US08493789B2
Non-volatile memory device channel boosting methods in which at least two strings are connected to one bit line, the channel boosting methods including applying an initial channel voltage to channels of strings in a selected memory block, floating inhibit strings each having an un-programmed cell among the strings, and boosting channels of the floated inhibit strings.
US08493788B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a column decoder, and a control circuit configured to control the memory cell array and the column decoder. The control circuit is configured to load program data from outside, to execute a first data program in a first even-numbered bit line, to execute a second data program in a first odd-numbered bit line, to execute a verify read of the programmed bit lines, to determine whether a value of the verify read is programmed up to a predetermined threshold value, and to change, in a case where the value of the verify read fails to be programmed to the predetermined threshold value, an order of the first and second data programs, to execute the second data program in the first odd-numbered bit line, and then to execute the first data program in the first even-numbered bit line.
US08493769B2
Memory devices including decoders having different transistor channel dimensions and related devices
An integrated circuit memory device includes a memory cell array comprising memory cells having respective data storage regions therein, a plurality of pass transistors having different channel widths and/or channel lengths, and a plurality of conductive lines. Each of the conductive lines electrically couple a respective one of the pass transistors to ones of the memory cells. Each of the memory cells has a line resistance defined by a portion of the corresponding one of the conductive lines extending between the memory cell and the pass transistor coupled thereto. Ones of the memory cells having greater line resistances are coupled to ones of the pass transistors having greater channel widths and/or shorter channel lengths than ones of the memory cells having smaller line resistances. Each of the memory cells may also include a diode therein, and ones of the memory cells having greater line resistances may include diodes having lower resistances. Related devices are also discussed.
US08493765B2
All interface pins for transmitting and receiving a signal having a predetermined function of a semiconductor integrated circuit element are formed on an outer periphery of the semiconductor integrated circuit element along one side of the semiconductor integrated circuit element. The one side of the semiconductor integrated circuit element is adjacent to two of sides of a BGA substrate, the two sides being not parallel to the one side. Of balls provided on the BGA substrate, balls electrically connected to the interface pins for transmitting and receiving a signal having a predetermined function are provided between the one side of the semiconductor integrated circuit element and the two sides of the BGA substrate.
US08493752B2
A primary side current controller for a power supply is disclosed. The primary side current controller includes a waveform detection unit, a calculation unit, and a switching controller. The waveform detection unit is used for detecting a waveform signal of the power supply and generating a captured signal. The calculation unit is coupled to the waveform detection unit and used for generating a selected voltage according to the captured signal and a feedback signal of the power supply. The switching controller is coupled to the calculation unit and used for generating a modulation signal according to the selected voltage and the feedback signal.
US08493728B2
To reduce vibration in the rotation direction acting on the hard disk drive with a part of the hard disk drive as the rotation center. The disk unit comprises a hard disk drive comprising a drive mechanism which rotates and drives a plurality of disk media, an arm rotatably supported on a pivot and placed as movable in the rotation area of the disk media, and an actuator which performs positioning control of the magnetic head fixed to the arm to a target position on the disk media, a frame supporting the hard disk drive, and a dynamic absorber placed in the hard disk drive or in the frame, wherein the dynamic absorber absorbs vibration in the rotation direction acting on the hard disk drive with a part of the hard disk drive as the rotation center.
US08493720B2
Functionality and control of the media module using a method and apparatus for access and compatibility control is disclosed. The media module interfaces with a camera or other device to store image and audio data from the camera on memory. Access to the media module is controlled by method and system for data encryption or authentication. Encryption or authentication controls access and compatibility with particular camera, camera line, or camera manufacture. The encryption or authentication may also control access to features or functions of the media module. An authentication module comprising an input/output controller, processor and memory processes an authentication request or command to determine if the media module and camera are compatible. The processor may execute software stored on the memory to perform any type of authentication including a hash operation, symmetric key operation, or asymmetric key operation.
US08493706B2
A semiconductor module and a data memory module having the same are provided. The semiconductor module includes a substrate having a semiconductor device, a ground terminal, a protection pattern, and a switching element. The ground terminal and the protection pattern are formed on the substrate. The switching element connects the ground terminal and the protection pattern in series. The switching element electrically connects the protection pattern and the ground terminal when a voltage applied to the substrate is beyond a set voltage range.
US08493703B2
An integrated circuit arrangement on a common chip or chip support, for safety critical applications, in particular for use in control and regulation units for a motor vehicle braking system, including at least one microprocessor system module, which has at least one core processor, provided with at least one ROM and at least one RAM, at least one power module for controlling external users and at least one monitoring module for monitoring at least parts and/or part systems of the circuit arrangement, the circuit arrangement including at least one temperature sensor for recording a chip temperature.
US08493702B2
An exemplary aspect of the present invention is a current limiting circuit including: an output transistor that controls a current flowing to a load from a power supply; a current sense transistor through which a current dependent on a current flowing through the output transistor flows; a sense resistor connected in series with the current sense transistor; a potential difference detection unit that detects a potential difference generated between both ends of the sense resistor; a constant current generation unit that supplies a constant current to the potential difference detection unit; and a control unit that controls a conduction state of the output transistor based on a control voltage generated based on the potential difference and the constant current, in which the sense resistor is disposed so as to surround the potential difference detection unit.
US08493698B2
It is desired to achieve a high ESD protection performance by a small area circuit. An electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes: protection circuits, wherein each protection circuit includes a MOS transistor; and a trigger circuit configured to supply a trigger signal to a gate electrode of the MOS transistor of each protection circuit in response to a surge voltage between a low potential node and a high potential node. Each protection circuit is configured to electrically connect the low potential node and the high potential node to one another when the trigger signal is supplied to the gate electrode. The gate electrode of each protection circuit is connected to a resistive element having larger resistance value than Rmax, supposing that Rmax is a largest parasitic resistance between each of the plurality of protection circuit and an output of the trigger circuit.
US08493694B2
The free layer of a CPP-TMR sensor is biased by laterally disposed hard bias (HB) layers that include a seedlayer structure, a magnetic layer structure of high coercivity material and a capping layer structure. The magnetic layer structure is a layer of FePt-containing material, such as FePtCu, while the seedlayers and capping layers include layers of Cr, CrTi, Fe, FeCo or FeCoMo. These combinations enable the promotion of the L10 phase of the FePt-containing material which provides a high coercivity magnetic layer structure at much lower annealing temperatures than in the prior art.
US08493691B2
A tape drive system according to one embodiment includes a support for engaging a tape; and a head directly opposing the tape engaging portion of the support, the head being for performing at least one of reading from a tape and writing to a tape. During an operation period, the head is positioned such that at least one of the following occurs: the head does not contact the tape for a majority of the operation period; the head does not contact the tape for at least a portion of the operation period; and the head engages the tape for at least a portion of the operation period when the tape is lifted from the support by a cushion of air formed between the support and the tape, the head pressing the tape into the air cushion when engaging the tape.
US08493690B1
A load-unload ramp structure with a cantilevered fin portion to reduce drop shock in a hard-disk drive (HDD). The load-unload ramp structure includes a first load-unload ramp, a fin, and a bracket portion. The first load-unload ramp is configured to lift a first head-slider away from a magnetic-recording disk. The fin is coupled to the first load-unload ramp and is disposed below a first parking position of the first head-slider. The fin includes a fin base portion and a first cantilevered fin portion. The first cantilevered fin portion is coupled to, and extends outward from, the fin base portion. The bracket portion is integrally attached to the first load-unload ramp, and is configured to allow affixing the load-unload ramp structure in a static position in a disk-enclosure base of the HDD. A HDD including the load-unload ramp structure and a method for providing protection from drop shock are also provided.
US08493689B2
A head gimbal assembly includes a gimbal, a slider, and a polymer layer. The gimbal comprises a metal layer, and the metal layer of the gimbal defines a gimbal mounting portion for attachment to a metallic load beam and a gimbal tongue extending from the gimbal mounting portion. The slider comprises a ceramic material for carrying a transducing head, and at least a portion of the slider is secured to the gimbal tongue. The polymer layer is positioned adjacent to the gimbal and configured for limiting ceramic-to-metal and metal-to-metal contact.
US08493685B2
There is provided a base assembly for a motor, the base assembly including: a base body having a disk disposed thereon; an outer wall part defining an outer side of the base body; one or more ribs depressed from one surface of the base body and protruded toward the other surface thereof to thereby improve rigidity of the base body; and one or more blocking parts provided in the ribs to thereby block abnormal air flow due to the ribs at a time of rotation of the disk.
US08493683B2
Measuring method of a magnetic head includes (a) placing the magnetic head at normal position, defining a first direction parallel to an air bearing surface and two shielding layers of the magnetic head, and defining a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; (b) tilting the magnetic head at an angle to the second direction, applying a plurality of first magnetic fields with different intensities in the first direction, and measuring out a first output parameter curve; (c) repeating the step (b) with different angles and measuring out a plurality of first output parameter curves; (d) calculating a plurality of pinned direction tilt ratios that a pinned direction of a pinned layer of the magnetic head tilts towards the second direction according to the parameter curves; and (e) calculating a pinned direction tilt angle that the pinned direction tilts towards the second direction according to the pinned direction tilting ratios.
US08493681B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk comprising a plurality of segments. A cluster of defective segments is identified, and a margin rectangle of segments is defined around each defective segment in the cluster. A margin map representing the margin rectangles is generated. The margin map may comprise start and end segment numbers, or run-length encoding, or any other suitable encoding for identifying consecutive segments that extend across multiple, overlapping margin rectangles.
US08493674B2
The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element.
US08493667B2
A lens apparatus includes a first lens unit and a second lens unit each of which is configured to move in an optical axis direction, a first cam tube that includes a first cam part and a second cam part respectively on an outer circumferential surface and an inner circumferential surface and moves the first and second lens units respectively in the optical axis direction using the first and second cam parts as the first cam tube rotates around an optical axis, and a linearly moving guide tube that is arranged on an inner circumferential side of the first cam tube and configured to guide the first and second lens units in the optical axis direction.
US08493666B2
A zoom lens includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens unit having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit having a negative refractive power, and a third lens unit having a positive refractive power. In the zoom lens, during zooming, each lens unit is configured to move such that distances among the lens units vary. The first lens unit consists of three lenses. A relative partial dispersion θgF and an Abbe number νd of a material of the positive lens included in the first lens unit are appropriately set by satisfying predetermined mathematical conditions.
US08493665B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, which are disposed in order from an object side to an image side and an aperture stop disposed between the second and third lens groups. When changing the magnification of the zoom lens from a short focal end to a long focal end, an interval between the first and second lens groups increases, an interval between the second and third lens groups decreases, and an interval between the third and fourth lens groups increases. The first and third lens groups are moved so as to be positioned at object side positions at the long focal end relative to positions at the short focal end. The third lens group has two positive lenses. Predetermined conditions of the positive lenses of the third lens group are satisfied.
US08493663B2
An optical system includes, in order from an enlargement conjugate side to a reduction conjugate side via a largest air gap, a front unit having a negative power, and a rear unit having positive power. The optical system satisfies 1.75
US08493642B2
A method for generating video holograms for a holographic reproduction device with at least one light modulation means, wherein a scene split into object points is encoded as a whole hologram and can be seen as a reconstruction from a visibility region, which is located within a periodicity interval of the reconstruction of the video hologram. The visibility region, together with each object point of the scene to be reconstructed, defines a subhologram and the whole hologram is generated from a superposition of subholograms, wherein in a sequence of image contents the difference subholograms of object points are preferably generated for each picture, differing in regards to the visibility according to the viewer position in sequential images of the sequence. The display device comprises means that provide high-quality video holograms in spite of the data amount being significantly reduced.
US08493634B2
A method of automatically identifying a scan region boundary, used for scanning a document under a non-unified background, includes: reading a reference linear scan data by a scanning device, the scanning device analyzing brightness values in each row of the reference linear scan data and determining a reference range value according to the brightness values in each row; and during scanning a document, the scanning device comparing brightness values of a linear scan data with the reference range value so as to determine the scan region boundary. The method confirms the scan boundary of a document and is not subjected to a backlight element or a document carrier. The method identifies the boundary of a document under a non-unified background, is applicable to scanning transparent and reflective documents and has strong resistance against environmental interference, not only simplifying the scanning device but also enhancing the automatic performance.
US08493633B2
A system for media handling and uniformity calibration for an image scanner includes an optical window, an assist roller, an adjustment mechanism, and a calibration strip. The assist roller receives and guides media through a gap between the assist roller and the optical window. The adjustment mechanism is integrated with the assist roller for controlling the distance between the assist roller and the optical window for smooth passage of media. The controlled reflectivity calibration strip connected to the adjustment mechanism facilitates sensor calibration, such as flat field correction. The adjustment mechanism moves to position the calibration strip in alignment with the optical window whenever sensor calibration is desired.
US08493630B2
A passport and identification card reader minimizes the time and effort required for an operator to read/scan a passport or piece of identification. An immigration official, for example, can slide a passport into place with one hand while tending to other important security activities with the other hand. Once in place, the passport will be automatically detected and read. Numerous passports bound together by a traveler with multiple visas can be held flat in place and accurately read, even with one hand, despite the natural tendency of the passport(s) to return to a closed position.
US08493629B2
An overlap determining unit determines whether or not it is difficult to read watermark characters by overlap between the watermark characters of the watermark image and pixels having a pixel value of the scan image equal to or more than a predetermined value using image data of a watermark image and image data of a scan image read by a scanner unit when the watermark image and the scan image area overlapped. A watermark image generating unit generates a correction watermark image obtained by correcting the watermark image to improve readability of the watermark characters when it is determined that it is difficult to read the watermark characters. A synthesis image generating unit generates a synthesis image in which the correction watermark image and the scan image are overlapped. A printer unit forms the synthesis image on a printing medium.
US08493616B2
A method for printing an image, the method includes the steps of defining a media support surface; advancing a print medium onto the support surface; emitting light from a first side of the print medium toward the defined surface; moving a sensor on a second side of the print medium along a scan direction; monitoring the position of the sensor as it moves along the scan direction; sensing the light on the second side of the print medium which is opposite the first side as the light passes through the print medium to a sensor; providing memory for storing patterns representing particular media types; providing a processor for comparing signals from the sensor to patterns stored in the memory in order to identify media type; identifying the print medium type; selecting a print mode based on the identified print medium type; processing an image according to the selected print mode; and printing the image on the print medium.
US08493608B2
An image forming apparatus includes a history storage unit, a history writing unit, and a history reading unit. The history storage unit is configured to store a job history that shows a history of a job. The history writing unit is configured to divide that job history into a plurality of histories, add identification information to the plurality of histories for associating the plurality of histories with each other, and write the plurality of histories to the history storage unit. The history reading unit is configured to read that plurality of histories on the basis of the identification information.
US08493604B2
When execution of a job requiring user authentication included in an application program is reserved, a job identifier of the job and stored user identification information are linked to each other and registered. Then, upon execution of the reserved job, the user identification information linked to the registered job identifier is referred to, and authentication is performed as to whether or not the job is executed. When the authentication is successful, the job is executed. Further, it is determined whether or not an unexecuted job exists among registered reserved jobs. When it is determined that an unexecuted job exists, control is performed so as to maintain the linkage between the identifier of the registered unexecuted job and the stored user identification information.
US08493601B2
According to one set of embodiments, techniques are provided for performing actions based upon physical locations of one or more paper documents. According to another set of embodiments, techniques are provided for tracking the physical locations of paper documents. According to another set of embodiments, techniques are provided for determining electronic document information for paper documents. According to another set of embodiments, techniques are provided for determining and tracking the contents of a container. According to another set of embodiments, a document security system is provided. According to another set of embodiments, techniques are provided for tracking documents in a workflow.
US08493594B2
An image processing apparatus stores user identification information of a first user, and sends a print instruction including the stored user identification information to a print managing server. The apparatus receives print data of the first user managed in association with the user identification information of the first user included in the sent print instruction, and prints the received print data of the first user. The apparatus receives user identification information of a second user while printing of the print data of the first user is being performed and discriminates whether interruption printing of print data of the second user can be performed, and performs interruption printing of the print data of the second user if the interruption printing can be performed. The apparatus restarts printing of the print data of the first user after interruption printing of the print data of the second user is completed.
US08493590B2
A system for transmitting data directly between a plurality of client network devices in a network is disclosed. The system may include a first client network device having a first client (“STA”) module and a second client network device of the plurality of client network devices where the second client network device includes a Dual Access Point and Station enabled device (“DAS-enabled device”).
US08493583B2
An image forming apparatus and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The image forming apparatus supports the printing management function, such that it can continue or cancel the printing operation when a printing-operation change factor occurs during the printing operation established by the user. In the case of using the printing management function, the user can easily stop the printing operation when the erroneous data occurs or he or she desires to cancel the remaining printing operations during the printing operation, such that an amount of resources required for the printing operation can be minimized, resulting in the implementation of increased operation efficiency. The method for controlling the image forming apparatus includes: determining whether the number of printed papers is equal to a predetermined printing-check paper number during a printing operation; and if the number of printed papers is equal to the predetermined printing-check paper number, comparing printing information for each page of printed data with the other printing information for each actually-applied page, and determining the presence or absence of a printing error.
US08493580B2
A computer-implemented method that includes incorporating an entity specification into a business process in response to an input by a user is described. The entity specification describes an element of a document and is associated with the business process. The computer-implemented method also includes determining a multifunction printer (MFP) from a heterogeneous mix of MFPs for implementation of the business process. The MFP has an associated executable language and a graphical user interface (GUI) specification. The computer-implemented method also includes associating the entity specification with an element of the GUI specification. The computer-implemented method also includes generating, from the entity specification and the business process, an executable that conforms to the executable language and the GUI specification and performs the business process when executed by the MFP. The computer-implemented method also includes deploying the executable to the MFP.
US08493572B2
An encoder configuration comprises an illumination portion, a scale comprising a scale track, and a signal processing electronics. The signal processing electronics may include a detector comprising a first set of three detector sub-portions that provide a first set of signals comprising three respective sub-portion signal subsets that have nominally the same signal characteristics when the scale track is not contaminated or defective. The processing electronics analyze the first set of signals and identify a least-similar sub-portion signal subset that has a corresponding signal characteristic value that is least similar to comparable signal characteristic values associated with more-similar sub-portion signal subsets of the first set of signals. Position measurements are based on valid signals including a plurality of the more-similar sub-portion signal subsets and not including the least-similar sub-portion signal subset if it is significantly different. Accurate measurement may be provided despite significant scale contamination or defects.
US08493569B2
A device for measuring relative displacement between two members includes a scale grating and an optical encoder readhead comprising a first wavelength light source illuminating the grating. The grating outputs scale light to form a moving periodic intensity pattern at the first wavelength. The readhead comprises a plurality of spatial phase detectors comprising: a periodic spatial filter; a phosphor layer that receives light arising from the first wavelength periodic intensity pattern and outputs second wavelength light, and a photodetector element that receives, and is sensitive to, the second wavelength light. The photodetector element inputs second wavelength light corresponding to a spatially filtered version of the first wavelength periodic intensity pattern and outputs a signal indicative of its spatial phase relative to that spatial phase detector. The spatial filtering may be provided by a mask element, or by a pattern of the phosphor layer and/or the detector element, in various embodiments.
US08493564B2
In various embodiments of the invention, a unique construction for Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with at least one luminescent rod and extracting optical elements is used to generate a variety of high brightness light sources with different emission spectra. In an embodiment of the invention, forced air cooling is used to cool the luminescent rod. In an embodiment of the invention, totally internal reflected light can be redirected outward and refocused. In another embodiment of the invention, light emitted by the luminescent rod is out-coupled for use in a variety of applications. In various embodiments of the invention, a plurality of independent narrow band colors can be coaxially combined.
US08493559B2
A cuvette is shaped cylindrically at one end in order to be placed in a standard microfuge and is designed to specifically remove unwanted contaminates by centrifugation. The lower part of the cuvette is shaped substantially smaller to collect liquids for direct analysis and has a shape that will conform to a variety of spectrophotometers for the measurement of the absorption of irradiation and at times the subsequent scattering of light from the liquid samples which at least in the regions of the windows or desired shape is of a transparent plastic or glass with an inner space. The upper opening of the cuvette is for filling and removing sample fluid and sample preparation in a centrifuge and the lower part projects downwards towards the floor of the measuring chamber and which comprises a smaller cross section than the upper part. A cuvette holder is designed to conform to the shape of the cuvette with an outer surface to conform to the specific measuring device.
US08493558B2
A surface inspection apparatus includes an irradiating unit that has a plurality of light sources that respectively emit a plurality of illumination light beams having different wavelength ranges, and irradiates an inspection surface as a surface of a body to be inspected with the illumination light beams, in a condition where the light sources are located adjacent to each other and arranged in a given order along the inspection surface, an imaging unit that images reflected light when the illumination light beams are reflected by the inspection surface, so as to obtain a plurality of items of image data corresponding to the respective wavelength ranges, and a control unit that detects a detection object on the inspection surface, based on the items of image data corresponding to the respective wavelength ranges which are obtained by the imaging unit.
US08493557B2
A surface inspecting apparatus rotates a semiconductor wafer 100 (inspection object) as a main scan while translating the semiconductor wafer 100 as an auxiliary scan, illuminates the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100 with illuminating light 21, thereby forms an illumination spot 3 as the illumination area of the illuminating light 21, detects scattered or diffracted or reflected light from the illumination spot, and detects a foreign object existing on the surface of the semiconductor wafer 100 or in a part of the semiconductor wafer 100 in the vicinity of the surface based on the result of the detection. In the surface inspecting apparatus, the translation speed of the auxiliary scan is controlled according to the distance from the rotation center of the semiconductor wafer 100 in the main scan to the illumination spot. With this control, the inspection time can be shortened while the deterioration in the detection sensitivity and the increase in the thermal damage during the surface inspection are suppressed.
US08493546B2
A band pass filter includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a plasma generated by the first and second electrode. The plasma is confined to a region of space through which electromagnetic waves having a frequency above an intrinsic plasma frequency are transmitted, and electromagnetic waves having a frequency below the intrinsic plasma frequency are reflected. The band pass filter may be implemented in a photo lithography tool between a source module and an exposure module. The plasma of the band pass filter may be adapted to reduce IR radiation (or other out of band radiation) exposure to the exposure module by reflecting IR radiation back to the radiation source. In an extreme ultraviolet photo lithography tool, the plasma of the band pass filter may be adapted to transmit EUV radiation.
US08493533B2
Light leakage between pixel electrodes over a video signal line in a TN-type liquid crystal display device in which a dot inversion driving is applied with a three o'clock viewing angle is prevented. Pixel electrodes (PX) are formed on both sides of a video signal line (DL) of a first substrate (SUB1), and an end of the pixel electrode (PX) and the video signal line (DL) overlap each other. Over a second substrate (SUB2), a black matrix (BM) is formed in a portion corresponding to the video signal line (DL). By shifting the black matrix BM and the video signal line DL to the left with respect to a gap G between the pixel electrodes PX, it is possible to prevent light leakage caused by a disclination line (DS) which occurs by a horizontal electric field between pixel electrodes (PX).
US08493532B2
A liquid crystal display device has a liquid crystal display panel including pixels each having an active device, a pixel electrode, a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer arranged in a dot matrix array. The liquid crystal display panel has a first substrate, a second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has the active device, the pixel electrode, the common electrode and a first alignment film. The second substrate has a second alignment film. The first alignment film and the second alignment film are respectively a photo alignment film formed by irradiating a photo decomposition type insulating film with light. The second alignment film has a thickness of at least 10 nm and no greater 50 nm and is thinner than the first alignment film.
US08493505B2
An automatic clean device for a surveillance camera has an automatic cleaner. The automatic cleaner is connected to the surveillance camera directly or via an angle adjusting mechanism and has a housing, and an operating assembly, a driving assembly and a cleaning assembly mounted in the housing. The driving assembly drives the operating assembly to move linearly and turn. The cleaning assembly is mounted on the operating assembly and cleans a lens of the surveillance camera. The cleaning head is not disposed in front of the lens and is disposed away from the lens when the automatic cleaner is not executing its cleaning task. Thus, the cleaning head does not obstruct the surveillance camera so the surveillance camera is able to film complete images.
US08493502B2
An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit, a light emission unit, an image acquisition unit configured to drive the image pickup unit and the light emission unit to acquire an image while the light emission unit is emitting light and acquire images while the light emission unit is emitting no light at substantially the same view angle, a difference acquisition unit configured to acquire a luminance difference between the image acquired while the light emission unit is emitting light and one of the images acquired while the light emission unit is emitting no light, and an image composing unit configured to compose a composite image from the images acquired while the light emission unit is emitting no light and the image acquired while the light emission unit is emitting light, using the luminance difference acquired by the difference acquisition unit as transmission intensity data.
US08493497B2
The invention provides a focus detection apparatus comprising: an image sensor configured to convert an object image, the image sensor having a focus detection pixel for receiving a light beam that has passed through a partial area, which is a division of an exit pupil of an optical system for forming an object image; addition unit configured to multiply outputs of a plurality of the focus detection pixels included in a predetermined area of the image sensor by a weighting coefficient corresponding to a position of the focus detection pixel, and perform addition; and defocus amount calculation unit configured to calculate a defocus amount based on a pair of phase-difference detection signals generated based on an output of the addition unit.
US08493486B2
In a conventional image pickup apparatus, a plurality of reset methods for resetting a photodiode cannot be set. A row selection unit is provided with a first storage unit for storing an address of a read row, a second storage unit for storing an address of a shutter row, and further a third storage unit for storing an address of a row in which potential of photodiode is fixed.
US08493479B2
A method of eliminating background noise from a system for authenticating security markers includes capturing an image of a background of the security marker; illuminating the security marker; capturing a plurality of images of the optical response of the security marker; averaging the plurality of optical response images; smoothing the background image; and subtracting the smoothed background image from the average of the plurality of optical response images.
US08493478B2
A method of filtering a red-eye phenomenon from an acquired digital image including a multiplicity of pixels indicative of color, the pixels forming various shapes of the image, includes analyzing meta-data information, determining one or more regions within the digital image suspected as including red eye artifact, and determining, based at least in part on the meta-data analysis, whether the regions are actual red eye artifact. The meta-data information may include information describing conditions under which the image was acquired, captured and/or digitized, acquisition device-specific information, and/film information.
US08493477B2
The present invention sets an auto-zooming frame that includes a plurality of selected subjects from among subjects detected from a captured image. Then, the angle of view is adjusted so that the entire auto-zooming frame is captured. Auto-zooming frame setting and angle of view adjustment are continuously performed on images that are consecutively captured, thereby providing auto-zooming control for a plurality of subjects.
US08493457B2
A managing device includes a request receiver that receives a request for use of an image forming apparatus, the request containing information concerning a user; an upper limit value determining unit that, upon receiving the request for use by the request receiver, determines an upper limit value for image formation processing on the basis of limiting information of a user group to which the user belongs; and a transmitter that transmits information providing an instruction to inhibit the image formation processing to an image forming apparatus whose image formation processing cannot be limited based on the upper limit value determined by the upper limit value determining unit when the processing upper limit value is less than a threshold value.
US08493453B2
Several methods and apparatuses for implementing automatic exposure mechanisms for image capturing devices are described. In one embodiment, an orientation detector located in the device determines orientation data for the device. The automatic exposure mechanism projects an orientation vector into an image plane of an image sensor. Next, the automatic exposure mechanism adjusts an initial position of a metering area used for automatic exposure towards a target position based on the projected orientation vector. The automatic exposure mechanism optionally dampens the adjustment of the metering area.
US08493452B2
A solid-state imaging device including a plurality of pixel units configured and disposed in an imaging area in such a way that a plurality of pixels corresponding to different colors are treated as one unit, the amount of shift of a position of each of the pixels in the pixel unit being set as to differ depending on distance from a center of the imaging area to the pixel unit and a color.
US08493449B2
Method of estimating the perceived quality of a video sequence at a maximum spatial resolution and a maximum temporal resolution, and at a lower spatial resolution and/or temporal resolution, said method including filtering said video sequence at the lower temporal resolution and/or the lower spatial resolution so as to produce a filtered video sequence at the maximum spatial and temporal resolutions; determining a reference sequence that is, at most, equal to the content of said video sequence at the maximum spatial and temporal resolutions; and calculating a metric of perceived quality of said video sequence at the lower temporal resolution and/or the lower spatial resolution.
US08493445B2
An optical scanner system for contiguous three-dimensional topographic or volumetric imaging of a surface from an aircraft or spacecraft is disclosed. A servo controller synchronizes the rotation rates of a pair of wedge scanners with high precision to the multi-kilohertz laser fire rate producing an infinite variety of well-controlled scan patterns. This causes the beam pattern to be laid down in precisely the same way on each scan cycle, eliminating the need to record the orientations of the wedges accurately on every laser fire, thereby reducing ancillary data storage or transmission requirements by two to three orders of magnitude and greatly simplifying data preprocessing and analysis. The described system also uses a holographic element to split the laser beam into an array that is then scanned in an arbitrary pattern. This provides more uniform signal strength to the various imaging detector channels and reduces the level of optical crosstalk between channels, resulting in a higher fidelity three-dimensional image.
US08493443B2
A method of and apparatus for maintaining the privacy of a subject of a recording are disclosed. The location of at least one subject is determined. The location of the subject is stored in a database. The location of a recording device when a recording is made is determined. The location of the recording device is provided to the database.
US08493432B2
A single camera acquires an input image of a scene as observed in an array of spheres, wherein pixels in the input image corresponding to each sphere form a sphere image. A set of virtual cameras are defined for each sphere on a line joining a center of the sphere and a center of projection of the camera, wherein each virtual camera has a different virtual viewpoint and an associated cone of rays, appearing as a circle of pixels on its virtual image plane. A projective texture mapping of each sphere image is applied to all of the virtual cameras on the virtual image plane to produce a virtual camera image comprising circle of pixels. Each virtual camera image for each sphere is then projected to a refocusing geometry using a refocus viewpoint to produce a wide-angle lightfield view, which are averaged to produce a refocused wide-angle image.
US08493430B2
A remote communication apparatus for receiving the image of a remote user captured by an imaging device to show the image to another user includes a zoom controller for controlling a zoom ratio defining the angle of view of the imaging device, and an estimator for estimating a distance between the imaging device and the remote user on the basis of the zoom ratio of the imaging device.
US08493419B2
A system and method for reducing pulse width modulation contouring artifacts. Each input intensity value is translated to at least one non-binary bit pattern for display. Many of the input intensity values are translated to at least two alternate non-binary bit patterns. The alternate codes are used to smooth the transition between intensity codes as major bits are turned on. The smoothing occurs by the gradual transition from codes that do not use the major bit to codes that do use the major bit. Typically the alternate codes are selected based on the location of the pixel in a spatial pattern (100) and the alternate codes are spatially alternated from one pixel (102) to the next (104). Other embodiments temporally alternate the codes from one period—typically a frame period—to the next. Still other embodiments alternate the codes both spatially and temporally.
US08493417B2
Provided are a field sequential image display apparatus that reduces flicker and a method of driving the same. The field sequential image display apparatus, which uses a plurality of single color light sources, includes: an image analyzing unit dividing frames of an image signal into fields, whereby the number of fields is greater than the number of single color light sources; an image display panel displaying the fields sequentially; and a light source unit comprising the plurality of single color light sources that are independently driven or driven with other light sources in order to supply lights corresponding to the color components of the fields to the image display panel, wherein an average driving frequency of the single color light sources is higher than a frame rate.
