US08650358B2
A storage system includes a controller that specifies a first virtual volume (VVOL) and a first RAID group (RG) of an electrical power saving target. The controller judges whether there is a first real area based on the first RG that is allocated to a second VVOL. If there is, the controller moves data in the first real area to a free real area based on a second RG other than the first RG, and executes a moving processing in which a real area based on the second RG is allocated, as a substitute for the first real area, to a virtual area to which the first real area is allocated. The controller sets all of physical storage devices (PDEVs) that configure the first RG to be in an electrical power saving state if there is no real area based on the first RG that is allocated to the second VVOL.
US08650353B2
Described herein are an apparatus, system, and method for refreshing a non-volatile memory. The method comprises loading a time stamp, corresponding to data in a data location of a non-volatile memory, to a register; determining an elapsed time, corresponding to the data in the data location, according to the loaded time stamp; and refreshing data of the data location for which it is determined that the elapsed time exceeds a refresh time associated with the non-volatile memory.
US08650347B2
An arbitration device and method including validating a second signal after a first signal is selected for a given number of times when the first signal and the second signal conflict, where the first signal has a first priority based on a priority order corresponding to a plurality of processes and the second signal has a second priority lower than the first priority.
US08650344B2
A method for operating a KVM switch with independent OSD and control channels comprises the steps of: receiving a functional instruction from the operation and control device; outputting a switch signal to turn off the picture of the selected computer, and starting the channel for the OSD signals; retrieving a pre-stored OSD background picture, and outputting the OSD background video signal and the control command to the OSD processing chip and OSD video switching circuit, and displaying via the monitor; inputting a functional instruction to select an OSD operation picture; outputting the selected OSD operating picture to the OSD processing chip and then to the monitor; inputting a functional instruction to stop the OSD operation; the OSD control system unit enabling the OSD video switching circuit to turn off the channel of the OSD signals, and controlling to switch back to the picture of the computer.
US08650340B2
A system may include a buffer monitor configured to monitor buffer content of a buffer being used during processing of a query workflow in which write tasks of the query workflow write data to the buffer and read tasks of the query workflow read data from the buffer, the buffer having a buffer capacity. The system may include a threshold manager configured to compare the buffer content to a low threshold and to a high threshold that are defined relative to the buffer capacity, and a speed controller configured to control a number of the write tasks relative to a number of the read tasks that are currently executing the query workflow, to thereby maintain the buffer content between the low threshold and the high threshold.
US08650333B2
An operation terminal 1 is configured so as to transmit, as a control command, an individual control command transmitted individually to a specific control device 2 of control devices 2, or a collective control command broadcasted collectively to two or more control devices 2 of control devices 2. Control terminal 2 comprises: a command determination unit 2d determining whether received control command is individual control command or collective control command; and an information processing unit 2b which, if received control command is individual control command, responds by collectively broadcasting to a plurality of operation terminals a state change notification corresponding to execution of individual control command, and, if received control command is collective control command, responds by collectively broadcasting to operation terminals 1, with a timing different from the other control terminals 2, a state change notification corresponding to execution of collective control command.
US08650321B2
A lightweight end-to-end network architecture in which the transport layer is a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) layer is disclosed. The network architecture also includes a Hyper Text Transport Protocol (HTTP) layer, a Messages over TCP (MT) protocol layer, a Message over Device-initiated HTTP (MDH) protocol layer, a multiplexing layer, and a facility layer. The MDH and MT layers are used in the alternative. The MT layer has a low overhead requirement. The MDH layer provides an enhanced firewall traversal capability.
US08650319B2
A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.
US08650316B2
A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.
US08650299B1
A scalable cloud infrastructure serves two or more customers, where each customer is associated with at least one unit of virtual resources. The virtual resources are established by apportioning physical resources in the cloud infrastructure that are partitioned into pods within one or more zones in a scalable manner. Each pod comprises a strongly connected discrete set of physical resources in a zone. Additionally, the cloud infrastructure establishes one or more management server clusters each comprising one or more management servers. Each management server is configured for allocating the units of virtual resources to an account associated with each customer. The traffic from two or more customer accounts within the scalable cloud infrastructure is isolated and segmented.
US08650295B2
Technology for network security is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of managing network security includes receiving sampled packets. The sampled packets represent packets being sampled from network packet traffic in at least one location in a network. The sampled packets are converted into an appropriate format for analysis to form converted packets. Moreover, the converted packets are sent to a first group including at least one security device for analysis. If an event message is generated by the at least one security device as a result of analysis of the converted packets, the event message is received from the at least one security device. Network security is evaluated based on the event message and security policies and is adjusted based on that evaluation. The method may be implemented with a network manager.
US08650292B2
Synthetic transactions for a network system are generated based on monitoring of the network system to determine whether the network system may be blind to traffic. A process determines whether an application within an application server in a network system is processing traffic received by the application server, and whether a web server within the network system and in communication with the application server is receiving traffic that requires processing by the application. The process determines that the network system may be blind to the traffic, and, in response, generates a synthetic transaction instruction and a corresponding synthetic transaction to test whether the network system is blind to the traffic. Based on a response of the network system to the synthetic transaction, the process determines whether there is a malfunction of the application server or a period of low traffic activity of the application server.
US08650291B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for best practices analysis of zones and components in a network. A database has information on components in the network and configuration settings for the components. Best practices rules indicate best practices configuration settings for components in the network. The database and the accessed best practices rules are processed to determine whether the configuration settings for the components in the network satisfy the best practices configuration settings for the components indicated in the best practices rules. A report is generated indicating whether the configuration settings of the components in the network satisfy the best practices configuration settings for the components indicated in the best practices rules.
US08650289B2
Some embodiments provide a method for estimating bandwidth for receiving data at a device during a communication session from a set of servers based on identities of the servers. During the session, the method receives a first set of data packets reflecting a first server identity. The method detects a change of server identity during the session based on a second set of received data packets that reflect a second server identity that is different from the first server identity. The method uses the second server identity to calculate a bandwidth estimate that accounts for the change based on a history of interactions during the session with the second server.
US08650277B2
The present disclosure enables remote device management. A programmatic interface is associated with each application plug-in. A web server included with the on-device agent provides access to the programmatic interfaces according to open standards such as HTML or XML. The present disclosure enables access to remote devices through existing infrastructure without the need for proprietary systems. An IT administrator or other administrator may remotely access and update software and hardware, track device data plan usage statistics, provide live support, and track current and historical device locations. The phone and messaging feature enables an administrator to access information regarding data plan and usage statistics of devices. This allows organizations to optimize data plans based on messaging, e-mail, and other data plan statistics. Further, the present disclosure allows access to network connectivity details of devices and logs of emails, text messages, and the like.
US08650273B2
A system and method for providing dynamic access through which I/O access such as serial ports, and thus administrators who manage servers, can see, obtain health, state or interact concurrently with multiple VMs on a given physical server. More specifically, in certain embodiments, the system and method includes a dynamic port count virtual serial concentrator coupled with a virtualization device to map emulated serial ports to virtual machines along with a remote plugin that provide dynamic concurrent serial access to many virtual machine serial consoles under a secure and collaborative friendly environment.
US08650269B2
Information handling system network addresses are managed based on the location of the information handling system. For example, a blade information handling system chassis has network addresses stored in persistent memory and associated with each of plural slots. A blade information handling system inserted in a slot receives network addresses associated with the slot from a chassis management controller. A baseboard management controller of the blade information handling system receives the network addresses and applies the network addresses to power up networking components to communicate over a network with the network addresses, such as MAC addresses or WWN addresses.
US08650267B2
Logging into a remote computer by way of a management processor to initiate a remote console session and switching between a default remote console session and a non-default remote console session.
US08650262B2
Endpoint-based parallel data processing in a parallel active messaging interface (‘PAMI’) of a parallel computer, the PAMI composed of data communications endpoints, each endpoint including a specification of data communications parameters for a thread of execution on a compute node, including specifications of a client, a context, and a task, the compute nodes coupled for data communications through the PAMI, including establishing a data communications geometry, the geometry specifying, for tasks representing processes of execution of the parallel application, a set of endpoints that are used in collective operations of the PAMI including a plurality of endpoints for one of the tasks; receiving in endpoints of the geometry an instruction for a collective operation; and executing the instruction for a collective operation through the endpoints in dependence upon the geometry, including dividing data communications operations among the plurality of endpoints for one of the tasks.
US08650259B2
Disclosed are methods and systems for expanding the search space in a Peer-to-Peer (“P2P”) network. In one embodiment, the search space is expanded by increasing the time-to-live value of the search request message. The P2P network may include a plurality of nodes, and the method for increasing the search space in the network includes the steps of receiving a search request message; changing a time-to-live value carried by the message; and forwarding the message to at least one peer node.
US08650256B2
Communications security by enforcing offline consumption and auto-termination of electronic messages
A restrictive presentation system can receive an electronic message configured for offline consumption expressed as user-specified delivery conditions. The electronic message can be securely conveyed to a computing device in an online state using a communications network. A client application of the restrictive presentation system can be installed upon the computing device and can receive the electronic message. The client application can detect a change of the computing device from the online state to the offline state. In response to user-acceptance, the electronic message can be presented upon the computing device while in the offline state. Upon user-termination of the presentation, the electronic message can be automatically deleted from a storage location of the computing device. When the computing device returns to the online state, the client application can notify the restrictive presentation system of the offline consumption.
US08650254B2
A system for providing version control for documents attached to electronic mail messages in which a user's personal document library is used to store documents attached to the email messages the user sends and/or receives. Each time an attached document is transmitted or received within a message thread, a different version of the document is created and stored in the personal document library. The multiple document versions created allow the disclosed system to provide the user with the options of opening the most recent version of an attached document and/or opening the version of the attached document that is associated with the specific opened message. An attached document is represented within an email message using a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), where the stored URL points to the version of the attached document for that message that is stored in the user's personal document library. Through an API (Application Programming Interface) provided by the personal document library, the most recent version of a document can be requested, or another specific version of the document can be indicated for opening.
US08650243B2
Described herein are aspects relating to a system and method for scaling a session initiation protocol communication system that allows components of the system to be distributed and/or scaled across multiple and different hardware, networks, systems, and locations.
US08650233B2
A random number generator includes: a variable frequency oscillator that includes: a selection circuit having multiple input terminals and an output terminal; a parallel circuit having an input terminal and multiple output terminals that are respectively connected to the input terminals of the selection circuit, the parallel circuit including one or more buffer circuits to be selected by the selection circuit; and an inverter circuit having a control terminal, the inverter circuit being connected to the input terminal of the parallel circuit and to the output terminal of the selection circuit; and a latch circuit connected to the variable frequency oscillator.
US08650224B2
Batching content management operations to facilitate efficient database interactions is disclosed. Two or more content management-related requests are received. The two or more content management-related requests are treated as a batch, including by formulating and sending to a database in a single database interaction a grouped request to add, delete, or modify each of a plurality of database records.
US08650222B2
A improved tract-based lease data management systems is described that allow for rendering maps of database entities with reduced data entry. The invention includes methods for linking, unlinking, detecting invalidating changes, and rebuilding database entity geographical representations.
US08650218B2
A node in a computer network is enabled to form a hypercube comprising stored metadata. The node is enabled to exchange the hypercube metadata with neighboring nodes and any hypercube metadata therein. Upon receipt of a query at a node, metadata discovery is initiated using the hypercube metadata, and an overlay is built using results from the metadata discovery.
US08650216B2
Distributed storage of collaboration data is managed over internal and external data stores in a collaboration service environment based on categorization of the data. The categorization may be based on type of data (e.g. structured vs. unstructured), how the data is accessed, an expected storage life for the data, back-up requirements, and the like. Data that can be stored externally according to its category is then directed to the external storage through a storage provider. A unique identifier associated with the location of the externally stored data is saved in one of the internal data stores for seamless retrieval of data in a transparent manner to the user.
US08650215B2
A computing device, executing a decoy application server that does not have access to real data, receives a service request from a client. The decoy application server protects a designated application server, wherein the decoy application server and the designated application server include instances of a single Java application server program. The decoy application server establishes a connection to a false database via a decoy Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) driver. The decoy application server retrieves false data from the false database, and provides the false data to the client.
US08650202B2
In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided methods, systems, and apparatuses for implementing a session table framework including, for example, receiving a request at a host organization from a client device, in which such a request specifies an application available via the host organization; generating a user session unique to the client device in a memory of the host organization; creating a user session data table within the user session; processing the request via the application specified by the request on behalf of the client device; updating the user session data table based on the processing of the request; and transmitting a response to the client device responsive to the request.
US08650198B2
Systems and methods (e.g., utilities) for use in providing automated, lightweight collection of online, open source data which may be content-based to reduce website source bias. In one aspect, a utility is disclosed for use in extracting content of interest from at least one website or other online data source (e.g., where the extracted content can be used in a subsequent search query). In other aspects, utilities are disclosed that are operable to perform various types of analyses on such extracted content and present graphical representations of such analyses on a display of a client device.
US08650196B1
One or more server devices may receive first navigation information identifying a first set of documents that are selected after a first document is presented and second navigation information identifying a second set of documents that are selected after a second document is presented; compare the first set of documents to the second set of documents; generate a similarity score based on the comparing; determine based on the similarity score, that the first document is similar to the second document; and generate, based on determining that the first document is similar to the second document, a cluster that includes identification information identifying the first document and the second document.
US08650192B2
Methods and apparatuses for real-time or near real-time streaming of content using transfer protocols such as an HTTP compliant protocol. In one embodiment, a method includes dividing a stream of data, representing the contiguous time based content of a program (e.g. a live video broadcast), into a plurality of distinct media files, and generating a playlist file having a plurality of tags and Universal Resource Indicators (URIs) indicating an order of presentation of the plurality of distinct media files. The plurality of media files and the playlist file can be made available for transmission to a client device which can retrieve the media files using the playlist file.
US08650183B2
A system and method for processing an SQL query made against a relational database is disclosed. In one example embodiment, the method includes receiving the SQL query made against the relational database. Further, the received SQL query is parsed to obtain each operator and associated one or more operands and sequence of execution of the operators. Furthermore, a closure-friendly operator is dynamically generated for each operator and the associated one or more operands in the received SQL query. In addition, the dynamically generated closure-friendly operators are executed based on the obtained sequence of execution of the operators.
US08650171B2
A process is disclosed for retrieving information in large heterogeneous data bases, wherein information retrieval through visual querying/browsing is supported by dynamic taxonomies; the process comprises the steps of: initially showing (F1) a complete taxonomy for the retrieval; refining (F2) the retrieval through a selection of subsets of interest, where the refining is performed by selecting concepts in the taxonomy and combining them through boolean operations; showing (F3) a reduced taxonomy for the selected set; and further refining (F4) the retrieval through an iterative execution of the refining and showing steps.
US08650164B2
A data object management scheme for storing a large plurality of small data objects (e.g., image files) in small number of large object stack file for storage in secondary storage (e.g., hard disks). By storing many individual data objects in a single object stack file, the number of files stored in the secondary storage is reduced by several orders of magnitude, from the billions or millions to the hundreds or so. Index data for each object stack file is generated and stored in primary storage to allow efficient and prompt access to the data objects. Requests to store or retrieve the data objects are made using HTTP messages including file identifiers that identify the files storing the data objects and keys identifying the data objects. A file server stores or retrieves the data object from secondary storage of a file server without converting the requests to NSF or POSIX commands.
US08650162B1
A method for integrating data deduplication with block level incremental data backup is described. In one embodiment, the method includes accessing from memory at least one modified data block of a file, wherein the file is partitioned into a plurality of deduplication segments, identifying at least one deduplication segment that corresponds with the at least one modified data block, computing using at least one processor a signature for each deduplication segment of the at least one corresponding deduplication segment and comparing using at least one processor each signature that is associated with the at least one corresponding deduplication segment with signature information that is associated with backup data to identify at least one duplicate data block within the backup data and the at least one modified data block.
US08650160B1
A computer-implemented method for restoring multi-tier applications may include (1) identifying a request to restore a multi-tier application from a backup of the multi-tier application, the multi-tier application including a plurality of individually relocatable components, (2) in response to the request, retrieving a configuration data store from the backup, the configuration data store including a topology of the plurality of individually relocatable components, (3) parsing the configuration data store to extract at least a portion of the topology from the configuration data store, and (4) restoring at least a portion of the multi-tier application based on the portion of the topology. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
US08650151B2
An approach for connecting the inputs and the outputs of multiple services in such a way that the entire transaction can be tracked from beginning to end and from service to service is provided. The pipeline architecture of the present invention passes information through a sequence of nodes, each node providing some processing or filtering before passing information to the next node in the pipe. A transaction's token passes down a pipe of services. The pipe can have forks and branches, so a transaction's token is passed from node to node carrying messages from one node to another. The overall transactional information is not lost from service to service; instead it is carried up and down the length of the pipeline. As the transaction's token is passed up and down the pipeline, its history passes with it. The pipe links a chain of nodes connected end-to-end.
US08650150B2
In one embodiment the present invention includes a computer implemented method of relating data and generating reports. The method includes storing, by an OLAP system, a network data structure that relates a plurality of data objects. The method further includes storing transactional data in an in-memory database in the OLAP system. The method further includes generating, by the OLAP system, a report using the stored transactional data according to the network data structure. In this manner, deficiencies of the traditional star schema paradigm of data warehousing may be avoided.
US08650146B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for matching regular expressions. A buffer of symbols giving a number of the last occurrence positions of each symbol is maintained. When two constants match on either side of a regular expression operator, the buffer of symbols is queried to determine if a member of the complement of the regular expression operator occurred between the two constants. If so, then the operator was not satisfied. If not, then the operator was satisfied.
US08650145B2
In a storage system, snapshots of data are created according to a snapshot algorithm in response to writes. The snapshot algorithm is selected from among a plurality of different snapshot algorithms according to one or more criteria.
US08650140B2
There is provided an information processing apparatus including: evaluation information extracting means extracting evaluation information from evaluation of every user for an item; preference information creating means for creating preference information indicating a preference of every user on the basis of the evaluation information extracted by the evaluation information extracting means and an item characteristic amount indicating a characteristic of the item; space creating means for creating a space in which the user is located, according to the preference information; and display control means for controlling display of the user located in the space, according to the space created by the space creating means and the preference information. The apparatus may be applied to, for example, an image display apparatus which displays server images for providing a variety of items and information.
US08650137B2
In a machine condition monitoring technique, related sensors are grouped together in clusters to improve the performance of state estimation models. To form the clusters, the entire set of sensors is first analyzed using a Gaussian process regression (GPR) to make a prediction of each sensor from the others in the set. A dependency analysis of the GPR then uses thresholds to determine which sensors are related. Related sensors are then placed together in clusters. State estimation models utilizing the clusters of sensors may then be trained.
US08650133B2
The present invention is embodied in adaptive rating methods and systems. The adaptive rating method includes receiving a first rating for a first product from a user, receiving a second rating for a second product from the user, identifying a conflict with a processor by comparing the first rating and the second rating, soliciting feedback from the user to remedy the conflict, and adjusting at least one of the first or second ratings with the processor responsive to feedback from the user. The steps of the method may be embodied in computer executable instructions stored on a non-transient machine readable medium that cause a processor to perform the method when executed by the processor. The system includes a processor configured to perform the steps of the method.
US08650131B2
A system and method for measuring or at least detecting the effect of at least implicit communication on transactions within a social group, optionally such as consumer purchases for example. The group may optionally comprise a social network, a pair, 3 or more individuals and so forth. By “implicit communication” it is meant communication for which there is no record, for example in a database. The aftereffects of such communication may optionally be determined, detected and/or measured through detection and/or measurement of influence, as described in greater detail below. For example, if a first consumer performs purchase of an item and a second consumer later purchases the same or similar item within a given time period, the two purchases may optionally be linked through influence which may in turn have optionally occurred through implicit communication. Optionally, the system and method may also measure or at least detect the effect of explicit communication, for which there is a record, for example in a database that describes the communication itself.
US08650119B2
Historical data is used to manage and authorize payment for merchant offerings for transactions among a plurality of transaction parties. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, invoiced item quantities are processed using historical fulfilled and billed quantities of each item. If invoiced item quantities involved items that have been fulfilled but not billed, payment for the invoiced items is authorized. If some or all of the invoiced items have not been fulfilled or have been previously billed, payment authorization is withheld for at least the portion of unfulfilled or previously billed (and paid) invoiced items. With this approach, historical information relative to order fulfillment and payment status is used to automatically process invoices (e.g., audit the invoices for payment).
US08650112B2
A synthetic instrument known as a “Total Fair Value Swap” is disclosed. According to one embodiment, the Total Fair Value Swap may comprise an agreement between two counterparties, a “Fixed Rate Payer” and a “Floating Rate Payer”. According to the agreement, the Fixed Rate Payer makes a stream of payments to the Floating Rate Payer based on a fixed rate, and the Floating Rate Payer makes a second stream of payments to the Fixed Rate Payer based on a floating rate, wherein a first portion of the floating rate is based on a reference interest rate, and wherein a second portion of the floating rate is based on a credit spread associated with the Floating Rate Payer. The reference interest rate may be, for example, London Inter-Bank Offer Rate (LIBOR), prime interest rate, the US dollar swap rate, the U.S. Treasury Bond rate or any other widely traded interest rate that is reset periodically. The credit spread may be observed from the Credit Default Swap (CDS) market.
US08650108B1
Systems and methods for prioritizing multiple funding requests within an enterprise are provided. Aspects of the invention may be used in enterprises where separate departments or groups within the enterprise have differing goals. It often is beneficial to ensure that funded projects within the various departments do not deviate from the enterprise's core goals, such that the enterprise suffers from profit erosion and/or an undue risk. In one aspect, novel methods provide a segment score to prioritize different projects in the context of the enterprise's risk, strategy, and finance goals. In another aspect, a computer-readable medium may be used to execute computer-readable instructions for prioritizing multiple projects in view of the enterprise's goals.
US08650102B2
A financial data processing system includes a foreign exchange (FX) certificate management system, a covered warrant management processor, and a trade processing system. The FX certificate management system includes a computer system configured to structure a zero-coupon FX certificate. The certificate is structured to have a redemption value that is determined based on a currency exchange rate measured at a time of maturity of the certificate. The covered warrant management processor includes a computer system configured to structure a FX covered warrant product based on an underlyer that includes a foreign exchange certificate structured by the FX certificate management system. The trade processing system includes a database storing buy and sell related data and tracking investor portfolio information, and a user interface system to generate user interface display screens enabling interaction with a user.
US08650090B2
A system and method for turning a buyer into a prospective seller in an electronic marketplace. After the buyer enters into a binding agreement to purchase an item, the buyer is provided with an option of re-listing the purchased item for resale. The purchased item is re-listed if the buyer opts to re-list it. An ecommerce listing to sell the purchased item is automatically generated based on the previous listing. The user only needs to provide the selling price to complete the listing. The purchased item can be re-listed in the same marketplace where the item was purchased or in a different marketplace.
US08650080B2
Systems, methods and media for detecting fraudulent behavior during an Internet commerce session are disclosed. Embodiments of a method may include establishing an e-commerce session with a user and requesting fraud detection analysis of user-browser interaction during the e-commerce session. Embodiments may also include receiving fraud detection results for the e-commerce session, where the fraud detection results may provide an indication of a comparison between the user's interaction with a browser during the e-commerce session and known fraudulent behavior. Embodiments may also include performing an action based on the fraud detection results. Determining the fraud detection results may include determining user-browser interaction data associated with the session and comparing the user-browser interaction data to known fraudulent human or automated program behavior. Performing the action based on fraud detection results may include one or more of completing an e-commerce transaction, requesting additional authentication, denying the requested action, etc.
US08650076B2
A method, within a computer hardware system, includes the following. A first functional marketing element associated with a second entity is inserted within a first website associated with a first entity. A second functional marketing element associated with the first entity is reciprocally inserted within a second website associated with the second entity based upon the first functional marketing element being inserted within the first website. A list of web assets is provided to the first entity in response to a search request, and a selected one of the web assets is inserted within the first website. The second functional marketing element, within the second website, includes a link to the first website, and the first functional marketing element, within the first website, includes a link to the second website.
US08650072B2
Systems and methods are disclosed that provide offers for goods or services based on the locations of potential customers and the geographic locations of the merchant. The offers may be limited in quantity and acceptance and redemption of the offers may be limited in time. A unique identifier may be associated with each accepted offer. A merchant may have at least some control over the creation and rendering of one or more offers for the merchant's goods and services.
US08650062B2
Prior art methods base inventory management on maximizing cost. The present invention shifts the focus to maximizing economic profit, taking income tax into account. Systems and methods are provided for digitally calculating an economic profit quantity that maximizes economic profit, defined as the excess of net operating income over capital charge, as well as the corresponding values of economic profit and recommended safety stock. Methods are provided for utilizing the economic profit quantity and associated recommended safety stock quantity for automatically placing orders, for choosing among suppliers, and for calculating space requirements.
US08650060B2
The invention provides a plan execution control apparatus, a plan execution control method and a plan execution control program capable of giving instructions for sensitively and efficiently maintaining even installations located in a wide range. The plan execution control apparatus includes a linkage reliability calculating section for calculating a target reliability of a single or a plurality of mutually related installations, a damaged state transition control section that provides a damaged state transition structure of the installations, a maintenance time limit calculating section for calculating a time limit related to the maintenance work to meet the target level of reliability of each key point and section, the constraint control section for recognizing and recording the constraints related to traveling of maintenance personnel, the traveling workload and the acceptable workload, and the itinerary maintenance determining section for calculating the itinerary schedule indicating the assignment to the object to be maintained.
US08650057B2
Methods and systems for structuring and operating an integrated energy merchant enterprise are provided. Enterprise core value creation functions are first identified. The core value creation functions are those that are primary profit and loss drivers and are generally market facing entities. The core value creation functions are then integrated with one or more integration functions. The integration functions and core value creation functions are controlled with one or more governance functions.
US08650055B2
The system provides a method to automate the complex processes that occur at the end-of-life of IT hardware assets, and at the same time, increase the resale value of these assets. Using the system, an IT manager is able to identify a scalable number of systems for Secure Disk Wiping, Diagnostic Testing, Hardware Audit, License Recovery and Backup. These tasks are schedule driven in one embodiment, performed on multiple systems simultaneously, and minimizing the usage of network bandwidth. (In one embodiment, the system is agentless). At the same time, an IT manager can increase resale value by; restoring operating systems to hard drives once wiped, diagnostically testing systems, and capturing detailed hardware information all of which can be supplied to potential buyers or new users of repurposed/refurbished components.
US08650053B2
A system and method are provided for identifying exposure concentrations. The process of determining exposure concentrations may include organizing exposure data, defining parameters, determining elevated exposure concentrations, and providing output results. The exposure data may relate to at least geographical locations, policies, accounts, portfolios, treaties, and other exposure data. The parameters may be defined to include at least an area of analysis, a region of interest, a threshold amount, results parameters, and other parameters. The exposure concentration may include at least defining and locating exposure locations using various techniques. The results may be presented using textual, graphical, or other display schemes. The output may be configured to convey information such as positional accuracy of an identified area, exposure accumulation in a defined area, and other information.
US08650041B2
The present invention relates to a method, device and a computer program product for compensated staff data for one or more care units which are related to a plurality of care unit observations. The method comprises receiving staff data, receiving patient data relating to a plurality of care need parameters, determining a care need for each of a plurality of patients based on the patient data, receiving care unit data, and generating compensated staff data for the one or more care units based on the care need, the staff data and the care unit data, and transmitting the compensated staff data. By using the invention, compensated staff data may be provided in an efficient and reliable manner.
US08650038B2
Systems and processes may obtain and manage electronic signatures for documents for real estate transactions. Documents for real estate transactions may be received and/or generated by the system. The documents may include metadata or software keys that are associated with signature blocks on the documents. The system may identify the signature blocks using the metadata or software keys and present the positions for signature by the user.
US08650028B2
A method comprises analyzing each frame of a plurality of frames of the speech signal to determine one or more speech parameters for the speech signal; deciding, for each frame of the plurality of frames of the speech signal, based on the one or more speech parameters of the speech signal, to select one of a plurality of encoding modes including a first encoding mode and a second encoding mode for encoding each frame of the plurality of frames of the speech signal; encoding each frame of the plurality of frames of the speech signal according to the selected one of the plurality of encoding modes for each frame of the plurality of frames in the deciding; the first encoding mode supports a first encoding rate and the second encoding mode supports a second encoding rate, wherein the first encoding rate is the same encoding rate as the encoding rate.
US08650017B2
A computer system for recommending an optimal treatment protocol comprising a model of biological processes related to a disease. A treatment protocol generator generates a plurality of treatment protocols for treating a disease using drugs. A selector selects an optimal treatment protocol from the plurality of treatment protocols based on model. The model further comprises a pharmacokinetics macro module adapted to analyze interactions between a ligand and a population of target cells at a tissue level. The model further comprises a pharmacokinetics micro module adapted to analyze interactions between the ligand and a cell at an individual cell level. The pharmacokinetics micro module is adapted to model behavior of the ligand and receptors related to single cell level of ligand-cell interactions, as a stochastic process.
US08650011B2
A method for determining an estimate of a response characteristic that depends on a number of input factors includes developing a mathematical model of the response as a function of the input factors based on a statistical fit of a plurality of measured data points. The method also includes mapping the value of the response characteristic and the input factors at a plurality of conditions. The method combines the mapped data with the mathematical model to produce an estimate of the response characteristic that is more accurate over a range of conditions than either the mapped data or the model taken individually.
US08650008B2
A method, system and article of manufacture are disclosed for developing corner models for various classes of nonlinear systems. The method comprises the steps of determining whether an explicit relationship between one or more performance targets vs. statistical model parameters is known; and deciding, when an explicit relationship between one or more performance targets vs. statistical model parameters is known, whether the relationship is linear or nonlinear. The relationship is constructed in the fractional form when an explicit relationship between one or more performance targets vs. statistical model parameters is not known. In one embodiment, the invention provides an optimal corner model solution for a single performance target, which varies with statistical parameters nonlinearly. In another embodiment, the invention provides an optimal and common corner model solution for multiple performance targets which vary with statistical model parameters nonlinearly. A step of decreasing the order of a target function on statistical model parameters may be used in the process of generating corner models.
