US08396771B2
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method comprises publishing descriptions available from a plurality of publishing parties. The descriptions describe a plurality of published services available for a requesting party to request. The method receives requests to broker a transaction from the requesting party, associates a requested service to one of the published services, and facilitates a transaction for the one of the published services.
US08396765B2
Disclosed is a system and method for managing, distributing, and serving court-related documents. The system is operated by a host and utilized by a number of different entities that are involved in effecting service of court-related documents such as summonses, subpoenas, complaints, petitions and warrants. By way of the system, these court-related documents can be electronically distributed and ultimately served in an efficient manner. The system also permits the automated invoicing and billing for service related activities. The archiving of data related to effecting service can also be carried out by the present system.
US08396762B2
Systems and methods are provided for automatically determining substitution chains that are valid during a rules-based ATP check for an order item. In one implementation, a system is provided that includes an interface for interfacing with a plurality of data storage devices in at least one of which a plurality of stock items are stored as data. The system also includes an execution memory storing software and a buffer for temporarily storing data. A processor coupled to the interface and the execution memory may carry out an availability check in which a replacement chain describing replacements is stored in the buffer. The replacement chain may be determined by one or more of rules defining substitutions.
US08396760B1
This disclosure describes systems and associated methods that can selectively filter seed behavior, e.g., user activity used to generate item recommendations. In some embodiments, seed behaviors and catalog items are associated with categories in an electronic catalog, and a particular seed behavior is used to generate user recommendations if it is more recent than a user's last purchase in the category of the seed behavior. For example, a user's activity in the TV category, e.g., viewing various TV models, may not be used to generate recommendations if the activity occurred prior to the user's purchase of a TV. As a result, in certain embodiments, additional TVs may not appear in the user's recommendations following her purchase, reflecting that the user has fulfilled her desire to purchase a TV.
US08396757B2
A method, system, and program for estimating future grid job costs by classifying grid jobs and storing results of processing grid job microcosms are provided. In general, a client side agent estimates future grid job costs by comparing a current grid job of a particular classification with a history of stored costs for other grid jobs of that customer of that particular classification. In particular, the grid client agent for a client system enabled to submit grid jobs to a grid provider that facilitates a grid environment, calculates a ratio of an application based metric to a grid provider metric for processing a particular grid job. Then, the grid client agent creates a table with an entry comparing the application based metric to a cost per grid provider metric for the grid provider based on the calculated ratio. Next, the grid client agent stores the table with the entry. Then, responsive to detecting a next grid job, the grid client agent estimates a cost for the grid provider to process the next grid job based on a particular number of application based metric operations required for the next grid job, translated by the ratio into the grid provider metric and multiplied by the cost per grid provider metric.
US08396753B2
A user communicates, such as through text, a phrase or word to quickly place and pay for an order. The phrase corresponds to details of the order and one phrase can contain orders with multiple merchants. Once the phrase is communicated, a service provider or merchant determines the order from the phrase and processes the order, which may include transmitting order details to the merchant(s) and processing the payment(s) to the merchant(s) on behalf of the user.
US08396733B2
A system and method of determining a recommended location for performing a work function is provided. In some examples, the system and method may include receiving a plurality of process criteria, such as hours of operation associated with the work function, type of work performed, skill set desired, language skills desired, and the like. The system and method may further include receiving a plurality of provider attributes, such as languages spoken, knowledge base/skill set, flexibility of staffing, and the like. One or more recommended locations for performing the work function may be determined based on the business and provider attributes.
US08396726B2
The present disclosure describes an approach to constructing and implementing risk rating products that provides a number of advantages. Instead of hard-coding attributes of a risk rating scheme, which requires the assistance of a trained programming specialist for any modifications, adjustments, or new products, the present invention provides a set of modular tools that assist non-specialists in on-the-fly generation and implementation of risk rating products. The modularity of this approach facilitates the modification and/or updating of a system component without affecting the operation of other components. Described herein are embodiments of a risk rater data-structure, which comprises an abstracted representation of a risk rating scheme that may be loaded into and/or interpreted by other system components to generate a user interface for processing risk information and generating insurance quotes.
US08396725B2
A receivables transaction management platform is configured for facilitating management of international trade receivables transactions. The platform includes a task manager layer and a platform functionality layer. The task manager layer is configured for facilitating management of transaction information workflow tasks and export receivables tasks. The platform functionality layer is accessible by at least a portion of the managers and is configured for enabling facilitation of the transaction information workflow tasks and the export receivables tasks. Managing the transaction information workflow tasks and export receivables tasks includes facilitating preparation of a document and data portfolio required for settlement of an international trade receivables transaction, facilitating electronic submission of the document and data portfolio to a designated recipient and facilitating acceptance of the document and data portfolio. The platform functional components are configured for enabling user workflow functionality, data mapping functionality, data analysis functionality, data storage functionality and third party access functionality.
US08396724B2
Product and processes that comprise receiving a query for a settlement contract that is available for sale. The query is based on at least one field. The settlement contract comprises a sale of a policyholder's death benefit in a life insurance policy in exchange for money. A first settlement contract that comprises information matching the at least one queried field is retrieved. A plurality of potential purchasers received communication that the first settlement contract is available for purchase. During a pre-determined period of time, a plurality of bids for the first settlement contract is received. Each of the plurality of bids comprises a bid price. It is determined that a first bidder has submitted a best bid price for the settlement contract. The first bidder and the policyholder are notified of an agreement to sell the first settlement contract at the best bid price.
US08396723B1
Systems and methods for gathering information for insurance underwriting may present a question from a sequence of questions. Questions in the sequence of questions may relate to an insurance underwriting function. A response to the question may be collected and analyzed. An investigative function may be selected based upon the analysis of the response to the question. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08396720B2
A decison flowchart of a triage protocol is provided for a medical condition of a patient. The flowchart includes a plurality of decision blocks. Each decision block relates to one or more patient symptoms and/or considerations. A plurality of exit points are provided in the flowchart. Each exit point is associated with a respective decision block. Each exit point is reached upon the presence or absence of a symptom or consideration in the respective decision block. Each exit point recommends an action to be taken by the patient. The exit points may be customized. More specifically, the recommended action at selected exit points may be individually selected from a plurality of selectable actions. Thus, the decision flowchart may provide different recommended courses of action for a patient having the same symptoms and/or considerations based upon individual selections. The recommended action becomes an exit message for the respective exit point.
US08396719B2
A computer-implemented method is performed during a single communication session between a customer service representative (CSR) of a merchant, and the merchant's customer. The conversation between the CSR and the customer is analyzed to determine an issue. Previously collected information about the customer is accessed, from a database that stores information about customers of the merchant. A tip is determined and sent to be displayed to the CSR. The tip is determined based on the mood and the accessed previously collected information. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08396714B2
Algorithms for synthesizing speech used to identify media assets are provided. Speech may be selectively synthesized form text strings associated with media assets. A text string may be normalized and its native language determined for obtaining a target phoneme for providing human-sounding speech in a language (e.g., dialect or accent) that is familiar to a user. The algorithms may be implemented on a system including several dedicated render engines. The system may be part of a back end coupled to a front end including storage for media assets and associated synthesized speech, and a request processor for receiving and processing requests that result in providing the synthesized speech. The front end may communicate media assets and associated synthesized speech content over a network to host devices coupled to portable electronic devices on which the media assets and synthesized speech are played back.
US08396713B2
A method (and system) of handling out-of-grammar utterances includes building a statistical language model for a dialog state using, generating sentences and semantic interpretations for the sentences using finite state grammar, building a statistical action classifier, receiving user input, carrying out recognition with the finite state grammar, carrying out recognition with the statistical language model, using the statistical action classifier to find semantic interpretations, comparing an output from the finite state grammar and an output from the statistical language model, deciding which output of the output from the finite state grammar and the output from the statistical language model to keep as a final recognition output, selecting the final recognition output, and outputting the final recognition result, wherein the statistical action classifier, the finite state grammar and the statistical language model are used in conjunction to carry out speech recognition and interpretation.
US08396710B2
A distributed voice user interface system includes a local device which receives speech input issued from a user. Such speech input may specify a command or a request by the user. The local device performs preliminary processing of the speech input and also provides the speech input to a remote system. The local device is able to update its recognition capabilities based on analysis of the speech, input by the remote system.
US08396705B2
A method, database, and article of manufacture comprising a plurality of audio fingerprints. Each audio fingerprint contains characteristic information about a corresponding audio frame and is produced by filtering the corresponding audio frame into frequency bands, resampling the filtered audio signals at a nonlinear timescale, transforming the resampled audio signals for each frequency band to produce a feature vector for the frequency band, and computing the audio fingerprint based on the set of feature vectors, and one or more index values for one or more of the audio fingerprints, where the audio fingerprints are organized according to their index values.
US08396701B2
A software system for development, control, programming, simulation, and emulation of fixed, software-configurable, software-reconfigurable, and software-controlled Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) devices. Files may be used to specify LoC configurations for models, emulation, and fabrication, and scripts can be implemented to control numerical simulations as well as physical emulations of modeled LoC devices. Other features include a control software design tool, fabrication design systems, and an authoring/editing tool for specification files. In some cases, an active data visualization system provides visualizations of real-time data generated by past and current simulations and emulations.
US08396696B1
A circuit is simulated by using distributed computing to obtain a real solution. The circuit may be an entire integrated circuit, portion of an integrated circuit, or a circuit block. A circuit simulation technique of the invention generates a system graph, finds a tree, and partitions the tree into two or more subtrees. The technique identifies global links and local links in the graph. Each subtree may be solved individually using distributed, parallel computing. Using the results for the subtrees, the technique obtains a real solution, branch voltages and currents, for the circuit.
US08396693B2
A general, computational-mathematical modeling method for the solution of large, boundary-coupled transport problems involving the flow of mass, momentum, energy or subatomic particles is disclosed. The method employs a modeling processor that extracts a matrix operator equation (or set of equations) from a numerical transport code (NTC). The outputs of software codes, available for modeling physical problems governed by conservation laws in the form of differential equations, can be processed into closed-form operator equations with the method. Included is a numerical transport code functionalization (NTCF) model which can be determined numerically, based on a system of solutions of an NTC, evaluating outputs for a given set of inputs. The NTCF model is a linear or nonlinear, multi-variable operator equation or set of such equations. The NTCF model defines relationships between general, time-variable inputs and outputs, some known and some unknown, considered as boundary values. The user of an NTCF model can directly work with the processed model output, instead of running the original numerical code in general applications of a boundary-value problem. The numerical transport code functionalization model can be employed as a surrogate for representing the numerical transport code to provide a solution to the transport problem. The invention enables modeling efficiency and availability to be increased, while computational complexity and cost decreased. Computational times for complex modeling problems can, in some cases, be dramatically reduced, for example by several orders of magnitude.
US08396683B2
A cable circuit for connecting a sensor module to a measurement transmitter. The cable circuit includes a contactless interface for signal transmission between the cable circuit and the sensor module, wherein the sensor module is galvanically isolated from the cable circuit, and wherein signal transmission between the cable circuit and the sensor module occurs on an optical, inductive or capacitive path. Additionally, the cable circuit includes a signal processing unit, as well as a cable interface for connecting a cable, which connects the cable circuit with the measurement transmitter. The signal processing unit is integrated into the signal path. The signal processing unit is embodied to receive, via the cable interface, signals from the measurement transmitter, to condition them and to transmit them via the contactless interface to the sensor module, and to receive, via the contactless interface, signals from the sensor module, to condition them and to transmit them via the cable interface to the measurement transmitter.
US08396681B2
A distance measuring measurement instrument and a method for such a station for scanning a surface or volume of an object are disclosed. The measurement instrument includes a position calculating circuit adapted to calculate position data including at least horizontal and vertical angle and distance between the measurement instrument and the object. A plurality of points in each of a number of subsets of a scanning area of the object during a measurement session and, at detection of a new point in the new subset, information related to at least one point having a corresponding location in at least one preceding subset is used, wherein the preceding subset being adjacent to the new subset.
US08396680B2
First and second reference voltages are applied to first and second terminals of a processor via voltage divider circuits. First and second signal conditioning circuits are coupled to third and fourth terminals of the processor, respectively, and voltage or current sensors are coupled to the first and second signal conditioning circuits. The processor measures the electrical characteristics at the third and fourth terminals and computes first and second ratiometric values of the electrical characteristics, wherein the first ratiometric value is based upon a measurement obtained from the third terminal and the first reference voltage and the second ratiometric value is based upon a measurement of obtained from the fourth terminal and the second reference voltage. The processor further identifies an issue if a ratio of the first ratiometric value to the second ratiometric value exceeds a ratio of the first reference value to the second reference value.
US08396676B2
The invention relates to measuring visco-elastic fluid parameters, in particular, in the oil production industry, for defining heavy oil parameters during field development.The method involves the excitation of a hollow resonance device oscillations by sending a continuous variable-frequency signal to two transmitting transducers located on the outer surface the said resonance device. Oscillations are recorded by a receiving transducer. Amplitude-vs-frequency response curve is plotted and effective resonance frequency ωr is determined. Thereafter, a cavity of the said resonance device is filled with a medium under examination, and oscillations are excited to obtain associated amplitude-vs-frequency response values. An axially symmetric capacity placed in a thermostabilized chamber is used as the resonance device. While implementing the method, the attenuation factor α is also determined for the empty and test medium-filled resonance device as well as the resonance frequency shift Δωr and the attenuation variance Δα re determined in relation to the hollow resonance device.
US08396673B2
A gene assaying method includes the steps of: acquiring two or more data which should be compared and represents expression levels of a plurality of target genes; converting the expression levels represented by the acquired two or more data into ratios based on the expression level of one of the two or more data; extracting a minimum ratio and a maximum ratio of each target gene; and classifying the plurality of target genes using as a classification border at least one of a first ratio with the peak in a frequency distribution of the minimum ratios and a second ratio with the peak in a frequency distribution of reciprocals of the maximum ratios.
US08396667B2
The invention provides a method and apparatus for use in testing the swell characteristics of swellable components used in downhole exploration or production equipment, such as swellable packers. A method of measuring a test piece using a testing apparatus with a fluid chamber and a transducer is described. Measured data can be compared with data measured from a sample section of a tool to determine a relationship between swell characteristics. The determined relationships can then be used to calculate or predict swelling characteristics of swellable components, for example particular packer designs, in specific fluid samples.
US08396666B2
Route planning methods for navigating an electronic device having a navigation system from a starting point to a destination are disclosed. The method comprises the following steps. First, current position of the electronic device is acquired. Next, a decision point corresponding to the current position is obtained in a planned route in which the decision point has a dedicated moving direction which is planned by the planned route and a plurality of possible moving directions. Accordingly, pluralities of candidate routes, destined to the destination, corresponding to the possible moving directions are generated. Next, the electronic device is navigated to the destination using the planned route or one of the candidate routes.
US08396654B1
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for an image translation device are described herein. The image translation device may include a navigation sensor defining a sensor coordinate system askew to a body coordinate system defined by a body of the image translation device. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US08396650B2
A roadway information system is disclosed with components generating and using vehicle signatures for vehicles passing near sensor pods located on or near lanes in a multiple input-output roadway node. Means and/or processors for matching incoming and outgoing vehicle signatures are disclosed creating an in-out vehicle match table used to generate a vehicle movement estimate or its components including a travel time and/or vehicle count that may be created and/or used in response to a match tally exceeding a threshold or the stimulation of a timing signal.
US08396643B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a gas turbine control device which is capable of performing correction on the basis of a fuel composition of fuel gas to be supplied to a gas turbine, and is capable of changing an amount of correction in response to variation with time of the gas turbine. To attain this, a frequency analyzing unit 25 performs a frequency analysis of combustion oscillation of a combustor and splits a result of the analysis into respective frequency bands. Then, a state grasping unit 22 checks an operating state of the gas turbine on the basis of the result of the analysis of the combustion oscillation and process value of the gas turbine, and corrects the checked operating state on the basis of a fuel composition or a heat capacity of fuel gas measured by a fuel characteristic measuring unit 200. A countermeasure determining unit 23 conducts a countermeasure for controlling an operating action of the gas turbine on the basis of the operating state thus checked.
US08396640B2
A vehicle speed limit control device includes a vehicle speed limit setting portion that sets a vehicle speed limit according to a vehicle speed limit command value, a vehicle speed detecting portion, a driving force control portion, a vehicle speed limit command difference calculating portion that calculates a difference between an initial value of the vehicle speed limit command value immediately before an initial operation of the vehicle speed limit command processing and a changed value of the vehicle speed limit command value at a current operation, and a vehicle speed limit change rate regulating portion that regulates a rate of change of the vehicle speed limit by the vehicle speed limit setting portion in such a manner that the rate of change of the vehicle speed limit decreases with the vehicle speed limit command difference.
US08396636B2
A clutch controller that transmits appropriate torque during engaging operation of a clutch. An actual torque obtaining section obtains torque transmitted from a drive-side member of the clutch to a downstream mechanism in a torque transmission path as actual transmission torque, the downstream mechanism including a driven-side member of the clutch. A target torque obtaining section obtains torque that is supposed to be transmitted from the drive-side member to the downstream mechanism in the torque transmission path as target transmission torque. A clutch actuator control section actuates an actuator by an actuation amount according to a difference between the actual transmission torque and the target transmission torque.
US08396635B2
A control apparatus for a multi-speed automatic transmission which is equipped with a manual shift mode that allows a speed step to be shifted up or down manually by an operation of a driver of the vehicle is provided. The control apparatus permits a downshift to be manually performed, provided that during the manual mode, one of vehicle speed, engine rotation speed, and turbine rotation speed of the multi-speed automatic transmission is less than or equal to a downshift permission criterion value that is set according to the speed step achieved by the downshift. The control apparatus corrects the downshift permission criterion value by a speed-value-increasing correction amount that is computed according to the situation of travel of the vehicle. The control apparatus includes a speed-value-increasing correction amount computation portion that computes the speed-value-increasing correction amount separately for each of numbers of steps over which downshifts occur.
US08396629B1
Disclosed herein is a device for detecting a tire position. The device for detecting a tire position includes a plurality of transmitters provided on each of a plurality of vehicle wheels having a tire and detecting and transmitting a rotation direction and a rotation period of each vehicle wheel; and a receiver mounted on a vehicle body and identifying the left and right of the corresponding vehicle wheel according to the rotation direction of each vehicle wheel and identifying the front and rear of the corresponding vehicle wheel according to the rotation period of each vehicle wheel. By the above configuration, the present invention can identify the tire position without performing the ID information and the ID information update and thus, improve a freedom of change of the tire position and can digitize and process signals from a acceleration sensor to be strong against noise and reduce load.
US08396614B1
The different advantageous embodiments provide a system comprising a user interface and a computer. The user interface comprises a display. The computer is configured to display information about time and position of an aircraft in relation to a number of waypoints for a flight on the display. The information is displayed using a number of graphical display features.
US08396613B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed in which an aircraft system such as the landing gear system or braking system is operated at least partially under power provided by a generator driven by the wheels of the landing gear.
US08396610B2
It is well known that tunnels in many cases have been proven as an efficient means to overcome counter trespassing means and enable hostile entities to infiltrate a boarder or other restricted area. There is provided a method and system for efficiently detecting and locating underground tunnels.According to certain aspects, of the invention there is provided a system and method for detecting a suspected area, comprising an underground pipe array disposed substantially in horizontal orientation under the ground and including at least two pipes, the at least two pipes being disposed at different depths, at a predefined distance one with respect to the other, each of the at least two pipes creating an underground pathway infrastructure for accommodating at least one mobile vehicle; each one of the mobile vehicles being equipped with at least sensing and navigation devices for patrolling along a respective pipe, in a coordinated manner, for detecting a suspected area; the predefined distance is designed to be within an effective operational distance of the sensing and navigation devices; command and control, configured to control at least the mobile vehicles, gathering and processing the vehicles' data and creating an updated situation awareness picture of the underground medium.
US08396608B2
Computer based energy management including an adaptor having a server network interface and a control device interface. The adaptor transmitting the commands to the control device via a control device interface on the adaptor, and receiving energy usage data from the control device in response to a command including a request for energy usage. The adaptor transmitting the energy usage data to the energy management software in response to receiving the energy usage data from the control device, receiving sensor data from one or more sensors communicatively coupled to the adaptor, transmitting the sensor data to the energy management software in response to receiving the sensor data from the sensors, receiving control commands at the adaptor from the energy management host software and transmitting the control commands to the control device, the control commands altering the function of a device.
US08396606B2
A utility employs a method for estimating available operating reserve. Electric power consumption by at least one device serviced by the utility is determined during at least one period of time to produce power consumption data. The power consumption data is stored in a repository. A determination is made that a control event is to occur during which power is to be reduced to one or more devices. Prior to the control event and under an assumption that it is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the device(s) is estimated for a time period during which the control event is expected to occur based on the stored power consumption data. Additionally, prior to the control event, projected energy savings resulting from the control event are determined based on the devices' estimated power consumption behavior. An amount of available operating reserve is determined based on the projected energy savings.
US08396598B2
A robot system for use in surgical procedures has two movable arms each carried on a wheeled base with each arm having a six of degrees of freedom of movement and an end effector which can be rolled about its axis and an actuator which can slide along the axis for operating different tools adapted to be supported by the effector. Each end effector including optical force sensors for detecting forces applied to the tool by engagement with the part of the patient. A microscope is located at a position for viewing the part of the patient. The position of the tool tip can be digitized relative to fiducial markers visible in an MRI experiment. The workstation and control system has a pair of hand-controllers simultaneously manipulated by an operator to control movement of a respective one or both of the arms. The image from the microscope is displayed on a monitor in 2D and stereoscopically on a microscope viewer. A second MRI display shows an image of the part of the patient the real-time location of the tool. The robot is MRI compatible and can be configured to operate within a closed magnet bore. The arms are driven about vertical and horizontal axes by piezoelectric motors.
US08396595B2
A system, method, and computer program product for avoiding collision of a body segment with other structures in an articulated system are described. According to one aspect, a collision function is determined for avoiding such collision. A distance between the body segment and one such structure is measured. A weighting matrix is generated based on the collision function and the distance, and used to determine a redirected motion for the body segment. The body segment is redirected based on the redirected motion to avoid colliding with the structure.
US08396591B2
A system, method and computer program product for data collection and analysis using robotic devices. The system comprises creating a map of a facility, loading at least one position and at least one task onto a robotic device, autonomously navigating the robotic device to the at least one position to collect data, sending the data to a database for storage, processing and analyzing the data by a server, and presenting analysis of the data to a user.
US08396590B1
A method for managing paper consumption. Responsive to dispensing a first amount of paper from a set of paper dispensers in which the first amount of paper is dispensed for an account, the set of paper dispensers updates the account based on the first amount of paper dispensed. Responsive to receiving a second amount of paper at a set of paper disposers in which the second amount of paper is received for the account, the set of disposers updates the account based on the second amount of paper received.
US08396576B2
Systems and methods for providing object-oriented audio are described. Audio objects can be created by associating sound sources with attributes of those sound sources, such as location, velocity, directivity, and the like. Audio objects can be used in place of or in addition to channels to distribute sound, for example, by streaming the audio objects over a network to a client device. The objects can define their locations in space with associated two or three dimensional coordinates. The objects can be adaptively streamed to the client device based on available network or client device resources. A renderer on the client device can use the attributes of the objects to determine how to render the objects. The renderer can further adapt the playback of the objects based on information about a rendering environment of the client device. Various examples of audio object creation techniques are also described.
US08396570B2
A neural-stimulating device for stimulating nerve cells of a recipient is provided. The neural-stimulating device comprises an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals and an electrical stimulation generator configured to generate electrical stimulation signals. The neural-stimulating device also comprises an implantable stimulating assembly configured to be implanted in the recipient, and having disposed thereon an optical contact to deliver the one or more optical stimulation signals to the nerve cells, and an electrical contact to deliver the electric stimulation signals to the nerve cells.
US08396566B2
Devices, systems, and methods for leadlessly stimulating the heart. Through a magnetic signal generator positioned outside or inside the thoracic cavity, a magnetic signal is transmitted through the chest to stimulate electrical activity within the myocardial muscles. The magnetic signal may function as a pacemaker, cardioverter or defibrillator. Advantages of magnetic stimulation include, without limitation, non invasiveness, a reduction or even elimination in pain, and access to tissues covered by poorly conductive structures.
US08396564B2
Apparatus and methods for the treatment of keratinized tissue infected with a pathogen are provided. In certain examples, electromagnetic energy, such as microwave energy, may be used in the treatment process to reduce the amount of or eliminate the pathogen from the keratinized tissue.
US08396557B2
Methods and systems for monitoring a subject's brain activity are provided. A method includes receiving EEG signals from the subject using a plurality of EEG electrodes positioned extracranially; and recording EEG signals using a recording circuit coupled to said EEG electrodes and contained in an enclosure implanted beneath the subject's scalp and above the subject's caldarium.
US08396555B2
Apparatus to control physiological functions, including urinary track physiological functions are described. The apparatus includes an electrode(s) configured to be placed on or in a targeted component of a pudendal nerve and to stimulate the targeted pudendal nerve pudendal. The targeted component of the pudendal nerve includes a pudendal nerve urethral afferent, and afferent nerve fibers in the deep perineal nerve. The apparatus includes a controller coupled to the electrode to apply an electrical signal having an amplitude and a selected frequency chosen to stimulate the targeted component. The controller operates in a first mode to apply a first frequency without substantially changing the amplitude for achieving a first physiologic response and the controller operates in a second mode to apply a second frequency, different than the first frequency, for achieving a second physiologic response different than the first physiologic response.
US08396544B2
Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a patient and graphically representing ST-segment deviations.
US08396538B2
Improving the signal-to-noise ratio of electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements facilitates cardiac beat detection in a human or animal patient. ECG signals measured either on the surface of the skin or subcutaneously from pairs of leads may be combined to calculate a differential signal. The measured signal may also be averaged to produce a second estimate. A point-by-point product of the differential signal and the averaged signal is generated if the sample pair has the same polarity. The product signals feature enhanced signal components and reduced noise components, thus improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the to respective input channels. Product signals are then subjected to peak detection through a conventional auto-sensing approach. Preliminary event detection results from the conditional product signals may then be aggregated, and final sense markers for ECG beat detection may be generated by means of a voting algorithm.
US08396535B2
An apparatus and method for providing image acquisition and/or image display in a limited region of interest (ROI). The apparatus comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS), preferably integrating a light source, a cantilever, a lens, an actuator, a light detector, and a position sensor. The light source provides light for illuminating the ROI, displaying an image, providing a therapy, and/or performing other functions. The cantilever comprises a resin waveguide with a fixed end attached to a substrate that supports many or all other components. A free end of the cantilever is released from the substrate during fabrication and includes the lens. The actuator scans the free end in orthogonal directions to illuminate the ROI or display an image. The position sensors detect the position of the free end for control. The light detector receives light backscattered from the ROI separate from, or at the fixed end of the cantilever.
US08396527B2
A sensor may be adapted to reduce motion artifacts by mitigating the effects of the tissue moving within the sensor. A sensor is provided with an elastomeric sensor body adapted to accommodate patient motion. Further, a sensor is provided in which the sensor cable is arranged to mitigate its pressure on a patient's tissue.
US08396523B2
A motor and method of operating the motor are provided. The motor includes a plurality of cylinders arranged in a ring relative to one another and positioned at a non-zero angle relative to one another. Each cylinder includes a piston configured to move within the cylinder. Each cylinder further includes a high-temperature superconductor material in a superconducting state in the presence of an external magnetic field below a critical field strength, wherein the critical field strength is a function of the temperature of the superconductor material. Each cylinder further includes a permanent magnet mechanically coupled to the piston and configured to move within the cylinder and to have a magnetic field that interacts with the superconductor material. A sum of a non-zero time-invariant magnetic field strength and a time-varying magnetic field strength cycles between at least a first field strength below the critical field strength for the superconductor material and at least a second field strength above the critical field strength for the superconductor material, such that the superconductor material cycles between a superconducting state and a non-superconducting state. A time-varying force is applied to the magnet by an interaction of the magnet's magnetic field with the superconductor material.
US08396520B2
A portable terminal including a first body, a second body having a manipulation portion formed on one surface thereof, the second body being slidably connected to the first body such that the first body is moveable between a closed configuration covering the manipulation portion and an open configuration exposing the manipulation portion, and a slide module connecting the first body to the second body. The slide module includes a tilting unit configured to tilt the first body with respect to the second body at a predetermined angle in the open configuration and a slide member configured to slidably connect the first and second bodies to each other. The slide module imparts a first motion to the first body during movement across a first region of the second body and imparts a second motion different from the first motion to the first body during movement across a second region of the second body. The second motion includes a tilting motion of the first body with respect to the second body.
US08396515B2
Dynamic battery capacity allocation for data retention among mobile computers and electronic devices
Systems devices and/or methods that facilitate dynamic battery capacity allocation are presented. Extended use times or smaller form factors can be achieved for devices employing dynamic battery capacity allocation. By determining factors that can include the type of memory, the usage of the memory, and/or the user's preference to continue to use a device rather than retain data in a volatile memory for a period of time before supplying alternative power, the device can be available for use for longer periods of time on a battery or a smaller battery can be used to achieve similar use time.
US08396514B2
The described embodiments relate generally to methods, systems and handheld electronic communications devices for selecting and displaying a caller ID image from an image database configured to respond to user input and selectively display images on a display. The image database stores at least one tag identifier data corresponding to each image. An address book database stores at least one individual identifier and at least one corresponding address. A caller ID image corresponding to at least one caller ID is selected from the images and displayed on the display.
US08396511B2
An apparatus and method in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus includes a Base Station (BS) which includes a manager for increasing a set point associated with a Mobile Station (MS) if an error is detected in a burst received from the MS, a detector for incrementing a counter associated with the MS if a difference, between a maximum Transmission (Tx) power of the MS and a Tx power used by the MS when transmitting the burst in which the error was detected, is less than a difference threshold, and a determining unit for providing control such that a number of slots allocated to the MS decreases if the counter associated with the MS is greater than a counter threshold.
US08396506B2
A system and method for dynamically optimizing the transmission power levels for downlink voice and data signal transmitted from a base station to user equipment is disclosed. The user equipment measures the strength and quality of the downlink signal, and transmits this downlink signal information to a control unit. The control unit analyzes the downlink information and employs an adaptive self-learning traffic algorithm which determines optimized power levels for the downlink signals. The control unit may optimize only one carrier signal or a subset of the multi-carrier signals in a preferred embodiment. The values of the optimized power levels are sent to the base station which then increases or decreases the downlink transmission power of one or more carrier signals based on this level. As a result, the area associated with dead spots is reduced and the quality of the downlink signals is enhanced.
US08396503B2
A method, an apparatus and a computer program for updating a signal quality target for power control of an ongoing radio transmission in a radio communication system. A change in transmission format from a first transmission format to a second transmission format is detected (301) for the radio transmission. The signal quality target is updated (302) to include a target offset component associated with the detected change in transmission format.