US08493415B2
A method for processing video data includes performing by one or more processors and/or circuits in a video processing device, the one or more processors and/or circuits including a video scaler, a memory, and a scaler engine, functions including receiving a video image by the video processing device. The functions also include determining whether the video scaler requires less memory bandwidth to scale the video image before writing the video image to the memory or after reading the video image from the memory, and scaling the video image based on the determination. If the video scaler requires less memory bandwidth to scale the video image before writing the video image to the memory, performing by the one or more processors and/or circuits scaling of the video image in the video scaler using a video input clock of the video scaler to generate a first scaled video image.
US08493405B2
An image control device, which achieves energy saving effects without degradation of an image to be displayed, even if image data includes a fault, is configured to decode received image data into an image, generate display information based on the received image data, and output a decoded image and display information. The image control device receives image data, detects errors from the image data. For each error detected, the image control device specifies a fault image region containing an error from an entire image region of the image data, and inhibits use of the fault image region for generating display information that defines an image display condition according to which the display device performs the image display.
US08493402B2
Methods and systems to manipulate color processing parameters to allow the detection of an arbitrary color of interest. Such reconfigurations may enable general point-of-interest color processing. Color mapping curves may also be configured, to accomplish the tasks of color correction, enhancement, de-saturation, and color compression.
US08493398B2
A method and apparatus for processing vector data is provided. A processing core may have a data cache and a relatively smaller vector data cache. The vector data cache may be optimally sized to store vector data structures that are smaller than full data cache lines.
US08493396B2
A multidimensional datapath processing system for a video processor for executing video processing operations. The video processor includes a scalar execution unit configured to execute scalar video processing operations and a vector execution unit configured to execute vector video processing operations. A data store memory is included for storing data for the vector execution unit. The data store memory includes a plurality of tiles having symmetrical bank data structures arranged in an array. The bank data structures are configured to support accesses to different tiles of each bank.
US08493393B2
An apparatus for displaying graphics includes a memory to store graphics data and output the graphics data to the bus in series, and a plurality of transform modules, wherein, each transform module, based on a type of the graphics outputted to the bus and employing a feedback signal provided by each transform module after a transform operation is executed therein, transforms the corresponding graphics data into image information for the display memory in turn.
US08493387B2
A method for a computer system includes performing rendering operations for a plurality of scenes to form a plurality of intermediate rendering data in response to a plurality of scene descriptor data associated with the plurality of scenes, processing the plurality of intermediate rendering data to form a model for the plurality of intermediate rendering data, and determining a higher quality plurality of intermediate rendering data in response to the model for the plurality of intermediate rendering data.
US08493382B2
A game apparatus functioning as a three-dimensional image processing apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU executes three-dimensional image processing. When a cursor on a display screen is moved according to an instruction from a user, a gazing point is also moved acceding thereto. At this time, a view volume (cone) is deformed such that a gazing point plane is maintained at an original position. Thus, the gazing point and a vanishing point are overlapped with each other on the display screen.
US08493380B2
A method, computer program product and system for constructing a virtual space in which simple, time sequential photographs are taken by one or more image capturing systems, including their positional and other pertinent data which are efficiently stored in an image database system. Based upon selective view points, images and image data are retrieved from the database, processed for visualization referenced to desired viewing positions and conditions and are then displayed in real time in response to user interaction and movement within the virtual space presentation.
US08493376B2
Disclosed is a driver circuit structure integrated in a display panel. The driver circuit structure includes a plurality of transistors and a backup transistor. After completing the driver circuit structure, the disclosure inspects it to find an inactive transistor. The inspection process first, isolates the electrical connection between the inactive transistor and the first electrode line and/or the electrical connection between the inactive transistor and the second electrode line. Next, the source electrode of the backup transistor and the first electrode line and/or electrically connecting the drain electrode of the backup transistor and the second electrode line are electrical connected.
US08493367B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a stylus as an inputting device of a handwriting system. The stylus comprises a jog ball, a signal emitting circuit for emitting electromagnetic waves, an resonant circuit for determining the frequencies of the emitting electromagnetic waves, and a button and ball circuit that comprises a pair of sensing units respectively arranged at up and down side of the jog ball for tracking the rolling of the jog ball.
US08493365B2
An optical touch display apparatus includes the following. A light distribution adjustment device is disposed in a transmission path of a visible beam emitted by a visible light emitting device. A non-visible light guide module includes a light guide unit and a dichroic unit. A light guide unit is disposed in the transmission path of the visible beam from the light distribution adjustment device. The dichroic unit is disposed on a surface of the light guide unit. A non-visible light emitting device is disposed beside a side surface of the light guide unit. A display panel is disposed beside the light distribution adjustment device. A sensing space is located in front of the display panel, and the display panel is disposed between the light distribution adjustment device and the sensing space. An optical detector is disposed outside the display panel.
US08493364B2
A dual sided transparent display module and an electronic device incorporating the same are provided. The dual sided transparent display module includes a primary transparent display having a first surface side and a second surface side. The transparent display module further includes a first side touch sensor array and a second side touch sensor array respectively located at the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display. The transparent display module still further includes a shutter element located at one of the first surface side and the second surface side of the primary transparent display.
US08493363B2
A touch method is applied in a touch device. The touch device includes a display unit, first infrared receivers, first infrared emitters, second infrared receivers, second infrared emitters, a storage unit, and motors. The first infrared receivers and the first infrared emitters are arranged on a first side of the display unit, and the second infrared receivers and the second infrared emitters are arranged on a second side of the display unit. The storage unit stores a table recording a relationship between identification and set of coordinates of the infrared receivers. The method includes: controlling motors to drive infrared emitters and infrared receivers to rotate; determining whether electrical signals comprising the identification of one first infrared receiver and one second infrared receiver are simultaneously received; if yes, determining the set of coordinates of the touch spot; determining an icon and determining the corresponding function corresponding to the touch spot.
US08493358B2
A touch-sensitive device includes a touch panel, a drive unit, a sense unit, and a measurement unit. A touch applied to a node of the panel changes a capacitive coupling between two electrodes (a drive electrode and a sense electrode) of the touch panel. The drive unit delivers a drive signal, which may comprise one or more drive pulses, to the drive electrode. The sense unit couples to the sense electrode, and generates a response signal that that is used to accumulate charge in a charge accumulator to provide an accumulated signal. The accumulated signal is responsive to the capacitive coupling between the electrodes, and is measured to provide an indication of a touch at the node.
US08493355B2
Matrix-based touch input systems assess touch locations of two or more temporally overlapping touch inputs by forming valid x-y coordinate pairs from independently determined x- and y-coordinates. Valid x-y pairs are formed based on comparing one or more signal parameters such as signal magnitude, signal strength, signal width, and signal rates of change. In matrix capacitive systems where capacitance-to-ground signals are used to determine the x- and y-coordinates, the determined coordinates may be formed into valid x-y pairs using mutual capacitance measurements. When resolving more than two temporally overlapping touches, information gained by resolving a valid x-y coordinate pair of at least one of the touches may be used to resolve the remaining touches.
US08493350B2
A touch panel comprises light sensing circuits configured to generate light sensing data, scan lines, a scan driving unit configured to sequentially apply scan pulses to the light sensing circuits via the scan lines, data lines, a data receiving unit configured to receive the light sensing data transmitted via the data lines in a first/second data receiving state, and generate touch data including first and second touch data, and a location calculation unit configured to determine a touch location using the touch data. In the first/second data receiving state, two neighboring data lines in each first/second combination are electrically coupled to each other, and light sensing data from the data lines in each first/second combination are combined so as to generate a first/second data. The first/second touch data includes the first/second data from each of the first/second combinations. The second combinations are different from the first combinations.
US08493341B2
The invention provides an optical touch display device. The optical touch display device comprises a display module, a first image capturing module, a second image capturing module and a processing module. The display module generates N touch points according to a touch gesture, the touch gesture has a specific moving model, and N is a positive integer. The first image capturing module retrieves a first image relating to N touch points. The second image capturing module retrieves a second image relating to N touch points. The processing module determines correspondingly a specific touch chord of N touch points according to the first image and the second image, and determines correspondingly a specific function of the touch gesture according to the specific touch chord and the specific moving mode.
US08493336B2
A method for one or more portions of one or more regions of an electronic paper assembly having one or more display layers includes, but is not limited to: obtaining information associated with one or more changes in one or more sequences of two or more conformations of one or more portions of one or more regions of the electronic paper assembly and controlling display of one or more portions of one or more display layers of the electronic paper assembly regarding display of second information in response to the information associated with the one or more changes in the one or more conformations of the one or more portions of the one or more regions of the electronic paper assembly. In addition to the foregoing, other related method/system aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.
US08493331B2
The use of multiple stimulation frequencies and phases to generate an image of touch on a touch sensor panel is disclosed. Each of a plurality of sense channels can be coupled to a column in a touch sensor panel and can have multiple mixers. Each mixer in the sense channel can utilize a circuit capable generating a demodulation frequency of a particular frequency. At each of multiple steps, various phases of selected frequencies can be used to simultaneously stimulate the rows of the touch sensor panel, and the multiple mixers in each sense channel can be configured to demodulate the signal received from the column connected to each sense channel using the selected frequencies. After all steps have been completed, the demodulated signals from the multiple mixers can be used in calculations to determine an image of touch for the touch sensor panel at each frequency.
US08493330B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to processing an incoming signal by using a demodulation signal, while controlling the phase of the demodulation signal in relation to the incoming signal. The incoming signal can be processed by being mixed with the modulation signal at a mixer. The mixing may thus cause various beneficial modifications of the incoming signal, such as noise suppression of the incoming signal, rectification of the incoming signal, demodulation of the incoming signal, etc.
US08493324B2
An airplane model is provided with a human-sensible interactive signal source; and the moving status of the air plane model such velocity is detected to generate a movement parameter. The movement parameter is operated with a frequency-dependent conversion function to obtain a first interactive data. A second interactive data is generated when a trace of the moving article is matched with a default pattern. A third interactive data is generated when the velocity along at least one dimension exceeds a threshold value. The interactive signal source, such as loudspeaker or lamps, is selectively driven by one of the interactive data to generate a movement-dependent audiovisual effect. Therefore, the airplane model can provide enhanced amusement effect for a user.
US08493313B2
A process for reducing noise and temporal artifacts (e.g. walking LEDs) on a dual modulation display system by applying temporal filtering to rear modulation signals of a sequence of video frames. Flare and dimming rates are calculated for a current frame in the video. If a flare rate threshold is exceeded, an intensity of the backlight is limited to a predetermined flare rate. If a dimming rate threshold is exceeded, the backlight intensity is limited to a predetermined dimming rate. The limitations are applied, for example, on an element-by-element basis. In the event of a scene change, the limitations do not need to be applied. A forward modulation signal is calculated by taking into account any applied backlight limitations.
US08493306B2
The present invention discloses a source driver and a method for restraining noise output by a source driver during power on/off of a power supply. The source driver includes a data bus, a plurality of channels, a multiplexer and a plurality of output pads. The channels are connected to the output pads via the multiplexer. Each channel has a latch unit. Data is transmitted on the data bus and stored in the latch units. The source driver is powered by a first supply voltage from the power supply. The method comprises determining whether the first supply voltage is insufficient, and if yes, performing the following steps. First, set the data transmitted on the data bus to be a predetermined value. Then, keep the latch units turned on, thereby the data is sent out from the latch units. Then, keep the multiplexer turned on for outputting a driving voltage based on the data via the output pads.
US08493304B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel in which a plurality of pixels (A) are arranged. A storage capacitor (Cs) is provided in each pixel (A) of liquid crystal panel. The storage capacitor (Cs) is connected to a Cs bus line. The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of Cs bus lines. The Cs bus line is connected to a stem line. The stem line transfers a driving signal to the storage capacitor (Cs) via the Cs bus line. The liquid crystal display device includes a bridge line, separate from the stem line, for connecting a plurality of Cs bus lines.
US08493297B2
An OLED driver for driving at least one organic electroluminescence element, lighting apparatus equipped with the driver and an adjustment method of the apparatus. The driver has a square-wave voltage source and a controller. The source generates square-wave voltage and applies the voltage to the element. The controller controls the source so as to change the frequency of the voltage to change and adjust light output of the element.
US08493294B2
A display device includes: a dummy pixel provided on a display panel; a reflection film provided on a light-emitting-surface side of the display panel for reflecting light emitted from the dummy pixel; a photodetector provided on an opposite side of the display panel from the light-emitting surface for detecting the light emitted from the dummy pixel and reflected from the reflection film; and a correction circuit for correcting, based on the results of detection by the photodetector, the luminance of effective pixels that contribute to image display.
US08493291B2
The present invention involves a technique of recognizing a demand for displaying a shutdown pattern when driving a liquid crystal panel in an inversion method and converting the inversion method into another inversion method causing no horizontal crosstalk. The present invention is achieved by providing an apparatus for controlling driving of a liquid crystal display device, comprising: a timing controller for processing input RGB data by a certain inversion method to supply the data to a data driver and, upon inputting of RGB data of a shutdown pattern, converting the RGB data by an inversion driving method causing no crosstalk to supply the data; a gate driver for outputting gate signals to each gate line of a liquid crystal panel in response to a gate signal control signal; and a data driver for supplying data voltages to each data line of the liquid crystal panel in response to a data signal control signal.
US08493290B2
An integrated circuit device includes: a segment driver having a plurality of segment signal output circuits for driving a plurality of segment lines; a common driver having a plurality of common signal output circuits for driving a plurality of common lines; and a power supply circuit that supplies a first power supply at a first voltage level, a second power supply at a second voltage level, a third power supply at a third voltage level and a fourth power supply at a fourth voltage level to the segment driver and the common driver, wherein each of the plurality of segment signal output circuits sets a voltage level of a segment signal to the third voltage level in a first transition period from a period in which the voltage level of the segment signal is set to the first voltage level to a period in which the voltage level of the segment signal is set to the fourth voltage level, and sets the voltage level of the segment signal to the second voltage level in a second transition period from a period in which the voltage level of the segment signal is set to the fourth voltage level to a period in which the voltage level of the segment signal is set to the first voltage level.
US08493280B2
This invention refers to an antenna structure for a wireless device comprising a ground plane and an antenna element, wherein the ground plane has the shape of an open loop. The invention further refers to an antenna structure for a wireless device, such as alight switch or a wristsensor or wristwatch, comprising an open loop ground plane having a first end portion and a second end portion, the open loop ground plane defining an opening between the first end portion and the second end portion; and an antenna component positioned within the opening defined between the first end portion and the second end portion and overlapping at least one of the first end portion or the second end portion. Further the invention refers to a corresponding wireless device and to a method for integrating such an antenna structure in a wireless device.
US08493272B2
An apparatus including a radiator having an electrical length; a first conductive element; an interconnector, connected to the radiator and to the first conductive element, having a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein the radiator has a first electrical length when the interconnector is in the first configuration and a second electrical length, different to the first electrical length, when the interconnector is in the second configuration.
US08493266B2
A Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver includes a GPS receiving unit configured to receive navigation data from at least one visible satellite, a decoder configured to decode the received navigation data to extract time and almanac information from the decoded navigation data and a database configured to store satellite disposition information. A satellite location determining unit is configured to select at least one visible satellite candidate using the time information and the satellite disposition information, and to determine locations-in-space of the at least one visible satellite candidate with the almanac information. Also, a navigation filter is configured to calculate pseudo-ranges from the at least one visible satellite and the selected at least one visible satellite candidate using the corresponding locations-in-space, and to determine a location of the GPS receiver using the calculated pseudo-ranges.
US08493258B1
A method and apparatus for suppressing a first replica of an image spectra and reinforcing a second replica of the image spectra are disclosed. A Hilbert transformer is applied to a first digital signal in a first path. The Hilbert-transformed signal in the first path is converted to an analog signal in the first path. The analog signal in the first path is delayed by an additional 90 degrees to produce a first phase-shifted analog signal. A phase delay is applied to the first digital signal in the second path and the phase-delayed signal in the second path is converted to analog to produce a second phase-shifted analog signal. A combiner combines the first and second phase-delayed analog signals to produce an analog output signal with at least one replica of the image spectra that is substantially suppressed.
US08493254B2
There is provided an AD converter including an AGC circuit that changes an input amplitude of an analog signal and outputs the analog signal to an AD converter circuit that converts the analog signal to a digital signal, and a first detection portion that compares an output range of the analog signal output by the AGC circuit with a predetermined voltage range and, based on a comparison result, controls the output range of the analog signal output by the AGC circuit.
US08493251B2
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is disclosed. According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a DAC may include a plurality of current-steering elements, wherein each respective current-steering element is configured to operate as instructed by a respective calibration signal during respective steps in a calibration cycle, and at least one current-steering element is configured to operate as instructed by a first control signal during at least a first step in which the at least one current-steering element is not being calibrated, and operate as instructed by a second control signal during at least a second step in which the at least one current-steering element is not being calibrated.
US08493244B2
An LSP vector quantization device able to improve the precision of quantization in vector quantization where a codebook for first stage vector quantization is switched according to the type of a feature that has a correlation with the quantization target vector. In this device, a classifier (101) selects, from a plurality of code vectors for classifying, the code vector for classifying that indicates the type of the feature that has a correlation with the quantization target vector; a switch (102) selects, from among a plurality of first codebooks, the first codebook corresponding to the abovementioned type; an error minimizing unit (105) selects, from the plurality of first code vectors constituting the selected first codebook, the first code vector closest to the quantization target vector; a matrix determining unit (106) selects, from a plurality of matrices, the matrix corresponding to the abovementioned type; and the error minimizing unit (105) uses the selected matrix to select, from a plurality of second code vectors, the one that is closest to the residual vector between the selected first code vector and the quantization target vector.
US08493240B1
An operational flight phase determination, indication and configuration system for an aircraft includes input/output circuitry for receiving an operational flight phase selector output signal, aircraft sensor signals, and on-board automation system output signals including configuration status information. A processor is coupled to the input/output circuitry. A flight phase data table is coupled to the processor. The flight phase data table includes a list of the defined operational flight phases for the aircraft. A flight phase transition rules set is coupled to the processor. The flight phase transition rules set includes flight rules for defining flight phase transitions. An aircraft system configuration data table is coupled to the processor. The aircraft system configuration data table includes a list of the defined configurations for each operational flight phase and the aircraft system configuration settings for each configuration. Program memory and working memory are coupled to the processor. The processor uses input from the input/output circuitry, the flight phase data table, the flight phase transition rules set, the program memory, the working memory, and the aircraft system configuration data table to provide an operational mode signal indicating the operational mode of the aircraft and a configuration command signal. A display indicator driver is coupled to the processor for providing display indicator driver signals to an operational flight phase indicator in accordance with the operational mode signal. Output drivers are coupled to the processor for providing configuration commands to aircraft systems in accordance with the configuration command signal.
US08493237B2
A parking arrangement with parking places for vehicles and with an automatic vehicle detection system which comprises a central computer system and a wirelessly operating parking sensor module for determining the presence or absence of a vehicle in the parking place, which parking sensor module comprises at least one vehicle sensor, which provides measuring values which are representative of the presence or absence of a vehicle, provided with calibration means for determining the quiescent value, representing the absence of a vehicle, of the measuring values from the vehicle sensor, which calibration means by a self-organizing map method divide the measuring values into clusters of mutually close values, wherein the cluster having the largest number of measuring values is selected as representative of the quiescent value of the measuring values at a parking place, wherein each time an adjusted quiescent value is determined, and wherein a measuring value which differs from the quiescent value by more than a predetermined threshold value indicates that a vehicle is situated in the parking place.
US08493232B2
Disclosed are apparatus and methodology for providing a feedback mechanism to a system operator that provides a positive indication of the position of a valve which controls gas flow to a consumer. Rotation of a stepper motor controlling a valve mechanism is optically monitored and a feedback signal is sent to the system operator indicating positive operation of the valve only when a selected number of rotations of the stepper motor is reported. The stepper motor may be operated in different modes, each associated with different nominal current consumption levels. In a higher current consumption mode, such as a torque-oriented mode, the stepper motor may be stepped a few additional steps after valve closure to ensure seating of the valve.
US08493231B2
A power meter having fault tolerance enhances the monitoring of electrical power by increasing the reliability of data output by the power meter having fault tolerance. The power meter having fault tolerance may enhance the monitoring process by transitioning from a faulty power monitoring device to a non-faulty power monitoring device without losing or corrupting power management data.
US08493225B2
An impact detector includes a weight having a circular periphery, a case in which the weight is contained, an interior of which defines a transition path that connects an initial position and an impact detection position, and a restriction portion projecting from the interior of the case into the transition path. The weight moves through the transition path to the impact detection position with a circumferential surface of the weight in contact with the interior of the case when the case receives an impact in a predetermined direction, and the restriction portion restricts movement of the weight toward the impact detection position when the case receives impact in a direction other than the predetermined direction.
US08493223B2
A method is disclosed for monitoring personnel operating at a workplace within a confined space. The method involves providing a mobile workplace module comprising a video registration device producing video data, an audio interface for emitting and receiving audio data and a gas sensor to produce gas sensor data. The workplace module is mounted at least partially within the confined space and a mobile monitoring unit comprising a display for displaying video data from the workplace module, an audio interface for emitting and receiving audio data and a gas data receiver for receiving gas sensor data is located outside the confined space. The workplace module and the monitoring unit are connected by a mobile umbilical cable for data transmission so that personnel at the workplace may easily be monitored from the monitoring unit. Apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed including a mobile monitoring system, a workplace module, a video camera mount, an extractive gas detector and a computer system.
US08493222B2
A liquid injection device includes: a chamber which supply of the liquid and connects with the injection nozzle; a chamber volume varying unit to which driving voltage is applied to reduce the volume of the chamber to a volume smaller than the volume of the chamber before the driving voltage is applied; a driving voltage applying unit which applies the driving voltage to the chamber volume varying unit with the liquid supplied to the chamber; a pseudo noise data memory unit which stores sound data of pseudo noise having audible frequency components contained in driving noise generated when the driving voltage is applied to the chamber volume varying unit; and a pseudo noise outputting unit which outputs the pseudo noise by using the sound data of the pseudo noise such that the sound pressure of the driving noise decreases within the audible frequency range when the driving voltage is applied.
US08493211B2
A method, apparatus, and computer program product for providing event indications in an event model in a manner so that indication storms resulting from excessive indication generation and delivery is prevented. An object behavior change in an information model corresponds to an event. An indication of interest is sent to a listener process when the detected object behavior change corresponds to a specified top level indication class in an indication class hierarchy.
US08493207B2
An improved system and method for defining an event based upon an object location and a user-defined zone and managing the conveyance of object location event information among computing devices where object location events are defined in terms of a condition based upon a relationship between user-defined zone information and object location information. One or more location information sources are associated with an object to provide the object location information. One or more user-defined zones are defined on a map and one or more object location events are defined. The occurrence of an object location event produces object location event information that is conveyed to users based on user identification codes. Accessibility to object location information, zone information, and object location event information is based upon an object location information access code, a zone information access code, and an object location event information access code, respectively.
US08493205B2
A method of using a non-GPS-derived technique to estimate the location of an Assisted-GPS-enabled wireless terminal for the purposes of generating location-specific assistance data for the wireless terminal is disclosed. The wireless terminal then uses the assistance data to acquire and process one or more GPS signals and to derive information that is probative of the wireless terminal's location. The GPS-derived location information is then combined with non-GPS-derived location to form an estimate of the location of the wireless terminal that is better than can be derived from either alone. This combination of GPS-derived and non-GPS techniques is particularly useful when the wireless terminal can only acquire one or two GPS signals because it is not possible to determine the location of the wireless terminal with only two GPS signals alone.
US08493194B1
One embodiment is a warning system for bicycles that sounds like a car horn and weighs less than a pound. The batteries are size AAA.
US08493186B2
The reader/writer repeatedly reads data, which is stored in an IC tag existing in an area where communication with the reader/writer can be established, from the IC tag in a noncontact method. The reader/writer transmits the read data to the administrative device. The administrative device generates read data which shows the result of reading in chronologic order and generates feature data indicative of the feature of the result of reading on the basis of the generated time series data. An IC tag is sorted as a target tag or an unnecessary tag by sorting the read data as necessary data or unnecessary data on the basis of the generated feature data.
US08493184B2
System for remote measuring a physical variable comprising an RF transceiver arranged for transmitting an RF signal and for receiving a reflection signal derived from the transmitted signal. An RF transponder comprises a dielectric material having a dielectric property which is dependent on the physical variable according to a first function. The dielectric material is exposed to the physical variable to be measured. The transponder is arranged to receive the signal transmitted by the transceiver and to reflect a reflection signal, or the second and/or higher harmonics of it, which is dependent on the actual dielectric property. Processing means are provided for comparing the signal transmitted by the transceiver and the reflection signal received from the transponder and for converting the comparison result, e.g. the phase shift, into a value which is representative for the physical variable to be measured. The transponder may be e.g. a patch antenna.
US08493181B2
There is provided a sensor tag device capable of detecting event data by a sensor tag all the time even when no radio wave is received, saving power supply for a microprocessor, and enlarging the radio communication distance. The sensor tag device includes generation means 6 and 7 using one or more environmental changes, power supply voltage rise control means 8, and power supply synthesis means 9, and power is supplied to a microprocessor 12 and event data is stored in the microprocessor 12 when an event, i.e., an environmental change has occurred. A power receiving circuit having a transmission/reception antenna, a built-in power receiving circuit, and the microprocessor and capable of bi-directional communication by radio waves is combined with a stab resonance RF boost circuit and a ladder boost rectification circuit.
US08493176B2
There is provided an image data management system that restricts a user's exit depending on the use of image data containing confidential information. An image data management system includes a management server 1, printers 2, gates 3 and 4, and an IC card 6. The printers 2 generate processing information when the user processes the image data, and store the processing information in the IC card 6. When the user is going to exit a managed area A or B, the gate 3 reads user information and the processing information from the IC card 6. The management server 1 determines whether feature information is present in the processing information. If feature information is present, the user's exit is prohibited. A manager's PC 5 is informed of the prohibition.
US08493171B2
A trimmable resistor for use in an integrated circuit is trimmed using a heater. The heater is selectively coupled to a voltage source. The application of voltage to the heater causes the heater temperature to increase and produce heat. The heat permeates through a thermal separator to the trimmable resistor. The resistance of the trimmable resistor is permanently increased or decreased when the temperature of the resistor is increased to a value within a particular range of temperatures.
US08493158B2
Polar feedback architecture. A polar modulator, as may be implemented within a transmitter module, of a communication device includes feedback. This feedback involves monitoring of phase information and magnitude/amplitude information of an output signal generated by the polar modulator. The output signal can be a radio frequency (RF) signal such as may be transmitted via a communication channel within a communication system. A baseband processing module processes the monitored phase information and magnitude/amplitude information to perform adjustment of a phase modulator and/or other components within the polar modulator.
US08493157B2
A method of operating a micro-electromechanical system, comprising a resonator; an actuation electrode; and a first detection electrode, to filter and mix a plurality of signals. The method comprises applying a first alternating voltage signal to the actuation electrode, wherein an actuation force is generated having a frequency bandwidth that is greater than and includes a resonant bandwidth of a mechanical frequency response of the resonator, and wherein a displacement of the resonator is produced which is filtered by the mechanical frequency response and varies a value of an electrical characteristic of the first detection electrode. The method also comprises applying a second alternating voltage signal to the first detection electrode, wherein the second voltage signal is mixed with the varying value to produce a first alternating current signal. The first alternating current signal is detected at the first detection electrode.
US08493150B2
An output stage of a class-AB amplifier, including: a first transistor of a first channel type between a first terminal of application of a first voltage and an output terminal of the stage, having its gate connected to a first input terminal of the stage; a first transistor of a second channel type between this output terminal and a second terminal of application of the first voltage, having its gate connected to a second input terminal of the stage; and second and third transistors of the second channel type between the output terminal and the first transistor of the second channel type, the gate of the second transistor being connected to the midpoint of a resistive dividing bridge between said output terminal and the gate of the third transistor of the second channel type, and the gate of the third transistor being biased to a fixed voltage.
US08493149B2
Systems and methods are provided for facilitating variable precision tuning of an amplifier circuit. In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, the system includes an amplifier having multiple tuning stages to set the gain of the amplifier to discrete gain levels. In particular embodiments, the tuning stages are connected in series and each of the tuning stages includes a resistor connected in parallel to a switch, which can be disengaged to cause the amplifier to set the gain to an adjacent gain level. In certain embodiments, the difference in gain between each adjacent one of the plurality of gain levels is more at higher gain levels than at lower gain levels.
US08493144B2
A distortion compensation device includes a distortion compensation unit which compensates for a distortion generated in a power amplifier by using a polynomial in which a signal to be input into a power amplifier is raised to a power of a degree N (N is an integer larger than 0) and the raised signal is delayed by a delay number K (K is an integer larger than 0), and a polynomial adjusting unit which adjusts the degree N or the delay number K of the polynomial based on a comparison between a prescribed value, which indicates a degree of variation of the distortion generated in the power amplifier and a threshold value.
US08493132B2
A supply voltage generating circuit that enables a reduction in chip area includes: a booster for outputting a boosted voltage upon generating the boosted voltage by charge pumping of a capacitor element; a power-supply step-down unit for stepping down voltage of an external power supply to a voltage within a breakdown-voltage range of the capacitor element, and applying the stepped-down voltage to the power supply of the booster; and a switch element for switching between application of the external power supply to the power supply of the booster directly or via the power-supply step-down unit. The booster comprises multiple stages of booster circuits. The thicknesses of gate oxide films of capacitor elements constituted by MOS transistors included in respective ones of the booster circuits are the same and are made smaller than the thickness of a gate oxide film of a MOS transistor included in a load circuit having the output of the booster at its power supply.
US08493127B1
A mixer may include a linearization circuit. The linearization circuit may include and operation amplifier, a first pass device, a second pass device, a first feedback resistor, and a second feedback resistor. Each of the first pass device and the second pass device may have a gate terminal, a first non-gate terminal, and a second non-gate terminal and coupled to its gate terminal to an output terminal of the operational amplifier and configured to be coupled at its first non-gate terminal to a high potential source. Each of the first feedback resistor and the second feedback resistor may have a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal coupled to the positive input terminal of the operational amplifier and the second terminal coupled to the second non-gate terminal of an associated pass device and the positive polarity of the differential baseband output.
US08493125B2
A level shift circuit of the invention includes a CMOS inverter circuit that receives an input pulse signal having a crest value of a first potential, a latch circuit that operates on a power supply of a second potential which is higher than the first potential, and a power supply circuit that supplies a power supply of not less than the first potential and less than the second potential to the CMOS inverter circuit. The latch circuit has one end thereof connected to an output end of the CMOS inverter circuit and outputs from the other end thereof an output pulse signal having a crest value of the second potential and a same phase as the input pulse signal. The power supply circuit functions to limit the power supply when the input pulse signal assumes at least the ground level.
