US08787076B2

A magnetic memory according to the present invention has: a first underlayer; a second underlayer so formed on the first underlayer as to be in contact with the first underlayer; and a data storage layer so formed on the second underlayer as to be in contact with the second underlayer. The data storage layer is made of a ferromagnetic material having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. A magnetization state of the data storage layer is changed by current driven domain wall motion.
US08787073B2

An object is to provide a signal processing circuit which can be manufactured without a complex manufacturing process and suppress power consumption. A storage element includes two logic elements (referred to as a first phase-inversion element and a second phase-inversion element) which invert a phase of an input signal and output the signal, a first selection transistor, and a second selection transistor. In the storage element, two pairs each having a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductor layer and a capacitor (a pair of a first transistor and a first capacitor, and a pair of a second transistor and a second capacitor) are provided. The storage element is used in a storage device such as a register or a cache memory included in a signal processing circuit.
US08787060B2

An apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of array dies and at least two die interconnects. The first die interconnect is in electrical communication with a data port of a first array die and a data port of a second array die and not in electrical communication with data ports of a third array die. The second die interconnect is in electrical communication with a data port of the third array die and not in electrical communication with data ports of the first array die and the second array die. The apparatus includes a control die that includes a first data conduit configured to transmit a data signal to the first die interconnect and not to the second die interconnect, and at least a second data conduit configured to transmit the data signal to the second die interconnect and not to the first die interconnect.
US08787057B2

A method for data storage includes providing at least first and second readout schemes for reading storage values from a group of analog memory cells that are connected to respective bit lines. The first readout scheme reads the storage values using a first bit line charging configuration having a first sense time, and the second readout scheme reads the storage values using a second bit line charging configuration having a second sense time, shorter than the first sense time. A condition is evaluated with respect to a read operation that is to be performed over a group of the memory cells. One of the first and second readout schemes is selected responsively to the evaluated condition. The storage values are read from the group of the memory cells using the selected readout scheme.
US08787053B2

A close control of electric power converters includes a diode D1 in parallel with a switch I1; a diode D2 in parallel with a switch I2; a transformer (T1). The switches (I1, I2) are controlled, cyclically repeating the following stages: at a time T0 the switch I1 is switched on; at a time T1 the switch I1 is switched off; the switch I2 is switched on before the current passing through the diode D2 reaches zero; at a time T3 the switch I2 is switched off; and at a time T4, when the diode D1 becomes conductive, the first stage is returned to. In particular, the close control of electric power converters relates to electrically isolated electric power supplies working at high frequency with high efficiency and a high level of integration.
US08787046B2

A power supply device including a rectifying unit, a supplying unit, a controlling unit, a conversion unit and a detection unit is disclosed. The rectifying unit processes an alternating current (AC) voltage to generate a direct current (DC) voltage. The supplying unit generates an operation voltage according to an input voltage. The controlling unit receives the operation voltage and generating an enabling signal. The conversion unit transforms the DC voltage to generate an auxiliary voltage according to the enabling signal. The auxiliary voltage is not equal to the operation voltage. The detection unit detects the auxiliary voltage. When the auxiliary voltage is generated, the detection unit de-activates the supplying unit to stop generating the operation voltage.
US08787035B2

An electrical interconnect device includes a frame having frame walls that define a socket that extends along a socket axis between an open top and an open bottom of the frame. The socket is configured to receive an electronic package through the open top. The electrical interconnect device also includes a contact assembly having an insulative carrier that holds an array of conductive elastomeric columns with each of the elastomeric columns having opposite first and second ends. The elastomeric columns are internally conductive between the first and second ends. The elastomeric columns are configured to electrically interconnect the electronic package to a second electronic component. The insulative carrier is configured to float within the frame in a direction generally parallel to the socket axis.
US08787034B2

A system includes a microelectronic assembly having terminals and a microelectronic element, and a component for connection with the microelectronic assembly. The component includes a support structure bearing conductors configured to carry command and address information, and contacts coupled to the conductors and connected with the terminals of the microelectronic assembly. The contacts have address and command information assignments arranged in a first predetermined arrangement for connection with a first type of microelectronic assembly in which the microelectronic element is configured to sample command and address information coupled thereto through the contacts at a first sampling rate, and in a second predetermined arrangement for connection with a second type of microelectronic assembly in which the microelectronic element is configured to sample the command and address information coupled thereto through a subset of the contacts at a second sampling rate greater than the first sampling rate.
US08787032B2

A microelectronic assembly includes a dielectric element having first and second surfaces, first and second apertures extending between the first and second surfaces and defining a central region of the first surface between the first and second apertures, first and second microelectronic elements, and leads extending from contacts exposed at respective front surfaces of the first and second microelectronic elements to central terminals exposed at the central region. The front surface of the first microelectronic element can face the second surface of the dielectric element. The front surface of the second microelectronic element can face a rear surface of the first microelectronic element. The contacts of the second microelectronic element can project beyond an edge of the first microelectronic element. At least first and second ones of the leads can electrically interconnect a first central terminal of the central terminals with each of the first and second microelectronic elements.
US08787031B2

The invention relates to a case 1 intended to be fixed in an electrical cabinet, said case comprising a frontal opening which can be closed by a means of closing 3, and further comprising means of fastening 5 making it possible to fix said case 1 in said electrical cabinet, in particular on a metal rail, and said case 1 further comprising (a) at least one anti-magnetic and/or anti-static protective means 4, (b) a re-writeable medium 2, 21 for storing computer data, which is protected by said anti-magnetic and/or anti-static protective means 4.
US08787023B2

An electronic equipment enclosure includes a frame structure having side cross members between front and rear frames, a vertical mounting rail and a clamping bracket attached to the vertical mounting rail. At least one of the side cross members defines an interior-facing channel that extends at least substantially along the length thereof. Upon insertion into the channel, the clamping bracket is rotatable within the channel to tighten, and thereby fasten, the vertical mounting rail to the frame structure.
US08787022B2

According to one embodiment, coupling capacitance in a state in which a first heat radiation member is arranged between parallel flat plates of a first capacitor formed by a surface of a housing opposed to one surface of a printed circuit board and the printed circuit board is smaller than coupling capacitance in a state in which an integrally formed object having a relative dielectric constant of 5.8 is arranged between the first capacitor to cover a first radiating region containing the controller and the first nonvolatile semiconductor memories.
US08787021B2

A cooler for a memory module includes heat plates on the sides of the memory module and heat fins extending from the top of the heat plates. The heat fins are optimized according to simulated or actual airflow about the memory module inside an enclosure. The heat fins may curve diagonally outward from the memory module and their free ends may be arranged substantially parallel to the airflow so air flows over their larger lateral surfaces down to the memory module.
US08787015B2

A processing module is provided that comprises a set of processing module sides, each comprising a circuit board, a plurality of connectors coupled to the circuit board, and a plurality of processing nodes coupled to the circuit board. Each processing module side couples to another processing module side to form a modular processing module. The modular processing module comprises an exterior connection to a power source and a communication system and a plurality of cold plates coupled to the plurality of processing nodes. Liquid coolant is circulated through the plurality of cold plates via a closed loop by at least one pump through a plurality of tubes and through at least one heat exchanger. The at least one heat exchanger is coupled to an exterior portion of the processing module. The at least one heat exchanger cools the liquid coolant using air surrounding the processing module.
US08787011B2

A mounting apparatus includes a chassis and a mounting piece. The chassis includes a rear plate. An expansion slot is defined in the rear plate, and a clipping portion extends from an edge of the expansion slot. The mounting piece includes a main body, an engaging piece extending from a first end of the main body, and an inserting portion extending from a second opposite end of the main body. The engaging piece defines a clipping slot, and two blocking portions are located on the opposite side of entrance of the clipping slot. The clipping portion is engaged in the clipping slot, and the two blocking portions prevent the clipping portion from being disengaged from the clipping slot.
US08787010B2

An information processing apparatus is disclosed which can be enhanced in degree of freedom in design. A hinge mechanism is provided which includes a first shaft structure provided in an exposed state on a second face of a main body section, a second shaft structure provided on a display section, and a shaft connection section which connects the first and second shaft structures to each other. The hinge mechanism pivotably connects the display section to the main body section between a first position at which a screen of the display section is opposed to a first face of the main body section and a second position at which the screen is inclined with respect to the first face of the main body section such that the center of the pivotal motion of the display section varies during the pivotal motion.
US08787003B2

According to one embodiment of a capacitor module, the capacitor module includes a substrate having a metallization on a first side of the substrate, a plurality of connectors electrically coupled to the metallization and a plurality of capacitors disposed on the metallization. The plurality of capacitors includes a first set of capacitors electrically connected in parallel between a first set of the connectors and a second set of the connectors. The capacitor module further includes a housing enclosing the plurality of capacitors within the capacitor module.
US08786999B2

A reduced pressure treatment system includes a control unit having a control system and a reduced pressure source. The reduced pressure treatment system further includes a manifold unit in fluid communication with the reduced pressure source and a component module to augment treatment. The component module is configured to communicate with the control system of the control unit, and the component module includes a first mounting region configured to be coupled to a complimentary mounting region of the control unit. The component module further includes a second mounting region identical to the complimentary mounting region of the control unit to allow a second component module to be coupled to the first component module.
US08786989B2

The electronic device comprises a first terminal and a second terminal, a buffer connected between the first terminal and the second terminal and comprising a signal input, and means for protecting against electrostatic discharges likely to occur across at least a pair of nodes of the buffer. The device comprises at least one integrated structure connected between the two nodes and said signal input, containing at least one MOS transistor and forming both said protection means and at least a part of said buffer.
US08786985B1

Storage architecture for bit patterned media uses both erase band and shingled magnetic recording. A hard disk drive may comprise a disk having bit patterned media with a plurality of data tracks arrayed in architecture pages having at least one of erase band mode (EBM), shingled mode (SM) and unallocated space. An actuator has a head for writing data to the data tracks of the bit patterned media. A control system monitors, reallocates and reconfigures the architecture pages from EBM, SM or unallocated space to a different one of EBM, SM or unallocated space to enhance performance of the hard disk drive.
US08786970B2

An assembly and method to determine adjacent track coherence is disclosed. The assembly includes coherence circuitry configured to receive phase and frequency offsets from timing recovery circuitry and determine an inter-track phase and frequency coherence between the encoded data on a first track and the encoded data on a second track adjacent to the first track utilizing the frequency and phase offsets from the timing recovery circuitry for the output signals corresponding to the first and second tracks.
US08786960B2

The present invention provides a projection apparatus including an image generation device and a projection lens. The image generation device has a light valve, and generates a light. The projection lens includes a first lens group having an optical axis and a second lens group disposed between the first lens group and the light valve. The light generated from the light valve penetrates through the second lens group and forms an intermediate image between the first lens group and the second lens group. The intermediate image penetrates through the first lens group to form a projection image. A center of the projected image and a center of the light valve are disposed at a first side of the optical axis, and a center of the intermediate image is disposed at a second side of the optical axis different from the first side.
US08786959B2

An auto-focus camera module includes an lens module, an image sensor, a color separation unit, a main processor unit and an image processing unit. The lens module captures an image of object. The image sensor receives the image captured by the lens module. The color separation unit separates the image into red, green and blue colors. The main processor unit calculates MTF values of the sensed image and determines a shooting mode of the AF camera. The image processing unit processes the image according to the MTF values to compensate for any blurring of the image caused by being out of focus. The driving unit drives the lens module to the point of optimal focus on the object according to MTF values.
US08786958B2

A zoom lens system, in order from an object side to an image side, comprising a first lens unit having negative optical power, a second lens unit having positive optical power, a third lens unit having negative optical power, and a fourth lens unit having positive optical power, wherein the third lens unit moves along an optical axis in focusing from an infinity in-focus condition to a close-object in-focus condition, and the conditions: 0.5<|f3/fW|<2.0 and 0.005
US08786951B2

A composite optical film is provided. The composite optical film sequentially includes a substrate, a light diffusion layer, and a light-gathering layer. The light diffusion layer includes a binder and plural micro beads dispersed therein. The thickness of the light diffusion layer is 2-6 times of the average diameter of the micro beads, and the distance between adjacent micro beads is smaller than the average diameter of the micro beads. The light-gathering layer has plural light-gathering micro structures.
US08786950B1

An interface between two different optical materials can comprise a stack of thin film layers that manage light incident on that interface. One of the optical materials can have a first composition and a first refractive index, while the other optical material can have a second composition and a second refractive index. The stack can comprise thin film layers of the first optical material interleaved between thin film layers of the second optical material. The layers of the stack can be configured to provide the stack with an aggregate composition of at least one of the optical materials that progressively varies from one end of the stack to the other end. To provide the progressive variation in composition, the layers of one of the optical materials can have a progressively increased thickness across the stack, or can progressively increase in number, for example.
US08786949B2

A method for polarizing an electromagnetic wave having a frequency of not less than 0.1 THz and not more than 0.8 THz using a polarizer includes steps (a) and (b). The step (a) includes preparing the polarizer. The polarizer includes: a sapphire single crystalline layer; and a CaxCoO2 crystalline layer. The CaxCoO2 crystalline layer is stacked on the sapphire single crystalline layer, a surface of the CaxCoO2 crystalline layer has a (100) plane orientation and the CaxCoO2 crystalline layer has a thickness of not less than 2 micrometers and not more than 20 micrometers. The step (b) includes irradiating the polarizer with the electromagnetic wave having a frequency of not less than 0.1 THz and not more than 0.8 THz to output an output wave having only a component parallel to a c-axis direction of the sapphire single crystalline layer.
US08786947B2

A far-optical device comprising a reversal system and an adjustable optical magnification means with more than fourfold magnification, wherein the far-optical device has an optical beam deflection means which at all magnifications ensures a subjective field of view of the far-optical device of at least 22° at least for light of a wavelength of about 550 nm.
US08786932B2

The present invention provides for a display device and a method to manufacture the display device. The display device includes: a transparent layer; a coloring electrode; a separator; a second electrode; an electrolyte permeating throughout the display device; and a back layer positioned on the back side of the display. The transparent layer, which has a top surface and a bottom surface, is positioned at the viewer side of the display. The coloring electrode is positioned on the transparent layer bottom surface and includes: a connected conductor system formed from one or more heterogeneous conductive layers and a coloring layer, with the proviso that the heterogeneous conductive layers are not positioned between the transparent layer bottom surface and the coloring layer. The conductor heterogeneity includes variations in one or more of: conductor material composition; conductor layer dimension; conductor layer pattern; conductor layer grid design, and combinations thereof. The separator layer is positioned between the coloring electrode and the second electrode.
US08786926B2

An optical deflector includes a mirror, a movable frame for supporting the mirror, a support body surrounding the movable frame, and a first group of piezoelectric actuators and a second group of piezoelectric actuators alternating with the first group of piezoelectric actuators. A driver applies a first drive voltage having first saw-tooth waves to the first group of piezoelectric actuators, and applies a second drive voltage having second saw-tooth waves opposite in phase with the first saw-tooth waves to the second group of piezoelectric actuators. A difference in phase between the first and second saw-tooth waves is a predetermined value to suppress resonation of harmonic frequency components of the first and second drive voltages with a natural frequency of a mechanically-vibrating system of the mirror with respect to the axis thereof depending upon the piezoelectric actuators.
US08786925B2

A method for producing and replaying a color holographic image. The method includes multiple hologram films, each film containing content replayed at a viewing angle or range of viewing angle in primarily one or more replay color(s), replay being caused by reference beam(s) of substantially the film's replay color(s) incident upon the film at reference angle(s) outside the viewing angle(s). The method also includes angularly-dependent color filters between the hologram films. Each filter substantially transmits the replay color(s) of preceding hologram film(s) within the viewing angles, blocks the replay color(s) of succeeding hologram film(s) within the viewing angles, transmits the replay color(s) of succeeding hologram film(s) at angle(s) close to the replay angle(s) of succeeding hologram film(s), and blocks the replay color(s) of the immediately preceding hologram film at angle(s) close to the replay angle(s) of the immediately preceding hologram film.
US08786913B2

An image reading apparatus configured to read an image of an original, including: a light source configured to irradiate the original with light; an optical system configured to condense and image a light beam from the light source reflected from the original; a substrate member having a photoelectric conversion unit; a fixing member fixed to the substrate member; a support member configured to support the optical system; and an adhesive bonding the fixing member and the support member together, wherein one of the support member and the fixing member has a protruding portion which protrudes toward the other of the support member and the fixing member, the other has a recessed portion opposed to the protruding portion, the protruding portion protrudes in the recessed portion in a non-contact state to maintain a gap between the protruding portion and the recessed portion, and the adhesive is applied to the gap.
US08786899B2

Systems and methods for using conversion arrays to transform image in print jobs to different color depths. In one embodiment, the system stores a plurality of conversion arrays for converting images of print jobs encoded according to a page description language. The system receives a print job encoded according to the page description language, locates an image in the encoded print job, and identifies an existing color depth of the image, a pel color range, and a desired output color depth for the image. The system further selects a conversion array from the memory based on at least one of the existing color depth of the image, the pel color range, and the desired output color depth, and converts the image from the existing color depth of the image to the desired output color depth using the conversion array. The system further transmits the converted image for printing.
US08786893B2

A printing apparatus, a method, and a system for previewing printing are provided. The provided method includes receiving a printing job; determining whether the printing job includes a preview printing command; storing a printing data when the printing job includes the preview printing command; printing the printing data; when the printing job is determined to include the preview printing command, determining whether to continue executing the printing job; and when it is determined to continue executing the printing job, continuing to print the printing data. Thus, after the printing data is printed, a user can directly review the printing quality when he or she is beside the printing apparatus, and the user can continue to execute the printing job.
US08786892B2

A control apparatus, which is configured to communicate with an external apparatus, to control a display section and a printing section, and to execute a plurality of processing in parallel, includes: a storage section which is configured to store image data to be supplied to the display section and first data transmitted from the external apparatus, a first processing executing section which is configured to execute a first processing in which the image data is supplied to the display section; a second processing executing section which is configured to execute a second processing, which is to be executed in parallel with the first processing, and in which a predetermined image processing is applied to the first data to generate second data to be stored in the storage section; and an identifying section which is configured to identify the number of the second data stored in the storage section.
US08786889B2

Computing a scale factor to insert a first set of shapes into a second set of shapes to form a combined image includes receiving the two sets of shapes, using a processor to convert the first set of shapes into a set of rectangles and the second set of shapes into a set of intervals and computing the scale factor for either the set of intervals or the set of rectangles to generate the combined image by iteratively inserting the set of rectangles into the set of intervals and updating the scale factor in response to a residual area or an overflow area until all the rectangles in the set of rectangles have been inserted into the set of intervals and the residual area in the set of intervals is below a threshold, and storing the combined image in memory.
US08786884B2

When a user sets a paper attribute to a sheet holding unit, the user can recognize the existence of another sheet holding unit to which the same paper attribute as the paper attribute to be set has been set.
US08786880B2

Systems and algorithmic processes directed to first and second image processing devices connected to a network for distributed processing/printing. The first device receives a print job from a user device, and divides the print job into a plurality of portions of the print job which require image processing prior to printing. These portions are then transmitted to a number of the second devices which are compatible with distributed processing/printing and which are in an idle status mode. The second devices process the portions by, for example, rasterizing the portions, and then transmit the rasterized portions back to the first device. The first device assembles the rasterized portions into an assembled print job which is ready for printing. The first device prints the assembled print job or transmits the assembled print job to another networked device for printing, facsimile transmission, email transmission or storage.
US08786872B2

Provided is an image forming apparatus including: a print unit; an instruction unit for giving an instruction to start a printing operation; and a print control unit for controlling the printing operation according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, in which, when there is no instruction to start a subsequent printing operation after the executing of the printing operation to the recording medium according to the instruction to start the printing operation from the instruction unit, the print control unit executes a first post-processing operation for completing the printing operation, and the print control unit determines an operation to be performed after the executing of the first post-processing operation based on whether or not the instruction to start the subsequent printing operation is received during the executing of the first post-processing operation.
US08786871B2

A system comprising a processor and a memory comprising firmware is provided. The firmware is executable by the processor to cause the processor to operate a print mechanism in accordance with a first state associated with a capability of the print mechanism, change the first state associated with the capability to a second state in response to receiving first information from an external interface, and operate the print mechanism in accordance with the second state associated with the capability.
US08786867B2

An inspection device and an inspection method for boiler furnace water wall tubes. The inspection device includes a scanner including columns placed upright and fixed by magnets onto the surfaces of multiple water wall tubes extending in the up-down direction on the inner wall surfaces of the boiler furnace, a support frame fixed to the columns to support a displacement sensor producing laser light to be irradiated onto the surface of a water wall tube, and a moving mechanism for moving the displacement sensor in the axial direction of the water wall tube relative to the support frame. A signal processing unit calculates the amount of reduced wall thickness of the water wall tube from a difference between the cross-sectional surface shape of the water wall tube based on a signal from the displacement sensor and a reference shape without reduction in wall thickness.
US08786856B2

A method of monitoring combustion properties in an interior of a boiler of the type having walls comprising a plurality of parallel steam tubes separated by a metal membrane. First and second penetrations are provided in the metal membrane between adjacent tubes on opposite sides of the boiler. A beam of light is projected through a pitch optic comprising a pitch collimating lens and a pitch relay lens, both residing outside the boiler interior. The pitch relay lens projects the beam through a penetration into the boiler interior. The beam of light is received with a catch optic substantially identical to the pitch optic residing outside the boiler interior. The strength of the collimated received beam of light is determined. At least one of the pitch collimating lens and the catch collimating lens may then be aligned to maximize the strength of the collimated received beam.
US08786854B2

A spectroscopic detector includes a spectroscopic element for dispersing light, a photodetector for detecting the light dispersed by the spectroscopic element and a condensing optical system for condensing the dispersed light to the photodetector and compensating for a deviation in a detected wavelength deriving from nonlinearity of the angle of emergence generated in the spectroscopic element through chromatic aberration of magnification.
US08786851B2

A system for testing a distortion of a liquid crystal display (LCD) device can test the LCD device within a chamber in a state of being assembled perpendicular to the ground, whereby whether any distortion occurs in an internal component can be fast detected even in severe conditions of high temperature and high humidity and under an actual installation environment of a user.
US08786849B2

First test beams (464a-d), after passing through an optical system on optical paths that differ in pairs, impinge on a first measurement region (461) at angles that differ in pairs with respect to the measurement plane. Second test beams (465a-d), after passing through the optical system on optical paths that differ in pairs, impinge on a second measurement region (462) at angles that differ in pairs, wherein the second region differs from the first. A value of a first measurement variable of the test beam at the first region is detected for each of the first test beams, and comparably for a second measurement variable at the second region for the second test beams. Impingement regions (467a-d) on reference surface(s) (466, 471) of the optical system are determined and a spatial diagnosis distribution of a property of the reference surface(s) for each test beam is calculated.
US08786843B2

Methods and devices provide for transmitting a series of optical signals within a range of an O-band through a U-band into a device under test comprising one or more passive optical components; measuring powers of the optical signals that propagated through the device under test; calculating wavelength-dependent insertion loss values based on the measured power of the optical signals; measuring powers of reflected portions of the optical signals that propagated through the device under test; and calculating wavelength-dependent return loss values based on the measured powers of the reflected portion of the optical signal.
US08786839B2

A device detects multi-spectral imaging by using scan elements. The device may include an illumination module and a detection module to detect light scattered from an object illuminated by the illumination module. The device may also include an array of light sources to produce light at a plurality of different wavelengths, and create a line of illumination with each of the different wavelengths. The light detection may be applied to authenticate and validate documents, such as banknotes moving along a document conveyer.
US08786835B1

A multifunctional detector for emitting and receiving optical signals in order to determine the presence, location, and range movement of a player within a field of regard is disclosed. The detector generally includes a laser module operable for emitting an optical signal; an optional fiber optical delay line; a microcontroller/processor; a faceted scanning mirror pattern having multiple facets with each facet being tilted downward to allow for unique depressions for reflecting and scattering optical signals emitted by the laser module; a spinner/motor for driving and rotating the faceted mirror pattern; an optional combiner for separating emitted optical signals from the laser module or combining reflected optical signals from an reflective source; and a transceiver with an integrated APD receiver for receiving reflected optical signals combined from the combiner and transmitting reflected optical signal data to a central controller or other players. A method of using the detector is also disclosed.
US08786831B2

A positioning apparatus includes a moving member, an actuator, and a controller. The moving member can move in at least a first direction. The actuator is provided along the first direction. The controller controls a current applied to the actuator in order to support the weight of the moving member. The bending rigidity of the moving member in the first direction is greater than the bending rigidity of the moving member in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
US08786826B1

The invention relates to arrangements for actuating an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, an arrangement for actuating an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a first number (nR) of degrees of freedom, wherein an adjustable force can be transmitted to the optical element in each of the degrees of freedom, and a second number (nA) of actuators, which are coupled to the optical element in each case via a mechanical coupling for the purpose of transmitting force to the optical element, wherein the second number (nA) is greater than the first number (nR). In accordance with one aspect, at least one of the ac-tuators is arranged in a node of at least one natural vibration mode of the optical element.
US08786825B2

The present invention makes the use of measurement of a diffraction spectrum in or near an image plane in order to determine a property of an exposed substrate. In particular, the positive and negative first diffraction orders are separated or diverged, detected and their intensity measured to determine overlay (or other properties) of exposed layers on the substrate.
US08786816B2

A display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a dam disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate along edges of the first and second substrates, the first substrate, second substrate, and dam having a same outermost incision surface, and a sealing member disposed between the first and second substrates, the sealing member being between an interior of the display panel and the dam.
US08786813B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display and pixel units thereof. The pixel unit has a plurality of subpixel units, and each of the subpixel units is a rectangular block, and the rectangular block is divided into a triangular bright-partition and a triangular dark-partition along an inclined line, and the bright-partition of each subpixel unit corresponds to the dark-partitions of adjacent subpixel units, so as to reduce jagged phenomenon of lines in screen images with the configuration of the pixel unit, and thereby enhance image quality of the liquid crystal display.
US08786810B2

A first peripheral electrode and a second peripheral electrode are provided at a peripheral region sandwiched between a pixel region and a seal material in a first substrate of a liquid crystal device, and strength of electric potentials which are applied to the first peripheral electrode, the second peripheral electrode, and a common electrode of an opposite substrate satisfies the condition of the second peripheral electrode
US08786807B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display module configured with a color filter substrate, a TFT substrate, a layer of liquid crystal, and a sealant. The TFT substrate and the color filter substrate are arranged opposite to each other and the sealant is used to confine the layer of liquid crystal within the space defined between the TFT substrate and the color filter substrate. The color filter substrate includes a first glass substrate, a transparent conductive layer, and a black matrix. Wherein the transparent conductive layer is laminated over the black matrix and defines a recess which is located on a surface facing the layer of liquid crystal of the first glass substrate. The recess is surrounded by the black matrix, and end of the sealant abuts against the recess, and a width of the sealant is smaller than the width of the recess. The present invention further provides a LCD device incorporated with a LCD module as described. The present invention can readily provide a recognizable benchmark for identifying and checking the border of the sealant. The area of the sealant applied can be readily inspected and checked, therefore ensure the quality of the final product.
US08786803B2

A display apparatus includes a light guide plate, a light source unit, a display panel, a receiving container, and a driving part. The light guide plate includes at least one chamfered corner and a light incident surface defined by the chamfered corner. The light source unit generates the light and is positioned adjacent to the light incident surface. The display panel receives the light to display an image and the receiving container includes a bottom and sidewalls extended from the bottom to receive the light guide plate and the light source unit. The driving part is electrically connected to the display panel to apply a driving signal to the display panel and is electrically connected to the light source unit to apply a power source voltage to the light source unit.
US08786802B2

A backlight assembly includes a light source generating light and a first optical member diffusing the light. The first optical member includes a first diffusion member provided on an exit surface of the first optical member, from which the light exits, to diffuse the light. The first diffusion member includes a plurality of edges each having a curved shape and extending between the exit surface and a vertex of the first diffusion member. Accordingly, the light exiting through the exit surface is effectively diffused by the edges of the first diffusion member.
US08786801B2

A liquid crystal module and a liquid crystal display device including the liquid crystal module. The liquid crystal module comprises a liquid crystal panel, a backlight module and a back plate for assembling the liquid crystal panel and the backlight module together. The back plate includes a bottom wall and lateral walls extended upward from edges of the bottom wall, a cavity with a top opened end is formed and surrounded by the bottom wall and the lateral walls. The backlight module is accommodated inside the cavity. Further includes an elastic rubber frame for assembling the liquid crystal panel and the backlight module together. The rubber frame is installed on the lateral wall of the back plate and is disposed at the top opened end of the cavity. The liquid crystal panel is installed on the rubber frame and seal off the top opened end of the cavity.
US08786797B2

The present disclosure provides a backlight lamp cover, a backlight backboard and a liquid crystal display module. According to the present disclosure, a lamp cover is improved by further providing a bending structure to support and limit a movement of a liquid crystal display panel as well as to support a bezel, in substitution of main functions of a mold frame in the related art. At the same time, the backboard structure is improved accordingly by adding a stepped structure so as to supplementally limit the liquid crystal display panel. Thus, the functions of a mold frame in the related art can be provided without a conventional mold frame in a liquid crystal display module. That is, one part is reduced.
US08786796B2

In a structure for holding a display panel disposed within a cabinet, which includes a frame part positioned on one side of a display face of the display panel; a peripheral part positioned around the display panel; and a rear part covering the other face side of the display panel, from both sides by the frame part and a holding member supported by the peripheral part, a projecting portion projects on an inner face portion of the frame part in a position on an outer peripheral side of a rim portion of the display panel and the holding member so as to extend from the side of the display face of the display panel toward the opposite side of the display face, and a reinforcing portion for coupling the inner face portion of the projecting portion and the inner face portion of the frame part is provided.
US08786792B2

A mother substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes: a substrate; a plurality of unit array patterns on the substrate, each of the plurality of unit array patterns including a gate line, a data line crossing the gate line, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line and a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor; a first electrostatic discharge pattern surrounding the plurality of unit array patterns; a second electrostatic discharge pattern connected to the gate line and crossing the first electrostatic discharge pattern; and a third electrostatic discharge pattern connected to the data line and crossing the first electrostatic discharge pattern, the third electrostatic discharge pattern contacting the second electrostatic discharge pattern.
US08786791B2