US08396491B2
Provided is a location information management method including: step in which a mobile station acquires information on a second radio base station transmitted via a common control channel from the second radio base station while communication is performed with a first radio base station; step for transmitting the information to a radio control device; step in which the radio control device transmits a measurement instruction to the mobile station and the first radio base station if the information on the second radio base station is received; and step for deciding and managing the location information on the mobile station in accordance with the measurement result.
US08396477B2
Disclosed are a radio communication base station device and a radio communication method which can reduce the interruption time of a service being received by UE while suppressing a resource consumption amount in an SFN area when the UE performs a handover from the SFN area to a non-SNF area. An MBMS reception request identification unit (127) judges an RRC message inputted from the UE (100). If an MBMS reception request is contained, an MBMS reception request is transmitted to an MBMS reception request storage unit (124). Moreover, when the RRC message from the UE (100) contains an adjacent cell reception quality measurement result, a handover decision unit (126) judges whether to perform a handover to the adjacent cell. The MBMS reception request storage unit (124) stores the MBMS reception request outputted from the MBMS reception request identification unit (127). When the handover decision unit (126) which has decided the handover requests for transmission of an MBMS reception request, the MBMS reception request storage unit (124) transmits the MBMS reception request to an MME (140).
US08396472B2
Providing multiple data streams by different networks for the same content is disclosed. First and second data streams over respective first and second networks are provided. The first and second data streams carry the same content and are delivered using different radio access technologies (RATs) by the first and second networks. The data streams may be provided such that they are synchronized and received by a user equipment simultaneously.
US08396455B2
A method and system are presented for sorting alert and offer messages on a mobile device. One embodiment of the invention is directed to a method including receiving alert messages at a mobile device where each alert message contains transaction data associated with a transaction conducted with a merchant. Upon receiving the alert messages, the mobile device receives alert message sorting criteria from a user associated with the mobile device, sorts the alert messages according to the received offer sorting criteria, and displays the sorted alert messages.
US08396450B2
Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.
US08396445B2
A system and method that facilitates processing and/or routing of emergency call in an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) for VoIP (Voice over IP) subscribers is provided. Specifically, an E911 profile is generated, for example, by an application server, for each VoIP subscriber based in part on current location information associated with the subscriber, such as, the subscriber's IP address. The E911 profile is pushed to the HSS (Home Subscriber Server) of the IMS. The E911 profile can then be stored in the HSS and can be queried by an E-CSCF (Emergency Call Session Control Function) during emergency call processing. Moreover, when an emergency call is received from the subscriber, the E-CSCF can retrieve the E911 profile associated with the subscriber from the HSS and route the call to an appropriate PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) based on an analysis of the information in the E911 profile.
US08396439B2
The invention discloses an interference cancellation circuit for a receiver to process an input signal which is carried on a first carrier frequency and includes a transmitted signal and at least one interference signals. The interference cancellation circuit comprises a down-converter for converting the input signal to dc location to generate a down-converted signal; a first path circuit for processing the down-converted signal to generate a first processed signal which includes the transmitted signal and the interference signals; a second path circuit for processing the down-converted signal to generate a second processed signal which includes only the interference signals; and a combiner for generating an output signal by combining the first processed signal and the second processed signal.
US08396434B2
Disclosed herein is a signal processing device including an adjustment section configured to adjust the power of each of subinterval signals by multiplying the subinterval signals by a gain adapted to bring the power to a given level, the subinterval signals being input signals each having a frequency component of one of a plurality of subintervals into which the frequency band over which the power spectrum is to be measured is divided, and a correction section configured to correct the power of each of the subinterval signals, whose power has been adjusted by the adjustment section, by multiplying the power spectrum by the reciprocal of the gain used for adjustment of the power by the adjustment section.
US08396433B2
At a transmitting side, during carrier leak adjustment, quadrature modulation means uses a carrier wave having a frequency different from that at a receiving side to quadrature-modulate an outgoing signal. Feedback means feeds a modulated wave resulting from the quadrature modulation back to the receiving side. At the receiving side, quadrature demodulation means quadrature-demodulates the fed back modulated wave. Phase locking means locks the phase of the signal resulting from the quadrature demodulation to match the phase to the phase at the transmitting side. Offset detection means time-averages the phase-locked signal to detect a direct-current offset. At the transmitting side, based on the value of the direct-current offset detected at the receiving side, offset adjustment means corrects a direct-current offset of the outgoing signal to be quadrature-modulated.
US08396427B2
A system and method provide adaptive filtering of radio frequency (RF) signals. Multiple signals are received in a predetermined RF spectrum, the signals including a desired signal and multiple potentially interfering signals. A first signal of the potentially interfering signals is down-converted to a baseband signal, and a power of the baseband signal is determined. When the power exceeds a predetermined threshold power, a first notch filter, corresponding to a frequency of the first signal, is activated.
US08396426B2
The invention relates to a multicarrier mobile device comprising a receiver (101) for receiving a first multicarrier signal being associated with a first communication cell and a second multicarrier signal being associated with a second communication cell, an extractor (103) for extracting a first signal portion from the first multicarrier signal and for extracting a second signal portion from the second multicarrier signal and a processor (105) for determining a first interference power on the first signal portion and the second interference power on the second signal portion.
US08396425B2
In a multi-core semiconductor device, a data bus between CPUs or the like consumes a larger amount of power. By provision of a plurality of CPUs which transmit data by a backscattering method of a wireless signal, a router circuit which mediates data transmission and reception between the CPUs or the like, and a thread control circuit which has a thread scheduling function, a semiconductor device which consumes less power and has high arithmetic performance can be provided at low cost.
US08396420B2
An active antenna system and a method for relaying radio signal in the mobile communications network is disclosed. The active antenna system comprises a plurality of antenna elements for relaying radio signals at a first frequency band. The antenna elements are connected to a plurality of signal paths. A plurality of signal inputs for inputting radio signals at a second frequency band is connected to the signal paths. A plurality of first mixers in the signal paths converts the frequency of the radio signals between the first frequency band and the second frequency band. A single first local oscillator is connected to the first mixers through a first oscillator signal path and supplies first oscillator signals to the first mixers and at least one dispersion element is connected to at least one of the signal paths.
US08396418B2
An embodiment of the present invention discloses a microwave relay receiving method and apparatus, a microwave relay transmitting method and apparatus, and a microwave relay node. The embodiment of the present invention relates to the field of communications technologies and is invented to enable free scheduling of microwave signals at low costs. The microwave relay receiving method includes: receiving a microwave signal; separating the microwave signal to obtain service information at an intermediate frequency band and control information at a low frequency band and sending the separated service information to a switch matrix; and sending the control information to the switch matrix so that a corresponding switch in the switch matrix is turned on and the service information is transmitted by the turned on switch.
US08396417B2
Aspects of a method and system for frequency control in a frequency shifting repeater are provided. In this regard, a reference frequency may be divided to generate a first pair of local oscillator (LO) signals, the first pair of LO signals may be divided to generate a second pair of LO signals. The two pairs of LO signals may be utilized to frequency shift a received signal for repeating the signal on a different frequency. The frequency shifted signal may be generated by down-converting the received signal utilizing the first pair of LO signals, up-converting the down-converted signal utilizing the second pair of LO signals, and combining the resulting up-converted signals. The reference frequency may be divided by a first scaling factor to generate the first pair of LO signal which, in turn, may be divided by a second scaling factor to generate the second pair of LO signals.
US08396412B2
A mobile terminal is provided having a memory, a display, a wireless communication unit having a first module to receive a first broadcast signal and a second module to receive a second broadcast signal, and a controller to control the wireless communication unit, wherein when a signal strength of the first broadcast signal received by the first module is less than a first signal strength, the controller to control the second module to receive the second broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal is buffered in the memory while the display displays content corresponding to the first broadcast signal received by the first module.
US08396410B2
A bookbinding system includes an image forming apparatus and a bookbinding apparatus connected to the image forming apparatus. The bookbinding system includes an image forming unit to form an image on a recording sheet; a loading unit to load, as a bookblock stack, plural recording sheets on which images are formed; a bonding unit to form a booklet by bonding a cover with the bookblock stack; a setting unit to set a bookblock size, a cover size, and a finishing size; a cutting unit to cut the booklet bonded together with the cover into the finishing size; a stack thickness detection unit to detect a thickness of the bookblock stack; and a bookbinding permission/inhibition determination unit to determine permission/inhibition of a bookbinding operation based on a stack thickness detection result as well as the bookblock size, the cover size, and the finishing size set by the setting unit.
US08396405B2
According to aspects described herein, there is disclosed an apparatus and method for controlling a position of a belt in a printing system. The apparatus including a roller assembly for engaging at least a portion of the belt. The roller assembly extending laterally across the belt. The apparatus including a pair of laterally spaced support arms each rotatably supporting opposed ends of the roller assembly. Each support arm being pivotally coupled to the printing system for movement about a pivot axis extending substantially in the lateral direction. The apparatus also including a pair of actuating assemblies each configured to pivot a different one of the support arms about the pivot axis. The pivotal movement of each of the pair of support arms by the respective actuating assemblies being independent of the other.
US08396402B2
The present invention provides a conductive roller having a toner transport part composed of a vulcanized rubber composition at least on an outermost layer thereof. The vulcanized rubber composition contains a rubber component (A), highly conductive carbon black (B) having a particle diameter not less than 18 nm and less than 80 nm, an inorganic filler (C) consisting of not less than one kind of a metal oxide selected from among a group of titanium oxide, alumina, and silica. A total of a content of the highly conductive carbon black (B) and a content of the inorganic filler (C) for 100 parts by mass of the rubber component (A) is not less than 10 parts by mass nor more than 60 parts by mass.
US08396379B2
A toner cartridge inserting and removing door is provided at a removal port of each of a plurality of toner cartridges. Normally, the toner cartridge inserting and removing door is locked and cannot be opened. For a case where the remaining amount of a toner in the toner cartridge is decreased and a change is needed, a display unit for notifying thereof is provided, thereby selectively opening the toner cartridge inserting and removing door corresponding to a toner cartridge for which a change is necessary.
US08396376B2
In the case in which an input voltage to a comparator COMP reaches (½)×Vcc from initial Vcc in accordance with lowering of the electric potential at a nodal point N1, an output level of the comparator COMP is inverted to make the output level LOW. In the case in which the output level of the comparator COMP is made LOW, a switch for amplifying part SW3 is connected, and an optical receiver circuit 1 makes the shift to a half start-up state. A signal detector circuit SD as well is started up by the connection of the switch for amplifying part SW3. In the case in which an amplifying part 2 is started up, the signal detector circuit SD judges whether a transmission signal is included in an output from the amplifying part 2. In the case in which the signal detector circuit SD shows that a transmission signal is not included, the resetting switch SW2 is connected to reset a capacitor C1.
US08396374B2
In a digital signal processing optical transmission apparatus such as a predistortion or OFDM type one, optical transmission at a stable S/N ratio is intended to be able to be made by controlling an output of an optical transmission signal with fixed average power, even if a peak to average power ratio of the optical transmission signal changes. The apparatus is provided with an average power calculation unit (30) that calculates the average power of a digital signal outputted from a digital signal processing circuit (2), and an optical power variable unit (31) that serves to make constant the average power of an optical transmission signal outputted from an optical vector modulator (5).
US08396371B2
Multiple light beams are launched into a single optical fiber, each respective light beam with a corresponding signal. Each of the respective multi-beams are separated by launching each of the light at a different incidence angle and/or input position, into the optical fiber. In this way, each light beam is able to propagate independently according to its own trajectory inside the fiber. The resultant multi light beams propagate with respective counter cyclical orbital angular momentum with respective helical paths.
US08396365B2
There is provided a customer premises optical network unit (ONU) capable of reading management signals and of outputting data through an external node by using I2C serial interfaces. In the ONU, an ONU functioning section has another serial signal terminal and is connected with a first management processing section through a sub-serial transmission path. The first management processing section is also connected with a MSA interface module through an additional monitoring signal transmission path and a monitoring signal transmission path. The monitoring signal transmission path on the side of the MSA interface module is connected with a sub-I/F section. A part of management signals set in an OAM layer of a signal transmitted between an OLT and the ONU may be outputted to an external node by using the first management processing section, the additional monitoring signal transmission path and the monitoring signal transmission path.
US08396358B2
An optical device includes an advancing/retracting member, an anti-shake frame supported by the advancing/retracting member, an insertable/removable frame which holds an image-stabilizing insertable/removable optical element and is rotatably supported by the anti-shake frame, a through-hole formed through the anti-shake frame to allow the insertable/removable frame to move between the insertion and removed positions, the through-hole including a circular arc groove about a rotational center of the insertable/removable frame and an outer end of the through-hole formed as an open end, and a bridge portion formed on the anti-shake frame to connect opposed inner walls of the through-hole at the outer end. The bridge portion is offset from the anti-shake frame and overlaps the clearance through-hole, as viewed in the optical axis direction.
US08396357B2
An optical unit with shake correcting function may include a movable module on which an optical element is mounted, a fixed body which supports the movable module, a shake detection sensor which detects a shake of the movable module, a shake correction magnetic drive mechanism which swings the movable module on the fixed body on a basis of a detection result of the shake detection sensor to correct the shake of the movable module, and a spring member which is connected with the fixed body and the movable module. A stopper mechanism may be structured between the movable module and the fixed body, and the stopper mechanism may moving ranges of the movable module due to the shake.
US08396347B2
With this invention, at least one of a video file containing video information, a still picture file containing still picture information, and an audio file containing audio information and a management file having management information on a control method of reproducing the information in the file are recorded on an information storage medium. This realizes a data structure that causes the recording and deleting places on the information storage medium to correspond spuriously to places on a single tape, such as a VTR tape. Use of the data structure provides users with an easy-to-use interface.
US08396331B2
Functionality is described for generating a vocabulary from a source dataset of image items or other non-textual items. The vocabulary serves as a tool for retrieving items from a target dataset in response to queries. The vocabulary has at least one characteristic that allows it to be used to retrieve items from multiple different target datasets. A target dataset can have a different size than the source dataset and/or a different type than the source dataset. The enabling characteristic may correspond to a size of the source dataset above a prescribed minimum number of items and/or a size of the vocabulary above a prescribed minimum number of words.
US08396319B2
Shadow is an inseparable aspect of all natural scenes. When there are multiple light sources or multiple reflections several different shadows may overlap at the same location and create complicated patterns. Shadows are a potentially good source of information about a scene if the shadow regions can be properly identified and segmented. However, shadow region identification and segmentation is a difficult task and improperly identified shadows often interfere with machine vision tasks like object recognition and tracking. A shadow separation and contrast enhancement method based on the polarization of light is provided. Polarization information of scenes is captured by a polarization-sensitive camera and the scenes are processed to effectively separate shadows from different light sources.
US08396317B1
An analysis module accesses an input image, identifies an algorithm to be used to generate an output image from the input image, analyzes the algorithm, and determines a pixel offset of the algorithm. A generation module identifies a region of the output image in which output pixels are to be generated without an edge-checking operation. The generation module generates a modified version of the algorithm that omits the edge-checking operation and generates the output image by using the modified version to generate output pixels in the identified region.
US08396315B2
A method for sensing an optical image and producing an improved image signal, includes the steps of: supplying a first signal to a first plurality of nodes, the nodes residing in an integrated circuit substrate; producing a second signal at a second plurality of nodes residing in the integrated circuit substrate, the first plurality of nodes substantially corresponding to the second plurality of nodes, wherein the step of producing the second signal includes: imposing a smoothness constraint on the second signal restricting a signal difference between the nodes of the second signal, the smoothness constraint imposed with a plurality of horizontal electronic element; imposing a closeness constraint on the second signal, thereby restricting a signal difference between the corresponding nodes in the first signal and the second signal, the closeness constraint imposed with a plurality of vertical electronic element; and balancing the smoothness constraint and the closeness constraint with a balancing means controlling the vertical electronic elements, the horizontal electronic elements, or both the vertical and the horizontal elements, the balancing means controlled by at least a portion of the first signal.
US08396304B2
A method for producing a slide show video from a collection of hardcopy media, the method includes digitizing the media and detecting handwritten information and estimating the age of the media; determining an order of presentation for the slide show video based on the detected handwritten information and estimated ages; and producing a slide show video from the hardcopy media using the determined order of presentation.
US08396300B2
An object-end positioning method is provided for positioning lower ends of two limbs of an object. In the method, a foreground processing is performed on an original image to obtain a foreground image. A number of turning points are obtained according to the foreground image, wherein connection of the turning points forms a polygonal curve. Each turning point is classified to be a convex or concave point according to an included angle between lines connecting the turning point to two adjacent turning points. A number of selected convex points and selected concave points are selected. Two of the selected convex points are selected as two temporary ends. Connection of the two temporary ends and a selected concave point located between the two temporary ends forms a triangle. Two positioning ends for positioning the lower ends of the two limbs of the object are determined according to the two temporary ends.
US08396298B2
An image processing apparatus includes a separation unit which determines the attribute of data contained in input document image data and separates the document image data into areas by attributes, an extraction unit which extracts, from the separated areas, an area of a graphics image as a target of vectorization processing, a determination unit which determines whether the attribute of the area of the graphics image is a clipart area or a line drawing area including a line drawing, and a vector conversion unit which performs vectorization processing corresponding to the attribute of the graphics image based on the determination result of the determination unit.
US08396296B2
A method comprises segmenting a foreground and a background of an image; and extracting one or more features from the foreground and the background to recognize a brand image. The features comprises one or more from a group comprising a foreground area, coordinates of a foreground centeroid, a foreground symmetry, a connected property, a spatial moment of the foreground, a normalized center moment of the foreground, a background area, variations of the background in red, green and blue color channels, a ratio of the foreground area and the background, an entropy of the image, an edge density of the image.
US08396295B2
The present invention discloses a method for recognizing a handwritten character, which includes the following steps of: obtaining a coarse classification template and a fine classification template; receiving a handwritten character input signal from a user, gathering a discrete coordinate sequence of trajectory points of the inputted character, and pre-processing the discrete coordinate sequence; extracting eigenvalues and calculating a multi-dimensional eigenvector of the inputted character; matching the inputted character with the coarse classification template to select a plurality of the most similar candidate character classes; and matching the eigen-transformed inputted character with sample centers of the candidate character classes selected from the fine classification template, and determining the most similar character classes among the candidate character classes. The present invention further discloses a system for recognizing a handwritten character. The present invention can recognize an inputted character fast at a high recognition precision.
US08396292B2
An image processing apparatus includes a selecting unit, a boundary strength calculating unit and a color replacing unit. When M representative colors include first and second colors, and N intermediate color between the first and second colors, the selecting unit selects the first and second colors and the N intermediate color. M and N denote natural numbers, N≧1 and N
US08396286B1
A concept learning module trains video classifiers associated with a stored set of concepts derived from textual metadata of a plurality of videos, the training based on features extracted from training videos. Each of the video classifiers can then be applied to a given video to obtain a score indicating whether or not the video is representative of the concept associated with the classifier. The learning process does not require any concepts to be known a priori, nor does it require a training set of videos having training labels manually applied by human experts. Rather, in one embodiment the learning is based solely upon the content of the videos themselves and on whatever metadata was provided along with the video, e.g., on possibly sparse and/or inaccurate textual metadata specified by a user of a video hosting service who submitted the video.
US08396285B2
A digital image is processed to provide an estimation of the position in the image plane of a vanishing point. The processing includes detecting pairs of similar image patches and identifying a concurrent set of straight virtual lines that substantially converge at a point on the image plane, each line passing through a pair of similar image patches within the image.
US08396273B2
A method is provided that includes acquiring a first set of image data from X-rays produced at a first energy level and a second set of image data from X-rays produced at a second energy level. The method includes generating a first noise mask for a first basis material and a second noise mask for a second basis material and removing pixels corresponding to cross contaminating structural information from the first noise mask and the second noise mask. The method includes processing a first materially decomposed image generated from the first set of image data and the second set of digital data using the second noise mask after removal of the cross contaminating structural information and processing a second MD image generated from the first set of image data and the second set of digital data using the first noise mask after removal of the cross contaminating structural information.
US08396267B2
Systems, methods and articles of manufacture are disclosed for compensating for motion of a subject during an MRI scan of the subject. k-space data may be received from the MRI scan of the subject. A first graphical image may be generated from a first set of data elements from the k-space data. Similarly, a second graphical image may be generated from a second set of data elements from the k-space data. An offset in pixels may be determined by which to translate the second graphical image from the first graphical image to compensate for the motion. The k-space data may be modified at a sub-pixel offset relative to the determined offset. A motion-compensated graphical image of the subject may be generated from the modified k-space data. Doing so reduces the search space evaluated to sharpen images generated from the k-space data.
US08396262B2
Disclosed is a face recognition apparatus for previously registering a face image of a person, receiving a moving image in which face identification is intended to be performed, and performing face recognition in the received moving image. The apparatus includes the following elements. A face registration unit registers the face of a person as an image. A face detection unit detects a face in a frame of an input moving image. A face tracking unit tracks the detected face in frames of the input moving image. A face identification unit compares the detected face, which is being tracked by the face tracking unit, with the registered face registered in the face registration unit to identify the face. A stabilization unit stabilizes the result of face identification by the face identification unit.
US08396256B2
Techniques are disclosed for parallel computing of a line of sight (LoS) map (e.g., view-shed) in a parallel computing system. For example, a method for computing an LoS map comprises the following steps. Data representing at least one image is obtained. An observation point in the at least one image is identified. A portion of the data that is associated with a given area in the image is partitioned into a plurality of sub-areas. The plurality of sub-areas are assigned to a plurality of processor elements of a parallel computing system, respectively, such that the data associated with each one of the plurality of sub-areas is processed independent from the data associated with each other of the plurality of sub-areas, wherein results of the processing by the processor elements represents the LoS map. The parallel computing system may be a multicore processor.
US08396242B2
In a sound receiver, a sound wave is directly received by microphones at a predetermined phase difference. The microphones are arranged in opening cavities of a casing, at positions that are different from the volume center points of the opening cavities. The microphones are supported by supporting springs in a state of not closely contacting inner peripheral walls. The sound wave received by the microphones is input to a signal processing unit and after a signal component in a predetermined low frequency band is removed by a filter, the resulting sound wave is amplified by an amplifier and is made in phase by a phase shifter and output.
US08396240B2
A first electro-acoustic transducer and a second electro-acoustic transducer are supported by a housing attached to a baffle to form an asymmetric acoustical system. An equalizer receives an input signal and generates an equalized signal which is transmitted to the second electro-acoustic transducer. The equalizer is configured to generate the equalized signal such that a net mechanical force acting on the baffle, generated by the first electro-acoustic transducer in response to the input signal and by the second electro-acoustic transducer in response to the equalized signal, is less than the net mechanical force that would be generated if the equalized signal were unchanged in magnitude and equal or opposite in phase to the input signal.
US08396239B2
An audio signal transmission device includes a first light source and a second light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light and a second wavelength of light, respectively. The first detector and the second detector are configured to receive the first wavelength of light and the second wavelength of light, respectively. A transducer electrically coupled to the detectors is configured to vibrate at least one of an eardrum or ossicle in response to the first wavelength of light and the second wavelength of light. The first detector and second detector can be coupled to the transducer with opposite polarity, such that the transducer is configured to move with a first movement in response to the first wavelength and move with a second movement in response to the second wavelength, in which the second movement opposes the first movement.
US08396232B2
A method and system are disclosed for playing, storing, accessing, and retrieving multimedia content and providing the content to a surgical environment. In particular, the audio playback function can provide a means to play background music in an operating room to provide a soothing and/or entertaining background to the surgical team and/or a patient. Further audio and video playback can provide a walkthrough of preparing surgical cassettes, hand pieces and other consumables used in ophthalmic surgery.
US08396229B2
Presented herein is a system for transmitting sounds to an in-utero infant, that is worn by a pregnant woman, said system comprising a flexible carrier with two arms and adapted to accommodate the continuously changing shape of the abdomen of a pregnant woman; an array of speakers disposed on the arms of the carrier and substantially surrounding the in-utero infant with the sounds emitted from said speakers; an amplifier operatively associated with the array of speakers that enables tailoring the frequencies and tonal qualities of the sounds emitted from the array of speakers to levels suitable for an in-utero infant; and an audio device, operatively connected to the array of speakers and the amplifier, that provides a source from which sounds are played back.
US08396215B2
A signal transmission apparatus includes: a serial-to-parallel conversion unit serial-to-parallel converting HD-SDI format serial digital video signals of Link A containing CH1, CH3, CH5, and CH7, and Link B containing CH2, CH4, CH6, and CH8; a scrambler rewriting a specified timing reference signal among data of horizontal lines in converted Link A into a predetermined value, applying scrambling to only specified data, performing encoding, and outputting at least up to several bits of data following an error detection code; an extracting unit extracting RGB bits only from specified data among data of horizontal lines in converted Link B; an 8-bit/10-bit encoder subjecting the extracted RGB bits of the Link B to 8-bit/10-bit encoding; a multiplexing unit multiplexing scrambled parallel digital data of the Link A and encoded parallel digital data of the Link B; and a serial digital data generating unit generating serial digital data from the parallel digital data.
US08396211B2
A system and method for dynamically and automatically updating the appropriate fields on the message application screen of an electronic message to show which of the appropriate service book, security encoding or security properties are acceptable or allowed for the message being composed. This updating occurs automatically based on the contents of the fields that are modified during composition of the message, such as, for example, modifications to classification of the message, recipients, keywords, or the like. Thus, the properties in place for a given message is reflected in a dynamic options list provided to the user based on the contents of various fields of the electronic message and the system policies resident on the system. The dynamic updating may provide an updated list of options to the user, or may optionally automatically apply minimum level settings based on security policy and contents of the message.
US08396200B2
A three-way call detection system and method for detecting continuous noise indicative of a an attempt to circumvent existing three-way call detection systems and methods. The continuous noise detection system and method may be used in conjunction with any existing three-way call detection system and method, including for example, a system and method that monitors the active communications of the telephone management system for pulses of energy indicative of a three-way call.
US08396183B2
A shift register circuit includes plural shift register stages for providing plural gate signals. Each shift register stage includes an input unit, a pull-up unit, a pull-down unit, a control unit and an auxiliary pull-down unit. The input unit is put in use for outputting a driving control voltage according to at least one first input signal. The pull-up unit pulls up a corresponding gate signal according to the driving control voltage and a system clock. The pull-down unit pulls down the corresponding gate signal to a first power voltage according to a control signal. The control unit is utilized for generating the control signal according to the corresponding gate signal. The auxiliary pull-down unit pulls down the driving control voltage to a second power voltage according to a second input signal.
US08396177B1
Interference carrier regeneration and interference cancellation involve generating a Cross Polarization Interference Cancellation (XPIC) error signal representative of a difference between a first signal derived from a first communication signal that is received over a wireless communication link and a first symbol decision that is based on the first signal. The first communication signal is affected by interference from a second communication signal, on an orthogonal polarization channel of the same nominal frequency channel, for example. Based on the XPIC error signal and a second symbol decision for the second communication signal, a carrier of interference affecting the first signal from the second communication signal is regenerated. A rotation and derotation arrangement rotates a cross-channel interference signal and derotates a main channel equalizer feedback signal based on the regenerated interference carrier. The derotated main channel equalizer feedback signal can be provided as a feedback signal to a cross-channel interference equalizer.
US08396175B2
Method for estimating and correcting a frequency offset between a local clock of a receiving transceiver and a remote clock of an emitting transceiver comprises receiving by said receiving transceiver, a signal emitted by the emitting transceiver, said signal lacking a continuous sinusoidal carrier and having at least one symbol, each symbol being emitted within a time frame having a first duration; sampling the signal by taking for each time frame a set of energy measurements of said signal; forming a matrix representative of said energy measurements; determining from said energy matrix, points of maximum of energy within each time frame; determining a line connecting a plurality of said points within each of said time frames; determining a slope of said line; calculating a frequency offset between the clocks of the emitting and receiving transceivers using the slope; and adjusting the receiving transceiver's clock frequency according to the frequency offset.
US08396169B2
A method of channel estimation of a mobile communication system based on a time division pilot field is disclosed. The method uses a transmitting end that transmits a time division pilot sequence having a cyclic prefix and a receiving end that transforms the time division pilot sequence into frequency domain using a fast Fourier transform module. Channel estimation is performed to obtain a channel frequency response estimation result. The receiving end transforms the channel frequency response estimation result back into time domain and obtains a channel impulse response estimation result.
US08396168B2
In a receiver with a multi-stage equalizer, such as an SLI equalizer, cumulative symbol estimates generated in one or more early stages of the equalizer are used as effective pilot symbols to improve channel estimation for later stages.
US08396158B2
The invention is related to a data processing method comprising: selecting from at least one codebook a codebook and at least one weight in the codebook fulfilling a predetermined performance criterion, wherein one of the at least one codebook is of the form: [ 1 0 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 0.5 ⅇ j 0 0.5 ⅇ j π 3 0.5 ⅇ j 2 π 3 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 ⅇ j π 0.5 ⅇ j 4 π 3 0.5 ⅇ j 5 π 3 ] ; and informing the selected at least one codebook and weight to a transmitter for being used in transmission.
US08396157B2
In an embodiment, a method for determining a MIMO mode for a wireless communication system includes providing input parameters, an electronic device determining a probability of each MIMO mode being a dominant MIMO mode; and selecting the MIMO mode based on the determining.
US08396156B2
Control channel information transmission method, and base station and terminal using the same method
A method for transmitting a control channel information to perform an adaptive coding and modulation comprising performing error correction coding at a predetermined coding rate for the control channel information; modulating according to a predetermined modulation scheme and transmitting the error correction coded control channel information; and further, prior to the modulation, performing code decimation or code repetition of the error correction coded signal, according to whether or not Multi Input Multi Output is applied.
US08396153B1
A method and system for cooperative multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) transmission and reception operations in a multicell wireless network. Under the method, antenna elements from multiple base stations and/or multiple antennas are utilized to from an augmented MIMO antenna array that is used to transmit and receive MIMO transmissions at base stations and/or terminals. The cooperative MIMO transmission scheme supports higher dimension space-time-frequency processing for increased capacity and system performance.
US08396149B1
The adverse effects of RF and baseband circuits are mitigated using a post-compensation method wherein a transfer function that would un-distort or complement a distorted waveform is parameterized to a relatively small number of degrees of freedom; and the parameters are estimated in a feedback loop. The error function of the feedback loop is generated by comparing some relatively low-order statistics that are known a priori or can be computed with relative certainty from the decided output waveform—to the statistics of the corrected signal.
US08396144B2
A method and system for OFDM symbol timing recovery is described. A symbol timing recovery module of an OFDM receiver is configured to determine an optimum trigger point for performing a discrete Fourier transform in a manner that minimizes inter-symbol interference.
US08396134B2
Systems and methods for scalable video coding using special inter-layer prediction modes (called telescopic modes) are provided. These modes facilitate accelerated operation of encoders with improved coding efficiency.