US08493121B1
A device (300, 1000) provides a dual-edge triggered flip-flop (DETFF) that is reconfigurable to a master-slave flip-flop (MSFF). The device includes a reconfigurable MUX-D flip-flop including two distinct circuit configurations. In a first configuration, two latches or storage elements (340, 360, 1040, 1060) are operating in series to provide a MUX-D flip-flop. In a second configuration, the storage elements (340, 360, 1040, 1060) are operating in parallel to provide a dual-edge triggered flip-flop (DETFF).
US08493115B2
A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit and a system including such a PLL that may at least compensate for leakage current in a loop filter. The PLL circuit may include a voltage adjusting unit configured to pump charges based on a phase difference between an oscillation clock signal and a reference clock signal, a loop filter configured to generate a frequency control voltage, a level of which is shifted by the charge pumping of the voltage adjusting unit, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) configured to output the oscillation clock signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency control voltage, and a current control circuit configured to generate a compensation current corresponding to a leakage current generated by the loop filter and allow the compensation current and the leakage current to substantially and/or completely counterbalance each other.
US08493113B2
A method and system for compensating for offsets when measuring parameters of a phase-locked loop (PLL). In one embodiment, a proportional path in the PLL is temporarily shut off, a measurement is made of a real time-to-zero crossing in the PLL to measure a defined parameter of the PLL, the proportional path is switched on, and the defined loop parameter is adjusted based on this measurement. In one embodiment, the real time-to-zero crossing is measured after introducing a phase step into the PLL between a reference signal and an output signal of the PLL. In an embodiment, two phase steps, having opposite polarities, are successively introduced into the PLL, and the time-to-crossing measurements resulting from these two phase steps may be averaged, and this average is used to determine a loop parameter.
US08493111B1
Systems and methods are provided for improving frequency resolution in a phase locked loop having an oscillator and a phase detector. A method comprises receiving a reference signal and generating an output signal having a phase relationship with the reference signal and receiving the output signal at a fractional divider connected between the oscillator and the phase detector in a feedback loop, wherein the fractional divider includes a plurality of configurable parameters. The method also comprises adjusting a value of the modulus parameter to increase frequency resolution.
US08493105B2
An injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD) including a signal injector, an oscillator (OSC), and a buffer stage is provided. The signal injector is configured for receiving an injection signal. The OSC is configured for dividing the frequency of the injection signal, so as to generate a first divided frequency signal, where there is an integral-multiple relation between the frequency of the first divided frequency signal and that of the injection signal. The buffer stage is configured for receiving and boosting the first divided frequency signal, and performing a push-push process on the first divided frequency signal, so as to output a second divided frequency signal, where there is a fractional-multiple relation between the frequency of the second divided frequency signal and that of the injection signal.
US08493104B2
Clock signal generators having a reduced power feedback clock path and methods for generating clocks
Memories, clock generators and methods for providing an output clock signal are disclosed. One such method includes delaying a buffered clock signal by a adjustable delay to provide an output clock signal, providing a feedback clock signal from the output clock signal, and adjusting a duty cycle of the buffered clock signal based at least in part on the feedback clock signal. An example clock generator includes a forward clock path configured to provide a delayed output clock signal from a clock driver circuit, and further includes a feedback clock path configured to provide a feedback clock signal based at least in part on the delayed output clock signal, for example, frequency dividing the delayed output clock signal. The feedback clock path further configured to control adjustment a duty cycle of the buffered input clock signal based at least in part on the feedback clock signal.
US08493102B2
Apparatus and methods provide a differential current buffer. The current buffer has cross-coupled feedback and offers relatively good common-mode rejection and a relatively low and linear input impedance, which can reduce intermodulation distortion. The current buffer can be used in, for example, an RF modulator, such as a quadrature modulator.
US08493100B2
An output driver includes a control signal generation unit configured to generate a control signal in response to a driving strength signal and a power supply voltage level, and a driving signal generation unit configured to buffer a pre-driving signal and generate a driving signal for driving an output data, wherein a driving strength of the driving signal is adjusted in response to the control signal.
US08493090B1
A multiplexer-based network provides the routing equivalent to a non-blocking crossbar network having a plurality of crossbar switches making up an ingress, middle, and egress stages. The non-blocking crossbar network includes crossbar rows, each including outbound and inbound internal connections to another crossbar row. The multiplexer-based network includes multiplexer-based network rows. Each multiplexer-based network row corresponds to a crossbar row of the crossbar network and includes at least one global input, at least one global output, internal inputs, internal outputs, and a corresponding set of multiplexers. Each set of multiplexers includes an internal multiplexer for each respective outbound internal connection of the respective crossbar row. The internal multiplexer includes inputs for signals routable to the respective outbound internal connection. At least one global multiplexer provides a signal to a global output of the multiplexer-based network row. The global multiplexer includes a set of inputs that includes each input of the respective crossbar row.
US08493085B2
A spring contact pin includes a depressible probe member having a tapered configuration that prevents contact between the projecting end of the probe member and the end of the spring barrel throughout the compression and release cycle of the probe. The tapered configuration of the depressible probe member improves the mechanical performance, reliability, and high-speed signal performance of the contact pin.
US08493075B2
An embedded decoupling capacitor wearout monitor for power transmission line, which can be integrated and fabricated in any standard CMOS or BiCMOS circuits. The embedded noise monitor is employed to detect the degraded capacitor and disable it from further operation, which will extend the operation lifetime of the circuit system and prevent subsequent catastrophic failure as a result of hard-breakdown (or capacitor short). In one aspect, the monitor circuit and method detects early degradation signal before catastrophic decoupling capacitor failure and, further can pin-point a degraded decoupling capacitor and disable it, avoiding impact from decoupling capacitor breakdown failure. The monitor circuit and method provides for decoupling capacitor redundancy and includes an embedded and self-diagnostic circuit for functionality and reliability.
US08493072B2
This invention provides a method and an apparatus for detecting a short-circuit occurring between a signal line and a ground line of a lead wire. The apparatus comprises a circuit and a resistive element. The circuit has an output terminal, an input terminal and ground. One end of the ground line is connected to the ground of the circuit, and the other end of the ground line is disconnected. A first terminal of the resistive element is connected to the output terminal of the circuit. One end of the signal line is connected to a second terminal of the resistive element, and the other end of the signal line is disconnected. The circuit is configured to provide a first voltage via the output terminal and obtain a second voltage via the input terminal connected to a joint of the signal line and the resistive element, to provide a third voltage via the output terminal and obtain a fourth voltage via the input terminal, to derive an impedance of the lead wire from the first voltage, the second voltage, the third voltage, the fourth voltage and an impedance of the resistive element, and to determine whether a short-circuit occurs or not, based on the impedance of the lead wire and a predefined impedance. In this way, the shorted lead wire can be detected with high accuracy.
US08493069B2
A method and apparatus for displaying a state of current consumption of a battery in a portable terminal are provided. The method includes measuring a value of consumed current at a preset period, supplying the measured current value to an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) through an ADC port, confirming battery compensation offset values by the ADC, determining whether values corresponding to the battery compensation offset values are present in a preset table, and if it is determined that the values are present, calculating a battery voltage level compensation value with reference to the table, applying the battery voltage level compensation value to an actual detected voltage, and displaying a remaining amount of the battery according to the compensation value applied voltage.
US08493066B2
A magnetometer is provided for detecting a magnetic field of strength B using the Faraday effect. The magnetometer includes a photon emitter, a first polarizer, a prism, a second polarizer, a detector and an analyzer. The emitter projects an emitted light beam substantially parallel to the magnetic field and having wavelength λ. The prism has an interface surface and is composed of a Faraday medium having Verdet value V. The emitted light beam passes through the first polarizer and then the prism, exiting from the interface surface making an incident angle θ0 to normal of the surface and then refracting into a secondary medium as first and second circularly polarized light beams that are separated by a small angular divergence δ. These polarized light beams have average refraction angle θ to the normal and pass through a post-selection polarizer before the detector measures a weak value Aw of a photon having “which path” operator  associated with the polarized light beams. The magnetic field strength is determined as B ≈ - 2 ɛ A w π n 0 cos θ V λsin θ 0 . The parameters include n0 as index of refraction of the secondary medium, and ε as amplification factor. The pointer rotation angle Aw can be expressed as A w = ( θ + - θ - ) cos ɛ + [ ( θ + + θ - ) - 2 θ 0 ] sin ɛ 2 sin ɛ in which θ+ and θ− are respectively right- and left-polarized refraction angles with the average refraction angle such that θ = 1 2 ( θ + + θ - ) . The pointer rotation angle Aw can be approximated as Aw≈δ/2ε when 0<ε<<1. A method is provided incorporating operations described for the magnetometer.
US08493065B2
Method and device for nondestructive and noncontact detection of faults in a test piece, or electrically conductive particles in a liquid flow, moving past the device, using eddy currents. The test piece or flow is exposed to periodic alternating electromagnetic fields. A periodic electrical signal is detected by a receiver coil. The receiver coil signal has a carrier oscillation whose amplitude and/or phase is modulated by defects in the test piece or by electrically conducting particles and is digitized. A useful signal is produced from the digitized receiver coil signal, and the useful signal is evaluated with an evaluation unit to detect faults in the test piece or electrically conductive particles. When overdriving of the A/D converter stage by the receiver coil signal is ascertained, a part of the receiver coil signal truncated by the A/D converter stage is reconstructed using a mathematical approximation in the digitized receiver coil signal.
US08493063B2
A motor vehicle gearbox position sensor includes a magnet and a probe for measuring a magnetic field at a sensitive end. The magnet and the probe may be placed facing a moving target connected to an actuating element, which is used to select the gear ratios of a gearbox in order to determine the position of the target in space and, from this, deduce the position. The position sensor also includes at least one ferromagnetic element positioned at the periphery of the sensitive end to trap metallic contaminants. A motor vehicle gearbox includes an actuating element that selects gear ratios, a moving target connected to the actuating element, and a position sensor.
US08493059B2
The present disclosure describes configurations for current shunt sensors and current shunt sensor assemblies having improved electromagnetic cross-talk rejection that can be used in single-phase/split-phase and poly-phase power metering applications. Some embodiments of the current shunt sensors and current shunt sensor assemblies reduce the need for a shielding material around current shunt sensors in single-phase/split-phase and poly-phase power metering applications. Some embodiments of the current shunt sensors achieve improved electromagnetic cross-talk rejection through a substantially symmetrical arrangement of component parts along the primary path of current flow. Some embodiments of the current shunt sensors achieve improved electromagnetic cross-talk rejection by symmetrical configurations that, in operation, induce complementary parasitic currents or voltages that substantially cancel each other out and do not substantially affect primary current flow through the current shunt sensor.
US08493058B2
A device and a method for frequency analysis. The frequency of an output signal is divided, and an auxiliary signal with a known frequency is subtracted from the low-frequency signal to define a low-frequency differential signal. The output frequency is determined on the basis of the frequency of the low-frequency differential signal.
US08493057B2
A detector detects an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of 0.01 THz≦f≦100 THz and transmitted through a device under test (DUT). A changer changes a relative position of an intersection of an optical path of the electromagnetic wave and the DUT, with respect to the DUT. A deriver derives a characteristic value of the electromagnetic wave based on a detection result of the detector, while the characteristic value is associated with an assumed relative position, which is the relative position if the electromagnetic wave is not refracted by the DUT. A corrector changes the assumed relative position to an actual relative position, which is the relative position if the refraction of the electromagnetic wave by the DUT is considered. A corrected deriver derives the characteristic value associated with a predetermined relative position based on an output from the corrector.
US08493054B2
Calibration of a non-contact voltage sensor provides improved accuracy for measuring voltage on a conductor such as an AC branch circuit wire. In a calibration mode, a predetermined voltage is imposed on a first voltage sensing conductor integrated in the non-contact voltage sensor, while a voltage on a second voltage sensing conductor is measured using a circuit of predetermined input impedance. The capacitance between the wire and each of the voltage sensing conductors may be the same, so that in measurement mode, when the first and second voltage sensing conductors are coupled together, the effective series capacitance provided in combination with the predetermined input impedance is four times as great. The results of the voltage measurement made in the calibration mode can thereby be used to adjust subsequent voltage measurements made in measurement mode with the first and second voltage sensing conductors combined in parallel.
US08493047B2
A control circuit for a switching regulator implements constant on-time control scheme with synchronous rectification and applies dual control loops to improve light load efficiency and enhance transient response. In one embodiment, the control circuit includes a first control loop configured to control a one-shot timer to generate a control signal to turn on the main switch when the feedback voltage is below a first reference voltage and a minimum off-time duration has expired. The control circuit further includes a second control loop configured to control the one-shot timer to generate the control signal to turn on the main switch when the feedback voltage is below a second reference voltage and the minimum off-time duration has expired and a low-side current signal has a first state indicative of a light load condition at the output node.
US08493045B2
A voltage regulator is configurable to operate in a linear regulator mode or a buck regulator mode. To operate in the buck regulator mode, the voltage regulator is coupled to an inductor. To determine whether an inductor is coupled to voltage regulator, and thus whether the voltage regulator can be configured in the buck regulator mode, a detection circuit determines whether a regulator output of the voltage regulator resists a change in current driven to the regulator output.
US08493042B2
A switching regulator includes: switching transistors configured to perform switching according to a control signal; an inductor connected to the switching transistors; a control mode switch unit configured to switch between a first control mode and a second control mode based on a direction in which a current flows through the inductor; an amplifier configured to operate as an error amplifier or a comparator; and a phase compensation unit connected to the amplifier by a switch unit, wherein, in the first control mode, the control mode switch unit connects the amplifier and the phase compensation unit by turning on the switch unit so as to cause the amplifier to operate as the error amplifier, and in the second control mode, the control mode switch unit turns off the switch unit so as to cause the amplifier to operate as the comparator.
US08493040B2
In one embodiment, a regulator circuit is provided. The regulator circuit includes a control circuit configured and arranged to adjust an oscillation frequency of a variable frequency oscillator in response to a feedback signal indicating the regulated output voltage. A charge pump is coupled to an output of the variable frequency oscillator and is configured to charge one or more energy storage elements in response to the output of the variable frequency oscillator. The regulator circuit includes a plurality of output stages, each having an input driven by the output of the charge pump and being configured to drive the regulated output voltage. Each output stage is selectably enabled or disabled in response to respective enable signal provided to the output regulator by an enable control circuit.
US08493034B2
A charge control circuit for a battery charger that quickly detects an attachment state of a battery pack. The battery charger starts charging a battery pack and performs first and second temperature estimation processes. Then, the battery charger performs a first attachment detection process and when determining whether a battery is connected performs a third temperature estimation process. The battery charger performs a second attachment detection process and when determining whether the battery is connected performs a fourth temperature estimation process. The battery charger performs a third attachment detection process and when determining whether the battery is connected ends a single temperature scan and then repeats the routine starting from the first temperature estimation process.
US08493032B2
A charging method using a multiphase line voltage for charging an energy storage system (ESS) using a polyphase motor drive circuit communicated to a polyphase motor, the polyphase motor drive circuit including a plurality M of driver stages, one driver stage for each phase of the polyphase motor with each driver stage coupled across the energy storage system, the method including the steps of: (a) determining a charge mode responsive to a comparison of the multiphase line voltage to a voltage of the energy storage system, the determined charge mode including a boost mode when the voltage of the energy storage system has a first predetermined relationship to the multiphase line voltage and the determined charge mode including a boost-buck mode when the voltage of the energy storage system has a second predetermined relationship to the multiphase line voltage; (b) converting, when the charge mode includes the boost mode, the multiphase line voltage to a first charging voltage using a first set of N number of the plurality of driver stages, with N less than M, wherein the first charging voltage is communicated to the energy storage system, and wherein the first charging voltage is greater than the multiphase line voltage; and (c) converting, when the charge mode includes the boost-buck mode, the multiphase line voltage to a second charging voltage using a second set of P number of the plurality of driver stages when in the boost-buck mode, with P greater than N, wherein the second charging voltage is communicated to the energy storage system, and wherein the second charging voltage is less than the multiphase line voltage.
US08493029B2
A method of dynamic power management of a mobile device. The method includes monitoring at least one load to determine when at least one of the loads will become active or inactive, determining a minimum required output voltage level to be provided by a single voltage converter based on voltage level requirements of the at least one load that will become active or inactive, converting an input voltage level via the voltage converter to provide the minimum required output voltage level to the output power port in advance of the at least one load becoming active or after the at least one load becomes inactive, monitoring the input voltage level, determining whether the input voltage level is below a first threshold, and when the input voltage level is below the first threshold, reducing the output voltage level provided by the single voltage converter.
US08493026B2
A method for facilitating an operation of an ad-hoc energy exchange network is disclosed. The network includes a set of nomadic charging stations (NCSs) and an energy consumer (EC). Upon receiving a request from the EC for an energy exchange, wherein the request includes a current location and a destination location of the EC, an exchange location for performing the energy exchange between a nomadic charging station (NCS) and the EC is determined based on the current location of the EC, the destination location of the EC, and a current location of the NCS. The exchange location is transmitted to the NCS and the EC.
US08493024B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for charging electrically powered devices. In accordance with the invention, the device is powered by two storage devices. One storage device is capable of receiving a substantial charge very rapidly while the other storage device requires a longer time to receive a charge. The advantage is that the powered device can be used almost instantly and continually while at the same time rebuilding electrical charge.
US08493016B2
A semiconductor circuit device includes a semiconductor circuit including a switching element, a temperature monitoring unit, and a control unit. The temperature monitoring unit detects or estimates a temperature of a component connected to an inside or an outside of the semiconductor circuit. Here, the temperature of the component changes in accordance with a frequency of a current flowing through the component, and the frequency of the current flowing through the component changes in accordance with a switching frequency of the switching element. The control unit adjusts the switching frequency of the switching element such that the temperature of the component is equal to a target temperature.
US08493006B2
A drive unit includes an ultrasonic actuator having an actuator body formed using a piezoelectric element, and a driving element provided on the actuator body and configured to output a driving force by moving according to the vibration of the actuator body, and a control section configured to induce the vibration in the actuator body by applying a first and a second AC voltages having a same frequency and different phases to the piezoelectric element. The control section adjusts the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage so that the first AC voltage and the second AC voltage have different voltage values from each other.
US08493000B2
A system topology and circuit design for efficiently and stably driving currents through strings of solid state light emitting elements by providing current sources that are controlled by a stable voltage reference.
US08492991B2
A lighting system for illuminating a chamber in a building includes a lighting fixture suitable for being mounted onto a surface of the chamber, so that light emitted by at least one CCFL device mechanically supported by the fixture illuminates the chamber.
US08492987B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) driver is adapted to control either the magnitude of the current conducted through a LED light source or the magnitude of a voltage generated across the LED light source. The LED driver comprises a power converter circuit for generating a DC bus voltage, and an LED drive circuit for receiving the bus voltage and adjusting the magnitude of the current conducted through the LED light source. The LED driver is operable to dim the LED light source using either a pulse-width modulation technique or a constant current reduction technique. The LED drive circuit may comprise a controllable-impedance circuit, such as a linear regulator. The LED driver may be operable to control the magnitude of the bus voltage to optimize the efficiency and reduce the power dissipation in the LED drive circuit, as well ensuring that the load voltage and current do not have any ripple.
US08492986B2
A circuit arrangement (1) for a light emitting device, comprising a first circuit branch (2) for receiving an AC voltage and comprising a first light emitting diode (LED) circuit (3) serially connected with a first phase-shifting element (4), a second circuit branch (12) connected in parallel with the first circuit branch, the second circuit branch comprising a second LED circuit (13) serially connected to a second phase-shifting element (14), in reverse order compared with the LED circuit and phase-shifting element in the first circuit branch, and a third circuit branch (22) comprising a third LED circuit (23) connected between the first and second branches.With such a circuit design, the current through the first and second LED can be phase shifted compared with the current though the third LED circuit, so that the first and second light emitting diode circuits emit light during one time period, while the third light emitting diode circuit emits light during a second period.
US08492983B1
This application relates to the systems and methods for networking and control of lighting systems. In particular, this application relates to the addressing and control of light emitting diodes (LEDs) connected serially on a bus within a network of serially bussed LEDs. The approaches described in this application simplify and lower the cost of control by distributing the control functions between a serial bus controller and controllers associated with individual LEDs or LED circuits on the serial bus. Hardware intensive decoding of predefined addresses, or time consuming address processing and determining algorithms, are not employed. Instead, the addressing method disclosed both simplifies the system by reducing hardware requirements and improves the speed of the data packets and reduces packet latency moving down the serial bus.
US08492972B2
A method to improve light extraction efficiency of a light emitting element such as an electroluminescent element is disclosed. Over a substrate, a first electrode, a light emitting layer, and a second electrode are sequentially stacked. The first electrode is a reflective electrode. The second electrode is an electrode which transmits visible light, and light emitted from the light emitting layer is extracted from the second electrode. In contact with a surface of the second electrode, many fine particles are provided. The fine particles have a refractive index which is equal to or higher than that of the second electrode. Light which passes through the second electrode is scattered and refracted by the fine particles. Accordingly, the amount of light which is totally reflected at an interface between the second electrode and a gas is reduced, and light extraction efficiency is improved.
US08492971B2
An EL element having a novel structure is provided, which is suitable for AC drive. A light-emitting element of the invention is provided with material layers (material layers each having approximately symmetric I-V characteristics with respect to the zero point in a graph having the abscissa axis showing current values and the ordinate axis showing voltage values) between a first electrode and a layer including an organic compound and between the layer including the organic compound and a second electrode respectively. Specifically, each of the material layers is a composite layer including a metal oxide and an organic compound.
US08492967B2
A light emitting device includes a substrate, a patterned light-scattering layer, and an electroluminescent device. The patterned light-scattering layer is disposed on a portion of the substrate. The patterned light-scattering layer has a bottom surface in contact with the substrate, a top surface opposite to the bottom surface, and a plurality of sidewalls connecting the bottom surface and the top surface. The electroluminescent device is at least disposed on the sidewalls.
US08492951B2
A stator assembly includes a segmented stator having stator portions. Each stator portion includes a support structure and dovetails, each coupled to the support structure by adjustable elements. The stator portion also includes stator laminations, where each of the laminations has openings to engage with the dovetails. Connectors are provided to connect the stator portions of the segmented stator together.
US08492950B2
In one embodiment, a rotor for an induction motor comprises a punching assembly, a plurality of conductive bars, and an end-ring. The plurality of conductive bars may be substantially parallel to an axis of the rotor and connected to the punching assembly at a periphery of the punching assembly. Each conductive bar includes an end connected to the end-ring. The end-ring comprises a punching side having a surface facing the punching assembly and a housing side having a surface opposite the punching surface. The end-ring may be thicker on the punching side than the housing side. In this manner, the peak end ring stresses may be reduced at higher speeds and the mean time between failures of the rotor may be increased. Alternatively, the threshold speed may be increased and the top-speed of the off-highway vehicle may be increased for a given expected mean time between failures of the rotor.
US08492946B2
An electric machine with a resolver for a system for autocontrol of the machine includes a machine stator, a machine rotor mounted for rotation in the stator, the rotor being mounted on a shaft, and a casing enclosing this assembly. The resolver includes a fixed resolver stator centered axially in a housing inside the casing and a resolver rotor mounted on the shaft of the machine rotor inside the resolver stator. The resolver stator is locked in an axially and angularly fixed position in the housing. A mounting device is included for mounting the resolver. The mounting device includes a bearing for rotational adjustment of an angular position of the resolver rotor on the shaft of the machine rotor and a device for clamping the resolver rotor and the shaft with respect to one another in a chosen angular position. The device may include a friction race.
US08492945B2
A starter-generator is provided for a motor vehicle that has a drive train (1) with a drive machine (4), a torque-transmission device (8) and a transmission. The starter-generator (20) has an external rotor (22) and a stator (21). To simplify the manufacture of the motor vehicle, the starter-generator has a rotor flange (28) connected in a rotationally fixed fashion to an input component (16) of the torque-transmission device (8) and extends from the rotor (22).
US08492939B2
A fan motor is provided. The fan motor includes a case having a cylindrical bearing housing, and a base unit fixing the cylindrical bearing housing; a pair of bearings fitted into the cylindrical bearing housing; a stator which has a wound coil and a bottom portion to which a PC board including a motor driving circuit and a lead wire for supplying the motor driving circuit with electrical current is fixed; a shaft supported by the pair of bearings; a rotor which faces the stator and is fixed to the shaft, and which has a magnet; and an impeller which is fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the rotor, and has plural blades. The stator, the PC board and the lead wire are molded by epoxy resin which has hardness of Shore D85 to D95 after curing and a glass transition temperature of 125° C. or higher.
US08492938B2
Disclosed herein is a linear vibration device. The linear vibration device includes a stator including magnets, a bracket, and a case having an inner space formed therein and coupled with the bracket; and a vibrator including coils facing the magnets, a weight body coupled with the coil, an FPC coupled with a top portion of the weight body, and an elastic member of which the one end is coupled with the case and the other end is coupled with the coil, the vibrator being accommodated in the case, wherein the magnets include a first magnet and a second magnet facing the first magnet, coupled with a top surface of the bracket, and including a magnetic fluid applied to a bottom portion and a side portion thereof.
US08492935B2
An actuator is configured to produce a displacement force between a first and a second part to displace the first and second parts relative to each other. The Actuator includes a first magnet subassembly, attached to one of a first and a second part, and an electrically conductive element, attached to the other one of the first and second part and placed near the first magnet subassembly. The first magnet subassembly includes at least one set of at least two adjacently placed magnets oriented such that their magnetic polarizations are substantially mutually opposite, and a back mass made out of a magnetic flux guiding material and connecting the magnets to guide a magnetic flux there between. The first magnet subassembly includes a carrier made of a non-magnetic-flux-guiding material, the carrier including at least one recess in which the at least one set of back mass and magnets is embedded.
US08492932B1
A method and apparatus for converting DC input power to AC output power. The apparatus comprises an input capacitor, a DC-AC inverter, a burst mode controller for causing energy to be stored in the input capacitor during at least one storage period and the energy to be drawn from the input capacitor during at least one burst period, wherein the AC output power is greater than the DC input power during the at least one burst period; a first feedback loop for determining a maximum power point (MPP) and operating the DC-AC inverter proximate the MPP; and a second feedback loop for determining a difference in a first power measurement and a second power measurement, producing an error signal indicative of the difference, and coupling the error signal to the first feedback loop to adjust at least one operating parameter of the DC-AC inverter to drive toward the MPP.
US08492922B2
The two ends of a battery circuit (18), in which a first power supply (11) is connected in series to a second power supply (12), are connected to the respective first and third lines (L1 and L3), while a junction (18a) between the first power supply (11) and the second power supply (12) is connected to a second line (L2). The two ends of a switching circuit (33) are connected to the respective first and third lines (L1 and L3). An end of a reactor (34) is connected to a junction between first and second switching elements (31 and 32), while the other end of the reactor (34) is connected to the second line (L2).The power supply apparatus (10), when activated, executes an operation in which, while the ON state of the first switching element (31) is inhibited, only the second switching element (32) is alternately turned ON and OFF with the ON state duration changed such that the ON state duration has a tendency to become longer. Thereafter, the power supply apparatus (10) executes an operation in which the switching elements (31 and 32) are alternately turned ON.
US08492913B2
A power generation system is provided that includes an internal combustion engine configured to provide rotational mechanical energy. A generator is configured to receive the rotational mechanical energy and generate electrical power in response to the rotational mechanical energy. A fluid medium is provided to the internal combustion engine and to the generator for removing thermal energy from the internal combustion engine and from the generator.
US08492910B2
A method of fabricating a chip package is provided. The chip package includes a laminate, a chip and conductive elements interposed between the chip and the laminate by which signals are transmitted among the chip and the laminate. The method includes dispensing a first underfill in a space defined between opposing faces of the chip and the laminate and dispensing a second underfill at least at a portion of an edge of the chip, the second underfill including a high aspect ratio material.
US08492899B2
The present disclosure relates to an improved method of providing a Ni silicide metal contact on a silicon surface by electrodepositing a Ni film on a silicon substrate. The improved method results in a controllable silicide formation wherein the silicide has a uniform thickness. The metal contacts may be incorporated in, for example, CMOS devices, MEM (micro-electro-mechanical) devices, and photovoltaic cells.
US08492889B2
A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a first semiconductor chip module attached to the substrate, a conductive connection member attached to the first semiconductor chip module, and a second semiconductor chip module attached to the conductive connection member. The first and second semiconductor chip modules are formed to have step like shapes to and extend laterally in opposite directions so as to define a zigzag arrangement together.
US08492882B2
A semiconductor device has a die pad, a heat dissipating plate in the form of a frame arranged between the die pad and leads so as to surround the die pad, members that connect the die pad and the inner edge of the heat dissipating plate, and a suspension lead linked to the outer extension of the heat dissipating plate. A semiconductor chip larger than the die pad is mounted over the die pad and the members. Top surfaces of the die pad and the members in opposition to the back surface of the chip are bonded to the back surface of the chip with silver paste. Heat is conducted from the back surface of the chip to the heat dissipating plate via the silver paste, the die pad, and the members, and dissipated to the outside of the semiconductor device via the leads.
US08492881B2
A magnetic storage device which enables stable operation at the time of recording information into MRAM and the stable retention of recorded information. The die of the magnetic storage device has a substrate, first and second wirings, a magnetic storage element and a first magnetic shielding structure. The first magnetic shielding structure is formed to cover the magnetic storage element in a plan view. Second and third magnetic shielding structures sandwich the die in a thickness direction. A lead frame member has the die mounted thereon and contains a ferromagnetic material. The lead frame member overlaps with only part of the die in a plan view.
US08492878B2
A through-substrate via (TSV) structure that is immune to metal contamination due to a backside planarization process is provided. After forming a through-substrate via (TSV) trench, a diffusion barrier liner is conformally deposited on the sidewalls of the TSV trench. A dielectric liner is formed by depositing a dielectric material on vertical portions of the diffusion barrier liner. A metallic conductive via structure is formed by subsequently filling the TSV trench. Horizontal portions of the diffusion barrier liner are removed. The diffusion barrier liner protects the semiconductor material of the substrate during the backside planarization by blocking residual metallic material originating from the metallic conductive via structure from entering into the semiconductor material of the substrate, thereby protecting the semiconductor devices within the substrate from metallic contamination.
US08492868B2
A method, integrated circuit and design structure includes a silicon substrate layer having trench structures and an ion impurity implant. An insulator layer is positioned on and contacts the silicon substrate layer. The insulator layer fills the trench structures. A circuitry layer is positioned on and contacts the buried insulator layer. The circuitry layer comprises groups of active circuits separated by passive structures. The trench structures are positioned between the groups of active circuits when the integrated circuit structure is viewed from the top view. Thus, the trench structures are below the passive structures and are not below the groups of circuits when the integrated circuit structure is viewed from the top view.
US08492857B2
A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) diaphragm is provided. The MEMS diaphragm includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and a first dielectric layer. The first conductive layer is disposed on a substrate and having a plurality of openings. The openings have the same dimension, and the distance between the adjacent openings is gradually increased toward the edge of the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is disposed between the first conductive layer and the substrate. The first dielectric layer is partially disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, so that a portion of the first conductive layer is suspended.