A display device and a backlight module are provided in the present invention. The display device includes the backlight module and a liquid crystal display panel. The backlight module, which is used to provide a backlight source for the liquid crystal display panel, includes a luminant device and a micro-lens array. The luminant device is disposed under the liquid crystal display panel, and the luminant device has a plurality of first luminant regions and a plurality of second luminant regions. The micro-lens array is disposed between the luminant device and the liquid crystal display panel. The micro-lens array includes a plurality of micro-lenses, and each of the micro-lenses overlaps at least one first luminant region and at least one second luminant region in a direction perpendicular to the liquid crystal display panel.
US08786782B2

A system and method for delaying a first version of a video feed from a video camera according to a first delay to generate a second version of the feed, supplying the first version to an insertion system, wherein the insertion system inserts an indicia into the first version to create an enhanced version with a second delay substantially matching the first delay and supplying the enhanced version and the second version to a production switcher, wherein the enhanced version and the second version supplied to the production switcher are synchronized with one another.
US08786781B2

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for detecting text information in a video signal that includes subtitles, captions, credits, or other text, and also for applying enhancements to the display of text areas in video. The sharpness and/or contrast ratio of subtitles of detected text areas may be improved. Text areas may be displayed in a magnified form in a separate window on a display, or on a secondary display. Further disclosed are methods and apparatus for extending the duration for which subtitles appear on the display, for organizing subtitles to be displayed in a scrolling format, for allowing the user to control when a subtitle advances to the next subtitle using a remote control, and for allowing a user to scroll back to a past subtitle in cases where the user has not finished reading a subtitle. Additionally, optical character recognition (OCR) technology may be applied to detected areas of a video signal that include text, and the text may then be displayed in a more readable font, displayed in a translated language, or rendered using voice synthesis technology.
US08786766B2

The present invention relates to an illumination device comprising at least one light source and a reflector system forming a spotlight (1), one or several actuators (5) arranged to pivot the spotlight (1) relative in a mounting base (4) for varying an illumination angle, and a camera (13) attached to the spotlight (1) and aligned to acquire images of an illumination region (7) to which the spotlight (1) is directed. The spotlight (1) is designed to comprise a central region from which the illumination region (7) is visible and which does not reflect or emit light of the light source towards the illumination region (7), wherein the camera (13) is arranged in said central region on an optical axis (14) of the spotlight (1). With the proposed illumination device an exact aiming of the spotlight (1) can be achieved even in applications in which the illuminated region (7) is close to the spotlight (1) without causing undesired shadows in the illumination region (7).
US08786764B2

An imaging apparatus for capturing a moving image performs backlight correction of an image and outputs a natural image. The imaging apparatus electronically captures an image of a subject. An optical system has a light amount adjustment function. An imaging unit reads an optical image of the subject that is formed by the optical system. An A/D converter subjects an output of the imaging unit to A/D conversion. A backlight correction unit converts the tones of an image read by the A/D converter using a conversion characteristic selected differently according to a spatial position and at least increases the luminance level of a dark region of the image. An instruction unit instructs to start backlight correction. A control unit operates the backlight correction unit based on an instruction signal output from the instruction unit, and decreases an exposure light amount of the optical system by a predetermined amount.
US08786758B2

An image of a surrounding area is projected onto a detector of a detector device by way of an optical system that produces an imaging beam path. A screen is disposed in the imaging beam path and the screen shadows a subarea of the image of the surrounding area on the detector. In order to allow an object which is dazzling the detector device to be masked out and nevertheless to allow the surrounding area to be monitored, the screen is subdivided into a plurality of segments which can be operated individually, and segments which are associated with the subarea are selected and operated, and are in this way heated. The transmission of the selected segments is reduced by the heating throughout the frequency range in which the detector is sensitive, and the selected segments of the screen thus shadow the subarea of the image.
US08786757B2

Optical apparatus includes an image sensor and objective optics, which are configured to collect and focus optical radiation over a range of wavelengths along a common optical axis toward a plane of the image sensor. A dispersive element is positioned to spread the optical radiation collected by the objective optics so that different wavelengths in the range are focused along different, respective optical axes toward the plane.
US08786754B2

An information processing apparatus includes a captured image acquisition unit, a recommended composition acquisition unit, and a control unit. The captured image acquisition unit acquires captured image data, a subject recognition unit that recognizes a subject of a captured image based on the captured image data. The recommended composition acquisition unit acquires recommended composition data representing a recommended composition of the subject. The control unit allows a display unit to display a display screen including the captured image, a frame representing the subject, and information about the recommended composition, changes the display of the frame when the composition of the captured image is similar to the recommended composition, and fixes and displays the frame being changed in display.
US08786751B2

A display control apparatus having a connecting portion communicably connected to an imaging apparatus obtains an inclination angle of the imaging apparatus, and displays a displayed item on a display unit based on the obtained inclination angle. At this time, the display control apparatus performs control for displaying the displayed item indicating an inclination angle whose positive and negative have been inverted relative to positive and negative of the obtained inclination angle.
US08786749B2

A digital photographing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The digital photographing apparatus detects a feature of a subject from an input image, and displays an icon corresponding to the detected feature.
US08786733B2

A display apparatus includes an image recording section which records a plurality of image data items obtained on different dates and including image data items including a person, and a control section which displays one of the image data items selected from the image data items on a display section, retrieves another one of the image data items obtained on a date different from a date of the selected image data item and including the person, and displays the another one of the image data items on the display section.
US08786726B2

A camera system, image processing method and computer program stored on a computer readable medium for image processing. Long and short accumulation images with longer and shorter exposure times are respectively obtained from one field. First and second long accumulation evaluation values are computed from the long accumulation image. A short accumulation evaluation value is computed from the short accumulation image. A short accumulation target exposure time and short accumulation exposure control information are acquired from the short accumulation evaluation value and a first target level. A long accumulation evaluation value is acquired by synthesizing the first and second long accumulation evaluation values. Long accumulation exposure control information is acquired from the long accumulation evaluation value and a second target level. An image is generated from the long accumulation image and the short accumulation image.
US08786725B2

A camera detects a face portion of a subject from a shot image to determine whether a shot image is a good shot candidate image from the features of the face portion and a face portion-related image portion. As examples, the features include, but not be limited to, (1) the shape and variation in contour ranging from the vicinity of the face portion, (2) the position of a hand or leg to be determined by similarity to the skin tone of the face portion, and (3) determination made from the detection result of the face portion as to whether the subject is a half-length or full-length figure.
US08786724B2

An image-capturing device includes an image-capturing section, an image-data-generation section, a progress-information-acquiring section, and an image-capture control section. The image-capturing section captures an image of a subject and repeatedly generates image-capture data of frames which represent single video frames. The image-data-generation section carries out processing for generating image data indicating an image of the subject, on the basis of image-capture data of the image-capturing section. The progress-information-acquiring section acquires progress information indicating progress of processing for generating the image data. The image-capture control section controls, on the basis of the progress information, a timing for starting the generating of the image-capture data for the next frame in the image-capturing section.
US08786719B2

A sensor array module with wide angle for creating a composite image includes a first image sensor, a second image sensor, a storage unit and a processor. The first image sensor is for capturing a first image. The second image sensor is for capturing a second image and has a relative spatial relationship with respective to the first image sensor. The storage unit stores at least one transformation matrix obtained according to the relative spatial relationship between the first and the second image sensors. The processor combines the first image and the second image by using the transformation matrix to create the composite image. The present invention also provides an image calibration method, an operation method and an application for a sensor array module with wide angle.
US08786718B2

There is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit configured to acquire captured images captured by a plurality of image capturing units for capturing an object from different viewpoints; a specifying unit configured to specify a defective image from the plurality of captured images; a determination unit configured to determine a weight for each captured image based on a position of the image capturing unit that has captured the defective image specified by the specifying unit; and a synthesis unit configured to generate a synthesized image by weighting and synthesizing the plurality of captured images based on the weights determined by the determination unit.
US08786711B2

Provided is an image quality evaluation system for evaluating quality of an image. The image quality evaluation system includes bit extraction means and image quality evaluation means. For predetermined data expressing an image frame of a first image, the bit extraction means extracts a predetermined number of bits which is smaller than the number of bits required for expressing one data piece. By using a value expressed by the bit string extracted by the bit extraction means and a value of data equivalent to the data to be extracted from the bit string in a second image, the image quality evaluation means estimates a difference between the first image and the second image and evaluates the image quality of the first to image or the second image.
US08786710B2

A test system for a motherboard of a camera includes a storage device, a processor, and a terminal device. The storage device pre-stores image signals. The processor is electronically connected between the storage device and the motherboard, and the terminal device is electronically connected to the motherboard. The terminal device pre-stores a plurality of pictures corresponding to the image signals in the storage device. The processor converts the image signals into test signals. The motherboard restores the test signals into images and transmits the images to the terminal device. The terminal device compares the plurality of pictures with the images, and determines a performance of the motherboard according to the comparison.
US08786698B2

A blow tracking user interface method and apparatus may detect an orientation of blowing of a user's breath and a magnitude of blowing of the user's breath. A blow vector may be generated from the orientation and magnitude of the blowing of the user's breath. The blow vector may be used as a control input in a computer program.
US08786679B2

A control part 210 sets up an exposure condition under which the bright part of the object is properly exposed and an exposure condition under which the dark part of the object is properly exposed. The control part 210 controls the first and second imaging part 110 and 120 to capture images with the set exposures, whereby a pair of images captured with different exposures is obtained. The control part 210 extracts corresponding points that are characteristic points corresponding between the image pairs. The control part 210 optimizes the extracted corresponding points based on the density of corresponding points between the images constituting an image pair captured with the same exposure and based on the pixel value of the corresponding points between the images captured with different exposures. The control part 210 creates 3D modeling data using the optimized corresponding points.
US08786677B2

An imaging device is provided that comprises a movement detection component configured to detect movement of the imaging device based on a force imparted to the imaging device, an imaging component configured to produce image data by capturing a subject image, a movement vector detection component configured to detect a movement vector based on a plurality of sets of image data produced by the imaging component, and a three-dimensional NR component configured to reduce a noise included in first image data produced by the imaging component, based on second image data produced earlier than the first image data, wherein the three-dimensional NR component is configured to decide whether to correct the second image data in response to the detection result of the movement vector detection component, based on both the detection result of the movement detection component and the detection result of the movement vector detection component.
US08786673B2

A method implemented in a computing system for converting two-dimensional (2D) video to three-dimensional (3D) format comprises sampling the 2D video, wherein the sampling is performed non-linearly in one or more directions. The method further comprises determining depth information of one or more objects within the 2D video based on sampling information and transforming the 2D video to a 3D-compatible format according to the sampling and the depth information.
US08786671B2

A driving recorder system and a coordinate positioning method thereof. The system comprises a curved image lens, an operation module, a processing module, a display module and a storage module. The curved image lens captures the curved image of the surrounding areas thereof. The operation module restores the curved image into a restored image. The processing module receives the restored image and adds time data to the restored image. The display module displays the restored image and the time data. The storage module stores the restored image and the time data.
US08786666B2

A videoconference may be initiated between a plurality of endpoints. At least one of the endpoints may be coupled to a recording server, which may be configured to record the videoconference. A configuration may be selected (e.g., automatically or manually) for performing the recording. The endpoint (e.g., acting as an MCU) may transmit information to endpoints and may transmit recording information to the recording server. The recording information may be different from the videoconference information. For example, it may be in a “streaming friendly” format, at a different bit rate, encoded differently, have different inputs, etc. The manner in which the videoconference is stored and/or recorded may be based on the selected configuration. Clients may be configured to receive and display the videoconference from the recording server and may be configured to change the provided layout to different layouts, e.g., based on user input.
US08786657B2

An image forming apparatus, including: an image bearing member; a latent image forming unit configured to emit a light beam based on image data and to form an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member by the light beam; a placement unit provided in a main body of the image forming apparatus, on which the latent image forming unit is placed; an elastic member disposed between the latent image forming unit and the placement unit; and a pressing unit provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus and configured to press the latent image forming unit toward the placement unit so that the elastic member is pressed by the latent image forming unit and the placement unit.
US08786652B2

An information processing apparatus that generates positional information relating to an energy transmitting position includes a shape information obtaining unit that obtains shape information of a region, a circumscribed rectangle generating unit that generates a circumscribed rectangle of the region, a parallel line generating unit that generates parallel lines extending across the region at a predetermined interval, an intersection calculating unit that calculates a first intersection point between a parallel line of the parallel lines and a line segment of an outline defining the region that is generated based on the shape information, and a data generating unit that generates parallel line data by dividing the parallel line at the first intersection point and removing a divided line that overlaps with the circumscribed rectangle, or by shortening an edge point of the parallel line to the first intersection point.
US08786645B2

An apparatus including a display and control logic is provided. In one example, the display includes an array of subpixels having a plurality of zigzag subpixel groups. Each zigzag subpixel group includes at least three zigzag subpixel units arranged adjacently along a horizontal or vertical direction. Each zigzag subpixel unit includes a plurality of subpixels of the same color arranged in a zigzag pattern. In each zigzag subpixel unit, a first plurality of subpixels are arranged along one diagonal direction from a turning subpixel disposed at a turning corner of the zigzag pattern, and a second plurality of subpixels are arranged along another diagonal direction from the turning subpixel. In another example, the display includes an array of subpixels having a novel subpixel repeating group. The control logic is operatively coupled to the display and configured to receive display data and render the display data into control signals for driving the display.
US08786628B2

Rendering electronic chart objects is provided. A set of chart elements having a common set of properties is identified. Formatting attributes of the chart elements and the data point locations for each chart element are also identified. Path information is generated for the chart elements that includes the formatting attributes and the data point locations. The path information is provided to a rendering engine that renders a chart element. Each chart element in the set is displayed on a display screen. Chart elements having a common set of properties are only rendered once. Alternatively, chart objects are rendered by generating and storing an image of chart objects having a common geometry and common properties and by copying the stored image to each data point location. Dynamic selection of rendering engines based on property and performance criteria may be utilized to enhance rendering performance.
US08786622B2

Methods and apparatus to provide dynamic messaging services are disclosed. An example method includes determining, in a pre-boot environment, supported dimensions for display of information on the display screen; generating, in the pre-boot environment, restricted dimensions that are less than the supported dimensions; providing the restricted dimensions to an operating system of a virtual machine supported by a virtual machine manager, wherein the restricted dimensions define a boundary between a first screen portion and a second screen portion; displaying first information in the first screen portion and displaying second information in the second screen portion; and preventing, via the virtual machine manager, elimination of the first screen portion from the display screen.
US08786621B2

Embodiments of partial update for a wireless display device include providing an update information message identifying a location of the partial update and the changed image data. A display source identifies changes in image data stored in a frame buffer, generates an update information message to identify the location of the changed image data and to provide the changed image data. A display sink receives the update information message and merges the changed image data with image data stored in a local frame buffer.
US08786605B1

Computer-implemented systems and methods are disclosed for distance and congestion-aware resource deployment. In some embodiments, a method is provided to estimate a vehicle deployment region. The method includes constructing a graph data structure using at least in part a single invocation of a form of Dijkstra's algorithm. The method additionally includes partitioning an angular space centered on a vehicle location into a plurality of angular space regions, the vehicle location corresponding to a current or potential location of the vehicle. The method also includes selecting, for at least three of the plurality of the partitioned angular space regions, a geographical location within the angular space region, wherein each selected geographical location in an angular space region is a geographical location furthest from the vehicle location, and wherein each selected geographical location was determined, using the graph data structure, to be reachable from the vehicle location within a specified maximum cost. The method further includes forming a polygon representing a vehicle deployment region from the selected geographical locations.
US08786602B2

A system and associated method for hierarchically decomposing a workflow graph G into a process structure tree PST. The workflow graph G is a two-terminal graph parsed into a tree T having triconnected components. Boundary pairs of all triconnected components in T are computed and fragments are discovered with boundary pairs. T is restructured into PST pursuant to categories of triconnected components in T. PST is deterministic and modular. PST represents a block-based process model that has fine blocks of execution units. PST is computed in time linear to the number of edges in G.
US08786582B2

The present invention is to provide a display panel and a display apparatus which can reduce the picture-frame area while sufficiently preventing the delay of signals by allowing a required amount of current to flow. The display panel of the present invention is a display panel which includes a circuit substrate, and an opposed substrate facing the circuit substrate, and which is featured in that the circuit section is arranged in the picture-frame area of the display panel, in that the circuit section includes trunk wiring, and branch wiring connected to the gate electrode or the source electrode of a transistor in the circuit section, and in that all or a part of the trunk wiring is provided on the opposed substrate, and the branch wiring is provided on the circuit substrate so as to be electrically connected to the trunk wiring via a conductor.
US08786579B2

A handwriting pen is disclosed. The handwriting pen comprises of a pen barrel 12 and a pen tip 11 which is arranged at one end of the pen barrel 12. A slit 121 is opened on the pen barrel 12. A rotatable rotation element 13 is mounted in the slit 121 through a rotation shaft 14. An enlarged head portion 131, with thickness larger than the width of the slit 121, is on one end of the rotation element 131. When using the handwriting pen, the user rotates the rotation element 13 to make the enlarged head portion 131 of the rotation element rotate 13 into the slit 121 on the pen barrel 12. Since the thickness of the head portion 131 is larger than the width of the slit 121, the slit 121 will be pried open by the head portion 131, and the diameter of the pen barrel 12 is thus increased. The user can hold the pen barrel 12 at the bulged place where the diameter is larger; therefore the handwriting pen can be held and handled more easily. Additionally, the rotation shaft 14 mounted on the pen barrel 12 at the other extremity to the pen tip 11. After the rotation element 13 is rotated, the longer end of the rotation element 13 will extend out a considerable distance from the slit 121 and lengthen the entire length of the handwriting pen. With the length of the handwriting pen is increased, handling and maneuvering of the handwriting pen is made easier.
US08786568B2

An input device receives an input that is a deflection based capacitive sensing input. Deflection of a metal frame of the input device causes a change in capacitance that is used to control a function of an electrical device. The input appears invisible because it is made of the same material as the housing it is contained in. Invisible backlit holes may make the input selectively visible or invisible to the user.
US08786563B2

A display method in a mobile terminal includes displaying a plurality of menu items on a display of the mobile terminal, such that each of the plurality of menu items corresponds to a different function that is executable at the mobile terminal. Further operations include selecting a first menu item and a second menu item from the plurality of menu items, the selecting occurs responsive to user input, and displaying a first screen on the display, the first screen relating to the function that corresponds to the selected first menu item. Additional features include displaying first data and second data in the first screen, the first data being data that is associated with the function that corresponds to the selected first menu item, and the second data being data that is associated with the function that corresponds to the selected second menu item.
US08786559B2

An electronic device having a display and a touch-sensitive surface, displays a table having a plurality of rows, a plurality of columns, and a plurality of cells. The device detects a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface that includes movement of one or more of a first contact and a second contact. When the detected gesture is a pinch gesture at a location that corresponds to one or more respective columns in the table and has a component that is perpendicular to the one or more respective columns, the device decreases the width of the one or more respective columns. When the detected gesture is a de-pinch gesture at a location that corresponds to one or more respective columns in the table and has a component that is perpendicular to the one or more respective columns, the device increases the width of the one or more respective columns.
US08786552B2

A handheld device includes a plurality of input members, a first set of which each have a Roman character assigned thereto, a least some of which have a first non-Roman and a second non-Roman character assigned thereto. In response to an actuation of a first one of the input members, a first one of the non-Roman characters that is assigned to the first one of the input members is displayed. Based on one or more rules which govern permissible character sequences in the subject language, the display of a second one of the non-Roman characters in response to an actuation of a second one of the input members having the second one of the non-Roman characters assigned thereto immediately following the actuation of said first one of the input members is prevented.
US08786542B2

A display device is disclosed which is capable of suppressing characteristic changes due to a long period of conduction, thereby achieving high-quality video display, and also to provide a drive method therefor. In at least one embodiment, while sequentially activating n first scanning signal line groups G1(1) to G1(n), a predetermined voltage, which is the same as a voltage for turning off a thin-film transistor included in each pixel formation portion in that the polarity thereof is negative and is at a higher level than that voltage, is applied simultaneously to n second scanning signal line groups G2(1) to G2(n). Thereafter, while sequentially activating the n second scanning signal line groups G2(1) to G2(n), the predetermined voltage is applied simultaneously to the n first scanning signal line groups G1(1) to G1(n). By repeating this, charges accumulated in the vicinity of the thin-film transistors are eliminated, thereby suppressing changes in off characteristics thereof. At least one embodiment of the present invention is suitable for matrix display devices intended for a long period of use.
US08786534B2

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate including a first gate line and a second gate line, a storage capacitance line, a first source line and a second source line, a switching element, and a pixel electrode surrounded by the first gate line, the second gate line, the first source line and the second source line, the pixel electrode including a contact portion which is put in contact with the switching element, a first main pixel electrode and a second main pixel electrode, a second substrate including a common electrode and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08786522B2

A display device includes a scan driver transmitting a plurality of scan signals to a plurality of scan lines, a data driver transmitting a plurality of data signals to a plurality of data lines, a display unit including a plurality of pixels connected to corresponding scan lines and corresponding data lines, and respectively receiving the corresponding data signal when the plurality of pixels are selected with the corresponding scan signal, and a timing controller controlling the scan driver and the data driver, dividing one frame period into a first viewpoint image display period, a second viewpoint image display period, and a black image display period, and generating image data signals corresponding to the first viewpoint image display period, the second viewpoint image display period, and the black image display period, and supplying the respective image data signals to the data driver, wherein the black image display period is shorter than the first viewpoint image display period and the second viewpoint image display period, and the image data signal corresponding to the black image display period is a black image data signal controlling the plurality of pixels not to emit light.
US08786516B2

An electronic device may include a substrate, and a patch antenna carried by the substrate. The patch antenna may include an electrically conductive mesh layer having a perimeter defined by perimeter segments including at least one pair of arcuate perimeter segments with a cusp therebetween. The patch antenna may also include at least one antenna feed coupled to the patch antenna.
US08786510B2

A radio frequency (RF) antenna containing element is provided. The RF antenna containing element includes a reinforced metal foil laminate antenna bonded to a carrier layer. The reinforced metal foil laminate antenna includes a metal foil layer bonded to a reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layer can mitigate tearing of the metal foil layer during formation of the antenna.
US08786509B2

A conformal channel monopole antenna system includes: a housing; a cavity formed within the housing; and a substrate covering the cavity. The substrate includes a first elongated radiating element coupled to two opposing sides of the top surface of the housing at two opposing ends in a first direction; a second elongated radiating element coupled another two opposing sides of the top surface of the housing at two opposing ends in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a first feed port at one end of the first elongated radiating element; and a second feed port at one end of the second elongated radiating element. The first elongated radiating element is configured to radiate a first type of polarization and the second elongated radiating element is configured to radiate a second type of polarization simultaneously with the first type of polarization.
US08786505B2

An alignment apparatus configured to be mounted to a radar array antenna having a generally planar face for aligning the antenna includes a rigid frame defining a plane generally parallel to the face of the antenna when the rigid frame is mounted to the antenna. A flexible member is associated with the rigid frame and is configured to flex relative to the rigid frame. The apparatus further includes an optical source for emitting a light beam and a target. One of the optical source and the target is associated with the flexible member and the other of the optical source and the target is associated with the rigid frame. A distance between the path of the light beam and the target is indicative of the degree of misalignment between the flexible member and the rigid frame.
US08786503B2

A dual purpose antenna is provided with the UHF antenna in the form of a pair of copper tubes to provide an off center fed dipole, with a pair of quadrafiler helix L1 and L2 GPS antennas stacked on top of the UHF antenna, and with the top section of the UHF dipole providing a ground plain for the GPS antenna. The antennas are fed internally by two coaxial feeds, one feeding the UHF antenna, the other passing through the UHF antenna to feed the GPS antennas. In one embodiment, a tuning coil is provided at the base of the UHF antenna by the coiling of the two coaxial feeds around a non-conductive mandrel, with copper taping placed on top of the coiled coaxial sections to provide an LC circuit to lower the resonant frequency of the UHF antenna to 225 MHz.
US08786501B2

A disclosed memory card having a built-in antenna and being connected to an electronic apparatus includes a circuit board configured to be covered by a case, an antenna element formed on one surface of the circuit board or on one surface of a board mounted on the circuit board, and a ground element formed on another surface of the circuit board or on another surface of the board mounted on the circuit board, wherein a part or all of the antenna element and a part or all of the ground element are formed to protrude outside the electronic apparatus when the memory card is connected to the electronic apparatus.
US08786498B2

An antenna includes a transparent substrate, a silver layer directly formed on a surface of the transparent substrate, an ink layer made of an electroconductive ink directly formed on the silver layer, and a transparent protective layer directly formed on the silver layer. The silver layer forms a desired antenna pattern and has a feed portion and grounding portion. The ink layer covers the feed portion and the grounding portion. The protective layer covers the silver layer besides the feed portion and the grounding portion. A method for making the antenna is also described.
US08786496B2

A multilayer antenna including a first microstrip patch positioned along a first plane, a second microstrip patch positioned along a second plane that is substantially parallel to the first plane, and a ground plane having a slot formed therein. The multilayer antenna also includes a microstrip feeding line for propagating signals through the slot in the ground plane and to the second microstrip patch and a backlobe suppression reflector for receiving some of the signals and reflecting the signals to the slot in the ground plane.
US08786494B2

A method of modifying calibration data used to geo-locate a mobile station located in an indoor environment is disclosed. When a mobile station is located indoors, the signal strength of signals received and/or transmitted by the mobile station have the tendency to be lower than the strength of the signals received by a mobile station located outdoors. As a result of these lower signal strengths, geo-location efforts which rely on signal strengths may result in unsatisfactory location accuracy. Modifying pre-existing calibration data obtained outdoors may provide a way to simulate indoor calibration data characteristics.
US08786485B2

Described are a method and system for detecting and locating changes in an underground region. Changes are detected using a mobile coherent change detection ground penetrating radar (GPR). The GPR system is located on a mobile platform that makes two more measurement passes over the same route to acquire GPR images of an underground region at different times. A lateral offset between the GPR images for the two different times is determined and applied to one of the GPR images to generate a GPR shifted image that is spatially aligned with the other GPR image using a correlation process or other technique. A GPR difference image is generated from the GPR shifted image and the other GPR image. The GPR difference image includes data representative of changes to the underground region that occurred between the two measurement passes.
US08786478B1

A processor and a circuit implementing a continuous-time deglitching technique for a digital-to-analog converter are disclosed. The circuit includes a digital-to-analog converter having a differential current output, an operational amplifier having an inverting input coupled to a first output of the differential current output and a non-inverting input coupled to a second output of the differential current output, and a transistor coupled to the second output and the output of the operational amplifier. The operational amplifier is configured to operate the transistor to adjust the voltage potential of the second output to substantially match the voltage potential of the first output.
US08786477B1

An audio downlink path is provided including a Dynamic Range Boost (DRB), a modified Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC), and a modified audio driver gain control to produce a very high Dynamic Range (DR) while maintaining a limited scale and complexity of the components within the audio downlink path.
US08786476B2

A superconducting flux digital-to-analog converter includes a superconducting inductor ladder circuit. The ladder circuit includes a plurality of closed superconducting current paths that each includes at least two superconducting inductors coupled in series to form a respective superconducting loop, successively adjacent or neighboring superconducting loops are connected in parallel with each other and share at least one of the superconducting inductors to form a flux divider network. A data signal input structure provides a respective bit of a multiple bit signal to each of the superconducting loops. The data signal input structure may include a set of superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). The data signal input structure may include a superconducting shift register, for example a single-flux quantum (SFQ) shift register or a flux-based superconducting shift register comprising a number of latching qubits.
US08786475B2

A circuit includes an input, two or more sampling capacitors each in a different channel, means for connecting each sampling capacitor to the input, means for discharging the sampling capacitors to a given voltage in a reset phase, and means to use the voltage across the sampling capacitor for further processing in a hold phase. The two sampling capacitors operate in anti-phase such that the reset phase and sampling phase of one channel are performed in the time period the other channel is in the hold phase.
US08786472B1

Generally described herein are methods and systems for sample rate conversion of non-integer and integer factors. In one or more embodiments an apparatus can include a sample rate converter that can include an input configured to receive an input signal with a first frequency and an output configured to provide an output signal with a second frequency different from the first frequency. The sample rate converter can include a filter coefficient lookup table and a numerically controlled oscillator configured to provide filter coefficients from the filter coefficient lookup table at a rate that is a function of the first frequency and the second frequency. The sample rate converter can include a multiplier configured to produce an output that is the product of a filter coefficient of the filter coefficients from the numerically controlled oscillator and a sample of an input signal and an accumulator configured to sum an output of the multiplier and provide a result of the summation when the accumulator receives an indicator to dump the result.
US08786469B2

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for storing, referencing, retrieving, and graphically displaying spatial and non-spatial related information of a mobile computing device, such as a laptop computer or a cellular telephone. The spatial-related information may be obtained by using positioning tracking systems such as a global positioning system, whereas the non-spatial related information may include communication activities associated with the mobile computing device, such as phone calls, e-mails, text messages, pages, etc. The present invention also provides methods and apparatus of sharing event information between mobile communication devices as well as related navigational information for traveling to an event from a real-time position of a mobile communication device.
US08786451B2

A leak detection system having power and communication lines includes a leak sensing cable having sensor lines for sensing a leak, detection controllers connected to the sensor lines to detect a leak position signal, and a master controller receiving the detected leak position signal from the detection controllers, wherein the leak sensing cable includes power and communication lines that are wired to supply power to the detection controllers via the master controller and to transmit the leak position signal to the master controller from the detection controllers. According to this invention, the leak detection system has power and communication lines that are able to transmit the leak position signal between the detection controllers and the master controller while supplying power to the detection controllers and the master controller.
US08786442B2

Systems and methods for determining a relative quantity of recyclable items with respect to a total number of items are disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method includes reading an identifier respectively associated with at least some of a total number of items. The computer determines a number of identifiers associated with the recyclable items. The computer also receives the total number of items, and computes the relative quantity of recyclable items by dividing the number of identifiers associated with the recyclable items by the total number of items.
US08786432B2

