combination set for display is used where the number of combinations is smaller than that in the combination set for display used for an image signal of a color that has a high signal level.
US08299980B2

An image display device main roughly includes a floating image display unit 1 and a floating image recognizing unit 2. The floating image displaying unit 1 includes a display unit 10 having an image screen 11 for displaying a two-dimensional image, and an image transfer panel 20 located far from the image screen 11, the floating image display unit 1 being to focus light left from the image screen 11 on an image plane 30 in a space to thereby display a floating image, the space being located on one side of the image transfer panel 20 opposite to the other side thereof facing the display unit 11. The floating image recognizing unit 2 is formed of a light-transmissive plate 40 that is light transmissive. The light-transmissive plate 40 has a size that allows all light left from the image screen 11 and focused on the image plane 30 to be passed therethrough. The light-transmissive plate 40 is placed to be obliquely-crossed to the image plane 30.
US08299979B2

A two-way visual communication system using multiple imaging devices, and a method for operating such a device is described. An embodiment of the present invention may use an image processor to analyze and modify image data from one or more imaging devices, and from the far-end party, in order to improve the perceived level of eye contact experienced by the users. The output signals from the imaging devices may be individually selected for transmission to the far end party, or may be used in combination in the synthesis of a composite image, using information derived from the imaging devices and/or from the image of the far-end party.
US08299978B2

A wireless access point is provided for transmitting radio signals that has isolators positioned about the perimeter of the wireless access point dividing the perimeter of the wireless access point into segments and reflector plates positioned within each segment for directing the transmission of the radio signals within each segment.
US08299977B2

A shock- and moisture-resistant connector assembly includes a first component, a second component, and an antenna. The first component has an end fitted with an adapter. A non-annular fastener is mounted around a connecting section of the adapter for tightly fastening the second component inserted in the first component. The second component is provided therein with at least one watertight O-ring which, after the first and second components are assembled, furnishes moisture and shock resistance to a coaxial cable passing through the second component. The antenna includes a dielectric spacer externally mounted with a coupling element and having an end formed as a shaft. A plastic washer, a wave washer, and a positioning washer are sequentially mounted around the shaft such that the entire assembled antenna has sufficient frictional resistance to maintain restrained displacement during a fine-tuning operation.
US08299968B2

A packaging material includes an electromagnetic coupling module for an RFID system, in which a radio IC chip is protected from external shock and environmental change without affecting the planarity of the packaging material, the assembly including an electromagnetic coupling module is facilitated, and the radiation characteristics are satisfactory. A packaging material includes a liner and a wave-shaped core material, wherein an electromagnetic coupling module is arranged inside of the packaging material. The electromagnetic coupling module includes a radio IC chip and a feeder circuit board, on which the radio IC chip is mounted, the feeder circuit board including a resonant circuit that includes an inductance element. The packaging material is made of a dielectric, wherein the dielectric and the electromagnetic coupling module are electromagnetically coupled to transmit/receive high frequency signals.
US08299967B2

Antennas for wireless communications based on metamaterial (MTM) structures to arrange one or more antenna sections of an MTM antenna away from one or more other antenna sections of the same MTM antenna so that the antenna sections of the MTM antenna are spatially distributed in a non-planar configuration to provide a compact structure adapted to fit to an allocated space or volume of a wireless communication device, such as a portable wireless communication device.
US08299962B2

A system and method is for orientating and monitoring orientation of telecommunications antennas. The system includes an AISG compliant tilt sensor system mounted in-line between a telecommunications antenna enclosure and a communications cable, and positioned to measure the elevation tilt and slant of a telecommunications antenna enclosure relative to a reference axis. The tilt sensor system measures the angle of tilt and angle of slant of the enclosure with respect to a reference axis, and communicates the values through the communications cable using the AISG protocol for analysis by a telecommunications system operator. A printed circuit board with suitable microprocessor and circuitry receives and processes the tilt sensor data and reports directional alignment information to the user via a user interface.
US08299961B2

A system and method for determining one or more satellites in view of a wireless device. A request for satellite assistance data may be received from a requesting entity and a reference location determined as a function of the request. A set of satellites may be determined as a function of the reference location. Subsequent cached information may be determined for each satellite in the set of satellites if cached information already existing for each satellite in the set of satellites has been cached for greater than a predetermined time period. This subsequent cached information may then replace the previously existing cached information for the reference location. One or more satellites in view of the wireless device may then be determined as a function of either the subsequent cached information or previously existing cached information, and assistance data may be provided to the requesting entity to determine an estimated location of the wireless device.
US08299960B2

In a method and system for deriving a seed position of a subscriber station in a wireless communications system in supporting unassisted GPS-type position determination is provided, the subscriber station receives overhead messages from the wireless communications system, and derives the seed position from the parameter values. The subscriber station may use a data structure in its memory and map possible parameter values to corresponding positions that may serve as the seed positions.
US08299959B2

The invention relates to an imaging method with synthetic aperture for determining an incident angle and/or a distance of a sensor from at least one object in space, wherein at each of a number of aperture points one echo profile is sensed. Advantageously, for several angles assumed as the incident angle, one phase correction value and/or one distance correction value is calculated, adapted profiles are generated based on the echo profiles by adapting the phase with the phase correction value for each assumed angle and/or by shifting the distance with the distance correction value, for the assumed angle, the adapted profiles are summed or integrated, and a probability distribution is derived, and a probability value for the incident angle and/or for the distance is determined therefrom. A determination of the incident angle is also possible independently of the distance, wherein it is possible to only consider velocities or accelerations.
US08299952B1

A switched-capacitor circuit which comprises a first sampling capacitor, a second sampling capacitor, an op-amp, a third capacitor, and a fourth capacitor is provided. The first sampling capacitor is disposed to sample an input signal in a sampling phase. The second sampling capacitor is disposed to sample the input signal in the sampling phase. Wherein, in a first amplify phase, the third capacitor stores an offset voltage of the op-amp, the fourth capacitor stores the electric charges which are flowed from the first sampling capacitor and the second sampling capacitor, and in a second amplify phase, the fourth capacitor gives the stored electric charges back to the first sampling capacitor and the second sampling capacitor.
US08299941B2

A method is described for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, into a parking space, the parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space being detected by a sensor array while the vehicle is driving by the parking space. To further simplify the parking maneuver, a boundary object type is assigned to the detected boundary object, and parking information relating to the feasibility of a parking maneuver into the parking space is generated as a function of the assigned boundary object type and as a function of the position of the boundary object in the area of the parking space. Furthermore, a device is described, in particular for implementing the above-mentioned method, for providing assistance during a parking maneuver of a vehicle, in particular of a motor vehicle, into a parking space, having a sensor array for detecting a parking space and a boundary object located in the area of the parking space while the vehicle is driving by the parking space, having an analyzer unit connected to the sensor array, and having a memory unit.
US08299927B2

An electromagnetic radiation decoupler for decoupling radiation in the wavelength range λmin to λmax. The decoupler has a first conductor layer in contact with a dielectric layer which comprises at least one area of absence and the thickness of the decoupler is less than λmin/4n, where n is the refractive index of the dielectric. The dielectric layer may be sandwiched between two conductor layers, one of which has the structure described above. The invention is also directed to methods of using and various articles comprising such a decoupler.
US08299918B2

In embodiments of the present invention, systems and methods for remotely monitoring an individual may include providing a sensor integrated in a monitoring object at a first location where the monitoring object may be configured as a household item. The sensor may be associated with an environment of an individual at the first location. The sensor may also be associated with a network. The sensor data may be processed to obtain monitoring information for the activity of the individual in the environment. The monitoring information may be transmitted over the network from the first location to a receiving object at a second location where the receiving object may be configured as a household item.
US08299908B2

A tire pressure monitoring system distinguishes a mounted tire from a non-mounted tire, and which automatically changes over IDs and tire-pressure thresholds without any exclusive apparatuses. A tire pressure monitoring unit stores an identification code of a tire pressure sensor unit and a tire-pressure set value as a pair. While a vehicle is traveling at a speed equal to or faster than a predetermined vehicle speed, if an identification code received within a predetermined time coincides with any one of identification codes of registered tires and the number of coinciding identification codes is equal to the number of tires, and, at least one of the coinciding identification codes is an identification code other than specified identification codes, the specified identification codes are replaced with those coinciding identification codes which are newly specified as respective identification codes of tire pressure sensor units mounted in tires mounted on the vehicle.
US08299906B2

The present utility model provides a vibration device, comprising: an case which is equipped with an light sensing lens, and oscillator, battery, photonic circuit, CPU, time quartz crystal and central processing circuit board mounted inside the cavity of the case, wherein the photonic circuit and CPU are configured on the central processing circuit board. The present utility model provides a vibration device which vibrates at given time together with one or several same type of products for reminding your lovers/friends something at given time. This device with small volume can be equipped on the device in the form of a watch, key ring or waistband, which makes it portable.
US08299904B2

A method for controlling a vehicle to emanate an audible alert including determining when the vehicle is operating, and controlling a speaker system in the vehicle to emanate the audible alert outside of the vehicle when the vehicle is operating based on stored information representative of an internal combustion engine (ICE) noise profile. The audible alert has a sound profile including a simultaneous emanation of first, second and third audible frequency components having first, second and third frequencies, respectively, with the first and second frequencies emanating at first and second sound pressure levels greater than first and second representative sound pressure levels of the ICE noise profile at the first and second frequencies, respectively, and the third frequency emanating at a third sound pressure level less than a third representative sound pressure level of the ICE noise profile at the third frequency.
US08299900B2

In one embodiment, a method for estimating the number of tags in a set of tags in a system of tags and readers. The method includes, during each of a plurality of time intervals: (i) transmitting a command requesting that each tag that receives the command determine whether to transmit a reply; and (ii) receiving, in one or more timeslots of a frame corresponding to the time interval, replies from one or more tags. The method further includes providing an estimate of the number of tags in the set of one or more tags based on (i) timeslots in each of the plurality of time intervals that are zero timeslots, i.e., timeslots having no received reply, and (ii) the total number of timeslots in each frame.
US08299886B2

Provided are a transformer, capable of simplifying a manufacturing process and enhancing heat dissipation characteristics and insulating characteristics by adopting a dual-bobbin structure and configuring a secondary winding as a metallic plate extending to the outside, and an electronic device including the same. Heat dissipation from a primary winding is facilitated by forming a primary winding at the outer side. Furthermore, a secondary metallic plate, although formed inside, includes extension portions to thereby facilitate heat dissipation from the secondary metallic plate. Also, by adopting a dual bobbin structure for outer and inner bobbins, a sufficient distance for insulation between the primary winding and the secondary metallic plate is ensured to thereby enhance an insulating function. Further, a manufacturing process can be simplified by forming a secondary winding as a metallic plate manufactured in advance.
US08299881B2

There is provided a transformer improved in leakage inductance including: a core having first, second and third legs electromagnetically coupled to one another; a primary winding formed of a conductor having one end and another end receiving power from the outside and dividedly wound around the first, second and third legs; and a secondary winding wound around at least one of the first, second and third legs and receiving induced power by electromagnetic induction with the primary winding.
US08299874B2

A material including a conductor may be rolled to form a resonant element.
US08299871B2

In a directional coupler having flaps on a pair transmission lines to be coupled, structural characteristics such as the distance between adjacent flaps, the length and width of a flap, the direction of projection of the flaps, and whether and to what degree the flaps on the two transmission lines overlap can be selected in order to optimize electrical characteristics of the coupler.
US08299850B1

A programmable device includes an operational amplifier and circuitry. The operational amplifier is configured to generate an output voltage based on input voltages at input terminals thereof. The circuitry is configured to provide the input voltages to the operational amplifier. The configuration of the circuitry allows the programmable device to implement discrete-time or continuous-time functions. The circuitry includes a resistor network and a capacitor network configured to be selectively coupled to the operational amplifier.
US08299836B2

In a level shift circuit, when a power-source voltage variation dV/dt of a high voltage side occurs and influences on a logic level of a circuit, the passing through of a malfunction signal is masked and prevented in the first and second logic circuits, by a signal from a time-constant generation circuit or a portion where a power voltage variation occurs in advance, by utilizing the fact that this variation occurs both at a set side and a reset side. When the power source voltage variation dV/dt is generated at a high voltage side, sufficient allowance in the timing of this masking prevents an erroneous signal from being transmitted to a flip-flop, and a control signal is transmitted from a low voltage side circuit not giving malfunction to a high voltage side circuit, even when there is a production variation in each element in semiconductor processes.
US08299835B2

A switch circuit is provided that includes at least one main switching device and at least one shunt switching device. Each main switching device is connected in series with a conductor that carries an RF signal between an input circuit and an output circuit. Each shunt switching device is connected between a controlling terminal of the main switching device and a high frequency ground. The switch circuit can provide substantially improved OFF state isolation over other approaches.
US08299830B2

A semiconductor device having a nonvolatile variable resistor, includes: a resistance value conversion circuit unit configured to convert a resistance value of the nonvolatile variable resistor into a potential or a current and which outputs the converted potential or current; a comparison circuit unit configured to compare the output from the resistance value conversion circuit unit and a potential or current at a node of a portion within the semiconductor device; and a resistance value changing circuit unit configured to change the resistance value of the nonvolatile variable resistor based on the comparison results from the comparison circuit unit.
US08299827B2

A frequency divider includes a least significant (LS) stage, multiple cascaded divider stages, and an output stage. The LS stage receives an input signal, a program bit and a first mode signal, and generates a first frequency-divided signal and an output mode signal. Each of the plurality of divider stages divides the frequency of an output of an immediately previous stage by a value specified by a corresponding program bit and a corresponding mode signal. A first divider stage in the plurality of divider stages is coupled to receive the first frequency-divided signal and to generate the first mode signal. The output stage receives the output mode signal and a control signal, and generates an output signal by dividing a frequency of the output mode signal by two if the control signal is at one logic level. The output stage forwards the output mode signal without division otherwise.
US08299825B2

An aging detection circuit is disclosed. An aging detection circuit may include at least an inverter and a half-latch. During a power-up sequence, if an input voltage of the first inverter changes sufficiently to cause the output of the inverter to change states, the output of the half-latch may be set to a state indicating aging of the circuit. This indication may be used in determining whether or not a supply voltage should be changed to compensate for the aging. A first transistor of the inverter may be arranged such that it remains active subsequent to power-up of the circuit. When active, the first transistor may be subject to degradation mechanisms associated with aging and which change its threshold voltage. The threshold voltage may change such that on a successive power-ups of the circuit, the first transistor is at least momentarily deactivated, leading to the setting of the state indicating aging by the half-latch circuit.
US08299824B2

A system including a sensing system, a first chopped circuit, a second chopped circuit, and a clock generator. The sensing system is configured to provide sensed input signals. The first chopped circuit is configured to provide a switched output signal that switches in response to values of the sensed input signals crossing a limit. The second chopped circuit is configured to provide a high resolution output signal that corresponds to the sensed input signals and has a higher resolution than the switched output signal. The clock generator is configured to provide clock signals that synchronize chopping of the first chopped circuit and the second chopped circuit.
US08299815B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a plurality of the functional blocks; a plurality of configuration data memories in which a plurality of configuration data are stored; and a plurality of programmable switches configured to control connection between said plurality of functional blocks based on one of the plurality of configuration data which is stored in a common one of said plurality of configuration data memories.
US08299814B2

A power distribution unit (PDU) testing apparatus includes a main power plug, a number of branch power plugs, a main switch, a number of branch switches, and a number of loads. The main switch and the branch switches are single-pole double-throw switches. A first terminal of the main power plug is connected to the first throw of the main switch. The second throw of the main switch is idle. The pole of the main switch is connected to the second throws of the branch switches. The first throws of the branch switches are respectively connected to first terminals of the branch power plugs. Second terminals of the branch power plugs are connected a second terminal of the main power plug. The poles of the branch switches are respectively connected to first terminals of the loads. Second terminals of the loads are connected to the second terminal of the main power plug.
US08299813B2

A system includes a switching power supply, an electric load connected to the switching power supply, a voltage regulation circuit, and a detect device. The voltage regulation circuit is connected to the electric load and configured to output a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signal to regulate a voltage supplied to the electric load. The detect device is connected to the switching power supply for detecting whether the switching power supply is powered off when a current flowing to the electric load exceeds a preset tolerance value.
US08299812B2

An embodiment of a probe card comprising: a probe base plate including a ceramic base plate and a plurality of conductive paths; and a plurality of contacts disposed on one face of the probe base plate and electrically connected to the conductive paths. The ceramic base plate may be provided with: a plurality of first layers having a heating element which generates heat by electric power and disposed at intervals in the thickness direction of the ceramic base plate; second layers each interposed between adjoining first layers; and a power supply path for supplying electric power for heating to the heating element.
US08299811B2

A terminal board is part of a terminal board assembly for terminating and testing of railroad wires. The board includes a first terminal block with a front post and a back post installed on a plane, along with a plurality of terminal blocks with front posts. A control test link, with an insulating material lining one of three holes, is installed on the front posts of terminal blocks. A test nut, connectable to the front post of the first terminal block, has a face with a depression formed therein to contact the test link when installed on the front post of the first terminal block over the insulating material. First wiring is attached on the plane's front, and second wiring is terminated on the plane's back. A surge protection component and the control test link are pre-installed on the front of the plane, providing for easy removal.
US08299808B2