US08492847B2
Over a semiconductor substrate, a silicon nitride film is formed so as to cover n-channel MISFETs. The silicon nitride film is a laminate film which may be made of first, second, and third silicon nitride films. The total film thickness of the first and second silicon nitride films is smaller than half a spacing between a first sidewall spacer and a second sidewall spacer. After being deposited, the first and second silicon nitride films are subjected to treatments to have increased tensile stresses. The total film thickness of the first, second, and third silicon nitride films is not less than half the spacing between the first and second sidewall spacers. The third silicon nitride film is not subjected to any tensile-stress-increasing treatment, or may be subjected to a lesser amount of such treatment.
US08492833B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including a cell area and a peripheral circuit area, a first trench for device isolation formed in the cell area of the semiconductor substrate and a second trench for device isolation formed within the semiconductor substrate of the peripheral circuit area to be deeper than the first trench, a device isolation layer buried within the first and second trenches for device isolation and having the same surface level as the semiconductor substrate in the cell area, a buried gate buried in the semiconductor substrate of the cell area, and a peripheral circuit gate which is in contact with the semiconductor substrate of the peripheral circuit area, is buried within the device isolation layer of the peripheral circuit area, and has the same surface level as the buried gate. It can prevent the same effect from affecting the cell area and the peripheral circuit area so that the number of masks is reduced and the process is simplified so that cost can be reduced and characteristics of the semiconductor device can be improved.
US08492832B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including an active region defined by a device isolation layer, a trench extending across the active region, a buried gate filling a part of the trench and including a base portion, a first extension portion, and a second extension portion extending along an inner wall of the trench, and having different heights at sides of the base portion, and a capping layer formed on the buried gate and filling the trench.
US08492830B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate having a gate groove and first to third grooves, the first to third grooves being formed on a bottom surface of the gate groove and the third groove being formed between the first and second grooves, and a gate electrode having a first gate portion formed in the first groove, a second gate portion formed in the second groove, a third gate portion formed in the third groove, and a fourth gate portion formed in the gate groove. A cell transistor having the gate electrode has a first channel region formed in the semiconductor substrate between the first and third gate portions and a second channel region formed in the semiconductor substrate between the second and third gate portions.
US08492825B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes each of memory cells including a floating electrode above a semiconductor substrate via the gate insulator, a control gate electrode above the floating gate electrode via a first inter-gate insulator, first diffusion layers as source or drain, a contact electrode portion including a bottom electrode with an opening and a top electrode on the bottom electrode, the bottom electrode being arranged on the first gate insulator having the opening, the top electrode being electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate via the first opening, and a connection diffusion layer formed in the semiconductor substrate below the first opening.
US08492817B2
An improved trench structure, and method for its fabrication are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention provide a trench in which the collar portion has an air gap instead of a solid oxide collar. The air gap provides a lower dielectric constant. Embodiments of the present invention can therefore be used to make higher-performance devices (due to reduced parasitic leakage), or smaller devices, due to the ability to use a thinner collar to achieve the same performance as a thicker collar comprised only of oxide (with no air gap). Alternatively, a design choice can be made to achieve a combination of improved performance and reduced size, depending on the application.
US08492816B2
Solutions for forming a silicided deep trench decoupling capacitor are disclosed. In one aspect, a semiconductor structure includes a trench capacitor within a silicon substrate, the trench capacitor including: an outer trench extending into the silicon substrate; a dielectric liner layer in contact with the outer trench; a doped polysilicon layer over the dielectric liner layer, the doped polysilicon layer forming an inner trench within the outer trench; and a silicide layer over a portion of the doped polysilicon layer, the silicide layer separating at least a portion of the contact from at least a portion of the doped polysilicon layer; and a contact having a lower surface abutting the trench capacitor, a portion of the lower surface not abutting the silicide layer.
US08492802B2
An electronic device includes a conductive channel defining a crystal structure and having a length and a thickness tC; and a dielectric film of thickness tg in contact with a surface of the channel. Further, the film comprises a material that exerts one of a compressive or a tensile force on the contacted surface of the channel such that electrical mobility of the charge carriers (electrons or holes) along the channel length is increased due to the compressive or tensile force in dependence on alignment of the channel length relative to the crystal structure. Embodiments are given for chips with both hole and electron mobility increased in different transistors, and a method for making such a transistor or chip.
US08492799B2
Methods and apparatuses relating to large scale FET arrays for analyte detection and measurement are provided. ChemFET (e.g., ISFET) arrays may be fabricated using conventional CMOS processing techniques based on improved FET pixel and array designs that increase measurement sensitivity and accuracy, and at the same time facilitate significantly small pixel sizes and dense arrays. Improved array control techniques provide for rapid data acquisition from large and dense arrays. Such arrays may be employed to detect a presence and/or concentration changes of various analyte types in a wide variety of chemical and/or biological processes.
US08492798B1
The electrical fuse includes a cathode pad, an anode pad and a fuse link connecting the cathode pad to the anode pad. The cathode pad includes a group of multiple electrical contacts and a solitary electrical contact disposed a predetermined distance from the group and near the fuse link, i.e., between the group of multiple electrical contacts and the fuse link. The cathode and anode pads as well as the fuse link include a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer.
US08492792B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device 10 includes forming a plurality of second conductive second semiconductor regions at specific intervals on one main surface of a first conductive first semiconductor region, the plurality of second conductive second semiconductor regions being opposite to the first conductive first semiconductor region, forming a plurality of the first conductive third semiconductor regions on a main surface of the second semiconductor region, the plurality of the first conductive third regions being separated from each other, forming a plurality of holes at specific intervals on an another main surface which faces the one main surface of the first semiconductor region, the plurality of holes being separated from each other, forming a pair of adjacent second conductive fourth semiconductor regions which are alternately connected at a bottom part of the hole within the first semiconductor region, and burying an electrode within the hole.
US08492783B2
The present invention provides a light-emitting device which includes, in the order mentioned, a light-emitting layer containing a light-emitting portion, an intermediate layer, and a fine concavo-convex pattern, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed over a second surface of the light-emitting layer which surface is opposite to a first surface of the light-emitting layer, wherein the fine concavo-convex pattern has a cross-sectional shape which has portions projected and recessed with respect to the light-emitting layer, and reflects light emitted from the light-emitting layer, and wherein at least part of the intermediate layer has a refractive index of 0.9n to 1.1n, where n denotes a refractive index of the light-emitting portion with respect to light which has a main light-emitting wavelength.
US08492778B2
A light emitting diode (LED) device includes a substrate, first and second LED chips arranged on the substrate, and a phosphor layer over the first and second LED chips. The phosphor layer includes a plurality of phosphor units, each including a phosphor particle and a silver halide layer encapsulating the phosphor particle. Light emitted from the second LED chip strikes the phosphor particles to generate a first light, which. combines with the light to generate a resultant light. The silver halide layer is reduced by the light from the first LED chip to produce silver particles around the phosphor particles. The silver particles can block the light emitted from the second LED chip from sticking the phosphor particles. By adjusting the current supplied to the first LED chip, the color temperature of the resultant light generated by the LED device can be changed.
US08492777B2
A light emitting diode (LED) package includes a LED package substrate, first LED chips and second LED chips. The LED package substrate includes a substrate, a first bonding pad, second bonding pads and a third bonding pad. The first, second and third bonding pads are disposed on the substrate. The second bonding pads are arranged in an array. The first and third bonding pads are located adjacent respectively to first and last column of the array. The first LED chips are die-bonded on the first bonding pad and wire-bonded respectively to the second bonding pads arranged in first column of the array. The second LED chips are die-bonded on the second bonding pads respectively. In each row except last column, each second LED chip is wire-bonded to the second bonding pad arranged in next column. The second LED chips located in last column are wire-bonded to the third bonding pad.
US08492775B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting device including a light emitting element having a plurality of light emitting cells arranged on a substrate, a first electrode arranged on each light emitting cell of the plurality of light emitting cells, a second electrode arranged between the substrate and each light emitting cell of the plurality of light emitting cells, the second electrode being disposed to face the first electrode. The light emitting device also includes a conductive material electrically connecting the second electrode arranged under a first light emitting cell of the plurality of light emitting cells to the first electrode arranged on an adjacent second light emitting cell of the plurality of light emitting cells, and a control unit configured to control waveforms of a voltage and a current applied to the light emitting element.
US08492774B2
A manufacturing method for a SiC single crystal film which allows stable growth of a SiC epitaxial film with a low doping concentration on a substrate with a diameter of at least 2 inches by the LPE method using a SiC solution in solvent of a melt includes an evacuation step in which the interior of a crystal growth furnace is evacuated with heating until the vacuum pressure at the crystal growth temperature is 5×10−3 Pa or lower prior to introducing a raw material for the melt into the furnace. Then, a crucible containing a raw material for the melt is introduced into the furnace, a SiC solution is formed, and a SiC epitaxial film is grown on a substrate immersed in the solution.
US08492773B2
Exemplary embodiments provide structures and methods for power devices with integrated clamp structures. The integration of clamp structures can protect the power device, e.g., from electrical overstress (EOS). In one embodiment, active devices can be formed over a substrate, while a clamp structure can be integrated outside the active regions of the power device, for example, under the active regions and/or inside the substrate. Integrating clamp structure outside active regions of power devices can maximize the active area for a given die size and improve robustness of the clamped device since the current will spread in the substrate by this integration.
US08492766B2
Problems exist in areas such as image visibility, endurance of the device, precision, miniaturization, and electric power consumption in an information device having a conventional resistive film method or optical method pen input function. Both EL elements and photoelectric conversion elements are arranged in each pixel of a display device in an information device of the present invention having a pen input function. Information input is performed by the input of light to the photoelectric conversion elements in accordance with a pen that reflects light by a pen tip. An information device with a pen input function, capable of displaying a clear image without loss of brightness in the displayed image, having superior endurance, capable of being miniaturized, and having good precision can thus be obtained.
US08492757B2
It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device including a thin film transistor with stable electric characteristics. In a semiconductor device including an inverted staggered thin film transistor whose semiconductor layer is an oxide semiconductor layer, a buffer layer is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer. The buffer layer is in contact with a channel formation region of the semiconductor layer and source and drain electrode layers. A film of the buffer layer has resistance distribution. A region provided over the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer has lower electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer, and a region in contact with the source and drain electrode layers has higher electrical conductivity than the channel formation region of the semiconductor layer.
US08492746B2
A light emitting diode (LED) die includes a wavelength conversion layer having a base material, and a plurality of particles embedded in the base material including wavelength conversion particles, and reflective particles. A method for fabricating light emitting diode (LED) dice includes the steps of mixing the wavelength conversion particles in the base material to a first weight percentage, mixing the reflective particles in the base material to a second weight percentage, curing the base material to form a wavelength conversion layer having a selected thickness, and attaching the wavelength conversion layer to a die.
US08492743B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed above said substrate, a second variable resistance layer formed above said lower electrode and comprising a second transitional metal oxide, a first variable resistance layer formed above said second variable resistance layer and comprising a first transitional metal oxide having an oxygen content that is lower than an oxygen content of the second transitional metal oxide, and an upper electrode formed above said first variable resistance layer. A step is formed in an interface between said lower electrode and said second variable resistance layer. The second variable resistance layer is formed covering the step and has a bend above the step.
US08492742B2
A variable resistive element configured to reduce a forming voltage while reducing a variation in forming voltage among elements, a method for producing it, and a highly integrated nonvolatile semiconductor memory device provided with the variable resistive element are provided. The variable resistive element includes a resistance change layer (first metal oxide film) and a control layer (second metal oxide film) having contact with a first electrode sandwiched between the first electrode and a second electrode. The control layer includes a metal oxide film having a low work function (4.5 eV or less) and capable of extracting oxygen from the resistance change layer. The first electrode includes a metal having a low work function similar to the above metal, and a material having oxide formation free energy higher than that of an element included in the control layer, to prevent oxygen from being thermally diffused from the control layer.
US08492741B2
A resistive random access memory (RRAM) includes a resistive memory layer of a transition metal oxide, such as Ni oxide, and is doped with a metal material. The RRAM may include at least one first electrode, a resistive memory layer on the at least one first electrode, the resistive memory layer including a Ni oxide layer doped with at least one element selected from a group consisting of Fe, Co, and Sn, and at least one second electrode on the resistive memory layer. The RRAM device may include a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes, and the resistive memory layer may be between the plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.
US08492737B2
Provided are methods of tuning the emission wavelength from a tunable infrared plasmonic emitting structure, which structure comprises: (a) a perforated or patterned first conductive layer having a plurality of relief features provided in a periodic spatial configuration, wherein the relief features are separated from each other by adjacent recessed features, wherein the distance between features is between 1-15 μm; (b) a dielectric layer underlying the first conductive layer; (c) a second conductive layer underlying the dielectric film; and (d) a substrate underlying the second conductive layer; wherein the emission wavelength is tuned by applying a force in a biaxial direction parallel to the substrate, changing the distance between relief features, or changing the resistivity and dielectric constant of the dielectric layer.
US08492732B2
A multi charged particle beam writing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a first aperture member to form multiple beams, a blanker array provided with a plurality of blankers which respectively perform blanking deflection of a corresponding beam in the multiple beams, a first electromagnetic lens and a second electromagnetic lens arranged between the first aperture member and the blanker array, a second aperture member arranged between the first electromagnetic lens and the second electromagnetic lens and at a position of a convergence point of the multiple beams and configured to restrict passage of charged particles deviated from the convergence point, and a third aperture member to block each beam which was deflected to be in a beam off state by the plurality of blankers.
US08492727B1
An detector material for detecting electro-magnetic radiation is described. The detector material includes a substantially regular array of nano-particles embedded in a matrix material. The nano-particles are arranged such that when a bias voltage to the matrix material is applied, electrical current is directly generated based on a cooperative plasmon effect in the detector material when electro-magnetic radiation in a predetermined wavelength range is incident upon the detector material, where the dominant mechanism for decay in the cooperative plasmon effect is non-radiative.
US08492721B2
An inspection system and a method for defect detection, the method includes: generating a first beam that comprises a near infrared spectral component and a visible light component; directing at least the near infrared spectral component of the first beam towards an inspected object; directing, towards a sensor, a near infrared spectral component of a second beam generated from the illuminating of the inspected object; wherein the sensor is sensitive to visual light radiation and to near infrared radiation; generating, by the sensor, detection signals that are responsive to the near infrared component of the second beam; and detecting defects in the inspected object by processing the detection signals.
US08492719B2
An optical position detection device includes a first detection light source unit that outputs a detection light from one side to the other side in a first direction, a second detection light source unit that is separated from the first detection light source unit along a second direction crossing the first direction, and outputs a detection light from the one side to the other side in the first direction, a light detection unit having sensitivity toward the other side in the first direction, and a position detection unit that detects the position of the object based on the light reception in the light detection unit.
US08492713B2
A multipole rod assembly, such as used as mass analyzer, is fabricated using rods adhesively attached to shoes, which are then attached to isolation rings. A fixture is used in conjunction with precision-made spacers to precisely assemble the ion mass analyzer. The rods and shoes can be made of metal, while the isolation rings are preferably made of insulator, such as ceramic. The shoes and isolation rings need not be made to high precision, as the spacer ensures high accuracy in alignment and symmetry of the rods. Consequently, the rods are the only precision machined parts in the ion mass analyzer assembly.
US08492707B2
The present invention concerns a method of detecting the antifungal cyclic hexapeptides Pneumocandin B0 and/or Pneumocandin C0 specific fragment is/are detected using MS in negative mode.
US08492704B2
An encoder and method for precisely indicating the position of a first member with respect to a second member by utilizing a pattern of machine-sensible elements carried on a single track of the first member; the machine-sensible elements being located at successive incremental rotations on the track of the first member and each representing one of the binary values “0” and “1”; and a plurality of “n” sensors, wherein “n” is greater than “3”, carried by the second member at a plurality of spaced locations thereon in proximity to the track of the first member and alignable with the machine-sensible elements of the first member. Each sensor thus senses the binary value of each machine-sensible element with which it is aligned to produce an output corresponding to the binary value of the machine-sensible element with which it is aligned, whereby the outputs of all the sensors constitute a binary code, preferably a Gray code, of “n” bits identifying the position of the first member with respect to the second member.
US08492698B2
A driver assistance system for a vehicle includes a bracket attached at a windshield of a vehicle and a housing mounted to the bracket and an imager disposed in the housing. The imager may include (i) a two-dimensional CMOS photosensor array of photosensor elements and/or (ii) a lens. With the housing mounted to the bracket attached at the vehicle windshield, the imager views to the exterior of the vehicle through the vehicle windshield at a region of the windshield that may be swept by a windshield wiper of the vehicle. The photosensor array is operable to capture image data. A control includes an image processor disposed in the housing. The image processor includes a digital signal processor. The driver assistance system identifies objects viewed by the imager via processing by the image processor of captured image data. A spectral filter may be disposed between the photosensor array and the lens.
US08492696B2
Optical apparatus includes a device package, with a radiation source contained in the package and configured to emit a beam of coherent radiation. A diffractive optical element (DOE) is mounted in the package so as to receive and diffract the radiation from the radiation source into a predefined pattern comprising multiple diffraction orders. An optical detector is positioned in the package so as to receive and sense an intensity of a selected diffraction order of the DOE.
US08492691B1
A portable and microwave safe container for steaming food. The container includes a lid, having an upper and lower portion, for coupling over a substantially circular food chamber. The upper and lower lid portions are connected together for holding water and creating steam therebetween when microwaved. The lower lid portion includes a middle portion and an outwardly extending sloped channel for holding water therein. The middle portion includes a plurality of steam holes for allowing steam to escape after the water is heated and move into the food chamber for heating the food contained therein. The food chamber has a lip for allowing the lower lid portion to securely rest thereon and cover the food chamber. A pivoting handle is affixed to the lid for locking the lid to the food chamber.
US08492663B2
In an electronic part housing box 1 which includes a capacitor 2 having lead wires 2b protruded from the capacitor main body 2a, a base member 10 having a part housing chamber 11 for housing the capacitor main body 2a, a part housing cover 20 attached to the base member 10 to thereby cover the opening of the part housing chamber 11, and a bracket 40 attached to the base member 10 to thereby fix the lead wires 2b, the base member 10 is integrally provided with a first spring portion 14 for biasing the capacitor main body 2a toward the opening side of the part housing chamber 11 and the part housing cover 20 is integrally provided with a second spring portion 21 for biasing the capacitor main body 2a toward the bottom surface side of the part housing chamber 11.
US08492661B2
A very small form factor consumer electronic product includes at least a single piece housing having an integral front and side walls that cooperate to form a cavity in cooperation with a front opening where an edge of the side walls define a rear opening and at least some of the edges have flanges. The consumer electronic product also includes an user input assembly having a size and shape in accordance with the front opening and a clip assembly having a size and shape in accordance with the rear opening and having an external user actionable clip, a plurality of internal hooking features, and a plurality of internal latching features. The clip assembly is secured by engaging at least some of the hooking features and the flanges on the edges of the housing and engaging the latching features and corresponding attachment features on the internal support plate.
US08492652B2
A junction box for a probe is disclosed for connecting to a sensor assembly of the probe, wherein the sensor assembly has a housing and a plate. The junction box comprises stopper walls, retaining flanges, and a retainer spring to secure the plate junction box. The probe can be assembled by inserting the sensor assembly through the opening, pressing the plate onto the at least one retainer spring and elastically deforming the at least one retainer spring, and rotating the sensor assembly into an assembled position.
US08492651B2
A housing is used to accommodate electrical switching components. The housing includes a housing body, a cover, and a seal between the housing body and the cover. The cover is fastened to the housing body using fastening elements. A smooth transition is formed between the side parts of the housing body and the cover on the housing side having the seal. Thus a particularly easy to clean housing can be provided, wherein the housing meets the exceptional hygienic requirements that exist, for example, in the field of the food industry or in medical fields. In the housing as descried, soiling can no longer collect on the housing.
US08492634B2
An apparatus for creating a musical composition comprising an audio interface, and audio converter module, and a multi-track compositor module is disclosed. The audio interface operably receives audio from an audio input device and outputting audio to an audio output device. The audio converter module is operably connected to the audio interface to convert audio received via the audio interface into an audio track having one or more partitions. The multi-track compositor module is configured to receive a first audio track and a second audio track and automatically score each partition of the first and second audio tracks based on one or more criteria. The multi-track compositor module is then configured to construct a third audio track from the partitions of the first and second audio tracks based on the scores for each partition. A method is also provided.
US08492633B2
A method for fingerprinting an unknown music sample is disclosed. A plurality of known tracks may be segmented into reference samples. A reference fingerprint including a plurality of codes may be generated for each reference sample. An inverted index including, for each possible code value, a list of reference samples having reference fingerprints that contain the respective code value may be generated. An unknown fingerprint including a plurality of codes may be generated from the unknown music sample. A code match histogram may list candidate reference samples and associated scores, each score indicating a number of codes from the unknown fingerprint that match codes in the reference fingerprint. Time difference histograms may be generated for two or more reference samples having the highest scores. A determination may be made whether or not a single reference sample matches the unknown music sample based on a comparison of the time difference histograms.
US08492623B1
The invention provides seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated 570076. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety 570076, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety 570076 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety 570076.
US08492611B1
A novel maize variety designated X13B633 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X13B633 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B633 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B633, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B633. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B633.
US08492602B2
This disclosure relates to a process for alkylating an aromatic hydrocarbon with an alkylating agent to produce an alkylated aromatic product, said process comprising contacting said aromatic hydrocarbon and said alkylating agent with a catalyst composition under alkylation conditions effective to alkylate said aromatic hydrocarbon with said alkylating agent to form an effluent comprising said alkylated aromatic product, wherein said catalyst composition comprising (a) MCM-22 family material; and (b) a binder comprising at least 1 wt. % of a titanium compound based on the weight of said catalyst composition, wherein said titanium compound was anatase and rutile phases.
US08492600B2
A self-sustaining process for producing high quality liquid fuels from biomass in which the biomass is hydropyrolyzed in a reactor vessel containing molecular hydrogen and a deoxygenating catalyst, producing a partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis liquid, which is hydrogenated using a hydroconversion catalyst, producing a substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon liquid and a gaseous mixture comprising CO and light hydrocarbon gases (C1-C3). The gaseous mixture is reformed in a steam reformer, producing reformed molecular hydrogen, which is then introduced into the reactor vessel for hydropyrolizing the biomass. The deoxygenated hydrocarbon liquid product is further separated to produce diesel fuel, gasoline, or blending components for gasoline and diesel fuel.
US08492591B2
Highly selective 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists receptors are disclosed. The 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists are used in the treatments of disease and conditions wherein modulation of 5-HT(2C) receptors provides a benefit, such as obesity and psychiatric disorders.
US08492580B2
The invention relates to an improved multistage process for the continuous preparation of diisocyanates by reaction of the corresponding diamines with carbonic acid derivatives and alcohols to form low molecular weight monomeric urethanes and thermal dissociation of the latter.
US08492574B2
There are provided methods for preparing diorganozinc compounds of formula R2Zn. For example, such a method can method comprise reacting together a compound of formula ZnX2 with at least one compound chosen from compounds of formulas RM1T, R2M1, and RM2. R, X, M1, M2, and T can be various different chemical entities. Compounds of formula R2ZnR3, in which R2 and R3 are the same or different, can also prepared in a similar manner.
US08492573B2
Borohydride metallocene complex of lanthanide, preparation process, catalytic system incorporating borohydride metallocene complex, process for copolymerization of olefins employing catalytic system. The complex corresponds to one or other of formulae A and B: where, in A, two ligands Cp1, Cp2, each composed of a cyclopentadienyl group, are connected to the lanthanide Ln, such as Nd, and where, in B, a ligand molecule, composed of two cyclopentadienyl groups Cp1, Cp2 connected to one another via a bridge P of formula MR1R2, M is an element from group IVa, and R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent an alkyl group comprising from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, is connected to the lanthanide Ln, L is alkali metal, N is molecule of a complexing solvent, x is integral or non-integral number≧0, p is integer≧than 1 and y is integer≧0.
US08492570B2
The invention relates to the use of 2-substituted estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3-yl sulfamates of general formula I, in addition to their pharmaceutically acceptable salts for producing a medicament. Said compounds have an anti-tumour action.
US08492556B2
The present invention relates to novel 2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-1-yl-3-phenylurea derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals as modulators of the N-formyl peptide receptor like-1 (FPRL-1) receptor.
US08492540B2
The invention relates to compounds of the formula I: wherein A is a saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon chain having a chain length of 4 to 6 carbon atoms, the hydrocarbon chain being unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or 3 methyl groups; R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl and fluorinated C1-C3 alkyl; R2 is hydrogen, halogen, cyano, C1-C3 alkyl, C1-C3 alkoxy, fluorinated C1-C3 alkyl or fluorinated C1-C3 alkoxy; R3 is selected from the group consisting of branched C4-C6 alkyl and C3-C6 cycloalkyl, and R4 is C1-C6 alkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, fluorinated C1-C3-alkyl and fluorinated C3-C6 cycloalkyl. and the physiologically tolerated salts of these compounds and the N-oxides thereof. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition that comprises at least one compound of the formula I and/or at least one physiologically tolerated acid addition salt thereof, and further to a method for treating disorders that respond beneficially to dopamine D3 receptor antagonists or dopamine D3 agonists, said method comprising administering an effective amount of at least one compound or physiologically tolerated acid addition salt of the formula I to a subject in need thereof.
US08492533B2
The invention provides isolated polynucleotide molecules that comprise a DNA sequence encoding an infectious RNA sequence encoding a genetically-modified North American PRRS virus, wherein the polynucleotide molecule lacks at least one detectable antigenic epitope of North American PRRS virus. The invention also provides vaccines comprising genetically modified North American PRRS virus, RNA molecules, plasmids and viral vectors comprising the isolated polynucleotide molecules. Also provided are isolated polynucleotide molecules further comprising at least one nucleotide sequence that encodes a detectable heterologous antigenic epitope, and vaccines comprising North American PRRS virus, RNA molecules, plasmids and viral vectors comprising such isolated polynucleotide molecules.
US08492524B2
The invention relates to a method for extracting a protein from milk, having at least one hydrophobic pocket and a negative charge to the natural pH of milk, that comprises the following steps: a) skimming and delipidation of the milk; b) passing the delipidated and skimmed fraction containing the protein on a chromatographic substrate on which is grafted a ligand having both a hydrophobic characteristic and an ionic characteristic in pH conditions enabling the protein to be retained on the substrate, the pH being higher than 4.6; c) elution of the protein; d) purification of the eluted fraction by removing the milk proteins from the eluted fraction; and e) recovering the protein.
US08492520B2
The invention relates to specific amino acid sequences which have been determined to be target epitope for antibodies, in particular, for a G250 antibody.
US08492519B2
The present invention relates to a modified polypeptide with a biological activity to lyse cell walls of bacteria, wherein the polypeptide has no caspase, clostripain, enterokinase, factor Xa, granzyme B, staphylococcus peptidase I (V8 Protease), plasmin, streptopain, bacillolysin and/or thrombin cleavage site. The invention further relates to nucleic acids with a sequence encoding a polypeptide according to the present invention.
US08492517B2
Melanocortin receptor-specific cyclic peptides of the formula where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8 and R9 are as defined in the specification, compositions and formulations including the peptides of the foregoing formula or salts thereof, and methods of preventing, ameliorating or treating melanocortin-1 receptor-mediated or responsive diseases, indications, conditions and syndromes.
US08492501B2
Polycarbonates are recovered from polymer blends by liquid chromatography. Polycarbonate recovered by the process can be reused in new applications. The invention can be extended to recycling of other polymers present in the blends.
US08492479B2
A process for preparing a functionalized or unfunctionalized diene block copolymer comprising at least one polyether block of number-average molecular weight approximately from 150 to 5000 g/mol linked to at least one block constituted of a diene elastomer via at least one silicon atom. The process allows a high degree of grafting of the polyether to the polymer chains. Also disclosed is a reinforced rubber composition, especially intended for the manufacture of tires, comprising such a diene block copolymer which is intended to interact with the reinforcing filler. Such a rubber composition has improved hysteresis properties in the vulcanized state, while retaining satisfactory processing properties in the non-vulcanized state.
US08492476B2
In a polycarbonate resin composition containing a polycarbonate resin and a polycarbosilane compound, the use of the polycarbosilane compound modifies the surface properties of the polycarbonate resin composition without adversely affecting the intrinsic characteristics of the polycarbonate resin, such as transparency, heat resistance, and mechanical properties, e.g., impact resistance. A polycarbonate resin composition containing 100 parts by mass of a polycarbonate resin, 0.001 to 1 part by mass of a metal salt compound, and 0.005 to 5 parts by mass of a polycarbosilane compound has significantly improved flame resistance and high transparency and causes markedly reduced outgassing and mold fouling, without losing impact resistance and heat resistance.
US08492468B2
A polypropylene resin composition, comprising (A) 51 to 99% by weight of a propylene polymer having a melt flow rate of 10 to 200 g/10 minutes, and containing 0.1 to 40% by weight of an ethylene unit and/or α-olefin unit having 4 to 10 carbon atoms and 60 to 99.9% by weight of a propylene unit, (B) 1 to 49% by weight of an ethylene polymer having density of 0.85 to 0.93 g/cm3, and (C) 0.001 to 5 parts by weight of an amide compound as a nucleating agent.
US08492465B2
The present technology generally relates to emulsion polymer latexes, particularly those used in pressure sensitive adhesives, paints and coatings. Surfactant compositions of the present technology for use in forming at least one emulsion polymer latex comprise at least one branched surfactant, at least one sterically bulky surfactant, or a mixture of branched and sterically bulky surfactants. One preferred surfactant composition comprises at least one alkoxylated polyaryl substituted aromatic compound or at least one alkoxylated polyalkyl substituted aromatic compound. Another preferred surfactant composition comprises a mixture of at least one branched-alkyl sulfate and at least one ethoxylated polystyrylphenol. Another preferred surfactant composition comprises at least one sulfated polystyrylphenol.
US08492451B2
This patent application relates to an ultraviolet ink for surface printing. The ultraviolet ink includes: between 10% to 30% by weight of n-butyl acetate, between 10% to 30% by weight of acrylic resin, between 20% to 40% by weight of polyvinyl chloride urethane resin, between 15% to 35% by weight of monomer and between 3% to 8% by weight of photoinitiator. The advantages of using the ultraviolet ink made by the above-mentioned formula for plastic UV spraying surface printing include high wear resistance, hard to fall off, simplified preparation process and lower production cost.
US08492450B2
A siloxane resin composition is provided which is superior in pattern processability and yields a cured film with high hardness and excellent abrasion resistance by means of UV curing and thermal curing. The siloxane resin composition includes (A) polysiloxane having a carboxyl group and a radical polymerizable group, (B) a photo-radical polymerization initiator and (C) a compound having a radical polymerizable group and not having a Si—O—Si bond.
US08492439B2
Disclosed herein are forms of L-ornithine phenyl acetate and methods of making the same. A crystalline form may, in some embodiments, be Forms I, II, III and V, or mixtures thereof. The crystalline forms may be formulated for treating subjects with liver disorders, such as hepatic encephalopathy. Accordingly, some embodiments include formulations and methods of administering L-ornithine phenyl acetate.