An apparatus includes a cantilevered element including a coating material having an affinity for at least one compound. The apparatus further includes a first capacitive plate and a second capacitive plate that are each spaced from and capacitively coupled to the cantilevered element. The first capacitive plate is configured to induce a vibration in the cantilevered element at a frequency related to a mass of the cantilevered element. A frequency detector is coupled to the second capacitive plate to detect a change in vibrational frequency of the cantilevered element as a result of at least one particle of the at least one compound coupling to the coating material.
US08786425B1

An aberration engine that collects data sensed by a monitoring system that monitors a property of a user and aggregates the collected data over a period of a time. The aberration engine detects, within the aggregated data, patterns of recurring events and, based on detecting the patterns of recurring events within the aggregated data, takes action related to the monitoring system based on the detected patterns of recurring events within the aggregated data.
US08786421B2

A method is provided for enhancing safety and traffic efficiency for vehicles transmitting information on an expected behavior of a driver of an ego vehicle in response to a stimulus including the steps of (i) sensing a parameter of the stimulus in order to generate a stimulus signal function of the sensed parameter, (ii) monitoring the stimulus signal function of the sensed parameter, (iii) calculating an expected future driver's behavior in response to the stimulus using said stimulus signal, (iv) comparing the expected future driver behavior with a standard driver behavior, and (v) emitting a warning signal to the surrounding of the ego vehicle in case the expected future driving behavior is not a standard behavior. Additionally, a system operating according to said method is disclosed.
US08786419B2

A device for controlling a device by using a rotation-rate sensor. In order to provide a device for determining a triggering signal for a safety device which allows a particularly compact implementation of the device, the device is set up to ascertain an acceleration variable on the basis of a first sensor signal for a first seismic mass of the rotation-rate sensor and the second sensor signal for a second seismic mass of the rotation-rate sensor and to control the device as a function of the acceleration variable.
US08786411B1

A method and apparatus for programming a remote control is provided. Control data that identifies one or more mode codes is stored in a computing device that is operationally connected to a detector. A user presses a button on a source remote control to cause an input signal to be transmitted from the source remote control to be received by the detector. The detector decodes the input signal, and consults the control data to determine a particular IR code that is associated with the source remote control. The computing device may then display information identifying a particular mode code on a display to allow the user to manually program a target remote control with the particular mode code. Alternately, the computing device may transmit the particular mode code to the target remote control to allow the target remote control to automatically configure itself with the particular mode code.
US08786409B2

An advanced technique of user interaction with compact, portable, hand-held devices, larger electronic devices and other surfaces and objects is disclosed. The particular component arrays, configuration modes and analytic methodologies disclosed are optimized and directed toward logical interpretation of device motions resulting from vector impulses as user data inputs and commands. Apparatus, system and method embodiments are described and illustrated by examples.
US08786407B2

An universal and reusable RFID system comprises an universal and reusable RFID reader, an universal and reusable RFID data carrier, a universal and reusable RFID neutral tag, a RFID neutral tag equipped collapsible and reusable pallet and a RFID neutral tag equipped collapsible and reusable box. In various embodiments, the universal and reusable RFID system is used for data collection, data comparison, data confirmation and data combination under all conditions in the supply chain and logistics management. A “bank-like” system is further used for all components of the universal and reusable RFID system to be efficiently supplied for use and collected for further application.
US08786394B2

Certain embodiments described herein are directed to induction devices comprising an oxidation resistant material. In certain examples, the induction device comprises a coil of wire that is produced from the oxidation resistant material. In some examples, the oxidation resistant induction device can be used to sustain an inductively coupled plasma in a torch.
US08786388B2

The invention relates to an electromagnetic switch (16) for a starting device (10), comprising two contacts (180, 181) that are electroconductively inter-connected by a mobile contact bridge (184). At least one of the two contacts (180, 181) preferably comprises a contact surface (300) fixed to a contact stud (150, 151). According to the invention, a) the contact surface (300) is at least essentially flat, and an edge (279) of the contact bridge (180, 181), is arranged in such a way that, (184), providing electrical contact between the contact bridge (184) and the contact once it has come into contact with the contact surface (300), it enables a linear contact between the contact (189, 181) and the contact bridge (184), or b) the contact surface (300) comprises bumps lying essentially in one plane, and an edge (279) of the contact bridge (184), providing electrical contact between the contact bridge (184) and the contact (180, 181), is arranged in such a way that, once it comes into contact with the contact surface (300), it enables essentially a multiple-point contact between the contact (180, 181) and the contact bridge (184), or c) a surface (318) of the contact bridge (184), oriented towards the contact (180, 181), and a longitudinal axis (312) of the contact stud (150, 151), form an angle (β) oriented towards a central axis (315) of the switch (16) and larger than 90°, or d) a surface (318) of the contact bridge (184), oriented towards the contact (180, 181), and a longitudinal axis (312) of the contact stud (150, 151), form an angle (β) which is radially outwardly oriented towards a central axis (315) of the switch (16) and is larger than 90°. The invention also relates to a method for switching an electromagnetic switch, preferably a starting device (10), comprising two contacts (180, 181) that are connected by a mobile contact bridge (184). When the contact bridge (184) is contacted by at least one of the two contacts (180, 181), a rubbing movement is generated between the contact bridge (184) and the contact surface (300) of the contact (180, 181).
US08786381B2

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a transformer formed on a semiconductor die. Such transformer may have multiple coils, including first and second coils. Each coil may have segments that in turn are formed on a corresponding metal layer of the semiconductor die. The segments of a given coil are coupled to each other, and the first and second coils can be interdigitated with each other.
US08786376B2

A voltage controlled oscillator, includes a tank circuit including an inductor having a value L, interconnected with first and second variable capacitors, having values CVAR1 and CVAR2, and a fixed capacitor CFIXED, to cause oscillation of the oscillator at a controlled frequency f osc = ( 2 ⁢ π ) - 1 ⁢ ( L ⁢ { C VAR ⁢ ⁢ 2 + C FIXED ⁢ C VAR ⁢ ⁢ 1 C FIXED + C VAR ⁢ ⁢ 1 } ) - 1 / 2 CVAR1 controls coarse frequency tuning of the oscillator, and CVAR2 may control fine tuning of the oscillator. The variable capacitors may be formed using accumulation-mode MOS varactors.
US08786375B2

Disclosed is a method for generating an oscillating signal and an oscillator circuit.
US08786368B2

A distributed amplifier with improved stabilization includes an input transmission circuit, an output transmission circuit, at least one cascode amplifier coupled between said input and output transmission circuits. Each cascode amplifier includes a common-gate configured transistor coupled to the output transmission circuit, and a common-source configured transistor coupled between the input transmission circuit and the common-gate configured transistor. The distributed amplifier also includes a non-parasitic resistance and capacitance coupled in series between a drain and a gate of at least one of the common-gate configured transistors for increasing the amplifier stability.
US08786364B2

Aspects of the present invention provide apparatuses and methods to provide significant gain enhancement for a cascode structure for a differential amplifier. The cascode structure of the differential amplifier can include first and second pairs of output transistors. The second pair of output transistors can be configured to approximately cancel modulation effects of the first pair of output transistors induced by changes in a differential output of differential amplifier, thereby resulting in conditions for providing enhanced gain.
US08786360B2

The present invention discloses a fast switching current mirror circuit and method for generating fast switching current. The circuit and method for fast switching of a current mirror with large MOSFET size will save space and current consumption.
US08786356B2

In one embodiment, a method comprises generating, by a control unit, a first drive signal and a second drive signal. The method further comprises emitting, by a conductive wire coupled to a capacitive touch sensor, a first electric field that extends in a plurality of directions in response to reception of the first drive signal. The method further comprises shaping, by a conductive shield that surrounds the conductive wire, at least a portion of the first electric field that extends from the capacitive touch sensor towards the conductive shield by generating a second electric field in response to reception of the second drive signal.
US08786354B2

Embodiments relate to integrated circuits with protection. In one embodiment the protection is coupled between a first circuit provided to control a low power mode of the integrated circuit and a supply voltage. The protection comprises in an embodiment a transistor being one of a depletion transistor or a junction field effect transistor.
US08786349B2

A digital circuit which can operate normally regardless of binary potentials of an input signal is provided. A semiconductor device comprising a correcting unit and one or a plurality of circuit elements, the correcting unit including a first capacitor, a second capacitor, a first switch, and a second switch, wherein the first electrode of the first capacitor is connected to an input terminal, the supply of a first potential to the second electrode of the first capacitor is controlled by the first switch, the supply of a second potential to the second electrode of the second capacitor is controlled by the second switch, and a potential of the second electrode of the first capacitor or a potential of the second electrode of the second capacitor is supplied to the one or the plurality of circuit elements.
US08786344B2

A storage cell having a pulse generator and a storage element is proposed. The storage element input is connected to receive a data input signal. The storage element output is connected to provide a data output signal. The storage element is operable in one of a data retention state and a data transfer state in response to a storage control signal received from the pulse generator. The pulse generator is connected to receive a clock signal with rising and falling clock signal edges and is adapted to provide control pulses in the storage control signal. Each control pulse has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The control pulses have a polarity suited to invoke the data transfer state on their leading edges. The novel feature is that the pulse generator is adapted to initiate a rising-edge control pulse when receiving a rising clock signal edge and to initiate a falling-edge control pulse when receiving a falling clock signal edge. In this way, a dual-edge-triggered flip-flop may be made using only combinatorial logic circuitry and one level- or single-edge-triggered storage element. The storage cell has low power consumption, facilitates scan testing and can be used by existing design tools and test equipment.
US08786336B1

In part, the invention relates to an optical coherence tomography system that includes one or more phased-locked loop circuits. In one embodiment, the phased-locked loop circuit includes a phase detector, a loop filter, and a voltage controlled oscillator wherein the phased-locked loop circuit is configured to generate a sample clock. The optical coherence tomography system can include an analog to digital converter having a sample clock input, an interferometric signal input, and a sample data output, the analog to digital converter configured to receive the sample clock and sample OCT data in response thereto. In one embodiment, the phased-locked loop circuit is configured to lock on a first signal in less than or equal to about 1 microseconds.
US08786333B2

A phase calibration device comprises: an oscillator for generating a reference clock; a phase-lock-loop for generating an input clock by the reference clock; a multiphase clock generator for generating a plurality of output clocks by the input clock; a selector for selecting one of the output clocks as an operation clock; an analog-to-digital convertor for performing analog-to-digital conversion to input data by the operation clock to generate a conversion result; a control circuit for generating parameters according to the conversion result and controlling the selector to do selection; and a phase calibration circuit for outputting a calibration signal and the input clock of the phase-lock-loop to the multiphase clock generator after restarting the phase-lock-loop, so that the multiphase clock generator can correctly regenerate the output clocks by the calibration signal and the input clock, and then the control circuit controls the selector to do selection by the parameters.
US08786332B1

A clock divider may provide a lower speed clock to a logic block portion, but during reset, the clock divider may not operate properly, causing the logic block portion to be reset at a clock frequency greater than the frequency for which that logic was designed. However, an extended reset may be employed in which the clock divider is reset normally first before the logic block portion, allowing that logic to be reset according to the divided clock (e.g., rather than a higher speed clock). An asynchronous reset may also be employed in which one or more clock dividers first emerge from reset before being provided with a (synchronized) high speed clock signal, causing the clock dividers to be in phase with each other. This may enable communication between different areas of an IC that might not otherwise be in proper phase with each other.
US08786328B2

An apparatus is provided. Latches are coupled in series with one another in a ring configuration. Each latch includes a tri-state inverter, a first resistor-capacitor (RC) network, and a second RC network. The tri-state inverter has a first clock terminal and a second clock terminal. The first RC network is coupled to the first clock terminal. The second RC network is coupled to the second clock terminal. A biasing network is also provided. The biasing network has a first bias voltage generator that is coupled to the first RC network for each latch and a second bias voltage generator that is coupled to the second RC network for each latch.
US08786326B2

An integrated circuit chip includes: an internal circuit; a data output circuit configured to output a data packet of the internal circuit in response to a strobe signal; an oscillator configured to generate a first clock signal; a divider configured to divide the first clock signal and generate a second clock signal; and a strobe signal supply unit configured to supply the second clock signal as the strobe signal during an initial period of transmission of the data packet and supply the first clock signal as the strobe signal after the initial period.
US08786324B1

A driving circuit is provided. The driving circuit is configured to generate an output signal according to an input signal generated from an input-stage voltage with a first voltage level and a reference voltage with a second voltage level. The driving circuit has a differential amplifier and an output stage. The differential amplifier has a first input terminal coupled to the reference voltage, a second input terminal coupled to the output signal, and an output terminal. The differential amplifier is supplied by an operation voltage with a third voltage level. The output stage is configured to receive the input signal and the operation voltage to generate the output signal. The second input terminal is coupled to the output terminal of the differential amplifier according to the input signal. The operation voltage is generated according to the input signal and the input-stage voltage.
US08786314B2

A contactless power transfer system, including a coil configured to supply or receive power contactlessly via magnetic coupling, a bridge circuit having two direct current (DC) terminals and two alternating current (AC) terminals, and a smoothing capacitor connected between the DC terminals. A load is connectable to either end of the smoothing capacitor. One of the AC terminals is connected to one end of the coil via a first capacitor. The other of the AC terminals is connected to the other end of the coil. The bridge circuit includes two serially-connected circuits each having upper and lower arms, each arm having a semiconductor switch and a diode in reverse parallel connection. A second capacitor is connected in parallel to the semiconductor switch of an upper arm, or of a lower arm, or to two semiconductor switches respectively of an upper arm and of a lower arms, of the bridge circuit.
US08786313B2

It is an object to provide a logic circuit which can be operated even when unipolar transistors are used. A logic circuit includes a source follower circuit and a logic circuit an input portion of which is connected to an output portion of the source follower circuit and all transistors are unipolar transistors. A potential of a wiring for supplying a low potential connected to the source follower circuit is lower than a potential of a wiring for supplying a low potential connected to the logic circuit which includes unipolar transistors. In this manner, a logic circuit which can be operated even with unipolar depletion transistors can be provided.
US08786299B1

An assistive fine positioning support device for positioning and/or holding a test probe tip (the test probe tip being distanced from the probing head). The support device includes at least one positionable support member having a first support end and a second support end. A tip adapter at the first support end is for connecting the test probe tip to the at least one positionable support member, the tip adapter being in direct contact with the test probe tip. The second support end having means for holding and securing to a surface supporting an electrical component to be probed.
US08786298B2

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus of near field scan calibration, and more particularly, a method and an apparatus for near field scan calibration for calibrating a characteristic of an antenna for near field scan measurement of a semiconductor chip. The apparatus for near field scan calibration includes: a plane-type text fixture having a plane shape; an antenna positioned spaced apart from the plane-type test fixture by a set spacing distance and acquiring data including a magnetic field; and a spectrum analyzer analyzing the data acquired by the antenna.
US08786296B2

A resistance-measuring circuit includes a controller for outputting a PWM signal and further for adjusting the duty cycle of the PWM signal, and a sampling circuit for processing the PWM signal and transmitting the processed PWM signal to the sensor. The sampling circuit samples the signal outputted from the sensor to generate a sampled signal with the voltage thereof changing according to any change in the duty cycle of the PWM signal, and further transmits the sampled signal to the controller. The controller obtains the real-time duty cycle of the PWM signal when the voltage of the sampled signal reaches a threshold voltage, and further calculates the exact resistance of the sensor according to the obtained real-time duty cycle of the PWM signal and the threshold voltage. An electronic device with the resistance-measuring circuit is also provided.
US08786282B2

In a method to control a magnetic resonance device for image acquisition in at least one slice, the magnetic resonance device has a radio-frequency antenna with multiple transmission channels. At least one slice deviates from a cuboid shape and/or that is roughly adapted to a target volume of interest that is to be acquired, and/or at least one saturation volume adapted to a shape in a subject to be acquired, are defined automatically and/or manually via a user interface. The selection of possible slices and/or saturation volumes is limited automatically under consideration of the technical embodiment of the radio-frequency antenna. The image acquisition takes place in the selected slice and/or under consideration of the saturation volume.
US08786271B2

A circuit for generating reference voltage and reference current includes a band-gap reference circuit and a voltage-to-current converting circuit. The band-gap reference circuit is configured to generate a temperature-independent reference voltage by generating a first current with a positive temperature coefficient. The voltage-to-current converting circuit is coupled to a node of the band-gap reference circuit and configured to convert a voltage with a negative temperature coefficient at the node into a second current with a negative temperature coefficient. The band-gap reference circuit and the voltage-to-current converting circuit share a common current source having a feedback transistor through which a reference current flows. The reference current is divided into the first current of the band-gap reference circuit and the second current of the voltage-to-current converting circuit, thus having a temperature coefficient substantially equal to zero by combining the first current and the second current.
US08786270B2

A synthetic ripple regulator including frequency control based on a reference clock. The regulator includes an error network, a ripple detector, a combiner, a ripple generator, a comparator network and a phase comparator. The error network provides an error signal indicative of relative error of the output voltage. The ripple detector provides a ramp control signal based on the input and output voltages and a pulse control signal. The combiner adjusts the ramp control signal based on a frequency compensation signal to provide an adjusted ramp control signal. The ripple generator develops a ripple control signal based on the adjusted ramp control signal. The comparator network develops the pulse control signal to control switching based on the error signal and the ripple control signal. The phase comparator compares the pulse control signal with the reference clock and provides the frequency compensation signal.
US08786269B2

A novel method to operate synthetic ripple switching power converters at constant frequency is presented. The method includes the generation of a clock signal and the summing of a ramp signal to a DC voltage reference to be compared to a synthetic ripple signal. The ramp signal is synchronous with the clock signal. A minimum on-time or minimum off-time type of control is implemented. The switching frequency is constant.The presented approach provides significant advantages with respect to the more traditional means of utilizing hysteretic approaches combined with frequency control circuits.The switching frequency can be as high as the one obtained for a hysteretic power converter, the load and line transient response is comparable with or better than the one achieved with hysteretic approaches. The stability is obtained by adapting the slope of the ramp signal in order to obtain the adequate gain of the system.The method is presented for buck and boost hysteretic high frequency switching power converters, but can be utilized also for buck-boost converters. The general method can be utilized also for multiphase switching power converters.A non clocked variant of the novel circuit topology is also presented to improve load and line transient performance.
US08786268B2

A method for automatically compensating a voltage regulator initially disconnects the error amplifier and compensation network from the feedback loop. A DC bias voltage is applied to the feedback loop to cause the regulator's output voltage to be at 90% of its nominal value. An AC perturbation signal is then added to the DC bias voltage to cause the output voltage to have a ripple at a frequency of the AC signal. The gain of the feedback loop and the phase difference between the AC signal and the ripple is then measured. The measured values are then used to automatically adjust operating characteristics of the error amplifier and the compensation network such that, when these components are connected back in the feedback loop during normal operation, the feedback loop has the desired gain and phase margin at the frequency of the AC signal, such as the loop's unity gain frequency.
US08786266B2

A high voltage switching regulator has significantly reduced current sensing delay between measurement of input current and generation of sensed current values, while maintaining good accuracy of the current through a power transistor using current replication and a current conveyor. High sensing accuracy of the input current ensures good load regulation, and low sensing delay ensures fixed duty cycle over a wide range of output currents and high input to output voltage ratios. A current conveyor is used to transfer high side current values to low side control circuits, e.g., pulse width modulation (PWM) control. The current conveyor is always on, e.g., some current flow is always present, thus minimizing any current measurement delay. This is accomplished by dynamically biasing the current conveyor by draining to ground a current equal to the sensed current. Wherein balancing of the current conveyor is ensured and offset at the input of the current conveyor is minimized.
US08786262B2

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method of controlling the output of a synchronous electrical machine. Another embodiment is a unique method of controlling the output of a synchronous electrical machine for powering a load. Still another embodiment is a unique aircraft power generation system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for fluid driven actuation systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
US08786255B2

A charge balancing circuit and an energy storage arrangement with a charge balancing circuit are disclosed.
US08786245B2

A motor control device main unit includes a pressure command signal generation module, a simulated pressure control module, a simulated position calculation module, a simulated pressure signal generation module, a pressure control module, a speed control module, and a current control module. The speed control module receives a motor speed command signal, which is a signal of a sum of an actual motor speed command value of an actual motor speed command signal from the pressure control module and a simulated speed calculated value of a simulated motor speed signal. The speed control module carries out speed control calculation based on a motor speed command value of the motor speed command signal and an actual motor speed of an actual motor speed signal.
US08786242B2

A method for sensing and compensating for variances in load and voltage in a closed loop voice coil system is described. A load in a system which included a supply voltage and the load, which includes an inductive element, is excited with a known duty cycle for a time interval. At an end time, at the end of the time interval, the current which flows through the load is sensed. A lumped term based at least in part on the time interval and a change in the load current during the time interval is calculated. The lumped term is representative of the supply voltage and one or more electrical characteristic of the load. A control signal to control a voltage applied to the load may be generated based at least in part on the lumped term. Apparatus and computer-readable media are also described.
US08786241B2

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided.
US08786237B2

According to an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus is provided which includes a microprocessor, and a built-in temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the microprocessor as a reference temperature. The apparatus further includes external temperature sensors, where at least one of the external temperature sensors is configured to measure the temperature of the microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to make an external temperature calibration using the reference temperature measured by the built-in temperature monitor. Each of the external temperature sensors is configured to monitor temperature information of a component and provide the temperature information to the microprocessor.
US08786236B2

A load control system provides for automatically controlling a position of a motorized window treatment to control the amount of sunlight entering a space of a building through a window located in a façade of the building in order to control a sunlight penetration distance within the space and minimize occupant distractions. The load control system automatically generates a timeclock schedule having a number of timeclock events for controlling the position of the motorized window treatment during the present day. A user is able to select a desired maximum sunlight penetration distance for the space and a minimum time period that may occur between any two consecutive timeclock events. In addition, a maximum number of movements that may occur during the timeclock schedule may also be entered. The load control system uses these inputs to determine event times and corresponding positions of the motorized window treatment for each timeclock event of the timeclock schedule.
US08786234B2

An actuator (1) comprises an electrical motor (10) for driving a damper (3) from a rest position to a stalled position. The damper (3) is biased toward the rest position with at least one spring. A control module (2) is configured to supply, upon activation of the actuator (1), a drive current to the electrical motor (10) for driving the damper (3) from the rest position to the stalled position against a bias force produced by the spring. The control module (2) is further configured to reduce the drive current to a lower level for maintaining the damper (3) in the stalled position when a defined duration of time has elapsed since activation of the actuator (1). Damages to the electrical motor (10) and/or gear trains can be avoided without having to provide any circuitry or sensory equipment for measuring the drive current.
US08786233B2

A powered screwdriver system includes an electric ratchet. In accordance with one aspect, the powered screwdriver system includes a driver housing and includes a motor disposed within the housing. A working end provides a rotational output and is mechanically coupled to the rotor. A power source provides power to the motor. A controller receives signals representative of a motor condition and, based on the received signals, controls the motor in a manner providing the electric ratchet.
US08786228B2

The electrical power steering apparatus 10 includes the 1st MOS-FET 13 and the 2nd MOS-FET 14 accommodating the 1st parasitic diode 15 and the 2nd parasitic diode 16 in the conducting path between the battery 100 and the motor driving circuit 11 and being connected in series at the opposite direction respectively, and the condenser 18 in an output side of the latter 2nd MOS-FET 14. The ECU 6 of the controller of the electrical power steering apparatus controls to turn on or off the 1st MOS-FET 13 and the 2nd MOS-FET 14 in accordance with the predetermined sequence after the ignition switch 17 is turned on, detecting the fault of the 1st MOS-FET 13, the 2nd MOS-FET 14 and the 1st parasitic diode 15 and the 2nd parasitic diode 16 on the basis of the output voltage from each of the 1st MOS-FET 13 and the 2nd MOS-FET 14.
US08786219B2

A motor control device includes: a feedforward computing section for computing a motion reference value and a feedforward driving force based on a motion command; a deviation compensation computing section for outputting a deviation compensation driving force by a control computation for reducing a control deviation; a driving-force command synthesizing section for outputting a driving-force command based on the feedforward driving force and the deviation compensation driving force; a reaction-force compensation computing section for computing a motion correction value based on a predetermined reaction-force reference value and the deviation compensation driving force; and a control-deviation computing section for computing the control deviation based on a deviation between the motion reference value and a motor motion detection value, and the motion correction value.
US08786213B2

LED dimming control circuit and method compensate LED current or LED average current by LED characteristics to improve dimming efficiency and performance. LED characteristic related look-up tables are stored to provide compensation values, and input LED current setting information is compensated by the compensation values to generate corrected LED current setting information for determining LED brightness.
US08786210B2

A drive circuit for a light emitting diode, and applications thereof, are disclosed. In one example, the drive circuit includes an input voltage and a ground, and a current control block including a voltage supply connection, a ground connection, a first voltage sense connection, and a second voltage sense connection. The voltage supply connection electrically connects to the input voltage and the ground connection connected to the ground. The drive circuit includes a current sense resistor connected to the first voltage sense connection, a first current adjustment resistor connected between the current sense resistor and the second voltage sense connection, and a second current adjustment resistor connected between the second voltage sense connection and the input voltage. A light emitting diode can connect from a point between the current sense resistor and the first current adjustment resistor to the ground.
US08786203B2

A light system that is controllable to generate a plurality of selected lighting effects, the light system includes a main processor, the main processor being in communication with a plurality of light sources; and each of the plurality of light sources having a distinct, known address whereby one of more of the light sources are individually addressable by the main processor, a known address being received by a selected light source of the plurality of light sources and acting to set the selected light source of the plurality of light sources in a disposition to receive a subsequent command from the main processor for generating a selected lighting effect. A light source and a method of forming a light system are further included.
US08786202B2

A lighting device and a method of controlling a light emitted thereby are disclosed. A lighting device according to the present invention includes a rectifier unit configured to rectify an alternation current voltage to supply the rectified voltage to each of light emitting units, the light emitting units configured of a plurality of light emitting diodes connected with each other in series, a control unit configured to control each light emitting unit and a first switching element based on the input voltage and the first switching element configured to be switched on and off based on the control of the control unit, wherein the control unit controls to the first switching element switch on and off based on the input voltage to connect the first light emitting unit and the second light emitting unit alternatively in series and parallel.
US08786199B2

A method for compensating and checking a light amount is applicable to a light-emitting device including a plurality of light-emitting elements, and the following steps are successively executed on the light-emitting elements: measuring an original light amount output by a light-emitting element within a reference time interval; generating a calibration value corresponding to the light-emitting element according to the measured original light amount and a reference light amount; and adjusting light output of the light-emitting element according to the calibration value, so that the original light amount reaches a target light amount.
US08786196B2

A load control device for controlling the amount of power delivered from an AC power source to an electrical load comprises a rotary actuator, such as a rotary knob or a rotary wheel. The load control device increases and decreases the amount of power delivered to the electrical load in response to rotations of the rotary knob in first and second directions, respectively. The load control device accelerates the rate of change of the amount of power delivered to the load in response to the angular velocity of the rotary actuator. The load control device generates a ratcheting sound when the rotary actuator is rotated in the first direction at a high-end intensity of the load control device. The load control device is operable to control the electrical load in response to both actuations of the rotary actuator and digital messages received via a communication link.
US08786188B2

An electroluminescent device (100) comprising a top electrode layer (102) and a bottom electrode layer (104), an electroluminescent layer (106) and an interconnection (108), the interconnection connecting the top and the bottom electrode layers, wherein —the two electrode layers (102,104) are structured as windings; —the electroluminescent layer (106) is located between the two electrode layers; and —the interconnection (108) forms an electrical connection between a first end of the top electrode layer and a second end of the bottom electrode layer.
US08786181B2

The present invention relates to a blend comprising; a) at least one polymer or copolymer or a mixture of a plurality of polymers and/or copolymers which contain a main chain and a side chain, where at least one side chain contains a structural unit of the following formula (I), the symbols and indices used here are as defined below; b) at least one host molecule which has electron- or hole-transporting functionality, and c) at least one emitter molecule.
US08786179B2

The present invention relates to phosphors for energy downconversion of high energy light to generate a broadband light spectrum, which emit light of different emission wavelengths.
US08786177B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL element including a plurality of light-emitting layers which each emit light having a different peak wavelength, and having excellent light-emitting performances such as light-emitting intensity with a simple structure.The present invention is a single-photon type organic electroluminescent element including a first electrode having optical transparency, a second electrode, and a plurality of light-emitting layers disposed between the first and second electrodes, wherein the plurality of light-emitting layers stacked between the first and second electrodes each emit light having a different peak wavelength, and each of the light-emitting layers is disposed separately from the second electrode at such a position that optical resonance is generated by reflected light emitted from a predetermined light-emitting layer toward the second electrode and reflected by the second electrode to return, and light emitted from the predetermined light-emitting layer toward the first electrode.
US08786175B2

A lighting device 100, a lamp and a luminaire is provided. The light device 100 emits a first color distribution predominantly in a first direction and a second color distribution predominantly in a second direction. The lighting device comprises a light exit window, a light source 118, a light distributing layer 108, and a luminescent material. Light 104, 106 is emitted into the ambient of the lighting device through the light exit window. The light exit window has a first part 110 for an escape of light of the first color distribution and a second part 102 for an escape of light of the second color distribution. The second part 102 is different from the first part 110. The light source emits light of a predefined color distribution. The predefined color distribution comprises light of a first color 106. The light distributing layer 108 partly reflects or backscatters impinging light and partly transmits impinging light. The light distributing layer 108 is arranged in between the light source 118 and the second part 102 of the light exit window. The light distributing layer 108 is not fully transparent and has an edge near the light exit window for separating the first part 110 and the second part 102. The luminescent material converts light of the first color 106 to light of a second color 104. The luminescent material is arranged in the light distributing layer 108, is arranged in between the light distributing layer 108 and the second part 102 of the light exit window, or is arranged at the first part 110 of the light exit window or the second part 102 of the light exit window.
US08786174B2