Apparatuses and systems for emulating electrical characteristics of a material having a known dielectric response are disclosed for standardizing and calibrating of electromagnetic devices. The emulator apparatus can include an electrically non-conductive layer having a dielectric constant less than the material dielectric constant and an electrically conductive layer adjacent the non-conductive layer. Artificial dielectrics for emulating the dielectric response of a material are also disclosed including a substrate matrix having a dielectric constant less than the material dielectric constant and an additive combined with the substrate, the additive having a dielectric constant higher than the material dielectric constant.
US08299792B2

A device for monitoring a living object during a magnetic resonance (MRI) experiment in an MRI tomograph, wherein the device comprises one or more individual electrodes which are connected in an electrically conducting fashion to the living object to be examined, and are connected to a monitoring device via signal lines, wherein each signal line comprises individual parts that are electrically connected to each other via impedances. The eigenfrequencies of these parts are higher than the NMR measuring frequency, preferably more than twice as high, and the parts are electrically connected to each other via frequency-dependent impedances Zn. The electro-magnetic coupling from the RF antenna and the gradient coils to the signal lines can thereby also be minimized in a simple fashion.
US08299788B2

Magnetic resonance images (MRI) are generated by acquiring a plurality of N>2 image data sets for an imaged patient volume using respectively corresponding different data acquisition imaging parameters. At least one hybrid image data set X is generated for the imaged patient volume based on a combination of at least a subset of the plurality of image data sets. If desired, a further subtraction image (e.g., MRA) data set is generated based on a difference between the at least one hybrid image data set and another image data set, and the subtraction image data set, which may, depending upon implementation, optimize flowing fluids such as blood within arteries or veins, CSF, etc within the imaged patent volume, is output for storage or display as an MR image of the imaged patient volume.
US08299780B2

The present invention discloses a hand and press-button dual-way manual pulse generator with built-in indicator lamps, which comprises a rotation pulse input unit and a CPU. The CPU is connected with a forward rotation indicator lamp and an inverse rotation indicator lamp. The rotation signal input unit and/or the press-button signal input unit transmit the output signal to the CPU. The rotation pulse input unit transmits the output signal to the CPU where the output signal is processed and the control signal is then output through the difference chip. Meanwhile, the CPU collects control signals through the feedback circuit to realize self-check when the machine is turned on. The pulse generator has a non-contact structure extending significantly its service life than the prior art, which makes it durable. In addition, by installing a controller, built-in indicator lamps, and press-button control on the manual pulse generator, it offsets the technical defects of the current manual pulse generator, reduces the fault incidence, and greatly enhances work efficiency. Besides, the manual pulse generator has a simple structure that it is easy to manufacture and to widely spread in the field of the machine tool control.
US08299779B2

A device for measuring the intensity of an electric current which has a simple and economical design and offers a high measurement dynamic compatible with combined measurement, protection and energy metering applications. The device (1) is insensitive to parasitic fields and to the position of the electric conductor to be measured, and that can be opened to facilitate placement thereof. The device (1) defines a closed path (C), about a conductor (2) for the circulation of the lines of magnetic field induced by the current to be measured, and the path is formed by two plates (30) having a high magnetic permeability separated by two air gaps (E) closed by two identical and opposed electric coils (4) for supplying a voltage proportional to the derivative of the intensity (I) of the current to be measured. The device (1) reduces the is compact so that it can be easily integrated into any type of electric appliance.
US08299766B2

A high-side transistor and a low-side transistor each has gate electrodes configured so as to allow signals to be input and output via a driving contact and a detection contact provided at different positions. When a control signal is at a first level and a signal output from the detection contact on the low-side transistor side is at a low level, the high-side driver applies a low-level signal to the driving contact on the high-side transistor side. When the control signal is at a second level and a signal output from the detection contact on the high-side transistor side is at a high level, the low-side driver applies a high-level signal to the driving contact on the low-side transistor side.
US08299750B2

An electronic device includes a charging station and a main unit. The charging station has a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode form an angle therebetween, and the main unit has a third electrode and a fourth electrode. When the main unit is connected to the charging station, the main unit firstly contacts the second electrode with the fourth electrode, and then contacts the first electrode with the third electrode, so as to be recharged by the charging station.
US08299744B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a drive signal for a motor-driven mechanical system whose frequency distribution has zero (or near zero) energy at the expected resonant frequency of the mechanical system. The drive signal may be provided as a pair of steps sufficient to activate movement of the mechanical system and then park the mechanical system at a destination position. The steps are spaced in time so as to have substantially zero energy at an expected resonant frequency fR of the mechanical system. The drive signal may be filtered to broaden a zero-energy notch at the expected resonant frequency fR.
US08299741B2

Motion control using electromagnetic forces. The control of motion in unpowered apparatus and an apparatus driven by electric motors and/or other prime movers utilizes electromagnetic force/torque for control of motion. One objective is to extend the domain of electric motor speed control, traditionally characterized by electronic techniques, to small apparatus such as bubble vibration toys, paper dispensers, toothbrushes and other appliances.
US08299734B2

The present invention advantageously provides a motorized roller shade that includes a shade tube, a motor/controller unit and a power supply unit. The motor/controller unit is disposed within the shade tube, and includes a bearing, rotatably coupled to a support shaft, and a DC gear motor. The output shaft of the DC gear motor is coupled to the support shaft such that the output shaft and the support shaft do not rotate when the support shaft is attached to the mounting bracket.
US08299720B2

An operating resonant load circuit, a dimming circuit and a dimming method are disclosed. The operating resonant load circuit includes: an input unit including a plurality of input terminals, for receiving an AC voltage; a rectifier, for transforming the AC voltage received by the input unit into a DC bus voltage; and a controller, for dividing the DC bus voltage based on an conducting status of the input terminals to output a corresponding DC reference voltage. The dimming circuit and dimming method use the operating resonant load circuit to perform dimming.
US08299718B2

A constant temperature LED driver circuit for controlling the rate of lumen depreciation and therefore useful lifetime of an LED array by keeping the LEDs at a fixed temperature. A temperature sensing means, which measures the temperature of the LEDs, is coupled to a variable power source that drives the LED array. The current provided to the LED array is adjusted in response to the temperature sensing means to ensure that the LEDs remain at a constant temperature regardless of changes in ambient temperature.
US08299717B2

An outdoor LED (light emitting diode) system includes an LED device, a storage battery storing an electric energy therein and connected to the LED device to provide an electric power to the LED device, a solar energy generator connected to the storage battery to provide an electric power to the storage battery, and a wind power generator connected to the storage battery to provide an electric power to the storage battery. Thus, the electric power of the LED device is supplied by two types of natural energy, including the solar energy and the wind energy, to prevent from incurring an environmental pollution so as to satisfy the requirements of environment protection.
US08299711B2

A protection circuit is provided for a T8 LED lighting tube, including at least two power transmission connectors and at least two rectification circuits. The power transmission connectors are respectively mounted to opposite ends of the T8 LED tube and each has at least two contacts that are respectively engageable with tube retention connectors formed on opposite ends of a T8 fluorescent light fixture to receive an external AC power. Each rectification circuit is composed of at least one rectifier semiconductor and the two rectification circuits are respectively connected to the contacts of the two power transmission connectors. The rectification semiconductors of the two rectification circuits are connected to achieve a reverse flow prevention function, so that the rectification circuits can supply a DC power to a light source load contained inside the T8 LED tube without allowing an electrical current reversely flowing to a starter of the T8 fluorescent light fixture no matter what sequence and direction that contacts take for connection with the tube retention connectors of the T8 fluorescent light fixture, so as to isolate and disable the starter for protecting the light source load of the T8 LED tube.
US08299709B2

A lamp is provided with an axially and radially graded structure to reduce the possibility of thermal stresses, cracks, and other defects in the lamp. In one embodiment, a system includes a ceramic lamp having a ceramic arc envelope and an end structure coupled to the ceramic arc envelope, wherein the end structure is graded both axially and radially into a plurality of regions. In another embodiment, a system includes a lamp having a layered end structure with a plurality of layers disposed one over another and that extend in both axial and radial directions relative to an axis of the lamp, wherein the plurality of layers include different materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, Poisson's ratios, or elastic moduli, or a combination thereof.
US08299706B2

A process for producing increased service life of organic, electro-optical elements is provided. The process includes the steps of: providing a substrate, applying a first conductive layer, applying at least one layer that includes at least one organic, electro-optical material, applying a second conductive layer, and depositing at least one layer with a vitreous structure.
US08299705B2

Disclosed is a manufacturing method of an organic light emitting display device, which allows a frit to be sufficiently fused by illuminating a laser beam such that a width of the laser beam may be above a width of the frit by adjusting power of the laser beam. The manufacturing method of an organic light emitting display device comprises the steps of: a) forming an organic light emitting element comprising a first electrode, an organic thin film and a second electrode on a pixel region of a first substrate divided into the pixel region and a non-pixel region; b) forming a flit along a surrounding of a second substrate corresponding to the non-pixel region; c) arranging the second substrate on an upper side of the first substrate to be superposed to a part of the pixel region and the non-pixel region; and d) attaching the first substrate and the second substrate by illuminating laser beam with a width above a width of the frit from a back surface of the second substrate.
US08299703B2

A blue light emitting compound is provided. The blue light emitting compound has a structure of the following Chemical Formula 1: wherein A1, A2, and A3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group, a hetero ring group, and an aliphatic group.
US08299702B2

A luminescence display panel, which can be manufactured without any damage to an organic layer thereof, and a method for fabricating the same are disclosed. According to one of the embodiments in the present invention, the luminescence display panel includes a first electrode formed on a lower substrate, an organic layer formed on the first electrode, the organic layer including a luminescence layer, a second electrode formed on the organic layer, the second electrode having a thin film structure, and an auxiliary electrode formed on an upper substrate and facing the lower substrate, the auxiliary electrode being connected to the second electrode. The second electrode is thinner than at least one of the first electrode and the auxiliary electrode.
US08299693B2

A lamp device comprises a lamp seat, having a body; a heat installed at an upper end of the body for electrically connecting to an external power source; an electric joint extending from the head; and a connecting shaft extending downwards; and a heat dissipation assembly including: a heat dissipating mask having an axial hole; the connecting shaft passing through the axial hole so that the heat dissipating mask is connected to the body; and the heat dissipating mask is rotatable; a conductive unit installed at an upper side of the heat dissipating mask; the conductive unit being electrically connected to the electric joint even the heat dissipating mask rotates with respect to the body; and a lamp set driven electrically and installed at a lower side of the heat dissipating mask; and the lamp set being retained to the conductive unit through the heat dissipating mask.
US08299691B2

An LED light source (101) is provided which comprises an LED module (103) containing an LED (113); a heat sink (107) disposed about the periphery of the LED module; and a tabular synthetic jet ejector (105) disposed on said LED module and being adapted to direct a plurality of synthetic jets across surfaces of said heat sink.
US08299687B2

A transducer system includes a multi-layer flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a first layer, a second layer and a third layer. The circuit engages a piezoelectric material/electrode subassembly. Vias are used to operatively connect ground electrodes of individual transducer elements to grounds in the third layer of the circuit. The vias extend through the first and second layers to the third layer of the circuit. When the flexible circuit is diced during the assembly of the transducer system, no cuts are made in the third layer of the circuit. As a result, a common ground connection is maintained by way of the grounds in the third layer of the circuit. Thus, no subsequent operation of reconnecting the common ground electrode is required.
US08299645B2

A trailer includes a frame defining a body of the trailer. The trailer also includes a power system stored in the body of the trailer. At least a portion of the power system is integral to the body of the trailer. The power system includes at least one power generating device stored in the body and removable from the body.
US08299637B2

A power plant configured for converting thermal energy to electricity includes a source of thermal energy provided by a temperature difference between a primary fluid having a first temperature and a secondary fluid having a second temperature that is different from the first temperature. The plant also includes a collector configured for enhancing the temperature difference between the primary and secondary fluids, and a heat engine configured for converting at least some thermal energy to mechanical energy. The heat engine includes a pseudoplastically pre-strained shape-memory alloy disposed in heat exchange relationship with each of the primary and secondary fluids. Further, the plant includes a generator driven by the heat engine and configured for converting mechanical energy to electricity. A method of utilizing a naturally-occurring temperature difference between air and/or water to change a crystallographic phase of the shape-memory alloy to convert the temperature difference into mechanical energy is disclosed.
US08299635B2

A portable generator unit has a frame, a generator fixed on the frame, a combustion engine fixed on the frame and coupled to the generator to drive it, a fuel tank, and means securing the tank to the frame for pivoting between a use position with the tank overlying and closely juxtaposed with the engine and generator and a maintenance position pivoted up and spaced from and giving access to the engine and generator.
US08299634B2

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for harvesting energy from motion of one or more joints. Energy harvesters comprise: an energy converter for converting mechanical energy into corresponding electrical energy; one or more sensors for sensing one or more corresponding characteristics associated with motion of the one or more joints; and a controller connected to receive the one or more sensed characteristics and configured to assess, based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics, whether motion of the one or more joints is associated with mutualistic conditions or non-mutualistic conditions. If conditions are determined to be mutualistic, energy harvesting is engaged. If conditions are determined to be non-mutualistic, energy harvesting is disengaged.
US08299630B2

A microstructure has at least one bonding substrate and a reactive multilayer system. The reactive multilayer system has at least one surface layer of the bonding substrate with vertically oriented nanostructures spaced apart from one another. Regions between the nanostructures are filled with at least one material constituting a reaction partner with respect to the material of the nanostructures. A method for producing at least one bonding substrate and a reactive multilayer system, includes, for forming the reactive multilayer system, at least one surface layer of the bonding substrate is patterned or deposited in patterned fashion with the formation of vertically oriented nanostructures spaced apart from one another, and regions between the nanostructures are filled with at least one material constituting a reaction partner with respect to the material of the nanostructures. A microsystem is formed from two bonding substrates and a construction lying between the bonding substrates, the construction having a reacted reactive layer system. The microsystem is a sensor coated with biomaterial and/or has elements composed of polymeric material and/or at least one magnetic and/or piezoelectric and/or piezoresistive component.
US08299624B2

A semiconductor device has a through electrode formed in a through hole which penetrates a Si substrate from one surface to the other surface of the Si substrate, wherein a rectangular electrode pad is provided on the other surface with an insulation film laid between the electrode pad and the other surface, an opening of the through hole on the one surface side is circular, an opening of the through hole on the other surface side is rectangular, and the area of the opening on the other surface side is made smaller than the area of the opening on the one surface side.
US08299618B2

Some of the embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated circuit device including a first metal interconnect, an end of which is coupled to a core of the integrated circuit device, a second metal interconnect, an end of which is coupled to a first input/output (I/O) pin, and a third metal interconnect configured to be coupled to the first metal interconnect and to the second metal interconnect. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08299613B2

The invention relates to a method for connecting two joining surfaces, particularly in the field of semiconductors, wherein at least one joining surface is produced by depositing a layer comprising 20 to 40% gold and 80 to 60% silver onto a substrate and selectively removing the silver from the deposited layer in order to produce a nanoporous gold layer as a joining surface. The joining surface with the nanoporous gold layer and an additional joining surface are disposed one above the other and pressed together.
US08299611B2

A solder ball structure and a method for forming the same. The structure includes (i) a first dielectric layer which includes a top dielectric surface, (ii) an electrically conductive line, (iii) a second dielectric layer, (iv) a ball-limiting-metallurgy (BLM) region, and (v) a solder ball. The BLM region is electrically connected to the electrically conductive line and the solder ball. The BLM region has a characteristic that a length of the longest straight line segment which is parallel to the top dielectric surface of the first dielectric layer and is entirely in the BLM region does not exceed a pre-specified maximum value. The pre-specified maximum value is at most one-half of a maximum horizontal dimension of the BLM region measured in a horizontal direction parallel to the top dielectric surface of the first dielectric layer.
US08299610B1

A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing has a substrate having a plurality of metal layers. At least one metal layer is exposed on at least one side surface of the semiconductor device. A die is coupled to the substrate. A mold compound encapsulates the die and a top surface of the substrate. A conductive coating is applied to the mold compound and to at least one metal layer exposed on at least one side surface of the substrate.
US08299600B2

A semiconductor device is provided with improved reliability. A semiconductor chip is mounted over a chip mounting portion of a lead frame via solder. A metal plate is arranged over a source pad of the semiconductor chip and a lead portion of a lead frame via solder. A solder reflow process is performed thereby to bond the semiconductor chip over the chip mounting portion with a solder, and to bond the metal plate to the source pad and the lead portion with the other solders. The lead frame is formed of a copper alloy, and thus has its softening temperature higher than the temperature of the solder reflow process. The metal plate is formed of oxygen-free copper, and has its softening temperature lower than the temperature of the solder reflow process, whereby the metal plate is softened in the solder reflow process. Thereafter, a gate pad electrode of the semiconductor chip is coupled to a lead portion via the wire, a sealing resin portion is formed, and then the lead frame is cut.
US08299593B2

A stack package of the present invention is made by stacking at least two area array type chip scale packages. Each chip scale package of an adjacent pair of chip scale packages is attached to the other in a manner that the ball land pads of the upper stacked chip scale package face in the opposite direction to those of the lower stacked chip scale package, and the circuit patterns of the upper stacked chip scale package are electrically connected to the those of the lower stacked chip scale package by, for example, connecting boards. Therefore, it is possible to stack not only fan-out type chip scale packages, but to also efficiently stack ordinary area array type chip scale packages.
US08299591B2