US08396130B2
A motion vector search method used in video encoding which performs motion-compensated prediction. The method includes inputting a motion vector which has been searched for with respect to an encoding target block; computing a motion vector having a minimum overhead cost which minimizes the amount of code generated for the motion vector of the encoding target block; limiting a search area based on the input motion vector and the motion vector having the minimum overhead cost; and searching for a motion vector by searching only the limited search area. It is possible to compute a predicted vector of the encoding target block based on a motion vector of an already-encoded block in the vicinity of the target block, and determine the computed predicted vector to be the motion vector having the minimum overhead cost.
US08396128B2
In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a list 0 motion vector of the co-located block in a first reference picture as the motion vector if the co-located block has the list 0 motion vector and a list 1 motion vector. The first reference picture is a type of reference picture permitted to be located temporally before or after the current picture. The method further includes selecting the list 1 motion vector of the co-located block in the first reference picture if the co-located block only has the list 1 motion vector, and deriving at least one motion vector of the bi-predictive block by applying a bit operation to the selected motion vector. The bit operation includes 8 bits right shift.
US08396126B2
Disclosed herein are certain embodiments of lattice video coding (LVC) systems and methods (collectively referred to herein also as LVC systems) that provide for adaptive streaming and/or burst error immunity in a video distribution network, such as the Internet or other communication networks. In general, as and explained further below, such LVC systems decompose or partition pictures of one or more segments (e.g., groups of pictures or GOPs) of a video stream into N lattice representations (also referred to herein as latticed representations, latticed or latticed video representations, or the like), where each lattice representation comprises a subset of the pixels of the pre-partitioned picture, and where the collective lattice representations of a given picture comprises the same number of pixels as the pre-partitioned picture. Each resulting lattice representation corresponds to an independently decodable stream (or in some embodiments, dependently decodable streams) that is transmitted in such a manner as to enable dispersion of the corresponding data, hence resulting in temporal data elasticity and immunity to burst errors. Further, with regard to adaptive streaming, the decomposition of the original video into independently decodable streams of lattice representations enables fine-tuning of the bit rate without the necessity of signaling between a receiver and server while obviating the need for additional encoding hardware as is common in multi-bit rate stream implementations.
US08396118B2
Picture level rate control systems, apparatuses and methods are described which indirectly control bit rate through peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), thereby providing a stable PSNR while maintaining a given target average bit rate. In a preferred implementation, encoding is performed in conjunction with macroblock QP modulation. In this way, the picture level rate control provides stable temporal quality and the macroblock QP modulation provides stable spatial quality. By way of example, the number of bits generated in a group of pictures (GOP) is controlled by modulating the target bit allocation for a group of pictures (GOP) based on coded picture buffer (CPB) fullness. Macroblocks are encoded for each picture based on a rate-distortion model, which is modified in response to the relative fluctuation of PSNR of pictures within a group of pictures.
US08396117B2
An apparatus, arrangement, method and computer program product for digital video processing encodes a video stream while dynamically adjusting the complexity level of the encoder. One apparatus includes a processor providing processing resources, a video encoder utilizing the resources to encode a digital video that includes a plurality of complexity levels used to encode video frames forming the video, a usage meter to measure repeatedly a usage level of the resources during running of the encoder, and an optimizer to direct repeatedly the encoder to utilize the resources adaptively by calculating a usage level of the resources for a plurality of the frames encoded before a current frame using the measured usage levels, comparing the calculated usage level to a predetermined level of the resources, and selecting one of the complexity levels to encode the current frame based on a comparison of the calculated usage level to the predetermined level.
US08396116B2
A moving picture coding apparatus 1 includes: a quantization matrix holding unit (112) that holds a quantization matrix (WM) which has already been transmitted in a parameter set and a matrix ID for identifying the quantization matrix (WM), which are associated with each other; and a variable length coding unit (111) that obtains the matrix ID corresponding to the quantization matrix (WM) used for quantization from the quantization matrix holding unit (112) and places the matrix ID in a coded stream Str.
US08396111B2
A DPWM (1) has a locked loop (4) which receives an input clock signal and provides an out-of-phase delayed clock at the output of each cell in the loop (35). A multiplexer (5) selects one of the cell outputs at any one time. This allows the DPWM (1) to have a greater resolution which would otherwise be achieved with the same input clock. The resolution is further increased using an interpolator. A programmable module (2) has a control block (20) which interfaces with external CPU and DSP hosts and transmits programmed parameters to finite state machine controllers (15), each providing an independent output.
US08396110B1
In one embodiment, a receiver circuit is provided. The receiver circuit includes a low-power equalization circuit having a first linear equalization circuit coupled to receive serial data. The receiver circuit includes a low-noise equalization circuit having a second linear equalization circuit coupled to receive the serial data, and a non-linear equalization circuit coupled to an output of the second linear equalization circuit. The receiver circuit includes a control circuit configured to enable the low-power equalization circuit and disable the low-noise equalization circuit in response to a first state of a control signal. The control circuit is configured to disable the low-power equalization circuit and enable the low-noise equalization circuit in response to a second state of the control signal.
US08396109B2
An adaptive receiver equalizes incoming data expressed as a series of symbols, the degree of equalization being adjusted by some adaptive control logic. An amplitude detector samples the amplitude of the eye openings of incoming symbols and conveys the resulting measures of eye amplitude to the adaptive control logic. The control logic experiments with different equalization settings while monitoring the resulting eye amplitude to find the equalization setting that provides incoming data eyes of the highest amplitude. A data filter may be included to enable the amplitude detector only in response to particular incoming data patterns.
US08396107B2
To realize a GDFE precoder for multi-user MIMO systems, which significantly reduces the computational cost while resulting in no capacity loss, one method comprises obtaining an effective downlink (DL) channel matrix H for the DL channel after receiver processing at the user terminals; computing an uplink (UL) covariance matrix D by assuming there are as many user terminals as a number of rows in the effective DL channel matrix H; computing a filter matrix C based on the UL covariance matrix D; computing a feedforward filter matrix F based on the filter matrix C; computing an interference pre-cancellation matrix G, based on the feedforward filter matrix F and the filter matrix C, used in a transmitter at an interference pre-cancellation stage of the GDFE precoder; and processing user symbols by a decision feedback equalizing stage of the GDFE precoder to produce filtered vector symbols.
US08396103B2
The transmission cable controller system and method of use relates to a microprocessor controlled data cable that is capable of transmitting high volumes of data from many sources on as little as two copper conductors. The cable has the ability to monitor itself and its transmission path for chafing, corrosion, breakdown, and damage. Once a problem has been detected, the system can output a warning signal of any type (audible, visible or a remote warning line) to notify personnel that there is a problem.
US08396101B2
A high-speed bit stream interface module interfaces a high-speed communication media to a communication Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) via a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or the communication ASIC to another communication ASIC. The high-speed bit stream interface includes a plurality of signal conditioning circuits. The signal conditioning circuits service each of an RX path and a TX path and include a limiting amplifier and a clock and data recovery circuit. The signal conditioning circuit may also include an equalizer and/or an output pre-emphasis circuit. The clock and data recovery circuit has an adjustable Phase Locked Loop (PLL) bandwidth that is set to correspond to a jitter bandwidth of a serviced high-speed bit stream.
US08396093B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for transmitting digital signals between at least two units disposed to move relative to each other. By combining information signals with random signals, the spectral power density of a signal is reduced for the same transmission power. The device can include a data transmitter, pseudo random generator or random generator, and a combining unit for combining the output from the transmitter with the output from the generator. The combined result is sent across a transmission path where it is received by a data receiver. The receiver has a combining unit for receiving the combined result compared to a second pseudo random or random generator output for recreating the original transmitter output.
US08396087B2
A digital broadcasting system and method of processing data are disclosed. Herein, a method of processing data of a transmitting system includes generating a service informative null packet including service-related information of mobile service data, and multiplexing a plurality of main service data packets, a plurality of mobile service data packets, and a plurality of service informative null packets, and transmitting the multiplexed data packets to at least one transmitter located in a remote site. The digital broadcasting system and method of processing data may enhance receiving performance of a receiving system by performing additional encoding on mobile service data and by transmitting the processed data to the receiving system.
US08396083B2
A transmission entity (e.g., user equipment (UE)) is expected to reduce the segmentation of Radio Link Control (RLC) Service Data Units (SDUs) while also minimizing padding. Signaling or provisioning of a constraint value such as a maximum padding amount or minimum segmentation size is employed in a determinative way in the UE to balance these objectives. A receiving entity (e.g., evolved base node (eNB)) benefits from being able to signal these parameters, whose application to RLC instances can discriminate between data and signaling radio bearers. Compliance can also be voluntary, such as the network entity employing at least a portion of the same approach on the downlink.
US08396078B2
A rate matching method and device wherein the number of times to output each bit included in input data is determined in parallel, and the data length of the input data is expanded or contracted, based on basic parameters for expanding or contracting the input data and the bit number (m) of each bit of the input data. A de-rate matching method and device is also disclosed wherein expanded or contracted data is decoded to pre-expanded/contracted data.
US08396076B2
Systems and methods for roaming between a mobile node and at least one serving node connected to a network are disclosed. The present application provides a method for roaming between. In the system and method, a first communication is established between the mobile node and one of the serving nodes through a control server, when an Ethernet transceiver is used by the mobile node. Ethernet is used for communications between the mobile node and the control server, and a wireless communication technology for communications between the control server and the serving node. The control server also translates communications between Ethernet and the wireless communication technology. In the system and method, a second communication is established between the mobile node and one of the serving nodes with the wireless communication technology, when a wireless communication technology transceiver is used by the mobile node.
US08396066B1
A source-address independent, multi-path routing method for use in a communication network is disclosed. A network node uses an information packet's destination address to determine a plurality of neighbors it has a proportional likelihood to forward that packet to, such that packets can be sent over multiple paths to a destination node without undesirable looping. Multiple-neighbor proportional forwarding routing tables are determined by computing a directed graph of multiple optimal paths to each destination node. Optimal paths and forwarding proportions are based on link capacities. The multi-path routing method provides maximized throughput, reduced congestion and superior load balancing over single-path routing. Source-address independence also overcomes a major problem of more traditional source-address dependent multi-path routing methods. The source-address independent, multi-path routing method can be implemented in mixed networks where some nodes do not implement the method. Data structures and methods for determining the optimal paths and parameters are provided.
US08396057B2
A manner of managing selected CPE (customer premises equipment), UE (user equipments, or other subscriber device traffic in a communication system. A management traffic regulator is provided that inspects incoming management traffic from and determines whether it should be forwarded to a server. The determination is made by comparing the type of message to a rules and policy database, which in one embodiment prescribes which messages will be declined if the level of traffic being processed has reached a certain percentage of the systems maximum capacity.
US08396053B2
An illustrative embodiment of the present invention includes a method for routing at least one packet from at least one source node to at least one destination node, each node is operatively coupled to a given packet switch within a plurality of packet switches operatively coupled to a given circuit switch. The method includes a step of establishing one or more Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). Each VLAN comprising a subset of the plurality of packet switches operatively coupled to the given circuit switch. At least one of the one or more VLANs comprises the at least one packet switch to which the source and destination nodes are operatively coupled. The method also includes a step of routing the at least one packet from the source node to the destination node over at least one loop-free path comprised of one or more packet switches within a given VLAN.
US08396049B2
A method is described for engaging a first transcoder entity in a tandem free operation session with a second transcoder entity. The transcoder entities control the tandem free operation session and the insertion of transcoders into the session. They also perform a synchronization procedure of the first transcoder entity and the second transcoder entity and send tandem free operation frames. The tandem free operation frames are sent from the first transcoder entity to the second transcoder entity during execution of the synchronization procedure. A transcoder entity and a program embodying the invention is also described.
US08396048B2
A communication apparatus provides a first transfer unit for transferring a first packet received from a base station to a second home agent, the first packet to be sent from a first mobile station to a second mobile station as a destination, the first terminal and the second terminal being managed by a first home agent and the second home agent respectively, a second transfer unit for transferring the first packet sent back from the second home agent to the base station, and a return instruction unit for issuing to the base station an instruction for directly transferring a second packet to the second mobile station when a predetermined condition is satisfied.
US08396046B2
An origination terminal UA100 according to the present invention is provided with a screen state memory unit 500 for storing a screen state of an information display unit 360 at transmission of a call request including information on communication on a desired network and an initiation state of an application corresponding to the screen state and a control unit 320 for controlling the information display unit 360, when receiving a call enable notification in response to a call enable notification request transmitted after cancellation of a call from a destination terminal UA200, which becomes able to use the desired network, to display the screen state stored in the screen state memory unit 500 and, when detecting a call instruction in the screen state, an application corresponding to the call instruction to send a call.
US08396044B2
Methods and systems for antenna architecture for WCDMA/HSDPA/HSUDPA diversity and enhanced GSM/GPRS/EDGE performance are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include receiving, for example, WCDMA, HSDPA, and/or HSUDPA signals via a plurality of antennas The wireless terminal may also receive and/or transmit packets using, for example, GSM, GPRS, or EDGE, that do not require simultaneous use of multiple antennas by antenna switching among the antennas. The number of packets that may be received or transmitted before switching to another antenna may be pre-determined or may be dynamically changed. Accordingly, each antenna may receive or transmit a pre-determined number of packets or specified number of packet that may be dynamically changed before being switched to the next antenna Each of the plurality of antennas may be reconfigured to operate via at least one of a plurality of different center frequencies within a specified range when receiving or transmitting RF signals.
US08396042B2
A control apparatus for use in wireless communications includes an antenna unit having antennas, the number of the antennas being equal to a maximum allowable number of connections in a specific frequency band; and a controller for receiving a connection request signal from each terminal attempting to connect to the control apparatus via the antenna unit, and transmitting and receiving a data signal to and from each terminal connected to the control apparatus by using a multiple-input-multiple-output scheme. The controller transmit and receive the data signal to and from each terminal connected to the control apparatus by obtaining a signal value of each antenna based on a predicted channel matrix and the number and types of terminals connected to the control apparatus via the antenna and separating the data signal for each terminal from the signal value according to the multiple-input-multiple-output scheme.
US08396041B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for adapting a communication system to varying conditions. Using some form of discovery protocol, the communication standards supported by at least two communicants are determined. Each communicant may then periodically monitor the quality of the channel established by the communication standard and dynamically select a set of one or more communication standards to use for communicating. Further, when communicants share common non-standard parameterized implementations of communication standards, changes to the protocols which the communication standards comprise can be used to add options for a more dynamic response to changing conditions than is possible when adhering only to an established communication standard.
US08396038B2
A system and method for allowing legacy circuit switch user equipment (CS UE) to operate via a packet switch system, such as an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) system, is provided. The mobility and session control aspects of communications with the legacy CS UE is separated. A user agent is placed in the receiving node (e.g., a home node B) that acts as the SIP agent for the CS UE for session control. An interworking function is provided to allow mobility between the macro CS network and the PS (e.g., IMS) network. Hand-back and hand-in procedures with service continuity are also provided.
US08396031B2
The present invention concerns a method for allocating, by a telecommunication device, at least a channel element of a group of channel elements of a channel resource to a destination. Each channel element is a predefined subdivision of the channel resource. The telecommunication device: determines the number of channel elements to be allocated to the destination; selects at least one randomization function according to the number of channel elements to be allocated to the destination; processes the data to be included in the or each channel element to be allocated to the destination by the at least one selected randomization function; transfers the data processed by the at least one selected randomization function by mapping the data processed by the at least one randomization function on the at least one channel element.
US08396028B2
A client in a home entertainment network can communicate with other components, including the server, over both a wired and a wireless link, with the particular path being selected based a component preference, and/or a bandwidth capability, and/or an occupancy ratio. Both links may be simultaneously used.
US08396019B2
In order to maintain the reliability of telecommunication by means of the multicast wireless communication when IP multicast is used in the IP broadcast service, the network system includes a transfer apparatus for transferring multicast packets and transfer request packets and a network apparatus for receiving transfer request packets and for transferring the multicast packets to be distributed. The transfer apparatus transmits transfer requests together with transfer request packets when it transmits multicast packets to the receiver requiring unicast communication, and the network apparatus receives multicast packets, sets the destination MAC address of the multicast packet as the unicast MAC address of the receiver in response to the conversion request from the transfer apparatus and transfers multicast packets.
US08396013B2
Systems and methodologies are described that provide support for signal acquisition in wireless communication systems that utilize half-duplex communication in the presence of asynchronous sectors. Forward link and reverse link superframes can be structured such that a given frame position in a superframe alternates between forward link communication and reverse link communication for a particular half-duplex interlace. More particularly, an odd number of frames can be grouped into respective forward link and reverse link superframes, from which frames can be assigned to a first half-duplex interlace and a second half-duplex interlace in an alternating fashion. By varying the communication link used by a half-duplex interlace at a given frame location, terminals operating on a single half-duplex interlace can detect asynchronously operating sectors irrespective of the transmission timeline of such sectors.
US08396012B2
The present invention relates to a method and system that provides hierarchical adaptability components to a wireless process control and/or automation network that increase system efficiency and reliability. The invention comprehends an intelligent and efficient process to design and operate a wireless process control and/or automation network while utilizing minimum system resources. In certain embodiments, path requirements are specified per usage class whereby minimum utilization of bandwidth, paths and hardware is allocated, while meeting plant environment requirements for services such as closed-loop regulatory and supervisory control, open-loop control, alerting, logging and remote monitoring.
US08396008B2
A band control system for a digital subscriber line network in which a first apparatus and a second apparatus situated at a subscriber station and a center, respectively, are interconnected by a cable for interchanging at least a digital data signal with each other. The system may cause one of the first apparatus or the second apparatus to monitor receipt of signals from the other of the first apparatus or the second apparatus; send, based on a result of monitoring, a band variation command to the other apparatus for causing the other apparatus to vary a band by using a frequency band not used for signal transfer; cause the other apparatus to receive the band variation command; and vary the band in accordance with the band variation command.
US08396006B2
A system and method for enabling wireless communications with cell coordination is provided. A method for communications controller operation includes transmitting a reference signal, and receiving a report from at least one communication device. The communications device is served by the communications controller, and the report includes an indicator of a preferred precoding matrix. The method also includes receiving a downlink (DL) transmission intended for the communications device, scheduling a transmission opportunity for the communications device, and transmitting the DL transmission to the communications device. The scheduling is based on the received report, and the received transmission is transmitted at an occurrence of the transmission opportunity.
US08395999B2
A method is disclosed of detecting a failed link in a network over which nodes are interconnected via links. The nodes include an observer node and a managed node. This method, implemented for the observer node, includes: determining, for each of prefixes in receive route-update messages, a single normal-state path; determining, for each of the links (i.e., monitored links) on the normal-state path for the managed node, at least one prefix advertised from one of the nodes which is located adjacent to the each link on an upstream side, as at least one monitored prefix; determining whether the path contained in each route-update message, and the normal-state path for the monitored prefix contained in the each route-update message are unmatched with each other; counting, for each monitored link, an unmatched-prefix count which refers to a count of at least one unmatched prefix of the at least one monitored prefix for each monitored link; and extracting at least one link from the monitored links, as at least one failed link, based on the unmatched-prefix count.
US08395993B2
A network access unit includes: a source data receiver module to receive multiple first source data representing video content and second source data representing broadband data content; a network control module to generate a master schedule indicating whether each first source data is to be transmitted with one or two layers; a pre-coder module to pre-code each first source data using a first pre-coding scheme to generate a first set of representation data, and if the first source data is to be transmitted with two layers, to pre-code the first source data using a second pre-coding scheme to generate a second set of representation data; and an ACM module to associate each first set of representation data with a first coding and modulation scheme, and associate, for each first source data to be transmitted with two layers, the second set of representation data with a second coding and modulation scheme.
US08395989B2
A method and system of an embodiment may include receiving network path information identifying one or more network paths, receiving network traffic information specifying a network ingress and a network egress for the network traffic on a first network path of the one or more identified network paths and the network traffic information specifying one or more attributes of the network traffic, emulating failure of one or more components of the first network path, determining a second network path between the specified network ingress and the specified network egress to accommodate the network traffic from the first network path, and providing information associated with the second network path.
US08395988B2
A system for controlling telecommunication equipment configured to provide voice survivability within a telecommunication network comprises a call server monitoring apparatus, a penalty management apparatus, and a call server management apparatus. The call server monitoring apparatus is configured for monitoring a connectivity status of a call server. The penalty management apparatus is configured for managing a current accumulated penalty value of the call server. Managing the current accumulated penalty value includes adjusting the current accumulated penalty value dependent upon both the connectivity status and elapsed-time. The call server management apparatus is configured for controlling operability of the call server dependent upon the current accumulated penalty value.
US08395982B2
Provided is an optical pickup device capable of ensuring the compatibility among three types of optical discs, i.e., BDs, DVDs, and CDs, with a common objective lens and, in addition, capable of ensuring a sufficient working distance for CDs, and also provided are an optical information recording and reproducing device and an objective lens suitable for the optical information recording and reproducing device. On the objective lens, there is arranged a first optical path difference providing structure formed such that: the direction of step differences of a basic structure wherein the diffraction order of a blue-violet laser light flux become an odd order faces toward the opposite direction of the optical axis; the direction of step differences of a basic structure wherein the diffraction order of the blue-violet laser light flux become an even order faces toward the optical axis; and both the basic structures are overlapped together.
US08395981B2
In laser welding an optical part to a pickup case of an optical pickup device, outgas deposition on a lens surface can be inhibited, and positional shifting of the optical part can be reduced. The optical part has a lens surface facing in an optical axis direction and a protruding part formed, to be joined to the pickup case, at an end portion thereof in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis. A joint surface between the protruding part and the pickup case extends in a direction parallel to the optical axis, and the joint surface is fixed by a weld portion formed by laser irradiation. The joint surface is parallel to a bottom surface of the pickup case, and the height from the bottom surface is approximately equal to the height of the center of the lens surface.
US08395979B2
A recording device includes a light irradiation portion which irradiates an optical recording medium with laser light emitted from a light source via a field lens, a light emission drive portion which drives and causes the light source to emit light, a front monitor which receives the laser light emitted from the light source, a light receiving portion which receives reflected light which is obtained from the optical recording medium in response to the laser light irradiation, a focus servo control portion which controls a focus servo of the field lens on the basis of a light receiving signal by the light receiving portion, a surface jump controller which controls the focus servo control portion so as to perform a focus jump operation to a surface of the optical recording medium, and a surface APC corrector which performs a process as an auto power control (APC) correction process.
US08395977B1
Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for power calibration. The method includes writing, using a power configuration, a second pattern over a first pattern on a rewritable storage medium. The first pattern includes at least a first symbol and a second symbol while the second pattern does not include the second symbol. Thus, the second symbol in the first pattern is erased according to the power configuration. Then, the method includes reading the rewritable storage medium to measure remaining amplitude of the second symbol in the first pattern.
US08395976B2
An optical disc apparatus can make the focus of an information light beam converged by an objective lens agree with a target track of a target mark layer of an optical disc by appropriately predefining the distance between the focus of a servo light beam and that of the information light beam with regard to the direction of the thickness and a radial direction of the optical disc by means of the optical pickup of the apparatus and then operating for focus control and tracking control of the objective lens so as to make focus of the servo light beam converged by the objective lens agree with a reference track of a reference mark layer.
US08395974B1
A thermally-assisted magnetic recording head of the present invention includes waveguide 2 that includes core 3 through which light from a laser beam source propagates and cladding 4 that surrounds the periphery of the core 3, magnetic pole 10 that generates magnetic flux toward magnetic recording medium 25, plasmon generator 16 that faces a part of the core 3 and extends to the ABS, that couples to propagation light that propagates through the core 3 in a surface plasmon mode, and that generates surface plasmon, near-field light generating part 16a that is an end part of the plasmon generator on the ABS side and that generates near-field light from the surface plasmon, heat generation element 20 that thermally expands the thermally-assisted magnetic recording head, and dielectric body 40 that covers at least a part of the plasmon generator positioned on the ABS.
US08395969B2
Method and apparatus to implement a “virtual” real-time clock at a terminal based on time information from multiple communication systems. At least one system (e.g., GPS) provides “absolute” time information for the virtual real-time clock, and at least one other system (e.g., a cellular system) provides “relative” time information. The virtual real-time clock is “time-stamped” with absolute time as it becomes available from the first system. Relative time (which may be received from multiple asynchronous transmitters) is mapped to the timeline of the virtual real-time clock as it is received from the second system. Absolute time at any arbitrary time instant on the timeline may then be estimated based on the absolute time from the first system and the relative time from the second system. Absolute times from the first system for two or more time instants may also be used to calibrate the relative time from the second system.
US08395965B2
There is provided a method of direct waveform inversion of turning waves (311, 312, 313) to determine parameters characterizing properties of the earth or sub-sections of the earth, particularly of parts of the earth which are capable of trapping hydrocarbons with the inversion yielding from the wavefield of turning waves information representing or being equivalent to velocities or slownesses and/or the gradient of velocities or slownesses, particularly by evaluating wavefield data in the vicinity of turning points (33). The method can be applied sequentially as a survey sinking method.
US08395962B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a source signal generation unit configured to generate a source pulse signal having a pulse width which is determined depending on an interval between an input of an active signal and an input of a column command signal, which is inputted after an active command, and a column decoding unit configured to generate a column select signal in response to an address and the source pulse signal.
US08395960B2
A memory circuit includes a first plurality of memory arrays disposed in a column fashion. The memory circuit includes a first plurality of keepers each of which is electrically coupled with a corresponding one of the first plurality of memory arrays. A first current limiter is electrically coupled with and shared by the first plurality of keepers.
US08395954B2
In one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a logic circuit and a memory circuit that includes multiple bit lines and bit line precharge circuits. The memory circuit may include level shifters for control signals generated from logic circuit inputs, including one or more level shifters that generate precharge enable signals to control the bit line precharge circuits. The level shifters for the bit line precharge circuits may also be controlled, during periods of time that the memory circuit is idle, by a control signal (FloatBL herein). If the FloatBL signal is asserted, the bit line precharge circuits may be disabled. In some embodiments, the FloatBL signal may also disable bit line bit line hold circuits on the bit lines. In some embodiments, when the memory circuit is exiting an idle state, the bit line precharge circuits may be enabled in a staggered fashion.
US08395953B2
The bit-line sense amplifier includes a driving-voltage control circuit and an amplifier. The driving-voltage control circuit generates a first test driving voltage having a voltage level of a pre-charge voltage, a second test driving voltage having a voltage level of a pre-charge voltage added by a voltage difference between a bit-line and a complementary bit-line, and a third test driving voltage having a voltage level of a pre-charge voltage subtracted by the voltage difference in a test mode. The amplifier senses and amplifies a voltage difference between the bit-line and the complementary bit-line.
US08395950B2
A memory device is provided with memory components and a clock skew generator, supporting at least two read and write operations that can occur coincidentally in read-read, read-write and write-write modes of operation of the memory device. The clock skew generator produces at least two stable and balanced clock channels carrying the at least two clock signals and varies relative timing of the clock signal edges so as to displace the edges in time, in those modes of operation wherein simultaneous edges would lead to detrimental loading.
US08395946B2
The data access apparatus comprises a phase locked loop (PLL) and a data receiving circuit. The PLL provides a plurality of internal clocks and selecting a strobe clock from the plurality of internal clocks according to a phase selection signal. The data receiving circuit comprises a latching module, for latching of the data signal according to trigger of the strobe clock and a calibrating circuit, for generating the phase selection signal for matching the data with a predetermined data according to the plurality of internal clocks in a training mode and finally determining the phase selection signal corresponding to a preferred clock used in a normal mode.
US08395945B2
Multiple programming processes are performed for a plurality of non-volatile storage elements. Each of the programming process operates to program at least a subset of said non-volatile storage elements to a set of target conditions using program pulses. In one embodiment, a first programming pass includes soft programming and additional programming passes include the programming of data. In another embodiment, all of the programming process includes programming data. For at least a subset of said programming processes, a program pulse associated with achieving a particular result for a respective programming process is identified. The identified program pulse is used to adjust programming for a subsequent programming process.
US08395943B2
A flash memory device includes a memory cell array having a set-up data region configured to store set-up data, wherein the set-up data includes first data and second data. The second data is stored in an empty cell area of the set-up data region. The flash memory also includes a page buffer and decoder configured to read the set-up data from the set-up data region, and a status detector receiving the set-up data from the page buffer and decoder and configured to discriminate the first data from the second data and generate a Pass/Fail status signal.
US08395939B2
In one or more of the disclosed embodiments, a read operation is compensated for back pattern effect. A bit line current is generated by a read operation that biases the word lines. As part of a back pattern effect measurement phase, at predetermined time intervals an indication of the discharge status of the bit line is stored in a latch of a set of N latches coupled to each bit line. At the end of the measurement phase, the set of latches contains a multiple bit word that is an indication of the back pattern effect experienced by that particular series string of memory cells. This back pattern effect indication is used in subsequent read operations to adjust the timing of the operation.
US08395931B2
A semiconductor device which stores data by using a transistor whose leakage current between source and drain in an off state is small as a writing transistor. In a matrix including a plurality of memory cells in which a drain of the writing transistor is connected to a gate of a reading transistor and the drain of the writing transistor is connected to one electrode of a capacitor, a gate of the writing transistor is connected to a writing word line; a source of the writing transistor is connected to a writing bit line; and a source and a drain of the reading transistor are connected to a reading bit line and a bias line. In order to reduce the number of wirings, the writing bit line or the bias line is substituted for the reading bit line in another column.
US08395925B2
An optimum forming method of performing a forming for a variable resistance element to maximize an operation window of the variable resistance element is provided. The forming method is used to initialize a variable resistance element (100). The forming method includes: a determination step (S35) of determining whether or not a current resistance value of the variable resistance element (100) is lower than a resistance value in a high resistance state; and a voltage application step (S36) of applying a voltage pulse having a voltage not exceeding a sum of a forming voltage and a forming margin when the determination is made that the current resistance value is not lower than the resistance value in the high resistance state (No at S35). The determination step (S35) and the voltage application step (S36) are repeated to process all memory cells in a memory array (202) (S34 to S37).
US08395913B2
A power factor correction of three-phase boost-type conversion is disclosed. Embodiments comprising multi-leg autotransformers are disclosed, e.g. comprising 3-phase low-pass filtering impedances such as capacitors between an input of a converter and a midpoint of the output.
US08395912B2
The resonant switching power supply device is equipped with switching elements QH and QL connected in series to an input direct-current power source Vin, a transformer T1 having secondary windings S1 and S2 and a primary winding P1, a resonant circuit where the primary winding P1 and a current resonant capacitor Cri are connected in series and which is connected in parallel to any one of the switching elements, and a rectifying circuit (D1+D2+Co) connected to the secondary winding to obtain an output voltage Vo; the transformer T1 is equipped with a primary winding P2 closely coupled to the primary winding P1, one terminal of the primary winding P2 is connected to one or the other terminal of the primary winding P1. By the other terminal is an open circuit at any time, it suppresses the switching frequency raised at the time of light load.
