US08340623B2
This invention is primarily a circuit structure of self-mixing receiver, and the methodology of circuit structure is described as follows. The first stage is a high input impedance voltage amplifier utilized to amplify the received RF carrier signal from the antenna. Besides, there are no any inductors required. The second stage is a multi-stage amplifier to amplify the output signal of first stage to rail-to-rail level, which is quite the same with supply voltage. The third stage is a mixer adopted to lower the signal frequency. The fourth stage is a digital output converter, which is proposed to demodulate the electric signals and convert the demodulated signal to digital signal.
US08340618B2
Methods, systems, and apparatuses, and combinations and sub-combinations thereof, for down-converting an electromagnetic (EM) signal are described herein. Briefly stated, in embodiments the invention operates by receiving an EM signal and recursively operating on approximate half cycles (½, 1½, 2½, etc.) of the carrier signal. The recursive operations can be performed at a sub-harmonic rate of the carrier signal. The invention accumulates the results of the recursive operations and uses the accumulated results to form a down-converted signal. In an embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is down-converted to a baseband information signal. In another embodiment, the EM signal is a frequency modulated (FM) signal, which is down-converted to a non-FM signal, such as a phase modulated (PM) signal or an amplitude modulated (AM) signal.
US08340615B2
A voltage-controlled capacitor and methods for forming the same are described. A mechanical conductor membrane of the voltage-controlled capacitor is movable to and from a first position and a second position. An amount of capacitance can vary with the movement of the mechanical conductor membrane. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) voltage-controlled capacitor can be used in a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, RF switches and RF attenuators.
US08340607B2
A dual-band transceiver is disclosed. In one embodiment, the system includes a first mixer circuit that generates a first signal having a first frequency that is within a first predefined frequency range. The system also includes a second mixer circuit that generates a second signal having one of a second frequency that is within a second predefined frequency range and a third frequency that is within a third predefined frequency range, and wherein each of the first mixer circuit and the second mixer circuit are used for at least two frequency bands.
US08340603B2
A digital pre-distortion system which can provide the flexibility to model the highly non-linear distortion associated with High Efficiency RF Power Amplifiers while through a novel implementation of a least squares estimation process allows an implementation well suited for an FPGA application where limited resources and in particular memory resources are available.
US08340602B1
Provided is a radio-frequency (RF) power amplifier system that includes a look-up table (LUT), populated with values indicative of predistortion information that is stored in a memory location, and a transmit path that includes a predistorter to receive a transmission signal (TX) and output a predistorted transmission (TX) signal, wherein the predistorted transmission signal is compensated for distortion of the transmit path, and wherein the predistorter outputs the predistorted TX signal based on the values indicative of predistortion information populated in the look-up table. The transmit path also includes a digital to analog converter (DAC) configured to receive the predistorted TX signal from the predistorter and output an analog predistorted transmission (TX) signal, and a power amplifier configured to amplify the analog predistorted TX signal.
US08340600B2
An apparatus and method for DC offset calibration in a system are provided. The method of a DC offset calibrator for calibrating a DC offset on a system transmission path includes variably setting offset values to be applied to transmit signals of a system, transmitting the variably set offset values to the system, measuring a DC component output value at an antenna end of the system for the transmit signals to which the variably set offset values are applied, and, when the measured DC component output value has a value allowable in the system, determining the variably set offset values as final offset values to be applied to the system.
US08340597B1
A transmitter beamforming technique for use in a MIMO wireless communication system determines a calibration factor and then applies the calibration factor to a transmit beamforming steering matrix developed using implicit beamforming, i.e., using an estimate of a forward channel disposed between a transmitter and a receiver based on a measurement of the reverse channel disposed between the receiver and the transmitter. The beamforming technique first determines descriptions of both the forward and reverse channels, determines an estimate of the forward channel from the description of the reverse channel, determines right singular matrixes which model the forward channel and the estimated forward channel and then develops a calibration factor from the determined right singular matrixes. The beamforming technique then applies the determined calibration factor to a steering matrix which is calculated using a standard implicit beamforming technique, i.e., assuming that the forward channel can be described as the transpose of the reverse channel. The use of this beamforming technique provides superior beamforming results when using implicit beamforming without having to take the necessary steps to determine a description of the actual forward channel each time a new steering matrix is to be calculated.
US08340595B2
A system and a method of controlling an RF transceiver are provided. The system includes a key input unit for detecting a key selection, a memory unit storing control data required for operating the RF transceiver and a code table matching with a key value, a liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying operational information of the RF transceiver, a controller for turning off the LCD that is in an on-state when a data transmitting/receiving request is detected from the key input unit and turning on the LCD when the data transmitting/receiving is completed, and an RF transmitting/receiving unit for modulating a transmitting signal, power-amplifying the transmitting signal, transmitting the amplified signal as an RF signal to an object device through an antenna, and receiving a response signal as an RF signal from the object device.
US08340594B2
A microwave channel multiplexing device comprises several elementary filters connected in parallel with a common output port by way of a transverse waveguide, each filter comprising a lower end fixed to a support common to all the filters and an upper end away from the support, an external peripheral wall, at least one internal cavity defining an internal channel, a signal input connected to the internal cavity and a signal output connected to the transverse waveguide. The multiplexing device furthermore comprises a conducto-radiative device coupled mechanically and thermally to at least two filters, the conducto-radiative device comprising at least one thermally conducting plate, and linked to the external peripheral walls of each of said at least two filters, the plate being fixed at the level of the upper end of the filters. The invention applies to the field of satellite telecommunications and more particularly to signals repetition devices aboard satellites.
US08340587B2
Methods and apparatus are presented for improving the feedback of channel information to a serving base station, which allows a reduction in the reverse link load while allowing the base station to improve the forward link data throughput. Over a channel quality indicator channel, three subchannels are generated; the re-synch subchannel, the differential feedback subchannel, and the transition indicator subchannel. The information carried on each subchannel can be used separately or together by a base station to selectively update internal registers storing channel conditions. The channel conditions are used to determine transmission formats, power levels, and data rates of forward link transmissions.
US08340576B2
A device and method to compensate for distortions of amplitude that afflict systems for communicating through capacitive coupling. A circuit includes a first transmitter stage, a first receiver stage, and a first coupling capacitor, coupled between the first transmitter stage and the first receiver stage. The first receiver stage includes a calibration amplifier of a variable-gain type coupled between the first coupling capacitor and an output of the electronic circuit. The electronic circuit includes a reference channel formed by: a transmission calibration stage; a reception calibration stage; and a reference capacitor coupled between the transmission calibration stage and the reception calibration stage. The reception calibration stage includes: a reception amplifier of a variable-gain type, having an input coupled to the reference capacitor, and a gain controller, having an input coupled to an output of the reception amplifier and an output coupled to control terminals of the reception and calibration amplifiers.
US08340572B2
A method is described for selecting repeaters comprising: transmitting a first signal from a first node to a second node; measuring signal strength of the first signal at the second node; transmitting a second signal from the second node to the first node; measuring signal strength of the second signal at the first node; and selecting the second node as a repeater based on the signal strength of the first signal and/or the signal strength of the second signal.Another embodiment of the method comprises: calculating signal strength of a signal transmitted to each of a plurality of nodes (the signal strength being measured at each node of the plurality); and selecting one or more of the nodes to be a repeater if the signal strength is below a maximum threshold value and above a minimum threshold value.
US08340571B2
A repeater, a remote management system of a repeater and a method arc provided for variably attenuating an input signal. A repeater relays at least one frequency band signal between a base station and a service side, includes at least one variable attenuator for variably attenuating each of at least one frequency band signal, variably attenuates an input signal that is received from the base station through the variable attenuator, and transfers the input signal to the service side. Further, a remote management system of the repeater communicates through the repeater and a mobile communication network and includes a repeater management server for requesting to change an attenuation value of the variable attenuator to the repeater when the input signal is an excess input signal.
US08340569B2
A data transmission system for minimizing the number of errors during Tx/Rx times of mobile service data under mobile environments, and a data processing method for the same are disclosed. The system additionally codes the mobile service data, and transmits the resultant coded mobile service data. As a result, the mobile service data has a strong resistance to noise and channel variation, and can quickly cope with the rapid channel variation.
US08340566B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a printing medium supply unit, which is coupled to the casing, and supplies a printing medium; an image forming unit, which forms an image on the printing medium supplied from the printing medium supply unit; and a discharge unit. The discharge unit includes: a discharging part, which discharges the printing medium fed from the image forming unit out of the casing; a feeding guide, which is provided along in a feeding path of the printing medium, and moves between a discharging position, in which the printing medium is discharged out of the casing, and a back feeding position, in which the printing medium is back fed to the image forming unit; and a pressing lever, which presses and releases the feeding guide, according to a movement of the discharging part, so that the feeding guide can move between the discharging position and the back feeding position.
US08340563B2
A sheet conveying apparatus including: a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed; a sensor unit configured to output a signal according to a characteristic of the sheet which is conveyed through the sheet conveying path; a pressure unit configured to press the sheet against the sensor unit; and a moving member protruding into the sheet conveying path, the moving member being moved by being pushed by the sheet passing through the sheet conveying path, wherein the pressure unit is interlocked with the moving member so that the sheet is pressed by the pressure unit against the sensor unit when the moving member is not pushed by the sheet, and a pressure force on the sheet applied by the pressure unit is released or reduced when the moving member is pushed by the sheet.
US08340560B2
A fixing device including: a heated fixing member to fix a toner image on a recording medium; a pressing member to form a nip portion between the pressing member and the fixing member; a first blowing unit that blows air to a position close to a leading edge of the recording medium; and a second blowing unit that blows air to the recording medium, wherein a discharge pressure of the air discharged by the first blowing unit is larger than that of the air ejected by the second blowing unit; a discharged air volume discharged by the first blowing unit is less than that discharged by the second blowing unit; and a first discharge port from which air is blown by the first blowing unit is arranged upstream of a second discharge port from which air is blown by the second blowing unit.
US08340559B2
A fixing device comprises: a heating rotary member and a pressurizing rotary member, which form a nip, and guiding members for guiding a recording sheet that has passed through the nip. In a cross-section perpendicular to a rotation axis of the heating rotary member, La connects axial centers of two rotary members, Lb is perpendicular to La, P is on a guiding surface of one of the guiding members and horizontally closer to the pressurizing rotary member than any other points thereon, said one of the guiding members being closer to the heating rotary member than the other, Lc passes through P and is tangent to an outer circumference of the heating rotary member near the nip, and D is a P-La distance. Here, heating rotary member diameter×1.6≦D
US08340548B2
An image forming apparatus, includes: a main body frame; a process cartridge which comprises a driven gear unit which is driven to form a visible image on an image carrying body; and a bracket device which comprises a bracket main body which is coupled to the main body frame, a driving gear unit which is supported to the bracket main body, and which is to be engaged with the driven gear unit, and a guide which guides the process cartridge into a mounting position in the main body frame.
US08340547B2
A cleaning device includes a cleaning member that comes into contact with a developer carrier, which carries developer, in a direction crossing a moving direction of the developer carrier and cleans the developer carrier by removing the developer from the developer carrier, a recovery section that is provided with a recovery port formed inside of end portions of the developer carrier in the direction crossing the moving direction of the developer carrier and recovers the developer, which is removed by the cleaning member, through the recovery port, and a guide member that guides the developer to the recovery port, one end of the guide member being positioned outside an end portion of the cleaning member and the end portion of the developer carrier, and the other end of the guide member being positioned inside the cleaning member in the direction crossing the moving direction of the developer carrier.
US08340543B2
A temperature control method for use in a fixing device that fixes a toner image on a recording sheet by passing the recording sheet through a fixing nip defined between a fixing member and a pressure member includes temperature detection, heater control, and duty control execution. The temperature detection detects a temperature of the fixing member with a temperature detector. The heater control controls operation of a heater of the fixing device by changing a duty thereof according to the detected temperature. The duty control execution executes a heater duty control to change a heater duty for a current control cycle discontinuously from that for a previous control cycle when the current control cycle precedes entry of the recording sheet into the fixing nip by a given period of time.
US08340540B2
A method and apparatus saves on toner cost and improves productivity for running registration and color process controls in a printer by making dual use of patches for both functions. That is, the small patches normally used only for registration measurement are also used for xerographic process control measurements, thereby eliminating the need for large patches and obtaining registration information and color control information at the same time. The dual use of small patches to measures both registration and color process control is made possible by periodically establishing correlation between the density of large density patches and the smaller registration patches.
US08340538B2
Provided is a method of controlling electric power of a coil which performs induction heating in an imaging apparatus. The method includes: detecting an input current of the coil; detecting a resonant current of the coil; calculating a difference between the detected resonant current and the detected input current; and controlling electric power supplied to the coil based on the difference. These operations are repeatedly performed whenever the detected input current is changed.
US08340534B2
A method comprising generating a plurality of first symbols that correspond to a side band pilot tone (SBPT) signal for a plurality of data streams, mapping the first symbols into a plurality of second symbols that correspond to a plurality of signal components of the polarization multiplexed (PM) optical signal, and transmitting the second symbols in a plurality of data blocks of a PM optical signal. An apparatus comprising at least one processor coupled to a memory and configured to obtain a data block that comprises a plurality of SBPTs in a received PM optical signal, estimate a set of values for a carrier frequency and a polarization state, update a tap weight of a master equalizer based on the estimated set of values, and update a plurality of slave equalizers based on the updated tap weight of the master equalizer.
US08340527B2
Method and apparatus for coupling electrical and communication circuits, included in a packaged semiconductor comprising photo receivers, photo transmitters and photovoltaic cells, through lightguide and optical fiber cables. The packaged semiconductor combinations comprise one, two or plurality of photo elements for a single or plurality one way optical signal, receive or transmit, and a single or plurality of two way optical signal communications via direct optical links and via optical prisms, filters, half mirrors and lenses. The packaged semiconductor includes at least one optical access to a single or plurality of lightguides or optical fiber with single core and for multicore lightguides. A built-in or attachable holders are used for attaching the different lightguide cables to the one or plurality of optical accesses with the attached cable end is terminated by cutting, trimming and shaping. The packaged circuit comprising electrical switches, current sensors, basic elements such as diodes, transistors and FETs, switches and power switches and different basic electrical circuit and communication, distribution circuits including CPU, DSP and complex semiconductor circuits, as used for communicating within limited short distances through optical network of lightguides and fiber optical cables. A packaged semiconductor of an SPDT power switch circuit is integrated with an SPDT manually activated switch, for providing dual switching for lights and other electrical appliances, via manual action and remotely via the lightguide or the optical fiber.
US08340517B2
An on-chip data communications infrastructure includes a hybrid, photonic/electronic network. The network includes a plurality of interconnected optical switches, each under the control of an electronic router. The electronic routers are connected in a fashion similar to the optical switches, forming a parallel, photonic/electronic network. Electronic path setup messages are routed through the electronic network. At each hop, a photonic switching element in a parallel, photonic network is reserved. When the electronic path setup message reaches its destination, a chain of reserved optical switches is ready to channel the optical data through the photonic network.
US08340513B2
A camera and a method for performing auto-focusing applying thereto are provided. The camera adjusts a focus using two auto-focusing methods if specific photographing conditions are satisfied.
US08340511B2
A portable photo booth may be transported to various entertainment events after being disassembled into readily transportable component. The photo booth may comprise a tent-like enclosure into which 1 to 15 people may enter to be photographed. Upon arrival at an event site the enclosure may be erected and a collection of separable equipment boxes may be attached to the enclosure. The equipment boxes may contain pre-connected equipment such as a camera, a laptop computer, a monitor, a light source and a printer. After the event, the photo booth may be disassembled into readily transportable components and carried to another event.
US08340499B2
To select a recording device for recording a program in a digital television receiver to which a plurality of recorders (recording devices) are connected, control is performed to acquire image quality information about the program to be recorded and to compare the program image quality to be recorded with the recording image quality of a recording medium for each connected recording device. Based on the result of this comparison, a recorder is selected that can secondarily record the program onto a recording medium without compromising the program image quality.
US08340498B1
Video content comprising a plurality of frames containing textual and non-textual elements is processed. A portion of the plurality of frames is selected for analysis to identify textual elements in the frames corresponding to pre-defined textual elements. The identified textual elements are stored along with their location within the video content. In some embodiments, each of a subset of frames included in the portion is analyzed until the pre-defined textual element is identified in a start frame. A plurality of successive frames subsequent to the start frame is analyzed to identify pre-defined textual elements in the frame. Analyzing the frames includes filtering the frames to remove non-textual elements and increase the visibility of the textual elements contained therein. A confidence rating is calculated for the identified textual elements according to some embodiments.
US08340495B2
A process corresponding to a reproduction time of data and an argument information is executed. When mark_time_stamp representing one reproduction time on a time axis of a play list, mark_type representing a type of Mark( ), and mark_type are of a type of an event that is generated, if a reproduction time of data reproduced corresponding to a play list containing PlayListMark( ) having Mark( ) including mark_data as an argument of the event matches mark_time_stamp, Mark( ) having mark_time_stamp is recognized at step S302. When mark_type of Mark( ) recognized represents a type in which the event is generated at step S307, mark_data of Mark( ) and occurrence of the event are notified at step S307. A process corresponding to mark_data is executed at step S308. The present invention can be applied to for example a game machine and so forth that use a DVD.
US08340466B2
The aim of the invention is the improvement of an arrangement for the imaging of surface structures of three-dimensional objects, comprising a device for the optical recording of the surface of at least a partial region of the three-dimensional object from different positions, such that the imaging of the object can be carried out with comparatively little complexity with high reproducible accuracy. According to the invention, the arrangement thus comprises a selection circuit (9), for the selection of a first image section (10) and a subsequent image module (11), in which at least one further image section (12) is digitally recorded. A comparator unit (16) serves to compare the digital patterns (13, 14) contained in the first (10) and the at least one further image section (12) and permits the generation of comparison information on the degree of matching of the digital patterns (13, 14), provided to an image processing unit (19), for determination of spatial parameters and for the aggregation of the image section (10, 12) of the object to give an overall image.
US08340461B2
Techniques and technologies for de-hazing hazy images are described. Some techniques provide for determining the effects of the haze and removing the same from an image to recover a de-hazed image. Thus, the de-hazed image does not contain the effects of the haze. Some disclosed technologies allow for similar results. This document also discloses systems and methods for de-hazing images. Some of the disclosed de-hazing systems include an image capture device for capturing the hazy image and a processor for removing the effects of the haze from the hazy image. These systems store the recovered, de-hazed images in a memory and/or display the de-hazed images on a display. Some of the disclosed methods include removing the effects of the haze from a hazy image and outputting the recovered, de-hazed image.
US08340454B2
An information processing device includes: a block level information obtaining unit to detect a block level from the difference in pixel values between each pixel of an image and nearby pixels and to obtain distribution information wherein the block levels are accumulated for each position in a predetermined direction; a short cycle measuring unit to measure short cycle information which is the distribution information for each phase in a plurality of predetermined short cycles corresponding to a plurality of block sizes from the distribution information; and a determining unit to determine the block size corresponding to the short cycle information wherein the phase distribution takes a maximum value, of the short cycle information of the plurality of predetermined short cycles corresponding to the plurality of block sizes, as the block size in the image.
US08340443B2
A method for restoring compressed data. A difference file and a reference file corresponding to a compressed file are accessed. The difference file is partially decompressed into a partially decompressed difference file in an intermediate representation. The reference file is partially decompressed into a partially decompressed reference file in the intermediate representation. A partially decompressed compressed file is generated based on said partially decompressed difference file and said partially decompressed reference file.
US08340435B2
A method for object recognition using shape and color features of the object to be recognized. An adaptive architecture is used to recognize and adapt the shape and color features for moving objects to enable object recognition.
US08340430B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to methods and systems for determining image characteristics in a digital image.
US08340424B2
A visualization program, method and apparatus for determining reading order of content in a structured document. The method includes generating, for each of a plurality of elements, a directed segment; storing, in the reading order, the generated directed segments of the elements into a storage device; reading from the storage device; linking together the directed segments for the elements in accordance with the reading order; and displaying the linked directed segments overlaid on the structured document which is displayed on the screen. A computer implemented program and an apparatus for carrying out the above method are also provided.
US08340423B1
Methods and systems for updating mosaics of digital source images are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for updating a mosaic of digital source images includes segmenting the mosaic to regions, generating a plurality of region-statistics where each region-statistics correspond to image characteristics of one region, organizing the plurality of region-statistics in a database, and updating the mosaic using at least one target region-statistics from the organized plurality of region-statistics. Updating the mosaic can include color correcting. The method for updating a mosaic of digital source images can also includes optimizing the organized plurality of region-statistics, wherein the optimizing is based on one or more reference region-statistics from the organized plurality of region-statistics.
US08340417B2
Provided are an image processing method and an image processing apparatus for performing skin color correction for removing freckles and wrinkles by using mask pixels spaced apart from a center pixel by a predetermined number of pixels, a digital photographing apparatus using the image processing apparatus, and a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for executing the method. According to various embodiments of the invention, the skin color correction for efficiently removing freckles and wrinkles and preserving an edge may be performed.
US08340407B2
A method for generating an interpolated output image, including generating a first interpolation array including RGB values, at least one of which is interpolated, based on a first interpolation region, and generating a first homogeneity array based on the first interpolation array including homogeneity values calculated based on a first homogeneity neighborhood having the same pixel locations as the first interpolation region. The method includes generating a second interpolation array based on a second interpolation region, and generating a second homogeneity array based on the second interpolation array and a second homogeneity neighborhood, where the second homogeneity neighborhood includes the same pixel locations as the second interpolation region. The method includes determining, for a first pixel location, that the homogeneity value in the first homogeneity array is greater than the homogeneity value in the second homogeneity array, and outputting the RGB color values in the first interpolation array.
US08340406B1
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for generating a location-weighted mask based on a color model comprising spatial dimensions. In one embodiment, a selection of at least one pixel in an input image is received, wherein the selection of the at least one pixel comprises a color and a location within the input image. A color model may be determined based on the color and the location of the at least one pixel, wherein the color model comprises one or more truncated Gaussian functions. A mask may be generated based on the color model. The mask may indicate a degree of membership in the mask for each pixel in the input image as a function of a similarity in color to the at least one pixel in the selection and a proximity to the location of the at least one pixel in the selection.
US08340403B2
A learning device includes: a feature point extracting unit for extracting a feature point from each of multiple generated images; a feature point feature amount extracting unit for extracting feature point feature amount representing the feature of the feature point from the generated image; a whole feature amount calculating unit for calculating the whole feature amount representing the feature of the whole generated image from the feature point feature amount of the generated image based on a shared code book including generated feature amount to be commonly used for generation of an identifier for identifying each of different identified objects; and an identifier generating unit for generating the identifier based on the whole feature amount of the generated image, and a correct answer label representing whether the generated image is the positive image or the negative image.
US08340397B2
Disclosed are a system and a method extensible for performing, in real-time, stereo snatching for calculating depth images with a result of searching for points of similarity by using images taken with two cameras. The system includes a coordinate creating module, a census transform module, a delay XOR calculation module, a stereo matching module, and a control module. Accordingly, by using the system extensible for performing stereo matching, depth information of corrected images can be acquired in real-time without using computer systems or software programs for special purposes. Furthermore, since the system extensible for performing stereo matching can be simply realized by hardware, the system and the method of the present invention can be easily applied to actual intellectual-type robots, industrial settings, etc.
US08340387B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for an image preprocessing device that automatically detects chestwall laterality; removes border artifacts; and segments breast tissue and pectoral muscle from digital mammograms. The algorithms in the preprocessing device utilize the computer cache, a vertical Sobel filter and a probabilistic Hough transform to detect curved edges. The preprocessing result, along with a pseudo-modality normalized image, can be used as input to a CAD (computer-aided detection) server or to a mammography image review workstation. In the case of workstation input, the preprocessing results improve the protocol for chestwall-to-chestwall image hanging, and support optimal image contrast display of each segmented region.
US08340386B2
A method for measuring a SPECT collimator's hole orientation angles includes (a) providing a plurality of parallel spaced apart line radiation sources at a distance from a detector; (b) positioning a first collimator between the plurality of spaced apart line radiation sources and the detector; (c) obtaining a set of line images of the plurality of line radiation sources by scanning/stepping the plurality of line radiation sources across the first collimator in a first direction; (d) obtaining a second set of line images of the plurality of line radiation sources by scanning/stepping the plurality of line radiation sources across the first collimator in a second direction thai is perpendicular to the first direction; (c) repeating the steps (c) and (d) for a second collimator, wherein one of the two collimators is a reference collimator and the other of the two collimators is a collimator being measured.
US08340380B2
A mammary gland content rate estimating apparatus, includes: a breast image acquiring device which acquires a breast image obtained by radiographing a breast by a mammography imaging apparatus; an adipose image estimating device which estimates an adipose image from the acquired breast image based on an assumption that an entire breast is composed of only adipose tissues; a device which acquires a pixel value of a directly irradiated region from the acquired breast image; and a mammary gland content rate calculating device which calculates a mammary gland content rate for each of pixels in the breast image based on the acquired breast image, the estimated adipose image and the acquired pixel value of the directly irradiated region. Accordingly, without requiring complicated calibration in advance, the mammary gland content rate can be estimated for each of pixels easily and precisely.
US08340364B2
A process for extracting iris data for biometric identification includes a thresholding method where the thresholds are selected according to a nonparametric approach that considers the grey scale and does not require classifying pixels as edge or non-edge pixels. An eye image is first acquired, where the eye image has component images including an iris image with an inner boundary and an outer boundary. The eye image has a distribution of grey levels. Component images, such as an iris image or a pupil image, from the eye image are segmented according to the distribution of grey levels. The inner boundary and outer boundary of the iris image are determined from the component images. The iris image within the inner boundary and outer boundary is processed for biometric identification. The component images may be segmented by creating an eye histogram of pixel intensities from the distribution of grey levels.
US08340344B2
Methods and systems for video transmission and processing with customized watermarking delivery are disclosed and may include watermarking data at a communication device utilizing received global positioning (GPS) data and communicating the watermarked video data to a receiving communication device. The receiving communication device may verify the watermarked data, and may determine whether to render the received watermarked data based on the verification. The communication device may include an edge device, and may receive a feedback signal communicated from the receiving communication device. The watermarking of subsequently processed data may be adjusted based on the received feedback signal, which may include GPS data and/or device parameters corresponding to the receiving communication device. The watermarked video data communicated to the receiving communication device may be adjusted based on one or more device parameters corresponding to the receiving communication device and/or GPS information.
US08340333B2
A computer-implemented method including receiving a first signal from an input device of a hearing aid. The first signal may include a noise signal. The computer-implemented method may include low-pass filtering first periodic samples of the first signal, and the first periodic samples may be approximately periodic with respect to a period of the noise signal. The computer-implemented method may further include low-pass filtering second periodic samples of the first signal, and the second periodic samples may be approximately periodic with respect to the period of the noise signal. The second periodic samples may also be phase shifted relative to the first periodic samples. Hearing aid systems and apparatuses are also disclosed.
US08340329B2
A purpose of the invention is to provide a piezoelectric speaker that can serve as an antenna and can be used for frequencies in the MHz band, thereby it is possible to suppress enlarging of the size due to use of the piezoelectric speaker also as the antenna to a minimum level. The antenna (4) is provided on a frame (2a) that is a peripheral edge portion of the diaphragm (2). With this configuration, enlarging of the size can be suppressed to a minimum level while using the piezoelectric speaker also as the antenna, and it is possible to achieve space saving in a miniature electronic apparatus such as a mobile phone or the like when the piezoelectric speaker is adopted to the miniature electronic apparatus. In addition, the antenna (4) is a loop antenna formed in a loop shape. With this configuration, the piezoelectric speaker can be used for frequencies in the MHz band, which is used in, for example, a noncontact IC card technology. Further, a magnetic material sheet (5) is provided on the other face of the frame (2a) so as to oppose to the antenna (4). With this configuration, it is possible to suppress reduction of the reception sensitivity at a time when a metallic material is placed in the vicinity of the antenna (4).
US08340322B2
An acoustic processing device includes an input section to which audio signals of a plurality of channels respectively including in-phase components are input, a phase adjusting section that adjusts phases of the audio signals of the plurality of channels respectively to generate phase adjustment signals of the plurality of channels being different in phase from the audio signals of the plurality of channels input to the input section, an anti-phase generating section that generates an anti-phase signal by adding the phase adjustment signals of the plurality of channels to each other and adjusting a phase of the added signal to a substantially inverted phase, and an output section that outputs signals obtained by adding, to each of the audio signals of the plurality of channels input to the input section, the phase adjustment signal of another channel and the anti-phase signal.
US08340320B2
Mute circuits capable of eliminating audible noise when the audio system is powered up and powered down are disclosed. A discharge element is coupled between an audio processing unit and an audio output unit in an audio system and a mute control unit is coupled to the discharge element. The mute circuit comprises an active element comprising a control terminal coupled to at least one power voltage at a power terminal of a functional element in the audio processing unit through a capacitor and turning on, by AC capacitor coupling, to drive the discharge element when the audio system is powered up, such that the discharge element is turned on to discharge an output current of the audio processing unit to a ground terminal, thereby muting the audio output unit to eliminate audible noise.
US08340313B2
A subwoofer is equipped with a wireless receiver to receive signals containing information for a Low Frequency Effects (LFE) channel and information for both surround channels. In one form, the LFE is added to one or both surround channels to provide a stereo surround signal (containing both surround channels) including a multiplexed LFE channel. The subwoofer utilizes the LFE channel, powers surround speakers, and passes the surround signals to respective surround speakers. A receiver multiplexes LFE signals into either one or both surround sound audio channels. A digital RF transmitter of the receiver transmits the combined subwoofer/surround channels to the wireless receiver of the subwoofer. The remote subwoofer is connected to a power source. The surround speakers are connected to the subwoofer so as to receive the surround channels and be powered thereby.
US08340309B2
A new type of headset that employs adaptive noise suppression, multiple microphones, a voice activity detection (VAD) device, and unique mechanisms to position it correctly on either ear for use with phones, computers, and wired or wireless connections of any kind is described. In various embodiments, the headset employs combinations of new technologies and mechanisms to provide the user a unique communications experience.