US08649991B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide not only a technical solution for calibrating a positioning device but also a technical solution for characterizing an area of interest in a space. Specifically, there is provided a system, which may include: a tag capable of emitting ranging signals, placed at location points which are selected as space feature points in the space; a positioning device in the space, configured to obtain relative coordinates of the space feature points in relation to the positioning device based on the ranging signals from the tag; and a server, configured to determine location parameters of the positioning device in the space based on the relative coordinates, so as to calibrate the positioning device. The positioning device can be calibrated automatically, fast and accurately using the system.
US08649985B2
A method is provided for performing fatigue evaluation of a fatigue prone location of a tangible structure by converting multi-axial loading data of the fatigue prone location of the tangible structure to a set of equivalent constant amplitude loading data for the tangible structure. According to the method, a multi-axial load locus representing the tangible structure is generated. Time-dependent interior turning points R and any corresponding projected turning point R* art identified along the loading path from the point of origin P to the point of termination Q. Half cycles in the loading path are counted by referring to the interior and projected turning points R, R* along the loading path and to the point of origin P and the point of termination Q on the load locus. A stress range Δσe, loading path length L, and virtual path length for each of the counted half cycles are determined. Additional stress ranges Δσe, loading path lengths L, and virtual path lengths are determined recursively for half cycles counted in additional loading paths on the load locus. A system is also provided for performing fatigue evaluation. Methods are also provided for counting and displaying the number of load cycles represented in multi-axial loading data of a fatigue prone location of the tangible structure. Additional embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08649978B2
Provided is a velocity calculating device including a vertical acceleration detector that detects a vertical acceleration generated due to an undulation of a contact surface; a horizontal angular velocity detector that detects a horizontal angular velocity generated due to the undulation; a correlation coefficient calculator that calculates a correlation coefficient that represents a degree to which an acceleration in the direction of travel is mixed into the vertical acceleration in accordance with an attachment angle; a true vertical acceleration detector that calculates a true vertical acceleration by subtracting the acceleration in the direction of travel mixed into the vertical acceleration from the vertical acceleration, the acceleration in the direction of travel mixed into the vertical acceleration being calculated using the correlation coefficient; and a velocity calculator that calculates a velocity of a moving body on the basis of the true vertical acceleration and the horizontal angular velocity.
US08649965B2
A vehicular display apparatus in a host vehicle is provided with a display output portion including a ring-shaped light-emitting area that represents presence of a different vehicle. A direction specification processor specifies a direction indicating presence of the different vehicle with reference to the host vehicle based on position information about the host vehicle and the different vehicle. A distance specification processor specifies a distance between the host vehicle and the different vehicle based on position information about the host vehicle and the different vehicle. A display control processor displays part of the light-emitting area so that the displayed part is positioned in a direction specified by the direction specification processor and has a length based on a distance specified by the distance specification processor.
US08649964B2
An other vehicle information providing device, can be configured to assign priority to a plurality of other vehicle information inputted to the own vehicle and provides other vehicle information having high priority. The other vehicle information providing device includes a priority memory means for storing priority information. An information switching index value calculation means which predicts future priority after a lapse of a predetermined period based on the stored priority information, which can include latest priority and priority previous to the latest priority, and calculates an information switching index value based on the latest priority, the priority previous to the latest priority, the priority before the priority previous to the latest priority and the future priority. An information providing means provides other vehicle information based on the information switching index value.
US08649962B2
Planning a route for a convoy of automobiles, including: identifying a plurality of automobiles included in a convoy; planning, for the convoy by a route planning module, a route from an origin to a destination in dependence upon current automobile traffic between the origin and the destination, automobile characteristics of the convoy, and aggregate user preferences of convoy automobile users; and providing for display, by the route planning module to a route display module of each automobile in the convoy, the convoy's route.
US08649957B2
A control device is provided that generates a target air-fuel ratio by lessening a change speed of a required air-fuel ratio of an internal combustion engine. However, when a deterioration degree of a catalyst which is disposed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine is a predetermined reference or more, lessening of the change speed of the required air-fuel ratio is stopped, or a lessening degree of the change speed of the required air-fuel ratio is decreased. The control device calculates a target air quantity for realizing the required torque under the target air-fuel ratio. For calculation of the target air quantity, data in which relationship of torque generated by the internal combustion engine and an air quantity taken into a cylinder is fixed by being related to an air-fuel ratio can be used.
US08649950B2
A rotary power source directly drives an epicyclic gear set, or drives the epicyclic gear set through a transmission device, and a respective controllable multiple speed-ratio device is individually installed between two output shafts of the epicyclic gear set and the loads driven thereby, to enable the wheel sets of the driven loads to be differentially driven with a different driving speed ratio and driving torque while propelling a combined common load. A limited slip differential or stabilizer device may be connected between the output ends of the two controllable multiple speed-ratio devices, the limited slip differential or stabilizer providing a slip coupling torque to stabilize driving of the respective individual loads, as necessary.
US08649949B2
In a vehicle shift control apparatus, a T/M_ECU has data of cancellation conditions stored therein in advance, which vary depending on modes of driving force characteristics and, in a temporary manual shift mode, selects a cancellation condition for the temporary manual shift mode which corresponds to a current mode and makes a determination as to whether the cancellation condition is satisfied. If it is determined that the cancellation condition for the temporary manual shift mode is satisfied, the T/M_ECU returns the temporary manual shift mode to the automatic shift mode.
US08649947B2
A powertrain for a vehicle is provided having an engine, a transmission, a torque transfer mechanism, a hydraulic fluid circuit, and a transmission control module. The torque transfer mechanism includes a hydraulic fluid pump and is drivingly connected to an output member of the engine and an output member of the torque transfer mechanism is drivingly connected to the input member of the transmission. The hydraulic fluid circuit has a hydraulic valve in communication with the first fluid port of the hydraulic fluid pump. The transmission control module include a control logic for operating the powertrain during a vehicle launch event.
US08649925B2
A system and method is provided for controlling operation of an electric oil pump in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). The HEV includes an engine and a transaxle including an electric motor coupled to a traction battery. A commanded speed for the electric oil pump is determined and whether the engine in the HEV is in an off state is determined. When the engine is in the off state, the electric oil pump is controlled to operate at the commanded speed.
US08649923B2
A pulse width modulation (PWM) Frequency Adaptation Mechanism (PFAM) is configured to receive vehicle state input, and in response to the vehicle state input, provide a PWM parameter for PWM switching of electronics in a power conversion circuit of an electric drive system (EDS) for a hybrid electric vehicle. In one example, a PWM parameter that reduces the audible noise generated by PWM switching can be designated by the PFAM. A PFAM can be configured to receive user input regarding user preference for a default mode or a noise reduction mode. Vehicle state input can include input related to vehicle motion, climate control system state, engine state, EDS state, vehicle body state and audio system state. By way of example, a PWM noise reduction parameter can comprise a high PWM switching frequency, or a random frequency hopping about a low PWM switching frequency.
US08649919B2
A method for attenuating effects of turbulence on an aircraft, and a device to implement the method, the method including: using at least one signal on a wind profile signal, along an excitation direction, representing, at a given moment in an aircraft referential, a component along the excitation direction of the wind speed at a front of the aircraft according to a distance along a longitudinal direction of the aircraft; carrying out a frequency determination, in which the wind profile signal is processed to determine a frequential content; and selecting a control strategy to be adopted according to the previously determined frequential content, the strategy enabling at least one applicable control law to be identified.
US08649907B2
A wireless system is provided for monitoring environmental, soil, or climate conditions and controlling irrigation or climate control systems at an agricultural or landscape site. The wireless system includes a wireless sensor network including a plurality of sensor nodes for monitoring environmental, soil, or climate conditions and controlling one or more irrigation or climate control systems at the site. The wireless system also includes a server computer system located remotely from the site. The server computer system is coupled to the wireless sensor network over a communications network for receiving data from and controlling operation of the sensor nodes. The server computer system is also coupled to a device operated by an end-user over a communications network for transmitting the data to and receiving remote control commands or queries from the end-user.
US08649897B2
A method for laying-up the tapes of a prepeg composite material in the 0° direction of a non-planar composite component on a suitable mold using an ATL machine includes the steps of: a) determining the trajectories of the tapes as modified trajectories of geodesic trajectories complying with the following conditions in their projections in an horizontal plane: that the curvature radius R2 of their curved segments is bigger than a predetermined value Rmin; that the gap G2p between two contiguous tapes is comprised between 0 and a predetermined value Gmax; and b) providing modified trajectories to the ATL machine. The invention also refers to a non-planar composite component such as an skin of an aircraft wing having the tapes in the 0° direction following trajectories complying with conditions described.
US08649885B2
Methods and control systems are provided for controlling stage position errors based, in some embodiments, on a selection of frequency components in a stage position error signal. An error frequency representation of a position error signal may be generated in the frequency domain and filtered by selecting one or more desired frequency components. The filtered error frequency representation can then be manipulated according to a control law and transformed back into the time domain to generate a current control signal. The current control signal can then be used to adjust the position of the stage to reduce positioning error.
US08649884B2
A model predictive controller (MPC) for controlling physical processes includes a non-linear control section that includes a memory that stores a non-linear (NL) model that is coupled to a linearizer that provides at least one linearized model, and a linear control section that includes a memory that stores a linear model. A controller engine is coupled to receive both the linearized model and linear model. The MPC includes a switch that in one position causes the controller engine to operate in a linear mode utilizing the linear model to implement linear process control and in another position causes the controller engine to operate in a NL mode utilizing the linearized model to implement NL process control. The switch can be an automatic switch configured for automatically switching between linear process control and NL process control.
US08649882B2
A universal lighting source controller including integral power metering for use with substantially all light source types including fluorescent, incandescent, magnetic low voltage, electronic low voltage, light emitting diode (“LED”), high density discharge (“HID”), neon, and cold cathode. The lighting source controller includes a line voltage dimming circuit that can control the intensity of light sources in a lighting circuit and measures the actual amount of power consumed by the light sources. The line voltage dimming circuit includes a triac circuit for controlling this intensity and current and voltage detection circuits for measuring the power consumption. The lighting source controller can also include low voltage dimming circuits to provide a control signal to light sources having electronic or magnetic dimming ballasts to set the intensity of these light sources.
US08649879B2
One embodiment is a stimulation lead including a lead body comprising a longitudinal surface, a distal end, and a proximal end; and multiple electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body. The multiple electrodes include multiple segmented electrodes with each of the segmented electrodes having an exterior surface, an interior surface opposite the exterior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. At least one of the segmented electrodes includes one or more of a) at least one channel formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode, b) an arcuate groove formed in at least one of the distal end surface or the proximal end surface, or c) a notch formed in the segmented electrode and extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the segmented electrode.
US08649865B2
Time delays between a feature of a signal indicative of electrical activity of a patient's heart and a feature of a plethysmograph signal indicative of changes in arterial blood volume are used to arrange the operation of an implantable device, such as a pacemaker. Shorter time delays between the feature of the signal indicative of electrical activity of a patient's heart and the feature of the plethysmograph signal indicative of changes in arterial blood volume are indicative of larger cardiac stroke volumes. The time delay can be used to select a pacing site or combination of pacing sites and/or to select a pacing interval set.
US08649858B2
An improved architecture for an implantable medical device such as an implantable pulse generator (IPG) is disclosed. In one embodiment, the various functional blocks for the IPG are incorporated into a signal integrated circuit (IC). Each of the functional blocks communicate with each other, and with other off-chip devices if necessary, via a centralized bus governed by a communication protocol. To communicate with the bus and to adhere to the protocol, each circuit block includes bus interface circuitry adherent with that protocol. Because each block complies with the protocol, any given block can easily be modified or upgraded without affecting the design of the other blocks, facilitating debugging and upgrading of the IPG circuitry. Moreover, because the centralized bus can be taken off the integrated circuit, extra circuitry can easily be added off chip to modify or add functionality to the IPG without the need for a major redesign of the main IPG IC.
US08649847B1
A biopsy needle has a central axis and includes one or more sensing regions, each sensing region formed by a plurality of sensing optical fibers located over a particular extent of said central axis and inside the outer shell of the needle. The sensing optical fibers are coupled to a wavelength interrogator. A steerable catheter has a central axis and outer shell, the outer shell coupled to a plurality of optical fibers in sensing regions and actuation regions, the sensing regions formed over particular extents of the central axis by bonding gratings to the inner surface of the outer shell, and the actuation regions formed by coupling optical energy into shape memory alloys bonded to the outer shell.
US08649845B2
A method for identifying and activating specific axonal pathways for achieving therapeutic benefits during a neural stimulation, such as deep brain stimulation. Clinical data, diffusion tensor tractography, and computer models of patient-specific neurostimulation may be used to identify particular axonal pathways activated by deep brain stimulation and to determine their correlations with specific clinical outcomes.
US08649844B2
Using a three-dimensional medical image representing a heart as input, a cardiac function analysis unit calculates a cardiac function evaluation value representing a cardiac function with respect to each of predetermined portions of the heart, using a three-dimensional medical image representing the heart as input, a myocardial infarction analysis unit calculates a myocardial infarction rate representing a degree of myocardial infarction with respect to each of predetermined portions of the heart, and a superimposed image output unit outputs a superimposed image representing the cardiac function evaluation value and the myocardial infarction rate in a superimposing manner such that they are distinguishable from each other in a coordinate system capable of representing each position of the heart in the three-dimensional medical image.
US08649836B2
A needle-type fluorescence sensor that measures glucose based on fluorescence produced by excitation light is provided. The needle-type fluorescence sensor includes a needle body section including a sensor portion disposed in a needle distal end portion and metal lines disposed from the sensor portion to a needle proximal end portion, and a connector which is integrated with the needle body section and in which the metal lines extend. The sensor portion includes a silicon substrate having first and second principal surfaces, a PD device that converts fluorescence into an electric signal, an LED device that transmits fluorescence and emits excitation light, and an indicator layer that interacts with an analyte under the excitation light to produce fluorescence. The PD device, the LED device, and the indicator layer overlap with each other above the first principal surface of the silicon substrate.
US08649835B2
Methods are provided for the detection of an analyte in a sample using wavelength modulated differential photothermal radiometry with enhanced sensitivity. A wavelength modulated differential photothermal radiometry system, comprising two optical modulated beams, where each beam experiences different absorption by the analyte, is calibrated by controlling the relative phase difference between the modulated beams so that individual photothermal signals corresponding to each modulated beam are 180° out of phase, corresponding to peak sensitivity to analyte concentration. The system may be further calibrated by varying the relative intensities of the two modulated beams and measuring standards containing known analyte concentration in order to determine an optimal relative intensity for a given concentration range of interest.
US08649828B1
A mobile communication device may include a wireless communication system, a power-consuming subsystem, a source of power, a usage detector, and a power management system. The power-consuming subsystem may be a subsystem other than a display system and the wireless communication system. The usage detector may be configured to detect when the mobile communication device is and/or is not being actively used by a user. The power management system may be configured to remove power from the power-consuming subsystem when the usage detector detects that the mobile communication device is not being actively used by a user. The power management system may be configured to thereafter reapply power to the power-consuming subsystem in response to detection by the usage detector that the mobile communication device is being actively used by a user.
US08649821B2
A communication system including, a computer including a controller operable to transition between a plurality of power modes, including a normal power mode and at least one power saving mode, an amplifier that may be enabled or disabled by the controller, to receive audio data from said controller, and a battery to supply power to the controller and to the amplifier, and a communicator coupled to the computer, including a modem to communicate over a wireless network, to enable the amplifier, and to transmit audio data to the amplifier, and a power supply to supply power to the modem.
US08649817B2
Systems and methods for transitioning calls using a headset are presented. In one example, a headset is operable to form a first local wireless link with a first telecommunications device and form a second local wireless link with a second telecommunications device. The headset is operable to switch to a call transition mode, where during the call transition mode a user interface is adapted to receive a transition call input action. Responsive to the transition call input action, a call with a call participant on the first telecommunications device is terminated and a call with the call participant on the second telecommunications device is connected.
US08649790B2
A method in a base station for configuring a wireless terminal for performing a cell reselection or handover evaluation process “evaluation process” is provided. The wireless terminal is arranged to perform multiple evaluation processes parallel to each other, which multiple evaluation processes are governed by different set of mobility parameters. The base station determines (302) whether or not the multiple parallel evaluation processes, shall be used by the wireless terminal, based on the result of an establishment (301) of the mobility state, such as movement speed, of the wireless terminal. The base station signals (306) an identifier to the wireless terminal (110), which identifier identifies the determined whether or not the multiple parallel evaluation processes shall be configured to be used by the wireless terminal for evaluating cell reselection or handover.
US08649787B2
A mobile terminal device (ME) determines whether it is located in the local radio area (HFB) of the network (MN) or in another radio area (FB2) and the determined radio area (HFB, FB2) is indicated to an application (APPL) of the network (MN). The application (APPL) is used to control a communication request (KV) addressed to the mobile terminal device (ME) by another network (FN) either to its local radio area (HFB) or to forward it to the other radio area (FB2) or the communication request (KV) is informed that the terminal device (ME) is not located in the local radio area (HFB). The invention allows communication requests coming in on the network (MN) to be directly switched to the local radio area (HFB) using the application (APPL) or to be directly forwarded to the mobile radio address in the mobile radio network of which the mobile terminal device (ME) is located, thereby avoiding or substantially reducing roaming or forwarding of communication requests from the local radio area (HFB) to another radio area and thereby achieving an economical operation of mobile telephone terminal devices (ME) with local radio area (HFB).
US08649775B2
A method used in the acquisition of a voice signature associated with the status or tracking of shipped goods is provided. The method includes initiating a call and/or data communication between a remote user and/or device and a shipment tracking system and vice versa. The call and/or data communication is then associated with a shipment. A status of the shipment is determined and a time stamp is assigned to the call. A digital voice recording is generated and if a delivery event a voice signature is acquired during the call. The voice signature is stored to the remote tracking system wherein the voice signature is associated with the shipment, shipment status and time stamp. The voice signature is transformed to text, wherein the text is associated with the voice signature. Finally an electronic shipment status based on the voice signature, text associated with the voice signature, the shipment, shipment status and time stamp is provided. The location of the event is acquired via GPS and/or cellular tower servicing the device, location, and or transforming the voice recording of an event into a latitude and longitude location and or town, city, state and/or country of event.
US08649765B1
A communication apparatus for connecting to a network that requires authentication is provided. The apparatus includes a network controller for connecting to the network; a controller for controlling a connection to the network via the network controller; a sensor for obtaining biometric information of a user of the communication apparatus; and a memory for storing a subscription module applied to authentication towards the network. The subscription module includes identification information created based on biometric information of the user. In order to establish a connection to the network by use of the subscription module stored in the memory, the controller obtains biometric information of the user by use of the sensor and compares the obtained biometric information to the identification information in the subscription module.
US08649758B2
Emergency instructional messages are utilized to provide instructions to a user in the event of an emergency. The instructional message may be various media, including, but not limited to, text, images, video, audio, and/or multimedia. The instructional message can be prerecorded and stored in a mobile device and/or on a communications network. Instructional message may be provided manually by an alert initiator and/or automatically based upon a type of alert. The instructional message may be initiated based upon the initiation of an emergency alert system (EAS) transmission, the occurrence of an event, a designated person, or a security violation, for example. Further, the instructional message may be tailored depending upon a location, such as the expected or determined location of the intended recipient or communication device of the instructional message.
US08649750B2
A method, apparatus, and article containing computer instructions are described. In an embodiment an apparatus includes a radio-frequency receiver to receive a training packet. The receiver may include a processor. The processor may include modules for performing carrier recovery. A coarse estimator module may derive a coarse frequency offset from the training packet; and a fine estimator module may derive a fine frequency offset from the training packet substantially simultaneously and in parallel with the coarse estimator module. A carrier recovery module may perform carrier recovery using the fine and coarse frequency offsets.
US08649741B2
A radio frequency module is configured to enter a power saving mode with high reliability. The radio frequency module includes, e.g., a first switch transistor for coupling a transmission node to an antenna, a second switch transistor for shunting the transmission node to a ground voltage, and a level shift circuit for performing on-off control of the first and second switch transistors by positive and negative power supply voltages. The level shift circuit, upon receiving a sleep instruction while the module is in a transmission operation mode in which the first switch transistor for coupling a transmission node to an antenna is turned on and the second switch transistor for shunting the transmission node to a ground voltage is turned off, first transitions to an isolation operation mode in which the first switch transistor for coupling a transmission node to an antenna is turned off and the second switch transistor for shunting the transmission node to a ground voltage is turned on for a first period of time, and then transitions to a sleep mode in which the positive and negative power supply voltages are deactivated.
US08649733B2
A system and method for quick authentication between Bluetooth devices are disclosed. The method includes: adding a central node (11) in a trusted environment (10, 13) of a Bluetooth device, wherein, said control node makes authentication with each trusted device (12) in the trusted environment and stores an information list containing information of each trusted device; after the information of a trusted device in the trusted environment is updated, the central node sends synchronization information to the trusted device that needs to update the synchronization information, and the trusted device receiving the synchronization information implements the update of the synchronization information.
US08649728B2
A finger-sensing apparatus (23) and a method with a page detection mechanism (47). The apparatus (23) comprises a finger-sensitive substrate (26) having a plurality of keypads (30), a page detection mechanism (47), a control circuit (31) and a pliable media (25). When a finger (33) of a user is proximate to a keypad (30), the control circuit (31) detects a change in a characteristic at the keypad (30). The page detection mechanism (47) determines a page (24) exposed to the user and sends the information to the control circuit (31). The characteristic is a capacitance.
US08649724B2
A cleaning system has a composite photoreceptive imaging member having a support layer, an electrically conductive layer interfacing with the support layer, a photoconductive charge generation layer interfacing with the electrically conductive layer and generating charge holes and electrons in response to exposure to electromagnetic radiation; a charge transport layer that allows charge holes to migrate from the charge generation layer to the outer surface while resisting migration of electrons from the charge generation layer to the outer surface and a cleaning blade member having a cleaning surface layer against the electrostatic surface to at least in part remove toner and debris from the outer surface. The cleaning surface layer has a first material and a second material that are combined in proportions that cause a triboelectric charge to be formed on the outer surface having a difference of potential of between zero and minus 20 volts.
US08649723B2
There is provided a protective agent feeding member, which contains a core and a foam layer provided on an outer periphery of the core, in which the protective agent feeding member is in the shape of a roller, and the foam layer has a roughened surface and has a maximum height Ry of 400 μm to 1,630 μm.
US08649722B2
A novel protective agent supply device is provided including a protective agent block including a metal salt of a fatty acid; a rotatable foamed roller having a foamed layer having open cells, that is in continuous contact with both the protective agent block and an outer peripheral surface of an image bearing member that bears a toner image, and that scrapes the protective agent block and supplies the scraped protective agent to the outer peripheral surface of the image bearing member during rotation of the foamed roller; and a pressing unit that presses the protective agent block against the foamed roller.
US08649718B2
An apparatus forms a plurality of patterns using a plurality of colors as a second pattern, and a plurality of patterns using one of the plurality of colors as a second pattern. The apparatus obtains a first detection result indicating the pitch of each one of the plurality of patterns of the first pattern, and a second detection result indicating the pitch of each one of the plurality of patterns of the second pattern. The apparatus calculates a difference between the first detection result and the second detection result to obtain a difference value, and calculates a correction value using the second detection result and the difference value. The correction value is used to control an image forming apparatus to suppress color shifts in the images.
US08649717B2
An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes: a formation unit configured to form marks for measurement of a positional deviation on a relatively moving object; an optical sensor having a detection region on the object, and configured to output a light receiving signal depending on existence of the marks within the detection region; a removing unit configured to perform a noise removing process, including a first noise removing process and a second noise removing process which use different removing methods for removing noises included in the light receiving signal so as to generate a noise removing result; and a measurement unit configured to measure a positional deviation amount of image formed by the formation unit, based on the noise removing result.
US08649715B2
An image forming apparatus includes: a developing device that allows a developer to be retained on a developer carrier having a magnet member equipped with a plurality of magnetic poles mounted on an inner periphery thereof and rotates the developer carrier to deliver the developer to an image carrier and that forms a toner image by supplying the toner of the developer to the image carrier by applying a developing bias voltage from a bias voltage source between the developer carrier and the image carrier; a transfer device for transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier to a transfer receiving material; a toner recovery device for recovering the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after the transfer of the toner image; and a toner return device for returning to the developing device the toner recovered by the toner recovery device.
US08649713B2
A toner container includes a cylindrical container body, a cap having a toner outlet, and a shutter. The cap includes a primary positioning hole, formed in an upper front surface perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the toner container, extending in the longitudinal direction, to determine an installation position of the cap relative to the image forming apparatus, a secondary positioning hole, formed in a lower front surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toner container, extending in the longitudinal direction forward the toner outlet, to subsidiary determine the installation position of the cap, and a first restriction member to position the cap in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, projecting vertically upward from an outer circumferential surface of the cap and symmetrical about a virtual perpendicular line passing through a cross-sectional center position of the primary positioning hole perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.
US08649710B2
A toner cartridge for use in an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for containing toner therein. The housing has an exit port in fluid communication with the reservoir. A cover is mounted on an exterior portion of the housing that is pivotable between a closed position blocking the exit port and an open position unblocking the exit port. The cover is biased toward the closed position. An actuation mechanism is operatively connected to the cover to open the cover upon being actuated by an engagement feature in the image forming device.
US08649709B2
A toner supplying device and an image forming apparatus that supply toner stably and do not impose a stress on toner, regardless of a remaining amount of toner stored in a storage container of the toner supplying device are provided. Two flexible sheets constituting a toner scooping blade are bonded to each other with a double-sided adhesive tape that functions as a spacer and an adhesive member sandwiched therebetween at an end fixed to a blade support neck and the other end in contact with an inner wall of the toner storage container. Whereby, a gap is formed between the two flexible sheets.
US08649708B2
A developing apparatus according to the present disclosure is partitioned into a plurality of convey chambers which include a first convey chamber and a second convey chamber which are disposed substantially in parallel with each other, the second convey chamber has a U shape in section, a sensor disposition portion, where a toner concentration sensor is disposed on a bottom surface, is formed in an upstream with respect to a restriction portion in a developer convey direction, across a predetermined width in the developer convey direction including a detection surface of the toner concentration sensor, a distance between curved surface portions on both sides of a U-shaped inner wall surface and the second stir member is wider than another portion of the second stir chamber.
US08649702B2
An electrostatic charger device according to this invention includes a cleaner member, an operating rod, a guide portion, and a bending member. The cleaner member is configured to clean an electrode housed in a housing by pressing against the electrode. The operating rod has one end in a longitudinal direction to which the cleaner member is fixed. The guide portion is disposed at one end of the housing in a primary scanning direction and has a through-hole through which the operating rod extends in the longitudinal direction, the guide portion supporting the operating rod to enable the cleaner member to reciprocate between a first position and a second position. The bending member is configured to bend the operating rod in such a manner that an intermediate portion of the operating rod projects away from an image bearing member when the cleaner member is in the first position.
US08649693B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image holding member, an exposing device, a developing device, a transfer device, a fixing device, a container mounting portion demountably mounted with a toner container, a toner supply unit supplying the toner to the developing device from the toner container, a first estimation unit estimating an amount of toner used on the basis of the image data, a second estimation unit estimating the amount of toner used on the basis of a toner supplying operation of the toner supply unit, and an emptiness determining unit determining emptiness of the toner container on the basis of only the amount of toner used estimated by the first estimation unit in a first state and both the amounts of toner used estimated by the first and second estimation units in a second state.
US08649691B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and method for detecting optical signals. The optical signal detection apparatus includes: a signal receiver to convert a received optical signal into an electrical signal; a threshold decision unit to establish a mathematical model based on the electrical signal and to decide an optimized threshold value based on the mathematical model; and a signal detector to detect the electrical signal based on the optimized threshold value. Hence, since threshold values optimized adaptively according to received signals are used, a bit error rate may be lowered and accordingly detection performance may be improved.
US08649690B2
A system configured to maintain a consistent local-oscillator-power-to-primary-signal-power ratio (LO/SIG ratio). The system may be configured to: receive the voltages for a plurality of optical signal components split from a combined SIG and LO signal; determine individual factors for the plurality of optical signal components; average the individual factors; determine whether the averaged output is less than a minimum reference value for a variable optical attenuator; determine whether the averaged output is greater than a maximum reference value for the variable optical attenuator; change a value associated with the averaged output to the minimum reference value, due to determining that the averaged output is less than the minimum reference value; change a value associated with the averaged output to the maximum reference value, due to determining that the averaged output is greater than the maximum reference value; and change a new value associated with the averaged output to be transmitted to the variable optical attenuator.
US08649675B2
An interchangeable lens mountable to a camera body includes a zoom lens configured to adjust an angle of view of a subject image, a driver configured to move the zoom lens in an optical axis direction, a plurality of operating members configured to generate an operation signal for driving the driver according to operation performed by a user, a communication unit configured to receive, from the camera body, setting information for setting valid/invalid of at least one of the plurality of operating members, and a controller configured to control the driver. The controller drives and does not drive the driver based on the operation signal from the operating member having been set to valid and invalid, respectively, by the setting information received through the communication unit.
US08649670B2
A water heater comprises an inner container (1) and an outer container (2). An upper part of the inner container (1) is connected with an insulating water inlet pipe (3) which communicates with a cavity of the inner container (1); the outer container (2) is provided to encase the inner container (1) and it is axially movable relative to the inner container (1); two different heating electrodes (4) are connected with one end of the inner container (1) and one end of the outer container (2) respectively; water outlet holes (5) are provided on the inner container (1) and the outer container (2). As a result, the insulating water inlet pipe forms a hot water supply circuit in a sandwiched layer between the inner and the outer containers. By adjusting the spaces between the inner and the outer containers to regulate electrical current, water temperature control is achieved.
US08649663B2
An information processing device includes a control unit configured to store in a recording medium a piece of attribute information specified by a user input from among a plurality of sequential pieces of the attribute information in association with a predetermined time period of a content stored in the recording medium.
US08649661B2
A storage medium includes text-based subtitle data including style information for use with an apparatus and a method of playing back the storage medium. The storage medium includes moving image data, and subtitle data for providing a subtitle for the moving image data. The subtitle data is recorded based on a text to be separated from the moving image data and includes information used to select or change an output style of the subtitle. Accordingly, the subtitle can be output using style information selected by a user, and a style in which a subtitle is output can be changed.
