US08923691B2
A shake correcting device can correct a shake occurring on a target device. The shake correcting device includes an angular velocity detector, a DC component detector, a controller, a panning detector, and a storage unit. When the panning detector changes from a state in which the panning is detected to a state in which the panning is not detected, the controller controls the DC component detector to output the value of a DC component of angular velocity of the target device stored in the storage unit when the panning detector does not detect panning, and then controls the DC component detector to output a DC component based on angular velocity of the target device detected by the angular velocity detector.
US08923684B2
A computer-implemented video-player for adding and/or editing a time-sequenced caption to a video stream already stored on a web-site or uploaded by the user. A method and computer program product effectuating such manipulation of a caption in relation to the video stream. Editing of the caption can be effectuated only by a user who has created the caption. The video-player plays the video-stream with the caption overlayed on the video in a window movable, at user's discretion, across the screen of the video-player. The video stream and the associated caption are stored, generally, in different storages, with the caption being stored in association of a site or device hosting the video-player.
US08923682B2
The present invention easily realizes synchronization between processor cores in a multicore system. A data processing system receiving a group of data of different kinds from the outside and performing data processes by kinds includes: a plurality of data process control units corresponding to the kinds of the data group and performing data processes on the data group of corresponding kinds; and a memory unit which can be accessed by the data process control units and has a first region storing a value indicating whether the data process by the data process control units can be executed or not. Each of the data process control units updates the value in the first region on completion of preparation for executing the data process of itself and, when the value in the first region becomes a predetermined value, synchronizes start timings of the data processes and executes the data processes.
US08923681B2
An optical fiber core having a primary layer and a secondary layer, which are laminated on a bare optical fiber. The primary layer is formed by curing an ultraviolet-curable resin composition containing a first silane coupling agent, which can be incorporated into a resin skeleton, and a second silane coupling agent, which cannot be incorporated into a resin skeleton. The first silane coupling agent contains a compound having a methoxy group, and the second silane coupling agent contains a compound having an ethoxy group.
US08923680B2
An optical module of the invention includes a chassis housing an optical element and having a hole that connects to an optical fiber, and a heat dissipation plate with a cutout part. The heat dissipation plate is arranged on an upper part of the chassis. The optical fiber passes through the cutout part.
US08923673B2
An optical modulator is provided which can compensate for a bias shift between an output light and a monitoring light of the optical modulator and which has a configuration capable of being reduced in size with a simple structure. The optical modulator comprises a substrate that has an electro-optical effect, an optical waveguide that includes a Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide formed in the substrate, a modulation electrode that modulates light waves propagating in the optical waveguide, an optical fiber that guides an output light from the optical waveguide, light collecting means for collecting two radiated lights from the Mach-Zehnder type optical waveguide toward a single optical receiving element, and light intensity ratio adjusting means for adjusting a light intensity ratio of the two radiated lights received by the optical receiving element.
US08923672B2
A passive arrayed-waveguide-grating (AWG) router that can be used to implement the dual functionality of a wavelength router and a 3-dB power splitter for one of its wavelength channels while functioning as a conventional wavelength router for the other wavelength channels. The passive AWG router can advantageously be used, e.g., in a WDM-PON system to reduce the insertion-loss disparity between the various wavelength channels that are being used to broadcast optical signals from an optical line terminal located at the service provider's central office, through the passive AWG router, to a plurality of optical network units located near the end users.
US08923666B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide an electrically controlled optical fuse. The optical fuse is activated electronically instead of by the light source itself. An applied voltage causes the fuse temperature to rise, which induces a transformation of a phase changing material from transparent to opaque. A gettering layer absorbs excess atoms released during the transformation.
US08923665B2
A polarization splitter and rotator of a wafer chip, an opto-electronic device and method of use is disclosed. The first waveguide of the wafer chip is configured to receive an optical signal from an optical device and propagate a transverse electric eigenstate of the received optical signal. The second waveguide is configured to receive a transverse magnetic eigenstate of the received optical signal from the first waveguide. The second waveguide includes a splitter end, a middle section and a rotator end, wherein the splitter end includes a layer of polycrystalline silicon, a layer of silicon oxide and a layer of silicon nitride, the rotated end includes a layer single crystal silicon, a layer silicon oxide and a layer of silicon nitride, and the middle section includes layers of single crystal silicon, silicon oxide polycrystalline silicon and silicon nitride.
US08923664B2
A method and system for multi-mode integrated receivers are disclosed and may include receiving an optical signal from an optical fiber coupled to a chip comprising a photonic circuit. The photonic circuit may comprise an optical coupler, one or more multi-mode optical waveguides, and a detector. The received optical signal may be coupled to a plurality of optical modes in the one or more multi-mode optical waveguides, which are communicated to a detector to generate an electrical signal from the communicated modes. The optical coupler may comprise a grating coupler. The chip may comprise a CMOS chip, and the optical fiber may comprise a single-mode or a multi-mode fiber. The detector may comprise a germanium or silicon-germanium photodiode, and/or a waveguide detector. The optical fiber may be coupled to a top surface of the chip and the multi-mode optical waveguides may comprise rib waveguides.
US08923658B2
An optical waveguide device having a Mach-Zehnder type waveguide formed on a substrate is provided in which a slope of two waveguides input to an optical coupler on an output side of the Mach-Zehnder type waveguide is 0 degrees, a waveguide of the optical coupler after being coupled by the optical coupler is a multi-mode waveguide, and the waveguide which is output from the optical coupler is a three-branched waveguide including an output main waveguide and two output sub waveguides interposing the output main waveguide therebetween.
US08923656B1
The production of a cutting pattern of a graphic placed upon a cutting mat is disclosed. A source image of the graphic overlaid on a cutting mat is received, and includes a plurality of registration marks as well as one or more distortions introduced during acquisition. The registration marks are identified from the source image by matching candidate sets of a plurality of center points of regions of adjacent groupings of pixels within the source image against predetermined positional relationships thereof corresponding to an actual arrangement of the registration marks on the cutting mat. An inverse transformation of the source image with values derived from the registration marks is applied. A corrected image aligned to physical coordinates of the cutting mat and referenced to the cutting machine is generated. A cut path is defined from vectors of the corrected image, and transmitted to the cutting machine for execution thereon.
US08923647B2
Embodiments generally relate to providing privacy in a social network system. In some embodiments, a method includes recognizing one or more objects in at least one photo. The method also includes determining one or more objects to be obscured in the at least one photo based on one or more user preferences. The method also includes causing the at least one photo to be displayed such that the determined one or more objects are obscured.
US08923646B2
An aspect of the present invention provides a method of segmenting an input image into a plurality of segments. The method comprises the steps of: deriving an image representative of boundary strength of each of a plurality of pixels in the input image; adding a random noise pattern to at least a portion of the derived image; determining a plurality of local minima in the derived image with the random noise pattern added, each of the plurality of local minima comprising a point with a lowest measure of boundary strength within a pre-defined region in the derived image; and associating each of the plurality of pixels in the input image with one of the determined local minima to segment the image based on a geodesic distance transform of the measure between the determined local minima and the pixels.
US08923642B2
An adaptive loop filter classifies a decoded image from a deblocking filter into a smooth region class and an edge/texture region class, in accordance with results of edge detection from an edge detecting unit. The adaptive loop filter performs filter coefficient calculation for each of classified classes such that the residual difference between an original image from a screen rearranging buffer and an image from the deblocking filter is smallest. The adaptive loop filter performs filter processing using filter coefficients calculated for each classified class, and outputs an image after filter processing to frame memory. The filter may be applied to an image encoding device for performing encoding with the H.264/AVC format as a basis, for example.
US08923631B2
Methods and devices for optimizing classification tree evaluation for online and real-time characterization of tissue by using GPUs are disclosed that give a significant improvement in run time compared to data decomposition. The methods and devices use a parallel algorithm designed for single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) architectures commonly found in GPUs. Various optimizations and their effects are also disclosed.
US08923624B2
An arc detecting apparatus includes an input unit that inputs an image; a line-segment detector that detects line segments from the image; a determiner that determines whether two of the line segments are associable with each other, on a basis of positions of the two line segments and angles of the two line segments relative to corresponding references; and an arc detector that detects an arc approximated by at least two line segments including the two line segments, on a basis of the two line segments being associated with each other according to a result of the determination.
US08923623B2
The invention provides a method and apparatus for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images and an image matching method. The method for acquiring descriptive information of a plurality of images includes: performing a feature point detection with respect to each image of the plurality of images, so as to obtain a plurality of feature points of each image; acquiring 0-level descriptive information of the plurality of images; and the following steps are performed for each image: performing a division of the image for the (n−1)th time, so as to obtain a plurality of (n−1)-level sub-images of the image; and (n−1)-level descriptive information of the image is generated in accordance with a plurality of nth local feature descriptors for the image and a plurality of nth visual words, where n=2,3, . . . , K+1, and K is a positive integer.
US08923619B2
A viewfinder screen display is generated and positioned such that a source document is displayed in the viewfinder screen display. Source document image blocks corresponding to different portions of the source document are then defined. For each source document image block, the image capture parameter of an image capture device is set to an optimized image capture parameter setting for the source document image block. The image capture device then captures an image block optimized image of the source document optimized for the source document image block. The optimized source document image blocks are then extracted from each image block optimized image of the source document. The extracted optimized source document image blocks are then aggregated and used to construct an image capture parameter optimized image of the source document.
US08923618B2
An expression, for which complementary information can be outputted, is extracted from a document obtained by character recognition for an image. Complementary information related to the extracted expression is outputted when a character or a symbol adjacent to the beginning or the end of the extracted expression is not a predetermined character or symbol. Output of complementary information related to the extracted expression is skipped when the character or symbol adjacent to the beginning or the end of the extracted expression is the predetermined character or symbol. A problem that complementary information unrelated to an original text is outputted is prevented even when a false character recognition occurs.
US08923617B2
An image processing device includes an image acquiring section for acquiring images; a mount number setting section for setting a mount number for mounts; an image dividing section for dividing the acquired images into a predetermined number of groups based on accessory information of the images, with the number of groups being equal to the mount number; and an image arranging section for arranging images included in each group after division on each corresponding mount. The image dividing section divides the images into the groups so that the number of images included in each group is not more than the upper limit number of images capable of being arranged on the corresponding mount.
US08923616B2
Embodiments described herein include an image-content dependent system for cutting a print in response to content of an image disposed on the print. The system includes a print cutter, a computer storage device, and a processing device. The print cutter cuts a print according to an image-content dependent cut pattern. The computer storage device stores image component metadata created from image content of an image disposed on the print to be cut. The processing device uses the image component metadata to generate the image-content dependent cut pattern to be used by the print cutter to cut the print.
US08923614B2
In order to solve the problem that the resolution of a back-scattered electron image without a contrast difference between materials with close atomic numbers is low, an image processing apparatus that performs an image process on a back-scattered electron image as an input image includes: a material peak detection unit that determines a peak luminance value with a peak of a frequency of a luminance histogram based on a luminance value obtained for each measurement position by using the input image as an input and information about material-dependent back-scattered electron generation efficiency, and that outputs the peak luminance value for each material; and an image information adjustment unit that emphasizes a material-dependent contrast on the basis of the input image and the peak luminance value for each material.
US08923609B2
A machine-learning engine is disclosed that is configured to recognize and learn behaviors, as well as to identify and distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior within a scene, by analyzing movements and/or activities (or absence of such) over time. The machine-learning engine may be configured to evaluate a sequence of primitive events and associated kinematic data generated for an object depicted in a sequence of video frames and a related vector representation. The vector representation is generated from a primitive event symbol stream and a phase space symbol stream, and the streams describe actions of the objects depicted in the sequence of video frames.
US08923593B2
The invention relates to a system and a method for producing an image of a physical object and to a computer program element and a computer readable medium. In order to provide improved stent boost subtract also showing wire state information, a system and a method are provided, the method comprising the following steps: a) tracking a predetermined first feature (126) and a predetermined second feature (128) in a first plurality (114) of first images (116), which images reveal a first criterion (118); and determining a first feature transform; and determining second feature distortion vector fields relative to the first feature transform; b) associating and recording second feature distortion vector fields corresponding to at least two phase attributes (120); c) tracking the predetermined first feature (126) in at least one secondary image (142) which image reveals a second criterion; d) determining a first-feature-based inter-criterion the first-feature-based inter-phase transform and the second feature distortion vector fields corresponding to a matching phase attribute (120); and f) generating a combined inter-criterion image (162) based on the restored physical distortion.
US08923590B2
A method and system for estimating 3D cardiac motion from a single C-arm angiography scan is disclosed. An initial 3D volume is reconstructed from a plurality of 2D projection images acquired in a single C-arm scan. A static mesh is extracted by segmenting an object in the initial 3D volume. The static mesh is projected to each of the 2D projection images. A cardiac phase is determined for each of the 2D projection images. A deformed mesh is generated for each of a plurality of cardiac phases based on a 2D contour of the object and the projected mesh in each of the 2D projection images of that cardiac phase.
US08923589B2
An image processing apparatus which processes an image obtained by tomosynthesis shooting by using a radiation source and a two-dimensional detector. The image processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain a plurality of projection data output from the two-dimensional detector upon tomosynthesis shooting; and a reconstruction unit configured to perform analytical reconstruction processing of a tomogram of a subject from the plurality of projection data obtained by tomosynthesis shooting without transforming the projection data into virtual projection data on a virtual CT detection plane virtually set to be perpendicular to a radiation center direction of the radiation source.
US08923584B2
The invention relates to a method for automatically determining, on a bone comprising a head portion contiguous to a neck portion, parameters for characterizing a bump deformation on the head-neck junction of the bone from acquired 3D medical image, the method comprising the following steps: i) constructing a 3D surface model of the bone; ii) fitting a sphere on the spherical portion of the head of the bone; iii) determining a neck axis characterizing the neck portion of the bone; iv) determining from the fitted sphere and the neck axis, a clock face referential on the head of the bone rotating around the neck axis; v) determining a 3D curve on the 3D surface model characterizing the head-neck junction of the bone; vi) determining, from the 3D curve, the summit of the bump deformation of the head-neck junction of the bone; vii) determining, from said summit of the bump deformation, first and a second parameters (α3D, iMax) characterizing the maximum bump deformation of the head-neck junction of the bone.
US08923582B2
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for computer aided detection. An example method includes determining a pixel threshold value for an analysis of an image selected by a user. The image includes a plurality of pixels. The example method includes determining a segmentation setting for the analysis. The segmentation setting specifies a size of a portion of the image to be used during the analysis. The example method includes analyzing the image by performing a comparison between a first and second segment of the image based on the pixel threshold value and the segmentation setting. The example method includes identifying potential abnormalities in the image based on the analysis.
US08923559B2
Provided is an image processing apparatus including a hand shape recognition unit that performs hand shape recognition on an input image to detect a position and a size of a hand with a specific shape in the input image, a determination region setting unit that sets a region in a vicinity of the hand on the input image as a determination region used to recognize a gesture performed using the hand, based on the position and the size of the hand, and a gesture recognition unit that recognizes the gesture by monitoring movement of the hand to the determination region.
US08923557B2
A paper-sheet handling apparatus (10) includes: a recognition unit (14) configured to obtain recognition information of a paper sheet by recognizing the paper sheet, and to obtain an image of the paper sheet so as to obtain paper-sheet information from the acquired image of the paper sheet; a reject unit (18) to which a paper sheet, which is other than a paper sheet that has been recognized as a normal paper sheet by the recognition unit (14), is sent; and a control unit (30) configured to output display information about the paper-sheet information of each paper sheet sent to the reject unit (18). The display information output by the control unit (30) is displayed on a display unit (22) disposed on the paper-sheet handling apparatus (10), or transmitted to an external apparatus (40), which is other than the paper-sheet handling apparatus (10), through an interface unit (39) so as to be displayed on a display unit disposed on the external apparatus (40).
US08923542B2
A hearing aid comprises a power supply, a microphone and a base part to be arranged outside the ear canal of a hearing aid user, and an ear plug part to be arranged in the ear canal of a hearing aid user. The ear plug part comprises a receiver for transmitting sound into the ear canal, and a transducer generating a signal to be transferred to said base part. A databus connects the ear plug part with the base part. The databus comprises two electrical wires adapted for transmission of signal to the receiver, and for transmission of signal from the transducer to the base part. The databus provides power supply either from the base part to the ear plug part, or, from the ear plug part to the base part. The invention further provides a method for communicating between two parts of a hearing aid.
US08923537B2
A hearing aid with a housing holding a microphone, a battery, a programmable signal processing device capable of delivering an output signal is provided whereby the output signal drives an output transducer of the hearing aid to serve a stimulus on the hearing aid user perceivable as sound. The hearing aid housing further holds a socket adapted for receiving a programming connection in order to connect the programmable signal processing device to an external programming device, and a switch adapted to be operated by the hearing aid user, and a cover arranged above the socket and switch and pivotally linked to the hearing aid. Preferably an intermediate link is provided and adapted to interlink the hearing aid with the cover.
US08923535B2
Disclosed is hearing device that uses magnetostrictive materials to assist a user in hearing and comprehending sounds. Conductive coils are made with a magnetostrictive covering that can comprise a film or other coating. In addition, printed circuit boards can be used with traces that form a coil to generate a magnetic field that activates a magnetostrictive film disposed over the coil traces on the printed circuit board. Enhanced effects are achieved using these systems. Delays in the signal processing can also be introduced by varying the thickness of the magnetostrictive coverings.
US08923531B2
A speaker that includes a pair of spaced-apart, in-plane mounted drivers connected in series to a network for applying the appropriate frequency component of the electrical input drive signal to each of the drivers is disclosed. A frequency dependent shunting network, such as a low pass filter, is applied to one of the drivers so as to gradually mute the one driver as a desired frequency is approached. The result is an aesthetically pleasing speaker that has dual in-plane drivers and that produces superior sound quality throughout the entire frequency range of the speaker, including those ranges in which dual, in plane, drivers tend to acoustically interfere with each other.
US08923526B2
An audio device (e.g. an AV amplifier), with a plurality of audio output terminals according to the HDMI standard, converts audio data of a source device into audio signals suited to audio reproduction abilities (e.g. channel counts) of sink devices. The audio device stores a plurality of audio reproduction ability information describing the predetermined channel count thereof and the channel counts of sink devices, wherein arbitrary audio reproduction ability information precluding audio reproduction ability information of a sink device with the smallest channel count is provided to a source device. The audio device performs down-mixing on audio signals with respect to a sink device whose channel count is smaller than the predetermined channel count, while the audio device performs signal processing on audio signals with respect to a sink device whose channel count is larger than the predetermined channel count.
US08923525B2
The invention relates to headphones which can facilitate the transfer of electrical power from the headphones' internal power source to other devices. A pair of headphones can connect to a device through a modified cable. The modified cable triggers the transfer of electrical power to the device. A pair headphones may have a modified port which, when connected to the device through a non-modified or regular cable, causes the transfer of power from the headphones. A power management component connected to the internal power source of the headphones helps control or regulate the transfer of power transfer to and from the headphones.
US08923519B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a computer implemented method for the transfer of private information of one user to another user—a primitive known as Oblivious Transfer. An output from a strong pseudorandom function generation (SPRFG) is calculated by a first user's computing module based on first and second parameters: the first parameter specifying one of two secret keys; the second parameter being a value selected within the domain of the SPRFG by the first user. The first user is prevented from reading or learning the stored two secret keys. The output is transmitted to a computer of a second user which generates first and second encrypted values that are each based on an inverse SPRFG calculation using the first and second secret keys, respectively, and corresponding private values of the second user. The encrypted values are sent to a first computer of the first user that calculates one of the private values using a mathematical computation based on the second parameter and the one of the first and second encrypted values that corresponds to the one of the first and second key used.
US08923518B2
A key distribution system includes a server and terminal devices constructing an ad-hoc network and communicating with each other with information being encrypted by a key distributed from the server. The server obtains a predetermined attribute value desired as a communication counterparty by the terminal device from the terminal device, and obtains a plurality of keys corresponding to the obtained attribute values from a key managing information. The server obtains, among the plurality of obtained keys, m number of keys that maximize the posterior probability that the keys are stored in the terminal device having the same attribute value as the attribute value obtained from the terminal device and having the number of communications larger than a predetermined value, and transmits the m number of keys to the terminal device.
US08923513B2
The present invention is directed toward secure access systems. Specifically, a method, system, and device are described that employ a synchronized pseudo-random number generator to secure communications between endpoints involved in a communication. If synchronization is lost between two devices, the two devices can regain synchronization by switching to use of a different pseudo-random number generator that is used for resynchronization instead of communications.
US08923502B2
The present invention uses natural language understanding to increase the ability of a customer service system to respond to a user's query in an automated manner. A customer service system receives a query from a user and offers the user the option of having the system contact the user at a later time with an answer. If the user accepts the offer, the customer service system processes the query offline, including providing the query to a natural language understanding interpreter. The system uses the natural language understanding interpretation to determine if the user's query is in a database of frequently-asked queries. For each query in the database of frequently-asked queries, there is a predetermined response protocol. If the user's query substantially matches a query in the database, the IVR system contacts the user with an automated response in accordance with the predetermined response protocol for the query.
US08923501B2
A computer-implemented method of handling contacts at a contact center. The method includes the steps of identifying a characteristic associated with a contact received at the contact center, and labeling a contact entity representing the contact with a label identifying the characteristic. In response to receipt of a request from an agent of the contact center to handle the contact based on the label of the contact entity, the contact is assigned to the agent and in response to the agent successfully handling the contact, an agent record associated with the agent, is updated to indicate a proficiency in handling contacts associated with the characteristic.
US08923500B2
A communication network includes a switching system, an application server, and a softswitch that communicatively couples the application server to the switching system. The switching system is configured to detect a first call to a primary directory number associated with a phone line and to forward the first call to the application server. The application server is configured to instruct the softswitch to generate a second call to a RingMaster directory number associated with the phone line. And the softswitch is configured to bridge the first and second calls responsive to detection of a communication path completion to the phone line.
US08923499B2
An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing transparent enhanced telecommunications services to subscribers by implementing an enhanced services platform on a local network exchange within the public telephone network. More specifically, the apparatus and method of the present invention is capable of providing a plurality of enhanced telecommunications services to a subscriber by using a voice-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services. In addition, the apparatus and method of the present invention may use a web-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services.
US08923496B2
Aspects of the disclosure relate to admission control of a communication session in a network. The admission control can be implemented by a network node at the boundary of the network or a subsystem thereof. In one aspect, the admission control can be implemented during a predetermined period and can be based at least on an admission criterion, which can be specific to an end-point device, e.g., a target device or an origination device. The admission criterion can be configurable and, in certain implementations, it can be obtained from historical performance associated with establishment of communication session. Such historical performance can be assessed within a period of a configurable span.
US08923489B1
A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry message or call from a user device, identifying and authorizing the user from inquiry message information received from the inquiry message, retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, applying the at least one user preference to a user call processing application, and transmitting menu options to the user device based on the applied at least user preference.
US08923485B2
An anode disk element for the generation of X-rays that provides improved dissipation of heat from a focal track includes an anisotropic thermal conductivity. The anode disk element includes a focal track and at least one heat dissipating element. The anode disk element is rotatable about a rotational axis with the focal track being rotationally symmetrical to the rotational axis. The at least one heat dissipating element is configured for heat dissipation from the focal track in the direction of reduced thermal conductivity of the anode disk element.
US08923480B2
There is provided an X-ray diffraction instrument including: a two-dimensional plate-like X-ray detector; an X-ray emitter integrated with the X-ray detector so as to penetrate the plate of the X-ray detector; a cylinder-like shield to define an orientation of the X-ray emitter and to prevent X-ray leakage, the X-ray detector being attached to one open end of the cylinder-like shield; and a standard powder attachment device to attach a standard powder for X-ray diffraction measurement to a surface of an object to be measured. The X-ray diffraction instrument can perform an X-ray diffraction measurement to an object larger than the X-ray detector thereof. The invented X-ray diffraction instrument is small in size, and can perform accurate X-ray diffraction measurement of stationary immovable objects without limitation on an orientation of the measurement surface. In addition, X-ray leakage is prevented for operator safety.
US08923475B2
A system for motion control of a cone-beam tomography recording device includes a drive system configured to position a paired radiation source and radiation detector relative to an object. The system further includes a controller configured to: initiate a trigger plan operable as a function of a constant frequency control signal, activate the paired radiation source and radiation detector in accordance with the trigger plan, drive, in response to the trigger plan, the first drive system to a steady operating state derived as a function of the constant frequency, capture a plurality of broadcast radiation signals representative of a plurality of two dimensional images of the object such that the two dimensional images are defined equidistant positions defined by the trigger plan and as a function of the constant frequency signal, and generate a three dimensional representation of the object based on the plurality of two dimensional images.
US08923474B2
The present invention is related to a method for reconstruction of the coronary arteries and an examination apparatus for reconstruction of the coronary arteries. To provide improved coronary artery information, an apparatus and a method are provided where a gating signal is provided (32) and a first gated X-ray image sequence of one of the left or right branches of the coronary arteries is acquired (34) with injected contrast agent into the one of the left or right branches of the coronary arteries. Further, a second gated X-ray image sequence of the other branch of the coronary arteries is acquired (36) with injected contrast agent into said other branch. Then, a gated reconstructing (38) of the left and the right coronary artery is suggested and a volume data (40, 42) of the coronary arteries is generated. The volume data of the left and right coronary arteries is registered (44) in relation to time and space. Further; the registered volume data (48, 50) of the left and the right coronary arteries is combined and a combined coronary artery tree volume data set (52) is generated (54). Finally, the combined coronary tree volume data set is visualized (56).
US08923462B2
A duty cycle correcting device is provided which includes a pulse width adjusting unit which adjusts a pulse width of an input signal according to a pulse width control code; a comparison unit which compares an output signal of the pulse width control unit with a plurality of reference voltages; and a control unit which selects one of a plurality of pulse width control codes based on comparison data from the comparison unit and provides the selected pulse width control code to the pulse width adjusting unit.
US08923458B2
A method and device for decoding in a differential orthogonal space-time block coded system are disclosed. The disclosed method includes: (a) receiving signals from a transmitter during a particular time slot segment, where the signals are encoded by differential orthogonal space-time block coding; (b) transforming to reception signals for two sub-systems by using a sum operation and a difference operation of the signals received in step (a), where the transformed reception signals for the two sub-systems maintain an orthogonality of an orthogonal space-time block coded system; and (c) performing decoding using the reception signals for the two sub-systems transformed in step (b). The method provides the advantage of lowering the level of operational complexity for decoding in a communication system that employs differential orthogonal space-time block coding.
US08923457B2
A method for phase noise mitigation for a coherent receiver in either an OFDM or single carrier based transmission system including applying a frequency offset and coarse phase noise compensation based on a radio frequency RF tone or using a phase lock loop PLL m-th power procedure, responsive to a signal from a digital signal processed transmission with an added pilots signal over an optical system, applying fine phase noise compensation based on comparison of the pilots signal in a time domain, removing the pilots, and demodulating the remaining pilotless signal.
US08923456B2
The present invention relates to a method and system for channel estimation. First, pilot signals are extracted from a received multi-path signal, in which each pilot signal includes a first pilot and a second pilot. Then, an initially estimated channel frequency-domain response is obtained based on the extracted first pilot. Afterward, a frequency-domain response estimate of each pilot frequency in the second pilot is calculated according to the obtained initially estimated channel frequency-domain response, an actual value of each pilot frequency in the second pilot is obtained based on the extracted second pilot, and a deviation between the frequency-domain response estimate and the actual value of each pilot frequency is calculated. When it is detected that aliasing components exist in the initially estimated channel frequency-domain response, a center of each aliasing component is determined according to the deviation, so as to determine an estimated position of each aliasing component. Finally, the initially estimated channel frequency-domain response is corrected according to the estimated positions of the aliasing components, so as to obtain an accurate channel estimation response.
US08923447B2
A channel estimation method and a channel estimation system based on time-domain training sequence are provided. The channel estimation system first acquires an initial channel vector used for channel estimation of a current frame, and calculates an algorithm initial vector based on a training sequence vector contained in a received receiving signal vector and the receiving signal vector, then performs estimation based on the initial channel vector and the algorithm initial vector and using a conjugate gradient method based on a preprocessing matrix to acquire each channel estimation value, and eventually perform noise reduction processing on each channel estimation value based on a first predetermined threshold value to acquire a final channel estimation value. Compared with the existing channel estimation methods, the present invention has a shorter delay and lower calculation complexity, and thus can be easily implemented.
US08923444B1
A receiver for decoding a communication signal is disclosed. The receiver includes an input port and a filter. The input port receives the communication signal from a communication medium. The communication signal comprises a sequence of symbols. Each symbol of the symbol sequence is an analog pulse that has a leading edge of exponential shape. The exponential shape has an exponential growth parameter value that has been selected from values α0 and α1, which are distinct positive values. For each symbol of the symbol sequence, the exponential growth parameter value for the leading edge of the symbol has been selected based on a corresponding bit from a stream of information bits. The filter receives the communication signal from the input port and filters the communication signal to obtain an output signal. The transfer function of the filter has one or more zeros at α0.
US08923443B2
A direct-conversion type wireless receiver includes a pair of mixers for frequency-converting a radio signal received from an antenna into a base band signal by local signals having different phases; a first amplification circuit for amplifying the base band signal up to a demodulation level; a second amplification circuit provided between the mixer and the first amplification circuit; and a variable current circuit including a multi-stage current mirror to add a current 2n times as high as a reference current. The wireless receiver further includes a control unit configured to correct a DC offset of the mixer by allowing a current to flow into the second amplification circuit from the variable current circuit, based on an output of the first amplification circuit, and a capacitor connected between a gate and a source of a PchMOSFET which allows the reference current to flow therethrough.
US08923433B2
An equalizer provided in a digital transmitter compensates for attenuation in a signal channel to a digital receiver. The equalizer generates signal levels as a logical function of bit history to emphasize transition signal levels relative to repeated signal levels. The preferred equalizer includes an FIR transition filter using a look-up table. Parallel circuits including FIR filters and digital-to-analog converters provide a high speed equalizer with lower speed circuitry. The equalizer is particularly suited to in-cabinet and local area network transmissions where feedback circuitry facilitates adaptive training of the equalizer.