US08395908B2
Provided are a semiconductor package and a plasma display device including the same. The semiconductor package includes a film substrate that relays a signal between a circuit board and a display panel; a semiconductor chip that is electrically connected to the film substrate; a reinforcement plate to which the film substrate and the semiconductor chip are connected to via adhesive layers, and that provides a floating ground; and a connecting member that electrically connects the reinforcement plate and a ground of the semiconductor chip, and that electrically connects the reinforcement plate and a ground of the film substrate. Accordingly, the semiconductor package has excellent heat dissipation performance and ground stability.
US08395903B1
An interconnect array uses repeated application of an interconnect pattern (“tile”). The tile has eight I/O signal pins forming a perimeter array, a central pin that can be either a ground pin or an I/O power pin, and an offset ground pin. The I/O signal pins are associated with the same or multiple I/O banks. If the central pin is an I/O power pin, it is optionally associated with an I/O bank associated with one or more of the I/O signal pins.
US08395892B2
An air duct includes a top panel and a blocking member rotatable secured to the top panel. A through hole is defined in the top panel, and a pair of clipping portions are located an edge of the through hole. The blocking member includes an operating portion and a blocking portion connected to the operating portion. The operating portion is located on an outside of the top panel, and the blocking portion is located on an inside of the top panel. The operating portion of the blocking member is passed through a bottom surface of the top panel through the through hole, extends to a top surface of the top panel, and engaged with the pair of clipping portions.
US08395885B2
An electrical conductor mechanism is provided for an electrical bus assembly of a power distribution system, such as a residential load center, which includes a number of electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breakers. The electric conductor mechanism includes at least one planar member having first and second opposing sides. The first side is attached to a corresponding stab of the electrical bus assembly. The second side is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the circuit breakers, thereby electrically connecting it to the stab of the electrical bus assembly. An electrical bus assembly and a power distribution system employing the aforementioned electrical conductor mechanism are also disclosed.
US08395884B1
A power transfer device adapted for interconnection with the electrical system of a building includes a housing and a set of power transfer components interconnected with the housing for supplying auxiliary electrical power to the electrical system of a building. A light is mounted to the housing to provide illumination of the power transfer components when the power transfer device is supplied with auxiliary electrical power.
US08395876B2
A surge arrester is described which includes at least two electrodes. At least one of the electrodes includes a ventilation channel. The internal area of the surge arrester is connected to an external area of the surge arrester via the ventilation channel, wherein the ventilation channel is closed by means of a fusible element. The fusible element is preferably arranged at that end of the ventilation channel which faces the external area of the surge element.
US08395874B2
A multiphase current supplying circuit according to the present invention includes a diode bridge, an intervening circuit, an inverter, a control circuit, and a lightning arrester. The diode bridge is connected to a single-phase AC power supply system via the lightning arrester, and performs full-wave rectification on a single-phase AC voltage. The intervening circuit includes a capacitor and an inductor, and is constituted by a choke input type low-pass filter. More specifically, one end of the inductor and one end of the capacitor are connected, output from the diode bridge is received between the other end of the inductor and the other end of the capacitor, and a rectified voltage generated at both ends of the capacitor is output to the inverter.
US08395873B2
A solid state power controller (SSPC) for a direct current (DC) electrical system includes a high bandwidth fault detector, the high bandwidth fault detector configured to detect a possible fault and place a power switch of the SSPC in saturation at a predetermined current limit; and a low bandwidth fault detector, the low bandwidth fault detector configured to determine whether the possible fault is a confirmed fault, and in the event the possible fault is determined to be the confirmed fault, turning off the power switch, or in the event the possible fault is determined not to be the confirmed fault, turning on the power switch at a minimum on-resistance.
US08395871B2
The present invention is directed to a protective relay for providing protective control to a power system carrying three-phase power. The protective relay performs a faulted phase detection method wherein signal values representative of electrical properties of the power carried by the power system are received and are processed to produce processed signals, respectively. The processed signals have components of the signal values removed that are the same frequency as the nominal operating frequency of the power system. The process signal values are added to produce a sum, which is then divided by a predetermined number to yield a quotient. A determination is made whether the quotient falls within one of a plurality of predetermined ranges. This determination is used to determine whether the power system has a single-phase fault, a two-phase fault, or a three-phase fault.
US08395869B2
ESD protection circuit with EOS immunity is provided, which includes a first connection circuit, a first EOS control circuit formed by at least a diode, and an ESD clamp respectively coupled between a pad, a first clamp node, an I/O clamp node and a second source node. When the ESD clamp detects ESD through the I/O clamp node, it is triggered to conduct from the I/O clamp node to the second source node. When the pad receives EOS, the first EOS control circuit provides a cross voltage between the first clamp node and the I/O clamp node, such that a voltage of the I/O clamp node becomes less than a characteristic voltage of the ESD clamp to prevent the ESD clamp from reverse conducting.
US08395863B2
A contact pad includes a first layer of material with a first yield strength and a second layer of material with a second yield strength is laminated to the first layer. A third yield strength of the laminated composite of the first layer and the second layer exceeds the first yield strength and the second yield strength due to the Hall-Petch phenomenon. An overcoat covers an edge of the first layer and the second layer of the contact pad to prevent wear. A method of creating the contact pad or other microelectronic structure includes depositing a first layer of material with a first yield strength on a substrate. A second layer of material with a second yield strength is deposited on the first layer. An edge of the first layer and the second layer is coated with an overcoat material to prevent wear of the first and second layers.
US08395856B2
A method of erasing a servo pattern of a hard disk drive includes reading a servo pattern recorded on a disk, generating an erase pattern to erase the servo pattern based on the servo pattern obtained in the reading of the servo pattern, and erasing the servo pattern by using the erase pattern while the disk is rotated. The servo pattern recorded on the hard disk drive may be uniformly erased. Also, a stabilization time to stabilize a read/write head after the position control of the read/write head that is needed when a servo writer is used may be avoided so that a time to erase a servo pattern may be reduced.
US08395852B2
This invention provides an optical imaging lens assembly comprising five lens elements with refractive power, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface; a second lens element with negative refractive power; a third lens element with negative refractive power; a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having at least one of the object-side and image-side surfaces thereof being aspheric; and a fifth lens element having a concave image-side surface, at least one of the object-side and image-side surfaces thereof being aspheric, and made of plastic. By such arrangement, photosensitivity and total track length of the optical imaging lens assembly can be reduced, and the aberration and astigmatism of the assembly can be effectively corrected. Moreover, high image resolution can be obtained.
US08395850B2
A zoom lens comprises a first lens group having a negative refractive power and a second lens group having a positive refractive power in order from object to image sides, an interval between the first and second lens groups changes in a zoom operation, the first lens group is constituted by negative and positive lenses in order from the object to image sides, the negative and positive lenses of the first lens group are arranged at intervals, the second lens group is constituted by three lenses including positive and negative lenses in order from the object to image sides, and a radius of curvature of a lens surface at the object side of the negative lens constituting the first lens group, a shape of a negative lens having the maximum refractive power constituting the second lens group, and a refractive power of the second lens group are appropriately set.
US08395842B2
A hologram recording medium is manufactured using a computer. On a recording plane, cell position points Q are defined at a pitch Ph along cell position lines f(i) which are arranged on the recording plane at a pitch Pv. For each individual cell position point Q, an amplitude A and a phase θ of a synthetic wave of object light components emitted from a plurality of sample points on an associated image contour are determined by computation. At each individual cell position point Q is positioned a three-dimensional cell C, having a diffraction grating G, with a phase that is in accordance with the phase θ, formed in an effective region E having an area that is in accordance with the amplitude A. The diffraction grating G is formed by periodically positioning staircase steps with a period ξ.
US08395837B2
A releasing and post-releasing method for making a micromirror device and a micromirror array device are disclosed herein. The releasing method removes the sacrificial materials in the micromirror and micromirror array so as to enabling movements of the movable elements in the micromirror and micromirror array device. The post-releasing method is applied to improve the performance and quality of the released micromirrors and micromirror array devices.
US08395836B2
The present invention is directed to luminance enhancement structure for reflective display devices. The luminance enhancement structure comprises grooves and columns, wherein said grooves have a triangular cross-section and a top angle, and said grooves and columns are in alternating order and in a continuous form in one direction. The luminance enhancement structure not only can reduce the total internal reflection, but also especially can enhance the on-axis brightness of a display device.
US08395832B2
An image processing apparatus includes a major color range detector detecting the major color range from the image data; a criteria density setting unit determining a density value where the largest number of pixels exists in a density histogram of the major color range as a criteria density; a first correction value derivation unit deriving a first correction value to change density values in a predetermined range higher than the criteria density to be closer to the criteria density; a second correction value derivation unit deriving a second correction value to change density values in a predetermined range lower than the criteria density to be closer to the criteria density; a correction table derivation unit deriving a gradation correction table based on the first correction value and the second correction value; and a correcting unit correcting density of the scanned image data based on the gradation correction table.
US08395814B2
A terminal apparatus that can identify contents of work conducted to repair an image forming apparatus with its power supply turned off. A terminal apparatus can communicate with the image forming apparatus. An obtaining unit obtains information related to an error occurred in the image forming apparatus. A display unit displays work required to cancel the error. An input unit causes a user to selectively input contents of work. A control unit stores the contents of work selectively inputted through the input unit in a storage unit when the terminal apparatus stops communicating with the image forming apparatus and transmits the contents of work stored in the storage unit to the image forming apparatus when the terminal apparatus starts communicating with the image forming apparatus.
US08395810B2
An image forming system includes an information processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes a conversion information forming unit for creating object specifying information and object conversion information; a conversion information combining unit for creating combined print data; and a transmission unit for transmitting the combined print data to the image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a reception unit for receiving the combined print data; an information obtaining unit for obtaining the object specifying information and the object conversion information; a conversion unit for converting the combined print data to create converted print data according to the object specifying information and the object conversion information thus obtained; and a printing unit for performing a printing operation according to the converted print data.
US08395807B2
An image scanner might capture an image corresponding to scan region 263 which might be somewhat larger than original 262. Image processing circuitry might then enlarge an image corresponding to scan region 263 (arrow 279), converting it into enlarged image 271. Within enlarged image 271, the image of original 262 might have been enlarged so as to become image 273, which might be somewhat larger than printing paper 272. This enlarged original image 273 which would be present within enlarged image 271 might then be printed by a printer. Four-sided borderless copying is possible.
US08395805B2
An information processing apparatus includes an area specifying unit that specifies a print area to be printed on a print medium in a page of a document, and a processing controller that controls processing related to an electronic sticky note, in correspondence with a portion running off the print area in the electronic sticky note attached to the page, to arrange a description held in the electronic sticky note within the print area.
US08395802B2
In a printing system in which a digital camera (DSC) and PD printer apparatus are directly connected via a USB, and image data is transmitted from the DSC to the PD printer apparatus and printed, Capability of the PD printer apparatus is transmitted from the PD printer apparatus to the DSC after communication procedures are established by an application (NCDP) installed in the PD printer apparatus and DSC. The PD printer apparatus is caused to execute print operation in accordance with print conditions set by the DSC on the basis of the transmitted Capability.
US08395801B2
An exemplary embodiment of a system and method provides a determination of when a file/document format native to a device such as a multifunction peripheral (MFP) device should be handled natively by the MFP (default behavior) or preprocessed by an external service.
US08395800B2
A document transmission apparatus reduces troublesome labor of an operator when transmitting document data, inputted from a scanner or the like, by various transmission methods such as electronic mail, facsimile, remote printing and file transfer. An address book containing a receiver and a plurality of transmission methods for transmitting document data to the receiver is generated. Upon transmission instruction, an appropriate transmission method is selected by the receiver, then document data is converted into data of an appropriate data format, and the converted data is transmitted. Further, a notice of transmission indicating that the document data has been transmitted is transmitted to the receiver of the document data by a method different from the transmission method of the document data. Thus, the document data can be reliably delivered to the receiver.
US08395797B2
A data storage device for storing changeable data includes a receiving unit configured to receive an instruction from an information processing apparatus, a time certification request unit configured to request time certification of selected changeable data in order to acquire time information to be acquired as a result of time certification, in accordance with the instruction received by the receiving unit, a generating unit configured to generate unchangeable data by adding the selected changeable data with the time information acquired by the time certification request unit, and a storing unit configured to store the unchangeable data generated by the generating unit.
US08395784B2
A method of detecting an edge of a piece of media in a printer, the method includes providing a carriage for moving a printhead and a photosensor along a carriage scan path; providing a light source; providing a light guiding element having a first end that is aimed at a first predetermined position along a media advance path between a media input region and a printing region and a second end that is aimed at a second predetermined position along the carriage scan path, moving the carriage to an edge-detection position such that the second end of the light guiding element is aimed at the field of view of the photosensor; directing light from the light source toward the first predetermined position; obtaining a signal generated in response to light received in the photosensor; and analyzing the signal to detect the edge of the piece of media.
US08395782B2
A disturbance, such as vibration from human activity, is located along a fiberoptic waveguide configuration (301-304) with two interferometers (801, 802) of the same or different types, such as Mach-Zehnder, Sagnac, and Michelson interferometers. Carrier signals from a source (101) are split at the interferometer inputs (201, 202) and re-combined at the outputs (701, 702) after propagating through the detection zone (401), where phase variations are induced by the disturbance (501). Phase responsive receivers (901, 902) detect phase relationships (1001, 1002) between the carrier signals over time. A processor (1101) combines the phase relationships into composite signals according to equations that differ for different interferometer configurations, with a time lag between or a ratio of the composite signals representing the location of the disturbance. The detected and composite values are unbounded, permitting phase displacement to exceed the carrier period and allowing disturbances of variable magnitudes to be located.
US08395781B2
The disclosed automatic calibration systems and methods provide a repeatable way to detect internal catheter reflections and to shift the internal catheter reflections to calibrate an image.
US08395777B2
An apparatus and technique are invented that enhance the sensitivity of a spectrometer for trace gas detection by employing wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) and integrating the absolute value of the recorded spectra across multiple absorption lines (features) of the species. The sensitivity is further enhanced by conducting WMS with large modulation depths. This technique is implemented using a continuously tunable external cavity CW quantum cascade laser to record the second harmonic wavelength modulated spectra of NO2 across the peak of the R-branch from 1629.5 cm−1 to 1633.9 cm−1. By integrating the absolute value of the resulting spectra, the detection sensitivity of NO2 is improved by a factor of 40 compared to the sensitivity achieved using single line WMS with the same apparatus. A sensitivity of approximately 6 ppb can be obtained using a short-path cell (a 1 m absorption cell with 2 passes) which can be significantly improved using multipass cells and cavity enhanced techniques.
US08395774B2
A method of using an optical sensor, the optical sensor comprising a sensing surface comprising graphene layer, the sensing surface located on a substrate, includes determining a first optical absorption spectrum for the graphene layer by a spectrophotometer; adding an analyte, the analyte selected to cause a shift in the first optical absorption spectrum, to the graphene layer; determining a second optical absorption spectrum for the modified graphene layer by a spectrophotometer; determining a shift between the first optical absorption spectrum and the second optical absorption spectrum; and determining a makeup of the analyte based on the determined shift.
US08395768B2
A scattering spectroscopy apparatus, system and method employ guided mode resonance (GMR) and a GMR grating. The apparatus includes a GMR grating having a subwavelength grating, and an optical detector configured to receive a portion of a scattered signal produced by an interaction between an excitation signal and an analyte associated with a surface of the GMR grating. A propagation direction of the received portion of the scattered signal is substantially different from a propagation direction of a GMR-coupled portion of the excitation signal within the GMR grating. The system includes the apparatus and an optical source. The method includes exciting a GMR in a GMR grating, interacting a GMR-coupled portion of the excitation signal with an analyte to produce a scattered signal and detecting a portion of the scattered signal.
US08395767B2
The present invention relates to an Apparatus for inspection of concave elements, for detection of contaminations and/or defects, comprising means for lighting a concave element to be subjected to inspection, an image detection unit, such as a camera or like, an optic group and means for processing images acquired by said image detection unit, in order to individuate said contaminations and/or said defects of said concave element, characterized in that said lighting means comprise a first light source, suitable to generate a diffused lighting direct on the concave surface, and a second light source, suitable to generate a grazing lighting directed on the outer lateral surface of said concave element, and in that said optic group is placed so as to detect light emitted by concave surface and transmitting the same to said image detection unit.
US08395761B2
A flow meter for use in dialysis is described, that uses a thermal wave to generate a signal in the fluid for which the flow rate is to be measured. The phase angle of the thermal wave signal changes when traversing downstream. The phase difference between the signals received downstream, compared with a reference excitation source signal is measured, and used to determine the flow rate of the fluid.
US08395755B2
A lithography apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a substrate, a detector configured to inspect the substrate, and a substrate table configured to support the substrate and move the substrate relative to the projection system and the detector. The detector is arranged to inspect a portion of the substrate while the substrate is moved and before the portion is exposed to the radiation beam.
US08395752B2
System and method for applying mask data patterns to substrate in a lithography manufacturing process are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a parallel imaging writer system which has a plurality of spatial light modulator (SLM) imaging units arranged in one or more parallel arrays, receiving a mask data pattern to be written to a substrate, processing the mask data pattern to form a plurality of partitioned mask data patterns corresponding to different areas of the substrate, identifying one or more objects in an area of the substrate to be imaged by corresponding SLMs, and controlling the plurality of SLMs to write the plurality of partitioned mask data patterns in parallel by performing multiple exposures to image the one or more objects in the area of the substrate.
US08395749B2
A liquid crystal display device includes: a component substrate including a transistor device; an opposing substrate disposed so as to face the component substrate through a liquid crystal layer; a back light disposed on a side of the component substrate located opposite to the opposing substrate; first and second measurement portions formed on a surface of the component substrate and the opposing substrate, respectively, located on the liquid crystal layer side and used for measuring a difference between bonding positions of the component substrate and the opposing substrate; a measurement opening portion disposed on the second measurement portion side; and a light shielding layer disposed between the component substrate and the second measurement portion and preventing transmission of light from the back light through the measurement opening portion.
US08395745B2
When a columnar spacer is provided in a region overlapping with a TFT, there is a concern that pressure will be applied when attaching a pair of substrates to each other, which may result in the TFT being adversely affected and a crack forming. A dummy layer is formed of an inorganic material below a columnar spacer which is formed in a position overlapping with the TFT. The dummy layer is located in the position overlapping with the TFT, so that pressure applied to the TFT in a step of attaching the pair of substrates is distributed and relieved. The dummy layer is preferably formed of the same material as a pixel electrode so that it is formed without an increase in the number of processing steps.
US08395742B2
A liquid crystal display having an improved pixel aperture ratio includes vertical scan lines disposed between adjacent pixels, video signal lines disposed between adjacent pixels, and sub-capacitor lines disposed between adjacent pixels while regularly and repeatedly crossing the vertical scan lines.
US08395733B2
A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display includes: forming a protective film on at least either of first and second mother substrates disposed opposite to each other and each having panel regions; removing the protective film in a region which is associated with at least start and end points of a seal material and which is near the periphery of an area including the panel regions, applying the seal material to the protective film on the first and second mother substrates in the vicinity of dividing lines at which the mother substrates are divided into individual panel regions using a dispenser, the seal material being applied from the start to end points to form a gap to serve as a liquid crystal injection port; combining the first and second mother substrates; and dividing the combined first and second mother substrates into the individual panel regions.
US08395729B2
An LCD device is discussed, which comprises first and second substrates confronting each other; a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates; and red, green, blue, and fourth color filters on the first substrate; wherein the fourth color filter is formed of any color whose transparency is better than that of at least one of the red, green, and blue color filters, and wherein an effective area of the fourth color filter is smaller than that of at least one of the red, green, and blue color filters. The LCD device can display white color with good transparency by properly adjusting the effective areas of the four color filters, whereby there is no need to modulate light for display of the white color in a backlight unit, to thereby improve luminance of light emitted from the backlight unit.
US08395725B2
A light emitting module 1 includes a substrate 2 having a metal pattern 4 and a plurality of white light emitting devices 3 linearly arranged on the substrate 2. The metal pattern 4 is formed on a portion of 60% or more of an area of the substrate 2. The white light emitting device 3 includes a light emitting diode as a semiconductor light emitting element 5. Light emitted from the semiconductor light emitting element 5 is converted into white light by a light emitting section containing phosphors, and is taken out. The light emitting module 1 emits white light.
US08395723B2
A display device includes: a panel; a light source provided on a surface disposed with facing at an interval of a predetermined distance from the back of the panel of said panel; and at least one optical sheet placed in front of said light source; wherein said optical sheet is placed with predetermined inclination angle to the above back of the panel so that it becomes closer from the top end to the bottom end of the back of the panel of said panel.
US08395715B2
Display ground plane structures may contain slits. Image pixel electrodes in the display may be arranged in rows and columns. Image pixels in the display may be controlled using gate lines that are associated with the rows and data lines that are associated with the columns. An electric field may be produced by each image pixel electrode that extends through a liquid crystal layer to an associated portion of the ground plane. The slits in the ground plane may have a slit width. Data lines may be located sufficiently below the ground plane and sufficiently out of alignment with the slits to minimize crosstalk from parasitic electric fields. A three-column inversion scheme may be used when driving data line signals into the display, so that pairs of pixels that straddle the slits are each driven with a common polarity. Gate line scanning patterns may be used that enhance display uniformity.
US08395711B2
It is provided a method for converting video streams capturing a scene to video streams fitting a viewpoint configuration. The video streams are provided by video cameras, and the method includes receiving parameters associated with the viewpoint configuration, and converting video streams of the scene as captured by the video cameras to video streams fitting the viewpoint configuration. The viewpoint configuration may be a dynamic viewpoint configuration determined by a joystick module. The converting may be done using a three dimensional method, and includes separating objects of the scene from other portions of the scene. The method may includes integrating the scene into the video stream of a certain scene associated with the viewpoint configuration. Sometimes the viewpoint configuration includes a varying zoom and the converting is done using one of several methods, transition between adjacent video cameras having different zoom values, real zooming of a video camera having a motorized zoom, and digital zooming in of video streams. The converting may be done on video streams which have been captured the scene in advance before commencing the converting.
US08395707B1
A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.
US08395705B2
Disclosed herein are an apparatus and a method for automatically setting an external device (100) connected to a digital television (200). The specific region function and user language function are automatically set and controlled in the external device (100) based on data set in the TV using the HDMI CEC protocol. In addition, when a digital versatile disc (DVD) is played, a subtitle is automatically set to the user-set language set in the external device (100). Therefore, there is no need to perform a separate DVD language setting. Furthermore, in the case where a plurality of external devices (HDMI equipment) are connected to the TV in a multi-connection manner, they are automatically set in a CEC operation. Therefore, when a plurality of external devices are installed or released, specific functions do not need to be set one by one for each of the external devices.
US08395701B2
Provided is an operating voltage scaling method for a portable terminal. The method includes, if reproduction of a moving image is requested, acquiring DYNamicity (DYN) of the reproduction-requested moving image, determining whether frame skipping is possible for the moving image according to the acquired DYN of the moving image, and if it is determined that frame skipping is possible for the moving image, supplying a low operating voltage to a controller of the mobile terminal to control the mobile terminal to operate with a low-speed clock, and reproducing the moving image while skipping a frame.
US08395696B2
Image data is processed to facilitate focusing and/or optical correction. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, an imaging arrangement collects light data corresponding to light passing through a particular focal plane. The light data is collected using an approach that facilitates the determination of the direction from which various portions of the light incident upon a portion of the focal plane emanate from. Using this directional information in connection with value of the light as detected by photosensors, an image represented by the light is selectively focused and/or corrected.
US08395690B2
A camera on which a lens apparatus is mounted is disclosed. The camera includes a controller which performs a focusing control corresponding to the mounted lens apparatus; a display unit which performs display process corresponding to an output of the controller; and a storage section which stores correction information for correcting a calculation result in the focusing control by the controller, in association with the mounted lens apparatus.
US08395688B2
The solid-state imaging device according to the present invention includes: pixel units arranged two-dimensionally in rows and columns; signal holding units each holding an analog signal outputted from one of the pixel units in a corresponding one of the columns; and column AD circuits each converting, into a digital signal, the analog signal held by a corresponding one of said signal holding units. The signal holding units and the column AD circuits are respectively provided for the columns of the pixel units. Each of the signal holding units includes: a switching element connected to a column signal line through which the analog signal outputted from the one of the pixel units is transmitted; and a capacitor element holding the analog signal and being connected to the column signal line through the switching element.
US08395683B2
An imaging apparatus includes, an imaging unit configured to output an image signal of a captured object, a processing unit configured to perform a signal processing on the image signal, wherein the processing unit includes a cyclic noise reduction unit configured to reduce a noise of the image signal, a parameter change unit configured to change a parameter concerning at least one of an imaging by the imaging unit and the signal processing, and a coefficient change unit configured to change a cyclic coefficient of the cyclic noise reduction unit.
US08395682B2
A digital imaging system is described that controls and manages depth-of-field (DOF) modulation processes in camera. The camera CPU and DSP are used to modulate the DOF by using feedback from the scene and user preferences. The camera CPU sends a signal to the lens CPU to modify the lens aperture to control DOF to satisfy user preferences.
US08395677B2
An aberration correction apparatus includes: a correction data holding section that holds correction data on a correction level used to correct chromatic aberration of magnification; a center position discrepancy data holding section that holds center position discrepancy data on the discrepancy between the center of an image area and the position of an aberration center of the chromatic aberration of magnification; an aberration center calculating section that selects one of the center position discrepancy data that corresponds to a combination of the discrepancy variation conditions in an imaging apparatus and calculates the position of the aberration center based on the selected center position discrepancy data; an image height calculating section; a magnification chromatic aberration correction level calculating section; and a pixel value correcting section.
US08395666B1
Methods, systems and software are disclosed for automated Measurement of Video Quality parameters. The system includes a static Test Pattern provided either in form of a Test Pattern File, converted via a standard playout device (test source) into analog or digital test signal and supplied to the input of a System Under Test, or in form of a Reflectance Chart installed before the front-end device of the System Under Test, such as TV camera. The system also includes a video capture device connected to the back-end device of the System Under Test, e.g. to the output of system decoder/player. A Video Quality Analyzer processes the captured video data and generates a detailed Analysis Report.
US08395665B2
A method of automatic tracking of a target is disclosed. This method includes a light spot detecting step of detecting a light spot from a target supported on a moving object, a step of taking a moving image of the target and the moving object, a step of target tracking based on the detection of the light spot, a step of performing image tracking based on the moving image in parallel to the target tracking, a step of comparing a position of the target obtained by the target tracking with a position of the image obtained by the image tracking, and a step of tracking the target based on a result of the target tracking in case where the target position and the image position are within a predetermined range.
US08395661B1
Various pipe inspection systems include a camera head operatively connected to the distal end of a push-cable. Images may be automatically captured at predetermined distances of travel, or may be automatically captured based on the output signals from the auto-focus, auto-exposure and/or auto-white balance engines indicating, for example, that the camera motion within the pipe is substantially zero. Images may be captured in an automatic mode at predetermined intervals as the camera head travels within the pipe or in an override mode initiated by operator command. The system may include a data transmission circuit that transmits data between a plurality of nodes at a frequency that does not substantially interfere with a normal base band video transmission frequency.
US08395658B2
A system may be controlled by directing at least a portion of a field-of-view of one or more cameras across a screen of a display for the system, using the one or more cameras to track in three dimensions an object moving in a space in front of the screen, and providing input to the system based on the tracking of the object. A system may also be controlled by directing a first portion of a field-of-view of a camera in a first direction, directing a second portion of the field-of-view of the camera in a second direction across a screen of a display for the system, tracking an object moving in front of the screen with the second portion of the field-of-view of the camera, and providing input to the system based on the tracking of the object.
US08395656B1
Methods and apparatus to direct attention in a video content display are disclosed. An example method to direct attention in a video content display, includes determining a location in a display interface to which attention is to be directed based on video content to be displayed, and modulating with a stimulus, at a frequency such that the stimulus is detectable by human peripheral vision and is less detectable by human foveal vision, a portion of the video content displayed in the location with a stimulus to direct attention to the location.
US08395652B1
An example of the invention includes a collaboration system having a shared file modification engine useful to notify collaboration users connected to a data network when a shared file is updated, the modification engine comprising a plurality of client computers that communicate a file modification status request including a file identifier and a file property, each of the plurality of client computers having a plurality of shared file applications running thereon. At least one server computer connected to the data network and to the plurality of client computers. At least one shared file useful with the plurality of shared file applications and containing data to be shared with the plurality of client computers, the at least one shared file modifiable by any of the plurality of users and having a file name and a current property associated with it. The server computer is configured to perform steps of receiving the file modification status requests from the plurality of client computers and use the file identifier in the status request to identify the at least one shared file; compare the current version property to the file property from the status request; and communicate a confirmation in response to the file modification status request when the current file property does not match the file property from the status request, the confirmation confirming that the shared file has been modified and including modifications made to the shared file. The file modification status request can be used with each of the plurality of shared file applications running on the client computers.
US08395649B2
A conferencing system prevents useless data processing that accompanies data communication from occurring even when a presenter's device that outputs image data is switched. A projector functions as a node in a tree structural network, and projects an image corresponding to image data and sends the image data to the direct child indicated in parent-child information when receiving the image data from the direct parent indicated in the parent-child information. A switching module, when receiving a switching request for making a request to switch a parent-child relationship from the direct child, sends the switching request to the direct parent, when receiving permission information representing permission to switch from the direct parent, sends the permission information to the direct child that sent the switching request and changes the parent-child information so that the direct parent becomes the direct child and the direct child that sent the switching request becomes the direct parent.
US08395648B2
An optical writer includes a scanning part causing a light beam from a light source to perform scanning on a photosensitive body; an image information obtaining part obtaining image information of an image; a dithering information obtaining part obtaining dithering information of the image; a pixel clock generating part generating a pixel clock signal; and a light emission control part to control the light source based on the image information in accordance with the pixel clock signal. The pixel clock generating part modulates the clock frequency of the pixel clock signal in accordance with phase shift information for correcting a change in the speed of the scanning on main scanning lines on the photosensitive body, and determines the timing of modulating the clock frequency based on the dithering information on a main scanning line basis so that the timing of modulating the clock frequency differs between the main scanning lines.
US08395643B2
Dynamically magnifying search results and enabling motion-based review of the search results. The user enters a query to search the content of a document. As the characters of the query are entered by the user, the search results are identified and magnified such that all the search results after any given input character are visible in the user interface. The user advances through the search results by moving the computing device in a predefined manner. In an embodiment, the user searches the content of a web page rendered in a browser executing on a mobile computing device such as a telephone.
US08395631B1
Method and system for sharing memory between multiple graphics processing units in a computer system
One or more embodiments of the invention set forth techniques to allocate a memory buffer in the system memory of a computer system that is shared among a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs) in the computer system. The GPUs are able to engage in Direct Memory Access (DMA) with the memory buffer thereby eliminating additional copying steps that have been needed to combine data output of the various GPUs without such a shared memory buffer.