US08340291B2
Protection of documents printed in paper is provided by processes for detection, immediately and clearly, of different types of falsification, adulteration, inclusion and omission. A network accessible system is capable of detecting several fraud aspects. A “Remote Expertise Center” or a remote service data center accessible from and to any location in which there is a connection to the network, such as through the Internet provides customized protection and automatic verification of document pages. Documents pages are generated by the Remote Expertise Center and transmitted to remote printers, bypassing user operational system, using a specific driver of each printer, avoiding any access to protected document before effective printing. Documents include multiple types of security features, such that in the event that any of them is surpassed, the document will remain protected by the other types of security protection. Security features may include, among others, background images, computer readable code containing the printed content, identification information readable only with a predetermined optical filter, a copy alert that changes appearance when the printed document is copied, and personalized items to identify individuals responsible for non authorized document disclosure or leakage.
US08340290B2
Disclosed herein is a method of securing keyboard input information by directly controlling a keyboard controller of a keyboard. The keyboard includes the keyboard controller, an interrupt controller, an input information processing module and a keyboard security module. The method includes a status information checking step of enabling the input information processing module to check status information of the keyboard controller; an interrupt inactivation step of inactivating an interrupt request function of the keyboard controller; an input information encryption step of encrypting the keyboard input information written to the keyboard input/output ports; a transfer step of transferring the encrypted input information to the keyboard security module; and an input information deletion step of deleting the keyboard input information remaining in the keyboard controller.
US08340286B2
A method for implementing volatile cipher key and separate verification module by collecting physical features includes the steps of setting physical features sensor on a handset, collecting physical features information of every user in advance by a physical features sensor, transmitting the physical features to a control module, storing the physical features in a user database, resetting a cipher temporary storage unit after physical features sensor is away from the user's body, retrieving cipher data in the user database when registered user operates the handset, and checking by the control unit the user database has an identical record which matches the user's physical features.
US08340283B2
A client generates a session key and a delegation ticket containing information for a requested delegation operation. The client generates a first copy of the session key and encrypts it using a public key of a proxy. The client generates a second copy of the session key and encrypts it using a public key of a server. The client then puts the encrypted session keys and delegation ticket into a first message that is sent to the proxy. The proxy extracts and decrypts its copy of the session key from the first message. The proxy then encrypts a proof-of-delegation data item with the session key and places it and the delegation ticket along with the encrypted copy of the session key for the server into a second message, which is sent to the server. The server extracts and decrypts its copy of the session key from the second message and uses the session key to obtain the proof-of-delegation data. Authority is successfully delegated to the proxy only if the server can verify the proof-of-delegation data.
US08340281B2
Methods and apparatus are described for computing modular inverses of odd input values modulo 2N (or modulo xN, for example in some Galois field) to perform a modular multiplication in cryptographic processing systems. In one embodiment an approximation is computed having 2k bits of the modular inverse of the odd input value without multiplications, for example using a binary extended Euclidean algorithm. A sequence of log2N−k Newton-Raphson or similarly quadratically convergent iterations are applied to the approximation using an extended precision multiplier to generate the modular inverse of the odd input value modulo 2N (or modulo xN), the modular inverse having up to N bits of precision. The modular inverse of the odd input value is then used in a modular multiplication to perform cryptographic operations and/or cyclic redundancy checks on communication data.
US08340276B1
Various systems and methods provide techniques for providing a communication center comprising a plurality of representatives, receiving a request for communication from a first party, determining an available representative from the plurality of representatives and a representative available time period for the request for communication, preventing the available representative from communicating with a second party during the representative available time period, providing the first party with communication information, and connecting the first party to the available representative during the representative available time period.
US08340274B2
A system for routing an interaction has a queue for staging the interaction, a router running a routing strategy for routing the interaction, and a number of object models maintained for a number of agents, the object models defining one or more agent skills, the values of the object models dynamically affected by real-time bio-metrics of the agents obtained through ongoing monitoring of voice and input actions of the agents. The routing strategy routes the interaction based on comparison of the dynamically-affected skill values of the agents, as evidenced in the object models.
US08340269B2
A method for processing multi-channel audio signals includes receiving L channel audio signals from participating conference terminals, decoding the L channel audio signals, and determining N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed from the participating conference terminals according to the data obtained through decoding; selecting an encoder as a common encoder from L−N encoders of the participating conference terminals except the N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed, encoding decoded audio signals of the N conference terminals whose audio signals are to be mixed, and sending encoded data to conference terminals corresponding to the L−N encoders (indicating that the number of encoders is equal to the value of L minus N); and updating encoding status information of L−N−1 encoders except the common encoder to synchronize with encoding status information of the common encoder.
US08340268B2
A conferencing system for an enterprise is disclosed. The conferencing system allows a conferencing session conducted on a conferencing device within a premises to be controlled from a portable communication device. The system provides a generic user interface to the portable communication device for controlling the conferencing session. Commands for controlling the conferencing session are entered on the portable communication device and signaled to the conferencing device.
US08340264B1
The invention provides systems and methods in which an incoming call port is looped back at a switch and, under control of a call segment controller, is directed to applications and/or other termination points to provide enhanced calling services. According to a preferred embodiment, the call segment controller is provided with initial call instructions to initially direct an incoming call. The call may then be directed to an application which interacts with the call to determine further call instructions. These further call instructions are passed to the call segment controller to further process the call. Under control of the call segment controller the call may be directed to multiple termination points, including redirection to the application to provide subsequent interaction with the call.
US08340262B1
Disclosed is a method and system for routing telephone calls within a household. In the disclosed home call routing system, a head of the household or other person with administrative authority within the home can control the routing of telephone calls by establishing and modifying call system parameters such as call priorities, traffic times, caller identities, routing rules, etc. through a home computer.
US08340261B2
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for providing at least one network endpoint of an enterprise customer network access to at least one dialing plan. Specifically, the method comprises receiving at least one dialing plan request from the at least one network endpoint, retrieving at least one address mapping in response to the at least one dialing plan request, and responding to the at least one dialing plan request using the at least one address mapping.
US08340257B1
A method for switching interactive modes in a menu system is disclosed. An audio interactive voice response session is established to provide audio menus to a communication device. A data session with said communication device is also established. The data session is used to instruct the communication device to display indicia that a second mode may be activated. The indicia may be an icon indicative of the second mode. A user selection of the indicia on the communication device sends a message to the IVR system indicating that the second mode is to be activated. The second mode may be a text mode wherein text menus are presented to the user instead of audio menus. The second mode may be a suspend mode whereby the IVR session is halted at its present menu choices and saved for later reactivation.
US08340250B2
In one embodiment, an X-ray tube is provided. The X-ray tube comprises at least one thermionic cathode configured to generate an electron beam, a target assembly configured to generate X-rays when impinged with the electron beam emitted from the thermionic cathode, a high voltage supply unit for establishing an output voltage across the thermionic cathode and the target assembly for establishing an accelerating electric field between the thermionic cathode and the target assembly and a mesh grid disposed between the thermionic cathode and the target assembly, the mesh grid configured to operate at a voltage so as to lower the electric field applied at the surface of the thermionic cathode. Further, the voltage at the mesh grid is negatively biased with respect to the voltage at the thermionic cathode.
US08340247B2
A deliverable four dimensional (4D) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning method is disclosed, for delivery using a linear accelerator with a dynamic multi-leaf collimator (DMLC). A 4D computed tomography (CT) scan is used for segmenting tumor anatomy on a reference phase of periodic motion of the tumor. Deformable registration of the 4D CT data is used to generate corresponding anatomical structures on other phases. Preferably, the collimator for each beam position is aligned using the gross tumor volume (GTV) centroid motion corresponding to the periodic motion of the tumor, as determined from the two dimensional (2D) projection of a given beam position. A deliverable IMRT plan is created on the 4D CT image set in which the MLC leaf positions and beam on/off status can vary as a function of respiratory phase by solving a four dimensional optimization problem. The mechanical constraints of the MLC leaves are included in the optimization.
US08340244B1
An X-ray metrology system for a vacuum deposition chamber includes a vacuum interface assembly mounted through an aperture in the exterior wall of the chamber and extending into the interior of the chamber. The interface assembly is formed from a housing having side walls and a bottom forming an interior chamber, and an X-ray port mounted in an aperture in the bottom of the housing. The X-ray port has two apertures therethrough, with each aperture being covered by a window of beryllium. An X-ray metrology machine having a generator and detector is disposed within the housing, and the apertures in the X-ray port are arranged so that X-rays generated by the generator pass through one of the apertures, and X-rays fluorescing off of a substrate in the deposition chamber travel through the other aperture to the detector.
US08340242B2
A device for the transfer of high frequency electrical signals between a rotating component and a stationary component, in particular for use in a CT system, in particular in a gantry of a CT system has a rotor, a stator; at least one brush attached at the stator, with a number of electrically conductive fibers that establish sliding contact with the rotor, and a slideway arranged to the side of the rotor and facing toward the stator. The fibers of the at least one stator-side brush rest on the slideway. A lubricant is provided on the slideway, a rotor has a capture device for the lubricant that is arranged around the outside of the slideway, and at least one return element for the captured lubricant is attached at the stator.
US08340240B2
A shift register includes a plurality of shift register units coupled in series. Each shift register unit, receiving an input voltage at an input end and an output voltage at an output end, includes a node, a pull-up driving circuit, a pull-up circuit and first through third pull-down circuits. The pull-up driving circuit can transmit the input voltage to the node, and the pull-up circuit can provide the output voltage based on a high-frequency clock signal and the input signal. The first pull-down circuit can provide a bias voltage at the node or at the output end based on a first low-frequency clock signal. The second pull-down circuit can provide a bias voltage at the node or at the output end based on a second low-frequency clock signal. The third pull-down circuit can provide a bias voltage at the node or at the output end based on a feedback voltage.
US08340234B1
This disclosure is directed to systems and methods for positioning a FFT window using the noise power that is related to ISI By selecting a FFT window position that minimizes the noise power, ISI is reduced or eliminated The techniques can be used in coherent and non-coherent systems Further, noise associated with the Doppler effect is compensated for, allowing the use of these system and methods in time-varying environments, such as mobile applications.
US08340228B2
A spread signal is produced having an adjustable spread spectrum. A data signal is provided for transmission. The data signal is processed to have a first spread spectrum. The processed first spread spectrum data signal is filtered to have one out of a plurality of spread spectrums. The filtering capable of producing a signal having a spread spectrum of any of the plurality of spread spectrums. The filtered one spread spectrum data signal is transmitted.
US08340223B2
A receiver includes: an amplifier that amplifies a received broadband signal up to a predetermined level; a first switch that switches an output signal from the amplifier; a signal generator that generates a signal for controlling a switching operation of the first switch; an integration capacitor that integrates an output signal from the first switch; a comparator that compares an output voltage from the integration capacitor with a predetermined voltage; and a reset circuit that discharges electrical charges accumulated in the integration capacitor based on a comparison result from the comparator.
US08340217B1
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring a GPS receiver. A device in accordance with the present invention comprises a Radio Frequency (RF) section, the RF section adaptable to receive at least one GPS signal from at least one GPS satellite; and a baseband section, coupled to the RF section, the baseband section comprising at least one correlator, wherein the at least one correlator is adaptable to reacaquire the at least one GPS signal based on a priori knowledge of the at least one GPS signal.
US08340210B2
A device and a method for crest factor reduction reduces peak-to-average ratio (PAR) to increase power amplifier efficiency. A first hard clipping block performs hard clipping on an input signal when the amplitude of the input signal is greater than a first threshold. A shaping filter reshapes the spectrum of the hard clipped signal. An interpolator increases the sampling rate of the reshaped signal. A second hard clipping block performs hard clipping on the interpolated signal when the amplitude of the interpolated signal is greater than a second threshold.
US08340207B2
A first N×M codebook of a first rank M may be used to generate a second N×(N−M) codebook of a second rank (N−M). This second codebook is both orthogonal and complementary to the first codebook. In practice, this may reduce storage requirements in closed-loop MIMO beamforming, because the second codebook may be dynamically generated as needed by a base station and/or a mobile station. In some cases, a higher rank beamforming matrix or precoding matrix may be formed from a lower rank (e.g., one or two) beamforming matrix or precoding matrix. Also, a novel way to generate the rotation matrix Qv(t-1) is disclosed.
US08340200B2
A DMT system and method with the capability to adapt the system bit rate on-line in a seamless manner. The DMT system provides a robust and fast protocol for completing this seamless rate adaptation. The DMT system also provides a framing and encoding method with reduced overhead compared to conventional DMT systems. The DMT system and method provide seamless rate adaptation with the provision of different power levels. This framing and encoding method enables a system with seamless rate adaptation capability. The system and method of the invention can be implemented in hardware, or alternatively in a combination of hardware and software.
US08340197B2
A Direct Spatial Antenna Modulation (DSAM) antenna structure makes use of the instantaneous electromagnetic field state of a radiating antenna structure to achieve direct modulation of a transmitted signal within the antenna. In contrast to existing amplitude and phase-only based digital modulation techniques, this innovative technique utilizes an inherent spatial modulation component, mapping data spatially to different locations in the antenna structure, where each location has different transmitting and receiving properties. This spatial component of the modulation can enable, for example, a unique increase in data transmission speed in a fixed spectral bandwidth with no increase in bit error rate over current phase and amplitude only modulation techniques. Additionally, the DSAM antenna structure affords important benefits in reduced hardware complexity, reduced supply current consumption, and relaxed amplifier linearity requirements. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this Abstract.
US08340193B2
Wyner-Ziv and wavelet video coding is described. In one aspect, Wyner-Ziv frames from multiple frames of source video content are zero-tree entropy encoded to generate encoded Wyner-Ziv content. The zero-tree entropy encoding operations are based on high-order statistical correlations among wavelet transforms from the Wyner-Ziv frames. The encoded Wyner-Ziv content is communicated to a decoder for decoding to generate reconstructed Wyner-Ziv frames for presentation to a user.
US08340186B2
A method for interpolating a previous and subsequent image of an input image sequence, including: determining fidelity information for at least one motion vector that is descriptive for motion between a previous and subsequent image, wherein the fidelity information is descriptive for the level and accuracy of the motion, determining classification information for the at least one motion vector, wherein the classification information depends on the fidelity information, the classification information being descriptive for the motion type of the motion, and selecting an interpolation method in dependence of the determined classification information.
US08340185B2
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for estimating global and local motions between a pair of temporally adjacent frames of an input signal and for applying these motion vectors to produce at least one interpolated, motion-compensated frame between the adjacent frames. In particular, the systems and methods comprise designs for a motion compensated frame rate converter including a global affine motion estimation engine, a global translation motion estimation engine, a segmentation mask generator, an object edge strength map generator and a local motion estimation engine. Combinations of these features are implemented in a motion compensated picture rate converter to accurately and efficiently provide motion estimation and compensation for a sequence of frames.
US08340160B2
Described is a method that includes receiving a signal through a channel; considering at least one channel-related criterion and, in response to the considered at least one channel-related criterion, setting a value of an adaptive combining threshold for a maximum ratio combiner that receives the outputs of a plurality of fingers of a rake receiver.
US08340157B2
A method for wireless communication in a wireless communication system may include receiving signal contributions from within a predefined frequency range, categorizing the received signal contributions in a plurality of different frequency bands being sub-bands of the frequency range, comparing content in each of the plurality of sub-bands with a predetermined criteria, selecting a sub-set of the plurality of sub-bands corresponding to the criteria, determining a frequency hopping pattern based on the selected sub-set of sub-bands, generating a frequency key including information as to the selected sub-set of sub-bands and frequency hopping pattern, and broadcasting the frequency key to nodes of the wireless communication system. A wireless communication device for wireless communication in a wireless communication system may include an antenna, a receiver module connected to the antenna, a control unit connected to the receiver module, and a transmitter module connected to the control unit and antenna.
US08340156B2
A synchronization method in a Ultra Wideband (UWB) receiver includes receiving a signal through a multipath channel, and synchronizing with a first multipath component of the received signal by computing a correlation value between the received signal and a template signal of the receiver in a predetermined search range. Since multipath components received at the receiver after the first multipath component of the received signal have lower power than that of the first multipath component, the synchronization with the first multipath component of the received signal may improve the performance in processes after the synchronization process.
US08340149B2
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes, a lower DBR layer; an upper DBR layer; an active layer existing between the lower DBR layer and the upper DBR layer; and a laser emitting region provided on a surface layer of the upper DBR layer, in which the upper DBR layer includes a doped first semiconductor multilayer film layer and an undoped second semiconductor multilayer film layer; an electrode provided on the upper DBR layer is formed in a region which is on an upper part of the first semiconductor multilayer film layer and is surrounded by the second semiconductor multilayer film layer; the laser emitting region is formed on a surface layer of the second semiconductor multilayer film layer; and the surface layer of the first semiconductor multilayer film layer is formed by a contact layer and the second semiconductor multilayer film layer is stacked on the contact layer.
US08340143B2
A passively mode-locked picosecond laser device comprising a pump source, a laser crystal, a laser cavity, a mode-locked output structure is provided. In the device, the pump source is placed at the side of the incident end surface of the laser crystal; the laser cavity includes a plane reflective mirror and a first plano-concave mirror, the reflective mirror is placed opposite to the concave surface of the plano-concave mirror and located on the position of the focal radius of the plano-concave mirror. The normal direction of the reflective mirror and the axis of the plano-concave mirror form a small angle therebetween; the laser generated from the laser crystal oscillates in the laser cavity, and output through the mode-locked output structure. The device uses a stable cavity design of the equivalent confocal cavity, which can increase the optical path, reduce the repetition frequency, and significantly reduce the cavity length and volume.
US08340128B2
An apparatus and method for generating and parsing a MAC PDU in a mobile communication system are provided in which LCIDs of MAC SDUs to be multiplexed are checked, the length of an LF is determined for each of the MAC SDUs, referring to LF lengths predetermined for the LCIDs, a MAC header including the LCIDs and LFs of the determined lengths for the MAC SDUs is generated, and a MAC PDU is generated by attaching the MAC header to payload including the MAC SDUs. During the MAC header generation, if a padding size required for the MAC PDU generation calculated taking into account the absence of a last LF in the MAC header is larger than the length of the last LF, the last LF is included in the MAC header, the required padding size is recalculated, taking into account the inclusion of the last LF, and a padding is added according to the re-calculated padding size.
US08340121B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate and/or effectuate transmission of circuit switched voice over packet switched networks. The systems and methodologies provide for the receiving a first packet originating from access terminals and/or user equipment, determining within which hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) the first packet is received, ascertaining an amount of delay that is applied to the first packet before the first packet is forwarded into a core circuit switched network; and establishing a periodic time interval within which to convey subsequent packets that originate from the communicating access terminal and/or user equipment.
US08340099B2
Control of background data transfers is described. In an embodiment, a background data transfer is controlled at a receiver node by measuring a time period taken to receive from a sender node a data sequence of the same size as a receive window. The time period is used to evaluate available network capacity, and the network capacity used to calculate a new window size. The new window size is applied and communicated to the sender node. In another embodiment, a background data transfer is controlled at a receiver node by measuring a quantity of data received from a sender node during a first control interval. The measured quantity is used to evaluate available network capacity, and the network capacity used to calculate a new receive window size and a second control interval duration. The new window size is applied for the second control interval, and communicated to the sender node.
US08340096B2
The present invention relates to a system for transmitting and receiving audio, particularly, to a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving of object-based audio contents, which packetizes audio objects having the same characteristic. To achieve the above, the present invention includes filtering a plurality of ESs according to common information, adding a packet header to the respective filtered ESs and generate ES packets, aggregating all the generated ES packets and then adding a multi-object packet header to the aggregated ES packets to generate an object packet, and multiplexing the generated object packet, packetizing the multiplexed object packet according to a transmitting media and transmitting the packetized object packet.
US08340092B2
A switching system includes a data collection device, one or more switching devices. The data collection device is for collection of first data subject to specific processing. The switching devices directly or indirectly connected to the data collection device. At least one of the switching devices includes a determination module that determines whether received data is the first data or is second data which is not subject to the specific processing, and a marking module that puts first marking on the received data determined to be the first data. The switching devices respectively includes a transferring processor that executes a first transfer process for sending the received data to the data collection device when the received data has the first marking, and a second transfer process that sends the received data to the specified destination when the received data does not have the first marking.
US08340089B2
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateway is provided which upon an extension call between VoIP terminals, optimizes transfer routes of data between the terminals. In setting a session for the extension call, the VoIP gateway converts IP addresses and ports of the originator's and recipient's terminals included in an invite message for session connection transmitted from one terminal of an internal private network of the VoIP gateway into internal IP addresses and internal ports to enable media data of the originator's and recipient's terminals to be directly transmitted without by way of a wide area network (WAN) module and a media server of the VoIP gateway, thereby effectively managing resources of the network system.
US08340086B2
Methods and apparatus to protect and audit communication line status are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a set of available communication lines from a media gateway, associating a plurality of destination numbers with respective ones of the available communication lines, and dialing the plurality of destination numbers from the media gateway to identify the communication line status information.
US08340079B2
A method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for selecting a network for telecommunication are provided. A type of network supporting a called identifier is identified. Several types of networks are accessible to a calling communication device. The network corresponding to the identified network is selected at the calling communication device. The call is completed using the selected network. A database is queried with a query including the called identifier. The response to the query is used for identifying the identified network from the response. The query may be sent to a local database, a remote database, or both. The local database may include information about frequently called identifiers as well as called identifiers that are provided by a user. The identified network may be overridden by selecting a network of a type that is different from the type of network supporting the called identifier.
US08340068B2
A handheld wireless communication device (HWCD) establishes an ad hoc network comprising interconnected networks for a user. The HWCD gains access to content on a first device and controls communication of the content from the first device via the HWCD to a second device. The HWCD enables the second device to consume the content. The content may be streamed from the first device via the HWCD to the second device. The first device is a service provider network device or other network device. The access may be authenticated and/or secure. Secure access to the content is extended from the first device to the second device. The ad hoc network is configured and/or reconfigured until communication is complete. The HWCD comprises multiple wireless interfaces. The ad hoc network comprises a PAN, WLAN, WAN and/or cellular network. The HWCD may hand-off among base stations during communication of the content.
US08340059B2
A response system and method of receiving remotely entered user input selections at a central location includes providing at least one base unit and a plurality of response units. A user input selection is received with each of the response units. The user input selection is communicated to the at least one base unit utilizing wireless communication. Personality data is received at each of the response units. The at least one base unit communicates with each of the response units according to the personality data of the particular one of the response units to receive a user input selection. The personality data is received by an individual one of the response units communicating with the at least one base unit at close proximity to provide personality data to that response unit.
US08340046B2
Method and apparatus are provided for transmitting control information to a mobile station. A persistent assignment is transmitted to a mobile station, wherein the persistent assignment includes a plurality of hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) channel identifiers (ACIDs). A subsequent assignment including an ACID derived from the plurality of ACIDs is transmitted to the mobile station. In another aspect of the invention, a mobile station receives from a base station a persistent assignment including a plurality of ACIDs, and a subsequent assignment including an ACID derived from the plurality of ACIDs.
US08340044B2
A first device is configured to select and utilize a connection identifier (CID) for a peer-to-peer communication connection between the first device and a second device in a wireless communications network. The CID is selected from a predetermined set of a plurality of CIDs. Prior to selecting the connection identifier, the first device monitors a CID broadcast channel to determine whether the CID is being utilized by other nearby connections. If it is determined that the CID is being utilized by another connection in the proximity, a different (unused) CID is selected. A transmission request is transmitted to the second device using a first transmission resource unit within a traffic management channel slot, the first transmission resource unit being determined as a function of the selected CID. The first device transmits traffic data to the second device in a traffic channel slot corresponding to the traffic management channel slot.
US08340043B2
When transmission of uplink control information is necessary, a transmission processor (a14) allocates the uplink control information to one of radio resources assigned by a base station device, and transmits the uplink control information.
US08340039B2
Various embodiments for deduplicated data processing congestion control in a computing environment are provided. In one such embodiment, a single congestion metric is determined from a sampling of a plurality of combined deduplicated data processing congestion statistics in a number of active deduplicated data processes. The congestion limit is calculated from a comparison of the single congestion metric to a congestion target setpoint, the congestion target setpoint being a virtual dimension setpoint and the congestion limit being a manipulated variable. The number of active deduplicated data processes is compared to the congestion limit. If the number of active deduplicated data processes is less than the congestion limit, a new deduplicated data process is spawned.
US08340035B2
Provided is a method of changing a communication link between source devices and sink devices. The method includes in a first downlink period, broadcasting an uplink period allocation message to the sink devices and passive source devices by an active source device, which establishes a communication link with a primary sink device from among the sink devices; during a first uplink period, broadcasting by a primary passive source device a link set message for establishing a communication link with the primary sink device to all the source devices in the network; during a second downlink period, relaying the link set message to all the sink devices in the network, wherein the link set message is relayed by the active source device; and during a second uplink period, establishing a communication link between the primary sink device and the primary passive source device by the primary sink device.
US08340034B1
Bluetooth and wireless LAN arbitration is described. In embodiments, a communication device includes a Bluetooth device for Bluetooth communication according to Bluetooth protocol, and includes a wireless LAN device for network communication according to wireless network protocol. An antenna switching circuit connects the Bluetooth device to an antenna for the Bluetooth communication, and connects the wireless LAN device to the antenna for the network communication. An arbitration control system arbitrates when the Bluetooth device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit and when the wireless LAN device is connected to the antenna via the antenna switching circuit.
US08340027B2
A monitoring period is defined after a scheduled transmission period to enable a transmitting node to acquire control information that may otherwise have been transmitted during the scheduled transmission period. In some implementations the scheduled transmission may be divided up into several segments so that a transmitting node may receive and transmit control messages between segments. In some implementations wireless media access control supports asynchronous communication and overlapping transmissions. Here, a wireless node may determine whether to request or schedule a transmission based on control messages it receives from neighboring nodes. In some implementations data and control information are transmitted over different frequency division multiplexed channels to enable concurrent transmission of the data and control information.
US08340015B1
Incremental gateway deployment in a hub-spoke satellite communication system using static spot beams
A method for communicating includes providing a hub-spoke satellite comprising receivers, transmitters, transmit switches, and a gateway switch structure. Prior to a time T, each of at least P receivers are used to receive one of at least P signals from P gateway terminals. During one frame, the gateway switch structure is used to switch the at least P signals to the plurality of transmit switches. Each of the at least P signals are switched into fixed location beams. After time T, each of at least Q receivers are used to receive a different one of at least Q signals from Q gateway terminals. During one frame, the gateway switch structure is used to switch the at least Q signals to the plurality of transmit switches. Each of the at least Q signals are switched into fixed location beams. Q and P are non-zero positive integers and Q>P.
US08340013B2
A method of assembling a plurality of frames including cell/packet-formatted data according to a predetermined frame format for transmission in a communication signal in a wireless or satellite environment. The method begins by assembling a data payload for each frame having a first variable size, including at least one of a partial data cell/packet and a complete data cell/packet. Then, for each frame a block code having a second variable size is generated for use in error correction. Each frame is provided with a frame header which defines aspects of the frame. Finally, the data payload, the block code and the format header are combined to form a frame corresponding to the plurality of frames, the format header defining a first portion of the frame, the data payload defining a second portion of the frame and the block code defining a third portion of the frame.
US08340012B2
A device for controlling the access of user equipments to broadcast MBMS-type services includes i) a detector for determining whether general information, related to a MBMS service and broadcast by the radio access network, contains configuration information for a MICH-type, notification transport channel dedicated to the MBMS service and ii) a controller for either forcing the user equipment to periodically monitor a MCCH-type logical channel which carries control information related to the service, in the event that the configuration information for the MICH channel is not determined, in order to retrieve information necessary for accessing the MBMS service; or at least suggesting that the user equipment monitor the MICH channel in the event that its configuration information is determined, in order to retrieve update information for the MCCH channel making it possible to monitor the MCCH channel, so as to retrieve the information necessary for accessing the MBMS service.
US08340011B2
A method for increasing data transmission efficiency in a broadcast network having at least one unicast transmission link and at least one multicast transmission link to a mobile device, the method comprising: identifying a viewing trend based upon monitored viewing activity of first content data by a first plurality of users over the unicast transmission link; determining, based upon the identified trend, that a viewing audience will exceed a target threshold for second content data; and in response to the determination, broadcasting the second content data to a second plurality of users over the multicast transmission link to increase data transmission efficiency in the broadcast network. This method may also be used to promote the dissemination of useful or popular information such as service awareness as part of marketing activities.
US08340007B2
A wireless device triggers pairing or un-pairing between the wireless device and another wireless device. The wireless device further exchanges media access control (MAC) addresses, pairing magic numbers (PMNs), and pairing indices with the another wireless device so as to establish the pairing with the another wireless device upon the condition that the wireless device triggers the pairing. The wireless device further exchanges the MAC addresses, the PMNs, and the pairing indices with the another wireless device so as to establish the unpairing with the another wireless device upon the condition that the wireless device triggers the unpairing. The pairing magic numbers are operable to identify the pairing between the wireless device and the another wireless device. The pairing indices are operable to launch the MAC addresses, the PMNs, and the pairing indices.
US08340005B1
A high speed multi-lane serial interface and method for constructing frames for such an interface are provided. Frames are constructed for transmission on a multi-lane serial interface. For each of a plurality of transmit channels, packets are fragmented into fragments. Meta-frames are generated having a size defined by a constant meta-frame length×number of lanes, each frame having a meta-frame separator and a payload. Per-transmit channel flow control information is received. Each payload has a plurality of bursts, each burst comprising a burst control word and an associated data burst, the burst control word identifying one of said transmit channels to be transmitted on the associated data burst, each data burst comprising one of the fragments for the transmit channel identified in the associated burst control word. The channels to transmit in a given meta-frame are selected as a function of the received flow control information.
US08339999B2
A method for implementing a chairman side conference service of an IP Multimedia Subsystem centralized service is disclosed. A non ICS UE has contracted a conference service and is currently in calls with multiple UEs. The method for implementing the conference service when the non ICS UE serves as a chairman UE comprises: the chairman UE originating a conference setup request to an eMSC; after receiving the request, the eMSC sending a session request message for setting up the conference service to a conferencing server according to the address of the conferencing server to which the chairman UE belongs; the conferencing server returning a success response message to the eMSC; after receiving the response, the eMSC inviting the UEs, which are currently in calls with the chairman UE, to participate in the conference, and returning a conference setup success message to the chairman UE after the participation is successful.