US08923425B2
A communication apparatus, a communication system and a channel feedback method thereof for use in multi-input multi-output network are provided. The communication apparatus and the communication system communicate with each other via first antenna and second antenna respectively. The communication apparatus and the communication system transmit sounding signals via two high-related sounding channels and determine phase information of the signal transmitted in the channel between the communication apparatus and the communication system accordingly.
US08923424B2
Providing for reduced complexity or improved accuracy in de-mapping received wireless data streams for multi-channel wireless communication is described herein. By way of example, a low-complexity likelihood algorithm can be employed to de-map data bits from the wireless data streams. In one particular example, the likelihood algorithm can approximate a received bit with a subset of received wireless symbols correlated the bit, reducing algorithm complexity. In other examples, a limited set of received wireless symbols can be employed for the subset, further reducing algorithm complexity. According to at least one other example, logarithmic terms of the algorithm can be approximated with non-logarithmic functions, such as a look-up table, series expansion, polynomial approximation, or the like. These approximations can enhance symbol de-mapping accuracy while maintaining or improving processing overhead for a wireless receiver.
US08923422B2
In one embodiment, a device may select, based on an optimal tone map, a particular subcarrier for use when transmitting a data frame, the data frame to serve as a tone map request (TMREQ). The device may then populate one or more unused quality subcarriers of the TMREQ data frame other than the particular subcarrier with a well-known bit sequence, and transmits the TMREQ data frame to a receiving device to cause the receiving device to evaluate transmission quality of the one or more unused quality subcarriers based on the well-known bit sequence.
US08923416B2
Systems and methods for implementing symbol-level repetition coding in power line communications (PLC) are described. In some embodiments, these systems and methods may provide reliable communication in severe channel environments of PLC networks, at least in part, by changing the forward error correction (FEC) used by various devices operating within current PLC systems. For example, a method may include receiving a PLC signal and applying convolutional encoding to the received signal, the convolutional encoding producing an encoded signal. The method may also include performing a subcarrier modulation operation upon the encoded signal, the subcarrier modulation operation producing a modulated signal. The method may further include applying symbol-level repetition coding to the modulated signal, the symbol-level repetition coding producing a repetitious signal. In some cases, one or more distinct repetition patterns may be applied to different symbols or portions thereof. The repetitious signal may then be transmitted over a power line.
US08923415B2
A transmitted digital signal from a digital signal processor is converted into an analog signal at an analog circuit, and then transmitted from transmission lines via a communication transformer. A communication apparatus has a plurality of communication modes that perform communication in different communication ranges. A controller in the digital signal processor changes an output level of the transmitted signal according to the communication modes. More specifically, the controller detects communication quality of the transmitted signal and lowers the output level of the transmitted signal within a range where the detected communication quality does not fall below predetermined quality.
US08923408B2
A method of transcoding a sub-picture unit each comprising encoded sub-picture pixel data including sub-picture lines separated into at least a first field and a second field as well as a set of display control commands associated with the sub-picture pixel data, comprises the step of pre-processing (53) the display control commands to prepare transcoding to frame format. Encoded lines of said top and bottom fields are then merged (56,73) into a single encoded frame and the display control commands are modified (56,74) according to changes in encoded sub-picture pixel data before outputting.
US08923405B1
An apparatus generally having a plurality of memories and a first circuit is disclosed. The memories may be configured to store a plurality of first data points. The first data points generally form a two-dimensional block. The first data points may be arranged among the memories such that a load cycle from the memories accesses a rectangular region of the two-dimensional block. The load cycle generally comprises a plurality of read cycles, a different one of the read cycles corresponding to each one of the memories. The first circuit may be configured to (i) receive the first data points as read from the memories and (ii) generate a plurality of second data points by a video codec transformation of the first data points between a spatial domain and a frequency domain.
US08923403B2
3D Images may be encoded into reduced resolution image data in a base layer and enhancement layer (EL) image data in one or more enhancement layers. Different types of data compositions may be used in the EL image data. The different types of data compositions may include unfiltered full resolution image data for one or both of left eye and right eye perspectives, or unfiltered full resolution image data for a color channel, e.g., luminance channel, or unfiltered full resolution image data for selected portions of image frames, or fallback data compositions. Based on deciding factors including bitrate requirements and bandwidth constraints, different types of data compositions may be alternatively used by an upstream device to deliver the best possible 3D image data to a wide variety of downstream devices. The upstream device may inform a downstream device of specific types of data compositions with EL image data descriptors.
US08923400B1
An apparatus including a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate (i) a first series of sequential frames, (ii) a plurality of local motion vectors for each of the frames, (iii) one or more global motion vectors for each of the frames, (iv) a second series of stabilized sequential frames, (v) a plurality of rough motion vectors and (vi) a digital bitstream in response to (i) a video input signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate a single motion vector in response to a plurality of motion vectors. The second circuit may be further configured to eliminate outlier vectors from the plurality of motion vectors.
US08923396B2
An apparatus for coding an image is provided to effectively code the image. The apparatus for coding the image includes an input image segmentation unit to segment an input image into a plurality of image blocks including a first image block and a second image block. The apparatus also includes a waveform information generation unit to select a plurality of reference pixels from among pixels included in the first image block, generate first waveform information about the first image block based on a pixel value difference between the selected plurality of reference pixels, and generate second waveform information about the second image block based on a pixel value difference between the pixels included in the second image block. The apparatus also includes a coding unit to code an image included in the second image block based on the first waveform information and the second waveform information.
US08923390B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus for adaptively zeroing out transform coefficients utilizing a bit-stealing parameter are presented herein. A partitioning component can be configured to separate an image into blocks of video data. Further, a frequency transform component can be configured to transform pixels of a block of the blocks into transform coefficients. Furthermore, a bit-stealing quantization component configured to predefine quantization intervals. Moreover, the bit-stealing quantization component can modify a size of a quantization interval of the quantization intervals based on a variable bit-stealing parameter. Further, the bit-stealing component can quantize a transform coefficient of the transform coefficients, based on the quantization interval, to a quantized coefficient value of quantized coefficient values.
US08923385B2
Described herein are a number of approaches for implementing a video encoder with hardware-enabled rewind functionality. In several embodiments, rewind functionality can be implemented in hardware, in a manner which allows the transform engine of the encoder to reprocess video data, without requesting data from other stages in the encoder. Such rewind functionality is useful in implementing some video standards in a pipeline architecture, such as the H.264 standard. In one embodiment, a method of encoding video data is described, which involves obtaining a first portion of video data from a first location in a buffer, and performing an encoding operation on it. The second portion of video data is obtained from a second location in the buffer, and encoding operations begin on the second portion. The first portion of video data can be retrieved from the first location, in order to reprocess the first portion if necessary.
US08923384B2
In one form, a video processing device (150) includes a memory (110, 130) and a plurality of staged macroblock processing engines (112, 114, 116). The memory (110, 130) is operable to store partially decoded video data decoded from a stream of encoded video data. The plurality of staged macroblock processing engines (112, 114, 116) is coupled to the memory (110, 130) and is responsive to a request to process the partially decoded video data to generate a plurality of macroblocks of decoded video data. In another form, a first a first macroblock of decoded video data having a first location (426) within a first row (408) of a video frame (400) is generated, and a second macroblock of decoded video data having a second location (424) within a second row (410) of the video frame (400) is generated during the generating of the first macroblock.
US08923374B2
A method and arrangement in a network entity of delay calibration for an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system in a mobile communication system. The delay calibration technique as disclosed includes estimating a time delay difference according to a phase difference between two adjacent sub-carriers, dividing the estimated time delay difference into a coarse time delay and a fine time delay, and compensating the coarse time delay in time domain and the fine time delay in frequency domain respectively.
US08923358B2
A two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser light source includes a two-dimensional photonic crystal made of a plate-shaped body material provided with a periodic arrangement of identically-shaped holes and an active layer. The hole is not located on a first half-line extending from the gravity center of the hole, while the hole is located on a second half-line extending in the direction opposite to the first half-line. Injecting electric charges into the active layer generates light, which creates an electric field encircling the gravity center. For a given point on the second half-line where the hole is located, there is no hole at a point that is symmetrical to the aforementioned point with respect to the gravity center, so that the electric field vectors at the two points do not cancel each other and the laser light is stronger than conventional examples.
US08923355B2
A semiconductor laser device includes an n-type clad layer, a first p-type clad layer and a ridge stripe. The device also includes an active layer interposed between the n-type clad layer and the first p-type clad layer, and a current-blocking layer formed on side surfaces of the ridge stripe. The ridge stripe of the device includes a second p-type clad layer formed into a ridge stripe shape on the opposite surface of the first p-type clad layer from the n-type clad layer. The ridge stripe is formed such that a first ridge width as the width of a surface of the second p-type clad layer exists on the same side as the first p-type clad layer and a second ridge width as the width of a surface of the second p-type clad layer exists on the opposite side from the first p-type clad layer.
US08923351B2
In the field of the production of very high frequencies, for example from 1 gigahertz to several terahertz, by beating the frequencies of two laser beams together, a device includes a resonant optical cavity having very stable dimensions receiving the beams, with for each beam, an interrogation device of the resonant cavity supplying an electrical signal representing the difference in frequency between the light frequency of the beam and a resonance frequency of the resonant cavity. The frequency of each beam is servo controlled to minimize the frequency difference observed. The laser beams are produced by a dual-frequency laser producing two beams of different frequencies and orthogonal polarizations. A polarization separator is used for separate servo control of the beams according to polarization, and a polarizer is placed behind a main output of the resonant cavity producing an electromagnetic beam mixing the two polarizations and amplitude-modulated at the beat frequency.
US08923350B2
Optical pulse source comprising optical pump laser for generating optical pump pulses at repetition rate Rf; a nonlinear optical element comprising an optical fiber for generating supercontinuum pulses; a gating device provided operable to selectively control the launch of pump pulses into the optical fiber at a reduced, lower repetition rate Rr=Rf/N in order to generate supercontinuum pulses at different user selectable repetition rates lower than the pump pulse repetition rate; first and second optical amplifiers; wavelength tunable optical bandpass filter; wherein the optical fiber can generate supercontinuum pulses having a supercontinuum spanning from below 450 nm to greater than 2000 nm; and wherein said optical pulse source comprises an all-fiber source wherein said optical pump laser comprises a fiber oscillator, said gating device comprises a fiber coupled optical modulator, and the optical pump pulses are launched into the optical fiber without the use of free space optics.
US08923349B2
A control system for improving and stabilizing Fourier domain mode locking (FDML) operation. The control system may also provide regulation of FDML operational parameters such as filter tuning, laser gain, polarization, polarization chromaticity, elliptical polarization retardance, and/or dispersion. The control system may be located internal to or external from the FDML laser cavity.
US08923338B2
A method and device for receiving a non-synchronous signal in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system are provided. The method includes the following steps. Fourier transform is performed on a received first time domain signal to acquire a corresponding frequency domain signal. A sub-carrier occupied by a band of a non-synchronous signal to be received in the frequency domain signal is set to zero, inverse Fourier transform is performed on the frequency domain signal to acquire a second time domain signal, and the second time domain signal is subtracted from the first time domain signal. Or, the sub-carrier other than the sub-carrier occupied by the band of the non-synchronous signal to be received in the frequency domain signal is set to zero, and inverse Fourier transform is performed on the frequency domain signal to acquire a time domain received signal corresponding to the band of the non-synchronous signal.
US08923334B2
A network communication selection system includes one or more subsystems to allow network communications with an endpoint device. The system determines whether a data center Ethernet (DCE) capable network is available to communicate with the endpoint device, determines whether the endpoint device is local or remote and selects a network communication protocol from a plurality of network communication protocols to communicate with the endpoint device.
US08923333B2
The present invention relates to the development of a device, Cognitive Communication Hub (CCH) that combines multiple and hybrid physical layers to collaborate and establish a unified network. The heterogeneous network so formed supports a whole range of bandwidth and spectrum while providing quality of service and class of service. The routing algorithm of the device is designed to explore the best route that can optimally use hybrid networking technologies to make a connection. The device has multiple interfaces and acts in an adhoc fashion. It forms multiple parallel data paths between source and destination and hence provides fault tolerance as a break down in one path does not disconnect end to end connection.
US08923324B2
A radio system employing at least one dual protocol equipped radio device is described. The system and devices form a piconet in which message transaction parameters such as amount of data or requests to join the piconet, are monitored (60). A dual protocol device is then selected (62) (or selects itself) according to the monitored parameters, and the selected device then switches (64) the protocol it is using from a first protocol (such as Bluetooth), to a second protocol (such as ZigBee). Hence a flexible piconet is achieved in which various requirements concerning data connection and data-rates are accommodated.
US08923318B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system comprises an antenna unit comprising a plurality of antenna elements, selecting means arranged to select at least one of the antenna elements as serving antenna for communication with user equipment, means for code allocation arranged to allocate a code for channel estimation support for the communication between the serving antenna and the user equipment, and a control unit arranged to control the communication based on the selected serving antenna and the allocated code. The means for code allocation are arranged to assign the code to said user equipment. The control unit is arranged to control the serving antenna so as to transmit the code assigned to the user equipment.
US08923311B2
A unit for use at a terminal as an external wireless modem. In one embodiment, the unit includes: a wireless transceiver for connecting to a gateway between the wireless cellular network and a further, packet-based network; second interface apparatus for connecting to the terminal. The unit further includes processing apparatus arranged to receive a first link layer identifier from the wireless cellular network, gateway or further network, intended for use by the terminal as a source identifier when accessing the further network via the wireless cellular network and gateway. The processing apparatus is configured to intercept at least one message being conveyed from the terminal to the gateway comprising a second link layer identifier generated by the terminal as a source identifier, translate the second identifier into the first link layer identifier and retransmit the message to the gateway with the first link layer identifier as the source identifier.
US08923289B2
A method and apparatus to communicate tones is described.
US08923288B2
A multi-service transport apparatus for integrated transport networks that may have an electrical matrix, termination function means handling signals incoming at said apparatus input, a plurality of termination function means interfacing different layers, and adaptation function means. The termination function means handling incoming signals are implemented in input/output port devices; the termination function means interfacing different layers and said adaptation function means are implemented in adapter devices. The matrix performs exclusively the switching of the incoming signals that are already terminated and adapted by said input/output port devices and by said adapter devices and it is transparent with respect to the signal format. The switch may have a time division multiplexing matrix provided with a number of matrix inputs and a number of matrix outputs; source address generators, connected to matrix outputs of the time division multiplexing matrix.
US08923286B2
The invention relates to communication between safety-related modules in a communication network of an automation system. The object of the invention is to simplify installation and development of safety-related modules in an automation network. To this end, the safety functions of a system are divided into small, manageable, locally delimitable and simply verifiable groups of modules.
US08923275B2
Providing service information includes receiving session initiation protocol (SIP) packets from a SIP proxy. Service information is extracted from the SIP packets. The service information describes a service provided to an access terminal associated with a subscriber. The service information is sent to a charging/enforcement point operable to charge the subscriber for the service.
US08923273B2
Provided are a method and an apparatus for transmitting a reception confirmation in a wireless system. A terminal determines at least one downlink sub-frame for ACK/NACK feedback from each of a plurality of serving cells and determines the number of ACK/NACK bits for the plurality of serving cells. The terminal generates bundled ACK/NACK bits by arraying the ACK/NACK bits in the ascending order of the cell index of the plurality of serving cells, and transmits the bundled ACK/NACK bits.
US08923271B2
Method and arrangement in a base station for allocating resources to a user equipment. The method and arrangement comprises analyzing a period of time comprising a subset of the predetermined scheduling request opportunities, detecting a scheduling request from the user equipment, establishing priority level information from the detected scheduling request and the subset of the predetermined scheduling request opportunities, and allocating resources to the user equipment, according to the established priority level information. In addition, a method and arrangement in a user equipment for assisting the base station in allocating resources to the user equipment are described.
US08923268B2
Method and apparatus are provided for communicating availability and removal of one or more CCs in a cell. The one or more CCs that are available in the cell of a wireless communication network are determined, or a need to release one or more CCs that are active in the cell of a wireless communication network is detected. Availability of or the need to release the one or more CCs in the cell is communicated to a plurality of mobile stations. Each of the plurality of mobile stations is allowed to use or de-activate the one or more CCs in the cell.
US08923267B2
A device and method is provided to facilitate direct high speed data transfer between at least two wireless devices in order to support high speed local connectivity while mitigating the need for multimedia servers. A short range high speed link is established between wireless devices using an uplink band of a licensed spectrum in the case of Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) systems and the same band in the case of Time Division duplex (TDD) systems, hence enhancing the spectrum efficiency.
US08923265B2
Initiating a virtual presence at a physical access point in response to a request for a service from a wireless access device is provided. A particular wireless service may be provided to a subscriber on an on-demand basis according to location and/or type of service requested. The service may be terminated when demand for the service comes to an end whereby a common wireless service infrastructure may be shared amongst service providers thus eliminating the need for radio channel coordination and otherwise enhancing service quality for those service providers.
US08923255B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods of a wireless communications network include identifying a first downlink control channel. The possibility of an acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) resource collision on a first uplink control channel is determined for a first component carrier and a second uplink control channel for a second carrier component. A second downlink control channel can be identified to avoid the ACK/NACK resource collision.
US08923254B2
The present invention relates to a method in which a group of terminals receives a downlink control channel, and to a method in which the terminals make requests for bandwidth in a wireless communication system in which the same station identifier (STID) or cell-radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) is allocated to the group of terminals. The method, in which a group of terminals to which the same STID or C-RNTI is allocated receive a downlink control channel, comprises the following steps: receiving, from a base station, information on the STID or C-RNTI allocated to the terminals; receiving information on a time domain in which the downlink control channel for the terminals is transmitted, information on a frequency domain, or information on a search space from the base station; and decoding the downlink control channel on the basis of the information on a time domain, the information on a frequency domain, or the information on a search space, and on the basis of the STID or C-RNTI.
US08923253B2
A method for transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), a channel state information (CSI) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving control information about a transmission of the CSI from a serving eNodeB, allocating a CSI combination composed of different CSIs to one subframe based on the received control information, and transmitting the CSI combination to the serving eNodeB in the allocated subframe, wherein the control information includes information on a maximum payload size of a CSI being able to be transmitted in one subframe, a transmission period and a transmission start time point of the CSI combination, and a transmission period and a transmission start time point of each of the different CSIs.
US08923248B2
A mobile terminal and handoff method are provided herein. The handoff method for a mobile terminal includes: obtaining a Basic Service Set (BSS) IDentifier (ID) of an Access Point (AP) during a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) mode in which communication is performed through a Wi-Fi network; determining whether the obtained BSS ID is assigned to an edge AP near to a mobile communication network; and performing a handoff to the mobile communication network, when the obtained BSS ID is assigned to the edge AP.
US08923247B2
The invention relates to a method for handing over a call of a mobile entity that is circuit switched attached via a Mobile Switching Center MSC (120) to an IP Multimedia Subsystem IMS, wherein the mobile entity (100) is registered at the IMS. According to the invention, either the MSC or a media gateway act as application function towards a PCRF with the correct IP address of the media gateway.
US08923245B2
The present invention relates to a handover method for a mobile communication system. The handover method according to the present invention informs a current state to a serving base station(BS) when a re-entry process has been delayed or a handover has failed due to an error occurred in the handover procedure during handover, and receives from the serving BS a status information response message containing available interval and unavailable interval reset information and link disconnection time reset information for extending the link disconnection time. So, the present invention minimizes or prevents a handover delay or extend a link disconnection time with the serving BS, thereby allowing a terminal to receive a continuous service even during the handover procedure.
US08923233B2
The present invention relates to a method for transmitting channel status information comprising: transmitting a rank indicator (RI) and a precoding type indicator (PTI) based on a first reporting period, transmitting during the first reporting period a broadband first precoding matrix indicator (PMI) based on a second reporting period, and transmitting at least once during the second reporting period a broadband second PMI and a broadband CQI, when the PTI has a first value; transmitting the RI and the PTI based on the first reporting period, transmitting during the first reporting period the broadband second PMI and the broadband CQI based on a third reporting period; and transmitting at least once during the third period a subband second PMI and a subband CQI, when the PTI has a second value; wherein the subband CQI on an entire cycle of a set bandwidth portion can be transmitted at least once.
US08923232B2
Methods and apparatus for organizing reception on a channel by a user equipment are disclosed. A method includes determining a channel group based on a first physical resource block index of a physical uplink shared channel and a cyclic shift of uplink demodulation reference signals, without an offset value; determining a channel sequence based on the first physical resource block index, the cyclic shift, and the offset value; and determining a reception resource according to the channel group and the channel sequence.
US08923231B2
A wireless communication method is provided which includes the steps of selecting, by a wireless communication device belonging to a communication system operating on a certain communication protocol, a communication protocol among a plurality of communication protocols, exchanging, among a plurality of wireless communication devices including the wireless communication device, information including peripheral communication status of each wireless communication device by using the selected communication protocol, and changing the communication protocol to be used for exchanging the information.
US08923222B2
A method for transmitting information data by using a Reed-Muller coding scheme in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes the steps of configuring a number of resource elements for transmitting the information data; when a bit size of the information data is equal to or larger than a predetermined number, allocating even-numbered data of the information data as first information data, and allocating odd-numbered data of the information data as second information data; applying RM coding on each of the first information data and the second information data; concatenating the coded first information data and the coded second information data, and transmitting the concatenated data by using the predetermined number of resource elements.
US08923221B2
Provided are a base station, a terminal, a band allocation method, and a downlink data communication method with which bands can be efficiently allocated. In a base station (200) in which a plurality of unit bands can be allocated to a single communication, when a data receiver (260) acquires terminal capability information transmitted by a terminal (100) in the initial access unit band and the bandwidth available for communication indicated by the terminal capability information can accommodate a plurality of unit bands, a unit band group which includes the initial access unit band as well as the unit bands adjacent thereto is allocated to the terminal (100), and a communication band movement indication, which indicates the movement of the center frequency in the communication band of the terminal (100) toward the center frequency in the unit band group, is transmitted to the terminal (100) using the initial access unit band.
US08923220B2
Provided are a base station, a terminal, a band allocation method, and a downlink data communication method in which a mapping method for synchronization signals and report signals is implemented with high resource usage efficiency when a first system in which an independent single communication is allocated to a unit band co-exists with a second system in which a plurality of unit bands can be allocated to a single communication. In a base station (200), an OFDM signal generation unit (225) maps primary synchronization channel (P-SCH), secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH), primary broadcast channel (P-BCH), and dynamic broadcast channel (D-BCH), which can be decoded by both an LTE terminal and an LTE+ terminal, to some of a plurality of unit bands available to the station itself. The OFDM signal generation unit (225) also maps D-BCH+, which can be decoded only by an LTE+ terminal, to all of the plurality of unit bands to produce a multiplexed transmission signal. When the terminal which has transmitted terminal capability information is an LTE+ terminal, a control unit (265) transmits a band movement indication which indicates changes in the reception band to that terminal.
US08923218B2
An apparatus and method for providing random access signaling in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless communication system are provided. The apparatus and method determine a random access transmission scheme for the MIMO communication system based at least in part on a number of transmit antennas in the system. The random access signals are transmitted in a random access channel using the random access transmission scheme. Power control for the random access channel is performed based at least in part on the random access transmission scheme.
US08923212B2
In some aspect restricted access nodes are assigned to a designated common channel while access terminals that are in active communication with a macro access node may selectively be assigned to the designated channel. In some aspect an access terminal associated with macro access node may perform a handoff to a different carrier when the access terminal is in the vicinity of a coverage area of a restricted access node. In some aspect an access terminal associated with a macro access node may perform a handoff to a different carrier based on location information. In some aspect access to a restricted access node is controlled based on policy and/or based on operation of an access terminal associated with the restricted access node.
US08923209B2
The present invention relates to a technique relating to a method and apparatus for generating, transmitting, and receiving a data frame having a newly proposed format in a wireless communication system. According to the technique, the method for generating a data frame in a wireless communication system comprises the following steps: generating at least one first subframe; generating at least one second subframe; and generating a data frame including the first and second subframes, wherein the first and second subframes include length information of a MAC protocol data unit (MPDU) contained in the first and second subframes, and the length information of the MPDU contained in the second subframe is zero.
US08923205B2
Provided is a radio communication base station device which can suppress a use amount of an SRS communication resource. In this device, a correlation rule setting unit (102) sets a rule for correlating a preamble with an SRS transmission time interval so that the preamble transmission time band and the SRS transmission time band are in the same transmission time band. An SRS transmission band decision unit (103) decides a time interval of a transmission time band which can transmit the SRS according to the preamble transmission time interval inputted from a preamble transmission band decision unit (101) and the correlation rule setting unit (102).
US08923197B2
A base station transmits a plurality of primary synchronization channel (PSC) symbols to a mobile station in a slot of a subframe of a frame-based wireless communication system. The base station also transmits a plurality of secondary synchronization channel (SSC) symbols to the mobile station in the slot of the subframe. The mobile station determines a preferred receiver beam based on the plurality of received consecutive PSC symbols.
US08923195B2
Various methods and communications devices to improve bandwidth utilization in a wireless communication network are provided. By way of example, efficient content delivery in a radio access network is achieved by using an accelerator module configured to implement a stack having, among others, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) layer, a transmission control protocol (TCP) layer, and a de-duplication, Lempel-Ziv (LZ) compression/decompression, and caching layer.
US08923193B2
A low power radio device and a radio resource sharing method for the low power radio device are provided. In the low power radio device, a channel state (CS) is detected by carrier sensing before transmission of each frame to reduce interference and a need of retransmission of each frame, accordingly, reducing energy consumption.
US08923184B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus, in which a controller (OGI-controller) receives the registration of a terminal from a content provider so as to transmit information via a wireless multicast or broadcast channel, and transmits information to the registered terminal. The method comprises: a service registration step in which the controller registers a service to transmit information provided by the content provider to the terminal, and allocates an identification to a terminal group which will receive the information; a terminal registration step in which the content provider registers the terminal group to the controller; a terminal state checking step in which the controller receives a report on the operating states of the terminals of the registered terminal group; a terminal classifying step in which the controller classifies the terminals on the basis of the operating states of the terminals; and a terminal state reporting step in which the content provider receives a report on the state of the terminal.
US08923182B2
A method and apparatus for providing IPv6 link-layer adaptation over a wireless channel are provided. The apparatus is configured to transmit and receive 6LoWPAN frames over a signaling channel of a wireless telecommunication system to provide IPv6 link-layer adaptation over the channel.
US08923180B2
Power saving in wireless networks is disclosed. A wireless network entity that includes a module to enable a reduction in power consumption in that wireless network entity is also disclosed. The module is configured to determine that a selected wireless station of one or more wireless stations associated with the wireless network entity in a same wireless network will transmit system control information (including synchronization information and service identification information) that is normally transmitted by the wireless network entity.
US08923175B2
A timing adjustment method for use in a multi-hop communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and one or more intermediate apparatuses, said source apparatus being operable to transmit information along a series of links forming a communication path extending from the source apparatus to the destination apparatus via the or each intermediate apparatus, and the or each intermediate apparatus being operable to receive information from a previous apparatus along the path and to transmit the received information to a subsequent apparatus along the path, the system being configured to transmit information in a plurality of consecutive labelled intervals. The method includes transmitting information in a first labelled interval from a first said apparatus along a plurality of consecutive links of said path via one or more said intermediate apparatuses to a second said apparatus, said information including a reference to a particular one of said labelled intervals and the transmission of that information incurring a delay such that the transmitted information, or information derived therefrom, is received by said second apparatus in a second labelled interval a number of such intervals after the first labelled interval. The method also includes adjusting said reference to form an adjusted reference referring to a further labelled interval the or another number of such intervals before or after the particular labelled interval.
US08923159B2
A system adapted to process network traffic includes at least one processing engine configured to receive network data being transferred over a network and generate metadata relating to the data. The system includes at least one rule engine configured to receive and process the metadata to generate an output, and at least one selection engine configured to receive and process the rule engine output to determine whether the network data is to be processed by a further component and/or whether the network data is to continue to be transferred over the network. The processing engine, rule engine and selection engine can be implemented in system hardware or firmware, and the further component can be software for execution on another processor.
US08923155B2
In an embodiment, the disclosure includes an apparatus comprising a host component which comprises a virtual switch associated with a virtual machine (VM). The host component is in communication with a routing component which is connected to a network and comprises a network address. The VM sends a communication packet to the virtual switch. The communications packet comprises address information comprising a virtual destination address. The virtual switch replaces the virtual destination address of the communications packet with the network address of the routing component. The disclosure also includes a network comprising a plurality of host components each comprising a virtual switch. The host components are connected to a common routing component. A first virtual switch is designated to respond to address requests and all non-designated virtual switches are configured not to respond to address requests.
US08923151B2
A moving image transmission system determines adequate number of packets, which are corresponding to redundant portion, in accordance with a network state.The moving image transmission system estimates a correlation between a transmission bit rate and a packet loss rate based on both of information which indicates the packet loss rate and bit rate information, and determines the packet loss rate, which makes an encode bit rate of moving image data maximum, based on the correlation, and determines redundancy, which is applied to the moving image data, based on the determined packet loss.
US08923149B2
In an embodiment, the disclosure includes an apparatus comprising a host component which comprises a virtual switch associated with a virtual machine (VM). The host component is in communication with a routing component which is connected to a network and comprises a network address. The VM sends a communication packet to the virtual switch. The communications packet comprises address information comprising a virtual destination address. The virtual switch replaces the virtual destination address of the communications packet with the network address of the routing component. The disclosure also includes a network comprising a plurality of host components each comprising a virtual switch. The host components are connected to a common routing component. A first virtual switch is designated to respond to address requests and all non-designated virtual switches are configured not to respond to address requests.