US08649659B2
In at least some embodiments, the present invention relates to methods and systems for enabling media content to be utilized or output by way of media presentation devices. In one such embodiment, a method includes receiving at a first cloud a first signal from a first media presentation device indicative of a request or command that a content signal transmission be paused, and sending a second signal including bookmark information from the first cloud to a second media presentation device. The method further includes receiving a third signal from the second media presentation device, the third signal being indicative of a further request or command that the transmission of the media content signal be resumed, and resuming the transmission. In additional embodiments, the present invention relates to methods of operating a media presentation device so as to perform a resumed displaying of video media content.
US08649654B2
A reproducing apparatus includes a reproduction unit configured to reproduce content data from a recording medium, a management unit configured to classify a plurality of content data recorded on the recording medium into a plurality of groups, and a control unit configured to, responsive to stopping reproducing content data, output to a display device inquiry information for classifying the content data into one of the groups.
US08649653B2
A problem with high resource-consuming managed copy is that simultaneous execution of the managed copy, which is controlled by a playback device, and a BD-J application, which is recorded on a recording medium, leads to a shortage in resources. Provided is a playback device that enables simultaneous execution of the managed copy and the BD-J application while preventing resource contention therebetween, by imposing an access limitation on the disc medium by causing the BD-J application to assume that the disc medium has been virtually ejected.
US08649652B2
A slide show display system with BGM includes at least one content provision device that stores at least one of image content and music content, a playback device that plays back the image content and the music content, and an information processing device that controls the playback device to display a slide show with BGM. The information processing device includes a content information notification portion that transmits information on the image content and the music content that will be played back to the playback device, as well as a playback request portion that makes a playback request to the playback device to play back the content. The playback device includes a content acquisition portion that acquires the content from the at least one content provision device and a content playback portion that plays back the content in response to the playback request from the information processing device.
US08649647B2
A method of manufacturing a light guide assembly includes the steps of providing a light guide array made of a light-transmissive material and having a top portion and an integral bottom portion supporting the top portion, wherein grooves are formed on a top surface of the top, providing an optical isolation frame of interconnected slats made of an opaque material wherein the slats are arranged and profiled to correspondingly match the grooves in the light guide array, bonding the light guide array and the optical isolation frame to each other, and removing the bottom portion of the light guide array.
US08649644B2
The bond between an armor and a cable covering jacket is controlled by introducing intervening material at the interface of the layers along selected bond regions. The intervening material can comprise particulate matter or a strip of material introduced at selected locations of the armor perimeter to allow ease of access at the selected regions.
US08649639B2
A method and system for waveguide mode filters are disclosed and may include processing optical signals of a fundamental mode and higher-order modes by filtering the higher-order modes in rib waveguides in a photonic chip. The higher-order modes may be filtered utilizing doped regions and/or patterns in one or more slab sections in the rib waveguides. The patterns may be periodic or aperiodic along the rib waveguides. The higher-order modes may be filtered utilizing varying widths of slab sections, or doped, patterned, and/or salicided ridges on the slab sections in the rib waveguides. The higher-order modes may be attenuated by scattering and/or absorbing the modes. The chip may comprise a CMOS photonic chip.
US08649633B2
An image registration system includes a memory storing digital data representing a first image and a second image, an image processing unit configured to register the second image onto a coordinate system of the first image to obtain a registered second image, and a user interface device adapted to display one of the first image or the registered second image, and a movable region having a periphery. The user interface is adapted to display the first image or the registered second image within the periphery and the other image outside the periphery. The image processing unit is adapted to determine a similarity in alignment of a feature of the registered image with a corresponding feature of the first image, and the user interface is adapted to provide a visual indication to indicate the similarity of the alignment.
US08649632B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to the visualization of geographical information and the combination of image information to generate geographical information. Specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to a process and system for correlating oblique images data and terrain data without extrinsic information about the oblique imagery. Embodiments include a visualization tool to allow simultaneous and coordinated viewing of the correlated imagery. The visualization tool may also provide distance and measuring, three-dimensional lens, structure identification, path finding, visibility and similar tools to allow a user to determine distance between imaged objects.
US08649631B2
Disclosed is a distortion invariant system, method and computer readable medium for detecting the presence of one or more predefined targets in an input image. The input image and a synthetic discriminant function (SDF) reference image are correlated in a shift phase-encoded fringe-adjusted joint transform correlation (SPFJTC) correlator yielding a correlation output. A peak-to-clutter ratio (PCR) is determined for the correlation output and compared to a threshold value. A predefined target is present in the input image when the PCR is greater than or equal to the threshold value.
US08649630B2
The method and apparatus for processing distorted image is provided by the present invention, and the distortion parameter of the distorted image is obtained after a terminal implements the image conversion processing for an obtained distorted image; the terminal implements recovery processing for the distorted image based on the distortion parameter. The method and apparatus of the present invention could ensure that the terminal recovers a distorted image to a clear image quickly and accurately, improving the user's experience.
US08649629B2
An image enhancement method and system are provided. The image enhancement method and system are capable of improving image quality by performing gamma corrections on global and local illuminations and reflectance estimated from an input image, in consideration of dynamic range and contrast of the image, respectively. Particularly, in a case of a color image, the red, green, and blue (RGB) component images are converted into hue, saturation, and value (HSV) component images, and the global and local illuminations and reflectance estimated from the V component image. By converting the hue (H), saturation (S), and enhanced value (V) into RGB, an enhanced color image can be obtained.
US08649626B2
A weighting coefficient sequence defining unit generates an array in which weighting coefficients are held at positions defined by the directional components of blur vectors, and adjusts the weighting coefficients to increase the sum of the frequency components of the array or reduce variations of the frequency components. A weighting unit multiplies respective captured images by corresponding weighting coefficients, generating L weighted captured images. The weighting unit then generates the synthesized image of the L weighted captured images. A corrected image generation unit performs deconvolution processing using the frequency component of the array in which the weighting coefficients are held at positions defined by the directional components of blur vectors, and the frequency component of the synthesized image. The corrected image generation unit performs an inverse frequency transform for the deconvolution processing result, generating an output image.
US08649621B2
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a decoder. The decoder is configured to obtain first and second motion vectors of a block other than the current block. The other block neighbors the current block at one of a left, top and top right position. The decoder is configured to determine first and second motion vectors of the current block using the first and second motion vectors of the other block such that the first motion vector of the current block has a same direction as the first motion vector of the other block and the second motion vector of the current block has a same direction as the second motion vector of the other block.
US08649615B2
A moving picture compression coding apparatus divides a screen into at least three regions and performs compression coding for the at least three regions by encoding units. The moving picture compression coding apparatus includes a coding control unit configured to control the encoding units to encode the data for different regions in parallel and to control the encoding such that the data for an upper region out of two adjacent upper and lower regions in the vicinity of the center of the screen of the at least three regions is encoded prior to the encoding of the data for the lower region or such that the data for a left region of two adjacent left and right regions in the vicinity of the center of the screen of the at least three regions is encoded prior to the encoding of the data for the right region.
US08649597B2
An image processing apparatus includes a histogram creation unit that creates a histogram from an input image, a detection unit that detects a gradation level of interest from the histogram, a gradation correction parameter generation unit that generates a gradation correction parameter to improve a gradation characteristic in a gradation range around the gradation level of interest, and a correction unit that corrects the gradation of the image using the gradation correction parameter. The detection unit detects, as the gradation level of interest, a gradation level whose frequency is a peak value equal to or more than a predetermined threshold, and which has variation width of frequencies in a predetermined range including this gradation level to be smaller than a predetermined width in the histogram.
US08649596B2
An image processing system, comprising a computer running image processing software and selecting a series of color-balanced images to use as reference images. On an oblique image by image basis, the computer performs the following steps: (a) locate a portion(s) of a reference image(s) that overlaps the oblique image; (b) create multiple color-balancing transformations that approximately match a color distribution of the oblique image to a color distribution of overlapping portion(s) of the reference image(s); (c) transform pixels in the oblique image according to more than one of the multiple color-balancing transformations created for the oblique image; and (d) store the transformed pixel value in at least one of the oblique image or a copy of the oblique image.
US08649594B1
A method for assessing events detected by a surveillance system includes assessing the likelihood that the events correspond to events being monitored from feedback in response to a condition set by a user. Classifiers are created for the events from the feedback. The classifiers are applied to allow the surveillance system improve its accuracy when processing new video data.
US08649593B2
An image processing apparatus includes a projective transformation unit that performs projective transformation on left and right images captured from different points of view, a projective transformation parameter generating unit that generates a projective transformation parameter used by the projective transformation unit by receiving feature point information regarding the left and right images, a stereo matching unit that performs stereo matching using left and right projective transformation images subjected to projective transformation, and a matching error minimization control unit that computes image rotation angle information regarding the left and right projective transformation images and correspondence information of an error evaluation value of the stereo matching. The matching error minimization control unit computes the image rotation angle at which the error evaluation value is minimized, and the projective transformation parameter generating unit computes the projective transformation parameter that reflects the image rotation angle at which the error evaluation value is minimized.
US08649589B2
Embodiments herein provide methods for noninvasive assessment of keratinocytes. Digital imaging and processing of gray-levels are used to identify cells. More specifically, embodiments provide an automated algorithm that may be used to identify keratinocytes, and/or to specify the coordinates/locations of keratinocytes, through noninvasive confocal imaging.
US08649587B2
Several related inventions for estimating scattered radiation in radiographic projections are disclosed. Several of the inventions use scatter kernels of various forms, including symmetric and asymmetric forms. The inventions may be used alone or in various combinations with one another. The resulting estimates of scattered radiation may be used to correct the projections, which can improve the results of tomographic reconstructions. Still other inventions of the present application generate estimates of scattered radiation from shaded or partially shaded regions of a radiographic projection, which may be used to correct the projections or used to adjust the estimates of scattered radiation generated according to inventions of the present application that employ kernels.
US08649584B2
A medical image processing apparatus includes a vessel running data generating unit, a lesion site detecting unit, a vessel dominant region data generating unit, a lesion site dominant region data generating unit, and a diagnostic image data generating unit. The vessel running data generating unit generates vessel running data of a vessel. The lesion site detecting unit detects positional information of a lesion site in the vessel. The vessel dominant region data generating unit generates vessel dominant region data indicating a region dominated by the vessel in a region provided with nutrition. The lesion site dominant region data generating unit generates lesion site dominant region data indicating a region dominated by the lesion site in the region provided with nutrition. The diagnostic image data generating unit generates diagnostic image data by superimposing the vessel dominant region data and the lesion site dominant region data on morphological image data.
US08649583B2
A pupil detection device and a pupil detection method, which are capable of stably detecting the pupil by actively using information of cornea-reflected image even when most of the pupil is hidden by the cornea-reflected image. In pupil detection device (100), peripheral state evaluating section (105) sets a plurality of line segments having a reference point of a cornea-reflected image as one end and having a predetermined length, and calculates a luminance evaluation value based on luminance of each pixel in each line segment and reference luminance. Pupil center straight line calculation section (106) specifies a pupil center straight line passing through a center of a pupil image from among a plurality of line segments based on a luminance evaluation value. Pupil search section (107) detects a pupil image based on a luminance state around the pupil center straight line.
US08649582B2
According to one embodiment, a plaque region extracting apparatus includes a blood vessel wall data extracting unit, an intermediate image data generating unit, an enhancement processing unit, a plaque extracting unit. The blood vessel wall data extracting unit extracts first image data including a blood vessel wall from image data acquired by imaging a subject including blood vessels. The intermediate image data generating unit filters an intermediate region in the first image data to generate intermediate second image data. The enhancement processing unit processes the difference between the first image data and the second image data to generate third image data. The plaque extracting unit extracts a plaque in the blood vessel on the basis of the third image data.
US08649573B1
Method and apparatus for summarizing video data is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes accessing face information that is associated with at least one identified person within frames of the video data, examining user specifications for selecting portions of the video data, comparing the user specifications with the face information to determine indicia of interest related to each of the frames, identifying at least one of the frames that are in accordance with user specifications based on the indicia of interest and forming summary video data using the at least one identified frame of the video data.
US08649568B2
A vein authentication apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus may include an imaging unit having a plurality of imaging sections. Each imaging section may be configured to image light reflected from a vein plexus inside a finger and light transmitted through the vein plexus. The apparatus may also include an illumination source located on the same side as the imaging unit with respect to the vein plexus and configured to emit near-infrared light. The apparatus may further include a controller. The controller may be configured to perform authentication processing on the basis of an image imaged by the imaging unit and vein information previously stored. The controller may also be configured to control the illumination source such that the near-infrared light emitted from the illumination source is scattered behind a vein section corresponding to an imaging section being in an imaging period among the plurality of imaging sections.
US08649567B1
In various embodiments, old flood maps may be compared to new flood maps to determine which areas of the flood map have changed. These changed areas may be correlated against geographic area descriptions that are within changed areas of the flood map. The changed areas may also be analyzed to determine whether each area has had a change in status (e.g., from a high risk flood zone to a non-high risk flood zone or vice versa) or a change in zone within a status (e.g., from one flood zone to another flood zone). The information on type of change (or no change) may be used to populate a database that includes geographic area description identifiers. In some embodiments, detection of certain types of changes may initiate a manual comparison of the old and new flood maps to verify the change.
US08649563B2
In general, the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods, systems, and program products. A computing system accesses an indication of a first template that includes a region of a first image. The region of the first image includes a graphical representation of a face. The computing system receives a second image. The computing system identifies indications of multiple candidate templates. Each respective candidate template from the multiple candidate templates includes a respective candidate region of the second image. The computing system compares at least the first template to each of the multiple candidate templates, to identify a matching template from among the multiple candidate templates that includes a candidate region that matches the region of the first image that includes the graphical representation of the face.
US08649555B1
A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium includes instructions that when executed by a processor perform a method. The method includes identifying a frame of a video sequence, transforming a model into an initial guess for how the region appears in the frame, performing an exhaustive search of the frame, performing a plurality of optimization procedures, wherein at least one additional model parameter is taken into account as each subsequent optimization procedure is initiated. A system includes a computer readable storage medium, a graphical user interface, an input device, a model for texture and shape of the region, the model generated using the video sequence and stored in the computer readable storage medium, and a solver component.
US08649543B2
An electronic and transducer device can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a two-way communication assembly. The device contains a motion sensor to detect external forces imposed on the user such as an explosion, for example. The information is stored for medical treatment, among others. In another embodiment, the device provides an electronic and transducer device that can be attached, adhered, or otherwise embedded into or upon a removable oral appliance or other oral device to form a medical tag containing patient identifiable information. Such an oral appliance may be a custom-made device fabricated from a thermal forming process utilizing a replicate model of a dental structure obtained by conventional dental impression methods. The electronic and transducer assembly may receive incoming sounds either directly or through a receiver to process and amplify the signals and transmit the processed sounds via a vibrating transducer element coupled to a tooth or other bone structure, such as the maxillary, mandibular, or palatine bone structure.
US08649539B2
A method for processing the signals from two or more microphones in a listening device, and a listening device for conducting the method which has a casing holding the microphones, a signal processing unit which provides an output signal corresponding to the microphone signals and suited to the user's hearing, and a receiver unit for delivering the output signal to the user whereby the signals from the microphones are analyzed in order to detect when the casing of the listening device is being touched, whereby further the signal processing of the signal processing unit changes whenever touching of the casing is detected.
US08649532B2
An electronic volume circuit includes a first signal processing circuit and a second signal processing circuit that are cascaded together. The first signal processing circuit includes a first operational amplifier including an input terminal and an output terminal, one or more input resistors inputting one or more signals to the input terminal of the first operational amplifier, and a feedback resistor connected between the input terminal and the output terminal of the first operational amplifier. The second signal processing circuit includes a second operational amplifier including an input terminal and an output terminal, an input capacitor inputting a signal output from the first operational amplifier to the input terminal of the second operational amplifier, and a resistor and a capacitor connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal of the second operational amplifier.
US08649530B2
An array speaker system canceling non-uniform radiation patterns and a method for implementing the same are provided. The method for canceling non-uniform radiation patterns includes predicting radiation patterns in an array speaker with respect to input signals, generating cancellation signals with respect to at least one region corresponding to non-uniform radiation patterns of the predicted radiation patterns, synthesizing the input signals and the cancellation signals, and outputting the synthesized signals to the array speaker. Sound signals from which non-uniform radiation patterns having distorted sound are cancelled such that a stable sound field having uniform radiation characteristics may be obtained and provided to a listener.
US08649510B2
A device for confirming compliance with usage of a breathing gas delivery system that includes at least one sensor for monitoring operating data disposed within the breathing gas delivery system and a device for encoding the monitored operating data and displaying the encoded operating data for reporting to another location.
US08649504B2
A method and circuit for matching impedance, wherein, a peripheral impedance detection module detects the user telephone impedance and outputs information about the user telephone impedance; an analog switch handover module provides an impedance matching path between the user telephone impedance and an impedance matching module according to information about the user telephone impedance output by the peripheral impedance detection module; the impedance matching module provides a corresponding impedance to match the user telephone impedance through the impedance matching path provided by the analog switch handover module. The above-mentioned technical scheme realizes the impedance matching when communicating between a wireless access box and telephones with different impedance modes. The matching process is automatic and flexible and does not need the manual configuration, and the realization technology is simple and reliable, and the cost is low.
US08649494B2
A method for alerting teleconference participants includes: activating a mute function in response to a participant command; tracking a teleconference's conversation audio; determining the level of alertness of a participant; determining whether the participant's name is detected in the teleconference audio; wherein in the event the participant's name is detected: determining whether the context in which the participant was addressed requires the participant to respond; wherein in the event the participant is required to respond: alerting the participant that the participant has been summoned and is required to make a response; providing a conversation summarization to the participant; and deactivating the participant's mute function.
US08649492B2
In one embodiment, techniques for optimizing voice quality for a media stream provided to participants in a conference are provided. A first path is provided that provides an unmixed path of media from a first user to participants in the conference. A second path includes a mixed path of media from multiple users. The mixed path may include media from a first user and a second user that is mixed. The mixed path may include a transcoding from a first compression to a second compression, and back to the first compression (or another compression). A floor control module may switch between the first path and the second path to optimize voice quality.
US08649489B2
A method and apparatus for improving identification of a party in a communication transaction is disclosed. An apparatus that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a terminal device having a User Interface (UI) element that presents an image identifier that identifies one among a calling party in at least one among an unanswered call and a voicemail message, and a called party in a dialed call. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08649485B2
A system and method for automated connection triggered by availability status. The present invention includes a method of determining whether a connection request is pending to connect to a previously unavailable party and automatically making the connection now that the party is available. An alternate method includes generating a request to automatically connect to a party when the party becomes available. Application of embodiments of the present invention includes a telephony and/or an internet system.
US08649474B2
In a synchronous detection of an OFDM signal as an input signal composed of carrier waves, a clock generation part generates clock signals CK1 to CKk having a frequency quadruple of a frequency of each of carrier waves. A TAD sequentially calculates a moving average of the input signal by using the clock signals CK1 to CKk every quarter period of each carrier wave. A detection processing part sequentially executes addition-subtraction operation of the moving average values obtained by the TAD in order to calculate an amplitude value of each carrier wave. An unwanted component eliminating part subtracts amplitude values containing components of carrier waves having an odd multiple frequency of the carrier wave thereof from the amplitude values of the carrier waves in the input signal by a value which is an odd-submultiple of the amplitude value of the carrier wave having the odd-multiplied frequency.
US08649472B1
A plurality of sub-channel response estimates corresponding to a plurality of contiguous sub-channels in a communication channel are determined, and a plurality of weight coefficients are determined. The plurality of sub-channel response estimates are multiplied with the plurality of weight coefficients to generate a plurality of weighted sub-channel response estimates. A filtered sub-channel response estimate for one of the plurality of contiguous sub channels is generated using the plurality of weighted sub-channel response estimates.
US08649464B2
A quadrature demodulator receiver unit (100) comprises a first filter unit (360) that may delay an intermediate signal x(t) whose real part is based on a sampled in-phase IF signal (xi(t)) and whose imaginary part is based on a sampled quadrature IF signal (xq(t)). A second filter unit (366) filters a conjugate complex version of the intermediate signal x(t). The filter coefficients of the filter units (360, 366) are determined using a calibration signal, for example on the basis of ratios of complex-valued spectral components of intermediate signals xcal(t) obtained from the calibration signal cal(t). The filtered signal and the delayed signal are recombined to obtain a compensated output signal y(t). The calibration signal may be supplied from an oscillator circuit supplying a signal for processing a receive signal of the receiver unit (100).
US08649446B2
A system and method for classifying a channel with regard to delay spread in a wireless network applying orthogonal frequency division multiplexing. In one embodiment, a wireless receiver includes a channel classifier. The channel classifier is configured to compute a channel estimate corresponding to a channel traversed by a packet received by the wireless receiver. The channel classifier is also configured to partition the channel estimate into a plurality of windows. Each window corresponds to a range of time of the channel estimate. The channel classifier is further configured to assign a delay spread classification to the channel based on a distribution of energy across the windows.
US08649443B2
A device for communicating digital data over power lines includes a power line interface for transmitting data over at least one band of frequencies. An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) modulation unit generates OFDM symbols using a set of tones for the frequency band. A preamble generation unit generates preamble sequences for the frequency band by using the set of tones used by the OFDM modulation unit. The tones used by the preamble generation unit have a constant magnitude, and a set of phases obtained by quantizing to a small alphabet the phase of a set of tones obtained by taking an IFFT of a portion of a preamble used by a non-interoperable powerline access device. The device may transmit on two or more bands using a sampling frequency clock, wherein a lower band clock frequency is equal to or an integer divisor of a higher band clock frequency.
US08649415B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method to produce a modulation signal comprising combining at least two modulation signals, for example, BOCs or derivatives thereof, having portions (chip or a number of chips) thereof with respective relative phases or states ({++,−−} and {+−,−+}) selected such that the average of a plurality of said portions at least reduces cross spectral terms of the composite complex spectrum of said at least two modulation signals.
US08649414B2
Provided are a frequency tunable terahertz transceiver and a method of manufacturing a dual wavelength laser. The frequency tunable terahertz transceiver includes: a dual wavelength laser including two distributed feedback lasers that are manufactured in one substrate and output optical signals of respectively different wavelengths; and an optical device receiving the outputted optical signals to generate a terahertz wave.
US08649402B2
A virtual broadband receiver includes a receiving unit to receive a multiplicity of media data streams and an assembly engine to assemble them. The receiving unit receives the data streams from a multiplicity of data connections, wherein each media data stream was transmitted along one of at least one wireless communication network accessible from a remote reporting location to one of the data connections. The assembly engine assembles the data streams into a single media stream forming a live media transmission from the remote reporting location.
US08649398B2
A packet network interface apparatus includes a media access control (MAC) module for constructing a packet for transmission over a packet network and a physical coding sublayer (PCS) module for encoding the packet for transmission over a physical interface. An inter packet gap module located between the MAC module and the PCS module directly transfers data to the PCS module while maintaining a certain inter packet gap by deleting or inserting idle characters. The inter packet gap module has at least one memory module for temporary storage of packet data. The modules preferably operate in a common time domain.
US08649394B1
A system and method are provided for transmitting and receiving asynchronous channels of information via a SerDes Frame Interface (SFI) 4.2 interface. The SerDes device accepts a plurality of channels operating at asynchronous channel clock rates. Bytes of data from each channel are loaded into a source at the channel clock rates. Once loaded, the bytes of data for each channel are drained from the source at a line clock rate and interleaved into four 64-bit segments. A 2-bit control word is added to each segment, creating 66/64-bit data blocks. The control word indicates the validity of bytes of data within the 66/64-bit data blocks. Then, the 66/64 bit data blocks are transmitted via a SFI4.2 interface in four lanes, at a rate proportional to the line clock rate.
US08649393B2
An MTP/PTP extension may enable MTP/PTP devices to determine which protocol and/or which protocol version to utilize for impending communication. For example protocol and/or protocol version may be requested with a MTP/PTP SetDeviceClass operation that may comprise DeviceClass and/or RequestedVersion parameters. A response to the request may specify a protocol and/or protocol version for impending communication. Moreover, a response may comprise a DeviceInfo dataset comprising one or more fields indicating the protocol and/or protocol version. In various embodiments of the invention, a protocol and/or protocol version may be determined based on a GetDeviceInfo operation. Determination of which protocol and/or which protocol version to utilize for communication between MTP/PTP enabled devices may occur during initiation of communication.
US08649385B2
In response to user requests for content, content may be dynamically mapped to communications channels, e.g., QAM channels, used to communicate multiple programs during the same transmission time slot, e.g., through the use of multiplexed MPEG streams. A customer premise device, e.g., STB, uses a tuner tuned to the QAM channel to receive the communicated stream, recovers multiple programs communicated using the single communications channel, and records and/or displays the recovered programs. In this manner, more programs can be received and recorded than there are tuners in the customer premise device, e.g., STB. In some embodiments a content service provider control node processes user requests for content, maps requested programs to transport streams, communicates mapping decision information to a content distribution node, and communicates QAM tuning information to the user devices which can then receive and record multiple programs communicated via a single communications channel. In some embodiments a customer premise device utilizes program information to direct demultiplexed program channels to local or remote recorders (for storing) or decoders (for playback).
US08649383B1
The present disclosure discloses a method and network device for overlaying one or more broadcast groups over virtual local area networks in a wireless network. The network device receives a broadcast/multicast message from a member device of a broadcast group. The broadcast group includes a subset of devices sharing at least one common property. The broadcast/multicast message is to be received by other member devices, but not by non-member devices of the first broadcast group. Furthermore, the broadcast group includes one of (i) a subset of devices from a single virtual local area network, and (ii) at least two subsets of devices from different virtual local area networks. The network device then determines the broadcast group associated with the received broadcast/multicast message based on the common property, and then transmits the received broadcast/multicast message to other member devices in the broadcast group.
US08649381B2
Method and arrangement in a base station controller for admission control of a user equipment, to be served by a base station controlled by the base station controller, the base station, the base station controller and the user equipment are comprised within a wireless communication system. The method comprising the steps of receiving an admission request from the user equipment, computing an admission criteria value K, calculating a user weight value W for the user equipment, comparing the calculated user weight value W with the computed admission criteria value K, admitting the user equipment to be served by the base station, if the calculated user weight value W is smaller than the computed admission criteria value K.
US08649376B2
There is provided a transmission apparatus including a virtual I/F control section which outputs data to be transmitted, a packet generation processing section which generates a packet containing the data, a storage section which stores a plurality of destinations of the packet, a virtual I/F which sequentially performs, to the plurality of destinations, processing of rewriting a destination set in the packet generated by the packet generation processing section by one of the plurality of destinations stored in the storage section, and outputting the packet in which the destination is rewritten, and a real interface which transmits, every time the packet is output from the virtual I/F, the packet to the destination set in the packet.
US08649374B2
The present invention relates to a broadband wireless access system, and more specifically, to a structure of an efficient signaling header. A medium access control protocol data unit (MAC PDU) including a medium access control header (MAC header) is proposed; the MAC header including a flow identifier field, an extended header field, and a length field. When the MAC header is a signaling header, the flow identifier field is set to a specific value indicating that the MAC header is the signaling header, and the extended header field and the length field include signaling content information. But, when the MAC header is not the signaling header, the flow identifier field is set to value other than the specific value, the extended header field indicates whether or not an extended header is included in the MAC PDU, and the length field indicates the length of the MAC PDU.
US08649372B2
A call set-up system sets up a call, which may be a voice call, between terminals through a plurality of packet switched networks using call agents. The networks are interconnected by network address translation (NAT) devices, and the messages to successive call agents include media addresses in the associated networks tor the actual data packets ot the call when it has been set up. The call set-up message includes the media address sent to at least some preceding call agents enabling NAT resources to be saved. The call agents can be incorporated into NAT devices, and the media addresses can be encrypted or in the form of a reference.
US08649370B2
The present invention provides systems and methods for programming connections through a multi-stage switch fabric. The present invention utilizes load-balancing, blocking recovery, background rebalancing, and rollback algorithms to select and manage connection balance on center stage switches in the multi-stage switch fabric for new and modified connections. The load-balancing algorithm attempts to spread the multi-connection slices across center stage switches as evenly as possible, to increase the probability that future multi-connection slices can be added without needing to rearrange existing slices. Advantageously, the present invention is efficient by making the best possible local decision for one multi-connection slice at a time, without considering other multi-connection slices that may also need center switch assignments. Additionally blocking recovery, rollback and background rebalancing features are also supported.
US08649369B2
The present invention relates to a method and a user equipment arranged to communicate with at least a second user equipment in a VoIP service data transmission in a wireless communication system using a VoIP service, provided by an application server. The method comprises the steps of: receiving transmissions in form of a media stream from the at least one second user equipment; storing the data of the media stream; detecting whether an interruption of said transmissions having at least a minimum length has occurred during the VoIP service data transmission or expecting that an interruption of said transmissions having at least a minimum length will occur during the VoIP service data transmission, and if such an interruption is detected or expected, using a non-normative playout rate of the data at playout, thereby obtaining a more efficient interactivity in the user communication.
US08649368B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and devices of user notification. In this regard, one embodiment of such a method, among others, can be broadly summarized by the following: capturing an image in response to an event; relaying capturing of the image to a telephone device; and sending a message to a user at a remote location via the telephone device, the message notifying the user of the capturing of the image.
US08649366B2
A method of performing uplink synchronization in a wireless communication system includes transmitting a random access preamble which is randomly selected from a set of random access preambles, receiving a random access response, the random access response comprising a random access preamble identifier corresponding to the random access preamble and a time alignment value for uplink synchronization, starting a time alignment timer after applying the time alignment value, starting a contention resolution timer after receiving the random access response, wherein contention resolution is not successful when the contention resolution timer is expired, and stopping the time alignment timer when the contention resolution timer is expired.