US08339987B2
Methods and systems for determining a congestion metric for a path in a network are provided. According to one embodiment, multiple paths are provided between each pair of multi-path load balancing (MPLB) components within a Layer 2 network by establishing overlapping loop-free topologies in which each MPLB component is reachable by any other via each of the overlapping topologies. A first MPLB component associated with a first network device sends a latency request packet, including a first timestamp provided by a first clock associated with the first MPLB component, to a second MPLB component associated with a second network device via the path. Responsive thereto, the first MPLB component receives, from the second MPLB component, a latency response packet, including a second timestamp provided by a second clock associated with the second MPLB component. The first MPLB component derives a one-way latency value for the path based upon the timestamps.
US08339983B2
A method is provided for determining a transmission rate of a control response frame for acknowledging data receipt in a wireless local area network. The method includes obtaining transmission parameters of a transmitting station from a data transmission frame received from the transmitting station, searching a receiving station for transmission parameters which correspond to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station, determining the transmission rate of the control response frame according to transmission parameters of the receiving station if the transmission parameters corresponding to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station are found in the receiving station, and determining a maximum rate among a set of basic transmission rates to be the transmission rate of the control response frame if the transmission parameters corresponding to the transmission parameters of the transmitting station are not found in the receiving station.
US08339980B2
A receiving system and a method of processing broadcast signal are disclosed herein. The receiving system includes N number of antennae, N number of demodulators, N number of known sequence detectors, and an equalizer. The N number of antennae each receives a broadcast signal including mobile service data and known data sequences. The N number of demodulators demodulates the broadcast signal received by the corresponding antenna. The N number of known sequence detectors detects known data sequences from the broadcast signal received by the corresponding antenna. The equalizer estimates a channel impulse response (CIR) of a broadcast signal received and demodulated by each antenna based upon each known data sequence detected by the N number of known sequence detectors, calculates an equalization coefficient of the broadcast signal received and demodulated by each antenna based upon at least one of the estimated CIRs, so as to compensate channel distortion of the broadcast signal received and demodulated by each antenna, and combines at least one or more distortion-compensated broadcast signal, thereby finally outputting the combined signal.
US08339979B2
The invention relates to a method and a system for detecting a single data flow in an aggregate packet data flow and identifying the application generating the single data flow, this single data flow being divided into messages, each message comprising a plurality of blocks, each block (g) having n bits for identifying 2n block values (i). The method comprises the steps of providing, for each block value (i), an expected frequency value (Ei), measuring, for a predefined number (G) of blocks (g), the values Formula (I) of frequency with which each block (g) identifies each block value (i) so as to obtain a plurality of measured frequency values Formula (I), processing, for each block (g), the measured frequency values Formula (I) and the expected frequency values (Ei) in order to generate a frequency deviation value Formula (II) representative of the deviation of the measured frequency values Formula (I) with respect to the expected frequency values (Ei), and processing the frequency deviation values Formula (II) generated for each block (g) with at least one frequency deviation threshold value (χth) in order to detect the single data flow and identify the application generating said single data flow.
US08339977B2
A method for allocation of parameters for radio transmission in a wireless communication network using channel feedback compression is provided. At least one channel impulse response in the time domain for at least one connection (CH13-CH24) between an antenna (A1, A2) of a transmitter (BS) and an antenna of a receiver (MS) is determined. Only the at least one complex coefficient related to one or more time intervals of the at least one channel impulse response with a power higher than a predefined threshold is fed back. Parameters for radio transmission are allocated to the at least one connection (CH13-CH24) based on the at least one channel impulse response which is fed back. Network elements and a wireless communication network associated with the method are also provided.
US08339969B2
A distributed ethernet system including a plurality of switches, which switches are connected in sequence to form a ring, where after being synchronized in clock, each of the switches sequentially performs loop detection and protocol machine detection periodically according to a predetermined configuration, and sends a fault alarming message when a loop fault or a protocol machine fault occurs. A fault detecting method based on the system is further provided.
US08339961B2
A dynamic bandwidth allocation method that can allocate bandwidth dynamically so as to guarantee communication in a minimum guaranteed bandwidth from each subscriber device and enable communication within a maximum communicable bandwidth from each subscriber device. A subscriber device asks a control functional unit at least once for bandwidth in which to transmit packets to switching office equipment, and the control function unit allows transmission in a minimum guaranteed bandwidth determined in advance for every subscriber device and generates control data for allocating to each subscriber device the bandwidth that it may use so as to maximize the bandwidth that can be used for packet transmission within the maximum transmittable bandwidth while maintaining fairness. The control functional unit transmits the control data to each subscriber device, thereby notifying each subscriber device of the bandwidth it can use, and each subscriber device transmits packets in the specified bandwidth.
US08339944B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate packet discard restriction in a wireless communication system. As described herein, a discard prohibit counter and/or other similar mechanism can be employed to limit the number of consecutive packets that are discarded by a transmitter, even in the event that the delay bounds of those packets have been exceeded. A discard prohibit counter as described herein can be updated upon a packet transmission and reset upon a packet discard to ensure that an acceptable number of packets are transmitted before a packet can be discarded. An acceptable number of packets can be selected based on device specifications, requirements of a data packet flow and/or traffic associated with the flow, or other suitable factors, and can be constant or adaptable to changes in network conditions. As further described herein, multiple counters can be separately maintained and utilized for a plurality of corresponding packet flows.
US08339942B2
According to one embodiment, in response to at least one of a link failure and node failure of a protected label switched path (LSP), network traffic is switched onto a protection path according to a fast re-reroute (FRR) scheme. A HELLO session is established with the remote node that is not immediately adjacent to the network element, including exchanging one or more HELLO messages with the remote node, each HELLO message having a time-to-live (TTL) value of greater than one if IP forwarding is used. The TTL value of the HELLO message is set to one if the HELLO message is sent via tunnel. In response to a request to restart, a resource reservation protocol (RSVP) traffic engineering (TE) graceful restart (GR) procedure is performed using information obtained from the one or more HELLO messages exchanged with the remote node during the HELLO session.
US08339929B2
A network apparatus for eliminating interference between transport ports includes a plurality of transport ports and at least one alien NEXT canceller. The alien NEXT canceller is coupled to a designated transport port of the plurality of transport ports for eliminating NEXT interference from other transport ports of the plurality of transport ports. The alien NEXT canceller operates in a time domain or a frequency domain. In one exemplary embodiment, the network apparatus is a switch.
US08339923B2
Provided is an objective optical element which can appropriately correct degradation from spherical aberration upon fluctuation of a light source wavelength while maintaining light use efficiency, just by changing the magnification of the objective optical element, and which can record/reproduce information to/from different optical discs. Also provided is an optical pickup device using the objective optical element. When a light flux having two different wavelengths λ11, λ12 (wherein λ11<λ12 and λ12−λ11=5 nm) within a range of wavelength λ1 is introduced to the objective optical element to measure the wavefront aberration, the following third order and fifth order spherical aberrations in unit of λrms are obtained: SA3(λ11), SA5(λ11), SA3(λ12), SA5(λ12). If ΔSA3=|SA3(λ12)−SA3(λ11)|, ΔSA5=|SA5(λ12)−SA5(λ11)|, the following expression is satisfied: 0.18>ΔSA3>ΔSA5>0 (1).
US08339917B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide a signal processing circuit. The signal processing circuit includes an analog to digital converter (ADC) configured to receive an analog input signal, sample the analog input signal based on a sampling clock signal, and convert the sampled analog input signal into a digital output signal, an equalizer configured to equalize the digital output signal, a phase-shift module configured to phase-shift the equalized digital output signal based on a phase-shift signal, and a timing compensation module coupled to the phase-shift module to detect a timing error, and to adjust the phase-shift signal based on the timing error.
US08339916B2
According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the second light reflecting layer is larger than the thickness of the first light reflecting layer.
US08339911B2
The present invention is related to a method and a reading device (1) for retrieving information from an optical record carrier (10) in which the read power level of a radiation beam (3) for scanning the optical record carrier is set in dependence on the read-out speed. The invention is also related to a record carrier for use with such a method and a reading device.
US08339905B2
An apparatus comprises an optical transducer positioned adjacent to a storage medium and including a waveguide and a grating for coupling light into the waveguide, a light source transmitting light to the grating, and a detector for detecting a portion of the light, wherein the detected portion of the light has a magnitude that varies in response to the amount of light coupled into the waveguide.
US08339904B2
The micro-mechanical part, for example a horological movement part, includes a silicon core (1) all or part of the surface (3) of which is coated with a thick amorphous material (2). This material is preferably silicon dioxide and has a thickness which is five times greater than the thickness of native silicon dioxide.
US08339896B2
An operator is applied in a frequency domain to multiple source seismic data acquired in a marine survey, with multiple sources substantially horizontally collocated and at different depths, to generate an estimate of a primary source wavefield, the operator constructed to compensate for time delays between and for different depths of the primary and secondary sources. The primary source wavefield estimate is adaptively subtracted from the multiple source seismic data to generate secondary source wavefield estimates. Another operator is applied in the frequency domain to the secondary source wavefield estimates to generate another primary source wavefield estimate, the operator constructed to compensate for time delays between and for different depths of the primary and secondary sources. The primary and secondary source estimates are used, after further iterative refinements to remove noise, to generate upgoing and downgoing wavefield components of the multiple source seismic data.
US08339892B2
A semiconductor memory device pertaining to the present invention includes a plurality of memory macros having memory cells and memory peripheral circuits which drive the memory cells; first power supply switches which control power supply to the memory cells; and a second power supply switch which controls power supply to the memory peripheral circuits. The first power supply switches are located within the memory macros, respectively, and provided between a power supply line feeding power to the memory cells and the memory cells. The second power supply switch is located outside the memory macros and provided between the power supply line and a common power supply wiring for the memory peripheral circuits in the plurality of memory macros.
US08339888B2
A system with a memory device having programmable elements used to configure a memory system. More specifically, programmable elements, such as antifuses, located on a memory device are programmed during fabrication with measured operating parameters corresponding to the memory device. Operating parameters may include, for example, operating current values, operating voltages, or timing parameters. The memory device is incorporated into a system. Once the memory device is incorporated into a system, the programmable elements may be accessed by a processor such that the memory system can be configured to optimally operate in accordance with the operating parameters measured for the memory device in the system.
US08339885B2
Various embodiments of a data transfer circuit of a semiconductor apparatus are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the data transfer circuit may include a first data line, a second data line, a first transfer unit configured to amplify data on the first data line in response to a first control signal and transfer amplified data to the second data line, and a second transfer unit configured to electrically connect the first data line to the second data line in response to a second control signal.
US08339883B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a bitline sensing amp detecting and amplifying data of a pair of bitlines from a memory cell, a column selecting unit transmitting the data of the pair of bitlines to a pair of local datalines in response to a column selecting signal, a dataline precharging unit precharging the pair of local datalines to a precharging voltage level in response to a precharging signal, and a dataline sensing amp detecting and amplifying data transmitted to the pair of local datalines. The dataline sensing amp includes a charge sync unit discharging the pair of local datalines at the precharging voltage level in response to a first dataline sensing enabling signal and data of the pair of local datalines, and a data sensing unit transmitting data of the pair of local datalines to a pair of global datalines in response to a second dataline sensing enabling signal.
US08339880B2
Disclosed are a circuit and a method for controlling redundancy in a semiconductor memory apparatus. The circuit includes a peripheral circuit redundancy control block and a memory bank redundancy control block. The peripheral circuit redundancy control block buffers and latches an external command to generate an internal command. The peripheral circuit redundancy control block also buffers and latches an external address to generate a global address by comparing the external address with a predetermined output signal of a fuse circuit. The memory bank redundancy control block receives the global address corresponding to the internal command to selectively activate a redundancy word line or a main word line, such that the fuse circuit is provided in the peripheral circuit redundancy control block.
US08339875B2
A method for alleviating burn-in effect and enabling performing a start-up process in respect of a device comprising a plurality of challengeable memory elements, wherein the memory elements are able to, upon start-up, generate a response pattern of start-up values useful for identification as the response pattern depends on physical characteristics of the memory elements, the method comprising the step of, after start-up of the memory elements, writing a data pattern to the memory elements which is inverse to a response pattern that was previously read from the same memory elements. Thus, degradation of the PMOS transistors due to NBTI can be alleviated.
US08339869B2
To improve the speed of accessing a low-speed circuit block from a high-speed circuit block without significantly increasing power consumption.In a data processor having a bus controller that performs timing control of access from the CPU operated in synchronization with a high-speed first clock signal to a peripheral circuit operated in synchronization with a low-speed second clock signal, a timing control circuit is provided between the peripheral circuit and the bus controller, and the bus controller causes, in response to a read instruction from the peripheral circuit, the timing control circuit to output data held by the peripheral circuit to the bus controller in synchronization with the cycle of the high-speed clock signal, causes the timing control circuit to start, in response to a write instruction directed to the peripheral circuit, writing into the peripheral circuit in synchronization with the cycle of the high-speed clock signal, and terminates the writing in synchronization with the cycle of the low-speed clock signal.
US08339866B2
A NAND type flash memory for erasing data every block including plural memory cell transistors that are provided every block and have floating gates formed through first gate insulating film above a well formed in a semiconductor substrate and control gates formed through second gate insulating film above the floating gates, data in the memory cell transistors being rewritable by controlling charge amounts accumulated in the floating gates, and a row decoder having a plurality of MOS transistors having drains that are respectively connected to corresponding word lines connected to the control gates of the plurality of memory cell transistors, the row decoder controlling gate and source voltages of the MOS transistors.
US08339859B2
A NAND flash memory device includes a plurality of continuous conductors disposed on a common level of a multilayer substrate, the plurality of continuous conductors including respective conductive lines extending in parallel along a first direction, respective contact pads disposed at ends of the respective conductive lines and respective conductive dummy lines extending in parallel from the contact pads along a second direction.
US08339855B2
To store, in a memory block whose word lines are written successively in a word line writing order, a plurality of data pages that are ordered by logical page address, the pages are written to the word lines so that every page that is written to any one of the word lines has a higher logical page address than any page that is written to a subsequently written word line, regardless of the sequence in which the pages are received for writing. Alternatively, the pages are written to the word lines so that for every pair of written word lines, the word line of the pair that is earlier in the writing order has written thereto a page having a higher logical page address than at least one page written to the other word line of the pair.
US08339849B2
Provided is a semiconductor device comprising: a plurality of bit line patterns; a plurality of pad patterns that are respectively connected to the plurality of bit line patterns; and at least one contact that is formed on each of the plurality of pad patterns, wherein the pitch of the plurality of pad patterns is greater than the pitch of the plurality of bit line patterns. The bit line patterns may be formed using a double patterning technology (DPT).
US08339837B2
A semiconductor device with a novel structure and a driving method thereof are provided. A semiconductor device includes a non-volatile memory cell including a writing transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a reading p-channel transistor including a semiconductor material different from that of the writing transistor, and a capacitor. Data is written to the memory cell by turning on the writing transistor so that a potential is supplied to a node where a source electrode of the writing transistor, one electrode of the capacitor, and a gate electrode of the reading transistor are electrically connected, and then turning off the writing transistor so that a predetermined amount of electric charge is held in the node. In a holding period, the memory cell is brought into a selected state and a source electrode and a drain electrode of the reading transistor are set to the same potential, whereby the electric charge stored in the node is held.
US08339836B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure in which stored data can be retained even when power is not supplied, and does not have a limitation on the number of times of writing operations. A semiconductor device includes a source-bit line, a first signal line, a second signal line, a word line, and a memory cell connected between the source-bit lines. The memory cell includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. The second transistor is formed including an oxide semiconductor material. A gate electrode of the first transistor, one of a source and drain electrodes, and one of electrodes of the capacitor are electrically connected to one another. The source-bit line and a source electrode of the first transistor are electrically connected to each other. Another source-bit line adjacent to the above source-bit line and a drain electrode of the first transistor are electrically connected to each other.
US08339832B2
A write-once memory can be written only once to each memory cell; therefore, a defective bit cannot be detected by an actual inspection of writing. Accordingly, as described above, the measures, in which a redundant circuit is provided and the defective bit is modified before shipping, cannot be taken; thus, it is difficult to provide a memory with few defects. It is an object of the present invention to provide a write-once memory where the probability of a defect is reduced considerably. A nonvolatile memory that can be written only once includes a redundant memory cell, a first circuit which allocates an address to the redundant memory cell, a second circuit which outputs a determination signal that expresses whether writing is performed normally or not, and a third circuit, to which the determination signal is inputted, which controls the first circuit and the second circuit.
US08339817B2
A method of operating a resonant power converter(1, 2), having a high side switch(3) and a low side switch(4), is disclosed in which the switching is controlled to allow for improved operation at low power levels. The method involved an interruption to the part of the switching cycle in which the low side switch (4) is normally closed, by opening the switch at a particular moment in the cycle which allows the energy to be store in the resonance capacitor (5). Since, as a result, the energy is largely not resonating but stored in a single component, the time quantization of the mode of operation is significantly reduced or eliminated.
US08339815B2
Ripple of an input voltage is used to modulate a switching operation frequency of a switch mode power supply. A sensing voltage corresponding to the input voltage is received, a current ripple that is proportional to a difference between a peak value of the sensing voltage and the sensing voltage is generated, and a modulation control signal that is variable by the current ripple is generated. A switching frequency is modulated using an oscillator signal that is variable by the modulation control signal, and reduces the output voltage ripple.
US08339814B2
Method and system for efficient power control with multiple modes. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a power system with selectable power modes. The power system includes a first terminal for outputting energy, and the first terminal is electrically coupled to a load. The system also includes a pulse-frequency modulation (PFM) component that is configured to adjust a pulse frequency based on the load. The system additionally includes a pulse-width modulation (PWM) component that is configured to adjust a pulse width based on the load. The system further includes a switch that is electrically coupled to the first terminal. Also, the system includes a control component, the control component being configured to provide a control signal that is capable of causing the switch to be turned on or off. The control signal is associated with an output of the PWM component and the pulse width if an output is greater than a predetermined value. The control signal is associated with an output of the PFM component and the pulse frequency if an output is lower than a predetermined value.
US08339813B2
A burst mode resonant power converter with high conversion efficiency has a rectifier, a power factor correction circuit, a resonant circuit, a controller, and a burst mode triggering unit. The maximum frequency switching end of the controller is connected to a maximum frequency variable circuit. When the load is medium or heavy, the maximum frequency variable circuit increases the maximum switch frequency of the controller. When the load is in the no-load or the light conditions, it reduces the maximum switch frequency thereof. Therefore, the controller reduces the number of times that the resonant circuit switches the bridge switch circuit. The conduction cycle of the 50% pulse signal output to the bridge switch circuit becomes longer. Larger energy can be transmitted at a time to the secondary coil of the transformer. This increases the overall efficiency.
US08339805B2
A circuit board holding member includes a body portion, holding portions and first attachment portions. The body portion is made of resin, and is provided to hold a circuit board. The holding portions are made of resin. The holding portions are formed integrally with the body portion, and are provided to hold connection lines to be connected from electric modules of an apparatus to the circuit board. The first attachment portions are provided in the body portion and serve for removably attaching the circuit board to the apparatus.
US08339801B2
Provided is an electric power steering apparatus which allows a reduction in apparatus size as well as in noise. A controller (20) includes: a metal board (22), on which a bridge circuit including a plurality of semiconductor switching elements (Q1 to Q6) for switching a current of an electric motor (1) is mounted; capacitors (31) for absorbing a ripple of the current; a control board (29), on which a microcomputer (33) for generating a drive signal for controlling the bridge circuit is mounted; and a connection member formed by insert molding high-current conductive plates (24 and 25), through which a high current flows, and signal conductive plates (26), to/from which a low-current signal is input/output, with a frame (23a) made of an insulating resin provided in proximity to an outer periphery of the metal board (22), in which the capacitors (31) are arranged in a row along an end surface of one side of the metal board (22) and are electrically connected to the high-current conductive plates (24).
US08339800B2
A circuit module includes a substrate, a component land provided on the substrate, an electronic component bonded to the component land, a case land provided on the substrate, and a case bonded to the case land so as to cover the electronic component. The case includes a top plate, and a leg that extends from a peripheral edge of the top plate in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top plate and that includes a groove in an end surface thereof that is bonded to the case land.
US08339797B2
A package substrate includes a main package body including a first principal surface on which an IC is mounted, and a second principal surface, opposed to the first principal surface, on which first bonding materials for mounting are provided. An internal circuit is provided within the main package body and connected to the first bonding materials. A sub-package is arranged on the second principal surface and includes electronic components embedded therein. A thickness direction dimension being the distance from the second principal surface to a portion of the sub-package most distant from the second principal surface, is not more than a thickness direction dimension being the distance from the second principal surface to an edge of the first bonding material at the second principal surface.
US08339794B2
A casing to support a solid state device SSD therein and super capacitors therein to be electronically connected together.
US08339778B2
A system comprises a server chassis and first and second hard disk drive carriers, wherein each carrier supports a hard disk drive. A first hinge rotatably connects a distal end of the first hard disk drive carrier to a first side of the chassis, wherein the first hinge allows the carrier to rotate about a first hinge axis between an open position and a closed position. The first hard disk drive carrier rotates in a first plane between an open position extending beyond the front of the chassis and a closed position within the chassis. A second hinge rotatably connects a distal end of the second hard disk drive carrier to a second side of the chassis that opposite the first side of the chassis, wherein the hinge allows the carrier to rotate about a second hinge axis between an open position and a closed position. The second hard disk drive carrier rotates in a second plane between an open position extending beyond the front of the chassis and a closed position within the chassis, wherein the second plane is parallel to the first plane.
US08339774B2
A connecting mechanism includes a first connecting member, a second connecting member, a first conduit and a second conduit. The first connecting member includes a first cylinder and a first piston movably accommodated within the first cylinder to divide the first cylinder into a first space on the one side of the first piston and a second space on the opposite side of the first piston. The second connecting member includes a second cylinder and a second piston movable accommodated within the second cylinder to divide the second cylinder into a third space on the one side of the second piston and a fourth space on the opposite side of the second piston. The first conduit communicates the first space with the third space. The second conduit communicates the second space with the fourth space. An electronic device using the connecting mechanism is also provided.
US08339767B2
A power capacitor is described herein. The power capacitor includes a housing and at least one capacitor winding. The power capacitor also includes at least one mechanical spring element between the housing and the at least one capacitor winding.
US08339758B2
A transient voltage suppressor and a method for protecting against surge and electrostatic discharge events. A semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type has gate and anode regions of a second conductivity type formed therein. A PN junction diode is formed from a portion of the gate region and the semiconductor substrate. A cathode is formed adjacent to another portion of the gate region. A thyristor is formed from the cathode, the gate region, the substrate, and the anode region. Zener diodes are formed from other portions of the gate region and the semiconductor substrate. A second Zener diode has a breakdown voltage that is greater than a breakdown voltage of a first Zener diode and that is greater than a breakover voltage of the thyristor. The first Zener diode protects against a surge event and the second Zener diode protects against an electrostatic discharge event.
US08339757B2
An ESD protection circuit with multiple domains, which comprises: an ESD protection device, coupled between a first power supplying line and a first ground line; a first internal circuit, having a first terminal coupled to the first power supplying line; a first switch, coupled between a second terminal of the first internal circuit and a second ground line; and a first ESD detection circuit, coupled to the first switch, for detecting an ESD signal, and controls the first switch to be non-conductive when the ESD signal occurs.
US08339754B2
An insertion layer is provided between an AFM layer and an AP2 pinned layer in a GMR or TMR element to improve exchange coupling properties by increasing Hex and the Hex/Hc ratio without degrading the MR ratio. The insertion layer may be a 1 to 15 Angstrom thick amorphous magnetic layer comprised of at least one element of Co, Fe, or Ni, and at least one element having an amorphous character selected from B, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Si, or P, or a 1 to 5 Angstrom thick non-magnetic layer comprised of Cu, Ru, Mn, Hf, or Cr. Preferably, the content of the one or more amorphous elements in the amorphous magnetic layer is less than 40 atomic %. Optionally, the insertion layer may be formed within the AP2 pinned layer. Examples of an insertion layer are CoFeB, CoFeZr, CoFeNb, CoFeHf, CoFeNiZr, CoFeNiHf, and CoFeNiNbZr.
US08339748B2
Disclosed is a suspension assembly for a disk drive that includes: a mounting plate having a top-side and a bottom-side; a microactuator mounting structure formed in the mounting plate; a microactuator mounted in the microactuator mounting structure in which the microactuator has a top-side and a bottom-side; and a flexure attached to the bottom-side of the of mounting plate and the microactuator. The flexure includes a pad layer and a through-hole, in which the through-hole extends through the pad layer. An epoxy on the pad layer bonds widely to the microactuator and extends through the through-hole.
US08339739B2
A write head structure for use with thermally assisted recording is disclosed. Improved heat sinking is provided for removing thermal energy created by a ridge aperture near field light transducer. Metal films conduct heat away from the region near the ridge aperture to the high pressure air film at the ABS between the head and media. This heat is further dissipated by the media. The metal films have varying thickness to improve lateral conductivity and may be composed of Au combined with a harder metal such as Ru to improve wear characteristics at the ABS.
US08339733B2
A base member on which a plurality of components are mounted includes a base main body, a coating formed on a surface of the base main body, and a display portion formed by a contrast between the coating and the surface of the base main body. The display portion displays a state by which it is determined whether or not the base main body has been machined in accordance with a corresponding machining program.
US08339732B2
Approaches for a hard-disk drive (HDD) baseplate comprising a recessed region that provides additional clearance for a disk. The protective enclosure of the HDD comprises a baseplate. The surface of the baseplate, which opposes a magnetic-recording disk, comprises a recessed region near the outer diameter (OD) of the magnetic-recording disk. The recessed region prevents the disk from being damaged through inadvertent physical contact with the baseplate, which may arise when the HDD receives a mechanical shock. The recessed region may be designed to minimize the damage to the disk if physical contact between the disk and the baseplate does occur. The recessed region may have a variety of shapes, such as a circular indentation or one or more non-contiguous regions in the baseplate where physical contact between the disk and the baseplate is deemed likely to occur.
US08339725B2
The invention provides a magnetic head slider and a magnetic disc drive which can position at a high precision and in a simple manner. A magnetic head slider (4) includes a recording and reproducing element (20) writing and reading data, a heat generating element (21) arranged at least in one side of directions (that is, a width direction of the magnetic head slider (4)) corresponding to a width direction of a recording track with respect to the recording and reproducing element (20), and generating heat on the basis of a current application, and a member (25) interposed at least between the recording and reproducing element (20) and the heat generating element (21) and expanding in correspondence to the heat generation of the heat generating element (21).
US08339722B1
Systems, methods and computer program products for estimating a position of a head in relation to a storage medium are described. A read channel can be used to receive a readback signal containing servo information obtained from a storage medium, and to demodulate the received servo information including position error signals to deduce a position of a read/write head in relation to the storage medium. The read channel can demodulate the received servo information to obtain amplitude and/or phase information. In some implementations, digital sampled values can be generated based on the readback signal, and the digital sampled values can be integrated using an integrator to obtain accurate and reliable amplitude and phase information that are used to determine the position of the read/write head.
US08339721B2
Methods for certifying data retained by a tape cartridge in a tape library are shown. Error rates that are encountered when the tape cartridge is being read by a tape drive can be accounted for without actually reading data for data content retrieval. A record of the error rate can be stored in a medium auxiliary memory device associated with the tape cartridge. An older record containing a formerly accounted for error rate of read errors when the tape cartridge was formerly read can be accessed and compared with the record presently assessed. If there is a difference between the presently found error rate and the formerly found error rate an action can be executed if the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold.
US08339720B1
Methods, systems and computer program products for performing hybrid defect detection are disclosed. A hybrid defect detection mechanism may be used to detect various classes of defects (e.g., long and shallow defects, and short and deep defects) while reducing the probability of a miss or false alarm. In some implementations, the hybrid defect detection mechanism may utilize defect detectors to each receive signal samples and apply a different set of parameters indicating a different respective window to the signal samples. Each defect detector may generate a corresponding output based on a count of signal samples within the corresponding window that are associated with abnormal signal quality.
US08339716B2
Illumination lenses (1806, 1902, 2002, 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800, 3006, 3100) having surfaces shaped according to given differential equations in order to distribute light in a highly controlled manner with minimum reflection losses are provided. Both primary lenses and secondary lenses are provided. The secondary lenses include outer surfaces that are defined as loci of constant optical distance from an origin at which a light source is located. Versions are provided of both the primary and secondary lenses having Total Internal Reflection (TIR) wings. These are useful in the case that narrower distributions of light are required. A method of refining the shape of the lenses to obtain more obtain lenses that produce better fidelity ideal light distributions is also provided.
US08339712B2
Provided are a variable magnification optical system for making it possible to properly set a variable magnification ratio of each lens group by properly setting a variable magnification ratio of a fifth lens group, and an optical apparatus with the variable magnification optical system, and a method for manufacturing the variable magnification optical system. The optical apparatus has first to sixth lens groups (G1) to (G6) in order from an object, wherein the fifth lens group (G5) satisfies the following conditional expression: 0.65<|β5T/β5W|<3.20, where β5T denotes the lateral magnification at the telephoto end state, and β5W denotes the lateral magnification at the wide-angle end state.
US08339698B2
A pumping unit supplies pumping light to a fiber connecting medium; a light monitoring unit detects light power of multiple-wavelength light; and a control unit controls the pumping light based on light power detected by the light monitoring unit and connecting medium information indicating optical characteristics in the connecting medium. The connecting medium information includes information indicating a fiber type of the fiber connecting medium, information indicating a length of the fiber connecting medium, an average fiber loss coefficient of the fiber connecting medium and an intra-station loss value.
US08339696B2
An optical scanning device includes a coupling optical system, a light source including a plurality of light emitting units for emitting light beams, and a deflector including a deflecting surface for deflecting the light beams. The coupling optical system is arranged on an optical path between the light source and the deflector so that the light beams enter the deflector at an angle with respect to a normal direction of the deflecting surface in a sub-scanning direction. The light emitting units are arranged two-dimensionally, and a distance between two light emitting units at opposite ends in a main scanning direction is smaller than a distance between two light emitting units at opposite ends in the sub-scanning direction.