US08923146B2
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program are presented for carrying out channel reservations in a wireless communication system. A communication apparatus initiates a preliminary channel reservation procedure initiating related to a spatial multiplexing group transmission. The communication apparatus is caused to transmit during the preliminary channel reservation procedure a reservation request message announcing a preliminary group reservation on the channel. Upon completed preliminary channel reservation procedure, the communication apparatus is caused to utilize the preliminary group reservation by causing transmission of a frame on the reserved channel according to the spatially multiplexed wireless communication.
US08923141B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus for providing clock synchronization in a packet-based network, the network having as components nodes and links therebetween and having a network topology, is arranged to compute a forward clock synchronization packet path to a synchronization destination from the network topology according to a computation rule such that the return path for a clock synchronization packet from the synchronization destination is the same as the forward path.
US08923140B2
A method for a first node obtaining signalling information in a packet switched network. The method comprises the steps of the first node sending a first request message comprising a first request for collecting signalling information towards a second node comprised by the packet switched network; the first node receiving a first response message, the first response message comprising a signalling information added by the second node and the signalling information collected by the second node in response to the first request message.
US08923137B2
This disclosure describes techniques for operating a client device to communicate with a wireless access point to validate data within a frame by comparing channel quality metrics and duration metrics to thresholds. Information received within a validity window may be treated as correctly received even if the frame fails a subsequent verification process or if reception of the frame is terminated prior to the end of the frame.
US08923127B2
The wireless communication system of the present invention includes a base station (10) and a mobility management node (20). The base station (10) sends at least one information from among location information of the base station (10) and information about the size of a cell of the base station (10), to the mobility management node (20). The mobility management node (20) receives at least one information from among the location information of the base station (10) and the information about the size of the cell of the base station, from the base station (10).
US08923124B1
A network device may include first logic configured to count data units passing through the network device and to produce a counter value. The network device may include second logic configured to receive the counter value when an indicator is present, and to store the counter value. The network device may include third logic configured to sample the second logic, to receive the counter value, and to operate on the counter value to produce a result.
US08923123B2
A system and method are provided for implementing performance improvements in a multicast protocol for networks that support incipient congestion indications via packet marking in instances of packet loss in the network during time-correlated blockages by providing indications in the physical (PHY) layer. A receiver rate calculation is adjusted so that a loss due to blockage is ignored completely and only packets marked using an Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) packet marking protocol are treated as losses. Receiver rates are modified based on ECN principles to ignore losses. A NORM receiver rate equation may remain substantially unchanged while a sender is enabled to keep sending at a higher data rate, even in instances of blockage in support of higher system throughputs without defining a completely new receiver rate equation. Time-correlated blockages are not treated as losses.
US08923116B1
Systems and methods described herein employ techniques for generation and selective activation (or triggering) of network management policies in a congested network to, for example, prevent further aggravation of network congestion are disclosed. In order to address mobile network congestion it is necessary to be able to enforce network management policies on the devices which are in the a specific congested cell. This presents a challenge as the mobile devices cannot themselves determine if the cell they are currently located in is congested. Additionally, most network operators do not have mechanisms to determine which cells are congested in real-time. Thus, network operators (e.g., cellular providers) can create policies with congestion triggers that are not bound to specific cells to address congestion. The polices can be distributed to clients in the mobile network and selectively activated in congested cell locations (or areas) by the mobile clients.
US08923110B2
Accurate downlink channel estimates are calculated based on infrequently transmitted Channel State Information (CSI) feedback data from a UE 20. A plurality of non-uniformly spaced digital CSI feedback samples, representing the frequency response of a downlink communication channel, is received from the UE. The received CSI feedback samples are demodulated and inverse quantized. A time domain tap delay channel model is generated from the inverse quantized CSI feedback samples. The time domain tap delay channel model may be frequency-transformed to obtain a reconstructed frequency response of the downlink communication channel in the frequency domain. Alternatively, channel delays may be estimated based on prior delays and/or known references signals transmitted on the uplink. Channel estimates between CSI reporting instances may be predicted, such as by a sample & hold or a linear predictor. The delays may be presumed fixed, and Kalman filter coefficients evolved over time.
US08923109B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate constructing unitary matrices that may be utilized in linear precoding for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems. Each unitary matrix may be generated by combining (e.g., multiplying) a diagonal matrix with a Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) matrix. The unitary matrices may be utilized to provide feedback related to a channel and/or control transmission over a channel based upon obtained feedback.
US08923106B2
An optical disc drive (ODD) includes one or more sensors which detect a user placing a disc in the loading path. In response, a process is triggered for sensing the thickness of a protective layer of the disc even while the disc is moving toward a turntable. An initial determination of the type of the disc (e.g. CD, DVD or Blu-ray®) can be determined based on the thickness and reported to a host computing device. The host, in turn, determines an application to load based on the disc type. The loading of the application can begin sooner than if the ODD waited until the disc was seated on the turntable to detect the disc type. A final determination of the disc type can be made while the disc is seated as well. The host is informed if there is a disagreement between the initial determination and the final determination.
US08923103B2
An optical-information recording medium includes a groove and a land that are alternately provided. Address information in the groove is recorded by wobbles in the groove, and address information on the land is recorded by a combination of the wobbles in the grooves provided at two opposite sides of the land.
US08923102B1
A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) transducer is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The HAMR transducer includes a write pole, at least one coil, a waveguide optically coupled with the laser and a grating. The write pole is configured to write to a region of the media. The coil(s) energize the write pole. The waveguide includes arms that have an optical path difference. The grating is optically coupled with the laser. The waveguide is optically coupled with the grating and receives light from the grating.
US08923100B1
An apparatus (e.g., a heat assisted magnetic recording write heat) includes a magnetic write pole having a tip portion proximate a media-facing surface. A near-field transducer is proximate the tip portion of the magnetic write pole. A first heat sink portion is provided along a first side of the tip portion that faces away from the near field transducer. The first heat sink portion includes a highly reflective, thermally conductive metal and is spaced away from the media facing surface. A second heat sink portion is provided along the first side of the tip portion between the media facing surface and the first heat sink portion. The second heat sink portion includes a relatively hard material.
US08923097B2
Backlash take-up timepiece wheel (10), for meshing with a second toothing (21) formed of second teeth (23) of given width (24) arranged consecutively with a second constant pitch (P2) on a second pitch diameter (22) of an opposing mobile component. This backlash take-up wheel (10) comprises, arranged to mesh with this second toothing (21), a first toothing (11) on a first pitch circle (12) comprising a series of identical pairs (2) of teeth arranged consecutively with a first constant pitch (P1) on the first pitch circle (12). Each such pair (2) comprises, on either side of a radial axis (3), a first flexible tooth (4) and a second tooth (5).Each second tooth (5) is a flexible tooth, and the distances (91, 92) measured on the first pitch circle (12) between a successive first tooth (4) and second tooth (5) are different in pairs.
US08923091B2
A system and a method for rejecting noise in an underwater sensor cable, such as a towed streamer or an ocean-bottom cable. An adaptive hydrodynamic model of the cable produces an estimated sensor signal from a raw sensor signal from a particle-motion sensor, such as an accelerometer. The estimated sensor signal represents an estimate of the response of the underwater cable to cable motion absent seismic events. A noise-reduced response to particle motion alone is produced by subtracting the estimated sensor signal from the raw sensor signal to reject cable motion and other noise effects in the raw sensor signal. A seismic event detector uses a hydrophone signal from an acceleration-canceling hydrophone to disable the adapting of the hydrodynamic model during seismic events. The hydrophone signal is combined with the response to particle motion by PZ summation to produce a deghosted seismic response signal.
US08923081B2
A semiconductor memory system configured to exchange signals through channels may include a memory control device configured to have a plurality of channels, a plurality of memory devices configured to be connected to each of the plurality of channels, wherein the plurality of channels share at least one of the plurality of memory devices.
US08923079B1
A semiconductor apparatus having a data bit inversion function and, the semiconductor apparatus including a first semiconductor chip and a second semiconductor chip electrically coupled to the first semiconductor chip, wherein the first semiconductor chip may be configured to receive data and a data bit inversion flag, and transfer the data to the second semiconductor chip, and the second semiconductor chip may be configured to invert and store the data, which is transferred from the first semiconductor chip, according to to the data bit inversion flag.
US08923073B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for use with data storage elements. A ring oscillator is coupled to a selected element within an array such that a feedback loop is defined. A period at oscillation for the ring oscillator is compared to a reference value. A data value stored within the selected element is determined accordingly. Stored data values remain essentially unaltered when accessed and read by way of the ring oscillator. Memory arrays having memristor or other storage elements can be used according to the present teachings.
US08923055B2
A semiconductor device includes cell strings that each include a plurality of memory cells, a page buffer having latches coupled to bit lines and precharge the bit lines in response to page buffer control signals, a page buffer control circuit configured to generate the page buffer control signals using a high voltage source, and a controller configured to generate control signals for controlling the page buffer control circuit.
US08923053B2
Provided is a method of operating a nonvolatile memory device that includes a substrate and memory blocks having a plurality of memory cells stacked along a direction perpendicular to the substrate. The method includes: reading data from a selected sub block among sub blocks of a selected memory block and selectively refreshing each sub block of the selected memory block in response to the reading of the selected sub block, wherein each sub block of the selected memory block is separately erased.
US08923048B2
Disclosed herein are 3D stacked memory devices having WL select gates. The 3D stacked memory device could have NAND strings. The WL select gates may be located adjacent to a word line hookup area of a word line plate. The word line plate may be driven by a word line plate driver and may have many word lines. The WL select gates may select individual word lines or groups of word lines. Therefore, smaller units that the entire block may be selected. This may reduce capacitive loading. The WL select gates may include thin film transistors. 3D decoding may be provided in a 3D stacked memory device using the WL select gates.
US08923046B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array including first memory cells and second memory cells connected to at least one word line, a circuit group configured to perform a pre-program operation on the first memory cells using a target voltage and a main program operation on the first memory cells and the second memory cells using a final target voltage, and a control circuit configured to set the target voltage depending on variations in threshold voltages of the first memory cells caused by the main program operation of the second memory cells.
US08923036B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a bit line; two or more word lines; and a memory cell including two or more sub memory cells that each include a transistor and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the transistor is connected to the bit line, the other of the source and the drain of the transistor is connected to the capacitor, a gate of the transistor is connected to one of the word lines, and each of the sub memory cells has a different capacitance of the capacitor.
US08923035B2
A junctionless semiconductor device having a buried gate, a module and system each having the same, and a method for forming the semiconductor device are disclosed. A source, a drain, and a body of a semiconductor device having a buried gate are doped with the same type of impurities, so that the junctionless semiconductor device does not include a PN junction between the source and the body or between the body and the drain. As a result, a leakage current caused by GIDL is reduced so that operation characteristics of the semiconductor device are improved and the size of a current-flowing region is increased, resulting in an increased operation current.
US08923034B2
The present disclosure provides a data storage device that includes multi-level memory cells. The data storage device may include circuitry configured to write data to the multi-level memory cell. The write circuitry may include compliance circuitry configured to implement continuously tunable switching. The write circuitry may be configured to select a compliance mode for the switching, the compliance mode being selected from the group comprising current compliance and voltage compliance.
US08923025B2
Apparatus and methods in accordance with this invention provide a multi-cell power supply for receiving power from a source and delivering power at an output terminal to a load. The multi-cell power supply includes a first power cell coupled to the source, and a first current sensor circuit. The first power cell provides a first output current, and includes a first output terminal coupled to a reference node of the multi-cell power supply, and a second output terminal coupled to the output terminal. The first current sensor circuit includes a first current sensor and a power supply. The first current sensor is coupled to the first output terminal of the first power cell, and measures the first output current. The power supply is coupled to either the reference node or a floating ground node of the first power cell, and provides power to the first current sensor.
US08923022B2
A method for reducing thermal cycling of a semiconductor power switch includes obtaining a value indicative of a junction temperature of the power switch. The method also includes selecting one of several pre-determined gate drive voltages, based on the obtained value, and providing the selected gate drive voltage to a gate of the power switch. This reduces thermal cycling of a power switch relative to the thermal cycling that would be present during operation at a single gate voltage.
US08923019B2
A DC/DC converter, a power converter and a control method thereof are disclosed, wherein the DC/DC converter includes an output circuit, a rectangular wave generator, a resonant tank, a detection unit and a control unit. The output circuit has a load. The rectangular wave generator converts an input voltage into driving pulses. The resonant tank provides a first voltage based on the driving pulses for the output circuit. The detection unit detects a signal related to a state of the load. When the state of the load is a light-load or a no-load, the control unit controls the rectangular wave generator in a hiccup mode to reduce a ratio of a work period to a stop period, or makes that number of the driving pulses within the current work period is less than the number of the driving pulses when a duty ratio is 50%.
US08923014B2
A display device having a touch panel which effectively intercepts noise generated from a display panel to prevent the touch panel from malfunctioning. The display device having the touch panel includes a display panel, a touch panel attached to the display panel through an adhesion layer, a noise interception layer over an entire rear surface of the touch panel to prevent electrical noise from the display panel from being introduced into the touch panel, a metal ring pattern on the noise interception layer to surround the edge of the noise interception layer and having lower electrical resistance than the noise interception layer, and a ground terminal electrically connected to the noise interception layer and the metal ring pattern.
US08923008B2
A circuit board includes an insulation layer having a first surface and a second surface on the opposite side of the first surface, an electronic component positioned in the insulation layer and having a terminal, a conductive pattern formed on the second surface of the insulation layer and electrically connected to the terminal, and an insulative film formed on the second surface of the insulation layer and on the conductive pattern. The terminal of the electronic component has a protruding portion which protrudes from the second surface of the insulation layer.
US08923007B2
In at least one embodiment, a circuit board assembly that includes a printed circuit board is provided. The printed circuit board includes a top surface and a bottom surface for supporting at least one through-hole electrical component. The printed circuit board defines at least one component hole extending from the top surface to the bottom surface for receiving the at least one through-hole electrical component. The at least one component hole includes a first section having a first diameter and a second section having a second diameter. The first diameter is different from the second diameter. Each of the first and the second sections are configured to receive solder paste for forming a solder joint with the at least one through-hole electrical component.
US08923002B2
An assembly with a conductor held by a resilient housing in which a PCB and/or a battery is held by an interference fit in a cavity of the resilient housing wherein insertion of the item so held forms an interference fit that forces the conductor into an electrical contact with a conductive member of the PCB and causes the resilient housing to bias the conductor against the conductive member of the PCB. The conductor does not need to be resilient. A switch can also be held by an interference fit with the resilient housing and unique channels in the resilient housing, formed by at least one rib connected to a top and a bottom of the housing, can be independently resilient.
US08923000B2
A server structure includes a first housing to support a first server module configuration, and a second housing to support a second server module configuration such that the first housing and the second housing are interchangeably supported by a common chassis, and each have at least one set of common engagement features associated with a corresponding set of common engagement features of the common chassis.
US08922998B2
A cooling apparatus is provided which includes one or more coolant-cooled structures attached to one or more electronic components, one or more coolant conduits, and one or more coolant manifolds. The coolant-cooled structure(s) includes one or more coolant-carrying channels, and the coolant manifolds includes one or more rotatable manifold sections. One coolant conduit couples in fluid communication a respective rotatable manifold section and the coolant-carrying channel(s) of a respective coolant-cooled structure. The respective rotatable manifold section is rotatable relative to another portion of the coolant manifold to facilitate detaching of the coolant-cooled structure from its associated electronic component while maintaining the coolant-cooled structure in fluid communication with the respective rotatable manifold section through the one coolant conduit, which in one embodiment, is a substantially rigid coolant conduit.
US08922996B2
A kickstand includes a holder, a bar, a shaft assembly, a cam assembly, and at least one spring washer. The bar is pivotally connected to the holder by the shaft assembly. The cam assembly is engaged with the holder and the bar and pivotally connected to the shaft assembly, so as to allow the bar to rotate relative to the holder to a closing position or an opening position selectively. The spring washer is engaged with the shaft assembly and abuts against the cam assembly.
US08922995B2
A display device includes a body, a support, and a first elastic unit. The support is rotatably disposed on a back side of the body and has a first slip stopper. The first elastic unit is pivotally connected to the body and the support. The display device is supported on the a working surface by a bottom of the body and the first slip stopper. The first elastic unit generates an elastic force to pull the support toward the body when the first slip stopper moves away from the working surface.
US08922991B2
A computer assembly includes a processor integrated circuit; a hard disk drive electrically connected to the processor integrated circuit and a power supply assembly, powering the processor integrated circuit and hard disk drive; a liquid-tight case, entirely containing and physically isolating and protecting the processor integrated circuit, hard disk drive and power supply assembly, the liquid-tight case defining fluid channels; electrical connectors to permit connection of the computer to outside devices; and a fan in the liquid-tight case, adapted to drive fluid through the fluid channel, thereby facilitating the movement of heat through the computer assembly.
US08922988B2
An electronic component package for installation on a tool includes: a solid molded housing configured to hold an electronic component support structure and surround electronic components disposed on the support structure; the housing including a first portion configured to hold the support structure, and a second portion forming a cavity around the electronic components disposed on the support structure and isolating the electronic components from contact with the housing; and a viscoelastic damping layer disposed within the first portion, the viscoelastic cushion configured to damp vibrations and strain transmitted from the tool, the viscoelastic damping layer forming a constrained layer between the support structure and the first portion and configured to isolate the support structure from the housing.
US08922986B2
An electronic data recorder including an electronic data storage device disposed within an enclosure having a main housing and a cover adapted to engage a base region of the housing. The main housing forms a cavity housing the electronic data storage device. A mounting wall extending from the main housing and including an attachment foot for attachment to a vehicle wherein an impact during a vehicle crash preferentially fractures one or both the mounting wall and attachment foot as opposed to the main housing.
US08922975B2
There is provided a multilayer ceramic capacitor including: a ceramic body; first and second internal electrodes provided within the ceramic body and including lead-out portions exposed to a first surface of the ceramic body and having an overlapping area, the overlapping area being exposed to the first surface of the ceramic body; external electrodes formed on the first surface of the ceramic body and connected to the respective lead-out portions; and an insulation layer formed on the first surface of the ceramic body and on third and fourth surfaces thereof connected to the first surface, wherein the lead-out portions have a predetermined interval from the third or fourth surface of the ceramic body.
US08922971B2
An indoor located air distribution device for providing distribution of purified supply air to a service area. The air distribution device with air purifier can reduce the amount of bacteria, viruses, and bad spores inside the service area, can minimize the spreading of bacteria, viruses and spores, and can create overall healthier conditions in the service area. With low energy usage and maintenance cost, an air supply unit with built-in bi-polar air purifier can improve the quality of room breathable air, minimize the amount of outside air in total supply air, and decrease the usage of energy (heating/cooling) and electricity.
US08922970B2
A lightning protection system is provided, typically for use on an outer surface of an aircraft, which includes the use of a lightning protection sheet that includes an electrically conductive film patterned into a plurality of hill features. The lightning protection sheet may additionally include an electrically non-conductive discriminator layer over the electrically conductive film.
US08922961B2
A lightning protection circuit includes a transistor array, a transistor array gate drive, and a second stage protection element which forces a voltage at the gate node of the transistor array to be higher than the voltage at the source node of the transistor array when a threshold is exceeded.
US08922940B1
A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, a spindle motor configured to rotate the disk, and control circuitry configured to perform a power fail operation by boosting a power voltage generated based on the spindle motor to generate a boosted voltage, controlling an operation of the data storage device using the boosted voltage, and when the power voltage falls below a threshold, reducing the boosting so as to reduce the boosted voltage.
US08922939B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, wherein the head comprises a fly height actuator (FHA) operable to actuate the head vertically over the disk. The head further comprises a temperature sensitive fly height sensor (TSS) operable to generate a fly height signal (FHS) representing a fly height of the head over the disk. An FHA actuation curve is measured for the FHA, and a conversion function is configured based on the FHA actuation curve, wherein the conversion function is operable to convert the FHS in first units (e.g., volts) into a corresponding fly height (FH) of the head in second units (e.g., nm).
US08922937B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk, and control circuitry including a vibration sensor. A position error signal (PES) is generated representing a radial location of the head over the disk, and the head is servoed radially over the disk in response to the PES. A first vibration signal is generated in response to the vibration sensor, and a second vibration signal in response to the PES. The first vibration signal is combined with the second vibration signal to generate a third vibration signal, and a vibration event is detected in response to the third vibration signal.
US08922936B2
An object of the present invention is to further improve a recording density in a magnetic disk apparatus using a shingle write system.In a magnetic disk apparatus including a magnetic disk, a recording head that writes information on the magnetic disk, and a controller that controls a writing operation of the recording head to the magnetic disk, the controller controls the writing operation such that the recording head writes information on a region including a target track and a portion of track adjacent thereto in an overlapping manner while position-shifting in a radial direction of the magnetic disk and a first writing frequency to a track on which information is last written is higher than a second writing frequency to another track.
US08922930B1
The present disclosure generally relates to shingled recording systems, such as shingled magnetic recording (SMR). In some embodiments, systems having a data storage device containing a write cache and shingled bands may store new data from a host in the write cache before writing it to shingled track main storage. The system may determine when to throttle completion of commands based on a number of unique bands associated with data stored in the write cache.
US08922924B1
Systems and methods for the correction of DC noise in signals read by a head of a disk drive are presented. Circuitry on a first data path may be configured to filter an input signal to remove a DC component. Acquisition parameters on the first data path may be configured based on the filtered signal. Circuitry on a second data path may be configured to adjust the input signal based on the configured acquisition parameters. A mean of a window of data samples of the adjusted input signal may be computed. Based on the computed mean, a correction may be applied to the adjusted input signal until a stopping rule is satisfied.
US08922921B1
A first portion of a track identifier is read from a first servo wedge of a track of a magnetic disk. A second portion of the track identifier is read from a second servo wedge of the track. The second portion includes least-significant bits of the track identifier that are also stored in the first portion. The first and second portions are combined to determine the track identifier for the first and second servo wedges, and the track is identified using the track identifier.
US08922918B1
A corrective lens system for use with a video display screen adapted to correct visual deficiency for a particular user has a mounting frame and a transparent lens centrally located in a mounting frame aperture. A lens front surface and a lens rear surface are shaped to correct visual deficiency for a particular user. The system is positioned at a first specific distance from the video display screen to correct visual deficiency. The user is positioned a second specific distance from the video display screen to correct visual deficiency. The system corrects visual deficiency for the user in a similar manner as a pair of prescription glasses.
US08922912B2
A Fresnel lens comprises a first surface, and a second surface being the reverse side surface of the first surface and having a plurality of lens surfaces. Each lens surface is configured from a part of a side surface of an elliptical cone, which has an apex located on the second surface side and a bottom surface located on the first surface side. Here, in the Fresnel lens, any normal line intersecting with the lens surface configured from the part of the side surface of the elliptical cone among normal lines of respective points on the first surface is non-parallel to a central axis of the elliptical cone corresponding to the lens surface with which the any normal line intersects.
US08922911B2
Disclosed are an image pickup lens which provides a sufficient back focus and can be subjected to a reflow process while offering a capability to be used with either a 1/10-inch-sized or a 1/12-inch-sized solid-state image pickup device, as well as an image pickup apparatus and a portable terminal employing such an image pickup lens. An image pickup lens for focusing an image of a subject on a photoelectric converting portion of a solid-state image pickup device, the image pickup lens comprising an aperture stop and a single lens arranged in this order from an object side, wherein the image pickup lens satisfies the following conditional formulae: 0.70 mm
US08922910B2
An imaging lens consists of a first-lens having a meniscus-shape with its convex-surface facing an object-side and negative-refractive-power and second through fifth lenses, at least one of the surfaces of each of which is aspherical. An image-side surface of the second-lens has a concave-shape facing an image-side. The second-lens has negative-refractive-power. An object-side surface of the third-lens has a convex-shape facing the object-side. The third-lens has positive-refractive-power. An image-side surface of the fourth-lens has a convex-shape facing the image-side. The fourth-lens has positive-refractive-power. The fifth-lens has a meniscus-shape with its convex-surface facing the image-side and negative-refractive-power. Predetermined conditional formulas about a combined paraxial focal-length of the third-lens and the fourth-lens, a distance on an optical-axis from an object-side surface of the first-lens to an image-plane, and a distance on the optical-axis from the object-side surface of the first-lens to the image-side surface of the second-lens are satisfied.
US08922903B2
A projection zoom lens has a negative first lens group which is fixed when changing magnification, second through fifth lens groups that move when changing magnification, and a positive sixth lens group which is fixed when changing magnification, in this order from a magnification side. The reduction side is telecentric. When changing magnification from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, the second lens group moves toward the magnification side. The first and second lenses from the reduction side of the fifth lens group are a positive lens and a negative lens, respectively. The sixth lens group is constituted by a single positive lens. The projection zoom lens satisfies a predetermined Conditional Formula.
US08922897B2
Various embodiments of the present invention provide for systems and apparatus directed toward using a contact lens and deflection optics to process display information and non-display information. In one embodiment of the invention, a display panel assembly is provided, comprising: a transparent substrate that permits light to pass through substantially undistorted; a reflector disposed on the transparent substrate; and a display panel aimed toward the reflector and substantially away from a human visual system, wherein the reflector reflects light emitted from the display panel toward the human visual system. The reflector may comprise a narrow band reflector or a polarization reflector.
US08922894B2
A lens unit includes a first lens plate including first lenses arranged in a first direction and configured to form an intermediate image being an inverted reduced image of an object, a second lens plate including second lenses arranged in the first direction and configured to form an inverted enlarged image of the intermediate image on a light reception surface, and a positioning portion being in contact with both a butting portion formed on the first lens plate and a butting portion formed on the second lens plate.
US08922878B2
An optical amplifier includes: a rare-earth doped fiber configured to amplify signal light to thereby produce a amplified signal light; a gain control circuit configured to control an optical gain of the rare-earth doped fiber; a photodetector configured to detect intensities of different wavelength of light obtained from the amplified signal light; and an abnormality detection circuit configured to detect an abnormality of the signal light in accordance with a ratio or a difference between the intensities of the different wavelength.
US08922874B2
An optical amplification device includes a first optical amplification portion, an intermediate portion and a second optical amplification portion. The first optical amplification portion receives input light including signal light and pump light, generates idler light as wavelength converted light based on wavelengths of the signal light and the pump light, and outputs first output light including signal light, pump light and idler light. The intermediate portion outputs second output light, and includes a demultiplexing portion that demultiplexes the first output light into signal light, pump light and idler light, a multiplexing portion that generates the second output light by multiplexing signal light, pump light and idler light, and a polarization plane adjustment portion that exchanges mutually orthogonal polarization components of idler light. The second optical amplification portion amplifies an intensity of signal light included in the second output light.
US08922872B2
A light valve film forming a light-modulating element of a light valve, the film comprised of a cross-linked polymer matrix with a plurality of droplets of a liquid light valve suspension distributed therein. The film has a phase ratio: % particle number value calculated by the formula: Matrix / capsule ratio % particles in the capsule = Phase ratio : % particle number In one embodiment the light valve film has a relatively low visible transmittance in the unpowered Off state such that the film has a % T of <0.05 and a ΔT of >42%. In another embodiment the light valve film has a relatively high visible transmittance in the On state such that the film has a % T of >70% and a ΔT of >57%.
US08922871B2
An electrowetting display device includes: a lower substrate, a pixel electrode disposed on the lower substrate, a lower water-repellent layer disposed on the pixel electrode, a plurality of partitions disposed on the lower water-repellent layer and an oil layer disposed on the lower water-repellent layer between the partitions, and wherein the partitions include a side wall having a reverse taper structure.
US08922864B2
A MEMS apparatus is provided for scanning an optical beam. The MEMS apparatus is formed out of a pre-fabricated multi-layer device and comprises at least one tilting micro-mirror formed in a first active layer of that pre-fabricated multi-layer device and a support structure formed in a second layer of the pre-fabricated multi-layer device, and wherein the support structure is preferably formed by etching parts of the second layer to obtain a pre-determined shape of the supporting structure.
US08922861B2
In a two-dimensional optical deflector apparatus comprising an optical deflector and a driver for driving the optical deflector, the optical deflector includes a mirror, a first piezoelectric actuator for rocking the mirror with respect to a first axis of the mirror, and a second piezoelectric actuator of a meander type for rocking the mirror with respect to a second axis of the mirror perpendicular to the first axis. The driver generates a curved-type saw-tooth drive voltage and applies the curved-type saw-tooth drive voltage to the second piezoelectric actuator.
US08922860B2
Motion control system and method for biosensor scanning that include inputting to a multi-axis motion controller move commands associated with the scan path as defined by multiple axes. The multiple axes including an x-baseline coordinate x0, a y-baseline coordinate y0, an x-direction oscillation amplitude x1, a y-direction oscillation amplitude y1, an oscillation frequency f and a phase φ. The multi-axis motion controller outputs digital commanded positions for each of the multiple axes. A post-processor receives the commanded positions and generates parameterized commanded positions x and y that each include a baseline motion component and an oscillating motion component. The parameterized commanded positions cause the scanning optical system to deflect the light beam to scan the beam spot over the scan path to scan the biosensor.
US08922854B2
An image reading device includes a light source, a light receiving unit, a generation unit, a white reference member, a color reference member, and a processing unit. The light source emits light to a recording medium on which an image is formed. The light receiving unit receives light reflected by the recording medium. The generation unit generates a light intensity value from the light received by the light receiving unit. The white reference member is used for color calibration for a white balance. The color reference member is used for color calibration to calibrate a predetermined color. The processing unit derives a correlation formula representing variation in characteristics of the white reference member, based on a light intensity value generated when light is emitted to the color reference member from the light source.
US08922841B2
An image processing apparatus capable of optically reading a document to generate an electronic file, and a method for controlling the same, in which an existing file that is to be attached to the electronic file or to which the electronic file is to be attached is specified, the name of an attachment-including file including the specified electronic file and existing file is specified, and the attachment-including file is sent under the specified name to a specified destination by a sending method for the attachment-including file.
US08922839B2
A array including array elements in a number smaller than the minimum number of pixels, having values larger than Th_c, and a plurality of array elements having values smaller than Th_c is generated. A formation array having the same size as that of a latent image is generated from the generated array. An image obtained by replacing the pixel value at a pixel position within the first region in the latent image with the value at the pixel position in the formation array is generated as a configuration image. The pixel value at each pixel position in the configuration image, that corresponds to each pixel position in the input image, is output as the amount of a highly infrared absorbent color material used to print a pixel at this pixel position in the input image.