An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate in which a first pixel area and a second pixel area different from each other are defined, a first electrode, a pixel defining layer, a common layer, a first surface processing layer, a second surface processing layer, a first liquid solution layer, a second liquid solution layer, and a second electrode. The first surface processing layer has a first width and is correspondingly included in the first pixel area. The second surface processing layer has a second width different from the first width and is correspondingly included in the second pixel area. The first liquid solution layer has the first width, and the second liquid solution layer has the second width. The first and second liquid solution layers have the same volume and different thicknesses.
US08786170B2

An optical system, including a light source module, a first lens array and a second lens array, is disclosed. The first lens array is located on one side of the light source module and includes first lenses. The first lenses are arranged according to a first pattern which is non-radially symmetrical and has a first major axis. The second lens array is located on one side of the first lens array and includes second lenses. The second lenses are arranged according to a second pattern and have optical axes aligned with optical axes of the first lenses. The second pattern is non-radially symmetrical and has a second major axis which deflects from the first major axis by a first angle. With this arrangement, the light source module can provide a telecentric light beam formed by radially symmetrical light cones, and the first and second lens arrays can transform this telecentric light beam into a light beam with non-radially symmetrical light cones illuminated onto a target area.
US08786168B2

A microchannel plate (1) for a microchannel plate electron multiplier, comprising: a substrate (5) forming a plate having first and second opposing faces and having a plurality of parallel channels therethrough from first to second faces and; a first electrode (3) on the first face, the first electrode (3) having a first side adjacent to the substrate and a second side opposite to the first side; a second electrode (4) on the second face, the second electrode (4) having a first side adjacent to the substrate (5) and a second side opposite to the first side; and a layer (6, 7) of resistive and secondary emissive material on the second side of the first electrode and the second electrode.
US08786165B2

A leadless package and method for manufacturing silicon based leadless QFN/SON compatible packages are described. In addition the package allows for hermetic sealing of devices while maintaining electrical and optical access. Micro-vias with feed-through metallization through a silicon structure facilitates a surface mount technology-compatible silicon package with bottom SMT pads and top surface device integration. Sloped edges on the SMT side enable solder filleting for post solder inspection. Hermetic seal can be attained for example using anodic bonding of a glass lid or using metal soldering. Metal soldering enables the use of solder bumps to provide electrical connections for the package to the lid with integrated device functionality used for sealing. Hermetically sealed silicon packages eliminates the need for an extra packaging layer required in plastic packages and provides a standard interface for enclosing one or more discrete devices.
US08786160B2

A brush holder for an electrical motor has an electrically insulating support structure supporting a number of brushes. The support structure has a molded-plastic body incorporating conducting elements forming conductive paths for connecting the brushes to a power supply. A discontinuity is provided in one of the connection paths. A resiliently deformable and electrically conductive strip is connected across the discontinuity with a substantially permanent connection at one end and a heat-meltable connection at the other, with a resilient pre-load tending to break the heat-meltable connection. A voltage drop resistor is provided for operating the motor at a reduced speed. One terminal of the resistor is connected to one side of the discontinuity via a thermally and electrically conducting connection.
US08786141B2

Magnetic linear actuator (MLA) and use. The MLA includes a driver portion with motor and rotating mount with a first magnet (M1) having poles aligned in a plane, and an actuator portion, having a frame with a second magnet (M2) proximate to a first end of the frame with a specified pole facing the frame's center, and a third magnet (M3) proximate to a second end of the frame with the specified pole facing the frame's center. The frame holds M2 and M3 collinear with M1, in the plane, and on opposite sides of the M1, and is constrained to move along an axis collinear with M1, M2, and M3. During operation, the motor rotates M1 through a first orientation where M1 attracts M2 and repels M3, then a second orientation where M1 repels M2 and attracts M3, in response to which the frame moves back and forth, e.g., reciprocates.
US08786138B2

Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods, and apparatus for controlling actuator drive current. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling actuator drive current. The method may include receiving a reference signal, determining a feedback signal based at least in part on the drive current, determining a conditioned feedback signal based at least in part on the feedback signal, comparing the reference signal to the conditioned feedback signal, and controlling the drive current based on the comparison of the reference signal and the conditioned feedback signal. Certain embodiments of the method may include manipulating one or more devices to establish at least one positive current path and at least one negative current path through an actuator via hysteresis control.
US08786137B2

A digital wiring device including a user interface panel, a digital display, and a paddle including a transparent portion to reveal the digital display and an opaque portion to cover the user interface panel. The paddle rotates from a first closed position to a second open position. A digital “schedule-at-a-glance” may be provided so that a user can quickly assess a schedule of events. The digital wiring device may include a back light to illuminate the digital display. The paddle may be operatively associated with the back light. A battery may provide an electrical current to power the digital wiring device in a battery backup mode, and the back light may be disabled based on the mode. The user interface panel may be used to schedule events or otherwise configure the digital wiring device.
US08786121B1

A wave-making and power-generating system uses a motor reducer to move a wave-making drum up and down in a water reservoir via a rocker arm, causing a float to rotate a power generator for generating electricity by a transmission mechanism via an inertial wheel set. A small amount of electricity can move the wave-making drum to drive the power generator to generate electricity. Multiple floats can be used with a respective transmission mechanism and a respective inertial wheel set to drive one power generator.
US08786120B2

“IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT GENERATOR OF ELECTRICAL POWER”, the invention herein refers to improvements in electrical power generating equipment which, due to the construction adopted, allows simplified maintenance at reduced frequency; in addition to useful application in several types of hydro electrical power plants, namely: micro, mini and small sized hydroelectric power plants.
US08786119B2

The invention describes a system and a method for controlling an electric generator connected to the power grid during a voltage drop in the power grid, the system comprising a back-to-back converter (2) connected between the generator (3) and the power grid (4) and also, in parallel to the generator side converter (2a), rectifying means (5) connected in series between the generator (3) and the DC-link (2b) of the back-to-back converter (2), thus providing an alternative way for the energy excess at the generator side to enter the DC-link (2b).
US08786118B2

A method of operating a wind turbine includes providing a wind turbine having a plurality of blades. A respective sensor is attached to each of the blades. First measurements of a structural characteristic of each of the blades are repeatedly taken by use of the sensors. A tolerance band is established for the measurements. Signals indicative of the first measurements are wirelessly transmitted only if the first measurements are outside of the tolerance band. The transmitted signals are received at a controller. An actuator signal is sent from the controller to at least one actuator associated with the blades. The sending is in response to the receiving of the transmitted signals. At least one of the blades is actuated dependent upon the actuator signal. The actuating is performed by the at least one actuator. Second measurements of the structural characteristic of each of the blades are repeatedly taken by use of the sensors after the actuating step. The wirelessly transmitting, receiving, sending and actuating steps are repeated for the second measurements.
US08786115B2

A method and apparatus for producing useful work by a traffic-way or roadway having a moveable portion that can be readily displaced by the weight passing thereover, and translating the displacement of the moveable portion into a storing energy system; e.g., a torsion spring being compressed having a energy release mechanism that connects to an rotor or a drive shaft.
US08786113B2

A downhole electrical energy generating device and a method for transforming energy from a fluid flow passing the device are described. A vibrating assembly is influenced by the fluid flow to oscillate, the vibrating assembly including an elongated body having a longitudinal axis being arranged non-parallel with the fluid flow, a stiff body connecting the elongated body to a portion of the device located downstream of said elongated body; at least one energy harvester influenced by the vibrating assembly, wherein the energy generating device is provided with means for influencing the oscillation frequency of the vibrating assembly.
US08786109B2

A conductive structure for a semiconductor chip and a method for forming the conductive structure are provided. The semiconductor chip comprises a plurality of first pads and second pads. The pad area is defined with a first area, a second area and a third area, wherein the first area is located between the second area and the third area. Each of the first pads and the second pads are interlaced to each other on the first area. The conductive structure comprises a plurality of conductive bumps formed on each of the first pads and the second pads respectively to electrically connect with each of the first pads and the second pads. Each of the conductive bumps has a first bump-width disposed on the first area and a second bump-width disposed on one of the second and third areas in which the first bump-width is shorter than the second bump-width.
US08786106B2

An inventive semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip having a passivation film, and a sealing resin layer provided over the passivation film for sealing a front side of the semiconductor chip. The sealing resin layer extends to a side surface of the passivation film to cover the side surface.
US08786105B1

A semiconductor device is described having at least one semiconductor chip, the chip having an active area on a top side thereof, the active area formed at least in part of low-k material, said low-k material defining a low-k subarea of said active area; an embedding material, in which said at least one semiconductor chip is embedded, at least part of the embedding material forming a coplanar area with said active area; at least one contact area within the low-k subarea; a redistribution layer on the coplanar area, the redistribution layer connected to said contact areas; at least one first-level interconnect, located outside said low-k subarea, the first-level interconnect electrically connected to at least one of said contact areas via the redistribution layer.
US08786102B2

A semiconductor device includes a first wiring board, a second semiconductor chip, and a second seal. The first wiring board includes a first substrate, a first semiconductor chip, and a first seal. The first semiconductor chip is disposed on the first substrate. The first seal is disposed on the first substrate. The first seal surrounds the first semiconductor chip. The first seal has the same thickness as the first semiconductor chip. The second semiconductor chip is stacked over the first semiconductor chip. The first semiconductor chip is between the second semiconductor chip and the first substrate. The second semiconductor chip is greater in size in plan view than the first semiconductor chip. The second seal seals at least a first gap between the first semiconductor chip and the second semiconductor chip.
US08786097B2

Methods for forming through vias in a semiconductor substrate and resulting structures are disclosed. In one embodiment, a through via may be formed by forming a partial via from an active surface through a conductive element thereon and a portion of the substrate underlying the conductive element. The through via may then be completed by laser ablation or drilling from a back surface. In another embodiment, a partial via may be formed by laser ablation or drilling from the back surface of a substrate to a predetermined distance therein. The through via may be completed from the active surface by forming a partial via extending through the conductive element and the underlying substrate to intersect the laser-drilled partial via. In another embodiment, a partial via may first be formed by laser ablation or drilling from the back surface of the substrate followed by dry etching to complete the through via.
US08786087B2

A semiconductor device is made up of a first insulating layer having a through hole; a first interconnection which includes a first conductive layer, a first barrier layer, and a first main interconnection, and a second interconnection connected to one of the first conductive layer and the first barrier layer. Accordingly, the semiconductor device can avoid a problem where the material of the first main interconnection transfers from a portion connected to the second interconnection due to electromigration to form a void, with the result that the first interconnection is disconnected from the second interconnection.
US08786086B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate; an insulating film formed over the semiconductor substrate, there being formed in the insulating film a trench that in a sectional view has a stepped shape; and a wiring formed in the trench, wherein the wiring includes, a main portion with a first thickness; and an extended portion with a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness and that extends outward from a side of the main portion.
US08786085B2

One or more embodiments relate to a semiconductor structure, comprising: a barrier layer overlying a workpiece surface; a seed layer overlying the barrier layer; an inhibitor layer overlying said seed layer, the inhibitor layer having a opening exposing a portion of the seed layer, and a fill layer overlying the exposed portion of the seed layer.
US08786082B2

A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, at least two pads, a passivation layer, at least two under bump metallization (UBM) layers and at least two bumps. The pads are disposed adjacent to each other on the substrate along the first direction. The passivation layer covers the substrate and the peripheral upper surface of each pad to define an opening. Each of the openings defines an opening projection along the second direction. The opening projections are disposed adjacent to each other but not overlapping with each other. Furthermore, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The UBM layers are disposed on the corresponding openings, and the bumps are respectively disposed on the corresponding UBM layers. With the above arrangements, the width of each bump of the semiconductor structure of the present invention could be widened without being limited by the bump pitch.
US08786081B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate that contains a plurality of electronic components/elements. The semiconductor device includes an interconnect structure disposed over the substrate, the interconnect structure containing a plurality of interconnect layers. The semiconductor device includes a passivation layer disposed over the interconnect structure. The semiconductor device includes an Under-Bump Metallization (UBM) layer disposed over the passivation layer, the UBM layer containing a UBM pad and a plurality of UBM devices, the UBM devices including at least one of: a UBM trace that is electrically coupled to one of the electronic components through the interconnect structure, and a dummy UBM device. The semiconductor device includes a solder bump disposed on, and electrically coupled to, the UBM pad.
US08786076B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate with conductive traces. A semiconductor die is mounted with an active surface oriented toward the substrate. An underfill material is deposited between the semiconductor die and substrate. A recess is formed in an interior portion of the semiconductor die that extends from a back surface of the semiconductor die opposite the active surface partially through the semiconductor die such that a peripheral portion of the back surface of the semiconductor die is offset with respect to a depth of the recess. A thermal interface material (TIM) is deposited over the semiconductor die and into the recess such that the TIM in the recess is laterally supported by the peripheral portion of the semiconductor die to reduce flow of the TIM away from the semiconductor die. A heat spreader including protrusions is mounted over the semiconductor die and contacts the TIM.
US08786074B2

A packaging device for matrix-arrayed semiconductor light-emitting elements of high power and high directivity comprises a metal base, an array chip and a plurality of metal wires. The metal base is of highly heat conductive copper or aluminum, and a first electrode area and at least one second electrode area which are electrically isolated are disposed on the metal base. The array chip is disposed on the first electrode area, on which multiple matrix-arranged semiconductor light-emitting elements and at least one wire bond pad adjacent to the light-emitting elements are disposed. The light-emitting element is a VCSEL element, an HCSEL element or an RCLED element. The metal wires are connected between the wire bond pad and the second electrode area to transmit power signals. Between the bottom surface and the first electrode area is disposed a conductive adhesive to bond and facilitate electrical connection between the two.
US08786072B2

A semiconductor package that includes a substrate having a metallic back plate, an insulation body and a plurality of conductive pads on the insulation body, and a semiconductor die coupled to said conductive pads, the conductive pads including regions readied for direct connection to pads external to the package using a conductive adhesive.
US08786066B2

An apparatus includes a coreless substrate with a through-silicon via (TSV) embedded die that is integral to the coreless substrate. The apparatus includes a subsequent die that is coupled to the TSV die and that is disposed above the coreless substrate.
US08786065B2

A substrate includes a first lead frame, a second lead frame, and a resin layer. The first lead frame includes a heat sink and a plurality of electrodes for external connection. The second lead frame is laminated on the first lead frame and includes a plurality of wirings for mounting light emitting elements. The resin layer is filled between the first lead frame and the second lead frame. The plurality of wirings are arranged above the heat sink. The plurality of electrodes and part of the plurality of wirings are joined with each other.
US08786060B2

A semiconductor package includes a substrate, a semiconductor die, a package body, an electromagnetic interference shield, a dielectric structure and an antenna element. The substrate comprises a grounding segment and a feeding point. The semiconductor die is disposed on the substrate. The package body encapsulates the semiconductor die. The electromagnetic interference shield is formed on the package body. The dielectric structure encapsulates the electromagnetic interference shield. The antenna element is formed on the dielectric structure and electrically connecting the grounding segment of the substrate and the feeding point.
US08786059B2

A structure and method for producing the same is disclosed. The structure includes an organic passivation layer with solids suspended therein. Preferential etch to remove a portion of the organic material and expose portions of such solids creates enhanced surface roughness, which provides a significant advantage with respect to adhesion of that passivation layer to the packaging underfill material.
US08786058B2

A semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a substrate having a via hole comprised of a first region having a first width and a second region having a second width greater than the first width, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is exposed in the via hole, and an insulating region having an air gap spaced apart from and surrounding the first region of the via hole.
US08786056B2

A method of forming a semiconductor light emitting element. The method can include forming a seed layer on a semiconductor layer assembly including at least one nitride semiconductor layer. An insulating mask can be formed on the seed layer. The insulating mask can include a plurality of element areas separated by cross spaces. Each element area of the plurality of element areas can be connected to at least one of the other element areas of the plurality of element areas. The seed layer can be plated such that a plating substrate is formed in each of the plurality of element areas.
US08786048B2

A semiconductor device has: a signal pad; a power supply line; a ground line; an inductor section whose one end is connected to the signal pad; a terminating resistor connected between the other end of the inductor section and the power supply line or the ground line. The semiconductor device further has: a first ESD protection element connected to a first node in the inductor section; and a second ESD protection element connected to a second node whose position is different from that of the first node in the inductor section.
US08786043B2

Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) having at least one top stressor layer disposed on a germanium (Ge)-containing absorption layer are described herein. The top stressor layer can increase the tensile strain of the Ge-containing absorption layer, thus extending the absorption of APDs to longer wavelengths beyond 1550 nm. In one embodiment, the top stressor layer has a four-layer structure, including an amorphous silicon (Si) layer disposed on the Ge-containing absorption layer; a first silicon dioxide (SiO2) layer disposed on the amorphous Si layer, a silicon nitride (SiN) layer disposed on the first SiO2 layer, and a second SiO2 layer disposed on the SiN layer. The Ge-containing absorption layer can be further doped by p-type dopants. The doping concentration of p-type dopants is controlled such that a graded doping profile is formed within the Ge-containing absorption layer to decrease the dark currents in APDs.
US08786041B2

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a solid-state imaging device photoelectrically converting light taken by a lens; and a light shielding member shielding part of light incident on the solid-state imaging device from the lens, wherein an angle made between an edge surface of the light shielding member and an optical axis direction of the lens is larger than an incident angle of light to be incident on an edge portion of the light shielding member.
US08786031B2

The present invention provides a metal nitride film that realizes an intended effective work function (for example, a high effective work function) and has EOT exhibiting no change or a reduced change, a semiconductor device using the metal nitride film, and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device. The metal nitride film according to an embodiment of the present invention contains Ti, Al and N, wherein the metal nitride film has such molar fractions of Ti, Al and N as (N/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.53 or more, (Ti/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.32 or less, and (Al/(Ti+Al+N)) of 0.15 or less.
US08786027B2

In sophisticated semiconductor devices, replacement gate approaches may be applied in combination with a process strategy for implementing a strain-inducing semiconductor material, wherein superior proximity of the strain-inducing semiconductor material and/or superior robustness of the replacement gate approach may be achieved by forming the initial gate electrode structures with superior uniformity and providing at least one cavity for implementing the strained channel regions in a very advanced manufacturing stage, i.e., after completing the basic transistor configuration.
US08786018B2

Self-aligned carbon nanostructure field effect transistor structures are provided, which are formed using selective dielectric deposition techniques. For example, a transistor device includes an insulating substrate and a gate electrode embedded in the insulating substrate. A dielectric deposition-prohibiting layer is formed on a surface of the insulating substrate surrounding the gate electrode. A gate dielectric is selectively formed on the gate electrode. A channel structure (such as a carbon nanostructure) is disposed on the gate dielectric A passivation layer is selectively formed on the gate dielectric. Source and drain contacts are formed on opposing sides of the passivation layer in contact with the channel structure. The dielectric deposition-prohibiting layer prevents deposition of dielectric material on a surface of the insulating layer surrounding the gate electrode when selectively forming the gate dielectric and passivation layer.
US08786017B2

A strained Ge-on-insulator structure is provided, comprising: a silicon substrate, in which an oxide insulating layer is formed on a surface of the silicon substrate; a Ge layer formed on the oxide insulating layer, in which a first passivation layer is formed between the Ge layer and the oxide insulating layer; a gate stack formed on the Ge layer, a channel region formed below the gate stack, and a source and a drain formed on sides of the channel region; and a plurality of shallow trench isolation structures extending into the silicon substrate and filled with an insulating dielectric material to produce a strain in the channel region. Further, a method for forming the strained Ge-on-insulator structure is also provided.
US08786012B2

A power semiconductor device has a semiconductor body which includes an active area and a peripheral area which both define a horizontal main surface of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body further includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a pn junction and at least one trench. The n-type semiconductor layer is embedded in the semiconductor body and extends to the main surface in the peripheral area. The pn junction is arranged between the n-type semiconductor layer and the main surface in the active area. The at least one trench extends in the peripheral area from the main surface into the n-type semiconductor layer and includes a dielectric layer with fixed negative charges. In the vertical direction, the dielectric layer is arranged both below and above the pn junction. The dielectric layer with fixed negative charges typically has a negative net charge. Further, a method for forming a semiconductor device is provided.
US08786003B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a substrate; a memory unit provided on the substrate; and a non-memory unit provided on the substrate. The memory unit includes: a first stacked body including a plurality of first electrode films and a first inter-electrode insulating film, the plurality of first electrode films being stacked along a first axis perpendicular to the major surface, the first inter-electrode insulating film being provided between two of the first electrode films mutually adjacent along the first axis; a first semiconductor layer opposing side surfaces of the first electrode films; a first memory film provided between the first semiconductor layer and the first electrode films; and a first conductive film provided on the first stacked body apart from the first stacked body. The non-memory unit includes a resistance element unit of the same layer as the conductive film.
US08785996B2

An apparatus including a first electrode; a second electrode; a nano-scale channel between the first electrode and the second electrode wherein the nano-scale channel has a first state in which an electrical impedance of the nano-scale channel is relatively high and a second state in which the electrical impedance of the nano-scale channel is relatively low; dielectric adjacent the nano-scale channel; and a gate electrode adjacent the dielectric configured to control a threshold number of quanta of stimulus, wherein the nano-scale channel is configured to switch between the first state and the second state in response to an application of a quantum of stimulus above the threshold number of quanta of stimulus.
US08785987B2

An IGFET device includes: —a semiconductor body having a major surface, —a source region of first conductivity type abutting the surface, —a drain region of the first conductivity-type abutting the surface and spaced from the source region with a channel therefrom, —an active gate overlying the channel and insulated from the channel by a first dielectric material forming the gate oxide of the IGFET device, —a dummy gate positioned between the active gate and the drain and insulated from the active gate by a second dielectric material so that a capacitance is formed between the active gate and the dummy gate, and insulated from the drain region by the gate oxide, wherein the active gate and the dummy gate are forming the electrodes of the capacitance substantially perpendicular to the surface.
US08785979B2

A semiconductor device includes first and second p-type diffusion regions, and first and second n-type diffusion regions that are each electrically connected to a common node. Each of a number of conductive features within a gate electrode level region is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature, with a centerline of each originating rectangular-shaped layout feature aligned in a parallel manner. The conductive features respectively form gate electrodes of first and second PMOS transistor devices, and first and second NMOS transistor devices. Widths of the first and second p-type diffusion regions are different, such that the first and second PMOS transistor devices have different widths. Widths of the first and second n-type diffusion regions are different, such that the first and second NMOS transistor devices have different widths. The first and second PMOS and first and second NMOS transistor devices form a cross-coupled transistor configuration.
US08785978B2

A semiconductor device includes a cross-coupled transistor configuration formed by first and second PMOS transistors defined over first and second p-type diffusion regions, and by first and second NMOS transistors defined over first and second n-type diffusion regions, with each diffusion region electrically connected to a common node. Gate electrodes of the PMOS and NMOS transistors are formed by conductive features which extend in only a first parallel direction. At least a portion of each of the first and second p-type diffusion regions are formed over a first common line of extent that extends perpendicular to the first parallel direction. The first and second n-type diffusion regions are formed in a spaced apart manner relative to the first parallel direction, such that no single line of extent that extends across the substrate perpendicular to the first parallel direction intersects both the first and second n-type diffusion regions.
US08785967B2

Disclosed is a crystallization apparatus capable of locally crystallizing amorphous silicon. The crystallization apparatus includes a heat emission part, a support part and a roller. The heat emission part emits heat upon receiving a heat emission source. The support part supports the heat emission part and provides the heat emission source to the heat emission part. The roller receives the heat emission part and has at least one opening to provide heat to a target (e.g., amorphous silicon). Local crystallization is performed without causing damage to a substrate.
US08785966B2

Magnetic tunnel junction transistor devices and methods for operating and forming magnetic tunnel junction transistor devices. In one aspect, a magnetic tunnel junction transistor device includes a first source/drain electrode, a second source/drain electrode, a gate electrode, and a magnetic tunnel junction disposed between the gate electrode and the second source/drain electrode. The magnetic tunnel junction includes a magnetic free layer that extends along a length of the gate electrode toward the first source/drain electrode such that an end portion of the magnetic free layer is disposed between the gate electrode and the first source/drain electrode. The magnetic tunnel junction transistor device switches a magnetization orientation of the magnetic free layer by application of a gate voltage to the gate electrode, thereby changing a resistance between the first and second source/drain electrodes through the magnetic free layer.
US08785948B2

A light-emitting device includes a drive transistor that controls a current to be supplied to a light-emitting element from a power supply line, an element continuity portion that electrically connects the drive transistor with the light-emitting element, an initializing transistor that is turned ON to diode-connect the drive transistor, and a connecting portion that electrically connects the drive transistor with the initializing transistor. The power supply line includes a first portion extending in a predetermined direction. The element continuity portion and the connecting portion are formed from the same layer as that of the power supply line and are located on one side along the width of the first portion across the drive transistor.
US08785947B2

A semiconductor substrate includes: a base layer; a sacrificial layer that is formed on a base layer and that includes a plurality of spaced apart sacrificial film regions and a plurality of first passages each of which is defined between two adjacent ones of the sacrificial film regions. Each sacrificial film region has a plurality of nanostructures and a plurality of second passages defined among the nanostructures. The second passages communicate spatially with the first passages and have a width less than that of the first passages. An epitaxial layer is disposed on the sacrificial layer.
US08785944B2

A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) according to example embodiments includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a reverse diode gate structure on the second semiconductor layer. A source and a drain may be on at least one of the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. A gate electrode may be on the reverse diode gate structure.
US08785941B2

A thin-film semiconductor device includes: a first gate line; a metal line; a first gate electrode extending from the first gate line; a second gate electrode on the first gate electrode; an insulating layer provided in a crossing area where the first gate line and the metal line cross; and a second gate line formed in the same layer as the second gate electrode, and on the first gate line in other than the crossing area, wherein the metal line is on the insulating layer, the second gate line and the second gate electrode are thicker than the first gate line and the first gate electrode, and an interface between the metal line and the insulating layer is positioned above a top surface of the second gate electrode, in a cross section in a direction in which the first and second gate lines extend.
US08785939B2

A pixel electrode is provided, with a nanostructure-film deposited over an active matrix substrate, such that the pixel electrode makes electrical contact with an underlying layer. Similarly, auxiliary data pads and auxiliary gate pads are provided, which also have nanostructure-films deposited over an active matrix substrate, such that they make electrical contact with underlying layers.
US08785931B2

A semiconductor device capable of rapidly and accurately sensing the information regarding the temperature of a semiconductor transistor contained therein. A MOSFET includes a plurality of cells, and includes a main cell group including a cell for supplying a current to a load among the plurality of cells, and a sense cell group including a cell for sensing temperature information regarding the temperature of the MOSFET thereamong. The main cell group and the sense cell group have different temperature characteristics showing changes in electrical characteristics to changes in temperature. A temperature sensing circuit senses the temperature of the MOSFET based on, for example, a value of a main current flowing through the main cell group and a value of a sense current flowing through the sense cell group.
US08785916B2

Optoelectronic organic component, comprising: a first electrode, a first planarization layer which is disposed on the first electrode, a first injection layer which is disposed on the planarization layer, an organic functional layer which is disposed on the injection layer, a second electrode which is disposed on the organic functional layer, wherein in the case that the first electrode is an anode, the following applies for the energy levels: EF−EHOMO,Inj.≦−EHOMO,Plan. and EF−EHOMO,Inj
US08785910B2

A thin film transistor, a display device including the same, and a method of manufacturing the display device, the thin film transistor including a substrate; a gate electrode on the substrate; a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode; a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; and source/drain electrodes electrically connected with the semiconductor layer, wherein the gate electrode has a thickness of about 500 Å to about 1500 Å and the gate insulating layer has a thickness of about 1600 Å to about 2500 Å.
US08785908B2

Optically sensitive devices include a device comprising a first contact and a second contact, each having a work function, and an optically sensitive material between the first contact and the second contact. The optically sensitive material comprises a p-type semiconductor, and the optically sensitive material has a work function. Circuitry applies a bias voltage between the first contact and the second contact. The optically sensitive material has an electron lifetime that is greater than the electron transit time from the first contact to the second contact when the bias is applied between the first contact and the second contact. The first contact provides injection of electrons and blocking the extraction of holes. The interface between the first contact and the optically sensitive material provides a surface recombination velocity less than 1 cm/s.
US08785905B1

A temperature stable (color and efficiency) III-nitride based amber (585 nm) light-emitting diode is based on a novel hybrid nanowire-planar structure. The arrays of GaN nanowires enable radial InGaN/GaN quantum well LED structures with high indium content and high material quality. The high efficiency and temperature stable direct yellow and red phosphor-free emitters enable high efficiency white LEDs based on the RGYB color-mixing approach.
US08785902B2

A resistive memory device includes a lower electrode formed on a substrate, a resistive layer formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the resistive layer, wherein a lower portion of the upper electrode is narrower than an upper portion of the upper electrode.
US08785901B2

Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices are provided including forming a dielectric interlayer on a substrate, the dielectric interlayer defining an opening therein. A metal pattern is formed in the opening. An oxidization process is performed on the metal pattern to form a conductive metal oxide pattern, and the conductive metal oxide pattern is planarized. Related semiconductor devices are also provided.
US08785899B2

According to example embodiments, a nonvolatile memory cell includes a first electrode and a second electrode, a resistance change film between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a first barrier film contacting the second electrode. The resist change film contains oxygen ions and contacts the first electrode. The first barrier film is configured to reduce (and/or block) the outflow of the oxygen ions from the resistance change film.
US08785896B2

Disclosed is a radioactive contaminant container including a wall that defines a containing space for containing radioactive contaminants and shields at least a portion of radiation irradiated from the radioactive contaminants, and the wall has an outer shape of a hexagonal cylinder or a substantially hexagonal cylinder.
US08785892B2

Devices and corresponding methods of use are described herein that may include an enclosing structure defining a closed loop flow path and a system generating a plasma at a plasma site, e.g. laser produced plasma system, where the plasma site may be in fluid communication with the flow path. For the device, a gas may be disposed in the enclosing structure which may include an ion-stopping buffer gas and/or an etchant. A pump may be provided to force the gas through the closed loop flow path. One or more heat exchangers removing heat from gas flowing in the flow path may be provided. In some arrangements, a filter may be used to remove at least a portion of a target species from gas flowing in the flow path.
US08785886B2