A semiconductor package includes a substrate having a substrate body possessing a first region, a second region which is defined around the first region and a third region which is defined around the second region. Wiring lines are placed on the substrate body, and the wiring lines have first ends that extend to the third region. Connection patterns are placed in the third region and are electrically connected to the first ends of the wiring lines. A semiconductor chip is disposed in the first region and is electrically connected to the respective wiring lines, and a molding member is disposed in the first and second regions and covers the semiconductor chip.
US08299590B2

Semiconductor assemblies having reduced thermal spreading resistance and methods of making the same are described. In an example, a semiconductor device includes a primary integrated circuit (IC) die and at least one secondary IC die mounted on the primary IC die. A heat extraction element includes a base mounted to the semiconductor device such that each of the at least one secondary IC die is between the primary IC die and the heat extraction element. At least one dummy fill is adjacent the at least one secondary IC die, and each thermally couples the primary IC die to the heat extraction element.
US08299579B2

An integrated power transistor includes emitter or source regions, and a comb-like patterned metal electrode structure interconnecting the emitter or source regions and defining at least one connection pad. The comb-like patterned metal electrode structure includes a plurality of fingers. A current sensing resistor produces a voltage drop representative of a current delivered to a load by the integrated power transistor. The current sensing resistor includes a portion of a current carrying metal track having a known resistance value and extending between one of the fingers and a connectable point along the current carrying metal track.
US08299564B1

Formation of transistors, such as, e.g., PMOS transistors, with diffusion regions having different depths for equalization of performance among transistors of an integrated circuit is described. Shallow-trench isolation structures are formed in a substrate formed at least in part of silicon for providing the transistors with at least substantially equivalent channel widths and lengths. A series of masks and etches is performed to form first recesses and second recesses defined in the silicon having different depths and respectively associated with first and second transistors. The second recesses are deeper than the first recesses. A silicon germanium film is formed in the first recesses and the second recesses. The silicon germanium film in the second recesses is thicker than the silicon germanium film in the first recesses, in order to increase performance of the second transistor so it is closer to the performance of the first transistor.
US08299557B2

A photoelectric conversion device is provided which is capable of improving the light condensation efficiency without substantially decreasing the sensitivity. The photoelectric conversion device has a first pattern provided above an element isolation region formed between adjacent two photoelectric conversion elements, a second pattern provided above the element isolation region and above the first pattern, and microlenses provided above the photoelectric conversion elements with the first and the second patterns provided therebetween. The photoelectric conversion device further has convex-shaped interlayer lenses in optical paths between the photoelectric conversion elements and the microlenses, the peak of each convex shape projecting in the direction from the electro-optical element to the microlens.
US08299548B2

According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method can include simultaneously forming a first field insulating film and at least one second field insulating film on a front face side of a semiconductor layer. The at least one second field insulating film is separated from the first field insulating film and thinner than the first field insulating film. The method can include forming a drift region of a first conductivity type in a region of the semiconductor layer including the first field insulating film and the second field insulating film. The method can include forming a drain region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the first field insulating film. In addition, the method can include forming a source region of the first conductivity type in the front face of the semiconductor layer on a side of the second field insulating film.
US08299546B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided, in which extension regions are formed atop the substrate in a vertical orientation. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate doped with a first conductivity dopant. Raised extension regions are formed on first portions of the semiconductor substrate that are separated by a second portion of the semiconductor substrate. The raised extension regions have a first concentration of a second conductivity dopant. Raised source regions and raised drain regions are formed on the raised extension regions. The raised source regions and the raised drain regions each have a second concentration of the second conductivity dopant, wherein the second concentration is greater than the first concentration. A gate structure is formed on the second portion of the semiconductor substrate.
US08299543B2

A semiconductor device, includes a substrate, an element isolating film formed in the substrate, a first element formation region isolated by the element isolating film, a second element formation region positioned adjacent to the first element formation region and isolated by the element isolating film, a first well of a second conductive type formed in a whole area of the first element formation region, a first transistor of a first conductive type formed on the first element formation region, a second transistor of the first conductive type which is formed on the first element formation region and whose threshold voltage is the same as a threshold voltage of the first transistor, a second well of the second conductive type formed in a whole area of the second element formation region, and a third transistor of the first conductive type formed on the second element formation region.
US08299537B2

A semiconductor-on-insulator substrate and a related semiconductor structure, as well as a method for fabricating the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate and the related semiconductor structure, provide for a multiple order radio frequency harmonic suppressing region located and formed within a base semiconductor substrate at a location beneath an interface of a buried dielectric layer with the base semiconductor substrate within the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The multiple order radio frequency harmonic suppressing region may comprise an ion implanted atom, such as but not limited to a noble gas atom, to provide a suppressed multiple order radio frequency harmonic when powering a radio frequency device, such as but not limited to a radio frequency complementary metal oxide semiconductor device (or alternatively a passive device), located and formed within and upon a surface semiconductor layer within the semiconductor structure.
US08299534B2

A MUGFET and method of manufacturing a MUGFET is shown. The method of manufacturing the MUGFET includes forming temporary spacer gates about a plurality of active regions and depositing a dielectric material over the temporary spacer gates, including between the plurality of active regions. The method further includes etching portions of the dielectric material to expose the temporary spacer gates and removing the temporary spacer gates, leaving a space between the active regions and a remaining portion of the dielectric material. The method additionally includes filling the space between the active regions and above the remaining portion of the dielectric material with a gate material.
US08299527B2

A vertically arranged laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) device comprises a trench extending into a semiconductor body toward a semiconductor substrate. The trench includes sidewalls, a bottom portion connecting the sidewalls, a dielectric material lining the trench and a diffusion agent layer lining the dielectric material. A lightly doped drain region adjoins the trench and extends laterally around the sidewalls from the diffusion agent layer into the semiconductor body. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a vertically arranged LDMOS device comprises forming a trench extending into a semiconductor body toward a semiconductor substrate, the trench including sidewalls, a bottom portion connecting the sidewalls, a dielectric material lining the trench and a diffusion agent layer lining the dielectric material. The method further comprises diffusing impurities from the diffusion agent layer through the dielectric material to form a lightly doped drain region extending laterally around the sidewalls into the semiconductor body.
US08299524B2

A semiconductor device including a drain region of a first conductivity type formed on a semiconductor substrate; an element forming region that is provided on the drain region and that has a concave portion reaching the drain region; a gate electrode disposed in the concave portion; a superjunction structure portion that is disposed in the element forming region and that is formed by alternately arranging a drift layer of the first conductivity type penetrated by the concave portion and a resurf layer of a second conductivity type being in contact with the drift layer on the semiconductor substrate; and a base region of the second conductivity type that is disposed on the superjunction structure portion so as to be in contact with the drift layer in the element forming region, that is penetrated by the concave portion, and that faces the gate electrode with the gate insulating film therebetween.
US08299522B2

A super-junction semiconductor substrate is configured in such a manner that an n-type semiconductor layer of a parallel pn structure is opposed to a boundary region between an active area and a peripheral breakdown-resistant structure area. A high-concentration region is formed at the center between p-type semiconductor layers that are located on both sides of the above n-type semiconductor layer. A region where a source electrode is in contact with a channel layer is formed over the n-type semiconductor layer. A portion where the high-concentration region is in contact with the channel layer functions as a diode. The breakdown voltage of the diode is set lower than that of the device.
US08299516B2

A vertical thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the same and a display device including the vertical thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The vertical thin film transistor is applied to a substrate. In the present invention, a gate layer of the vertical thin film transistor is formed to have a plurality of concentric annular structures and the adjacent concentric annular structures are linked. By the concentric annular structures of the gate electrode layer, resistance to stress and an on-state current of the vertical thin film transistor can be increased.
US08299493B2

Provided are a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer. The first conductive type semiconductor layer includes an insulation layer including protrusions having a predetermined interval and a void between the protrusions of the insulation layer. The active layer is disposed on the first conductive type semiconductor layer. The second conductive type semiconductor layer is disposed on the active layer.
US08299491B2

In one aspect, a light emitting unit comprises: a first semiconductor layer having a first electric property; a second semiconductor layer having a second electric property disposed over the first semiconductor layer; an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer; a first electrode disposed on the second semiconductor layer; a second electrode disposed under the first semiconductor layer; and a phosphor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer. The phosphor layer covers the active layer and the second semiconductor layer. The first electrode is exposed out of the phosphor layer.
US08299487B2

A white light emitting device includes a semiconductor light emitting element that has a peak of an emission spectrum in a range of 370 nm to 480 nm, and at least one kind of phosphor that is excited by light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element to emit visible light. The phosphor is represented by the formula: Sr1-x-yBaxSi2O2N2:Eu2+y, wherein x is in the range of 0.3
US08299484B2

An optoelectronic semiconductor chip including a radiation passage area, where a contact metallization is applied to the radiation passage area, and a first reflective layer sequence is applied to that surface of the contact metallization which is remote from the radiation passage area, and an optoelectronic component that includes such a chip.
US08299469B2

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a thin film transistor array panel includes a gate line and a data line insulated from each other on an insulating substrate where the gate line and the data line cross each other to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor (TFT) disposed at an intersection of the gate line and the data line, a floating electrode where at least a portion of the floating electrode overlaps the data line, and a pixel electrode disposed at the pixel region where the pixel electrode is connected to the TFT and overlaps the at least a portion of the floating electrode.
US08299468B2

A three mask process for forming an LCD substrate includes, depositing in sequence on a base substrate a gate metallic layer, a gate insulation layer and a channel layer. A first photoresist pattern is used to form a gate electrode of a switching device, a channel pattern and a gate line on the gate electrode. A transparent conductive layer and a source metallic layer are deposited in sequence on the base substrate having the channel pattern. A source electrode and a drain electrode of the switching device, a pixel electrode and a source line electronically connected to the drain electrode, are formed by a second photoresist pattern. A first protective insulation layer is formed, and the first protective insulation layer on the pixel electrode is removed by a third photoresist pattern. Therefore, by the three masks process yields a simplified manufacturing process in which the lower portion of the source metallic pattern is not formed and display quality is improved.
US08299466B2

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a TFT and a method for its fabrication. The TFT disclosed herein is a silicon based TFT in which the active channel comprises amorphous silicon. Over the amorphous silicon, multiple layers of doped silicon are deposited in which the resistivity of the doped silicon layers is higher at the interface with the amorphous silicon layer as compared to the interface with the source and drain electrodes. Alternatively, a single doped silicon layer is deposited over the amorphous silicon in which the properties of the single doped layer change throughout the thickness. It is better to have a lower resistivity at the interface with the source and drain electrodes, but lower resistivity usually means less substrate throughput. By utilizing multiple or graded layers, low resistivity can be achieved. The embodiments disclosed herein include low resistivity without sacrificing substrate throughput.
US08299445B2

Disclosed is a lighting device for use in the control of a plant disease, which has a light source capable of emitting light containing ultraviolet ray. The light source can emit both of UV-B having a wavelength component with a wavelength of about 280 to 340 um and UV-C in which a wavelength component with a wavelength of about 255 nm or less is cut off from wavelength components with wavelengths of about 100 to 280 nm to plant in a superimposed manner. The irradiation of a plant with the UV-C and the UV-B ensures to further inhibit the spore formation or the hypha growth of a filamentous fungus that causes a disease or the like, and to induce a resistance against a disease in the plant.
US08299440B2

A radiation sensitive detector array (112) includes a photo sensor (204) that detects a photon and generates a signal indicative thereof. The radiation sensitive detector array (112) also includes a signal analyzer (214) that energy bins and counts the signal when the signal analyzer (214) is able to identify the signal in the output of the photo sensor (204), and that integrates the output of the photo sensor (204) over an integration period when the signal analyzer (214) is not able to identify the signal in the output of the photo sensor (204).
US08299439B2

A method of operating a radiation-detecting device includes charging a first charge storage region of a charge storage structure to place a first charge value at the first charge storage region, and charging a second charge storage region of the charge storage structure to place a second charge value at the second charge storage region. The method further includes conducting a first read operation to determine a change in the first charge value at the first charge storage region at a first time after charging the first charge storage region, and determining a first radiation flux value for an environment containing the charge storage structure based on the change in the first charge value at the first time.
US08299434B2

A light detecting device includes a case, a light introducing member and a light receiving element. A predetermined light is incident into an inlet face of the introducing member, and an outlet face of the introducing member emits the light incident into the inlet face. A first distance is defined between a top point of the outlet face and a focus of the introducing member, and a second distance is defined between the top point of the outlet face and a light receiving face of the receiving element. The outlet face has a convex lens shape in a manner that the first distance is smaller than the second distance.
US08299433B2

An apparatus is provided that includes a field reflector and a plurality of pairs of object reflectors. The apparatus also includes a plurality of source and detector port pairs, where each source port is configured to pass a beam of radiation, and each detector port is configured to receive a beam of radiation. The source and detector ports of each pair are positioned proximate an outer edge of the field reflector such that an optical axis of the field reflector lies between the respective source port and detector port. The object reflectors and source and detector port pairs are arranged such that each source and detector port pair is associated with a respective pair of object reflectors forming a distinct channel, where the source and detector port pair, and centers of the associated pair of object reflectors, of each channel lie in a distinct plane.
US08299431B2

A method for examining a sample with a scanning charged particle beam imaging apparatus. First, an image area and a scan area are specified on a surface of the sample. Herein, the image area is entirely overlapped within the scan area. Next, the scan area is scanned by using a charged particle beam along a direction neither parallel nor perpendicular to an orientation of the scan area. It is possible that only a portion of the scan area overlapped with the image area is exposed to the charged particle beam. It also is possible that both the shape and the size of the image area are essentially similar with that of the scan area, such that the size of the area projected by the charged particle beam is almost equal to the size of the image area.
US08299415B2

An photodetector includes: a first light receiving element that receives light including ambient light; a second light receiving element that receives light including the ambient light; and a red color filter disposed on an optical path through which the ambient light is incident on the second light receiving element.
US08299413B2

An X-ray diagnostic imaging system for generating images in digital subtraction angiography is proposed. A mask image frame of a patient and a series of live image frames of the patient acquired in the same imaging position of the mask frame acquisition are accessed. One of the mask and the live image frames is contrast-enhanced. Possible shift vectors in a region of interest are assumed being a difference vector between the mask and a respective live image frame and a scoring is calculated. Possible shift vector with the highest scoring is chosen as an elected shift vector. A likelihood representing a quality value of the elected shift vector is calculated. The mask image frame is shifted with respect to the respective live image frame by a modified shift vector depending on the likelihood. The shifted mask image frame is subtracted from the respective live image frame and is displayed.
US08299412B2

An intelligent solar panel array is disclosed. The array comprises a master panel and a plurality of client panels connected by a predetermined scheme. All panels further comprise a plurality of solar energy collection modules, a supporting, pivoting and tilting mechanism, a controller and a short range communication unit. The communication units of panels form an ad hoc communication network. The master panel further comprises another communication unit for communicating with a server through an existing communication network such as the Internet. At a moment of operation, the optimized position of the master panel towards the sun is determined by measuring current-voltage curve at multiple positions. The optimized position is transmitted to all client panels through the ad hoc communication network. All panels therefore generate electrical power based upon the optimized positions towards the sun.
US08299402B2

The present invention relates to a disassemblable structure including: a double-coated pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or a double-coated pressure sensitive adhesive sheet including a substrate and pressure-sensitive adhesive layers formed on both surfaces of the substrate, at least one of the pressure-sensitive adhesive layers being a thermal foaming agent-containing pressure-sensitive adhesive layer; a heating element which foams the thermal foaming agent-containing pressure-sensitive adhesive layer by heating; and a pair of adherends joined to each other through the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet and the heating element.
US08299401B2

An apparatus and a method of using induction heating to solder an item of hardware to a glass substrate, wherein the glass substrate; preferably, is a vehicle window, the substrate and bonded item(s) of hardware forming a vehicle window assembly.
US08299398B2

A welding-type power source includes a primary inverter configured to generate a first AC power and a transformer having a primary side configured to receive the first AC power and a secondary side configured to deliver a second AC power. The welding-type power source further includes a converter configured to convert the second AC power to DC power and a half-bridge inverter configured to receive the DC power and having a first output and second output configured to deliver respective portions of an AC welding-type power to a welding output to generate a welding-type arc during a welding-type process. An inductance is connected at a first end to the first output and the second output of the half-bridge inverter and connected at a second end to the welding output. Additionally, a circuit is included that is configured to receive an energy stored in the inductance during delivery of one portion of the AC welding-type power and deliver the energy back to the inductance during delivery of another portion of the AC welding-type power.
US08299396B2

A method and device for ablation of thin layers on the rim region of the surface of a plane substrate coated with a thin film. The rim region runs along the edge or edges of the substrate, and the thin layers should be ablated in at least two, not necessarily unconnected areas of the rim region along edge pieces not parallel to one another. A laser beam is pointed toward an ablation area. The areas of the rim region to be ablated are guided through the area so that in a plane of the surface of the substrate, during the whole ablation process, there is basically a constant distance in the space that lies partly in the ablation area and has its starting point outside the substrate surface and its end point within the substrate surface.
US08299395B2

A laser marking machine includes a support portion, a laser marking device fixed on the support portion, a control chip and a fixing mechanism fixed on the support portion. The fixing mechanism includes a support board configured for supporting a workpiece, and four positioning blocks moved, and four motors being able to control the four positioning blocks to slide in the support board. The fixing mechanism further includes at least two position detectors. The two position detectors are able to position detector a distance data of the workpiece deviating from a center of the support board along X and Y axes, and transmit the distance data to the control chip. The control chip analyzes the distance data to control the four motors to respectively drive the four positioning blocks to slide in the support board until the workpiece is centered on the support board.
US08299383B2