US08649354B2
A shared digital processing resource is connectable to a plurality of remotely located transceivers and comprises a packet processor, a transceiver selector, a packet formation unit, and a packet-switched network interface. The packet processor is adapted to process user data to form antenna-carrier data, or vice versa. The transceiver selector is adapted to select a preferred remotely located transceiver from the plurality of remotely located transceivers, the preferred remotely located transceiver having a packet-switched network address. The packet formation unit is adapted to insert the antenna-carrier data destined for the preferred remotely located transceiver in packets having the packet-switched network address. The packet-switched network interface is adapted to transmit the packet-switched packets over a packet-switched network to which the plurality of remotely located transceivers is connected. Also disclosed is a uplink method and a downlink method for rerouting data communication between the shared digital processing resource and the mobile station.
US08649350B2
A method for transmitting an uplink control signaling on a physical uplink shared channel is provided in the present invention, and the method includes: respectively encoding the uplink control signaling and data information corresponding to a transmission block needed to be transmitted, and truncating the corresponding encoded information according to a target length; and when one transmission block corresponds to a plurality of layers, interleaving the information on various layers to be transmitted on the transmission block, and transmitting the interleaved information on a layer corresponding to the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH); wherein the information on various layers includes uplink control signaling information, or the information on various layers includes the data information and the uplink control signaling information. The invention also provides a system for transmitting an uplink control signaling on a physical uplink shared channel, and the system includes a encoding module, an interleaving module and a transmitting module.
US08649342B2
A method of mapping transport sequences to component carriers in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A method of mapping transport sequences to a plurality of component carriers in a transmitter of a wireless communication system that supports carrier aggregation comprises changing the order of the transport sequences in accordance with mapping information; and transmitting the transport sequences of which order has been changed, to a receiver through the plurality of component carriers.
US08649333B2
Provided is a resource allocation method capable of improving a reception quality when connecting a plurality of sub frames into one frame and performing a communication process for each of the frames. In this method, when a sub frame #1 is transmitted, LRB is selected as a resource allocation format according to CQI fed back from a mobile station and RB having a preferable propagation quality is allocated for transmission data according to the LRB format. When a sub frame #2 is transmitted, the same resource allocation method (LRB) as the head sub frame is used and the transmission data is allocated for the same RB. When a sub frame #3 is transmitted, the resource allocation method is switched from the sub frame #1 and the sub frame #2 and the transmission data is allocated for RB by using the DRB format.
US08649327B2
A wireless telecommunications network supplies a semi-persistent resource that a wireless station can use for special purposes (such as a retransmission of packets for ARQ purposes or a control signal. The semi-persistent resource can be allocated by the system to other terminals if, e.g., a retransmission is not required. Since a retransmission is generally performed in response to a NACK received from a base station, the NACK may itself serve as a token that permits the wireless station to use the semi-persistent allocation. Thus, the technology includes, e.g., a method for resource allocation on a semi-persistent basis and efficient signaling for the usage of such allocation.
US08649325B2
A communication apparatus internally generates a virtual terminal (emulator) of a mobile terminal. The virtual terminal performs handover to a 3G network in place of the mobile terminal. In the event of an incoming call to the mobile terminal, the virtual terminal receives the call in place of the mobile terminal and notifies the mobile terminal of the call. Consequently, without having to perform handover, the mobile terminal is able to receive communication notification, whereby telephone communication by the mobile terminal remains enabled without the expenditure of power for handover, enabling a reduction in power consumption.
US08649320B2
A method of scheduling request (SR) behavior for a UE configured with semi-persistent scheduling in a wireless communication system includes triggering an SR when the UE does not have an uplink resource allocated for a current transmission time interval, and controlling the triggered SR to remain pending and to be repeated until uplink resources are granted for a new transmission.
US08649318B2
Disclosed is a method of paging an idle-mode terminal in a multi-hop relay communication system, the method including receiving an idle mode request message from the terminal, sending an idle mode response message to the terminal, the idle mode response message including paging information, receiving a superframe from a base station, the superframe including a paging message of the terminal, and staggering the superframe number by a multi-hop count apart from the base station so as to send to the terminal.
US08649314B2
A technique is provided for a direct data transfer session, including for multimedia content, between mobile devices without the need for using a separate multimedia server to store multimedia content. Direct data transfer sessions between mobile devices are established by transmitting necessary address information through page-based messaging services that utilize the underlying digital mobile network databases and services to resolve the identification and location of the mobile devices.
US08649308B2
The invention provides a method and a device for confirming a downlink inner loop power control mode by a Node B in an idle mode and in a CELL_FACH state. The method includes that: when the Node B detects that there is User Equipment (UE) using an E-DCH in the idle mode or in the CELL_FACH state, confirming to use a mode 0 to receive Transmit Power Control (TPC) bit information sent on a Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) by the UE, and performing downlink inner loop power control on a Fractional Dedicated Physical Channel (F-DPCH). The method and device provided in the invention enable the inner loop power control mode for the F-DPCH made by the Node B to be consistent with the TPC bit information mode fed back by the UE, and enable the F-DPCH to use proper transmit power to transmit.
US08649303B2
The invention has in particular as an object the synchronization of a local clock of an equipment item in a communication network according to synchronization frames emitted by a reference equipment item and transmitted via a switch. After it has received (700) a synchronization frame emitted by the reference equipment item and including its time point of emission, the switch transmits (730) the said received synchronization frame after a delay that is fixed, at least on average, counting from the reception of the said synchronization frame by the said switch (725). The local clock of the equipment item, after reception of the said synchronization frame by the equipment item, is synchronized according to the said time point of emission, to the time point of reception of the said synchronization frame and to the said delay.
US08649300B2
An audio processing method includes: after the terminal accesses the control server, the control server obtains audio capabilities of the terminal through capability negotiation; and the control server selects coded audio data for a terminal and forwards the selected coded audio data to the terminal according to its audio capabilities, without first decoding the selected coded audio data. The audio data does not need to undergo an operation of audio coding and decoding every time when the audio data passes through a control server, and the coding and decoding operations performed by the control server are reduced drastically.
US08649299B2
A method for providing wireless online access to one or more users comprises providing online access to the users of corresponding mobile secondary wireless transceivers by data packet transmission via corresponding wireless communications links established, within a mobile online access signal spaces within the moving vehicle by a primary subscriber, between the mobile secondary wireless transceivers and one or more mobile primary wireless transceivers, wherein one or more of the mobile primary wireless transceivers are linked to the Internet through one or more portal transceivers, wherein each portal transceivers includes a communications link to the Internet for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto and a wireless communications links to one or more of the primary wireless transceivers for receiving one or more data packets transmitted therefrom and transmitting one or more data packets thereto.
US08649289B2
A method of providing radio access technology information of a client in a service system supporting open mobile alliance device management for the client is disclosed. The method comprises creating a node for recording a current radio access technology that the client uses for communicating with a core network of a wireless communication system in a management object tree corresponding to a workflow for the device management.
US08649278B2
A method and system of multimedia service performance monitoring is provided. The method comprises the following steps: (a) a reference point acquires and stores the association relationship between multimedia packet identification number and the corresponding multimedia information; (b) a sample point orders the received packets according to the multimedia packet identification numbers, detects the integrality of the packets, and feeds the identification numbers of the lost multimedia packets back to the reference point if there are lost packets; (c) the reference point obtains the corresponding multimedia information according to the identification numbers of the lost multimedia packets returned by the sample point and the stored association relationship between the multimedia packet identification number and the corresponding multimedia information, and then evaluates the multimedia service quality of the sample point.
US08649272B2
Methods, systems, and computer readable media for mobile communication device-initiated network monitoring services are disclosed. According to one aspect, a method for monitoring communications in a mobile networking environment by a core network probe-based monitoring system includes detecting, by an agent residing on a mobile communication device, a quality of service or customer experience triggering event; responding to the event by generating a message which includes information about that particular subscriber or device; and, transmitting that message to the network monitoring system to automatically trigger the monitoring system to monitor communications involving that mobile communication device.
US08649250B2
A series of optical recording media is provided to reduce a burden on an optical pickup by introducing a standardized idea among a plurality of optical recording media. In the series of optical recording media, optical recording media are of a plurality of types, each optical recording medium including a plurality of planar recording and reading layers with no projections and depressions for tracking control, and a servo layer with projections and depressions for tracking control. The plurality of optical recording media have different numbers of stacked recording and reading layers, and the positions of the servo layers with respect to the corresponding light incident surfaces are standardized among the plurality of optical recording media.
US08649240B2
A mechanism for managing peak power in a memory storage array that includes sub-array blocks may reduce the peak currents associated with read and write operations by staggering the wordline signal activation to each of the sub-array blocks. In particular, the wordline units within each sub-array block may generate the wordline signals to each sub-array block such that a read wordline signal of one sub-array block does not transition from one logic level to another logic level at the same time as the write wordline of another sub-array block. Further, the wordline units may generate the wordline signals to each sub-array block such that a read wordline of a given sub-array block does not transition from one logic level to another logic level at the same time as a read wordline signal of another sub-array block.
US08649237B2
A power-up signal generation circuit includes a first driving section configured to generate a pre-power-up signal by driving a first node to a first pull-up drivability or driving the first node to a first pull-down drivability in response to an internal voltage when not in an active mode, and a second driving section configured to generate the pre-power-up signal by driving the first node to a second pull-up drivability or driving the first node to a second pull-down drivability in response to the internal voltage in the active mode. The first pull-up drivability is larger than the second pull-up drivability, and the first pull-down drivability is smaller than the second pull-down drivability.
US08649232B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes first and second bank groups, a first internal voltage control unit configured to generate a first enable pulse which is enabled when a first read operation or a first write operation is performed for banks included in the first bank group, and a first internal voltage generation unit configured to generate and supply a first internal voltage to the first bank group in response to the first enable pulse, wherein an enable period of the first enable pulse is set to be longer in the first write operation than in the first read operation.
US08649216B2
The invention provides a data writing method. In one embodiment, a data storage device comprises a flash memory. First, the flash memory is directed to read a plurality of programming voltage values for data programming. The programming voltage values are then adjusted to obtain a plurality of adjusted programming voltage values according to difference bits between a plurality of stored data patterns corresponding to the programming voltage values. The adjusted programming voltage values are then sent to the flash memory. The flash memory is then directed to perform data programming according to the adjusted programming voltage values, wherein the data programmed according to the adjusted programming voltage values has a lower error bit rate than that of the data programmed according to the programming voltage values.
US08649211B2
An integrated circuit containing a memory array with memory bits and a differential sense amplifier for reading the logic state of the memory bits. The integrated circuit also contains redundant vias which are in the via path that couples a bitline to Vss. Moreover, an integrated circuit containing a FLASH memory bit with redundant vias in the via path from the bitline to Vss.
US08649210B2
A double data rate pseudo SRAM (DDR PSRAM) is provided. The DDR PSRAM includes a data receiver, a memory and an address decoder. The data receiver receives a first single data rate data from a controller via a common bus according to a clock, and receives a double data rate data from the controller via the common bus according to a data strobe signal from the controller. The address decoder decodes the first single data rate data to obtain an address of the memory. The data receiver stores the double data rate data into the address of the memory.
US08649203B2
Embodiments of reversible resistive memory cells using polysilicon diodes are disclosed. The programmable resistive devices can be fabricated using standard CMOS logic processes to reduce cell size and cost. In one embodiment, polysilicon diodes can be used as program selectors for reversible resistive memory cells that can be programmed based on magnitude, duration, voltage-limit, or current-limit of a supply voltage or current. These cells are PCRAM, RRAM, CBRAM, or other memory cells that have a reversible resistive element coupled to a polysilicon diode. The polysilicon diode can be constructed by P+/N+ implants on a polysilicon substrate as a program selector. The memory cells can be used to construct a two-dimensional memory array with the N-terminals of the diodes in a row connected as a wordline and the reversible resistive elements in a column connected as a bitline. By applying a voltage or a current to a selected bitline and to a selected wordline to turn on the diode, a selected cell can be programmed into different states reversibly based on magnitude, duration, voltage-limit, or current-limit. The data in the reversible resistive memory can also be read by turning on a selected wordline to couple a selected bitline to a sense amplifier. The wordlines may have high-resistivity local wordlines coupled to low-resistivity global wordlines through conductive contact(s) or via(s).
US08649200B2
A method for data storage includes setting a group of analog memory cells to respective analog values by performing an iterative process that applies a sequence of pulses to the memory cells in the group. During the iterative process, a progress of the iterative process is assessed, and a parameter of the iterative process is modified responsively to the assessed progress. The iterative process is continued in accordance with the modified parameter.
US08649190B2
A power converter includes a DC power source, a transformer having a first winding, a first MOSFET and a PWM controller at the primary side and a second winding, a drive control unit, a current detection control unit, a comparator and a second MOSFET at the secondary side. The comparator has its input end electrically connected to the current detection control unit and its output end electrically connected to the drive control unit, which is electrically connected to the second MOSFET for synchronous rectification. The second MOSFET is electrically connected to one end of the second winding, having a body diode built therein. The second winding and the second MOSFET constitute a combination circuit electrically connected to a load that has a capacitor electrically connected thereto in a parallel manner. By means of the aforesaid arrangement, conduction loss at a low load is minimized, thereby improving the efficiency at a low load.
US08649183B2
An electronic assembly that includes a circuit board having a substrate in which an open space is defined, and a component having a housing and a plurality of leads, the open space being large enough to receive the housing of the component at least partially.
US08649180B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a blade server and blade server components. Specifically, one embodiment is directed to a server comprising a server chassis, a system board coupled to the server chassis, the system board comprising a first electrical connector, and a bezel assembly coupled to the server chassis and the system board, the bezel assembly comprising a printed circuit assembly comprising a second electrical connector communicatively mated to the first electrical connector.
US08649175B2
A locking mechanism for locking an outer shell includes a frame adapted to be stacked with an outer shell and having a through hole for extension of an engaging piece of the outer shell therethrough, a locking element disposed movably on the frame, and a release button disposed slidably on the frame. The locking element has a hook-engaging portion, and a contact portion opposite to the hook-engaging portion. The hook-engaging portion is extendable to the through hole for engaging releasably the engaging piece. The release button has one end abutting against the contact portion. The release button is operable to push the contact portion, which in turn moves the hook-engaging portion to disengage from the engaging piece.
US08649161B2
An on-vehicle display apparatus includes a motor, a gear train, a threaded rod, a slider screwed to the threaded rod, and a display main body rotatably connected to the slider. The lead angle of the threaded rod is set greater than the friction angle thereof. The gear train includes first and second gears facing each other. Protrusions provided on one of the first and second gears are fitted in recesses provided in the other. A spring member elastically urges the first gear toward the second gear. A detection sensor detects the size of an external force on the basis of the displacement of the first gear against the spring member in the axial direction. The motor is controlled on the basis of the detection result of the detection sensor such that the display main body is moved away from the external force.
US08649159B2
A controller has a control board, a power module and a power board. MOS transistors, inverter input terminals, coil terminals, inverter ground terminals, control terminals, a control power input terminal and a control ground terminal are integrally molded in a molded portion of a power module. Electrical connections between the power module and the control and power boards are made through the terminals provided in the molded portion.
US08649157B2
An integrated capacitive device includes an electrically conducting comb, at least some of whose teeth form first electrodes of capacitors, and electrically conducting fingers extending between the teeth of the comb so as to form second electrodes of the capacitors. The device includes a first finger-teeth set having a single reference finger forming a reference capacitor having a reference capacitive value, at least one second finger-teeth set including several fingers, the reference finger and the number of fingers of the second finger-teeth set or sets forming a geometric series with ratio two. At least one additional set includes a single additional finger forming, with at least one tooth of the comb, an additional capacitor having an additional capacitive value substantially equal to half the reference capacitive value.
US08649152B2
A circuit configuration for recording the resistance of a coil of a magnetic valve, having at least one magnetic valve, having at least one valve coil that is to be actuated, a current source for applying a current to the at least one valve coil and generating a voltage drop at the at least one valve coil, and an evaluation circuit for outputting the voltage drop generated at the at least one valve coil as the output signal of the circuit configuration.
US08649150B2
A system prevents solenoids from overheating. The solenoid circuit has solenoids connected across a power supply. Control switches energize the solenoids by controllably connecting the solenoids to and from the power source. The protection system includes a master switch connected between the power source and the solenoids for simultaneously connecting and disconnecting all of the solenoids with the power source. A current sensor is positioned between the supply terminal of the power supply and the solenoids for detecting a current flowing between the supply and any of the solenoids and for producing a current-sensed signal. A controller detects abnormalities based on the current-sensed signal and responsively opens the master switch to disconnect all of the solenoids from the power source.
US08649147B2
A trip unit is for a circuit breaker and includes a plurality of capabilities defining one trip unit style selected from a plurality of different trip unit styles. The trip unit includes a processor including a communication interface having a communication protocol; and a communication adapter module including a first communication interface having the communication protocol, and a second communication interface. The communication adapter module is structured to learn the plurality of capabilities of the trip unit from the processor employing the communication protocol, and to communicate with any of the plurality of different trip unit styles including the one trip unit style.
US08649145B2
A circuit arrangement for enforcing an intrinsically safe situation in a hazardous zone features a first switching device that lies in the series arm and a second switching device that lies in the shunt arm. If a fault occurs that would violate the conditions of intrinsic safety, the first switching device is initially blocked and the second switching device is switched through with a time delay such that the output terminals are mutually short-circuited. In addition, a monitoring device is provided for monitoring the load conditions at the switching device arranged in the series arm.
US08649142B2
Current differential protection is provided for a multi-terminal power apparatus, such as a power transmission line. Currents measured at each of the multiple terminals are used to calculate a differential current and a restraining current, which are then converted into a first equivalent current and a second equivalent current of an equivalent two-terminal power apparatus. In the equivalent two-terminal power apparatus, a differential current derived from the first and second equivalent currents is substantially equal to the differential current of the original multi-terminal power apparatus. Similarly, a restraining current derived from the first and second equivalent currents is substantially equal to the restraining current of the original multi-terminal power apparatus. The first and second equivalent currents may be used in an alpha plane analysis to determine whether or not to trip the multi-terminal power apparatus.
US08649136B2
A thin-oxide current clamp includes a clamp transistor in current-conducting relation between a voltage-sensitive circuit and a common return of a power supply, the clamp transistor responsive to a sense output signal to provide a low-resistance current flow path from the voltage-sensitive circuit to the common return and thereby clamp a voltage in the voltage-sensitive circuit. The thin-oxide current clamp also includes a current source and a reference current mirror, the reference current mirror providing a reference current. Further, the thin-oxide current clamp includes a sense current mirror providing a sense current. Further, the thin-oxide current clamp also includes an output transistor that receives the sense current and provides a current flow to a gate of the clamp transistors if the sense current exceeds the reference current.
US08649135B2
A noise filter circuit for an IC is provided. The noise filter circuit comprises a decoupling unit coupled to a power pad of the IC and a current amplifier circuit coupled to the decoupling unit and the power pad of the IC. The decoupling unit generates a first current in response to a transient voltage being on the power pad of the IC. The current amplifier circuit drains a second current from the power pad of the IC according to the first current.
US08649134B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes activation circuitry coupled to a first node. The activation circuitry includes a capacitor and a selectable load. A time constant τ associated with the activation circuitry varies in accordance with the selectable load. The activation circuitry is configured to provide τ=τ1 for detection of an ESD event. A shunt is selectively enabled by the activation circuitry to short the first node to a second node in accordance with the detection of the ESD event. The activation circuitry is configured subsequent detection of the ESD event to provide τ=τ2, wherein τ2>τ1.
US08649130B2
A motor driving apparatus capable of detecting during operation a ground fault and a phase-to-phase short circuit by distinguishing one from the other is provided while minimizing an increase in cost. The sum of three-phase AC currents supplied from a three-phase AC power supply to an AC/DC converter is detected by a current sensor. When overcurrent is detected by an overcurrent detector, if the sum of the currents detected by the current sensor is zero, it is determined that the fault is a phase-to-phase short circuit, but if the sum is not zero, it is determined that the fault is a ground fault.
US08649129B2
The present invention provides a power converter. The power converter includes a transformer, a power switch and a controller. The transformer has a primary winding, a secondary winding and an auxiliary winding. The power switch is coupled to the primary winding of the transformer to regulate the power converter. The controller has an output terminal for generating a driving signal to switch the power switch in response to a switching signal. A thermal resistor is coupled to the output terminal of the controller. The driving signal is adjusted across the thermal resistor during an off-period of the switching signal.
US08649125B1
The application discloses pole tip shield assemblies for a magnetic write element. The shield assemblies disclosed include side shields to limit adjacent track interference. The side shields are truncated or notched at a midpoint to form an expanded non-magnetic gap along a trailing portion of the pole tip to enhance write field and/or field gradient. The expanded non-magnetic gap region is larger than the non-magnetic gap region along a leading portion of the pole tip.
US08649118B1
Methods are provided for pattern-dependent log likelihood ratio (LLR) manipulation of a hard disk drive detector output. Generally, by observing a pattern dependency of LLRs, various rules for LLR manipulation at the detector output are outlined. The rules may provide more reliable LLR values, such as by improving signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the hard disk drive detector output.
US08649106B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens unit (positive), a second lens unit (negative), a third lens unit (positive), and a rear lens group having one or more lens units. During zooming from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the distance between the first and second lens units increases, the distance between the second and third lens units decreases, and the distance between the third lens unit and the rear lens group changes. The first lens unit consists of a positive lens and a negative lens. The following conditional expressions are satisfied: 8.0
US08649105B2
Provided is a zoom lens system including, in order from an object side to an image side: a first lens unit having positive refractive power; a second lens unit having negative refractive power; a prism for bending an optical path; and a rear group including a plurality of lens units, in which the first lens unit is moved to the object side while the second lens unit is moved to the image side with respect to an imaging plane at a telephoto end compared to at a wide angle end, and movement amounts M1 and M2 of the first lens unit and the second lens unit with respect to an image plane in zooming from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, a focal length f2 of the second lens unit, and a focal length ft of an entire system at the telephoto end are respectively set appropriately.
US08649104B2
Disclosed are an optical element, an optical element array, and a method of manufacturing an optical element capable of forming a desired interface shape. In a microlens and a microlens array, at least one of a transparent liquid forming a liquid phase and microbubbles forming a gas phase is subjected to temperature adjustment by a curvature control part. The transparent liquid and the microbubbles subjected to temperature adjustment thermally expands or contracts, such that the shape of a curved interface formed between the transparent liquid and the microbubbles is changed.
US08649103B2
An adaptive lens system for laser materials processing, for example, in the high-power range of at least approximately 1 kW, includes two deformable lens surfaces spaced apart from each other in the direction of the optical axis, a chamber formed between the two lens surfaces and filled with a fluid, and a device for changing the distance between the two lens surfaces along the optical axis.
US08649089B2
A line confocal microscope system, comprising an illumination system with a source of collimated light and a line forming optics arranged to provide a line shaped illumination area to be scanned over a sample, an image receiving system, and two or more objective lenses that are interchangeable in the optical path to provide different magnification, wherein the objective lenses have different aperture diameters, and the illumination system comprises a beam shape transformer arranged in between the source of collimated light and the line forming optics to selectively transform the cross-sectional shape of the collimated beam of light transmitted to the line forming optics to a predetermined shape in response to the back aperture diameter of the objective lens that is arranged in the optical path.
US08649086B2
An enhancement cavity includes a plurality of focusing mirrors, at least one of which defines a central aperture having a diameter greater than 1 mm. The mirrors are configured to form an optical pathway for closed reflection and transmission of the optical pulse within the enhancement cavity. Ring-shaped optical pulses having a peak intensity at a radius greater than 0.5 mm from a central axis are directed into the enhancement cavity. Accordingly, the peak intensity of the optical pulse is distributed so as to circumscribe the central apertures in the apertured mirrors, and the mirrors are structured to focus the pulse about the aperture toward a central spot area where the pulse is focused to a high intensity.
US08649079B2
A mirror driving device of an aspect can include: a mirror part; a pair of inner actuator parts; a pair of outer actuator parts; fixing and supporting parts; an inner actuator driving voltage supply part; and an outer actuator driving voltage supply part. A driving voltage with a frequency inducing oscillation of the mirror part in a rotating direction of the mirror part associated with resonance drive of the corresponding actuator parts can be supplied from one driving voltage supply part of the inner actuator driving voltage supply part and the outer actuator driving voltage supply part to the inner actuator parts or the outer actuator parts corresponding to the one driving voltage supply part. Simultaneously with the resonance drive, a driving voltage for inclining the mirror part without exciting resonance drive can be supplied from the other driving voltage supply part to corresponding actuator parts.
US08649076B2
Systems and methods systems and methods for calibrating field uniformity are disclosed. An exemplary method includes scanning the imaging area including a first media to obtain optical data for a specular reflectance map. The method also includes scanning the imaging area including a second media to obtain optical data for a diffuse reflective map. The method also includes storing the specular reflectance map and the diffuse reflective map for adjusting actual pixel values during an imaging operation.
US08649068B2
Processes are presented for creating electronic banding compensation profiles for raster output scanner (ROS) devices by printing and scanning a test pattern having a series of strips extending along a process direction and spaced from one another along a cross process (fast scan) direction, analyzing the scanned data to determine facet-specific banding errors corresponding to individual strips, and selectively adjusting banding correction profiles to counteract the banding errors.
US08649062B2
An image processor includes a tone converter operable when a pixel of input image data is determined as having a value greater in color saturation than a prescribed saturation value. In this operation, the tone converter changes a threshold for each color in a dither matrix associated with the pixel to make the thresholds different in correspondence to color component values of the pixel. The tone converter generates color component values of the pixel constituting image data to be output, based on comparisons between the respective color component values and the changed thresholds.
US08649059B2
A mutual optimization method for class matrix and diffusion weighting used in a halftone image processing technique and a mutual optimization system thereof are provided. In the method, a mutual optimization of a plurality of diffusion weightings and a class matrix used in a dot diffusion process is performed based on a concept of simulated annealing in order to avoid converging to local solution, so as to ensure an image quality of a halftone image generated by the dot diffusion process. Besides, since the mutual optimization method is for a hexagonal class matrix, a block effect appearing in the halftone image can be significantly reduced.
US08649048B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit configured to form an image under a control condition and including developing device; a toner cartridge configured to supply toner to the developing device; a measuring device configured to acquire measurement data; a first memory which is provided for the toner cartridge and includes a data reference destination for obtaining the control condition and a correction value of the control condition for standard data or a plurality of control data corresponding to the measurement data; a second memory configured to store the measurement data, the standard data, one of the correction value and the control data, and the obtained control condition; and a processing mechanism configured to read the standard data and the correction value, or the measurement data and the control data and to obtain the control condition.
US08649044B2
Processing print jobs on a computer which comprises generating a first print ready job file by a first print module based on an input print job file and generating a second print ready job file by a second print module based on the input print job file. The first print ready job file is compared to the second print ready job file, and if there is at least one difference between the first print ready job file and the second print ready job file, the input print job file is forwarded to a PSP (printer service provider) that is configured with the first print module or the second print ready job file is forwarded to a PSP that is configured with the second print module.
US08649039B2
A plurality of control boards can be connected to each other via a high-speed bus. An image forming unit performs an image forming process, which is housed in a casing. A slot is arranged on any one of a plurality of side surfaces perpendicular to a bottom surface of the casing, which is elongated in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface and guides the control boards to inside of the casing. The control boards are connected in parallel to each other.
US08649035B2
An image processor includes: a resuming unit that allows a printing device to resume an interrupted printing process; and an output processing unit that carries out an output process of resuming information including the reduced image of an image of a page in which the printing process is resumed and the information of the page in which the printing process is resumed.
US08649032B2
If the RIP processing time of a specific page of a plurality of pages in a processing block exceeds a predetermined time, the RIP processing of the specific page is not yet completed, and the RIP processing of pages preceding the specific page is already completed, an image processing apparatus sets a processing block that includes only the RIP processing completed pages preceding the specific page. The number of pages included in the newly set processing block is less than a predetermined number of pages.
US08649031B2
An image reading control device includes: an original reading unit; a display unit that can display an item selection window including processing items for the image data for each page and a processing condition setting window including a preview image based on the image data for each page thus read, at least one predetermined processing item, and contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; an input unit accepting a selection input of the processing items and a setting input for setting contents for each of the at least one predetermined processing item; and a reading control unit displaying the processing condition setting window on the display unit with the processing item selected in the selection input accepted by the input unit as the predetermined processing item, and controlling acceptance of the setting input in the input unit for setting contents for each predetermined processing item.
US08649030B2
With an information processing apparatus configured such that an OS holds a print setting value of a printer, it is possible to change print settings to those that match the user's intention, when a printer to be used is changed. When the user has selected a printer to be used from a plurality of printers through a user interface provided by the OS, a printer driver among a plurality of printer drivers corresponding to the printer used after the change displays a user interface that displays a message to the effect that the printer has been changed. By this user interface, the user is allowed to select one of a plurality of presets held by the OS. After the selection, information of the selected preset is supplied to the OS.
US08649016B2
A system (10) for directly measuring the depth of a high aspect ratio etched feature on a wafer (80) that includes an etched surface (82) and a non-etched surface (84). The system (10) utilizes an infrared reflectometer (12) that in a preferred embodiment includes a swept laser (14), a fiber circulator (16), a photodetector (22) and a combination collimator (18) and an objective lens (20). From the objective lens (20) a focused incident light (23) is produced that is applied to the non-etched surface (84) of the wafer (80). From the wafer (80) is produced a reflected light (25) that is processed through the reflectometer (12) and applied to an ADC (24) where a corresponding digital data signal (29) is produced. The digital data signal (29) is applied to a computer (30) that, in combination with software (32), measures the depth of the etched feature that is then viewed on a display (34).
US08649015B2
In a bioinformation acquisition apparatus, a flux of light emitted from a test object through diffusion when the test object is irradiated with light can be reused, improving use efficiency of the radiated light. The apparatus has a light source for irradiating the test object with the flux of light, and a detector for detecting a signal output based on the radiation, and includes: a reflection-type polarization element adapted that at least a part of the flux of light from the light source can be transmitted through, and a flux of light emitted from the test object by the radiation can be reflected, in which the reflection-type polarization element is disposed at a position opposite to an irradiation area of the light on the surface of the test object to cover the irradiation area.
US08648994B2
Disclosed are a liquid crystal display element exhibiting a continuous gradation memory property as well as different display properties substantially similar to those of a liquid crystal display element having nematic liquid crystals, while enabling continuous tone display, and a method for manufacturing the same.