US08339686B2
A scanning device includes a hollow housing, a holding plate mounted to an upper portion of the housing, a guiding rod mounted in the housing and spaced from the holding plate with a predetermined distance, a reading unit slidably mounted to the guiding rod, and a flexible cable received in the housing. The flexible cable has a restrictive plate and a conducting cable attached to a top of the restrictive plate. The restrictive plate has at least one long side raised upwardly. The flexible cable is received in the housing in a folding manner, with a lower end thereof where the raised side faces upwards connected to the system controller, and an upper end thereof where the raised side faces downwards connected to the reading unit, forming an inverted-U folding portion. The raised side at the folding portion is unfolded for keeping the folding portion in shape, in scanning process.
US08339666B2
A profile for converting color data dependent on a source device into color data dependent on a destination device, and generation information used in generation of the profile are acquired. Adjustment conditions of the profile designated on a device independent color space are inputted. Color data stored in the profile and dependent on the destination device is converted into first color data on the device independent color space using the generation information. Adjustment is applied to the first color data in accordance with the adjustment conditions. The first color data, to which the adjustment is applied, is converted into second color data dependent on the destination device using the generation information. Color data stored in the profile and dependent on the destination device is modified based on the second color data.
US08339665B2
A method including: determining at least three characteristic quantities, using a plurality of spectral reflectances measured at a plurality of light-receiving angles, for each of the plurality of paint colors; subjecting a data group including the at least three characteristic quantities to principal component analysis so as to determine a First Principal Component and Second Principal Component expressed as linear expressions, using the characteristic quantities; calculating values of the First Principal Component and Second Principal Component for the plurality of paint colors; and positioning the paint colors on a two-dimensional plane that has the First Principal Component and Second Principal Component as the two parameters and has values of the First Principal Component and Second Principal Component as coordinates.
US08339658B2
An image forming apparatus including: a video memory; a load management unit that loads page data on a print image into the video memory page by page; a print engine that performs printing using the page data stored in the video memory; and a main management unit that, when printing of a page is completed as part of an electronic sort process, causes the video memory to retain the page data if there is a subsequent page to be printed using the same page data as that on the page, and deletes the page data from the video memory if there is no subsequent page to be printed using the same page data as that on the page.
US08339649B2
An image forming apparatus that functions as a client of a distributed file system is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes: a distributed file system process part for mounting a file system of a server apparatus on the image forming apparatus to enable the image forming apparatus to access the file system of the server apparatus as the distributed file system of the image forming apparatus; and a storing process part for accessing the file system of the server apparatus and storing, in the file system, information that is stored in a storage unit used by the image forming apparatus.
US08339647B2
A printer cable that is configured for coupling to a printer having an enclosure and a printer port. The printer cable includes a first connector for connecting to the printer port and a second connector for coupling to a host device (e.g., a personal computer (PC)). The printer cable includes a printer formatter for providing formatting services to the printer via the first connector. Since the printer formatter is integrated into the printer cable, the printer formatter is external to the printer enclosure and is easily removable and configurable by a user.
US08339644B2
One embodiment of a printer driver according to the present invention includes a document data obtaining means for obtaining document data indicated by a received print instruction, a conversion means for converting the obtained document data into print data written in page description language, a transmission-use data generation means for obtaining application information indicating an application program that issued the print instruction and inserting the application information into the print data and a transmission means for transmitting the print data into which the application information was inserted to a printer device.
US08339638B2
An image reading apparatus scans an original and generates image data of the original, sequentially transmits the image data while scanning the original, detects a predetermined particular image from the image data, and transmits a detection result of detecting the particular image. An image processing apparatus receives the image data and the detection result from the image reading apparatus, stores the image data in a storage unit, determines whether the detection result is received, and when it is determined that the detection result is received, restricts usage of the image data stored in the storage unit.
US08339637B2
A data collecting unit receives a plurality of types of status data from an image forming apparatus and stores the status data in a status database. A data generating unit generates a plurality of types of target data for determining a maintenance sign, based on the status data. A first determining unit determines whether each of the status data exceeds a predetermined reference value. A second determining unit performs weighted majority decision based on a determination result from the first determining unit and a weight value set for each of the status data, and determines whether there is a maintenance sign taking all the status data into consideration.
US08339633B2
An image forming apparatus is equipped with a scanner for scanning a paper document to thereby convert it to document data; a document memory for storing the document data; and a history memory for holding a history of user operations on the document data in association with whether or not the user operations are being managed as an object of control processing. A user operation upon document data is accepted from a operating unit. If this user operation is being managed as an operation that is not an object of control processing in the history memory, then the document data is processed based upon this user operation.
US08339627B2
An image processing apparatus (110), which is equipped with multiple image processing functions, processes an input image using an image processing function set at the time of image input. An image processing apparatus (100) registers setup information relating to processes of respective ones of the multiple image processing functions to be applied to an image of interest, encodes the setup information and generates an identification indicator. The image of interest and the identification indicator are formed on the same print medium and output. The image processing apparatus (110) reads the print medium, extracts the image of interest and the identification indicator, analyzes the identification indicator to thereby acquire the setup information, and uses the setup information to process the image of interest by the image processing function set in the image processing apparatus (110) when the print medium was read.
US08339624B2
An image processing apparatus has a function of processing a plurality of jobs in parallel. The image processing apparatus includes a job processing section, a language information receiving section, a job managing section and a display controlling section. The job processing section processes each job. The language information receiving section receives language information relating to each job. The job managing section manages the plurality of jobs while associating each job with the language information relating to each job. The display controlling section displays display information relating to each job in a language corresponding to the language information relating to each job.
US08339620B2
An image processing apparatus subjects input image information to a predetermined image processing and outputs the image information. The image processing apparatus includes an UI processor that receives a plurality operation requests for the image information; and a request processor that interprets a combination of an input mode, of a plurality of input modes, which performs input processing, and an output mode, of a plurality of output modes, which performs output processing, and that requests the input processing from the input mode and requests the output processing from the output mode.
US08339619B2
This invention provides an image processing system and image processing method, which can acquire a document such as a paper document or the like as data of a format that allows easy re-use and re-edit processes. Image information is acquired by scanning a document, and its features are recognized. The image information is converted into character codes, vector data, or a predetermined image format in accordance with the recognized features. In this case, parameters used upon recognizing the features of the image information are variably set, and the operations of the character process, vectorization, and image conversion are controlled in accordance with the set parameters.
US08339617B2
A film thickness measuring device is provided with a light source, a spectroscopic sensor, a processor, and a storage unit, and configured in such a manner that light from the light source vertically enters a plane to be measured provided with a film and the light reflected by the plane to be measured enters the spectroscopic sensor. The storage unit stores theoretical values of reflectivity distributions of respective film thicknesses and theoretical values of color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses. The processor finds the thickness of the film of the plane to be measured from the reflectivity distribution measured by the spectroscopic sensor by using the theoretical values of the reflectivity distributions of the respective film thicknesses or the theoretical values of the color characteristic variables of the respective film thicknesses stored in the storage unit.
US08339613B2
A method for making a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position and evaluating the sample, and an apparatus which is switchable between a first mode of modification of semiconductor and a second mode of making and evaluating the sample. Specifically, a sample is made by irradiating a semiconductor substrate for evaluation with a pulse laser beam while the semiconductor substrate is moved for evaluation at an evaluation speed higher than a modifying treatment speed, each relative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions in the sample is extracted, and stability of the each relative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions is evaluated. The evaluation speed is such a speed that separates the pulse-irradiated regions on the sample from each other in a moving direction.
US08339602B1
A system for and method of allowing visual observation of a sample being subject to investigation by an electromagnetic beam, to identify where thereupon a beam of sample investigating electromagnetic radiation is caused to impinge, in combination with a data detector of the beam of sample investigating electromagnetic radiation after it interacts with the sample.
US08339592B2
An apparatus for irradiating blood or blood products, preferably with ultra violet or visible light, to reduce contaminants in the blood or blood products. A removable radiometer having light integrating chambers detects the light intensity, allowing the radiation characteristics of the apparatus to be calibrated. A control circuit uses the measurements to control the delivery of an effective dose of illumination to blood or blood products in a bag or container. One or more light integrating optical chambers in the radiometer allow a single light sensor to sense light across an entire field. Thermistors in the irradiating apparatus or the radiometer or both sense the temperature of photo sensors. The control circuit compensates for temperature-dependant variations in the output of the photo sensors.
US08339589B2
A check and U.S. bank note processing device configured to process both checks and U.S. bank notes. The device comprises an input receptacle configured to receive checks and U.S. bank notes and an output receptacle. The device further comprises a transport mechanism configured to transport the checks and U.S. bank notes from the input receptacle past an image scanner. The image scanner is configured to obtain an image of each check and U.S. bank note transported past the image scanner. The device is configured to determine the serial numbers of U.S. bank notes transported past the image scanner. The device further comprises a memory configured to store the determined serial numbers of U.S. bank notes.
US08339582B2
An apparatus and method of correcting an image are provided. The apparatus includes a receiver to receive a depth value and a luminous intensity, the depth value and the luminous intensity being measured by at least one depth sensor, and a correction unit to read a correction depth value of a plurality of correction depth values mapped to different depth values and different luminous intensities from a first storage unit and to correct the measured depth value using the read correction depth value, the correction depth value being mapped to the measured depth value and the measured luminous intensity.
US08339578B2
An optical system is able to achieve a substantially azimuthal polarization state in a lens aperture while suppressing loss of light quantity, based on a simple configuration. The optical system of the present invention is provided with a birefringent element for achieving a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, and an optical rotator located behind the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture. The birefringent element has an optically transparent member which is made of a uniaxial crystal material and a crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system. A light beam of substantially spherical waves in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to the optically transparent member.
US08339566B2
A polarization grating includes a substrate and a first polarization grating layer on the substrate. The first polarization grating layer includes a molecular structure that is twisted according to a first twist sense over a first thickness defined between opposing faces of the first polarization grating layer. Some embodiments may include a second polarization grating layer on the first polarization grating layer. The second polarization grating layer includes a molecular structure that is twisted according to a second twist sense that is opposite the first twist sense over a second thickness defined between opposing faces of the second polarization grating layer. Also, a switchable polarization grating includes a liquid crystal layer between first and second substrates. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules having respective relative orientations that are rotated over a thickness defined between opposing faces thereof by a twist angle that is different from a relative phase angle between respective first and second periodic alignment conditions of the first and second substrates. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.
US08339559B2
A liquid crystal display unit structure and the manufacturing method thereof are provided. The liquid crystal display unit structure comprises a patterned first metal layer with a first data line segment and a gate line on a substrate; a patterned dielectric layer covering the first data line and the gate line having a plurality of first openings and a second opening therein, a patterned etch stop layer having a first portion located above the first data line segment and a second portion; a patterned second metal layer including a common electrode line, a second data line segment, a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein the first portion of the patterned etch stop layer is between the first data line segment and the common line; a patterned passivation layer and a patterned transparent conductive layer.
US08339550B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, including an upper substrate and a lower substrate between which a liquid crystal layer is sealed. The lower substrate includes a plurality of sub-pixel regions arranged in regular patterns. The upper substrate includes Black Matrixes (BM) and an upper transparent conductive layer which are formed in sequence on the bottom surface of an upper transparent substrate. The lower substrate includes a first metal layer, a dielectric layer, a second metal layer, an organic layer, a first insulation layer, a third metal layer, a second insulation layer, a fourth metal layer, a passivation layer and a lower transparent conductive layer which are deposited in sequence on the upper surface of a lower transparent substrate. Embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for producing the LCD panel.
US08339548B2
An optical element covering member includes one or more optical elements, a support medium for supporting the one or more optical elements, and a covering member for covering the one or more optical elements and the support medium. At least one out of the one or more optical elements is a reflective polarizer, and the covering member has at least a region, through which the light inputted from a light source is emitted to a liquid crystal panel, the region having a phase difference lag of not more than 1/50 π of a measured wavelength, with respect to an optical axis of the reflective polarizer.
US08339545B2
A thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) array substrate, comprising a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines formed on a substrate. The gate lines and the data lines define a plurality of pixel regions, and, in each of the pixel regions, a pixel electrode, a thin film transistor and a first light blocking bar are formed, and a second light blocking bar is formed over the first light blocking bar.
US08339540B2
A reflection sheet is made of material having a coefficient of thermal expansion different from that of an LED substrate. A fixing member and a retaining member extend through the reflection sheet and the LED substrate so as to fix the reflection sheet and the LED substrate. The reflection sheet includes a fixing hole into which the fixing member is inserted, a retaining hole into which the retaining member is inserted, and LED holes within which light emitting diodes are disposed, respectively. Retaining of the reflection sheet by the retaining member has, compared to fixing of the reflection sheet by the fixing member, a higher degree of freedom of movement in a direction along a surface of the reflection sheet. The LED holes located in positions far from the fixing hole are larger than the LED holes located in positions close to the fixing hole.
US08339538B2
A display device comprising a light source and having an optical waveguide, a louver, an anisotropic scattering sheet, and a transmissive liquid crystal panel disposed along the path of light emitted from the light source. The light-restricting direction of the louver is tilted at an angle α from the Y-axis direction. The value of the angle α is set so that the arrangement direction of moiré created between the louver and the liquid crystal panel approaches the X-axis direction. A plurality of belt-shaped convex portions extending in the Y-axis direction are formed on the surface of the anisotropic scattering sheet, and are configured so that the scattering direction of the light has anisotropy. Specifically, scattering in the X-axis direction is increased, and scattering in the Y-axis direction is reduced. Moiré can thereby be reduced in a display device having increased directivity of the display.
US08339532B2
An active matrix liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal layer; two substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer; and electrodes respectively provided in the two substrates, the electrodes applying voltage across the liquid crystal layer. A first electrode (15) in the substrate including a pixel selecting element (11) has a striped electrode pattern (15c) aligning liquid crystal molecules along a stripe line direction when voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. A contact (25h) of the first electrode (15) with the selecting element (11) is formed in a region opposed to, along a film thickness direction, a first region to which a signal liner (GLi) is allocated. This provides a liquid crystal display device in which a contact is made with the pixel electrode having the striped electrode pattern having the periodical arrangement, while alignment disorder of the liquid crystal molecules is not reflected on display.
US08339526B2
An inventive rearview assembly for a vehicle may comprise a mirror element and a display including a light management subassembly. The subassembly may comprise an LCD placed behind a transflective layer of the mirror element. Despite a low transmittance through the transflective layer, the inventive display is capable of generating a viewable display image having an intensity of at least 250 cd/m2 and up to 3500 cd/m2. The display includes a novel backlighting subassembly and novel optical components including a magnifying system, a depolarizer, a reflector, and a reflective polarizer. The display may be configured to display an image having edges contoured to correspond to the edges of the mirror element.
US08339524B2
A projection system and an expansion module adapted to a projector are provided. The projection system includes a projector and an expansion module. The expansion module includes a housing, a logic circuit, and an output port. The logic circuit is disposed in the housing to control an operation of the expansion module. The output port is disposed in the housing and coupled to the logic circuit. The output port is connected to an input port of the projector and outputs a data stream to the input port, such that the projector generates an image and projects the image according to the data stream.
US08339522B2
There is provided a liquid crystal television and a plasma television that can adapt to various destinations and are resistant to noise in view of the difference of circuit configurations between a liquid crystal television and a plasma television. A video signal processing circuit is formed on a digital board, an input and output circuit is formed on a jack board, an audio signal processing circuit and a power supply circuit are formed on an analog board, and a rectifier circuit and an inverter circuit are formed on an inverter board. Further, on the back of the LCD, the inverter board is disposed in a vertically oriented shape in the left, the analog board is disposed in the lower center, the digital board is disposed in the upper center adjacent to the analog board, and the jack board is disposed in the upper right.
US08339513B2
There is provided a display apparatus which includes a signal processing part which processes a video signal including at a peripheral area thereof a position determining pattern having a plurality of characteristics; a display part which displays a picture on the basis of the video signal processed by the signal processing part; a sensing part which senses the position determining pattern which is included in the video signal; and a control part which controls the signal processing part to adjust a position of the picture displayed on the display part, on the basis of a shift between a characteristic sensed by the sensing part among the plurality of characteristics of the position determining pattern and a predetermined reference characteristic. The position determining pattern has a face shape. Accordingly, the position of the picture can be quickly determined and adjusted.
US08339512B2
The detail and clarity of high-definition video content may be enhanced by a display device or client-side device before being displayed. In certain embodiments, the high-definition video image frames may be upsampled by scaling the image's resolution. The now-upsampled HD video image frames may then be low pass filtered so as to concentrate the image's energy distribution into a tighter range of frequencies. The filtered HD video image frames may then be sub-sampled back down, such as to the original HD image's frame resolution, or other HD-level resolution, without compromising image detail. In this fashion, the clarity and detail level in video content, even though already considered of a high-definition quality, may be further improved.
US08339507B2
A flash device includes a stationary frame, a light emitting portion, a driving unit and a resilient plate. The light emitting portion is moveably received in the stationary frame and is spaced from the stationary frame. The driving unit includes a first magnetic assembly and a second magnetic assembly. The first magnetic assembly is positioned on the stationary frame. The second magnetic assembly is positioned on the light emitting portion and faces the first magnetic assembly. The driving unit is configured for driving the light emitting portion to move relative to the stationary frame through magnetical interaction between the first magnetic assembly and the second magnetic assembly. The resilient plate interconnects the stationary frame and the light emitting portion. The resilient plate is configured for moving the light emitting portion relative to the stationary frame.
US08339499B2
An electronic apparatus has a touch sensor provided with a first touching zone including at least a second touching zone and a third touching zone, the second and third touching zones being allocated with different functions. The electronic apparatus is controlled to perform a specific function assigned to a specific touching zone that is the second or the third touching zone when there is a first touch input at first through the specific touching zone and continuously perform the specific function even if there is a second touch input that follows the first touch input, through either the second or the third touching zone that is not the specific touching zone, as long as there is a continuous touch input through the first touching zone from the first to the second touch input with no intermission.
US08339491B2
An image sensor module embedded in a mobile phone and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a device is mounted on an image sensor chip such that it is connected to a component-mounting plating pattern formed on an upper surface of the image sensor chip, to miniaturize the resulting product.
US08339489B2
An image photographing apparatus, method and medium that can enhance color reproducibility and sensitivity. The image photographing apparatus includes a filter unit having a first filter region to pass at least one band of an incident light signal corresponding to a complementary color of a first color, and a second filter region to pass all bands of the incident light signal, wherein the first filter region and the second filter region are each formed in one of two adjacent pixels, and an image sensor unit to sense an image from the incident light signal that passes through the filter unit, the image sensor unit including a plurality of photoelectric conversion layers each having a different spectral sensitivity.
US08339488B2
A solid-state image pickup device includes photoelectric conversion parts formed on an image pickup surface of a substrate, where each photoelectric conversion part generates a signal charge by receiving incident light on a light reception surface thereof, and color filters formed on an image-pickup surface of the substrate, where each color filter allows the incident light to be colored by passing through. The photoelectric conversion parts are aligned in first and second directions and include first to third color filters. A surface on which the first color filter and the second color filter are laminated in the first direction is larger than a surface on which the first color filter and the third color filter are laminated in the second direction.
US08339482B2
An image capturing apparatus comprises: an image sensor having an effective pixel area where plural pixels not shield from light are two-dimensionally arranged, and a first optical black area and a second optical black area including pixels shielded from light provided on the both sides of the effective pixel area; and a correction unit to, upon incident of high luminance light on the image sensor, correct an output signal of a pixel between a high luminance portion as a pixel part on which the high luminance light is incident in the effective pixel area and the first optical black area using an output signal of the first optical black area, and correct an output signal of a pixel between the high luminance portion and the second optical black area, using an output signal of the second optical black area.
US08339474B2
An image processing system is disclosed which uses gain information from an input image to determine a threshold value used to filter the input image. The gain information is indicative of the amount of illumination of the input image and thus the noise level. The image processing system includes an image processor, a converter and a filter. The image processor receives and processes first image information into second image information and extracts the gain information from the first image information. The converter converts the gain information into a filter threshold, which is used by the filter to filter the second image information to provide filtered image information. The converter may include a lookup table storing noise characteristic estimates or the threshold values. The threshold values may further be based on subband size. The filter may be a wavelet-based transform denoising filter.
US08339469B2
A process for using a terminal capable of capturing images to determine a probability of capturing the images according to information taken from contextual data provided by the image capture means. The process uses a terminal such as a mobile terminal comprising a first image data sensor and at least one contextual data sensor to automatically determine at least one probability of capturing an image or a sequence of images taking place within a time interval, the capture probability being calculated based on at least one response provided by one of the activated image data and/or contextual data sensors.
US08339461B2
A signal converting apparatus includes the following elements. A converting section converts an input signal into output signals on the basis of the values of reference parameters, serving as references of a plurality of parameters for signal conversion, and the values of newly proposed parameters. An evaluation input receiving section receives an evaluation input indicating the selection of either the output signal based on the values of the reference parameters or the output signal based on the values of the newly proposed parameters. A parameter updating section linearly changes the values of the newly proposed parameters when the evaluation input indicates the selection of the output signal based on the values of the newly proposed parameters, and nonlinearly changes the values of the reference and newly proposed parameters when the evaluation input indicates the selection of the output signal based on the values of the reference parameters.
US08339436B2
An exposure unit containment mechanism includes an exposure unit and a frame that defines a space into which the exposure unit is inserted, the exposure unit including: first protrusions protruding in left and right directions at a position spaced apart from a center of gravity of the exposure unit in a direction of insertion; and a second protrusion protruding in a downward direction, and the frame including: a guide member that contacts the first protrusions from above to limit upward movement of the first protrusions during insertion of the exposure unit; a first limiting member that limits movement of the second protrusion in left and right directions; a second limiting member that contacts the first protrusions from underneath to limit downward movement of the same; and a first pressing member that presses the first protrusions from above when the first protrusions are in contact with the second limiting member.
US08339432B2
A conveyance mechanism is configured to convey a leading part of a roll paper pulled out of a wound part of the roll paper via a conveyance path including a curved portion bent toward an opposite direction to a winding direction of the roll paper wound in a roll shape. The conveyance mechanism includes a control unit configured to control conveyance of the roll paper in such a manner that a front end portion of the roll paper becomes greater with respect to number of times or total time in passing through the curved portion compared to a central portion of the leading part of the roll paper pulled out of the roll paper wound in the roll shape in a longitudinal direction.
US08339428B2
A novel method for driving a display includes the steps of defining a modulation period during which a particular intensity value is asserted on a pixel of the display, dividing the modulation period into a plurality of coequal time intervals, receiving a data word, which includes a plurality of equally-weighted bits and is indicative of an intensity value to be displayed by the pixel, updating a signal asserted on the pixel during each of a plurality of consecutive time intervals during a first portion of the modulation period, and updating the signal asserted on the pixel every mth time interval during a second portion of the modulation period, where m is equal to the weight of each of the equally-weighted bits. The data word can either be composed of two groups of equally-weighed bits, or a combination of binary bits and equally-weighted. The invention also includes a novel display driver for executing the driving methods.
US08339424B2
An organic light emitting display which prevents unnecessary illumination of the organic light emitting diodes is disclosed. The display has an emission driver which globally turns off all of the pixels during an initialization period, and allows normal operation during other times.
US08339409B2
A tile-based graphics system, and method of operation of such a system, are provided for generating graphics data for a frame comprising a plurality of tiles. Graphics processing circuitry is provided which is arranged to be switched between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the graphics processing circuitry receives the plurality of graphics primitives for the frame, and performs a binning operation to determine, for each of the plurality of tiles, a tile list identifying the graphics primitives which intersect that tile. In the second mode of operation, the graphics processing circuitry receives the tile list for an allocated tile, and performs a rasterization operation to generate the graphics data for the allocated tile dependent on the tile list. This enables the same graphics processing unit to be used for both binning and rasterization operations, significantly reducing the size of the graphics system, while also allowing improvements in performance and energy consumption.
US08339406B2
A VLC data transfer interface is presented that allows digital data to be packed and assembled according to a format selectable from a number of formats while the data is being transferred to a desired destination.
US08339400B2
The object of the invention is to provide an improved graphic display meter which is prevented from causing inconvenience to the vehicle operator, when a motion blur display mode is switched to a normal display mode.When a motion blur pointer image 10 is switched to a normal pointer image 20a, multiple pointer images 20 including the normal pointer image 20a are displayed adjacent to or in abutment with a leading part of the motion blur pointer image 10 in a direction where the pointer is rotating. The multiple pointer images 20 are consisted of the normal pointer image 20a and a plurality of auxiliary pointer images 20b, which are aligned with one another and are positioned in close proximity to the normal pointer image 20a. The multiple pointer images 20, a plurality set of which have been stored as data in advance, are selected on the basis of a space between the motion blur pointer image 10 prior to the switching of the pointer image and the normal pointer image 20 after the switching of the pointer image.
US08339398B2
According to embodiments of the invention, a data structure may be created which may be used by both an image processing system and by a physics engine. The data structure may have an initial or upper portion representing bounding volumes which partition a three dimensional scene and a second or lower portion representing objects within the three dimensional scene. The integrated acceleration data structure may be used by an image processing system to render a two dimensional image from a three dimensional scene, and by a physics engine to perform physics based calculations in order to simulate physical phenomena in the three dimensional scene. Furthermore, the physics engine may update the integrated acceleration data structure in response to changes in position or shape of objects due to physical phenomena.
US08339396B2
Disclosed herein are improved coarsening and splitting techniques for preparing grids for performing simulations. In some implementations, methods in accordance with the present disclosure may include providing a grid having a plurality of grid pillars; and performing one or more splitting operations on at least a portion of the grid to increase a grid density within the portion of the grid, the plurality of grid pillars within the portion of the grid being forced to remain fixed in position during the one or more splitting operations.
US08339387B2
A display device able to amplify the same input as a power supply voltage of IC by using low temperature polysilicon having high threshold voltage and large variation and an electronic apparatus using the same, including MCK use level shifters 171-1 and 171-2 of a type where a reset operation is periodically necessary, a logic circuit 173 for using a level shift horizontal synchronization signal Hsync to input reset pulses for the MCK level shifters 171-1 and 171-2 having a period of N horizontal periods shifted in phase by M horizontal periods (note, M
US08339384B2
A data acquisition circuit sets one of the potential value at one end of a signal line and the value of a current flown thereto when one end of a current path of a drive device is connected to a light emitting device with the other end thereof set to a potential value where no current flows to the light emitting device. Then the circuit causes current to flow via the current path and the signal line and acquires one of the value of the current flown to the signal line and the potential value at the one end of the signal line according to the set value. A correction operation circuit acquires a threshold voltage and a current amplification factor of the drive device based on one of the current and potential values thus acquired as well as on one of the potential and current values thus set.
US08339381B2
The present invention provides a passive optical pen for using with a display device, which comprises a handgrip for being held by a user, a reflector positioned on an end of the handgrip, and a transparent shield covering the reflector. The reflector reflects ambient light propagated from the display device toward the display device. The transparent shield keeps the reflector at a distance from the display device, and collects the ambient light.
US08339377B1
An electronic device comprising a touchscreen and an LED may be operable to illuminate the LED in response to an event occurring on the electronic device. In response to an input from a user of the electronic device, the electronic device may display on the touchscreen an animation of a graphical representation of the LED moving onto the touchscreen to a target location on the touchscreen. During the animation, the graphical representation of the LED may be the only thing displayed on the touchscreen. The graphical representation of the LED may be the same color as the LED. A color of the LED may correspond to a contact stored on the phone that is associated with the event.
US08339371B2
A user interface device for controlling an audio visual system. In one embodiment, a device for interfacing with an audio/visual system includes a sensor mat including a surface and operable to be disposed on a substantially flat floor. The sensor mat is further operable for generating electrical signals responsive to physical interactions of a user with the surface. The interface device also includes an electronic control unit including circuitry for coupling to the mat, the electronic control unit for detecting the physical interactions of the mat and the electronic control unit operable to be placed on the substantially flat floor. The interface device further includes an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end and physically coupled to the electronic control unit via the first end and extending laterally therefrom. The second end of the elongated shaft is operable to be displaced in various directions by interactions with both hands of the user. The electronic control unit is operable to detect the various directions wherein further the electronic control unit is operable to transmit signals representing the various directions and the physical interactions to a receiver unit.
US08339369B2
An in-vehicle apparatus and a control method of an in-vehicle apparatus, which is applied to a multimedia terminal having, for example, a function of navigation equipment and a function of video playback so as to improve usability to a user in a case of accepting an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander. A touch panel menu screen suitable for an operation through a touch panel and a remote commander menu screen suitable for an operation through a remote commander are switched to be displayed so as to accept an operation by a user.
US08339364B2
A human-machine interface involves plural spatially-coherent visual presentation surfaces at least some of which are movable by a person. Plural windows or portholes into a virtual space, at least some of which are handheld and movable, are provided by using handheld and other display devices. Aspects of multi-dimensional spatiality of the moveable window (e.g., relative to another window) are determined and used to generate images. As one example, the moveable window can present a first person perspective “porthole” view into the virtual space, this porthole view changing based on aspects of the moveable window's spatiality in multi-dimensional space relative to a stationary window. A display can present an image of a virtual space, and an additional, moveable display can present an additional image of the same virtual space.
US08339362B2
A system implements a circular navigation paradigm that matches a physical input device to a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI may be displayed on a personal navigation device, music player, or any other electronic device that employs a GUI. The match between the physical input device and the GUI facilitates ready understanding and intuitive interaction with the GUI by the device operator. The circular navigation paradigm may also extend over multiple screens within an application, and across multiple applications, to provide consistency of operation throughout the entire feature set of this device.
US08339359B2
A method and a system for operating an electric apparatus are provided. In the present invention, first, an image capturing unit is enabled for capturing an image. Next, a palm component on the image is detected. Afterwards, a center of mass in the palm component is calculated according to a principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm, so as to use the center of mass to simulate a cursor. Then, a width of the palm of the palm component is calculated. Finally, the width of the palm is compared with a threshold so as to execute a click action if the width of the palm is greater than the threshold.
US08339357B2
The grouping unit assigns an m-digit value expressed by an n-ary notation to each input candidate character one-for-one to classify the respective input candidate characters into n groups on a basis of each of the m digits. The group displaying unit causes the display device to display, in the lump on a group basis, the input candidate characters classified on a digit basis. Among n selection keys corresponding to the respective groups, the input device has one key operated by a user to output information indicating which selection key is operated (information indicative of a selection key operated) to the character structuring unit. The character structuring unit determines a character according to information input from the input device.