A push switch includes a housing, a button slidably connected to the housing including a protrusion protruding therefrom, a first elastic member, and a securing member. The securing member includes a rotating block rotatably connected to the housing defining a recess and a second elastic member. The protrusion drives the rotating block to rotate when the button is pushed. After the external force has ceased, the button and the rotating block move back by the rebounding force of elastic members, respectively. The button stays in the predetermined position when the protrusion is retained in the recess. The protrusion disengages from the rotating block when the button is driven again. After the external force has ceased, the rotating block moves to an initial state by the rebounding force of the second elastic member. The button moves to its initial state by the rebounding force of the first elastic member.
US08299380B2

Disclosed are a position indicating apparatus for a circuit breaker and a circuit breaker having the same. The circuit breaker having a position indicating apparatus comprises a cradle having a bus bar terminal and a load terminal; a main body having a bus bar connection unit and a load connection unit respectively connected to the bus bar terminal and the load terminal, and configured to be movable to a run position that the terminals and the connection units are connected to each other, and to a test position that the terminals and the connection units are separated from each other; and a position indicating apparatus configured to outwardly display a position of the main body by interworking with motion of the main body, wherein the position indicating apparatus comprises: a movable pin interworking with motion of the main body; and a display unit configured to display a position of the main body corresponding to a position of the movable pin by interworking with motion of the movable pin. Accordingly, the position of the main body of the circuit breaker can be intuitively checked rapidly and precisely.
US08299366B2

A wiring board is formed with a substrate designating either the upper surface or the lower surface as a first surface and the other as a second surface; an electronic component arranged inside the substrate; and a first conductive layer formed on the first-surface side of the substrate by means of a first insulation layer made up of a first lower insulation layer and a first upper insulation layer. In such a wiring board, the first lower insulation layer and the first upper insulation layer are made of different materials from each other. Moreover, the first lower insulation layer is positioned on the first surface of the substrate and the electronic component, and the material that forms the first lower insulation layer fills a clearance between the substrate and the electronic component.
US08299363B2

An object of the invention is to provide a polycrystalline thin film which includes an intermediate layer that is made thinner while keeping high crystal orientation so as to prevent warpage of a substrate resulting from internal stress of the film. A polycrystalline thin film according to the invention includes an intermediate layer formed by a first layer and a second layer laminated in this order and provided on a metal substrate. The first layer has a rock-salt crystal structure and the second layer has a fluorite crystal structure.
US08299351B2

A multi-junction device can be used as a high efficiency solar cell, laser, or light-emitting diode. Multiple epitaxial films grown over a substrate have very low defect densities because an initial epitaxial layer is a coincidence-site lattice (CSL) layer that has III-V atoms that fit into lattice sites of Silicon atoms in the substrate. The substrate is a Si (111) substrate which has a step height between adjacent terraces on its surface that closely matches the step height of GaAs (111). Any anti-phase boundaries (APBs) formed at terrace steps cancel out within a few atomic layers of GaAs in the (111) orientation since the polarity of the GaAs molecule is aligned with the (111) direction. A low CSL growth temperature grows GaAs horizontally along Si terraces before vertical growth. Tunnel diode and active solar-cell junction layers can be grown over the CSL at higher temperatures.
US08299347B2

A system and method is described for a novel, simplified electronic musical instrument. By combining a simplified user input controller with a musical instrument synthesizer, a new simple to learn musical instrument is created allowing anyone to perform music without mastering the skills required to play traditional instruments. Traditional instruments require significant skills by users to even make sounds considered musical. The invention described herein allows any unskilled player to pick up the instrument and make music. Additionally, the user will be able to collaborate with others over the Internet, record, playback and edit their compositions, as well as publish the compositions.
US08299344B2

A key having a key-depression surface with a woody characteristic and durability without the need of a surface treatment and capable of being formed from a simple-shaped uncompressed wood. A key for use as a black key includes a resin part and a compressed wood part secured at its lower surface to an upper surface of the resin part. The compressed wood part is used to constitute a portion of a key top including an upper surface and positioned above an upper surface of white keys which are in a non-key-depression state. The compressed wood part is obtained by compression molding of unprocessed wood. The compressed density in the vertical direction in the compressed wood part is higher toward rearward from a front end of the compressed wood part.
US08299342B2

A board includes a board body having a striking face and first and second symmetric axes defined in the striking face and perpendicular to each other and intersect with each other at a center of the striking face. The body includes first and second edges symmetric to each other relative to the first symmetric axis. The body further includes first and second wavy edges symmetric to each other relative to the second symmetric axis. The striking face is surrounded by the first and second edges and the first and second wavy edges. When an area around the center of the striking face is stricken, a plurality of natural frequencies is generated. The overtones of the natural frequencies are approximately integer multiple of the fundamental frequency, providing a harmonic sound and enhancing the sweetness of the sound.
US08299339B1

A novel maize variety designated PH13AM and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH13AM with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH13AM 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 PH13AM or a locus conversion of PH13AM with another maize variety.
US08299338B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV557377. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV557377, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV557377 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV557377 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV557377.
US08299335B2

Novel corn opaque modifier loci, associated molecular markers and methods for obtaining the loci, markers, and resultant seed are provided. Vitreous seed with reduced alpha-zein storage protein content that contain the opaque modifier loci are also described. Processes for obtaining milled corn seed products from the vitreous seed with reduced alpha-zein storage protein content that contain the opaque modifier loci are also provided.
US08299333B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024289. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024289. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024289 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024289 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08299328B2

A novel soybean variety, designated XB31G10 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB31G10, cells from soybean variety XB31G10, plants of soybean XB31G10, and plant parts of soybean variety XB31G10. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB31G10 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XB31G10, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB31G10. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB31G10 are further provided.
US08299327B2

A soybean cultivar designated 94334045 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 94334045, to the plants of soybean 94334045, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 94334045, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 94334045 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 94334045, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 94334045, 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 94334045 with another soybean cultivar.
US08299325B1

The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 04RM185092 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 04RM185092 and its progeny, and methods of making 04RM185092.
US08299320B2

Methods and materials for modulating (e.g., increasing or decreasing) carbon levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding carbon-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased carbon levels.
US08299315B2

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for intensifying the energy content of an organic material by converting the material into hydrocarbons and the resulting product thereof. A method for converting an organic material into hydrocarbon fuels is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of pressurizing said organic material being in a fluid to a pressure above 225 bar, heating said organic material in said fluid to a temperature above 200 C in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IA of the periodic table of elements. The disclosed method further comprises the steps of contacting said organic material in said fluid with a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a compound of at least one element of group IVB of the periodic table and/or alpha-alumina assuring that said fluid has initially a pH value of above 7.
US08299314B2

The present invention is directed to a method and system for integrating a catalyst regeneration system with a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses, preferably, a plurality of multiple riser reactor units. One embodiment of the present invention is a reactor system including a plurality of reactor units, at least one reactor unit preferably comprising a plurality of riser reactors. The system also includes a regenerator for converting an at least partially deactivated catalyst to a regenerated catalyst. A first conduit system transfers the at least partially deactivated catalyst from the reactor units to the regenerator, and a second conduit system transfers regenerating catalysts from the regenerator to the plurality of reactor units. Optionally, catalysts from a plurality of hydrocarbon conversion apparatuses may be directed to a single stripping unit and/or a single regeneration unit.
US08299313B2

A process is provided which is capable of producing olefins stably and efficiently by a metathesis reaction of identical or different olefins while preventing the lowering in metathesis catalyst activity due to trace impurities such as heteroatom-containing compounds that are contained in a starting olefin.The olefin production process includes supplying a starting olefin containing more than 0 ppm by weight to not more than 10 ppm by weight of one or more kinds of heteroatom-containing compounds to a reactor that contains a metathesis catalyst and an isomerization catalyst, the metathesis catalyst including at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum and rhenium, the isomerization catalyst including calcined hydrotalcite or yttrium oxide, and performing a metathesis reaction of identical or different olefins.
US08299309B2

Described herein is a process for the manufacture of hydrofluoroalkanols of the structure RfCFClCHROH. Also described herein are methods of manufacturing hydrofluoroalkenes of the structure RfCF═CHR from halofluorocarbons of the structure RfCFX2. In particular, 2,3,3,3,-tetrafluoro-1-propene may be manufactured with this process. Also described are compounds of the formula RfCFClCHROC(═O)R′.
US08299306B2

This disclosure relates to process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) wherein R is hydrogen, a straight or branched C1-C6 alkyl-carbonyl group or a phenylcarbonyl group, or a salt thereof, comprising the following steps: a) adding to a suspension of Mg a compound of formula (II) R1(MgX)n—LiY wherein n is 1 or 2; R1 is an aromatic, aliphatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic organic group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms; X and Y are independently selected from Cl, Br and I, b) reacting said reaction mixture with a suitable halogenated compound in a solvent to form a Grignard reagent, c) reacting said Grignard reagent with a suitable linear, branched or cyclic carbonate to obtain a compound of formula (IV) wherein A is a linear, branched or cyclic C1-C6 alkyl group, and preferably a methyl group, and then further reacting the compound of formula (IV) in a known manner to obtain a compound of formula (I) and optionally salt formation.
US08299300B2

The invention relates to a method for preparing difluoroacetic acid and the salts thereof. The invention also relates to the preparation of difluoroacetyl fluoride used as an intermediate product in the preparation of difluoroacetic acid. The method for preparing difluoroacetic acid according to the invention is characterized in that the same comprises the step of preparing difluoroacetyl fluoride by reacting dichloroacetyl chloride with hydrofluoric acid in a gaseous phase and in the presence of a chromium-based catalyst, followed by the step of hydrolysing the difluoroacetyl fluoride thus obtained.
US08299282B2

Continuous method for the esterification of free fatty acids in plant and animal fats with alcohols using a heterogenic acid catalyst.
US08299280B2

A process for recovering hexafluoropropylene and hexafluoropropylene oxide from a liquid mixture of these components is provided. The process includes, in a stripping stage, contacting the mixture with a gaseous stripping agent, thereby to strip hexafluoropropylene from the mixture. A gaseous product comprising hexafluoropropylene and gaseous stripping agent is withdrawn from the stripping stage, as is a liquid product comprising hexafluoropropylene oxide.
US08299278B2

Terephthalic acid is prepared by reacting a 2,5-furandicarboxylate with ethylene in the presence of a solvent to produce a bicyclic ether; and then dehydrating the bicyclic ether. The process of the present invention effectively produces terephthalic acid, while reducing or eliminating the impurities, color bodies and carbon oxides produced in commercial practice by the liquid-phase oxidation of methyl-substituted benzene feedstocks.
US08299276B2

[c2] daisy chain macromers, dimers and polymers and related compositions, materials, methods and systems are described.
US08299273B2

To provide a process for producing BPDA whereby high productivity is attained while high purity is maintained.A process for producing biphenyltetracarboxylic acid dianhydride, which comprises heating biphenyltetracarboxylic acid to produce biphenyltetracarboxylic acid dianhydride, characterized in that the heating is carried out at a pressure of from 1×102 Pa to 1.1×105 Pa to a maximum temperature in a range of from 210° C. to 250° C. in such a manner that the temperature rising rate is higher than 50° C./hr for a period of at least ¼ of the time for the temperature rise from 60° C. to 210° C., and the temperature is maintained to be from 150° C. to 250° C. for from 0.5 to 10 hours.
US08299264B2

A compound represented by the formula (1): wherein Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, Ar′ represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, and R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
US08299263B2

A new N-heterocyclic catalyst system which contains N-heterocyclic carbene and amido as ligands, which are strongly bound to a palladium metal. Another heteroatom functionality can be used as a third ligand L. The NHC-amidate ligand system is unique in structure, and shows excellent reactivities in a number of chemical reactions. The chemical reactions include carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom (oxygen and nitrogen) bond formations, and oxidation reactions of saturated carbon chemicals via C—H activation.
US08299260B2

The present invention relates to a process for preparing 1-aryl-substituted pyrazoles, comprising the reaction of alkoxy enones and enamino ketones with arylhydrazine derivatives to give 1-aryl-substituted dihydro-1H-pyrazoles, the further reaction thereof with elimination of water to give 1-aryl-substituted trihalomethylpyrazoles, and the further processing thereof.
US08299254B2

A process for making 1-(6-amino-3,5-difluoropyridin-2-yl)-8-chloro-6-fluoro-7-(3-hydroxyazetidin-1-yl)-4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid, and therapeutically acceptable salts thereof, and intermediates used in the process are disclosed.
US08299249B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing triethylenetetramine (TETA), which, comprises the following steps: a) reaction of ethylenediamine (EDA) with formaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid (HCN) in a molar ratio of EDA to formaldehyde to HCN of from 1:1.5:1.5 to 1:2:2 to give ethylenediaminediacetonitrile (EDDN), b) hydrogenation of the EDDN obtained in step a) in the presence of a catalyst and a solvent.
US08299248B2

Provided are methods for treating myasthenia gravis in a patient, comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of at least one chemical entity chosen from compounds of Formula I and compounds of Formula II: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
US08299239B2

Disclosed is the preparation of 2-deoxy-D-erythro-2,2-difluoro-ribofuranose-3,5-dibenzoate, a known intermediate for the preparation of Gemcitabine, by means of a reduction process; further disclosed is the purification of Gemcitabine by chromatography and the purification of Gemcitabine hydrochloride by crystallization techniques from ternary solvent mixtures. The main advantage of the invention is providing Gemcitabine hydrochloride with purity in conformity with the Pharmacopoeia requirements, as well as a process particularly convenient from the industrial point of view.
US08299226B2

This disclosure provides novel reversibly terminated ribonucleotides which can be used as a reagent for DNA sequencing reactions. Methods of sequencing nucleic acids using the disclosed nucleotides are also provided.
US08299222B2

The invention generally relates to hapten compounds comprising either (+) methamphetamine or (+) amphetamine conjugated to a linker. Generally speaking, hapten compounds of the invention may be used to elicit an immune response to one or more of (+) methamphetamine, (+) amphetamine, or (+) MDMA.
US08299221B2

The present invention provides a binding molecule which is capable of binding to the rat, cynomolgus monkey and human LINGO polypeptide, and a polynucleotide encoding the binding molecule. The invention also provides an expression vector comprising the polynucleotide, an expression system comprising a polynucleotide capable of producing a binding molecule, as well as an isolated host cell comprising the expression system for producing the binding molecule. The invention also provides for compositions comprising the LINGO binding molecules and the use of binding molecule compositions as a pharmaceutical, especially in the treatment to promote axonal regeneration/plasticity. The invention further provides for a method of treatment of diseases associated with axonal degeneration and demyelination.
US08299214B2

To provide peptides having high affinity for hemagglutinin and peptides having high inhibitory activity against influenza virus infection, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the peptides, the polypeptides having any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2 to 7, 9 to 10, and 12 to 18 are obtained by introducing mutation into a peptide having the sequence of ARLSPTMVHPNGAQP (peptide A-1: SEQ ID NO: 1) and screening for peptides having higher affinity for hemagglutinin. Further, the inhibitory activity of the peptide of SEQ ID NO: 3 against influenza virus infection can be enhanced by truncating SEQ ID NO: 3 in its C-terminus region with leaving ARLPR (SEQ ID NO: 44) or ARLP (SEQ ID NO: 52). In addition, an influenza virus-infection inhibitor and an influenza preventive/therapeutic agent can be prepared by formulating these influenza virus receptor-binding peptides.
US08299211B2

Calcium channels can be regulated by natural gamma proteins. Herein we disclose embodiments of compositions and methods, particularly involving short peptides which are capable of regulating calcium channel function. Certain short peptides which can inhibit calcium current have structural features from the first transmembrane domain of gamma6 such as a GxxxA motif and adjoining aliphatic residues. In embodiments the peptide compositions and methods are capable of selective efficacy for low voltage-activated calcium channels, such as LVA channel Cav3.1, versus high voltage-activated channels.
US08299202B2

The present invention relates to A phenol compound according to Formula (I): wherein: R1 is selected from the group consisting of, optionally substituted, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridiyl and 4-pyridyl groups, wherein R1 is at position 2 or 3 of the phenol ring; R2 is selected from the group consisting of, optionally substituted, 2-pyridyl, 3-pyridiyl, 4-pyridyl and phenyl groups, wherein R2 is at position 5 or 6 of the phenol ring; and the phenol ring is optionally substituted at one or two positions, independently selected from positions 2, 3, 5 and 6, with a halogen atom or a with an optionally substituted C6-C12 aryl group or an optionally substituted C1-C10 alkyl group. The present invention relates also to (co)polymers comprising the phenol compound according to Formula (I) and membranes and ionic resins comprising said (co)polymers.
US08299195B2

The object is to provide an ethylene homopolymer which is high in proportion of unsaturated group at one terminal of polymer chain and proportion of vinylidene group in the number of unsaturated group at one terminal of polymer chain and controlled in branching structure. The ethylene homopolymer satisfies the following requirements (1)-(4): (1) the number of ethyl branch per 1000 carbon atoms is 8 or more, (2) the number of alkyl branches other than ethyl branch is 0.1 or less, (3) the proportions of terminal vinyl group and terminal vinylene group in terminal unsaturated group (sum of terminal vinyl group, terminal vinylene group and terminal vinylidene group) are as shown by terminal vinyl group/terminal unsaturated group<0.01 and terminal vinylene group/terminal unsaturated group<0.01, and (4) the ratio of terminal vinylidene group and terminal methyl group is terminal vinylidene group/terminal methyl group>0.90.
US08299194B2