There is provided a scanning molecule counting method using an optical measurement with a confocal microscope or a multiphoton microscope, enabling characterization of a light-emitting particle or identification of a light-emitting particle with emitted light intensity of a single light-emitting particle measured individually. In the inventive optical analysis technique, with reference to the ratio of the intensities of simultaneously generated signals of the lights of at least two light-emitting sites having mutually different emission wavelengths, possessed by a light-emitting particle contained in a sample solution, the intensities being measured with moving the position of the light detection region of an optical system by changing the optical path of the optical system, a single light-emitting particle corresponding to the signals is identified, and the kind, the size, etc. of the light-emitting particle is identified.
US08785883B2

Provided is means which enables observation of the shape of a specimen as it is without deforming the specimen. Observation is made by allowing a specimen-holding member having an opening (for example, microgrid and mesh) to hold an ionic liquid and charging a specimen thereto, to allow the specimen to suspend in the ionic liquid. Furthermore, in the proximity of the specimen-holding member, a mechanism of injecting an ionic liquid (ionic liquid introduction mechanism) and/or an electrode are provided. When a voltage is applied to the electrode, the specimen moves or deforms in the ionic liquid. How the specimen moves or deforms can be observed. Furthermore, in the proximity of specimen-holding member, an evaporation apparatus is provided to enable charge of the specimen into the ionic liquid while evaporating. Furthermore, in the proximity of the specimen-holding member, a microcapillary is provided to charge a liquid-state specimen into the ionic liquid. Note that the specimen-holding member is designed to be rotatable.
US08785865B2

A semiconductor 2D position detector for two-dimensionally detecting positions of radiation is a Schottky diode comprising: a semiconductor substrate 2; a first to an nth (n is an integer of 2 or higher) stripe electrodes 3 arranged on the surface 2A of the semiconductor substrate 2 at given intervals in the X direction and in parallel to the Y direction; and an electrode 15 formed on the rear surface 2B of the semiconductor substrate 2. The top and the bottom ends of each of the stripe electrodes 3 are sequentially connected via a resistor 4, 5, and signals V1 to V4 output from the radiation 16 applied to the semiconductor substrate 2 are obtained from each of the both ends of the first and the nth stripe electrodes placed far left and right.
US08785855B2

Disclosed are devices and methods for enhancing the performance of photoconductive switches or photomixers used to generate or receive terahertz radiation. An interlaced electrode is used to minimize carrier transit times across an absorbing semiconductor photoconductor. This electrode is designed to support a plasmonic resonance such that coupling of the optical pump signal to the absorbing photoconductor is enhanced.
US08785853B2

An infrared sensor package includes a housing member, which includes an upper-surface section provided with a transmission member which transmits infrared radiation and a lower-surface section and whose inner space is vacuum-sealed, a plate-like heater member which is disposed within the inner space of the housing member and generates heat, an infrared detection element which is fixed onto the heater member and detects the infrared radiation which is transmitted by the transmission member, and a heat-insulating member which has a low thermal conductivity and a smaller cross-sectional area than that of the heater member, and supports the heater member while being fixed onto the lower-surface section.
US08785850B2

New methods for phase contrast imaging in transmission electron microscopy use the imaging electron beam itself to prepare a hole-free thin film for use as an effective phase plate, in some cases eliminating the need for ex-situ fabrication of a hole and reducing requirements for the precision of the ZPP hardware. The electron optical properties of the ZPP hardware are modified primarily in two ways: by boring a hole using the electron beam; and/or by modifying the electro-optical properties by charging induced by the primary beam. Furthermore a method where the sample is focused by a lens downstream from the ZPP hardware is disclosed. A method for transferring a back focal plane of the objective lens to a selected area aperture plane and any plane conjugated with the back focal plane of the objective lens is also provided.
US08785847B2

A mass spectrometer having an ion guide with an axial field is described. The ion guide includes electrodes with longitudinally extending gaps and inserts configured to be proximate to the gaps.
US08785839B2

An optical sensor has a glass base having a concave portion, and a glass lid is bonded to the base and overlies the concave portion to form a cavity portion. A photoelectric conversion element id accommodated in the cavity portion. Internal wirings are each connected at one end to the photoelectric conversion element and extend through notches each formed at a corner of a peripheral edge along an outside surface of the base. The other ends of the internal wirings are connected inside the notches to external wirings that extend along an outside surface of the base and terminate in external terminals.
US08785835B1

This focus sensor is readily usable in a system using pupil obscuration to measure the state of focus of a light beam. A scattering volumetric filter modifies a three-dimensional wavefront so that focus can be detected by a two-dimensional detector for conversion to a one-dimensional signal having values of plus, zero and minus. This diffusing filter comprises sub wavelength particles having a high index of refraction suspended in an adhesive to produce a solid diffuser. This focus sensor enables a well-behaved focus curve having a constant slope near best focus, while maintaining a slope that is either constant or monotonic at a minimal rate over an extended distance to support a long capture-range over which a focus-controlling servo-mechanism can acquire and maintain focus in the presence of corrupting target surface topography or optical defects.
US08785820B2

A resonant power supply (900) for use with high inductive loads includes an input rectifier (903) and a switching inverter formed using a plurality of parallel connected half bridge networks for switching the voltage provided from the input rectifier (903). A transformer (927) is used whose primary is connected to the switching inverter and whose secondary is connected to load such as a crucible (931). A capacitor (929) is used in series with the primary of the transformer (927) for resonating the inductance in the secondary circuit at the frequency of the switching inverter to provide maximum power transfer to the crucible (931).
US08785807B2

A welding electrode includes an electrode holder and an electrode cap removably attached to the holder and having a central longitudinal axis. The cap includes a body having an end, and a welding surface that is substantially smooth and free from any grooves defined therein, and has a first diameter of from about 7 to 10 mm, a first radius of curvature, and a second radius of curvature that is different from the first radius. The cap includes a skirt portion extending away from the body and configured to bear against the holder. The skirt portion has a first face that is substantially parallel to the axis and spaced apart from the surface. The body has a second face interconnecting the first face and the surface, and the body tapers from the first face to the surface. A method of forming a resistance spot weld joint is also disclosed.
US08785804B2

A switching assembly for interrupting current from an upper terminal to a lower terminal. The switching assembly includes an upper bushing, a lower bushing sealably coupled to the upper bushing, the upper terminal coupled to the upper bushing, at least one lower terminal, and a switching medium positioned within a channel formed within the upper bushing. The lower terminal is electrically coupled to the switching medium. According to some embodiments, one or more of the lower terminals are coupled into one or more lower terminal openings formed within at least one of the upper bushing and the lower bushing. According to some exemplary embodiments, the assembly includes a modular terminal ring positioned between the upper bushing and the lower bushing and sealably coupled to both. The one or more lower terminals are coupled into one or more lower terminal openings formed within a perimeter of the modular terminal ring.
US08785794B2

An entertainment button device includes: an entertainment button; and a button-up-and-down mechanism including: a bias member to bias the entertainment button in a moving-up direction; a shaft member extending in a moving direction of the entertainment button; a rotating mechanism to rotate the shaft member; an engagement part to move up and down with the entertainment button; a convex portion having an inverted trapezoid shape and a concave portion having a trapezoid shape formed on an outer periphery of the shaft member; a spiral guide part on one end of the convex portion in a circumferential direction; a straight part formed on the other end of the convex portion in the circumferential direction. The straight part extends in parallel with a direction of a central axis of the shaft member; and a smoothing guide part extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis of the shaft member.
US08785789B2

Disclosed herein are a printed circuit board (PCB) and a method for manufacturing the same. The PCB includes a base substrate, a circuit layer formed on the base substrate and including a connection pad, a solder resist layer formed on an upper portion of the base substrate and having an opening exposing the connection pad, a metal post formed on upper portions of the connection pad and the solder resist layer and having a plurality of diameters, and a seed layer formed on the upper portion of the solder resist layer and inner walls of the opening along an interface of the metal post.
US08785781B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a connecting tab of a battery pack, which allows a wire to be firmly coupled to a battery cell or a protective circuit module, a coupling structure between the connecting tab and a wire, and coupling method thereof. In one embodiment of the present invention, the connecting tab coupled to a battery cell or a protective circuit module includes a first conductive layer electrically connected to the battery cell or the protective circuit module, and a second conductive layer formed on the first conductive layer and coupled to a wire. The second conductive layer may include a pair of coupling protrusions upwardly protruding for connection of the wire. A solder may further be formed on the coupling protrusions and the wire.
US08785775B2

The present invention provides a waterproof box which can improve water performance and work efficiency, and can reduce space. When washing water hits in the lower surface (33h) of first waterproof portion (33) of an upper cover (15), spay is generated. At this time, an outer surface (30b), which is formed in a tapered shape, of first waterproof portion (30) abuts on an inner surface (33g), which is formed in a tapered shape, of the first waterproof portion (33). Further, the outer surface (30b) engages with the inner surface (33g). As a result, the inlet of a minute path (27) is closed. Even if water leaks, force of the water is reduced because the water enters in a groove (33b or 35a). The water in which force of the water is reduced falls down.
US08785766B2

A novel photoelectric conversion device in which energy of light can be effectively utilized and performance can be improved is provided. A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion element and an energy conversion layer provided on a light-receiving side of a photoelectric conversion layer included in the photoelectric conversion element. The energy conversion layer includes a plurality of first layers and a plurality of second layers. The first layer and the second layer are alternately stacked. The thickness of the first layer is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, and the thickness of the second layer is greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. The second layer can be formed using a material having a larger energy band gap than that of a material used for the first layer.
US08785765B2

An electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and conductive particles, an electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and oxide semiconductor particles and optionally containing conductive particles, and an electrolyte composition containing an ionic liquid and insulating particles are provided. Furthermore, a photoelectric conversion element comprising: a working electrode, the working electrode comprising an electrode substrate and an oxide semiconductor porous film formed on the electrode substrate and sensitized with a dye; a counter electrode disposed opposing the working electrode; and an electrolyte layer made of these electrolyte compositions is provided.
US08785756B2

An angle adjuster for a music stand includes: a pair of thick portions having a thickness equivalent to a thickness of a two-fold hinge in a folded state and arranged to be mutually parallel; and an intermediate portion arranged between the pair of thick portions and recessed relative to upper surfaces of the thick portions perpendicular to a thickness direction thereof. The intermediate portion includes a plurality of catching portions provided mutually parallely along a longitudinal direction of the thick portions, each of the catching portions being configured to catch one end of a support bar to support the music stand.
US08785755B1

A wheat variety designated XW09H, the plants and seeds of wheat variety XW09H, methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing the variety XW09H with another wheat plant, and hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing the variety XW09H with another wheat line or plant, and the creation of variants by mutagenesis or transformation of variety XW09H. This invention also relates to methods for producing other wheat varieties or breeding lines derived from wheat variety XW09H and to wheat varieties or breeding lines produced by those methods.
US08785752B1

The invention provides seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated 1693842. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety 1693842, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety 1693842 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety 1693842.
US08785741B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated S110151. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety S110151. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety S110151 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety S110151 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08785740B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated A1026597. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety A1026597. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety A1026597 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety A1026597 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08785723B1

A novel maize variety designated X03C209 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X03C209 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X03C209 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X03C209, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X03C209. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X03C209.
US08785722B2

Pairs of plants are provided in which complementing constructs result in suppression of a parental phenotype in the progeny. Methods to generate and maintain such plants, and methods of use of said plants, are provided, including use of parental plants to produce sterile plants for hybrid seed production. Also provided are regulatory elements for pollen-preferred expression of linked polynucleotides. Also provided are methods for identifying gene function, methods for testing allelic variants, and methods for repressing transmission of transgenes.
US08785720B2

A Lycopersicon esculentum plant comprising within its genome at least one tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) resistance allele and at least one root knot nematode resistance allele, characterized in that the resistance alleles are present in coupling phase at different loci on one chromosome and in that the plant is highly resistant both against TYLCV and to at least one root knot nematode species selected from the group consisting of Meloidogyne arenaria, Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica.
US08785712B2

A pharmaceutical drug disposal kit includes a container for receiving pharmaceutical drugs. Water is added to the container to create an aqueous solution with the pharmaceutical drugs, and a constituent in the container makes the solution a basic aqueous solution. A visual and/or taste deterrent is disposed in the container, and an adsorbent or absorbent is also disposed in the container to provide at least partial solidification of the solution. A binding agent is also disposed in the container to bind the ingredients of the pharmaceutical drug, the deterrent, and the adsorbent/absorbent, thereby changing the physical state of the pharmaceutical drugs into a substance that is undesirable to consume, and which enables safe disposal of the pharmaceutical drugs.
US08785707B2

A catalyst that comprises at least one binder and at least one crystallized material with hierarchized and organized porosity in the fields of microporosity and mesoporosity is described, whereby said crystallized material consists of at least two elementary spherical particles, each of said particles comprising a mesostructured silicon-oxide-based matrix that has a mesopore diameter of between 1.5 and 30 nm and that has microporous and crystallized walls with a thickness of between 1 and 60 nm, whereby said elementary spherical particles have a maximum diameter of 200 microns. Said catalyst is used in a process for oligomerization of an olefinic feedstock that contains hydrocarbon molecules that have 2 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule.
US08785704B2

The present invention relates to a process for nonoxidatively dehydroaromatizing a reactant stream comprising C1-C4-aliphatics by converting the reactant stream in the presence of a catalyst in a reaction zone 1 to a product stream P comprising aromatic hydrocarbons, and regenerating the catalyst whose activity has been reduced by deposited coke with a hydrogen-comprising mixture H in a reaction zone 2, wherein at least a portion of the deposited coke is converted to methane and at least a portion of the methane formed is fed to reaction zone 1.
US08785703B2

The present invention provides a process for preparing ethylene and/or propylene, comprising the steps of contacting a stream comprising C4+ olefins with a zeolite-comprising catalyst at a temperature in the range of from 350 to 1000° C. and retrieving an olefinic product stream comprising: ethylene and/or propylene, and a C4+ hydrocarbon fraction, comprising paraffins, normal olefins and iso-olefins; The C4+ hydrocarbon fraction is recycled while part of the fraction is purged. The part of the C4+ hydrocarbon with is purged is treated to extract C4+ isoolefins as tert-alkyl ethers. At least part of tert-alkyl ethers are converted to further ethylene and propylene.
US08785702B2

A process for making diesel and turbine fuels including, providing an effective amount of branched olefins, adding active heterogeneous acid catalyst(s) to said branched olefins to produce a solvent-free mixture, heating said solvent-free mixture greater than about 100° C. for a desired amount of time depending on various conditions, to produce C16 dimers/catalyst mixture, removing said catalysts from said dimers/catalyst mixture, and adding hydrogenation catalyst(s) to said dimers under hydrogen atmosphere to produce a mixture of stable fuels.
US08785699B2

Systems, catalysts, and methods are provided for transforming carbon based material into synthetic mixed alcohol fuel.
US08785684B2

A carbonylation process for making acetic acid uses a metallic co-catalyst composition effective as a rhodium stabilizer and rate promoter at molar ratios of metal/rhodium of from about 0.5 to 30. A preferred process includes: (a) reacting methanol with a carbon monoxide feedstock in a rhodium-based catalytic reaction mixture having: (i) a rhodium catalyst metal, (ii) methyl iodide maintained from about 1 to 20 weight percent, (iii) a lithium iodide co-catalyst, (iv) a metallic co-catalyst composition, (v) water maintained from 0.1 weight percent to less than 8 weight percent, (vi) methyl acetate maintained from about 0.5 to about 30 weight percent, and (vii) acetic acid; (b) flashing crude acetic acid from the reaction mixture; and (c) purifying the crude acetic acid. This process achieves stability and a STY greater than 10 mol/L/hr, with substantially less than a theoretically equivalent inorganic iodide content corresponding to the metallic co-catalyst and lithium iodide.
US08785671B2

The present invention provides a 6,13-dihalogen-5,14-dihydropentacene derivative and a method for production thereof. Compounds (b) and (c) are reacted through cross-coupling reaction in the presence of a metal compound and a lithiating agent to synthesize compound (d), which is then halogenated to thereby obtain a 6,13-dihalogen-5,14-dihydropentacene derivative (compound (e)). [wherein X1 and X2 are each a halogen atom, and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 are each a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted C1-C20 hydrocarbon group, etc.]
US08785661B2

The invention relates to (among other things) oligomer-containing pyrrolidine compounds. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits one or more advantages over corresponding compounds lacking the oligomer.
US08785660B2

Provided are a thiol-reactive polyoxyalkylene-modified lipid which can be used to chemically modify bioactive substances and which can be used for drug delivery systems such as liposomes and a method for producing the same. The polyoxyalkylene-modified lipid is represented by the following formula (1): (wherein, R1 and R2 are hydrocarbon groups which are the same as or different from each other and which contain 4 to 24 carbon atoms, R3 is a divalent hydrocarbon group containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, OA is oxyalkylene groups containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms, n is the average addition mole number of the oxyalkylene groups and is 5 to 1,000, and Z is a group containing either maleimide or iodoacetamide.)
US08785659B2

Process for the preparation of a compound of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 have the meanings as defined in the specification, comprising the step of reacting an acrylic acid chloride compound of formula (II′): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 have the meanings as defined in the specification, with aqueous hydroxylamine and optionally converting the resulting compound into an acid addition salt thereof.
US08785658B2

The present invention relates to substituted pyrrole compounds and compositions comprising substituted pyrrole compounds. The invention further relates to methods of inhibiting the activity of Hsp90 in a subject in need thereof and methods for treating hyperproliferative disorders, such as cancer, in a subject in need thereof comprising administering to the subject a substituted pyrrole compound of the invention, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a compound.
US08785655B2

A chiral ionic compound comprising an alkyl substituted imidazolium or pyridinium cationic core having an alkyl ester side chain (-alkyl-C(O)O—) directly linked to the core and an associated counter anion, characterized in that the —O— atom of the ester side chain is linked to an alpha, a beta or a gamma hydroxycarboxylic acid functionality via the alpha, beta or gamma hydroxy of the acid functionality and the hydroxycarboxylic acid functionality has at least one asymmetric carbon, or characterized in that an —N═ atom of the alkyl substituted imidazolium or pyridinium cationic core is substituted with an alpha, a beta or a gamma hydroxy group of a alpha, a beta or a gamma hydroxycarboxylic acid functionality and the hydroxycarboxylic acid functionality has at least one asymmetric carbon. The chiral ionic liquids (CILs) may be used as novel solvents, in particular for organic synthesis. The CILs have the potential to induce asymmetry into substrates or catalysts in a variety of organic transformations. A number of the compounds have low antimicrobial and low antifungal toxicities and are also biodegradable CILs.
US08785638B2

The present invention relates to a series of compounds having antiviral activity, more specifically HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) replication inhibiting properties. The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of such compounds, as well as to novel intermediates useful in one or more steps of such syntheses. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of such compounds as active ingredients. This invention further relates to the use of such compounds as medicines or in the manufacture of a medicament useful for the treatment of animals suffering from viral infections, in particular HIV infection. This invention further relates to methods for the treatment of viral infections in animals by the administration of a therapeutic amount of such compounds, optionally combined with one or more other drugs having anti-viral activity.
US08785634B2

Compounds of structural formula (I) are inhibitors of prolylcarboxypeptidase (PrCP). The compounds of the present invention are useful for the prevention and treatment of conditions related to enzymatic activity of PrCP such as abnormal metabolism, including obesity; diabetes; metabolic syndrome; obesity related disorders; and diabetes related disorders.
US08785615B2

The various embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to single molecule sensitive probes for detecting RNA, and more particularly to multivalent fluorescent probes for detecting a single molecule of RNA in a cell. The present invention includes a RNA imaging probe comprising: a multivalent core comprising a plurality of attachment sites; a plurality of RNA/DNA chimeric oligonucleotides having a specificity for a target RNA, wherein a RNA/DNA chimeric oligonucleotide is bound to an attachment site of the multivalent core; and a plurality of fluorophores, wherein a fluorophore is bound to the RNA/DNA chimeric oligonucleotide.
US08785613B2

Novel promoters which are derived from P. pastoris pastoris which are inducible or repressible under specific growth conditions are provided. These promoters are useful for regulating the expression of a desired structural gene, e.g., a mammalian polypeptide. Particularly preferred is the use of these novel promoters to regulate gene expression in polyploidal yeast such as diploidal P. pastoris produced by mating or spheroplast fusion.
US08785610B2

Provided herein are exemplary isolated nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides having desaturase activity, which utilize fatty acids as substrates.
US08785602B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions useful in the treatment or prevention of Chlamydia infections and cancer. The methods and compositions inhibit the entry of Chlamydia into a host cell expressing EMP2 by interfering with the interaction between the Chlamydia and EMP2. The methods and compositions target cancers which express or overexpress EMP2 nucleic acids and polypeptides by targeting EMP2.
US08785600B2

Antibodies and antigen-binding fragments of antibodies that bind GCC are disclosed. The antibodies bind an extracellular domain of GCC and can be internalized. In some embodiments, the antibodies are humanized, chimeric or human. Nucleic acids and vectors encoding the antibodies or portions thereof, recombinant cells that contain the nucleic acids, and compositions comprising the antibodies or antigen-binding fragments are also disclosed. The invention also provides therapeutic and diagnostic methods utilizing the antibodies and antigen-binding fragments provided herein.
US08785594B2

The present application discloses novel glycoproteins and a related glycosylcarbamoylation methodology suitable for the preparation of glycopeptides (in particular glycoproteins and glycosylated cells), as well as the use of such glycoproteins in medicine, e.g. as pharmaceuticals and diagnostics or in diagnostic kits. A method for the preparation of a carbohydrate-peptide conjugate includes reacting a cyclic carbamate with a peptide which has at least one primary amino group.
US08785583B2

A process for continuously producing water-absorbing polymer particles by polymerizing a monomer solution comprising acrylic acid and/or salts thereof, wherein the acrylic acid supplied has a dimeric acrylic acid content of at least 0.02% by weight and the dimeric acrylic acid content is kept essentially constant.
US08785576B2

Catalyst compositions containing N,N-bis[2-hydroxidebenzyl]amine transition metal compounds are disclosed. Methods for making these transition metal compounds and for using such compounds in catalyst compositions for the polymerization of olefins also are provided.
US08785570B2

A process for preparing a polyisocyanurate polyurethane material, which process comprises reacting a polyisocyanate and an isocyanate-reactive composition, wherein the reaction is conducted at an isocyanate index of 1600 to 100,000 and in the presence of a trimerization catalyst, wherein the polyisocyanate comprises a) 75-100% by weight of diphenylmethane diisocyanate comprising at least 40%, preferably at least 60% and most preferably at least 85% by weight of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate and/or a variant of said diphenylmethane diisocyanate which variant is liquid at 25° C. and has an NCO value of at least 20% by weight (polyisocyanate a), and b) 25-0% by weight of another polyisocyanate (polyisocyanate b), the amount of polyisocyanate a) and polyisocyanate b) being calculated on the total amount of this polyisocyanate a) and polyisocyanate b), and wherein the isocyanate-reactive composition comprises a) 80-100% by weight of a polyether polyol having an average nominal functionality of 2-6, an average equivalent weight of 1100-5000 and an oxyethylene (EO) content of 65-100% by weight and b) 20-0% by weight of one or more other isocyanate-reactive compounds, the amount of polyol a) and isocyanate-reactive compound b) being calculated on the total amount of this polyol a) and compound b).
US08785569B2

This invention provides Chelating Complex Micelles as a drug carrier. The Chelating Complex Micelles can load drugs without changing their structure, and therefore extend the half-life of drugs in the human body. The chelating complex micelles contain a metal ion core, at least one polymer, and at least one drug molecule. The metal ion is considered as a Lewis acid while polymer chain and drug molecules are referred to as Lewis bases. The drug molecule is linked to the polymer via forming coordinate bonds with metal ion, and then self-assembled to form chelating complex micelles as a drug carrier.
US08785563B2

A cross-linkable fluoroelastomer remarkably excellent in cross-linkability and a method for its production, a fluoroelastomer composition excellent in the cross-linked physical properties, and a cross-linked rubber. A cross-linkable fluoroelastomer having a Mooney viscosity of from 20 to 300, obtainable by heat-treating a mixture of a fluoroelastomer (A), an organic peroxide (B) and at least one additive (C) selected from the group consisting of a C12-28 higher fatty acid, a metal salt of a C12-28 higher fatty acid, an ester of a C12-28 higher fatty acid, an amide of a C12-28 higher fatty acid and a C12-28 higher aliphatic alcohol, at a temperature of from 110 to 380° C.
US08785561B2

A golf ball that includes (a) a core comprising a center; (b) an outer cover layer; and (c) one or more intermediate layers; wherein at least one of the core, the outer cover layer, or the intermediate layer comprises a composition that includes (i) at least one polyalkenamer and at least one polyamide or (ii) at least one polyalkenamer. A method for making a golf ball comprising a core, one or more intermediate layers and an outer cover layer is also disclosed, wherein the method includes forming a blend comprising at least one polyalkenamer rubber and at least one polyamide; and injection molding the blend into a spherical mold to form the intermediate or outer cover layer. Also disclosed is a polymer composition that includes at least one polyalkenamer and at least one thermoplastic copolyamide elastomer.
US08785556B2

Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a fluorinated component and an adhesion promoter compound. The adhesion promoter compound can include an alkoxy group, a furfuryl-containing ring structure, and a reactive group.
US08785554B2

Embodiments of the invention provide crystalline block composites and their use as compatibilizers. The crystalline block composites comprise i) a crystalline ethylene based polymer; ii) a crystalline alpha-olefin based polymer and iii) a block copolymer comprising a crystalline ethylene block and a crystalline alpha-olefin block.
US08785544B2

A primer composition is provided that includes a reactant having an alkoxysilyl group, the reactant being obtained by reacting a polyisocyanate (I), an isocyanate group, and an alkoxysilane having a reactable functional group; a polyisocyanate (II); a polyurethane compound; a (meth) acrylic resin; and a solvent. In the primer composition, a molecular weight of the (meth) acrylic resin is from 15,000 to 150,000 and a weight ratio [(meth) acrylic resin/polyurethane compound] of the (meth) acrylic resin to the polyurethane compound is from 90/10 to 10/90. Additionally, a laminate is provided that includes an inorganic material and a primer layer obtained from the primer composition.
US08785536B2

The invention pertains to the use of a homopolymer of acrylic acid or a copolymer of acrylic acid with a water-soluble monomer, as a dispersing agent or grinding aid agent in a method for manufacturing an aqueous suspension of mineral materials through dispersion and/or grinding, characterized in that the carboxylic groups of said agent are fully or partially neutralized by the lithium ion and in that it exhibits a viscosity index of between 0.01 and 0.08.
US08785525B2

There is provided a thermosetting light-reflecting resin composition that has a high level of various characteristics required of optical semiconductor element mounting boards, such as optical properties and thermal discoloration resistance, provides high releasability during molding such as transfer molding, and allows molding processes to be performed continuously. There are also provided a highly-reliable optical semiconductor element mounting board and an optical semiconductor device each produced with the resin composition, and methods for efficient production thereof. A thermosetting light-reflecting resin composition is prepared and used, which includes (A) an epoxy resin, (B) a curing agent, (C) a curing catalyst, (D) an inorganic filler, (E) a white pigment, (F) an additive, and (G) a release agent as major components, wherein the resin composition, after curing, has a diffuse reflectance of 80% or more at a light wavelength of 400 nm; and the resin composition is possible to perform transfer molding 100 times or more continuously.
US08785524B2

A spray coatable adhesive composition used for bonding silicon dies to a rigid substrate, preferable a silicon substrate is disclosed. The adhesive composition includes an epoxy based resin, a thermal acid generator, a photoacid generator and a solvent. The epoxy based resin includes a mixture of a solid bisphenol A epoxy resin and a liquid or semi-liquid hydrogenated bisphenol A epoxy resin at a weight ratio ranging from about 80:20 to about 65:35. The adhesive composition has a low viscosity which allows it to be spray coated on a rigid substrate and form thin film adhesive which allows silicon dies to be bonded with precise placement on the silicon substrate.
US08785523B2

A flame retardant additive includes red phosphorus adsorbed into a porous carrier. The carrier may be mixed with white phosphorus above its melting point (41° C.), so that liquid phosphorus is pulled into the pores of the carrier by capillary action. The phosphorus-loaded carrier may be heated above 250° C. to convert the white phosphorus to red phosphorus. The resulting red phosphorus-loaded carrier may retain flame retardant activity, and may also be protected from the environment for easier handling and formulation. By employing a carrier of a suitably small particle size, it is practical to incorporate the flame retardant red phosphorus-loaded carrier in thin films.
US08785519B2

This invention relates to latex compositions that incorporate at least one bioactive component such as an antibacterial or an antifungal agent, and methods for making and using such latex compositions. The latex compositions disclosed herein can be prepared by the emulsion polymerization of the latex component monomers in the presence of the at least one bioactive component.
US08785516B2

Process for reducing thermally induced discoloration of fluoropolymer resin produced by polymerizing fluoromonomer in an aqueous dispersion medium to form aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion and isolating said fluoropolymer from said aqueous medium to obtain said fluoropolymer resin. The process comprises exposing the aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion to ultraviolet light in the presence of an oxygen source.
US08785507B2

This invention relates to viscoelastic silicone rubber compositions that are the products of the reaction of: (a) a silanol-terminated polyorganosiloxane base; (b) a boron-containing crosslinking agent; and (c) a siloxane bond-forming crosslinking agent. In a viscoelastic silicone rubber composition of the invention some of the crosslinks, the siloxane crosslinks, are permanent and others of the crosslinks, the boron-containing crosslinks, are temporary. Because a fraction of its crosslinks can come apart and then reform, a viscoelastic silicone rubber composition of the invention can relax stress in response to strain and thus adapt to new shapes. The composition has sufficient permanent crosslinks, however, to establish a permanent equilibrium shape to which the composition will eventually return when not subject to any imposed stress. A viscoelastic silicone rubber composition has sufficient temporary crosslinks to give the composition a stiffness that is greater on short timescales than it is on longer timescales.
US08785506B2