US08339354B2
A display system providing an enhanced viewing experience is provided. The system enables having backlighting colors fast adapted to the screen content while at the same time also having a relaxed viewing experience because the luminance slowly changes over time. A method and a computer-readable medium are also provided.
US08339353B2
A data transmission apparatus may include a delay locked loop for generating multi-phase clock signals synchronized to an input clock signal. A clock selector may select the multi-phase clock signals in response to a selection signal. A modulation controller may generate the selection signal using the input clock signal and modulation information, so that the clock selector selects the multi-phase clock signals within every predetermined interval. A clock generator may generate first and second latch clock signals according to the selected multi-phase clock signals. A data transmitter may transmit input data using the first and second latch clock signals. Therefore, the data transmission apparatus mitigates at least as much EMI as a related data transmission apparatus using spread spectrum clock generation for EMI mitigation, eliminates the probability of data error, and saves an IC area. It obviates the need for a FIFO memory, thus contributing miniaturization of the IC. The spread spectrum clock generation function of the related data transmission apparatus may be implemented inside the IC, thus increasing throughput.
US08339342B2
A liquid crystal display device is configured such that a liquid crystal layer is held between a pair of substrates. The liquid crystal display device includes, in a display area including a plurality of pixels, pixel electrodes which are disposed in association with the respective pixels, a counter-electrode which is disposed to be opposed to the pixel electrodes via the liquid crystal layer, scanning lines which are disposed along a row direction of the pixels, signal lines which are disposed along a column direction of the pixels, and an electrically conductive layer which is disposed to be opposed to the counter-electrode via the liquid crystal layer between neighboring ones of the pixel electrodes, and has such a potential as to provide a black display voltage relative to a potential of the counter-electrode.
US08339339B2
A light emitting device in which flickers on a screen can be reduced is provided. In the present invention, each pixel has memories and at the start of a frame period, all of bits of digital vide signals are written in the memories. Then, in the frame period, according to information in all of the bit of digital video signals, the light emitting device sequently emit a light in a determined period.
US08339325B2
Disclosed is a wireless energy transmission structure which includes a disc part including a first conductor plate and a second conductor plate which are spaced to face each other and a dielectric material inserted between the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate, and generating an electric field between the first conductor plate and the second conductor plate; and a ring-shaped wire part one end of which is connected to the first conductor plate and the other end of which is connected to the second conductor plate, and having a meta structure in which a plurality of meta cells is repetitively arranged so as to induce a magnetic field using the electric field, so that the wireless energy transmission structure is reduced in size and is improved in transmission distance and transmission efficiency.
US08339316B1
In one embodiment, a client device generates a location fingerprint. The fingerprint may include various data identified by scanning for WiFi network devices such as the MAC addresses of nearby WiFi access location as well as the respective signal strengths. For each fingerprint location, the client device attempts to use a GPS receiver to scan for GPS satellite signals and identify current GPS latitude and longitude coordinates. After a predetermined period of time, the success or failure of the attempt is recorded and included in the fingerprint. When the client device returns to the location, identified by reviewing the fingerprint, the client device may activate or inhibit the GPS receiver based on the success information of the fingerprint. If the stored data indicates a low success rate, other location identification techniques may be used.
US08339308B2
Methods of operating a transceiver including an antenna having a plurality of antenna feed elements include providing a plurality of gain constraint values associated with respective ones of the plurality of geographic constraint points within a geographic region, selecting initial phase constraint values associated with respective ones of the gain constraint values, generating antenna feed element weights based on the gain constraint values and based on the initial phase constraint values, and determining system response values in response to the antenna feed element weights. Phases of the system response values are compared to the initial phase constraint values, and an antenna beam is formed from the antenna to the geographic region using the antenna feed element weights in response to the comparison of the phases of the system response values to the initial phase constraint values. Related systems and devices are also disclosed.
US08339304B2
A remote control signal generation device for converting a primary remote control signal compliant to one code system into a secondary remote control signal compliant to another code system, includes an exterior member having shape and size suitable for being held in a battery holder, instead of one of the plural number of batteries, a converter section, responsive to the exterior member being held in the battery holder to convert the supplied voltage into an output voltage corresponding to the rated electromotive force, a primary remote control signal detection section for detecting the primary remote control signal, a signal code conversion processing section for generating the secondary remote control signal compliant to the another code system corresponding to the primary remote control signal detected by the primary remote control signal detection section, and a secondary remote control signal transmission section for transmitting the secondary remote control signal.
US08339302B2
An analog to digital converter includes a first sample circuit that samples an analog input during a first phase of a clock. A second sample circuit samples the analog input during a second phase of the clock. A comparator compares a reference to the output of the first sample circuit during a non-overlapping time between an end of the first phase and beginning of the second phase and compares the reference to the output of the second sample circuit during a non-overlapping time between an end of the second phase and beginning of the first phase. The first sample circuit couples the sample of the analog input taken by the first sample circuit to the input of the comparator during the non-overlapping time between the end of the first phase and the beginning of the second phase and the second sample circuit couples the sample of the analog input taken by the second sample circuit to the input of the comparator during the non-overlapping time between the end of the second phase and the beginning of the first phase.
US08339296B2
An amplifying circuit includes a pair of MOS transistors; an amplifier that amplify a difference between potentials of differential output nodes coupled to drains of the pair of MOS transistors; cancel circuits that cause cancel current to flow to one of the differential output nodes when the amplifier amplifies a voltage between the differential output nodes and that shut off, after the amplifier performs the amplification operation, inflow of the cancel current; and a controller that performs setting so that a potential of first one of the differential input signals is equal to a potential of another one of the differential input signals, that compares, before the inflow of the cancel current, potentials generated at differential output nodes when the difference between potentials of the differential output nodes is amplified, and that sets the cancel current so that the potentials are reversed after the inflow of the cancel current.
US08339291B2
Disclosed herein are an alphabet input device and an alphabet recognition system in a small-sized keypad. The device includes: a first keypad part comprising a plurality of buttons each of which is assigned with a symbol extracted from strokes of alphabet characters so that the alphabet characters be input by one of the buttons or a combination of two or more of the buttons; and a second keypad part comprising one or more buttons each assigned with an alphabet character having a high usage frequency. With the device, alphabet characters can be inputted in a simper and more efficient manner.
US08339285B2
A method of alerting an occupant of a seat assembly of the occurrence of a triggering event comprising the steps of monitoring for the occurrence of the triggering event, vibrating the seat assembly and/or probing the seat assembly.
US08339280B1
A traffic preemption system and related methods. Implementations may include a vehicle preemption unit mounted to a vehicle including an optical transmitter adapted to identify to an intersection preemption unit coupled with an intersection system controller the presence of the vehicle. The vehicle preemption unit may include a vehicle radio transceiver and the optical transmitter and the vehicle radio transceiver may be coupled with a vehicle controller. The intersection preemption unit may include an optical receiver and an intersection radio transceiver. The optical receiver and the intersection radio transceiver may each be coupled with an intersection controller. The intersection preemption unit may be adapted to change a traffic light in favor of the vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted in response to an optical signal, a radio signal, or a combination of optical and radio signals from the vehicle preemption unit.
US08339273B2
An event annunciator may be provided. The event annunciator may comprise a housing, an alerting element, a switch, and a lanyard. The housing may be configured to mount on a pole that supports an electric power line. The alerting element may be in the housing and may have an active state and an inactive state. The switch may be in the housing and may have a first position and a second position. The first position may cause the alerting element to remain in the inactive state. The second position may cause the alerting element to remain in the active state. The lanyard may be configured to cause the switch to operate from the first state to the second state when the lanyard is pulled from the housing.
US08339268B2
A driver drowsiness mitigation system of a vehicle includes a driver impairment detection system for detecting drowsiness of a driver of the vehicle. A plurality of alert devices is provided for countering a drowsiness of the driver of the vehicle. A controller enables at least one of the alert devices when a drowsiness of the driver is detected. A prioritized order for enabling respective alert devices is selectively configurable within the controller according to the identity of the driver.
US08339248B2
A body-mounted electronic audio device playing prerecorded audio statements automatically issued as directed by wirelessly connected stationary computer decision-making using input from wearers and devices within the workplace environment to support to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness especially those in fast food stores.
US08339232B2
A micromagnetic device includes a first insulating layer formed above a substrate, a first seed layer formed above the first insulating layer, a first conductive winding layer selectively formed above the first seed layer, and a second insulating layer formed above the first conductive winding layer. The micromagnetic device also includes a first magnetic core layer formed above the second insulating layer, a third insulating layer formed above the first magnetic core layer, and a second magnetic core layer formed above the third insulating layer. The micromagnetic device still further includes a fourth insulating layer formed above the second magnetic core layer, a second seed layer formed above the fourth insulating layer, and a second conductive winding layer formed above the second seed layer and in vias to the first conductive winding layer. The first and second conductive winding layers form a winding for the micromagnetic device.
US08339226B2
A magnetic attachment system for attaching a first object to a second object. A first magnet structure is attached to the first object and a second magnet structure is attached to the second object. The first and second objects are attached by virtue of the magnetic attraction between the first magnet structure and second magnet structure. The magnet structures comprise magnetic elements arranged in accordance with patterns based on various codes. In one embodiment, the code has certain autocorrelation properties. In further embodiments the specific type of code is specified. In a further embodiment, an attachment and a release configuration may be achieved by a simple movement of the magnet structures. In a further embodiment, a magnetic attachment system may comprise one or more magnetic structures spaced from one another on a first support and configured for use with a complementary magnet system.
US08339220B2
A SAW resonator filter including a SAW resonator, and a first inductive reactance in parallel with the SAW resonator for shifting the null points below and above the center frequency for establishing substantially symmetrical attenuation about the center frequency.
US08339215B2
A charge domain filter with controllable transfer function is disclosed. The charge domain filter has a plurality of switched-capacitor networks, a switching device and a current adder. The switched-capacitor networks are interleaving controlled, and each have an input terminal and an output terminal, and the input terminals of all of the switched-capacitor networks are connected together to be coupled to an input signal. The switching device is designed for transfer function control, and is operated according to a switch control signal. The switching device determines connections between the output terminals of the switched-capacitor networks and how the output terminals of the switched-capacitor networks are coupled to the current adder and thereby generates at least one current adder input. The at least one current adder input is received by the current adder, and the current adder outputs an output signal accordingly.
US08339211B2
This invention provides a voltage-controlled oscillator, comprising a first voltage-controlled oscillator circuit and a second voltage-controlled oscillator circuit. The first voltage-controlled oscillator circuit comprises a plurality of inductors, a plurality of variable capacitors, and a plurality of MOS transistors. The circuit configuration of the second voltage-controlled oscillator circuit is symmetrical to that of the first voltage-controlled oscillator circuit. The inductors of the first voltage-controlled oscillator circuit are cross-coupled to the inductors of the second voltage-controlled oscillator circuit.
US08339205B1
In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first amplification block configured to receive a signal and a second amplification block configured to output the signal. The outputted signal is an amplified version of the signal. A circuit allows reuse of a second current flowing through the second amplification block by coupling the second current to pass through the first amplification block to increase a first current that flows through the first amplification block. Amplification of the signal is based on the increased first current that flows through the first amplification block.
US08339204B2
Power amplifier circuits which constitute an RF power module used for a digital device capable of handling high frequency signals in two frequency bands are disposed over the same IC chip. The power amplifier circuits are disposed around the IC chip, and a secondary circuit is disposed between the power amplifier circuits. Thus, the power amplifier circuits are provided within the same IC chip to enable a size reduction. Further, the distance between the power amplifier circuits is ensured even if the power amplifier circuits are provided within the same IC chip. It is therefore possible to suppress the coupling between the power amplifier circuits and restrain crosstalk between the power amplifier circuits.
US08339196B2
A Doherty power amplification apparatus and method using a combined cell are provided. The Doherty power amplification apparatus includes, a power splitter for splitting an input power, and outputting the split powers to a carrier amplification unit and (N−1) peaking amplification units, wherein the carrier amplification unit, including M carrier power amplifiers, for amplifying power output from the power splitter; the (N−1) peaking amplification units, each of which includes M peaking power amplifiers, for amplifying the respective split powers output from the power splitter, and a power combiner for combining a power amplified by the carrier amplification unit and the respective split powers amplified by the (N−1) peaking amplification units, and for outputting the combined power, wherein N represents an integer obtained by adding a number of the carrier amplification units and a number of the (N−1) peaking amplification units, and M represents an integer which is equal to or more than 1.
US08339189B2
A high voltage current source and a voltage expander implemented in a low voltage semiconductor process. The voltage expander extends the operating voltage range of a stack of transistors to multiple times a supply voltage Vdd at the output node of the stack without exceeding the breakdown voltage of any of the transistors in the stack. The voltage expander uses a diode and a voltage divider to detect the output node voltage changes and generates a plurality of voltages that control the gate voltages for the stack of transistors. A high voltage wide swing current source utilizes a transistor to set the output current and the voltage expander to extend the output voltage range of the current setting transistor. An additional transistor and another current source ensure that the output current is constant throughout the entire output voltage range between about 0V and multiple times the supply voltage Vdd.
US08339180B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for switching RF signals. An RF switching apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of FETs passing or blocking high-frequency signals depending on driving voltage applied to a gate; a control power supply generating control voltage for controlling the passing or blocking of the high-frequency signals; and a charge pump increasing the level of the control voltage and outputting the corresponding voltage as the driving voltage. According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to minimize insertion loss generated in an RF switch.
US08339179B2
In one form, a power converter for a power detector or the like includes first and third transistors of a first conductivity type, and second and fourth transistors of a second conductivity type. A control electrode of the first transistor receives a first bias voltage plus a positive component of a differential input signal. The second transistor is coupled in series with the first transistor and has a control electrode receiving a second bias voltage plus a negative component of the differential input signal. The third transistor is biased using the first bias voltage plus the negative component. The fourth transistor is coupled in series with the third transistor and is biased using the second bias voltage plus the positive component. A common interconnection point of the first and third transistors forms an output node.
US08339175B2
A phase generating apparatus generates an output clock having a desired phase according to a digital signal. The apparatus includes a phase selecting unit and a phase generating unit. The phase selecting unit selects one of a plurality of input clocks according to a portion of bits of the digital signal to generate a reference clock. Each of the input clocks respectively has a difference phase. The phase selecting unit divides the frequency of the reference clock, and selectively delays the frequency-divided reference clock according to another portion of bits of the digital signal to generate the output clock.
US08339171B1
A threshold voltage detection circuit comprises a first inverter, a first transistor, a second transistor, a third transistor and a fourth transistor. The first inverter comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, a first electrode of the first transistor is electrically connected with the second terminal of the first inverter, a fourth electrode of the second transistor is electrically connected with the first terminal of the first inverter, a seventh electrode of the third transistor is electrically connected with the second terminal of the first inverter and the first electrode of the first transistor, a tenth electrode of the fourth transistor is electrically connected with a third electrode of the first transistor and a fifth electrode of the second transistor, and an eleventh electrode of the fourth transistor is electrically connected with a ninth electrode of the third transistor.
US08339165B2
A phase locked loop (PLL) device is configurable in an analog phase locked loop and a hybrid analog-digital phase locked loop. In an analog mode, at least a phase detector, an analog loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), are connected to form an analog loop. In a digital mode, at least the phase detector, the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a time to digital converter (TDC), a digital loop filter and a digital to analog converter (DAC) are connected to form the hybrid digital-analog loop.
US08339163B2
A field effect transistor (FET) including a monolithically integrated gate control circuit element can be included in, for example, a radio frequency switch circuit. For example, the FET can be included as a series and/or shunt FET of a radio frequency coplanar waveguide circuit. The widths of the series and shunt FETs of a switch circuit can be selected to provide a target isolation and/or a target insertion loss for a target operating frequency.
US08339141B2
Method and apparatus for locating a fault in an electrical conductor, with interference compensation
A voltage pulse is transmitted into a test object, and returned reflection pulses are evaluated to determine the location of a fault in the test object. The return signal includes a reflection from the fault and undesired interfering reflection pulses, which are removed or compensated-out from the return signal to produce a corrected pulse diagram. A circuit arrangement for this includes a bi-directional coupler, a separation filter, a measured signal detection circuit with two input channels, a memory storing a database, a computer processor, and a measured signal evaluation unit. A method in this regard includes a first step of measuring the input impedance of the test object, and a second step of measuring the return signal pulses, transforming the return signal to the frequency domain, compensating the frequency domain data to remove interference, transforming the data back to the time domain, and representing or evaluating the pulse diagram.
US08339138B2
A composite gradient system is described, including a body gradient system and an insert gradient system, in which the body gradient system and the insert gradient system can be driven independently and simultaneously. The composite gradient system can provide an operator with the flexibility of imaging a subject using the body gradient system alone, the insert gradient system alone, or both gradient systems simultaneously, and therefore enjoy the advantages of each gradient system. In some embodiments, the body gradient system and the insert gradient system may be driven concurrently during an imaging sequence to produce composite magnetic field gradients having high amplitude and/or fast slew rate, resulting in high image resolution and/or fast image acquisition. In some embodiments, a subject may be imaged using the body gradient system alone while leaving the insert gradient system in place.
US08339135B2
A biological detector includes a conduit for receiving a fluid containing one or more magnetic nanoparticle-labeled, biological objects to be detected and one or more permanent magnets or electromagnet for establishing a low magnetic field in which the conduit is disposed. A microcoil is disposed proximate the conduit for energization at a frequency that permits detection by NMR spectroscopy of whether the one or more magnetically-labeled biological objects is/are present in the fluid.
US08339132B2
A magnetic detection device of the present invention includes at least one pair of first magnetosensitive bodies each comprising a soft magnetic material extending in a first axis direction and being sensitive to an external magnetic field oriented in the first axis direction; and a magnetic field direction changer comprising a soft magnetic material and changing an external magnetic field oriented in a different axis direction from the first axis direction into a measurement magnetic field having a component in the first axis direction which can be detected by the at least one pair of first magnetosensitive bodies. With this magnetic detection device, the external magnetic field oriented in the different axis direction can be detected by way of the first magnetosensitive bodies. As a result, while attaining magnetic detection with high accuracy, the magnetic detection device can be reduced in size or thickness by omitting a magnetosensitive body extending long in the different axis direction.
US08339129B2
A vibration and condition monitoring system and the parts thereof with a true digital signal processing based design, with very limited analog based general signal conditioning. Specifically a method of driving and a driver of eddy current probes that have a simple highly accurate analog part and a unit and a method of enabling efficient vibration monitoring in hazardous areas. This is achieved by an eddy current probe oscillator unit having independent control of an amplitude gain and control of an impedance measurement sensitivity, i.e. amplitude gain linearity in relation to probe impedance.
US08339124B2
The method is used for manufacturing a mounting element with an angle sensor for an actuator in an internal combustion engine. The mounting element has electrical connections (20) and contains an angle sensor (24, 26, 30). To simplify manufacture, electronic components (24, 26, 30) are electrically connected directly to a leadframe (12). Next, the leadframe (12) with the electronic components (24, 26, 30) is overmoulded with thermoset (132), and the resultant angle sensor module (10) is assembled with a preproduced mounting element. The mounting element itself may be made of thermoplastic or thermoset and comprises a plug connection (20).
US08339117B2
Electrical supply apparatus comprising a start-up circuit element coupled to an output element for ensuring reliable start-up when first connected to a source of power. The start-up circuit element comprises first and second branches with current mirror coupling therebetween. The first branch comprises first and second transistors of opposite polarities for connection in series between the source of power and ground and a leakage path to ground in parallel with the second transistor for start-up current for the first transistor of the first branch in response to application of voltage from the source of power. The current mirror coupling between the first and second branches responds to start-up of the first transistor of the first branch to start up a first transistor of the second branch and provide start-up current to the output element. The second branch may comprise a control element connected to turn off the second transistor of the first branch on start up of the output element and turn off the first transistors. Alternatively, the start-up circuit may have elements common with the output circuit and remain conductive after the output circuit starts.
US08339115B2
Embodiments for at least one method and apparatus of controlling a bypass resistance of a voltage regulator are disclosed. One method includes generating a regulated output voltage based upon a switching voltage. The switching voltage is generated through controlled closing and opening of a series switch element and a shunt switch element, the series switch element and the shunt switch element being connected between voltages based on an input voltage. Control of a duty cycle of the switching voltage is provided by sensing and feeding back the regulated output voltage. The bypass resistance is controlled based on an integration of a difference between the duty cycle and a maximum duty cycle.
US08339113B2
A switch mode power supply (SMPS) response to a disturbance is improved by using a hysteretic control in combination with a fixed frequency, pulse-width modulated (PWM) controller for providing robust control and optimizing the response to disturbances in buck or buck derived switch mode power supply (SMPS) system topologies.
US08339107B2
A portable device is disclosed that includes a charge control circuit configured to control charging of a secondary battery included in a battery pack, the secondary battery being configured to supply power to the portable device; a temperature detection terminal at which the temperature of the secondary battery is detected from a temperature detection part of the battery pack; positive and negative power terminals to be connected to the battery pack; a control circuit configured to control the operation of the portable device; and an interface circuit connected between the temperature detection terminal and each of an input terminal of the charge control circuit and an input terminal of the control circuit, in which a signal detected at the temperature detection terminal is fed to each of the charge control circuit and the control circuit through the interface circuit.
US08339106B2
A semiconductor device which can operate normally even when the communication distance is extremely short, and which stores excess electric power which is not needed for circuit operation of the semiconductor device when a large amount of electric power is supplied thereto. The following are included: an antenna; a first AC/DC converter circuit which is connected to the antenna; a second AC/DC converter circuit which is connected to the antenna through a switching element; a detecting circuit which controls operation of the switching element in accordance with the value of a voltage output from the first AC/DC converter circuit; and a battery which stores electric power supplied from the antenna through the second AC/DC converter circuit. When the switching element is operated, electric power supplied from outside is at least partly supplied to the battery through the second AC/DC converter circuit.
US08339102B2
A load adjustment circuit and a method for adjusting a load are provided. The circuit may include a power source to supply power to a load, and a control unit to control a property of the load. The control unit may be adapted to adjust a property of the load based on a signal received from the power source. The method may include supplying power to a load and adjusting a property of the load to decrease the power supplied to the load if the power supplied to the load is greater than a maximum threshold.
US08339101B2
A portable computer system includes a host, a power storage device and a dock. The power storage device is installed in the host, for sensing current from a first power socket to a first power terminal to generate a first sensing result, and charging a first rechargeable battery according to a first control signal. The dock is capable of connecting to the host by means of insertion, for sensing current from a second power socket to a second power terminal to generate a second sensing result, and charging a second rechargeable battery according to a second control signal. The dock includes a control device for outputting the first control signal and the second control signal according to the first sensing result and the second sensing result, to control charging operations on the first rechargeable battery and the second rechargeable battery.
US08339098B2
A battery charger includes a housing, at least two contacts, a transmission mechanism, and a driving member. The housing defines a slot and through holes. The at least two contacts are received in the housing and are operable to protrude out of the housing after passing through the through holes. The transmission mechanism is received in the housing and is for driving the at least two contacts to protrude out of the housing. The driving member is received in the housing and partially extends out of the housing after passing through the slot. The driving member is capable of sliding in the slot and activating the transmission mechanism.
US08339095B2
A charging device capable of appropriately grasping the charged state of a battery pack using data stored in a memory of the battery pack even when the battery pack becomes commercial as a new product. A charging device determines charged state data indicative of a charged state of a battery pack mounted thereon based on a charging current supplied and/or a charging voltage applied to the battery pack. A charge control microcomputer reads charging characteristics data from a memory of the battery pack, and generates a data table associating at least one of the charging current supplied and the charging voltage applied to the battery pack and the charged state data with each other, based on the charging characteristics data read out. The microcomputer determines charged state data indicative of a charged state of the battery pack, based on the generated data table.
US08339087B2
A fan control circuit includes an integrated circuit (IC), a thermistor, and a transistor. A first input of the IC is connected to a fan power supply. A second input of the IC is connected to a stand-by power supply. A base of the transistor is grounded through the thermistor. An emitter of the transistor is connected to an output of the IC. A collector of the transistor is connected to a fan.
US08339085B2
Presented is a method for synchronizing movement of a plurality of roller shades each disposed at a first position to a common second position. The method includes obtaining information related to the position of each of the plurality of roller shades with a respective one of a plurality of optical assemblies, and moving each of the plurality of roller shades from the first position to the common second position in response to the respective obtained position information so that each of the plurality of roller shades arrives at the common second position at the same time.
US08339084B2
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring current in an electric motor. An electrical system comprises a direct current (DC) interface, an electric motor, and an inverter module between the DC interface and the electric motor. A first current sensor is configured to measure a DC current flowing between the DC interface and the inverter module. A second current sensor is configured to measure a first phase current flowing through the first phase of the electric motor. A control module is coupled to the current sensors, and the control module is configured to determine an expected value for the first phase current based at least in part on the DC current measured by the first current sensor and take remedial action based on a difference between the expected value and the measured first phase current.
US08339081B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for startup of a permanent magnet alternating current (AC) motor. The method comprises the steps of detecting startup of the permanent magnet AC motor; detecting a mechanical oscillation of the permanent magnet AC motor when startup of the permanent magnet AC motor is detected; and, in response to detection of the mechanical oscillation of the permanent magnet AC motor when startup is detected, suppressing the mechanical oscillation of the permanent magnet AC motor.
US08339077B2
Slow speed operation of a brushless DC (BLDC) motor is enhanced by gating off some of the PWM pulses in each commutation period. By doing so, longer PWM pulse widths may be used at PWM signal frequencies that are inaudible while still allowing desired slow speed operation of the BLDC motor. Centering the non-gated PWM pulses in each commutation period where peak back EMF occurs, further reduces losses and improves delivery of maximum torque from the BLDC motor.
US08339071B2
A particle accelerator system for producing a charged particle beam having pulses of charged particles that have different energy levels from pulse to pulse. The system enables independent adjustment of the RF power delivered to first and second accelerating sections thereof without adjustment of the RF power generated by an RF source. Such independent adjustment enables the RF power provided to the first accelerating section to be maintained at a level appropriate for optimal particle capturing therein and for producing a tightly bunched beam of particles having different energy levels from pulse to pulse, while enabling the RF power provided to the second accelerating section to be varied in order to vary the energy levels of the charged particles of the charged particle beam from pulse to pulse.
US08339070B2
An LED lamp includes first and second LED strings connected in parallel to each other and a variable resistor interconnected therebetween. The variable resistor includes a resistance track with resistance coils wound thereon and a slider moveable along the resistance track. One portion of resistance of the variable resistor is connected in series with the first LED string, and the other portion of the resistance of the variable resistor is connected in series with the second LED string. When a position of the slider of the variable resistor is changed, a first electric current flowing through one of the first and second strings is increased, while a second electric current flowing through the other one of the first and second strings is decreased, such that the color temperature of the LED lamp is changed accordingly.
US08339064B2
An LED lamp includes two LED modules and a control module. The LED modules emit lights with different color temperatures. The lights are mixed in the LED lamp and form an output light with another color temperature. The control module controls the brightness levels of the lights emitted from the two LED modules to thereby control the color temperature of the output light.
US08339050B2
There is provided an LED driving circuit including: at least one ladder network circuit including: (n+1) number of first branches connected in parallel with one another by n number of first middle junction points between a first junction point and a second junction point, where n denotes an integer satisfying n≧2, (n+1) number of second branches connected in parallel with one another by n number of second middle junction points between the first junction point and the second junction point, the (n+1) number of second branches connected in parallel with the first branches; and n number of middle branches connecting the first and second middle junction points of an identical m sequence to each other, respectively, wherein each of the first and second, and middle branches comprises at least one LED device.
US08339048B2
A hybrid light source comprises a discrete-spectrum lamp (for example, a fluorescent lamp) and a continuous-spectrum lamp (for example, a halogen lamp). A control circuit individually controls the amount of power delivered to the discrete-spectrum lamp and the continuous-spectrum lamp in response to a phase-controlled voltage generated by a connected dimmer switch, such that a total light output of the hybrid light source ranges throughout a dimming range. The discrete-spectrum lamp is turned off and the continuous-spectrum lamp produces all of the total light intensity of the hybrid light source when the total light intensity is below a transition intensity. The continuous-spectrum lamp is driven by a continuous-spectrum lamp drive circuit, which is operable to conduct a charging current of a power supply of the dimmer switch and to provide a path for enough current to flow through the hybrid light source, such that the magnitude of the current exceeds rated latching and holding currents of a thyristor of the dimmer.
US08339045B2
The lighting structure of the present invention can be installed in a cupboard, a wardrobe, a filing cabinet or another structural object requiring an auxiliary light source. The lighting structure comprises: a body provided with a lamp and an electrical circuit; and a base adapted to be installed on the structural object and joined with the body. The electrical circuit comprises a vibration sensing element, a control element and an electric power supplying portion. The electric power supplying portion is configured to supply electric power necessary for operation of the electrical circuit. When the lighting structure is vibrated, the vibration sensing element outputs an electrical signal to the control element so that the control element chooses to turn on or off the lamp correspondingly.
US08339039B2
When a light-emitting element having an intermediate conductive layer between a plurality of light-emitting layers is formed, the intermediate conductive layer can have transparency; and thus, materials are largely limited and the manufacturing process of an element becomes complicated by a conventional method. A light-emitting element according to the present invention is formed by sequentially stacking a pixel electrode, a first light-emitting layer, an intermediate conductive layer (including an electron injecting layer and a hole-injecting layer, one of which is island-like), a second light-emitting layer and an opposite electrode. Therefore, the present invention can provide a light-emitting element typified by an organic EL element in which a range of choice of materials that can be used as the intermediate conductive layer is broadened extremely, and which can realize a high light-emitting efficiency, a low power consumption and a high reliability, and further a display device using the light-emitting element.
US08339036B2
An organic electroluminescence device of the present invention adapts a new concept in its configuration to improve its efficiency in addition to obtain a high reliability and good yielding. The organic electroluminescent device having an electroluminescent film containing an organic material capable of causing an electroluminescence and being arranged between a first electrode and a second electrode, includes: a carrier, generation layer, which is a floating electrode, is embodied in the electroluminescent film; an insulting film between the first electrode and the electroluminescent film, and an insulating film between the second electrode and the electroluminescent film, wherein the organic electroluminescent device is driven by an alternating current bias.