An ethylene-α-olefin copolymer comprising monomer units derived from ethylene and monomer units derived from an α-olefin having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, having a density (d) of 860 to 950 kg/m3, having a melt flow rate (MFR) of 0.05 to 100 g/10 min, having a ratio (Mw/Mn) of the weight average molecular weight (Mw) thereof to the number average molecular weight (Mn) thereof of 2 to 10, having a swell ratio (SR) of less than 1.35, and having a g* of 0.50 to 0.75.
US08299192B2

Statistic comb polymers obtainable by the radical copolymerization of a vinylic poly(alkylenoxide) compound (A) with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer compound (B) according to the catalytic chain transfer method (CCT). The comb polymers are extremely suitable for hydraulic binder suspensions based on cement, lime, gypsum and anhydrite as they have, for the same dosage, an improved water reducing power over conventional flow agents. The corresponding building material mixtures are characterized by a substantially reduced stickiness and plastic viscosity once said comb polymers are added, which dramatically improves the plasticity of very cement-rich building material mixtures, such as concretes. The building material mixtures using the inventive flow agents have a considerably increased slump flow and an increased shear-thinning behavior as compared to conventional concretes without the tendency to segregate.
US08299189B2

A catalyst composition comprising a zirconium complex of a polyvalent aryloxyether and the use thereof in a continuous solution polymerization of ethylene, one or more C3-30 olefins, and a conjugated or nonconjugated diene to prepare interpolymers having improved processing properties are disclosed.
US08299183B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising reacting, in the presence of a polymeric cationic co-stabilizer (A), one or more monomers (m), and a polymer (B) of a monomer mixture comprising at least one monomer (x) having a primary, secondary or tertiary amine or amide group and at least one olefinic unsaturation, and, at least one cationic monomer (y) having at least one olefinic unsaturation. The invention also relates to a polymer dispersion, a process for preparing a polymeric stabilizer (C), a polymeric stabilizer (C) and a process for producing paper.
US08299178B2

A novel class of mixed micelles formed with critical micelle concentration (Cmc) character's diblock copolymer, and temperature-sensitive character's diblock copolymer were disclosed. The mixed micelles possess complementary effects in adjusting external temperature shift (storage vs. body temperature) and concentration change (dilution after intravenous injection). The mixed micelles of the present invention can serve as a potential injectable drug delivery system for anticancer drugs, such as doxorubicin and many others.
US08299173B2

The invention provides a method comprising the steps of (i) reacting a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more terminal hydroxyl groups with di(1-benzotriazolyl)carbonate to form a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester groups; and (ii) reacting the water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having two or more 1-benzotriazolylcarbonate ester groups with a water-soluble and non-peptidic polymer having three or more primary amino groups under conditions effective to form a cross-linked polymer composition.
US08299172B2

A method for producing biodegradable plastic from natural materials containing polysaccharides by treating the polysaccharide-containing materials with a basic aqueous solution, subsequently treating the mixture with a modifying material that converts pendant hydroxyl groups at any carbon atom of the anhydroglucose units of the saccharide to create polysaccharide carboxylate, and then reacting the product with proteins to produce a biodegradable copolymer with electrostatic chemical bonds between protein and polysaccharide carboxylate molecules. The process provides relatively inexpensive methods for preparing biodegradable plastics that are useful for manufacturing various articles.
US08299170B2

The present invention discloses a reactivity-based self-stratifying coating composition. The coating composition can include a polyol, silsesquioxane, a polyester polyol, and a crosslinker that form a mixture within a solvent. The polyol can be selected from a fluorinated polyether, a fluoroethylene-alkyl vinyl ether and/or a combination thereof. The silsesquioxane can be an epoxy functional silsesquioxane having a formula of (R)6(C6H11O2)2(SiO1.5)8 where R can be selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, benzyl, phenyl, and isomers thereof. In some instances, the epoxy functional silsesquioxane can be a di-epoxy silsesquioxane.
US08299166B2

The present invention relates to a composition comprising (i) a crosslinkable polyolefin with hydrolysable silane groups (A), and (ii) a silanol condensation catalyst comprising an organic sulphonic acid (B) which comprises the structural element Ar—R1 (I) wherein Ar is an aromatic group, which may e.g. be a benzene, naphthalene, phenantrene or anthracene group, and R1 is an organic residue comprising at least 21 C-atoms, the organic sulphonic acid (B) further comprising one, two or more sulphonic acid groups, to an article, in particular a wire or cable, comprising such a composition, and to the use of such a composition for the production of an article.
US08299162B2

Provided are cold process formulation aids, methods for their manufacture, and personal care products made using them. The cold processing aids include a wax and a polymer having a backbone and a plurality of pendant groups thereon that are pendant ionic or ionizable groups, or pendant groups having at least one permanent dipole that includes an alcohol, thiol, ester, amide, imide, imine, or nitrile moiety. The backbone can be an aliphatic backbone, a polysaccharide backbone, a siloxane backbone, or a polyamide backbone. Also provided is a method of making personal care products using the cold processing aid.
US08299149B2

There is provided herein a process for purifying bisphosphate comprising solvating a molten bisphosphate in a mixture of water and water miscible solvent; cooling the solution over a period and to a temperature that provides for crystallization of solid product; increasing the pH of the solution prior to, and/or during, and/or after the initiation of crystallization, and/or after crystallization, by the addition of a base; and after crystallization is complete, separating solid product from the solution; washing the separated solid product in the same and/or different mixture of water and water miscible solvent; and, washing the solid product which has been washed in the mixture with water.
US08299145B2

A method of producing a nonfoamed formed article of a vinyl chloride resin by mixing a hydrated water-containing gypsum powder and a vinyl chloride resin powder together, and heating the obtained mixture at a temperature lower than a temperature at which the vinyl chloride resin starts decomposing thereby to remove the hydrated water of the gypsum and to form the mixture. The method makes it possible to obtain a nonfoamed formed article free of defective appearance by directly adding the hydrated gypsum (specifically dihydrate gypsum) to the vinyl chloride resin without converting it to the anhydrous gypsum, without requiring wasteful energy cost, without causing foaming or defective forming stemming from the hydrated water and maintaining stability.
US08299141B2

The present invention is a method of manufacturing ink. The method includes providing a first organic phase of a solvent containing a dissolved polymer, an oil and a pigment. The organic solvent is dispersed in an aqueous phase containing a stabilizer to form an emulsion containing droplets of the organic phase. The solvent is removed from the droplets to form discrete particles having multiple domains of oil and pigment.
US08299139B1

This invention relates to a process for producing high molecular weight (HMW) and ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) acrylic polymers having unique polymer tacticity and exhibiting enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. This process comprises polymerizing ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the presence of a free radical initiator that results in a “living-like polymer” utilizing a multi-step approach. In conducting the process of this invention the “living-like polymer” is further dissolved in a liquid carrier, wherein the said liquid carrier is a reactive diluent that can be reacted subsequently by an addition polymerization process to create a block- or multi-block, copolymer or homopolymer. This process can be progressively repeated with the same or various different reactive diluents to generate desired architecture and molecular weight polymer(s) which can be used in further processing procedures to be manufactured directly into finished articles.
US08299136B2

Polymeric composite materials, particularly highly filled polyurethane composite materials are described herein. Such highly filled polyurethane composite materials may be formed by reaction and extrusion of one or more polyols, one or more di- or poly-isocyanates, and from about 45 to about 85 weight percent of inorganic filler such as fly ash. Certain polyols, including plant-based polyols can be used. Certain composite materials also contain chain extenders and/or crosslinkers. The polyurethane composite material may also contain fibers such as chopped or axial fibers which further provide good mechanical properties to the composite material. Shaped articles containing the polyurethane composite material have been found to have good mechanical properties, such that the shaped articles are suitable for building applications.
US08299129B2

The present invention provides a carrier capable of highly efficiently introducing a compound into cells with low cytotoxicity, which contains peptide lipids represented by the following formula, and a method for introducing a compound into cells using the carrier: wherein R1 is an amino acid or peptide having 1-10 amino acid residues, R2 is a side chain of any amino acid, provided that R2 has a carboxyl group, the carboxyl group may be an ester with a hydrocarbon group having 1-30 carbon atoms, R3 is a hydrocarbon group having 1-30 carbon atoms.
US08299124B2

An aqueous eye drop comprising 2-amino-3-(4-bromobenzoyl)phenylacetic acid or its pharmacologically acceptable salt or a hydrate thereof and an organic amine (for example, aminoethylsulfonic acid or trometamol) or a salt thereof is useful as an eye drop for once a day administration for treating inflammatory diseases of the external segment or the anterior segment of the eyes, since such aqueous eye drop can maintain a therapeutically effective concentration of 2-amino-3-(4-bromobenzoyl)phenylacetic acid in anterior aqueous humor for at least 24 hours by once a day administration.
US08299123B2

The invention relates to a compound of formula (I): or a tautomer thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R1 to R11, W, X, Y, Z, and n are as defined herein. The invention also relates to methods of using the compounds of formula (I) and compositions thereof to treat various diseases and disorders in a patient. The invention also relates to processes for preparing the compounds of formula (I) and intermediates useful in these processes.
US08299097B2

The invention described herein is based, in part, on the discovery that thieno[3,2-c] pyridine derivatives prevent inflammation in the setting of inflammatory disorders, such as asthma. Described herein are methods for treating inflammatory disorders including, for example asthma, by administering a thieno[3,2-c] pyridine derivative compound to an individual in need thereof.
US08299096B2

This invention is directed to methods of preventing or treating diseases or conditions of the lungs associated with excessive cell proliferation, remodeling, inflammation, vasoconstriction, bronchoconstriction, airway hyperreactivity and edema. Particularly, this invention is directed to methods of treating pulmonary diseases such as asthma; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; respiratory tract illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus; pulmonary arterial hypertension; acute respiratory distress syndrome and ventilator induced lung injury; cystic fibrosis; bronchiectasis; alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency; rhinitis; rhinosinusitis; primary ciliary dyskinesia; pneumonia; bronchiolitis caused by agents other than respiratory syncytial virus; and interstitial lung disease including lymphangioleiomyomatosis; idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; obliterative bronchiolitis or bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia due to lung transplantation or HSCT; nonspecific interstitial pneumonia; cryptogenic organizing pneumonia; acute interstitial pneumonia; respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease; or pulmonary sarcoidosis. The method comprises administering to a subject an effective amount of a rho kinase inhibitor compound to treat the disease.
US08299095B2

Crystalline forms of 4-[2-(4-methylphenylsulfanyl)-phenyl]piperidine and salts thereof are provided e.g. for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
US08299094B2

Hepatitis C virus inhibitors are disclosed having the general formula: wherein R1, R2, R3, R′, B, Y and X are described in the description. Compositions comprising the compounds and methods for using the compounds to inhibit HCV are also disclosed.
US08299090B2

The present invention relates to substituted thiazolyl- and oxazoyl-isoquinolinones that act, for example, as modulators of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). The present invention also relates to processes for the preparation of substituted thiazolyl- and oxazolyl-isoquinolinones and to their use in treating various diseases and disorders.
US08299089B2

A four arm-polyethylene glycol-7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin conjugate, such as, is disclosed. Methods of making the conjugates and methods of treating mammals using the same are also disclosed.
US08299088B2

Hypoxia-activated prodrugs can be used to treat cancer when administered alone or in combination with one or more anti-neoplastic agents.
US08299085B2

The present invention relates to 1H-Quinazoline-2,4-dione derivatives of formula(I) wherein the substituents are defined as in the specification, their preparation, their use as pharmaceuticals, and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08299083B2

The invention features methods and compositions featuring a PDE5 inhibitor for treating or preventing a cardiac indication in a subject.
US08299076B2

Disclosed are crystalline forms of 2-(2-fluoro-4-iodophenylamino)-N-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-1,5-dimethyl-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyridine-3-carboxamide useful in the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases, such as cancer and inflammation, in mammals, and inflammatory conditions. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds in the treatment of hyperproliferative diseases in mammals and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds.
US08299075B2

The present invention relates to morpholine and thiomorpholine derivatives of the general formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and their use.
US08299060B2

Abstract Compounds of a formula entitled, trans-4-[[(5S)-5-[[[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl](2-methyl-2H-tetrazol-5-yl)amino]-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7,9-dimethyl-1H-1-benzazepin-1-yl]methyl]-cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, as a free acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, hydrate, and hydrate in crystalline form; pharmaceutical formulations; and methods of use are disclosed.
US08299059B2

A form of crystalline (2S)-2-hydroxy-3-methyl-N-[(1S)-1-methyl-2-oxo-2-[[(1S)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-2-oxo-1H-3-benzazepin-1-yl]amino]ethyl]-butanamide anhydrate Form II having improved flowability and drug-loading properties and a process for its preparation.
US08299057B2

Substituted indazole derivatives of formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, as defined in the specification, process for their preparation and pharmaceutical compositions comprising them are disclosed; the compounds of the invention may be useful in therapy in the treatment of diseases associated with a deregulated protein kinase activity, like cancer.
US08299056B2

Provided herein are Heteroaryl Compounds of formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 are as defined herein, compositions comprising an effective amount of a Heteroaryl Compound and methods for treating or preventing inflammatory conditions or cancer, and conditions treatable or preventable by inhibition of a kinase or a kinase pathway comprising administering an effective amount of a Heteroaryl Compound to a subject in need thereof.
US08299050B2

The invention relates to a method for treating uterine fibroids, which method comprises administering to a patient in need thereof, an effective amount of 17α-acetoxy-11β-[4-N,N-dimethylamino-phenyl)-19-norpregna-4,9-diene-3,20-dione (ulipristal acetate) or any metabolite thereof. More particularly, the method is useful for reducing or stopping bleeding in a patient afflicted with uterine fibroids, and/or for reducing the size of uterine fibroids.
US08299012B2

An improved hard surface treatment compositions which comprises (preferably consists essentially of; yet more preferably consists of) the following constituents: a detersive anionic surfactant; a detersive nonionic surfactant; an alkylene glycol ether solvent; a phenyl containing glycol ether solvent; an organic acid, preferably an organic acid selected from citric acid, lactic acid and mixtures thereof; optionally but preferably a film forming polymer based on quaternized copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, optionally one or more further constituents which may improve aesthetic or functional features of the compositions, and, water.
US08299011B2

The invention relates to products for washing and cleaning and/or care and protection of animate or inanimate surfaces that comprise micro-encapsulated benefit agents. The invention also relates to polyurethane and polyurea microcapsules.
US08299010B2

The present invention relates to thiazolium dyes, laundry care compositions comprising one or more thiazolium dyes, processes of making such dyes and laundry care compositions and methods of using same. The dyes, compositions and methods of the present invention are advantageous in providing improved hueing of fabric, including whitening of white fabric, while avoiding significant build up of bluing dyes on the fabric.
US08299005B2

A lubricating composition is provided that has good elastomer compatibility and friction-reduced properties which comprises a base oil having a viscosity index (VI) greater than about 80, a kinematic viscosity (Kv) at 100° C. of from about 2 mm2/s to about 50 mm2/s, containing 90 wt % or more saturates, having less than about 5 ppm sulfur, and wherein the base oil is derived from a waxy feed; said composition being free of a tallow diaminepropane dioleate; and containing a minor amount of (a) a polylester of an aliphatic carboxylic acid having 12 to 24 carbon atoms and (b) an oil soluble or oil dispersible molybdenum compound.
US08299000B2

A lubricant additive gel formed by the gellation of two or more lubricant additives for the slow release of the additive components into a fluid. The lubricant additive gel slowly releases into its component lubricant additives when contacted with the fluid such as an oil thereby serving as a lubricant fluid such as an oil thereby.
US08298998B2

An aqueous mixture of a non-toxic, low pH, antimicrobial, acidic composition having a pH between approximately 0.5 and approximately 3.5 is used in a drilling fluid and a stuck pipe additive. One embodiment of the stuck pipe additive composition includes an alkali metal halide salt in a range of approximately 10-35 weight %; a sequenching agent in a range between 2-8 weight %, a low pH, non-toxic acid composition in a range of 0.5-20 weight percent and water in a range of 7-88.5 weight %. As a drilling fluid, it maintains well control and removes drill cuttings from holes drilled into the earth. As a spotting fluid, it frees a stuck drill stem in the annulus of a bore hole in minutes.
US08298997B2

A method is provided for enhancing the shear stability of a high-viscosity fluid-water flow system, such as a core annular flow system. The method employs a family of demulsifier additives for maintaining separation of the fluids in biphasic flow. The additive family is sodium salts of polynuclear aromatic sulfonic acids. In one aspect, the high-viscosity fluid is heavy oil. A method of transporting heavy oil through a tubular body is also provided. The method includes pumping the heavy oil through the tubular body within an annular flow of water, and subjecting the water in the tubular body to a salt of a polynuclear, aromatic sulfonic acid additive so as to improve shear stability of the heavy oil and water.
US08298996B2

A low toxicity composition and method of reducing the swelling of clay in well comprising circulating in the well a water-based fluid comprising a functionally effective concentration of the additive formed from the following reaction of a tertiary amine of the following general formula: wherein R1 and R2 are alkyl or hydroxyalkyl groups with one to three carbon atoms or combinations thereof, and R3 is a hydroxyalkyl group with one to three carbon atoms, with an alkylating agent of the following general formula: R-A wherein R is an alkyl radical with one to three carbon atoms, and A is an organic or inorganic anion selected from the group consisting of sulfate, phosphate, carbonate, and combinations thereof.
US08298995B2