US08395621B2
A system is described for providing strategies for increasing the efficiency of data centers. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory may store a historical dataset, a profile and an initial configuration of a data center. The interface may communicate with a user. The processor may identify the historical dataset and receive the profile and the initial configuration from the user. The user may select a data center initiative and a reduction factor. The processor may determine a subset of the historical dataset that describes data centers with a similar profile as the initial data center. The processor may process the initial configuration, the subset of the historical dataset and the selected initiative to determine a recommended configuration. The recommended configuration may be able to achieve the selected reduction in energy use. The processor may provide the recommended configuration to the user.
US08395613B2
A display apparatus includes a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix pattern, each of the pixels emitting light, an acquisition unit for acquiring degradation characteristics of an emission luminance of each pixel from a video signal or a signal output from the pixel, and a detection unit for detecting a boundary of pixels showing different degradation characteristics of the plurality of pixels based on the degradation characteristics acquired by the acquisition unit. A calculation unit calculates a correction amount of the video signal to the pixels in a periphery of the boundary such that the emission luminance is gently varied in the periphery of the boundary when the plurality of pixels in the periphery of the boundary detected by the detection unit are caused to emit light with a same video signal. In addition, a correction unit corrects the video signal based on the calculated correction amount, and a video image is displayed by the plurality of pixels based on the corrected video signal.
US08395611B2
An active-matrix electronic display including a switching circuit for each pixel to control the optical state of the display. The switching circuit includes at least one diode and at least one load impedance for each circuit. The front plane electrode of the display may be unpatterned over a significant portion of the display. The display architecture is especially useful for bi-stable display media that require active matrix addressing, for example electrophoretic displays, and for applications using diodes based on organic semiconductors and/or printed diodes.
US08395604B2
When a resistance load inverter is used to control lighting/non-lighting of a pixel, in accordance with characteristic variations of a transistor forming the resistance load inverter, variations occur in light emission of each pixel. As an inverter in a pixel, an N channel transistor and a P channel transistor are used to apply a CMOS inverter. Even when characteristics of the transistor forming the CMOS inverter vary and inverter transfer characteristics vary, there is little effect on controlling lighting/non-lighting of the pixel, therefore, light emission variations of each pixel can be eliminated. Further, a signal potential of a scan line is used as one power source of a potential of the inverter, therefore, an aperture ratio of the pixel can be increased.
US08395598B2
A position detection apparatus is provided, which includes a plurality of position detection systems such as an electromagnetic-type position detection system and a capacitive-type position detection system. The apparatus is configured to select a transmission conductor among a plurality of transmission conductors in a first position detection system, and to select a reception conductor among a plurality of reception conductors in a second position detection system, so as to increase the spatial distance between the selected transmission conductor in the first position detection system and the selected reception conductor in the second position detection system as much as possible, to thereby reduce interference. Further, a relationship of frequency interleave may be provided between a transmission signal to be supplied to the transmission conductor in the first position detection system and another transmission signal to be supplied to the transmission conductor in the second position detection system.
US08395594B2
A touch member (210) comprises a touch surface (20, 30) having at least two sensor electrodes (21-23) that are separated from each other on the touch surface (20, 30). Each of the sensor electrodes (21-23) have a certain signal level threshold with relation to activate/lock the touch member (210). The touch surface (20, 30) is divided into a first area and a second area each comprising at least one of the sensor electrodes (21-23). Upon touching the touch member (210) in an unlocked state, the at least two electrodes (21-23) are arranged to measure periodically a signal level received from each of the electrodes (21-23) to indicate a touch location, report periodically the touch location with respect to the first area of the touch surface (20, 30), and report the measured signal level of each of the electrodes (21-23) in the second area of the touch surface (20, 30). The controller (214) sends an instruction to select an operation state of the touch member (210) based on calculated touch location information of the reported touch location and compared signal level information of the reported measured signal level.
US08395585B2
Disclosed are a display device and a front cover thereof. The display device includes a display module to form an image, a front cover to cover a rim of a front surface of the display module, a keypad display provided at the front cover, at least one light emitting unit to emit light to the keypad display disposed between the display module and the front cover, and at least one light guide channel provided at the keypad display, the light guide channel having a cross-sectional area decreasing away from the light emitting unit.
US08395581B2
The invention provides a device for displaying information, comprising display means adapted to graphically display information as a function of time for a given period of time, and input means for changing the time from a first time setting to a second time setting, thereby generating an end of time value for the first setting and a start of time value for the second time setting. The display means is controlled to display a first and a second view, the first view displaying, for the given period of time, information corresponding to the first time setting until the end of time value, the second view displaying, for the given period of time, information corresponding to the second time setting from the start of time value. In the first view the period between the end of time value and the end of the given period is indicated as not comprising information as a function of time, and in the second view the period between the beginning of the given period and the start of time value is indicated as not comprising information as a function of time. By this arrangement a user interface is provided reducing the likelihood that graphically displayed information is misinterpreted in case of a time change event.
US08395575B2
A liquid crystal display includes a first panel, a second panel facing the first panel and spaced apart from the first panel, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first panel and the second panel, a variable capacitor having a capacitance that varies by a touch and generating a control voltage that has a magnitude depending on the capacitance, and a sensing element disposed on the second panel and generating a sensing signal based on the control voltage.
US08395571B2
A pixel arrangement structure for an organic light emitting display including a plurality of sub-pixel groups repeatedly arranged, wherein each of the sub-pixel groups includes: four first sub-pixels for emitting light of a first color and each having a hexagonal structure, two second sub-pixels for emitting light of a second color and each including two hexagonal structures sharing one side, and two third sub-pixels for emitting light of a third color and each including two hexagonal structures sharing one side. Two of the four first sub-pixels are arranged in a same column and share a symmetrical axis, and the two second sub-pixels and the two third sub-pixels are alternately arranged on either side of the symmetrical axis.
US08395570B2
A display apparatus includes a pixel circuit, a scanning line for supplying a scanning signal to the pixel circuit, a data line for supplying a data signal to the pixel circuit, and a shift register circuit having a number of stages, with every stage outputting the scanning signal to the scanning line. In addition, a first power supply supplies a voltage to the shift register circuit, and a second power supply supplies a voltage to the pixel circuit. After the first power supply is turned on, a constant level signal of either “H” or “L” is input into a terminal of the shift register circuit by clocks of the number of stages of the shift register such that every stage of the shift register outputs a same level signal before the second power supply is turned on.
US08395559B1
A forty five degree polarized antenna having grid layers wrapped around a vertically polarized dipole, or grids wrapped internally or externally around a vertically polarized bicone antenna, and having grid segments separated by capacitors that can attenuate, remove or minimize circumferential resonances that appear due to the presence of the grids and reduce the nulling effects from reflections from the innermost grid layer.
US08395556B2
A method for determining the minimum measurement distance of an antenna of a wireless mobile terminal, comprising the following steps: establishing a test environment of an antenna of a wireless mobile terminal to be tested; determining electromagnetic scattering dimension of the antenna of the wireless mobile terminal to be tested and an electromagnetic scattering body in a predetermined spatial area in the test environment; and calculating the minimum measurement distance of the antenna of the wireless mobile terminal according to the determined electromagnetic scattering dimension. Electromagnetic scattering dimension of the mobile phone antenna and the electromagnetic scattering body in the predetermined spatial area is determined and measured in a simulated network environment in an electric wave anechoic chamber, and parameters of the minimum measurement distance of the mobile phone antenna can be calculated and obtained. The method has low requirement on environment and is easy to be tested and convenient to be carried out.
US08395553B2
A mobile terminal wherein a second antenna is mounted in a flexible PCB of a side key positioned at a location separated from a first antenna is provided. The mobile terminal includes: a main body; the first antenna and a printed circuit board (PCB) positioned on the inside of the main body; a side key positioned at a side surface of the outside of the main body; and a flexible PCB of the side key positioned on the inside of the main body. The flexible PCB of the side key including the second antenna. Therefore, by mounting a second antenna in a flexible PCB of a side key positioned at a location separated from a first antenna, an emission and reception performance of the first antenna and the second antenna can be improved.
US08395550B2
The invention provides a micro strip antenna used for both a near-field region and a remote-field region. A micro strip antenna comprises: a first dielectric substrate; a main patch, having a triangle shape under the first dielectric substrate, configured to feed a radiation current; a second dielectric substrate over the first dielectric substrate; and a sub patch, formed under the second dielectric substrate, configured to desert a current from the main patch to provide a vertical magnetic field.
US08395544B2
A GNSS enabled communication device receives GNSS signals from GNSS satellites. The resulting GNSS baseband signals may be concurrently correlated with GNSS acquisition codes. Inter-delay products for the received GNSS signals may be generated utilizing the correlation IQ samples. The inter-delay products are utilized to calculate either an open loop or a close-loop estimate for inter-delay phase coherence of the received GNSS signals. A test statistic, generated from the inter-delay products, may be compared with a preset or dynamically determined threshold value in order to detect or declare signal degradation effects in the received GNSS signals. The early and late delays for the inter-delay phase coherence may be generalized to two or more delays. In this regard, the correlation IQ samples may be utilized to generate a correlation matrix. Variations derived from the correlation matrix may be utilized to declare or detect signal degradation effects in the received GNSS signals.
US08395535B2
A photoelectric encoder has a scale in which a main track for detecting an amount of movement is formed in a measuring direction. The photoelectric encoder includes an origin signal generating portion provided at a part of the main track in a direction orthogonal to the measuring direction. Thereby, change in a light receiving signal due to passage of the origin signal generating portion is detected to generate an origin signal. Thus, the origin signal which is in agreement with a main signal in phase is obtained and improve the reproducibility of an origin position.
US08395529B2
A substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes one of light emitting particles or microstructures over a predefined region of the windscreen permitting luminescent display while permitting vision through the windscreen. A method to display a graphic based upon a traffic infrastructure indication upon a substantially transparent windscreen head up display of a vehicle includes monitoring the traffic infrastructure indication, analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication, and displaying the graphic upon the transparent windscreen head up display based upon analyzing the traffic infrastructure indication.
US08395527B2
The invention relates to a recording device that is associated with an operating medium specially protected from explosions, at a minimum for the collection, recording, and transmission of device parameters, having at least one data collection device, a memory device connected to said data collection device, and a data communication interface for transmission of the stored data to an external remote station. As a result, it is possible to determine corresponding device parameters in a simpler manner and at the same time to eliminate the need for time- and cost-intensive measures for accessing the operating medium on site.
US08395526B2
A warning light device having a first warning lamp (1) having at least one first light unit (2) with at least one first lighting element for visually indicating at least one operating state of a first technical unit (30) for a first electronic control device (32) and at least one second warning lamp (1) having at least one second light unit (2) with at least one second lighting element for visually indicating at least one operating state of a second technical unit (30) for a second electronic control device (32) wherein an electronic equipment connection (31) is provided for transmitting data and/or control signals between the technical units. This is achieved by having at least one electronic warning lamp connection (6, 9, 11, 13) for transmitting data and/or control signals between the at least two warning lamps (1) with the electronic warning lamp connection (6, 9, 11, 13) having at least one transmitter and/or receiver (11) for the wireless control signal and/or data transmission.
US08395524B2
A merchandiser communication system including a first plurality of merchandisers arranged in a first row and a second plurality of merchandisers arranged in a second row. Each of the merchandisers includes a light assembly coupled to a case to illuminate a product display area, a light sensor coupled to the case to detect light pulses, and a microcontroller. The light sensor is in visual proximity with one or more of the adjacent merchandisers located across the aisle. The microcontroller is in electrical communication with the light assembly and the light sensor to operate the light assembly to encode the signal in light pulses of the light assembly that are not detectable by a human eye. The communication system also includes a visible light-based communication network in communication with the merchandisers and is operable to communicate the encoded light pulses among the merchandisers via the light assemblies and the light sensors.
US08395521B2
Smart aerospace structures are described herein utilizing a deactivated RFID tag including an IC and an electrical by-pass. The electrical by-pass is conductive and the electrical by-pass is in parallel with the IC such that the deactivated RFID becomes activated upon an abnormal condition, such as an improper clamp installation, a clamp failure, an impact, a thermal event or a crack.
US08395519B2
A battery pack includes at least one battery cell that expands and contracts in relation to the chemical conditions of the battery cell. A substrate is configured to contact the at least one battery cell. A sensor is attached to the substrate and the sensor produces a signal indicative of the displacement of the substrate. A controller is communicatively connected to the sensor such that the controller receives the signal from the sensor. The controller processes the signal to produce an indication of a status of the battery cell. A method of monitoring battery safety includes movably securing a substrate across at least one cell of a battery. A displacement of the substrate is measured. The measured displacement is processed with a controller to identify a safety status of the at least one cell. An output device is operated with a controller to provide an indication of the safety status of the at least one cell of the battery.
US08395516B1
An air freshening device is provided for detecting water leaks and protecting surfaces from water damage due to leaks. The device includes: a tray, configured for being placed upon a surface located under a water pipe; a removable and replaceable liner placed upon the tray, the liner comprising a material configured for releasing an air freshening substance into air, and for increasing the release rate of the substance upon contact with water. The increase of the release rate of the substance leads to an intensifying of the scent of the substance in air, and indicates the presence of a leak from the water pipe. The tray prevents water leaking from the water pipe from touching the surface.
US08395513B2
A technique is disclosed for detecting the presence of a certain form of tampering with respect to the operation of a tracking device. The tracking device is of the kind that receives signals from which the location of the tracking device is determined and the tampering that is detected is of the kind wherein signal shielding material is intentionally placed around the tracking device so as to interfere with its ability to receive these signals. In accordance with the present invention, an auxiliary device transmits a signal that mimics certain characteristics of the signal received by the tracking device and from which the location of the tracking device is determined. The auxiliary device is disposed close to the tracking device so that the tracking device is able to receive the mimicking signal from the auxiliary device even when the tracking device is disposed in a location wherein the ability of the tracking device's to receive its location-determining signal is poor or nonexistent. The signal transmitted by the auxiliary device is received at the tracking device and is then processed at such device or at another location to detect whether or not there has been tampering of the type described hereinabove. This processing of the auxiliary device signal may be alone or in combination with other signals received by the tracking device.
US08395503B2
In some implementations a storage device having a voice-recognition engine stored thereon is coupled to a microcontroller, a device-controller for an automatic door is operably coupled to the microcontroller.
US08395502B2
The present disclosure relates to an RFID (Radio frequency identification) system using circular polarized antennas, wherein a reader emits electromagnetic wave through reader antennas to recognize a tag and to read out customer information if a customer proximity is detected, where the reader antennas are installed at a kiosk body and at a rear proximity position of a floor surface on which a customer using the kiosk stands, and the reader antennas installed at the rear proximity position of the floor surface emits circular polarizing wave toward the kiosk, whereby the tag can be accurately recognized regardless of position of the tag of the customer.
US08395499B2
This invention provides impact detection and vehicle cooperation to achieve particular goals and determine particular threat levels. For example, an impact/penetration sensing device may be provided on a soldier's clothing such that when this clothing is impacted/penetrated (e.g., penetrated to a particular extent) a medical unit (e.g., a doctor or medical chopper) may be autonomously, and immediately, provided with the soldiers location (e.g., via a GPS device on the soldier) and status (e.g., right lung may be punctured by small-arms fire).
US08395498B2
A portable patient communicator (PPC) includes a portable housing supporting a processor, memory for storing medical and wireless radio firmware, first and second radios, a processor, an identity module, and a power source. The PPC and a patient implantable medical device (PIMD) communicate via the first radio in accordance with the medical firmware. The PPC communicates with a wireless network via the second radio in accordance with the wireless radio firmware. Data stored in the identity module is used to authenticate the PPC by the remote server prior to permitting PPC access to the remote server, and may also be used to authenticate the remote server by the PPC prior to permitting access to the PPC or the PIMD by the remote server or other device communicatively coupled to the wireless network, after which PIMD and other medical data is exchanged between the PPC and remote server.
US08395496B2
A miniature modular wireless sensor unit. The unit includes three separate easily assembled and disassembled modules: a processor-communications module, a battery pack module, and a swappable sensor module. Preferred embodiments utilize Bluetooth radio communication technology to communicate sensor data. The total size of preferred embodiments is 1.380 inch×0.940 inch×0.540 inch. Preferred embodiments are easily programmed and calibrated by lay people to automatically communicate sensor information via Bluetooth techniques to a personal computer, laptop or similar equipment. A wide variety of sensors can be utilized with the standard sensor unit. Various battery pack modules are provided to match battery power with needs.
US08395491B2
The present invention relates to a method for controlling driving stability of a vehicle wherein a number of input variables are used to control the driving speed of the vehicle to a limit speed. In order to prevent unstable driving conditions in a pre-controlled manner, a model-based stable limit speed of the vehicle is determined on the basis of measured variables that are detected by means of detection devices and represent the current steering angle and the current lateral acceleration, by including other quantities of the vehicle and/or the driving situation, and the driving speed is compared to the model-based stable limit speed of the vehicle, and based on the comparison result, the driving speed is adapted to the limit speed when the driving speed exceeds the limit speed.
US08395489B2
A vehicle burglar alarm circuit includes a transformer including an input unit having taps and a center tap, and an output unit magnetically coupled to the input unit; a first and a second power source each having one electrode connected to the center tap to respectively output a higher voltage and a lower voltage; a driving unit including switching elements respectively having one ends connected to the taps and another ends respectively connected to the other electrodes of the power sources; a PWM controller outputting signals by which the switching elements are alternately turned on and off; and a power selecting unit for selecting one of the power sources. The PWM controller generates a first on-duty ratio when the first power source is selected and a second on-duty ratio when the second power source is selected such that the first on-duty ratio is smaller than the second on-duty ratio.
US08395486B2
Systems and methods for interactively interfacing handheld devices and RFID media are described. A method for interactively interfacing HHDs and RFID media. The method includes starting an application on a HHD for interfacing with RFID media, the HHD including a RFID reader, receiving user input relating to the storing of commands or messages of RFID media, creating one or more commands or messages based on the received user input, and storing the one or more commands or messages on a RFID media using the RFID reader.
US08395482B2
RFID systems are disclosed that include at least one RFID receiver system and a distributed exciter architecture. The exciters can be connected via wired and/or wireless connections to the RFID receiver system and the RFID receiver system can control the activation of the exciters to detect the presence of RFID tags within interrogation spaces defined by the exciter topology. In several embodiments, the RFID receiver system performs location estimation to determine the interrogation space in which a specific RFID tag or collection of RFID tags is located. One embodiment of the invention includes an RFID receiver system configured to detect information from RFID tags within a receive coverage area, and a plurality of exciters defining a plurality of interrogation spaces within the receive coverage area of the RFID receiver system. In addition, the RFID receiver system is configured to transmit a control signal that identifies one of the plurality of exciters and includes information indicative of an RFID tag interrogation signal, the plurality of exciters are configured to receive the control signal, and the exciter identified in the control signal is configured to illuminate an interrogation space with the RFID tag interrogation signal.
US08395480B2
A system has tags communicating by means of low frequency (below 1 megahertz) with routers which in turn communicate with nameservers. The tags have IP addresses, either explicitly programmed into the tags or associated in a virtual way with the tags. Lookups analogous to domain lookups permit human-friendly inquiries of tag status and location. Static (battery-backed) RAM in a tag permits great versatility in the localized function of the tag.
US08395478B2
There is provided a system for secure profile setting that includes at least one shared device and an RFID reader module embedded in the at least one shared device. The system further includes a database that is in communication with the at least one shared device. In the system, an RFID transponder module associated with a user transmits a signal that enables the at least one shared device to identify the user. The RFID transponder module can include a fingerprint scanner module, which can be used to acquire a user's fingerprint data to authenticate the user. Thus, after identifying the user, the at least one shared device retrieves a profile corresponding to the user from the database and sets the profile.
US08395475B2
The invention relates to a bearing device having a position indicator, comprising a bearing receptacle (2) and a bearing (3) disposed in the bearing receptacle (2) having a first bearing part (4) displaceable relative to the bearing receptacle (2), wherein the position indicator (6) comprises a potentiometer having a resistor circuit (8) and a position finger (7). The aim of providing a bearing device having a position indicator allowing reliable capture of the relative position of the bearing in the bearing device and capture of the position of the bearing parts of the bearing to each other in a simple manner is achieved according to the invention in that the resistor circuit (8) is associated with the bearing receptacle (2) and first bearing part, and that the position finger (7) is associated with the bearing receptacle and first bearing part (4).
US08395466B2
A bionic telescopic matrix unit is disclosed, which is composed of a slide shaft (6), a metal guide pipe (7), an elastic telescopic shell (2) and an electromagnetic coil (3). In the elastic telescopic shell (2), the slide shaft (6) made of a permanent magnet extends into the metal guide pipe (7) via the front end of said pipe (7) and comes into sliding contact with the inner tube wall of the metal guide pipe (7). The rear end of the metal guide pipe (7) and the front end of the slide shaft (6) protrude out through the front and back openings respectively of said elastic telescopic shell (2), said front and back openings of said elastic telescopic shell (2) being fixedly connected to the outer peripheral wall of the metal guide pipe (7) and to the slide shaft (6) respectively, thus connecting the metal guide pipe (7) with the slide shaft (6). The elongation length of the elastic telescopic shell (2) corresponds to the reciprocating stroke of the slide shaft (6) in the guide pipe (7); the electromagnetic coil (3) wound on the outer peripheral wall of the metal guide pipe (7) is covered by the elastic telescopic shell (2). Two ends of the electromagnetic coil (3) are duly connected with the positive and negative poles of a power supply. The telescopic matrix unit can simulate the functions of movement caused by animal muscle tissue extension, thus enabling greater flexibility and freedom in the mechanical limb movements of humanoid, etc. robots.
US08395465B2
A magnetic attachment mechanism and method is described. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach at least two objects together in a preferred configuration without fasteners and without external intervention. The magnetic attachment mechanism can be used to releasably attach an accessory device to an electronic device. The accessory device can be used to augment the functionality of usefulness of the electronic device.
US08395462B2
A resonator according to the embodiment includes: a substrate; a flat layered body which is formed above the substrate and is formed with at least a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film and an upper electrode; an anchor portion which fixes the layered body above the substrate; a cut-out portion inside the layered body; a tuning fork vibrator which is formed in the cut-out portion, has both ends supported by the layered body and is formed with at least a lower electrode, a piezoelectric film and an upper electrode; and an envelope which envelopes the layered body and the tuning fork vibrator in a noncontact fashion, and prevents an external force from being applied to the layered body and the tuning fork vibrator.
US08395457B2
A triangular wave generator in a pulse width modulation signal generator to generate a triangular wave signal and a pair of pulse signals. The first pulse signal is pulsed for a given duration of time when the triangular wave signal reaches a minimum limit thereof. The second pulse signal is pulsed for a given duration of time when the triangular wave signal reaches a maximum limit thereof. The voltage comparator generates a first pulse width modulation signal by comparing the triangular wave signal with an externally supplied direct current signal. The wave shaping circuit generates a second pulse width modulation signal by removing chattering components occurring immediately after rising and falling edges of the first pulse width modulation signal with a masking signal generated based on the first and second pulse signals and the first pulse width modulation signal.
US08395454B2
A circuit for producing a synchronized output of multiple ring oscillators is disclosed. In one embodiment, the circuit includes a first ring oscillator configured to generate a first periodic signal and a second ring oscillator configured to generate a second periodic signal. The circuit may further include a selection unit coupled to receive the first periodic signal and the second periodic signal. The selection unit is configured to convey a first clock edge into each of the first and second ring oscillators responsive to a most recently received rising edge from one of the first and second periodic signals. The selection unit is further configured to convey a second clock edge into each of the first and second ring oscillators responsive to a most recently received falling edge from one of the first and second periodic signals, wherein the first and second clock edges are opposite in direction.
US08395444B2
An electronic circuit includes an amplifier that amplifies an input signal, a control circuit configured to generate a control signal by averaging an output signal of the amplifier based on a time constant, a first time constant control circuit configured to generate a first time constant control signal based on the control signal, the first time constant control signal changing the time constant of the control circuit to a second time constant from a first time constant smaller than the second time constant, a second time constant control circuit configured to generate a second time constant control signal by averaging the output signal of the amplifier based on a third time constant between the first time constant and the second time constant, the second time constant control signal changing the time constant of the control circuit to the first time constant from the second time constant, and a bypass circuit bypassing the input signal of the amplifier based on the control signal.
US08395436B2
A method and circuitry for adjusting the delay of a variable delay line (VDL) in a delay locked loop (DLL) or other delay element or subcircuit on an integrated circuit is disclosed. Such delay circuitry will inherently have a delay which is a function of temperature. Such temperature-dependent delays are compensated for by adjusting the power supply voltage of the VDL, delay element, or subcircuit. Specifically, a temperature sensing stage is used to sense the temperature of the integrated circuit. Information concerning the sensed temperature is sent to a regulator which derives the local power supply voltage from the master power supply voltage, Vcc, of the integrated circuit. If the temperature sensed is relatively high, the regulator increases the local power supply voltage, thus decreasing the delay and offsetting the increase in delay due to temperature.
US08395430B2
The present disclosure discloses a digital phase locking loop and a method. The digital phase locking loop includes a trigger and a delay line. The trigger receives a delayed clock signal output by the delay line, and receives a signal of a selection end of a first delay element in the delay line; the selection end is in a gating state before triggering of the trigger. The trigger samples the signal of the selection end of the first delay element, and outputs the sampled signal to a selection end of a second delay element in the delay line; the selection end of the second delay element is in the gating state after triggering of the trigger. The signal of the selection end of the first delay element is sampled by the trigger, and the sampled result is used as the signal of the selection end of the second delay element, thus reducing glitches caused by transition.
US08395426B2
A digital power-on reset circuit for an electronic device includes at least one reset register and a comparator circuit. The power-on reset circuit is incorporated into the electronic device and the comparator circuit is configured to compare values in the at least one reset register with at least one predetermined value when a power-on reset state is determined and generate a reset signal when the values do not match the at least one predetermined value.
US08395419B2
A circuit is constituted by a plurality of n-channel-type transistors, the circuit including: among the plurality of transistors, a transistor including a drain terminal for receiving a voltage of VDD, a source terminal, and a gate terminal for receiving an input signal; among the plurality of transistors, a transistor including a drain terminal for receiving the voltage of VDD, a source terminal connected to an output terminal, and a gate terminal connected to the source terminal of the transistor; and a capacitor provided between a node and a clock terminal for receiving a clock signal. In at least one embodiment, the clock signal inputted into the clock terminal has a frequency higher than that of an output signal outputted from the output terminal. Therefore, it is possible to provide: a semiconductor device constituted by transistors of the same conductivity type, which semiconductor device can output a stable signal by preventing a reduction in electric potential level; and a display device including the semiconductor device.
US08395414B2
The exemplary embodiments provide a reconfigurable integrated circuit architecture having a predetermined, unit timing increment (or delay) for both data operations and data word transfers within every zone and between zones, which are independent of application placement and routing. An exemplary IC comprises a plurality of circuit zones, with each zone comprising: a plurality of composite circuit elements, a plurality of cluster queues, and a full interconnect bus. Each composite circuit element comprises: a configurable circuit element circuit and an element interface and control circuit, with the element interface and control circuit comprising an input queue and an output queue. Each cluster queue comprises an element interface and control having an input queue and an output queue. The full interconnect bus couples every output queue within the zone to every input queue within the zone. Any data operation performed by a composite circuit element, any data word transfer through a cluster queue, and any data word transfer over the first full interconnect bus, is completed within a predetermined unit time delay which is independent of application placement and application data routing on the reconfigurable IC.
US08395405B2
A probe for testing electronic properties of a circuit board by contacting with a weld bead on the circuit board is provided. The probe includes a main body. The main body includes an end surface, a receiving portion defined on the center of the end surface, and four positioning slots communicating with the receiving portion.
US08395401B2
Disclosed is a method to set contact parameters, which can simulate the entire contact process of devices of a semiconductor wafer with probes while visually checking the contact parameters. The method includes preparing a coordinate graph including a time axis and a height axis, and setting contact parameters of the semiconductor wafer by specifying a plurality of points on the coordinate graph by a plurality of upward/downward movement positions of the semiconductor wafer during electrical contact of the electrode pads of the semiconductor wafer with the plurality of probes or separation of the electrode pads of the semiconductor wafer from the plurality of probes, and time required for the semiconductor wafer to move until reaching the upward/downward movement positions, respectively, and displaying a broken-line graph through connecting the specified points with straight-lines.
US08395378B2
A method and system for inspecting components, such as a rotating component of a turbomachines having one or more slots along a perimeter thereof. The method entails mounting to a robotic apparatus a probe assembly that includes a holder assembly to which a probe tip is mounted, an eddy current coil within the probe tip and adjacent a first face thereof, a touch probe contact located at a second face of the probe tip, an element for enabling relative movement between the probe tip and holder assembly, and an element for biasing the probe tip relative to the holder assembly in a direction parallel to the movement. The probe tip is then placed in a slot and caused to travel along the surface of the slot to electromagnetically inspect the slot for cracks in its surface while the first face of the probe tip is maintained in contact with a slot surface.
US08395377B2
A vibration and condition monitoring system, with true digital signal processing based design, with very limited analog based general signal conditioning and integrated specific sensor conditioning in each module. In addition to the support for common eddy current probe systems, employing an external driver, the module also supports direct connection of an eddy current probe system to the module, due to a built-in driver and linearization functionality. Specific sensor signal conditioning is not dependent on hardware, but only on embedded software, firmware. There is full sensor input support in an I. S. environment. Not only the common sensor input types from accelerometer, velocity sensor, but also direct input for eddy current probe systems for both vibration and/or speed measurements. The module also comprises means to assess the type and correct functionality of an attached eddy current probe system (302, 303) by means of a frequency measurement and possibly an amplitude measurement.
US08395376B2
An apparatus and method for identifying, measuring, and monitoring metal loss through corrosion or other deleterious factors in ferromagnetic piping and ferromagnetic objects. Drive coils secured to the object are driven to emit a magnetic field which is transmitted through the object by magnetic domains in the object. Response coils detect the magnetic domains and generate a response signal. The drive and response signals can penetrate insulating materials and non-ferromagnetic metallic coverings of the piping and vessels. The system operates reiteratively over an extended period of time, e.g., months or years, to detect loss of magnetic domains which is an important indicator of corrosion and deterioration of the object.
US08395366B2
A low-cost PFC converter capable of detecting an inductor current including a DC component and performing appropriate correction of a power factor with low loss includes a diode bridge that rectifies an AC voltage input from an AC input power supply Vac, a series circuit including an inductor and a switching element, a rectifying and smoothing circuit that is connected in parallel to the switching element and that includes a diode and a smoothing capacitor, and a digital signal processing circuit that performs on/off control on the switching element so that an input current input from the AC input power supply Vac has a similar waveform with respect to an AC voltage. A current flowing through the inductor during an off period of the switching element is detected using a current detecting resistor, and a decreased voltage of the current detecting resistor is sampled at the middle of the off period of the switching element, thereby detecting an average value of the input current.