In a process for converting synthesis gas to methanol, gas is introduced through an inlet of a tubular reactor. Reactants pass downwardly through at least one reactor tube to an upper surface of a catalyst carrier and into a passage defined by an inner perforated wall of a carrier container before passing radially through the catalyst bed towards a perforated outer container wall. Reaction occurs as synthesis gas contacts the catalyst. Unreacted reactant and product pass out of the container through the outer container wall and then upwardly between the inner surface of a container skirt and an outer annular container wall, and then over the end of the skirt and downwardly between the outer surface of the skirt and the inner surface of the reactor tube where heat transfer takes place. The steps are repeated at any subsequent catalyst carrier and then product is removed from the reactor outlet.
US08785505B2

The increasing use of nanotechnology in consumer products and medical applications underlies the importance of understanding its potential toxic effects to people and the environment. Herein are described methods and assays to predict and evaluate the cellular effects of nanomaterial exposure. Exposing cells to nanomaterials at cytotoxic doses induces cell cycle arrest and increases apoptosis/necrosis, activates genes involved in cellular transport, metabolism, cell cycle regulation, and stress response. Certain nanomaterials induce genes indicative of a strong immune and inflammatory response within skin fibroblasts. Furthermore, the described multiwall carbon nanoonions (MWCNOs) can be used as a therapeutic in the treatment of cancer due to its cytotoxicity.
US08785479B2

The invention relates to macrocyclic picolinamides of Formula I and their use as fungicides.
US08785477B2

Hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrrole derivatives, preparation methods and pharmaceutical uses thereof are provided. Specifically, dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitors presented by following formula (I) are provided. Such compounds can be used for treating or preventing the diseases associated with dipeptidyl peptidase IV, such as diabetes, obesity and hyperlipemia. The compounds presented by formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a method for preparing a pharmaceutical composition thereof and their uses in the manufacture of medicaments for treating or preventing the disease associated with dipeptidyl peptidase IV are provided.
US08785469B2

The present invention relates to methods of treating metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, atherogenic dyslipidemia and/or obesity. The present invention also relates to methods of restoring the incretin effect, to restoring physiologic control of glucagon levels, to restoring first-phase insulin secretion, and to restoring the physiologic glucose-dependent insulin secretion. The methods of the present invention comprise administration of a selective κ-receptor antagonist, such as guanidinylated naltrindole (GNTI), or pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof to a subject in need thereof.
US08785466B2

Methods and therapeutic strategies utilizing proteinacious channels in lipid membranes of mammalian cells. The methods entail administering a pharmaceutical to a lipid membrane of a mammalian cell, and then determining the effect of the pharmaceutical on the electrophysiology of at least one vascular proteinacious channel of the lipid membrane, wherein the vascular proteinacious channel is a vascular Kv7 potassium channel and/or a vascular L-type calcium channel. The method can be used to identify pharmaceuticals that may be used to treat hypertension and/or vasospastic conditions, or to perform drug screening to assess potential cardiovascular risk of pharmaceuticals.
US08785463B2

The present invention relates to novel GPR 119 agonists of the general formula (I), their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, methods for their preparation, use of these compounds in medicine and the intermediates involved in their preparation.
US08785458B2

The invention relates to a method for the treatment of obesity and related diseases comprising the administration of a therapeutically effective amount of Flibanserin.
US08785457B2

The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein X, R1, R2, T, m, n, o have the meaning as cited in the description and the claims. The compounds of formula (I) are useful as inhibitors of mTOR for the treatment or prophylaxis of mTOR related diseases and disorders. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions including said compounds, the preparation of such compounds as well as the use as medicaments.
US08785456B2

Chemical entities that modulate PI3 kinase activity, pharmaceutical compositions containing the chemical entities, and methods of using these chemical entities for treating diseases and conditions associated with P13 kinase activity are described herein.
US08785450B2

Compounds and compositions comprising compounds that modulate pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) are described herein. Also described herein are methods of using the compounds that modulate PKM2 in the treatment of cancer.
US08785443B2

Prodrugs of methyl hydrogen fumarate, pharmaceutical compositions comprising prodrugs of methyl hydrogen fumarate, and methods of using prodrugs of methyl hydrogen fumarate and pharmaceutical compositions thereof for treating diseases such as psoriasis, asthma, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and arthritis are disclosed.
US08785422B2

Disclosed are 19-nor-vitamin D compounds, and specifically seco-A-2,19-dinor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 as well as pharmaceutical uses therefor. These compounds exhibit relatively high activity in vivo, specifically in intestinal tissues, but relatively low VDR binding activity, cell differentiation activity and gene transcription activity. There is thus potential for these compounds to have strong cell selectivity for use as therapeutic agents against some cancers, such as colon cancer or polyps, as well as hyperplastic intestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and celiac disease. These compounds also have relatively high intestinal calcium transport activity evidencing potential in the treatment of bone diseases.
US08785421B1

Hydroxylated derivatives of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) are effective for preventing or treating mastitis in animals. The hydroxylated derivatives of vitamins D3 or D2 are administered to the mammary gland of a female animal in an amount effective to inhibit or significantly reduce the growth of bacteria in the animal's mammary gland.
US08785416B2

The present invention relates to the use of a series of sulphated disaccharides for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of a neurodegenerative and/or neurovascular disease, of a traumatic brain injury or of a traumatic spinal cord injury. The present invention also relates to the use of said sulphated disaccharides for the preparation of a neuroprotective medicament or of an antioxidant medicament. The neurodegenerative and/or neurovascular diseases are preferably: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and stroke.
US08785415B2

Provided are compositions of cladribine and cyclodextrin which are especially suited for the oral administration of cladribine.
US08785413B2

The subject invention provides materials and methods useful in safely and effectively preventing pathological proliferation of blood vessels. The prevention of the over-proliferation of blood vessels according to the subject invention is particularly advantageous for treatment of certain ocular conditions including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and diabetic retinopathy. In preferred embodiments, the subject invention provides materials and methods for effective treatment of pathological ocular neovascularization using gene therapy. In a specific embodiment the materials and methods of the subject invention can be used to treat AMD.
US08785409B2

Compounds of the form O-(x-L)n, where O is an oligonucleoside having at least a plurality of N3′→P5′ thiophosphoramidate (NPS) internucleoside linkages, a conjugated lipid moiety L, and at least one G-rich sequence motif as described, are effective to morphologically alter and reduce adhesion of cancer cells.
US08785407B2

The invention provides antisense antiviral compounds and methods of their use in inhibition of growth of viruses of the picornavirus, calicivirus, togavirus and flavivirus families, as in treatment of a viral infection. The antisense antiviral compounds have morpholino subunits linked by uncharged phosphorodiamidate linkages interspersed with cationic phosphorodiamidate linkages.
US08785405B2

This invention provides a method of synthesizing new active compounds for pharmaceutical uses including cancer treatment, wherein the cancers comprise breast, leukocytic, liver, ovarian, bladder, prostatic, skin, bone, brain, leukemia, lung, colon, CNS, melanoma, renal, cervical, esophageal, testicular, spleenic, kidney, lymphatic, pancreatic, stomach and thyroid cancers. This invention is an anti adhesion therapy which uses the compound as a mediator or inhibitor of adhesion proteins and angiopoietins. It inhibits excess adhesion and inhibits cell attachment. It modulates angiogenesis. The compounds also use as mediator of cell adhesion receptor, cell circulating, cell moving and inflammatory diseases.
US08785402B2

Methods of diagnosing Helicobacter pylori infection or associated conditions are based in part on the correlation of the presence of a α-L-fucosidase 2 marker with the infection. Methods and compositions for treating or preventing Helicobacter pylori infection or associated conditions are based in part on administering an α-L-fucosidase 2 inhibitor to an infected subject or a subject at risk of developing the infection.
US08785390B2

An isolated protein selected from the group consisting of (i) proteins comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to the C-terminal domain of lung surfactant protein C precursor (CTproSP-C, “CTC”) from a mammal; and (ii) proteins comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 70% identity to the Brichos domain of CTproSP-C from a mammal, is disclosed for treatment of Alzheimer's disease in a mammal, including man.
US08785389B2

This invention relates to the production of biomaterials from polymeric collagen (PC) and its seeding with cells and other components of biomaterials. Polymeric collagen is isolated from tissue, suspended in an acidic solution, and then neutralized at low temperature. The neutralized suspension is then seeded with biomaterial components, such as cells, and the polymeric collagen aggregated to form a biomaterial comprising the biomaterial components. Polymeric collagen biomaterials produced as described herein may therefore be useful in a range of tissue engineering applications.
US08785376B2

In one aspect, the invention relates to isolated compounds useful as antifungal agents, for example, compounds having a structure represented by a formula: wherein R1 is hydrogen or hydroxyl; wherein R2 is hydrogen or xylose; and wherein R3 and R4 are each hydrogen or together oxygen, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof; methods of isolating and purifying same; pharmaceutical compositions comprising same; agricultural compositions comprising same; and methods of treating and/or preventing fungal infections using same. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.
US08785375B2

The present invention relates to cyclic cationic peptides and their use in the treatment of microbial infections.
US08785368B2

The object of the present invention is to improve the solidification point and the hardness of a soap of the fatty acid soap series wherein a large amount of myristic acid is blended. The solid soap of the present invention to achieve the above-described object is characterized by comprising a fatty acid soap and 1 to 8 mass % of betaine, and in that the content of myristic acid is 50 mass % or more in the total fatty acid of the fatty acid soap.
US08785365B2

The present invention relates to α-amylase variants that are stabilized to dimerization and/or multimerization, in particular at elevated temperatures or high pH, by point mutagenesis of positively polarized or charged or neutral surface amino acids to give more negatively polarized or charged amino acids. The invention further relates to methods of increasing the stability of an α-amylase to dimerization and/or multimerization brought about by electrostatic interactions whereby at least one amino acid residue on the surface of the starting molecule, which makes a neutral or positively polar or charged contribution to the electrostatic potential of said molecule, is replaced with a more negatively polar or negatively charged amino acid residue. The α-amylase variants obtained thereby exhibit better stability to influences of the solvent, increased processivity, and are suited for numerous industrial areas of use, in particular as active ingredients in detergents and cleansers.
US08785361B2

A detergent product containing a detergent composition is provided.
US08785358B2

The present invention relates to a process for producing lubricating grease by adding a polymeric structure improver in a composition liquid at 25° C. to the dispersion to a dispersion which has grease structure and comprises at least one thickener and at least one lubricating oil.
US08785357B2

The present Invention relates to the use of a compound in a lubricating composition as an engine oil antiwear and/or extreme pressure agent, wherein the compound is a heterocycle having a hydrocarbyl group containing 6 to 40 carbon atoms, wherein the heterocycle is either (i) a heterocycle compound having a functional group selected from the group consisting of at least one of an ester, an amide, a salt and an acid, or (ii) a pyrimidine.
US08785355B2

The present invention provides aqueous viscoelastic compositions comprising a cleavable anionic surfactant which is a sulphonate and possibly also an electrolyte. The cleavable surfactants useful in the present invention comprise a chemical bond, which is capable of being broken under appropriate conditions, to produce oil soluble and water soluble products typically having no interfacial properties and surface activity compared with the original surfactant molecule. Further, the rheological properties of the aqueous viscoelastic composition are usually altered upon cleavage of the cleavable surfactant generally resulting in the elimination of the viscosifying, viscoelastic and surfactant properties of the composition. Aqueous viscoelastic compositions in accordance with the present invention are suitable for use in oil-field applications, particularly for hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations. Thus, the present invention also relates to a wellbore service fluid and a method of fracturing a subterranean formation.
US08785351B2

Herbicidal compositions comprising (a) bentazon-sodium and (b) an ALS inhibitor and (c) an ACCase inhibitor controls susceptible and resistant weeds in crops, e.g., rice, wheat, barley, oats, rye, sorghum, corn/maize, pastures, grasslands, rangelands, fallowland, turf, tree and vine orchards and IVM, but also additionally in ALS and ACC'ase tolerant crops.
US08785350B2

The invention provides herbicide combinations and provides for the use of herbicide combinations for control of weeds in soybean and leguminous species, wherein the particular herbicide combination comprises (A) a herbicide from the group of compounds of the formula (A1) in which Z is hydroxyl, —NHCH(CH3)CONHCH(CH3)COOH or —NHCH(CH3)CONHCH[CH2CH(CH3)2]COOH, or esters or salts thereof, (B) a herbicide of the formula (B1) in which X is N or CH and R is CO2H or a herbicide-active derivative, and the soybean and leguminous species are tolerant to the herbicides (A) and (B) present in the combination, optionally in the presence of safeners.
US08785337B2

A glass container and related methods of manufacturing. The glass container has a glass composition including soda-lime base glass materials, and an oxide of vanadium for good ultraviolet light blocking properties and an oxide of selenium to decolor the glass for good clarity and decolorization. The glass composition of the glass container also may include an oxide of sulfur.
US08785327B2

According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes forming first layer on first and second regions in substrate, first layer having first width in first region and having larger dimension than first width in second region, forming first sidewall on first layer, forming second layer covering first sidewall in the second region and forming third layer having second width smaller than first width on the side face of first sidewall having second width after removing first layer, forming second and third sidewalls having second width so that second and third sidewalls is adjacent to first sidewall across third layer by second width in first region and across second and third layers by second interval larger than second width in the second region.
US08785320B2

A high aspect ratio metallization structure is provided in which a noble metal-containing material is present at least within a lower portion of a contact opening located in a dielectric material and is in direct contact with a metal semiconductor alloy located on an upper surface of a material stack of at least one semiconductor device. In one embodiment, the noble metal-containing material is plug located within the lower region of the contact opening and an upper region of the contact opening includes a conductive metal-containing material. The conductive metal-containing material is separated from plug of noble metal-containing material by a bottom walled portion of a U-shaped diffusion barrier. In another embodiment, the noble metal-containing material is present throughout the entire contact opening.
US08785319B2

Methods of forming fine patterns are provided. The methods may include forming first hard mask patterns extending in a first direction on a lower layer, forming second hard mask patterns filling gap regions between the first hard mask patterns, forming first mask patterns extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on the first and second hard mask patterns, etching the first hard mask patterns using the first mask patterns as etch masks to form first openings, forming second mask patterns filling the first openings and extending in the second direction, and etching the second hard mask patterns using the second mask patterns as etch masks to form second openings spaced apart from the first openings in a diagonal direction with respect to the first direction.
US08785318B2

A technique which improves the reliability in coupling between a bump electrode of a semiconductor chip and wiring of a mounting substrate, more particularly a technique which guarantees the flatness of a bump electrode even when wiring lies in a top wiring layer under the bump electrode, thereby improving the reliability in coupling between the bump electrode and the wiring formed on a glass substrate. Wiring, comprised of a power line or signal line, and a dummy pattern are formed in a top wiring layer beneath a non-overlap region of a bump electrode. The dummy pattern is located to fill the space between wirings to reduce irregularities caused by the wirings and space in the top wiring layer. A surface protection film formed to cover the top wiring layer is flattened by CMP.
US08785312B2

Electronic apparatus and methods of forming the electronic apparatus include HfSiON for use in a variety of electronic systems. In various embodiments, conductive material is coupled to a dielectric containing HfSiON, where such conductive material may include one or more monolayers of titanium nitride, tantalum, or combinations of titanium nitride and tantalum.
US08785280B2

A body layer is formed in an epitaxial layer and a gate electrode formed in a trench in the body and epitaxial layer. A gate insulator is disposed along a sidewall of the gate electrode between the gate electrode and the source, between the gate electrode and the P-body and between the gate electrode and the epitaxial layer. A cap insulator is disposed on top of the gate electrode. A doped spacer is disposed along a sidewall of the source and a sidewall of the gate insulator. The body layer next to the polysilicon spacer is etched back below the bottom of the polysilicon spacer. Dopants are diffused from the spacer to form the source region.
US08785265B2

An object to provide a material suitably used for used for a semiconductor included in a transistor, a diode, or the like, with the use of a sputtering method. Specifically, an object is to provide a manufacturing process an oxide semiconductor film having high crystallinity. By intentionally adding nitrogen to the oxide semiconductor, an oxide semiconductor film having a wurtzite crystal structure that is a hexagonal crystal structure is formed. In the oxide semiconductor film, the crystallinity of a region containing nitrogen is higher than that of a region hardly containing nitrogen or a region to which nitrogen is not intentionally added. The oxide semiconductor film having high crystallinity and having a wurtzite crystal structure is used as a channel formation region of a transistor.
US08785264B2

According to an embodiment of the disclosed technology, a manufacture method of an organic thin film transistor array substrate is provided. The method comprises: forming a first pixel electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode and a data line in a first patterning process; forming an organic semiconductor island and a gate insulating island in a second patterning process; forming a data pad region in a third patterning process; and forming a second pixel electrode, a gate electrode and a gate line in a fourth patterning process.
US08785259B2

It is an object to form a high quality gate insulating film which is dense and has a strong insulation resistance property, and to propose a high reliable organic transistor in which a tunnel leakage current is little. One mode of the organic transistor of the present invention has a step of forming the gate insulating film by forming the conductive layer which becomes the gate electrode activating oxygen (or gas including oxygen) or nitrogen (or gas including nitrogen) or the like using dense plasma in which density of electron is 1011 cm−3 or more, and electron temperature is a range of 0.2 eV to 2.0 eV with plasma activation, and reacting directly with a portion of the conductive layer which becomes the gate electrode to be insulated.
US08785254B2

A method of manufacturing a high-capacity semiconductor package includes preparing a leadframe not comprising a chip mount area and comprising only a lead on a tape; attaching an interposer on a center area of the leadframe; stacking semiconductor chips stepwise on a first surface of the interposer; performing a first wire bonding process so as to connect the semiconductor chips, the lead, and the interposer; performing a first molding process so as to encapsulate a top surface of the leadframe, the semiconductor chips, and wires; detaching a tape from the leadframe and turning the leadframe on which the first molding process has been performed upside down; stacking semiconductor chips on a second surface of the interposer; performing a second wire bonding process so as to connect the semiconductor chips, the lead, and the interposer; and performing a second molding process so as to encapsulate a bottom surface of the leadframe, the semiconductor chips, and wires.
US08785251B2

A semiconductor device has a semiconductor die mounted over a surface of a substrate. A mold underfill dispensing needle has a width substantially equal to a width of the semiconductor die. The dispensing needle is placed in fluid communication with a side of the semiconductor die. A mold underfill is deposited from an outlet of the dispensing needle evenly across a width of the semiconductor die into an area between the semiconductor die and substrate without motion of the dispensing needle. The dispensing needle has a shank and the outlet in a T-configuration. The dispensing needle can have a plurality of pole portions between a shank and the outlet. The dispensing needle has a plate between a shank and the outlet. The outlet has an upper edge with a length substantially equal to or greater than a length of a lower edge of the outlet.
US08785250B2

Fabrication of a semiconductor package includes placing a conductive material on a protrusion from a leadframe to form a first assembly, forming a non-conductive mask about the protrusion, and placing a die on the first assembly, the die having an active area. Fabrication can further include reflowing the conductive material to form a second assembly such that a connection extends from the die active area, through the conductive material, to the protrusion. A semiconductor package includes a leadframe having a protrusion, a conductive material reflowed to the protrusion, and a die having an active area coupled to the protrusion by the reflowed solder.
US08785249B2

Aspects and examples include electrical components and methods of forming electrical components. In one example, a method includes selecting a substrate, forming a pattern of a first conductive material on a top surface of the substrate, forming a pattern of a second conductive material on a bottom surface of the substrate, dicing the substrate into one or more die having a first diced surface and a second diced surface, securing the first diced surface of each of the one or more die to a retaining material, encapsulating the one or more die in an encapsulent to form a reconstituted wafer, and forming a pattern of a third conductive material on the second diced surface by metalizing a surface of the reconstituted wafer.
US08785247B2

According to an embodiment, a chip package is provided, which includes: a substrate having a first surface and a second surface; a device region formed in the substrate; a passivation layer formed overlying the first surface of the substrate; at least a polymer planarization layer formed overlying the passivation layer; a package substrate disposed overlying the first surface of the substrate; and a spacer layer disposed between the package substrate and the passivation layer, wherein the spacer layer and the package substrate surround a cavity overlying the substrate, wherein the polymer planar layer does not extends to an outer edge of the spacer layer.
US08785242B2

An embodiment is to include a staggered (top gate structure) thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film containing In, Ga, and Zn is used as a semiconductor layer and a buffer layer is provided between the semiconductor layer and a source and drain electrode layers. The buffer layer having higher carrier concentration than the semiconductor layer is provided intentionally between the source and drain electrode layers and the semiconductor layer, whereby an ohmic contact is formed.
US08785241B2

When a transistor having bottom gate bottom contact structure is manufactured, for example, a conductive layer constituting a source and a drain has a three-layer structure and two-step etching is performed. In the first etching process, an etching method in which the etching rates for at least the second film and the third film are high is employed, and the first etching process is performed until at least the first film is exposed. In the second etching process, an etching method in which the etching rate for the first film is higher than that in the first etching process and the etching rate for a “layer provided below and in contact with the first film” is lower than that in the first etching process is employed. The side wall of the second film is slightly etched when a resist mask is removed after the second etching process.
US08785238B2

The method includes: forming a lower electrode layer above a substrate; forming a variable resistance layer on the lower electrode layer; forming an upper electrode layer on the variable resistance layer; forming a hard mask layer on the upper electrode layer; forming a photoresist mask on the hard mask layer; forming a hard mask by performing etching on the hard mask layer using the photoresist mask; and forming a nonvolatile memory element by performing etching on the upper electrode layer, the variable resistance layer, and the lower electrode layer, using the hard mask. In the forming of a photoresist mask, the photoresist mask is formed to have corner portions which recede toward the center portion in planar view.
US08785226B2

Exemplary embodiments provide semiconductor nanowires and nanowire devices/applications and methods for their formation. In embodiments, in-plane nanowires can be epitaxially grown on a patterned substrate, which are more favorable than vertical ones for device processing and three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits. In embodiments, the in-plane nanowire can be formed by selective epitaxy utilizing lateral overgrowth and faceting of an epilayer initially grown in a one-dimensional (1D) nanoscale opening. In embodiments, optical, electrical, and thermal connections can be established and controlled between the nanowire, the substrate, and additional electrical or optical components for better device and system performance.
US08785222B2

The present invention provides phosphor inks configured to achieve high efficiency in converting LED light from one wavelength to another. The phosphor ink composition for deposition on an LED device comprises a phosphor component having nano-phosphor particles on the order of 100 to 1000 nanometers, and a curable resin component. In particular, the nano-phosphor particles are uniformly dispersed throughout the ink composition. The nano-phosphor particles may be formed by a size reduction process carried out on larger phosphor particles on the order of 1 to 50 micrometers. Preferably, the size reduction process is based on solvent wet milling. Methods for preparing the phosphor inks based on forming the nano-phosphor particles from larger particles by solvent wet milling are also provided.
US08785214B2

A method of recycling a silicon component for a plasma etching apparatus includes a collecting process of collecting silicon wastes from any one of a silicon component for a plasma etching apparatus and a silicon ingot for a semiconductor wafer; a measurement process of obtaining a content of impurity based on an electric characteristic of the collected silicon wastes; an input amount determination process of determining an input amount of the silicon wastes, an input amount of a silicon source material, and an input amount of impurity based on the content of impurity obtained in the measurement process and a target value of an electric characteristic of a final product; and a silicon ingot manufacturing process of manufacturing a silicon ingot by inputting the silicon wastes, the silicon source material, and the impurity based on the input amounts determined in the input amount determination process into a crucible.
US08785210B2

Test kit for the detection of an analyte in an aqueous solution, including chromatographic test strips for a hapten-antihapten complex and first and second standardized vessels for receiving and positioning test strips, which include first and second hapten-coupled receptors against the analyte dried onto the interior wall for the formation of the hapten-antihapten complex, where a portion of the standardized vessels further include a known amount of analyte embedded in a glass-like layer of trehalose, which are dried onto the interior wall of the control vessel so that they dissolve during reaction of the sample with the hapten-coupled receptors. Through this standardization, analytes in unknown samples may be safely detected by immunochromatography within minutes through a hapten-antihapten complex.
US08785204B2

The invention provides a method of assaying for tetrahydrocannabinol in a body fluid. The method includes contacting a sample of body fluid with an imine capable of reacting with tetrahydrocannabinol to yield a quinone imine, and detecting the formation of a quinone imine, where the sample is contacted with the reagent compound at a pH of at least 10.5.
US08785185B2

The present invention provides methods to promote the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into cells expressing markers characteristic of the pancreatic endocrine lineage that co-express PDX1, NKX6.1, but do not express CDX2 and NGN3.
US08785179B2

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor biointerface with a rigid thiol linker layer and/or interaction layer ligand loading with reversible collapse and/or iron oxide nanoparticle sensor response amplification.
US08785176B2

The present invention concerns compositions and methods of extracting infectious pathogens from a volume of blood. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of creating a fibrin aggregate confining the pathogens and introducing a fibrin lysis reagent to expose the pathogens for analysis. The present invention also concerns materials and methods for removing aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) from a sample.
US08785172B2

Subtilase variants having an improved wash performance on egg stains. These subtilases are useful exhibiting excellent or improved wash performance on egg stains when used in e.g. cleaning or detergent compositions, such as laundry detergent compositions and dish wash compositions, including automatic dish wash compositions.
US08785154B2

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an aqueous glucose solution from the starch components of Triticeae grains, for example from rye, triticale or in particular wheat grains. The invention also relates to a glucose-based fermentation method for manufacturing organic compounds in which the glucose manufactured for fermentation is produced from the starch components of Triticeae grains by way of a method according to the invention.
US08785148B2

Described herein is a method and a device for expediting delivery of an agent to a damaged bacterial cell. In one embodiment, the methods and devices are useful for screening candidate antibiotics. In another embodiment, the methods and devices described herein are used to determine susceptibility of bacteria to an antibiotic. The methods also provide a method for determining an appropriate antibiotic to treat an individual having a bacterial infection.
US08785144B2

Disclosed is an analysis method comprising the steps of:(a) reacting a substance to be analyzed with at least a specific partner which exhibits a selective interaction with the substance, converting a soluble substance to an insoluble substance by an insolubilization reaction, in correlation with the amount of the substance to be analyzed contained in a sample, and depositing the insoluble substance on a sensing part, and (b) electrically analyzing the insoluble substance deposited on the sensing part, wherein at least one of steps (a) and (b) is carried out under flow conditions.
US08785142B2

The invention relates to an arrangement, comprising a solid carrier and a matrix arranged on the solid carrier, said matrix comprising at least one enzymatically convertible or modifiable molecule and comprising at least one enzyme that can be released by the conversion or modification of the molecule, said enzyme being capable of converting at least one color-changing substrate located in the matrix and/or on the solid carrier.
US08785137B2

Use of Annexin A1 or Rab23 as a biomarker for diagnosing kidney disease or assessing efficacy of kidney disease treatment.
US08785136B2

An immunodetection probe comprises a needle structure having a compartment and configured to be inserted into an organic tissue, a dialysis membrane configured to isolate the compartment from the organic tissue, a detection device having a detection portion and a plurality of receptors, a first optical fiber coupled to the needle structure, and a pair of tubes connected to the compartment. The plurality of receptors are disposed on an end surface of the detection portion for conjugating target antibodies, wherein the detection portion is disposed in the compartment. The first optical fiber is configured to introduce light incident on photo-induced molecules adjacent to the end surface of the detection portion so as to cause a change in the pH level of the solution adjacent to the end surface of the detection portion. The pair of tubes is configured to transport the solution containing the photo-induced molecules into the compartment.
US08785129B2

Methods for detecting cancer that include hybridizing a set of chromosomal probes to a biological sample obtained from a patient, and identifying if aneusomic cells are present in a selected subset of cells obtained from the biological sample are described. A set of chromosomal probes and kits for detecting cancer that include sets of chromosomal probes, are also described.
US08785125B2

Nucleic acid oligonucleotide sequences are disclosed which include amplification oligomers and probe oligomers which are useful for detecting multiple types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) associated with cervical cancer. Methods for detecting multiple HPV types in biological specimens by amplifying HPV nucleic acid sequences in vitro and detecting the amplified products are disclosed.
US08785122B2

Methods of identifying polymorphisms associated with ataxia-ocular apraxia 2 (AOA2), are described. The polymorphisms associated with AOA2 include specific mutations in the senataxin (SETX) gene. Also described are methods of diagnosis of AOA2, as well as methods of assessing an individual for carrier status for AOA2.
US08785119B2

Provided are methods for labeling transfer RNA comprising replacing the uracil component of a dihydrouridine of said transfer RNA with a fluorophore. The disclosed methods may comprise fluorescent labeling of natural tRNAs (i.e., tRNAs that have been synthesized in a cell, for example, in a bacterium, a yeast cell, or a vertebrate cell) at dihydrouridine (D) positions, or fluorescent labeling of synthetic tRNAs. In another aspect, the present invention provides methods for assessing protein synthesis in a translation system comprise providing a tRNA having a fluorophore substitution for the uracil component of a dihydrouridine in a D loop of the tRNA; introducing the labeled tRNA into the translation system; irradiating the translation system with electromagnetic radiation, thereby generating a fluorescence signal from the fluorophore; detecting the fluorescence signal; and, correlating the fluorescence signal to one or more characteristics of the protein synthesis in the translation system. The disclosed methods are useful in single molecule as well as in ensemble settings.
US08785110B2

A liquid ejection head is manufactured by forming a dent representing a substantially spherical profile so as to include a position for forming an ejection port on a surface of a photosensitive resin layer, then forming a latent image of the ejection port in the dent by an exposure treatment using a projection lens system, and developing the latent image. The center of the top surface of the latent image is shifted to the incoming side of the beam of exposure light from the lowest point of the dent.
US08785109B2