The invention relates to a method of producing a protein array (5) on one support surface (3) from a corresponding nucleic acid array on a separate surface (1), to protein arrays produced by the method, to uses of the protein arrays in the identification of interactions between arrayed proteins and other molecules, and to kits for producing said protein arrays.
US08298992B2

A composition includes an agricultural component in an amount of at least about 27% by weight and a solvent composition in an amount not greater than about 55% by weight. The solvent composition includes an amide having a structure of Formula I: wherein R1 comprises a C3 to C15 hydrocarbon group, and wherein R2 and R3 comprise a C1 or higher hydrocarbon group.
US08298989B2

Agrochemical compositions comprising at least one active compound from the class of the anthranilamides and at least one further active compound selected from the group consisting of insecticides, fungicides, and/or acaricides have excellent synergistic activity.
US08298987B2

A heat-sensitive recording material includes a heat-sensitive recording layer on a support which layer produces a color upon heating, and a protective layer on the heat-sensitive recording layer. The protective layer is obtained from a composition (A) based on an emulsion of a copolymer resin (a). The copolymer resin (a) includes a vinyl monomer component having a carboxyl group, and a vinyl monomer component copolymerizable with the vinyl monomer component. The copolymer resin (a) contains 1 to 10 parts by weight of the vinyl monomer component having a carboxyl group. The copolymer resin has a SP value (solubility parameter) of not less than 9.5 (cal/cm3)1/2 and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 20 to 130° C. The emulsion of the copolymer resin (a) has a minimum film-forming temperature (MFT) of more than 5° C. The emulsion for heat-sensitive recording material provides high durability, in particular water resistance, antiblocking properties in water-wetted state and chemical resistance, and has significantly improved storage stability.
US08298985B2

This invention is directed to catalysts for dehydrogenating primary alcohols. Catalysts comprising a metal support comprising (a) from about 2% to about 30% by weight copper, and (b) at least about 50% by weight non-copper metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, zinc, tin, cobalt, iron and combinations thereof; and a copper-containing coating are described.
US08298977B2

The present invention discloses a catalyst system consisting of a mono- or di-fluorinated metallocene catalyst component of formula and a fluorinated activating support.
US08298972B2

This invention relates to a high transmission low iron glass that includes boron oxide. The boron oxide, added to this low iron glass, has the effect of improving glass refining, homogeneity and quality (lower seed count) through its flux action and improves glass optical parameters of green and clear glass through the change in refractive index and surface tension. Boron oxide lends to broader and weaker absorption band of such transition element(s) as iron which additionally improves the transmittance of low iron clear glass in certain example embodiments of this invention. In certain example embodiments, the addition of boron oxide in certain quantities in advantageous in that it improves the chemical durability of the glass by decreasing the USPX (or USPXIII) value of the glass via suppression of the silica, sodium ions in the glass structure.
US08298968B2

Electrical components are formed in a fabric during the weaving process by a series of crossing conductors in the warp and weft fibers of the fabric. Some of the crossing points provide permanent Separation of the crossing conductors, others permanent connection of the crossing conductors and others connection upon the application of pressure to the fabric. The structure provides the possibility of forming a greater range of components and more reliable component characteristics than heretofore possible.
US08298962B2

A device made of single-crystal silicon having a first side, a second side which is situated opposite to the first side, and a third side which extends from the first side to the second side, the first side and the second side each extending in a 100 plane of the single-crystal silicon, the third side extending in a first area in a 111 plane of the single-crystal silicon. The third side extends in a second area in a 110 plane of the single-crystal silicon. Furthermore, a production method for producing a device made of single-crystal silicon is described.
US08298959B2

Embodiments of the invention relate to a substrate etching method and apparatus. In one embodiment, a method for etching a substrate in a plasma etch reactor is provided that includes a) depositing a polymer on a substrate in an etch reactor, b) etching the substrate using a gas mixture including a fluorine-containing gas and oxygen in the etch reactor, c) etching a silicon-containing layer the substrate using a fluorine-containing gas without mixing oxygen in the etch reactor, and d) repeating a), b) and c) until an endpoint of a feature etched into the silicon-containing layer is reached.
US08298958B2

A method for reducing very low frequency line width roughness (LWR) in forming etched features in an etch layer disposed below a patterned organic mask is provided. The patterned organic mask is treated to reduce very low frequency line width roughness of the patterned organic mask, comprising flowing a treatment gas comprising H2, wherein the treatment gas has a flow rate and H2 has a flow rate that is at least 50% of the flow rate of the treatment gas, forming a plasma from the treatment gas, and stopping the flow of the treatment gas. The etch layer is etched through the treated patterned organic mask with the reduced very low LWR.
US08298955B2

This invention relates to a method for conducting an etching process which uses a plasma of a process gas. This etching process is conducted on a wafer W including a substrate 101, an underlying film 102, 103 formed on the substrate, and a film 104 to be etched that is formed on the underlying film. A main etching gas formed up of a chlorine-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas, and a nitrogen-containing gas are used as the process gas. In this etching method, etching is conducted under a condition that an N2+/N2 intensity ratio of N2+ to N2, derived from emission spectra of the plasma, is at least 0.6.
US08298941B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes, but is not limited to, the following processes. A seed layer is formed over a substrate. The seed layer includes first, second, and third portions. A first electrode covering the first portion of the seed layer is formed without forming an electrode on the second and third portions of the seed layer. The third portion of the seed layer is removed so that the first and second portions remain over the substrate, and the first and second portions are separated from each other.
US08298932B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing a vertical interconnect structure, a memory device and an associated production method, in which case, after the formation of a contact region in a carrier substrate a catalyst is produced on the contact region and a free-standing electrically conductive nanoelement is subsequently formed between the catalyst and the contact region and embedded in a dielectric layer.
US08298930B2

A method of making a semiconductor structure includes patterning a barrier layer metallurgy (BLM) which forms an undercut beneath a solder material, and forming a repair material in the undercut and on the solder material. The method also includes removing the repair material from the solder material, and reflowing the solder material.
US08298925B2

The embodiments of methods and structures are for doping fin structures by plasma doping processes to enable formation of shallow lightly doped source and drain (LDD) regions. The methods involve a two-step plasma doping process. The first step plasma process uses a heavy carrier gas, such as a carrier gas with an atomic weight equal to or greater than about 20 amu, to make the surfaces of fin structures amorphous and to reduce the dependence of doping rate on crystalline orientation. The second step plasma process uses a lighter carrier gas, which is lighter than the carrier gas for the first step plasma process, to drive the dopants deeper into the fin structures. The two-step plasma doping process produces uniform dopant profile beneath the outer surfaces of the fin structures.
US08298916B2

The invention relates to a process for fabricating a multilayer structure comprising: bonding a first wafer onto a second wafer, at least the first wafer having a chamfered edge; and thinning the first wafer so as to form in a transferred layer, the thinning comprising a grinding step and a chemical etching step. After the grinding step and before the chemical etching step, a trimming step of the edge of the first wafer is carried out using a grinding wheel, the working surface of which comprises grit particles having an average size of less than or equal to 800-mesh or greater than or equal to 18 microns, the trimming step being carried out to a defined depth in the first wafer so as to leave a thickness of the first wafer of less than or equal to 35 μm in the trimmed region.
US08298914B2

A method is provided for fabricating a 3D integrated circuit structure. Provided are an interface wafer including a first wiring layer and through-silicon vias, and a first active circuitry layer wafer including active circuitry. The first active circuitry layer wafer is bonded to the interface wafer. Then, a first portion of the first active circuitry layer wafer is removed such that a second portion remains attached to the interface wafer. A stack structure including the interface wafer and the second portion of the first active circuitry layer wafer is bonded to a base wafer. Next, the interface wafer is thinned so as to form an interface layer, and metallizations coupled through the through-silicon vias in the interface layer to the first wiring layer are formed on the interface layer. Also provided is a tangible computer readable medium encoded with a program that comprises instructions for performing such a method.
US08298912B2

A semiconductor structure and method of manufacturing the semiconductor structure, and more particularly to a semiconductor structure having reduced metal line resistance and a method of manufacturing the same in back end of line (BEOL) processes. The method includes forming a first trench extending to a lower metal layer Mx+1 and forming a second trench remote from the first trench. The method further includes filling the first trench and the second trench with conductive material. The conductive material in the second trench forms a vertical wiring line extending orthogonally and in electrical contact with an upper wiring layer and electrically isolated from lower metal layers including the lower metal layer Mx+1. The vertical wiring line decreases a resistance of a structure.
US08298907B2

A method for forming a memory device in a semiconductor on insulator substrate is provided, in which a protective oxide that is present on the sidewalls of the trench protects the first semiconductor layer, i.e., SOI layer, of the semiconductor on insulator substrate during bottle etching of the trench. In one embodiment, the protective oxide reduces back channel effects of the transistors to the memory devices in the trench that are formed in the semiconductor on insulator substrate. In another embodiment, a thermal oxidation process increases the thickness of the buried dielectric layer of a bonded semiconductor on insulator substrate by oxidizing the bonded interface between the buried dielectric layer and at least one semiconductor layers of the semiconductor on insulator substrate. The increased thickness of the buried dielectric layer may reduce back channel effects in devices formed on the substrate having trench memory structures.
US08298902B2

Interconnect structures that include a passive element, such as a thin film resistor or a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, methods for fabricating an interconnect structure that includes a passive element, and design structures embodied in a machine readable medium for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit, such as a radiofrequency integrated circuit. A top surface of a dielectric layer is recessed relative to a top surface of a conductive feature in the dielectric layer. The passive element is formed on the recessed top surface of the dielectric layer and includes a layer of a conductive material that is coplanar with, or below, the top surface of the conductive feature.
US08298900B2

A method of manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device includes sequentially forming a charge storage film, a conductive film, and a mask film on a semiconductor substrate, sequentially removing the mask film, the conductive film, and the charge storage film at a given portion to form a groove, forming a word gate electrode to fill in the groove whose inside is covered with an insulating film, after said forming the word gate electrode, removing the mask film, after said removing the mask film, forming a spacer film to cover the conductive film and the word gate electrode, etching back the spacer film to form a spacer layer on both sides of the word gate electrode through the insulating film, removing the conductive film and the charge storage film to form a control gate electrode, and forming a source drain diffusion layer.
US08298897B2

A field effect transistor includes a partial SiGe channel, i.e., a channel including a SiGe channel portion, located underneath a gate electrode and a Si channel portion located underneath an edge of the gate electrode near the drain region. The SiGe channel portion can be located directly underneath a gate dielectric, or can be located underneath a Si channel layer located directly underneath a gate dielectric. The Si channel portion is located at the same depth as the SiGe channel portion, and contacts the drain region of the transistor. By providing a Si channel portion near the drain region, the GIDL current of the transistor is maintained at a level on par with the GIDL current of a transistor having a silicon channel only during an off state.
US08298892B1

A fabricating method of an insulator for replacing a gate structure in a substrate by the insulator. The fabricating method includes the step of providing a substrate including a first buried gate structure. The first buried structure includes a first trench embedded in the substrate and a first gate filling in the first trench. The first trench has a first depth. Then, the first gate of the first buried structure is removed. Later, the substrate under the first trench is etched to elongate the depth of the first trench from the first depth to a third depth. Finally, an insulating material fills in the first trench with the third depth to form an insulator of the present invention.
US08298888B2

Techniques for using gate arrays to create capacitive structures within an integrated circuit are disclosed. Embodiments comprise placing a gate array of P-type field effect transistors (P-fets) and N-type field effect transistors (N-fets) in an integrated circuit design, coupling drains and sources for one or more P-fets and gates for one or more N-fets to a power supply ground, and coupling gates for the one or more P-fets and the drains and sources for one or more N-fets to a positive voltage of the power supply. In some embodiments, source-to-drain leakage current for capacitive apparatuses of P-fets and N-fets are minimized by biasing one or more P-fets and one or more N-fets to the positive voltage and the ground, respectively. In other embodiments, the capacitive structures may be implemented using fusible elements to isolate the capacitive structures in case of shorts.
US08298887B2

Methods of forming high-current density vertical p-i-n diodes on a substrate are described. The methods include the steps of concurrently combining a group-IV-element-containing precursor with a sequential exposure to an n-type dopant precursor and a p-type dopant precursor in either order. An intrinsic layer is deposited between the n-type and p-type layers by reducing or eliminating the flow of the dopant precursors while flowing the group-IV-element-containing precursor. The substrate may reside in the same processing chamber during the deposition of each of the n-type layer, intrinsic layer and p-type layer and the substrate is not exposed to atmosphere between the depositions of adjacent layers.
US08298884B2

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device that may include a substrate including a semiconductor layer overlying an insulating layer. A gate structure that is present on a channel portion of the semiconductor layer. A first dopant region is present in the channel portion of the semiconductor layer, in which the peak concentration of the first dopant region is present within the lower portion of the gate conductor and the upper portion of the semiconductor layer. A second dopant region is present in the channel portion of the semiconductor layer, in which the peak concentration of the second dopant region is present within the lower portion of the semiconductor layer.
US08298861B2

A package structure of a compound semiconductor device comprises a thin film substrate, a die, at least one metal wire and a transparent encapsulation material. The thin film substrate comprises a first conductive film, a second conductive film, and an insulating dielectric material. The die is mounted on the surface of the first conductive film, and is electrically connected to the first conductive film and the second conductive film through the metal wire. The transparent encapsulation material overlays the first conductive film, second conductive film, and die. The surfaces of the first conductive film and second conductive film which is opposite the transparent encapsulation material act as electrodes. The insulating dielectric material is between the first conductive film and second conductive film.
US08298853B2

CMOS pixel sensor cells with spacer transfer gates and methods of manufacture are provided herein. The method includes forming a middle gate structure on a gate dielectric. The method further includes forming insulation sidewalls on the middle gate structure. The method further includes forming spacer transfer gates on the gate dielectric on opposing sides of the middle gate, adjacent to the insulation sidewalls which isolate the middle gate structure from the spacer transfer gates. The method further includes forming a photo-diode region in electrical contact with one of the spacer transfer gates and a floating diffusion in electrical contact with another of the spacer transfer gates.
US08298852B2

A thin film type solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, which is capable of providing a wide light-transmission area without lowering cell efficiency and increasing processing time, so that the solar cell can be used as a substitute for a glass window in a building. The thin film type solar cell generally comprises a substrate; a plurality of front electrodes at fixed intervals on the substrate; a plurality of semiconductor layers at fixed intervals with a contact portion or separating channel interposed in-between, the plurality of semiconductor layers on the plurality of front electrodes; and a plurality of rear electrodes at fixed intervals by the each separating channel interposed in-between, the each rear electrode being electrically connected with the each front electrode; wherein the each rear electrode is patterned in such a way that a light-transmitting portion is included in a predetermined portion of the rear electrode.
US08298846B2

A pinned photodiode with improved short wavelength light response. In exemplary embodiments of the invention, a gate oxide is formed over a doped, buried region in a semiconductor substrate. A gate conductor is formed on top of the gate oxide. The gate conductor is transparent, and in one embodiment is a layer of indium-tin oxide. The transparent conductor can be biased to reduce the need for a surface dopant in creating a pinned photodiode region. The biasing of the transparent conductor produces a hole-rich accumulation region near the surface of the substrate. The gate conductor material permits a greater amount of charges from short wavelength light to be captured in the photo-sensing region in the substrate, and thereby increases the quantum efficiency of the photosensor.
US08298832B2

The method of stirring a solution according to the present invention is a method of stirring a solution comprising contacting a selective binding substance immobilized on the surface of a carrier with a solution containing an analyte substance reactive with the selective binding substance, and mixing the fine particles or air bubbles into the solution containing an analyte substance, and moving the fine particles or air bubbles without allowing contact thereof with the selective binding substance-immobilized surface.The present invention provides a stirring method that accelerates the reaction of a carrier-immobilized selective binding substance with an analyte substance and detects a trace amount of analyte at high signal intensity and high S/N ratio.The present invention enables diagnosis and examination in the clinical setting by using a selective binding substance-immobilized carrier such as DNA chip.
US08298828B2

The present disclosure relates to various methods for measuring the amount of an analyte present in a biological fluid using an electrochemical testing process. Various embodiments are disclosed, including the use of AC test signals and the performance of tests having a Total Test Time within about 3.0 seconds or less, and/or having a clinically low Total System Error.
US08298821B2

Plasmids containing sequences encoding different fragments of p185neu oncoprotein, able to induce an immune response against tumours expressing oncogenes of the ErbB family, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof.
US08298817B2

The present invention provides a vector which can make nucleic acids to be an aggregate and locate a vector containing a cationic polymer to surround the aggregate so as to protect the nucleic acids from the enzyme. The vector comprises a polymer having branched chain(s). Preferably, 3, 4, or 6 branched chains are bonded to benzene ring. It is preferable that the number of the branched chains is higher. As the branched chain(s), a vinyl-series acrylic polymer is preferable. The vector is synthesized by reacting a dithiocarbamate compound with an acrylamide monomer for the branched chain(s).
US08298810B2

A method of making a molded part, including adding a fungal inoculum with a liquid aggregate to form a mixture. The mixture is inserted into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is covered with a cover. Live mycelium is grown from the mixture that fills the mold cavity and physically couples with the cover. The live mycelium is heated to terminate further growth and develop a composite component made of mycelium and the cover.
US08298806B2