US08922836B2
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention performs rendering logic sequence determination, rendering region determination, and transparency conversion determination, and, if conversion to a transparent object is determined to be necessary, performs pattern conversion to convert a target pattern into a transparent object.
US08922822B2
A method is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first data component of an image data stream at a cache within a control unit, appending a first signature value to the first data component to obtain a first modified image data and generating a second signature value based on the first modified image data.
US08922810B2
An information processing apparatus provided with a display unit includes a status information display unit configured to display status information of a job present in a print queue via the display unit, an acquisition unit configured to acquire setting information of the job present in the print queue, and a job determination unit configured to determine, based on the setting information acquired by the acquisition unit, whether the job is a job to be output to a printing apparatus. The status information display unit displays, without displaying status information of a job determined not to be output to the printing apparatus by the job determination unit, status information of a job determined to be output to the printing apparatus by the job determination unit via the display unit.
US08922788B2
A physiological monitoring system may determine a probe-off condition. A physiological sensor may be used to emit one or more wavelengths of light. A received light signal may be processed to obtain a light signal corresponding to the emitted light and an ambient signal. The signals may be analyzed to identify similar behavior. The system may determine whether the physiological sensor is properly positioned based on the analysis.
US08922784B2
A light source apparatus includes an optical resonator provided with a plurality of gain media that amplify light and an optical waveguide and a control unit configured to individually control amplification factors of the plurality of gain media, in which the plurality of gain media have mutually different maximum gain wavelengths whose amplification regions are mutually partially overlapped, and a wavelength at which a total gain by the plurality of gain media becomes a maximum value is set to be variable on the basis of the control on the amplification factors.
US08922778B2
In a particle analyzing apparatus including a capillary for passing through a fluid containing particles to be analyzed, an optical system is employed to collect fluorescent light emitted from particles or substances labeled to the particles with improved collection efficiency preserving resolution of the instrument. The optical system may include a first collection lens attached to the capillary and a first reflection element arranged adjacent to the first collection lens configured to reflect fluorescent light of one or more wavelengths. The optical system may include a second collection lens attached to the capillary and a second reflection element arranged adjacent to the second collection lens configured to reflect fluorescent light of one or more wavelengths.
US08922772B2
A multichannel optical system including a mixing device responsive to a sample beam and a reference beam that provides an in-phase signal including the mixed sample beam and reference beam having a relative phase of 0° and a quadrature phase signal including the mixed sample beam and reference beam having a relative phase of 90°. The system also includes a photodetector responsive to the quadrature phase signal that converts the quadrature phase signal to a quadrature phase electrical signal. A polarization demultiplexer circuit receives the quadrature phase electrical signal and measures the amplitude of a unique time-dependent phase dither profile having a zero time-averaged mean and a zero time-averaged correlation to the other phase dither profiles and provides a polarization amplitude signal. A polarization controller receives the polarization amplitude signal and controls the reference beam to maximize the polarization amplitude signal.
US08922768B2
A spectrometer in accordance with the present disclosure may provide multiple optical paths from the inputs to the camera, where the paths are as nearly identical as possible. For example, a spectrometer in accordance with the present disclosure may include multiple inputs, input optics, a diffraction grating, output optics, and a camera. The multiple inputs may be imaged onto different sections of the camera using the same input optics, the same diffraction grating, and the same output optics.
US08922764B2
A defect inspection method includes: illuminating an area on surface of a specimen as a test object under a specified illumination condition; scanning a specimen to translate and rotate the specimen; detecting scattering lights to separate each of scattering lights scattered in different directions from the illuminated area on the specimen into pixels to be detected according to a scan direction at the scanning a specimen and a direction approximately orthogonal to the scan direction; and processing to perform an addition process on each of scattering lights that are detected at the step and scatter approximately in the same direction from approximately the same area of the specimen, determine presence or absence of a defect based on scattering light treated by the addition process, and compute a size of the determined defect using at least one of the scattering lights corresponding to the determined defect.
US08922763B2
A method for compensating for both material or chromatic dispersion and modal dispersion effects in a multimode fiber transmission system is provided. The method includes, but is not limited to measuring a fiber-coupled spatial spectral distribution of the multimode fiber laser transmitter connected with a reference multimode fiber optical cable and determining the amount of chromatic dispersion and modal dispersion present in the reference multimode fiber optic cable. The method also includes, but is not limited to, designing an improved multimode fiber optic cable which compensates for at least a portion of the chromatic dispersion and modal dispersion present in the reference multimode fiber optic cable resulting from the transmitter's fiber-coupled spatial spectral distribution.
US08922746B2
A liquid crystal (LC) injection device is disclosed in the present invention and includes an LC container, a transporting pipe, a filter and an LC extractor. An inner wall of a bottom in the LC container is a concave shape. The transporting pipe is disposed within the LC container and contacted the inner wall of the bottom in the LC container. The present invention also discloses an LC container. The present invention is to increase the utilization efficiency of the LC container, decrease the LCs waste and enhance the accuracy of the measurement of the remaining LC quantity in the LC bottle.
US08922733B2
Light sources are disclosed. A disclosed light source includes an optically reflective cavity that includes an input port for receiving light and an output port for transmitting light, a lamp that is disposed at the input port, and an optical stack that is disposed at the output port. The optical stack includes a forward scattering optical diffuser that is disposed at the output port and has an optical haze that is not less than about 20%, and an optical film that is disposed on the optical diffuser. The optical film enhance total internal reflection at the interface between the optical film and the optical diffuser. The optical film has an index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3 and an optical haze that is not greater than about 5%. The optical stack also includes a reflective polarizer layer that is disposed on the optical film. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the optical stack are in physical contact with each other.
US08922727B2
According to one embodiment, an image display device includes a liquid crystal lens device and an image display unit. The liquid crystal lens device includes a liquid crystal optical element unit. The liquid crystal optical element unit includes a first substrate unit, a second substrate unit and a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer is provided between the first and second substrate units. The liquid crystal layer has an alignment twisted by an angle not less than 5 degrees and not more than 45 degrees along a normal axis of a major surface of the first substrate unit. The image display unit includes a display unit. The second substrate unit is disposed between the first substrate unit and the display unit.
US08922723B2
Disclosed is an optical device which includes: an optical component configured to be electrically actuated such that a light transmission state is variable; a driver circuit for the optical component; a power source unit for driving the optical component; a rim for supporting the optical component; a temple having front and rear ends and connected at the front end to the rim; and an earpiece formed at the rear end of the temple. The power source unit includes a secondary battery, a power switch, a power switch control portion, and a use-status sensing portion for sensing the status of use by a user of the optical device. The power switch control portion performs control to turn off the power switch when the use-status sensing portion does not sense any use by the user of the optical device.
US08922717B2
As information to be processed at an object-based video or audio-visual (AV) terminal, an object-oriented bitstream includes objects, composition information, and scene demarcation information. Such bitstream structure allows on-line editing, e.g. cut and paste, insertion/deletion, grouping, and special effects. In the interest of ease of editing, AV objects and their composition information are transmitted or accessed on separate logical channels (LCs). Objects which have a lifetime in the decoder beyond their initial presentation time are cached for reuse until a selected expiration time. The system includes a de-multiplexer, a controller which controls the operation of the AV terminal, input buffers, AV objects decoders, buffers for decoded data, a composer, a display, and an object cache.
US08922712B1
In an embodiment, there is provided a video processing component comprising a compensation engine configured to generate pixels of a first video frame from a second video frame based at least in part on specified pixel motion; and an access buffer configured to store pixel data corresponding to pixels of the second video frame for reference by the compensation engine, wherein the pixel data is stored by the access buffer at different vertical resolutions depending on vertical distances of the pixels corresponding to the pixel data from a target pixel that is indicated by the compensation engine.
US08922704B2
Various techniques are disclosed for collecting and processing auto-focus statistics data in an image signal processor (ISP). In one embodiment, a statistics collection engine in an ISP front-end processing unit may be configured to collect coarse (based on decimated raw data) and fine auto-focus statistics. Coarse auto-focus statistics may be collected on decimated Bayer RGB data and/or on linear camera luma values. Fine auto-focus statistics may be collected on raw Bayer RGB using a combination of a horizontal filter and edge detector, or may be collected on BayerY data (by applying a 3×1 transform to the raw Bayer RGB data). Edge sums may be accumulated using the filter outputs to determine auto-focus statistics.
US08922701B2
A focusing method for a camera by adjusting the focal length from a minimum focal length to a maximum focal length. Obtaining a number of first image definitions for analysis and comparing the first definitions to obtain a greatest definition in the first definitions. When the camera is adjusted for obtaining a second definition, obtaining a number of second image definitions for analysis. Comparing the second definition with the greatest definition and outputting a first informing signal if the second definition is less than the greatest definition. Informing the user that the camera needs to be adjusted and outputting a second informing signal when the second definition is equal to the greatest definition and informing the user that further adjustment is not required.
US08922691B2
A solid-state imaging device includes a photodetector which is formed on a substrate and is configured to generate signal charge by photoelectric conversion, a floating diffusion configured to receive the signal charge generated by the photodetector, a plurality of MOS transistors including a transfer transistor that transfers the signal charge to the floating diffusion and an amplification transistor that outputs an pixel signal corresponding to a potential of the floating diffusion, a multi-wiring layer which is formed in a layer higher than the substrate and is composed of a plurality of wiring layers electrically connected to the MOS transistors via contact portions, and a light-shielding film that is constituted by a bottom wiring layer disposed in a layer higher than the substrate and lower than the multi-wiring layer.
US08922686B2
A method of producing a solid-state image pickup apparatus, including the steps of: forming a plurality of light-receiving portions on a substrate; forming a plurality of transfer gates to be connected to the plurality of light-receiving portions formed on the substrate; forming an insulation film on the substrate; exposing a base by etching the insulation film so that the etched part of the insulation film between the adjacent transfer gates tapers away; and injecting an impurity into the exposed part using the insulation film that has remained after the etching as a mask to thus form an impurity injection portion.
US08922680B2
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus for detecting, from image data generated by an image sensor constituted by a plurality of pixels, a signal from a defective pixel of the image sensor, including first determination means for obtaining a first determination value indicating a magnitude of a difference in signal level between a pixel of interest and a plurality of pixels located in the neighborhood of the pixel of interest, second determination means for obtaining a second determination value indicating a width of distribution of the difference in signal level between the pixel of interest and the plurality of pixels located in the neighborhood of the pixel of interest, and detection means for detecting whether or not the signal from the pixel of interest is a defective pixel signal, using the first determination value and the second determination value.
US08922679B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel array section having an effective pixel region formed by a plurality of pixels which are disposed in the form of a matrix, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion device and a transistor reading out an electric charge obtained by photoelectric conversion at the photoelectric conversion device, and which are illuminated by light and a light-shielded pixel region formed by a plurality of pixels which are shielded from light; a row scan section selecting and controlling each row of pixels of the pixel array section to output a signal from each of the pixels of the selected row of pixels to a column signal line provided in association with the row of pixels; and an A-D conversion section converting the signal output from the signal line into a digital signal.
US08922673B2
A software application corrects for luminance and/or color in a captured image on a device having two cameras. The first camera receives a reference image, and the second camera receives a target image. The device compares the reference image and a reference file retrieved from memory to identify one or more luminance or color differences, and it automatically actuates an optical adjustment element of the second imaging device in response to the differences. The second imaging device captures a target image, and the target image is stored in a computer-readable memory.
US08922663B2
Signal processing techniques are applied to digital image data to remove the distortion caused by motion of the camera, or the movement of the subject being photographed, or defective optics, or optical distortion from other sources. When the image is captured, the effect of relative motion between the camera and the subject is that it transforms the true image into a blurred image according to a 2-dimensional transfer function. The 2-dimensional transfer function representing the motion is derived using blind estimation techniques or by using information from sensors that detect the motion. The transfer function is inverted and used to define a corrective filter. The filter is applied to the image and the blur due to the motion is removed, restoring the correct image. Another embodiment uses the transfer function to avoid blur by combining multiple consecutive images taken at a fast shutter speed.
US08922661B2
A method of stabilizing a subject of interest in captured video includes identifying the subject of interest within a crop window and establishing a first subject bounding window that includes the subject of interest. The method continues with refraining from substantially changing the first subject bounding window while the subject of interest moves within the first subject bounding window and establishing a second subject bounding window within the crop window that includes the subject of interest when the subject of interest exits the first subject bounding window.
US08922660B2
An image pickup apparatus includes a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit, a first light path changing unit, and a second light path changing unit, wherein the first light path changing unit is movable from a first state, in which a light flux from the light emitting unit is guided toward a front direction of the image pickup apparatus, into a second state in which a light flux from the light emitting unit is guided toward a front direction and a side direction of the image pickup apparatus, and wherein the second light path changing unit is movable from a first state, in which a light flux from a front direction of the image pickup apparatus is guided to the light receiving unit, into a second state in which light fluxes from a front direction and a side direction.
US08922641B2
System and method to inspect hygienic articles. Defects are detected using a vision system by comparing an inspection image of a component to a reference image of a defect-free component. Detection of a defect can then be used to reject components and perform other functions.
US08922631B1
A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The computing device also includes a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method that includes presenting a representation of three dimensional content on a single display. The three dimensional content representation is presented as a shared viewing experience for at least two viewers. The method also includes presenting a representation of two dimensional content on the single display to a first viewer of the at least two viewers. The two dimensional representation is presented as a private viewing experience for the first viewer and a second viewer of the at least two viewers is visually isolated from the presented two dimensional content representation.
US08922623B2
A stereo image processor (1) performs image matching, in an image matching section (6), on partial images of the same object included in a base image and a comparative image respectively and detects pixel-precision partial displacement between the base image and the comparative image based on a result of the image matching. Next, in an inverted phase filter processing section (9) in a second matching section (8), pixel values from the comparative image are filtered with an inverted phase filter using, as a filter coefficient, pixel values from the base image with the order thereof reversed, given the partial images of the same object that have minimum pixel-precision partial displacement. Then, in a peak detecting section (10), a peak position where an output value of the filtering with the inverted phase filter is maximum is detected and sub-pixel-precision partial displacement between the base image and the comparative image is detected based on the peak position. In this way, there is provided a stereo image processor that has improved accuracy of disparity calculation and analytical resolution and that requires less computation for disparity calculation and is capable of fast processing.
US08922622B2
A processing device for adding a subtitle to a three-dimensional (3D) image produced by left-eye and right-eye display patterns displayed on a display is disclosed. The processing device may include a video decoder configured to receive video content data representing content left-eye and content right-eye display patterns. The processing device may also include an audio decoder configured to receive sound data indicative of an audio volume level. Additionally, the processing device may include a subtitle decoder configured to receive subtitle data indicative of a subtitle display pattern, and modify the subtitle data based on the sound data. The processing device may also include a superimposition unit configured to combine the modified subtitle data with the video content data to create combined pattern data representing combined left-eye and combined right-eye display patterns.
US08922611B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for thermal transfer printing include, in at least one aspect, a printing apparatus includes: a band capable of holding hot melt ink thereon; rollers configured and arranged to hold and transport the band with respect to a substrate; a printhead configured and arranged to thermally transfer a portion of the ink from the band to the substrate to print on the substrate; and a heating device configured and arranged to heat the band to cause ink on the band to re-melt, flow and replace at least some of the portion of the ink transferred to the substrate previously before arriving at the printhead again for a next print.
US08922607B2
A method for printing a label having a first side, a second side, and a border comprises the step of providing a printing apparatus. The border is coated with an adhesive at the second side and a release liner is releasably secured thereto. The apparatus comprises a direct thermal printer having a first print head and a thermal transfer printer adjacent thereto and having a second print head. The method includes the step of coating the second side with a direct thermal coating, and the step of situating the label underneath the printing apparatus such that each of the first print head and the second print head face the first side. A controller is used to cause the direct thermal printer to print a second indicia on the second side, and to cause the thermal transfer printer to print a first indicia on the first side.
US08922603B2
A multi-primary color display device is capable of handling an increased number of primary colors for color image display with a reduced number of external parts, with reduced increase in the amount of drive circuit and reduced increase in operating speed. An active matrix liquid crystal panel includes a display section constituted by pixel formation portions, each made of four sub pixel-formation portions which handle four primary colors. These four sub pixel-formation portions are arranged in a 2×2 matrix pattern. With such a pixel configuration, a source driver drives as many as M source lines, which is two times the number M of pixels arranged in a horizontal direction. A gate driver is formed on the liquid crystal panel integrally with pixel circuit in the display section, and drives as many as N gate lines, which is two times the number N of the pixels arranged in a vertical direction.
US08922594B2
Embodiments of the present invention comprise systems, methods and devices for increasing the perceived brightness of an image. In some embodiments this increase compensates for a decrease in display light-source illumination.
US08922588B2
An exemplary embodiment provides an information processing program. The information processing program includes image obtaining instructions, search target detection instructions, event occurrence instructions, virtual image generation instructions, and display control instructions. The search target detection instructions cause a computer to detect a search target from an image of a subject. The event occurrence instructions cause the computer to cause an event to occur in a virtual space in accordance with variation in number of search targets. The virtual image generation instructions cause the computer to generate a virtual image by shooting the event with a virtual camera arranged in the virtual space. The display control instructions cause a display to display the virtual image such that the virtual image is visually recognized by a user as superimposed on the image of the subject or on the subject seen through a screen of the display.
US08922587B2
A dual-image display for at least two crewmembers who may interact independently with the display using touch screen buttons, switches, or hand controllers. The display enables the simultaneous display of different information and visual content depending on the viewing angle or direction. In one embodiment, a video display system for use by crewmembers in vehicles may include: a computer processor; a display monitor comprising a common display driver configured to provide separate virtual displays to at least two crewmember users, the virtual displays being visible to a respective user based on the an angle of view of the respective user; and one or more activators operatively associated with the users, wherein said display monitor is configured to be activated by said one or more activators of said users according to a user priority determination algorithm executed by said computer processor.
US08922584B2
A computer implemented method of creating, displaying, and interfacing an infinite navigable media wall includes identifying available media from storage accessible by the computer, generating a logical set of media from the available media, generating the infinite navigable media wall by placing graphical representations of media in the logical set of media on a display of the computer, and displaying the infinite navigable media wall on the display of the computer.
US08922578B2
Methods and systems are provided for merging a plurality of video inputs resulting in a single coherent output. More specifically, in one exemplary embodiment, a device embeds alpha red green blue (ARGB) data in an RGB stream which allows for preservation of the alpha channel over the video interface link.
US08922572B2
The fragment processing pipeline 10 of a graphics processing core 2 has an associated occlusion query cache 19 that is used to maintain a set of local occlusion counters 21. The occlusion query cache 19 is maintained in a local memory 3 of the graphics processing system and can communicate via an interconnect 7 with a set of master occlusion counters 22 in a main memory 5 for the graphics processing system. When an occlusion query starts, a corresponding occlusion counter 22 is initialised in the main memory 5. A corresponding local occlusion counter 21 is also provided in the occlusion query cache 19 in the local memory 3 of the graphics processor, and is used to count the results of the occlusion query. The local occlusion counter value is written back to the occlusion counter 22 for the query in the main memory 5 at the appropriate time for further processing.
US08922571B2
A system and method for efficiently scheduling memory access requests. A semiconductor chip includes a memory controller for controlling accesses to a shared memory and a display controller for processing frame data. In response to detecting an idle state for the system and the supported one or more displays, the display controller aggregates memory requests for a given display pipeline of one or more display pipelines prior to attempting to send any memory requests from the given display pipeline to the memory controller. Arbitration may be performed while the given display pipeline sends the aggregated memory requests. In response to not receiving memory access requests from the functional blocks or the display controller, the memory controller may transition to a low-power mode.
US08922568B2
An apparatus for processing data 2 is provided including processing circuitry 24 controlled by an instruction decoder 20 in response to a stream of program instructions. There is also provided dedicated function hardware 12 configured to receive output data from the processing circuitry and to perform a dedicated processing operation. The instruction decoder 20 is responsive to an end instruction 54 and a software processing flag (blend_shade_enabled) to control the processing circuitry to end a current software routine, to generate output data and in dependence upon the software processing flag either trigger processing of the output data by the dedicated function hardware or trigger the processing circuitry to perform a further software routine upon the output data to generate software generated result data instead of hardware generated result data as generated by the dedicated hardware circuitry.
US08922566B2
A graphics processing device that is portable, reconfigurable and provides graphics processing for a computer system is provided. The graphics processing device includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface coupled with the graphics processor and configured to be coupled with computer system. The graphics processing device further includes the USB interface configured to transfer a graphics instruction, originated by the computer system, to the graphics processor. The graphics processing device may further include a battery coupled with the graphics processor to partially power the graphics processor. The battery may be rechargeable. The graphics processor may be configured to process graphics instruction on behalf of the computer system. A portable processing system to provide processing for a computer system is also disclosed. The portable processing system may include a processor. The portable processing system may include a USB module coupled with processor and configured to be coupled with computer system.
US08922565B2
A system, method and apparatus are disclosed, in which a processing unit is configured to perform secondary processing on graphics pipeline data outside the graphics pipeline, with the output from the secondary processing being integrated into the graphics pipeline so that it is made available to the graphics pipeline. A determination is made whether to use secondary processing, and in a case that secondary processing is to be used, a command stream, which can comprise one or more commands, is provided to the secondary processing unit, so that the unit can locate and operate on buffered graphics pipeline data. Secondary processing is managed and monitored so as to synchronize data access by the secondary processing unit with the graphics pipeline processing modules.
US08922562B2
System and method for providing access to ArcMap netCDF utilities and adding support for observational data to ArcMap including, but not limited to, comparing observational data to model data in a graphical manner, and maintaining the security classifications for each layer in ArcMap so that the highest security classification of the data being viewed is known at all times.
US08922561B2
The data processing device includes an acquisition unit that acquires a plurality of pieces of the same category of bio-information about the same person. The bio-information is measured with both a licensed first device and an unlicensed second device. A judgment unit judges whether each acquired piece of bio-information acquired in the previous acquisition was measured by the first device or the second device. A display processing unit displays with different display modes on the same screen, a first data group of a plurality of pieces of bio-information judged to have been measured with the first device and a second data group of a plurality of pieces of bio-information judged to have been measured with the second device. The data processing device identifies data when data from both licensed and unlicensed devices coexist.
US08922555B2
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for storing only the enabled components for each enabled vector and writing only enabled components to one or more specified render targets. A shader program header (SPH) file provides per-component mask bits for each render target. Each enabled mask bit indicates that the pixel shader generates the corresponding component as an output to the raster operations unit. In the hardware, the per-component mask bits are combined with the applications programming interface (API)-level per-component write masks to determine the components that are updated by the shader program. The combined mask is used as the write enable bits for components in one or more render targets. One advantage of the combined mask is that the components that are not updated are not forwarded from the pixel shader to the ROP, thereby saving bandwidth between those processing units.
US08922554B2
An irregular ultrasound sampling grid is reconstructed to a three-dimensional grid for imaging. Volume data acquired with a helix transducer includes a fractional offset of data spaced along one dimension, resulting in the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. To determine a voxel value for a grid point on a uniform grid, two adjacent planes are identified. The sample locations in the two planes are not aligned, being on the irregular ultrasound sampling grid. Hardware acceleration devices, such as a graphics processing unit, perform bilinear interpolation in each of the planes. The data of each plane is interpolated to the proper global azimuth-range coordinate corresponding with the grid point. The bilinearly interpolated values from each plane are then linearly interpolated to the grid point.
US08922552B2
An image processing method, comprising acquiring an image of a 3-D tubular object of interest to segment; computing a 3-D path that corresponds to the centerline of the tubular object and defining segments on said 3-D path; creating an initial straight deformable cylindrical mesh model, of any kind of mesh, with a length defined along its longitudinal axis equal to the length of the 3-D path; dividing this initial mesh model into segments of length related to the different segments of the 3-D path; computing, for each segment of the mesh, a rigid-body transformation that transforms the initial direction of the mesh into the direction of the related segment of the 3-D path, and applying this transformation to the vertices of the mesh corresponding to that segment. The method comprises avoiding self-intersections in the bent regions of the tubular deformable mesh model and sharp radius changes from one segment of the mesh model to the other, by adapting or modulating the radius of the cylindrical deformable mesh model according to the local curvature of the 3-D path, sample distance of the path points and a predefined input radius.
US08922536B2
Disclosed herein is a method for driving a display element including a current-driven light emitting part and a drive circuit, the drive circuit including a write transistor, a drive transistor, and a capacitive part, the method including the steps of: executing threshold voltage cancel processing of changing potential of the second node toward potential obtained by subtracting threshold voltage of the drive transistor from potential of the first node in a state in which the potential of the first node is kept; and executing write processing of applying a video signal from the data line to the first node via the write transistor turned to an on-state by a scan signal from the scan line.
US08922534B2
A system for displaying images including a display panel and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The method includes forming a first gate line and a second gate line at each row of pixels of the display panel, wherein the first gate lines and the second gate lines are separated and electrically isolated from each other. A first insulating layer is formed to cover the first gate lines and the second gate lines, and a plurality of via holes are formed in the first insulating layer to expose the first gate lines and the second gate lines. Then, a first conductive pattern is formed on the first insulating layer, such that the first gate line at each row of the pixels is electrically connected to the second gate line at an adjacent row of the pixels, by the first conductive pattern, through the via holes.
US08922533B2
A micro-electro-mechanical (MEM) display module including a MEM display panel and a light-emitting apparatus is provided. The MEM display panel includes a plurality of first light-shielding units, a plurality of second light-shielding units, a light-shielding pattern layer and a reflective pattern layer. Each first light-shielding unit includes a first movable light-shielding device having at least one first opening. Each second light-shielding unit includes a second movable light-shielding device having at least one second opening. The light-shielding pattern layer has a plurality of third openings. In a display mode, the first opening of at least one first movable light-shielding device overlaps at least one third opening, and each second movable light-shielding device covers the reflective pattern layer. In a reflective mode, the light-shielding pattern layer covers the first opening of each first movable light-shielding device, and the second opening of each second movable light-shielding device exposes the reflective pattern layer.
US08922532B2
A method of driving a display panel including converting a frame rate of input image data to generate first image data, writing the first image data to a memory, outputting a flag signal to a timing controller, reading the first image data from the memory according to the flag signal, compensating the first image data to generate second image data, and converting the second image data into an analog data voltage and outputting the data voltage to the display panel.
US08922528B2
An optical touch device includes a display panel whereon a coordinate detecting area is formed, at least one optical transceiver disposed on a corner of the display panel for transceiving a plurality of beams travelling along an edge of the coordinate detecting area so as to form an optical virtual frame, at least one image capturing module disposed on a corner of the display panel for capturing surroundings of an object, and a control module coupled to the at least one image capturing module for determining whether to calculate a coordinate value of the object according to whether the object blocks the optical virtual frame by the captured surroundings of the object.
US08922526B2
A touch detection apparatus is provided, in which a touch panel is implemented with four surrounding edges. Three of the edges are embedded with retro-reflection materials. Light sources and pinholes are deployed on both corners of the touch panel, allowing reflections from the three edges to be projected on light sensors through the pinhole. The images projected on the light sensors are analyzed to determine coordinates of one or more contact points on the touch panel.
US08922524B2
A touch sensing device including a touch sensing panel and P number of first sensors is provided. N sensing rows with a row spacing smaller than a predetermined touch diameter are defined on the touch sensing panel. The first sensors are for sensing whether the N sensing rows are touched. An n1-th sensing row and an n2-th sensing row share a same first sensor. The sensing rows directly neighboring to the n1-th and n2-th sensing rows respectively corresponds to the first sensors different from one another. N is an integer larger than 3; n1 and n2 are positive integers smaller than or equal to N. P is a positive integer smaller than N.
US08922522B2
Provided is a display device equipped with a touch panel, including a front panel arranged above a capacitive touch panel at a predetermined distance away therefrom, in which the touch panel includes a plurality of X electrodes and a plurality of Y electrodes, and the X electrodes are sequentially applied with pulse signals and the Y electrodes receive the pulse signals. When an arbitrary point on the front panel is touched, the touch panel computes a touched point on the touch panel by using both the received pulse signals obtained from the Y electrodes in a case where the front panel is not deformed and the received pulse signals obtained from the Y electrodes in a case where the front panel is deformed. With this, an erroneous operation in which a measurement value is lowered to finally disappear is prevented.
US08922507B2
A mobile electronic device includes a housing; a processor; and an interactive display mounted within the housing and communicably coupled to the processor. The display has a tactile interface operable to receive contact from a user and, in response to the contact, provide a perceived first texture of a first portion of the display that is different than a perceived second texture of a second portion of the display. A user-selectable content item is displayed on the second portion of the display that when selected by the user, modifies a content being displayed on the display. The first portion of the display forms a perimeter boundary about the second portion of the display.
US08922503B2
Disclosed is a user interface system that includes a sheet that defines a surface and at least partially defines a fluid vessel arranged underneath the surface, a volume of fluid within the fluid vessel, a displacement device that influences the volume of the fluid within the fluid vessel to expand and contract at least a portion of the fluid vessel, thereby deforming a particular region of the surface, and a sensor system that is configured to receive a user input on the surface with a first sensitivity and configured to receive a user input substantially proximal to the particular region of the surface at with second sensitivity higher than the first sensitivity.
US08922498B2
A touch screen unit comprises a touch sensitive layer, a display and a processor. The processor is arranged to receive a signal indicative of a parallax error between a user's view of the touch sensitive layer and the user selectable objects displayed on the display and to correct for this parallax error.
US08922496B2
An apparatus and a method for controlling a touch panel are disclosed herein, the apparatus includes an object detection module and an adjusting device. The object detection module can detect a position of at least one object contacting the touch panel. A position analyzer recognizes position of the object and the adjusting device can set the touch panel to a predetermined position according to the result recognized by the position analyzer.