US08648991B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device, including: a first substrate including a first electrode and a second electrode each including a plurality of linear electrodes and formed so as to be comb-like; a second substrate; a blue-phase liquid crystal layer; first drain lines and second drain lines extending in Y direction and provided side by side in X direction; gate lines extending in the X direction; a first thin film transistor for supplying a drain signal from one of the first drain lines to the first electrode; a second thin film transistor for supplying a drain signal from one of the second drain lines to the second electrode, which is plate-like and formed on the blue-phase liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate so as to cover at least a region in which pixels are formed.
US08648983B2
A method for fabricating a blue phase liquid crystal display is provided. A first substrate is arranged opposite to a second substrate, in which the first and second substrates include a first and a second electrode, respectively. A blue phase liquid crystal layer is sealed between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which the blue phase liquid crystal layer includes a positive blue phase liquid crystal and a monomer. A voltage is applied to the first electrode and the second electrode such that a vertical electric field is formed. The blue phase liquid crystal layer is illuminated with a light source such that the monomer performs polymerization to produce a polymer-stabilized positive blue phase liquid crystal. A blue phase liquid crystal display is also disclosed herein.
US08648977B2
A method is provided that includes isolating a sealing surface from a chamber wall of a chamber and sealing the chamber between the sealing surface and the chamber wall. An apparatus is provided that includes a chamber wall section prone to deflection, a stationary section providing a sealing surface, and a flexible bellows attached to the chamber wall section and the stationary section. A system is also provided that includes a chamber including a chamber wall having an opening, a door disposed to seal the opening, a sealing surface adjacent the opening and isolated from the chamber wall, and a seal between the sealing surface and the chamber wall. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08648973B2
A liquid crystal display capable of operating with little parasitic capacitance variation is presented. The display includes a substrate, a gate line disposed on the substrate, a storage electrode line disposed on the substrate and having a main portion that extends parallel with the gate line, a data line crossing the gate line and the storage electrode line and including a source electrode, a drain electrode facing the source electrode; and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode, wherein the storage electrode line includes a plurality of storage electrodes extending from the main portion in the same direction as the data line, and the storage electrodes overlap different regions of the data line.
US08648970B2
The present invention discloses a remote controllable video display system and a controller therefor, wherein positional information is generated by a sensor according to light from a light source. The controller includes a button with a predetermined function, wherein when the button is pressed or released, the status of the button (pressed or released) is outputted but (i) the positional information is not outputted or not processed within a predetermined period of time; or (ii) the positional information is not outputted or not processed when the remote controller has an acceleration larger than a predetermined value. Or, when the button is pressed once, the controller outputs double-click or multiple-click action information.
US08648961B2
An image capturing apparatus has a function of automatically focusing on an object to be photographed. The apparatus includes a first image-obtaining unit that includes a picture-taking lens which includes a focusing lens, and a first imaging sensor to obtain a first image of the object; a second image-obtaining unit that includes a range-finding lens and a second imaging sensor to obtain a second image of the object; a range finder that calculates a distance to the object by using the first image data and the second image data; and a focus control unit that moves the focusing lens according to the distance calculated by the range finder to attain focus on the object. The range finder includes an image-forming-position determining unit which determines a first image forming position and a second image forming position, based on which a distance calculating unit calculates a distance to the object.
US08648953B2
A stereoscopic image for allowing stereoscopic viewing, which is generated from two or more images obtained from different viewpoints, is obtained. Depth information, which indicates a distance in the depth direction of the stereoscopic image of at least one subject contained in the stereoscopic image, is obtained. A depth image is generated by positioning a subject image with relating the distance in the depth direction of the subject to a distance in the depth direction from a reference position to a position of the subject image. Display of the subject image positioned in the depth image is controlled in a manner that the subject image is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the depth direction, and the depth image with display of the subject image contained therein being controlled to be rotatable is displayed.
US08648950B2
There is provided an image sensor capable of minimizing level variations of a control signal inputted to a unit pixel. The image sensor includes a plurality of unit pixels, each supplied with a first power voltage for converting an inputted signal into an electrical signal; and a control block supplied with a second power voltage for providing control signals to each unit pixel in order to stably operate each unit pixel, wherein the control block includes a conversion unit for outputting the control signals under the first power voltage, not the second power voltage.
US08648947B2
An image-pickup apparatus including a detector comprising a detecting unit and a reading circuit, the detecting unit including pixels, each of which including a conversion element, the reading circuit which includes a connecting unit that is electrically connected to a signal wire transferring an electric signal and that electrically connects the signal wire to a node, and which performs a reading operation to output the electric signal from the pixel. A control unit controls an operation of the reading circuit, and a sensing unit senses the end of radiation irradiation based on an output of the reading circuit, which is acquired during the period of an accumulation operation of the detector. The control unit starts establishing the electrical connection between the signal wire and the node through the connecting unit based on the sensed irradiation end, and retains the electrical connection until the start of the reading operation.
US08648940B2
An image processing apparatus includes a first defect interpolation unit that interpolates a defective pixel using a pixel value of a first pixel near a specific first pixel or a pixel value of a second pixel near a specific second pixel, a second defect interpolation unit that interpolates the defective pixel using a rate of pixel values of a first pixel and a second pixel in the same micro lens near the specific first pixel and the specific second pixel, an in-focus level evaluation unit that evaluates an in-focus level using outputs of the first and second pixels, a synthesis rate switching unit that switches a synthesis rate of outputs of the first and second defect interpolation units, and a signal processing unit that generates a shot image using an output of the synthesis rate switching unit.
US08648938B2
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.
US08648924B2
In an exemplary capturing apparatus, a captured image is acquired in real time. A first face area is detected from a plurality of face areas included in the captured image thus acquired, and a first face image corresponding to the first face area is acquired. Then, a face combination image is generated by replacing at least a part of a second face area with the first face image.
US08648920B2
This invention provides an electromagnetically driven device applicable to a lens driving device with an anti-shake function by a simple structure that enables the movable member to swing around an axis thereof. A flat spring for swinging connects to a stationary frame body provided with a permanent magnet set and a coil set for swinging is mounted on an outer circumference of a movable frame body. When an axial direction of the movable frame body is designated as the Z axis, the coil set for swinging including a first through fourth coils arranged around the Z axis and spaced at uniform intervals with each winding around an axis perpendicular to the Z axis and opposite to the permanent magnet set respectively. The permanent magnet set includes a first through fourth magnets, wherein each magnet is arranged between two adjacent coils among the first through fourth coils.
US08648911B2
A control device divides one frame into plural sub-frames, distributes image signals of an embedded image, which is provided to only specific users, to the plural sub-frames such that a sum of signal levels in the one frame is zero, and superimposes the image signals on an image signal of a basic image provided to unspecified people and causes a display device to display the embedded image. The reception device shoots an image displayed on the display device in each period that is the same as the period of the sub-frame and calculates the difference between two image signals obtained in each period that is the same as the period of the sub-frame to acquire and display an image signal of the embedded image.
US08648907B2
An exemplary image processing apparatus comprises: a polarized light source section; an image capturing section which sequentially captures an image of the object that is being illuminated with each of three or more plane polarized light rays; and an image processing section. The image processing section includes: a varying intensity processing section which calculates a state of polarized light reflected from the object's surface; a reflection decision section which distinguishes a multi-reflection region in which incoming light is reflected twice from a recessed region from a once-reflected region in which the incoming light is reflected only once from the object's surface; and a mirror image search section which locates a pair of multi-reflection regions. Based on the pair of multi-reflection regions, the image processing section generates an image representing the recessed region on the object's surface.
US08648896B2
A stereoscopic optical system includes, at a distal end of an insertion part of an endoscope, a two-path forming optical system for forming two paths of rays involving a parallax, an image forming optical system for forming images out of light travelling along the respective paths of rays in the two-path forming optical system onto a common region, and an image sensor arranged at an image forming position of the image forming optical system. The stereoscopic optical system is further provided with a time-division path switching means that is capable of switching between the two paths of rays in a time-division manner so that only light coming from either one of the two paths of rays formed by the two-path forming optical system enters the image forming optical system.
US08648893B2
An electrooptic device having a simple structure that can efficiently increase deflection of a beam is provided. The device includes: an electrooptic crystal (11) having an electrooptic effect; an electrode pair of a positive electrode (12) and a negative electrode (13) for generating an electric field inside the electrooptic crystal; and a power source for applying a voltage between the electrode pair so as to generate a space charge inside the electrooptic crystal. With this arrangement, by using a simple structure, a change in a deflection angle is temporally rapid, and a large deflection angle that cannot be obtained by a conventional electrooptic crystal prism can be acquired at a low applied voltage.
US08648887B2
A method for adjusting the waveform brightness for a waveform formatted to be displayed on a digital three-dimensional (3D) oscilloscope having M brightness gradation levels to display the waveform on a digital 3D oscilloscope having L brightness gradation levels is includes, creating a ROM in an FPGA and storing a look-up table of screen display brightness value of LCD that is corresponding to the waveform occurrence N(T,A) at the current brightness gradation L. The ROM is divided into 2a sub ROMs, each sub ROM has the capacity of 2b×d bits. A value of round(pL·N(T,A) is assigned to waveform brightness value D(T,A) and is stored correspondingly into the subROML of 2b×d bits by ascending order of the b bits of binary data of waveform occurrence N(T,A). In this way, using the b bits of binary data of waveform occurrence N(T,A) as the binary address of the subROML, corresponding waveform brightness value D(T,A) at the current brightness gradation L can be obtained through look-up table in the subROML.
US08648881B2
An image processing apparatus has stored therein in advance, as image conversion parameters to coordinate-convert images acquired by in-vehicle cameras incorporated at different positions in an own vehicle, directions connecting between a sight-line starting position of a driver and predetermined positions of the own vehicle, values of a depression angle from the sight-line starting position of the driver, and a range that the driver is caused to visualize, for each of the in-vehicle cameras, corresponding to a state of the own vehicle. The image processing apparatus receives from the driver an input of a display output condition, and determines a current state of the own vehicle. The image processing apparatus acquires the image conversion parameters based on the display output condition and the current state of the own vehicle, and converts images captured by the in-vehicle cameras, by using the acquired image conversion parameters, and outputs the images.
US08648876B2
There is provided a display including a display unit which periodically arranges and displays a plurality of view images, an acquisition unit which acquires information on a position of an observer, a calculation unit which sets a target viewing zone based on the information on the position of the observer, and a control unit which selects an arrangement of the view images that gives a viewing zone similar to the target viewing zone.
US08648866B2
A facial animation production method for producing 3-dimensional (3D) facial animation data in response to input video data includes the following steps. First, data positioning and character sorting processes are performed on the input video data to acquire first-layer character data, for indicating multiple first-layer character points, and first-layer model data. Next, first-layer model outline data and first-layer character outline data are respectively obtained according to the first-layer model data and the first-layer character data. Then, the first-layer character outline data is compared with the first-layer model outline data to judge whether a judgment condition is satisfied. If not, output character data are produced according to the first-layer character data, and fundamental facial-mesh transformation data are thus produced. Thereafter, the 3D facial animation data are displayed according to the fundamental facial-mesh transformation data.
US08648864B2
A method for blended animation by providing a set of animation sequences associated with an animated character model is disclosed. In one embodiment, a geometric representation of a blend space is generated from the set of animation sequences using locator nodes associated with each animation sequence. A subset of animation sequences is selected from the set of animation sequences by casting a ray from a reference bone to a target through the geometric representation and selecting animation sequences that are geometrically close to the intersection of the cast ray and the geometric representation. A blend weight is determined for each member animation sequence in the selected subset of animation sequences. A blended animation is generated using the selected subset of animation sequences and the blend weights, then rendered to create a final animation.
US08648860B2
Methods for displaying machine data are described including a method for displaying machine data as a virtual three-dimensional image showing a three-dimensional graph having three axes such that the data in the graph may be rotated about one or more of the axes to give a data analyst a better perspective of the behavior of an item being monitored. In a related embodiment, a method for displaying machine data in a virtual three-dimensional image such that the data may be rotated one or more of the axes is described which further includes one or more cursor images representing substantially planar cursors on the display for analyzing data.
US08648858B1
A configuration for encoding and decoding the data is disclosed herein. A server retrieves webpage content to filter and extract text and image data. The text data is encoded using a lossless encoder, whereas the image data is downsampled to a lower resolution and encoded using a lossy encoder. The encoded text and image data is transmitted over a network. Once the encoded data is received on the client device, the text and image data is decoded using an inverse encoding algorithm and resized at a resolution appropriate to the native resolution of the display device.
US08648851B2
An LCD device having improved reliability is disclosed.The LCD device includes an LCD panel comprising a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines crossing the plurality of gate lines, a bottom cover disposed under the LCD panel, a top case encompassing an edge portion of an upper surface of the LCD panel and coupled to the bottom cover, a control PCB disposed on a lower surface of the bottom cover, a data driving PCB disposed at a side of the LCD panel and supplying a data signal to the plurality of data lines, a plurality of chip-on-films (COFs) connected the data driving PCB and the LCD panel, a plurality of flexible flat cables (FFCs) connected the data driving PCB and the control PCB, and a protection tape in which an adhesive material is coated on a surface other than areas corresponding to the FFCs and a plurality of grooves corresponding to the FFCs are formed at a side of the protection tape.
US08648849B2
A buffer circuit having high slew rate is provided. The buffer circuit is provided, which includes a plurality of transistors having the same conductivity type and a capacitor and whose gain is determined depending on the gain of all the plurality of transistors. A buffer circuit having high driving capability and high gain of a high-frequency component can be provided. Such a buffer circuit has also high slew rate. The plurality of transistors having the same conductivity type in the buffer circuit may be either p-channel transistors or n-channel transistors.
US08648841B2
A scan-line driving device for a LCD apparatus is provided. The scan-line driving device comprises a PWM signal generating circuit, two impedances with different resistance values, a capacitor and two scan drivers. The PWM signal generating circuit outputs a PWM signal with two potentials and a predetermined duty cycle. A terminal of the capacitor is electrically coupled to a ground potential, and the other terminal of the capacitor receives the PWM signal. Each of the scan drivers comprises a core circuit and a transistor. A source/drain terminal of each transistor is electrically coupled to a PWM signal input terminal of a corresponding core circuit and the other terminal of the capacitor, the other source/drain terminal of each transistor is electrically coupled to the ground potential through a corresponding one of the impedances, and the gate terminal of each transistor receives a turn-on control signal.
US08648839B2
A touch input system including a stylus and a display device is provided. The stylus includes a battery module, a touch portion, a transducer module and a RF transmitting module. When a contact pressure is acted on the touch portion, the touch portion is electrically connected to the battery module by the contact pressure and emits a light signal. The display region receives and reacts to the light signal, and the contact pressure is transformed into an electrical signal by the transducer module. The RF transmitting module is electrically connected to the transducer module and transmitting the electrical signal. The display device includes a display region and a RF receiving module.
US08648828B2
Provided is a system for inputting operation system (OS) commands to a data processing device. The system includes a video camera that captures images of a viewing space. A processor detects a predetermined object in the images using an object recognition algorithm not involving background information in an image. One or more image analysis parameters of the object are extracted from the images and one or more motion detection tests are applied. Each motion detection test has an associated OS command, and when a test succeeds, the OS command associated with the test is executed. By not relying on background information in an image, the described system may be used in devices that are moved in use, such as a palm plot, personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a digital camera, and a mobile game machine.
US08648823B2
A method includes, at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface: concurrently displaying a first text entry area and an unsplit keyboard on the display; detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, replacing the unsplit keyboard with an integrated input area. The integrated input area includes a left portion with a left side of a split keyboard, a right portion with a right side of the split keyboard, and a center portion in between the left portion and the right portion.
US08648820B2
In an image forming apparatus including software buttons and hardware buttons, a log-in image is displayed, and when input of a log-in name by a user is completed, determination is made as to whether an operation device used at that time is hardware buttons. If the operation device is hardware buttons, the image forming apparatus erases a software keyboard from a display panel, and if the operation device is not the hardware buttons, turns off a hardware button lamp.
US08648818B2
Provided is a display device which is the liquid crystal display device (12) in which the transparent interlayer (3) is provided between the liquid crystal display panel (1) and the transparent substrate (11) having a touch panel function and disposed on a front side of the liquid crystal display panel (1). In the liquid crystal display device (12), the outermost periphery of the transparent interlayer (3) is shaped like a frame, and the same material is used to form a frame-shaped transparent interlayer (7) and the transparent interlayer (3) that constitutes an entire display area to prevent the liquid material of the interlayer (3) leaking out of the liquid crystal display device (12) during manufacture of a product or while the product is in use.
US08648816B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a recognition section which recognizes the shape of an object being in contact with an operation screen of an operating section; a pressure detecting section which detects the pressure of the object on the operation screen; a threshold value setting section which sets a threshold value of the pressure, which is a value for determining a pressure operation on the operation screen, on the basis of the shape of the object recognized by the recognition section; and a determination section which determines whether or not a pressure operation has been performed on the operation screen on the basis of the pressure detected by the pressure detecting section and the threshold value set by the threshold value setting section.
US08648815B2
A touch panel includes a substrate that has top and bottom surfaces. A reflective image layer has top and bottom surfaces and displays an image. The bottom surface of the reflective image layer is bonded to the top surface of the substrate to form a stack having top and bottom sides. At least one sensor detects signals associated with bending waves propagating through the stack. The signals are used to identify coordinate locations of at least one touch event on the top or bottom sides of the stack, or to identify coordinate locations of touch events on both of the top and bottom sides of the stack.
US08648811B2
A remote control system for electronic device and remote control method thereof, the remote control system comprises a controlled apparatus and a remote controller. The controlled apparatus comprises a processing control system (121) and an instruction execution unit (125) in which at least a video capturing device (122,126) connected to the controlled apparatus is also included. At least a characteristic composition is included on the remote controller, at least a video capturing device (122,126) is used for collecting the characteristic composition on the remote controller the processing control system (121) is used for processing the collected characteristic composition images, parsing into the respective instructions, and giving the instruction execution unit (125) the instructions to execute.
US08648810B2
An integrated input apparatus includes a panel, a sensing layer, a backlight layer, and a bottom layer. The panel includes a plurality of hot key patterns, a typing key group pattern, a cursor control pattern, and a response key pattern (a left key and a right key). When anyone of the hot key patterns, the typing key group pattern, the cursor control pattern, or the response key pattern is touched, a sensing control signal is sensed by the sensing layer and sent to a computer host for further processing.
US08648807B2
Disclosed are an illuminance sensor which has a spectral-response characteristic approximate to the spectral luminous efficacy and which has a low circuit complexity, and a display device including the illuminance sensor. The illuminance sensor includes (i) a current output circuit which, with use of a bitstream signal of a first analog-digital conversion circuit for carrying out an analog-digital conversion with respect to a first current flowing through a first light receiving element, outputs a current corresponding to the first current and (ii) a second analog-digital conversion circuit which receives a third current obtained by subtracting a current from a second current flowing through a second light receiving element and which thus carries out an analog-digital conversion with respect to the third current.
US08648803B2
The remote control device contains two keypads, of which the second keypad is able to be slid into a housing or extracted from it. A sensor detects the sliding position of the second keypad and generates an output signal, that assigns differing control signals to preset keys of the first keypad depending on the sliding position of the second keypad. Additionally the remote control device has two transmission devices with differing directions of emission, with always only one transmission device being activated and in fact depending on the output signal of the sensor.
US08648799B1
For multiple times in a time period, multiple data points can be received from an accelerometer and from a magnetometer that are included in a mobile computing device. For each of the data points, an orientation and a position of the mobile computing device can be determined based on an acceleration output and a magnetometer output that corresponds to the particular time. A trajectory is determined that represents movement of the mobile computing device during the time period based on the determined orientations and positions of the mobile computing device at the multiple times. Information that characterizes the trajectory is compared to stored information that characterizes a set of one or more base trajectories. Based on the comparison, an operation of the mobile computing device is identified that is associated with a trajectory included in the set of one or more base trajectories.
US08648798B2
An input device includes a detection unit, a first acquisition unit, a second acquisition unit, and a compensation unit. The detection unit is configured to detect an operation by a user for controlling an electronic device and output an operation signal corresponding to the operation. The first acquisition unit is configured to acquire the detected operation signal and a differential value of the operation signal. The second acquisition unit is configured to acquire a function defined by the differential value to compensate for a delay in response of the operation signal with respect to the operation by the user. The compensation unit is configured to compensate the operation signal with the acquired function.
US08648795B2
A method for driving a display sheet having a display layer having storage portions containing first particles and second particles includes a reset period having a first period in which the second particles are moved to one surface and also the first particles are moved to the other surface and a second period, after the first period, in which the first particles are moved to the one surface and also the second particles are moved to the other surface.
US08648789B2
A control device (701) for controlling the output of one or more full-bridges (101, 102) is described. The control device (701) reduces the amount of electromagnetic emissions by staggering the switching the outputs from the full-bridge inverters (101, 102). This is achieved by synchronizing the outputs to be symmetrical about a synchronization pulse (305).
US08648787B2
A pixel circuitry for a display apparatus is provided herein. The pixel circuitry includes a first storage element, and a switching element composed of a plurality of switches. The first storage element has a first terminal receiving a pixel signal and a second terminal coupled to a first voltage. The first storage element is used for storing the pixel signal. The switching element includes a first switch and a second switch respectively conducted in response to a first signal and a second signal. Each of the first switch and the second switch has an input terminal coupled to a data line and an output terminal coupled to the first storage element. The cooperation of the first switch and the second switch has benefit of delivering the pixel signal without influence of body effect.
US08648781B2
Embodiments of a system that includes one or more integrated circuits are described. During operation, the system receives a sequence of video images, and calculates brightness metrics associated with the video images in the sequence of video images. Then, the system determines an intensity setting of a light source, which illuminates a display that is configured to display the sequence of video images, and scales brightness values of a given video image in the sequence of video images based on a given brightness metric associated with the given video image. Next, the system changes the intensity setting and scaling the brightness values when there is a discontinuity in the brightness metrics between two adjacent video images in the sequence of video images.
US08648780B2
A backlight display has improved display characteristics. An image is displayed on the display which includes a liquid crystal material with a light valve. The display receives an image signal and modifies the light based upon motion.
US08648774B2
A large scale LED display has a number of display panels each having a cable and spacer support structure for a number of LED modules. Adjacent display panels are connected together by a number of seam links that snap onto one cable of one of the display panels and one cable of the adjacent display panel. The cables may include a number of seam link engagement members spaced along the length of the cable and onto which the seam links snap wherein each of the seam link engagement members locates an LED module on the support structure. The LED modules include top and bottom housing sections that snap together, wherein one of the housing sections includes a seat for an electrical connector. The seat locates the connector and a printed circuit assembly within the LED module.
US08648736B2
A key input device for data input means of a device is provided. The key input device includes a first terminal for outputting a key input signal, a second terminal spaced apart from the first terminal and having at least two divided parts, wherein all the divided parts contact the first terminal during a key input operation, at least one resistor allocated to each of the divided parts of the second terminal, connected in parallel to each other, and having respectively different resistance values, and a processor chip for controlling a corresponding key input operation according to respectively different voltage values outputted from the first terminal, by at least one corresponding resistor that is electrically and selectively connected to each of the divided parts.
US08648733B2
Oilfield drilling utilizes downhole data transmitted to surface for formation evaluation and steering of directional wellbores. A leading technology in providing subsurface to surface communication is Electro-Magnetic (EM) Telemetry. This technology is typically employed with a downhole antenna concentric with the bore of an electrically insulating “gap sub” portion of the system. The antenna blocks the bore from further use to conduct other sensors or equipment through. One aspect of the invention is to integrate the antenna into the structure of the gap sub, thereby clearing the bore for conducting other tools through, and also protecting the antenna from the harsh drilling environment, including abrasion, erosion, shock, and vibration. Another aspect of this invention enables the antenna to serve a secondary function as an anti-rotation feature between the two halves of the gap sub.
US08648723B2
A biological information monitoring system includes: an alarm generator which generates an alarm signal indicative of an abnormality of biological information of a patient, or an abnormality of a unit related to monitoring of biological information of a patient, or an abnormality due to an operation of a unit related to monitoring of biological information of a patient; a first output generator which performs a first output based on the alarm signal; a detector which detects information related to the first output; a second output generator which performs a second output being independent from the first output; and a warning controller which controls the second output generator to perform the second output based on the detected information related to the first output.
US08648722B2
A method and system for identification, tracking and locating in wireless communications and wireless networks. The method and system use reference and/or pilot signals that are present in wireless communications and wireless networks. The method and system can also use RTT, TOA and time-stamping measurements/techniques to determine one or more reference signals traveling time between the Base Station (eN B) or its functional equivalent and mobile device (UE) and or network device. The method and system includes multi-path mitigations processor and multi-path mitigations techniques and algorithms which improve the track-locate accuracy. The method and system allow achieving increased accuracy by using multi-path mitigations processor and multi-path mitigations techniques and algorithms. The techniques of Digital Signal Processing and Software-Defined Radio are used.
US08648717B2
A programmable communicator device is disclosed having a wireless communications circuit, including an antenna, configured to receive a transmission, and an identity module having a unique identifier. The programmable communicator further includes a processing module including program code configured to determine if the transmission is from an authenticated caller by determining whether a received transmission contains the unique identifier, and memory configured to store telephone numbers or IP addresses received in transmissions from an authenticated caller.
US08648715B2
A method of providing a reminder of a task to be performed at a task location is disclosed herein. The method includes receiving first location information identifying a first location of a user via a mobile communication device and storing the first location information in association with historical travel information. The method includes storing task information that identifies the task and the task location. The method includes identifying a reminder position, wherein the reminder position is based on a comparison of an estimated probability of the user traveling in a trajectory leading toward the task location and an estimated probability of the user traveling in a trajectory leading away from the task location. The method includes receiving current location information identifying a current location and providing a reminder for the task based on a comparison of the current location information and the reminder position.
US08648714B2
Disclosed methods and apparatus automatically cause a mobile communication device to download a file using a designated remote device. A user interface enables selection of the designated remote device and of a designated code corresponding to downloading the file to the mobile communication device from the designated remote device. A processor: receives a coded electronic communication (CEC), identifies origination of the CEC, determines whether the identified originator of the CEC is the designated remote device, identifies a code included in the CEC, upon determining that the identified originator of the CEC is the designated remote device, determines whether the identified code included in the CEC is the designated code, and provides an instruction to cause the mobile communication device to download the file, upon determining that the identified code included in the CEC is the designated code.
US08648709B2
An event warning system is provided. The innovation can provide real time, personalized and meaningful alert warnings to either or both a machine operator/driver and pedestrians who are in harm's way, or are potentially approaching harm's way. Different from generic warnings such as backup alarms and flashing lights, the innovation's personalized alarm and notification functionality minimizes alarm complacency and maximizes their effectiveness.
US08648708B2
Methods and apparatus detect wiring error(s), identify to the user what wiring error has been detected, and redefine the wiring configuration. An indication is provided to the user that the apparatus has redefined the wiring configuration. Steps may be automated and/or initiated by the user.
US08648698B2
A method and tag for decoding a signal received from a radio frequency identification (“RFID”) reader. A signal is received from the RFID reader in which the signal has a series of pulses. A time frame between receipt of two consecutive pulses is measured to determine whether the pulses represent zero bits or one bits. A total pulse duration is calculated in which the total pulse duration represents a sum of the measured time frames for the signal. A command is decoded. The decoding is based on the total duration of the two pulses.
US08648677B2
A keyboard is provided. The keyboard includes a housing and keys. The housing includes frames defining a first through hole to receive the keys and defines a receiving space to receive the frames. The housing includes switches. The receiving space defines slots to receive first magnetic members. Each key is arranged over the switch. Each key includes a base, second magnetic members, a convex lens, and a plate. The base defines a second through hole to receive the convex lens and plate. The plate is arranged below the convex lens. A label is sealed on a top of the plate. The convex lens is rotated, the distance between the convex lens and the plate changes. The size of the image of the label thus changes. The key is depressed to press the switch, the switch is actuated, when the key is released, the key is separate from the switch.
US08648674B2
A filter circuit having two pass bands includes first and second bandpass filters which are connected in parallel with each other. Each of the bandpass filters includes at least a resonator group composed of a plurality of resonators arranged in orderly sequence so as to be coupled to each other to form a pass band, an input terminal coupled to a resonator on an input stage, and an output terminal coupled to a resonator on an output stage. The resonator group is composed of at least one of one or more quarter-wavelength resonators and one or more half-wavelength resonators. The resonator group of at least one of the first bandpass filter and the second bandpass filter includes both one or more quarter-wavelength resonators and one or more half-wavelength resonators.
US08648667B2
A thin film balun that can be made smaller and thinner while maintaining required balun characteristics is provided. A thin film balun 1 includes: an unbalanced transmission line UL including a first coil portion C1 and a second coil portion C2; a balanced transmission line BL including a third coil portion C3 and a fourth coil portion C4 that are positioned facing and magnetically coupled to the first coil portion C1 and the second coil portion C2 respectively; an unbalanced terminal UT connected to the first coil portion C1; a ground terminal G connected to the second coil portion C2 via a C component D; and an electrode D2 connected to the ground terminal G and facing a part of the second coil portion C2. The C component D is formed by the electrode D2 and the part D1 of the second coil portion C2.
US08648664B2
An apparatus includes a first conductive loop coupled to conduct a first current and a second conductive loop coupled in parallel with the first conductive loop and further coupled to conduct a second current. A first conductive portion forms a part of the first conductive loop and the second conductive loop. The first conductive portion is coupled to conduct the first current and the second current. In at least one embodiment of the apparatus, the first conductive loop and the second conductive loop are planar inductors formed in a conductive layer on a substrate of an integrated circuit.
US08648656B2
The low-noise amplifier with through mode is configured such that a source grounded transistor and a gate grounded transistor are connected in cascode, and a load impedance element and a switching transistor are serially connected between the drain of the gate grounded transistor and a power supply, and a through pass circuit is connected between an input terminal and an output terminal. The gate voltage of the gate grounded transistor is regulated by a bias circuit and the voltage of a mode control terminal is converted by a level shifter to control the gate voltage of the switching transistor, whereby, in the case of using only transistors whose terminal-to-terminal breakdown voltages are each equal to or less than the power supply voltage, it becomes feasible to prevent voltages equal to or more than the terminal-to-terminal breakdown voltages from being applied between the terminals of each transistor.