Helicobacter based preparations comprising a pharmacologically active molecule of interest are disclosed, as well as methods of preparing and using said preparations. In particular, Helicobacter pylori vectors, vector plasmids and recombinant cells that include a sequence encoding a pharmacologically active molecule of interest useful in therapeutic treatments and/or vaccination against disease are provided. Delivery of the pharamacologically active molecules is provided at the mucosal surface, such as the gastric mucosa or nasal membranes, to provide effective and continuous delivery of a pharmacologically active agent. Vectors and shuttle vector constructs are also provided.
US08298803B2

The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
US08298794B2

The invention relates to nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for sorghum CAD alleles and truncated CAD polypeptides. Sorghum plants having such truncations or combinations thereof, methods of genotyping sorghum plants for CAD truncations, and methods for breeding sorghum plants having truncated CAD sequences or combinations thereof are described.
US08298791B2

A purine-derived substance is produced by culturing a Bacillus bacterium which has an ability to produce a purine-derived substance and has enhanced activity of an enzyme of the oxidative pentosephosphate pathway. The purine-derived substance is produced in the medium or the bacterial cells, and can be collected from the medium or the bacterial cells.
US08298787B2

Provided is a method for improving secretion efficiency of a recombinant foreign protein in a yeast expression system. The method includes transforming a yeast host with a recombinant foreign gene construct containing a galactose-inducible promoter, a secretion signal sequence and a gene encoding the foreign protein to construct a transformed yeast strain; and culturing the transformed yeast strain under the condition that the activity of the galactose-inducible promoter is controlled. Improved secretion efficiency of the foreign protein can be achieved by decreasing overexpression-induced insoluble precipitation of the recombinant foreign protein suffered by a conventional galactose-inducible promoter-based yeast expression system, via appropriate control of a level of galactose functioning as an inducer of the galactose-inducible promoter in cells. Due to improved secretion efficiency of the recombinant foreign protein, present invention makes a contribution to improvement in productivity of recombinant foreign proteins in the yeast expression system and reduction in production costs.
US08298785B2

The present invention provides a method of detecting adventitious agents in a composition comprising a microorganism by using ribozyme-expressing indicator cells, as well as indicator cells useful in such detection.
US08298780B2

Methods are provided to detect changes in cells without the use of detection labels.
US08298769B2

The present invention is concerned with epitope regions of thyrotrophin (TSH) receptor, uses thereof and antibodies thereto.
US08298763B2

An automated real-time flow-through system capable of processing multiple samples in an asynchronous, simultaneous, and parallel fashion for nucleic acid extraction and purification, followed by assay assembly, genetic amplification, multiplex detection, analysis, and decontamination. The system is able to hold and access an unlimited number of fluorescent reagents that may be used to screen samples for the presence of specific sequences. The apparatus works by associating extracted and purified sample with a series of reagent plugs that have been formed in a flow channel and delivered to a flow-through real-time amplification detector that has a multiplicity of optical windows, to which the sample-reagent plugs are placed in an operative position. The diagnostic apparatus includes sample multi-position valves, a master sample multi-position valve, a master reagent multi-position valve, reagent multi-position valves, and an optical amplification/detection system.
US08298761B2

The present invention is related to a pair of oligonucleotide primers for the amplification of HSV nucleic acid comprising: a) an oligonucleotide, 10-50 nucleotides in length, preferably 10-35 nucleotides in length, comprising at least a fragment of 10 nucleotides of a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 5′-ACGTTCACCAAGCTGCTGCT-3′, or its complementary sequence and b) an oligonucleotide, 10-50 nucleotides in length, preferably 10-35 nucleotides in length, comprising at least a fragment of 10 nucleotides of a sequence selected from the group consisting of: 5′CCAGGGCCCTGGAGGTGCGG-3′, or its complementary sequence. The invention also relates to probes, method for amplifying an HSV DNA target, method of specific ou aspecific detection of HSV type 1 and 2 and test kit to do possible the detection of HSV. The present invention is especially useful in methods for practicing nucleic acid test.
US08298749B2

Provided is a directly imageable waterless planographic printing plate precursor that comprises at least a heat sensitive layer and a silicone rubber layer formed on a substrate in this order and has a high sensitivity not only immediately after the precursor production but also after the passage of time. In the directly imageable waterless planographic printing plate precursor, the heat sensitive layer contains liquid bubbles filled with a liquid with a boiling point in the range of 210 to 270° C. Also provided is a production method for making a directly imageable waterless planographic printing plate precursor.
US08298744B2

A coating material for a photoresist pattern includes a water-soluble polymer and an additive mixed with the water-soluble polymer. The additive may be at least one selected from the group represented by Formulas 1 and 2: wherein X and Y respectively represent one selected from a heteroatom group consisting of N, O and S, and R1 to R8 respectively represent one selected from an electron donating group consisting of an alkyl group and —H, and wherein X and Y respectively represent one selected from a heteroatom group consisting of N, O and S, and R1 to R7 respectively represent one selected from an electron donating group consisting of an alkyl group and —H.
US08298740B2

Provided are toner for developing an electrostatic latent image and a method of preparing the same. The toner has G′(60) of about 4.0×107 Pa to about 4.0×108 Pa, G′(60)/G′(80) of about 100 to about 500, and G′(100, 140) of about 3.0×103 Pa to about 1.5×105 Pa. The G′(60) and G′(80) are storage moduli Pa at about 60° C. and about 80° C. under measurement conditions of an angular velocity of about 6.28 rad/s and a heating rate of about 2.0° C./minute, respectively. The G′(100, 140) is a storage modulus Pa at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 140° C. under measurement conditions of an angular velocity of about 6.28 rad/s and a heating rate of about 2.0° C./minute.
US08298739B2

A toner comprising toner particles, wherein a surface-treated titanate compound is contained on the surface of parent toner particles comprising a resin and a colorant, and the titanate compound having a carbon amount of not less than 0.15% by mass and not more than 0.50% by mass.
US08298726B2

Disclosed is a volume phase hologram recording material of high sensitivity, high contrast, and excellent record retention properties and also disclosed is a volume phase hologram recording medium using the said material. The volume phase hologram recording material mainly contains a three-dimensional crosslinked polymer matrix, a radically polymerizable monomer, and a photoradical polymerization initiator. The three-dimensional crosslinked polymer matrix is formed from a matrix-forming compound having two photoradically polymerizable unsaturated groups and two non-photoradically polymerizable hydroxyl groups represented by the following general formula (1) and another matrix-forming compound having no photoradically polymerizable group.
US08298719B2

Passive recovery of liquid water from the cathode side of a polymer electrolyte membrane through the design of layers on the cathode side of an MEA and through the design of the PEM, may be used to supply water to support chemical or electrochemical reactions, either internal or external to the fuel cell, to support the humidification or hydration of the anode reactants, or to support the hydration of the polymer electrolyte membrane over its major surface or some combination thereof. Such passive recovery of liquid water can simplify fuel cell power generators through the reduction or elimination of cathode liquid water recovery devices.
US08298716B2

In a process of manufacturing a membrane electrode assembly, seal-material flow holes (62a, 62b) in the form of through-holes are formed, separately from manifold holes (16a-16f), in the membrane electrode assembly prior to injection molding. When the membrane electrode assembly is placed in a mold for injection molding, the seal-material flow hole (62a) is located in a cavity (44a). When a seal material is supplied from a supply port (42) formed at a location where the manifold hole (16a) is formed, the seal material that flows toward the upper die (40a) passes the seal-material flow hole (62a) in the cavity (44a), and then flows toward the lower die (40b), so as to reduce the unevenness between the amounts of supply of the seal material to the upper die (40a) and the lower die (40b).
US08298710B2

A humidifier for humidifying a fuel cell composed of an anode side humidifier and a cathode side humidifier each possessing a plurality of hollow fiber membrane modules for migrating moisture between a supply gas, which is supplied to a fuel cell, and an exhaust gas, which is exhausted from the fuel cell to thereby humidify the supply gas, the humidifier comprising: a pair of heads which hold both ends of the hollow fiber membrane modules, a connecting member which connects each of heads, and a device for warming the supply gas composed of conduits through which a cooling medium exhausted from the fuel cell is passed. The device for warming the supply gas is configured so that first warms a humidifier at an outlet side of the supply gas, and then warms a humidifier at an inlet side of the supply gas.
US08298685B2

Disclosed is a block copolymer characterized by containing a block (A) containing two or more different repeating units respectively composed of a specific divalent heterocyclic group, and a repeating unit composed of an arylene group, and a block (B) containing a repeating unit composed of an arylene group and a repeating unit composed of a divalent aromatic amine residue. Also disclosed are a composition containing a solvent, a light-emitting material other than the block copolymer, a hole-transporting material other than the block copolymer, an electron-transporting material other than the block copolymer or a combination of two or more of them, in addition to the block copolymer; a light-emitting thin film characterized by containing the block copolymer; and a polymer light-emitting device characterized by having an anode, a cathode and an organic layer containing the block copolymer and arranged between the anode and the cathode.
US08298683B2

The present invention provides an organic light emitting device comprising a first electrode, at least one organic layer and a second electrode, laminated successively, in which at least one layer of the organic layer has a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon as a core and comprises at least one of a derivative in which a substituted or unsubstituted C2-30 cycloalkane, or a substituted or unsubstituted C5-50 polycycloalkane is directly fused to the core or fused to a substituent of the core; and a new organic compound usable in the organic light emitting device. Furthermore, the present invention provides a charge carrier extracting, injecting or transporting material which has a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon as a core and comprises a derivative in which a substituted or unsubstituted C2-30 cycloalkane, or a substituted or unsubstituted C5-50 polycycloalkane is directly fused to the core or fused to a substituent of the core.
US08298680B2

The solder composition comprises particles of a thermodynamically metastable alloy. One of the elements of the alloy will form an intermetallic compound with a metal surface. The solder composition is particularly suitable for use in bumping of semiconductor devices.
US08298679B2

The invention relates to an aqueous composition of bis-amino-functional silicon compounds which is essentially free of organic solvents and releases essentially no further alcohol in the course of crosslinking, and to processes for preparing it and to the use thereof, for example for hydrophobization of metal or glass surfaces.
US08298675B2

The present disclosure is directed to a light-colored wood component for the interior of an automotive vehicle that includes a UV additive-containing aqueous treating mixture coated onto the wood substrate at a loading ranging between about 84 to about 104 g/m2, and having a low gloss polyurethane-containing topcoat essentially free of UV additives applied to the top surface of the wood substrate. The wood component can have a 60 degree surface gloss rating no greater than about 25 gloss units measured according to ASTM D523-08 test conditions. Methods of producing the vehicle interior component are also disclosed.
US08298673B2

A vibration-damping reinforcement composition contains 30 to 300 parts by weight of butyl rubber, 30 to 300 parts by weight of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, 100 parts by weight of epoxy resin, and 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of an epoxy resin curing agent.
US08298671B2

A photochromic polyurethane laminate that is constructed to solve certain manufacturing difficulties involved in the production of plastic photochromic lenses is disclosed. The photochromic laminate includes at least two layers of a resinous material and a photochromic polyurethane layer that is interspersed between the two resinous layers and which contains photochromic compounds. The polyurethane layer is formed by curing a mixture of a solid thermoplastic polyurethane, at least one isocyanate prepolymer, at least one photochromic compound, and a stabilizing system.
US08298663B2

Provided is a PSA sheet comprising a PVC film (support) provided with PSA layer formed of an aqueous dispersion-type PSA composition, which exhibits a smooth unwinding motion. The PVC film can be obtained by molding a PVC composition comprising PVC and a metal soap. The metal soap comprises an alkali earth metal soap and zinc soap. At least part of the alkali earth metal soap is a stearate and at least part of the zinc soap is zinc laurate.
US08298662B2

Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that performs well at both high and low temperatures. The waterproofing membrane comprises a carrier support layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive bitumen composition comprising bitumen (asphalt), synthetic rubber, high density polyethylene, amorphous polyolefin, ground vulcanized crumb rubber and, optionally, a plasticizer. The waterproofing membrane also may optionally include a removable release sheet on the adhesive layer.
US08298661B2

Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that performs well at both high and low temperatures. The waterproofing membrane comprises a carrier support layer and an adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a pressure sensitive bitumen composition comprising bitumen (asphalt), synthetic rubber, high density polyethylene, ground vulcanized crumb rubber and, optionally, a plasticizer. The waterproofing membrane also may optionally include a removable release sheet on the adhesive layer.
US08298660B2

The present invention provides a flame-retardant polyolefin resin composition having superior molding processability, a resistance to thermal deformation and suitable stretchability and intensity, which is rich in elastic deformation. The present invention provides a flame-retardant polyolefin resin composition comprising component A (a thermoplastic resin having a carbonyl oxygen atom in the molecular skeleton), component B (a polymer alloy containing an ethylene component and a propylene component), component C: a modified polyolefin polymer containing an acidic functional group and having a weight average molecular weight of 10,000-80,000 and component D (an inorganic metal compound), and substantially free of a halogen atom.
US08298658B2

A developer carrying member is provided which, even in continuous copying over a long term and also even under different environmental conditions, do not cause any charge-up of toner, and prevent the toner from melt-adherent to the developer carrying member surface and developer layer thickness control member surface to maintain the state of uniform coating of a developer having a toner and to make the toner uniformly and quickly triboelectrically charged, so as to obtain high-grade images free of any image density decrease, image density non-uniformity, sleeve ghosts, fog and vertical streaks during running service. Provided are a developer carrying member having a substrate and a resin coat layer on the surface of the substrate, which resin coat layer contains at least a binder resin and a carbon black, where the graphite (002) plane obtained from X-ray diffraction of the carbon black has a lattice spacing of from 0.3370 nm or more to 0.3450 nm or less; and a developing assembly having such a developer carrying member.
US08298651B2

A hollow structure forming substrate includes: a surface on which a plastic-deformation film is formed by using a plastic-deformable material; a plurality of regularly-arranged gas-retaining spaces; a plurality of gas leading-out parts each having a first opening which faces corresponding one of the gas-retaining spaces and a second opening which faces the surface, the gas leading-out parts leads out gas retained in the gas-retaining spaces toward the surface under depressurized environmental condition; and a plurality of infiltration preventing spaces each provided in a space between corresponding one of the first openings and corresponding one of the second openings, in which the infiltration preventing spaces prevent infiltration of the plastic-deformable material from the surface into the gas-retaining spaces.
US08298644B2

A mat assembly configured for use with a vehicle includes a mat holder and a mat insert. The mat insert is permeable to contaminants and is made of a spacer fabric which may be a 3D knit fabric. The mat holder is configured to entrap contaminants permeating the mat insert. The mat insert and mat holder are configured such that the mat insert can be detached from and reattached to the mat holder for cleaning. The mat insert has at least one appearance layer which may be a carpet-like material. The mat holder may include a panel, which may be hingedly attached to or detachable from the mat holder, through which entrapped contaminants may be removed. The mat holder may be integral to the vehicle, e.g., an aperture in the floor covering, a liner or an insert, or a cavity in the floor, trunk or cargo area of the vehicle.
US08298633B1

A locking artificial tree trunk including a first generally cylindrical, hollow trunk portion including an upper end, the upper end defining a notch, and a second generally cylindrical trunk portion including a body portion, a lower end having an insertable portion, and an upper end. The locking artificial tree trunk also includes a coupling mechanism having a body portion and an upper portion having a tab, and defining a channel for receiving the insertable portion of the lower end of the second trunk portion. The body portion is inserted substantially into the upper end of the first trunk portion with the tab of the upper portion aligned with the notch, thereby preventing rotation of the coupling mechanism within the upper end of the first trunk portion.
US08298623B2

A method for fabricating a composite material includes providing a free-standing carbon nanotube structure having a plurality of carbon nanotubes, introducing at least two reacting materials into the carbon nanotube structure to form a reacting layer, activating the reacting materials to grow a plurality of nanoparticles, wherein the nanoparticles are spaced from each other and coated on a surface of each of the carbon nanotubes of the carbon nanotube structure.
US08298620B2

The present invention provides methods of controlling properties of a thin film applied to a substrate whereby the properties of the thin film may be controlled by the surface morphology of the substrate. Methods of increasing a deposition rate of an electroless plating process applied to a substrate, controlling the grain size distribution and/or grain size of a thin film applied to a substrate and maintaining a uniform overpotential of an electroless plating process on a substrate are also provided.
US08298617B2

Process for preparing a cross-linked rubber article comprising the steps of: a) applying a sulfur-containing composition to the surface of a pre-shaped peroxide-containing cross-linkable rubber article to provide a sulfur-coated article, and b) cross-linking the rubber by heating the sulfur-coated article, optionally in the presence of air, at a temperature in the range of 80 to 300° C. to obtain the cross-linked rubber article.
US08298616B2

Methods and compositions for depositing a film on one or more substrates include providing a reactor with at least one substrate disposed in the reactor. At least one metal precursor are provided and at least partially deposited onto the substrate to form a metal-containing film.
US08298611B2

A method of fabricating a discrete track magnetic recording media. A base layer is provided onto which repeating and alternating magnetic layer and non-magnetic layers are deposited. The thickness of the magnetic layer corresponds to the width of the track of the recording media. A cylindrical rod can be used as the base layer, such that the alternating magnetic and non-magnetic layers spiraling or concentric layers around the rod. The resulting media layer can be cut or sliced into individual magnetic media or used to imprint other media discs with the discrete pattern of the media layer.
US08298607B2