US08922493B2
The present invention discloses one or more embodiments of a mobile device capable of automatic enablement of a rear-face data entry. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mobile device can automatically detect and determine that a rear-face data entry interface is either facing up or facing the user's line of sight, which prompts activation of the rear-face data interface for immediate enablement of data entry (e.g. typing). If the rear-face data entry interface is either facing down or away from the user's line of sight, the mobile device disables the rear-face data interface for data entry to minimize accidental and undesirable data entry via the rear-face data interface. The preferred embodiment of the invention also incorporates a primary frontal touch-screen display, a secondary rear touch-screen display, a QWERTY keyboard, and display elevation guards on both displays.
US08922489B2
Text input may be identified from a combination of key stroke information and handwriting gesture information. In one example, a touch screen displays an on-screen keyboard. A user then draws a character on the keyboard over the key that represents the character. In this way, two types of information are provided that identify the character that the user intended to enter: the particular drawing gesture that the user provided, and the location on the keyboard at which the user drew that gesture. These two pieces of information may be used, in combination, to determine which character the user intended to enter, and may help to interpret the input accurately in the case where either the gesture or key information, individually, would have been ambiguous.
US08922488B2
A computer input device is disclosed, including a base element arranged for resting on a surface, detecting device for detecting movement of the base element relative to the surface, communication device for communicating information about the movement to a computer, and a grip element connected to the base element in the direction of a connection axis. The base element is provided with a recess, and the grip element extends into the recess, where it is pivotably arranged relative to the base element and where it is prevented from rotating relative to the base element round its connection axis. There is also disclosed a base element, arranged for resting on a surface and connectable to a grip element to form a computer input device in conjunction therewith. The base element is provided with a recess adapted for receiving the grip element pivotably therein such that the grip element is prevented from rotating relative to the base element round a connection axis thereof.
US08922487B2
A mobile device is operative to change from a first operational mode to a second or third operational mode based on a user's natural motion gesture. The first operational mode may include a voice input mode in which a user provides a voice input to the mobile device. After providing the voice input to the mobile device, the user then makes a natural motion gesture and a determination is made as to whether the natural motion gesture places the mobile device in the second or third operational mode. The second operational mode includes an augmented reality display mode in which the mobile device displays images recorded from a camera overlaid with computer-generated images corresponding to results output in response to the voice input. The third operational mode includes a reading display mode in which the mobile device displays, without augmented reality, results output in response to the voice input.
US08922478B2
A position sensor is disclosed with detector elements 11 coupled to a set of output lines 20 according to a connection pattern 30. An object 2 triggers a window subset of the detector elements 11, causing a logic output on the set of output lines 20. Some output lines 20a are coupled to more that one detector element 11. However, the connection pattern 30 is arranged such that for any window subset of the detector elements falling in a variable length range, a unique logic output is provided on the set of output lines 20 to identify the position of the object. A sensing method and search process for determining the connection pattern are also disclosed.
US08922476B2
Devices, methods and products are described that provide information handling devices with touch-based reflective display. One aspect provides a method including providing a configuration for one or more areas of a touchable control area of an information handling device, said configuration comprising a designation of one or more areas of said touchable control area, said one or more areas providing both reflective display and accepting touch-based input; ascertaining an event for updating said configuration for said one or more areas of said touchable control area; and updating said configuration for said one or more areas of said touchable control area responsive to said event. Other embodiments are described.
US08922474B2
A method for modifying an image to be displayed on a display includes receiving an image to be displayed on the display having a backlight and a transmissive panel. A backlight signal is provided to the backlight for causing the backlight to selectively illuminate different portions of the backlight with different characteristics. The characteristics include at least one of a different color and a difference luminance. A panel signal is provided to the panel for causing the transmissive panel to selectively change its transmittivities. At least one of the backlight signal and the panel signal are modified in a manner to reduce off-axis artifacts in selected regions of the display.
US08922470B2
A display apparatus includes pixel electrodes, a counter electrode arranged facing the pixel electrodes, and liquid crystal cells held in a space between the pixel electrodes and the counter electrode. The optical characteristics of the liquid crystal cells change based on potential differences between the pixel electrodes and the counter electrode. The counter electrode includes row counter electrodes divided in accordance with rows of pixels. The display apparatus also includes a counter scanning circuit for sequentially scanning the row counter electrodes in accordance with a pixel row sequentially selected by a vertical scanning circuit and for applying a counter potential of one inverting polarity.
US08922456B2
A deployable antenna which has a larger aperture diameter by four-side links provided in at least three stages and which includes: six deployment link mechanisms (20) arranged radially from a central shaft so as to support an outer edge portion of a flexible reflector mirror surface; and one deployment driving mechanism (30) arranged at a lower portion of a center of arrangement of the six deployment link mechanisms, for unfolding the six deployment link mechanisms. Each of the six deployment link mechanisms includes a first four-side link (5), a second four-side link (6), and a third four-side link (7) arranged in an order from a position of the central shaft, around which the six deployment link mechanisms are arranged, toward an outer side of the each of the six deployment link mechanisms so that the each of the six deployment link mechanisms is structured to be foldable in three stages.
US08922454B2
An integrated photovoltaic cell and RF antenna assembly is disclosed, the assembly comprising a photovoltaic cell and at least two horizontal portions of conductive material, each of the at least two horizontal portions of conductive material being secured under the photovoltaic cell, wherein two of the at least two horizontal portions are used for providing an electrical potential difference and the RF antenna is provided using the photovoltaic cell and at least one of the at least two horizontal portions of conductive material.
US08922449B2
An antenna structure having a ground element and an antenna element is provided. The antenna element is disposed on a dielectric substrate, and includes a first radiation portion, a second radiation portion, and a spiral metal line. An end of the first radiation portion is a feeding point of the antenna element, and another end is open. An end of the second radiation portion is electrically coupled to the ground element, and the length of the second radiation portion is greater than that of the first radiation portion. The first radiation portion is surrounded by the second radiation portion. An end of the spiral metal line is coupled to the first radiation portion. The spiral metal line contributes a parallel resonance outside the antenna's operating band, and results in a resonant mode generated within the antenna element's operating band such that the operating bandwidth of the antenna element is increased.
US08922445B2
A low-profile broadband multiple antenna, comprises: a dipole arranged in the top part of said antenna, said dipole comprising at least one first top antenna element connected to the core of a multi-axial cable comprising a core and n sheaths and the bottom individual element of which is connected to the first sheath adjacent to the core, a connection device positioned between a top element of a dipole and the bottom element of said dipole the top element is connected to the sheath of index (k−1) of the multi-axial cable after the assembly comprising the core and the sheaths of index (1 to k−1) has been wound in Q turns around a magnetic core and the bottom element of the dipole is connected to the sheath of index k, and said connection device comprises at least one single-wire winding of P turns on the same magnetic core linking said bottom element of said dipole to the sheath of index (k−1), at the point corresponding to the start of the winding in order to provide the broadband impedance matching and the power supply for the dipole.
US08922443B2
An electronic device may be provided with antenna structures. The antenna structures may be formed using a dielectric carrier structure. The antenna structures may have first and second loop antenna resonating elements. The first loop antenna resonating element may indirectly feed the second loop antenna resonating element. The second loop antenna resonating element may be a distributed loop element formed from multiple antenna resonating element subloops. The second loop antenna resonating element may be formed from a strip of metal with a width that loops around the dielectric carrier. An opening in the metal may separate first and second subloop antenna resonating elements from each other in the second loop antenna resonating element. Openings in the metal may form metal segments that collectively form an inductance for the first subloop. Antenna currents may flow through metal traces on the carrier and portions of an electronic device housing wall.
US08922441B2
In order to solve a problem that, if a reinforcing plate of a housing is used as an antenna in a receiver, a desired antenna gain is less likely to be obtained and therefore an antenna gain is degraded, a receiver for receiving information transmitted by a radio wave includes an output portion configured to output information which is receivable by a viewer or another receiver; a stand portion contacting the output portion and configured to hold the output portion on an installation surface at an angle suitable for receiving the information or viewing an image; a reinforcing portion contacting the output portion and the stand portion at points other than a contact point between the output portion and the stand portion and configured to reinforce the output portion and the stand portion so that the angle is maintained; and an antenna portion arranged in a space ensured by at least the reinforcing portion and configured to receive the radio wave.
US08922433B2
The present invention provides a method of unsupervised learning and location for tracking users in a wireless communication system. One embodiment of the method includes forming a signal map of a geographic area using unlabeled values of one or more signals so that the signal map relates locations in the geographic area to values of the signal(s).
US08922431B2
The invention relate to a collision avoidance apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22), system (10) and method (500). The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) includes a UHF (Ultra High Frequency) transceiver (102) operable to send and receive UHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode, a VLF (Very Low frequency) transceiver (104) operable to send and receive VLF signals in magnetic field (H-field) mode, and a SHF (Super High Frequency) transceiver (106) operable to send and receive SHF signals in electric field (E-field) mode. The apparatus (100, 200, 300, 22) further includes a control module (110) operable to direct the operation of the respective transceivers (102, 104, 106), thereby to detect receipt of a signal via at least one of the transceivers (102, 104, 106), and determine whether or not an alert is to be issued, based on the nature of the received signal. The apparatus (102, 104, 106) also includes an output arrangement (112) operable to issue an alert in response to instruction from the control module (110) to do so.
US08922424B2
A radiation type oscillator including a radiation type oscillator substrate including a microwave transistor for generating negative resistance by short-duration operation and a resonant cavity structure; a high-frequency pulse signal of an oscillation frequency/frequency bandwidth determined by negative resistance produced by the short-duration operation of the microwave transistor and the resonant cavity structure is generated as a transmitted RF signal and simultaneously radiated into space. The radiation type oscillator performs oscillating operation when a received RF signal that is a reflected wave of the transmitted RF signal from an object of detection enters the radiation type oscillator, an IF signal is acquired from an IF signal output terminal owing to homodyne mixing by the radiation type oscillator itself, and this is analyzed and processed to detect the object of detection.
US08922415B2
An asynchronous successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (SAR ADC), which utilizes one or more overlapping redundant bits in each digital-to-analog converter (DAC) code word, is operable to generate an indication signal that indicates completion of each comparison step and indicates that an output decision for each comparison step is valid. A timer may be initiated based on the generated indication signal. A timeout signal may be generated that preempts the indication signal and forces a preemptive decision, where the preemptive decision sets one or more remaining bits up to, but not including, the one or more overlapping redundant bits in a corresponding digital-to-analog converter code word for a current comparison step to a particular value. For example, the one or more remaining bits may be set to a value that is derived from a value of a bit that was determined in an immediately preceding decision.
US08922412B1
An apparatus relating generally to digital-to-analog conversion is disclosed. In such an apparatus, a digital-to-analog converter (“DAC”) device includes a source DAC and a sink DAC selectively coupled to one another. The source DAC provides a first bias to the sink DAC in a sink mode, and the sink DAC provides a second bias to the source DAC in a source mode.
US08922409B2
A switch-driving circuit and a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) using the switch-driving circuit are provided. The switch-driving circuit includes a main cell and a reference cell. The main cell includes a current source and a resistance-control component electronically connected to the current source. The reference cell is coupled to the current source and the resistance-control component, and includes a first loop, the first loop is configured to track a target reference voltage so as to provide at least one first control voltage to control a resistance change of the resistance-control component. The reference cell and the main cell are implemented by MOS transistors in place of capacitors which occupy an increased circuit area, rendering reduced circuit area for the switch-driving circuit, and decreasing manufacturing costs. Further, the switch-driving circuit outputs a voltage signal with reduced noise, increasing the performance of the Digital-to-Analog Converter.
US08922401B1
Methods and apparatus for interference cancelling data conversion. In one embodiment, an input includes an interfering signal and a signal of interest. In one embodiment, a system extends the received signal dynamic range of an analog-to-digital conversion system by partially cancelling an interfering signal with multiple analog-to-digital converters, a digital-to-analog converter, a programmable delay block, a gain block, and a difference amplifier, inverse non-linear blocks, and digital signal processing to reconstruct the received signal in the digital domain.
US08922390B2
A method for the communication of a vehicle with at least one further vehicle and/or for the communication of a vehicle with an infrastructure device (C2X communication), wherein the communication serves to transmit at least one information item for application in a driver assistance system and/or a safety system of the vehicle. In order to ensure good safety and reliability of the driver assistance system or safety system in the case of low market penetration of C2X communication, the at least one information item is transmitted via a first communication channel and/or via a second communication channel in dependence on its nature, wherein the first communication channel has a longer latency period than the second communication channel. The invention also describes a corresponding communication device, a corresponding driver assistance system or a corresponding safety system, a corresponding vehicle, a program element and a computer-readable medium.
US08922389B2
A system and method for communication between an emitting motor vehicle (Ve) and at least one target, the emitting vehicle (Ve) including at least one light device, the method comprising the step of automatically modulating a light signal (S) emitted by the light device for a communication between the vehicle (Ve) and the target; and the light device being chosen from: a lighting device, a daytime running light (DRL), a position light.
US08922384B2
A method for calibrating a moving object impact detector is disclosed. A controller may receive input indicative of movement of an impact element from a first position to a second position. The controller may also receive an activation signal corresponding to the movement of the impact element. The controller may further receive input indicative of instructions to correlate the activation signal with the movement of the impact element. The controller may selectively set the activation signal as a reference signal for the detector, with the reference signal being indicative of an impact the moving object impact detector is set to detect.
US08922375B2
Methods and apparatuses for configuring antennae of radio frequency identification reader systems. In one aspect of an embodiment, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader system, includes: a receiver; a radio frequency (RF) source for signal transmission; and a switch matrix coupled with the receiver and the radio frequency sources to selectively couple the receiver and the radio frequency source to a plurality of non-collocated antennae. When in a first mode, the switch matrix connects the radio frequency source to a first one of the antennae for signal transmission and the receiver to a second one of the antennae for signal reception; and when in a second mode, the switch matrix connects the first one of the antennae for signal reception and, in one example, the second one or another one of the antennae to the RF source for signal transmission.
US08922371B2
An array of paired V-band sensors is provided to act as a virtual fence to detect human intrusion. Each sensor includes a rotating circuit board that includes an antenna array. The sensor pivots the circuit board with regard to a weight base to align with an opposing sensor. By alternatively transmitting and receiving with regard to the opposing sensor, a V-band bistatic radar system is enabled that detects human intrusion between the opposing sensors.
US08922366B1
A reader for communicating with both an eye-mountable device and a display device is provided. The reader can transmit radio frequency power to a tag that is part of the eye-mountable device. The reader can communicates with the tag using a first protocol. Communicating with the tag can include having the reader request data from the tag and receive the requested data from the tag. The reader can process the received data. The reader can store the processed data. The reader can communicates with the display device using a second protocol, where the first and second protocols can differ. Communicating with the display device can include having the reader transmit the stored data to the display device. The display device can receive the transmitted data, process the transmitted data, and generate one or more displays including the transmitted and/or processed data.
US08922361B2
A home automation and security system is provided in which a home automation and security controller in a customer premises is coupled with a remotely located central control facility using a continuous connectivity access line providing a data channel separate from a voice channel. The controller at the customer premises is responsible for monitoring and applying control signals to devices in the home and for supporting a human interface. The remotely located central control facility is responsible for providing the computational and database resources to the controller. By redistributing functionality, the network-based structure of this home automation and security system can overcome the disadvantages of conventional home automation and security systems.
US08922357B2
In at least one embodiment, a method for programming keys to a vehicle to establish primary keys and secondary keys to control vehicle functionality is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a key identification signal from a first key. The method further comprises generating a key status signal indicative of whether the first key is one of a primary key and a secondary key in response to the key identification signal. The method further comprises transmitting the key status signal to a vehicle interface display. The method further comprises allowing a user to change a status of at least one of the first key and an additional key with the vehicle interface display in response to determining that the key status signal corresponds to the primary key.
US08922343B2
In a remote operation apparatus of a working machine including a working machine side transmission/reception unit (21) and a radio remote operation means (3) having a remote control side transmission/reception unit (31), an ON/OFF control circuit (32) for controlling the operation/non-operation state of the remote control side transmission/reception unit (31) is disposed to the radio remote operation means (3), and the working machine side transmission/reception unit (21) is called when the remote control side transmission/reception unit (31) is in an operating state by that the ON/OFF control circuit (32) is turned on, and the data showing the driving state of the working machine (1) is transmitted from the working machine side transmission/reception unit (21) to the remote control side transmission/reception unit (31) to thereby reduce an electric power consumption amount on the radio remote operation means (3).
US08922334B2
A receiver interacts with a remote control to assist with one or more user-defined macros. In a first embodiment, the receiver may execute a macro recording program to record user input and create a macro based at least partially thereon. The receiver may associate the macro with a remote control selection element or a menu element of a menu operable to be displayed by the receiver on a display. The receiver may also transmit the macro to a storage medium. Subsequently, the user may trigger execution of the macro by the remote control or the receiver. In executing the macro, the remote control or the receiver may transmit instructions to entertainment system components or may signal the other to do so. In a second embodiment, the remote control may record the macro transmit it to the receiver for storage.
US08922333B1
An embodiment of an electronic access control system includes an electronic access apparatus, an electronic lock, and an access control administration program. The electronic access apparatus provides a wireless power signal and a wireless digital data signal to the electronic lock. The wireless power signal can be the only source of power used by the electronic lock to actuate an electronic lock mechanism. In some embodiments, the lock mechanism includes a piezoelectric latch.
US08922327B2
A reactor 1α includes a coil 2 formed by winding a wire 2w, a magnetic core 3 that is disposed inside and outside of the coil 2 and forms a closed magnetic circuit, and a case 4 that has an opening portion and a bottom surface 40 that opposes the opening portion and that houses an assembly 10 of the coil 2 and the magnetic core 3. At least the opening portion of the case 4 side of the magnetic core 3 is formed of a molded solid body that contains magnetic powder and resin. A surface layer 5, which prevents the magnetic powder from rusting, is provided on a surface of the magnetic core 3 on the opening portion of the case 4 side. The surface layer 5 has a resin portion formed of resin similar to the resin contained in the magnetic core 3. The resin portion is formed so as to be continuous with the resin contained in the magnetic core 3 without an interface formed therebetween.
US08922323B2
When an outer core that is to be mounted on a reactor is seen in plan, the outer core is a compact that has a plan-view shape in which a side of the outer core that is opposite to a facing side of the outer core, which faces the inner cores, has a smaller dimension in a width direction, which is parallel to a facing surface, than the facing side of the outer core. A method of manufacturing such an outer core includes a preparing step and a compacting step. In the preparing step, coated soft magnetic powder including multiple coated soft magnetic particles formed by coating soft magnetic particles with insulating coated films is prepared as raw-material powder of the outer core. In the compacting step, a compacting space 31, which is defined by a pillar-like lower punch 12 and a tubular die 10A, is filled with the coated soft magnetic powder and then the coated soft magnetic powder in the compacting space 31 is compacted by the lower punch 12 and a pillar-like upper punch 11, the lower punch 12 and the tubular die 10A being movable relative to each other. In the compacting step, the facing surface of the outer core is pressed by the upper punch 11.
US08922322B2
A combined structure of hollow bobbin and conductive sheet for a transformer includes a hollow bobbin and at least one conductive sheet. The hollow bobbin includes an outer surface and at least one positioning structure formed on the outer surface. The conductive sheet is fit on the outer surface of the hollow bobbin and includes a main body and at least one engaging structure. The main body has a hollow portion, making the main body to have an inner circumference. The engaging structure is formed on the inner circumference of the main body and is engaged with the positioning structure of the hollow bobbin. The transformer includes at least one winding disposed on the outer surface of the hollow bobbin and abutting against the conductive sheet.
US08922319B2
A reactor includes: a molded coil including two coils integrally molded with resin; and two U-shaped cores each having core insertion portions inserted in the coils in a coil axial direction, and the cores being joined in a track-like form by interposing gap elements between them to form a core assembly. The molded coil has a substantially hexahedral shape, each of the cores includes a core outer portion joining the core insertion portions, a resin layer made of magnetic-metal containing resin consisting of binder resin and magnetic metal powder mixed therein is formed on outer surfaces of the core outer portions, the molded coil includes a fastening retaining part for holding and fixing the reactor to a cabinet with a fastening member so that the cabinet supports the reactor, and the molded coil is held apart from the cabinet by the fastening member and the fastening-member retaining part.
US08922315B2
Disclosed is a flexible ultracapacitor having a flexible cloth including an autotransformer-type connected switch made with nanoporous carbon electrodes impregnated by an electrolyte. Each of the nanoporous carbon electrodes may be configured to have a circuit. The circuit may include a first inductor and a second inductor. Each of the first inductor and the second inductor may have a first terminal and a second terminal. The second terminal of the first inductor may be coupled to the first terminal of the second inductor. A switch may be coupled between the first terminal of the first inductor and the second terminal of the second inductor.
US08922303B2
To sufficiently attenuate a common mode signal by passing an ultra-high speed differential signal through an ultra-high speed differential transmission line. A common mode filter comprises: a pair of conductive lines formed on a first dielectric layer to transmit a differential signal; a plurality of first divided floating grounds in a state of being separated from an external ground potential, and facing the conductive lines, with the first dielectric layer interposed between them, and formed by being divided into a plurality of numbers in a length direction of the conductive lines, and forming a distribution constant type differential transmission line for the differential signal, together with the conductive lines; and a first passive two-terminal network connected between the first divided floating grounds located at least at an input side or an output side of the first divided floating grounds, and the external ground potential.
US08922291B2
A shield for differential transmission lines formed in a first metal layer may include one or more floating shields, each floating shield comprising an upper-side tile formed in a second metal layer of the integrated circuit adjacent to the first metal layer, a lower-side tile formed in a third metal layer of the integrated circuit adjacent to the first metal layer and non-adjacent to the second metal layer, and at least one via configured to electrically couple the upper-side tile at an end of the length of the upper-side tile to the lower-side tile and at an end of the length of the lower-side tile.
US08922286B2
A resonator element includes a base section, a pair of vibrating arms projecting toward the same side from the base section, and disposed side by side in a predetermined direction, a support arm projecting from the base section toward the same side as the pair of vibrating arms, disposed between the pair of vibrating arms, and having a recessed portion disposed on one principal surface, and a first electrically-conductive pad and a second electrically-conductive pad disposed side by side across the recessed portion.
US08922278B2
An audio power amplifier includes a first and a second amplification unit, each including a switching voltage amplifier, an output filter, a current compensator, an inner current feedback loop feeding a measurement of current measured at the output inductor back to a summing input of the current compensator, a voltage compensator coupled to the summing input of the current compensator, and an outer voltage feedback loop. A controlled signal path provides the output of the voltage compensator of the first amplification unit to the current compensator of the second amplification unit. The first and second amplification units are operable with separate loads, in parallel driving a common load, or across a bridge-tied-load. A second pair of amplification units may be added and operated together with the first pair to drive a single speaker with a parallel pair of amplifiers on each side of a bridge-tied-load.
US08922277B2
A switching power amplifier having a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generation unit that converts an input audio signal into a PWM signal with a predetermined carrier frequency, a correction unit that corrects the difference between an audio signal included in the PWM signal and a negative feedback output audio signal to generate a corrected PWM signal, a low pass filter that removes a high-frequency component from the corrected PWM signal, a frequency modulation unit that modulates the corrected PWM signal so that the corrected PWM signal has a switching frequency different from the carrier frequency of the input PWM signal to generate a modulated PWM signal, and a power amplification unit that amplifies a power of the modulated PWM signal.
US08922258B2
A switching element driver IC has one or more photocouplers, a driver circuit, a detection circuit and a setting circuit. The photocoupler receives setting data transmitted from a microcomputer, and transmits the received setting data to the setting circuit, wherein an input side as a high voltage side is electrically insulated from an output side as a low voltage side in the photocoupler. The setting circuit transmits the setting data to the driver circuit and the detection circuit. The driver circuit and the detection circuit operate on the basis of the received setting data. The setting data can be provided to the driver circuit and the detection circuit through the photocoupler and the setting circuit. This structure makes it possible to suppress increasing the number of terminals at the high voltage side of the switching element driver IC, and decrease the entire size of the switching element driver IC.
US08922256B1
An apparatus includes a number of current steering switches and a power controller. A current source is coupled to the current steering switches and to the power controller. The current source is controlled to provide a first voltage to the current steering switches. The apparatus also includes a number of pre-drivers. The power controller is configured to provide a second voltage to the plurality of pre-drivers. The second voltage is dependent on the first voltage.
US08922254B2
Current drivers and biasing circuitry at least partly compensate for manufacturing variations and environmental variations such as supply voltage, temperature, and fabrication process.
US08922250B2
A semiconductor device and a power voltage supply circuit for a test operation of a semiconductor system including the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device receives first and second power supply voltages in a normal operation mode from an external device and receives the first power supply voltage in a test operation mode. The semiconductor device includes a voltage level setting unit configured to set a power connection node at a voltage between a voltage level of a first power supply voltage terminal and a voltage level of a ground voltage terminal according to an operation mode signal, and a voltage driving unit configured to drive a second power supply voltage terminal with the first power supply voltage in the test operation mode, wherein the driving power is controlled according to the voltage level of the power connection node.
US08922249B1
The programmable CMOS-based nonlinear function synthesizer is a circuit that assumes that the required nonlinear function can be approximated by the summation of hyperbolic tangent (tan h) functions with different arguments. Each term of the tan h function expansion is realized using a current-controlled current-conveyor (CCCCII), or an operational transconductance amplifier (OTA)) with a different bias current. The output weighted currents of these CCCCIIs or OTAs are algebraically added to produce the output current. The present circuit can be easily integrated, extended to include higher order terms of the tan h-function expansion and programmed to generate arbitrary hard nonlinear functions. By controlling the bias current and without changing the aspect ratios of the transistors, various tan h functions with different arguments from the same topology can be obtained.
US08922230B2
A three dimensional (3D) integrated circuit (IC) testing apparatus includes a plurality of connection devices. When a device under test (DUT) such as an interposer or a 3D IC formed by a plurality of 3D dies operates in a testing mode, the 3D IC testing apparatus is coupled to the DUT via a variety of interface channels such as probes. The connection devices and a variety of through silicon vias (TSVs) in the DUT form a TSV chain so that an electrical characteristic test of the variety of TSVs can be tested all at once.
US08922226B2
The present invention relates to the field of detection apparatus and/or methods. One aspect relates to an apparatus and/or detection methods for sensing material and/or detection of a predetermined characteristic within a detection zone. Another aspect relates to a method for improving the accuracy of an inspection device by capturing the human interpretation of its classification decision. Still another aspect relates to detection of relatively hard to detect items, for example items inside sealed packages. In a further aspect, the invention relates to a method of monitoring and/or improving the operation of a detection apparatus in which a detection result is obtained, and an adjustment (if necessary) is made in accordance with a comparison.
US08922225B2
A sensing pad includes a first sensing layer, a second sensing layer and a spacer layer. The second sensing layer has at least one second sparse sensing zone and at least one second dense sensing zone. The spacer layer is disposed between the first sensing layer and second sensing layer, and includes at least one high pressure spacer zone and at least one low pressure spacer zone. The second sensing layer is pressed downwards upon receiving a load to compress the spacer layer and contact the first sensing layer to generate electric connection, thereby detecting the pressed location. Through the dense sensing zone and sparse sensing zone distributed on the second sensing layer whether a person is lay on a bed can be judged to reduce faulty judgments, and the posture of the person can be detected to better understand conditions of the person lay on the bed.
US08922224B2
An electronic system having a high speed signaling bus requiring training (calibration) of a calibrated item in a driver circuitry or a receiver circuitry for reliable operation. At manufacturing or in a secure location, secure calibration coefficients are determined for the electronic system and are stored in a non-volatile storage. During operation, the high speed signaling bus may be re-calibrated, resulting in a new currently active calibration coefficient for the calibrated item. A coefficient watchdog checks a new coefficient value selected by the re-calibration at present environmental conditions such as voltage and temperature against the secure calibration coefficients. If the new calibration coefficient value is the same as a calibration coefficient value in an acceptably close secure calibration coefficient, the new calibration coefficient is accepted; if not, a potentially probed warning is created by the coefficient watchdog.
US08922222B2
A system (10) and method (200) are disclosed for detecting electrical connectivity. The system includes at least one power distribution conductor (18) and at least one electrical power pad (20) comprising a detection pad (28) that is electrically isolated from a remaining portion of the respective at least one electrical power pad (20). A measured parameter at the detection pad (28) provides an indication of electrical connectivity between the at least one power distribution conductor (18) and the respective at feast one electrical power pad (20).
US08922220B2
A short detection circuit includes a voltage divider circuit, for generating, according to a bottom voltage of one or more light-emitting diode strings, a divided voltage less than the bottom voltage. Additionally, the short detection circuit includes a voltage clamp circuit, coupled to the voltage divider circuit, for clamping the divided voltage, and a comparator, coupled to the voltage divider circuit, for comparing the divided voltage and a reference voltage, to decide whether a short circuit occurs in the one or more light-emitting diode strings according to a result of the comparison.
US08922218B2
A detection circuit includes a sensing unit, a signal reference source, and a detecting unit. The sensing unit provides a sensed signal by sensing an input signal representing a status of a battery. The signal reference source comprises a reference node and determines a signal reference at the reference node, and receives and is biased by the sensed signal at the same reference node to generate a trigger signal indicative of a difference between the sensed signal and the signal reference. The detecting unit is coupled to the signal reference source and generates an output signal according to the trigger signal to indicate an abnormal condition is present in the battery.
US08922214B2
The present disclosure describes various geophysical survey systems and methods for mapping an electric potential field. At least one illustrative embodiment includes an electromagnetic (EM) source and geophysical survey cables that each includes multiple electrodes spaced apart along each geophysical survey cable's length, and multiple data acquisition units that each obtains measurements indicative of an electric potential between two the electrodes. A modeling module is included and configured to calculate a reference potential at a selected electrode for each of the plurality of geophysical survey cables, as well as a calculation module to combine signals representative of the measurements to produce signals indicative of the electric potential of each electrode relative to the reference potential.