US08648653B2
A method and apparatus is provided for reducing interference in circuits. A management strategy is provided to reduce reference spurs and interference in circuits. The management strategy uses a combination of one or more techniques which reduce the digital current, minimize mutual inductance, utilize field cancellation, prevent leakage current, and/or manage impedance. These techniques may be used alone, or preferably, used on combination with one another.
US08648646B2
An electrical system for generating arbitrary voltage waveform includes a power supply unit for providing a supply voltage to the electrical system. One or more charge pumps are in electrical communication with the power supply unit. Each charge pump generates a voltage. The electrical system also includes a plurality of switches, a first switch among the plurality of switches coupled between a ground and an output terminal, other switches among the plurality of switches coupled between the one or more charge pumps and the output terminal. A control circuit is in electrical communication with the power supply unit, the plurality of switches and the one or more charge pumps, and is operable to control the voltage generated by the each charge pump and the plurality of switches. Voltages from the one or more charge pumps additively result in a variable output voltage that generates an arbitrary voltage waveform.
US08648643B2
An electronic component is described which includes a first transistor encased in a first package, the first transistor being mounted over a first conductive portion of the first package, and a second transistor encased in a second package, the second transistor being mounted over a second conductive portion of the second package. The component further includes a substrate comprising an insulating layer between a first metal layer and a second metal layer. The first package is on one side of the substrate with the first conductive portion being electrically connected to the first metal layer, and the second package is on another side of the substrate with the second conductive portion being electrically connected to the second metal layer. The first package is opposite the second package, with at least 50% of a first area of the first conductive portion being opposite a second area of the second conductive portion.
US08648638B2
Electronic chips with slew-rate control at output signals are disclosed. A disclosed electronic chip includes a slew-rate control circuit and slew-rate control charging and discharging transistors wherein the transistors are coupled at an output pin of the electronic chip. According to an input signal for an output stage of the electronic chip and a signal at the output pin, the slew-rate control circuit generates the slew-rate control charging and discharging signals to separately control the slew-rate control charging and discharging transistors to charge/discharge a load capacitance at the output pin.
US08648629B2
A transmission channel configured to transmit high-voltage pulses and to receive echoes of the high-voltage pulses includes a high voltage buffer, a voltage clamp and a switch. The voltage clamp may include clamping transistors and switching off transistors coupled together in series with body diodes in anti-series. The transmission channel may include a reset circuit configured to bias the transmission channel between pulses. The switch may include a bootstrap circuit.
US08648626B2
A clock generator and generating method, and a mobile communication device using the clock generator. A clock generator comprises a first accumulator, an oscillating signal generating circuit and a frequency adjustment circuit. The oscillating signal generating circuit generates a first oscillating signal and adjusts a frequency of the first oscillating signal according to a first overflow output signal of the first accumulator. The frequency adjustment circuit generates a frequency control value according to the first oscillating signal and a reference oscillating signal. The first accumulator accumulates the frequency control value according to the first oscillating signal to generate the first overflow output signal.
US08648623B2
A single stage current sense amplifier is described that generates a differential output that is proportional to a current through a sense resistor. The voltage across the sense resistor is Vsense. The current sense amplifier includes a differential transconductance amplifier having high impedance input terminals. An on-chip RC filter filters transients in the Vsense signal. A feedback circuit for each leg of the amplifier causes a pair of input transistors to conduct a fixed constant current irrespective of Vsense, which stabilizes the transconductance. A gain control resistor (Re) is coupled across terminals of the pair of input transistors and has Vsense across it. The current through the gain control resistor is therefore Vsensex1/Re. A level shifting circuit coupled to each of the input transistors lowers a common mode voltage at an output of the amplifier. Chopper circuits at the input and output cancel any offset voltages.
US08648622B2
A method for monitoring a frequency signal provided within a unit is disclosed. The method comprises a step of receiving one or more binary signal levels of a cycle signal (CLK) or a control signal (CS) from a communication interface (CLK, CS, MOSI, MISO), wherein the communication interface (CLK, CS, MOSI, MISO) is designed to transfer information according to a communication protocol. The method further comprises a step of providing the frequency signal in the unit and comparing the frequency signal to a temporal sequence of signal levels of the cycle signal (CLK) received by the communication interface (CLK, CS, MOSI, MISO) in order to obtain a comparison result or controlling a counter by the control signal (CS) and the frequency signal in order to obtain a counter status. Finally, the method according to the disclosure comprises a step of recognizing a predetermined quality of the frequency signal if the comparison result fulfills a predetermined criterion or if the counter status lies within a predetermined value range in order to monitor by the recognized quality of the frequency signal.
US08648619B2
Apparatuses including termination for complementary signals are described, along with methods for terminating complementary signals. One such apparatus includes a termination transistor including a first node configured to receive a first complementary signal and a second node configured to receive a second complementary signal. A regulation circuit can generate a regulated voltage to render the termination transistor conductive with a substantially constant resistance. In one such method, a first complementary signal is received at a drain of a termination transistor and a second complementary signal is received at a source of the termination transistor. Energy of the complimentary signals can be absorbed when the termination transistor is rendered conductive. Additional embodiments are also described.
US08648617B2
According to the following disclosure, disclosed is a semiconductor device including: an internal circuit configured to receive and output a signal current; a current mirror unit outputting a copied current corresponding to the signal current; and a test pad from which the copied current is taken out.
US08648615B2
A method of testing a multi-die integrated circuit (IC) can include testing an inter-die connection of the multi-die IC. The inter-die connection can include a micro-bump coupling a first die to a second die. The method can include detecting whether a fault occurs during testing of the inter-die connection. Responsive to detecting the fault, the multi-die integrated circuit can be designated as including a faulty inter-die connection. Also described is an integrated circuit that includes a first die, a second die on which the first die may be disposed, a plurality of inter-die connections coupling the first die to the second die, and a plurality of probe pads, where each probe pad is coupled to at least one of the inter-die connections.
US08648600B2
An electrodynamic machine shaft slow roll measurement testing and remediation method that can be performed on a partially machined shaft. Upon completion of slow roll tests on a partially machined shaft the manufacturer may complete machining of shafts that successfully meet the test specification. If a partially machined shaft fails the test specification, the manufacturer at its option may attempt to remediate the shaft, so that it successfully meets slow roll specification upon re-testing. Exemplary remediation steps may include further concentricity machining to reduce mechanical runout or shaft treatment, such as by heating and/or quenching to reduce electrical runout. Partially machined shafts that fail slow roll test specifications (with or without remediation efforts) may be scrapped or otherwise recycled without, completing final machining operations.
US08648585B2
A constant current source circuit is constituted of a control voltage generation section which detects the output voltage at the output terminal so as to generate a control voltage, a reference current adjustment section which adjust a reference current based on the control voltage, and a current mirror section which outputs the output current responsive to the adjusted reference current at the output terminal. This reduces variations of the output current due to variations of the output voltage; hence, the constant current source circuit can precisely operate in a low-voltage region.
US08648573B2
A charger for a portable device includes a USB detector connected to a data pin to detect the effective resistance on the data pin before a USB transceiver is enabled, to identify USB or adapter plug in and control a charging current for a battery accordingly.
US08648572B2
A protection circuit having: a connecting terminal which is connected to an external circuit and which inputs and outputs a charging/discharging current of a secondary battery to and from the external circuit; a voltage detection unit for detecting an output voltage of the secondary battery; a current detection unit for detecting a discharging current of the secondary battery; a power consumption calculation unit for calculating power consumption of the external circuit by multiplying a value of the output voltage detected by the voltage detection unit by a value of the discharging current detected by the current detection unit; and an external protection unit for executing external protection processing of protecting the external circuit when the power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit exceeds a power threshold set to a value that is not less than a maximum value of power consumption of the external circuit.
US08648563B2
The invention relates to a charging device for charging at least one rechargeable energy storage unit, having a defined inner resistance and having a compensation circuit for the compensation of a voltage drop during the charging operation caused by the inner resistance. The compensation circuit has a current detection for detecting a charge current of the rechargeable energy storage unit and a voltage regulator for adjusting the charge voltage to the detected charge current. The charging device is characterized in that the compensation circuit has a voltage distributor between the current detector and the voltage regulator, by the dimensioning of which the compensation of the inner resistance is carried out.
US08648556B2
A permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) includes a stator and rotor powered by an inverter. A device to control the PMSM includes a sensor to sample a measurement θm of the position of the rotor, a control unit to control an operating point of the PMSM according to the position of the rotor and settings, and an estimation unit to determine an estimate {circumflex over (θ)} of the rotor position. The device also includes a malfunction detector to detect a malfunction of the sensor and a switch to connect the control unit to the sensor so that the control unit receives the measured position θm of the rotor while the malfunction detector does not indicate any sensor malfunction, and otherwise to connect the control unit to the estimation unit so that the control unit receives the estimated position {circumflex over (θ)} of the rotor when the malfunction detector indicates a sensor malfunction.
US08648540B1
A decoration lamp with a speaker for correspondingly illuminating and speaking has a decoration body, multiple fixtures, multiple illumination units, a translucent cover, a speaker and a control device. The fixtures are mounted on the decoration body. The illumination units are mounted in the fixtures. The translucent cover is mounted on the decoration body to cover the illumination units. The control device sequentially activates the illumination units for changing the patterns and activates the speaker making voices for the patterns. The patterns and the voices change synchronously.
US08648538B2
A biolux lighting apparatus comprising a timer for counting a dark adaptation time, a sensor for sensing the motion of an object, a lamp having an adjustable brightness, and a control unit in which a dark adaptation threshold value is set and which controls each unit. The control unit controls the lamp to emit light at a set maximum brightness level when an object sensed signal is transmitted by the sensor, controls the timer to start counting when the light from the lamp has reached the maximum brightness level such that the brightness level of the lamp is lowered by the intensity of illumination within the set dark adaptation threshold value whenever a counting signal is generated by the timer. The control unit controls the timer to stop counting to maintain a set standard brightness level when the light from the lamp has reached the set standard brightness level.
US08648532B2
A High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamp includes a discharge chamber disposed within an anti-oxidation envelope and protected by a shroud. The shroud encloses the anti-oxidation envelope and thereby the discharge chamber to prevent the emission of fragments in the event that the discharge chamber fails. The shroud is positioned around the anti-oxidation envelope by a compressed spring at one end of the envelope tensioned against a collar attaching the other end of the envelope to a base of the lamp.
US08648529B2
A light-emitting composition comprising (A) a compound having a cyanoethyl group, (B) an adhesive resin material and (C) an electroluminescent material, wherein an amount of the component (B) is from 1 to 1,000 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the component (A); an electroluminescent sheet comprising at least a first electrode, an electroluminescent layer and a second electrode, laminated in this order, wherein at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode is transparent, and the electroluminescent layer contains the light-emitting composition; and a method for producing thereof are provided. Specifically, an electroluminescent sheet that can be produced at ambient temperature without heating, has high productivity, and can be mass produced at low cost, a method for producing thereof, and a light-emitting composition used therein are provided.
US08648524B2
A multicolor electronic display is based on an array of luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals. Nanocrystals which emit light of different colors are grouped into pixels. The nanocrystals are optically pumped to produce a multicolor display. Different sized nanocrystals are used to produce the different colors. A variety of pixel addressing systems can be used.
US08648522B2
This disclosure provides a light-emitting device including a patterned substrate and the manufacturing method thereof. The patterned substrate has a plurality of depressions and/or extrusions for scattering light emitted from a light-emitting layer. Each of the plurality of depressions and/or extrusions comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and a sidewall portion enclosing the top portion and the bottom portion, and at least part of the sidewall portion comprises a curve. In a preferred embodiment, the light-emitting device further comprises a rough surface formed on at least one of the top portion, the bottom portion, and the sidewall portion.
US08648521B2
A fluorescent display device is disclosed. The fluorescent display device includes an anode plate, aluminum anode wirings arranged on the anode plate, a first light shielding aluminum film arranged on the anode plate, an insulation layer arranged on both the anode wiring and the first light shielding film, a second light shielding graphite film arranged on the insulation layer, an anode electrode arranged on the insulation layer, and an outer light source display formed by removing a portion of the first light shielding film. The outer light source display is illuminated by a LED to display a predetermined pattern. The second light shielding film is formed along a wiring array arranged on the first light shielding film and the wiring so that a gap between the first light shielding film and the wirings is covered with the second light shielding film.
US08648520B2
An inner coupling tubular type electrodeless lamp comprises a glass bulb, an amalgam, and a power coupler. The glass bulb includes an external portion and an inner portion. A gas discharging cavity that is annularly airtight is defined by an envelopment of the external portion and the inner portion. A coupling cavity is defined in the inner portion. The power coupler includes a radiating post, a ferrite core, and a winding sequentially situating from an interior to an exterior thereof. The power coupler is disposed in the coupling cavity. Two ends of the coupling cavity are intercommunicated with each other as well as the exterior. The external portion of the glass bulb adopts the elongated tube. Wherein, a length of the ferrite core of the power coupler is not smaller than a half length of the coupling cavity. A length of the winding is measured from one-fifth to four-fifth of the length of the coupling cavity to evenly distribute an electromagnetic field. At least one diffuse reflection layer that is made of a material falling in a 250˜2000 nm spectrum scope is disposed between an inner wall of the inner portion (the side near the power coupler) and an external surface of the power coupler. Wherein, the material for making the diffuse reflection layer adopts a non-conducting electricity material that resists a temperature higher than 100° C.
US08648513B2
A permanent magnet type rotating electric machine includes: a rotor including a rotor core having a polygonal shape and a plurality of permanent magnets; and a stator including a stator core and armature windings, in which, when the number of poles is M, the number of slots is N, M permanent magnets are sequentially numbered from first to M-th in a circumferential direction, and a positional shift amount in the circumferential direction from a corresponding one of equiangularly arranged reference positions, each being at the same radial distance from a center of a rotating shaft, for an i-th (i=1, 2, . . . , M) permanent magnet is hi, M unit vectors in total, each being in an angular direction of 2πN(i−1)/M (rad), are defined, and a sum of M vectors obtained by multiplying the unit vectors respectively by the positional shift amount hi is smaller than a maximum value of an absolute value of the positional shift amount hi.
US08648505B2
An electrical machine with a stator has a winding support, which has at least one radial cooling slot, and a rotor, which likewise has at least one radial cooling slot. The winding support of the stator has on its outer shell a number of axially running cooling ribs, along which an axially running first cooling flow can be directed. Furthermore, the rotor has axially running first cooling ducts, which open out into its at least one radial cooling slot, so that a second cooling flow can be directed in the axial direction along the axial cooling ribs of the stator through the axial first cooling ducts of the rotor, the at least one radial cooling slot of the rotor, the air gap between the rotor and the stator and the at least one radial cooling slot. In this way, the stator can be cooled by two different cooling flows.
US08648502B2
Disclosed is a linear vibrator, the vibrator including a case including a lower case and an upper case engaged with the lower case; a stator that is disposed on a bottom plate of the lower case and includes a coil block formed of coil wound in the horizontal direction to the bottom plate; a vibrator including a weight having a storage that is formed in a position corresponding to the coil block to store the coil block, a yoke to cover the storage of the weight, and first and second magnets that are disposed in the storage and on the coil block; and an elastic member that has one side fixed to external surfaces of the weight, the external surfaces facing each other, and the other side engaged with a side of the case facing the external surfaces of the weight, the other side facing the one side.
US08648499B2
Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for accelerating volt/VAR load flow optimization. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for accelerating load flow for integrated volt/var control (IVVC) optimization. The method can include evaluating load flow on lines of an electrical network, identifying combinable network lines, combining the identified combinable network nodes to reduce network complexity, and determining load flow optimization for IVVC based at least in part on the reduced complexity network.
US08648496B2
Technologies are described herein for synchronizing multiple direct current (“DC”) voltages provided by multiple power sources. Multiple input voltages are received from multiple power sources. A voltage control signal indicating a desired output voltage is issued to multiple DC-DC converter modules electrically coupled to the multiple power sources. A master DC-DC converter module from the multiple DC-DC converter modules converts a master input voltage to a master output voltage that is substantially equal to the desired output voltage. The master output voltage is then provided to the remaining multiple DC-DC converter modules. Each of the remaining multiple DC-DC converter modules then converts a slave input voltage to a slave output voltage that is substantially equal to the master output voltage.
US08648465B2
An interconnect structure and method for fabricating the interconnect structure having enhanced performance and reliability, by minimizing oxygen intrusion into a seed layer and an electroplated copper layer of the interconnect structure, are disclosed. At least one opening in a dielectric layer is formed. A sacrificial oxidation layer disposed on the dielectric layer is formed. The sacrificial oxidation layer minimizes oxygen intrusion into the seed layer and the electroplated copper layer of the interconnect structure. A barrier metal layer disposed on the sacrificial oxidation layer is formed. A seed layer disposed on the barrier metal layer is formed. An electroplated copper layer disposed on the seed layer is formed. A planarized surface is formed, wherein a portion of the sacrificial oxidation layer, the barrier metal layer, the seed layer, and the electroplated copper layer are removed. In addition, a capping layer disposed on the planarized surface is formed.
US08648463B2
A multi-chip module (MCM) that includes at least two substrates, having facing surfaces, which are mechanically coupled by a set of coupling elements having a reflow characteristic, is described. One of the two substrates includes another set of coupling elements having another reflow characteristic, which is different than the reflow characteristic. These different reflow characteristics of the sets of coupling elements allow different temperature profiles to be used when bonding the two substrates to each other than when bonding the one of the two substrates to a carrier. For example, the temperature profiles may have different peak temperatures and/or different durations from one another. These reflow characteristics may facilitate low-cost, high-yield assembly and alignment of the substrates in the MCM, and may allow temperature-sensitive components to be included in the MCM.
US08648459B2
A nitride based semiconductor package includes a nitride based semiconductor device, a package substrate, and a bonding substrate. The semiconductor device includes, on a surface thereof, a first electrode pattern having a source electrode, a drain electrode and a gate electrode. The bonding substrate includes, on a first surface thereof, a second electrode pattern corresponding to the first electrode pattern, and at least one first groove pattern. The first groove pattern exposes the second electrode pattern. The first electrode pattern is received in the at least one first groove pattern. The second electrode pattern is bonded to the first electrode pattern received in the at least one first groove pattern. A second surface of the bonding substrate is bonded to the package substrate.
US08648455B2
A semiconductor device includes a wiring substrate having an insulating film formed on a surface thereof, a first semiconductor chip mounted on the wiring substrate, and a second semiconductor chip stacked and mounted on the first semiconductor chip so as to form an overhang portion. The insulating film is removed from an area of the wiring substrate that faces the overhang portion.
US08648452B2
This invention is directed to provide a method of manufacturing a resin molded semiconductor device with high reliability by preventing a resin leakage portion from occurring due to burrs on a lead frame formed by punching. The method of manufacturing the resin molded semiconductor device according to the invention includes bonding a semiconductor die on an island in a lead frame, electrically connecting the semiconductor die with the lead frame, resin-molding the lead frame on which the semiconductor die is bonded, and applying prior to the resin-molding a compressive pressure that is higher than a clamping pressure applied in the resin-molding to a region of the lead frame being clamped by molds in the resin-molding of the lead frame.
US08648446B2
Various semiconductor devices are disclosed. An exemplary device includes: a substrate; a gate structure disposed over the substrate, wherein the gate structure includes a source region and a drain region; a first etch stop layer disposed over the gate structure, a second etch stop layer disposed over the source region and the drain region; a dielectric layer disposed over the substrate; and a gate contact, a source contact, and a drain contact. The dielectric layer is disposed over both etch stop layers. The gate contact extends through the dielectric layer and the first etch stop layer to the gate structure. The source contact and the drain contact extend through the dielectric layer and the second etch stop layer respectively to the source region and the drain region.
US08648436B2
A solid-state imaging device is provided with a pixel region in which a plurality of pixels including photoelectric conversion films are arrayed and pixel isolation portions are interposed between the plurality of pixels, wherein the photoelectric conversion film is a chalcopyrite-structure compound semiconductor composed of a copper-aluminum-gallium-indium-sulfur-selenium based mixed crystal or a copper-aluminum-gallium-indium-zinc-sulfur-selenium based mixed crystal and is disposed on a silicon substrate in such a way as to lattice-match the silicon substrate concerned, and the pixel isolation portion is formed from a compound semiconductor subjected to doping concentration control or composition control in such a way as to become a potential barrier between the photoelectric conversion films disposed in accordance with the plurality of pixels.
US08648435B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate including a plurality of light receiving sections; an optical waveguide provided above each of the plurality of light receiving sections and surrounded by a cladding layer; a color filter provided above each of the optical waveguides; and a lens provided above the color filter, the optical waveguide including a first layer having a first refractive index and a second layer being in contact with the first layer and having a second refractive index higher than the first refractive index.
US08648425B2
A device includes a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device, which includes a gate electrode and a source/drain region adjacent the gate electrode. A first and a second contact plug are formed directly over and electrically connected to two portions of a same MOS component, wherein the same MOS component is one of the gate electrode and the source/drain region. The same MOS component is configured to be used as a resistor that is connected between the first and the second contact plugs.
US08648421B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) device is described, including a gate line, a source region at a first side of the gate line, a comb-shaped drain region disposed at a second side of the gate line and having comb-teeth parts, a salicide layer on the source region and the drain region, and contact plugs on the salicide layer on the source region and the drain region. Each comb-teeth part has thereon, at a tip portion thereof, at least one of the contact plugs.
US08648408B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a gate structure disposed on the substrate and which includes a gate insulating layer and a gate electrode layer, a first nitride layer disposed on the substrate and the gate structure and which includes silicon, and a second nitride layer that is disposed on the first nitride layer and has an atomic percentage of silicon less than that of the first nitride layer.
US08648401B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first ferromagnetic layer magnetically pinned and positioned within a first region of a substrate; a second ferromagnetic layer approximate the first ferromagnetic layer; and a barrier layer interposed between the first ferromagnetic layer and the first portion of the second ferromagnetic layer. The second ferromagnetic layer includes a first portion being magnetically free and positioned within the first region; a second portion magnetically pinned to a first direction and positioned within a second region of the substrate, the second region contacting the first region from a first side; and a third portion magnetically pinned to a second direction and positioned within a third region of the substrate, the third region contacting the first region from a second side.
US08648396B2
The present disclosure utilizes the MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) process and packaging method to produce a microsystem for analyzing blood which is capable of detecting several kinds of ions. The microsystem for analyzing blood has a miniaturized reference electrode, so size of the microsystem can be greatly reduced. The microsystem further has a gate detecting area larger than a conventional planar ISE or a conventional ISFET does, so interference with signals can be avoided, and packaging difficulty and blood leakage can be reduced. Therefore, the microsystem is thin and small, reacts rapidly, and has a high accuracy, and a high compatibility with IC (integrated circuit) process. In addition, the microsystem has high stability of long-term potential, low offset-potential characteristics, low alternating current impedance, high stability of dynamic reference potential, low electrochemical noises and high reproducibility of the electrode.
US08648391B2
The product of the breakdown voltage (BVCEO) and the cutoff frequency (fT) of a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is increased beyond the Johnson limit by utilizing a doped region with a hollow core that extends down from the base to the heavily-doped buried collector region. The doped region and the buried collector region have opposite dopant types.
US08648390B2
High electron mobility transistors and fabrication processes are presented in which a barrier material layer of uniform thickness is provided for threshold voltage control under an enhanced channel charge inducing material layer (ECCIML) in source and drain regions with the ECCIML layer removed in the gate region.
US08648388B2
A field effect transistor and method of fabrication are provided. The field effect transistor comprises a plurality of elongated uniaxially-strained SiGe regions disposed on a silicon substrate, oriented such that they are in parallel to the direction of flow of electrical carriers in the channel. The elongated uniaxially-strained SiGe regions are oriented perpendicular to, and traverse through the transistor gate.
US08648387B2
A nitride semiconductor template and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The nitride semiconductor template includes a carrier substrate with a first thermal expansion coefficient, a nitride semiconductor layer with a second thermal expansion coefficient different from the first thermal expansion coefficient, and a bonding layer. The nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the carrier substrate is at least 10 μm in thickness. A ratio of a dislocation density of the nitride semiconductor layer at a first surface to that at a second surface is from 0.1 to 10. The bonding layer is disposed between the carrier substrate and the nitride semiconductor layer to adhere the nitride semiconductor layer onto the carrier substrate. The second surface is near an interface between the nitride semiconductor layer and the bonding layer, and the first surface is 10 μm from the second surface.
US08648386B2
A semiconductor structure and manufacturing method for the same, and an ESD circuit are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises a first doped region, a second doped region, a third doped region and a resistor. The first doped region has a first type conductivity. The second doped region has a second type conductivity opposite to the first type conductivity. The third doped region has the first type conductivity. The first doped region and the third doped region are separated by the second doped region. The resistor is coupled between the second doped region and the third doped region. An anode is coupled to the first doped region. A cathode is coupled to the third doped region.
US08648385B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with a first surface and a second surface. The semiconductor substrate has an element region including an IGBT region and a diode region located adjacent to the IGBT region. An IGBT element is formed in the IGBT region. A diode element is formed in the diode region. A heavily doped region of first conductivity type is located on the first surface side around the element region. An absorption region of first conductivity type is located on the second surface side around the element region. A third semiconductor region of second conductivity type is located on the second surface side around the element region.
US08648381B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting portion, a first layer, a second layer, and an intermediate layer. The semiconductor layers include nitride semiconductor. The light emitting portion is provided between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes a quantum well layer. The first layer is provided between the light emitting portion and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes Alx1Ga1-x1N having first Al composition ratio x1. The second layer is provided between the first layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes Alx2Ga1-x2N having second Al composition ratio x2 higher than the first Al composition ratio x1. The intermediate layer is provided between the first layer and the light emitting portion and has a thickness not smaller than 3 nanometers and not larger than 8 nanometers and includes Inz1Ga1-z1N (0≦z1<1).
US08648380B2
The present invention relates to a light emitting device having a plurality of non-polar light emitting cells and a method of fabricating the same. Nitride semiconductor layers are disposed on a Gallium Nitride substrate having an upper surface. The upper surface is a non-polar or semi-polar crystal and forms an intersection angle with respect to a c-plane. The nitride semiconductor layers may be patterned to form light emitting cells separated from one another. When patterning the light emitting cells, the substrate may be partially removed in separation regions between the light emitting cells to form recess regions. The recess regions are filled with an insulating layer, and the substrate is at least partially removed by using the insulating layer.
US08648376B2
A nitride-based light emitting device capable of achieving an enhancement in emission efficiency and an enhancement in reliability is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, and a light extracting layer arranged on the semiconductor layer and made of a material having a refractive index equal to or higher than a reflective index of the semiconductor layer.
US08648375B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes: a semiconductor layer including a first and second surfaces, and a light emitting layer; a p-side electrode provided on the second surface; an n-side electrode provided on the second surface; a first insulating film covering the p-side and the n-side electrodes; a p-side wiring section electrically connected to the p-side electrode through the first insulating film; an n-side wiring section electrically connected to the n-side electrode through the first insulating film; and a phosphor layer provided on the first surface. The phosphor layer has an upper surface and an oblique surface, the oblique surface forming an obtuse angle with the upper surface and inclined with respect to the first surface. Thickness of the phosphor layer immediately below the oblique surface is smaller than thickness of the phosphor layer immediately below the upper surface.
US08648373B2
A semiconductor light emitting device includes an LED chip, which includes an n-type semiconductor layer, active layer, and p-type semiconductor layer stacked on a substrate. The LED chip further includes an anode electrode connected to the p-type semiconductor, and a cathode connected to the n-type semiconductor. The anode and cathode electrodes face a case with the LED chip mounted thereon. The case includes a base member including front and rear surfaces, and wirings including a front surface layer having anode and cathode pads formed at the front surface, a rear surface layer having anode and cathode mounting electrodes formed at the rear surface, an anode through wiring connecting the anode pad and the anode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member, and a cathode through wirings connecting the cathode pad and the cathode mounting electrode and passing through a portion of the base member.
US08648371B2
An LED unit includes an LED and an electrochromic element mounted on the LED. The LED includes a base, a light emitting die mounted on the base, a pair of leads electrically connected to the die and an encapsulant sealing the die. The encapsulant has a first area and a second area around the first area. The first area contains yellow phosphor therein, and the second area contains red phosphor therein. The electrochromic element has an opening through which the first area of the encapsulant is exposed. The second area of the encapsulant is covered by the electrochromic element. The electrochromic element can change its color when being electrified, thereby changing the color temperature of the light output from the LED unit.
US08648370B2
The invention relates to a wafer-type light emitting device having a substrate, one or more light emitting semiconductors formed on the substrate, one or more frames provided over the one or more light emitting semiconductors, and one or more wavelength-converting layers applied on the one or more light emitting semiconductors and confined by the one or more frames, wherein the wafer-type light emitting device is diced into a plurality of separate light emitting units.
US08648369B2
Disclosed are a light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting device comprises a substrate. A plurality of light emitting cells are disposed on top of the substrate to be spaced apart from one another. Each of the light emitting cells comprises a first upper semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second lower semiconductor layer. Reflective metal layers are positioned between the substrate and the light emitting cells. The reflective metal layers are prevented from being exposed to the outside.
US08648366B2
An LED can include a pair of electrode members, and an LED chip joined to a chip mount portion disposed at the extremity of one of the pair of electrode members. The LED chip can be electrically connected to the pair of electrode members. A transparent resin portion can include a wavelength conversion material mixed therein, the transparent resin portion formed in such a manner as to surround the LED chip, wherein the LED chip is positioned offset toward one side in the transparent resin portion, and wherein the wavelength conversion material mixed in the transparent resin portion has a higher density around the LED chip within the transparent resin portion.
US08648365B2
Disclosed is a light emitting device package. The light emitting device package includes a package body including a cavity formed therein with first and second via holes, a first electrode extending from one side of the cavity to one side of a rear surface of the package body through the first via hole, a second electrode extending from an opposite side of the cavity to an opposite side of the rear surface of the package body through the second via hole, a light emitting device connected with the first and second electrodes, an insulating layer insulating the first and second electrodes from the package body, and a reflective layer disposed on the insulating layer having a structure in which first and second media having different refractive indexes are alternately stacked on each other.