US08339025B2
Some embodiments provide luminescent ceramics which have a lower amount of dopant than conventional luminescent ceramics. In some embodiments, the luminescent ceramic comprises a host material comprising a rare earth element and at least one rare earth dopant, wherein the rare earth dopant may be about 0.01% to 0.5% of the rare earth atoms present in the material. Some embodiments provide luminescent ceramic comprising: a polycrystalline phosphor represented by the formula (A1-xEx)3B5O12. Some embodiments provide a light-emitting device comprising a luminescent ceramic disclosed herein.
US08339021B2
A spark plug for an internal-combustion engine comprises an attachment fitting 2, an insulator 3, a center electrode 4 and an earth electrode 5. While fixed to the attachment fitting 2, the earth electrode 5 has a convex part 510 formed by projecting toward the center electrode 4 a part of the opposed surface 51, which faces the center electrode 4, of the earth electrode and a concave part 520 formed toward the opposed surface 51 from the earth electrode's back surface 52 which is the reverse side of the opposed surface 51 of the earth electrode 5. The convex part 510 is disposed so that the extension of a shaft center of the convex part 510 may pass through the area in which the concave part 520 is formed. A relation of S1>=s is realized when an area of an opening of the concave part 520 is set to S1 and an average cross-section area of a cross section of the convex part 510 perpendicular to an axial direction of the spark plug is set to s.
US08339018B2
Provided is a highly durable laminated piezoelectric element wherein a stress generated at a portion, i.e., the boundary between an active region and inactive region, is reduced. A method for manufacturing such laminated piezoelectric element is also provided. The laminated piezoelectric element has a laminated structure (15) wherein a plurality of piezoelectric layers (11) and internal electrode layers (13) are alternately laminated. The piezoelectric layer (11) contains a metal element other than those elements constituting piezoelectric ceramic, i.e., the main component of the piezoelectric layer (11), and at a portion (11a) of the piezoelectric layer (11) at the vicinity of an end of the internal electrode layer (13), metal particles having a metal element as a main component exist. The content of the metal at the portion (11a) at the vicinity of the end is higher than the content of a compound of the metal element and a nonmetal element.
US08339014B2
An oscillator device that includes a movable body oscillatably supported about a rotation axis, wherein the movable body is separated into plural electrically separated conductive regions in the thickness direction, and at least one of the plural electrically separated conductive regions in the thickness direction further has plural electrically separated conductive regions.
US08339003B2
The invention relates to a gear motor including a multiple-phase electric motor formed by a stator portion excited by electric coils and by a rotor having N pairs of poles radially magnetised in alternating directions, the stator portion including two angular sectors alpha-1 and alpha-2 with respective radii R1 and R2, and wide teeth and narrow teeth radially extending from an annular crown, characterized in that the wide teeth have a width higher than or equal to twice the width of the narrow teeth, in that the notch width is higher than the width of a narrow tooth, in that the angular sector alpha-1 is lower than 220° and includes all the coils, and in that the ratio R1/R2 ranges from 1.2 to 2.
US08338997B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power tool including: a motor that generates a rotational force; a power transmission mechanism that is driven by the motor to transmit the rotational force and that is connected to a bit; and a housing that houses the motor and the power transmission mechanism therein, wherein an electric fan for cooling the power transmission mechanism or the motor is provided inside the housing, wherein the power transmission mechanism, the motor and the electric fan are arranged in this order from front, and wherein the electric fan is disposed at a rear side so as to be interposed between the motor and a back wall of the housing.
US08338994B2
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a power tool including: a commutator motor including a rotor and a stator having a substantially cylindrical stator core; a fan provided to face one axial end of the stator core so as to be rotatable coaxially with the rotor; and a stator coil bundle fixed to an inner peripheral surface of the stator core, the stator coil bundle having a coil end portion that protrudes more than the stator core in a rotational axis direction of the rotor, wherein a minimum internal diameter of the coil end portion is smaller than a maximum external diameter of the fan, and wherein the coil end portion has a fan facing portion that faces the fan along a direction perpendicular to the rotational axis direction.
US08338981B2
The disclosure describes communication of information between a network interface device and subscriber devices over a power line. A UPS unit receives operating power from subscriber premises via a first power line and delivers operating power to the network interface device via a second power line. The network interface device transmits and receives information, such as voice, video and data, to and from the UPS unit via the second power line. The UPS unit receives the information transmitted by the network interface device via the second power line, and transmits the received information to subscriber devices within the premises via the first power line. The UPS unit receives information transmitted by subscriber devices via the first power line, and transmits the received information to the network interface device via the second power line. The first and second power lines each serve as both a power line and a communication medium.
US08338979B2
A direct current generating including an annular armature connectable to rotate with a rotating component of a wind turbine and a stationary annular field winding coaxial to the armature and separated by a gap from the armature. The field winding is configured to include superconducting coil magnets and a support structure connectable to an upper region of a tower of the wind turbine. The direct current generator further including a commutator assembly configured to transfer DC current generated by the rotating armature to a power conversion system.
US08338972B2
The invention as disclosed is an underwater based electric energy production method. A cable having a piezoelectric core is attached on one end thereof to a floating buoy and on the other end thereof to an anchor. The system is deployed in the water such that the cable extends vertically through a water column. Movement of the cable due to water current generates electric power that can be harvested and stored. The floating buoy can be at or near the water's surface and the anchor can but need not rest on the sea floor.
US08338966B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor component having a joint structure including a semiconductor device, an electrode disposed opposite the semiconductor device, and a joining material which contains Bi as main component and connects the semiconductor device to the electrode. Since the joining material contains a carbon compound, joint failure due to the difference in linear expansion coefficient between the semiconductor device and the electrode can be reduced compared with conventional materials. The joining material which contains Bi as main component enables provision of a joint structure in which a semiconductor device and an electrode are joined by a joint more reliable than a conventional joint.
US08338962B2
A semiconductor package may include a package substrate having a first surface and a boundary that may be defined by edges of the package substrate. The package further includes a first semiconductor chip having a front surface and a back surface. The back surface of a first portion of the first semiconductor chip may be disposed on the first surface of the package substrate with the back surface of a second portion of the first semiconductor chip extending beyond of the defined boundary of the package substrate. The semiconductor package may also include a second semiconductor chip disposed on the back surface of the second portion of the first semiconductor chip that extends beyond the defined boundary of the package substrate.
US08338955B2
An integrated circuit package comprising an enclosure including a dielectric housing, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact. The dielectric housing, the first electrical contact, and the second electrical contact are configured to form a contact side of the enclosure. In addition, the first and second electrical contacts are sized to be substantially alignment insensitive for electro-mechanical connection to corresponding contacts of an end-use equipment. The enclosure encapsulates an integrated circuit die which is electrically coupled to the first and second electrical contacts. The alignment insensitive first and second electrical contacts may be electro-mechanically connected to corresponding contacts of an end-use equipment (e.g., a printer). Further, the integrated circuit package may be hosted by a peripheral device (e.g., a printer cartridge).
US08338946B2
An electrode for a semiconductor device is formed on the mounting surface (particularly, the outer periphery thereof) of a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor module. In order to secure a large gap between the electrodes, an insulating layer is formed on the electrode. Also formed are a plurality of bumps penetrating the insulating layer and connected to the electrode, and a rewiring pattern integrally formed with the bumps. The rewiring pattern includes a bump area and a wiring area extending contiguously with the bump area. The insulating layer is formed to have a concave upper surface in an interval between the bumps, and the wiring area of the rewiring pattern is formed to fit that upper surface. The wiring area of the rewiring pattern is formed to be depressed toward the semiconductor substrate in relation to the bump area of the rewiring pattern.
US08338936B2
A semiconductor device and manufacturing method. One embodiment provides a semiconductor chip. An encapsulating material covers the semiconductor chip. A metal layer is over the semiconductor chip and the encapsulating material. At least one of a voltage generating unit and a display unit are rigidly attached to at least one of the encapsulating material and the metal layer.
US08338935B2
A thermally enhanced electronic package comprises a chip, a substrate, an adhesive, and an encapsulation. The adhesive or the encapsulation is mixed with carbon nanocapsules. The substrate includes an insulation layer and a wiring layer formed on the substrate. The adhesive covers the chip and the substrate. The chip is electrically connected to the wiring layer. The encapsulation covers the chip and the substrate.
US08338931B2
In the present application, is disclosed a method of manufacturing a flexible semiconductor device having an excellent reliability and tolerance to the loading of external pressure. The method includes the steps of: forming a separation layer over a substrate having an insulating surface; forming an element layer including a semiconductor element comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer, over the separation layer; forming an organic resin layer over the element layer; providing a fibrous body formed of an organic compound or an inorganic compound on the organic resin layer; heating the organic resin layer; and separating the element layer from the separation layer. This method allows the formation of a flexible semiconductor device having a sealing layer in which the fibrous body is impregnated with the organic resin.
US08338929B2
A stacked-type chip package structure in which stacked chips and stacked flexible circuit boards are disposed on a substrate. A plurality of spacer layers is respectively sandwiched between two adjacent chips and stacked on top of each other. In addition, conductive bumps are disposed on the substrate and between the stacked flexible circuit boards, such that the stacked flexible circuit boards are electrically connected to the substrate. Besides, conductive wires are electrically connected between the flexible circuit boards and the chips, so as to form a package structure with multi-layer chips on the substrate. Thereby, electrical performance and reliability of the chips are improved.
US08338916B2
In one embodiment, a method for forming a non-conductive crystalline oxide layer on an AlSb crystal includes heat treating an AlSb crystal in a partial vacuum atmosphere at a temperature conducive for air adsorbed molecules to desorb, surface molecule groups to decompose, and elemental Sb to evaporate from a surface of the AlSb crystal and exposing the AlSb crystal to an atmosphere comprising oxygen to form a crystalline oxide layer on the surface of the AlSb crystal. In another embodiment, a method for forming a non-conductive crystalline oxide layer on an AlSb crystal includes heat treating an AlSb crystal in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a temperature conducive for decomposition of an amorphous oxidized surface layer and evaporation of elemental Sb from the AlSb crystal surface and forming stable oxides of Al and Sb from residual surface oxygen to form a crystalline oxide layer on the surface of the AlSb crystal.
US08338910B2
Integrated circuit memory devices include a semiconductor word line having an electrically insulating strain layer directly contacting an upper surface thereof. The strain layer, which has a contact opening therein, has a sufficiently high degree of internal compressive strain therein to thereby impart a net tensile stress within at least a first portion of the semiconductor word line. A P-N junction diode is also provided on the semiconductor word line. The diode includes a first terminal (e.g., cathode, anode) electrically coupled through the opening in the strain layer to the surface of the semiconductor word line. A data storage element (e.g., MRAM, FRAM, PRAM, RRAM, etc.) may also be provided, which has a current carrying terminal electrically coupled to a second terminal of the p-n junction diode.
US08338901B2
Certain embodiments provide a solid-state imaging device including: a photoelectric converting unit that includes a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided on a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, converts incident light entering a first surface of the semiconductor substrate into signal charges, and stores the signal charges; a readout circuit that reads the signal charges stored by the photoelectric converting unit; an antireflection structure that is provided on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate to cover the semiconductor layer of the photoelectric converting unit, includes a fixed charge film that retains fixed charges being non-signal charges, and prevents reflection of the incident light; and a hole storage region that is provided between the photoelectric converting unit and the antireflection structure, and stores holes being non-signal charges.
US08338894B2
Deep drain and source regions of an N-channel transistor may be formed through corresponding cavities, which may be formed together with cavities of a P-channel transistor, wherein the lateral offsets of the cavities may be adjusted on the basis of an appropriate reverse spacer regime. Consequently, the dopant species in the N-channel transistor extends down to a specific depth, for instance down to the buried insulating layer of an SOI device, while at the same time providing an efficient strain-inducing mechanism for the P-channel transistor with a highly efficient overall manufacturing process flow.
US08338882B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a base, a stacked body, a memory film, a channel body, an interconnection, and a contact plug. The base includes a substrate and a peripheral circuit formed on a surface of the substrate. The stacked body includes a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers alternately stacked above the base. The memory film is provided on an inner wall of a memory hole punched through the stacked body to reach a lowermost layer of the conductive layers. The memory film includes a charge storage film. The interconnection is provided below the stacked body. The interconnection electrically connects the lowermost layer of the conductive layers in an interconnection region laid out on an outside of a memory cell array region and the peripheral circuit. The contact plug pierces the stacked body in the interconnection region to reach the lowermost layer of the conductive layers in the interconnection region.
US08338880B2
A flash memory and a manufacturing method and an operating method thereof are provided. The flash memory includes a substrate, a charge-trapping structure, a first gate, a second gate, a third gate, a first doped region and a second doped region. The substrate has a protrusion portion. The charge-trapping structure is disposed over the substrate. The first gate and the second gate are disposed respectively over the charge-trapping structure at two sides of the protrusion portion. The top surfaces of the first gate and the second gate are lower than the top surface of the charge-trapping structure located on the top of the protrusion portion. The third gate is disposed over the charge-trapping structure located on the top of the protrusion portion. The first doped region and the second doped region are disposed respectively in the substrate at two sides of the protrusion portion.
US08338874B2
A flash memory device includes a substrate; a cell stack having a semiconductor layer for providing junction areas and channel areas and an interlayer isolation layer for insulating the semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer and the interlayer isolation layer are repeatedly stacked; an array of gate columns, the gate columns penetrating through the cell stack, perpendicular to the substrate; and a trap layered stack introduced into an interface between the gate columns and the cell stack to store charge.
US08338871B2
A group III nitride-based transistor capable of achieving terahertz-range cutoff and maximum frequencies of operation at relatively high drain voltages is provided. In an embodiment, two additional independently biased electrodes are used to control the electric field and space-charge close to the gate edges.
US08338859B2
A semiconductor electronic device comprises a substrate; a buffer layer formed on said substrate, having two or more layers of composite layers in which a first semiconductor layer comprising nitride based compound semiconductor having smaller lattice constant and greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the substrate and a second semiconductor layer comprising nitride based compound semiconductor having smaller lattice constant and smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than the first semiconductor layer are alternately laminated; a semiconductor operating layer comprising nitride based compound semiconductor formed on said buffer layer; a dislocation reducing layer comprising nitride based compound semiconductor, formed in a location between a location directly under said buffer layer and inner area of said semiconductor operating layer, and comprising a lower layer area and an upper layer area each having an uneven boundary surface, wherein threading dislocation extending from the lower layer area to the upper layer area is bent at said boundary surface.
US08338851B2
A multi-layer LED array engine is provided. The multi-layer LED array engine includes a base plate frame, a molded platform, two lead frames, a lighting element, a dome, a protection layer, and a phosphorous layer. The molded platform is disposed on and secured to the base plate frame. The two lead frames are combined with two lead frame grooves of the base plate frame. The lighting element is disposed on a lighting area of the base plate frame. The protection layer is provided on the lighting element, and the phosphorous layer is provided on the protection layer. The dome is secured to the molded platform for covering the molded platform and the lighting element.
US08338848B2
A light emitting device, a wafer for making the same, and method for fabricating the same are disclosed. The device and wafer include a first layer of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a layer of a second conductivity type. The active layer overlies the first layer, the active layer generating light. The second layer overlies the active layer, the second layer having a first surface in contact adjacent to the active layer and a second surface having a surface that includes features that scatter light striking the second surface. A layer of transparent electrically conducting material is adjacent to the second surface and covered by a first layer of a dielectric material that is transparent to the light generated by the active layer. A mirror layer that has a reflectivity greater than 90 percent is deposited on the first layer of dielectric material.
US08338847B2
A light emitting device according to the embodiment includes a first semiconductor layer; an active layer to generate a light on the first semiconductor layer; a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer; a transparent electrode layer on the second conductive semiconductor layer; and a multiple thin film mirror on the transparent electrode layer, the multiple thin film mirror being formed by repeatedly stacking a first thin film layer having a first refractive index and a second thin film layer having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index by at least one time, wherein the second conductive semiconductor layer has a thickness satisfying: 2·Φ1+Φ2=N·2π±Δ, (0≦Δ≦π/2) in which, Φ1 is a phase shift occurring when a light, which travels in a vertical direction, passes through the second conductive semiconductor layer and is expressed as Φ1=2πnd/λ (n is a refractive index of the light, λ is a wavelength of the light, and d is a thickness of the second conductive semiconductor layer), Φ2 is a phase shift occurring when the light is reflected from one of the transparent electrode layer and the multiple thin film mirror, and N is a natural number.
US08338845B2
According to one embodiment, an LED package includes first and second lead frames, an LED chip and a resin body. The first and second lead frames are made of a metal material, and disposed to be apart from each other. The LED chip is provided above the first and second lead frames, the LED chip having one terminal connected to the first lead frame and another terminal connected to the second lead frame. The resin body is made of a resin material having a shore D hardness of 25 or higher. In addition, the resin body covers the first and second lead frames and the LED chip. And, an appearance of the resin body is an appearance of the LED package.
US08338837B2
A light emitting device includes a plurality of micro diodes, which are electrically connected to constitute a bridge rectifier circuit. Each branch of the bridge rectifier circuit includes a single micro diode or a plurality of micro diodes. The light emitting device is electrically connected to an AC power source, which alternately drives the light emitting device in two current loops. Therefore, the micro diodes in two current loops of the bridge rectifier circuit emit light by turns.
US08338834B2
The diamond semiconductor device is a diamond semiconductor device where a pair of electrodes are fixed on a diamond substrate, and wherein at least one interface to the electrode on the surface of the diamond substrate has a hydrogen termination and at least the surface of the substrate between the pair of two electrodes is controlled to have a larger electric resistivity value than inside the substrate. Accordingly, a diamond semiconductor device can be realized, capable of attaining the device work stability, especially the device work stability in severe environments such as high temperature with exhibiting the function of the hydrogen termination thereof to the utmost extent.
US08338832B2
An organic light emitting display device, which may maximize aperture ratio of a pixel while also reducing the perception of a dark spot when a sub-pixel is partially short-circuited. The organic light emitting display device includes a plurality of pixels having sub-pixels. Some of the sub-pixels may have a thin organic emission layer which makes them likely to short-circuit across the thin organic emission layer. These sub-pixels are formed as divided sub-pixels including at least two drive transistors and operate such that even if one part of the divided sub-pixel has a short circuit, the other part will continue to emit light. Accordingly, while luminance is reduced as a result of short circuiting, a completely dark spot will not appear in the place of the pixel including the short circuit.
US08338829B2
Electrode pads respectively have a probe region permitting probe contact and a non-probe region. In each of the electrode pads arranged zigzag in two or more rows, a lead interconnect for connecting another electrode pad with an internal circuit is not placed directly under the probe region but placed directly under the non-probe region.
US08338824B2
By doping an organic compound functioning as an electron donor (hereinafter referred to as donor molecules) into an organic compound layer contacting a cathode, donor levels can be formed between respective LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) levels between the cathode and the organic compound layer, and therefore electrons can be injected from the cathode, and transmission of the injected electrons can be performed with good efficiency. Further, there are no problems such as excessive energy loss, deterioration of the organic compound layer itself, and the like accompanying electron movement, and therefore an increase in the electron injecting characteristics and a decrease in the driver voltage can both be achieved without depending on the work function of the cathode material.
US08338823B2
There is provided a polarizer for organic light emitting diodes (OLED) having improved brightness. The polarizer, which comprises a linear polarizer and a ¼ retardation plate, comprises a reflective polarizer film disposed between the linear polarizer and the ¼ retardation plate and transmitting a polarized light horizontal to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer while reflecting a polarized light vertical to the transmission axis of the linear polarizer. The polarizer may be useful to highly improve the brightness of the OLED device when the polarizer is used in the OLED device.
US08338804B2
One of principal objects of the present invention is to provide a sample dimension measuring method for detecting the position of an edge of a two-dimensional pattern constantly with the same accuracy irrespective of the direction of the edge and a sample dimension measuring apparatus. According to this invention, to accomplish the above object, it is proposed to correct the change of a signal waveform of secondary electrons which depends on the direction of scanning of an electron beam relative to the direction of a pattern edge of an inspection objective pattern. It is proposed that when changing the scanning direction of the electron beam in compliance with the direction of a pattern to be measured, errors in the scanning direction and the scanning position are corrected. In this configuration, a sufficient accuracy of edge detection can be obtained irrespective of the scanning direction of the electron beam.
US08338798B2
A sample holder capable of holding samples is provided which comprises a plurality of probes in contact with a sample, fine movement mechanisms for moving the plural probes, and a driver connected to the fine movement mechanisms, wherein the plural fine movement mechanisms move the plural probes independently of one another and the driver moves the plural probes simultaneously.
US08338792B2
Provided between a bias power supply and a radiation detector are a noise filter and a bias voltage transmitting circuit. In a state where the bias voltage is applied, the noise filter circuit operates. In a state where the bias voltage is switched on and off, the bias voltage transmitting circuit and the noise filter circuit operate. In a state where the bias voltage is switched on and off, the bias voltage transmitting circuit operates.
US08338781B2
In a method of scanning a charged particle beam which can position the scan position to a proper location inside a deflectable range of the scan position of charged particle beam, the scan position of charged particle beam is deflected to a plurality of target objects inside a scan position deflectable region and on the basis of a shift of a target object at a scan location after deflection, the deflection amount at the scan location is corrected.
US08338771B2
There is provided an apparatus for tracking and condensing sunlight of a sliding type which tracks a direction of sunlight according to variations of an altitude or orbit of the sun pivots a solar module plate to maximize condensing efficiency, and strengthens a fixing structure on an inclined ground or inclined building surface by suing a frame structure on the bottom without using a concrete base harmful to natural environment.
US08338765B2
A reusable self-supporting field director for use in heating an article in a microwave oven is characterized by a plurality of vanes, each vane extending radially outwardly from a central axis and being angularly adjacent to two other vanes. The vanes are attached to each other at their inner ends. Each vane has a substrate formed from an electrically non-conductive material and an electrically conductive wrapper that wraps the substrate so that a portion of the first and second major surfaces are covered and the radially outer end of each vane is wrapped by an electrically conductive material. The wrapper and the substrate are arranged in a laterally symmetric fashion so that thermal expansion effects due to heating are equalized across the thickness of each vane.
US08338756B2
Apparatus for and methods of rethermalizing a package of refrigerated or frozen food are disclosed. In general, heating mechanisms are brought into conductive heat transfer contact with the package of food and operated for a duration of rethermalization time to rethermalize the package of food by heating the food to a rethermalized temperature, and then, if desired, to hold the rethermalized package of food at a desired holding temperature for a duration of holding time. The rethermalization time can be relatively short (e.g., thirty minutes or less), and the holding time can range from a very short period of time to a very long period of time (e.g., four, six, eight or more hours) without significant loss of food quality. Other features of the apparatus and methods are disclosed.
US08338748B2
An invention is provided which comprises a tandem welding carriage having at least two welding carriages coupled to each other. Each of the welding carriages having a base, rear wheel assemblies disposed at one end of the base, and welding attachment portions. The two welding carriages are coupled to each other using a coupling member, and each welding carriage is carrying an arc welding device and/or spool to allow for tandem arc welding.
US08338744B2
A condensing optical system having a condensed light spot with a small size and a large focal depth without causing a problem of a decrease in intensity of the condensed light spot or discontinuity of an intensity distribution in front and rear areas of a focal position is provided. The condensing optical system that condenses a laser beam generated by a laser source at a predetermined focal length is designed to satisfy Expressions (a) to (d), thereby producing 3rd and 5th spherical aberrations: |Z8|≧0.1λ or |Z15|≧0.05λ, (a) Z8/Z15≧3 or Z8/Z15<1, (b) |Z8|<1.4λ, and (c) |Z15|<0.5λ, (d) where λ is a wavelength, Z8 is an 8th coefficient of coefficients of the Zernike fringe polynomial of wavefront aberration corresponding to a 3rd order spherical aberration, and Z15 is a 15th coefficient of the coefficients of the Zernike fringe polynomial of wavefront aberration corresponding to a 5th spherical aberration.
US08338740B2
A nozzle for a plasma torch can include a body that has an inner surface, an outer surface, a proximal end, and an exit orifice at a distal end. The nozzle can also include a liner surrounded by the inner surface of the body. The liner can include a proximal end and an exit orifice at a distal end adjacent the exit orifice of the body. The nozzle can include at least one vent passage formed in the body. The vent passage can have an inlet formed in the inner surface of the body and an outlet formed in the outer surface of the body. The vent passage can be disposed between the proximal end of the body and the proximal end of the liner. The plasma arc torch can include a configuration that allows for increased electrode life and nozzle life for a vented high current plasma process.
US08338719B2
An electrified grid for a suspended ceiling comprising first and second grid sections lying in a common ceiling plane, each grid section having metal main tees and metal cross tees intersecting with the main tees, the first and second sections being adjacent one another and having respective main tees in parallel alignment and with a fixed spacing not substantially greater than the length of the cross tees, the grid sections being electrically insulated from one another whereby at least said main tees of fixed spacing can be held at opposite voltage polarities and an electrical device carried on or above the ceiling can be powered by electrical connection of separate ones of its leads to the metal tees of a respective one of said first and second grid sections.
US08338703B2
A housing (1) for an electronic device, includes at least a front part (2) and a back part (3) adapted to be assembled together, defining an internal volume (5) capable of receiving functional components of the device. At least one of the front (2) and/or back (3) parts contains at least one insert (7; 7′; 8) produced from a first material, in particular sheet metal, integrated by overmoulding, into a frame (9; 10) produced from a second material, in particular plastic material or injectable metal. The housing is applicable to the field of electronic devices, such as telephones, multimedia players/recorders, portable computers, “tablet” type computers, external computer screens, television sets, etc.
US08338699B2
Provided is a solar cell module that comprises a solar cell assembly. The solar cell assembly is encapsulated by a poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant and contains an oxidizable metal component that is at least partially in contact with the poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant. The poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant comprises poly(vinyl butyral), about 15 to about 45 wt % of one or more plasticizers, and about 0.5 to about 2 wt % of one or more chelating agent, based on the total weight of the poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant. Further provided are an assembly for preparing the solar cell module; a process for preventing or reducing the discoloration of a poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant in contact with an oxidizable metal component in the solar cell module; and the use of the solar cell module to convert solar energy to electricity.
US08338676B1
A novel maize variety designated PH18GJ and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH18GJ with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH18GJ 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 PH18GJ or a locus conversion of PH18GJ with another maize variety.
US08338675B1
A novel maize variety designated X18A636 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X18A636 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X18A636 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X18A636, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X18A636. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X18A636.
US08338674B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV289398. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV289398, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV289398 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 CV289398 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 CV289398.
US08338661B2
Polynucleotides are disclosed which are capable of enhancing a growth, yield under water-limited conditions, and/or increased tolerance to an environmental stress of a plant transformed to contain such polynucleotides. Also provided are methods of using such polynucleotides and transgenic plants and agricultural products, including seeds, containing such polynucleotides as transgenes.
US08338657B1
A medical dressing for an open wound includes a base, and a raised flexible therapeutic cover formed with base. The base has opposing inside and outside major surfaces, and continuous inside and outside peripheral edges. The inside peripheral edge defines a wound site opening and designed to surround the open wound. The raised-flexible therapeutic cover extends over and above the wound site opening defined by the inside peripheral edge. A compression spring resiliently spaces the therapeutic cover from the open wound.
US08338654B2
Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds, e.g. of acetylene to ethylene, uses a hydrogenation catalyst comprising an ordered intermetallic compound. The ordered intermetallic compound comprises at least one metal of type A capable of activating hydrogen, and at least one metal of type B not capable of activating hydrogen. The structure of the ordered intermetallic compound is such that the type A metal is mainly surrounded by atoms of the type B metal.
US08338653B2
Provided is a lubricating oil for continuously variable transmissions characterized by that used as a base oil are a synthetic oil I having the following properties: (a) a traction coefficient at 120° C. is 115% or more of that of 2,4-dicyclohexyl-2-methylpentane, (b) a viscosity at −40° C. is not higher than a viscosity (260 Pa·s) of 2,4-dicyclohexyl-2-methylpentane, and (c) a viscosity index is 65 or higher, and a synthetic oil II having a viscosity of 1 Pa·s or lower at −40° C. and that the above base oil has a specific property. The above lubricating oil is a lubricating oil for continuously variable transmissions which has a high traction coefficient even at high temperature and is endowed with a good low temperature fluidity and which is suited as a lubricating oil for continuously variable transmissions for automobiles.
US08338634B2
The present invention pertains to a catalyst for the synthesis of organic alkyl carbamates, the method for preparing the same and the use thereof. The catalyst comprises a catalytically active component and a catalyst support, and the catalytically active component being carried by the catalyst support, wherein the catalytically active component comprises a transition metal oxide, and the general formula of the transition metal oxide is EOx, wherein E is selected from transition metal element and x is in the range of 0.5-4.
US08338625B2
A method of producing a corresponding acetal compound which comprises reacting a benzal halide compound represented by formula (1) (wherein, Q represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, X represents a halogen atom, and Ar represents a phenyl group optionally substituted with at least one group selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and halogen atoms.) and an alcohol compound in the presence of at least one alkaline earth metal compound selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides and alkaline earth metal carbonates.
US08338623B2
The present application relates to cannabinoid receptor ligands containing compounds of formula (I) wherein A, R1, R2, and R3 are as defined in the specification. The present application also relates to compositions comprising such compounds, and methods of treating conditions and disorders using such compounds and compositions.
US08338622B2
The present invention relates to a compound represented by wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, a salt thereof and the like.
US08338617B2
A process for preparing (4S,5R)-5-carboxymethyl-2,2-dimethyl-4-phenyl-oxazolidine-3-carboxylic acid t-butyl ester, an intermediate in the preparation of anticancer compounds having a taxane skeleton, such as paclitaxel, docetaxol, etc.
US08338612B2
Because fluazinam is excellent as an active ingredient of pesticides and highly useful, it is desired to produce it efficiently in a proper form with simple operations at low cost in an environmentally friendly manner. The desired product is obtained in good yields with simple operations by using industrially advantageous reaction systems by a process comprising (1) a step of reacting ACTF and DCDNBTF in the presence of an alkali component, a solvent selected from the group consisting of ketones, nitriles, ethers and esters and a sufficient amount of water to substantially dissolve the alkali component, (2) a step of neutralizing or acidifying the reaction mixture with an acid and (3) a step of removing the solvent by distillation from the mixture containing fluazinam as the reaction product and the reaction solvent to precipitate crystals the product.
