US07651284B2
A development apparatus has a holder which horizontally holds a substrate, a nozzle which supplies a developer to a resist film on the substrate held by the holder, a liquid flow suppressing member whose size in a two-dimensional plane viewing field is equal to or larger than that of the substrate and which has a mesh having many openings and hydrophilic properties with respect to the developer and transmits the developer supplied from the nozzle through the openings of the mesh to form a liquid film of the developer between the mesh and the substrate, and a moving mechanism which movably supports this liquid flow suppressing member, sets the mesh to face the resist film on the substrate and brings the mesh into contact with a surface of the liquid film of the developer or immerges the mesh in the liquid film.
US07651278B2
An optical fiber interconnection system with a small number of modular components that can be configured for simple construction in many configurations. The system includes connector housings. Optical fibers are installed into the housings on ferrule carriers. The housings are brought together in adapters. Different styles of adapters are available for different applications, such as panel or backplane configurations. However, the same housing and ferrule carriers can be used in any style of adapter. Also, different ferrule carriers are provided for single fiber ferrules and multi-fiber ferrules. Either style of ferrule carrier can be used in a housing and adapter. A ferrule carrier for single fiber ferrules can be modified to provide fine alignment features with the addition of a cap, allowing the same style ferrule carrier to be used in both halves of a mated connector assembly.
US07651274B2
A spherical slide bearing has an outer ring and an inner ring slidably retained within the outer ring. A pin having a grease supply flow path extending through an interior thereof to open in an outer peripheral surface thereof is inserted into the inner ring so that the pin is circumferentially slidable, with the inner ring being equipped with a communication flow path establishing communication between a gap defined between the inner ring and the pin and a gap defined between the inner ring and the outer ring. The inlet port of the communication flow path is provided at a position where grease having flown out of an outlet port of the grease supply flow path flows after having flown through the gap between the pin and the inner ring substantially through the entire length in the axial direction of the pin.
US07651273B2
There is provided a semispherical shoe which is formed into a substantially semispherical shape by a convex semispherical surface 2 and a flat end surface 3, the semispherical surface having a slidably contacting surface 6 that is in slidable contact with a semispherical concave portion and non slidably contacting surfaces 7 and 8 that are not in slidable contact with the concave portion. When the semispherical shoe is manufactured, first, after a semispherical material having a semispherical surface following the concave portion has been formed, the surface of the portion that is to be the slidably contacting surface on the semispherical surface is quenched to expand the quenched portion from the original surface of the semispherical surface, whereby the sliding surface is formed on the surface of the expanded portion, and the other portions are made the non slidably contacting portions.
US07651266B2
It is disclosed a device (100) for measuring a patient's temperature using an infrared thermometer (1) to detect the intensity of an infrared radiation coming from the body of that patient, whose temperature is wished to be known; the device further comprises a room-temperature sensor to send said temperature to a memory (38). A processing unit (33) receives as an input the room-temperature signal (B) and a temperature signal (A) proportional to the infrared radiation, the room-temperature signal (B) enabling the processing unit (33) to determine a corrective parameter to rectify the temperature (A) detected by the sensor member (7) and to determine the patient's real temperature. The invention allows the problem due to the non-stabilisation in the thermometer environment to be solved.
US07651262B2
A discriminating apparatus of liquid reducing agent is disclosed, in which, based on concentration of liquid reducing agent which is measured at each predetermined time after starting of engine, discrimination is processed whether the storage tank is filled with dissimilar aqueous solution, the storage tank is normally filled with the liquid reducing agent, or the storage tank is empty. When the empty discrimination or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is performed, it is judged whether or not the discrimination is adequate according to the liquid condition in the storage tank. When the empty or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination is adequate, the empty discrimination frequency or the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency is counted up. When the empty discrimination frequency and the dissimilar aqueous solution discrimination frequency become equal to or larger than the first predetermined frequency, the discrimination is upheld.
US07651257B2
In a backlight assembly and a display device having the same, a receiving container includes a bottom plate and sidewalls adjacent to the edges of the bottom plate. A molded frame includes a first plate surrounding the sidewalls and a second plate connected to a side of the first plate. A second plate is substantially parallel with the bottom plate. A lamp assembly includes a lamp cover received in the receiving container and a lamp received in the lamp cover. An optical module is interposed between the molded frame and the receiving container to improve optical characteristics of a light generated from the lamp. A fixing member is combined with fixing portions of the receiving container, the molded frame and the lamp assembly to fix the receiving container, the lamp cover and the molded frame to one another. As a result, the manufacturing process can be simplified and mechanical strength improved.
US07651246B2
An optical element and module for the projection of a light beam, and motor vehicle lamp including a plurality of such modules An optical element for the projection of a light beam comprises a solid body (1) of transparent material in which is formed a cavity (13) able to receive a light source (10), the cavity (13) extending along the principal axis (z) of the transparent body (1) and being delimited by a radially inner surface (3) and a terminal surface (2) of the transparent body (1). The surfaces (2, 3) are able to receive separate respective portions (I, II) of the light flux generated by the source (10). The transparent body (1) further has a radially outer surface (4) which surrounds the radially inner surface (3). The radially outer surface (4) reflects the portion of the light flux (I) coming from the radially inner surface (3) along a direction substantially parallel to the principal axis (z). The transparent body (1) has, on the opposite side, a central surface (6) and an annular surface (5) surrounding the central surface (6), able to receive that portion (II) of the light flux and the reflected portion of the light flux (I) respectively and to transmit these light flux portions (I, II) in directions having predetermined orientations with respect to the principal axis (z). At least one of the surfaces (2, 3, 5, 6) is rotationally asymmetric with respect to the principal axis (z) of the transparent body (1). The surfaces (2, 3, 5, 6) cooperate in such a way as to shape the overall light flux (I, II) emitted by the central and annular surfaces (6, 5) into a light intensity distribution having different divergences in two 25 directions perpendicular to one another and to the principal axis (z).