US08648360B2
A light-emitting diode structure includes a base with a recessed portion, a light-emitting chip and a light-transmissive block. The light-emitting chip disposed in the recessed portion of the base and emits a light beam. The light-transmissive block disposed on the base covers the recessed portion and the light-emitting chip, so that the light beam emitted from the light-emitting chip is radiated outwardly via the light-transmissive block. The light-transmissive block is a flat-top multilateral cone including a bottom surface, a top surface, and several side surfaces connected to and located between the bottom surface and the top surface. A slot with a bottom portion is formed on the top surface of the light-transmissive block.
US08648359B2
Light emitting devices and methods such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) are disclosed for use in higher voltage applications. Variable arrangements of LEDs are disclosed herein. Arrangements can include one or more LED chips connected in series, parallel, and/or a combination thereof. LED chips can be disposed in a package body having at least one thermal element and one or more electrical components.
US08648357B2
A radiation-emitting device includes a first active semiconductor layer embodied for the emission of electromagnetic radiation and for direct contact with connection electrodes, and a second active semiconductor layer embodied for the emission of electromagnetic radiation and for direct contact with connection electrodes. The first active semiconductor layer and the second active semiconductor layer are arranged in a manner stacked one above another.
US08648352B2
A semiconductor light emitting structure including a substrate, a patterned structure, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer is provided. The patterned structure is protruded from or indented into a surface of the substrate, so that the surface of the substrate becomes a roughed surface. The patterned structure has an asymmetrical geometric shape. The first semiconductor layer is disposed on the roughed surface. The active layer is disposed on the first semiconductor layer. The second semiconductor is disposed on the active layer.
US08648349B2
A MOSFET which is a semiconductor device capable of achieving a stable reverse breakdown voltage and reduced on-resistance includes a SiC wafer of an n conductivity type, a plurality of p bodies of a p conductivity type formed to include a first main surface of the SiC wafer, and n+ source regions of the n conductivity type formed in regions surrounded by the plurality of p bodies, respectively, when viewed two-dimensionally. Each of the p bodies has a circular shape when viewed two-dimensionally, and each of the n+ source regions is arranged concentrically with each of the p bodies and has a circular shape when viewed two-dimensionally. Each of the plurality of p bodies is arranged to be positioned at a vertex of a regular hexagon when viewed two-dimensionally.
US08648346B2
To provide a semiconductor device and a display device which can be manufactured through a simplified process and the manufacturing technique. Another object is to provide a technique by which a pattern of wirings or the like which is partially constitutes a semiconductor device or a display device can be formed with a desired shape with controllability.
US08648345B2
There is provided an electronic device having high reliability and high color reproducibility. A pixel structure is made such that a switching FET (201) and an electric current controlling FET (202) are formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate (11), and an EL element (203) is electrically connected to the electric current controlling FET (202). The fluctuation in characteristics of the electric current controlling FET (202) is very low among pixels, and an image with high color reproducibility can be obtained. By taking hot carrier measures in the electric current controlling FET (202), the electronic device having high reliability can be obtained.
US08648334B2
A method of manufacturing an organic light emissive device comprising: depositing an organic light emissive layer over an anode and depositing a cathode over the organic light emissive layer, wherein the cathode comprises a trilayer structure formed by: depositing a first layer comprising an electron injecting material; depositing a second layer over the first layer, the second layer comprising a metallic material having a workfunction greater than 3.5 eV; and depositing a third layer over the second layer, the third layer comprising a metallic material having a workfunction greater than 3.5 eV.
US08648328B2
A method is provided for fabricating a light emitting diode (LED) using three-dimensional gallium nitride (GaN) pillar structures with planar surfaces. The method forms a plurality of GaN pillar structures, each with an n-doped GaN (n-GaN) pillar and planar sidewalls perpendicular to the c-plane, formed in either an m-plane or a-plane family. A multiple quantum well (MQW) layer is formed overlying the n-GaN pillar sidewalls, and a layer of p-doped GaN (p-GaN) is formed overlying the MQW layer. The plurality of GaN pillar structures are deposited on a first substrate, with the n-doped GaN pillar sidewalls aligned parallel to a top surface of the first substrate. A first end of each GaN pillar structure is connected to a first metal layer. The second end of each GaN pillar structure is etched to expose the n-GaN pillar second end and connected to a second metal layer.
US08648326B2
An example embodiment is a phase change memory cell that includes a bottom contact and an electrically insulating layer disposed over the bottom contact. The electrically insulating layer defines an elongated via. Furthermore, a bottom electrode is disposed at least partially in the via. The bottom electrode includes a sleeve of a first electrically conductive material surrounding a rod of a second electrically conductive material. The first electrically conductive material and the second electrically conductive material have different specific electrical resistances. The memory cell also includes a phase change layer electrically coupled to the first electrode.
US08648324B2
Glassy carbon nanostructures are disclosed that can be used as electrode materials in batteries and electrochemical capacitors, or as photoelectrodes in photocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry devices. In some embodiments channels (e.g., substantially cylindrically-shaped pores) are formed in a glassy carbon substrate, whereas in other embodiments, ridges are formed that extend along and over a glassy carbon substrate. In either case, a semiconductor and/or metal oxide may be deposited over the glassy carbon to form a composite material.
US08648323B2
A nonvolatile memory device includes: a substrate; a first electrode formed on the substrate; a resistance change layer formed on the first electrode, the resistance change layer containing conductive nano-material; a second electrode formed on the resistance change layer; and an insulating buffer layer disposed between the first electrode and the resistance change layer, the insulating buffer layer containing conductive material dispersed therein for assuring the electric conductivity between the first electrode and the resistance change layer.
US08648322B2
A system capable of flowing gases including combustion byproducts past an exposed face of an optical element in an engine fluid conduit, and depositing debris on the exposed face of the optical element. The debris may be soot, unburned hydrocarbons, sulfates, and/or a reductant precipitate. The system is further capable of passing electromagnetic (EM) radiation through the optical element and the flowing gases and interrogating the EM radiation after passing through the optical element and the flowing gases to determine an amount of debris accumulated on the exposed face of the optical element. The system is further capable of heating an electric heating element thermally coupled to the optical element sufficiently to remove accumulated debris from the exposed face in response to the amount of debris exceeding a threshold.
US08648320B2
Disclosed are a photoelectric sensor and a photoelectric sensor system capable of accurately detecting an object without being affected by disturbance even though the object is very thin. A photoelectric sensor according to an embodiment of the invention includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit. The photoelectric sensor detects whether there is an object between the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit based on a variation in the intensity of a light signal received by the light receiving unit. The light receiving unit receives a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit without intersecting the object and a light signal that is emitted from the light emitting unit to the light receiving unit through the object, and is operated in synchronization with a light emission timing signal of the light emitting unit. The intensity of the received light signal that is not attenuated by the object is compared with the intensity of the received light signal that is attenuated by the object to detect information indicating whether there is the object.
US08648310B2
An indirect x-ray imager including one or more semi-transparent layers that reduce lateral spreading of light produced by the scintillator layer. The semi-transparent layers may be one or more layers above and/or below the scintillator, which the light generated by the scintillator goes through prior to being received by an array of photosensors. The semi-transparent layers may have a light transparency that is proportional to the pixel pitch of the photosensor, and/or proportional to a thickness of the layers. The semi-transparent layers have a light transparency that allows a high percent of the light to be received across the thickness of the layer, but restrains most of the light from being received across a lateral distance of more than one pixel pitch. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08648305B1
Methods and systems for real time, in situ monitoring of fluids, and particularly the determination of both the energy content and contaminants in a gas or oil transmission facility, are provided. The system may include two separate scanning sources to scan two different, but overlapping, NIR ranges, or may involve two separate scans from a single scanning spectroscopy source. The first scan ranges from approximately 1550 nm up through 1800 nm and a second scan concurrently scans at a high resolution across a band from approximately 1560-1610 nm, the wavelength of interest for hydrogen sulfide (though similar scans are contemplated in alternative wavelength ranges for alternative contaminants). The second scan may provide very narrow (0.005 nm) step resolution over just the wavelength of interest for the contaminant and may scan at a substantially higher power level. The spectroscopic optical data from the two scans, however obtained, must then be combined into an analytical processing module containing models that analyze the multi-scan data and yield both energy content and contaminant quantitative data.
US08648300B2
The charged particle beam apparatus having an opening formation member formed with an opening for passage of a charged particle beam emitted from a charged particle source, and either a detector adapted to detect charged particles having passed through the passage opening or a detector adapted to detect charged particles resulting from bombardment on another member of the charged particles having passed through the opening, comprises an aligner for aligning charged particles discharged from the sample and a control unit for controlling the aligner, wherein the control unit controls the aligner to cause it to shift trajectories of the charged particles discharged from the sample so that length measurement may be executed on the basis of detection signals before and after the alignment by the aligner.
US08648296B2
An ion mobility spectrometer has several electrodes spaced along its ion source region. Voltages are applied to the electrodes to produce a voltage gradient along the length of the ion source region. By varying the voltage gradient, the residence time of ions in the ion source region can be selectively varied. Typically, the spectrometer is arranged to reduce the residence time in response to a decrease in the amplitude of an ion peak detected at the far end of the drift region.
US08648289B2
The invention relates to a device for detecting small quantities of light, comprising an electronic image converter embodied in semiconductor technology for detecting the photons representing the small quantities of light and an electronic circuit connected to the electronic image converter for reading the electronic image converter and for generating a signal representing the number of photons received by the electronic image converter, wherein the electronic image converter comprises at least 100,000 light-sensitive cells and the electronic circuit is adapted to add together the signals coming from light-sensitive cells placed on the electronic image converter.
US08648286B2
A shadow band assembly includes a platform and an arcuate shadow arm extending upward from the platform and terminating in a free end above the platform. A sun sensor mounting location is located below the free end of the shadow arm. The arm is preferably further supported by a vertical strut. According to other embodiments, the arm is hollow and contains a fluid conduit and/or an electrical cable. A sun sensor may be mounted on top of the free end of the arm and a fluid nozzle may be mounted under the free end. A shadow band pyranometer includes the shadow band assembly, a sun sensor mounted at the mounting location and a motor drive coupled to the platform for azimuth tracking. Additional sensors with zenith tracking may also be provided.
US08648281B2
A steam generating device (1) is provided with a metal housing (2), a water supply opening (3) for supplying water into the housing (2), a steam generating heater (4) embedded in the lower part of the housing (2) and evaporating the water supplied from the water supply opening (3), a steam temperature raising heater (5) provided above the steam generating heater (4) with a predetermined distance from an inner wall of the housing (2) and raising the temperature of the steam generated by the steam generating heater (4), and a discharge opening (8) for discharging the superheated steam generated by the steam temperature raising heater (5).
US08648280B1
An electrically-heated wearable blanket with auto shut-off switch that includes a blanket portion disposed between a first edge, a second edge, a third edge, and a fourth edge, the blanket portion having a front surface and a back surface, wherein a person wearing the electrically-heated wearable blanket with auto shut-off switch is in operational communication with a boustrophedonic heating element disposed within the blanket portion by means of a control pad disposed on a first cord in circuit with the heating element, and a second cord releasably interconnects the heating element alternately among at least three external power sources including a rechargeable battery pack.
US08648279B2
A process control apparatus controls a focus position of a laser beam, while a laser processing mechanism converges the laser beam into a predetermined focus position and performs a laser processing on a workpiece. The process control apparatus includes: a calculator that, based on the magnitude of an output of the laser beam that changes during the laser processing, calculates a change amount of a positional deviation of the focus position in an optical axis direction that changes during the laser processing at a laser beam radiation position; and a control unit that, based on the change amount of the positional deviation that has been calculated by the calculator, controls the focus position of the laser beam during the laser processing so as to resolve the positional deviation of the focus position.
US08648270B2
An interrupter module for a molded case circuit breaker has a floating antifriction disc between the module casings and the blade carrier which overlays the blade carrier with rim walls of the disc. The rim walls are located at segments of the disc containing the drive pins of the module. If gases from circuit interruption expand the interrupter module sides and force the disc away from the blade carrier, the rim walls remain over the blade carrier and protect the drive pins from contaminants carried by the gases.
US08648256B1
The following detailed description is directed to intumescent swell devices. According to various embodiments, the swell devices disclosed herein can be used alone or in combination with one another to provide heat and/or fire protection for electrical systems, devices, and/or assemblies. According to exemplary embodiments, intumescent electrical devices, intumescent firewall insert boxes, intumescent flanges, and/or intumescent electrical boxes are disclosed herein for use individually and/or in combination with one another. Additionally, the disclosed intumescent electrical components disclosed herein can be used in combination with intumescent electrical device cover plates, intumescent screws, and intumescent gaskets, if desired. Methods for building electrical assemblies and for retrofitting electrical assemblies to provide fire protection also are provided.
US08648255B2
Terminal pins that include a refractory metal partially welded to a terminal block of a dissimilar metal incorporated into feedthrough filter capacitor assemblies are discussed. The feedthrough filter capacitor assemblies are particularly useful for incorporation into implantable medical devices such as cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and the like, to decouple and shield internal electronic components of the medical device from undesirable electromagnetic interference (EMI) signals.
US08648251B2
A tandem thin-film silicon solar cell comprises a transparent substrate, a first unit cell positioned on the transparent substrate, the first unit cell comprising a p-type window layer, an i-type absorber layer and an n-type layer, an intermediate reflection layer positioned on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflection layer including a hydrogenated n-type microcrystalline silicon oxide of which the oxygen concentration is profiled to be gradually increased and a second unit cell positioned on the intermediate reflection layer, the second unit cell comprising a p-type window layer, an i-type absorber layer and an n-type layer.
US08648237B1
A mandolin having an integrated armrest provides a comfortable armrest while still allowing greater flexibility between the top and the sides of the mandolin, resulting in a construction which does not increase the rigidity of the connection between the carved top and sides of the instrument. Thus, in addition to providing greater comfort, the disclosed integral armrest has minimal negative impact on the sonic quality of the instrument, if any at all.
US08648234B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB74D11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB74D11, cells from soybean variety XB74D11, plants of soybean XB74D11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB74D11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB74D11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB74D11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB74D11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB74D11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB74D11 are further provided.
US08648232B2
The present invention provides an early-maturing transgenic plant, which comprises a nucleic acid that encodes a protein having activity of causing early maturation of a plant, so that the gene can be expressed.
US08648231B2
The disclosure relates to methods for modulating plant growth and organogenesis using dominant-negative receptor-like kinases. The disclosure further provides a method for increasing plant yield relative to corresponding wild type plants comprising modulating the expression in a plant of a nucleic acid encoding a Wall-Associated Kinase-like 14 polypeptide or a homolog thereof, and selecting for plants having increased yield or growth on a nutrient deficient substrate.
US08648225B2
A process for hydrogenating highly unsaturated hydrocarbons to less unsaturated hydrocarbons wherein production of saturated hydrocarbons is minimized. The process utilizes catalyst including Ce2O3, MgO, and an inorganic support, and optionally palladium, optionally silver, and/or an optional alkali metal.
US08648211B2
The present disclosure describes compounds of Formula (I) wherein m is 1 to 6, n is 6 to 10 and R1 is a straight or branch chain siloxane, their use in methods to modify the surface of hydrophobic substrates to render the substrates superhydrophilic and surface-modified substrates.
US08648207B2
A process for production of a (1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)benzene compound represented the general formula (5) [wherein R is a C1 to C6 alkyl group or a cyclic C1 to C6 alkyl group; A1 is a hydrogen atom, an amino group, a mono(C1 to C6 alkyl)amino group or a di(C1 to C6 alkyl)amino group; and A2 is a halogen atom, a C1 to C6 alkyl group or a cyclic C1 to C6 alkyl group], which comprises reacting a triazole compound represented by the general formula (2) (wherein A1 has the same definition as given above) with a phenylboronic acid compound represented by the general formula (3) (wherein R and A2 have the same definitions as given above) or a phenylboroxine compound represented by the general formula (4) (wherein R and A2 have the same definitions as given above) in the presence of a copper catalyst.
US08648206B2
Disclosed is light-driven actuator element characterized in that, inter alia, it can be reduced to micrometer size, is rapidly responsive, and reversibly changes to enable repeated use. The light-driven actuator element includes a crystal of diarylethene compound which changes shape upon photoisomerization (e.g., the compound of Structural Formula (I) below, where R1 represents a hydrogen atom or methyl group and R2 represents a methyl group). The element can be a rod-shaped or plate-like microcrystal having a size on the order of micrometer. The element bends (or contracts) on irradiation with ultraviolet light and expands to return to the original size on irradiation with visible light.
US08648203B2
The present invention relates to an improved process for the synthesis and purification of 3-chloro-N-(3-chloro-5-tri-fluoromethyl-2-pyridyl)-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-di-nitro-p-toluidine (fluazinam) and other pyridinamines, which implements methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) as the reaction solvent. The process of the invention overcomes the drawbacks of prior art methods, by reducing the side reactions such as hydrolysis, eliminating the need for difficult and labor-intensive purification methods, and providing pure products in higher yields. The present invention relates to novel crystalline polymorphic forms fluazinam, and to mixtures of the polymorphs. The present invention also provides methods for preparing the novel polymorphs, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising same, and methods of using the polymorphs as pesticidal agents for combating noxious living organisms on agricultural and horticultural crops.
US08648195B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a crystal of 2-ethyl-3,7-dimethyl-6-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)quinoline-4-yl methyl carbonate having stable physicochemical properties. The objective is attained by a crystal of 2-ethyl-3,7-dimethyl-6-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)quinoline-4-yl methyl carbonate that exhibits a diffraction peak pattern shown in FIG. 1 as determined by powder X-ray diffractometry.
US08648194B2
The present invention provides a novel compound having a phenanthroline structure represented by formula (I) or a salt thereof:
US08648188B2
A process for making clofarabine comprising: fluorinating a compound of formula VII wherein each R4 is independently a hydroxy protecting group, OR6 is a leaving group, with a fluorinating agent in the presence of guanidine carbonate to give a compound of formula VIII: wherein R4 is as defined above; and deprotecting the compound of formula VIII to give the clofarabine.
US08648187B2
The invention provides systems, methods and kits for the separation and/or purification of double-stranded and single-stranded nucleic acids from the same sample. The method includes first mixing a sample containing both double-stranded nucleic acid and single-stranded nucleic acid with a solution including a chaotropic salt and a non-ionic detergent to generate a mixture; then applying the mixture to a first mineral support for double-stranded nucleic acid to bind; and collecting the flow-through which contains unbound single-stranded nucleic acid. The method further includes diluting the non-ionic detergent of the flow-through, and applying the diluted flow-through to a second mineral support for the single-stranded nucleic acid to bind. Alternatively the flow-through can be mixed with a lower aliphatic alcohol prior to loading of the second column. The double-stranded and the single-stranded nucleic acids can be eluted from the mineral supports respectively.
US08648179B2
Nucleotide triphosphate probes containing a molecular and/or atomic tag on a a γ and/or β phosphate group and/or a base moiety having a detectable property are disclosed, and kits and method for using the tagged nucleotides in sequencing reactions and various assay. Also, phosphate and polyphosphate molecular fidelity altering agents are disclosed.
US08648174B2
The present invention is directed to novel polypeptide, designated in the present application as “UCP4” (SEQ ID NO: 1), having homology to certain human uncoupling proteins (“UCPs”) and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention, and methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.
US08648170B2
The present invention relates to methods of growing and maintaining pluripotent cells on an insoluble substrate that presents a peptide that binds to glycosaminoglycans, such as heparin. Specifically, methods of growing and maintaining pluripotent cells on substrates having a chemically defined surface presenting at least one peptide having basic amino acid residues separated by one or two hydrophobic amino acid residues.
US08648165B2
The present invention seeks to provide a resin composition which contains an aromatic polycarbonate resin and a polyester resin and which has excellent mechanical strength, flowability and thermal stability and also has excellent moist heat resistance together.The present invention is a resin composition containing 50 to 99 parts by weight of an aromatic polycarbonate resin (component A) and 1 to 50 parts by weight of a polyester resin (component B), the component B being a polyester resin polymerized in the presence of a titanium-phosphorus catalyst obtained by reacting titanium tetrabutoxide, etc., with monolauryl phosphate, etc.
US08648153B2
The present invention provides an organopolysiloxane obtained by binding, to at least two silicon atoms of an organopolysiloxane segment constituting a main chain, a poly(N-acylalkyleneimine) segment composed of a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and n is 2 or 3, via an alkylene group containing a hetero atom, wherein the poly(N-acylalkyleneimine) segment has a number-average molecular weight of from 1,600 to 3,500; a mass ratio (a/b) of the organopolysiloxane segment (a) constituting the main chain to the poly(N-acylalkyleneimine) segment (b) (which will hereinafter be called “mass ratio (a/b)”, simply) is from 42/58 to 58/42; the organopolysiloxane segment between two poly(N-acylalkyleneimine) segments adjacent to each other has a weight-average molecular weight of from 1,600 to 3,500; and the organopolysiloxane segment constituting the main chain has a weight-average molecular weight of 7,000 to 100,000.
US08648147B2
Heat aging of the composition comprising melt-fabricable tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer, the alkyl containing 1 to 5 carbon atoms and melt flowable polytetrafluoroethylene is effective to cause thermal transformation of the composition in the solid state, which is epitaxial co-crystallization of the polymer components of the composition, and other valuable changes, such as increased continuous use temperature.
US08648142B2
A poly(arylene sulfide) resin composition including 100 parts by weight of a substantially linear straight-chain poly(arylene sulfide) resin, 1 to 50 parts by weight of a branched poly(arylene sulfide) resin having a melt viscosity of 11.0×104 to 27.0×104 Pa·s as measured at a temperature of 330° C. and a shear rate of 2 sec−1, an average particle diameter of 50 to 2,000 μm and a melt viscoelasticity tan δ of 0.10 to 0.30 as measured at a temperature of 310° C. and an angular velocity of 1 rad/sec, and 1 to 400 parts by weight of an inorganic filler, and a production process thereof.
US08648140B2
Toluene and styrene derived telomer distributions and brominated flame retardants produced therefrom
This invention relates to novel and useful toluene and styrene derived telomer distributions, such distributions being desirable substrates for the preparation of brominated flame retardants.
US08648137B2
A nitrile copolymer latex composition containing a latex of a nitrile copolymer rubber (A) having α,β-ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer units in 10 to 75 wt %, conjugated diene monomer units in 5 to 89.9 wt %, and cationic monomer units and/or monomer units able to form cations in 0.1 to 20 wt %, an inorganic filler (B) having an aspect ratio of 30 to 2,000, and a plasticizer (C) having an SP value by the HOY method of 8 to 10.2 (cal/cm3)1/2, wherein a content of said plasticizer (C) is 0.1 to 200 parts by weight with respect to said nitrile copolymer rubber (A) as 100 parts by weight is provided.
US08648122B2
The presently disclosed subject matter relates generally to method of producing thermoplastic foam from a blend of polyolefin and acrylated epoxidized fatty acid using a phsyical blowing agent. Specifically, the presently disclosed subject matter includes embodiments wherein the acrylated epoxidized fatty acid is added to the polyolefin resin in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 10%, based on the total weight of the resin. The presently disclosed subject matter also includes the foam produced by the disclosed method.
US08648120B2
The present invention provides a liquid rheology modifier containing compounds (A) and (B) selected from combination (1) of compound (A) selected from cationic surfactants and compound (B) selected from anionic aromatic compounds and combination (2) of compound (A) from cationic surfactants and compound (B) selected from brominated compounds; and dicarboxylic acid (C).
US08648119B2
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for the treatment of otic disorders with immunomodulating agent compositions and formulations administered locally to an individual afflicted with an otic disorder, through direct application of these compositions and formulations onto or via perfusion into the targeted auris structure(s).
US08648118B2
This invention relates to bicyclic ring system substituted amide functionalized phenols of general formula 1, their use as inhibitors of CXCR2 activity, pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, and methods of using the same as agents for treatment and/or prevention of respiratory or gastrointestinal complaints or diseases, inflammatory diseases of the joints, skin, or eyes, diseases of the peripheral or central nervous system or cancers, as well as pharmaceutical compositions which contain these compounds.
US08648112B2
The subject invention is drawn to ellagitannin metabolites (e.g., urolithin) that find use in treating or preventing a neoplastic disease in a subject.
US08648104B2
The present invention relates to methods of inhibiting the activity of Hsp90 in a subject in need thereof and methods for treating c-Met associated cancers, in a subject in need thereof.
US08648101B2
The present invention provides a nematocide containing, as an active ingredient, an N-2-(pyridyl)ethylcarboxamide derivative represented by the formula (I): wherein Ar is a substituted phenyl group having one or more, the same or different substituents selected from a halogen atom, a (C1-C6)alkyl group, a halo(C1-C6)alkyl group, a (C1-C6)alkylthio group, a halo(C1-C6)alkylthio group, a (C1-C6)alkoxy group and a halo(C1-C6)alkoxy group, and the like, X may be the same or different, and is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a (C1-C6)alkyl group, a halo(C1-C6)alkyl group, and the like, and n is the integer 0 to 4, or a salt thereof, and a method of controlling nematodes, including applying the above compound. The present invention can provide a nematocide or a method of controlling nematodes that exerts a reduced impact on the global environment, exhibits a broad nematode control spectrum at low application rates, and has an excellent nematode control effect.
US08648096B2
This invention relates to N-methylaminomethyl isoindole compounds. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds and methods for treating, preventing and managing various disorders are also disclosed.
US08648089B2
Disclosed are a 1,3,6-substituted indole compound having inhibitory activity for protein kinases, a pharmaceutically acceptable thereof, and a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and treatment of diseases caused by abnormal cell growth including the compound as an active ingredient.Since the novel indole compound exhibits superior inhibitory activity for various protein kinases involved in growth factor signal transduction, it is useful as an agent for preventing or treating cancers caused by abnormal cell growth.
US08648085B2
The invention relates to novel substituted pyrazolopyrimidines. Chemically, the compounds are characterized by general Formula (I): with R1 being phenyl or pyridyl, any of which is substituted with 1 to 4, preferably 1 to 3 substituents X; X independently of each other being selected from C2-C6-alky1 or Ci-C6-alkoxy, where C2-C6-alkyl and C1-C6-alkoxy are at least dihalogenated up to perhalogenated. preferably with 2 to 6 halogen substituents, and the halogen atoms being selected from the group of fluoro, chloro and bromo, preferably fluoro; R2 being phenyl or heteroaryl, where phenyl is substituted by 1 to 3 radicals and heteroaryl is optionally substituted by 1 to 3 radicals in each case independently of one another selected from the group of C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, hydroxycarbonyl, cyano, trifluoromethyl, amino, nitro, hydroxy, C1-C6-alkylamino, halogen, C6-C10-arylcarbonylamino, C1-C6-alkylcarbonylamino, C1-C6-alkylaminocarbonyl. C1-C6-alkoxycarbonyl, C6-C10-arylaminocarbonyl, heteroarylaminocarbonyl. heteroarylcarbonylamino, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl-amino, C1-C6-alkylsulphonyl and C1-C6-alkylthio; The new compounds shall be used for the manufacture of medicaments, in particular medicaments for improving, perception, concentration, learning and/or memory in patients in need thereof.
US08648083B2
A method of treating diabetic hyperlipidemia or lipidemia with carbamoyloxy arylalkanoyl arylpiperazine compounds including:
US08648082B2
The invention provides a biological dressing for treatment of a dermatological disease comprised of a gum resin, a topically acceptable volatile solvent, and a pharmacologically active agent. The gum resin is present in a suitable amount that the composition, when the solvent evaporates, will dry to form a solid coating that sticks to the skin or mucosal membrane to which the composition is applied and maintain the pharmacologically active agent over a sustained period of time in contact with sites on the skin or mucosal membranes exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Methods are provided for treating symptoms of dermatological diseases with such a pharmacological composition. Biological dressings including tincture of benzoin and clotrimazole are shown to be efficacious for the long-term amelioration of symptoms of athlete's foot.
US08648081B2
Provided are dihydroisoxazole compounds I useful for controlling parasites both in animals and agriculture. Further provided are methods for controlling parasite infestations of an animal by administering an effective amount of a compound as described above, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, to an animal, as well as formulations for controlling parasite infestations using the compounds described above or an acceptable salt thereof, and an acceptable carrier. Also provided are compounds and processes useful for making the dihydroisoxazole compounds.
US08648079B2
The present invention provides a compound useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of neurodegenerative disease and the like, or a salt thereof.The present invention relates to a compound represented by the formula wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a salt thereof.
US08648063B2
An improved method for treating gastric cancer, ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, or colorectal cancer in a patient is described, as well as pharmaceutical compositions useful for the method and a process for preparing said compositions.
US08648057B2
The invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition free from dexpanthenol, calcium ions and phosphate, comprising at least one calcium chelating agent and at least one opthalmologically compatible viscosity regulator and optionally one or more pharmaceutical excipients. The invention further relates to the use of a calcium chelating agent and an opthalmologically compatible viscosity regulator for the production of a phosphate-free pharmaceutical composition for the treatment and/or prevention of epithelial defects.
US08648050B2
A method of ameliorating amphotericin treatment side effects in a mammal that comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of a formulation that comprises a polyene active ingredient that includes amphotericin B, wherein the amphotericin B compound is present, in terms of polyene content, in an amount greater than 90%, and non-amphotericin B polyene compounds are present in an amount of no greater than 10%, and a pharmaceutically effective carrier; and administering a therapeutically effective amount of said formulation to a subject in need thereof.
US08648048B2
Methods of treating an eye of a human or animal include administering to an eye of a human or animal a composition in the form of an emulsion including water, a hydrophobic component and a cyclosporin component in a therapeutically effective amount of less than 0.1% by weight of the composition. The weight ratio of the cyclosporin component to the hydrophobic component is less than 0.8.
US08648039B2
Use of alpha-lactalbumin in a dietary, health-food or pharmaceutical type of composition to promote the cellular absorption of glucose, to improve the regulation of glycemia, to prevent the appearance of insulin resistance and/or type II diabetes.
US08648038B2
The invention relates to substituted (2-aryloxyacetylamino)phenylpropionic acid derivatives, and to the physiologically acceptable salts thereof.The invention relates to compounds of the formula I in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and A are each defined as specified, and the physiologically compatible salts thereof. The compounds are suitable, for example, for treatment of diabetes.