US08922212B2
The invention relates to a system comprising an array of two or more receiving antennas (11, 12, 13) for receiving RF signals, each receiving antenna being connected, via a matching network (19, 20, 21), to a low-noise amplifier (22, 23, 24) presenting an input impedance to the matching network (19, 20, 21), each chain consisting of a receiving antenna (11, 12, 13), a matching network (19, 20, 21) and a low-noise amplifier (22, 23, 24) constituting a part of a receiving channel of the system, the matching networks (19, 20, 21) transforming optimum impedances of the low-noise amplifiers (22, 23, 24), the optimum impedances providing optimum noise performance of the low-noise amplifiers (22, 23, 24), wherein each receiving channel comprises at least one switchable impedance (28, 29, 30) at the input of each low-noise amplifier (22, 23, 24) for switching the input impedance as presented to each matching network (19, 20, 21) to a value being the complex conjugate of the optimum impedance of the respective low-noise amplifier (22, 23, 24). The system is arranged to perform an optimization procedure comprising the following steps: a) switching the input impedance as presented to the matching network (19, 20, 21) in each receiving channel to the complex conjugate of the optimum impedance of the respective low-noise amplifier (22, 23, 24); b) receiving RF signals via the receiving antennas (11, 12, 13); c) forming a weighted sum of the signal power of the received RF signals; d) modifying the matching networks (19, 20, 21) of all receiving channels so as to find an optimum matching condition by maximizing the weighted power sum; c) switching the input impedance in each receiving channel back to a value for regular operation of the system.
US08922201B2
A position detecting device affixed to a handle bar, wherein the positional displacement between a section to be detected and a detecting section is minimized to reduce the degradation of the detection accuracy. A position detecting device 1 comprising: a section 4 to be detected which is rotated on the basis of the rotational operation of a handle grip 3 provided to a handle bar 2; a detecting section 5 which detects the section 4 to be detected; and a case 6 which contains the section 4 to be detected and the detecting section 5, wherein the position detecting device 1 is also provided with a support member 7 which rotatably supports the section 4 to be detected and to which the detecting section 5 is affixed.
US08922198B2
A method and system are provided for calibrating a magnetometer. The method comprises determining a current quality level associated with magnetometer readings obtained using an active set of calibration parameters; and lowering a quality threshold for a background calibration of the magnetometer when the current quality level exceeds a threshold quality level needed by an application utilizing the magnetometer readings.
US08922197B2
A speed sensor has a static part and a dynamic part arranged concentrically inside the static part. The static part has two permanent magnets and the dynamic part has two further permanent magnets. The magnet is oriented reversely to the further magnets. The magnets are tuned to each other so that gravity on the dynamic part is counteracted by the magnetic force on the dynamic part. As a result, the weight of the dynamic part need not be carried by springs and the dynamic part can move freely so that the full stroke can be used for measuring accelerations and the natural frequency is low. The static part further includes a measuring coil for measuring the displacement of the dynamic part and for the radial positioning of the dynamic part this part is connected to the static part by means of leaf springs.
US08922196B2
A multifunction test instrument probe includes a housing having a hollow bore with an open end. A clamp plunger is carried in the hollow bore, with a first end including a thumb press, and a second end including an alligator clamp having a pair of jaws, with a compression spring normally biasing the thumb press away from the housing, and normally biasing the alligator clamp substantially within the hollow bore proximate the open end. A point plunger is also carried in the bore, with a first end including a thumb press, and a second end terminating in a point, with a second compression spring normally biasing the thumb press away from the housing, and biasing the point within the hollow bore proximate the open end. When the clamp plunger is depressed, the alligator clamp is extended from the open end and the jaws are urged open by a jaw spring, and when the clamp plunger is released, the compression spring acts to retract the alligator clamp back towards the hollow bore and the jaws are urged closed by contact with the open end. When the point plunger is depressed, the point is extended from the open end. When the clamp plunger is again depressed, the point retracts into the housing.
US08922194B2
A master-slave current sensor system for measuring, for example, differential current on a transmission line is described. The slave current sensor can be periodically recalibrated (or have a compensation value re-calculated) based on the master sensor's average output, and the slave sensor can be unpowered and remote from an electronics box which receives its measurements. Health monitoring and fault location can also be performed using the master-slave optical current sensor system, optionally in conjunction with one or more voltage sensors.
US08922189B2
An apparatus for generating an output voltage from an input voltage is provided. The apparatus comprises a switch that receives the input voltage, an inductor that is coupled to the switch, a capacitor coupled to the inductor with the output voltage being output from a node between the inductor and the capacitor, a measuring circuit that receives and measures the input voltage, and a controller that is coupled to the switch and to the measuring circuit. Additionally, the controller receives the measured input voltage and calculates an on-time for the switch based on the measured input voltage and actuates the switch for the on-time.
US08922188B2
Provided are a low pass filter circuit having a small output voltage shift caused by a substrate leakage current at high temperature, and a voltage regulator using the low pass filter circuit, which has a small output voltage shift at high temperature. In a low pass filter circuit using a PMOS transistor as a resistive element, a back gate terminal of the PMOS transistor is set to have a higher voltage than a source of the PMOS transistor. Further, in a voltage regulator incorporating the low pass filter circuit to an output of a reference voltage circuit, the voltage of the back gate terminal of the PMOS transistor which is higher than that of the source thereof is generated by the reference voltage circuit.
US08922178B2
Systems and methods for reducing power consumption of a voltage regulator are disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure a voltage regulator comprises an input node configured to receive a reference voltage and an output node configured to output an output voltage. The output voltage is a function of the reference voltage and a regulating current. The regulator further comprises a proportional to absolute temperature (PTAT) circuit coupled to at least one of the output node and the input node. The PTAT circuit is configured to vary at least one of the reference voltage and the regulating current as a function of temperature.
US08922177B2
A multiphase converter has a plurality of phase circuits and a plurality of phase control circuits. Each phase circuit has a switch having a control terminal, and the control terminal of the switch may be configured to receive a drive signal. Each phase control circuit may be corresponding to one of the phase circuits, and each phase control circuit may be configured to provide a phase control signal to adjust an ON-time period or a reference signal for the corresponding phase circuit. The phase control signal may be responsive to the drive signal of the corresponding phase circuit.
US08922146B2
An apparatus for estimating rotor time constant of induction motor, the apparatus being such that d-axis and q-axis current commands are received to output q-axis voltage command, to output q-axis voltage estimate, to output a changed value of rotor time constant, which is a difference between the q-axis voltage command and the q-axis voltage estimate, and to add the changed value of the rotor time constant to a rotor time constant, whereby the changed rotor time constant is outputted.
US08922137B2
A lighting apparatus includes an illuminance sensor, a dimming control device and a light source. The lighting apparatus calculates a light output characteristic of the light source based on an illuminance measurement value when the light source is turned off and an illuminance measurement value when the light source is lit with a predetermined output, and calculates an ambient illuminance based on the light output characteristic. The illuminance measurement by the illuminance sensor is performed every predetermined period, and dimming control is performed on the light source based on the calculated ambient illuminance.
US08922129B1
In one general aspect, a dimmer power supply circuit is disclosed for use with single-pole dimmers that includes a first AC mains input line, second AC mains input line, and a rectification circuit responsive to the first and second AC mains input lines. A positive LED supply terminal responsive to the rectification circuit, and a negative LED supply terminal is responsive to the rectification circuit. At least one preload resistor is operatively connected in a first intermittent loading circuit path between two supply rails in the dimmer power supply circuit, and a peak detector is responsive to the first and second AC mains input lines. A first switching circuit includes a selectively enabled conduction path operatively connected in the first intermittent loading circuit path between the first and second supply rails and a control input that is responsive to the peak detector to selectively enable the switching element's conduction path when power detected across the first and second AC mains input lines is dimmed to below a predetermined level.
US08922128B2
The present invention relates to a controlling circuit and controlling method for an LED driver implemented as a flyback topology. The controlling circuit may be at a primary side of a transformer of the LED driver, and include a sampling circuit, an on time sensing circuit of an output diode, a regulating signal generator, and a PWM controller. The sampling circuit may generate a sampling signal indicating output current by sampling at the primary transformer side. The on time sensing circuit can detect an on time of the output diode. The regulating signal generator can generate a regulating signal by regulating the sampling signal, a voltage reference, and the on time of the output diode. The PWM controller may generate a controlling signal to control operation of a switching device of the LED driver to maintain a substantially constant output current in accordance with the regulating signal.
US08922127B2
Provided is a compact ignition coil apparatus that can realize reliable insulation breakdown and spark discharge with high discharge current. A high-frequency discharge ignition coil apparatus includes: a capacitor 116 connected to a high-voltage terminal, for preventing passage of high voltage; and an inductor 117 connected to the capacitor 116 and forming, together with the capacitor 116, a band pass filter that allows only a predetermined frequency component to pass. High-frequency current is supplied from outside to the inductor 117. The high-frequency discharge ignition coil apparatus further includes a current level detection device 115 for detecting the level of current flowing in the inductor 117. The current level detection device 115 is placed in one package, together with a primary coil 111, a secondary coil 112, a capacitor 116, and an inductor 117.
US08922123B2
A light-emitting device control method is provided. The light-emitting device control method comprises the steps outlined below. A light-emitting module of a light-emitting device having light-emitting unit string each having light-emitting units connected in series is operated. One end of each light-emitting unit strings receives a same DC voltage. A voltage drop value across each current control units connected in series to at least one of the light-emitting unit strings is retrieved to further determine whether the light-emitting unit of each of the light-emitting unit strings malfunctions. When x light-emitting units of a specific string malfunction and x is larger than or equal to a malfunction threshold value p, the x malfunctioned light-emitting units are shorted and (x−p+1) light-emitting units in each of the light-emitting unit strings other than the specific string are shorted. The DC voltage received by each of the light-emitting units is decreased.
US08922117B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprises: a substrate; a display formed on the substrate and including a common power line and a common electrode; a junction layer provided outside the display on the substrate; and a sealing substrate fixed to the substrate by the junction layer. The sealing substrate includes: a support film; a first metal layer provided on one side of the support film toward the substrate; a plurality of second metal layers provided on the first metal layer and being conductive with the first metal layer; and a third metal layer provided on the first metal layer and being insulated from the first metal layer. The second metal layers supply a first electric signal to the common power line, and the third metal layer supplies a second electric signal to the common electrode. A method of manufacturing such an OLED display is also disclosed.
US08922115B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes: a substrate, an insulating layer on the substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes on the insulating layer; a pixel defining layer on the insulating layer overlapping with an end of at least one of the pixel electrodes and defining an emission region and a non-emission region; an organic emission layer on the pixel electrodes; and a common electrode on the organic emission layer, wherein the insulating layer has a plurality of concave portions in the non-emission region adjacent corresponding ones of the pixel electrodes, wherein each of the concave portions has a bottom portion and an inclined portion, and wherein a reflective surface is on at least one of the inclined portions.
US08922110B2
The present invention discloses a plurality of interdigitated pixels arranged in an array, having a very low series-resistances with improved current spreading and improved heat-sinking. Each pixel is a square with sides of dimension l. The series resistance is minimized by increasing the perimeter of an active region for the pixels. The series resistance is also minimized by shrinking the space between a mesa and n-contact for each pixel.
US08922104B1
A spark plug includes a center electrode, a ground electrode, and a ground-electrode-side tip joined to the ground electrode such that at least a portion of the tip along its thickness direction is embedded in the ground electrode. The ground-electrode-side tip is joined to the ground electrode through a fusion zone formed between the ground electrode and a proximal side of the tip. On a section containing a center axis of the ground electrode and in parallel with the thickness direction of the ground-electrode-side tip, E/F≧1.1 is satisfied, where E (mm) is the longest distance along the thickness direction from an inner side of the ground electrode to a boundary between the fusion zone and the ground electrode, and F (mm) is the largest amount of embedment of the tip in the inner side surface along the thickness direction.
US08922100B2
A woven active fiber composite is disclosed. The woven active fiber composite includes actuating fibers interwoven with conductive wire electrodes. A method of making the woven active fiber composite is also disclosed.
US08922098B2
A device (100) harvests energy from vibration and/or strain and utilizes both capacitive (102a, 102b) and piezoelectric elements (105). The principle of operation is out-of-plane capacitive harvester, where the bias voltage for the capacitive element is generated with a piezoelectric element (105). The device utilizes a thin dielectric film (104) between the capacitor plates (102a, 102b) maximizing the harvested energy and enabling the harvester operation in semi-contact mode so that short circuits are prevented. For example when utilized in a wheel or the like, the capacitor is closed and opened at every strike or every turn of a wheel being thus independent of the harvester's mechanical resonance frequency.
US08922096B2
A piezo valve is actuated by way of at least one actuator which is formed by a piezoelectric bender transducer (12) having two piezo actuators (14, 16). An actuating method has the steps of generating an actuator control signal (out), which can be output at either one of the two piezo actuators (14, 16), depending on at least one actuating control signal (in), of detecting an electric measurement quantity at one of the piezo actuators (14, 16) which is currently not controlled (16), and of generating a vibration damping signal (fb) on the basis of the detected measurement quantity and use thereof for active vibration damping for the currently controlled piezo actuator (14).
US08922095B2
A transponder including a first resonator and a series of one or more second resonators with coupling of evanescent waves exhibiting at least one first resonant mode and one second resonant mode, said first resonator being connected via a first port, to a first means allowing an interrogation, wherein said second resonators are connected via at least one second port, to at least one variable load element capable of modifying coupling conditions of the resonant modes and consequently a response measured on said first port.
US08922091B2
A spindle motor is provided, the motor including a bearing assembly including a bearing housing that further includes a housing body and a plurality of staircase sills formed at a periphery of the bearing housing, and a bearing disposed inside the bearing housing; a stator including a core that further includes core pieces formed with through holes at which each of the staircase sills is hitched, and a coil wound on the core; a rotation shaft inserted into a rotation shaft hole of the bearing; and a rotor including a yoke coupled to the rotation shaft and a magnet secured at an inner lateral surface of the yoke to face the core.
US08922086B2
A synchronous electric machine having a fixed stator, a multi-phase stator winding and having a rotor which has poles, excited in a predefined sequence, over its circumference, the number of poles being changeable as a function of the intensity and the direction of a field current in at least one field coil of the rotor. For improving the efficiency of the machine and for reducing the number of field coils and the entire coil cross section it is provided that the rotor has a laminated core, laminated in the axial direction, which has grooves on the circumference for accommodating the at least one field coil and that the at least one field coil is situated on the circumference of the rotor with a step size which corresponds to the pole pitch of the lower number of poles.
US08922082B2
Provided is a BLDC motor for a hair dryer, which includes high strength plastic parts integrated through injection molding. Thus, the number of parts is decreased to thereby decrease manufacturing costs and the weight of the BLDC motor. Furthermore, a sirocco fan installed in the BLDC motor is directly coupled to an outer circumferential surface of a rotor housing so as to optimize an assembling structure of the sirocco fan, thereby stabilizing the rotation thereof. Accordingly, vibration and noise due to rotation can be reduced, and an amount of introduced air can be maximized. To this end, the BLDC motor includes a rotor housing including permanent magnets on an inner surface thereof, and a shaft hole in a central portion thereof to receive a shaft, wherein a sirocco fan for blowing air is coupled to an outer portion of the rotor housing, a rotor frame coupling the shaft to the rotor housing to integrally rotate them, a stator core around which a coil is wound to interact with a magnetic field formed on the permanent magnets, thereby generating torque, a PCB coupled to a lower portion of the stator core by a screw, a base bracket including a support protrusion on an upper outer portion thereof to support the stator core, and a bearing housing coupled to an upper portion of the base bracket to support a ball bearing, and including a removal prevention protrusion in a lower outer portion thereof to prevent removal of the stator core.
US08922078B2
A stator for an electric machine includes a stator core having a first and a second face and a circular row of stator slots extended between said faces and which are distributed around a stator axis; and, a winding bar comprising a plurality of basic conductors and a plurality of special conductors interconnected with one another to form the bar winding. The basic conductors each comprise two basic conductor legs and a connecting portion of basic conductor between said legs. The basic conductors are inserted into the stator slots with the free end portions protruding from said second face. The special conductors comprise a jumper of a first type having a first and a second leg of jumpers connected respectively to two of said free end portions, and one jumper connection portion between said legs of jumpers.
US08922076B2
An encapsulated stator includes a driving module coupled to a shaft tube. The driving module includes a silicon steel plate unit. A coil unit is wound around the silicon steel plate unit. A jacket is mounted to an outer periphery of the silicon steel plate unit of the driving module. The jacket includes an inner face and an outer face opposite to the inner face. The inner face of the jacket faces the driving module. An encapsulant is bonded to the driving module, the jacket, and the shaft tube. The encapsulant encapsulates the driving module. The encapsulant partially encapsulates the outer face of the jacket.
US08922070B2
Embodiments of the present invention may include a method of producing mechanical power by moving a coil coupled to a shaft partially into a magnetic cylinder having a magnetic end cap containing a plurality of stacked magnetic forces, changing the magnetic polarity of the shaft, moving the coil out of the magnetic cylinder. In other embodiments, there is an electric motor apparatus comprising a magnetic cylinder, a coil coupled to a shaft, and a means for reversing the magnetic polarity of the shaft.
US08922067B2
A linear motor for optical systems, for example, endoscopes, is described. The motor has a stator with a magnetic guiding member and a coil. The armature of the motor includes two permanent magnets which are of opposite polarity. A pole piece made of soft-magnetic material is provided between the permanent magnets. By applying current to the coil, the armature can be displaced from a rest position in the longitudinal direction.
US08922062B2
A photovoltaic system includes solar cells and photovoltaic inverters configured to convert direct current generated by the solar cells to alternating current. Grid voltage at the point of interconnection (POI) of the photovoltaic system and the power grid is measured and compared to a setpoint. A control signal is generated based on the measured grid voltage. The control signal is provided to the photovoltaic inverters. The control signal is adjusted to cause the photovoltaic inverters to generate or absorb reactive power to respond to transient grid voltage changes.
US08922059B2
Each of a plurality of photovoltaic power generators includes a solar cell, a storage battery, a communication interface for communication, and a battery control unit for controlling storage of electric power and output of electric power to an electric power system. The battery control unit of the first photovoltaic power generator included in the plurality of photovoltaic power generators causes the first photovoltaic power generator to prioritize output of the electric power to the electric power system over storage of the electric power during the first time period, and causes the second photovoltaic power generator included in the plurality of photovoltaic power generators to prioritize output of the electric power to the electric power system over storage of the electric power during the second time period delayed by a prescribed time period from the first time period, through the communication interface.
US08922046B2
A crosswind kite system adapted to operate in an alternate mode in high winds. The system may operate at reduced efficiency in high winds in order to moderate loading on the system during those high winds. The system may use multi-element airfoils which are actuated to reduce the coefficient of lift of the airfoils in order to moderate loading in high wind conditions. Other flight aspects may be controlled, including flying the crosswind kite in side slip to induce drag which may lower loading on the system.
US08922042B2
The control system of this floating wind turbine generator is a control system of a floating wind turbine generator in which the control system controls a pitch angle control section by a pitch angle instruction value calculated on the basis of signals detected by a second sensor detecting a relative angle between a nacelle and a tower and a third sensor detecting a yaw angle from a reference position of the tower so that a signal detected by a first sensor detecting wind direction deviation relative to a vertical direction of a rotation plane of wind turbine blades indicates an angle within a predetermined range from the vertical direction of the rotation plane of the wind turbine blades, and controls a yaw driving device by a yaw driving instruction value calculated on the basis of the signals detected by the second sensor and the third sensor.
US08922032B2
The present invention provides an air cooling means forcibly cools inside of an operation box of controlling an engine generator by using engine cooling air. An engine generator has a generator driven by an engine and an operation box housing a controller for the generator. The engine is cooled by a fan. The operation box has an upper opening for taking outside air and a lower opening for exhausting air to the outside from the operation box. The lower opening is disposed so as to be oriented to the cooling air flow generated by the fan. A bottom plate of the operation box is disposed obliquely to an air intake port for taking air to the engine by the cooling fan for the engine, and the lower opening is opened in the bottom plate.
US08922030B2
A semiconductor module is provided which is well protected against corrosion and/or other damage which can be caused by moisture and/or other harmful substances surrounding the semiconductor module. A method for producing such a semiconductor module is also provided.
US08922029B2
An address signal line having a stub structure connects between at least three memory elements and a data transferring element and transmits address signals for the memory elements. An address terminal of the data transferring element has an impedance lower than a characteristic impedance of the address signal line. A wiring length TL0 from the data transferring element to a first branch point S1 where a branch line is branched at a shortest distance from the data transferring element is configured to become equal to or greater than a wiring length TL1 from the first branch point S1 to a second branch point S2 where a second branch line is branched. A wiring length TL3 from the second branch point S2 to a third branch point S3 where a third branch line is branched is configured to become greater than the wiring lengths TL0 and TL1.
US08922020B2
An integrated circuit pattern comprises a set of lines of material having X and Y direction portions. The X and Y direction portions have first and second pitches, the second pitch being larger, such as at least 3 times larger, than the first pitch. The X direction portions are parallel and the Y direction portions are parallel. The end regions of the Y direction portions comprise main line portions and offset portions. The offset portions comprise offset elements spaced apart from and electrically connected to the main line portions. The offset portions define contact areas for subsequent pattern transferring procedures. A multiple patterning method, for use during integrated circuit processing procedures, provides contact areas for subsequent pattern transferring procedures.
US08922017B2
According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a polysilicon film formed above a semiconductor substrate, and a silicide film of a metal formed on the polysilicon film. The semiconductor device of the embodiment includes an oxide film of the metal formed above the silicide film, and a film containing tungsten or molybdenum formed on the oxide film.
US08922007B2
Provided is a semiconductor package including a circuit substrate including a substrate pad, a semiconductor chip spaced apart from and facing the circuit substrate, the semiconductor chip including a chip pad, and a connection pattern electrically connecting the circuit substrate with the semiconductor chip. The semiconductor chip may include a plurality of first circuit patterns extending substantially perpendicular toward a top surface of the semiconductor chip and at least one first via electrically connecting the chip pad to the first circuit patterns. The chip pad may include a first region in contact with the connection pattern and a second region outside the first region, and the first via may be connected to the second region of the chip pad.
US08922003B2
A method for forming a device is disclosed. A substrate with a contact region is provided. Vacancy defects are formed in the substrate. The vacancy defects have a peak concentration at a depth DV. A metal based contact is formed in the contact region. The metal based contact has a depth DC which is equal to about DV. The vacancy defects lower the resistance of the metal based contact with the substrate.
US08921999B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of die pad sections, a plurality of semiconductor chips, each of which is arranged in each of the die pad sections, a resin encapsulation portion having a recess portion for exposing at least a portion of the die pad sections, the resin encapsulation portion configured to cover the die pad sections and the semiconductor chips, and a heat radiation layer arranged in the recess portion. The heat radiation layer includes an elastic layer exposed toward a direction in which the recess portion is opened. The heat radiation layer directly faces at least a portion of the die pad sections. The elastic layer overlaps with at least a portion of the die pad sections when seen in a thickness direction of the heat radiation layer.
US08921998B2
A semiconductor module has a pair of semiconductor devices, a heat sink, a first electrode, an output electrode and a second electrode. The semiconductor devices are connected in series with each other and have first terminals that are electrically connected to a first power system and a second terminal that is electrically connected to a second power system. The first electrode is electrically connected both to one of the first terminal and to an electrode of one of the semiconductor devices. The output electrode is electrically connected both to the second terminal and to an electrode of the other of the semiconductor device. The second electrode is electrically connected to the other of the first terminals. The second electrode is connected to the heat sink via a first insulating member. The output electrode is connected to the second electrode via a second insulating member.
US08921975B2
A semiconductor fuse device and a method of fabricating the fuse device including a last metal interconnect layer including at least two discrete metal conductors, an inter-level dielectric layer deposited over the last metal interconnect layer and the at least two discrete metal conductors, a thin wire aluminum fuse connecting the at least two discrete metal conductors, and a fuse opening above the aluminum fuse.
US08921972B2
A high voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor (HV MOS) transistor device includes a substrate, a drifting region formed in the substrate, a plurality of isolation structures formed in the drift region and spaced apart from each other by the drift region, a plurality of doped islands respectively formed in the isolation structures, a gate formed on the substrate, and a source region and a drain region formed in the substrate at respective two sides of the gate. The gate covers a portion of each isolation structure. The drift region, the source region, and the drain region include a first conductivity type, the doped islands include a second conductivity type, and the first conductivity type and the second conductivity type are complementary to each other.
US08921969B2
A chip-scale schottky package which has at least one cathode electrode and at least one anode electrode disposed on only one major surface of a die, and solder bumps connected to the electrode for surface mounting of the package on a circuit board.
US08921963B2
A photovoltaic cell such as a solar cell is disclosed. The cell comprises (a) a semiconductor substrate having a front surface, (b) one or more anti-reflection coating layers on the front surface of the semiconductor substrate, (c) a plurality of silver-containing fingers in contact with the one or more anti-reflection coating layers and in electrical contact with the semiconductor substrate; and (d) one or more base metal containing buss bars each in contact with the one or more anti-reflection coating layers and the silver-containing fingers. The base metal may be selected from one or more of copper, nickel, lead, tin, iron, indium, zinc, bismuth and cobalt. Methods for making photovoltaic cells with base metal containing buss bars are also disclosed.
US08921959B2
According to an embodiment, a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) device comprises a bottom electrode, a stack, a dielectric material, a dielectric layer, and a conductive material. The bottom electrode is over a substrate, and the stack is over the bottom electrode. The stack comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) and a top electrode. The dielectric material is along a sidewall of the stack, and the dielectric material has a height greater than a thickness of the MTJ and less than a stack height. The dielectric layer is over the stack and the dielectric material. The conductive material extends through the dielectric layer to the top electrode of the stack.
US08921953B2
The present invention generally relates to methods for producing MEMS or NEMS devices and the devices themselves. A thin layer of a material having a lower recombination coefficient as compared to the cantilever structure may be deposited over the cantilever structure, the RF electrode and the pull-off electrode. The thin layer permits the etching gas introduced to the cavity to decrease the overall etchant recombination rate within the cavity and thus, increase the etching rate of the sacrificial material within the cavity. The etchant itself may be introduced through an opening in the encapsulating layer that is linearly aligned with the anchor portion of the cantilever structure so that the topmost layer of sacrificial material is etched first. Thereafter, sealing material may seal the cavity and extend into the cavity all the way to the anchor portion to provide additional strength to the anchor portion.
US08921946B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate including an isolation region, and a resistor disposed over the isolation region, wherein the resistor includes an implant with an inverse box-like dopant profile that minimizes resistance variation from subsequent planarization variation. A contact is disposed over the resistor. A method of fabricating such a semiconductor device is also provided.
US08921942B2
Methods are provided for producing stacked electrostatic discharge (ESD) clamps. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a semiconductor substrate in which first and second serially-coupled transistors are formed. The first transistor includes a first well region having a first lateral edge partially forming the first transistor's base. The second transistor including a second well region having a second lateral edge partially forming the second transistor's base. Third and fourth well regions are formed in the first and second transistors, respectively, and extend a different distance into the substrate than do the well regions of the first and second transistors. The third well region has a third lateral edge separated from the first lateral edge by a first spacing dimension D1. The fourth well region has a fourth lateral edge separated from the second lateral edge by a second spacing dimension D2, which is different than D1.
US08921936B2
An ultra high voltage MOS transistor device includes a substrate having a first conductivity type and a first recess formed thereon, a gate positioned on the first recess, and a pair of source region and drain region having a second conductivity type formed in two sides of the gate, respectively.
US08921934B2
An integrated circuit device includes a pad layer having a body portion with a first doping type laterally adjacent to a drift region portion with a second doping type, a trench formed in the pad layer, the trench extending through an interface of the body portion and the drift region portion, a gate formed in the trench and over a top surface of the pad layer along the interface of the body portion and the drift region portion, an oxide formed in the trench on opposing sides of the gate, and a field plate embedded in the oxide on each of the opposing sides of the gate.
US08921927B2
In the manufacturing steps of a super-junction power MOSFET having a drift region having a super junction structure, after the super junction structure is formed, introduction of a body region and the like and heat treatment related thereto are typically performed. However, in the process thereof, a dopant in each of P-type column regions and the like included in the super junction structure is diffused to result in a scattered dopant profile. This causes problems such as degradation of a breakdown voltage when a reverse bias voltage is applied between a drain and a source and an increase in ON resistance. According to the present invention, in a method of manufacturing a silicon-based vertical planar power MOSFET, a body region forming a channel region is formed by selective epitaxial growth.
US08921926B2
A SGT-production method includes forming a fin-shaped silicon layer on a silicon substrate, forming a first insulating film around the fin-shaped silicon layer, forming a pillar-shaped silicon layer in an upper portion of the fin-shaped silicon layer, where the pillar-shaped silicon layer has the same width as the fin-shaped silicon layer, forming a gate insulating film around the pillar-shaped silicon layer, forming, around the gate insulating film, a metal film and a polysilicon film thinner than the width of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, forming a third resist for forming a gate line, performing anisotropic etching to form the gate line, depositing a fourth resist, exposing the polysilicon film on a sidewall of an upper portion of the pillar-shaped silicon layer, removing the exposed polysilicon film by etching, removing the fourth resist, removing the metal film by etching, and forming a gate electrode connecting to the gate line.
US08921920B2
A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor element having an FET on the semiconductor substrate and comprises a different threshold voltage depending on an OFF state and an ON state. The semiconductor element has an insulating film disposed above a part where a channel of the semiconductor substrate is formed, a gate electrode disposed above the insulating film, and a charge trap film disposed between the insulating film and the gate electrode, and to exchange more electrons with the gate electrode than with the channel.
US08921917B2
A split gate flash cell device with floating gate transistors is provided. Each floating gate transistor is formed by providing a floating gate transistor substructure including an oxide disposed over a polysilicon gate disposed over a gate oxide disposed on a portion of a common source. Nitride spacers are formed along sidewalls of the floating gate transistor substructure and cover portions of the gate oxide that terminate at the sidewalls. An isotropic oxide etch is performed with the nitride spacers intact. The isotropic etch laterally recedes opposed edges of the oxide inwardly such that a width of the oxide is less than a width of the polysilicon gate. An inter-gate dielectric is formed over the floating gate transistor substructure and control gates are formed over the inter-gate dielectric to form the floating gate transistors.