US08395364B2
The reliability of a semiconductor device is improved.A package of a semiconductor device internally includes a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip in which power MOS•FETs are formed and a third semiconductor chip in which a control circuit controlling the first and second semiconductor chips is formed. The first to third semiconductor chips are mounted on die pads respectively. Source electrode bonding pads of the first semiconductor chip on a high side are electrically connected with a first die pad of the die pads via a metal plate. On a top surface of the die pad 7D2, a plated layer formed in a region where the second semiconductor chip is mounted, and another plated layer formed in a region where the metal plate is joined are provided and the plated layers are separated each other with a region where no plated layer is formed in between.
US08395361B2
An active voice-band filter includes a regulator to regulate an input current to the regulator and to convert DC voltage from an input bus to a higher DC voltage at an output of the regulator; an output voltage feedback loop, connected to the output of a regulator, for generating an output voltage value; and a current control loop for generating a control signal to regulate an input current of the regulator, where the control signal is based on an input bus current measurement and a reference voltage value. The reference voltage value is calculated using both of the output voltage value and an input bus voltage signal. The regulator regulates the input current to the regulator, based on the control signal, to reject voice band range current harmonics from the higher DC voltage.
US08395360B2
A method for controlling a variable speed wind turbine generator is disclosed. The generator is connected to a power converter comprising switches. The generator comprises a stator and a set of terminals connected to the stator and to the switches of the power converter. The method comprises: determining a stator flux reference value corresponding to a generator power of a desired magnitude, determining an estimated stator flux value corresponding to an actual generator power, determining a difference between the determined stator flux reference value and the estimated stator flux value, and operating said switches in correspondence to the determined stator flux reference value and the estimated stator flux value to adapt at least one stator electrical quantity to obtain said desired generator power magnitude.
US08395350B2
A method for charging a hybrid electric vehicle having a high voltage battery that both propels the vehicle and starts the vehicle. More specifically, if the high voltage battery has a depleted or diminished charge and is unable to start an internal combustion engine, then the method described herein may be used to charge the high voltage battery with energy from a low voltage external power source. In one embodiment, the low voltage external power source is a conventional car battery that is connected to the hybrid electric vehicle by way of jumper cables.
US08395349B2
A mobile terminal includes a power supply including a solar cell; a controller which determines whether charging of power to the power supply can be performed using only the solar cell, controls charging of the power to the power supply using the solar cell when it is determined that the charging of the power can be performed using only the solar cell, and calculates an anticipated charged power amount and an anticipated charging time to reach a certain charging state of the power supply using a power charging speed of the solar cell; and an output unit which outputs charging state notification information that indicates at least one of the calculated anticipated charged power amount and the anticipated charging time, under control of the controller.
US08395330B2
A computing device is disclosed. The computing device includes a housing having an illuminable portion. The computing device also includes a light device disposed inside the housing. The light device is configured to illuminate the illuminable portion.
US08395328B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for controlling a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). A communications protocol is also provided, which comprises a START code, a first Command packet and at least one subsequent Command packet. An LED driver receives a signal according to the protocol, and separates the first Command packet from the signal and controls an LED associated with the LED driver in accordance with instructions in the first Command packet. The LED driver then outputs the remaining signal for use by one or more subsequent LED drivers.
US08395325B2
A method of driving a light source, a light source apparatus for performing the method, and a display apparatus having the light source apparatus are disclosed in accordance with one or more embodiments. In the method, a plurality of light source strings connected in parallel is driven by applying a driving voltage to a first terminal of the light source strings. A peak current due to a voltage deviation of each of the light source strings is switch-controlled to uniform an average current of the light source strings. Thus, a peak current flowing through light source strings in accordance with a voltage deviation of the light source strings is switch-controlled, so that an average current of the light source strings may be uniformly maintained. Therefore, a voltage deviation is not consumed as power, so that damage to circuit elements due to heat may be prevented.
US08395324B2
A solution is provided in which one or more of a plurality of light elements is alternately operated as a light emitting element and a light detecting element. For example, a system can operate a light element as a light detecting element while operating at least one other light element as a light emitting element in order to manage operation of the light elements to generate light having a set of desired attributes, evaluating an operating condition of the other light element(s), and/or the like.
US08395323B2
A lighting system (1) and its applications are described that are suitable especially in the realm of lighting systems (1) with high power light emitting diodes (LEDs). The lighting system (1) comprises a control circuit (3) with a memory device (4) and a refresh circuit (10), and the refresh circuit (10) is adapted to prevent data loss of the memory device (4) due to the reduction of the retention time of the memory device (4) caused by the high operation temperature of the LEDs.
US08395321B2
In vehicle headlamp control apparatuses, which receive a direct current voltage Es, light discharge lamps by square waves, and drive motors, in each of which the number is at least one, arithmetic operations are performed for synchronizing the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps and pulses for driving the motors with each other and for driving the motors within a substantially constant time after polarities of the square waves for lighting the discharge lamps are inverted. By using an inexpensive microcomputer, the vehicle headlamp control apparatuses make it possible to realize lighting controls for the discharge lamps and smooth drive controls for headlamps and auxiliary lamps by the motors for varying optical axes thereof.
US08395312B2
A light source having first and second LEDs and a phosphor layer that converts light generated by the first LED is disclosed. The first LED emits light at a first wavelength. The layer of phosphor is illuminated by the first LED, the phosphor being excited by light of the first wavelength to convert light of the first wavelength to a band of wavelengths having wavelengths between the first wavelength and a second wavelength. The second LED emits light at a third wavelength that is greater than the first wavelength. The phosphor is not substantially excited by light of the third wavelength. The combined light from the phosphor, and first and second LEDs is perceived as being white by a human observer.
US08395311B2
A light emitting apparatus is described. The apparatus includes a light emitting section having a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources each including a semiconductor light emitting element and one or more types of phosphors for performing a wavelength conversion on a portion of light outputted from the semiconductor light emitting element to radiate fluorescence, and the plurality of light sources each emitting light of different colors; and a light emitting control section for controlling emission intensity of each of the plurality of light sources to control a color temperature of a combined light emitted from the plurality of light sources.
US08395308B2
A display device is provided, in which view-angle dependence of chromaticity of white or an intermediate color may be reduced. The display device includes: a pair of opposed substrates; a light blocking film provided on one of the pair of substrates while having a plurality of openings; and a plurality of self-luminous elements provided on the other of the pair of substrates, each of the self-luminous elements having an emission region facing each of the openings, and having an emission color different from an emission color of another element, at least one self-luminous element being different from other self-luminous elements in clearance in a display plane direction from an end of the emission region to an opening of the light blocking film.
US08395306B2
A light source unit includes: an arc tube having a light-emitting portion; a secondary reflector covering part of the periphery of the light-emitting portion and being provided with a secondary reflecting surface for reflecting light emitted from the light-emitting portion; a primary reflector having a primary reflecting surface for reflecting the light emitted from the light-emitting portion and the light reflected from the secondary reflector; a first electrode; and a second electrode; wherein the second electrode is arranged at a position which causes an ionic wind to be induced by applying a voltage between the second electrode and the first electrode and causes air between the secondary reflecting surface and the light-emitting portion to flow, and either one of the first electrode or the second electrode is arranged between the arc tube and the secondary reflector.
US08395305B2
A display device comprises a substrate and a laminate structure formed on the substrate and comprising a plurality of layers including a display region. The laminate structure has a recessed/projected portions at least one of an outermost surface of display side and an interface between the layers. The projected portions of the recessed/projected portions have a mean circle-equivalent diameter ranging from 50 nm to 250 nm with the standard deviation of circle-equivalent diameter of the projected portions being within the range of 10 to 50% of the mean circle-equivalent diameter, and a mean height ranging from 100 nm to 500 nm with the standard deviation of height being within the range of 10 to 50% of the mean height. The projected portions have a circularity coefficient ranging from 0.6 to 1, and an area ratio ranging from 20 to 75%.
US08395304B2
In one embodiment, a lamp includes a thermal conductive hollow base body having a concave container portion, an opening portion formed at one end portion so as to communicate with the container portion and a substrate support portion formed at a peripheral portion of the opening portion. A substrate is formed of one of a thermal conductive metal plate and a thermal conductive insulating plate and including a semiconductor lighting element mounted on one surface. A peripheral portion of the other surface of the substrate is fixed to the substrate support portion so as to cover the opening portion in a thermally conductive state therebetween. A power supply device is accommodated in the container portion of the base body to light on the semiconductor lighting element. A base is provided at the other end portion side of the base body and electrically connected with the power supply device.
US08395299B2
The present invention relates to the design of piezoelectric transducer subassemblies and systems primarily intended for medical and dental applications. The invention also provides transducer subassemblies and systems with improved performance and a capability to operate more efficiently in torsional or a combined longitudinal-torsional mode of vibration. The invention enables the size and weight of torsional mode transducers to be reduced. Additionally, the electrical characteristics of these transducer systems are improved, thus enabling the transducer end effector to deliver more power to the operative site.
US08395287B2
Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including an electric machine. The electric machine includes a stator assembly with a plurality of stator laminations. The plurality of stator laminations include a plurality of different outer diameters and some of the plurality of stator laminations include at least two different radii. At least one circumferential coolant channel and at least one axial coolant channel can be defined by the plurality of stator laminations. The at least one circumferential coolant channel can be defined substantially around a circumference of the stator assembly and the at least one axial coolant channel can be defined substantially along an axial length of the stator assembly.
US08395271B2
A pass-through power take-off (PTO) mechanism for use with renewable energy systems is described to extract power from a linearly moving tether under high tension and to convert it to rotary power such as for driving an electric generator. Three such embodiments are described. The first uses two adjacent timing belts and transfers power from tether to PTO via friction. The second embodiment uses two adjacent roller chain loops and a mechanical engagement method to transfer power from tether to PTO. The third embodiment uses two adjacent double-sided timing belts and either a synchronous or an asynchronous method to transfer power from the tether to the PTO.
US08395263B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes a stacked structural body, a first, a second and a third conductive layer. The stacked structural body includes first and second semiconductors and a light emitting layer provided therebetween. The second semiconductor layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the light emitting layer. The first conductive layer is transparent. The first conductive layer has a first major surface on a side opposite to the second semiconductor layer. The second conductive layer is in contact with the first major surface. The third conductive layer is in contact with the first major surface and has a reflectance higher than a reflectance of the second conductive layer. The third conductive layer includes an extending part extending in parallel to the first major surface. At least a portion of the extending part is not covered by the second conductive layer.
US08395255B2
A semiconductor device includes: a cooling function component including an active region made of an impurity region and formed on a surface of a semiconductor layer, an N-type gate made of a semiconductor including an N-type impurity, a P-type gate made of a semiconductor including a P-type impurity, a first metal wiring connected to the N-type gate, the P-type gate and the active region, a second metal wiring connected to the P-type gate and the N-type gate, and a heat releasing portion connected to the second metal wiring for releasing heat to the outside.
US08395254B2
An integrated circuit package system includes providing a substrate having an integrated circuit, attaching a heatspreader having a force control protrusion on the substrate, and forming an encapsulant over the heatspreader and the integrated circuit.
US08395251B2
An integrated circuit package to package stacking system is provided including providing a first integrated circuit package, having a configured leadframe, providing a second integrated circuit package, having the configured leadframe, and forming an integrated circuit package pair by electrically connecting the configured leadframe of the first integrated circuit package to the configured leadframe of the second integrated circuit package.
US08395247B1
A method and apparatus for placing quartz SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) devices together with a clock/oscillator have been disclosed. Mounting on a single lead frame both a SAW device and an integrated circuit (IC).
US08395231B2
A semiconductor device supplying a charging current to a charging-target element includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor region of a second conductivity type formed on a main surface of the semiconductor layer and having a first node coupled to a first electrode of the charging-target element and a second node coupled to a power supply potential node supplied with a power supply voltage; a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type formed in a surface of the first semiconductor region at a distance from the semiconductor layer and having a third node coupled to the power supply potential node; and a charge carrier drift restriction portion restricting drift of charge carrier from the third node to the semiconductor layer.
US08395226B2
An electro-optical device 10 comprises a body 12 of a semiconductor material, such as silicon. A light source 14 is formed integrally in the body. The device comprises an associated light detector 16 and an optical path providing part 19 having a refractive index and extending between the light source 14 and the detector 16, to provide an optical path 18 having a path length. A sensor 20 cooperates with the optical path providing part 19 and is configured to modulate light emitted by the light source 14, by changing at least one of light absorption characteristics in the optical path by exposing a medium in the optical path to the emitted light, the path length and the refractive index.
US08395225B2
A semiconductor device 1 includes: a base 2 mainly formed of a semiconductor material; a gate electrode 5; and a gate insulating film 3 provided between the base 2 and the gate electrode 5. The gate insulating film 3 is formed of an insulative inorganic material containing silicon, oxygen and element X other than silicon and oxygen as a main material. The gate insulating film 3 is provided in contact with the base 2, and contains hydrogen atoms. The gate insulating film 3 has a region where A and B satisfy the relation: B/A is 10 or less in the case where the total concentration of the element X in the region is defined as A and the total concentration of hydrogen in the region is defined as B. Further, the region is at least apart of the gate insulating film 3 in the thickness direction thereof.
US08395222B2
A MOS transistor has a first stress layer formed over a silicon substrate on a first side of a channel region defined by a gate electrode, and a second stress layer formed over the silicon substrate on a second side of the channel region, the first and second stress layers accumulating a tensile stress or a compressive stress depending on a conductivity type of the MOS transistor. The first stress layer has a first extending part rising upward from the silicon substrate near the channel region along a first sidewall of the gate electrode but separated from the first sidewall of the gate electrode, and the second stress layer has a second extending part rising upward from the silicon substrate near the channel region along a second sidewall of the gate electrode but separated from the second sidewall of the gate electrode. The accumulated stress is the tensile stress if the conductivity type is an n-type, and is a compressive stress if the conductivity type is a p-type.
US08395221B2
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing are provided. A dielectric layer is formed over a substrate, and a first silicon-containing layer, undoped, is formed over the dielectric layer. Atomic-layer doping is used to dope the undoped silicon-containing layer. A second silicon-containing layer is formed over first silicon-containing layer. The process may be expanded to include forming a PMOS and NMOS device on the same wafer. For example, the first silicon-containing layer may be thinned in the PMOS region prior to the atomic-layer doping. In the NMOS region, the doped portion of the first silicon-containing layer is removed such that the remaining portion of the first silicon-containing layer in the NMOS is undoped. Thereafter, another atomic-layer doping process may be used to dope the first silicon-containing layer in the NMOS region to a different conductivity type. A third silicon-containing layer may be formed doped to the respective conductivity type.
US08395217B1
A semiconductor device structure having an isolation region and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The semiconductor device structure includes a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. A plurality of gates is formed on the SOI substrate. The semiconductor device structure further includes trenches having sidewalls, formed between each of the plurality of gates. The semiconductor device structure further includes an epitaxial lateral growth layer formed in the trenches. The epitaxial lateral growth layer is grown laterally from the opposing sidewalls of the trenches, so that the epitaxial lateral growth layer encloses a portion of the trenches extended into the SOI substrate. The epitaxial lateral growth layer is formed in such way that it includes an air gap region overlying a buried dielectric layer of the SOI substrate.
US08395216B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes a first substrate and a second substrate located over a first portion of the first substrate and separated from the first substrate by a buried layer. The semiconductor apparatus also includes an epitaxial layer located over a second portion of the first substrate and isolated from the second substrate. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a first transistor formed at least partially in the second substrate and a second transistor formed at least partially in or over the epitaxial layer. The second substrate and the epitaxial layer have bulk properties with different electron and hole mobilities. At least one of the transistors is configured to receive one or more signals of at least about 5V. The first substrate could have a first crystalline orientation, and the second substrate could have a second crystalline orientation.
US08395213B2
An SOI wafer contains a compressively stressed buried insulator structure. In one example, the stressed buried insulator (BOX) may be formed on a host wafer by forming silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon oxide layers so that the silicon nitride layer is compressively stressed. Wafer bonding provides the surface silicon layer over the stressed insulator layer. Preferred implementations of the invention form MOS transistors by etching isolation trenches into a preferred SOI substrate having a stressed BOX structure to define transistor active areas on the surface of the SOI substrate. Most preferably the trenches are formed deep enough to penetrate through the stressed BOX structure and some distance into the underlying silicon portion of the substrate. The overlying silicon active regions will have tensile stress induced due to elastic edge relaxation.
US08395200B2
A method for manufacturing a capacitor on an integrated circuit includes providing an inter-metal dielectric layer on a substrate, a bottom layer having a first and second portions, a first insulating layer having via plug openings on the bottom layer, and via plugs disposed in the via plug openings. The via plugs include a first and second via plugs and are electrically coupled to the first portion of the bottom layer. The method further includes providing a capacitor layer having a first barrier metal layer coupled to the first via plug. The capacitor layer also has a capacitor dielectric layer overlying the first barrier metal layer and a second barrier metal overlying the capacitor dielectric layer. The method further includes defining a first and second capacitor layer portions. The first capacitor layer portion has two opposite sides and spacers disposed on their surface.
US08395197B2
A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode on a gate insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, a first sidewall insulating film on a side surface of the gate electrode, and source and drain regions, each including a pocket diffusion layer of a first conductivity type, and first and second diffusion layers of a second conductivity type. The pocket diffusion layer is disposed in the semiconductor substrate. The first diffusion layer of a second conductivity type extends over the pocket diffusion layer. The first diffusion layer faces toward the gate electrode through the first sidewall insulating film. The second diffusion layer over the first diffusion layer is higher in impurity concentration than the first diffusion layer. The second diffusion layer is separated by the first diffusion layer from the pocket diffusion layer, and has a side surface which faces toward the first sidewall insulating film through the first diffusion layer.
US08395193B2
A MOS-type solid-state image pickup device is provided on a semiconductor substrate and includes a photoelectric conversion unit having a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, and a third semiconductor region. A transfer gate electrode is disposed on an insulation film and transfers a carrier from the second semiconductor region to a fourth semiconductor region, and an amplifying MOS transistor has a gate electrode connected to the fourth semiconductor region. In addition, a fifth semiconductor region is continuously disposed to the second semiconductor region, under the gate electrode. An entire surface of the third semiconductor region is covered with the insulation film, and a side portion of the third semiconductor region that is laterally opposite to the transfer gate is in contact with the first semiconductor region.
US08395190B2
Provided is a three-dimensional semiconductor memory device. The three-dimensional semiconductor memory device includes a substrate that has a cell array region including a pair of sub-cell regions and a strapping region interposed between the pair of sub-cell regions. A Plurality of sub-gates are sequentially stacked on the substrate in each of the sub-cell regions, and interconnections are electrically connected to extensions of the stacked sub-gates, respectively, which extend into the strapping region. Each of the interconnections is electrically connected to the extensions of the sub-gate which are disposed in the pair of the sub-cell regions, respectively, and which are located at the same level.
US08395184B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes a cubic silicon carbide single crystal thin film of a multilayer structure including an AlxGa1-xAs (0.6>x≧0) layer and a cubic silicon carbide single crystal layer. The apparatus also includes a substrate on which a metal layer is formed. The multilayer structure is bonded to a surface of the metal layer with the AlxGa1-xAs (0.6>x≧0) in direct contact with the metal layer.
US08395151B2
A thin film transistor having (a) an oxide semiconductor film including a channel region composed of an oxide semiconductor, and a source electrode region and a drain electrode region that are composed of the same oxide semiconductor as that of the channel region and have a higher carrier density than that of the channel region; (b) a gate insulating film; and (c) a gate electrode.
US08395149B2
A semiconductor device structure on a substrate and a manufacture method thereof is provided. The semiconductor device structure includes an oxide semiconductor transistor and a passivation layer containing free hydrogen. The semiconductor device structure is formed by following steps. A gate electrode is formed on the substrate. A gate dielectric layer covers the gate electrode. A source electrode is formed on the gate dielectric layer. A drain electrode is formed on the gate dielectric layer and separated from the source electrode and thereby forming a channel distance. An oxide semiconductor layer is formed on the gate dielectric layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode and between the source electrode and the drain electrode. The oxide semiconductor layer is further electrically connected with the source electrode and the drain electrode. A passivation layer covers the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode. The passivation layer has a groove formed therein, and the groove surrounds the oxide semiconductor layer.
US08395143B2
The present invention provides a novel compound that is capable of largely improving lifespan, efficiency, electrochemical stability and thermal stability of the organic light emitting device, and an organic light emitting device in which the compound is included in an organic compound layer.
US08395134B2
There is disclosed an elongate radiation source cartridge. The cartridge comprises: (i) an elongate radiation source assembly having a proximal portion and distal portion, the distal portion of the elongate radiation source assembly being unsupported, (ii) a housing coupled to the proximal portion of the elongate radiation source assembly, and (iii) a power supply disposed within the housing, the power supply in electrical communication with the elongate radiation source assembly (in certain embodiments the power supply is optional). The elongate radiation source assembly and the housing are in substantial alignment with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongate radiation source cartridge.
US08395133B2
An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller.
US08395128B2
One purpose of this invention is to provide radiation tomography apparatus with easier maintenance. A specific approach for this purpose is as follows. That is, a detector ring in the radiation tomography apparatus includes two or more rings. Moreover, a ring moves as to approach a next ring, whereby both the rings are connected. If radiation tomography is conducted while a clearance is provided between the rings, detection sensitivity of the detector ring decreases due to the clearance. On the other hand, according to this invention, the ring moves as to approach the next ring, which results in a narrower clearance. Accordingly, radiation that is not observed may be reduced as much as possible.
US08395124B2
An inspection system and method for determining the elemental makeup of contents of an article includes a localizer for identifying at least one region of interest of the article from data representative of contents of the article, the at least one region of interest having a cross-sectional area or a volume that is less than the entire cross-sectional area or the entire volume of the article, an associated particle imaging device that produces an output that is indicative of the elemental makeup of contents of the article, a data selector for selecting a portion of the output of the associated particle imaging device that corresponds to respective identified regions of interest, and an analyzer for analyzing the portions of the output of the associated particle imaging device selected by the data selector to determine the elemental makeup of contents of the article in each identified region of interest.
US08395123B2
Fluorescent composites of surfactant-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were prepared by exposing suspensions of surfactant-wrapped carbon nanotubes to tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS) vapor. Sodium deoxycholate (DOC) and sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS) were the surfactants. No loss in emission intensity was observed when the suspension of DOC-wrapped SWNTs were exposed to the TMOS vapors, but about a 50% decrease in the emission signal was observed from the SDS-wrapped SWNTs nanotubes. The decrease in emission was minimal by buffering the SDS/SWNT suspension prior to forming the composite. Fluorescent xerogels were prepared by adding glycerol to the SWNT suspensions prior to TMOS vapor exposure, followed by drying the gels. Fluorescent aerogels were prepared by replacing water in the gels with methanol and then exposing them to supercritical fluid drying conditions. The aerogels can be used for gas sensing.
US08395118B2
An infrared (IR) detector including a plurality of thermal sensing elements for generating an image of an object is provided. The IR detector comprises a first thermal sensing element and includes a thermopile and a first switch. The thermopile is configured to receive at least a portion of a thermal output from the object and to provide a modulated electrical output indicative of at least a portion of the received thermal output. The first switch is operatively coupled to the thermopile and is configured to provide a bypass in the event the thermopile is damaged such that remaining thermal sensing elements of the plurality of thermal sensing elements are capable of providing an electrical output therefrom.
US08395115B2
The present invention provides a method of reflecting ions in a multireflection time of flight mass spectrometer comprising providing an ion mirror having a plurality of electrodes, the ion mirror having a cross section with a first, minor axis (Y) and a second, major axis (X) each perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (Z) of the ion mirror which lies generally in the direction of time of flight separation of the ions in the mirror; guiding ions towards the ion mirror; applying a voltage to the electrodes so as to create an electric field which: (a) causes the mean trajectory of the ions to intersect a plane of symmetry of the ion mirror which contains the longitudinal (Z) and major axes (X) of the mirror; (b) causes the ions to reflect in the ion mirror; and (c) causes the ions to exit the ion mirror in a direction such that the mean trajectory of ions passing through the ion mirror has a component of movement in a direction (Y) perpendicular to and diverging from the said plane of symmetry thereof.
US08395112B1
Apparatus including an ion trap, a controller connected to the ion trap, wherein the controller includes a memory containing computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause the controller to send control signals to the ion trap so that the ion trap produce and maintain a trapping field in the ion trap, a waveform generator to change the trapping field so that ions of a predetermined mass in the trapping chamber are selectively moved; a secondary waveform generator to change the orbits of the ions; an energy source to excite ions to emit photons, an optical detector to detect the emitted photons, and a processor which can apply fast-Fourier transform analysis of the time-domain signal of the detected emitted photons to generate a frequency or mass spectrum related to mass-to-charge ratio of the ions.
US08395098B2
An induction cookware comprising: a cooking body containing an inner pot inside, an insulation material disposed between the cooking body and the inner pot for maintaining the temperature of the inner pot. An induction coil is disposed in the bottom of the cooking body and with an extra magnetic field, the induction coil can generate AC current. The current flows through an electric heating tube connected to the bottom of the inner pot so as to heat the heating tube. Thereby, the heating tube directly transfer the heat to the inner pot for reducing the heat from transpiration. The structure of a cooking body with an inner pot inside can heat and slow cook the food inside the inner pot simultaneously, thus can add the delicious taste of the food and save the energy.
US08395093B1
The preferred embodiment utilizes metal coated high strain fabric reinforcement including but not limited to fiberglass, cotton fiber, or other materials that can undergo deformation, and various resin or elastomer compounds to create a conductive polymer whose resistivity and resistance remain essentially constant under a strain of approximately 0-150% or more. Additionally, the preferred embodiment utilizes a method of imprinting, depositing, etching, or embossing a design or pattern of conductive metal on fabric used in composites. The use of designs of conductive metals wrapped around a deformable core and the unique features of elastomeric polymers allows for their use as a flexible circuit board, formable heaters, and other various uses.
US08395092B2
A heater assembly is provided that includes a substrate having opposed end portions defining raised flanges, a slot extending between the opposed end portions, and opposed chamfered surfaces extending along the slot and across the raised flanges. In one form, a plurality of layers are disposed onto the substrate, along with a pair of terminal pads. A protective cover defining at least one aperture is disposed over the layers and is secured to the raised flanges and the opposed chamfered surfaces of the substrate, and the aperture is disposed proximate the terminal pads. A pair of lead wires is secured to the pair of terminal pads, and a lead cap assembly is disposed around the pair of lead wires and is secured to the protective cover. Methods of manufacturing the heater assembly are also provided in accordance with the present disclosure.
US08395091B2
A method for fabricating a heating a element includes modifying the surface state of a substrate in order to obtain at least one smooth area of low roughness and at least one rough area having a higher roughness; applying a highly electrically conductive material to these various areas; and connecting smooth area(s) of the conductive material to an electrical power source.
US08395086B2
Isopotential heaters used in the preconcentration stage of sample detection systems are described. The heaters have at least two electrically conducting paths of which the resistances of the electrically conducting baths are substantially equal such that in use uniform heat distribution is achieved.
US08395079B2
A method of repairing damage in an optical element includes providing a laser system including at least one optical element having a coating layer having an incident light surface and directing a laser pulse from the laser system to impinge on the incident light surface. The method also includes sustaining damage to a portion of the incident light surface and melting the damaged portion of the incident light surface and a region adjacent to the damaged portion. The method further includes flowing material from the region adjacent the damaged portion to the damaged portion and solidifying the material in the damaged portion and the region adjacent to the damaged portion.
US08395077B2
Plasma arc torches described herein include a torch tip with an improved nozzle that provides angular shield flow injection. In particular, the nozzle provides angular/conical impingement of a fluid (e.g., a shield gas) on an ionized plasma gas flowing through a plasma arc torch. Some of the torch tips described herein include a nozzle with a conical external shape combined with a shield with complementing internal geometry to form the angular fluid flow. As a result, a plasma arc torch including the improved nozzle have the benefits of a stabilized ionized plasma gas flow together with enhanced nozzle cooling and protection from reflecting slag during torch use.
US08395062B2
There is provided a novel switch having a function of overcurrent protection. In a switch comprising a conductive movable member (9) and at least two terminals (1, 2, 3) and being switchable by mechanically moving the movable member (9) between a state in which the movable member (9) contacts with the two terminals (1, 2) simultaneously and a state in which the movable member (9) is apart from either one (1) of the two terminals (1, 2), at least one (2) of the two terminals (1, 2) is separated into a conductive contact part (2a) for contacting with the movable member (9) and a conductive connect part (2b) for being electrically connected with an external element (not shown), and a PTC member (2b) is located between the contact part (2a) and the connect part (2c). The PTC member (2b) may be a PTC element having a PTC material layer and a pair of conductive material layers each located on opposed surfaces of the PTC material layer.
US08395061B2
A new electrical junction box in which even if a plurality of bolts are connected to external electrical cables, an external electrical power supply cable from a jump starter can be surely connected to a target connecting bolt, thereby avoiding a problem of an error in coupling by a simple structure. A coupling error check wall is provided around an alternator connecting bolt. An alligator clip for jump starting is prevented to be connected to the alternator connecting bolt. The alligator clip for jump starting is permitted to be connected to a battery connecting bolt.
US08395058B2
A metal core circuit board assembly includes a circuit board having a through hole in an embodiment. A shaft for a pin is inserted in the through hole such that cap of the pin abuts a foil layer on the circuit board. The shaft diameter is sufficiently smaller than the through hole diameter such that the shaft is electrically isolated from a metal core for the circuit board. The cap is undercut about the through hole to further isolate the pin from the non-electrically isolated portion of the metal core circuit board.
US08395056B2
A multilayer printed wiring board (11) is composed of a plurality of printed wiring boards (21a and 21b) each having wiring on its both sides, and a relaxing connection layer (15) for interconnecting the printed wiring boards (21a and 21b). The relaxing connection layer (15) contains an inorganic filler, a thermosetting resin, and a reliever for relieving internal stress. The multilayer printed wiring board (11) is prevented from warpage by making the relaxing connection layer (15) disposed inside it absorb internal stress caused by heating and cooling in a solder reflow process or other processes.
US08395054B2
To provide a substrate for mounting a semiconductor element, in which fine-pitch wiring layers are formed to allow a semiconductor element to be mounted, while heat generated in the semiconductor element will not result in a decrease in reliability. Semiconductor-element mounting substrate sandwiches low-thermal-expansion substrate with upper interlayer resin layer and lower interlayer resin layer, and conductive circuit of organic substrate and first conductive circuit of low-thermal-expansion substrate are connected by via conductor formed in interlayer resin layer. Therefore, low-thermal-expansion substrate for mounting semiconductor element may be connected to organic substrate that is connected to outside substrates, without arranging an organic substrate and resin layers on the lower surface of low-thermal-expansion substrate, where impact from the thermal history of semiconductor element is notable.