A method for electrostatic coating of medical devices such as stents and balloons is described. The method includes applying a composition to a polymeric component of a medical device which has little or no conductivity. The polymeric component could be a material from which the body or a strut of the stent is made or could be a polymeric coating pre-applied on the stent. The polymeric component could be the balloon wall. A charge can then be applied to the polymeric component or the polymeric component can be grounded. Charged particles of drugs, polymers, biobeneficial agents, or any combination of these can then be electrostatically deposited on the medical device or the coating on the medical device. One example of the composition is iodine, iodine, iodide, iodate, a complex or salt thereof which can also impart imaging capabilities to the medical device.
US08298601B2

Highly purified Stevioside and Rebaudioside A were prepared from sweet glycoside extracts obtained from Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni leaves. The resulting sweeteners are suitable as non-calorie, non-cariogenic, non-bitter, non-lingering sweeteners, which may be advantageously applied in foods, beverages, and milk products.
US08298597B2

The present invention is a composition that can be taken by a user with an alcohol consuming lifestyle, to protect the user from liver damage as a result of consuming alcohol. The composition contains milk thistle extract, dandelion root, artichoke extract, vitamin E, selenium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin. The alcohol is ethyl alcohol based drinks such as liquor, beer, wine or a combination of ethyl alcohol based drinks, liquor, beer or wine. The composition can be taken by a user in the form of a pill, a tablet or a capsule.
US08298591B2

According to at least one aspect of the present invention, a botanical anti-fever composition is provided. In at least one embodiment, the botanical composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of admixture of parts or extracts of at least one plant species from each of genus Baptisia and genus Swertia. In at least one particular embodiment, the botanical composition contains Baptisia Tinctoria. In at least another particular embodiment, the botanical composition contains Swertia Chirata.
US08298590B2

The invention of the present application provides a standardized method to obtain a material from Sapindacea family fruits, wherein the material is utilized by itself or in combination with other compounds to make preparations. The material by itself has surfactant, emulsifying and foaming properties, among others. In addition, the invention provides a preparation wherein the material is used in combination with Swinglea glutinosa extract. The preparation enhances the ability of the Swinglea glutinosa extract to kill and prevent fungi, and to kill and repel insects and mites.
US08298587B2

A method of manipulating allogeneic cells for use in allogeneic cell therapy protocols is described. The method provides a composition of highly activated allogeneic T-cells which are infused into immunocompetent cancer patients to elicit a novel anti-tumor immune mechanism called the “Mirror Effect”. In contrast to current allogeneic cell therapy protocols where T-cells in the graft mediate the beneficial graft vs. tumor (GVT) and detrimental graft vs. host (GVH) effects, the allogeneic cells of the present invention stimulate host T-cells to mediate the “mirror” of these effects. The mirror of the GVT effect is the host vs. tumor (HVT) effect. The “mirror” of the GVH effect is the host vs. graft (HVG) effect. The effectiveness and widespread application of the anti-tumor GVT effect is limited by the severe toxicity of the GVH effect. In the present invention, the anti-tumor HVT effect occurs in conjunction with a non-toxic HVG rejection effect. The highly activated allogeneic cells of the invention can be used to stimulate host immunity in a complete HLA mis-matched setting in patients that have not had a prior bone marrow transplant or received chemotherapy and/or radiation conditioning regimens.
US08298580B2

Pharmaceutical compositions of topiramate for once-a-day oral administration are provided. The formulations comprise a sustained-release component and an optional immediate-release component, the compositions of which can be selectively adjusted, respectively, to release the active ingredient along a pre-determined release profile. Method of treating or preventing pathological disorders in mammalian subjects comprising the administration of the novel formulations disclosed herein is also provided.
US08298573B2

The invention provides a formulation of one or more antineoplastic drugs encapsulated in liposomes including at least a lipid fraction in addition to the antineoplastic drug, wherein the composition is stable in an aqueous solution at room temperature.
US08298560B2

Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.
US08298559B2

A physical mode of action pesticide for application on plants and in soils, and methods of manufacture and application, comprising an active ingredient in the form of a polymer in a concentration of less than 0.1% wt., a surfactant, a co-solvent and a diluent in a hydrocolloid suspension. The suspension polymer is preferably a polysaccharide having a molecular weight of 10,000 to 25,000,000, and preferably in the range of about 600,000. The pesticide preferably also includes a targeting ingredient for directing the active ingredient to a particular target.
US08298550B2

The invention relates to a modified botulinum toxin comprising a natural heavy chain and a modified light chain, characterized in that the modification of the light chain resides in that it comprises (i) an extension of the chain on its N-terminus which has the structure —(C)n-(tag)m-(X)l- in the direction from the N- to the C-terminal end, wherein C represents a cysteine residue, tag represents any tag and X represents the residue of any naturally occurring amino acid, n represents an integer from 1 to 50, m represents 0 or 1, and l represents 0 or an integer from 1 to 50, and in that (ii) at least one of the cysteine residues in the extension of the chain is coupled to at least one chain of PEG.
US08298544B2

Prophylactic and/or therapeutic antipathogen agents are provided that disrupt or prevent the formation of at least one homotypic and/or heterotypic protein-protein interaction that has at least one CEA-family protein and that is involved in the establishment and colonization of a pathogen in a suitable host.
US08298536B2

Methods of Treating Inflammatory Pain The invention relates to an anti-CGRP antibody for use in the prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory pain and/or symptoms of inflammatory pain, and to a method of treating and/or preventing inflammatory pain and/or symptoms of inflammatory pain using an anti-CGRP antibody.
US08298532B2

A fusion polypeptide comprising (A)x-M-(A′)y, wherein A and A′ are each polypeptides capable of binding a target receptor. The fusion polypeptides of the invention form multimeric proteins which activate the target receptor. A and A′ may be each be an antibody or fragment derived from an antibody specific for a target receptor, such as the same or different scFv fragments, and/or a ligand or ligand fragment or derivative capable of binding the target protein, M is a multimerizing component, and X and Y are independently a number between 1-10.
US08298531B2

The invention relates to treatment of cancer. More specifically the invention relates to methods of treating cancer selected from the group consisting of squamous cell cancer, lung cancer including small-cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lung, and squamous carcinoma of the lung, cancer of the peritoneum, hepatocellular cancer, gastric or stomach cancer including gastrointestinal cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, hepatoma, breast cancer, colon cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial or uterine carcinoma, salivary gland carcinoma, kidney or renal cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, vulval cancer, thyroid cancer, hepatic carcinoma and various types of head and neck cancer, as well as B-cell lymphoma including low grade/follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL); small lymphocytic (SL) NHL; intermediate grade/follicular NHL; intermediate grade diffuse NHL; high grade immunoblastic NHL; high grade lymphoblastic NHL; high grade small non-cleaved cell NHL; bulky disease NHL; mantle cell lymphoma; AIDS-related lymphoma; and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia; chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL); Hairy cell leukemia; chronic myeloblastic leukemia; and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD), as well as abnormal vascular proliferation associated with phakomatoses, edema such as that associated with brain tumors, Meigs' syndrome, melanoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, fibrosarcoma, osteosarcoma and epidermoid carcinoma, by administering antibodies directed to α2β1 integrin.
US08298520B2

Disclosed is a deodorant particle having a BET specific surface area of 10 m2/g or more that are obtained by copolymerizing a monomer system including a crosslinkable vinyl monomer and a vinyl monomer having a heteroaromatic ring. The deodorant particles may contain a metal ion. Also disclosed is a process of producing the deodorant particles including the step of copolymerizing a monomer system containing a crosslinkable vinyl monomer and a vinyl monomer having a heteroaromatic ring by oil-in-water emulsion polymerization or precipitation polymerization using an organic solvent whose solubility parameter is different from that of the monomers by an absolute difference of 0 to 2.0. The process can further include the step of bringing the particles obtained by the polymerization into contact with a solvent having a metal salt dissolved therein to support a metal ion on the particle.
US08298507B2

A process for producing a fine particulate titanium dioxide, comprising charging a fine particulate titanium dioxide powder in a resin bag, spraying water droplets having a liquid droplet diameter of 5 to 500 μm to the powder in the bag, and closing the bag for storing the powder in the bag.
US08298503B2

A filter type trapping agent for volatile cesium compound and trapping method for volatile cesium compound thereof are provided. More particularly, a filter type trapping agent for volatile cesium compound including silica 40-65% by weight of silica, 15-30% by weight of alumina, 5-15% by weight of iron oxide, 1-15% by weight of molybdenum oxide, 1-10% by weight of chromium oxide, and 1-10% by weight of vanadium oxide and trapping method for volatile cesium compound thereof are provided. Through a filter type trapping agent for volatile cesium compound and a trapping method, only cesium can be selectively separated among the nuclear fission gases. Accordingly, by disposing only the filter where cesium is trapped, the efficiency of an off-gas process improves, expense for disposing filter wastes decreases, and a cesium isotope of the waste filter can be recycled. Therefore, many forms of cesium compound gas are made insoluble efficiently.
US08298501B2

A process for the recovery of a metal sulfide from a metal ion containing solution, including the steps of: a) providing a slurry containing seed panicles of said metal sulfide; h) adding a sulfide ion containing solution to said slurry to form an activated seed slurry; c) mixing said activated seed slurry with said metal ion containing solution to thereby form a metal sulfide precipitate; and d) recovering said metal sulfide precipitate.
US08298488B1

A microfabricated TID comprises a microhotplate and a thermionic source disposed on the microhotplate. The microfabricated TID can provide high sensitivity and selectivity to nitrogen- and phosphorous-containing compounds and other compounds containing electronegative function groups. The microfabricated TID can be microfabricated with semiconductor-based materials. The microfabricated TID can be combined with a microfabricated separation column and used in microanalytical system for the rapid on-site detection of pesticides, chemical warfare agents, explosives, pharmaceuticals, and other organic compounds that contain nitrogen or phosphorus.
US08298479B2

A process for forming a remateable machined titanium powder base alloy connecting rod using a titanium alloy powder having an average particle size of about 1-20 microns, a mean aspect ratio of about 5 to 300, and a specific surface area of at least about 25 m2/g.
US08298473B2

A method of making a tool for curing a composite layup and a method of removing air and volatiles from a composite layup during curing. The tool includes a tool body having a surface adapted to support a composite layup and includes an integrated breather for allowing removal of air from the layup during curing.
US08298470B2

A method of making a molded article from two or more different formable materials having different molding temperatures in a single heating or molding cycle. One of the formable materials is selected as a reference material, and the remaining formable materials are modified so that all of the formable materials reach their respective molding temperatures at substantially the same time. Preferably, each of the remaining formable materials is modified by mixing a suitable amount of an additive therewith so as to adjust the power factor of the formable material. All of the formable materials are then placed in a flow molding apparatus whereby an alternating dielectric field is applied across the formable materials to form the molded article.
US08298468B2

An isostatic pressing method for applying silicon powder as an original raw material for silicon crystal growth includes pressing silicon powder having a particle size of 0.1 to 1,000 micrometers into a silicon brick employing cold or hot isostatic pressing to provide a pressed silicon brick; and charging the pressed silicon brick into a furnace for silicon crystal growth. The furnace for silicon crystal growth may be a mono-crystal furnace for growing monocrystalline silicon or a multi-crystal furnace for growing polycrystalline silicon.
US08298458B2

Systems and methods of manufacturing ophthalmic lenses, for example, silicone hydrogel contact lenses, are provided. The present systems and methods provide certain amounts of ultraviolet light to contact lens mold assemblies that comprise a silicone hydrogel precursor composition. For example, the systems and methods may provide ultraviolet light at an intensity from 20 μW/cm2 to 4000 μW/cm2. The ultraviolet light intensity can be provided as substantially uniform levels to provide consistent curing for batches of silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
US08298457B2

The invention relates to a method of producing a movable lens structure that comprises the steps of: forming a lens from a lens material disposed on a carrier of another material (step 58), and forming a micromechanical structure from the carrier (step 60), wherein the forming of the lens takes place before the forming of the micromechanical structure. With this method a simplified production method is obtained that simplifies difficult compatibility requirements between micromechanics and lens that can otherwise be hard to meet.
US08298453B2

Photochromic dyes are disclosed. A photochromic dye can include a first photo-reactive group and a second photo-reactive group. A first photochromic reaction can be induced in the first photo-reactive group of the photochromic dye by radiation having a first wavelength, and a second photochromic reaction can be induced in the second photo-reactive group of the photochromic dye by radiation having a second wavelength.
US08298443B2

A method for producing a polymer comprising reacting a fluoride and a monomer having a boronic acid moiety, or a salt thereof, in acidic aqueous solution and/or in an aliphatic alcohol. Polymerization occurs with the addition of an oxidizing agent. The method may further comprise the step of purification of the polymer by centrifugation with 0.5 M HCl and/or dispersion of the polymer in a solvent. The polymer has a morphology tunable by changing the solvent.
US08298438B2

An acid corrosion solution for preparing polysilicon suede is obtained by mixing with an oxidant and a hydrogen fluoride. The oxidant is a nitrate or nitrite. The method applied of the solution includes putting the polysilicon cut pieces into the acid corrosion solution to carry out the corrosion reaction. The reaction time is about 30 seconds to 20 minutes and the temperature of acid corrosion solution is −10° C. to 25° C.
US08298437B2

An alkali etching liquid for a silicon wafer that includes an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, and from 0.1 g/L to 0.5 g/L of diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid. Furthermore, the Fe concentration of the aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide is no more than 50 ppb. An etching method that including a step of etching a silicon wafer with a resistivity of no more than 1 Ω·cm using the etching liquid.
US08298435B2

An etching method. The method includes etching a first plurality of silicon wafers in a first enchant, each silicon wafer having SiO2 and Si3N4 deposited thereon, where the etching includes dissolving a quantity of the SiO2 and a quantity of the Si3N4 in the first echant. A quantity of insoluble SiO2 precipitates. A ratio of a first etch rate of Si3N4 to a first etch rate of SiO2 is determined to be less than a predetermined threshold. A portion of the first etchant is combined with a second etchant to form a conditioned etchant. A second plurality of silicon wafers is etched in the conditioned etchant. A ratio of a second etch rate of Si3N4 to a second etch rate of SiO2 in the conditioned etchant is greater than the threshold. A method for exchanging an etching bath solution and a method for forming a selective etchant are also disclosed.
US08298433B2

A method for generating plasma for removing an edge polymer from a substrate is provided. The method includes providing a powered electrode assembly, which includes a powered electrode, a dielectric layer, and a wire mesh disposed between the powered electrode and the dielectric layer. The method also includes providing a grounded electrode assembly disposed opposite the powered electrode assembly to form a cavity wherein the plasma is generated. The wire mesh is shielded from the plasma by the dielectric layer when the plasma is present in the cavity, which has an outlet at one end for providing the plasma to remove the edge polymer. The method further includes introducing at least one inert gas and at least one process gas into the cavity. The method yet also includes applying an RF field to the cavity using the powered electrode to generate the plasma from the inert gas and process gas.
US08298430B2

This etching method comprises the steps of forming first and second hard masks made of materials different from each other successively on a magnetoresistive film; forming a resist having a lower face opposing a front face of the second hard mask, a space being interposed between the front face and lower face; dry-etching the second hard mask by using the resist as a mask; etching the first hard mask by using the etched second hard mask; and etching the magnetoresistive film by using the first hard mask.
US08298428B2

A cleaning magnet device (1a-1c) for cleaning drilling fluid, the cleaning magnet (1a-1c) being disposed in a liquid flow, and the cleaning magnet (1a-1c) being provided with a removable material (6) which is arranged to prevent magnetic bodies from accumulating directly on the cleaning magnet (1a-1c).
US08298425B2

A methodology, and related systems and structures for accomplishing the methodology, of biological remediation of hazardous or undesirable organic matter, wherein a plurality of carrier members are disposed in a localized retaining member, the carrier members releasing or exposing microorganisms to the undesirable organic matter on a staggered basis over an extended period of time, the microorganisms being capable of biologically remediating the undesirable organic matter by utilizing the organic matter as a food source, thereby converting it into environmentally safe bi-products. Carrier members containing nutrients necessary for the survival of the microorganisms and having release times corresponding to the release times of the microorganisms are also provided to insure that the microorganisms remain viable upon release.
US08298422B2

A method for the treatment of effluents containing nitrogen in the form of ammonium, in which: a volume of effluent is introduced into the batch reactor in successive volume fractions, each volume fraction being treated during a subcycle, each subcycle including a phase of feeding with a volume fraction and, in an alternating manner, two treatment stages, i.e. an aerated first stage, during which complete or partial oxidation of the ammonium takes place to give nitrites, followed by a nonaerated second stage, during which the nitrites produced and the ammonium are converted to nitrogen gas. During the aerated first stage, the dissolved oxygen concentration in the batch reactor is maintained between 0.1 mgO2/l and 0.6 mgO2/l; the N—NO2:N—NH4 ratio is adjusted to be between 0.9 and 1.5 at the beginning of the nonaerated stage; and the nonaerated phase is carried out by deammonification, without the provision of carbon-based substrate.
US08298421B2

A filter device for the insertion of filter elements (28) to be positioned in a filter housing (10) having a filter inlet (20) and a filter outlet (22) for the fluid to be filtered. The filter elements (28) are traversed in both directions for filtration or backwashing. Certain filter elements (28) perform the filtration in a filtration position and at least one additional filter element (28) can be backwashed in a backwashing position to clean its active filtration surface. As the individual filter elements (28) are brought into the backwashing position and are then returned to their filtration position in succession by a pivoting device (30), the filter elements are individually displaced into the backwashing position in a temporal sequence, in contrast to prior art, where an arm-type backwashing device is pivoted towards the individual filter elements to carry out the backwashing process.
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