A method for producing a printable lithographic plate from a negative working, radiation imageable plate having an oleophilic resin coating that reacts to radiation by cross linking and is non-ionically adhered to a hydrophilic substrate. Steps include imagewise radiation exposing the coating to produce an imaged plate having partially reacted image areas including unreacted coating material, and completely unreacted nonimage areas; developing the plate by removing only the unreacted, nonimage areas from the substrate while retaining unreacted material in the image areas; and blanket exposing the developed plate with a source of energy which further reacts the retained unreacted material in the image areas. A plate with a coating containing resin particles can be imaged to produce initial cross-linking, then mechanically developed. Hardening of the imaged areas is completed with a relatively intense post-heating at 160 deg. C., which further cross links the monomer and fuses the resin particles.
US08785100B2

The present invention relates to a two-component developer which comprises a toner, and a carrier having a surface of a core material particle coated with a resin having a unit of general formula (1). The present invention provides a two-component developer which has enhanced environmental stability of carrier charging performance.
US08785099B2

A toner including toner particles including a binder resin containing at least one polyester resin comprising an inorganic tin (II) compound and an external additive including a particulate inorganic material having a volume average particle diameter greater than 70 nm and less than 300 nm. The binder resin preferably includes a polyester resin having a weight average molecular weight of from 5,000 to 50,000 and another resin having a weight average molecular weight of from 200,000 to 400,000. A developer including the toner; and a developing device, an image forming apparatus and a process cartridge, which form toner images using the toner are also provided.
US08785096B1

The disclosure relates generally to toner additives, and in particular, toner additives that provide desired higher and stable toner charge. The toner additives comprise silica nanotubes in combination with or in place of the commonly used silica or titania particulate additives.
US08785092B2

The disclosure relates generally to toner additives, and in particular, toner additives that provide desired higher toner charge and low relative humidity (RH) sensitivity. The toner additives comprise titania nanotubes or titania nanosheets in combination with or in place of the commonly used anatase or rutile crystalline titania.
US08785089B2

The present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus, each of which has the electrophotographic photosensitive member. In the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charge transport layer used as a surface layer contains a charge transport material, a polycarbonate resin A which has a specific amount of a specific repeating structural unit of a specific siloxane moiety, and a polyester resin C and/or a polycarbonate resin D, each of which has a specific repeating structural unit. In the charge transport layer, a matrix-domain structure is formed in which a matrix is formed from the charge transport material and the polyester resin C and/or the polycarbonate resin D, and domains are formed in the above matrix from the polycarbonate resin A.
US08785083B2

Structure of mask blanks and masks, and methods of making masks are disclosed. The new mask blank and mask comprise a tripe etching stop layer to prevent damages to the quartz substrate when the process goes through etching steps three times. The triple etching stop layer may comprise a first sub-layer of tantalum containing nitrogen (TaN), a second sub-layer of tantalum containing oxygen (TaO), and a third sub-layer of TaN. Alternatively, the triple etching stop layer may comprise a first sub-layer of SiON material, a second sub-layer of TaO material, and a third sub-layer of SiON material. Another alternative may be one layer of low etching rate MoxSiyONz material which can prevent damages to the quartz substrate when the process goes through etching steps three times. The island mask is defined on the mask blank by using various optical proximity correction rules.
US08785077B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a fuel cell connection component, including an interconnect or a current collector. The fuel cell connection component includes conductive fibers oriented at an angle of less than about 90° to at least one electrode in the fuel cell. The fuel cell connection component provides an electrically conductive pathway from the at least one electrode of the fuel cell to an external circuit or to an electrode of a different fuel cell. Embodiments of the present invention also provide fuel cells that include the fuel cell connection component, including fuel cell layers, and methods of making the same.
US08785070B2

A cathode for use in a direct oxidation fuel cell (DOFC) comprises a gas diffusion medium (GDM) including a backing layer and a microporous layer comprising a fluoropolymer and an electrically conductive material, wherein loading of the fluoropolymer in the microporous layer is in the range from about 10 to about 60 wt. %. In use, a concentrated solution of a liquid fuel is supplied to an anode and an oxidant to the cathode of the fuel cell, and the fuel cell may be operated at a low oxidant stoichiometry ξc not greater than about 2.5.
US08785067B2

A fuel cell system that employs one or more wax elements to provide passive control. In one embodiment, a wax element device is positioned within a coolant stream pipe. The wax element device includes a wax element positioned within a container. An electrically conductive rod is positioned within the wax element and extends out of the pipe. As the wax element expands and contracts in response to temperature changes in the cooling fluid, the rod moves up and down to make various electrical contacts and control the various devices, such a coolant pump and a coolant fan. In another embodiment, the rod extends into a cathode exhaust pipe of the fuel cell system, and is coupled to a back-pressure valve therein. As the temperature of the cooling fluid changes, the wax element expands and contracts to control the position of the back-pressure valve.
US08785066B2

A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell activation portion that starts electricity generation of a fuel cell; a cooling medium passage that is provided with a pump and that is provided for passing a cooling medium through a cell-side passage for the cooling medium; and a pump control portion that stops the pump for a first predetermined period after a start of the electricity generation caused by the fuel cell activation portion at a time when a temperature of the fuel cell is a low temperature lower than or equal to a predetermined value, and that starts operating the pump after the first predetermined period elapses. The pump control portion includes a cooling medium reverse portion that alternately reverses a direction of flow of the cooling medium in the cell-side passage according to elapsed time by controlling operation of the pump after the first predetermined period elapses.
US08785064B2

A scalable endothermic reaction apparatus, system and method captures, concentrates, and converts atmospheric heat and humidity into diatomic hydrogen and stoichiometric oxygen for use within an exothermic device such as an engine, a turbine, or a fuel cell. No nitrogen or carbon compounds are introduced into the process utilized by the apparatus. All operating matter and energy utilized in the process is recycled in a closed loop system. Energy emitted from the exothermic device as waste is captured and immediately returned as waste hot water to the endothermic device. The waste output of the work-producing device is thus an exploitable asset that can be repeatedly returned in service through the endothermic device, without any emissions from an exhaust or tailpipe in the system. At peak efficiency, the exothermic and endothermic processes are formed as an apparatus that is thermally sealed in a free-standing and self-sustaining operating package.
US08785063B2

The present invention provides a fuel cell stack with a water drainage structure, which can effectively drain condensed water and prevent water from flowing into unit cells by combining an end anode plate (EAP) and an end cathode plate (ECP), which are formed by modifying an anode plate (AP) and cathode plate (CP) respectively. In doing so, the modified anode plate (AP) and cathode plate (CP) are converted into a dummy cell which is positioned at the end portions of the fuel cell stack.
US08785062B2

The fuel cell system of the present invention includes: (A) a fuel cell stack including at least one unit fuel cell including a cathode, an anode, and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed therebetween; (B) a detecting device for detecting lack of humidification in the fuel cell stack; (C) a water supplying device for supplying moisture to the fuel cell stack when lack of humidification is detected by the detecting device; (D) a heating device for heating the supplied moisture; and (E) a cooling device for cooling the supplied moisture. In the fuel cell system of the present invention, the fuel cell stack is humidified by repeating heating and cooling of the supplied moisture by the heating device and the cooling device, respectively.
US08785053B2

A current collector includes a support and at least one carbon nanotube layer. The support includes two surfaces. The at least one carbon nanotube layer is located on one of the two surfaces of the support. The at least one carbon nanotube layer includes a number of uniformly distributed carbon nanotubes. A lithium ion battery includes a cathode electrode and an anode electrode. At least one of the cathode electrode and the anode electrode includes the current collector.
US08785041B2

An electrode includes a collector formed with a conductive resin layer and an active material layer formed on the conductive resin layer. The active material layer comprises an active material and a binder polymer, and the conductive resin layer is bonded by thermal fusion bonding to the active material layer.
US08785037B2

A secondary battery includes an electrode assembly having a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a separator located between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; a first collecting plate and a second collecting plate that are electrically connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, respectively; a case configured to accommodate the electrode assembly, the first collecting plate, and the second collecting plate; and a cap plate configured to close the case to seal the electrode assembly, the first collecting plate and the second collecting plate within the case, wherein reinforcement stepped parts are formed on the cap plate such that a center region of the cap plate has a thickness different from a thickness of peripheral regions of the cap plate.
US08785022B2

A secondary battery for an electronic appliance, including a battery cell. The battery cell has a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte in a pack. A positive electrode terminal and a negative electrode terminal are led out from the same side face of the pack. A metallic battery can accommodates the battery cell therein such that the side face from which the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal are lead out is faced towards the opening side. A lid, made of a synthetic resin, in which terminal parts to be connected to the electrodes of the electronic appliance upon being connected to the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal are faced outwardly, plugs the opening of the battery can, the battery cell being accommodated in the battery can upon being adhered onto an inner face thereof.
US08785019B2

A negative electrode for a nickel-hydrogen rechargeable battery is a strip-shaped negative electrode, the negative electrode being formed of a core body and a negative mixture layer covering the core body and containing hydrogen-storage alloy particles, including a main section, both sides of which face the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween as viewed in a rolled state where the negative electrode forms the electrode group with the positive electrode and the separator, and an outermost circumferential portion and an innermost circumferential portion that are protruding from ends of the main section in a rolling direction and facing the positive electrode with the separator intervening therebetween only with one side, wherein the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the outermost circumferential portion and the innermost circumferential portion have an average diameter larger than an average diameter of the hydrogen-storage alloy particles contained in the main section.
US08785015B2

Disclosed are an electrolyte for a secondary battery, and a secondary battery including the same, the electrolyte including an electrolyte salt; an electrolyte solvent; and a compound generating heat through oxidation at voltages higher than drive voltage of a cathode, wherein the compound can decompose or evaporate electrolyte components by oxidation heat, thereby causing gas generation. Also, the compound is included in an internal pressure increase accelerant for a battery. Upon overcharge, since a compound subjected to oxidation at voltages higher than normal drive voltage of a cathode generates heat, electrolyte components can be decomposed or evaporated, thereby generating gas by the oxidation heat. Accordingly, it is possible to operate a safety means of a battery, without using an internal pressure increasing material directly generating gas through oxidation at overcharge voltage as the electrolyte additive, and thus to improve the overcharge safety of a secondary battery.
US08785014B2

A nickel-metal hydride secondary battery includes: a plurality of power generating elements each having a negative plate containing hydrogen absorbing alloy; a battery case provided with partition walls and a plurality of compartments arranged adjacently on both sides of each partition wall, each of the compartments accommodating each power generating element, and the compartments allowing gas intercommunication between compartments through communication holes formed in the partition walls; and at least one of safety valves placed on the battery case, the safety valves being less in number than the number of the compartments; wherein each of the communication holes has a hole sectional area per battery module capacity in a range 0.03 to 0.30 mm2/Ah.
US08785005B2

Provided is an organic light-emitting device that can be driven at low voltage, that produces a light output with high efficiency and high luminance, and that can emit light with high color purity. An organic light-emitting device includes an anode, a cathode, a light-emitting layer disposed between the anode and the cathode, and an organic layer disposed between the anode and the light-emitting layer. The organic layer has a fused polycyclic compound represented by general formula (1): wherein R1 to R8 are each a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted polycyclic group and are each the same or different, and wherein R9 and R10 are substituted or unsubstituted aryl groups that are the same or different.
US08784998B2

A structure includes a nanophase titanium node and a plurality of nanophase aluminum struts. Each of the plurality of nanophase aluminum struts is bonded to the nanophase titanium node at a weld joint.
US08784979B2

In a thermally sprayed, gastight protective layer for metal substrates, such as Fe, Ni, Al, Mg and/or Ti, the spray powder for the purpose includes at least two components. The first is a silicate mineral or rock and the second is a metal powder and/or a further silicate mineral or rock. The silicate mineral or rock component in the spray powder has an alkali content of less than 6 percent by weight.
US08784977B2

A cubic boron nitride sintered substrate has a coating with lower and upper layers. The upper layer has an average layer thickness of 0.5 to 3.0 μm and is formed from a compound of a compositional formula Mα, where M represents one or more of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Al, Si, and α is one or more of C, N, B and O. The lower layer has an average thickness of 0.5 to 3.0 μm and has alternated first and second thin layers. The first thin layer is formed from a compound with compositional formula (Ti(1-x)Lx)β, where L is one or more of Al, B and Si, and β is C or N, or both. The second thin layer is formed with compositional formula (Al(1-y)Jy)γ, where J represents one or more of Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb and Mo, and γ is C or N, or both.
US08784976B2

The present invention provides a laminated polyester film which exhibits a good adhesion property to various adhesives, and can be suitably used in the applications in which a high total light transmittance is required, for example, as a member for protecting a polarizing plate of liquid crystal displays, in particularly, as a protective film disposed on a rear surface of a rear side polarizing plate. The laminated polyester film according to the present invention comprises a polyester film; a coating layer formed by applying a coating solution which comprises at least one resin selected from the group consisting of a polyester resin, an acrylic resin and a urethane resin, polyvinyl alcohol and an oxazoline compound, on one surface of the polyester film; and a coating layer formed on the other surface of the polyester film which has an absolute reflectance exhibiting one minimum value in a wavelength range of 300 to 800 nm wherein the minimum value is not more than 3.5%.
US08784963B2

A branched polycarbonate having a branching derived from a polyfunctional compound, comprising a repeating unit represented by general formula (1), a branched structure (a) derived from the polyfunctional compound and a branched structure (b) including at least one selected from the group consisting of branched structures represented by general formulas (2), (3) and (4), the total content of (a) and (b) with respect to (1) being 0.2-1.0 mol %, the ratio of (b) with respect to the total of (a) and (b) being 0.1-0.6, and the ratio of (2) with respect to the content of (b) being 0.5 or greater. [In formulas, Ar represents a divalent aromatic residue and Ar′ represents a trivalent aromatic residue.]
US08784957B2

The invention realizes easy manufacturing of a flat container molded by blow molding, in which the wall thickness of a container wall is made uniform, and which provides improved mechanical strength, heat resistance, etc. and has a good appearance.The flat container obtained by the blow molding of a polyester resin is characterized in that the container has a flatness ratio of not less than 1.3, and in that its body has a wall thickness ratio of a maximum wall thickness to a minimum wall thickness of not more than 1.6, a difference in elongation between a maximally stretched portion and a minimally stretched portion of not more than 150% in a tensile test at 95° C., a crystallinity of not less than 30%, and a difference in TMA non-load change between a maximally stretched portion and a minimally stretched portion of not more than 500 μm at 75° C. and 100° C.
US08784952B2

The present invention relates to a method for forming a raised conductive image on a non-conductive or dielectric surface, the method comprising placing a metal coordination complex on a surface of the substrate, exposing the surface to electromagnetic radiation, reducing the exposed complex. removing unexposed complex leaving an elemental metal image, removing unexposed metal complex and then plating the resulting elemental metal image with a highly conductive material.
US08784950B2

A method for forming a conformal film of aluminum oxide on a substrate having a patterned underlying layer by PEALD includes: adsorbing an Al precursor containing an Al—C bond and an Al—O—C or Al—N—C bond; providing an oxidizing gas and an inert gas; applying RF power to the reactant gas and the reaction-assisting gas to react the adsorbed precursor with the reactant gas on the surface, thereby forming a conformal film of aluminum oxide on the patterned underlying layer of the substrate, wherein the substrate is kept at a temperature of about 200° C. or lower.
US08784946B2

A method feeds a continuous core of a print cartridge cleaning blade along a path. The path passes, in the following order, firstly through a coating bath or spray coating station, secondly by a curing station, thirdly through a cutter, and fourthly to a finisher station. Thus, the method herein coats portions of the continuous core that are in the coating bath/spray station with an outer covering. For portions of the continuous core that are adjacent the curing station, the method cures the outer covering of the continuous core; for portions of the continuous core that are in the cutter, the method cuts the continuous core into predetermined lengths; and for portions of the predetermined lengths of the continuous core that are adjacent the finishing station, the method finishes the outer covering of the predetermined lengths of the continuous core to produce a finished print cartridge cleaning blade.
US08784945B2

The present invention is directed to methods for making materials treatable by electron beam (EB) processing, such as materials for flexible packaging, comprising: providing a substrate; applying an ink formulation on at least a portion of the substrate, the ink formulation comprising ink and at least one monomer selected from acrylates, vinyl ethers, cycloaliphatic diepoxides, and polyols; and applying a lacquer on at least a portion of the ink formulation, the lacquer comprising at least one monomer selected from acrylates, vinyl ethers, cycloaliphatic diepoxides, and polyols. The processing apparatus for EB treating the material operates at a low voltage, such as 110 kVolts or below.
US08784942B2

A system for dispensing texture material in a desired spray pattern that substantially matches an existing texture pattern on a target surface comprises an aerosol dispenser, concentrate, and propellant material. The aerosol dispenser has an inner surface comprised at least in part of tin-plated steel. The concentrate comprises a solvent/carrier comprising water, a resin/binder, filler material, a first anti-corrosion material, and a second anti-corrosion material.
US08784934B2

A transparent dielectric composition comprising tin, oxygen and one of aluminum or magnesium with preferably higher than 15% by weight of aluminum or magnesium offers improved thermal stability over tin oxide with respect to appearance and optical properties under high temperature processes. For example, upon a heat treatment at temperatures higher than 500 C, changes in color and index of refraction of the present transparent dielectric composition are noticeably less than those of tin oxide films of comparable thickness. The transparent dielectric composition can be used in high transmittance, low emissivity coated panels, providing thermal stability so that there are no significant changes in the coating optical and structural properties, such as visible transmission, IR reflectance, microscopic morphological properties, color appearance, and haze characteristics, of the as-coated and heated treated products.
US08784928B2

Methods for the deposition of silver-comprising films on nonconducting substrates, and, more particularly, to deposition of such films that are very thin, are provided. The surface of nonconducting substrates is modified with a superabsorbent polymer to increase silver deposition when compared to a non-modified surface. Also provided are films produced using a swelling agent, whereby porosity of the surface of the nonconducting substrate is increased, thereby permitting increased silver deposition when compared to an unmodified surface.
US08784925B2

The present invention provides refined roasted coffee beans having a Hunter L value of 10 to 30 and a hydroxyhydroquinone content of not higher than 30 mg/kg by contacting an aqueous solvent with raw material roasted coffee beans. The invention also provides a process for producing refined roasted coffee beans, which includes contacting raw material roasted coffee beans having a Hunter L value of 12 to 35, with coffee bean-derived extract-containing water selected from water containing an extract derived from roasted coffee beans having a Hunter L value of 40 or more and water containing an extract derived from raw coffee beans.
US08784918B2

In some implementations, a banded discharge removes or rejects comestibles from a production line when the comestibles have a diameter less than a minimum value. The banded discharge may include two or more support members and each pair of adjacent support members may be spaced apart a distance W. When a comestible with a diameter about the same as or less than the distance W moves onto the banded discharge, the banded discharge may remove the comestible from the production line. For example, the comestible may fall between two adjacent support members.
US08784917B2

The invention concerns a new food product (1) in the form of a meal comprising food (4) and a sauce (5), intended to be mixed for consumption of the meal, in closed packaging (1) comprising a container (2) in which the food (4) is placed and a lid (3) in which the sauce (5) is placed, the sauce being separated from the food by a seal (7) which closes off the part of the lid (3) facing the food (4) characterized in that the container (2) comprises a mechanism (11) to tear the seal (7) when the lid (3) is turned concurrently to the container (2) between a pre-tearing position of the seal (7) and a tearing position of the seal (7).
US08784915B2

The invention proposes to dispense a substance from a container filled with a single portion of a substance. The container comprises a preformed deformable body, preferably made of sheet material, defining a filling cavity which body has an opening and an integral planar circumferential rim surrounding said opening, which opening is closed by a cover sheet which is sealed to the circumferential rim by means of a circumferential sealing seam. The container with the substance is opened by making use of the deformability of the cover sheet. A support surface supports the cover sheet except at the position of a recess. The recess is positioned at least over a part of the circumferential sealing seam. Upon compression of the container body the substance is pressurized and the cover sheet bulges out into the recess such that the sealing seam is broken at the location where the bulge is formed resulting in the container being open.
US08784912B2

The invention provides a method for forming a fermented composition of mung bean hulls, including: mixing mung bean hulls and water to form a mixture; adding a fungus into the mixture, wherein the fungus includes Rhizopus spp. or Aspergillus spp.; and fermenting the mixture to form a fermented composition. The invention also includes a fermented composition of mung bean hulls by the method and an anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation composition containing the fermented composition of mung bean hulls.
US08784901B2

An anti-microbial preservative for use in ophthalmic and dermatologic products. The preservative includes from about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.20 wt. % chlorite compound and from about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.05 wt. % peroxy compound. Additionally, the preservative does not generate chlorine dioxide within the pH range of 5.0-8.8. Also included are an antimicrobial ophthalmic and dermatologic compositions for direct application onto an eye or skin of a living being including from about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.20 wt. % chlorite compound and from about 0.005 wt. % to about 0.05 wt. % peroxy compound. Also included are methods for treating dryness of the eyes and skin disorders (e.g., wounds, burns, infections, ulcerations, psoriasis, etc.) and for disinfecting and cleansing contact lenses while in place upon an eye by applying the composition to the eye or to the contact lens.
US08784900B2

Methods and products are provided for treating a wound or infection in a mammal or disinfecting a surface with a hypochlorous acid solution that has been activated by a catalyst. Additionally provided is a process for preparing an antimicrobial product that produces an activated hypochlorous acid solution for use as an antimicrobial.
US08784890B2

A method for forming an extracellular matrix material (ECM) material includes providing at least an ECM composition containing ECM particles varying in their capacity for migration through a fluid medium, including at least one population of expanded ECM particles. The ECM composition is combined in a fluid medium to form a flowable ECM composition. The flowable ECM composition is subjected to a centrifugal force in a mold for a period of time sufficient to distribute the ECM particles according to differences in their physical characteristics. The ECM composition is dried to form a dried ECM material having a density gradient extending from a less dense region to a more dense region. The dried ECM material may formed as a porous, substantially acellular ECM material expandable in an aqueous fluid environment by at least 100% in volume.
US08784885B2

A controlled release preparation wherein the release of active ingredient is controlled, which releases an active ingredient for an extended period of time by staying or slowly migrating in the gastrointestinal tract, is provided by means such as capsulating a tablet, granule or fine granule wherein the release of active ingredient is controlled and a gel-forming polymer. Said tablet, granule or fine granule has a release-controlled coating-layer formed on a core particle containing an active ingredient.
US08784874B2

A drug delivery device initially having two adhesive layers containing at least one active agent in each layer are kept separate from each other prior to administration of the active agent. At the time of administration, the separated layers are combined to form a dual layer adhesive transdermal drug delivery device which results in the administration of the at least one active compound after topical application of the device.
US08784873B2

The invention provides a method of changing a ratio of 68 to 64 kDa protein of MRJP3 in a royal jelly, a method of producing a royal jelly comprising MRJP3 having a changed ratio of 68 to 64 kDa protein relative to a control royal jelly and the royal jelly produced thereform. Also provided is a method of promoting the growth of the larva of a queen bee comprising feeding the larva of the queen bee a royal jelly of the invention. Further provided is a method of producing bee larva, pupa and queen bees with sizes larger than normal.
US08784868B2

A biodegradable biodelivery device is disclosed. The biodelivery device is formed from a polymer comprising the reaction product of a polyol and a polyacid. When exposed to water, the polymer degrades through hydrolysis. Of particular advantage, the polymer can be formed so as to be elastic and flexible. In one embodiment, the polymer is formed into a vaginal insert. As the polymer degrades, the polymer releases acid to a vaginal environment for decreasing the pH of the environment.
US08784867B2

The instant invention pertains to a method for producing contact lenses with improved oxidative stability of Carotenoids in the contact lens. The method of the invention involves adding a vitamin E material into a contact lens in an amount sufficient to reduce oxidative degradation of Carotenoids in the lens by at least about 30% in comparison with an identical contact lens without the vitamin E material.
US08784866B2

Compositions comprising a plurality of functionalized carbon nanotubes and at least one type of payload molecule are provided herein. The compositions are soluble in water and PBS in some embodiments. In certain embodiments, the payload molecules are insoluble in water. Methods are described for making the compositions and administering the compositions. An extended release formulation for paclitaxel utilizing functionalized carbon nanotubes is also described.
US08784860B2

Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. These therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may also further reduce a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. In addition, these therapeutic drugs, agents and/or compounds may be utilized to promote healing, including the formation of blood clots.
US08784857B2

An absorbent article includes an absorbent polymer and a ceragenin compound. The ceragenin compound has a sterol group and a plurality of cationic groups that mimic naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides. The ceragenin compound is associated with the absorbent polymer such that upon absorption of a fluid, the ceragenin compound is incorporated or maintained in the absorbent article.
US08784854B2

The present invention relates to a cosmetic product comprising a UV-blocking W/O or O/W composition of low viscosity packaged in a compact-type container. More specifically, the invention relates to a UV-blocking cosmetic product prepared by impregnating a UV-blocking W/O or O/W cosmetic composition of low viscosity into expanded urethane foam, preparing a compact formulation from the expanded urethane foam impregnated with the composition, and then packaging the compact formulation in a cosmetic container. Thus, the UV-blocking cosmetic product is convenient for the user to carry and use and also has a skin-cooling effect.
US08784836B2

Therapeutic methods and vaccinia virus therefor are provided. The viruses are designed so that they accumulate in immunoprivileged tissues and cells, such as in tumors and other proliferating tissue and in inflamed tissues, compared to other tissues, cells and organs, so that they exhibit relatively low toxicity to host organisms. Combinations of the viruses and anti-cancer agents and uses thereof for treating cancer also are provided.
US08784833B2

Transplacental enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) is disclosed for deficiency of a polypeptide such as a tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) by administering a pharmaceutical composition that comprises a water-soluble TNSALP portion, e.g., C-terminus-truncated TNSALP peptide-bonded to an IgG1 antibody Fc portion, to a pregnant animal whose fetus or embryo is in need of such therapy. Also contemplated is a method for treating a metabolic disorder, such as HPP, in a fetus or embryo where a fusion protein that comprises a Fc fragment of an IgG1 antibody peptide-bonded to TNSALP is administered to a pregnant mother. The protein crosses the placenta of the mother and enters the fetal blood stream. The protein is taken up into fetal tissue such that the TNSALP restores normal metabolic activity in the fetus.
US08784819B2

Antibodies against influenza hemagglutinin, compositions containing the antibodies, and methods of using the antibodies are provided herein.
US08784809B2

Disclosed are human VEGF-2 antibodies, antibody fragments, or variants thereof. Also provided are processes for producing such antibodies. The present invention relates to methods and compositions for preventing, treating or ameliorating a disease or disorder comprising administering to an animal, preferably a human, an effective amount of one or more VEGF-2 antibodies or fragments or variants thereof.
US08784808B2

The present invention relates to antibodies or fragments thereof that bind FcγRIIB with greater affinity than said antibodies or fragments binds FcγRIIA. The invention encompasses the use of such antibodies or fragments for the treatment of diseases related to loss of balance of Fc receptor mediated signaling, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases or IgE-mediated allergic disorders. The present invention also encompasses the use of such antibodies and fragments in combination with other cancer therapies, methods of enhancing the therapeutic effect of therapeutic antibodies, and methods of enhancing efficacy of vaccine compositions.
US08784807B2

Methods for regulating T cell function in a subject, particularly regulatory T cell activity are provided. Methods of the invention include administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of an Interleukin 35-specific binding agent, such as an antibody or small molecule inhibitor. The invention further provides methods for enhancing the immunogenicity of a vaccine or overcoming a suppressed immune response to a vaccine in a subject, including administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an IL35-specific binding agent and administering to the subject a vaccine. In one embodiment the vaccine is a cancer vaccine.
US08784800B2

A method of delivering therapy to a target site. The method includes (a) obtaining a base image of the target site, (b) injecting a dose of a mix of a therapeutic agent and a contrast agent into a first injection location at the target site via a needle passing through a catheter, (c) collecting sequential fluoroscopic images of a contrast agent dispersion cloud at the first injection location, (d) determining a contrast agent dispersion area from the sequential fluoroscopic images, (e) determining a therapeutic agent dispersion area from the contrast agent dispersion area, (f) marking the therapeutic agent dispersion area on the base image of the target site, and (g) repeating (b) through (f) until the target site is substantially covered with overlapping therapeutic agent dispersion areas corresponding to a plurality of injections at a plurality of injection locations at the target site.
US08784793B2

A biological coating material that includes a polymerizable polyacrylate monomer; a volatile liquid; a polymer selected from a synthetic rubber, a natural rubber, and a thermoplastic elastomer. The biological liquid coating material forms a coating or bandage in the form of a film that when applied and adhered to a surface or to the skin of a user inhibits the application surface from adhering to another surface.
US08784784B2

Deodorant composition for the treatment of female malodour comprising a perfume containing violet nitrile and optionally pharaone and/or zinarine.
US08784774B2

Imaging agents are described that comprise labeled substrates capable of being introduced into cells via the cystine/glutamate antiporter. The substrates may be used for imaging or detecting oxidative stress in cells by introducing the labeled agents into cells via the cystine/glutamate antiporter and subsequent detection.
US08784772B2

The present invention provides a method of treating cancer in a patient (e.g., a human patient) in need thereof, the method comprising administering a therapeutically effective regimen, the regimen comprising administering to a patient in need thereof a compound that targets 67 laminin receptor (67LR). In a particular embodiment, the compound that targets 67LR is an antibody or antibody fragment. In particular, the present invention provides a method of treating cancer comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an antibody that binds to 67LR. The present invention also provides a method of treating cancer comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an antibody conjugate, wherein the antibody conjugate comprises an antibody that binds to 67LR linked to a therapeutic agent, a protein toxin, a cytotoxic agent or other moiety. The present invention provides pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of cancer comprising an antibody that binds to 67LR in an amount effective to reduce cancer stem cells and/or cancer cells in a patient. The invention also provides for means to detect and monitor cancer stem cells based on their expression of 67LR.
US08784759B2

The present invention relates to a nitrogen oxide storage catalyst comprising: a substrate; a first washcoat layer disposed on the substrate, the first washcoat layer comprising metal oxide support particles and a nitrogen oxide storage material comprising at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal compounds, alkali metal compounds, rare earth metal compounds, and mixtures thereof, at least a portion of said at least one metal compound being supported on the metal oxide support particles; and a second washcoat layer disposed over the first washcoat layer, said second washcoat layer comprising Rh, wherein the first washcoat layer contains substantially no Rh, and wherein the second washcoat layer is disposed on 100-x % of the surface of the first washcoat layer, x ranging from 20 to 80.
US08784748B2