US08921908B2
A device including a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) substrate including a semiconductor device region and a capacitor device region. A semiconductor device present in the semiconductor device region. The semiconductor device including a gate structure present on a semiconductor on insulator (SOI) layer of the SOI substrate, extension source and drain regions present in the SOI layer on opposing sides of the gate structure, and raised source and drain regions composed of a first portion of an epitaxial semiconductor material on the SOI layer. A capacitor is present in the capacitor device region, said capacitor including a first electrode comprised of a second portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material that has a same composition and crystal structure as the first portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material, a node dielectric layer present on the second portion of the epitaxial semiconductor material, and a second electrode comprised of a conductive material.
US08921906B2
Sacrificial plugs for forming contacts in integrated circuits, as well as methods of forming connections in integrated circuit arrays are disclosed. Various pattern transfer and etching steps can be used to create densely-packed features and the connections between features. A sacrificial material can be patterned in a continuous zig-zag line pattern that crosses word lines. Planarization can create parallelogram-shaped blocks of material that can overlie active areas to form sacrificial plugs, which can be replaced with conductive material to form contacts.
US08921904B2
Semiconductor devices and related fabrication methods are provided. An exemplary fabrication method involves forming a pair of gate structures having a dielectric region disposed between a first gate structure of the pair and a second gate structure of the pair, and forming a voided region in the dielectric region between the first gate structure and the second gate structure. The first and second gate structures each include a first gate electrode material, wherein the method continues by removing the first gate electrode material to provide second and third voided regions corresponding to the gate structures and forming a second gate electrode material in the first voided region, the second voided region, and the third voided region.
US08921894B2
The present invention provides a field effect transistor which can achieve both of a high threshold voltage and a low on-state resistance, a method for producing the same, and an electronic device. In the field effect transistor, each of a buffer layer 112, a channel layer 113, a barrier layer 114, and a spacer layer 115 is formed of a group-III nitride semiconductor, and each of the upper surfaces thereof is a group-III atomic plane that is perpendicular to a (0001) crystal axis. The lattice-relaxed buffer layer 112, the channel layer 113 having a compressive strain, and the barrier layer 114 having a tensile strain, and the spacer layer 115 having a compressive strain are laminated on a substrate 100 in this order. The gate insulating film 14 is arranged on the spacer layer 115. The gate electrode 15 is arranged on the gate insulating film 14. The source electrode 161 and the drain electrode 162 are electrically connected to the channel layer 113 directly or via another component.
US08921893B2
A circuit structure includes a substrate, an unintentionally doped gallium nitride (UID GaN) layer over the substrate, a donor-supply layer over the UID GaN layer, a gate structure, a drain, and a source over the donor-supply layer. A number of islands are over the donor-supply layer between the gate structure and the drain. The gate structure disposed between the drain and the source. The gate structure is adjoins at least a portion of one of the islands and/or partially disposed over at least a portion of at least one of the islands.
US08921890B2
According to example embodiments, a substrate structure may include a GaN-based third material layer, a GaN-based second material layer, a GaN-based first material layer, and a buffer layer on a non-GaN-based substrate. The GaN-based first material layer may be doped with a first conductive type impurity. The GaN-based second material layer may be doped with a second conductive type impurity at a density that is less than a density of the first conductive type impurity in the first GaN-based material layer. The GaN-based third material layer may be doped with a first conductive type impurity at a density that is less than the density of the first conductive type impurity of the GaN-based first material layer. After a second substrate is attached onto the substrate structure, the non-GaN-based substrate may be removed and a GaN-based vertical type semiconductor device may be fabricated on the second substrate.
US08921879B2
The present invention relates to an optical device and a method for manufacturing the same. The technical object of the invention is to realize a surface emitting body which allows heat generated from a light-emitting chip to be easily dissipated, eliminates the need for an additional wiring layer, and allows a singular light emitting chips or a plurality of light emitting chips to be arranged in series, in parallel, or in series-parallel. The present invention discloses an optical device comprising: a substrate; a plurality of light emitting chips disposed on the substrate; a plurality of conductive wires which electrically connect the substrate with the light emitting chips such that the plurality of light emitting chips are connected to each other in series, in parallel or in series-parallel; and a protective layer which covers the plurality of light emitting chips and the plurality of conductive wires on the substrate.
US08921875B2
Light emitting devices include a light emitting diode (“LED”) and a recipient luminophoric medium that is configured to down-convert at least some of the light emitted by the LED. In some embodiments, the recipient luminophoric medium includes a first broad-spectrum luminescent material and a narrow-spectrum luminescent material. The broad-spectrum luminescent material may down-convert radiation emitted by the LED to radiation having a peak wavelength in the red color range. The narrow-spectrum luminescent material may also down-convert radiation emitted by the LED into the cyan, green or red color range.
US08921871B2
An organic light-emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate, a plurality of pixels on the substrate, a plurality of first electrodes, each disposed in each of the plurality of pixels, a pixel defining layer including a first pixel defining sub-layer disposed between each two adjacent first electrodes, and a second pixel defining sub-layer covering the first pixel defining sub-layer and surface edge portions of each two adjacent first electrodes, an intermediate layer disposed on each of the first electrodes and including an emission layer, and a second electrode configured to face the first electrodes.
US08921869B2
Light emitting devices and methods are disclosed. In one embodiment a light emitting device can include a submount and a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed over the submount. At least a portion of the submount can include a reflective layer at least partially disposed below a solder mask. One or more layers within the submount may include one or more holes, a rough surface texture, or combinations thereof to improve adhesion within the device. The device can further include a retention material dispensed about the plurality of LEDs. Devices and methods are disclosed for improved solder mask adhesion.
US08921863B2
A thin film transistor TFT, including a substrate, a gate electrode on the substrate, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, an active layer on the gate insulating layer, the active layer corresponding to the gate electrode and including a channel region, source and drain electrodes contacting the active layer, the source and drain electrodes being separate from each other, and an ohmic contact layer between the active layer and at least one of the source and drain electrodes, the ohmic contact layer including an oxide semiconductor material.
US08921858B2
In a light-emitting device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor, the inverted staggered thin film transistor is formed as follows: a gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; a microcrystalline semiconductor film which functions as a channel formation region is formed over the gate insulating film; a buffer layer is formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film; a pair of source and drain regions are formed over the buffer layer; and a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed in contact with the source and drain regions so as to expose a part of the source and drain regions.
US08921853B2
Oxide layers which contain at least one metal element that is the same as that contained in an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel are formed in contact with the top surface and the bottom surface of the oxide semiconductor layer, whereby an interface state is not likely to be generated at each of an upper interface and a lower interface of the oxide semiconductor layer. Further, it is preferable that an oxide layer, which is formed using a material and a method similar to those of the oxide layers be formed over the oxide layers Accordingly, the interface state hardly influences the movement of electrons.
US08921852B2
A thin film transistor array panel includes: a substrate, a gate line positioned on the substrate and including a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer positioned on the substrate and including an oxide semiconductor, a data wire layer positioned on the substrate and including a data line crossing the gate line, a source electrode connected to the data line, and a drain electrode facing the source electrode, and a capping layer covering the data wire layer, in which an end of the capping layer is inwardly recessed as compared to an end of the data wire layer.
US08921843B2
A full color light emitting device having a reduced driving voltage includes a substrate having a first subpixel, a second subpixel, and a third subpixel. A plurality of first electrodes are in the first subpixel, the second subpixel, and the third subpixel. A second electrode faces the first electrode. An emission layer is between the first electrode and the second electrode. The emission layer includes a first emission layer in the first subpixel for emitting a first color light in the first subpixel, a second emission layer in the first subpixel for emitting a second color light in the second subpixel, and a third emission layer in the first subpixel, the second subpixel and the third subpixel, for emitting a third color light in the third subpixel. The third emission layer includes at least one compound represented by Formula 1:
US08921842B2
An organic light emitting display device includes a substrate and a plurality of pixels defined in the substrate. A pixel includes red subpixel, green subpixel, blue subpixel, and white subpixel. The organic light emitting display device includes an anode electrode formed on the substrate, a cathode electrode opposing the anode electrode, and a red common emission layer, a green common emission layer, and a blue common emission layer formed across each of the red, green, blue and white subpixel areas. The blue common emission layer is disposed above and adjacent to the anode electrode, the green common emission layer is disposed above the blue common emission layer, and the red common emission layer is disposed above the green common emission layer and adjacent to the cathode electrode.
US08921834B2
An organic light-emitting device includes an anode, a cathode, and an organic compound layer including at least a light-emitting sublayer and being arranged between the anode and the cathode, the light-emitting sublayer containing a host serving as a main component, a first dopant, and a second dopant, in which for the host, the first dopant, and the second dopant, the following relationships (a) to (c) hold, whereby only the second dopant emits light: (a) first maximum emission wavelength (H)
US08921827B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a formulation for use in the fabrication of a light-emitting device, the formulation including a population of semiconductor nanoparticles incorporated into a plurality of discrete microbeads comprising an optically transparent medium, the nanoparticle-containing medium being embedded in a host light-emitting diode encapsulation medium. A method of preparing such a formulation is described. There is further provided a light-emitting device including a primary light source in optical communication with such a formulation and a method of fabricating the same.
US08921826B2
A semiconductor device which produces at least 1 W/m2 two photon emission power per area, when operating at one or more temperatures greater than 20 K.
US08921824B2
A three-dimensional graphene structure, and methods of manufacturing and transferring the same including forming at least one layer of graphene having a periodically repeated three-dimensional shape. The three-dimensional graphene structure is formed by forming a pattern having a three-dimensional shape on a surface of a substrate, and forming the three-dimensional graphene structure having the three-dimensional shape of the pattern by growing graphene on the substrate on which the pattern is formed. The three-dimensional graphene structure is transferred by injecting a gas between the three-dimensional graphene structure and the substrate, separating the three-dimensional graphene structure from the substrate by bonding the three-dimensional graphene structure to an adhesive support, combining the three-dimensional graphene structure with an insulating substrate, and removing the adhesive support.
US08921819B2
A resistive random access memory (RRAM) unit includes at least one bit line extending along a first direction, at least one word line disposed on a substrate and extending along a second direction so as to intersect the bit line, a hard mask layer on the word line to isolate the word line from the bit line, a first memory cell on a sidewall of the word line, and a second memory cell on the other sidewall of the word line.
US08921815B2
A target supply device may include a tank including a nozzle, a first electrode provided with a first through-hole and disposed so that a center axis of the nozzle is positioned within the first through-hole, a second electrode that includes a main body portion provided with a second through-hole and a collection portion formed in a cylindrical shape extending in a direction from a circumferential edge of the second through-hole toward the nozzle and that is disposed so that the center axis of the nozzle is positioned within the second through-hole, a third electrode disposed within the tank, and a heating unit configured to heat the second electrode.
US08921810B2
Described is a portable dosimeter reader that is small in size and light in weight.
US08921809B2
A microscopy device, particularly for use in an imaging fluorescence lifetime microscopy method is provided. The microscopy device comprises an illumination means for generating an illumination beam, an imaging detector for spatially resolved acquisition of an emission radiation emitted by an object to be examined, an illumination beam path between the illumination means and the object to be examined, and a detection beam path between the object to be examined and the detector. The illumination beam path comprises illumination optics which are designed to generate a light sheet of illumination radiation extending transverse to the axis of the illumination beam path, wherein the axis of the detection beam path is oriented substantially perpendicular to a section plane of the light sheet and of the object to be examined. The illumination means comprise a pulsed laser.
US08921798B2
Method for realizing an inspection with short wavelength, high power light source and large numerical aperture, high performance optics to improve defect inspection sensitivity is disclosed. Short wavelength high power laser is realized by using a pulse oscillation type laser suitable for generation of high output power in a short-wavelength region, In addition, a spectral bandwidth of the laser is narrowed down so that amount of chromatic aberration of detection optics with single glass material (i.e. without compensation of chromatic aberration) is lowered to permissible level. Using highly workable glass material to construct the detection optics enables necessary surface accuracy or profile irregularity conditions to be met, even if the number of lenses is increased for large NA or the lens doesn't have a rotationally symmetrical aperture.
US08921797B2
A radiation detector comprises a piece of semiconducting material. On its surface, a number of consecutive electrode strips are configured to assume electric potentials of sequentially increasing absolute value. A field plate covers the most of a separation between a pair of adjacent electrode strips and is isolated from the most of said separation by an electric insulation layer. A bias potential is coupled to said field plate so that attracts surface-generated charge carriers.
US08921793B2
A system for proximity detection includes a first sensor and a second sensor each including a sensor housing and a pixel array each configured to detect infrared radiation emitted in a predetermined temperature range, and generate a detection signal. A processor in communication with the first and second sensor is configured to receive detection signals to derive parameters of the detected object including object distance from the sensors, size, position relative to the sensors, object speed, and direction of motion.
US08921791B2
Provided is an infrared ray sensor that can conduct a plurality of different types of detection such as temperature detection and gas detection in a simple structure and that is small size and low cost. The infrared ray sensor (1) includes, on one base (10), a first infrared ray detection unit (31) including at least one infrared ray detection element (20) including an infrared ray detection material (22) with physical properties changing depending on properties of incident infrared rays and receives and detects ambient infrared rays, and a second infrared ray detection unit (32) including at least one infrared ray detection element (20) having an identical element structure to the infrared ray detection element of the first infrared ray detection unit (31), is irradiated with infrared rays X for measurement having specific physical properties, and detects a change in the physical properties of the infrared rays X for measurement.
US08921784B2
There is provided a scanning electron microscope capable of achieving a size reduction of the device while at the same time suppressing the increase in column temperature as well as maintaining performance, e.g., resolution, etc. With respect to a scanning electron microscope for observing a sample by irradiating the sample with an electron beam emitted from an electron source and focused by condenser lenses, and detecting secondary electrons from the sample, the condenser lenses comprise both an electromagnetic coil-type condenser lens and a permanent magnet-type condenser lens.
US08921777B2
An ion source is disclosed comprising a nebulizer and a target. The nebulizer is arranged and adapted to emit, in use, a stream of analyte droplets which are caused to impact upon the target and to ionize analyte to form a plurality of analyte ions.
US08921775B2
A Time of Flight mass analyser is disclosed comprising one or more devices arranged and adapted to correct for tilt in an isochronous plane of ions and to adjust the isochronous plane of the ions so as to be parallel with the plane of detection in an ion detector.
US08921774B1
Mass spectrometers and methods for measuring information about samples using mass spectrometry are disclosed.
US08921764B2
The device for producing laser-cooled atoms comprises a two dimensional trap or a three-dimensional trap, or a combination of two- and three-dimensional traps. The two-dimensional trap comprises: three or more permanent magnets arranged around a perimeter of a loop, wherein a plane of the loop is perpendicular to a free axis of the two-dimensional atom trap, and the three or more permanent magnets bracket an internal volume of the two-dimensional atom trap; and one or more laser beam input ports enabling access for one or more laser beams to the internal volume of the two-dimensional atom trap.
US08921763B2
The present invention is directed toward a system and method for projecting holographic optical traps whose intensity maxima are extended along specified paths in three dimensions with specified amplitude and phase profiles along those paths. Specifying paths that constitute knotted loops and phase profiles that direct radiation pressure along the knotted paths yields optical traps that exert knotted force fields. Knotted optical force fields have uses for inducing motion along knotted paths, with applications including the generation of knotted electric current loops in plasmas.
US08921760B2
A detecting apparatus for determining whether liquid crystal glasses are displaced in a cartridge is disclosed. The detecting apparatus includes: a signal sensing device for sending sensing signals to an internal of the cartridge and for receiving the reflected signals from the internal of the cartridge; a reflector installed in the internal of the cartridge for receiving the sensing signals from the signal sensing device and for reflecting the sensing signals back to the signal sensing device; and wherein a determination of whether the liquid crystal glass is displaced in the cartridge is made by determining whether the reflected signals from the reflector are received after the sensing signals are sent. Upon determining whether liquid crystal glasses are displaced in the cartridge, impurities are prevented from getting into the cartridge and thus the cleanliness is enhanced and the labor power is reduced.
US08921758B2
The invention relates to a charged-particle multi-beamlet lithography system. The system comprises a beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets, a beamlet blanker array for patterning the plurality of beamlets, an optical fiber arrangement, and a projection system. The beamlet blanker array comprises a substrate provided with a first area comprising one or more modulators and a second area free of modulators. The beamlet blanker array comprises one or more light sensitive elements, electrically connected to the one or more modulators, and arranged to receive light beams carrying pattern data. The optical fiber arrangement comprises a plurality of optical fibers for guiding the light beams carrying pattern data towards the one or more light sensitive elements. The projection of the optical fiber arrangement onto a surface of the beamlet blanker array in a direction perpendicular to the surface falls entirely within the second area.
US08921752B2
Moving-objects movable in a workspace, each includes an imaging unit with a two-dimensional light receiving surface; and a decoding processing unit. If light received by an imaging surface of the imaging unit is brightness-modulated information, the decoding processing unit decodes the received light to the information. If the information decoded by the decoding processing unit contains spatial position information of moving-objects other than a self-moving-object, the self-moving-object receives the light from light sources, has the decoding processing unit decode the light to acquire pieces of position information of the other moving-objects, thereby acquiring position information of the self-moving-object in the workspace from these pieces of position information.
US08921751B2
One embodiment of the invention relates to a system for operating a plurality of streetlights in response to motion from a vehicle. The system includes a sensor associated with at least one of the streetlights and configured to detect the presence of a moving vehicle and to provide a signal representative of the moving vehicle. The system further includes a radio frequency transceiver associated with each of the streetlights. The system yet further includes processing electronics configured to receive the signal representative of the moving vehicle from the sensor and to cause the radio frequency transceiver to transmit a command to one or more of the plurality of the streetlights to change lighting states along a pathway for the vehicle.
US08921743B2
Disclosed herein is a system for monitoring a heating apparatus that includes a motion detector configured to determine whether a person is proximate the heating apparatus. The motion detector is default deactivated. Further disclosed is a heat sensor configured to determine whether the heating apparatus has a temperature that is above a threshold. The heat sensor is default deactivated. A processor is in operable communication with each of the motion detector and the heat sensor configured to cyclically repeat a first countdown. The heat sensor is temporarily activated once during each of the repeated first countdowns. The processor is configured to perform a second countdown when the activated heat sensor determines that the heating apparatus has the temperature that is above the threshold. The second countdown is reset each time the motion detector determines that a person is proximate the heating apparatus. Further disclosed is a transmitter configured to send data signals to an outside device when the processor reaches the end of the second countdown, and a receiver configured to receive data signals from the outside device.
US08921741B2
A system and method for controlling the power delivered to cookware by a power control system that comprises a heating control user interface that is set by the user to a particular heating control user interface set point within an operating range. A controller derives from the heating control user interface set point a desired cookware temperature set point, and, over at least a first portion of the operating range that encompasses the boiling range, also derives from the heating control user interface set point a maximum limit of power that can be delivered to the cookware to maintain the cookware at the desired cookware temperature set point. The maximum power limit varies monotonically over the first portion of the operating range.
US08921726B2
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a touch screen, comprising the steps of: a) forming a conductive layer on a substrate; b) forming an etching resist pattern on the conductive layer; and c) forming a conductive pattern having a line width smaller than the line width of the etching resist pattern by over-etching the conductive layer by using the etching resist pattern and a touch screen manufactured by the method. According to the present invention, a touch screen comprising a conductive pattern having an ultrafine line width can be economically and efficiently provided.
US08921725B2
A control module and an electronic device having the same are disclosed. The control module includes a control panel, a return component, and a conductive element. The control panel includes a conductive port. The return component is disposed on the control panel. The return component includes a first end and a second end, and the return component is electrically contacted with the conductive port. The conductive element includes a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The conductive element is electrically contacted with the first end or the second end.
US08921716B2
The present invention is a weighing scale and system of weighing scales used to weigh a group of loads and determine which load is the lightest so it can be culled from the group. The weighing scales are most useful for use in fishing tournaments to ensure an angler has possession of the maximum total weight of fish possible.
US08921708B2
An electronic-component mounted body of the present invention includes an electronic component mounted on a circuit board. The electronic component includes multiple component-side electrode terminals, and the circuit board includes multiple circuit-board side electrode terminals for the component-side electrode terminals. The electronic-component mounted body further includes: multiple protruded electrodes formed respectively on the component-side electrode terminals of the electronic component to electrically connect the electronic component and the circuit board; and a dummy electrode formed on the electronic component and electrically connected to the component-side electrode terminal in a predetermined position out of the component-side electrode terminals. The protruded electrode on the component-side electrode terminal in the predetermined position is higher than the protruded electrode on the component-side electrode terminal in a different position from the predetermined position.
US08921707B2
A suspension substrate according to the present invention includes an insulating layer and a metallic support layer provided on the actuator element's side of the insulating layer. On the other side of the insulating layer, a wiring layer is provided. This wiring layer includes a plurality of wirings and a wiring connection section that can be electrically connected with the actuator element via a conductive adhesive. The outer periphery of the metallic support layer in a connection structure region is positioned outside relative to the outer periphery of the insulating layer and the outer periphery of the wiring connection section of the wiring layer.
US08921700B2
A hermetic feed-through includes a housing body defining a hollow space, a plurality of conductive pins and a seal structure. The plurality of conductive pins extend through the hollow space. The seal structure is provided in the hollow space and includes a single-piece glass component. The single-piece glass component hermetically seals at least two conductive pins to the housing body and electrically insulates the at least two conductive pins from the housing body.
US08921696B2
A wiring harness which is excellent in peel strength at a joining portion where conductors of electric wires are joined together, even if at least one of the electric wires have a small diameter. A wiring harness includes insulated wires whose conductors are partly exposed, and a metal leaf with which the exposed conductors are bound, where the bound conductors are welded preferably by ultrasonic welding, and the conductors including elemental wires have a joining portion where the elemental wires are joined together, the joining portion being inside the metal leaf. The elemental wires and the metal leaf are preferably made from copper, a copper alloy, aluminum and/or an aluminum alloy, and are preferably made from a same metal or a same alloy. At least one of the conductors preferably has a cross-sectional area of 0.35 mm2 or less.
US08921695B2
An electrical floor box cover includes a frame having a lower surface disposable on a flooring surface and a beveled upper surface. The frame defines an access opening to permit access to an electrical box. A lid is securable to the frame and movable between a fully open position in which the access opening is substantially uncovered and a closed position. A lid lifting device is disposed between the lid and the frame, the lid lifting device urging the lid away from the closed position. A latch is disposed on the frame and includes an actuating member movable by a user between a latched and unlatched position without the use of a tool. When the actuating member is moved to the unlatched position, the lid lifting device lifts at least a portion of the lid above the frame to an initial open position wherein the lid substantially covers the access opening. Movement of the lid by the user from the initial open position to the fully open position is unassisted by the lid lifting device.
US08921694B2
An electrical fitting that comprises an integral cover plate and an electrical component, such as an outlet or a switch, the combined electrical component/cover plate being secured via screws through the cover plate into a wall box. Wires are secured to power wires coming from the wall box via quick-connectors or wirenuts.
US08921688B2
A composite film for a superstrate solar cell or a substrate solar cell has a transparent conductive film and a conductive reflective film, wherein the transparent conductive film is formed by using a wet coating method to apply a transparent conductive film composition or dispersion containing microparticles of a conductive oxide, the conductive reflective film is formed by using a wet coating method to apply a conductive reflective film composition containing metal nanoparticles, the average diameter of holes occurring at the contact surface of the conductive reflective film on either the side of the photovoltaic layer or the side of the transparent conductive film is not more than 100 nm, the average depth at which the holes are positioned is not more than 100 nm, and the number density of the holes is not more than 30 holes/μm2.
US08921686B2
A method to fabricate a photovoltaic device includes forming first and second contact regions at the first surface of a semiconductor donor body. A cleave plane may be formed by implanting ions into the donor body, and a lamina that includes the contact regions is cleaved from the donor body at the cleave plane. The first surface of the lamina may be contacted with a temporary support and fabricated into a photovoltaic device, wherein the lamina comprises the base of the photovoltaic device.
US08921670B2
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato hybrid EX01420200 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato hybrid EX01420200 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08921668B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 09R536B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 09R536B2R2. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 09R536B2R2 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 09R536B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08921666B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB40S13 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB40S13, cells from soybean variety XB40S13, plants of soybean XB40S13, and plant parts of soybean variety XB40S13. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB40S13 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB40S13, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB40S13, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB40S13. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB40S13 are further provided.
US08921663B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated S110150. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety S110150. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety S110150 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety S110150 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08921649B1
The invention provides seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated 1060376. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety 1060376, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety 1060376 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 1060376.
US08921636B2
Methods for converting an HF alkylation unit to an ionic liquid alkylation system configured for performing ionic liquid catalyzed alkylation processes may comprise connecting at least one component configured for ionic liquid catalyzed alkylation to at least one component of the HF alkylation unit, wherein the at least one component of the HF alkylation unit is retained, modified or adapted for use in the ionic liquid alkylation system. An ionic liquid alkylation system derived from an existing or prior HF alkylation unit is also disclosed.
US08921627B2
A process has been developed for producing diesel boiling range fuel from renewable feedstocks such as plant oils and animal oils, fats, and greases. The process involves treating a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating to provide a hydrocarbon fraction useful as a diesel or aviation boiling range fuel or fuel blending component. If desired, the hydrocarbon fraction can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties. A portion of the hydrogenated and deoxygenated feedstock is used as a non-flashing liquid quench stream to control the temperature of the hydrogenation and deoxygenation reactor.
US08921623B2
A process for the production of fluorinated alkanes by contacting a feed stream containing a fluorinated olefin and a reducing agent, preferably with a first amount of catalyst to produce a fluorinated alkane, at a first conversion level, wherein a first effluent stream contains unreacted fluorinated olefin and reducing agent; and contacting the first effluent stream under conditions effective to produce a higher level of conversion than said conversion level.
US08921619B2
A membrane-integrated hydration reactor that is operable to produce an associated alcohol product from an olefin using water includes a solid acid olefin hydration catalyst in a production zone and a hydrophilic membrane operable to selectively permit pervaporation of water one-way and not permit pervaporation of the associated alcohol or permeation of the olefin at olefin hydration process conditions in a separations zone. The production zone is operable to form a production zone product mixture made of the associated alcohol and any unreacted water. The associated separations zone is operable to form and produce both the associated alcohol product and a pervaporated water product from the production zone product mixture. A method of olefin hydration for forming an associated alcohol product from an olefin using water uses the membrane-integrated hydration reactor at olefin hydration process conditions.
US08921617B2
A process for the preparation of 1,2-pentanediol by reaction of a starting material comprising one or both compounds from the group consisting of furfuryl alcohol and furfural with hydrogen in the presence of a first heterogeneous catalyst is described.
US08921614B1
A method for selective deoxygenation of hydroxybenzaldehydes including, condensing syringaldehyde (3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde) and a functionalized phenylacetic acid with at least one first base and at least one anhydride to produce an arylcinnamic acid, decarboxylating of said arylcinnamic acid with at least one decarboxylation catalyst at temperatures ranging from about 30° C. to 200° C. or thermally at temperatures ranging from about 100° C. to 350° C. to produce a first stilbene, hydrodeoxygenating the stilbene by conversion to a sulfonate in the presence of at least one second base in water or at least one organic solvent to yield a sulfonate reducing the sulfonate(s) with a reductive elimination catalyst to produce a second stilbene, and reacting the second stilbene with a hydrolyzing agent to generate a polyphenol.
US08921610B2
A process for oxidizing a composition comprising contacting an alkylbenzene of the general formula (I): where R1 and R2 each independently represents hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein R1 and R2 may be joined to form a cyclic group having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms, the cyclic group being optionally substituted, and R3 represents hydrogen, one or more alkyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a cyclohexyl group; and (ii) about 0.05 wt % to about 5 wt % of phenol, with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst containing a cyclic imide having the general formula (II): wherein X represents an oxygen atom, a hydroxyl group, or an acyloxy group under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the alkylbenzene to a hydroperoxide.
US08921593B2
A semi-continuous process is provided for selective formation of a vinyl ester by reactive distillation from a corresponding carboxylic acid. Carboxylic acid, vinyl acetate, and a palladium acetate—bidentate ligand catalyst complex are provided and reacted in a typical embodiment. Acetic acid and vinyl acetate are continuously removed from the reaction mixture and vinyl acetate is recycled to the reaction mixture. The vinyl ester product is separated from the vinyl acetate, residual carboxylic acid, residual acetic acid, and catalyst.
US08921573B2
The present invention relates to processes and intermediates for the preparation of novel benzimidazole derivatives, especially in the synthesis of hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitors. In particular, the present invention relates to processes and intermediates for the preparation of compounds of formulae (I-a):
US08921571B2
Several different pyrrolysine analogs are disclosed in this application. Those analogs have distinct chemical and biophysical properties. Some analogs are useful in chemical ligation applications. Methods of making and using are also disclosed.
US08921569B2
The present invention relates to the use of isotopically labeled derivatives of isoniazid, ethionamide and related compounds as effective therapy for the treatment of mycobacterial diseases, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
US08921566B2
Processes for the preparation of charged crosslinkers bearing a sulfonic acid moiety are disclosed. These procedures also optionally include methods to convert the resulting products to substantially a single salt form.
US08921555B2
The present invention relates to substituted 1,3,8-triazaspiro[4.5]decame-2,4-diones useful as HIF prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors to treat anemia and like conditions.
US08921547B2
The present invention provides compounds which are modulators of TNF-α signaling and methods of use thereof for treating a patient having a TNF-α mediated condition. The compounds can be represented by the following structural formulas:
US08921545B2
The present invention is directed to novel synthetic methods for preparing a spiro cyclopropyl indolinone compound represented by Structural Formula (A): (A) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. Also included are synthetic intermediates described herein.