US08338605B2
Compounds effective in inhibiting replication of Hepatitis C virus (“HCV”) or other viruses are disclosed. This invention is also directed to compositions comprising such compounds, co-formulation or co-administration of such compounds with other anti-viral or therapeutic agents, processes and intermediates for the syntheses of such compounds, and methods of using such compounds for the treatment of HCV or other viral infections.
US08338597B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinases. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing the compounds of the invention and intermediate compounds useful in these processes.
US08338596B2
5-Substituted-8-alkoxy[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-c]pyrimidin-2-amines are manufactured from 2-substituted-4-amino-5-methoxypyrimidines in a process that avoids hydrazine and cyanogen halide.
US08338590B2
The present invention relates to novel oxindole derivatives of the general formula (I), wherein the substitutes A, B, R1, R2 and R3 are as defined in Claim 1, and medicaments containing the same for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of vasopressin-dependent or oxytocin-dependent diseases.
US08338580B2
The present invention relates to novel fluorescent proteins and to methods of making these proteins and the uses thereof.
US08338579B2
The present invention provides novel binding pair compositions of defined and limited stability comprising nucleic acid detection markers useful for the homogeneous, sensitive detection of analytes. Also provided are methods for the sensitive homogeneous detection of analytes, particularly analytes of clinical relevance. Kits for preparing binding pairs of the invention and for performing the methods of the invention are also provided.
US08338577B2
The present invention provides methods of quantifying protein leakage from a protein based affinity chromatography media (e.g., protein A, protein G and protein L based affinity chromatography media), where such a protein is used for isolating and/or removing a molecule which binds the protein (e.g., an immunoglobulin).
US08338572B2
Biomarkers, including isolated fibronectin-aggrecan complexes that correlate with spinal or joint pain and inflammation, and methods for their detection are provided. Also provided are methods for identifying treatment sites in the spine or joint for treatment of pain and inflammation by detecting the presence of, or increased levels of, fibronectin-aggrecan complexes. Methods for treating spinal or joint pain and inflammation are also provided.
US08338571B2
The present invention relates to a recombinant factor VIII that includes one or more mutations that result in enhanced stability of both factor VIII and factor VIIIa. Methods of making and using the recombinant factor VIII, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same are also disclosed. The present invention further relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule that encodes the recombinant factor VIII, as well as DNA expression systems and host cells containing the isolated nucleic acid molecule.
US08338570B2
Methods and compositions are described for organizing collagen into fibrillar networks, e.g, short and long-range organization. Collagen produced by the disclosed methods can be used for tissue engineering.
US08338567B2
A method of treating a disease associated with NF-κB activity. The method is effected by providing to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of modulating NIK-HC8 binding.
US08338564B2
A method of preparing phytosterols from tall oil pitch containing steryl esters comprises the steps of converting the steryl esters to free phytosterols while in the pitch to produce a modified pitch containing the free phytosterols; removing light ends from the modified pitch by evaporation to produce a bottom fraction containing the free phytosterols; evaporating the bottom fraction to produce a light phase distillate containing the free phytosterols; dissolving the light phase distillate in a solvent comprising an alcohol to produce a solution containing the free phytosterols; cooling the solution to produce a slurry with the free phytosterols crystallized in the slurry; and, washing and filtering the slurry to isolate the crystallized phytosterols.
US08338557B2
Olefin polymer with narrow molecular weight distribution and specific molecular weight, olefin polymer having functional group introduced at terminal, tapered polymer containing segment wherein monomer composition continuously changes in the polymer chain, olefin polymer having different segments bonded to each other, and process for preparing these polymers. The olefin polymers are polymers of C2-20 carbon atom olefins and have a number-average molecular weight of ≧500 and Mw/Mn of ≦1.5. In syntheses, an olefin of 2-20 carbon atoms is polymerized in the presence of a catalyst comprising a transition metal compound represented by the formula LmMXn wherein M is a transition metal atom of Group 3-11, m is 1-5, n is a number satisfying a valence of M, L is a ligand—coordinated to the central metal M—which contains a heteroatom having no direct bond to the central metal, and X is e.g. halogen or a hydrocarbon.
US08338554B2
Disclosed is a novel optically stable hyperbranched polymer whose molecular terminal can be derivatized with various compounds; and a method for producing such a polymer. Specifically disclosed is a hyperbranched polymer having a structure represented by Formula (1) wherein a halogen atom is at a molecular terminal. The hyperbranched polymer can be obtained by substituting the molecular terminal dithiocarbamate group of a hyperbranched polymer having a dithiocarbamate group at a molecular terminal, which is obtained by living radical polymerization of a dithiocarbamate compound having a vinyl group structure, with a halogen atom. Also disclosed is a hyperbranched polymer wherein an amino group or an ammonium group is at a molecular terminal instead of a halogen atom.
US08338551B2
Method for the preparation of a blown film containing 300-600 gels/m2 of size in the range 100-2000 μm as measured by an optical control system, in which the film is derived by extrusion from an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer. The method is carried out by preparing the copolymer in a particle forming polymerization process in the presence of a single site catalyst system containing a single site catalyst, a cocatalyst, and a support material.
US08338549B2
The invention relates to a polymer obtained by polymerizing olefins having 6 to 9 carbon atoms and partially derived from renewable resources. In particular, the polymer according to the invention can be derived from vegetable oil or animal fat. The invention also relates to the method for producing the polymer.
US08338547B2
To provide a structure material having excellent mechanical characteristics and a functional material having excellent regularity, provided are a polymer alloy which is composed of at least two components of thermoplastic resins and of which the structure can be controlled finely and evenly dispersed and a production method of the polymer alloy. With respect to a polymer alloy composed of at least two or more components of thermoplastic resins, a precursor (A) of at least one thermoplastic resin among the thermoplastic resin components composing the polymer alloy is chemically reacted in the co-presence of the remaining thermoplastic resin component (B1) and/or a precursor (B2) of the thermoplastic resin component to induce spinodal decomposition, so that it is made possible to obtain a polymer alloy having excellent regularity and of which the structure is finely controllable and the structure is evenly dispersed.
US08338538B2
The invention relates to a polyethylene composition with a bimodal molecular weight distribution and articles made therefrom, such as high topload blow moldings and transmission and distribution pipes. The composition comprises a low-molecular-weight (LMW) ethylene homopolymer component and a homogeneous, high-molecular-weight (HMW) ethylene interpolymer component, wherein the LMW component is characterized as having a molecular weight distribution, MWDL, of less than about 8. The composition is characterized as having a bimodal molecular weight distribution, and a ductile-brittle transition temperature, Tdb, of less than −20° C. In some embodiments, the HMW component is characterized by a reverse comonomer distribution.
US08338537B2
The invention relates to surface modifying macromolecules (SMMs) having high degradation temperatures and their use in the manufacture of articles made from base polymers which require high temperature processing. The surface modifier is admixed with the base polymer to impart alcohol and water repellency properties.
US08338536B2
Novel adhesive compositions that can be used in the die attach process. The adhesives include a curable resin component, a curing agent, and a block copolymer additive. The block copolymer additive has a glass transition temperature of at least about 40° C. The block copolymer additive improves the affinity of the adhesive composition to a hydrophilic substrate, such as a silicon wafer, during the die pickup process. Also disclosed is an assembly which includes a hydrophilic substrate and a layer of adhesive and methods of producing the assembly.
US08338532B2
The invention further relates to multichromophores, which may be conjugated polymers, and methods, articles and compositions employing them as described herein. In some aspects, the invention relates to methods, articles and compositions for the detection and analysis of biomolecules in a sample. Provided assays include those determining the presence of a target biomolecule in a sample or its relative amount, or the assays may be quantitative or semi-quantitative. The methods can be performed on a substrate. The methods can be performed in an array format on a substrate, which can be a sensor. In some embodiments, detection assays are provided employing sensor biomolecules that do not comprise a fluorophore that can exchange energy with the cationic multichromophore. In some aspects biological assays are provided in which energy is transferred between one or more of the multichromophore, a label on the target biomolecule, a label on the sensor biomolecule, and/or a fluorescent dye specific for a polynucleotide, in all permutations. The multichromophore may interact at least in part electrostatically with the sensor and/or the target, and an increase in energy transfer with the polymer may occur upon binding of the sensor and the target. Other variations of the inventions are described further herein.
US08338530B2
Allophanate-group-containing polyisocyanates based on isophorone diisocyanate, represented by formula (I) wherein Ra, k, m, (k +m), Y, Xi, n and Rb are as defined, and to their use.
US08338528B2
RTV two-component silicone rubber which contains structurally modified hydrophobic fumed silicas which have vinyl groups fixed on the surface, further hydrophobic groups, such as trimethylsilyl and/or dimethylsilyl and/or monomethylsilyl groups, additionally being fixed on the surface.
US08338496B2
Methods of making macroporous cation exchange resins are described. The macroporous cation exchange resins are in the form of particles such as beads that contain a hydrophilic, crosslinked, (meth)acrylic-type polymeric material. Additionally, methods of purifying a positively charged material using the macroporous cation exchange resins, methods of making chromatographic columns that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins, methods of making filter elements that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins, and methods of making porous composite materials that contain the macroporous cation exchange resins are described.
US08338493B2
Disclosed is a method for improving efficacy of surfactants, prevention of lamellar mesophases, temperature stabilization of the single phase region and a method for reducing boundary surface tension in micro-emulsions containing silicone oils by means of additives and a surfactant/oil mixture. The above effects are achieved, whereby an additive of a block copolymer with a water-soluble block A and a block B which is either a polyalkylene oxide with at least 4 C atoms in the monomer component or a polydiene or a partially or completely hydrogenated polydiene or polyalkane, is added to the micro-emulsion.
US08338488B2
The invention relates to the use of at least one oxime derivative of 3,5-seco-4-norcholestane as antioxidants in the cosmetics and food fields, and as antioxidant preservatives that can be used, in particular, in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products.
US08338481B2
Disclosed are alkoxyalkyl S-prenylthiosalicylates and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Methods for treating a human afflicted with cancer, including solid tumors, or a hematological malignancy by administering to the human in need thereof an effective amount of an alkoxyalkyl S-prenylthiosalicylate are also disclosed.
US08338480B2
Various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis can be treated with a combination of a direct PPAR-gamma agonist and a Compound of Formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof (I) Three of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are hydrogen and the remainder are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo, hydroxy, methyl, ethyl, perfluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, and perfluoromethoxy; and m is 0, 2 or 4. R6 is hydrogen, O or hydroxy, and X is —OR7, wherein R7 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; or R6 is hydrogen, and X is —NR8R9, wherein R8 is hydrogen or hydroxy and R9 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl. When X is —NR8R9, hydroxy none of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 is hydroxy.
US08338478B2
The invention concerns novel derivatives of 3,3-diphenyl-propylamines, methods for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing the novel compounds, and the use of the compounds for preparing drugs. More particularly, the invention relates to novel prodrugs of antimuscarinic agents with superior pharmacokinetic properties compared to existing drugs such as oxybutynin and tolterodine, methods for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, a method of using said compounds and compositions for the treatment of urinary incontinence, gastrointestinal hyperactivity (irritable bowel syndrome) and other smooth muscle contractile conditions.
US08338474B2
Preparation and use of phthalimide and/or sulphonamide derivatives with nitric oxide donor properties, having activities in increasing gamma-globin gene expression and anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities, effective in the treatment of hematologic diseases which require reducing the TNF-α levels and an exogenous source of nitric oxide, such as sickle-cell disease. The functionalized phthalimide derivatives are designed from the prototypes thalidomide and hydroxyurea.
US08338473B2
Derivatives of psammaplin A responding to formula (I), a method for their synthesis and their use for the preparation of a medicament for preventing and for treating a tumor or a cancer. Formula (I).
US08338465B2
Disclosed are methods for the prevention or treatment of tuberculosis in a subject infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis by administering rhodanine derivatives of formula (I), as well as some novel such compounds. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08338462B2
The present invention provides a compound having a superior acid secretion inhibitory effect and showing an antiulcer activity and the like. The present invention provides a compound represented by the formula (I) wherein R1 is a nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle, the nitrogen-containing monocyclic heterocyclic group optionally condensed with a benzene ring or a heterocycle optionally has substituent(s), R2 is an optionally substituted C6-14 aryl group, an optionally substituted thienyl group or an optionally substituted pyridyl group, R3 and R4 are each a hydrogen atom, or one of R3 and R4 is a hydrogen atom and the other is an optionally substituted lower alkyl pup, an acyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group or a nitro group, and R5 is an alkyl group or a salt thereof.
US08338459B2
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for stabilizing transthyretin and for treating, preventing, or ameliorating one or more symptoms of transthyretin mediated diseases. In one embodiment, the compounds are benzoxazoles and related compounds.
US08338450B2
The present invention is related to novel compounds of the general formula A, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods of making of the above compounds, and their use as Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) Inhibitors, which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases particularly Type II diabetes, other complications related to diabetes and other pathogenic conditions in which DPP IV enzyme is involved.
US08338447B2
This disclosure relates to new heterocyclic compounds that may be used to modulate a histamine receptor in an individual. Compounds of formula (I) are described, as are pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods of using the compounds in a variety of therapeutic applications, including the treatment of a cognitive disorder, psychotic disorder, neurotransmitter-mediated disorder and/or a neuronal disorder.
US08338438B2
The present invention relates to polymorphic forms of N-{4-[3-chloro-4-(3-fluoro-benzyloxy)phenylamino]-quinazolin-6-yl}-acrylamide p-toluenesulfonate with the characteristic X-ray powder diffraction data as stated in the description, preparation methods thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same and the use thereof.
US08338437B2
The present invention relates to compounds that are useful as inhibitors of protein arginine methyltransferase that have a formula selected from Formula (I), Formula (II) and Formula (III), as well as racemic mixtures, diastereomers, enantiomers and tautomers thereof and N-oxides, hydrates, solvates, pharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs and complexes thereof as defined herein. The compound are useful as inhibitors of PRMTs and/or CARM-I. The invention further relates to compositions comprising such compounds and methods for their use.
US08338436B2
The present invention relates to an amorphous form of N-{2-Fluoro-5-[3-(thiophene-2-carbonyl)-pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidin-7-yl]-phenyl}-N-methyl-acetamide, methods for its preparation, its use as a therapeutically active agent and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the novel form.
US08338426B2
The present invention is directed to piperazinyl derivatives useful as inhibitors of the NPY Y2 receptor, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said compounds, processes for the preparation of said compounds and the use of said compounds for the treatment and/or prevention of disorders, diseases and conditions mediated by the NPY Y2 receptor.
US08338422B2
The present invention relates to compounds or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy. The invention particularly relates to certain indolin-2-ones and aza-indolin-2-ones which possess anti-tumor activity and are accordingly useful in methods of treatment of the human or animal body, in particular such compounds are useful in the treatment of pathological processes which involve an aberrant cellular proliferation, such as tumor growth, rheumatoid arthritis, restenosis and atherosclerosis.
US08338420B1
The present invention relates to a therapeutic or prophylactic method for treating Parkinson's disease by administering an effective amount of a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity; and also relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treatment or prophylaxis of Parkinson's disease comprising as an active ingredient a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for enhancing dopamine signal in the brain, which comprises administering an effective amount of a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity; and also relates to pharmaceutical composition for enhancing dopamine signal in brain comprising as an active ingredient a compound having a phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitory activity.
US08338414B2
A novel method for immunosuppressive in a mammal suffering from an immune disease, including administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount of a heterocyclic compound represented by the general formula (I) (wherein X or other variables are as defined in the specification) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is disclosed. A novel heterocyclic compound represented by the general formula (II) (wherein X or other variables are as defined in the specification) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is also disclosed.
US08338402B2
The present invention relates to scaffolds which can be used as medical devices for guided tissue regeneration and repair, in particular the invention is directed to a scaffold comprising fibers having a mean fiber diameter of between from about 1.2 to 4.0 microns, wherein the fibers comprise a glycolide. The invention further relates to the use of the scaffolds for the selective capture of cell populations for a cell source material.
US08338401B2
The present invention relates to novel coumarin derivatives, their carboxamides, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their uses as drugs for kidney protection, treating drugs of hypertension, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, non-insulin dependent diabetes, tumor, pre-cancerous lesion, and edemas.
US08338400B2
Methods, formulations, and devices for providing transdermal or transmucosal delivery of testosterone to female subjects in need thereof. The formulations and methods treat symptoms of hormonal disorders including hypogonadism, female sexual desire disorder, female menopausal disorder, and adrenal insufficiency.
US08338390B2
A functionalized electrospun matrix for the controlled-release of biologically active agents, such as growth factors, is presented. The functionalized matrix comprises a matrix polymer, a compatibilizing polymer and a biomolecule or other small functioning molecule. In certain aspects the electrospun polymer fibers comprise at least one biologically active molecule functionalized with low molecular weight heparin.
US08338389B2
The present invention provides a method for preventing or ameliorating obesity, for inhibiting accumulation of visceral fat, for inhibiting accumulation of liver lipid, for preventing or ameliorating fatty liver, including using a material for a pharmaceutical product or food, which has inhibitory actions on body weight increase, accumulation of visceral fat and accumulation of liver lipid. The present invention is also directed to a method for preventing or ameliorating obesity, a method for inhibiting accumulation of visceral fat, a method for inhibiting accumulation of liver lipid, and a method for preventing or ameliorating fatty liver, which methods include administering potassium alginate to a subject in need thereof or having the subject take potassium alginate.
US08338388B2
A process for the crosslinking of at least one polymer selected from polysaccharides and derivatives thereof, which is carried out in an aqueous solvent by the action of an effective and non-excessive amount of at least one crosslinking agent, characterized in that it is carried out on a mixture containing at least one low-molecular weight polymer and at least one high-molecular weight polymer. A process for the preparation of an injectable monophase hydrogel of at least one crosslinked polymer selected from polysaccharides and derivatives thereof. Crosslinked polymers and injectable monophase hydrogels respectively obtainable by each of said processes.
US08338386B2
The present invention relates to the prevention/treatment of ichthyosis vulgaris (IV), atopy and potentially other disorders associated with loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene sequence. The prevention/therapy is based on the use of agents which enable the host's translational machinery to read through a nonsense mutation found in a mutant allele of the filaggrin gene.
US08338384B2
Methods are provided for the treatment of ocular neovascularization by increasing, in an individual afflicted with ocular neovascularization, in vivo concentrations of an endostatin protein in the ocular tissues of the individual to an ocular neovascularization inhibiting effective amount, where the endostatin protein has anti-ocular neovascularization activity in vivo.
US08338383B1
A method for treating a cancer, by determining a patient to have an ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) score of 0 or 1 and selecting that patient for treatment, and administering to the patient an effective amount of an immunomodulating composition comprising small molecular weight components of less than 3000 daltons, and having the following properties: (i) is extracted from bile of animals; (ii) is capable of stimulating monocytes and/or macrophages; (iii) is capable of modulating tumor necrosis factor production and/or release; (iv) contains no measurable level of IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF, IL-6, IL-8, IL-4, GM-CSF or IFN-γ; (v) is not cytotoxic to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells; and (vi) is not an endotoxin. A method of increasing the survival rate of a cancer patient.
US08338382B2
Disclosed in certain embodiments is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a sugar; a Krebs cycle intermediate, precursor of a Krebs cycle intermediate, salt thereof, or combination thereof; and a component selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated lipid, phenylethylamine, a soluble calcium compound, or a combination thereof.
US08338379B2
An antibody capable of recognizing amyloid β while not recognizing amyloid β precursor proteins, and a method for using the same.A monoclonal antibody characterized by being capable of recognizing the N-terminus peptide of amyloid β while not recognizing amyloid β precursor proteins, an amyloid β assay kit, a therapeutic agent of Alzheimer's disease, and a method for treating Alzheimer's disease using the monoclonal antibody.
US08338375B2
The present invention discloses collagen cross-linked in a micro to non-fibrillar form and at a high concentration. The cross-linked collagen gel has improved volume stability or persistence than collagen cross-linked at a neutral pH. Also disclosed are methods for preparing the inventive cross-linked collagen and using such for augmenting soft tissues in mammals.
US08338371B2
The present invention refers to an angiogenesis-inducing protein, a composition containing it and the uses of said protein.
US08338368B2
Modified glucagon peptides are disclosed having improved solubility and stability, wherein the native glucagon peptide has been modified by pegylation, or the addition of a carboxy terminal peptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 19, SEQ ID NO: 20, SEQ ID NO: 21, or both.
US08338361B2
A novel musk-based fragrance having an excellent musky fragrance is provided. Also provided is a fragrance composition containing, as an active ingredient, a macrocyclic lactone compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein A represents an ethylene group or an ethenylene group; and when A is an ethylene group, R represents an alkyl group having 3 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer from 1 to 6, while when A is an ethenylene group, R represents an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and n represents an integer from 1 to 6.
US08338356B2
Provided is a surfactant composition having wide pH stability. The composition is useful for various applications, including textile processing. The composition comprises: a nonionic surfactant of formula (I): R1—O—[(CH2CH(R2)—O)x(CH2CH2O)y]z—H, wherein R1, R2, x, y, and z are defined herein, together with an anionic surfactant.
US08338355B2
There is provided an azeotrope or azeotrope-like composition containing (A) 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-1-methoxyethane and (B) a compound formed of at least one selected from the group consisting of (Z)-1-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene, and (E)-2-bromo-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene.
US08338350B2
A microelectronic photoresist cleaning composition suitable for cleaning multi-metal microelectronic devices and to do so without any substantial or significant galvanic corrosion occurring when there is a subsequent rinsing step employing water.
US08338337B2
Substituted pyridines of the formula I in which the variables are defined according to the description, their agriculturally suitable salts, processes and intermediates for preparing the pyridines of the formula I, compositions comprising them and their use as herbicides, i.e. for controlling harmful plants, and also a method for controlling unwanted vegetation which comprises allowing a herbicidally effective amount of at least one pyridine compound of the formula I to act on plants, their seed and/or their habitat.
US08338328B2
A fuel cell includes a fuel electrode, an oxygen electrode, an electrolytic solution, a fuel flow passage, etc. The fuel electrode and the oxygen electrode are composed of a catalyst layer, a diffusion layer, and a collector, respectively. A methanol aqueous solution, etc. is continuously supplied to the fuel flow passage. Catalyst particulates consisting of platinum, ruthenium, palladium, etc. are in a dispersed state in the electrolytic solution. If a portion of fuel, such as methanol, passes through the fuel electrode as unreacted, and diffuses through the electrolytic solution to move to the oxygen electrode, oxidation reduction reactions between the methanol, and the oxygen which moves to the fuel electrode from the oxygen electrode are efficiently caused by the catalyst particulates so as to cancel each other. From the above are provided an electrolytic solution with high crossover blocking performance suitable for electrochemical devices, such as direct methanol fuel cells, and an electrochemical device using the electrolytic solution.
US08338327B2
An allyl acetate production catalyst comprising at least (a) palladium, (b) gold, (c) a compound containing at least one element selected from copper, nickel, zinc and cobalt, (d) an alkali metal salt compound and (e) a carrier, is produced by a process comprising step 1 in which a homogeneous solution of a palladium-containing compound and a gold-containing compound is supported on a carrier by contact therewith, step 2 in which the carrier obtained in step 1 is contacted with an alkali solution for impregnation, step 3 in which the carrier obtained in step 2 is subjected to reduction treatment, and step 4 in which a compound containing at least one element selected from copper, nickel, zinc and cobalt and an alkali metal salt compound are supported onto the carrier obtained in step 3. The obtained allyl acetate production catalyst has minimal reduction in activity and improved selectivity, when used for production of allyl acetate from propylene, oxygen and acetic acid.
US08338320B2
An optical Glass characterized by comprising, denoted as molar percentages: B2O5—5 to 45 percent; SiO2—0 to 6 percent (excluding 6 percent); Li2O, Na2O, K2O in total—0 to 3 percent; ZnO—10 to 40 percent; La2O3—5 to 30 percent; Gd2O3—1 to 20 percent; and ZrO2, TaO2, TiO2, Nb2O5, WO3, and Bi2O3 in total—2.5 to 20 percent. The cation ratio of the Ti4+ content relative to the total content of Zr4+, Ta5+, Ti4+, Nb5+, W6+, and Bi3+ is 0.30 or lower; in that the temperature Tp at which a viscosity of 107.2 dPa·s is exhibited is 706° C. or lower. The refractive index nd and the Abbé number v(nu)d satisfy all of the following relations (I) to (IV): 34.0≦vd<40 (I); nd≧1.87 (II); nd≧2.245−0.01×vd (III) and nd≦2.28−0.01×vd (IV).
US08338312B2
A film formation method includes a film formation process for forming an SiO2 film on a surface of a target object inside a process container by use of an Si source gas and an oxidizing agent, and an oxidation purge process for performing oxidation on films deposited inside the process container while exhausting gas from inside the process container after unloading the target object from the process container, wherein the film formation process and the oxidation purge process are alternately repeated a plurality of times without, interposed therebetween, a process for removing the films deposited inside the process container.
US08338310B2
A method of forming a line/space pattern includes forming a plurality of first pattern structures on a layer of hard mask material disposed on a substrate, forming a plurality of second pattern structures along sidewalls of the first pattern structures, removing the first pattern structures such that the second pattern structures stand alone on the layer of hard mask material, forming a first mask that exposes a location where a space of the line/space pattern to be formed is to have a width greater than the distance between adjacent ones of the second pattern structures, removing those of the second pattern structures which are exposed by the first mask such that others of the second pattern structures remain on the layer of hard mask material, forming a second mask that covers a location where a line of the line/space pattern to be formed is to have a width that is greater than the widths of the second pattern structures, forming a hard mask by etching the hard mask material layer using the second mask and the remaining second pattern structures as an etch mask, and etching the substrate using the hard mask as an etch mask.
US08338301B1
Exemplary embodiments provide methods for planarizing a semiconductor surface. In embodiments, the disclosed planarizing methods can include a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process using a slurry-free solution that includes hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) but is free of particles such as oxide particles. A semiconductor surface (e.g., germanium) can then be planarized to provide a desirable surface roughness. In embodiments, high-quality Group III-V materials can be formed on the planarized semiconductor surface.
US08338296B2
The present disclosure is related to a method for forming a catalyst nanoparticle on a metal surface, the nanoparticle being suitable for growing a single nanostructure, in particular a carbon nanotube, the method comprising at least the steps of: providing a substrate, having a metal layer on at least a portion of the substrate surface, depositing a sacrificial layer at least on the metal layer, producing a small hole in the sacrificial layer, thereby exposing the metal layer, providing a single catalyst nanoparticle into the hole, removing the sacrificial layer. The disclosure is further related to growing a carbon nanotube from the catalyst nanoparticle.
US08338291B2
A method of producing a transistor includes providing a substrate including in order a first electrically conductive material layer and a second electrically conductive material layer. A resist material layer is deposited over the second electrically conductive material layer. The resist material layer is patterned to expose a portion of the second electrically conductive material layer. Some of the second electrically conductive material layer is removed to create a reentrant profile in the second electrically conductive material layer and to expose a portion of the first electrically conductive material layer. The second electrically conductive material layer is caused to overhang the first electrically conductive material layer by removing some of the first electrically conductive material layer.
US08338285B2
A semiconductor structure is formed as follows. Trenches are formed in a semiconductor region and a shield electrode is formed in each trench. Gate electrodes are formed in a portion of the trenches that form an active region. Each gate electrode is disposed over the shield electrode and is isolated from the shield electrode by an inter-electrode dielectric. An interconnect layer is formed extending over the trenches. The interconnect layer is isolated from the gate electrodes in the active region by a dielectric layer and contacts the shield electrodes in a shield contact region separate from the active region. The interconnect layer contacts mesa surfaces between adjacent trenches in the shield contact region.
US08338273B2
An epitaxy procedure for growing extremely low defect density non-polar and semi-polar III-nitride layers over a base layer, and the resulting structures, is generally described. In particular, a pulsed selective area lateral overgrowth of a group III nitride layer can be achieved on a non-polar and semi-polar base layer. By utilizing the novel P-MOCVD or PALE and lateral over growth over selected area, very high lateral growth conditions can be achieved at relatively lower growth temperature which does not affect the III-N surfaces.
US08338268B2
A transfer process for silicon nanomembranes (SiNM) may involve treating a recipient substrate with a polymer structural support. After treating the recipient substrate, a substrate containing the intended transferable devices may be brought in direct contact with the aforementioned polymer layer. The two substrates may then go through a Deep Reactive Ion Etch (DRIE) to remove at least a portion of the substrate containing the devices. Oxide may be selectively removed with a buffered oxide wet etch, leaving the transferred SiNM on the recipient substrate with the Underlying polymer layer.
US08338261B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate insulator and a gate electrode stacked on a substrate, a source/drain pattern which fills a recess region formed at opposite sides adjacent to the gate electrode, the source/drain pattern being made of silicon-germanium doped with dopants and a metal germanosilicide layer disposed on the source/drain pattern. The metal germanosilicide layer is electrically connected to the source/drain pattern. Moreover, a proportion of germanium amount to the sum of the germanium amount and silicon amount in the metal germanosilicide layer is lower than that of germanium amount to the sum of the germanium amount and silicon amount in the source/drain pattern.
US08338258B2
A method of fabricating an embedded stressor within a semiconductor structure and a semiconductor structure including the embedded stressor includes forming forming a dummy gate stack over a substrate of stressor material, anistropically etching sidewall portions of the substrate subjacent to the dummy gate stack to form the embedded stressor having angled sidewall portions, forming conductive material onto the angled sidewall portions of the embedded stressor, removing the dummy gate stack, planarizing the conductive material, and forming a gate stack on the conductive material.
US08338256B2
A multi-gate transistor having a plurality of sidewall contacts and a fabrication method that includes forming a semiconductor fin on a semiconductor substrate and etching a trench within the semiconductor fin, depositing an oxide material within the etched trench, and etching the oxide material to form a dummy oxide layer along exposed walls within the etched trench; and forming a spacer dielectric layer along vertical sidewalls of the dummy oxide layer. The method further includes removing exposed dummy oxide layer in a channel region in the semiconductor fin and beneath the spacer dielectric layer, forming a high-k material liner along sidewalls of the channel region in the semiconductor fin, forming a metal gate stack within the etched trench, and forming a plurality of sidewall contacts within the semiconductor fin along adjacent sidewalls of the dummy oxide layer.