US08492434B2
Compounds, methods and pharmaceutical compositions for treating viral infections, by administering certain novel compounds in therapeutically effective amounts are disclosed. Methods for preparing the compounds and methods of using the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof are also disclosed. In particular, the treatment and prophylaxis of viral infections such as caused by hemorrhagic fever viruses is disclosed, i.e., including but not limited to, Arenaviridae (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Lassa, Tacaribe, and Pichinde), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg viruses), Flaviviridae (yellow fever, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and Kyasanur Forest disease viruses), and Bunyaviridae (Rift Valley fever).
US08492427B2
The invention relates to isoindolones of formula, (I) with anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory activity and more specifically with MEK kinase inhibitory activity. The invention provides compositions and methods useful for inhibiting abnormal cell growth, treating a hyperproliferative disorder, or treating an inflammatory disease in a mammal. The invention also relates to methods of using the compounds for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis or treatment of mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions.
US08492424B2
The present invention provides a compound, that is a 1-[(2-{[(alkyl or aryl)methyl]oxy}halo or haloalkyl substituted-phenyl)alkyl]-5-hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl-1H-pyrazole carboxylic acid or alkylenylcarboxylic acid or a hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl sulfonamide of said carboxylic acid or said alkylenylcarboxylic acid, provided however said compound is not a 3-carboxylic acid, a sulfonamide thereof, or a 3-methylenylcarboxylic acid. The compound may be represented by the following formula Wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, X, W, X and Y are as defined in the specification. The compounds may be administered to treat DP1, FP, EP1, TP and/or EP4 receptor mediated diseases or conditions.
US08492422B2
The present invention relates to method for treating skin diseases and skin conditions in a subject in need of such treatment, which comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising ester pro-drugs of [3-(1-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl)-2-methylphenyl]methanol, or enantiomers thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US08492420B2
The invention relates to the use of purine derivatives for the production of medicaments for the treatment of mucoviscidosis and diseases related to protein addressing errors in cells, said derivatives being of formula (I): where R2, R6 and R9, independently=halogen, a R—NH—, R—NH—NH—, NH2—R′—NH or R—NH—R′—NH— group, where R=straight or branched chain saturated or unsaturated alkyl, aryl, cycloalkyl, or heterocyclyl group, R′=straight or branched chain, saturated or unsaturated alkylene, arylene or cycloalkylene, R and R′ each include 1 to 8 carbon atoms optionally substituted with one or more —OH, halogen, amino or alkyl groups, R2 furthermore may be a heterocycle optionally with a straight or branched chain saturated or unsaturated alkyl, aryl or cycloaryl or a heterocycle optionally substituted by one or more —OH, halogen, amino or alkyl groups, R9 furthermore may be a straight or branched chain saturated or unsaturated alkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl and R2 and R9 furthermore may be hydrogen with the exception of 2-(2-hydroxyethylamino)-6-benzylamino-9-methylpurine.
US08492415B2
The present invention relates to novel heterocyclic compounds, including oxadiazole compounds, pharmaceutical compositions and their use in the inhibition of reverse transcriptase and the treatment of HIV (1 and 2) infections, AIDS and ARC and other viral infections.
US08492414B2
Compounds of formula (IA) or (IB) have antibacterial activity: wherein W is ═CH— or ═N—; Ri and R2 are independently selected from hydrogen, fluoro and chloro, provided that Ri and R2 are not each hydrogen when W is ═CH—; n is 0 or 1; X is —O—, —S—, or —CH2—; and Q is (i) a phenyl radical, a naphthyl radical, a monocyclic carbocyclic or heteroaryl radical having 3 to 6 ring atoms, or a bicyclic heteroaryl radical having 5 to 10 ring atoms, any of which radicals being optionally substituted; or (ii) an optionally substituted C1-C6 alkyl, C2-C6 alkenyl, or C2-C6 alkynyl radical, which may optionally be interrupted by —O—, —S—, —S(O)—, —S(O2)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—, —N(CH2CH3)—, —C—K═Oh or —C(═O)—O—.
US08492410B2
The present invention relates to novel pyridine derivatives, processes for preparing them, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as pharmaceuticals as modulators of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptors.
US08492405B2
The present invention aims to provide a glucokinase activator useful as a pharmaceutical agent such as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes, obesity and the like, and the like.A glucokinase activator containing a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a salt thereof or a prodrug thereof.
US08492397B2
The present invention relates to a compound of Formula (I): wherein R1 is H or C1-2 alkyl; R2 is H or C1-3 alkyl; R3 and R4 are each independently H or C1-2 alkyl, where the alkyl may be substituted with one to three of the same or different substituents selected from R10; R5 is H, hydroxy, C1-2 alkyl, or OCH3; and R10 is F or Cl, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof.
US08492394B2
This invention is directed to compounds, which are PDE10A enzyme inhibitors. The invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention also provides a process for the preparation of the compounds of formula I. The present invention further provides a method of treating a subject suffering from a neurodegenerative disorder comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I. The present invention further provides a method of treating a subject suffering from a psychiatric disorder comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I.
US08492389B2
Methods of inhibiting phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase delta isoform (PI3Kδ) activity, and methods of treating diseases, such as disorders of immunity and inflammation, in which PI3Kδ plays a role in leukocyte function are disclosed. Preferably, the methods employ active agents that selectively inhibit PI3Kδ, while not significantly inhibiting activity of other PI3K isoforms. Compounds are provided that inhibit PI3Kδ activity, including compounds that selectively inhibit PI3Kδ activity. Methods of using PI3Kδ inhibitory compounds to inhibit cancer cell growth or proliferation are also provided. Accordingly, the invention provides methods of using PI3Kδ inhibitory compounds to inhibit PI3Kδ-mediated processes in vitro and in vivo.
US08492387B2
The present invention is directed to 2-aminoimidazole compounds of formula (I) which are inhibitors of the beta-secretase enzyme and that are useful in the treatment of diseases in which the beta-secretase enzyme is involved, such as Alzheimer's disease. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the treatment of such diseases in which the beta-secretase enzyme is involved.
US08492382B2
The present invention is directed to methods and agents that are useful in the prevention and amelioration of signs and symptoms associated with neuropathic conditions. More particularly, the present invention discloses the use of angiotensin II receptor 2 (AT2 receptor) antagonists for the treatment, prophylaxis, reversal and/or symptomatic relief of neuropathic pain, including mechanical hyperalgesia, thermal or mechanical allodynia, diabetic pain and entrapment pain, in vertebrate animals and particularly in human subjects. The AT2 receptor antagonists may be provided alone or in combination with other compounds such as those that are useful in the control of neuropathic conditions.
US08492379B2
The present invention relates to compounds and methods for imaging translocator protein (18 kDa) (TSPO) expression in a subject. This invention also relates to compounds and methods for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, inflammation or anxiety in a subject.
US08492373B2
Bicyclic aryl substituted triazoles or heteroaryl substituted triazoles and pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are disclosed as being useful in inhibiting the activity of the receptor protein tyrosine kinase Axl. Methods of using the compounds in treating diseases or conditions associated with Axl activity are also disclosed.
US08492369B2
Oral testosterone ester formulations and methods of treating testosterone deficiency comprising same
A pharmaceutical formulation of testosterone undecanoate is provided. Methods of treating a testosterone deficiency or its symptoms with the inventive formulations are also provided.
US08492368B2
Compositions and methods for treating traumatic brain injury (TBI) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) using progesterone and ent-progesterone are described.
US08492367B2
The present invention relates to the use of a 2,5-dihydroxybenzene derivative of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, isomer, or prodrug thereof for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of, inter alia, rosacea.
US08492365B2
The present invention pertains, at least in part, to novel 7-substituted tetracycline compounds. These tetracycline compounds can be used to treat numerous tetracycline compound-responsive states, such as bacterial infections and neoplasms, as well as other known applications for minocycline and tetracycline compounds in general, such as blocking tetracycline efflux and modulation of gene expression.
US08492363B2
A method for increasing the absorption of magnesium, zinc, and/or copper through the intestines of a subject desiring such an increase, includes administering to the subject a difructose anhydride (DFA) in an amount effective to increase the absorption of magnesium, zinc, and/or copper present in the intestines.
US08492356B2
The present invention relates to methods for treating TTK positive breast cancers or soft-tissue sarcomas in a mammalian subject by administering a therapeutically effective amount of a TTK antagonist. The invention also provides compositions comprising a TTK antagonist and a HER-2 antagonist, as well as methods of diagnosing a basal-like breast cancer and methods of determining the prognosis of a subject having a cancer by assessing expression of TTK in a tumor sample from a subject.
US08492344B2
The invention relates to methods of treating or preventing acquired or congenital mitochondrial diseases or disorders, including treating cell proliferation related disorders or diseases, such as cancer. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions for treating such disorders or diseases.
US08492341B2
A peptide sequence of the form: X(Lys,Arg)XXXXX(Arg,Lys)X, wherein Lys and Arg are replaceable and X is preferably one or more of the following amino acids: hydrophobic amino acid residues (eg Pro, Leu, Met, Ile), basic amino acid residues or threonine; and wherein the sequence is capable of engaging Aβ and ameliorating its SOD activity and/or metal ion binding.
US08492331B2
Methods and compositions useful for enhancing the absorption and/or transport of peptides, peptidomimetics, and other gastrointestinal transport protein substrates through gastrointestinal transport proteins are provided. The methods comprise using hormones such as 5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine to increase the transport of the peptides, peptidomimetics, and substrates. The compositions comprise one or more hormones and one or more peptides, peptidomimetics, and other gastrointestinal transport protein substrates.
US08492330B2
The invention relates to formulations that demonstrate the feasibility of oral absorption comprising glucose-like peptide-1 compounds and specified delivery agents, and to methods of stimulating GLP-1 receptor in a subject in need of such stimulation, by administration of the formulation of the present invention.
US08492327B2
Provided are azeotrope-like compositions comprising difluoromethane and trifluoroiodomethane and uses thereof, including use in refrigerant compositions, refrigeration systems, blowing agent compositions, and aerosol propellants.
US08492326B2
The present invention relates to the use of an alkoxylate based on 2-propylheptylamine which has been alkoxylated with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, pentylene oxide, styrene oxide, cyclohexylene oxide and/or decylene oxide, and/or its quaternized derivative in cleaning compositions, as emulsifier, in the manufacture of fibers, for leather treatment, in printing inks, in formulations for construction chemistry or in formulations for flotation. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a mixture comprising at least one of the specified alkoxylates and also at least one surface-active substance and use thereof.
US08492325B2
Dual-usage aqueous liquid detergent compositions having suds compatability and improved cleaning, said composition containing from about 1% to about 60%, by weight of the composition, of a surfactant system wherein said surfactant system contains at least 35%, by weight of the surfactant system, of alkylethoxysulfate; from 0% to about 10%, by weight of the surfactant system, of nonionic surfactant; from 0% to about 10%, by weight of the surfactant system, of soap; further contains from about 0.001% to about 4.0%, by weight of the composition, of an anti-foam selected from organomodified silicone polymers with aryl or alkylaryl substituents combined with silicone resin and the primary filler is modified silica; and mixtures thereof; and contains from about 0.01% to about 2.5%, by weight of the composition, of a structurant.Methods of using such detergent compositions for laundering textiles.
US08492324B2
The present invention relates to the use of selected metal complex compounds and ligands as oxidation catalysts as well as to a process for removing stains and soil on textiles and hard surfaces. The metal complex compounds have hydrazide ligands, preferably with electron withdrawing groups in the phenyl ring adjacent to the acyl group. Further aspects of the invention are formulations comprising such metal complex compounds, novel metal complex compounds and novel ligands.
US08492318B2
Spray material for thermally coating a substrate, a thermal spray layer, and a cylinder for a reciprocating piston combustion engine coated with the thermal spray layer. The spray material includes a solid lubricant of ZnO. A volume fraction of ZnO in the spray material lies in a range from 0.1% to 15% of the volume of the spray material.
US08492313B2
A description is given of herbicidal compositions comprising A) tembotrione and B) at least one additional herbicide. These compositions exhibit a superior action in comparison with the herbicides applied separately.
US08492312B2
This invention relates to compositions and methods facilitating availability, uptake and translocation of active ingredients in plants. More specifically, this invention relates to the surprising discovery that the application to the roots, such as administration to the soil surrounding plants, of two or more osmolytes in combination with an active ingredient, either simultaneously or within a short time of each other, results in an induction of translocation of active ingredient from the roots systemically into the plant.
US08492309B2
A process for preparing an aqueous concentrate glyphosate salt composition comprises (i) neutralizing glyphosate acid with potassium hydroxide and a minor amount of a low molecular weight organic amine in presence of water to produce a glyphosate salt solution having a pH of about 4.8 to about 5.0, where the neutralizing operation comprises a first neutralization step in which a slurry or glyphosate salt solution having a pH of about 4.4 to about 4.7 is produced and a second neutralization step in which the pH is adjusted to about 4.8 to about 5.0; and (ii) after the first neutralization step and before, during or after the second neutralization step, adding further water if necessary and optionally at least one surfactant to produce a final composition having a total glyphosate a.e. concentration not less than about 360 g/l.
US08492307B2
A substantially homogeneous composite for making a carbon material includes a carbon precursor and an activation agent that is soluble in a solution including the carbon precursor. An amount of the activation agent used is sufficient to form the carbon material having at least 90% of a total pore volume of the carbon material composed of micropores, and 10% or less of the total pore volume composed of mesopores and macropores.
US08492301B2
A dielectric ceramic composition includes a compound having perovskite type crystal structure shown by a general formula ABO3, where A is at least one selected from Ba, Ca and Sr, and B is at least one selected from Ti and Zr, as a main component. The dielectric ceramic composition includes, as subcomponents, with respect to 100 moles of the compound, 1.0 to 2.5 moles of an oxide of RA (Dy, Gd and Tb); 0.2 to 1.0 mole of an oxide of RB (Ho and Y); 0.1 to 1.0 mole of an oxide of RC (Yb and Lu); 0.8 to 2.0 moles of Mg oxide and 1.2 to 3.0 moles of an oxide including Si in terms of RA2O3, RB2O3, RC2O3, Mg and Si, respectively. Also, when contents of the oxide of RA, RB and RC with respect to 100 moles of the compound are defined as “α”, “β” and “γ”, respectively, the “α”, “β” and “γ” satisfy relations of 2.5≦(α/β)≦5.0 and 1.0≦(β/γ)≦10.0. According to the present invention, a dielectric ceramic composition having good properties can be provided.
US08492300B2
An insert includes a silicon nitride sintered body including β-Si3N4 as a main component, Mg, and a rare-earth element Re (Y, La, Ce, Er, Dy, Yb). A content of Mg in terms of MgO is 1.0-7.0 mol %, a content of Re in terms of an oxide thereof is 0.4-1.0 mol %, and a total content of Mg and Re is from 1.7 to less than 7.5 mol %. The insert has a graded composition in which oxygen content increases from a surface of the sintered body toward an inside thereof such that 0.8-1.5 mass % of oxygen is contained in a region of less than 0.5 mm inside from the surface, 1.1-2.3 mass % of oxygen is contained in a region of 0.5 mm or more inside from the surface, and a difference in oxygen content between the regions is 0.1-1.0 mass %.
US08492294B2
A semiconductor-on-insulator substrate and a related semiconductor structure, as well as a method for fabricating the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate and the related semiconductor structure, provide for a multiple order radio frequency harmonic suppressing region located and formed within a base semiconductor substrate at a location beneath an interface of a buried dielectric layer with the base semiconductor substrate within the semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The multiple order radio frequency harmonic suppressing region may comprise an ion implanted atom, such as but not limited to a noble gas atom, to provide a suppressed multiple order radio frequency harmonic when powering a radio frequency device, such as but not limited to a radio frequency complementary metal oxide semiconductor device (or alternatively a passive device), located and formed within and upon a surface semiconductor layer within the semiconductor structure.
US08492285B2
A dry etching method for texturing a surface of a substrate is disclosed. The method includes performing a first dry etching onto the surface of the substrate thereby forming a surface texture with spikes and valleys, the first dry etching comprising etching the surface of the substrate in a plasma comprising fluorine (F) radicals and oxygen (O) radicals, wherein the plasma comprises an excess of oxygen (O) radicals. The method may further include performing a second dry etching onto the surface texture thereby smoothening the surface texture, the second dry etching comprising chemical isotropic etching the surface texture, obtained after the first dry etching, in a plasma comprising fluorine (F) radicals, wherein the spikes are etched substantially faster than the valleys.
US08492281B2
A liquid composition used to carry out crystal anisotropic etching of a silicon substrate provided with an etching mask formed of a silicon oxide film with the silicon oxide film used as a mask includes cesium hydroxide, an alkaline organic compound, and water.
US08492274B2
A metal interconnect structure, which includes metal alloy capping layers, and a method of manufacturing the same. The originally deposited alloy capping layer element within the interconnect features will diffuse into and segregate onto top surface of the metal interconnect. The metal alloy capping material is deposited on a reflowed copper surface and is not physically in contact with sidewalls of the interconnect features. The metal alloy capping layer is also reflowed on the copper. Thus, there is a reduction in electrical resistivity impact from residual alloy elements in the interconnect structure. That is, there is a reduction, of alloy elements inside the features of the metal interconnect structure. The metal interconnect structure includes a dielectric layer with a recessed line, a liner material on sidewalls, a copper material, an alloy capping layer, and a dielectric cap.
US08492272B2
A method for forming passivated through wafer vias, passivated through wafer via structures, and passivated through wafer via design structures. The method includes: forming a through wafer via in a semiconductor substrate, the through wafer via comprising an electrical conductor extending from a top of the semiconductor substrate to a bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate; and forming a doped layer abutting all sidewalls of the electrical conductor, the doped layer of a same dopant type as the semiconductor substrate, the concentration of dopant in the doped layer greater than the concentration of dopant in the semiconductor substrate, the doped layer intervening between the electrical conductor and the semiconductor substrate.
US08492270B2
A method for forming structure aligned with features underlying an opaque layer is provided for an interconnect structure, such as an integrated circuit. In one embodiment, the method includes forming an opaque layer over a first layer, the first layer having a surface topography that maps to at least one feature therein, wherein the opaque layer is formed such that the surface topography is visible over the opaque layer. A second feature is positioned and formed in the opaque layer by reference to such surface topography.
US08492268B2
An IC including first metal layer having wiring running in a first direction; a second metal layer having wiring running in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a first via layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer, the first via layer including a viabar interconnecting the first metal layer to the second metal layer at a first location where the first metal layer vertically coincides with the second metal layer and, at a second location, connecting to wiring of the first metal layer but not wiring of the second metal layer.
US08492260B2
A semiconductor substrate can be patterned to define a trench and a feature. In an embodiment, the trench can be formed such that after filling the trench with a material, a bottom portion of the filled trench may be exposed during a substrate thinning operation. In another embodiment, the trench can be filled with a thermal oxide. The feature can have a shape that reduces the likelihood that a distance between the feature and a wall of the trench will be changed during subsequent processing. A structure can be at least partly formed within the trench, wherein the structure can have a relatively large area by taking advantage of the depth of the trench. The structure can be useful for making electronic components, such as passive components and through-substrate vias. The process sequence to define the trenches and form the structures can be tailored for many different process flows.
US08492257B2
A semiconductor device with a vertical transistor includes a plurality of active pillars; a plurality of vertical gates surrounding sidewalls of the active pillars; a plurality of word lines having exposed sidewalls whose surfaces are higher than the active pillars and connecting the adjacent vertical gates together; and a plurality of spacers surrounding the exposed sidewalls of the word lines over the vertical gates.
US08492255B2
A Schottky diode with a small footprint and a high-current carrying ability is fabricated by forming an opening that extends into an n-type semiconductor material. The opening is then lined with a metallic material such as platinum. The metallic material is then heated to form a salicide region where the metallic material touches the n-type semiconductor material.
US08492242B2
Methods of forming devices, including LED devices, are described. The devices may include fluorinated compound layers. The methods described may utilize a plasma treatment to form the fluorinated compound layers. The methods described may operate to produce an intermetallic layer that bonds two substrates such as semiconductor wafers together in a relatively efficient and inexpensive manner.
US08492241B2
A through silicon via (TSV) and a deep trench capacitor (DTCap) or a deep trench isolation (DTI) are simultaneously formed on the same substrate by a single mask and a single reactive ion etching (RIE). The TSV trench is wider and deeper that the DTCap or DTI trench. The TSV and DTCap or DTI are formed with different dielectric materials on the trench sidewalls. The TSV and DTCap or DTI are perfectly aligned.
US08492231B2
A nanoscale variable resistor including a metal nanowire as an active element, a dielectric, and a gate. By selective application of a gate voltage, stochastic transitions between different conducting states, and even length, of the nanowire can be induced and with a switching time as fast as picoseconds. With an appropriate choice of dielectric, the transconductance of the device, which may also be considered an “electromechanical transistor,” is shown to significantly exceed the conductance quantum G0=2e2/h.
US08492229B2
An semiconductor device is disclosed. The device includes a semiconductor body, a layer of insulating material disposed over the semiconductor body, and a region of gate electrode material disposed over the layer of insulating material. Also included are a source region adjacent to gate region and a drain region adjacent to the gate region. A gate connection is disposed over the semiconductor body, wherein the gate connection includes a region of gate electrode material electrically coupling a contact region to the gate electrode. An insulating region is disposed on the semiconductor body beneath the gate connection.
US08492228B1
A method includes forming a first gate stack over a portion of a fin, forming a dummy gate stack over the fin, growing an epitaxial material from exposed portions of the fin, forming a layer of dielectric material over the epitaxial material, the first gate stack, and the dummy gate stack, performing a planarizing process that removes portions of the layer of dielectric material, the first gate stack, and the dummy gate stack, pattering a first mask over portions of the layer of dielectric material and the dummy gate stack, forming a silicide material on exposed portions of the first gate stack, removing the first mask, pattering a second mask over portions of the layer of dielectric material and the first gate stack, removing a polysilicon portion of the dummy gate stack to define a cavity, removing the second mask, and forming a second gate stack in the cavity.
US08492227B2
An etching stopper film is formed over a first insulating film. Then, a second insulating film is formed with a thickness that allows concave and convex portions formed due to a first gate electrode to remain. Then, anisotropic etching is performed using the etching stopper film as a stopper to remove the second insulating film over a second gate electrode and form a first side wall spacer of the first gate electrode. Then, the etching stopper film is removed. Then, anisotropic etching is performed on the first insulating film to form a second side wall spacer over the second gate electrode and form a third side wall spacer which is disposed inside the first side wall spacer over the first gate electrode.
US08492226B2
A method of forming a device is disclosed. A substrate defined with a device region is provided. A buried doped region is formed in the substrate in the device region. A gate is formed in a trench in the substrate in the device region. A channel of the device is disposed on a sidewall of the trench. The buried doped region is disposed below the gate. A distance from the buried doped region to the channel is a drift length LD of the device. A surface doped region is formed adjacent to the gate.
US08492224B2
High-density semiconductor memory utilizing metal control gate structures and air gap electrical isolation between discrete devices in these types of structures are provided. During gate formation and definition, etching the metal control gate layer(s) is separated from etching the charge storage layer to form protective sidewall spacers along the vertical sidewalls of the metal control gate layer(s). The sidewall spacers encapsulate the metal control gate layer(s) while etching the charge storage material to avoid contamination of the charge storage and tunnel dielectric materials. Electrical isolation is provided, at least in part, by air gaps that are formed in the row direction and/or air gaps that are formed in the column direction.
US08492205B2
An array with cells that have adjacent similar structures that are displaced from each other across a common cell border in a direction that is not perpendicular to the cell border thus avoiding an across cell border design rule violation between the adjacent similar structures. A method of forming reduced area memory arrays by moving adjacent similar structures that is not perpendicular to a fully identical common cell border. A method of building arrays using conventional array building software by forming unit pairs with cells that are not identical and are not mirror images or rotated versions of each other.
US08492199B2
The present invention provides chip containing electronic devices such as Multichip Ceramic Modules (MCM's) containing a plurality of chips on a substrate which chips are underfilled with a reworkable composition which allows one or more chips to be removed from the device and replaced. The reworkable compositions contain a base resin which is not cross-linkable and which forms a matrix with a linear curable component or preferably a combination of linear curable components which curable components are cross-linkable and when cured form a cross-linked domain in the base resin matrix. A suitable cross-linking catalyst such as Pt is used and optionally a filler preferably silane surface treated silica. The preferred base resin is linear polydimethylsiloxane and the preferred curable components are vinyl terminated linear poly dimethyl siloxane and hydrogen terminated linear poly dimethyl siloxane.
US08492198B2
Microelectronic workpieces and methods for manufacturing microelectronic devices using such workpieces are disclosed. In one embodiment, a microelectronic assembly comprises a support member having a first side and a projection extending away from the first side. The assembly also includes a plurality of conductive traces at the first side of the support member. Some of the conductive traces include bond sites carried by the projection and having an outer surface at a first distance from the first side of the support member. The assembly further includes a protective coating deposited over the first side of the support member and at least a portion of the conductive traces. The protective coating has a major outer surface at a second distance from the first side of the support member. The second distance is approximately the same as the first distance such that the outer surface of the protective coating is generally co-planar with the outer surface of the bond sites carried by the projection. In several embodiments, a microelectronic die can be coupled to the corresponding bond sites carried by the projection in a flip-chip configuration.
US08492191B2
A method for manufacturing a see-through solar battery module includes disposing a first mask above a transparent substrate, forming a plurality of metal electrode layers alternately arranged on the transparent substrate, disposing a second mask above the transparent substrate, forming a photoelectric transducing layer on each metal electrode layer by the second mask, removing a part of each photoelectric transducing layer along a first direction to expose a part of each metal electrode layer, forming a transparent electrode layer on each photoelectric transducing layer and each metal electrode layer, and removing a part of each transparent electrode layer and a part of each photoelectric transducing layer to expose a part of each metal electrode layer so as to make the plurality of metal electrode layers and the transparent electrode layer in series connection along a second direction respectively.
US08492174B2
A method for providing a process indicator for an etching chamber is provided. A wafer with a blanket etch layer is provided into the etching chamber. A blanket etch is performed on the blanket etch layer. A blanket deposition layer is deposited over the blanket etch layer after performing the blanket etch has been completed. A thickness of the blanket etch layer and a thickness of the blanket deposition layer is measured. The measured thicknesses are used to determine a process indicator.
US08492164B2
Novel manifolds and methods of flow through manifolds are described. Apparatus and techniques are described in which flow from a relatively large volume header is equally distributed to process channels. Methods of making laminated, microchannel devices are also described.
US08492163B2
This invention pertains to methods, mixtures, kits and compositions pertaining to analyte determination by mass spectrometry using labeling reagents that comprise a nucleophilic reactive group that reacts with a functional group of an analyte to produce a labeled analyte. The labeling reagents can be used as isobaric sets, mass differential labeling sets or in a combination of isobaric and mass differential labeling sets.
US08492158B2
Disclosed are tri-nuclear metal complexes and salts thereof, such as tri-nuclear osmium or ruthenium complexes or salts thereof, suitable for use as electrochemical labels. Also disclosed are oligonucleotide probes with an attached electrochemical label, methods of nucleic acid amplification, methods of sequencing, and kits for nucleic acid amplification and sequencing having oligonucleotide probes including an electrochemical label. The electrochemical labels are synthesized from siderophores.
US08492154B1
Disclosed herein is a method involving the steps of (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (d) correlating a measurement of feedstock fouling tendency for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes.
US08492153B2
A method for calculating the volume of various predetermined organic end-members in samples of rock at various depths in oil reservoir rock is utilized to produce one or more graphic displays that are use to interpret the data to identify, e.g., tar mats, in order to improve the efficient production of hydrocarbons from the well. Data is collected from the samples by known pyrolysis and compositional modeling methods; additional data is obtained by elemental analysis to determine weight percentages of C, H, N, S and O in the selected end-members and characterization of physical properties of representative samples of the reservoir rock, e.g., from core samples; the data is then processed in accordance with the method to provide a series of data points used to produce the graphic displays for visual interpretation.
US08492151B1
The present invention generally relates to processes and compositions for the transfection of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. More specifically, the present invention relates to processes for the transfection of CHO cells suspended in an aqueous medium using a transfection composition containing nucleic acid and linear polyethyleneimine.
US08492150B2
A free-standing thin film is fabricated from a structure comprising a base layer coated with a sacrificial polymer layer, which is in turn coated with a flexible polymer layer. Cells are then seeded onto the flexible polymer layer and cultured to form a tissue. The flexible polymer layer is then released from the base layer to produce a free-standing thin film comprising the tissue on the flexible polymer layer. In one embodiment, the cells are myocytes, which can be actuated to propel or displace the free-standing film. In another embodiment, the free-standing film is used to treat injured human tissue.
US08492146B2
A human T cell population which has both cytotoxic and immunosuppressive activities, is efficiently produced by first fractionating CD2-positive CD14-negative cells from mononuclear cells collected from a human umbilical cord blood, and then co-culturing them with stromal cells. The resulting blast cells, which have the desired activity, are proliferated by further culture.
US08492143B2
Bone cages are disclosed including devices for biocompatible implantation. The structures of bone are useful for providing living cells and tissues as well as biologically active molecules to subjects.
US08492142B2
A freeze-dried product of a complex containing (i) a nucleic acid, an oligonucleic acid or a derivative thereof, (ii) polyethyleneimine and (iii) hyaluronic acid or chondroitin sulfate. The freeze-dried product can be used to introduce a nucleic acid or an oligonucleotide into a cell.
US08492132B2
The invention provides isolated polynucleotide molecules, plasmids, viral vectors, and transfected host cells that comprise a DNA molecule encoding an infectious RNA molecule that encode a PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome) virus, and further provides the PRRS virus encoded thereby. The invention also provides isolated infectious RNA molecules encoding PRRS virus.
US08492129B2
A method of reacting a first chemical entity and a second chemical entity to form a conjugate in which the first and second chemical entities are covalently bound with respect to each other, comprises bringing into simultaneous contact the first chemical entity, the second chemical entity and a thiol generator, wherein the thiol generator reacts with the first chemical entity in a thiolation reaction resulting in formation of a free sulfhydryl group on the first chemical entity, and the free sulfhydryl group reacts with the second chemical entity to form the conjugate, and wherein the second chemical entity is polyvalent with respect to its reactivity with sulfhydryl groups. The present invention primarily differs from the prior art in that no separation step is involved between reaction of the thiol generator and first chemical entity and reaction with the second chemical entity. The invention also provides a conjugation kit.
US08492128B2
Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
US08492126B2
An isolated polypeptide is disclosed that improves the hydrolyzing capacity of a polysaccharide hydrolase such as cellulase, is capable of binding to a polysaccharide, is deficient in polysaccharide hydrolase activity, and includes a GH45 or a pollen-allergen domain. Methods of hydrolyzing polysaccharides using the isolated polypeptide are also disclosed.
US08492125B2
The present invention relates to a method for dissolving cellulose. The method comprises—introducing cellulosic raw material,—treating the cellulosic raw material in an enzymatic treatment process,—mixing the cellulosic raw material after the enzymatic treatment in an aqueous solution in order to obtain an aqueous intermediate product containing the cellulosic raw material of at least 3.5 wt.-%, alkali metal hydroxide between 3.5 wt.-% and 7 wt.-% and zinc salt,—freezing the intermediate product to a solid state, and—melting the frozen intermediate product. The present invention also relates to a cellulosic product obtained from a solution comprising dissolved cellulose.