US08395052B2
The present invention aims to provide conductive particles which can reduce the stress while maintaining high hardness (hardly causing cracks even in a state of being crushed in connection process) by improving rolling properties and can ensure adequate conductive reliability not only with respect to ITO substrates, but also with respect to IZO substrates, an anisotropic conductive film provided with the conductive particles, a joined structure provided with the anisotropic conductive film, and a joining method using the anisotropic conductive film. The conductive particles of the present invention include polymer fine particles, and a conductive layer formed on surfaces of the polymer fine particles, wherein an outermost surface shell of the conductive layer is a nickel-palladium alloy layer.
US08395046B2
A network cabinet is provided comprising a base member, two pairs of vertical frame rail members connected to the base member, and a top cover supported by at least one of the vertical frame rail members. The base member defines an opening and another opening is defined in the top cover. The vertical frame rail members are positioned spaced apart from four sidewalls from four corners of the cabinet formed by the four sidewalls, where each sidewall comprises a panel or a door. The two pairs of vertical frame rail members and the four sidewalls define at least one cable management pathway and at least a portion of the cable management pathway is vertically aligned with at least a portion of the opening of the base member and the opening of the top cover. The network cabinet may also comprise two front corner posts and two rear corner posts.
US08395043B2
A solar cell includes a photoactive, semiconductive absorber layer configured to generate excess charge carriers of opposed polarity by light incident on a front of the absorber layer during operation. The absorber layer is configured to separate and move, via at least one electric field formed in the absorber layer, the photogenerated excess charge carriers of opposed polarity over a minimal effective diffusion length Leff,min. The absorber layer has a thickness Lx of 0
US08395041B2
Disclosed is a photoelectric conversion element comprising a conductive support and provided thereon, a semiconductor layer, a charge transporting layer and an opposed electrode, the semiconductor layer comprising a semiconductor with a dye, wherein the dye is a compound represented by the following formula (1).
US08395037B2
Fullerene inhibited the decrease in cell proliferation ability of chondrocytes which is observed when cultured chondrocytes are treated with a cartilage degenerating factor (IL-1β or H2O2). Fullerene inhibited production of cartilage matrix-degrading enzymes (matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-1, 3 and 13) which is induced in cultured chondrocytes by cartilage degenerating factors. Fullerene restored the decrease in cartilage matrix (proteoglycan) synthesizing ability which is observed in treating cultured chondrocytes with cartilage degenerating factors. In an analysis using an osteoarthritis rabbit model, the progress of cartilage degeneration was reduced by administering fullerene. Moreover, the dynamic friction coefficient was decreased by adding fullerene to synovial fluid.
US08395034B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV032767. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV032767, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV032767 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 CV032767 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 CV032767.
US08395029B2
A potato cultivar designated ‘Linton’ is disclosed. The invention relates to the tubers of potato cultivar ‘Linton’, to the seeds of potato cultivar ‘Linton’, to the plants of potato ‘Linton’, to the plant parts of potato cultivar ‘Linton’ and to methods for producing a potato plant produced by crossing potato cultivar ‘Linton’ with itself or with another potato variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a potato plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic potato plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to potato cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from potato variety ‘Linton’, to methods for producing other potato cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from potato cultivar ‘Linton’ and to the potato plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid potato tubers, seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing potato cultivar ‘Linton’ with another potato cultivar.
US08395027B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024001. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024001. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024001 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024001 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08395026B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1024300. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1024300. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1024300 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1024300 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08395023B2
The present invention provides molecular constructs and methods for use thereof, including constructs including heterologous miRNA recognition sites, constructs for gene suppression including a gene suppression element embedded within an intron flanked on one or on both sides by non-protein-coding sequence, constructs containing engineered miRNA or miRNA precursors, and constructs for suppression of production of mature microRNA in a cell. Also provided are transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing such constructs, and methods for their use. The invention further provides transgenic plant cells, plants, and seeds containing recombinant DNA for the ligand-controlled expression of a target sequence, which may be endogenous or exogenous. Also disclosed are novel miRNAs and miRNA precursors from crop plants including maize and soy.
US08395017B2
An absorbent article having extensibility at waist panel is disclosed. The absorbent article includes a liquid pervious topsheet, an absorbent core disposed underneath the topsheet, and a chassis layer. A first or second waist panel includes a portion of the chassis layer. The chassis layer includes a plurality of spaced discontinuities regularly disposed in at least a portion of the first or second waist panel. The discontinuities are open to provide the chassis layer with extensibility in the transverse direction when the first or second waist panel is subjected to tension. The absorbent article also includes an extensibility controlling means to control the extensibility of the chassis layer.
US08394987B2
The invention is a method of removing methyl iodide from an alkane distillation bottoms stream of an acetic acid production process. The method comprises contacting the alkane distillation bottoms stream in the liquid phase with a phosphine or a phosphine-functionalized support, and recovering a treated alkane distillation bottoms stream having a reduced methyl iodide content.
US08394986B2
The invention relates to substituted phenoxyacetic acids as useful pharmaceutical compounds for treating respiratory disorders, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and processes for their preparation.
US08394985B2
Recovery of an ester feed stream, optionally with the recovery of ethanol, from a crude ethanol product obtained from the hydrogenation of acetic acid. Separation and purification processes of the crude ethanol products are employed to allow recovery of the ester feed stream and for integration of the ester feed stream with an esters production process. The composition of the ester feed stream may vary, but at least comprises ethyl acetate and ethanol. The ester feed stream may be fed to one or more locations within the esters production process depending on the composition of the ester feed stream.
US08394983B2
Process for the production of methyl acetate by the carbonylation of a dimethyl ether feed with carbon monoxide under substantially anhydrous conditions, in the presence of a zeolite catalyst effective for the carbonylation. The carbonylation is carried out at a temperature in the range of greater than 250° C. to 350° C. and at a pressure in the range of greater than 10 barg to 100 barg.
US08394981B2
The invention provides a process for hydrocyanation, comprising: contacting 2-pentenenitrile with hydrogen cyanide at a temperature in the range of about 0° C. to about 150° C. in the presence of at least one Lewis acid promoter and a catalyst precursor composition, wherein the catalyst precursor composition comprises a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand selected from a member of the group represented by Formula I and Formula II, in which all like reference characters have the same meaning, except as further explicitly limited: wherein R1 and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of C1 to C5 hydrocarbyl; and R2, R3, R4, R6, R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of H and C1 to C4 hydrocarbyl.
US08394970B2
Glutamic acid derivatives, in particular monatin, may be conveniently prepared by alkylating a 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative with an alkylating agent to prepare a 4-protected hydroxyl-4-alkylglutamic acid derivative, followed by the steps of hydrolysis and deprotection. The 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative is easy to produce from hydroxyproline. The 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative is particularly suitable for use in the efficient manufacture of monatin of high optical purity, since it can be alkylated selectively at the 4-position and stereoselectively and after its alkylation, it can easily be converted to a glutamic acid derivative.
US08394966B2
The present invention relates to crystalline forms of 3-[5-(2-fluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]oxadiazol-3-yl]-benzoic acid, pharmaceutical compositions and dosage forms comprising the crystalline forms, methods of making the crystalline forms and methods for their use for the treatment, prevention or management of diseases ameliorated by modulation of premature translation termination or nonsense-mediated mRNA decay.
US08394959B2
The present invention relates to maleate salt forms of (E)-N-{4-[3-chloro-4-(2-pyridinylmethoxy)anilino]-3-cyano-7-ethoxy-6-quinolinyl}-4-(dimethylamino)-2-butenamide, methods of preparing crystalline maleate salt forms, the associated compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same. The maleate salts are useful in treating cancers, particularly those affected by kinases of the epidermal growth factor receptor family.
US08394953B2
The invention provides methods and compositions, e.g., for tumor imaging and therapy.
US08394952B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. 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 compounds of the inventions.
US08394943B2
Disclosed are human antibodies that specifically inhibit VEGF binding to only one (VEGFR2) of the two primary VEGF receptors. The antibodies effectively inhibit angiogenesis and induce tumor regression, and yet have improved safety due to their specificity. The present invention thus provides new human antibody-based compositions, methods and combined protocols for treating cancer and other angiogenic diseases. Advantageous immunoconjugate compositions and methods using the new VEGF-specific human antibodies are also provided.
US08394942B2
The present invention relates to a recombinant organism having any one of nucleic acids (i) to (iv) introduced therein: (i) a nucleic acid having a base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; (ii) a nucleic acid encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2; (iii) a nucleic acid encoding a dragline protein and having a sequence identity of 90% or more with the nucleic acid (i); (iv) a nucleic acid which encodes a dragline protein and hybridizes with a complementary chain of the nucleic acid (i) under stringent conditions.
US08394940B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
US08394938B2
Compositions and methods for recombinant protein production and, more particularly, fusion polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding fusion polypeptides, expression vectors, kits, and related methods for recombinant protein production.
US08394936B2
Disclosed are methods and compositions for conducting assays of samples utilizing polymerase chain reactions (“PCRs”) in the detection of serotypes of Chlamydia trachomatis capable of causing lymphogranuloma venereum (“LGV”). These assays take advantage of a deletion occurring in the cytotoxin gene locus specific to the L I, L II, and L serotypes. Each of these assays employs a first primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking one side of the deletion point and a second primer having a nucleotide sequence flanking the other side of the deletion point, wherein the first primer and the second primer are capable of hybridizing respectively to the plus strand and the minus strand of the genome of Chlamydia trachomatis during the PCR. Synthesis during the PCR of a sequence-specific amplicon containing this deletion point indicates that the sample contains nucleic acid specific to an LGV-causing serotype of Chlamydia trachomatis.
US08394921B2
The present invention relates to methods for producing N-terminal derivatives of proteins in which a polysaccharide, preferably having at least terminal sialic units and preferably consisting essentially only of sialic acid units, is reacted at the N-terminus of a protein or peptide under controlled conditions to produce an N-terminal derivative. The controlled conditions include use of acidic pH for the derivatisation step and a higher pH for purification. The derivatives are useful for improving pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of proteins and peptides.
US08394913B2
Method for producing polyphenylene ether, comprising preparing a polymerization solution of 10-25 parts by mass of a phenolic compound (M) and 75-90 parts by mass of an aromatic solvent (A) with the total of the compound and the solvent being 100 parts by mass, and 0.1-10 parts by mass of a catalyst (C) containing a metal salt; performing oxidative polymerization of the phenolic compound (M) by passing oxygen-containing gas through polymerization solution; stopping polymerization by mixing aqueous chelating agent solution into polymerization solution; subjecting a diphenoquinone compound produced as a by-product to quinone binding process or removal by reduction; and obtaining polyphenylene ether by separating aqueous phase through liquid-liquid separation. In the method for producing a polyphenylene ether, 0.001-0.004 part by weight of an ion catalyst (D) is added into the polymerization solution before the liquid-liquid separation.
US08394906B2
The invention is a polymeric ophthalmic lens material comprising a polymeric ophthalmic lens material comprising a) one or more lens-forming polymerizable monomers selected from the group of hydrophilic acrylate-substitute monomers, hydrophobic acrylate-substituted monomers, vinyl-substituted monomers, and platinum-catalyzed vinyl hydride addition-cured silicones, b) a polymerizable ultraviolet absorber and c) a polymerizable yellow dye. In one embodiment of the invention, the polymerizable ultraviolet absorber has the formula: and the polymerizable yellow dye has the formula: wherein R1=vinyl, R2, R3=H, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, wherein R2=vinyl, R1, R3=H, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, and wherein R3=vinyl, R1, R2=H, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl.
US08394905B2
Disclosed herein is a telechelic diacrylate fluoropolymer and a process for manufacture of the fluoropolymer. The diacrylate copolymer is of formula CH2═CR′COO—(CH2)n—R—(CH2)n—OOCCR′═CH2, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of i) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of vinylidene fluoride and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), ii) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene, iii) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro(methyl vinyl ether), and iv) an oligomer comprising copolymerized units of tetrafluoroethylene and a hydrocarbon olefin, R′ is H or —CH3, n is 1-4 and wherein said oligomer has a number average molecular weight of 1000 to 25,000 daltons.
US08394904B2
The invention relates to an improved process for preparing alkoxyamines resulting from β-phosphorated nitroxides corresponding to the formula (I): by reaction with a halogenated derivative in the presence of an organometallic system. This process comprises carrying out the reaction in a water-miscible organic solvent and precipitating the alkoxyamine directly from the organic medium by adding an aqueous solution of a strong acid. These alkoxyamines can be used in particular as radical polymerizations initiators.
US08394900B2
The present invention generally relates to a method for sequestering carbon dioxide. Biomass is converted into paraffinic hydrocarbons. The paraffinic hydrocarbons are steam cracked into olefins. The olefins are polymerized into non-biodegradable polyolefins.
US08394895B2
A process for continuous thermal postcrosslinking of water-absorbing polymer particles, wherein the postcrosslinker is applied to the water-absorbing polymer particles by means of suitable nozzles and the nozzles are exchanged or cleaned via the interior of a glovebox adjoining the plant section comprising the nozzle.
US08394893B2
The invention relates to a heterophasic alpha-olefÊn random copolymer composition with a melting temperature (Tm) of at least 130° C. and a flexural modulus of not higher than 1000 MPa5 whereby the inventive composition comprises an al-pha-olefin random copolymer component (A) of at least two alpha-olefÊn (co)polymer fractions (i) and (ii) having a different comonomer content, whereby at least one of the fractions is an alpha-olefÊn random copolymer, and a rubber component (B).
US08394891B2
The additive for a polymerizable composition according to the present invention contains a compound represented by the general formula (a). In the general formula (a), R represents a saturated hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. M represents Sn, Sb, Bi, or Ge. m represents 0 or 1. R and M are not directly bonded when m is 0. n represents an integer of 1 to 3. X represents a monovalent linking group, and a plurality of X may be the same as or different from each other. When two or more linking groups X are bonded with the metal atom M, the linking groups X may combine together to form a ring.
US08394889B2
A composition and process for manufacturing a camouflaged aircraft component. The process includes providing an aircraft component; applying an uncured coating onto the aircraft component wherein the uncured coating comprises polysilazane resin, at least one pigment, at least one matting agent, and at least one diluent; allowing the diluent to evaporate; curing the coating to provided a cured coating that comprises cured polysilazane, at least one pigment, and at least one matting agent.
US08394888B2
An aqueous dispersion-type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive composition includes acrylic copolymer emulsion particles dispersed in an aqueous medium. The acrylic copolymer emulsion particles has a ratio (ANIN)/(ANSUR) of 1 or more, wherein (ANIN) is an amount of acid groups in the acrylic copolymer emulsion particles, and (ANSUR) is an amount of acid groups on the surfaces of the acrylic copolymer emulsion particles, (ANIN) and (ANSUR) being calculated from a titration curve of potentiometric titration performed by adding an inorganic base solution to an acidic sample dispersion solution containing the acrylic copolymer emulsion particles dispersed in ion exchange water. A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape which strongly adheres to an adherend and has excellent removability can be formed using the aqueous dispersion-type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive composition.
US08394881B2
To provide a golf ball with excellent abrasion-resistance and resilience.A golf ball of the present invention comprises: a core; and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover is formed of a cover composition containing a (meth)acrylic polymer-modified silicate and a resin component.
US08394879B1
Compositions of polyolefins having properties, including flame retardancy, of polyvinylchloride (“PVC”) and other elastomeric compositions, are described. Also described are the manner in which the constituency of such compositions affects their ultimate properties, including flexibility and flame retardancy, whereby appropriate formulations, suitable for substitution for PVCs, can be achieved.
US08394878B2
The present invention provides a method of preparing a hyperbranched organic modifier which comprises reacting (a) a tertiary amine compound having at least two terminal hydroxyl groups with (b) at least one multifunctional monomer having at least two terminal functional groups capable of reacting with said hydroxyl groups. The present invention also provides an organo-modified clay treated with the hyperbranched organic modifier.
US08394875B2
The present invention aims to provide a rubber composition for a base tread capable of enhancing fuel economy, elongation at break and durability in a balanced manner while maintaining favorable handling stability and processability (extrusion processability) even if the amount of zinc oxide is reduced, and a pneumatic tire having a base tread produced from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a base tread including: a rubber component; a compound represented by Formula (I): wherein R1 to R4 each independently represent a C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl group or a C5 to C12 cycloalkyl group; and zinc oxide, wherein the amount of the compound represented by Formula (I) is 0.2 to 6 parts by mass and the amount of the zinc oxide is 1.0 part by mass or less, relative to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.
US08394873B2
A particle of titanium dioxide treated with a polysiloxane is disclosed. One or more silicon atoms of the polysiloxane is substituted with an alkylene group terminating with a silyl group containing three substituents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, halo, alkoxy, acetoxy, and mixtures thereof. These treated particles are blended with organic polymers to form a polyethylene polymer matrix having dispersed therein at least 55 wt % polysiloxane modified titanium dioxide particles.
US08394872B2
A method for reducing the viscosity of a hydrocarbon fluid encountered in petroleum operations is disclosed. The method includes contacting the hydrocarbon fluid with an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one polymer having at least 25 mole percent cationic monomers.
US08394854B2
The use of L-carnitine, or one of its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, is described in combination with glucose for the preparation of a medicament useful for diminishing the number of deaths caused by acute myocardial infarction, for reducing the number of days infarction patients spend in intensive care in hospital, and for reducing the number of episodes of post-infarction heart failure, in which the L-carnitine is administered intravenously within only a few hours of the onset of symptoms of acute myocardial infarction at an initial dose of 9 grams a day in combination with 1000-1500 mL of a 5% glucose solution for 5 days, after which the L-carnitine treatment is continued at a dose of 4 grams a day administered orally.
US08394852B2
Optimal compositions of derivatives of 5-methyl-3(2H)-furanone compounds and phenylpropanoid polyketides related to inotilone, that exert biological response modification in health and disease, and their method of preparation, are disclosed. Methods of treating degenerative conditions stemming from over-expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) using these compositions are also disclosed.
US08394846B2
The invention is directed to compounds of formula I: wherein Ar, r, R3, X, and R5-7 are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of formula I have AT1 receptor antagonist activity and neprilysin inhibition activity. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and a process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08394832B2
Methods of treating, preventing and/or managing an immunodeficiency disease or disorder are disclosed. Specific methods encompass the administration of an immunomodulatory compound alone or in combination with a second active agent. Methods of boosting humoral immunity are also disclosed.
US08394827B2
The present invention is to provide an inhibitor that inhibits differentiation of T cells into Th1 cells.The inhibitor that inhibits differentiation of T cells into Th1 cells contains, as an active ingredient, pitavastatin or a salt thereof.
US08394808B2
The present invention relates to therapeutically active xanthine derivative compounds of Formula (I): corresponding processes for manufacture of said derivatives, pharmaceutical formulations containing and uses of such compounds in therapy, particularly in treatment of diseases where under-activation of the HM74A receptor contributes to the disease or where activation of the receptor will be beneficial.
US08394799B2
Disclosed herein are an HIF-1 inhibitor, a method for the preparation thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same as an active ingredient. The HIF-1 inhibitor shows anticancer activity thanks to the inhibition activity against HIF-1, a transcription factor which plays an important role in the growth and metastasis of cancer, but not to general cytotoxicity. Thus, the HIF-inhibitor and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof can be used as a therapeutic for various cancers such as liver cancer; stomach cancer and breast cancer. Also, the compound having inhibition activity against HIF-1 is useful in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and arthritis, which are aggravated by HIF-1-mediated VEGF expression.
US08394798B2
The present invention provides compositions and methods for inducing neuronal cell differentiation.
US08394797B2
The invention relates to compounds having pharmacological activity towards the sigma receptor, and more particularly to pyrazole derivatives of formula I and to processes of preparation of such compounds, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and to their use therapy and prophylaxis, in particular for the treatment of psychosis or pain.
US08394795B2
Compounds of Formula I are useful for inhibition of Raf kinases. Methods of using compounds of Formula I and stereoisomers, tautomers, prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions are disclosed.
US08394794B2
The invention provides compounds of Formula (I) and (IV): as described herein, as well as salts thereof. The compounds have anti-cancer properties and/or chemosensitization properties.
US08394788B2
Provided herein are small molecule compounds that alter the transport activity of solute transporters, particularly urea transporters. The compounds described herein belong to the phenylsulfoxyoxazole, phenylsulfoxyimidazole, phenylsulfoxythiazole class of compounds. The compounds described herein are useful for increasing solute clearance in states of fluid overload and for treating cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases, disorders, and conditions. Methods for identifying and using these agents that inhibit urea transporters are described herein.
US08394781B2
Disaccharides for the treatment of tendons, ligaments and bones.The present invention relates to the use of a series of disaccharides, as well as of compositions containing them, for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of a tendon, ligament or bone disease, disorder or injury. The present invention also relates to the new compositions comprising a disaccharide in combination with inulin polysulphate, a glycosaminoglycan, a growth factor or cells. The glycosaminoglycan is preferably chondroitin sulphate or hyaluronic acid and the growth factor is IFG-1.
US08394780B2
The present application provides methods of prevention and/or treatment of breast cancer in a subject by inhibiting expression of PAX2. In the cancer treatment methods disclosed, the method of inhibiting expression of PAX2 can be by administration of a nucleic acid encoding an siRNA for PAX2. A method of treating cancer in a subject by administering DEFB1 is also provided. Similarly, provided is a method of treating cancer in a subject by increasing expression of DEFB1 in the subject.
US08394777B2
The invention relates to the use of viral vectors able to stably integrate into the genome of thymic stromal cells, or of intrathymic lymphocytes or lymphocytes precursors, for the manufacture of a medicine intended for intrathymic administration in the frame of the prevention or treatment of genetic immunodeficiencies, acquired immunodeficiencies, or for the induction of immune tolerance of the organism to self or non-self gene products, cells or tissues, or for the prevention or treatment of autoimmune diseases.
US08394774B2
The invention disclosed in this document is related to the field of pesticides and their use in controlling pests. A compound having the following structure is disclosed.
US08394770B2
Potassium channels Kv1.3 are known to be implicated in immunological diseases and graft rejections. Disclosed are peptides capable of blocking with high affinity and specificity potassium channels Kv1.3, their pharmaceutical compositions, and methods for their use to block Kv1.3 potassium channels, to treat various immunological conditions and to diagnostic applications. Methods for their chemical synthesis and correct folding are also disclosed. Exemplary peptides correspond to protein components (Vm23 and Vm24) isolated from the venom of the Mexican scorpion Vaejovis mexicanus smithi. Vm23 and Vm24 bind to hKv1.3 channels in an almost irreversible manner, showing a Kd value in the order of 3 picomolar range, when applied to human lymphocytes cultures in vitro. Vm24 was chemically synthesized and used in in vivo experiments to successfully treat sensitized rats (on the DTH-response). Neither Vm24 nor synthetic Vm24 is toxic to mice when injected at relatively high concentrations (assayed up to 10,000 micrograms per kilogram mouse body weight). These peptides (Vm24 and Vm23) and their functional equivalent analogs with at least 83% of sequence identity are lead compounds, candidates for the treatment of various immunological conditions and diagnostic applications.
US08394764B2
An isolated and purified nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide comprising at least eight contiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein the at least eight contiguous amino acids have anti-viral activity, as well as an isolated and purified nucleic acid molecule that encodes a polypeptide comprising at least eight contiguous amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein the at least eight contiguous amino acids have anti-viral activity, and, when the at least eight contiguous amino acids comprise amino acids 1-121 of SEQ ID NO: 3, the at least eight contiguous amino acids have been rendered glycosylation-resistant, a vector comprising such an isolated and purified nucleic acid molecule, a host cell comprising the nucleic acid molecule, optionally in the form of a vector, a method of producing an anti-viral polypeptide or conjugate thereof, the anti-viral polypeptide itself, a conjugate or fusion protein comprising the anti-viral polypeptide, and compositions comprising an effective amount of the anti-viral polypeptide or conjugate or fusion protein thereof. Further provided are methods of inhibiting prophylactically or therapeutically a viral infection of a host.
US08394759B2
This invention describes a topical delivery mechanism that contains a mixture of cetylated fatty esters that act as transdermal carriers of desired therapeutic molecules. The proposed cetyl fatty ester penetrant-complex (Base CFEP-complex) contains specific cetyl fatty esters, polar solvents, a carrier base (gel, cream, lotion, patch or stick gel), antioxidants and the desired pharmaceutical, cosmetic or antigenic response eliciting molecules that are efficaciously delivered by selectively varying component ratios in the complex. The invention proposes the use of transdermal delivery of medications such as those used in treatment of urinary incontinence, testosterone deficiency, arthritic and joint pain and other pains such as pain in the neck, lower back, back, knees, headaches, and other types of inflammatory pains, peripheral neuropathic pain, pain associated with repetitive strain injuries such as myofacial pain, rapid treatment of epileptic seizures, soluble antigens in the immuno-therapeutic treatment of allergies, actives in the treatment of foot cracks and elbow cracks, actives in the treatment of facial and other wrinkles in the form of anti-aging creams and gels and other topically delivered therapies.
US08394748B2
A grease composition, which comprises a mixture of mutually incompatible thickener-containing non-fluorine-based base oil and thickener-containing fluorine-based base oil, the base oils being in a morphological structure, where one of the base oils is homogeneously dispersed in a particulate state in the other base oil, can be produced by kneading the mixture through a three-roll mill at least twice. By forming a morphological structure, one of the mutually incompatible non-fluorine-based base oil and fluorine-based base oil is homogeneously dispersed in a particulate state in the other base oil, that is, by forming a microscopically dispersed state, the following effects can be obtained: (1) less oil separation (smaller degree of oil separation) at elevated temperatures, (2) distinguished shearing stability, (3) low and stable friction coefficient, and (4) less abrasion.
US08394746B2
An additive package, lubricant formulation with the additive package and method of improving gear lubricant properties with the additive package are disclosed. The additive package comprises at least one antiwear additive, at least one antioxidant additive, at least one rust inhibitor additive, at least one metal passivator additive, at least one demulsifier additive, at least one defoamant additive wherein the composition has less than 3.5% phosphorous, less than 1.7% ppm nitrogen, less than 1000 ppm sulfur, less than 100 ppm metals and a TAN of less than 1.
US08394740B2
The present invention provides a material that is less likely to cause flex cracking, has high scratch resistance, and is suitable for a protective layer for a thermosensitive material. A thermosensitive recording material according to the present invention includes a base, a thermosensitive recording layer formed on the base, and a protective layer formed on the thermosensitive recording layer, wherein the protective layer is formed from a mixture that contains an emulsion (a) containing particles formed of a hydrophobic polymer (1) and a hydrophilic polymer (2); and a non-crosslinking urea compound (b). Preferably, the hydrophobic polymer (1) contains an acrylonitrile-derived constitutional unit. Preferably, the non-crosslinking urea compound (b) is urea or a urea derivative.
US08394734B2
Provided are a solid catalyst for propylene polymerization which includes titanium, magnesium, halogen and an internal electron donor mixture of two or more compounds wherein the internal electron donor mixture includes at least one selected from the bicycloalkanes or bicycloalkenes and at least one selected from diethers and succinates, and a method for preparing propylene using the same. As disclosed, it is possible to prepare polypropylene having an excellent stereoregularity with a high production yield.
US08394710B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is provided, in which the dopant for the source and drain regions is introduced from a doped dielectric layer. In one example, a gate structure is formed on a semiconductor layer of an SOI substrate, in which the thickness of the semiconductor layer is less than 10 nm. A doped dielectric layer is formed over at least the portion of the semiconductor layer that is adjacent to the gate structure. The dopant from the doped dielectric layer is driven into the portion of the semiconductor layer that is adjacent to the gate structure. The dopant diffused into the semiconductor provides source and drain extension regions.
US08394705B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. According to the method, a first buried oxide layer is formed in the semiconductor substrate in a first region, such that a first semiconductor layer is defined on the first buried oxide layer. An active portion is defined by forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate in a second region. A capping semiconductor pattern is formed on a top surface and an upper portion of a sidewall of the active portion. An oxide layer is formed by oxidizing the capping semiconductor pattern and an exposed lower portion of the sidewall of the active portion, such that the oxide layer surrounds a non-oxidized portion of the active portion. The non-oxidized portion of the active portion is a core and one end of the core is connected to a first optical device formed at the first semiconductor.
US08394704B2
The present invention relates to method for fabricating a dual-orientation group-IV semiconductor substrate and comprises in addition to performing a masked amorphization on a DSB-like substrate only in first lateral regions of the surface layer, and a solid-phase epitaxial regrowth of the surface layer in only the first lateral regions so as to establish their (100)-orientation. Subsequently, a cover layer on the surface layer is fabricated, followed by fabricating isolation regions, which laterally separate (11θ)-oriented first lateral regions and (100)-oriented second lateral regions from each other. Then the cover layer is removed in a selective manner with respect to the isolation regions so as to uncover the surface layer in the first and second lateral regions and a refilling of the first and second lateral regions between the isolation regions is performed using epitaxy.
US08394698B2
A NAND flash memory array, an operating method and a fabricating method of the same are provided. The NAND flash memory array has a cut-off gate line under a control gate in order to operate two cells having vertical channels independently with one control gate (i.e., a shared word line). The memory cell area is reduced considerably compared to the conventional vertical channel structure, and is better for high integration. A shared cut-off gate turn off is made during a programming operation and prevents programming the opposite cell by a self-boosting effect. It is possible to shield electrically with a shared word line (a control gate) during a reading operation, and minimizes the effect of storage condition of the opposite cell. Also, the NAND flash memory array can be fabricated by using the conventional CMOS process.
US08394696B2
A semiconductor device includes a capacitance, the numerical value of which is relevant for a device function. The capacitance is formed from a parallel connection of at least a first and a second capacitor element, wherein the first and second capacitor elements are formed in respective manufacturing steps that exhibit uncorrelated process fluctuations.
US08394681B2
A symmetrical circuit is disclosed (FIG. 4). The circuit includes a first transistor (220) having a first channel in a substantial shape of a parallelogram (FIG. 5A) with acute angles. The first transistor has a first current path (506) oriented in a first crystal direction (520). A first control gate (362) overlies the first channel. A second transistor (222) is connected to the first transistor and has a second channel in the substantial shape of a parallelogram with acute angles. The second transistor has a second current path (502) oriented parallel to the first current path. A second control gate (360) overlies the second channel.
US08394675B2
A method of manufacturing an LED package includes mounting a large panel frame/substrate (LPF/S) having a substantially square shape to a ring. The LPF/S includes a plurality of die pads and a corresponding plurality of leads arranged in a matrix pattern. Each of the die pads includes a planar chip attach surface. An LED chip is attached to the planar chip attach surface of each of the die pads. An encapsulant material is applied overlaying the LED chips and at least a part of the LPF/S. Each die pad and corresponding leads are separated from the LPF/S to form individual LED packages. The steps of attaching the LED chips and applying the encapsulant material are performed while the LPF/S is mounted to the ring.