US08338249B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises: forming a lower electrode on a semiconductor substrate, sputtering a ferroelectric film on the lower electrode using a target, thermal treating the ferroelectric film in an atmosphere containing oxygen in accordance with an accumulated period of use of the target for fabricating the ferroelectric film, and forming an upper electrode on the ferroelectric film.
US08338244B2
Provided are three-dimensional nonvolatile memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The memory devices include semiconductor pillars penetrating interlayer insulating layers and conductive layers alternately stacked on a substrate and electrically connected to the substrate and floating gates selectively interposed between the semiconductor pillars and the conductive layers. The floating gates are formed in recesses in the conductive layers.
US08338233B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: forming a base lead having an outer protrusion and an inner protrusion with a recess in between; forming a stack lead having an elongated portion; mounting a base integrated circuit over the inner protrusion or under the elongated portion; mounting the stack lead over the base lead and the base integrated circuit; connecting a stack integrated circuit and the stack lead with the stack integrated circuit over the base integrated circuit; and encapsulating at least a portion of both the base integrated circuit and the stack integrated circuit with the base lead and the stack lead exposed.
US08338221B2
A method for manufacturing a thin film type solar cell is disclosed, which is capable of reducing degradation of solar cell by decreasing the number of dangling bonding sites or SiH2 bonding sites existing in amorphous silicon owing to an optimal content ratio of ingredient gases, an optimal chamber pressure, or an optimal substrate temperature during a process for depositing an I-type semiconductor layer of amorphous silicon by a plasma CVD method, the method comprising forming a front electrode layer on a substrate; sequentially depositing P-type, I-type, and N-type semiconductor layers on the front electrode layer; and forming a rear electrode layer on the N-type semiconductor layer, wherein the process for forming the I-type semiconductor layer comprises forming an amorphous silicon layer by the plasma CVD method under such circumstances that at least one of the aforementioned conditions is satisfied, for example, a content ratio of silicon-containing gas to hydrogen-containing gas is within a range between 1:7 and 1:10; a chamber pressure is maintained at a range between 2.0 Torr and 2.4 Torr; and a substrate temperature is maintained at a range between 225° C. and 250° C.
US08338219B2
A detector array for an imaging system may exploit the different sensitivities of array pixels to an incident flux of low energy photons with a wavelength falling near the high end of the range of sensitivity of the semiconductor. The detector array may provide the de-multiplexable spatial information. The detector array may include a two-terminal multi-pixel array of Schottky photodiodes electrically connected in parallel.
US08338215B2
A solar cell module and a method of manufacturing the solar cell module are disclosed. The method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes forming a conductive bump on a conductive pad formed on one surface of a solar cell, forming a circuit pattern on one surface of a transparent substrate, in which the circuit pattern corresponds to a position of the conductive bump, adhering the solar cell to the transparent substrate in such a way that the conductive bump is in direct contact with the circuit pattern, and forming a protective resin layer on one surface of the transparent substrate in such a way that the solar cell is covered. By using the above steps, a thinner solar cell module can be implemented while improving the manufacturing efficiency.
US08338211B2
Systems and methods of the present invention can be used to charge a charge-holding layer (such as a passivation layer and/or antireflective layer) of a solar cell with a positive or negative charge as desired. The charge-holding layer(s) of such a cell can include any suitable dielectric material capable of holding either a negative or a positive charge, and can be charged at any suitable point during manufacture of the cell, including during or after deposition of the passivation layer(s). A method according to one aspect of the invention includes disposing a solar cell in electrical communication with an electrode inside a chamber. The solar cell includes an emitter, a base, a first passivation layer adjacent the emitter, and a second passivation layer adjacent the base. Gas is injected into the chamber and a plasma (with photons having an energy level of at least about 3.1 eV) is generated using the gas. One or more of the first passivation layer and the second passivation layer is charged to a predetermined polarity, wherein the charging includes applying a direct current voltage pulse to the electrode for a predetermined period of time.
US08338207B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device includes forming a substrate, forming a moveable member of bulk silicon and forming a first dimple structure on a first surface of the moveable member, where the first surface faces the substrate.
US08338200B2
A method of fabricating a frontside-illuminated inverted quantum well infrared photodetector may include providing a quantum well wafer having a bulk substrate layer and a quantum material layer, wherein the quantum material layer includes a plurality of alternating quantum well layers and barrier layers epitaxially grown on the bulk substrate layer. The method further includes applying at least one frontside common electrical contact to a frontside of the quantum well wafer, bonding a transparent substrate to the frontside of the quantum well wafer, thinning the bulk substrate layer of the quantum well wafer, and etching the quantum material layer to form quantum well facets that define at least one pyramidal quantum well stack. A backside electrical contact may be applied to the pyramidal quantum well stack. In one embodiment, a plurality of quantum well stacks is bonded to a read-out integrated circuit of a focal plane array.
US08338196B2
The present invention provides a light-emitting element having less increase in driving voltage with the accumulation of light-emission time, and provides a light-emitting element having less increase in resistance value with the increase in film thickness. A light-emitting element includes a first layer, a second layer and a third layer between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first layer is provided to be closer to the first electrode than the second layer, and the third layer is provided to be closer to the second electrode than the second layer. The first layer is a layer including an aromatic amine compound and a substance showing an electron accepting property to the aromatic amine compound. The second layer includes a substance of which an electron transporting property is stronger than a hole transporting property, and a substance showing an electron donating property to the aforementioned substance.
US08338192B2
An embodiment for manufacturing an electronic circuit forms at least one first structure on a semiconductor substrate, determines at least one electrically defined characteristic of the at least one first structure, selects a reticle corresponding to the measured characteristic, and forms at least one additional structure on the semiconductor substrate with the selected reticle.
US08338191B2
The invention relates to a device for performing binding assays. In particular, the invention relates to a centrifugal device for performing such assays. The invention also relates to a method of performing binding assays involving antigen-antibody binding, nucleic acid hybridization, or receptor-ligand interaction.
US08338187B2
Methods and systems for venting a well that receives a liquid. The method includes providing a microplate including a well that has a cavity with an open inlet and a closed end. The cavity extends between the open inlet and the closed end. The cavity is defined by a wall surface having a cross-sectional contour that includes at least one continuous section and at least one discontinuity section. The method also includes depositing a liquid into the open inlet of the well. The liquid enters the cavity and flows toward the closed end to at least partially fill the well. The liquid flows along the continuous section of the wall surface and remains separated from the discontinuity section of the wall surface, thereby maintaining a gas exhaust path along a spacing between the liquid and the discontinuity section as the liquid flows toward the closed end.
US08338180B2
The present invention provides methods of identifying an agent that inhibits an activity of a lentiviral Vif protein. The present invention provides methods of identifying an agent that increases the level of active APOBEC3G in a cell. The present invention provides agents identified by a subject screening method; and further provides methods for treating lentivirus infections.
US08338178B2
Certain embodiments disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, at least one of compositions, methods, devices, systems, kits, or products regarding rejuvenation or preservation of stem cells. Certain embodiments disclosed herein include, but are not limited to, methods of modifying stem cells, or methods of administering modified stem cells to at least one biological tissue.
US08338168B2
The present invention provides improved chimeric glycoproteins (GPs) and improved lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with those glycoproteins. Also provided are methods and compositions for making such glycoproteins and vectors, and improved methods of in vitro and in vivo transduction of cells with such vectors. Improved chimeric GPs encode the extracellular and transmembrane domains of GALV or RD114 GPs fused to the cytoplasmic tail of MLV-A GP. Vectors pseudotyped with these GAL V/TR and RD 114/TR GP chimeras have significantly higher titers than vectors coated with the parental GPs. Additionally, RD114/TR-pseudotyped vectors are efficiently concentrated and are resistant to inactivation induced by the complement of both human and macaque sera. RD114 GP-pseudotyped lentiviral vectors have particular utility for in vivo gene transfer applications.
US08338166B2
A system for identifying all of the known and unknown pathogenic or non-pathogenic organisms in a sample. A droplet generator creates droplets from the sample. The droplets constitute sub-nanoliter volume reactors containing the organism sized particles. A lysis device performs lysis of the organisms to release the nucleic acids. An amplifier amplifies the nucleic acids. A fractionater releases the nucleic acids from the droplets. A parallel analyzer identifies all of the known and unknown pathogenic or non-pathogenic organisms in the sample.
US08338162B2
The present invention provides an obligately anaerobic lactic acid bacterium having no risk of causing side effects in normal tissue and promising as a safe therapeutic agent and a gene transporter for a disease that is in an anaerobic environment such as a solid tumor, a preparation method therefor, and an expression vector useful in the preparation method. The obligately anaerobic lactic acid bacterium of the present invention has been artificially mutated from being facultatively anaerobic to being obligately anaerobic and, furthermore, is capable of being transformed by an expression vector having introduced thereinto a gene for expressing an active protein useful for the treatment of a disease that is in an anaerobic environment. Furthermore, the expression vector of the present invention functions in an obligately anaerobic lactic acid bacterium and contains a Lactobacillus-derived plasmid replication protein gene (Rep), a secretion signal sequence (PslpA-SSartP) comprising a Lactobacillus-derived s-layer gene promoter and a Lactobacillus-derived PrtP protein secretion signal, and one or more selection marker genes. The expression vector of the present invention enables producing an extremely safe and excellent therapeutic agent and gene transporting microorganism for a disease that is in an anaerobic environment.
US08338161B2
The present invention relates to bacteria of a genus Lactococcus having bacteriological properties of: (1) fermentability which curdles a 10% (W/W) reconstituted skim milk medium when cultivated at a temperature of 25° C. to 37° C. for 16 hours; (2) Bifidobacterium longum growth-promoting properties which lead to a viable count of Bifidobacterium longum of 5×108 CFU/g or more, when co-cultivated with Bifidobacterium longum in the 10% (W/W) reconstituted skim milk medium, until the pH thereof is 4.4 to 4.6; and (3) Bifidobacterium longum survivability-improving properties during storage, which lead to a survival rate of Bifidobacterium longum of 30% or more, after co-cultivation with Bifidobacterium longum in the 10% (W/W) reconstituted skim milk medium until the pH thereof is 4.4 to 4.6, rapid cooling, and two weeks storage at 10° C.
US08338158B2
Cis-aconitate decarboxylase mutants having one or more mutations in a C-terminal region as compared with a wild-type cis-aconitate decarboxylase of Aspergillus terreus.
US08338156B2
The present invention relates to polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase I activity and polynucleotides having a nucleotide sequence which encodes for the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the nucleic acid constructs as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides.
US08338155B2
The present invention relates to modified mevalonate kinases that are less sensitive to feedback inhibition, and to polynucleotides encoding them. The invention further pertains to vectors comprising these polynucleotides and host cells containing such vectors. The invention provides a process for producing the modified enzyme and for producing isoprenoid compounds using the modified enzymes.
US08338149B2
According to the present invention, ethanol production is carried out with the use of cellulose or cellobiose as a starting material at low cost. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of culturing a microorganism that is classified as a species selected from the group consisting of Ogataea dorogensis, Ogataea pini, Ogataea glucozyma, Ogataea neopini, and Ogataea corticis in a medium containing cellobiose; and collecting ethanol from the medium.
US08338142B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing an optically active 3-aminopiperidine or salt thereof. In the method, a racemic nipecotamide is stereoselectively hydrolyzed to obtain an optically active nipecotamide and an optically active nipecotic acid in the presence of an enzyme source derived from an organism, and then the optically active nipecotamide is derived into an optically active aminopiperidine or salt thereof by aroylation, Hofmann rearrangement, deprotection of the amino group and further deprotection; or the optically active nipecotamide is derived into an optically active aminopiperidine or salt thereof by selective protection with BOC, Hofmann rearrangement and further deprotection. It is possible by the present invention to produce an optically active 3-aminopiperidine or salt thereof useful as a pharmaceutical intermediate from an inexpensive and easily available starting material by easy method applicable to industrial manufacturing.
US08338133B2
A glyceroglycolipid lipase which is highly safe, hydrolyzes a neutral fat, a glycerophospholipid or a glyceroglycolipid at about pH 6, is thermally stable, hydrolyzes lecithin, does not hydrolyze lysolecithin, can rise a bread when used singly in the production of the bread, and has no unpleasant odor. Specifically disclosed is a glyceroglycolipid lipase derived from a filamentous bacterium Aspergillus japonicus.
US08338132B2
The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having sequence identity with IL-17, IL-17 receptors and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. Further provided herein are methods for treating degenerative cartilaginous disorders and other inflammatory diseases.
US08338129B2
Method for reading images, in particular for studying the development of biofilm in a culture medium
A method for reading images of a base of a plate provided with at least one well containing a culture medium of micro-organisms includes: i) forming a opaquing layer covering a surface of the culture medium to form a reading base; and ii) imaging, at specific time intervals, the base of the well using an imaging optical device.
US08338125B2
The present invention relates to kits for measuring nitric oxide synthase activity.
US08338121B2
The present invention relates to methods for determining cellulolytic enhancing activity of a polypeptide, comprising: (a) incubating a cellulosic material with an enzyme composition comprising a cellobiose dehydrogenase and one or more cellulolytic enzymes in the presence and absence of the polypeptide; and (b) measuring the release of sugar from the cellulosic material in the presence and absence of the polypeptide.
US08338107B2
The present invention relates to a method for isolating from the immunological gene repertoire a gene coding for a receptor having the ability to bind a preselected ligand. Receptors produced by the gene isolated by the method, particularly catalytic receptors, are also contemplated.
US08338088B2
The present disclosure provides methods for assessing the glycosylation of a target glycoprotein produced by a cell through analysis of cell-surface glycans on the cell. The present disclosure therefore teaches that glycosylation of cell surface proteins can serve as a proxy for glycosylation of other proteins.
US08338078B2
A material comprising a novolac resin having a C6-C30 aromatic hydrocarbon group substituted with a sulfo group or an amine salt thereof is useful in forming a photoresist undercoat. The undercoat-forming material has an extinction coefficient sufficient to provide an antireflective effect at a thickness of at least 200 nm, and a high etching resistance as demonstrated by slow etching rates with CF4/CHF3 gas for substrate processing.
US08338072B2
To provide a resist composition capable of prevention of the formation of abnormal resist pattern shapes for efficient, high-precision formation of fine, high-resolution resist patterns, a resist pattern forming process capable of efficient, high-precision formation of finer, high-resolution resist patterns by using the resist composition, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The resist composition of the present invention includes a base resin, a photoacid generator, a first additive, and a second additive, wherein the pKa of the second additive is higher than the pKa of the first additive, and at a resist formation temperature, the vapor pressure of the second additive is lower than the vapor pressure of the first additive.
US08338070B2
The present disclosure provides for oscillatory flow continuous reactors suitable for use in forming emulsion aggregation toners. The reactor may include at least one receptacle being a flexible, tubular member. The reactor may also include a plurality of baffles disposed, at spaced apart intervals, along an interior space of the tubular member, each of the plurality of baffles including one or more orifices. Additionally, one or more fluids may flow through the tubular member. The oscillatory flow continuous reactor may be used in an emulsion aggregation process to produce toner particles.
US08338068B2
A black toner particle for use in a printing toner, the particle comprising: a polymer: carbon black; and a plurality of different colored pigments; wherein the carbon black and pigments are dispersed in the polymer.
US08338063B2
The energy distribution of exposure light directed passing through the slit of an exposure apparatus is determined. A photoresist layer on a substrate is exposed over a plurality of shots while changing the intensity of the exposure light for each shot. Then the photoresist layer is developed to form a sample photoresist layer. An image of the developed sample photoresist layer is analyzed for color intensity. Values of the color intensity across a selected one of the shots are correlated with values of the intensity of the exposure light to produce an energy distribution of the exposure light along the length of the slit. The energy distribution is used to change the slit so that a more desirable energy distribution may be realized when the slit is used in a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device.
US08338059B2
The present invention provides a membrane-electrode assembly comprising: electrodes consisting of a anode comprising a gas diffusion layer and a catalyst material-containing active layer, and an cathode comprising a diffusion layer and a catalyst material-containing active layer; and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the anode and the cathode and comprising a catalyst material-containing active layer at one or both sides, the electrodes being hot-pressed, to the electrolyte membrane, wherein in coating the active layer on the gas diffusion layer, the viscosity of the active layer is in a range of 100 to 10,000 cPs, as well as a production method thereof. The inventive membrane-electrode assembly has a low interfacial resistance between the membrane and the electrodes, as well as high catalyst availability and excellent power density, and can be mass-produced.
US08338047B2
The present invention is a solid oxide fuel cell configuration which equalizes gas volume distributed into each power generation cell to stabilize fuel cell output and improve the output efficiency. In the present invention, a flat plate laminating type solid oxide fuel cell has a reactant gas supply manifold extending through a fuel cell stack in the laminating direction, for supplying reactant gas to each of power generation cells through gas passages of separators which are communicated with the manifold. The manifold and the passages of the separators are in communication with each other through a gas-flow throttle mechanisms.
US08338045B2
A fuel cell system supplies a reacting solution from a liquid storage section to a reaction section to generate a reacting gas. A gas storage section stores the reacting gas and supplies it to a solid polymer membrane fuel cell which generates electricity using the reacting gas as fuel. The reacting solution is supplied from the liquid storage section to the reaction section when the pressure in the liquid storage section is higher than the pressure in the reaction section and the supply of reacting solution is stopped when the pressure in the liquid storage section is lower than the pressure in the reaction section. In this manner, the supply volume of the reacting solution is controlled in accordance with the driving state of the fuel cell.
US08338038B2
An electrochemical cell in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a first electrode containing a first phase intermixed with a second phase and a network of interconnected pores. The first phase contains a ceramic material and the second phase contains an electrically conductive material providing an electrically contiguous path through the first electrode. The electrochemical cell further includes a second electrode containing an alkali metal. A substantially non-porous alkali-metal-ion-selective ceramic membrane, such as a dense Nasicon, Lisicon, Li β″-alumina, or Na β″-alumina membrane, is interposed between the first and second electrodes.
US08338033B2
A nonaqueous lithium secondary battery includes a positive electrode and a negative electrode capable of intercalating and releasing lithium ions and a separator. The negative electrode includes a collector and a negative electrode mixture layer formed on the collector. The negative electrode mixture layer includes at least a negative electrode active material and a binder. Nonconductive particles are buried in a top layer of the negative electrode mixture layer. The nonconductive particles and the negative electrode active material exist as a mixture in the top layer with a depth ranging from 1 to 20 μm. A volume ratio of nonconductive particles having a diameter equal to or less than 20 μm to a total volume of all the nonconductive particles and the negative electrode active material existing in the top layer of the negative electrode mixture layer ranges from 20 to 80%.
US08338031B2
Provided are a cathode and a lithium battery including the cathode. The cathode includes a cathode active material that includes an oxide represented by the following Formula 1: LixNi0.5+y(Mn1-z1-z2Mz1Moz2)0.5−yO2,
US08338022B2
A lithium secondary battery of the present invention comprises a positive electrode formed by disposing a positive-electrode mixture layer containing a positive-electrode active material and a positive-electrode binder, on a surface of a positive-electrode current collector; a negative electrode formed by sintering a negative-electrode mixture layer containing a negative-electrode binder and a negative-electrode active material containing silicon and/or a silicon alloy, disposed on a surface of a negative-electrode current collector; a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode; and a nonaqueous electrolyte; wherein an electrode unit obtained by setting the positive electrode and the negative electrode opposed to each other through the separator and rolling them in spirally rolled state is placed in a cylindrical battery container and wherein a curvature radius of the negative-electrode mixture layer opposed to the positive-electrode mixture layer through the separator in the spirally rolled state is 1.5 mm or larger.
US08338019B2
A separator includes a porous substrate having a plurality of pores, and a porous coating layer formed on at least one surface of the porous substrate and made of a mixture of a plurality of filler particles and a binder polymer. The filler particles include electrode active material particles that are electrochemically oxidized and reduced. The binder polymer includes a copolymer having (a) a first monomer unit with a contact angle to water of 0 to 49° and (b) a second monomer unit with a contact angle to water of 50 to 130°. This separator is useful for an electrochemical device, particularly a lithium secondary battery. This separator ensures improved thermal stability and increased capacity of the electrochemical device. Also, inorganic particles in the porous coating layer formed on the porous substrate are not disintercalated due to excellent peeling resistance of the porous coating layer while the electrochemical is assembled.
US08338018B2
A separator includes a porous substrate having a plurality of pores, and a porous coating layer formed on at least one surface of the porous substrate and made of a mixture of a plurality of filler particles and a binder polymer. The filler particles include electrode active material particles that are electrochemically oxidized and reduced. The binder polymer includes a copolymer having (a) a first monomer unit with a contact angle to water of 0 to 49° and (b) a second monomer unit with a contact angle to water of 50 to 130°. This separator is useful for an electrochemical device, particularly a lithium secondary battery. This separator ensures improved thermal stability and increased capacity of the electrochemical device. Also, inorganic particles in the porous coating layer formed on the porous substrate are not disintercalated due to excellent peeling resistance of the porous coating layer while the electrochemical is assembled.
US08338016B2
A battery pack to be mounted in a vehicle incorporates a battery stack and a cooling fan. An air intake is formed in a side face located in the vicinity of the cooling fan. In consideration of passengers entering and exiting the vehicle, the air intake is formed as well in a plane generated as a result of removal of a corner. A louver for preventing intrusion of extraneous matter is disposed at the front of the air intake. A decrease in the amount of cooling air induced by the louver is lessened by means of forming the air intake in the plane.
US08337992B2
A multi-layer composite body having at least a single-layer carrier layer and a PMMA layer which is carried thereby and which as its main component has standard PMMA, impact-resistant modified PMMA or mixtures thereof, wherein at least a single-layer lacquer layer is printed on the PMMA layer, and wherein the lacquer layer is printed on the surface of the PMMA layer which is remote from the carrier layer.
US08337990B2
The multilayer film serves as a laminate. The film is a multilayered structure that, in its base form, encompasses an intermediate layer with first and second outer layer affixed to opposing sides of the intermediate layer. The first outer layer is a semi-crystalline fluoropolymer. The intermediate layer includes a polyester and the second outer layer is an olefinic polymer. The layers are bonded together in the noted order to provide the multilayer film.
US08337989B2
A multilayer coating includes a bond coat layer and a first barrier layer applied on the bond coat layer. The first barrier layer has a compositional gradient comprising a majority of a first rare earth stabilized zirconia material proximate the bond coat layer to a majority of a second rare earth stabilized zirconia material away from the bond coat layer. The first and second rare earth stabilized zirconia materials are different.
US08337969B2
Liner comprising a film which comprises oriented polypropylene having a flexural modulus of at least 1400, preferably at least 2000 MPa, a release coating being applied on at least one of the two outer sides of the film.
US08337966B2
Provided are a transfer sheet for ink jet printing capable of photographically printing on a cloth and capable of favorably keeping the texture of the cloth material and a spatial effect also after printing without generating bleeding and color fade-out with time, and a fiber product provided with the same. A transfer sheet for ink jet printing containing an ink-receiving layer, a fabric layer, the first film layer, a hot melt layer and a support.
US08337963B2
A liquid crystal composition that satisfies at least one of characteristics such as high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, low minimum temperature of a nematic phase, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy, large positive dielectric anisotropy, large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light and high stability to heat, or that is suitably balanced between at least two of the characteristics is provided. An AM device that has short response time, large voltage holding ratio, large contrast ratio, long service life and so forth is provided. The liquid crystal composition has positive dielectric anisotropy and includes a specific four-ring compound having a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase and a large dielectric anisotropy as a first component, a specific four-ring compound having a large positive dielectric anisotropy as a second component, and a specific four-ring compound having a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase as a third component.
US08337949B2
Provided are a graphene pattern and a process of preparing the same. Graphene is patterned in a predetermined shape on a substrate to form the graphene pattern. The graphene pattern can be formed by forming a graphitizing catalyst pattern on a substrate, contacting a carbonaceous material with the graphitizing catalyst and heat-treating the resultant.
US08337948B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a film-formed body wherein a second film is formed by suppressing influence of existence/absence of a first film, at the time of forming the second film by making fine particles collide and deposited on a second film forming surface on a substrate whereupon the first film has been already formed. A film-formed body is provided with a foil-like substrate having a first film-forming surface and a second film-forming surface; a first film formed on a part of the first film-forming surface; and a second film formed at least on a part of the second film-forming surface. The first film includes an overlapping section which overlaps with the second film when viewed in the thickness direction of the substrate. A method for manufacturing such film-formed body is provided with a second film-forming step of forming the second film on the second film-forming surface whereupon the first film has been formed, by making the fine particles collide and deposited on the second film-forming surface, by using a supporting member having a supporting surface and a recessed section depressed from the supporting surface.
US08337945B2
A method for producing an element including a substrate having a plurality of nanocylinders deposited thereon includes providing the substrate. The substrate is covered with a nanoporous Al2O3 membrane so as to provide a covered substrate. The covered substrate is alternately vapor-deposited, at a vapor-deposition temperatures from 250° C. to 400° C., with atoms of a magnetic element and atoms of a non-magnetic element so as to provide the plurality of nanocylinders. Each nanocylinder includes at least four superposed layers including, alternatively, the atoms of the magnetic element and the atoms of the non-magnetic element. The nanoporous Al2O3 membrane is then removed so that the nanocylinders remain on the substrate.
US08337944B2
A composite seal having a multilayer elastomeric construction and method for constructing the same is provided. More specifically, the present invention provides a composite seal comprised of a low-durometer elastomer compliant layer coated with, or alternatively encapsulated by, a thin protective layer for securely sealing a bipolar plate and a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell. The elastomer compliant layer is preferably a silicone constituent and the thin coat protective layer is preferably a fluoroelastomer or fluoropolymer constituent suitable for bonding to the elastomer compliant layer. The foregoing layers constructing the composite seal are preferably deposited directly onto the aforementioned fuel cell components along a predetermined periphery. The resulting composite seal is thin in construction, resistive to undesired chemical and thermal reactions and provides the necessary compressive compliance without undue stress on the fuel cell assembly.
US08337933B2
The invention relates to the preparation of oyster flesh extracts. Raw oyster flesh is placed in an extractor with a solution stored in it. The extractor is closed up tight and pressurized to 1 atm to extract oyster flesh extracts from the raw oyster flesh, and they are fed into the solution in the extractor. An extraction solution with the oyster flesh extracts is fed in concentrated solution to precipitate out the oyster flesh extracts. The precipitates are dried into dry oyster flesh extracts. The extractor is then closed up tight and pressurized to 0.1 atm to 0.2 atm to extract a second portion oyster flesh extracts from the raw oyster flesh, and they are fed into the solution in the extractor. The precipitates are dried into dry oyster flesh extracts.
US08337927B2
Highly purified Stevioside, Rebaudioside A and a purified sweet steviol glycoside mixture 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.
US08337926B2
A method of obtaining yellow-orange coloration of egg yolks and chicken skins using 4-ketolutein as feed additive for chicken feed.
US08337921B2
An improved filamentous fungi is disclosed that has an enhanced nutritional profile by utilizing pulsed ultraviolet irradiation. According to the invention, the vitamin D component of mushrooms and other filamentous fungi may be drastically increased with no deleterious affects on appearance with the use of pulsed UV radiation. Mushrooms so treated had up to 1800% DV in one serving of fresh mushrooms.
US08337917B2
The invention relates to products, including foods such as confectionary and pet foods, comprising nut skins. Exemplary nut skins are peanut and almond skins. The products may also contain cocoa polyphenol and/or L-arginine, and are useful for inducing vasodilation.
US08337916B2
The invention discloses 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory product prepared from botanical sources. More specifically, the invention describes 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory extracts or bio-enriched extracts or fractions of Aphanamixis polystachya, methods of making 5-lipoxygenase inhibitory extract, and methods of treating and/or preventing disease conditions mediated by 5-lipoxygenase by using the said extract. The invention further discloses pharmaceutical or nutraceitical or dietary compositions containing therapeutically effective amounts of the extracts of Aphanamixis polystachya in combination with other known anti-inflammatory agents useful for oral, parenteral and topical administration.
US08337915B2
A method of lowering blood cholesterol in a non-diabetic patient by at least 30% is described. The method involves orally administering for 30 consecutive days a fenugreek seed extract composition. Various methods of preparation and various formulations are described. Physiologically effective pharmaceutical compositions and beverages containing fenugreek seed extracts and other active components are also disclosed.
US08337913B1
A cleaning swab for cleaning, disinfecting, and sealing underneath fingernails. The swab features an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end. A first absorbent component is disposed on the first end of the elongated shaft. The first absorbent component is impregnated with a solution with at least six of the following: keratin, equisetum arvense, carrageenan, aucoumea klaineana extract, ginseng root extract, vitamin C, and tea tree oil.
US08337902B2
Methods for the degradation of prion proteins are described. Items that may be contaminated with prions are treated with earthworm-derived extracts to degrade prion proteins and reduce their infectivity in animals. Methods of using an earthworm-derived protein extract for treating foodstuffs and surfaces to inhibit or disable prion infectivity are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for treating medical instruments, tools used to butcher animals, and laboratory equipment.
US08337901B2
The invention refers to a method for the production of cellulose sulfate which is completely water-soluble and has an adjustable solution viscosity in aqueous solution, which qualifies the produced sodium cellulose sulfate (SCS) as auxiliary material with ideal biological compatibility for biological and medical applications, in particular it is suitable for the encapsulation and immobilization of biological objects, e.g. tissue, cells, microorganisms, enzymes or viruses in microcapsule.
US08337893B2
A bioactive sol-gel solution includes a biocompatible polymer, a gelable inorganic base material, and at least one calcium and phosphorous molecular species. The base material can be an alkoxide, such as TEOS. The polymer acts as a viscosity modifier to the sol or gel, increases the viscosity range over which fibers can be sprayed or spun, and broadens the time period over which fibers can be sprayed or spun. A bioactive glass composite can be formed from the bioactive sol-gel solution, including a fibrous form. Fibers can serve as a scaffold for cell growth and in the repair of hard or soft tissue defects.
US08337892B1
The invention concerns a microgranule tablet comprising a low dose of active principle containing a directly compressible diluent. The invention is characterized in that the directly compressible diluent consists exclusively of neutral microgranules, and the active principle is set on the neutral microgranules and is not coated with an agent designed to modify its release or mask its taste.