US08492120B2
The present invention discloses an improved process for the production of G-CSF in high yield via a high salt-induced increase in plasmid stability during the production phase.
US08492113B2
The present invention is directed to improved methods for efficiently producing recombinant proteins. More specifically, the invention relates to a process for calculating the protein in inclusion bodies before the refolding step in large scale recombinant protein production, thereby improving the efficiency of the refolding step and overall yield and quality of the sample protein.
US08492109B2
The present invention relates to methods, systems, and kits for intoxicating cells, neuronal and non-neuronal cells, with a toxin or fragment thereof. This is done by subjecting toxin substrate and a lipid or polymeric carrier (e.g., DNA uptake facilitating agent) to one or more cells for use in cell based assays. In an aspect, the methods of the present invention allow for high throughput assays and, as such, for the evaluation of drug candidates.
US08492104B2
The present invention provides methods and kits related to a prognostic, and, in certain embodiments, diagnostic indicator for ovarian cancer which comprises measuring the level of MUC16 bound to immune cells. The level of MUC16 bound to immune cells can by itself be an indicator of disease regression or recurrence, or this indicator can be used in conjunction with assays for serum CA125 and other diagnostic markers. The invention further provides methods and kits related to the detection of ovarian cancer by measuring levels of Siglec-9 expression on immune cells. As well, related methodologies are provided for the detection of preeclampsia in pregnant human subjects.
US08492102B2
The present invention provides methods for diagnosing and providing a prognosis of melanoma using molecular markers that are overexpressed in melanoma cells. The invention provides kits for diagnosis and prognosis. Also provided are methods to identify compounds that are useful for the treatment or prevention of melanoma and melanoma progression.
US08492097B2
The present invention discloses specific human metapneumovirus monoclonal antibodies. The antibody is at least two-fold less reactive with non-human metapneumoviruses including, but not limited to, respiratory viruses or avian metapneumoviruses. Further, the antibody is at least two-fold more reactive with a human metapneumovirus (i.e., for example, Type A or Type B) than with non-human metapneumoviruses including, but not limited to, respiratory viruses or avian metapneumoviruses. Consequently, these novel antibodies are useful as a clinical diagnostic agent, especially when using fresh nasopharengeal aspirates. The invention also contemplates numerous diagnostic platforms that together with the novel antibodies can support economical, fast, and highly selective detection and identification of clinical inoculum samples.
US08492084B2
Disclosed are a method for assaying a target substance in a sample and an apparatus for the method. The method can specifically assay the target substance in the sample without using any antibody against the target substance. The assaying method includes simultaneously or successively bringing a labeled aptamer, the target substance in the sample and a solid phase into contact together, and then measuring the label of the aptamer which has not been bound on the solid phase. The labeled aptamer has a property of binding to the target substance. The solid phase carries an oligonucleotide immobilized on it in an excess amount relative to the target substance. The oligonucleotide is hybridizable with the labeled aptamer when the labeled aptamer is in a state that it is not bound to the target substance, but is not hybridizable with the labeled aptamer when the labeled aptamer is in a state that it is bound to the target substance.
US08492066B2
Processes for producing toners are provided. The processes include emulsion aggregation processes, whereby a reactive coalescent is utilized in the coalescence step to coalesce aggregated particles, thereby forming toner particles. The resulting toners may be highly pigmented, and may possess low melt characteristics.
US08492065B2
Processes for continuously forming latex emulsions useful in preparing toners are provided which do not require the use of solvents.
US08492060B2
Provided are a method of forming a toner image and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a toner. The method of forming a toner image is performed using a first toner having a yellow color and color coordinate values of a lightness (L) ranging from 91 to 94, a redness (a) ranging from −11 to −9, and a yellowness (b) ranging from 77 to 82; a second toner having a magenta color and color coordinate values of a lightness (L) ranging from 56 to 61, a redness (a) ranging from 56 to 61, and a yellowness (b) ranging from −7 to −5; and a third toner having a cyan color and color coordinate values of a lightness (L) ranging from 58 to 62, a redness (a) ranging from −33 to −30, and a yellowness (b) ranging from −42 to −37.
US08492057B2
A colored curable composition for a solid-state image pickup device, including a polyhalogenated zinc phthalocyanine pigment, a photopolymerization initiator, a polymerizable compound, and an epoxy compound.
US08492056B2
A color filter including a substrate, a plurality of first single-layer filter units and a plurality of first multilayer filter units is provided. The substrate has a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions. The first single-layer filter units is disposed on the substrate and located in the first regions respectively. The first multilayer filter units is disposed on the substrate and located in the second regions respectively. A manufacturing method for a color filter is also provided.
US08492054B2
The embodiments described provide mechanisms for patterning features for advanced technology nodes with extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) tools. One or more EUV pre-masks are generated by using a mask writer to form an EUV mask with an EUV scanner. The wafers are then patterned by using the EUV mask. The demagnification factor of the EUV scanner(s) used in preparing the EUV mask by exposing the EUV pre-mask(s) enable the wafers prepared by such mechanisms to meet the requirements for the advanced technology nodes.
US08492052B2
An electrochemical cell includes a fuel electrode configured to operate as an anode to oxidize a fuel when connected to a load. An electrode holder includes a cavity for holding the fuel electrode, at least one inlet connected to the cavity on one side of the cavity and configured to supply an ionically conductive medium to the cavity, and at least one outlet connected to the cavity on an opposite side of the cavity and configured to allow the ionically conductive medium to flow out of the cavity. A plurality of spacers extend across the fuel electrode and the cavity in a spaced relation from each other to define a plurality of flow lanes in the cavity.
US08492049B2
Solid anion exchange polymer electrolytes and compositions comprising chemical compounds comprising a polymeric core, a spacer A, and a guanidine base, wherein said chemical compound is uniformly dispersed in a suitable solvent and has the structure: wherein: i) A is a spacer having the structure O, S, SO2, —NH—, —N(CH2)n, wherein n=1-10, —(CH2)n—CH3—, wherein n=1-10, SO2-Ph, CO-Ph, wherein R5, R6, R7 and R8 each are independently —H, —NH2, F, Cl, Br, CN, or a C1-C6 alkyl group, or any combination of thereof; ii) R9, R10, R11, R12, or R13 each independently are —H, —CH3, —NH2, —NO, —CHnCH3 where n=1-6, HC═O—, NH2C═O—, —CHnCOOH where n=1-6, —(CH2)n—C(NH2)—COOH where n=1-6, —CH—(COOH)—CH2—COOH, —CH2—CH(O—CH2CH3)2, —(C═S)—NH2, —(C═NH)—N—(CH2)nCH3, where n=0-6, —NH—(C═S)—SH, —CH2—(C═O)—O—C(CH3)3, —O—(CH2)n—CH—(NH2)—COOH, where n=1-6, —(CH2)n—CH═CH wherein n=1-6, —(CH2)n—CH—CN wherein n=1-6, an aromatic group such as a phenyl, benzyl, phenoxy, methylbenzyl, nitrogen-substituted benzyl or phenyl groups, a halide, or halide-substituted methyl groups; and iii) wherein the composition is suitable for use in a membrane electrode assembly.
US08492044B2
Systems and methods for initiating use of, or starting up, fuel cell stacks in subfreezing temperatures. The fuel cell stacks include a thermal management system that is adapted to deliver a liquid heat exchange fluid into thermal communication with a fuel cell stack, such as to heat the stack during startup of the stack when the stack is at a subfreezing temperature or operated in a subfreezing environment. In some embodiments, the thermal management system includes a heat exchange circuit that is configured to provide delivery of the liquid heat exchange fluid to the fuel cell stack even when the conduits are at a subfreezing temperature. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system is configured to deliver liquid heat exchange fluid from the fuel cell stack and heat exchange circuit when the thermal management system is not being utilized.
US08492037B2
A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell stack A cell voltage detector detects a cell voltage at a cathode outlet-side of a single cell. A total voltage detector detects a total voltage of the fuel cell stack. A cell voltage difference computing unit determines an average cell voltage and a minimum cell voltage and computes a difference A stack current detector detects electric current. An anode outlet local current detector detects a local current. A current density-computing unit computes a stack current density and an anode outlet local current density. A wet state-judging unit judges a wet state of the fuel cell stack based on the difference between the average cell voltage and the minimum cell voltage, and based on the difference between the stack current density and the anode outlet local current density.
US08492029B2
An anode of a lithium battery includes a free-standing carbon nanotube film, the carbon nanotube film comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes, the carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel to a surface of the carbon nanotube film. A method for fabricating an anode of a lithium battery, the method includes the steps of (a) providing an array of carbon nanotubes; and (b) providing a pressing device to press the array of carbon nanotubes to form a carbon nanotube film, and thereby, achieving the anode of lithium battery.
US08492014B2
A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly, a case accommodating the electrode assembly and including an opening, an electrode terminal connected to the electrode assembly and protruding outwardly from the case; a cap assembly including a cap plate in sealing engagement with the opening of the case, and a switch plate connected to the electrode terminal.
US08492006B2
Organometallic compounds comprising a germanium-containing substituent are provided. The compounds may be used in organic light emitting devices to provide improved device efficiency, line shape and lifetime. In particular, the compounds comprise a phenylquinoline or phenylisoquinoline ligand having a germanium-containing substituent on the quinoline or isoquinoline portion of the ligand. These compounds may be advantageously used as red emitters in the emissive layer of organic light emitting devices.
US08491995B2
Fibrous structures that exhibit a cross machine direction total energy absorption (CDTEA) of greater than 8 cm-g/cm2 as measured according to the TEA Test Method.
US08491987B2
A method for forming a self aligned pattern on an existing pattern on a substrate comprising applying a coating of a solution containing a masking material in a carrier, the masking material having an affinity for portions of the existing pattern; and allowing at least a portion of the masking material to preferentially assemble to the portions of the existing pattern. The pattern may be comprised of a first set of regions of the substrate having a first atomic composition and a second set of regions of the substrate having a second atomic composition different from the first composition. The first set of regions may include one or more metal elements and the second set of regions may include a dielectric. The first and second regions may be treated to have different surface properties. Structures made in accordance with the method. Compositions useful for practicing the method.
US08491985B2
Dark colored roofing granules include an inert base particle coated with a composition including a metal silicate, a non-clay latent heat reactant, and a dark colored but solar reflective prigment.
US08491976B2
A laminate and the like capable of improving the barcode reading accuracy with a configuration having a smaller number of layers is provided. Further, a laminate and the like capable of further improving the barcode reading accuracy and further reducing the size of a barcode portion even when applied to a conventional layer configuration is provided. The laminate includes a colored barcode print layer 5, a base material layer 1, and a bead-containing coating layer 7 having beads 7b dispersed in a resin 7a.
US08491973B2
A photo-alignment material, a liquid crystal display device using the photo-alignment material, and a manufacturing method. The photo-alignment material is a polymer having a photo-reactive ethenyl group on a main chain. When used as a photo-alignment layer, the photo-alignment material enables improved alignment stability against external shocks, light, and heat. The liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer formed between the first and second substrates, and a photo-alignment layer formed at least on the first substrate, with the photo-alignment layer formed from a photo-alignment material having an ethenyl group at a main chain.
US08491972B2
Method and equipment to produce nanopowders of materials based on pure metals, their alloys and chemical compounds of these metals with elements taken from the row of B, C, O and Si, encapsulated into a salt shell selected from the group of NaCl, NaF, LiCl, and LiF or their mixtures, includes independent evaporation by means of electron beam and/or laser radiation sources of the material and alkali metal(s) halogenide and simultaneous deposition of a mixture of their vapor phases on a substrate in a closed pumped-down volume. To achieve the required ratio of vapor flows, a screen with variable cross-section diaphragms is placed between the substrate movable in parallel to the evaporators, and the evaporators, thus allowing an independent regulation of the intensity of the vapor flow coming to the substrate from each of the evaporators.
US08491965B2
A method of orienting microphase-separated domains is disclosed, comprising applying a composition comprising an orientation control component, and a block copolymer assembly component comprising a block copolymer having at least two microphase-separated domains in which the orientation control component is substantially immiscible with the block copolymer assembly component upon forming a film; and forming a compositionally vertically segregated film on the surface of the substrate from the composition. The orientation control component and block copolymer segregate during film forming to form the compositionally vertically-segregated film on the surface of a substrate, where the orientation control component is enriched adjacent to the surface of the compositionally segregated film adjacent to the surface of the substrate, and the block copolymer assembly is enriched at an air-surface interface.
US08491961B2
A method for producing a protective element including the following steps is provided: mixing an aqueous, curable alkali silicate solution with silicon dioxide nanoparticles to form a filler having a first water content; performing thin-film evaporation of part of the water of the filler until the filler has a second water content that is less than the first water content, wherein the filler is flowable at the second water content; pouring the filler having the second water content into an intermediate space between two transparent substrate elements; and curing the filling mass in the intermediate space between the substrate elements while maintaining the second water content.
US08491958B2
An acoustic wave biosensor comprising a surface of a mixed self-assembling monolayer for receiving a probe-biomolecule is described herein. The biosensor surface may comprise a piezoelectric quartz crystal,—for detection purposes with the electromagnetic piezoelectric acoustic sensor (EMPAS)—upon which a mixed self-assembling monolayer is formed, which includes at least one linker, such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl-13-trichlorosilyl-tridecanoate (TTTA); its oligoethylene glycol (OEG) analog OEGylated TTTA (OEG-TTTA); S-(2-(2-(2-(3-trichlorosilyl-propyloxy)-ethoxy)-ethoxy)-ethyl)-benzenethiosulfonate (OEG-TUBTS). Linker/diluent systems for attaching a functionalizing entity to the surface of a biosensor are described, as well as methods for preparing a biosensor surface with an oligoethylene glycol linker.
US08491947B2
Disclosed are methods and preparations useful for reducing fat at a targeted area(s) on a human. The preparations comprise as an active ingredient an adipolysis enhancing (i.e., fat-melting) amount of an active ingredient, paeoniflorin (PF). The preparations may be provided as an injectable preparation or as a topically applied preparation, such as in the form of a crème or lotion. In topical preparations, the active ingredient paeoniflorin may be contained within nanospheres, such as albumin nanospheres. The PF-containing preparations may also include a permeant, such as azone. The method may be accompanied by the application of ultrasound to the area being treated prior to, during or after, or prior to, during, and after application of the paeoniflorin preparation to an area of the body in which fat reduction is desired. By way of example, the methods and preparations are effective for reducing targeted fat deposits at various anatomical sites of the body, such as the midsection (“love handles”), jowls, hips, arms, thighs and buttocks area.
US08491944B2
A new process for extracting and purifying glucosinolates from plant material, preferably broccoli sprouts or seeds is described. An alcoholic extract is adsorbed onto a basic resin and eluted with ammonia. Optionally, the alcoholic extract is passed through an ion-exchange column containing acidic resin prior to the adsorption/elution step.
US08491934B2
A pharmaceutical delivery device, such as a suppository or pessary, comprises a synthetic prostaglandin PGE1 analogue (e.g. misoprostol) in a solid polyurethane hydrogel. The polyurethane is either linear or cross-linked.
US08491932B2
An oral drug delivery composition includes a sustained release component which includes a corticosteroid drug and which is contained within a capsule that has been treated so that the sustained release component is predominately released from the capsule in the intestine following oral administration. A drug delivery composition for delivering a corticosteroid drug to the intestine also includes: (a) a sustained release component comprising a corticosteroid drug, an alkali-containing ethylcellulose material and an acid; and (b) a delayed release component which substantially prevents release of the sustained release component until the composition reaches the intestine following oral administration. The compositions of the invention are useful for treating inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and for treating glomerulonephritis.
US08491925B2
A method and device for local delivery of a water-insoluble therapeutic agent to the tissue of a normal or diseased body lumen is disclosed. An expandable structure of a medical disposable device, such as a balloon of a balloon catheter, is coated with a non-durable coating which comprises poly(HEMA) complexed with iodine and has a substantially water-insoluble therapeutic agent dispersed therein. The medical disposable device is inserted into a body lumen, and expanded to contact the non-durable coating against the body lumen and deliver the substantially water-insoluble therapeutic agent to the body lumen tissue.
US08491924B2
A biomaterial implant includes a mineralized collagen fibril scaffold. The collagen fibrils are formed from type I collagen monomers and display native-D band periodicity. The implant has load bearing capabilities and can be resorbed when implanted in a mammal's body.
US08491907B2
The invention described herein provides for human antibodies produced in non-human animals that specifically bind to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from strains Fisher Devlin (International Serogroups) It-2 (011), It-3 (02), It-4 (01), It-5 (010), It-6 (07), PA01 (05), 170003 (02), IATS016 (02/05), and 170006 (02). The invention further provides methods for making the antibodies in a non-human animal, expression of the antibodies in cell lines including hybridomas and recombinant host cell systems. Also provided are kits and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the antibodies and methods of treating or preventing pseudomonas infection by administering to a patient the pharmaceutical compositions described herein.
US08491906B2
The present invention relates to selectively targeting tumoral vasculature in vivo using a human recombinant scFv, L19, to the angiogenesis marker ED-B domain of fibronectin. In preferred embodiments, a complete human IgG1 is employed having the variable regions of L19. In other preferred embodiments is employed a mini-immunoglobulin generated by fusing the scFv L19 to the constant CH4 domain of a secretory IgE isoform that naturally contains a cysteine in its COOH terminal and which forms a covalently linked dimer. Different in vivo behavior of the antibody formats is exploitable for different diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes, depending on clinical needs and disease. The antibody molecules may be labelled as described.
US08491900B2
A novel signal transducer TAB2 which acts as an adapter molecule of TRAF6 and TAK1 and mediates the activation of TAK1 in the signal transduction of IL-1 was isolated. TAB2 induced the activation of NF-κB and JNK by IL-1. The signal transduction by IL-1 was inhibited by inhibiting the signal transduction of TAB2 with the use of a dominant negative mutant of TAB2. A compound inhibiting the signal transduction in TAB2 is useful as an anti-inflammatory drug.
US08491895B2
In accordance with the present invention, there are provided fully human monoclonal antibodies against human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Nucleotide sequences encoding and amino acid sequences comprising heavy and light chain immunoglobulin molecules, particularly contiguous heavy and light chain sequences spanning the complementarity determining regions (CDRs), specifically from within FR1 and/or CDR1 through CDR3 and/or within FR4, are provided. Further provided are antibodies having similar binding properties and antibodies (or other antagonists) having similar functionality as antibodies disclosed herein.
US08491883B2
This invention relates to methods of treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In particular, the invention provides for methods of treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by administering umbilical cord tissue-derived cells, an effective amount of a substantially homogenous population of umbilical cord tissue-derived cells or a pharmaceutical composition comprising umbilical cord tissue-derived cells to a patient.
US08491879B2
The invention relates to novel compounds, in particular ammonium-polyurethane and/or polycarbonate compounds, in particular ammonium-polyurethane-polydiorganosiloxane and/or polycarbonate-polydiorganosiloxane compounds, methods for their production as well as their use.
US08491874B2
In general, the invention provides a fast-acting, whitening composition containing permanganate. Particular alkali-metal or alkaline-earth metal salts of permanganate; hydrogen peroxide; or an alkali or alkaline-earth metal peroxide; and an acid.
US08491866B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparation of silver oxide with various shape and size using a silver complex compound having a special structure. The present invention includes 1) step of preparing a precursor solution including a silver complex compound obtained by reacting a silver compound with one or more mixture selected from the group consisting of an ammonium carbamate-based compound, an ammonium carbonate-based compound or an ammonium bicarbonate-based compound in the presence of a solvent; and 2) step of preparing silver oxide by reacting the precursor solution including the silver complex compound of step 1) with an oxidant. The shape and particle size of the silver oxide prepared according to the preparation process of the present invention can be changed.
US08491864B2
A method for continuous manufacture of higher-strength, lower-salt, aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach from lower-strength aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach that has some sodium hydroxide and that is essentially free of sodium chloride (salt) crystals, aqueous sodium hydroxide solution having a concentration by weight within a range from about 45% to about 51%, chlorine in gas and/or liquid phase that may or may not include inerts, and a recycle solution. Slurry is withdrawn from the tank at a level below where the lower-strength bleach, the sodium hydroxide solution, the chlorine, and the recycle solution begin to mix with slurry already in the tank. A first portion of the slurry is withdrawn and used as the recycle solution. A second portion of the slurry is withdrawn and processed to separate substantially all salt crystals from residual liquid that is recovered as the higher-strength lower-salt, aqueous sodium hypochlorite bleach.
US08491861B2
A process is disclosed for the preparation of electroactive cathode compounds useful in lithium-ion batteries, comprising exothermic mixing of low-cost precursors and calcination under appropriate conditions. The exothermic step may be a spontaneous flameless combustion reaction. The disclosed process can be used to prepare any lithium metal phosphate or lithium mixed metal phosphate as a high surface area single phase compound.
US08491856B2
A system for stripping fatty acids from triglycerides, the system including a reactor; a heating apparatus whereby a contents of the reactor may be heated to a temperature in the range of from 200° C. to 600° C.; and a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum in the range of from 1 kPa to 50 kPa on the reactor.
US08491843B2
A jet nebulizer capable of producing a small particle mist for injection into any existing whole room/house/building air distribution system. The device pumps liquid scent from a bulk container through a supply line. The unit is turned on, a flow switch is closed, power is applied to a timer and a solenoid, opening the solenoid and starting the timer. Pressure in the supply line drops and closes the pressure switch which turns the pump on, forcing the liquid scent through a nebulizer nozzle into the air handling system. The pump runs according to the timer, and will continue to run until the timer shuts the solenoid valve. Once the timer shuts the solenoid off pressure builds in the supply line. The pressure opens the water pressure switch which turns the pump off.
US08491838B2
The present invention relates to a low thermal expansion Ni-base superalloy containing, in terms of mass %, C: 0.15% or less; Si: 1% or less; Mn: 1% or less; Cr: 5% or more but less than 20%; at least one of Mo, W and Re, in which Mo+½(W+Re) is 5% or more but less than 20%; W: 10% or less; Al: 0.1 to 2.5%; Ti: 0.10 to 0.95%; Nb+½Ta: 1.5% or less; B: 0.001 to 0.02%; Zr: 0.001 to 0.2%; Fe: 4.0% or less; and a balance of inevitable impurities and Ni, in which the total amount of Al, Ti, Nb and Ta is 2.0 to 6.5% in terms of atomic %. The low thermal expansion Ni-base superalloy of the present invention has a thermal expansion coefficient almost equal to that of 12 Cr ferritic steel, excellent high temperature strength, excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance, good hot-workability, and excellent weldability.
US08491836B2
A melting furnace for smelting scrap includes a heating device extending through a wall of the furnace in order to supply melting energy, wherein the heating device including a tubular body, which encloses a flow channel. Further, the furnace includes a heating zone formed by a longitudinal section of the tubular body configured as an electrodeless plasma torch including an inductive heating coil which encloses the flow channel coaxially. An injection pipe is disposed in a central manner in the flow channel extending up or into to the heating zone, wherein the injection pipe is enclosed by a gas guiding pipe coaxially and at a radial distance. An annular channel is arranged between the injection pipe and the wall of the flow channel for supplying a cooling gas.
US08491833B2
A method of forming a fuel tank may include providing a cavity for forming fuel tanks; inserting one or more elongated elements within the cavity; placing a parison in the cavity proximate to the elongated elements; and exerting fluid pressure on the parison thereby deforming the parison and engaging the elongated elements with a surface of the parison.
US08491828B2
The invention relates to a device for producing a toroid-shaped fiber composite product. The device comprises at least two fiber or fiber composite material dispensing units (2, 3), the dispensing units being adapted to place a fiber (4) or a fiber composite material onto the surface of a toroid-shaped mandrel (5); positioning means to effectuate relative movement of the mandrel and the dispensing units during placement of the fiber or fiber composite material. The invention further relates to a method for producing a toroid-shaped fiber composite product, preferably with a concave cross-section, in particular the rim of a bicycle wheel. The method comprises providing a toroid-shaped mandrel, dispensing fibers or fiber composite material from at least two dispensing units, placing the fibers or fiber composite material onto the mandrel while effectuating a relative movement of the mandrel and the dispensing units, and reshaping at least part of the mandrel, preferably by thermoforming.
US08491824B2
Contact lens molds and systems and methods for producing contact lens molds are described. The contact lens mold sections include two optical quality surfaces, a flange circumscribing at least a portion of the two optical quality surfaces, and an elongate member extending from the flange. Two mold sections can contact one another to form a mold assembly having a contact lens shaped cavity. The mold sections are structured to form a contact lens having an edge that does not require further physical modification before placement on an eye. Systems and methods are described which direct a molten polymeric material into cavities corresponding to the mold sections.
US08491816B2
To provide a semiconductor light emitting device which is capable of accomplishing a broad color reproducibility for an entire image without losing brightness of the entire image.A light source provided on a backlight for a color image display device has a semiconductor light emitting device comprising a solid light emitting device to emit light in a blue or deep blue region or in an ultraviolet region and phosphors, in combination. The phosphors comprise a green emitting phosphor and a red emitting phosphor. The green emitting phosphor and the red emitting phosphor are ones, of which the rate of change of the emission peak intensity at 100° C. to the emission intensity at 25° C., when the wavelength of the excitation light is 400 nm or 455 nm, is at most 40%.
US08491813B2
Ovenware made from thermoplastic polymeric compositions which have relatively high thermal conductivities has advantages in cooking food. Such compositions can be made by mixing a thermoplastic polymer with a particulate material which has a relatively high thermal conductivity. This composition usually allows to faster heating of the food and/or improved browning of the food in contact with the ovenware surface.
US08491804B2
A method of processing a substrate having a processing target layer and an organic film serving as a mask layer includes a mineralizing process of mineralizing the organic film. The mineralizing process includes an adsorption process for allowing a silicon-containing gas to be adsorbed onto a surface of the organic film; and an oxidation process for oxidizing the adsorbed silicon-containing gas to be converted into a silicon oxide film. A monovalent aminosilane is employed as the silicon-containing gas.
US08491803B2
A method of hydrophobizing a frontside surface of an integrated circuit. The method includes the steps of: (a) depositing a hydrophobic polymeric layer onto the frontside surface; (b) depositing a protective metal film onto the hydrophobic polymeric layer; (c) depositing a sacrificial material onto the metal film; (d) patterning the sacrificial material; (e) etching through the metal film, the hydrophobic polymeric layer and the frontside surface; (f) performing MEMS processing steps on a backside of the integrated circuit; (g) subjecting the integrated circuit to an oxidizing plasma, wherein the metal film protects the hydrophobic polymeric layer from the oxidizing plasma; and (h) removing the protective metal film to provide an integrated circuit having a relatively hydrophobic patterned frontside surface.
US08491794B2
A system and process for enhancing total organic carbon (“TOC”) removal from raw, untreated water while maintaining optimum membrane filter performance. The present invention overcomes many of the disadvantages of prior art water filtration systems by controlling the pH level of the water, prior to the water being directed through said membrane filter, so that the particulate charge of the water aligns with the electromagnetic surface charge of membrane filter. Maintaining the particulate charge of the water within an optimum charge window for the particular membrane filter enhances the membrane filter's performance by decreasing the fouling rate of the membrane filter.
US08491793B2
A method of recording and monitoring the operation and status of devices operating to purify water employed in the operation of a dialysis clinic, by providing a software program that monitors water purification devices that include a water softener, brine tank and reverse osmosis machine. This computer program is a data logging system that enables the user to monitor and record the status and performance of water purification equipment that is housed and used in a dialysis clinic. The software program will be used by technicians that work in three shifts on a daily basis to ensure that the water being purified for dialysis treatment is within an acceptable range of purity. This software replaces a paper logging system and is more versatile in security, accuracy, function and reporting.
US08491792B2
The development and application of a novel non-polar oil recovery process utilizing a non-dispersive solvent extraction method to coalesce and recover oil from a lysed or non-lysed Yeast slurry using a microporous hollow fiber (MHF) membrane contactor.
US08491791B2
The present invention contemplates various devices that are configured to separate a sample, which contains more than one unique species, into any desired number of sub-samples by passing the sample across a like number of separation media configured for a first separation protocol. Each of the sub-samples may be further separated by an additional separation protocol, thereby creating a plurality of mini-samples, each of which may be further separated and/or analyzed. The invention also contemplates using a simple method of using conduits to form a fluid path that passes through a plurality of separation media, each of which media is configured to isolate a particular sub-sample. After various sub-samples of the sample are isolated by the various separation media, the conduits may be removed, thereby enabling each of the isolated sub-samples to be further separated and/or analyzed independent of any other sub-sample.
US08491789B2
Disclosed herein are systems and process integrating the chemical-free oxidation of a photocatalytic decontamination process with a biological decontamination system to eliminate the THM and HAA precursors in drinking water. In one embodiment, a system may comprise a source providing fluid media contaminated with toxic natural organic matter, and a photocatalytic decontamination subsystem configured to oxidize the toxic natural organic matter via a photocatalytic process into non-toxic natural organic matter having a molecular weight low enough for biodegrading said non-toxic matter. The system may include a biological decontamination subsystem configured to immediately receive the contaminated fluid output from the photocatalytic decontamination subsystem, and employing a biological agent to biologically degrade the low-molecular weight non-toxic natural organic matter in the contaminated fluid to a concentration sufficient to prevent the formation of trihalomethanes or haloacetic acids. Also, such a system may include a disinfectant sub-system configured to disinfect the fluid output from the biological decontamination subsystem.
US08491785B2
A high throughput, positive pressure, gravity operated dewatering system for hydraulic fluids, lubricating fluids, and petroleum based fluids comprises a gravity operated dewatering chamber receiving the industrial fluid and a source of positive pressure drying air coupled to the dewatering chamber.
US08491783B2
A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feed in which a hydrocarbon-containing feed comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and a catalyst to produce a hydrocarbon-containing product, where hydrogen sulfide is provided at a mole ratio relative to hydrogen of at least 0.5:9.5. The catalyst is comprised of a bimetallic tetrathiometallate material comprised of a first metal and a second metal, where the first metal is selected from the group consisting of Cu, Fe, Ni, Co, Bi, Ag, Mn, Zn, Sn, Ru, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Dy, Ph, and Sb and the second metal is Mo, W, V, Sn, and Sb.
US08491779B2
The present invention relates to a process for the pretreatment of heavy oils using a catalytic hydrotreating process prior to introduction to a refinery. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of an HDM reactor and an HDS reactor in order to improve the characteristics of the heavy oil, such that when the oil is introduced into the refinery, the refinery can achieve improved throughputs, increased catalysts life, increased life cycles, and a reduction in overall operation costs.
US08491778B2
Embodiments disclosed herein describe method of producing hydrogenated products, the method that includes providing a wax and an oil; processing the wax and the oil with a gas under high shear conditions to form a high shear product; and hydrogenating the high shear product to produce hydrogenated products. The wax may be a petroleum wax comprising alkane hydrocarbons with formula CnH2n+2, wherein n=20-40.