US08921537B2
The invention herein provides isolated antibodies that bind to VEGF. The invention further provides methods of making anti-VEGF antibodies, and polynucleotides encoding anti-VEGF antibodies.
US08921536B2
Improved anti-HCV immunogens and nucleic acid molecules that encode them are disclosed. Immunogens disclosed include those having consensus HCV genotype 1a, including for example, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B. Pharmaceutical composition, recombinant vaccines comprising and live attenuated vaccines are disclosed as well methods of inducing an immune response in an individual against HCV are disclosed.
US08921532B2
The present invention provides labeled phospholink, nucleotides that can be used in place of naturally occurring nucleotide triphosphates or other analogs in template directed nucleic acid synthesis reactions and other nucleic acid reactions and various analyses based thereon, including DNA sequencing, single base identification, hybridization assays, and others.
US08921529B2
The present invention provides an antibody composition comprising ovine antibodies, for use in the prevention or treatment of C. difficile infection wherein the antibodies bind to a C. difficile toxin, and wherein said prevention or treatment is by oral delivery of the antibody composition. Also provided is a pharmaceutical composition of ovine antibodies for oral delivery, which further comprises one or more means for protecting the antibodies from trypsin and/or chymotrypsin and/or stomach acid.
US08921520B2
The present invention provides novel methods for reducing the serine protease and/or serine protease zymogen content of a plasma-derived protein composition. Also provided are methods for manufacturing plasma-derived protein compositions having reduced serine protease and\or serine protease zymogen content. Among yet other aspects, the present invention provides aqueous and lyophilized compositions of plasma-derived proteins having reduced serine protease and/or serine protease zymogen content. Yet other aspects include methods for treating, managing, and/or preventing a disease comprising the administration of a plasma-derived protein composition having a reduced serine protease or serine protease zymogen content.
US08921505B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing poly(organic oxidized silicon) particles having UV-absorbing groups, including reacting an organoalkoxysilane precursor having a UV-absorbing group selected from a group consisting of organotrialkoxysilane, diorganoalkoxysilane and a mixture thereof, in the presence of a base, with a silane compound selected from a group consisting of tetraalkoxysilane, alkyltrialkoxysilane, tetraalkoxysilane, aryltrialkoxysilane, dialkyldialkoxysilane, diaryldialkoxysilane, arylalkyldialkoxysilane and a mixture thereof, serving as a crosslinking regulator and UV stability enhancer, so as to prepare poly(organic oxidized silicon) particles selected from a group consisting of polysilsesquioxane, silsesquioxane-siloxane copolymer, silsesquioxane-silica copolymer, silsesquioxane-siloxane-silica copolymer and silsesquioxane-siloxane copolymer, having UV-absorbing groups. The poly(organic oxidized silicon) particles significantly solves the problem of poor UV stability, while maintaining UV absorption by the UV-absorbing group contained in the particles. Since the poly(organic oxidized silicon) particles having UV-absorbing groups do not exhibit white turbidity, they can be effectively used in cosmetics. In accordance with the present invention, the poly(organic oxidized silicon) particles having UV-absorbing groups can be prepared economically as compared to the existing methods.
US08921498B2
Processes and systems for the production for pressure management of a polymerization product flowing from a loop polymerization reactor to a separation vessel in a slurry polymerization system are disclosed herein. For example, a process comprises withdrawing the polymerization product from a loop polymerization reactor, and conveying the withdrawn polymerization product to a separation vessel via a first pressure differential and a second pressure differential. The withdrawn polymerization product may flow through the first pressure differential before flowing through the second pressure differential, and the first pressure differential may be less than the second pressure differential.
US08921497B2
An adhesive for anchoring materials in or to concrete or masonry exhibits a shorter cure time than previous adhesives and comprises an epoxy compound and a curing agent of at least one aliphatic amine and at least one tertiary amine, optionally with a reactive dilent, which possesses sufficent strength to pass ICBO Heat Creep Test at 110 degrees F. and the ICBO Damp Hole Test at 75 degrees F.
US08921473B1
The invention relates to an image support medium for creation of an aesthetic image that is a work or object for display. This support medium is made from a smart or intelligent material so that the medium provides or enables formation of an image having at least one aesthetic element that can be responsive, interactive, controlled, changed, programmed, and/or modulated. The support medium can further comprise stimuli, triggers or influences that cause the smart or intelligent material to respond to change shape, size, volume, density, light properties, color, appearance, and/or another physical property of the aesthetic element. In a preferred embodiment, the smart or intelligent material is reversibly responsive to the stimuli, triggers or influences.
US08921470B2
A rubber composition for adhering a steel cord that improves wet heat-resistant adhesioness, particularly heat-resistant adhesioness, by preventing adhesion deterioration due to heat, as well as initial adhesioness between a steel cord and a rubber, is disclosed. The rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a diene rubber component and from 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of composite graphite particles containing boron, obtained by heating and graphitizing carbon black together with boron or a compound containing boron.
US08921461B2
An epoxy resin composition for encapsulating a semiconductor chip according to this invention comprises (A) a crystalline epoxy resin, (B) a phenol resin represented by general formula (1): wherein R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and two or more R1s or two or more R2s are the same or different; a is integer of 0 to 4; b is integer of 0 to 4; c is integer of 0 to 3; and n is average and is number of 0 to 10, (C) a (co)polymer containing butadiene-derived structural unit or its derivative, and (D) an inorganic filler in the amount of 80 wt % to 95 wt % both inclusive in the total epoxy resin composition.
US08921456B2
An intumescent coating composition and a process for curing the coating to obtain an intumescent coating is provided. The intumescent coating composition contains a thermoplastic polymer which comprises as a copolymerized component, an acid (meth)acrylate or a copolymerizable polyfunctional carboxylic acid; at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer; an azo or organic peroxide initiator; an acid source; a carbon source; and a gas source.
US08921453B2
A nonaqueous ink composition for an ink jet and a method of manufacturing ink comprising the same are provided. The nonaqueous ink composition for the ink jet includes: a glycol ether acetate solvent represented by a specific chemical formula; and a polypropylene glycol binder represented by a specific chemical formula. The nonaqueous ink composition for an ink jet has dynamic viscoelasticity obtained by a chemical interaction between the solvent and the binder, exhibits excellent print quality and is capable of high-speed printing.
US08921449B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to hydrolysis-resistant silicone compounds. In particular, disclosed are sterically hindered hydrolysis-resistant silicone compounds and improved purity hydrolysis-resistant silicone compounds. Also disclosed are processes for making hydrolysis-resistant silicone compounds; the products of the disclosed processes; compositions and polymers comprising the disclosed compounds and products of the disclosed processes; and ophthalmic lenses, for example contact lenses, intraocular lenses, artificial cornea, and spectacle lenses, comprising the disclosed compositions, disclosed polymers, disclosed compounds, and products of the disclosed processes. 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.
US08921438B2
The disclosure relates to compositions exhibiting a UV resistance of ΔE ranging from more than 0 to less than or equal to 10 units after exposure to ultraviolet light for 300 hours, per ASTM D-4459 protocol. The compositions can include at least 15 wt. % of a polyetherimide; at least 35 wt. % of a polycarbonate; a polyetherimide siloxane; and optionally, at least one UV stabilizer. The disclosure also relates to methods of shaping such compositions and articles produced from such compositions.
US08921431B2
Mixed alcohols are produced from syngas. The syngas is provided to a catalyst in a reactor at selected temperatures and pressures. Reactive products, including mixed alcohols, are removed from the reactor. Non-reactive components are removed from the mixed alcohols of their reaction products. At least part of the non-reactive components are reintroduced in the reactor along with syngas. The non-reactive components are a solvent or a supercritical fluid. The nonreactive components can be reintroduced into the reactor with reactive components such as methanol or CO2.
US08921425B2
The present disclosure relates to compositions comprising formic acid as an active ingredient and a softening agent or emollient for use in the treatment of fungal infections of the skin and/or nail(s) of mammals, as well as methods for treatment utilizing such compositions.
US08921416B2
A dronedarone solid dispersion and preparation method thereof are disclosed. The solid dispersion is composed of active ingredient dronedarone or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt and a carrier material, wherein the carrier material is povidone, copovidone, hydroxypropyl cellulose, or a mixture thereof.
US08921413B2
The present invention discloses β-diketones, γ-diketones or γ-hydroxyketones or analogs thereof, that activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling and thus treat or prevent diseases related to signal transduction, such as osteoporosis and osteoarthropathy; osteogenesis imperfecta, bone defects, bone fractures, periodontal disease, otosclerosis, wound healing, craniofacial defects, oncolytic bone disease, traumatic brain injuries related to the differentiation and development of the central nervous system, comprising Parkinson's disease, strokes, ischemic cerebral disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia; eye diseases such as age related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema or retinitis pigmentosa and diseases related to differentiation and growth of stem cell, comprising hair loss, hematopoiesis related diseases and tissue regeneration related diseases.
US08921408B2
This invention relates to compositions for combating parasites in animals, comprising 1-arylpyrazole compounds alone or in combination with formamidine compounds. This invention also provides for an improved methods for eradicating, controlling, and preventing parasite infestation in an animal comprising administering the compositions of the invention to the animal in need thereof.
US08921405B2
The present invention relates to compounds of general formula I in which A, L, M, Q2, Q3, Q4, R1, R5, Ra, Rb, Rc, W, X, Y, Z1, Z2, Z3 are defined in the description, the salts thereof, particularly the physiologically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds are of potential utility in the treatment and/or prevention of inflammatory diseases and associated conditions, in particular, in the treatment and/or prevention of pain. The invention also relates to the use of such compounds as medicaments, to pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and to their preparation.
US08921402B2
The invention provides a compound of formula (I) wherein G is a pyrazole ring as defined in the specification and R4, R5, R6 and R7 are as defined in the specification; or a pharmaceutically acceptable ester, amide, solvate or salt thereof, including a salt of such an ester or amide, and a solvate of such an ester, amide or salt. The invention also provides the use of such compounds in the treatment or prophylaxis of a condition associated with a disease or disorder associated with estrogen receptor activity.
US08921399B2
The invention provides a compound of formula I: wherein A1, A2, A3, R1, X, Y, and B have any of the values described herein, as well as salts of such compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, and therapeutic methods that comprise the administration of such compounds. The compounds are inhibitors of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) enzyme function and are useful for improving cognitive function and for treating psychiatric disorders in animals.
US08921397B2
The present invention is concerned with novel selective dual modulators of the 5-HT2A and D3 receptors of formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, n, and Y are as described herein, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof. Further the present invention is concerned with the manufacture of the compounds of formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and their use as pharmaceuticals.
US08921391B2
This invention provides a medicament for the treatment of cancer, which cause a reduction of cancer. This invention relates to use of a compound which has inhibitory activities against prostaglandin E2 receptor (EP4 receptor) and is represented by the following general formula (I), (II), (III), or (IV), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound or the salt for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cancer. The invention relates to a method for treatment of cancer comprising administering the compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound or the salt to humans or animals. The compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or the pharmaceutical composition may be used in combination with one or more second active agents.
US08921389B2
The present disclosure relates to novel compounds, methods, and compositions capable of inhibiting HIF hydroxylase enzyme activity, thereby increasing the stability and/or activity of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF).
US08921384B2
Compounds, methods, and compositions for the treatment of infections in or exposure to humans and other host animals of Flaviviridae viruses, including HCV, that includes the administration of an effective amount of a spiro[2.4]heptane as described herein or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof, optionally in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, are provided. The spiro[2.4]heptane compounds either possess antiviral activity, or are metabolized to a compound that exhibits such activity.
US08921379B2
Provided is a novel compound represented by the following formula Wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a salt thereof, which has an angiotensin II receptor antagonistic activity and a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ agonistic activity, and is useful as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of circulatory diseases such as hypertension and the like and/or metabolic diseases such as diabetes and the like, and the like.
US08921371B2
The invention relates to (among other things) oligomer-PTK inhibitor conjugates and related compounds. A compound of the invention, when administered by any of a number of administration routes, exhibits advantages over PTK inhibitor compounds lacking a water-soluble, non-peptidic oligomer.
US08921368B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds of formula (I) inhibit tyrosine kinase activity of JAK3, thereby making them useful for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
US08921367B2
The present invention relates to methods of using AMG 900, a small molecule pan aurora kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of cancer, including solid tumors, hematologically derived tumors and the like. The invention further provides pharmaceutical compositions, dosage ranges and treatment regimens for administering AMG 900 to treat cancer.
US08921360B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, including all stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein Y is a 5-membered, fully or partially unsaturated heterocyclic ring containing 2-4 carbon atoms and 2-3 nitrogen atoms as ring members, the ring substituted with Z on a ring member atom connected through an adjacent single ring member atom to the ring member atom attaching the heterocyclic ring to the phenyl ring of Formula 1, and optionally further substituted with up to 2 substituents independently selected from R5 on carbon atom ring members and from R6 on nitrogen atom ring members; Z is an 8-, 9-, 10- or 11-membered fused heterobicyclic ring system containing ring members selected from carbon atoms and 1 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from up to 2 O, up to 2 S and up to 4 N atoms, wherein up to 3 carbon atom ring members are independently selected from C(═O) and C(═S), and the sulfur atom ring members are independently selected from S(═O)u(═NR7)z, the ring system optionally substituted with substituents independently selected from R8 on carbon atom ring members and from R9 on nitrogen atom ring members; and R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, u and z are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen comprising applying an effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08921358B2
The present invention relates to apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (“ASK1”) inhibiting compounds of the formula wherein the variables are as defined herein. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprising such compounds; methods and intermediates useful for making the compounds; and methods of using said compounds.
US08921357B2
Compounds of the formula (I), in which R1, R2, R3, R4, R4′ have the meanings indicated in Claim 1, are inhibitors of tyrosine kinases, in particular Met kinase, and can be employed, inter alia, for the treatment of tumors.
US08921349B2
Macrocycle containing carbamate compounds that inhibit HIV proteolytic enzymes and processes for preparing them are described. Compositions and methods for treating a patient infected with HIV are described.
US08921339B2
Apparatus for contacting body fluids with the bio-affinity material is disclosed. The apparatus includes a container having top and bottom lock covers that clip onto the container.
US08921338B2
The present specification discloses fluid compositions comprising a matrix polymer and stabilizing component, methods of making such fluid compositions, and methods of treating skin conditions in an individual using such fluid compositions.
US08921333B2
The present invention provides a therapeutic agent for a tumor, particularly a therapeutic agent for drug-resistant cancer, an agent for suppression or prophylaxis of tumor metastasis, and an agent for suppression or prophylaxis of cancer recurrence, containing a nucleic acid containing miR27b or a nucleotide having a nucleotide sequence having an identity of 70% or more with the nucleotide sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 1 and having a function equivalent to miR27b.
US08921320B2
A targeted osmotic lysis (TOL) of tumor cells that over-express voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) has been developed that uses a combined therapy of a drug that blocks sodium, potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na+, K+-ATPase) that is then followed by an activation of VGSCs, for example, by electrical or pharmacological stimulation. Activation of VGSCs conducts sodium into the cancer cells in much greater amounts than non-cancer cells. Water follows this sodium gradient into the cancer cells, causing swelling and lysis. Because non-cancerous cells do not over-express VGSCs, less sodium and less water will enter the cells, and the non-cancerous cells will not lyse. This method is applicable to all cells that over-express VGSCs, including, but not limited to, highly invasive breast cancer, prostate cancer, small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung carcinoma, lymphoma, mesothelioma, neuroblastoma, and cervical cancer.
US08921304B2
The present invention refers to novel hetero-multimeric proteins obtained from modified ubiquitin capable of binding the extradomain B of fibronectin (ED-B) with high affinity. Furthermore, the invention refers to fusion proteins comprising said recombinant protein fused to a pharmaceutically and/or diagnostically active component. The invention is further directed to the use of said proteins in medical treatment methods.
US08921302B2
Provided is an aqueous hair cleansing composition, including the following components (A) to (D) and water, in which the aqueous hair cleansing composition has a pH of from 2 to 5 when diluted 20-fold: (A) an anionic surfactant; (B) a cationized hydroxypropyl cellulose having a main chain derived from an anhydroglucose, and having a degree of substitution with cationized ethyleneoxy groups of from 0.01 to 2.9 and a degree of substitution with propyleneoxy groups of from 0.1 to 4.0; (C) an organic solvent selected from (C1) and (C2): (Cl) an aromatic alcohol; and (C2) a polypropylene glycol having a molecular weight of from 200 to 1,000; and (D) a hydroxy monocarboxylic acid or a dicarboxylic acid.
US08921298B2
The invention relates to a acidic composition for cleaning surfaces of metal or alloys which are susceptible to corrosion comprising i) an ester of phosphoric acid, diphosphoric acid or polyphosphoric acid, ii) a benzotriazole derivative of the general formula (I) in which each of the groups R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 is the same or different and is hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, or an acyl group, iii) a phosphonic acid of the general formula R6—PO—(OH)2 (II) in which the group R6 is alkyl group, alkenyl group, aryl group, or arylalkyl group and iv) an acidic source. The invention further relates to a use solution and to a method for cleaning.
US08921296B2
Methods and systems for cleaning corrosion product of a metallic capping layer from the surface of a substrate are provided. According to one embodiment, a treatment solution includes a surfactant, a complexing agent, and a pH adjuster. The surfactant is configured to enhance wetting of the substrate surface, and inhibit further corrosion of the capping layer. The complexing agent is configured to bind to metal ions which have desorbed from the substrate surface. The pH adjuster is configured to adjust the pH to a desired level, so as to promote desorption of the corrosion product from the substrate surface.
US08921293B1
Disclosed is a method to produce, store or ship a dry scrub for the skin of a person. The dry scrub combines dry granules of sea salt, unrefined sugar, and bamboo leaf extract into a mixture. The dry scrub combines with a liquid carrier to form a skin scrub immediately prior to application to the skin.
US08921289B2
A process for improving the oxidation stability of lubricants including providing one or more esters containing branched alkyl groups which are reaction products of branched alcohols with a) one or more aliphatic dicarboxylic acids corresponding to general formula (II): HOOC—R2—COOH in which R2 is a branched or unbranched, saturated alkyl group containing 0 to 34 carbon atoms, or b) one or more saturated branched monocarboxylic acids corresponding to general formula (III): R3—COOH in which R3 is a branched alkyl group of 3 to 39 carbon atoms, or c) one or more saturated monocarboxylic acids corresponding to general formula (III) in which R3 is a linear alkyl group of 3 to 29 carbon atoms, or d) a mixture thereof, as lubricants, with the proviso that the esters have an oxidation stability of 1000 hours or more, as determined by the Turbine Oil Stability Test (TOST test) to DIN EN ISO 4263-3.
US08921270B2
Methods for pre-emergent weed control using a triazine-based herbicide are disclosed. Particularly, methods of using ametryn as a pre-emergent herbicide to control weeds in corn crops are disclosed.
US08921269B2
The present invention provides an agricultural composition comprising a plant growth regulator and a pigment that provides reduced phytotoxicity as compared to an equivalent application of the plant growth regulator alone. The composition can further include a fungicide. A system for turf management as well as methods for enhancing turf are also provided.
US08921266B2
A method for preparing a color laser marked article comprising the steps of: a) infrared laser marking a security element including a polymeric support and a color forming layer comprising a color forming compound, an infrared dye and a polymeric binder comprising vinyl acetate and at least 85 wt % of vinyl chloride based on the total weight of the binder; and b) exposing the laser marked security element with light having a wavelength higher than 440 nm. The light exposure of step b) hinders the falsification of an issued security document without significant increase of background density.
US08921265B2
A security document precursor including, in order: a) at least one transparent biaxially stretched polyester foil; b) one colorless color forming layer containing at least an infrared absorber, a colorless dye-precursor and a polymeric binder; and c) a polymeric support; wherein the polymeric binder is copolymer including at least 90 wt % of a chlorinated ethylene and 1 wt % to 10 wt % of vinyl acetate both based on the total weight of the binder. Methods for making the security document precursor are also disclosed.
US08921255B2
Disclosed are a silicon-containing cerium composite oxide which is capable of maintaining a large specific surface area even used in a high temperature environment, and which has excellent heat resistance and reducibility, as well as a method for producing the composite oxide and a catalyst for exhaust gas purification employing the composite oxide. The composite oxide contains 2 to 20 mass % silicon in terms of SiO2, has properties of exhibiting a specific surface area of not less than 40 m2/g as measured by the BET method after calcination at 1000° C. for 5 hours, and a reducibility of not lower than 30% as calculated from measurement of temperature-programmed reduction from 50° C. to 900° C. after calcination at 1000° C. for 5 hours, and is suitable for a co-catalyst for a catalyst for exhaust gas purification.
US08921253B2
Catalyst component for the polymerization of olefins comprising Mg, Ti and an electron donor compound of the following formula (I) In which R to R4 groups, equal to or different from each other, are hydrogen, halogen or C1-C15 hydrocarbon groups, optionally containing an heteroatom selected from halogen, P, S, N and Si, which may be linked to form a saturated or unsaturated mono or polycycle and R5 groups are selected from C1-C15 hydrocarbon groups optionally containing an heteroatom selected from halogen, P, S, N and Si.
US08921251B2
The invention relates to the field of producing polymers and copolymers of olefin oligomers produced by a trimerization reaction of olefin monomers. There is disclosed a process which comprises producing olefin oligomers with the aid of a trimerization catalyst system prepared using UHF irradiation for activating individual components of the trimerization catalyst system. The use of the trimerization catalyst system thus improved and having increased activity provides for increased effectiveness in the production of olefin oligomers from ethylene or other olefin monomers, inter alia, at a low pressure of ethylene. The olefin oligomers thus produced are then polymerized or copolymerized using processes known in the art.The technical effect consists in increasing the effectiveness of the production of olefin oligomers which are then used in a polymerization or copolymerization reaction.
US08921250B2
A method of making disposable adobe dinnerware articles includes providing extracted clay with inclusions removed, preparing the clay to a predetermined consistency, and combining the clay with a filler to create an adobe mixture. The method can also include adding an additive, testing the humidity level of the adobe mixture and adjusting the humidity of the adobe mixture when the humidity is not within a predetermined humidity range, and preheating a mold. The method can also include adding the adobe mixture to the mold, and pressing the adobe mixture in the mold and heating the mold in a series of production stages to form a molded adobe tableware product.
US08921247B2
The present invention relates to an optical glass including, in terms of mass % on the basis of oxides, B2O3: 10% to 20%, SiO2: 0.5% to 12%, ZnO: 5% to 19%, Ta2O5: 3% to 17%, Li2O: 0.2% to 3%, ZrO2: 0.6% to 4.9%, WO3: 6.1% to 20%, La2O3: 32.5% to 50%, and Y2O3: 0.2% or more and less than 1.5%, in which a mass fraction (La2O3/Y2O3) of a content of La2O3 to a content of Y2O3 in terms of mass % is 40 or higher, and the optical glass has optical constants of a refractive index nd of 1.83 to 1.88 and an Abbe's number υd of 39 to 42.
US08921246B2
There is provided a glass composition containing an oxide containing Lu, Si, and Al, in which the composition of the glass composition lies within a compositional region of a ternary composition diagram of Lu, Si, and Al in terms of cation percent, the compositional region being defined by the following six points: (32.3% LuO3/2, 30.0% SiO2, 37.7% AlO3/2), (32.3% LuO3/2, 37.7% SiO2, 30.0% AlO3/2), (20.8% LuO3/2, 55.0% SiO2, 24.2% AlO3/2), (10.0% LuO3/2, 45.0% SiO2, 45.0% AlO3/2), (20.8% LuO3/2, 24.2% SiO2, 55.0% AlO3/2), and (30.0% LuO3/2, 25.0% SiO2, 45.0% AlO3/2). For the glass composition, a glassy state having low or no intrinsic birefringence in the ultraviolet region is stably obtained.
US08921232B2
A method of taper-etching a layer to be etched that is made of a dielectric material and has a top surface. The method includes the steps of: forming an etching mask with an opening on the top surface of the layer to be etched; and taper-etching a portion of the layer to be etched, the portion being exposed from the opening, by reactive ion etching so that a groove having two wall faces intersecting at a predetermined angle is formed in the layer to be etched. The step of taper-etching employs an etching gas containing a first gas contributing to the etching of the layer to be etched and a second gas contributing to the deposition of a sidewall protective film, and changes, during the step, the ratio of the flow rate of the second gas to the flow rate of the first gas so that the ratio increases.
US08921230B2
An etchant composition includes about 25 percent by weight to about 35 percent by weight of phosphoric acid, about 3 percent by weight to about 9 percent by weight of nitric acid, about 10 percent by weight to about 20 percent by weight of acetic acid, about 5 percent by weight to about 10 percent by weight of a nitrate, about 6 percent by weight to about 15 percent by weight of a sulfonic acid, about 1 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight of an amine compound including a carboxyl group, about 0.1 percent by weight to about 1 percent by weight of a water-soluble amino acid, about 0.01 percent by weight to about 1 percent by weight of an azole compound, and water.
US08921221B2
A photoresist layer is applied over a solder resist layer on a substrate such as a wafer. Openings in the solder resist and photoresist layers are filled with flux-free molten solder using IMS. The process is applicable to fine pitch applications and chip size packaging substrates. A protection layer may be employed to facilitate removal of the photoresist layer from the substrate. An oversized substrate including an adhesive layer on a peripheral area may be employed for providing greater adhesion of a dry film layer to the peripheral area of the substrate than the central portion thereof. The peripheral area is removed following IMS.
US08921207B2
Sn-containing precursors for deposition of Sn-containing films and methods of using are provided herein. In some embodiments, Sn-containing precursors are methylated and/or hydrogenated and/or deuteriated. In some embodiments, methods of chemical vapor deposition are provided.
US08921196B2
A method is disclosed for forming vertical bipolar junction transistors including a regular array of base contact pillars and emitter contact pillars with a width below the minimum lithographical resolution F of the lithographic technique employed. In an embodiment, the pillar array features have a dimension of approximately F/2, though this dimension could be reduced down to other values compatible with embodiments of the invention. A storage element, such as a phase change storage element, can be formed above the regular array of base contact pillars and emitter contact pillars.
US08921194B2
Lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors, methods for fabricating lateral PNP bipolar junction transistors, and design structures for a lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor. An emitter and a collector of the lateral PNP bipolar junction transistor are comprised of p-type semiconductor material that is formed by a selective epitaxial growth process. The source and drain each directly contact a top surface of a device region used to form the emitter and collector. A base contact may be formed on the top surface and overlies an n-type base defined within the device region. The emitter is laterally separated from the collector by the base contact. Another base contact may be formed in the device region that is separated from the other base contact by the base.
US08921190B2
A semiconductor structure and method of manufacture and, more particularly, a field effect transistor that has a body contact and method of manufacturing the same is provided. The structure includes a device having a raised source region of a first conductivity type and an active region below the raised source region extending to a body of the device. The active region has a second conductivity type different than the first conductivity type. A contact region is in electric contact with the active region. The method includes forming a raised source region over an active region of a device and forming a contact region of a same conductivity type as the active region, wherein the active region forms a contact body between the contact region and a body of the device.
US08921187B2
Embodiments of a process including depositing a sacrificial layer on the surface of a substrate over a photosensitive region, over the top surface of a transfer gate, and over at least the sidewall of the transfer gate closest to the photosensitive region, the sacrificial layer having a selected thickness. A layer of photoresist is deposited over the sacrificial layer, which is patterned and etched to expose the surface of the substrate over the photosensitive region and at least part of the transfer gate top surface, leaving a sacrificial spacer on the sidewall of the transfer gate closest to the photosensitive region. The substrate is plasma doped to form a pinning layer between the photosensitive region and the surface of the substrate. The spacing between the pinning layer and the sidewall of the transfer gate substantially corresponds to a thickness of the sacrificial spacer. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US08921184B2
In one embodiment, a method for forming a semiconductor device having a shield electrode includes forming first and second shield electrode contact portions within a contact trench. The first shield electrode contact portion can be formed recessed within the contact trench and includes a flat portion. The second shield electrode contact portion can be formed within the contact trench and makes contact to the first shield electrode contact portion along the flat portion.
US08921183B2
A method for fabricating a trench isolation structure is described. A trench is formed in a substrate. A liner layer is formed at least in the trench. A precursor layer is formed at least on the sidewalls of the trench. The precursor layer is converted to an insulating layer that has a larger volume than the precursor layer and fills up the trench.
US08921179B2
Methodology enabling a reduction of edge and strap cell size, and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include: providing first and second NW regions on a substrate; providing first and second RX regions on the first and second NW regions, respectively; providing a contact on the substrate connecting the first and second RX regions; and providing a dummy PC on the substrate connecting the first and second RX regions. Other embodiments include: determining an RX region of an IC design; determining a PPLUS mask region extending along a horizontal direction and being on an entire upper surface of the RX region; determining a NW region extending along a vertical direction and separated from the RX region; and comparing an area of an overlap of the NW region and PPLUS mask region to a threshold value.
US08921174B2
Disclosed herein is a method for fabricating a complementary tunneling field effect transistor based on a standard CMOS IC process, which belongs to the field of logic devices and circuits of field effect transistors in ultra large scaled integrated (ULSI) circuits. In the method, an intrinsic channel and body region of a TFET are formed by means of complementary P-well and N-well masks in the standard CMOS IC process to form a well doping, a channel doping and a threshold adjustment by implantation. Further, a bipolar effect in the TFET can be inhibited via a distance between a gate and a drain on a layout so that a complementary TFET is formed. In the method according to the invention, the complementary tunneling field effect transistor (TFET) can be fabricated by virtue of existing processes in the standard CMOS IC process without any additional masks and process steps.
US08921173B2
A vertical DMOS device implements one or more deep silicon via (DSV) plugs, thereby significantly reducing the layout area and on-resistance (RDSON) of the device. The DSV plugs extend through a semiconductor substrate to contact a conductively doped buried diffusion region, which forms the drain of the vertical DMOS device. Methods for fabricating the vertical DMOS device are compatible with conventional sub-micron VLSI processes, such that the vertical DMOS device can be readily fabricated on the same integrated circuit as CMOS devices and analog devices, such as lateral double-diffused MOS (LDMOS) devices.