US08648032B2
The present invention relates to the field of perfumery. More particularly, it concerns the use as perfuming ingredients of certain phenol esters of formula wherein R represents a C2-6 branched alkyl group or a C2-6 linear or branched alkenyl group or cyclopropyl containing hydrocarbon group. The present invention concerns also the compositions or articles containing such compounds.
US08648030B2
Oven deodorants and methods of cleaning ovens using an oven deodorant, for example, for use in self-cleaning ovens, are provided. The oven deodorant is made of clay, for example, an unfired clay, and a fragrance. The fragrance volatilizes during heating in the oven and at least partially masks any undesirable odors generated in the oven, for example, the volatilized fragrance may mask odors generated during a high-temperature self-cleaning process. The clay may be any commercially available clay, for example, a pottery clay. The fragrance may be any conventional fragrance, for example, a fragrant oil, such, as an herb-like fragrant oil.
US08648027B2
A cleaning composition for sanitizing and/or disinfecting hard surfaces, comprising: a cationic biocide, surfactant and low levels of VOC solvents. The cleaning composition is adapted to clean a variety of hard surfaces without leaving behind a visible residue and creates low levels of streaking and filming on the treated surface. The cleaning composition contains less than 5% by weight of VOCs. The cleaning composition may be used alone as a liquid or spray formulation or in combination with a substrate, for example, a pre-loaded cleaning wipe.
US08648013B2
An agrochemical formulation in the form of an oil suspension characterized in that it contains as essential elements of the formulation (percentages by weight related to the total weight of the formulation) at least; a herbicide of the sulphonylurea type at a concentration of 0.5-50%, preferably 2-30%, a paraffin mineral oil at a concentration of 10-75%, preferably without the existence of any other type of mineral or vegetable oil in the formulation and the concentration of mineral oil being 40-60%, an organomodified silane compound at a concentration of 5-40%, preferably 10-25%, with the existence of other coformulants until reaching 100% by weight of the formulation.
US08648011B2
The present invention provides a herbicidal composition comprising: (i) a compound of Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined herein; and (ii) a safener of Formula (II); or an agronomically acceptable salt of said compounds, wherein Ra, Rb and Rc are as defined herein.
US08648004B2
A method for preparing a metal-nanotube composite catalyst for an electro-chemical oxygen reduction reaction includes: debundling carbon nanotubes (CNTs); loading a carbon-containing polymeric material onto the surfaces of the nanotubes that have been debundled; carbonizing in situ the carbon-containing polymeric material on the carbon nanotubes to form carbon char layers surrounding the surfaces of the carbon nanotubes; and loading metal catalyst particles on the carbon nanotubes. The carbon char layers contain high amount of nitrogen and may be formed into a porous structure.
US08648001B2
A catalyst for polymerization of olefins formed from (A) a solid catalyst component containing magnesium, titanium, halogen, and an electron donor compound, (B) an organoaluminum compound shown by the formula, R6pAlQ3-p, and (C) an aminosilane compound shown by the formula, R3nSi(NR4R5)4-n; and a process for producing a catalyst for polymerization of olefins in the presence of the catalyst are provided. A novel aminosilane compound, a catalyst component for polymerization of olefins having a high catalytic activity, capable of producing polymers with high stereoregularity in a high yield, and exhibiting an excellent hydrogen response, a catalyst, and a process for producing olefin polymers using the catalyst are provided.
US08647999B2
A method for manufacturing a catalyst, which comprises regenerating a catalyst comprising a CHA zeolite as an active ingredient and having an ethylene conversion lowered through reaction of producing propylene by bringing into contact with ethylene in a vapor phase, by bringing the catalyst into contact with a gas which does not comprise oxygen and comprises hydrogen having a hydrogen partial pressure of 0.01 MPa or more as an absolute pressure thereof.
US08647994B2
An optical glass having ultrahigh refractive index and high dispersion characteristics in the form of a refractive index nd exceeding 2.05 and an Abbe number vd of 18.5 or lower and of permitting the stable production of high-quality glass from a glass melt; and a glass material for press molding and an optical element comprised of the optical glass. The optical glass is in the form of an oxide glass and comprises, denoted as cationic percentages: 16 to 35% of P5+, 14 to 35% of Bi3+, 10 to 33% of Nb5+, 0 to 18% of Ti4+, and 0 to 20% of W6+; the total content of Bi3+, Nb5+, Ti4+, and W6+ being 55% or higher; the refractive index and exceeding 2.05; and the Abbe number vd being 18.5 or lower.
US08647985B2
Semiconductor material substrates are polished by a method including at least one polishing step A by means of which the substrate is polished on a polishing pad containing an abrasive material bonded in the polishing pad and a polishing agent solution is introduced between the substrate and the polishing pad during the polishing step; and at least one polishing step B by means of which the substrate is polished on a polishing pad containing an abrasive material-containing polishing pad and wherein a polishing agent slurry containing unbonded abrasive material is introduced between the substrate and the polishing pad during the polishing step.
US08647982B2
A method of activating a metal structure on an intermediate semiconductor device structure toward metal plating. The method comprises providing an intermediate semiconductor device structure comprising at least one first metal structure and at least one second metal structure on a semiconductor substrate. The at least one first metal structure comprises at least one aluminum structure, at least one copper structure, or at least one structure comprising a mixture of aluminum and copper and the at least one second metal structure comprises at least one tungsten structure. One of the at least one first metal structure and the at least one second metal structure is activated toward metal plating without activating the other of the at least one first metal structure and the at least one second metal structure. An intermediate semiconductor device structure is also disclosed.
US08647969B1
A method of manufacturing a memory device includes forming a first dielectric layer over a substrate, forming a charge storage element over the first dielectric layer and forming an inter-gate dielectric over the charge storage element. The method also includes depositing a silicon control gate layer over the inter-gate dielectric using a reactant that contains chlorine.
US08647967B2
A method of obtaining a hexagonal würtzite type epitaxial layer with a low impurity concentration of alkali-metal by using a hexagonal würtzite substrate possessing a higher impurity concentration of alkali-metal, wherein a surface of the substrate upon which the epitaxial layer is grown has a crystal plane which is different from the c-plane.
US08647961B2
A method is described for filling cavities in wafers, the cavities being open to a predetermined surface of the wafer, including the following steps: applying a lacquer-like filling material to the predetermined surface of the wafer; heating the wafer at a first temperature; driving out gas bubbles enclosed in the filling material by heating the wafer under vacuum at a second temperature which is equal to or higher than the first temperature; and curing the filling material by heating the wafer at a third temperature which is higher than the second temperature. Furthermore, also described is a blind hole filled using such a method and general 3D cavities as well as a wafer having insulation trenches of a silicon via filled using such a method.
US08647960B2
A method for forming a DRAM MIM capacitor stack comprises forming a first electrode layer, annealing the first electrode layer, forming a dielectric layer on the first electrode layer, annealing the dielectric layer, forming a second electrode layer on the dielectric layer, annealing the second electrode layer, patterning the capacitor stack, and annealing the capacitor stack for times greater than about 10 minutes, and advantageously greater than about 1 hour, at low temperatures (less than about 300 C) in an atmosphere containing less than about 25% oxygen and preferably less than about 10% oxygen.
US08647959B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a bottom electrode material layer containing aluminum and copper over the substrate. An insulating material layer and a top electrode material layer are sequentially formed on the surface of the bottom electrode material layer. A photoresist pattern is formed on the top electrode material layer, and then the top electrode material layer is patterned to form a top electrode by using the photoresist pattern as mask. The photoresist pattern is removed by plasma ash and then an alloy process is performed to the bottom electrode material layer. Thereafter, the insulating material layer, and the bottom electrode material layer are patterned to form a patterned insulating layer and a patterned bottom electrode layer.
US08647958B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an isolation layer over a substrate, forming a plurality of open regions exposing the substrate by selectively etching the isolation layer, performing a surface treatment over the isolation layer, expanding the open regions by removing the surface-treated portion of the isolation layer, and forming a conductive layer in the expanded open regions.
US08647947B2
It is intended to provide a semiconductor device including a MOS transistor, comprising: a semiconductor pillar; a bottom doped region formed in contact with a lower part of the semiconductor pillar; a first gate formed around a sidewall of the semiconductor pillar through a first dielectric film therebetween; and a top doped region formed so as to at least partially overlap a top surface of the semiconductor pillar, wherein the top doped region has a top surface having an area greater than that of the top surface of the semiconductor pillar.
US08647946B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes providing a substrate prepared with a second gate structure. An inter-gate dielectric is formed on the substrate and over the second gate. A first gate is also formed. The first gate is adjacent to and separated from the second gate by the inter-gate dielectric. The substrate is patterned to form a split gate structure with the first and second adjacent gates. The split gate structure is provided with an e-field equalizer adjacent to the first gate. The e-field equalizer improves uniformity of e-field across the first gate during operation.
US08647941B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes the following steps. A semiconductor substrate having a first strained silicon layer is provided. Then, an insulating region such as a shallow trench isolation (STI) is formed, where a depth of the insulating region is substantially larger than a depth of the first strained silicon layer. Subsequently, the first strained silicon layer is removed, and a second strained silicon layer is formed to substitute the first strained silicon layer.
US08647939B2
A method of forming a field effect transistor (FET) device includes forming a patterned gate structure over a substrate; forming a solid source dopant material on the substrate, adjacent sidewall spacers of the gate structure; performing an anneal process at a temperature sufficient to cause dopants from the solid source dopant material to diffuse within the substrate beneath the gate structure and form source/drain extension regions; following formation of the source/drain extension regions, forming trenches in the substrate adjacent the sidewall spacers, corresponding to source/drain regions; and forming an embedded semiconductor material in the trenches so as to provide a stress on a channel region of the substrate defined beneath the gate structure.
US08647930B2
In one embodiment, a method of forming a plug includes providing a base layer, providing an intermediate oxide layer above an upper surface of the base layer, providing an upper layer above an upper surface of the intermediate oxide layer, etching a trench including a first trench portion extending through the upper layer, a second trench portion extending through the oxide layer, and a third trench portion extending into the base layer, depositing a first material portion within the third trench portion, depositing a second material portion within the second trench portion, and depositing a third material portion within the first trench portion.
US08647928B2
A thin film transistor substrate includes a base substrate, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a surface treating layer, an active layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The gate electrode is formed on the base substrate. The gate insulating layer is formed on the base substrate to cover the gate electrode. The surface treating layer is formed on the gate insulating layer by treating the gate insulating layer with a nitrogen-containing gas to prevent leakage current. The active layer is formed on the surface treating layer to cover the gate electrode. The source electrode and the gate electrode that are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance are formed on the active layer.
US08647915B2
A hetero-junction device and fabrication method in which phase-separated n-type and p-type semiconductor pillars define vertically-oriented p-n junctions extending above a substrate. Semiconductor materials are selected for the p-type and n-type pillars that are thermodynamically stable and substantially insoluble in one another. An epitaxial deposition process is employed to form the pillars on a nucleation layer and the mutual insolubility drives phase separation of the materials. During the epitaxial deposition process, the orientation is such that the nucleation layer initiates propagation of vertical columns resulting in a substantially ordered, three-dimensional structure throughout the deposited material. An oxidation state of at least a portion of one of the p-type or the n-type semiconductor materials is altered relative to the other, such that the band-gap energy of the semiconductor materials differ with respect to stoichiometric compositions and the device preferentially absorbs particular selected bands of radiation.
US08647911B2
A solar cell includes abutting P-type and N-type doped regions in a contiguous portion of a polysilicon layer. The polysilicon layer may be formed on a thin dielectric layer, which is formed on a backside of a solar cell substrate (e.g., silicon wafer). The polysilicon layer has a relatively large average grain size to reduce or eliminate recombination in a space charge region between the P-type and N-type doped regions, thereby increasing efficiency.
US08647908B2
A semiconductor pressure sensor includes a first substrate having a concave portion and an alignment mark at a main surface thereof, and a second substrate formed on the main surface of the first substrate and having a diaphragm provided to cover a space inside the concave portion of the first substrate and a gauge resistor provided on the diaphragm. The alignment mark is provided to be exposed from the second substrate. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a semiconductor pressure sensor and a method of manufacturing the same with reduced production costs and with improved pressure measuring accuracy.
US08647906B2
A method of manufacturing a light emitting device, the method including: disposing a semiconductor light emitting element including a semiconductor layer that emits a primary light on a mounting substrate; covering the semiconductor light emitting element with a transparent medium containing fluorescent material particles that absorb a part of the primary light and emits a secondary light having a wavelength longer than that of the primary light and scattering particles having a mean particle size D that satisfies the inequality 20 nm
US08647904B2
Provided is a method for manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device, including the steps of: forming an AlNO buffer layer containing at least aluminum, nitrogen, and oxygen on a substrate; and forming a nitride semiconductor layer on the AlNO buffer layer, wherein, in the step of forming the AlNO buffer layer, the AlNO buffer layer is formed by a reactive sputtering method using aluminum as a target in an atmosphere to and from which nitrogen gas and oxygen gas are continuously introduced and exhausted, and the atmosphere is an atmosphere in which a ratio of a flow rate of the oxygen gas to a sum of a flow rate of the nitrogen gas and the flow rate of the oxygen gas is not more than 0.5%.
US08647900B2
An optical emitter includes micro-structure phosphor coating on a light-emitting diode die mounted on a package substrate. The micro-structures are transferred onto a micro-structure phosphor coating precursor by patterning and curing the precursor or by curing the precursor through a mold. The micro-structures are half spheroids, three-sided pyramids, or six-sided pyramids.
US08647897B2
A method for producing and depositing air-stable, easily decomposable, vulcanized ink on any of a wide range of substrates is disclosed. The ink enables high-volume production of optoelectronic and/or electronic devices using scalable production methods, such as roll-to-roll transfer, fast rolling processes, and the like.
US08647895B1
A process of manufacturing a crystalline silicon solar cell includes forming a rough surface on a surface of the crystalline silicon wafer and an Al2O3 film is coated on a non-rough surface thereof. A single-sided n diffusion layer and phosphosilicate glass film are formed. An anti-reflection layer SiNx film is formed on a top surface of the phosphosilicate glass film. An Al metallic film is formed as a back ohmic electrode on the Al2O3 film. The local area of the anti-reflection layer SiNx film and the phosphosilicate glass film is melted and removed to form a local area of n+-Si layer. Then, an Al—Si back ohmic contact electrode is formed between the Al metallic film and the crystalline silicon wafer. A front ohmic contact electrode is formed on the molten and removed area of the antireflection layer SiNx film and the phosphosilicate film by light-induced plating.
US08647891B2
A sensor and fabrication process are provided for forming reference layers with substantially orthogonal magnetization directions having zero offset with a small compensation angle. An exemplary embodiment includes a sensor layer stack of a magnetoresistive thin-film based magnetic field sensor, the sensor layer stack comprising a pinning layer; a pinned layer including a layer of amorphous material over the pinning layer, and a first layer of crystalline material over the layer of amorphous material; a nonmagnetic coupling layer over the pinned layer; a fixed layer over the nonmagnetic coupling layer; a tunnel barrier over the fixed layer; and a sense layer over the nonmagnetic intermediate layer. Another embodiment includes a sensor layer stack where a pinned layer including two crystalline layers separated by a amorphous layer.
US08647882B2
Chiral selectors having α-unsubstituted β-amino acid derivatives of the structure: a stationary phase for separating substance mixtures containing the chiral selector, and processes for separating mixtures of chiral substances, including enantiomers, and especially enantiomers of substances selected from β-amino acids and derivatives thereof, α-amino acids and α-hydroxy acids are provided.
US08647877B2
Preparation and use of nucleated red blood cell simulating particles and hematology control mixtures
The present disclosure provides a nucleated red blood cell simulating particle, which may be leukocytes bound to a fluorescent-staining inhibitor capable of stably binding to the nucleus or a nucleic acid in a cell so as to reduce the binding capacity of the particles to a fluorescent dye during their detection. The present disclosure also provides a method for preparing nucleated red blood cell simulating particles, including the following steps: (a) obtaining purified leukocytes; (b) suspending the leukocytes in a cell treatment solution containing a fluorescent-staining inhibitor which stably binds to the nucleus or a nucleic acid in a cell, and (c) washing the obtained product. The present disclosure also provides a hematology control mixture containing the nucleated red blood cell simulating particles. In addition, the present disclosure describes the use of the nucleated red blood cell simulating particles and the hematology control mixtures comprising the same, for the quality control of a blood cell analyzer.
US08647876B2
An oxygen permeability measuring apparatus for measuring an oxygen permeation rate of oxygen barrier film in a dark room is provided. A container is charged with inert gas, and sealed hermetically by use of the oxygen barrier film at least partially. A chemiluminescent compound is contained in the container, for emitting light by oxidation with the oxygen. A photon detector detects photons emitted by the chemiluminescent compound so as to determine an amount of the oxygen permeated through the oxygen barrier film. Preferably, the container includes a container body. An opening is formed in the container body, and closed hermetically by the oxygen barrier film attached thereto. The photon detector is disposed inside or outside the container. The oxygen permeation rate is equal to or less than 10−2 cc/m2·day·atm. The chemiluminescent compound includes tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene.
US08647874B2
An isolated human cell and populations thereof is provided comprising at least one astrocytic phenotype and at least one mesenchymal stem cell phenotype, wherein the mesenchymal stem cell phenotype is not an astrocytic phenotype.
US08647873B2
Disclosed herein are cell cultures comprising PDX1-positive endoderm cells and methods of producing the same. Also disclosed herein are cell populations comprising substantially purified PDX1-positive endoderm cells as well as methods for enriching, isolating and purifying PDX1-positive endoderm cells from other cell types. Methods of identifying differentiation factors capable of promoting the differentiation of endoderm cells, such as PDX1-positive foregut endoderm cells and PDX1-negative definitive endoderm cells, are also disclosed.
US08647869B2
Oogonial stem cell (OSC)-derived compositions, such as nuclear free cytoplasm or isolated mitochondria, and uses of OSC-derived compositions in autologous fertility-enhancing procedures are described.
US08647865B2
The present invention relates to the discovery of novel T cell epitopes of the human prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) protein that is promiscuous for at least 15 different HLA-DR alleles. The invention also relates to compositions that contain one of the novel epitopes or a fusion peptide of such an epitope and a heterologous polypeptide. Further disclosed herein is the use of the epitopes or their fusion peptides, and compositions containing the epitopes or their fusion peptides.
US08647860B2
A method and apparatus for detecting pathogens and particles in a fluid in which particle size and intrinsic fluorescence of a simple particle is determined.
US08647859B2
An apparatus for analyzing bacteria is described that includes an analytic sample preparation section for preparing an analytic sample by treating a specimen so as to generate a morphological difference between Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria, a detector for detecting optical information from each particle contained in the analytic sample and an analyzing section for detecting Gram-positive bacteria contained on the basis of the detected optical information. A method for analyzing bacteria is also described.
US08647852B2
A method of stimulating ethanol production and growth of aquatic plants includes the steps of placing aquatic plants in a cell containing water and creating an oxygenated condition within the cell to initiate an aerobic process. The aquatic plants create and store carbohydrates during the aerobic process. The cell is then covered with a light blocking cover during the anoxic condition to inhibit light from entering the cell. An anoxic condition is created within the cell to initiate an anaerobic process by the aquatic plants. The aquatic plants increase in size and release ethanol into the water by metabolism of stored carbohydrates during the anaerobic process. The ethanol is then sequestered from the water.
US08647843B2
Provided is a method of producing succinic acid in which a microorganism having a succinic acid-producing ability is allowed to react with a sugar, the method being characterized in that the ratio of the oxygen transfer rate to the succinic acid production rate (mmol-O2/mol-SA) is 0.1 to 240 and that the doubling time of the microorganism during the reaction is not shorter than 40 hours.
US08647838B2
The present invention provides a method for producing L-arginine using a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, particularly a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia or Pantoea, which has been modified to attenuate expression of one or several genes encoding an L-arginine transporter.
US08647832B2
The disclosure relates to methods, medical profiles, kits and apparatus for use in determining the risk that a pregnant individual has for developing pre-eclampsia based on amounts of certain biochemical markers in a biological sample from the individual and biophysical markers. The disclosure also relates to methods, medical profiles, kits and apparatus for use in determining the risk that a pregnant individual is carrying a fetus having a chromosomal abnormality based on amounts of certain biochemical markers in a biological sample from the individual and biophysical markers.
US08647825B2
Methods and compositions according to embodiments of the present invention are provided that specifically and sensitively detect alcohol consumption and whether alcohol consumption is moderate or high in a subject. Aspects of the present invention relate to assays of panels of proteins for detecting non-consumption, moderate consumption and high consumption of ethanol by a subject.
US08647820B2
Circular dumbbell decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (CDODN) containing DNA bindings sites of transcription
The present invention provides a circular dumbbell oligodeoxynucleotide (CDODN) comprising two loop structures and a stem structure, wherein the stem structure comprises a nucleotide sequence capable of binding the DNA-binding domain of a transcriptional factor. The present invention further provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising said CDODN. The pharmaceutical composition can be used for treating and/or preventing a disease or disorder related to such a transcriptional factor. The present invention also provides a method for treating and/or preventing a disease or disorder related to such a transcriptional factor, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a CDODN comprising two loop structures and a stem structure, wherein the stem structure comprises a nucleotide sequence capable of binding the DNA-binding domain of the transcriptional factor.
US08647817B2
A method for patterning a substrate is described. The method includes forming a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate, and preparing a pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material using a lithographic process, wherein the pattern is characterized by a critical dimension (CD) and a roughness. Following the preparation of the pattern in the layer of radiation-sensitive material, the method further includes performing a CD slimming process to reduce the CD to a reduced CD, and performing a vapor smoothing process to reduce the roughness to a reduced roughness.
US08647816B2
A method of manufacturing an electronic device, comprises forming a material layer, forming an anti-halation layer on the material layer, forming a resist layer on the anti-halation layer, forming a resist pattern including a plurality of island patterns by patterning the resist layer through an exposure step and a development step, forming a mask layer having a plurality of moderate convex shape portions by annealing the resist pattern to change shapes of the island patterns to moderate convex shapes, and plasma-processing the mask layer, the anti-halation layer, and the material layer so as to remove the mask layer and the anti-halation layer and change the material layer to a microlens array including a plurality of microlenses, wherein the anti-halation layer reduces halation in the exposure step.
US08647812B2
A pattern forming method comprising (i) a step of forming a film from a chemical amplification resist composition, (ii) a step of exposing the film, and (iii) a step of developing the exposed film by using an organic solvent-containing developer, wherein the resist composition contains (A) a resin capable of increasing the polarity to decrease the solubility for an organic solvent-containing developer by the action of an acid, (B) at least one kind of a compound capable of generating a sulfonic acid represented by the specific formula upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation, and (C) a solvent.
US08647808B2
A fluorinated monomer has formula (1) wherein R1 is H, F, methyl or trifluoromethyl, R2 and R3 are H or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, R4 to R6 each are a monovalent fluorinated hydrocarbon group, A is a divalent hydrocarbon group, and k1 is 0, 1 or 2. A polymer derived from the fluorinated monomer may be endowed with appropriate water repellency, water slip, acid lability and hydrolysis and is useful as an additive polymer in formulating a resist composition.
US08647803B2
A method for producing colored resin particles including: dissolving or dispersing at least binder resin and colorant in organic solvent to prepare oil phase; dissolving resin A and basic compound in aqueous medium to prepare aqueous phase, the resin A having solubility <2.0 g/100 g water having temperature 25° C. and pH 3.0 and solubility ≧2.0 g/100 g water having temperature 25° C. and pH 10.0; dispersing the oil phase in the aqueous phase to prepare core particle dispersion liquid; dispersing resin particles in aqueous medium to prepare resin particle dispersion liquid, and adding the resin particle dispersion liquid to the core particle dispersion liquid so that the resin particles are attached onto the core particles, to prepare dispersion liquid containing particles each having the core particle and the resin particles attached thereonto; removing the organic solvent from the dispersion liquid; washing the particles; and drying the particles.
US08647799B2
An erasable toner is prepared by mixing colored particles containing at least a color former compound, a color developer agent and a binder resin with de-coloring particles having a melting point higher than the fixing temperature of the colored particles. By using this toner, a colored image is formed by electrostatically transferring a toner image onto a medium, and heating the toner image at a temperature lower than the melting point of the de-coloring particles to form a fixed toner image in a color developed state, and the color of the fixed image is erased by heating the image to a temperature not lower than the melting point of the de-coloring particles. In this toner, the color developing function and the color erasing function are assigned to different particles so that the functions are separated from each other, and therefore, the formation of an image in a color developed state and the erasure thereof can be reliably and promptly achieved.
US08647797B2
The present application describes a method and a device for keeping the mask dimensions of a mask (6) constant in the mask plane in lithography. The mask (6) is heated due to the exposure during lithography. By means of thermal and/or mechanical methods, the dimensions of the mask (6) are kept constant. It is possible to use additional methods or devices, e.g. an air cooler (17) or an air heater (17), in order to prevent a change in the mask dimensions in the mask plane.
US08647795B2
Provided is a silicon target material in which particles are not easily generated during a sputtering process and to form a low-defect (high quality) silicon-containing film. A silicon target material having a specific resistance of 20 Ω·cm or more at room temperature is used for forming a silicon-containing film. The silicon target material may be polycrystalline or noncrystalline. However, when the silicon target material is single-crystalline, a more stable discharge state can be obtained. Also, a single-crystal silicon in which crystals are grown by an FZ method is a preferable material as a highly-pure silicon target material because its content of oxygen is low. Further, a target material having n-type conductivity and containing donor impurities is preferable to obtain stable discharge characteristics. Only a single or a plurality of silicon target materials according to the present invention may be used for sputtering film formation of the silicon-containing film.
US08647772B2
A cathode active material has: a lithium composite oxide which contains the highest proportion of nickel among constituent metal elements except lithium; and a phosphorus compound which is contained near the surface of the lithium composite oxide, and a cathode including the cathode active material.
US08647771B2
The present invention provides electrode-electrolyte composite particles for a fuel cell, which have either electrode material particles uniformly dispersed around electrolyte material particles or electrolyte material particles uniformly dispersed around electrode material particles, to enhance the electrode performance characteristics and electrode/electrolyte bonding force, as well as thermal, mechanical and electrochemical properties of the fuel cell, in a simple method without using expensive starting materials and a high temperature process.
US08647767B2
An energy storage device includes a housing having an interior surface defining a volume and a plurality of solid electrolyte elements disposed in the volume. Each solid electrolyte element has a first surface that defines at least a portion of a first, cathodic chamber, and a second surface that defines a second, anodic chamber. A plurality of individual anode chambers are thus provided, a majority of which are in ionic communication with the cathode chamber through a majority of the solid electrolyte elements and which are also provided with a sodium level control mechanism.
US08647766B2
A battery having a plurality of cell pairs arranged in an array is disclosed. The cells pairs are coupled longitudinally. Sense leads are provided on the ends of cell pairs to obviate providing a sense lead proximate the junction of the cell pair.
US08647764B2
Disclosed herein is a battery pack including: a plurality of cylindrical battery cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of layers; a lower case for supporting the battery cells; a terminal case attached to the lower case and provided at one side surface thereof with connection terminals for connection to an external apparatus; a main circuit board attached to the terminal case and electrically connected to the battery cells; wherein the lower case is formed with a support protrusion which is passed through the main circuit board and operative to support the battery cell.
US08647753B2
Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent device comprising a structure having an anode, an emitting layer, and a cathode stacked therein, wherein a fluorescent compound represented by Formula 1 is used as a emitting material of the emitting layer or used as a dopant of the emitting layer: wherein A1 and A2 are independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 aliphatic group, a C6-C20 aromatic group and a C5-C19 heterocyclic group containing N, S or O, A3 is selected from a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C6 aliphatic group, a C6-C20 aromatic group, a C5-C19 heterocyclic group containing N, S or O, and a hydrogen atom, and substituents of A1, A2 and A3 are respectively one or more and the substituent is selected from the group consisting of C1-C10 alkyl, C1-C1 alkoxy, C1-C10 alkylamino, C1-C10 alkylsilyl, a halogen atom, C6-C10 aryl, C6-C10 aryloxy, C6-C10 arylamino, C6-C10 arylsilyl and a hydrogen atom.
US08647750B2
Wood products, specifically wood commonly used in construction including dimension lumber, pressure treated pine, composite wood materials such as plywood, particle board, and wafer board, and samples of paper and fabric were variously treated with concentrations of sodium silicate (Na2O.SiO2) also known as water glass. Cellulosic materials including dimension lumber, plywood, particle board, wafer board, paper, and fabric were treated with sodium silicate (Na2O.SiO2) in concentrations ranging from 400-0.04 g Na2O.SiO2/kg water. To overcome the disadvantages of sodium silicate, sodium silicate treated samples were further treated to convert the water soluble sodium silicate to a water insoluble form, thereby overcoming the disadvantages of water solubility, and rendering the material effective for internal and external uses. Although treated sodium silicate samples are composed of the same elements in similar proportions, as the untreated sodium silicate samples, the water solubility of the treated and untreated substances is very different.
US08647749B2
The object of the present invention is to provide multi-ply platforms suitable for the manufacture of decorative panels and decorative panels incorporating such multi-ply platforms, which multi-ply platforms improve the resistance to deformation caused by changes in relative humidity and/or temperature of, or around, such decorative panels. This object is achieved by providing multi-ply platforms comprising a plurality of plies which are arranged so that the platform is substantially unbalanced around its central plane. The unbalanced platform is achieved by, arranging the plies such that at least two adjacent plies have substantially the same main grain direction and/or that two plies having substantially the same main grain direction are separated only by one or more neutral plies. These unbalanced platforms are intended to be bonded to a further ply to form a substantially balanced decorative panel.
US08647738B2
A film made of a resin composition which includes polylactic acid (component A) composed of poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(D-lactic acid) and acrylic resin (component B) and has a crystal melting peak at 190° C. or higher when measured by a scanning differential calorimeter (DSC). The film has a small change in birefringence caused by external force, excellent dimensional stability at the time of heating and a small change in birefringence caused by heat stress.
US08647736B2
A method for producing an optical article includes laminating on a plastic substrate a first layer using a first composition, the first composition including two or more kinds of polyurethane resins each having a different average particle diameter, metal oxide particulates, and an organosilicon compound.