US08491774B2
Tin and tin alloy deposits which are substantially free of certain crystal planes or equivalents thereof inhibit or prevent whisker formation. The tin or tin alloy deposits which are free of these crystal planes and inhibit or prevent whisker formation may be deposited by electroplating. Tin alloys include tin/copper, tin/nickel, tin/silver, tin/bismuth, tin/zinc and tin/antimony. The tin and tin alloy baths used to deposit the tin and tin alloys may be acidic or alkaline.
US08491768B2
Nanoparticles in a colloid are purified, with the colloid including a fluid, unwanted matter, and the nanoparticles to be purified. An electric field is applied that is substantially spatially uniform over a distance that is at least equal to a characteristic dimension of the nanoparticles, so that at least some of the nanoparticles move towards at least one collection surface as a result of the force arising between their electrical charge and the electric field, whereupon nanoparticles are collected on said at least one collection surface. The collection surface(s) may be one or more electrodes to which a voltage potential is applied. The collected nanoparticles are then removed from the collection surface, e.g., by dispersing them into another fluid.
US08491767B2
An electrophoretic cell and methods of switching an electrophoretic cell and moving charged species in an electrophoretic cell employ differential electrophoretic mobilities and a time-varying electric field. The methods include providing first and second charged species that are oppositely charged and have different mobilities. The method of switching further includes inducing a net motion of both of the charged species using the time-varying applied electric field. The induced net motion results in either the first charged species being moved toward the electrode and the second charged species remaining essentially motionless or both of the charged species being moved toward the same electrode. The electrophoretic cell includes the first and second charged species with opposite charge and different mobilities, and further includes the time-varying applied electric field that provides the net motion of the charged species.
US08491762B2
A water purification apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a casing and an electrode array. The casing has an outer surface, a substantially annular inner surface, and a water flow passage chamber surrounded by the substantially annular inner surface, the water flow passage chamber providing an outer annulus region and an inner central region. The electrode array features at least four electrodes in adjacent relationship to one another and circumferentially spaced apart from another about the outer annulus region, each electrode having a respective first planar surface and a respective second planar surface facing and substantially parallel to the respective second planar surface and the respective first planar surface of the adjacent electrodes on opposite sides thereof.
US08491757B2
A coke oven offtake piping system includes a pipe assembly for conveying coke oven gases from a coke oven to a collecting main, at least one spraying nozzle in the pipe assembly, and a discharge section with a discharge pipe having a discharge orifice. A gate member cooperates with the discharge orifice and is movable along the discharge orifice in order to present a closing surface to the extremity thereof, whereby the opening area of said discharge orifice can be varied for controlling the flow rate to the collecting main. The gate member is a spherical cap with a concave closing surface. The gate member is configured to pivot around a pivoting axis to expose the discharge orifice and to cover the discharge orifice, respectively.
US08491754B2
There is disclosed an expansion molded product, and a web and stampable sheet suitable for use in the production thereof as well as a method of producing the same. A disclosed method of producing a web, stampable sheet and expansion molded product of a stampable sheet comprises uniformly dispersing reinforcing fibers, thermoplastic resin and thermal expandable particles in an aqueous medium containing a surfactant with fine foams to prepare a foamy solution, filtering the foamy solution to form a web, heating pressing and cooling the web to form a stampable sheet, heating the stampable sheet to expand the thermal expandable particles, and shaping and cooling the stampable sheet, wherein the expanded thermal expandable particles are eccentrically located toward one-side surface of the expansion molded product of the stampable sheet by removing foams by suction during the filtering and eccentrically locating the thermal expandable particles toward one-side surface of the web.
US08491746B2
A method for applying multiple polymeric coatings onto a fibrous substrate. More particularly, a method for applying multiple polymeric coatings onto fibrous substrates without regard to chemical or physical incompatibilities of the polymeric coating materials. A first polymeric material is applied onto at least one fibrous substrate, and a second polymeric material is applied onto a support. The fibrous substrate and support are joined, contacting the first polymeric material with the second polymeric material, followed by separating the support from the fibrous substrate, such that at least a portion of the second polymeric material remains on the first polymeric material on the fibrous substrate.
US08491742B2
A method for embossing an absorbent article using a segmented anvil and attaching a release paper to a backsheet having depressed regions.
US08491741B2
A method of forming an elastomeric laminate having targeted elastic properties for use in personal care articles is disclosed. In particular embodiments, the method comprises providing first and second nonwoven webs; providing a core layer of elastomeric material under tension; sandwiching the core layer between the first and second nonwoven webs; bonding the core layer to at least one of the first and second nonwoven webs; providing an elastomeric film ribbon web under tension; sandwiching the elastomeric film ribbon web between the first and second nonwoven webs; and fusing the elastomeric film ribbon web to the first and second nonwoven webs. In particular embodiments, the core layer of elastomeric material is an elastomeric film web core layer. In particular embodiments, the elastomeric film ribbon web, the core layer, or both is/are bonded to the first and second nonwoven webs solely by fusing, without the use of adhesive.
US08491740B2
The invention relates to a method of fabricating a structural part comprising a tubular portion from which there projects a structural element made of composite material, the method comprising the steps of: shaping a plane preform comprising a stack of a plurality of superposed fiber plies such that over at least a fraction of the preform that is to form a structural portion, the plies are secured to one another, and over at least another fraction of the preform that is to form a portion for connecting to the tube, the plies are separable so as to form two facing sheets; inserting a tube between the sheets of the connection portion so that the sheets surround the tube at least in part; and bonding the tube to the preform such that the tube forms the tubular portion and the preform forms the structural element of the structural part.
US08491739B2
A method and apparatus are provided for implementing interleaved-dielectric joining of multi-layer laminates. First and second multi-layer laminates are provided, each having with a laminated portion and an unlaminated portion. The first and second multi-layer laminates are joined together at the unlaminated portions by interleaving a plurality of dielectric layers of the first and second multi-layer laminates. Respective conductors carried by adjacent dielectric layers are connected. The interleaved unlaminated portions are laminated together with heat and pressure, to create a larger laminate of the joined first and second multi-layer laminates.
US08491738B2
A packaging system includes a container and an unopened lid. The unopened lid includes a central planar region and a lid rim. The lid rim has a lid rim inner wall, a lid rim outer wall, a lid flange and a first tab. The first tab extends in a plane parallel to the central planar region. The first tab also extends outside the lid rim outer wall. A partially cut region is located on the lid rim outer wall, extends around most of the lid rim outer wall, and extends adjacent the first tab. The lid flange extends in a plane parallel to the central planar region. The lid flange also extends outside the lid rim outer wall. The container includes a container flange. The lid flange is welded to the container flange.
US08491734B2
A process of production for producing a high strength galvannealed steel sheet by a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet production equipment using an all radiant tube type annealing furnace and a production equipment for the same are provided, comprising continuously hot-dip galvanizing a high strength steel sheet having a content of Si of 0.4 to 2.0 wt % during which making the atmosphere of the reducing zone an atmosphere containing H2 to 1 to 60 wt % and comprised of the balance of N2, H2O, O2, CO2, CO, and unavoidable impurities, controlling the log (PCO2/PH2) of the carbon dioxide partial pressure and hydrogen partial pressure in the atmosphere to log (PCO2/PH2)≦−0.5 and the log (PH2O/PH2) of the water partial pressure and hydrogen partial pressure to log (PH2O/PH2)≦−0.5, and controlling the log (PT/PH2) of the total partial pressure PT of the carbon dioxide partial pressure PCO2 and water partial pressure PH2O and the hydrogen partial pressure to −3≦log (PT/PH2)≦−0.5.
US08491723B2
A method for an automated self-cleaning of a continuous dishwasher for items to be cleaned with at least one rinsing zone, at least one clear rinsing zone and also a transporter. Items to be cleaned are conveyed in the direction of transportation via the transporter. The continuous dishwasher comprises at least one fine filter with a back-rinser on at least one storage tank and also at least one device for emptying each of the storage tanks. The continuous dishwasher automatically carries out a self-cleaning cycle in which cleaning liquid located in each of the storage tanks is used several times in succession in the various zones for cleaning thereof. The cleaning liquid is circulated by means of circulating pumps in the respective storage tanks and supplied to spraying systems, which are already present in the respective zones, or to separate nozzles or nozzle heads for wetting the inner side of the faces delimiting the respective zone.
US08491717B2
The invention relates to a method and system for monitoring and adjusting both air content and rheology (e.g., slump, slump flow) properties of a hydratable concrete mix contained within a concrete mixer. The system simultaneously tracks dosage of both rheology-modifying admixture (e.g., polycarboxylate polymer cement dispersant) and air control agent or “ACA” (e.g., air entraining agent) by reference to at least four nominal dose response (“NDR”) curves or profiles, which at least four NDR profiles are based on the respective behaviors of each of the ACA and rheology-modifying agent on air content and rheology.
US08491713B2
Described is a new a solution comprising a phosphorous compound and optionally a solderability-enhancing compound and its use in a process for increasing the solderability and corrosion resistance of a metal or metal alloy surface.
US08491703B2
A supply air device including supply air nozzles, through which incoming air is led into a mixing chamber and further into a room so that the supply air device induces a secondary air flow from the room. An electric particle filter and/or a cell gas filter, through which the circulating or secondary air flow is led.
US08491700B2
Various embodiments provide new methods of rhenium recovery. The methods can include subjecting a metal-bearing solution to an activated carbon bed, and adsorbing rhenium onto the activated carbon. The methods can also include heating a basic aqueous elution solution and eluting the rhenium from the activated carbon with the heated elution solution. The methods can also incorporate an ion exchange as a rhenium recovery apparatus.
US08491696B2
The Ultrafine alloy particles of an alloy includes a primary metal and one or more subsidiary metals solid-soluble in said primary metal, a content of the one or more subsidiary metals is in a range of 1 wt % to 25 wt % and the one or more subsidiary metals solid-solved in the primary metal inhibit coalescence or oxidation of the ultrafine alloy particles including the primary metal, or both. The process introduces powder materials including the primary metal and the one or more subsidiary metals for producing the ultrafine alloy particles into a thermal plasma flame under reduced pressure to form a vapor-phase mixture and introduces a cooling gas toward an end portion of the thermal plasma flame in a supply amount sufficient for quenching the vapor-phase mixture so as to generate the ultrafine alloy particles.
US08491695B2
An iron-base sintered part having high density and totally enhanced strength, toughness and abrasion resistance, a manufacturing method of the iron-base sintered part, and an actuator are disclosed. The iron-base sintered part is formed by an iron-nickel-molybdenum-carbon-based sintered alloy, has density of 7.25 g/cm3 or more, and has a carburization quenched structure. A method for manufacturing the iron-base sintered part includes a molding process of charging a raw mixture powder of an iron-nickel-molybdenum-based metal powder and a carbon-based powder into a cavity of a molding die and compressing the raw powder in the cavity to form a consolidation body, a sintering process of sintering the consolidation body at a sintering temperature to form a sintered alloy, and a carburization quenching process of heating the sintered alloy in a carburization atmosphere and quenching the heated alloy.
US08491689B2
A joined filter media pleat pack assembly comprises at least two filter media pleat packs, wherein each pleat comprises a root and a crown, wherein a seam between each filter media pleat pack is at least one of: (a) structure wherein the pleats, crowns, and roots of one filter media pleat pack are interleaved or nested with the corresponding structure of an adjacent filter media pleat pack or (b) structure wherein at least a portion of the terminal edges of adjacent filter media pleat packs are mitered at complimentary angles and assembled in mating relation.
US08491687B1
A frac truck is provided for the portable metering and dispensing of sand into a fractionation fluid system. Hopper vessels for powder, sand or other aggregate have a discharge vent for releasing air that is displaced during the filling of the hoppers. Venting is required to prevent over pressurization; conventionally, this vented gas entrains a significant amount of solids that would subsequently be released into the atmosphere. A dust collector is mounted for receiving the vented air displaced when powdered material is loaded into the hoppers. The dust collector is connected through a vent tube communicating between the hoppers and the dust collector. Air vented from the hoppers is drawn though the dust collector and past and through a filter media, where clean air is discharged and solids collected. A low profile rotary airlock is used to discharge solids from the bottom of the dust collector.
US08491686B2
A dust collector arrangement has a dust separator supported on a frame, with a lid for the dust collection barrel is mounted onto the frame below it. The lid is supported at a fixed elevation above the surface of the shop floor to create a space or clearance between the rim of the dust collection barrel and the lid. The barrel is supported on casters, and can be rolled into place under the rim, and can be rolled out for emptying. Over-center latches positioned at intervals around the upper part of the barrel side wall, engage corresponding structure on the lid. These pull the barrel upwards against the lid and with the barrel casters lifted off the floor surface. The latch members release to lower the barrel for emptying.
US08491683B1
A computer system includes a computer chassis housing a processor and having a dust filter disposed in an airflow pathway through the computer chassis. A plurality of electrodes is disposed across an area of the dust filter, and a voltage source is provided having a negative terminal and a positive terminal. A controller selectively couples a first subset of electrodes to the negative terminal and selectively couples a second subset of electrodes to the positive terminal, wherein a voltage differential between the first subset of electrodes and the second subset of electrodes is sufficient to cause electrostatic movement of dust from an area of the dust filter near the first subset of electrodes to an area of the dust filter near the second subset of electrodes.
US08491682B2
Disclosed are abrasive particles, a method for manufacturing the abrasive particles, and a method for manufacturing a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) slurry. The method for manufacturing abrasive particles for the CMP slurry includes preparing a raw material precursor, drying the raw material precursor, and calcining the dried raw material precursor using a calcination furnace where a gas atmosphere having relatively less oxygen in comparison with an air atmosphere is created.
US08491680B2
A gasifier waste stream from a gasification process is directed to a solids separator. A portion of the suspended solids in the waste stream is removed in the solids separator, producing slag and fly ash and a grey water effluent. The grey water effluent is directed to one or more ceramic membranes which remove at least portions of the remaining suspended solids in the grey water. Permeate from the ceramic membrane is directed to an evaporator located downstream from the ceramic membrane for further concentration. Placing the ceramic membrane upstream from the evaporator reduces fouling and plugging in the evaporator that would otherwise occur due to the suspended solids in the grey water.
US08491675B2
In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method for producing biofuel from a feedstock that includes one or more coffee sources, such as green coffee beans, whole roasted coffee beans, ground coffee, or spent coffee grounds. Triglycerides and other materials, such as antioxidants, are extracted from the coffee source. In some example, the triglycerides are then transesterified to produce a fatty acid ester biofuel product. In further examples, the method includes obtaining spent coffee grounds from one or more sources, such as residences or businesses that generate spent coffee grounds. The present disclosure also provides biofuels produced using the disclosed method, including mixtures of such biofuels with other fuels, such as other biofuels or petroleum based fuels. Materials obtained from the disclosed method may be put to other uses, such as cosmetics, medicinal products, food products, or combustible materials.
US08491669B2
The present invention relates to a cationic aminopyridine of general formula (I), acid-addition salts thereof and solvates thereof: in which: R1 is a linear or branched, saturated C1-C20 alkyl radical, substituted and/or interrupted with a cationic radical. The present invention is also directed towards a process for synthesizing this cationic aminopyridine, compositions, uses, hair dyeing processes and devices using this cationic aminopyridine.
US08491665B2
The tactile feedback device of the preferred embodiments includes at least one skin contact pad; at least one actuator designed to move the at least one skin contact pad and attached to the at least one skin contact pad in a manner suitable to allow the actuator to move the at least one skin contact pad; a processor coupled to the actuator that executes a control logic and functions to control the movements of the at least one actuator; the control logic functions to determine the motions of the at least one actuator and is designed to move the at least one actuator in a manner that stretches the skin of the user. The tactile feedback device of the preferred embodiments has been designed to provide feedback to a user in a way that provides the user with information regarding a task that they are performing. The tactile feedback device of the preferred embodiments, however, may be used for any suitable purpose.
US08491661B2
A knee joint endoprosthesis is provided with a simplified construction. The knee joint endoprosthesis consists of a femur component and a tibia component which comprise cooperating joint surfaces that are in contact with one another. A rotation guide arrangement is provided for forcing the femur component and the tibia component to rotate relative to each other about a medial center of rotation upon a flexure of the knee joint endoprosthesis. The rotation guide arrangement comprises a first guide element having a first guidance surface and a second guide element having a second guidance surface which cooperates with the first guidance surface. The tibia component comprises the first guide element and the femur component comprises the second guide element. The first guidance surface defines a first radius of curvature and the second guidance surface defines a second radius of curvature. The first and second radii of curvature are identical.
US08491655B2
A barrel holder apparatus for intervertebral disc prosthesis implantation, the apparatus comprising a first end having one or more apertures shaped to hold removable pins while the prosthesis is being implanted to prevent a first disc and a second disc of the prosthesis from separating, the removable pins being pre-threaded into the first disc and the second disc of the prosthesis prior to the implantation of the prosthesis, and a second end located opposite to the first end, the second end having an opening shaped to hold one of the removable pins while the barrel holder is being rotated to unthread the removable pin out of the prosthesis after the implantation is completed. Also provided is a method for implanting intervertebral disc prosthesis into an intervertebral disc area defined between adjacent cervical vertebrae, the method comprising threading removable pins into a first disc and a second disc of the prosthesis.
US08491653B2
An intervertebral implant has a fusion body with at least one keel that anchors the implant into cancellous bone of at least one vertebral body. A method for implantation includes lateral implantation of the implant.
US08491650B2
A device for percutaneously delivering a stented prosthetic heart valve. The device includes an inner shaft, a delivery sheath, stability tube, and a handle. The delivery sheath is slidably disposed over the inner shaft, and includes a capsule compressively containing the prosthesis over the inner shaft. The stability tube is coaxially received over the delivery sheath, and includes a distal region. A circumferential rigidity of the capsule is greater than a circumferential rigidity of the distal region. In transitioning from a delivery state to a deployed state, the capsule is withdrawn from the prosthetic heart valve and at least partially into the distal region to permit the prosthesis to self-deploy. The capsule forces the distal region to stretch and expand in diameter.
US08491649B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide medical devices for treating a target site within the body and associated methods for fabricating and delivering medical devices. According to one embodiment, a medical device includes a tubular structure having proximal and distal ends and a side wall extending therebetween. At least a portion of the side wall can have a corrugated surface. The side wall further includes at least one layer of a metallic fabric configured to be compressed and heat set to define the corrugated surface. The tubular structure may comprise an expanded shape, and may be configured to be constrained to a smaller diameter than the expanded shape for delivery within a catheter to a target site and to assume the expanded shape upon release from the catheter.
US08491638B2
Treatment of spinal irregularities, including, in one or more embodiments, dynamic spine stabilizers and systems that can be used to stabilize one or more motion segments in a patient's spine. Spine stabilization systems may comprise a first bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a first vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a second bone fastener configured to attach the spine stabilization system to a second vertebra. Spine stabilization systems further may comprise a dynamic spine stabilizer configured to connect the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener with at least some relative movement between the first bone fastener and the second bone fastener.
US08491630B2
An implant for filling a cavity created by an excisional procedure includes first and second portions. The first portion may include a first collagenous matrix that defines a first selected crosslinking density and the second portion may include a second collagenous matrix that defines a second selected cross-linking density that is different than the first cross-linking density. The first and second cross-linking densities may be selected so as to cause the first and second portions to swell in such a manner that the implant swells into a size and a shape that is similar to the predetermined size and shape of the cavity when the implant is implanted. An aqueous solution may be added to the cavity if the cavity is not sufficiently aqueous to cause the implant to swell.
US08491623B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to catheters that can be placed in or around bodily conduits to occlude or widen a biological lumen without imparting significant trauma to the lumen. In certain embodiments, the invention particularly relates to the use of a polymer composition which can be made to gel upon insertion into said balloon or skirt. In certain embodiments, the inflating viscous polymer composition is a liquid at room temperature and a gel at mammalian physiological temperature. In certain embodiments, the inflating viscous polymer composition comprises an optionally purified inverse thermosensitive polymer.
US08491622B2
An internal nasal dilator and compound delivery apparatus including a holding element and first and second nostril expanders each consisting essentially of a flexible, preferably continuous, and tubular member, wherein at least a portion of the element and expanders are formed of a structural core and compliant outer layer, and/or the apparatus includes a plurality of distending protrusions configured to discharge a quantity of compound over a period.
US08491621B2
An instrument configured to prepare a penis for implantation of a penile prosthetic includes a rigid shaft extending between a proximal end and a distal end that is insertable into the penis, and an expandable member coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft. The expandable member is movable between a first position having a first diameter that is substantially equal to a diameter of the rigid shaft and a second position having a second diameter that is larger than the diameter of the rigid shaft and configured to dilate tissue of the penis.
US08491620B2
The invention relates to a dilator having an expandable member and relates to a dilator and access sheath assembly including a first conduit which includes a wall defining a lumen therethrough and which is sufficiently rigid to dilate tissue in a body vessel; a member coaxially surrounding a first section of the first conduit, where the member is capable of expanding; and a second conduit coaxially surrounding a second section of the first conduit.
US08491613B2
The present invention relates to medical cutting tools for treating aortic septal dissections. The cutting tool is provided with a delivery catheter and has a remotely actuated cutting blade or cutting wire component. The cutting tool is provided with at least one displacement element. The displacement element assists in placement of the cutting tool at a desired location. The displacement element also assists in maintaining contact between the cutting blade and tissue being cut.
US08491607B1
Mounting apparatus for mounting an endless cord (2) which is expandable from a contracted condition to an expanded condition onto an end (1) of a structure having a transverse dimension greater than that of the cord when in the contracted condition comprising a tapered adaptor (14; 114) for the cord to be propelled over onto the end of the structure having a forward smaller end (16; to 116) for location in the cord in its contracted condition and a rear larger end (18; 118) for juxtaposing with the end of the structure and an expander device (24; 124; 224) movable relative to the adaptor to propel the cord over the adaptor onto the rear larger end thereof.
US08491601B2
Bending forceps (10) for surgical elements such as bone plates (30) are described. The bending forceps (10) have two branches (12, 14) which can pivot relative to one another and with together two counter bearings (26, 28) for the surgical element to be bent. A bending punch (32) for co-operation with the surgical element is provided in a region between the two counter bearings (26, 28). An actuating movement (40) of the branches (12, 14) is converted into a linear movement of the bending punch (32) in the direction of the surgical element by means of an actuating device (40), for example an elliptical linkage gear mechanism.
US08491596B2
A kit (10) for preparation of a bone cavity (12) in a bone (14) for implantation of a joint prosthesis (16) is provided. The kit (10) includes a guide (20) defining an opening (22) therethrough. The guide (20) is in cooperation with the prosthesis. The kit (10) also includes a rotatable tool (24) constrainable within the opening (22) of said guide (20). The tool (24) is adapted for removal of bone (14) to form the bone cavity (12).
US08491593B2
A medical system includes parts used in a method for detachably establishing a spatial orientation between a body implant and an aiming device. A positioning arm being connected to the aiming device and an adaptor device being connected to or integrally formed with a bone stabilizing plate are hooked into each other. This is accomplished by means of an engaging element of the positioning arm, which engaging element is designed such that it may be coupled with an attachment element of the adaptor device. Further, there is provided a snapping mechanism which is designed to automatically engage in an interlocking element of the adaptor device, when the positioning arm, when hooked into the adaptor device, is rotated relative to the adaptor device towards a final angular position.
US08491589B2
A device for performing a surgical procedure on a knee includes an adjustable femoral portion, a tibial portion and at least one sensor coupled with the femoral and/or tibial portions to sense pressure exerted by the femoral and tibial portions against one another. The femoral portion is adapted for removably coupling with a distal end of a femur to adjust tension in soft tissue adjacent the knee and has at least one positioning feature adapted to move relative to the distal end of the femur as the femoral portion is adjusted, thus helping position a femoral prosthetic on the distal end of the femur. The sensor(s) may be adapted to sense pressure at medial and lateral sides of the knee, and relative pressures may be displayed as data on a visual display. Adjustments to the femoral member may be made to balance pressure at flexion and extension of the knee.
US08491588B2
A surgical instrument for assembling a spinal rod to a plurality of anchoring members includes first and second levers that are pivotally, and optionally removably, connected for rotation about a pivot axis. The first lever has a hollow guide tube forming a first handle section and a first distal end section, with a first longitudinal bore extending therethrough. The second lever has a second handle section, a second distal end section, and an intervening second intermediate section that interconnects the two in offset fashion. The second distal end section has a second longitudinal bore. The longitudinal bores accept bone anchor heads. Pivoting of the levers relative to each other about the pivot axis causes the bone anchors to move toward or away from each other. The first and second bores may be configured to mate with bone screw assemblies having extended tabs.
US08491585B2
A system for laterally decompressing one or more spinal nerves comprises an access sheath, a tool guide, and a bone removal tool. The access sheath is percutaneously placed adjacent a facet joint using needle dilation or a small incision. The tool guide is then placed through the access sheath adjacent an anterior surface of the superior articular process of the facet joint. The bone removal tool is advanced over the guide track to remove bone from the anterior surface. Optionally, after bone removal has been completed, the cutting tool may be advanced through the access sheath in order to partially cut the ligamentum flavum to further relieve compression of the spinal nerve(s).
US08491583B2
Intramedullary medical devices (e.g., intramedullary nails) and methods for their use and manufacture are described herein. The intramedullary medical devices described herein may provide sustained compressive forces across a bone fusion site despite bone resorption processes. Through various embodiments, the intramedullary medical devices described herein may provide non-linear force curves relative to displacement. Intramedullary medical devices are described with multiple elements made of different materials. Examples of intramedullary medical devices are described with shape memory alloys.
US08491580B2
The present disclosure relates to devices and methods for the treatment of tissue with microwave energy. The devices and methods disclosed herein utilize an antenna assembly which includes an elongate member, an outer conductor, an inner conductor, at least a portion of which is deployable, and a cooling system. The cooling system disclosed herein may significantly curtail any theoretical, or potential negative effects upon the target tissue experienced during the transmission of microwave energy to the antenna assembly due to ohmic heating.
US08491578B2
Thermal, electrosurgical and mechanical modalities may be combined in a surgical tool. Potentially damaging effects in a first modality may be minimized by using a secondary modality. In one example, thermal hemostasis may thus help electrosurgical applications avoid the adverse tissue effects associated with hemostatic monopolar electrosurgical waveforms while retaining the benefits of using monopolar incising waveforms.
US08491576B2
A laser system for the irradiation of an eye includes a laser configured to emit a laser beam; a focusing device configured to focus the laser beam; and a beam-shaping device configured to generate a predetermined intensity distribution in a cross section of the laser beam such that an intensity minimum of the laser beam is disposed in region of a center of the cross section of the laser beam.
US08491572B2
Medical implants can comprise various instrumentation to impart desirable functionality to the implant. In some embodiments, the implants comprise functional structures, such as sensors, energy propagating transducers, drug delivery systems and the like. Additional instrumentation to facilitate the functionality of these devices can include, for example, microprocessors, communication systems, power sources or the like. Drug delivery systems can comprise, for example, an isolated reservoir with a control system to control the delivery of a biological agent from the reservoir. The implants can be orthopedic implants that are designed to interface with a patient's skeletal system wherein the orthopedic implant may itself embody sensors, processors, power supplies, memory and/or communication capability.
US08491568B2
The invention concerns a telescopic device (1) comprising a first tubular element (3) and an extension member (2) displaceably arranged in an axial direction within the first tubular element (3), wherein a coupling member (16) is provided relatively displaceable to the extension member (2), between at least,—a first axial position wherein the extension member is displaceable within the first tubular element, and—a second axial position wherein the coupling member (16) engages between the extension member (2) and the first tubular element (3) limiting displacement in at least one longitudinal direction, where the coupling member (16) engages the interior of the first tubular element (3).
US08491564B2
The invention provides a system for preparing an autologous solid-fibrin web suitable for regenerating tissue in a living organism. The system includes a sealed primary container containing a separation medium and a low-density high-viscosity liquid. The separation medium is capable of separating red blood cells from plasma when the container contains blood and is centrifuged, and the primary container has a first pressure. The system further includes a sealed secondary container containing a calcium-coagulation activator. The secondary container has a second pressure that is less than the first pressure. The system also includes a transfer device having a cannula with a first end and a second end. The first and second ends are adapted to puncture the sealed primary and secondary containers in order to provide fluid communication between the first and second containers.
US08491561B2
Methods and materials for making an apparatus which duplicates the functionality of a physiological system is provided.
US08491555B2
The invention is directed to a planar pad manufactured from three bonded layers each having different properties and materials. This includes a contact layer having a first and corresponding second portion. The second portion overlaps the first portion sufficient to create a first overlay. Such contact layer may be made of fibers which include silver nano-particulates. The contact layer may also include a coating made of TEFLON or similar material. The second layer is an absorbency layer positioned immediately below the contact layer. The absorbency layer being made of natural woven bamboo fiber. In addition, the absorbency layer may be two-part construction having a first absorbent portion and a corresponding second absorbent portion which abuts the first absorbent portion, wherein both absorbent portions have fused sides to reduce fraying. The third layer is a waterproof barrier layer which is posited directly below the absorbency layer, preferably constructed of TYVEK.
US08491550B2
A drainage tube unit for aspirating body fluids by means of a suction pump comprises a drainage tube (10) for aspirating the body fluids and at least one service tube (11), each of them with a patient-side end and a pump-side end, the patient-side ends of the drainage tube (10) and of the service tube (11) being arranged in a common patient-side attachment part (3), and the pump-side ends of the drainage tube (10) and of the service tube (11) being arranged in a common pump-side attachment part (2). The ends of the drainage tube (10) extend separate from the ends of the service tube (11), the patient-side ends opening into a drainage channel (37) and a service channel (35) of the patient-side attachment part (3), and the pump-side ends opening into a drainage channel (24) and a service channel (25) of the pump-side attachment part (2). The drainage tube unit according to the invention is inexpensive to produce and is easy and safe to use.
US08491546B2
Cap and cleaning devices antiseptically maintain patient fluid line access valves to minimize the risk of infection via catheters. The devices have a cap that may contain a dry pad impregnated with an antimicrobial agent. The cap covers the access portion of the access valve when not in use. The devices have a hood that contains a wet pad impregnated with a cleaning solution and, optionally, an antimicrobial agent. The wet pad cleans the access portion of the access valve prior to and optionally, after the access valve is utilized to access the patient fluid line.
US08491545B2
A surgical access device is provided having a cannula and obturator. The cannula has a housing and tube section with an anchor located about the tube section. The obturator has a mechanism to deploy the anchor and adjust the cannula length. The anchor is moveable between a deployed and undeployed state where the undeployed state facilitates insertion and removal of the access device and the deployed state assists in fixation of the cannula in an anatomic structure. Anchor deployment is independent of cannula length adjustment.
US08491540B2
The illustrative embodiments described herein are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods for managing liquid flow associated with a tissue site that involves using reduced pressure to control fluid flow. In one instance, an apparatus includes a first valve and a second valve in fluid communication with a reduced-pressure source. The valves are movable between an open position and a closed position and are operable to change flow status (open to closed or vice versa) based on a presence of reduced pressure. At least one of the first valve or the second valve is in the closed position to obstruct a flow of a liquid while the other is in the open position. The apparatus also includes a reservoir fluidly coupled to the first valve and the second valve. Other systems, methods, and apparatuses are presented.