A dry test strip for measuring calcium is comprising a support, a reagent layer provided on the support, and a reagent holding layer provided on the reagent layer, and containing, as reagents, o-cresolphthalene complexone, a magnesium selective masking agent, and a pH buffer for adjusting the pH of the environment for reaction of the o-cresolphthalene complexone with calcium to 10.0-11.0, wherein such reagents are present in either the reagent layer or the reagent holding layer or the both layers.
US08784746B2

To improve throughput of biomedical waste treatment, the present inventors devised an exemplary ozone-based system including a shredder, a roll-off treatment bin with ozone injectors, an ozone source, and a controller. The controller monitors electric current drawn by the shredder as shredded waste enters the ozone-enriched treatment bin. In response to current falling below a predetermined low level, indicating that a batch of waste has been shredded and loaded into the treatment bin, the controller starts a treatment timer. The timer measures elapsed ozone treatment or exposure time. If additional waste is added to the shredder and a subsequent low-current condition is detected, the controller restarts the treatment timer. Expiration of the timer indicates that the waste in the roll-off bin is sterilized and ready for transport to landfills. The exemplary system provides continuous waste processing and promises to boost throughput by 50% over some conventional ozone-based waste-treatment systems.
US08784739B2

Methods and apparatus for controlling fecal odors in an enclosed space, such as a pit latrine, include providing an oxidizer, such as a catalytic heater and an optional mechanical ventilation unit, such as an inline fan, both flow connected to a vault (pit) of the latrine. The heater is also connected to a source of fuel, for example, propane. Fresh air is drawn through vents in the latrine housing and thereafter through toilets in the latrine and through the vault, providing oxygen for the reaction. The fan and/or oxidation process draws both fresh air and accompanying odorous compounds directly from the latrine and into the oxidizer wherein the odorous components are substantially destroyed.
US08784738B2

An electrical device for performing a particular function includes a system circuit for performing the function, and a dedicated power supply for providing power to the circuit. Both the system circuit and the power supply are hermetically sealed within a housing. The device within the housing is intended to be sterilized using high temperature, reaching a sterilization temperature. According to the invention, the device includes a thermal switch which is electrically connected between the system circuit and the power supply. With the present invention, the electrical components of a device are automatically protected from thermal damage during sterilization.
US08784735B2

The present invention concerns an apparatus for automatic processing at least one biological sample accommodated on a carrier member, such as a slide by applying a predetermined amount of reagents in a predetermined sequence according to a processing protocol, said apparatus comprising; a housing frame; at least one processing section for accommodating at least one slide, the at least one processing section is provided within the housing; a hood cover protecting the at least one processing section in said housing; wherein the hood cover completely encloses the processing section defining an interior space; and wherein the apparatus further comprises climate control device provided to control the environment within the interior space.
US08784734B2

An assembly that utilizes reusable sheaths for covering magnetic rods for collecting particles in an inverse magnetic particle process. The magnetic rod is removed from the reusable sheath to release particles at the same or a different location. The reusable sheaths can be assembled in a cylindrical plate, which can be rotated to position a clean sheath for each step of the inverse magnetic particle process. When not being used for particle separation, the sheaths can be washed of potentially contaminating solution in wash receptacles.
US08784732B1

A steam autoclave for treating Regulated Medical Waste that uses a condensate drainage system that provides for condensate drainage while the steam autoclave chamber remains pressurized during the steam treatment cycle to create pressure variations in the autoclave which are used to initiate the introduction of repeated bursts of steam into the waste during the steam treatment cycle. The repeated bursts of steam into the autoclave during the steam treatment cycle agitates the steam and waste contained in the autoclave, thereby enhancing steam penetration into the waste being treated and thereby enhancing biological kill efficacy.
US08784729B2

The present invention is directed to a process for producing high density, refractory metal products via a press/sintering process. The invention is also directed to a process for producing a sputtering target and to the sputtering target so produced.
US08784724B2

To prevent defective molding, a base member is set between split molds of a metal mold, a molding rubber material is injected into an endless shape cavity defined between the base member and the split mold, an injection amount thereof is made such that the molding rubber material fills the cavity and thereafter flows from an air vent hole open to a confluence position in the cavity into a surplus material reservoir provided downstream but does not fill the surplus material reservoir, pressure drop due to flow resistance is caused to the molding rubber material flowing into the surplus material reservoir, and thereby pressure in the cavity is maintained to be not lower than pressure required to mold a gasket and lower than pressure causing leakage from the cavity.
US08784718B2

The curing press (2) for a tire blank comprises: a trough (4), a cover (6) connected to the trough by means of sliding guide members (8), the cover and the trough each being pivotably mounted on these members. The cover (6) is, moreover, pivotably mounted on an axle (24) guided slidably with respect to the trough.
US08784703B2

A method of making a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals includes: forming a first solution by combining a solvent, growth ligands, and at most one semiconductor precursor; heating the first solution to the nucleation temperature; and adding to the first solution, a second solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than that in the first solution to form a crude solution of nanocrystals having a compact homogenous semiconductor region. The method further includes: waiting 0.5 to 20 seconds and adding to the crude solution a third solution having a solvent, growth ligands, and at least one additional and different precursor than those in the first and second solutions; and lowering the growth temperature to enable the formation of a gradient alloy region around the compact homogenous semiconductor region, resulting in the formation of a colloidal solution of high confinement semiconductor nanocrystals.
US08784695B2

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a nanocomposite using expanded graphite. The method is characterized in that monomers are formed into a polymer between the plate-shaped layers of the expanded graphite, and the polymer is intercalated therebetween, so that the plate-shaped layers of the expanded graphite are completely exfoliated or are formed into graphene, with the result that the expanded graphite is completely dispersed in a polymer matrix. The nanocomposite manufactured by this method has excellent electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity because the expanded graphite is uniformly dispersed in this nanocomposite.
US08784694B2

The invention relates to a lithium manganese phosphate/carbon nanocomposite as cathode material for rechargeable electrochemical cells with the general formula LixMnyM1-y(PO4)z/C where M is at least one other metal such as Fe, Ni, Co, Cr, V, Mg, Ca, Al, B, Zn, Cu, Nb, Ti, Zr, La, Ce, Y, x=0.8-1.1, y=0.5-1.0, 0.9
US08784692B2

Compositions are provided comprising a continuous liquid aqueous medium having dispersed therein a polydioxythiophene and at least one colloid-forming fluorinated polymeric acid. Films from invention compositions are useful as buffer layers in organic electronic devices, including electroluminescent devices, such as, for example, organic light emitting diodes (OLED) displays.
US08784668B2

In a regenerative dialysis system, in a method for controlling a regenerative dialysis system, and in a controller for a regenerative dialysis system, an embodiment of the system comprises an input pump that pumps fresh dialysate fluid into a dialyzer at an input rate. An output pump pumps used dialysate fluid from the dialyzer at an output rate. An ultrafiltration rate of the system is related to the output rate relative to the input rate. A sorbent cartridge filters the used dialysate fluid to generate the fresh dialysate fluid. A controller controls the ultrafiltration rate of the system in response to a flow rate of the dialysate fluid through the sorbent cartridge.
US08784667B2

A method and apparatus of fluid treatment for a plurality of fluids with a first and a second non-magnetically conductive fluid flow conduit sleeved within at least one segment of magnetically conductive conduit providing a plurality of distinct areas of concentrated magnetic energy. The instant invention prevents the formation and accumulation of contaminants within conduits and on equipment utilized in the transportation, delivery and processing of fluid columns. It may also be utilized to accelerate the separation of oil and water and increase the efficiency of oil/water separation equipment.
US08784659B2

A process has been found which increases the efficiency and effectiveness of introducing antimicrobial compounds into complex biofilm matrices through the use of liposome carriers, thereby removing the biofouling in industrial water bearing systems, including piping, heat exchanges, condensers, filtration systems and fluid storage tanks. According to one embodiment of the invention, antimicrobial compound containing liposomes are added to water systems prone to biofouling and biofilm formation. The liposomes, being similar in composition to microbial membranes or cells, are readily incorporated into the existing biofilm. Once the antimicrobial compound containing liposomes become entrained with the biofilm matrix, the decomposition or programmed disintegration of the liposome proceeds. Thereafter, the biocidal aqueous core is released to react directly with the biofilm encased microorganisms. Upon the death of the organisms, the polysaccharide/protein matrix decomposes and thereby results in reduced fouling of the water bearing system, resulting in increased heat transfer, increased flux, less deposit of colloidal and particulate solids and dissolved organics on the surface of the microfiltration membrane, thereby reducing the frequency and duration of the membrane cleaning and ultimate replacement.
US08784658B2

The present invention relates to a process for treating wastewater that includes the steps of: —a contact step, wherein wastewater contacts bacteria retained on a support surface and the dissolved oxygen concentration of the wastewater is maintained at 2.0 mg/l or less; an aeration step, wherein gas is passed through wastewater that has passed through the contact step and the dissolved oxygen concentration of the wastewater is reduced as the wastewater passes through the aeration step; a sedimentation step, wherein wastewater that has passed through the aeration step is substantially separated into treated water and sludge; and a sludge recycling step, wherein sludge from the sedimentation step is passed to the contact step. The invention also relates to a processing unit on which the aforementioned process may be operated.
US08784657B2

The present invention is directed to a novel method for cleaning a filter surface using a plasma discharge self-cleaning filtration system. The method involves utilizing plasma discharges to induce short electric pulses of nanoseconds duration at high voltages. These electrical pulses generate strong Shockwaves that disintegrate and dislodge particulate matter located on the surface of the filter.
US08784653B2

A filter-anchor for placement on a sea floor is provided. It includes a filter housing for filtering sea water prior to entry into a water desalinization system. The filter housing has an exterior, an interior chamber, at least one inlet for providing the sea water to the interior chamber, and at least one outlet for enabling filtered water to be pumped from the interior chamber. A sand filter is disposed in the filter housing. The filter housing has at least one water conduction outlet conduit for filtered water to be pumped to the desalinization system. A wave energy conversion system utilizing the filter anchor is also provided to effect the pumping of the filtered water to the desalinization system. A method of anchoring a wave energy conversion system and providing filtered water to a desalinization system is also provided.
US08784651B2

A water separator for continuous separation of water, air and particles includes an inlet pipe, an outlet pipe, an upper chamber connected with a lower chamber, and a three-way valve located in an air connection pipe being adapted to establish a connection between the upper and lower chambers in a first position and closing the connection to the upper chamber and allowing atmospheric air to enter into the lower chamber in a second position. The upper chamber includes a coarse filter capturing particles from the liquid flow to the lower chamber. The water separator includes a main tank and a safety tank, which are connected through a connection pipe from the upper chamber in the main tank to the safety tank and through the air connection pipe from the lower chamber in the main tank to the safety tank. The inlet pipe is through the lid of the main tank.
US08784646B2

For conversion of crude oil or a heavy hydrocarbon fraction having an initial boiling point of at least 300° C., conducting a catalytic hydroconversion in a three-phase reactor operating in a boiling bed with an upward flow of liquid and gas, separating resultant effluent into a light liquid fraction boiling at less than 300° C. and a heavy liquid fraction boiling above 300° C., deasphalting the heavy liquid fraction to obtain a deasphalted hydrocarbon fraction and residual asphalt, and recycling at least one portion of the deasphalted hydrocarbon fraction upstream of the hydroconversion stage.
US08784643B2

We provide a base stock comprising hydrocarbons with consecutive numbers of carbon atoms, wherein the base stock has a boiling range from 388 to 538° C., a VI from 105 to less than 130, and a Noack volatility from 5 to 11.5 wt % or a CCS VIS at −25° C. from 2000 to 4000 mPa·s. We also provide a base stock slate comprising the base stock and an additional base stock having an additional boiling range from 371 to 496° C., and other properties.
US08784640B2

An amperometric electrochemical sensor with a fixed potential used in a probe for measuring the content of an oxidation reduction substance dissolved in a liquid, in particular the chlorine content. The sensor (1) includes an insulating substrate (2), a set of electrodes consisting of a working electrode (3), an auxiliary electrode (4) and a reference electrode, at least one of the working electrode (3) and auxiliary electrode (4) being configured on the insulating substrate (2). At least one of the working electrode (3) and auxiliary electrode (4) is covered with an insulating layer (8), the insulating layer (8) including at least one opening exposing at least one of the working electrode (3) and auxiliary electrode (4).
US08784638B2

A resin board that consists of at least one of a mixture of a plurality of types of resins having different degrees of susceptibility to erosion by an ozone solution, and a resin having, in a molecule, a plurality of types of components having different degrees of susceptibility to erosion by the ozone solution is treated with ozone water to form a reformed layer, and a catalyst metal is adsorbed by the reformed layer so as to form a resin-metal composite layer, on which a plating process is performed. In the resin board, a component or components that is/are likely to be eroded on by the ozone solution dissolves into the ozone solution, and pores or clearances on the order of nanometers are formed between the component(s) and a component or components that is/are less likely to be eroded by the ozone solution. With the plating deposited in the pores or clearances, the adhesion strength is improved due to an anchoring effect. Thus, the adhesion strength of the plating film is improved even where the resin-metal composite layer has a thickness of 10 to 200 nm.
US08784634B2

Disclosed is an electroplating method for filling cavities, through holes, blind holes, or micro blind holes of a work piece with metals. According to said method, the work piece containing cavities, through holes, blind holes, or micro blind holes is brought in contact with a metal deposition electrolyte, and a voltage is applied between the work piece and at least one anode such that a current flow is fed to the work piece. The invention method is characterized in that the electrolyte encompasses a redox system.
US08784627B2

The invention relates to graft copolymers, their preparation, and compositions, such as electrophoresis separation media, containing the same; also to ultra-high molecular weight poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (“poly(DMA)”) polymers, their preparation, and compositions, such as electrophoresis separation media, containing the same; and more particularly to supports, such as capillaries, containing these polymers and methods for separating biomolecules, especially polynucleotides, using capillary electrophoresis. The graft copolymers can be prepared by, e.g., grafting polyacrylamide units onto a poly(DMA) backbone. Separation media comprising such graft copolymers or ultra-high molecular weight poly(DMA) polymers yield superior performance in the analysis and separation of biomolecules by capillary electrophoresis.
US08784624B2

The present invention relates to an enzyme electrode including: a carbon particle; a metal particle held on the carbon particle, the metal particle having a catalytic activity against a redox reaction; a redox enzyme. The enzyme electrode of the present invention further includes a high-resistance particle enhancing an electrical resistance, the high-resistance particle being chemically stable. The high-resistance particle contains an inorganic substance, for example. The inorganic substance is aluminum oxide or smectite, for example.
US08784622B2

A system is provided for etching patterned media disks. A movable non-contact electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The electrode moves to near contact distance to, but not contacting, the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The material to be etched may be metal, e.g., Co/Pt/Cr or similar metals. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. An isolation valve is disposed between the two chambers and the disk carrier moves the disks between the chambers. The carrier may be a linear drive carrier, using, e.g., magnetized wheels and linear motors.
US08784618B2

An electroplating apparatus is provided that includes a plating tank for containing a plating electrolyte. A counter electrode, e.g., anode, is present in a first portion of the plating tank. A cathode system is present in a second portion of the plating tank. The cathode system includes a working electrode and a thief electrode. The thief electrode is present between the working electrode and the counter electrode. The thief electrode includes an exterior face that is in contact with the plating electrolyte that is offset from the plating surface of the working electrode. In one embodiment, the thief electrode overlaps a portion of the working electrode about the perimeter of the working electrode. In one embodiment, a method is provided of using the aforementioned electroplating apparatus that provides increased uniformity in the plating thickness.
US08784611B2

The invention relates to a process for the production of paper or board comprising: adding a retention system to a stream of stock entering a paper machine head box, directing the stream of stock to a wire, de watering the stream of stock on the wire to form a paper web, and drying the paper web, wherein the retention system comprises a water-soluble cationic polymer, and nanocellulose acting like a micro particle, wherein the nanocellulose is added in an amount of less than 1% as active substance based on dry solids weight of the stock.
US08784609B2

Fiber furnish for use in the manufacture of paper and paper-based products, the fiber furnish consisting essentially of plant petiole tissue, wherein substantially longitudinally aligned petiole fibers have been cut generally laterally to form fibers with a fiber length distribution such that at least 95% of the fibers have substantially the same predetermined fiber length.
US08784605B2

A process for making a lightweight laminated panel material for construction of cargo containers includes providing a high performance fabric layer, placing film adhesive layers over both sides of the high performance fabric layer, placing protective surface film layers over the film adhesive layers to form a pre-lamination stack, and placing release layers over the protective surface film layers. The pre-lamination stack is heated, compressed, and maintained at the temperature and under pressure to form a lamination stack. The lamination stack is cooled to an intermediate temperature and released from pressure, cooled further, and the release layers are removed.
US08784600B2

A method for adhering glass including cleaning ceramic printed glass using a first solution containing dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, and a solvent, and cleaning the glass using a second solution containing an alkoxysilane compound. Thereafter, a glass primer is applied to the glass, an adhesive is applied, and the glass is adhered to an adherend. The first solution includes not less than 0.1 mass % and not more than 10 mass % of the dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, and not less than 0.01 mass % and not more than 5 mass % of the p-toluenesulfonic acid, per 100 mass % of the solvent.
US08784599B2

A laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) apparatus includes a stage configured to support an acceptor substrate and a supporting portion configured to support a donor film and to move the donor film up and down relative to the stage so as to adjust a distance between the acceptor substrate and the donor film. The donor film includes a thin film to be disposed on the acceptor substrate. The stage includes a discharging outlet through which gas between the acceptor substrate and the donor film is discharged to the outside. The LITI apparatus may be used to laminate a film on an acceptor substrate including an organic light emitting display device.
US08784585B2

A gas generator 10 includes an autoignition composition that contains an alkali metal chlorate such as potassium chlorate as an oxidizer, a carboxylic acid such as DL-tartaric acid as a fuel, and a desiccant in operable communication therewith. Gas generating systems 180 such as vehicle occupant protection systems 180, containing the gas generator 10, are also provided.
US08784582B2

A heat exchanger use high strength aluminum alloy fin material having a high strength and excellent in thermal conductivity, erosion resistance, sag resistance, sacrificial anodization effect, and self corrosion resistance, characterized by containing Si: 0.8 to 1.4 wt %, Fe: 0.15 to 0.7 wt %, Mn: 1.5 to 3.0 wt %, and Zn: 0.5 to 2.5 wt %, limiting the Mg as an impurity to 0.05 wt % or less, and having a balance of ordinary impurities and Al in chemical composition, having a metal structure before brazing of a fibrous crystal grain structure, a tensile strength before brazing of not more than 240 MPa, a tensile strength after brazing of not less than 150 MPa, and a recrystallized grain size after brazing of 500 μm or more.
US08784578B2

A high strength galvanized steel sheet with excellent workability, having a component composition containing C: 0.04% or more, and 0.15% or less, Si: 0.7% or more, and 2.3% or less, Mn: 0.8% or more, and 2.2% or less, P: 0.1% or less, S: 0.01% or less, Al: 0.1% or less, N: 0.008% or less, and the remainder composed of iron and incidental impurities on a percent by mass basis, and a microstructure including 70% or more of ferrite phase, 2% or more, and 10% or less of bainite phase, and 0% or more, and 12% or less of pearlite phase on an area fraction basis and 1% or more, and 8% or less of retained austenite phase on a volume fraction basis, wherein an average crystal grain diameter of ferrite is 18 μm or less and an average crystal grain diameter of retained austenite is 2 μm or less.
US08784576B2

The invention relates to a method of gas carburizing a metallic article, where at least the surface region of the article consists of an alloy with a chromium content of at least 10 wt %. The carburizing is carried out by means of a gas containing carbon, which gas is heated to a temperature below approximately 5500C. The gas is an un-saturated hydrocarbon gas.
US08784567B1

A rapid and effective means for decontaminating fouled oil-control booms is provided. The process involves washing the boom with pressured washing fluid, reorienting the boom to facilitate full inspection, and drying the boom. This can be performed in an assembly-line manner, using one or more conveyors to transport the boom sequentially to a washing area, an inspection area, and a drying area. Consequently, contaminated oil-control booms can be cleaned and redeployed rapidly and inexpensively during an oil release accident.
US08784566B2

Embodiments of the present invention overcome the well-known recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass in an economically viable manner. A process and system are provided for the efficient fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass into cellulose, hemicellulose sugars, lignin, and acetic acid. The cellulose thus obtained is highly amorphous and can be readily converted into glucose using known methods. Fermentable hemicellulose sugars, low-molecular-weight lignin, and purified acetic acid are also major products of the process and system. The modest process conditions and low solvent/solid ratios of some embodiments of the invention imply relatively low capital and processing costs.
US08784560B2

A method for producing a crystallized compound semiconductor material comprises synthesizing said material by fusion and inter-reaction of its constituents placed in elementary form constituting a charge into a sealed ampoule, and then crystallizing the resulting material in liquid form by cooling. Also including: increasing, within the charge, proportion of one constituent beyond the stoichiometric proportions of the material, thereby defining an excess of the one constituent; subjecting the entire sealed ampoule to a temperature higher than or equal to fusion temperature of the material; subjecting the ampoule to a low temperature gradient and to a gradual drop in temperature, to induce crystallization of the resulting material in liquid form, in stoichiometric proportion; subjecting part of the ampoule where the crystallized material is not present, to a significant drop in temperature modifying vapor pressure state of the excess to a saturated vapor state; and cooling the whole assembly down to ambient temperature.
US08784556B2

An angle-dependent interference pigment based on transparent or translucent inorganic flake serving as a substrate is provided. The substrate is coated by coatings (A)+(B)+(C) and optionally coating (D), so as to form a “high-low-high” refractive index layered structure. The coatings (A) and (C) consist of metal oxides, silicate, aluminates and/or a mixture thereof. The coating (B) consist of silicon oxide, hydrous silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, hydrous aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, hydrous magnesium oxide and/or a mixture thereof. The angle-dependent interference pigments have high color saturation in the transitional region and a significantly gradual color change in the color changing region. The present pigments can be used as colored coatings, including printing ink, or can be used in the preparation of plastics, glass, ceramics and the like. The pigment of the present invention is particularly used in the cosmetic industry which has a very high requirement on gradual color change.
US08784555B2

Disclosed herein is a surface active adhesion promoting agent and a coating composition comprising the surface active adhesion promoting agent. The adhesion promoting agent is a blocked isocyanate functional siloxane containing material. Addition of small amount of the adhesion promoting agent to a coating composition, especially clearcoat compositions, helps to provide adhesion to a variety of materials that may be subsequently applied to the coating composition.
US08784553B2

The present invention is a tattoo stencil chemical composition comprising stearic acid, triethanolamine, a humectant to retain moisture on a user's skin, water and a preservative chemical composition that includes 56% propylene glycol, 30% diazolidinyl urea, 11% methylparaben and 3% propylparaben. The tattoo stencil chemical composition can also be sterilized by gamma rays or ethylene oxide and injected into a flexible wipe, one or more packets or a bulk hands free dispenser. The invention also includes a method for manufacturing a tattoo stencil chemical composition.
US08784538B2

The invention relates to a unit (3) for deaeration of drainage water from a paper machine, said unit comprising an inlet (8) for receiving the drainage water in a first flow direction, an outlet (39) for removing the drainage water to a subsequent deaeration channel, and a first chamber (5) that is arranged downstream of the inlet, said first chamber comprising a first chamber part (18), which comprises a guide wall portion (37) for redirecting the drainage water in a second flow direction that differs from the first flow direction, said guide wall portion being formed by a plurality of curved guide walls (10, 23) which interact with the drainage water so that the drainage water is decelerated and air is forced out of the drainage water, and two end walls (25, 26) which are arranged on respective sides of the guide walls, wherein each end wall of at least one of the flow channels exhibits an opening (27) that communicates with the flow channel for removing air that has been released from the drainage water in the flow channel. The invention also relates to a method for such a deaeration.
US08784537B2

CO2 is absorbed from a gas mixture by contacting the gas mixture with an absorption medium which comprises at least water as solvent and at least one amine of formula (I) where R1 is an aliphatic radical, having 2 to 6 carbon atoms and at least one amino group, and R2 is hydrogen, a C1-4 alkyl radical or a radical R1.
US08784533B2

A temperature swing adsorption process for the removal of a target species, such as an acid gas, from a gas mixture, such as a natural gas stream. Herein, a novel multi-step temperature swing/pressure swing adsorption is utilized to operate while maintaining very high purity levels of contaminant removal from a product stream. The present process is particularly effective and beneficial in removing contaminants such as CO2 and/or H2S from a natural gas at relatively high adsorption pressures (e.g., at least 500 psig) to create product streams of very high purity (i.e., very low contaminant levels).
US08784532B2

Methods and apparatus relate to recovery of carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from a gas mixture. Separating of the carbon dioxide, for example, from the gas mixture utilizes a liquid sorbent for the carbon dioxide. The liquid sorbent contacts the gas mixture for transfer of the carbon dioxide from the gas mixture to the liquid sorbent. The carbon dioxide then desorbs from the liquid sorbent using hollow-fiber contactors as a source of heat to liberate the carbon dioxide further separated by the hollow-fiber contactors from the liquid sorbent.
US08784518B2

Herein are disclosed an apparatus and method for reaction injection molding of polyurethane foam. In the method, a recirculation loop containing polyols along with an effective amount of water, and a recirculation loop containing isocyanates, are each partially evacuated.
US08784512B2

The present invention relates to methods for forming one or more thin film layers on a substrate, to form a multilayer product such as a lithium battery cell. The method involves passing a gas stream comprising at least one doping agent and at least one entrained source material through a plasma; impinging the gas stream on a substrate; and reactively depositing the at least one doping agent, and the at least one entrained source material on the substrate. The present invention provides a method of fabricating a power cell having a plurality of layers, and a method of fabricating a battery by electrically connecting a current collecting layer of a first power cell to a current collecting layer of a second power cell.
US08784508B2

This invention pertains to a method of inkjet printing on fabric, comprising the steps of pretreatment, printing with a white underprint of substantially the same shape as the colored image and printing an image on the fabric. The preferred digitally printed inks are pigmented inks.
US08784505B2

1-hexyl-1H-pyrazole-4,5-diamine hemisulfate, as represented in formula (IX-a), and its use in oxidative dyeing composition. This pyrazole salt was found to combine good stability as raw material and good shade intensity with a range of common couplers when formulated in hair dyeing composition.
US08784502B2

A computerized prosthesis alignment system includes a transducer that can measure socket reactions in the anterior/posterior plane and the right/left planes, while canceling or reducing the transverse forces on the measurements of these socket reactions. In addition, the transducer is also capable of determining the axial load or weight experienced by the prosthesis. The computerized prosthesis alignment system is in communication with a host computer. The moment data from the transducer is interpreted by the user via a computer interface. The host computer includes memory for storing one or more applications. These applications receive data from the transducer, interpret the data with discrete algebraic or fuzzy logic algorithms, and display the output numerically and graphically. Applications may also interpret the data to provide analysis to the user for aligning the prosthesis.
US08784499B2

Devices and methods for treating or repairing a tissue or organ defect or injury are provided. The devices can include tissue scaffolds produced from acellular tissue matrices and polymers, which have a stable three-dimensional shape and elicit a limited immunologic or inflammatory response.
US08784496B2

An orthopaedic knee prosthesis includes a tibial bearing and a femoral component configured to articulate with the tibial bearing. The femoral component includes a condyle surface curved in the sagittal plane. The radius of curvature of the condyle surface decreases gradually between early-flexion and mid-flexion. Additionally, in some embodiments, the radius of curvature may be increased during mid-flexion.
US08784493B2

An intervertebral cage, an implanting apparatus and an operating method thereof are provided. The intervertebral cage for being implanted between two adjacent vertebral bodies includes a body and a connecting portion. The body has a lateral convex surface, an inclined surface, a lateral concave surface and a connecting surface connected sequentially. The connecting portion includes a main portion and a protrusion. The main portion connected to the connecting surface has a through hole. The protrusion is protruded from the main portion into the through hole to form first and second inner arc surfaces. The maximum width of the intervertebral cage is a distance between first and second lines. The first and second lines are substantially parallel to a tangent line of the lateral convex surface and the first line, respectively. The distance between the inclined surface and the first line decreases gradually along a direction away from the connecting portion.
US08784488B2

A method for non-surgically treating an internal nasal valve of a patient comprising, injecting a working device into the internal nasal valve of the patient, wherein the injected working device in the nasal tissue causes an alteration of an internal or external nasal valve. A device introduced by injection into the nose, allowing for structural support or filling of defects in the nose, and causing a change in external shape of the nose. The device and inserts and implants described also have use in cosmetic applications relating to the facial tissue.
US08784482B2

Devices, systems, and methods employ an implant that is sized and configured to attach in, on, or near the annulus of a dysfunctional heart valve. In use, the implant extends either across the minor axis of the annulus, or across the major axis of the annulus, or both. The implant restores to the heart valve annulus and leaflets a more functional anatomic shape and tension. The more functional anatomic shape and tension are conducive to coaptation of the leaflets, which, in turn, reduces retrograde flow or regurgitation.
US08784479B2

A device for repairing a heart valve comprises an implantation instrument. The implantation instrument comprises a first support ring, and a second support ring connected to said first support ring to form a coiled configuration. The first support ring is configured to abut one side of the valve and the second support ring is configured to abut an opposite side of the valve to thereby trap a portion of the valve tissue therebetween. The device further comprises an annuloplasty implant adapted to be attached to the heart valve annulus in order to reshape the annulus and allow the leaflets to open and close properly. The annuloplasty implant is connected to the implantation instrument for insertion to the annulus.
US08784477B2

A vascular prosthesis and method are disclosed comprising a first flexible stent having a lattice structure with a compacted configuration and an expanded configuration, a second flexible stent inside the first flexible stent to form a tubular structure, a first film layer of graft material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sandwiched between the first and second flexible stents, and a second film layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene sandwiched between the first and second flexible stents, the second layer having a higher rigidity and a lower plasticity than the first layer.
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