US08394671B2
It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device which includes a thin film transistor having stable electric characteristics. It is another object to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device at lower cost with high productivity. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes a thin film transistor where a semiconductor layer having a channel formation region, a source region, and a drain region are formed using an oxide semiconductor layer, heat treatment (heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed so as to improve the purity of the oxide semiconductor layer and reduce impurities such as moisture. Moreover, the oxide semiconductor layer subjected to the heat treatment is slowly cooled under an oxygen atmosphere.
US08394669B2
A resistance variable element (100) used in a through-hole cross-point structure memory device, according to the present invention, and a resistance variable memory device including the resistance variable element, includes a substrate (7) and an interlayer insulating layer (3) formed on the substrate, and have a configuration in which a through-hole (4) is formed to penetrate the interlayer insulating layer, a first resistance variable layer (2) comprising transition metal oxide is formed outside the through-hole, a second resistance variable layer (5) comprising transition metal oxide is formed inside the through-hole, the first resistance variable layer is different in resistivity from the second resistance variable layer, and the first resistance variable layer and the second resistance variable layer are in contact with each other only in an opening (20) of the through-hole which is closer to the substrate.
US08394664B2
A method for forming nanotube electrical devices, arrays of nanotube electrical devices, and device structures and arrays of device structures formed by the methods. Various methods of the present invention allow creation of semiconducting and/or conducting devices from readily grown SWNT carpets rather than requiring the preparation of a patterned growth channel and takes advantage of the self-controlling nature of these carpet heights to ensure a known and controlled channel length for reliable electronic properties as compared to the prior methods.
US08394656B2
MEMS devices (such as interferometric modulators) may be fabricated using a sacrificial layer that contains a heat vaporizable polymer to form a gap between a moveable layer and a substrate. One embodiment provides a method of making a MEMS device that includes depositing a polymer layer over a substrate, forming an electrically conductive layer over the polymer layer, and vaporizing at least a portion of the polymer layer to form a cavity between the substrate and the electrically conductive layer. Another embodiment provides a method for making an interferometric modulator that includes providing a substrate, depositing a first electrically conductive material over at least a portion of the substrate, depositing a sacrificial material over at least a portion of the first electrically conductive material, depositing an insulator over the substrate and adjacent to the sacrificial material to form a support structure, and depositing a second electrically conductive material over at least a portion of the sacrificial material, the sacrificial material being removable by heat-vaporization to thereby form a cavity between the first electrically conductive layer and the second electrically conductive layer.
US08394653B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor lighting chip includes steps of: providing a substrate with a first block layer dividing an upper surface of the substrate into a plurality of epitaxial regions; forming a first semiconductor layer on the epitaxial regions; forming a second block layer partly covering the first semiconductor layer; forming a lighting structure on an uncovered portion of the first semiconductor layer; removing the first and the second block layers thereby defining clearances at the bottom surfaces of the first semiconductor layer and the lighting structure; and permeating etching solution into the first and second clearances to etch the first semiconductor layer and the lighting structure, thereby to form each of the first semiconductor layer and the lighting structure with an inverted frustum-shaped structure.
US08394646B2
A method for quality control of species used in analytical or diagnostic or therapeutic procedures includes immobilization of a model of the malignancy to a solid support (121), contacting the solid support with species dissolved in liquid (122), measuring both the rate of formation of complex and absolute magnitude of number of complexes of model and species (123) and determining the quality of species by comparing the measured values with predetermined values.
US08394635B2
A sample processing system 101 that may be automated and methods are disclosed where sample(s) 198 are arranged on a carrier element 197 and a process operation control system 171 automatically processes the sample(s) perhaps robotically according to an desired aggregation of event dictated by an input 173. Alteration of an initial aggregated event topology may be accepted while the system is processing an initial aggregation and varied-parameter robotic control simulation functionalities 606 may be accomplished to determine an enhanced sequence for processing. Suggested operator actions may be displayed that might further enhance the scheduling of the altered aggregated event topology together with an automatic operator need prompt 608 that may inform an operator of a need for a particular action in order to accomplish the desired tasks. Reversibility to proposed changes may be made available so that an operator may avoid having to activate proposed changes if they cause a processing result that is not acceptable.
US08394632B2
The present invention relates to methods of generating an ex vivo tissue-like system in a bioreactor system capable of supporting continuous production of, and output of cells and tissues and an ex vivo tissue system made therefrom.
US08394623B2
The present invention relates to Trichoderma atroviride strains and their use as biological control agents or plant growth promoters. Methods and compositions for biological control of soil borne plant pathogens, and increasing plant yield using T. atroviride are also provided.
US08394619B1
A novel beta-glucosidase and nucleic acids encoding the beta-glucosidase. Also disclosed are cells, compositions, and methods relating to using the beta-glucosidase to convert ligocellulosic material to fermentable sugars.
US08394618B2
A substrate or coating is provided that includes a lipase with enzymatic activity toward a component of a fingerprint. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of fingerprints is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a lipase is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the fingerprint to facilitate fingerprint removal from the substrate or said coating. Applying heat to the substrate or coating increases the rate of fingerprint removal.
US08394613B2
A PHA copolymer comprising (R)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl valeric acid units and a production method thereof are provided.A polyhydroxyalkanoic acid copolymer comprising at least (R)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl valeric acid units; and a method of producing a polyhydroxyalkanoic acid copolymer comprising at least (R)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl valeric acid units, wherein in the presence of a carbon source and a precursor of (R)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl valeric acid, a transformant in which the gene of polyhydroxyalkanoic acid-polymerizing enzyme has been introduced in a microorganism selected from Escherichia coli, Ralstoniau sp., and Pseudomonas sp. is cultured, and from the culture obtained a polyhydroxyalkanoic acid copolymer comprising at least (R)-3-hydroxy-4-methyl valeric acid units is collected.
US08394606B2
A composition comprising neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), which has been enriched from urine, has a molecular weight of about 24.9 kDa to about 25.9 kDa, and comprises a plurality of isoforms having isoelectric points (pIs) ranging from about 5.9 to about 9.1; a composition comprising NGAL, which has been enriched from recombinant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, has a molecular weight of about 25.9 kDa to about 27.9 kDa, and comprises a plurality of isoforms having pIs ranging from about 5.6 to about 9.1; a method of obtaining from urine a composition comprising a plurality of isoforms of NGAL, which method comprises enriching NGAL in urine without separating molecules based on charge; a method of obtaining from recombinant CHO cells a composition comprising a plurality of isoforms of NGAL, which method comprises enriching NGAL in a composition without separating molecules based on charge; and a method of analyzing NGAL isoforms enriched from urine or recombinant CHO cells comprising analyzing an enriched composition comprising NGAL isoforms by two-dimensional electrophoresis and Western blot.
US08394595B2
Provided is a lab-on-a-chip. The lab-on-a-chip includes a first region where a lower substrate and an upper substrate are bonded to each other, a second region where the lower and upper substrates are not bonded, and a gap adjusting member disposed at an end of the second region that is opposite to a boundary between the first and second regions, the gap adjusting member being configured to adjust a gap between the first and second substrates to control a capillary force.
US08394592B2
The present invention demonstrates the differential sensitivity of PBLs from lung cancer patients and healthy controls to NNK-induced genetic damage. The data provide convincing evidence that the preferred CBMN assay is a robust test for detection of this sensitivity and yields results that are a good predictor of, for example, lung cancer risk. The simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity of the CBMN test make it a valuable tool for screening and, for example, prioritizing potential cases for early detection of the disease.
US08394591B2
The present invention relates to a high throughput method for the identification and detection of molecular markers wherein restriction fragments are generated and suitable adaptors comprising (sample-specific) identifiers are ligated. The adapter-ligated restriction fragments may be selectively amplified with adaptor compatible primers carrying selective nucleotides at their 3′ end. The amplified adapter-ligated restriction fragments are, at least partly, sequenced using high throughput sequencing methods and the sequence parts of the restriction fragments together with the sample-specific identifiers serve as molecular markers.
US08394578B2
A method of forming a resist pattern, including: forming a resist film on a substrate using a resist composition containing a base component (A) which exhibits decreased solubility in an organic solvent under action of an acid and an acid-generator component (B) which generates an acid upon exposure, conducting exposure of the resist film, and patterning the resist film by a negative tone development using a developing solution containing an organic solvent, wherein the base component (A) includes a resin component (A1) containing a structural unit (a1) derived from an acrylate ester containing an acid decomposable group which exhibits increased hydrophilicity by the action of an acid and a structural unit (a0) derived from an acrylate ester containing an —SO2— containing cyclic group.
US08394577B2
In a chemically amplified resist composition comprising a base resin, an acid generator, and a solvent, 1,400-5,000 pbw of the solvent is present per 100 pbw of the base resin, and the solvent comprises at least 60 wt % of PGMEA and ethyl lactate, and 0.2-20 wt % of a high-boiling solvent. A resist pattern is formed by coating the resist composition on a substrate, prebaking, patternwise exposure, post-exposure baking, development, and heat treatment.
US08394573B2
A method for reducing a photoresist critical dimension, the method comprising depositing a photoresist film on a substrate, wherein the photoresist film includes a thermal base generator; patterning the photoresist film to form a first patterned film possessing a first critical dimension; depositing a crosslinkable film over the first patterned film; heat-activating the first patterned film, either before or after depositing the crosslinkable film, to release a base in the first patterned film and cause crosslinking in the crosslinkable film in contact with the first patterned film; and developing the crosslinkable film to remove non-crosslinked soluble portions therein to form a second patterned film possessing a reduced critical dimension compared to the first critical dimension.
US08394571B2
Methods of forming electronic devices are provided. The methods involve alkaline treatment of photoresist patterns and allow for the formation of high density resist patterns. The methods find particular applicability in semiconductor device manufacture.
US08394567B2
There is provided a toner for electrostatic latent image developing, which includes a binder resin; a carbon black-surface treated with an isocyanate compound including a plurality of isocyanate groups which include one or more isocyanate groups that are not bonded to the carbon black; and a release agent having an acid value of about 5 mgKOH/g or higher and/or a hydroxyl value of about 5 mgKOH/g or higher.
US08394565B2
A positively charged developer for development of electrostatic images, comprising positively charged toner particles and an external additive, wherein the positively charged toner particles are colored resin particles composed of aggregated and fusion-bonded particles of fine binder resin particles and fine colorant particles and having a shape factor SF-1 of 115 to 150 and a shape factor SF-2 of 110 to 140, and the external additive is an external additive containing positively charged inorganic particles subjected to a hydrophobization treatment with an amino group-containing compound, and a production process thereof.
US08394563B2
A chemical toner is described as well as methods of preparing the same.
US08394560B2
The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to layer(s) that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotography, including digital, apparatuses. More particularly, the present embodiments provide the negatively charged electrophotographic imaging members with a novel cross-linked charge blocking undercoat layer, which is created to comprise of a binary composition of melamine and formaldehyde or a triple composition consisting of a hydroxyl functional acrylic polyol binder and a methylolation of melamine-formaldehyde, and methods for making the same. The charge blocking layer provides stabilized cyclic photo-electrical properties, enhanced mechanical adhesion bonding, and improved copy print out quality for service life extension.
US08394559B2
Provided are a coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer exhibiting high stability, a process for forming the coating liquid, a high-performance electrophotographic photoreceptor that is capable of forming a high-quality image under various use environments and exhibiting reduced image defects such as black spots and color spots, and an image-forming apparatus and electrophotographic cartridge including the electrophotographic photoreceptor. In the coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer of an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing metal oxide particles and a binder resin, the metal oxide particles have a number average particle diameter of 0.10 μm or less and a 10% cumulative particle diameter of 0.060 μm or less which are measured by a dynamic light-scattering method in the coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer.
US08394555B2
A membrane-electrode assembly constructed with an anode and a cathode facing each other, and a polymer electrolyte membrane disposed therebetween. At least one of the anode and the cathode includes an electrode substrate that includes a carbon fiber based sheet coated with micro-carbons and a catalyst layer disposed on the electrode substrate with the micro-carbons contacting the catalyst layer.
US08394550B2
A nano-patterned membrane electrode assembly (MEA) is provided, which includes an electrolyte membrane layer having a three-dimensional close-packed array of hexagonal-pyramids, a first porous electrode layer, disposed on a top surface of the electrolyte membrane layer that conforms to a top surface-shape of the three-dimensional close-packed array of hexagonal-pyramids, and a second porous electrode layer disposed on a bottom surface of said electrolyte membrane layer that conforms to a bottom surface-shape of the three-dimensional close-packed array of hexagonal-pyramids, where a freestanding nano-patterned MEA is provided.
US08394543B2
In one embodiment, an electrical power storage system using hydrogen includes a power generation unit generating power using hydrogen and oxidant gas and an electrolysis unit electrolyzing steam. The electrical power storage system includes a hydrogen storage unit storing hydrogen generated by the electrolysis and supplying the hydrogen to the power generation unit during power generation, a high-temperature heat storage unit storing high temperature heat generated accompanying the power generation and supplying the heat to the electrolysis unit during the electrolysis, and a low-temperature heat storage unit storing low-temperature heat, which is exchanged in the high-temperature heat storage unit and generating with this heat the steam supplied to the electrolysis unit.
US08394537B2
An electrode plate for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a current collector, and an electrode active material layer formed on at least part of the surface of the current collector. The electrode active material layer contains a particulate electrode active material, a binding material, and carbonic matter distinct from conductive materials. The binding material is a crystalline metal oxide that does not cause alkaline metal ion intercalation and deintercalation reactions.
US08394530B2
A carbon material suitable as a negative electrode material for a lithium ion battery which can suppress decomposition of a nonaqueous electrolytic solution, which has excellent compressibility capable of highly dense packing, and which can form an electrode of high capacity without worsening charge and discharge efficiency or cycling performance. Graphite powder A having an average particle diameter of 10-30 μm and a specific surface area S1 of at most 12.5 m2/g and pitch powder B having a softening point of 80-180° C. and an average particle diameter of 15-150 μm are mixed in proportions such that the mass ratio A/B is 98/2-95.5/4.5, and the resulting mixed powder is subjected to heat treatment in a stationary condition in an inert atmosphere at 900-1100° C. to carbonize the pitch and thereby manufacture a carbon material having carbon adhered to the surface of the above-described graphite powder. Carbon preferentially adheres to the edge planes of the graphite particles. The carbon material has a specific surface area S2 of 1.0-5.0 m2/g, and it satisfies 0.4≦S2/S1≦0.8.
US08394525B2
A battery includes a plurality of stacking supports including retaining flanges and support surfaces; and a plurality of generally cylindrical cells. Each cell is supported on a pair of the support surfaces. Each cell has an annular notch defined in a side wall with the annular notch mating with one retaining flange. The cells are arranged upon the stacking supports in a plurality of cell rows. The support surfaces are arranged on the stacking supports in such a manner so that the cells are arranged in a close-packed array and to maintain at least a predetermined distance between adjacent cells.
US08394509B2
Object is to provide a surface-treated copper foil free from chromium in the surface-treatment layer and excellent in peel strength of a circuit and chemical resistance against to degradation of the peel strength after processing into a printed wiring board. To achieve the object, the surface-treated copper foil having a surface-treatment layer on a bonding surface of a copper foil for manufacturing a copper-clad laminate by laminating it to an insulating resin substrate has the surface-treatment layer formed by depositing a metal component having high melting point not lower than 1400° C. by dry process film formation method to the bonding surface of the copper foil after the cleaning treatment and further depositing a carbon component to the surface.
US08394504B2
Disclosed is an optical planar thermoplastic resin composition including a lactone ring-containing polymer as a main component thereof, or including a lactone ring-containing polymer and at least one other thermoplastic resin. The optical planar thermoplastic resin composition of the present invention has high transparency, high heat resistance, and high optical isotropy, and therefore, can sufficiently exhibit characteristics according to various optical applications.
US08394501B2
The present invention provides a polyurethane resin composition containing an active hydrogen compound (A) formed by adding m-xylylene diisocyanate and/or hexamethylene diisocyanate to a specific compound (C) at a reaction equivalent ratio ([the number of isocyanate groups]/[the number of hydroxyl groups]) of 0.80 to 0.10; and an organic polyisocyanate compound (B) formed by adding a specific compound (D) to m-xylylene diisocyanate and/or hexamethylene diisocyanate at a reaction equivalent ratio ([the number of isocyanate groups]/[the number of hydroxyl groups]) of 2 to 10; an adhesive and a coating material containing the resin composition; and a multi-layer film and a packaging bag containing any of these.
US08394499B2
Crosslinked films having electro-optic activity, methods for making the films, polymers useful in making the films, and devices that include the films. The films include a host crosslinked polymer having aligned polarizable chromophore moieties and aligned guest polarizable chromophore compounds.
US08394494B2
A new substrate makes it possible to modify surface properties relating to antimicrobial properties. Said substrate has an electron donating surface, characterized in having metal particles on said surface, said metal particles comprising palladium and at least one metal chosen from gold, ruthenium, rhodium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, wherein the amount of said metal particles is from about 0.001 to about 8 μg/cm2. The substrate is suggested for different uses, such as for modifying the hydrophobicity, protein adsorption, adhesion of bacteria, as well as preventing bacterial transmission and in particular preventing nosocomial infections.
US08394492B1
This invention comprises reinforced aerogel monoliths such as silica aerogels having a polymer coating on its outer geometric surface boundary, and to the method of preparing said aerogel monoliths. The polymer coatings on the aerogel monoliths are derived from polymer precursors selected from the group consisting of isocyanates as a precursor, precursors of epoxies, and precursors of polyimides. The coated aerogel monoliths can be modified further by encapsulating the aerogel with the polymer precursor reinforced with fibers such as carbon or glass fibers to obtain mechanically reinforced composite encapsulated aerogel monoliths.
US08394491B2
A prepreg containing a carbon fiber [A] and a thermosetting resin [B], and in addition, satisfying at least one of the following (1) and (2).(1) a thermoplastic resin particle or fiber [C] and a conductive particle or fiber [D] are contained, and weight ratio expressed by [compounding amount of [C] (parts by weight)]/[compounding amount of [D] (parts by weight)] is 1 to 1000.(2) a conductive particle or fiber of which thermoplastic resin nucleus or core is coated with a conductive substance [E] is contained.
US08394489B2
An object of the present invention is to industrially easily mold a molded article which is excellent in thermal conductivity, electric insulation property, low density, and an injection moldability and has a thermal conduction anisotropy. The present invention relates to a highly thermally conductive resin molded article having a thermal diffusion anisotropy, the highly thermally conductive resin molded article comprising a resin composition, the resin composition containing at least resin (A) and plate-like hexagonal boron nitride powder (B) in a (A)/(B) volume ratio falling within a range of 90/10 to 30/70, the resin (A) including a thermoplastic polyester resin and/or a thermoplastic polyamide resin, the highly thermally conductive resin molded article having a thickness of not more than 1.3 mm in a part of or all over a three-dimensional shape of the highly thermally conductive resin molded article, a thermal diffusivity measured in a plane direction of the highly thermally conductive resin molded article, being (i) two or more times higher than a thermal diffusivity measured in a thickness direction of the highly thermally conductive resin molded article and (ii) not less than 0.5 mm2/sec.
US08394484B2
This invention relates to thermally sprayed coatings of a high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder, said high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powder comprising from about 0 to about 0.15 weight percent impurity oxides, from about 0 to about 2 weight percent hafnium oxide (hafnia), from about 6 to about 25 weight percent yttrium oxide (yttria) or from about 10 to about 36 weight percent ytterbium oxide (ytterbia), and the balance zirconium oxide (zirconia). Thermal barrier coatings for protecting a component such as blades, vanes and seal surfaces of gas turbine engines, made from the high purity yttria or ytterbia stabilized zirconia powders, have a density greater than 88% of the theoretical density with a plurality of vertical macrocracks homogeneously dispersed throughout the coating to improve its thermal fatigue resistance.
US08394482B2
A mouse pad includes a fabric and a flat pad. The pad has an upper surface and a lower surface corresponding to each other, and an edge is along the periphery of the upper and lower surfaces. The fabric is smoothly and flatly covered on the upper surface, the lower surface, and the edge smoothly and flatly. Thus, by completely covering the upper surface, the lower surface and the edge of the pad, formation of deckle edge or falling off of the fabric to expose the product defect due to lack of durability.
US08394480B2
A multilayer type optical information recording medium in which in multilayering of a write-once type optical information recording medium, when a second film is formed using a metallic stamper, a protective layer composed of an inorganic material is free from peeling, is provided. In the multilayer type optical information recording medium including an interlayer, the interlayer is constituted by multiple films of a first film contacting a protective layer and a second film contacting a reflection layer; materials of the first and second films are constituted of materials different from each other; and a peeling resistance of the material of the first film against a material of the protective layer of the first optical information recording layer is higher than that of the second film.
US08394475B2
Industrial polyolefin piping system with improved stiffness, impact strength for use at high service temperature, comprising single or multilayer pipes, fitting, chambers, valves and vessels, consisting of β-nucleated propylene homopolymers with an IRτ≧0.98 having a tensile modulus ≧1500 MPa, a Charpy impact strength, notched, at +23° C.≧30 kJ/m2 and a Vicat B temperature >90° C. and a Heat Distortion Temperature >100° C. The industrial polyolefin piping system is suitable for chemical plant constructions comprising single or multilayer pipes, fittings, chambers, valves and vessels with improved stiffness, impact strength and high service temperature, preferred for conveyance of natural gas, dangerous liquids and/or toxic liquids.
US08394467B2
The instant invention relates to dielectrically positive nematic media comprising one or more compounds of formula I and one or more compounds of formulae II and III and optionally one or more compounds of formulae IV and V and liquid crystal devices comprising these media and especially to fast switching electro-optical devices.
US08394464B2
A method of lining tubing within a wellbore comprises applying a polymerisable fluid composition containing a photoinitiator to the interior surface of that tubing and initiating polymerisation of the composition by exposing it to actinic radiation, suitably light or ultraviolet with wavelength 250 to 800 nm. The composition is preferably stable against heat but polymerises quickly when exposed to the actinic radiation. The composition may be spread onto the tubing and exposed to actinic radiation as soon as it has been spread into a layer, suitably with a tool which skims the tubing surface with applicator pads for dispensing and spreading the composition, immediately followed by exposing the spread composition to actinic radiation. A second option is that the composition is provided as a sleeve which is expanded against the tubing, exposure to actinic radiation preferably then being achieved using light guides or light emitting diodes within the sleeve.
US08394463B1
Embodiments of the invention provide methods of crosslinking various compounds and materials made by these methods. Materials made by embodiments of the invention include glucose sensors used in the management of diabetes.
US08394458B2
In order to increase the probability that the component is disposed on the hydrophilic region, used is a substrate comprises a water-repellant region, a hydrophilic region, and a hydrophilic line, wherein the water-repellant region surrounds the hydrophilic region and the hydrophilic line, the hydrophilic region and the hydrophilic line are disposed along the +X direction in this order, the value of D1/D2 is not less than 0.1 and not more than 1.2, the value of D3 is not less than 5 micrometers, the value of D4 is less than the minimum length of the component.
US08394455B2
Provided is a method for forming a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film capable of enhancing the adhesion strength of a diamond-like carbon (DLC) film by simple steps. A surface of a substrate 11 made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is modified by plasma radiation, and a diamond-like carbon film 12 is formed on the modified PTFE substrate 11 surface by chemical vapor deposition.
US08394454B2
A precursor delivery system for an irradiation beam instrument having a vacuum chamber includes an injection tube for injecting gasses into the vacuum chamber of the instrument and a main gas line having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is connected to the injection tube, and the inlet is connected to a sequential pair of valves connected to a carrier gas source. A crucible for holding precursor material is selectively connected to the main gas line at a location between the pair of valves and the injection tube. The source of carrier gas may be selectively connected to the inlet by sequential operation of the pair of carrier gas valves, so that pulses of carrier gas assist the flow of precursor material to the injection tube. Rapid purging of the system between precursors is enabled by a valve selectively connecting the main line to an envelope in communication with the instrument vacuum. Methods of CVD and etching using the system are also disclosed.
US08394450B2
The process for producing a magnet according to the invention is characterized by comprising a first step in which a heavy rare earth compound containing Dy or Tb as a heavy rare earth element is adhered onto a sintered compact of a rare earth magnet and a second step in which the heavy rare earth compound-adhered sintered compact is subjected to heat treatment, wherein the heavy rare earth compound is a Dy or Tb iron compound.
US08394448B2
A flexible laminate composition and methods for manufacturing same are provided. The flexible laminate composition includes one or more discrete and separate layers of a radiopaque material wherein the radiopaque layer is applied via a solvent to a layer that is composed of a plastic material. The laminate composition can be formed into a radiopaque marker band that can be used with a medical device, such as a catheter, for radiographic imaging. The laminate composition as an alternative can also be utilized to form the catheter or other suitable medical device.
US08394447B2
The apparatus and method use an optical feedback system to align a brush assembly with a stent strut. Once alignment is achieved, a coating is dispensed onto the stent strut via the brush assembly and the brush assembly is moved along the stent strut to coat the stent strut.
US08394443B2
The present invention relates to a process by which whey permeates or blends thereof can be converted to a modified whey powder (MWP) having low mineral content, low hygroscopicity, and advantageous organoleptic properties using a combination of ion-exchange demineralization and crystallization. The modified whey powder thus obtained is suitable for dry applications in the production of food products. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a modified whey powder (MWP) obtainable by said process and to products comprising said modified whey powder (MWP), such as confectionery, biscuits, and powdered soft drinks.
US08394442B2
The present invention relates to processes for the preparation of a flavoring concentrate, to a flavoring concentrate which can be prepared by a process according to the invention, to products comprising one or more flavoring concentrates according to the invention, and to processes for the concentration of flavoring and/or aromatic substances.
US08394436B2
Described are dough compositions and methods of preparing dough compositions, raw and baked, including preferred methods and compositions wherein chemical leavening agents are encapsulated by a degradable barrier material to control their reaction until a time during baking, wherein the encapsulated chemical leavening agents at least partially leaven the dough composition during baking, and wherein the encapsulated chemical leavening agents are uniformly incorporated into the dough composition or dough ingredients by methods that limit shear damage to the encapsulated particles.
US08394421B2
Systems and methods for synthesizing silver nanoparticles (SNPs) using Trichoderma fungi have been developed. In an aspect, Trichoderma reesei was used for the extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles. In the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticle by a fungus, one or more enzymes or metabolites are produced that reduce a salt to its metallic solid nanoparticles through a catalytic process.
US08394412B1
Silicon particle nano-clusters formed with crystalline cores and amorphous shells are used for absorbing ultraviolet wavelength radiation. Silicon nano-particles are synthesized by plasma-chemical sputtering of bulk silicon crystal to form particles which are then quenched in an atmosphere of oxygen or oxygen and nitrogen. Analysis of these particles is presented for their scattering and absorption properties for use as ultraviolet protection elements.
US08394407B2
A tablet comprising a core containing an active agent, and a coating, the core being disposed within the coating such that the coating has a thickness about a longitudinal axis (X-Y) of about 4.85 to 4.95 mm. The position of the core within the coating dictating that the active agent is released rapidly after a lag time during which time no active agent is released.
US08394401B2
In this application, an antiobesity or antihyperlipidemic food, feeding stuff or supplement containing lysine component(s) that is characterized in that said food, feeding stuff or supplement contains lysine component(s) at such rate that 40 to 160 mg in terms of free-form lysine should be taken in per kg of body weight per day, under diet conditions under which the daily protein energy composition is 20% or less, and an antiobesity or antihyperlipidemic food, feeding stuff or supplement containing lysine component(s) that is characterized by containing said lysine component(s) in an amount of 0.8 to 3.0 wt % in terms of free-form lysine on the basis of the dry matter and having a protein energy composition of 20% or less are disclosed. According to the present invention, a method that can realize a reduction in body weight or body fat, suppress weight increases, or improve hyperlipidemia for obese persons or persons concerned about increases in their body weight, safely and to the fullest extent and a method that can eliminate the fat of unnecessarily obese animals, or control obesity, can be provided.
US08394400B2
The invention relates to bulking agents and apparatus and methods for using the disclosed bulking agents. The bulking agents can be used to treat such conditions as urinary and fecal incontinence, gastro-esophageal reflux, aneurismal blockages, and cosmetic deformities. The invention also relates to an injection method that reduces the injection pressure required to place the bulking agents.
US08394398B2
A medical device comprising a supporting structure capable of including or supporting a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, which carrier or excipient may include one or more therapeutic agents or substances, with the carrier including a coating on the surface thereof, and the coating including the therapeutic substances, such as, for example, drugs. Supporting structures for the medical devices that are suitable for use in this invention include, but are not limited to, coronary stents, peripheral stents, catheters, arterio-venous grafts, by-pass grafts, and drug delivery balloons used in the vasculature. Drugs that are suitable for use in this invention include, but are not limited to, This drug can be used in combination with another drug including those selected from anti-proliferative agents, anti-platelet agents, anti-inflammatory agents, anti-thrombotic agents, cytotoxic drugs, agents that inhibit cytokine or chemokine binding, cell de-differentiation inhibitors, anti-lipaedemic agents, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, cytostatic drugs, or combinations of these drugs.
US08394397B2
A method of treatment for preventing or inhibiting growth of cancer cells utilizes an antineoplastic composition including an antineoplastic-effective amount of a methylol transfer agent (MTA) in combination with biodegradable adhesive capable of adhering to tissue of a living subject.
US08394392B2
An antibacterial agent composed of silver-containing aluminum sulfate hydroxide particles represented by the following formula (X-I) or (Y-I). (AgaBb-a)bAlcAx(SO4)y(OH)z.pH2O (X-I) [AgaBb-a]b[Ti3-cAlc](SO4)y(OH)z.pH2O (Y-I) The above antibacterial agent of the present invention provides antibacterial molded articles and further antifungal agents, cosmetics, antibacterial paper, antibacterial deodorizing sprays and agricultural chemicals when it is mixed with a resin.
US08394389B2
Provided is a pharmaceutical composition that includes one or more inactivated Mycobacterium spp., which are preferably inactivated using gamma irradiation, and which is then formulated for mucosal or pulmonary delivery to a subject. The pharmaceutical compositions are useful for preventing or treating mycobacterium-associated infections in a subject, including a human subject.
US08394387B1
The invention relates to improved methods of producing and recovering sporulation-deficient B. anthracis mutant stains, and for producing and recovering recombinant B. anthracis protective antigen (PA), especially modified PA which is protease resistant, and to methods of using of these PAs or nucleic acids encoding these PAs for eliciting an immunogenic response in humans, including responses which provide protection against, or reduce the severity of, B. anthracis bacterial infections and which are useful to prevent and/or treat illnesses caused by B. anthracis, such as inhalation anthrax, cutaneous anthrax and gastrointestinal anthrax.
US08394386B2
An immunogenic regimen is provided. The regimen involves sequential administration of a recombinant adenoviral vector and a recombinant adeno-associated viral vector, each of which delivers a heterologous expression cassette encoding the same immunogenic product, or a cross-reactive immunogenic product. Also provided are products containing the vectors for use in the regimen of the invention.