US08491537B2
Flush syringe assemblies capable of creating pulsatile movement of the plunger rod as it moves in the distal direction within a syringe barrel, while preventing overpressurization of the cathether are provided. An exemplary flush syringe assembly includes a syringe barrel with a first pulsing element and a chamber with flush solution, a plunger rod with a stopper and a second pulsing element that interacts with the first pulsing element to provide an engagement force that causes pulsatile movement of the plunger rod and a thumb press slidably attached to the plunger rod with a pulse control element. The pulse control element is compressible to create a compression force that is greater than the engagement force of the first pulsing element and the second pulsing element.
US08491526B2
A surgical device comprises a housing, a bioprocessing module, an end effector, and a pumping device. The bioprocessing module comprises media reservoirs, fluid conduits in communication with the reservoirs, and a port through which media is expelled. The end effector is configured for insertion into a lumen and delivering a tissue repair composition into that lumen. The end effector has at least one fluid conduit extending therethrough and at least one orifice in communication with the fluid conduit. The fluid conduit in the first end effector is in fluid communication with the port on the bioprocessing module. The pumping device is operable to urge a tissue repair composition comprising at least a portion of the contents of the media reservoirs through the fluid conduit of the first end effector such that the tissue repair composition is expelled from the at least one orifice.
US08491525B2
A needleless fluid delivery system for delivering therapeutic fluids to treatment sites within a patient. The fluid delivery system can include an automated injector source and a needleless access device. The access device can include a delivery scope and a treatment specific applicator. The automated injector source, delivery scope and applicator can be operably coupled with quick-connect style fittings so as to allow for quick replacement and maintenance of used or damaged components. The automated injector source can include a hands-free input mechanism allowing a medical professional to use both hands in manipulating the delivery scope and needleless applicator at the same time an injection is desired. The delivery scope and needleless applicator can comprise flexible or rigid lengths of tubing based on the accessibility of the treatment site. The needleless delivery system can include an imaging system for precisely position the applicator with respect to the treatment location.
US08491522B2
A computer controlled electric syringe includes: a piston unit including a piston being configured to press and move a rubber plug of a cartridge by a second end to discharge a medicinal solution from a cartridge through an injection needle; a ball screw having a screw shaft and a nut portion that is screwed into the screw shaft, the screw shaft being loosely inserted into the hollow portion of the piston through the opening, the nut portion being coupled to the piston; a screw shaft supporting portion rotatably supporting the screw shaft of the ball screw; a rotation preventing portion configured to prevent the nut portion of the ball screw from being rotated; and a piston supporting portion supporting the piston to be movable in an axial direction of the screw shaft along with the nut portion by the rotation of the screw shaft.
US08491508B2
A device for stimulating the meibomian glands of the eyelid comprising: a handle; a head that is non-removable and integral to the handle, the head comprising an eyepiece that oscillates to provide a massaging action to an eyelid and that comprises a front end that is concave in shape to fit over an eyelid; a heater located inside of the eyepiece; a temperature sensor located inside of the eyepiece, wherein the temperature sensor causes the eyepiece to heat to a predetermined temperature and then stop heating; and a charging base that supplies power to a motor that causes the eyepiece to oscillate, wherein the motor comprises a motor shaft. A method of applying heat and massaging action to the eyelid at the same time.
US08491502B2
A sensor docking unit for attaching and removing sensor or marker onto/from a user's limb includes a guiding portion and a limb localization unit having a detector to determine if an insertion of the user's limb into a pre-specified position within the sensor docking unit has been completed correctly. A sensor or marker mounting device includes at least one sensor or marker entity to enable at least semi-automatic attachment and/or removal of the at least one sensor or marker to/from the user's limb in a reproducible manner. The sensor or marker mounting device is activatable to start with an attachment and/or removal of the at least one sensor or marker when a correct insertion of the user's limb has been determined by the limb localization unit.
US08491494B2
A breath condensate collection apparatus comprising a central chamber, a breath input assembly, a plunger assembly and a breath condensate collection port. The central chamber has inner and outer side walls with a coolant material sealed in between. The breath input assembly is disposed on the side of the central chamber in fluid communication with the chamber interior. The plunger assembly has a piston, slidably disposed in the chamber, and a handle extending from a first end of the chamber. The collection port is disposed at the second end of the central chamber in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber. Obstructive structures may be arranged in the chamber interior for increasing the surface area on which condensate may form. The apparatus may also include an outlet assembly that may be removed and replaced with a sampling well into which the condensate may be washed with a buffer solution.
US08491480B2
A 3-dimensional (3D) ultrasound system and a method for operating a 3D ultrasound system are provided. A 3D ultrasound system includes an extractor, a processor, and a controller. The extractor scans an image of an object in a human body, and extracts a region of interest (ROI) image in an inputted ROI with respect to a selected image. The processor detects edges from a plurality of side images of the object with respect to the ROI image. The controller measures the thickness of the image using the detected edges.
US08491478B2
There are disclosed embodiments for an ultrasound system for providing a color M mode image and a brightness M mode image. A control unit calculates a time period expected to perform a first operation for the color M mode image and a second operation for the brightness M mode image once respectively, and determines an acquisition pattern defining an order of performing the first and second operations based on the calculated time period, a sweep period, and an ensemble number. The control unit controls the acquisition unit to perform, within the sweep period, the first operation a number of times equal to the ensemble number and the second operation one or more times according to the acquisition pattern. An image processor forms the color M mode image based on the first ultrasound data and forms the brightness M mode image based on the second ultrasound data.
US08491475B2
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a line-of-sight position data obtaining unit that obtains current line-of-sight position data of the operator from a line-of-sight position input unit, and a setting condition change unit that changes an area that is set based on the line-of-sight position data. Further, the setting condition change unit refers to focal point position setting condition database and changes a focal point position that is set based on the set area data. A control unit shifts the focal point position to a transmission unit and a reception unit. Furthermore, the setting condition change unit refers to the image quality setting condition database and changes a set image quality setting condition to an optimal image quality setting condition based on the set area data.
US08491474B2
Systems and methods for minimizing or eliminating transient non-glucose related signal noise due to non-glucose rate limiting phenomenon such as ischemia, pH changes, temperatures changes, and the like. The system monitors a data stream from a glucose sensor and detects signal artifacts that have higher amplitude than electronic or diffusion-related system noise. The system replaces some or the entire data stream continually or intermittently including signal estimation methods that particularly address transient signal artifacts. The system is also capable of detecting the severity of the signal artifacts and selectively applying one or more signal estimation algorithm factors responsive to the severity of the signal artifacts, which includes selectively applying distinct sets of parameters to a signal estimation algorithm or selectively applying distinct signal estimation algorithms.
US08491471B2
For minimally invasive surgical applications, an expandable surgical retractor is inserted in a surgical corridor and expanded to a desired size and shape. Cooling allows the retractor to maintain the expanded characteristic. Following surgery, the retractor can be removed in a manner that minimizes bleeding and tissue damage.
US08491466B2
An intraductal insertion device includes a thrust generating section installed at an insertion portion. The thrust generating section is made up of a flexible shaft adapted to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around a shaft axis. The thrust generating section is configured by winding the shaft axis of the flexible shaft around an axis of the insertion portion in an insertion direction.
US08491464B2
To stably and properly monitor an inside of a body by using an easily operable placement technique, a capsule endoscope 101 to be swallowed from an oral cavity 200 to acquire in-vivo information of a subject 201 and to wirelessly output for a transmission of the in-vivo information to an outside of a body, a string member 103 that is connected to the capsule endoscope 101 for positioning the capsule endoscope 101 at a gastric cardia 202, and a fixing portion 104 that is a portion of the string member 103, is provided on a position with which a length from the capsule endoscope 101 corresponds to a length from the gastric cardia 202 to the inside of an esophageal region 203 for fixing the string member 103 that has located the capsule endoscope 101 at the gastric cardia 202 to the inside of the esophageal region 203 by an endoscopic fixture are included. As a result, the capsule endoscope 101 is placed at a position of the gastric cardia 202 where an entire inside of the stomach is easily inspected, and the capsule endoscope 101 itself can easily be placed inside the esophageal region by using the fixing portion 104.
US08491463B2
An endoscope treatment system includes: an endoscope; and a treatment tool that has a sheath that is inserted in a channel of an insertion portion of the endoscope, in which projection portions that project outward from the sheath in the radial direction are provided, and engagement portions that engage the projection portions are provided near the channel of the endoscope.
US08491460B1
A method and apparatus for restoring a prolapsed vagina within a patient pelvic cavity without insertion through the vaginal cavity and without attachment to the sacrum. The apparatus includes a plurality of tubular mesh grafts for insertion through a non-vaginal laparoscopic port wherein each tubular mesh graft has an internal end and an external end and installed surgical suture woven into the external end; and further wherein the internal end is attached to a vaginal apex and a surgical button for each tubular mesh graft, that is adapted to slide on installed surgical suture from a location external to the patient's body using one of a plurality of non-vaginal groin passageways until each surgical button can be secured adjacent the external end of each tubular mesh graft leaving the tubular mesh graft within the patient pelvic cavity supporting the prolapsed vagina.
US08491457B2
The invention is directed to methods for preparing artificial blood vessels by preconditioning a matrix seeded with endothelial cells to fluid flow conditions that mimic blood flow.
US08491455B2
Medical devices, systems, and methods reduce the distance between two points in tissue, often for treatment of congestive heart failure and often in a minimally invasive manner. An anchor is inserted along an insertion path through a first wall of the heart. An arm of the anchor is deployed and rotationally positioned according to a desired alignment. Application of tension to the anchor may draw the first and second walls of the heart into contact along a desired contour so as to effect a desired change in the geometry of the heart. Additional anchors may be inserted and aligned with the first anchor to close off a portion of a ventricle such that the ventricle is geometrically remodeled and disease progression is reversed, halted, and/or slowed.
US08491451B2
This roller (10) comprises a tubular support structure (14) of horizontal axis (X-X) adapted to be rotatably mounted on a tractor-drawn support frame. A series of semi-hollow tyres with a dome-shaped profile are threaded onto this tubular support structure and enable a series of parallel furrows to be formed in the earth. The tubular support structure (14) comprises a framework formed by a plurality of bars (30) joined together by two circular end cheeks (32) between which these bars extend axially. The tyres (12) are mounted on the bars of the framework, forming with the latter an assembly that is connected for rotation and translation.
US08491449B2
A weightlifting system includes a weight bar frame rack having a first frame member that extends along a longitudinal axis. The first frame member includes a front face, a first side face, a second side face and a multiple of opposed pairs of openings disposed along the longitudinal axis. Each of the multiple of opposed pairs of openings are generally L-shaped and include a first opening and a second opening. A bracket assembly includes a mount having a first mount plate and a second mount plate spaced from the first mount plate. The first mount plate and the second mount plate are engageable relative to at least two opposed pairs of openings of the multiple of opposed pairs of openings.
US08491442B2
A hybrid vehicle is taught herein in which a clutch is disposed between an engine and a motor/generator and disengagement of the clutch is controlled in a coasting drive while dragging the engine. A drive controller engages the clutch so that the vehicle coasts while dragging the engine at a time of coasting deceleration. While coasting, when the stepped transmission of the hybrid vehicle downshifts, the clutch is disengaged during the downshift.
US08491439B2
An overrunning clutch assembly includes a first ring having pockets spaced mutually about an axis, rockers each located in a pocket, springs each urging a rocker to pivot in a respective pocket, and first notches arranged around the axis. A second ring includes second pockets spaced mutually about the axis, second rockers each located in a second pocket such that at least one second rocker is engageable with a notch, second springs each urging a second rocker toward engagement with a notch, and second notches around the axis, at least one rocker being engageable with at least one second notch. A control member moves about the axis alternately to prevent the first rockers from engaging the second notches and to permit the first rockers to engage the second notches.
US08491438B2
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a power train for a hybrid vehicle can achieve three or more fixed gear ratio modes where a vehicle is driven at a fixed gear ratio, such as shift stages of common transmission, only by the driving force of an engine without driving a motor generator, as well as an electric vehicle mode, which is the basic drive modes of a hybrid vehicle, and two or more power division modes including an input division mode and a composite mode, thereby driving the vehicle with high efficiency in accordance with traveling conditions of the vehicle and improving fuel efficiency.
US08491410B2
A shaft 6 has layers. The layers include a straight layer in which an absolute angle θa of a fiber to a shaft axis line is 10 degrees or less, a bias layer in which the angle θa is 30 degrees or greater and 60 degrees or less, and a hoop layer in which the angle θa is 80 degrees or greater. The layers include full length layers and a partial layer. The full length layers include full length bias layers and full length straight layers. The full length bias layers are located on the innermost side among the full length layers. The full length layer brought into contact with a low RC full length layer outside the full length bias layers is a high RC layer. The full length layer brought into contact with an outer surface of the full length bias layers is a high RC layer.
US08491406B2
A plurality of two or more golf club shafts designed to optimize the performance of a specific shaft with respect to a specific golf swing is disclosed herein. More specifically, the present invention discloses a plurality of two or more golf club shafts wherein a dramatic difference in torque can be achieved by two golf club shafts within the same weight classification regardless of the flex of the shaft. A plurality of golf club shafts in accordance with the present invention may generally a difference in weight-to-torque ratio of greater than about 1.5 and a difference in butt-frequency-to-torque ratio of greater than about 8.0 between any two golf club shafts within the plurality of golf club shafts.
US08491400B2
A track dog with removable parts. Embodiments describe one or more of the following features. In one embodiment, the size of the receiver for the knife shaped piece can be variable. Another embodiment describes an improved technique of holding the cable that is run under the floor. Yet another embodiment describes a device where the cable attachment mechanism are set in a location that line up with the openings in the floor to allow tightening without opening the floor. Another aspect describes a special through hole so that cable can be run through the device, e.g., to connect to another track dog.
US08491378B1
A wagering server system provides pari-mutuel wagering on a large number of entrants. The wagering server system has a wagering application which is configured for administration of pari-mutuel wagering. The application has a first tournament object which is configured to initialize into at least one first tournament component. The first tournament component represents in one embodiment a real world contested event which may have a large number of entrants. A sensory application interoperates with sensors located at the event. The sensors generate readable data digital signals when interoperating with readable data components. The wagering application also has a game play component which is configured to receive readable data digital signals, where real-time wagering may occur on the first real world contested event.
US08491376B1
A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement a slot machine (or other game) with a skill element. After reels on the slot machine are spun (or cards are dealt; wheel is stopped, etc.) a potential award is computed (e.g., a main game outcome is determined and a potential prize is displayed that can be won) based on the symbol combinations present on active paylines (or cards dealt, etc.) Then a skill element is presented to the player wherein the player uses hand-eye coordination, timing and dexterity to employ mechanical skill to stop a moving icon in order to maximize the player's award. Once the icon is stopped, a percentage is determined based on a location of the stopped icon, and this percentage is applied to the potential award to determine the actual award. The actual award is then awarded to the player.
US08491375B2
A gaming device having at least one target reel having target values, a plurality of value reels each having accumulative values, and a processor programmed to cause a spin of the target reel and value reels, accumulate the accumulative values generated on the value reels to form a cumulative value, compare the cumulative value to a designated one of the generated target values on the target reel, and provide an award to a player if the cumulative value meets a predefined mathematical threshold with respect to the designated one of the target values.
US08491373B2
A wagering game is conducted on a gaming machine in response to a wager from a player. In addition to a basic game, such as a slot game, the wagering game includes a risk/reward feature that accumulates awards over a plurality of rounds. The risk/reward feature allows the player to risk any of the awards accumulated during a current round in exchange for a possibility of “banking” the current round's awards and advancing to a next round. Regardless of whether the player undertakes the risk, the player is allowed to retain any of the awards accumulated during prior rounds.
US08491369B2
A skill game rewards a player after a round of play only upon the entry of a “correct play” that is based on the rules of the game being played. A “correct play” is determined under the rules of the particular game being played and is one that gives the player a better chance to obtain the outcome desired by the player. In some games, the “correct play” is defined mathematically. In other games, the “correct play” is determined by knowing the rules of the game being played. A combination of both methods is typical. The execution by the player of a correct play is a skill. If the player enters the correct play, the player is rewarded. The reward may be to continue the play of the game and to reward a prize to the player based on the outcome of the game.
US08491359B2
The present invention relates to a polishing pad that comprises a polishing sheet for polishing a substrate, a buffer sheet comprising a plurality of holes, and adhesive for adhering the buffer sheet to the polishing sheet; wherein the adhesive is formed by polymerizing macromolecules with fluidity. A method of polishing a substrate comprising using the polishing pad and a method for manufacturing the polishing pad described above are also provided.
US08491358B2
Methods for orienting superabrasive particles in a superabrasive tool are provided. In one aspect, for example, a method for orienting superabrasive particles in a tool is provided. Such a method can include providing a plurality of superabrasive particles having a preselected average size, preselecting a thickness for an amorphous braze layer to be applied to a substrate, wherein the thickness is based on the average size of the plurality of superabrasive particles, and applying an amorphous braze layer to the substrate at the preselected thickness. The method can further include dispersing the plurality of superabrasive particles onto the amorphous braze layer, and melting the amorphous braze layer to cause the plurality of superabrasive particles to rotate and sink into the amorphous braze layer, wherein the thickness of the amorphous braze layer is such that the rotation and sinking of the plurality of superabrasive particles is halted by the substrate in an attitude whereby substantially all working ends of the plurality of superabrasive particles are sharp portions. The amorphous braze layer can then be cooled to fix the plurality of superabrasive particles into the tool.
US08491353B2
A method is provided for manufacturing a high-precision mold whereby a feature matching a desired feature design is carved into a hard mold material (41) using, for example, a diamond grinding wheel and/or a diamond turning point. Inherent imprecision and errors (49) introduced by the use of the grinding wheel/turning point are measured to determine deviations from the desired feature design. An ultrafast shortpulse laser is then activated to desirably ablate the deviations, thereby correcting the errors and conforming the feature to the desired shape. Furthermore, a thin film (1602) may be formed over the feature either prior to or after the laser ablation process, where the error measurement and laser ablation processes detects and ablates errors on the surface of the thin film, respectively. Additionally, the laser ablation process may be applied directly to, for example, an optical lens (1400) formed from an imprecise mold to remove any errors and imperfections thereon.
US08491352B2
A single piece garment for those having a distended abdomen, said garment extending upwards from the groin to beneath the breasts. The garment comprises an inner layer and an outer layer. The inner layer has several elastomeric fabrics having differing modulus of elasticity. A section beneath the abdomen is formed from an anisotropic elastomeric fabric with a low modulus of elasticity that supports a distended abdomen. Side panels extending upwards from the abdomen across the hips to the lumbar region are made from an isotropic elastomeric fabric having a moderate modulus of elasticity. These connect to a rear panel across the lumbar of an anisotropic elastomeric fabric having a moderate modulus of elasticity. The directionality of the anisotropic elastomeric fabrics is from the abdomen across the hips to the lumbar region. The entire garment has an outer layer of an isotropic elastomeric fabric with a relatively low modulus of elasticity except for an elastomeric fabric across the lumbar region formed from a high modulus anisotropic elastomeric fabric.
US08491345B2
An electrical contact assembly including a housing defining a bore having an internal groove formed therein; an axial canted coil spring having a plurality of spring coils, each spring coil having a spring coil length, the plurality of spring coils disposed in the internal groove with a groove width having a width dimension; wherein at least one spring coil comprises a minor axis length that is greater than the width dimension. An insertion object sized for insertion into the bore of the housing; wherein a clamping force of the axial canted coil spring retains the insertion object within the bore; and wherein the axial canted coil spring provides an electrical conductive path between the insertion object and the housing that is less than 50% of the spring coil length.
US08491343B2
A socket assembly includes a base and a number of sockets. The base includes a bottom wall and two sidewalls. A conductive base is formed on the bottom wall and forms at least two conductive pieces parallel to the sidewalls. An extension plate extends from the top of one of the sidewalls toward the other sidewall. A number of cutouts are defined in the bottom surface of the extension plate. Each socket includes a main body and a fixing member mounted on the top of the main body. The manipulation of the fixing member allows the repositioning of a socket within the base, or the removal of a socket.
US08491339B2
A card adapter (10) is configured to receive a first card (20) and to be inserted into a card connector (1) into which a second card may be mated. The card adapter includes a housing having first (120) and second (110) intermateable insulative plate members and a circuit member (130) arranged in the housing. The circuit member includes a plurality of adapter side contact pads (136), each being configured to contact a terminal of the card connector, and a plurality of conductive leads (133), each lead extending between one of the adapter side contact pads and a termination end (134, 135). A plurality of connection terminals (150) are provided with each being interconnected to one of the termination ends of the conductive leads and configured to engage a contact pad (251) of the first card. The first plate member may include a plurality of deformable projections (127) configured to engage a first surface of the circuit member and press the circuit member against the second plate member. The circuit member may have a plurality of through-holes with the terminals having solder tails that extend into the through holes.
US08491337B2
An electrical connector includes: an insulating body, having a plurality of terminal slots formed through the insulating body; a plurality of terminals, each correspondingly received in each terminal slot; and at least one recessed portion, recessed on the insulating body and located between at least two terminals, and plated with a metal shielding layer. As the recessed portion is recessed between at least two terminals, the air medium capacity can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the recessed portion, so as to adjust the characteristic impedance between the adjacent terminals to a desired value, thereby improving the high-frequency performance of the electrical connector. Furthermore, the recessed portion is plated with the metal shielding layer, so that the terminals are shielded and prevented from getting in contact with the metal shielding layer, thus avoiding the problem of short circuit.
US08491334B2
A connector for a coaxial cable that includes a connector body and a deformable sleeve. The deformable sleeve and the connector body have cooperative structure for engaging the deformable sleeve with the receiving end of the connector body for securing a cable in the connector body. The deformable sleeve has a front section connected to a rear section by a web. The deformable sleeve is movable from a first position, wherein the front end of the deformable sleeve is separably attached to the receiving end of the connector, to a second position, wherein the cable is compressively secured in the connector body. The web stretches and/or breaks when the deformable sleeve moves into the second position.
US08491332B1
Embodiments relate to a C5/C6 coupler having a substantially equivalent shape and size as a C7/C8 coupler. Embodiments relate to a power supply cord that provides an earth connection to the cord. Still more particularly, embodiments relate to a slim inlet that provides a make-first-and-break-last earth connection and prevents incompatible cords, different type of connectors, from being connected to the slim inlet.
US08491325B2
A connector includes a first body, and a second body movably disposed on the first body. The first body includes a first plate, and a second plate connected to the first plate. The second body is located between the first plate and the second plate for clamping a reversible cable with the first body. The connector further includes a first connecting terminal disposed on the first body for contacting a first transmission terminal of the reversible cable, a second connecting terminal disposed on the second body for contacting a second transmission terminal of the reversible cable, and a buckling structure. The buckling structure includes a first buckling portion disposed on the first body, and a second buckling portion disposed on the second body. The second buckling portion is clamped with the first buckling portion in a loose fit manner.
US08491321B2
An objective is to produce the plug-in-connector for DC-wiring with safety by preventing degradation of contact points by shortening of period when arc is caused due to detaching and attaching the plug. An electrical outlet comprises an inversion-spring electrically connected to the plug's blade inserted from the insertion-hole. Both the ends of the inversion-spring are fixed to the inversion-spring's body, whereby the inversion-spring's intermediate-portion is moved between the contact position of making an elastically contact with the blade and the non-contact position of making a space having a predetermined distance or more for cutting the arc. The blade pushes the intermediate-portion to move it to the non-contact position by twisting the plug having a contact condition between the intermediate-portion and the blade. The intermediate-portion is inverted to have an elastic contact to the blade by pushing the push button to move the intermediate-portion, with non-contact position, by the driving member.
US08491320B2
A chip card ejecting mechanism includes a main body, a tray slidably fixed to the main body, a latching element, a first elastic member and a second elastic member. The tray defines a latching groove. The latching element includes latching board, a latching block protruding from the latching board, and a triggering member rotatably fixed to the main body. The first elastic member is resisted between the latching board and the main body, to make the latching block latch with the latching groove. The second elastic member is fixed to the main body and is compressed by the tray. After the triggering member rotates relative to the main body to release the latching block from the latching groove, the second elastic member decompresses to drive the tray out of the main body.
US08491312B2
A flexible magnetic interconnect is disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a module having a recess therein. A magnetic structure is moveable within the recess and a flexible circuit cooperates with the module to retain the magnetic structure within the recess. Movement of the magnetic structure is caused by magnetic attraction between the magnetic structure and an external magnetic structure. The flexible circuit includes a compliant contact, which changes shape by movement of the magnetic structure.
US08491311B2
Embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed that analyze student performance and provide feedback regarding the student performance, for example, to an instructor, other school official, parent or directly to the student. In certain embodiments, the methods and systems communicate in real time with the educational program, for example, math or science games, lessons, quizzes or tests, to provide contemporaneous feedback or recommendations to the instructor regarding student performance. In addition, embodiments of the systems and methods evaluate and provide feedback of the effectiveness of the educational program itself, and track progress at different levels, for example, a student, class, school or district level, over a multitude of different durations and time periods. Still further, embodiments of the systems and methods perform comprehensive data analysis and statistical computations.
US08491309B2
A wearable wound simulant for simulating a battlefield wound is presented. The simulant facilitates a graphically and functionally realistic medical training tool. The simulant includes a skin replica and a wound. The skin replica is shaped to conformably contact and cover a body region either in part or whole. The skin replica further includes a plurality of bendable layers arranged to approximately replicate the visual and tactile properties of human tissue and at least one tear resistant layer composed of a fabric material disposed between two bendable layers. At least one tear resistant layer is less stretchable than the elastic limit of the bendable layers so as to prevent failure thereof. The bendable and tear resistant layers form a self-sealing structure. A three-dimensional wound structure is disposed along the skin replica so as to replicate the appearance and functionality of a penetrating or non-penetrating injury.
US08491303B2
Oral appliance activation devices and methods which are used to facilitate the securement, adjustment, or removal of an oral appliance, e.g., a crown or bridge, from a reconfigurable abutment assembly are described. The adjustable abutment assembly may be secured to an anchoring implant bored into the bones within the mouth. The abutment assembly has a projecting abutment portion with one or more shape memory alloy elements extending along the projecting abutment portion. Energy may be applied to the elements via the activation devices directly over or adjacent to the oral appliance to actuate the elements and thereby either secure or loosen the oral appliance relative to the abutment.
US08491296B2
A lip drive part for a T-die that adjusts a gap between first and second lips includes an actuator acts on a flexible lip part forming at least one of the first and second lips of a T-die body, includes a lever that acts on the flexible lip part, a first bellows that narrow the gap by acting on the lever when being expanded, and a second bellows that widen the gap by acting on the lever when being expanded.
US08491286B2
A micropump includes: a tube unit which includes a tube having elasticity and a circular-arc-shaped part, a plurality of fingers extending in radial directions from the circular-arc center of the circular-arc shape of the tube, and a tube guide frame which holds the tube and the plural fingers; a control unit which includes a cam for sequentially pressing the plural fingers from the fluid flow-in side to the fluid flow-out side of the tube, a rotor for giving rotational force to the cam, and an oscillator having a piezoelectric element and a projection disposed at an end in the longitudinal direction to contact the rotor; a reservoir which communicates with a flow inlet portion of the tube; a control circuit unit which inputs a drive signal to the piezoelectric element; and a power source which supplies power to the control circuit unit, wherein the tube unit is attachable to and detachable from the control unit substantially in the horizontal direction with respect to the rotation flat plane of the cam, and the oscillator is oscillated by applying alternating voltage to the piezoelectric element, rotational force is repeatedly given to the rotor from the projection, the plural fingers are sequentially pressed by the cam from the flow-in side to the flow-out side of fluid, and fluid is transported by repeating closure and open of the tube.
US08491285B2
The invention concerns a hose cartridge for a peristaltic pump comprising a cartridge housing, comprising a flexible pump hose segment extending through the cartridge housing, wherein both ends of the pump hose segment are fixed in the cartridge housing by a first fixing member and a second fixing member, wherein the first fixing member and the second fixing member are arranged in the area of a first front face of the cartridge housing, and wherein the cartridge housing includes a recess for the engagement of a roller wheel of the pump in the interior of the cartridge housing. It is characterized by that the pump hose segment extends in the hose cartridge along a circular segment (K) spanning an angle of at least 90°, when the hose cartridge is not inserted into the pump.
US08491280B2
An oil-flooded screw compressor drives a pair of rotors at a rotational speed which is low enough not to increase torque for a short amount of time after start-up and accelerates the pair of rotors up to a normal-operation rotational speed after oil discharge. Alternatively, the oil-flooded screw compressor rotates the pair of rotors for a short amount of time after the remaining compressed gas is discharged after a halt, thereby allowing the oil accumulated inside the working chambers to be discharged and ensuring smooth start-up after the halt.
US08491277B2
A submersible motor pump includes a water jacket having a circulation passage of a coolant, a centrifugal impeller for circulating the coolant, a suction passage configured to provide fluid communication between the circulation passage and a fluid inlet of the centrifugal impeller, and a discharge passage configured to provide fluid communication between a fluid outlet of the centrifugal impeller and the circulation passage. The discharge passage includes a heat-exchange passage formed by two wall surfaces, one of which is constituted by a member which contacts a liquid conveyed by a main impeller. The heat-exchange passage has a circular shape extending radially outwardly from the fluid outlet of the centrifugal impeller. The heat-exchange passage includes at least one axial passage section having a length component in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.
US08491267B2
A retaining ring arrangement is provided for axially holding a component on a rotating component of a gas turbine engine. The retaining ring arrangement comprises a split retaining ring mounted in a circumferential groove defined in a radially outer surface of the rotating component. The inner diameter of the retaining ring is biased inwardly in radial contact with a radially outer facing seat provided on one of the two components to be assembled. An anti-rotation feature is provided at the inner diameter of the retaining ring for restraining the ring against rotation. A sleeve surrounds the retaining ring to limit radial expansion thereof when subject to centrifugal forces during engine operation.
US08491264B1
A trailing edge cooling circuit for a turbine rotor blade, which includes a radial flow cooling channel that supplies cooling air for the T/E region of the blade. Three radial flow cooling channels are located adjacent to one another and connected to the radial flow cooling supply channel, each discharging through an opening along the T/E just underneath the blade tip. The radial flow cooling channels in the T/E region are connected together by rows of metering holes in the middle spanwise height of the blade that produce mixing of the cooling air flowing upward toward the blade tip and improve the cooling effectiveness of the cooling air. A row of exit holes along the T/E discharge cooling air from the third radial flow cooling channel.
US08491259B2
A seal apparatus in a gas turbine engine between a transition duct and a vane structure in a first row vane assembly. The seal apparatus includes a transition seal structure associated with the transition duct and a vane seal structure associated with the vane structure. The transition seal structure includes a transition base portion that defines a first axially facing surface, a first transition lip member extending axially from the first axially facing surface, and a second transition lip member radially spaced from the first transition lip member and extending axially from the first axially facing surface. The vane seal structure includes a vane base portion that defines a second axially facing surface, a first vane lip member extending axially from the second axially facing surface, and a second vane lip member radially spaced from the first vane lip member and extending axially from the second axially facing surface.