US07651238B2
A lighting assembly includes a light fixture adapted to be disposed in relation to an opening defined in a surface of a structure such that a lamp may be installed in the light fixture through the opening of the structure. A thermal insulation barrier surrounds the light fixture, is positioned in close proximity of the opening of the structure and constructed so as to entrap heat from the opening of the structure. A trim has an outer surface, configured to substantially enclose the opening, consists of at least one fireproof material, and is adapted to engage the light fixture so that the outer surface is disposed in proximity to the opening of the structure and forms a continuous surface with the structure.
US07651234B2
A backlight assembly for a liquid crystal display device is disclosed with high efficiency and high brightness. The backlight assembly includes a light source in which a first light emitting diode and a second light emitting diode are combined, a board where the light source is mounted, and optical sheets arranged in front of the light source. By alternately arranging a front emitting type LED and a side emitting type LED in various structures, high efficiency and high brightness may be obtained using a small number of light emitting diodes.
US07651230B2
Apparatus for producing an optical effect includes a screen comprising at least one electroluminescent material and associated electrodes for exciting the electroluminescent material to emit light. The electrodes are locally excitable so that the regions of the electroluminescent material generally in the shape of flames may be excited. In an alternative form, or additionally, the screen comprises a material of variable opacity such as a liquid crystal polymer or a suspended particle device gain, electrodes are locally excitable to locally change the opacity of the screen. The screen is locally illuminated to provide the impression of flames.
US07651228B2
An interior rearview mirror assembly includes a variable reflectance element, an information display and a control for adjusting the luminous intensity of information displayed by the information display. The information display comprises backlighting by a of light emitting diodes. The control is responsive to a light level sensed by at least one light sensor disposed at the mirror assembly, and the control may adjust the luminous intensity of information displayed by the information display, preferably to provide a luminous intensity in a range extending from at least about 750 candelas/sq. meter during a daytime condition to less than about 100 candelas/sq. meter during a nighttime condition. The control adjusts the luminous intensity by use of pulse-width modulation.
US07651219B2
A system, method and device for comfortably, safely and securely holding eyeglasses close to and on the person, when not in use, is disclosed. In some embodiments, the device comprises an adjustable band member to comfortably fit around any persons arm or leg and an eyeglass holding member adjustably coupled to the top of the band member such that an eyeglass can securely, and safely be held between the band member and the eyeglass holding member.
US07651216B2
Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include fusible print media, methods of making fusible print media, and systems for preparing a fused ink-jet image. One exemplary embodiment of the fusible print medium, among others, includes a substrate and an ink-receiving layer disposed on the substrate. The ink-receiving layer includes a plurality of hollow polymer beads having substantially the same diameter.
US07651209B2
In one embodiment, an ink pen includes an ink chamber, a passage and a printhead operatively connected to the ink chamber through the passage such that ink flowing from the ink chamber to the printhead passes through the passage. The passage includes an upstream part having a polygonal cross sectional area and a downstream part having a cross sectional area smaller than the polygonal cross sectional area.
US07651206B2
A method of forming a liquid pattern according to liquid pattern data on a receiving medium using a liquid drop emitter that emits a continuous stream of liquid from a nozzle that is broken into drops of predetermined volumes by the application of drop forming energy pulse is disclosed comprising associating a pixel area of the receiving medium with a nozzle and a time interval during which a plurality of fluid drops ejected from the nozzle can impinge the pixel area of the receiving medium. The time interval is divided into a plurality of subintervals that are, in turn, grouped into a plurality of blocks. Each block is defined as a printing block or a non-printing block. A drop forming energy pulse is provided between each pair of consecutive blocks and between the subintervals of each printing block. No drop forming energy pulses are provided between the subintervals of the non-printing blocks. The so-formed energy pulse sequence is applied to the stream of liquid causing the formation of small print drops and large non-print drops. The liquid pattern is formed on the receiver of print drops comprised of liquid emitted during subintervals associated with printing blocks. The block configuration is designed to ensure that non-print drops have the proper volume. In an alternate set of embodiments, individual subintervals rather than blocks of subintervals are individually defined as print or non-print subintervals subject to a non-print drop rule that forces non-print drops to be formed of adequate volume for differentiation from print drops and a maximum drop rule that ensures that non-print drops are not too large to be reliably captured and guttered.
US07651205B2
A liquid discharging head includes a piezoelectric actuator including a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a plurality of electric supply members. The plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided in a row and includes an even number of piezoelectric element columns provided via a groove at a predetermined pitch. The plurality of electric supply members supplies electricity to the plurality of piezoelectric elements and includes electrodes disposed for the alternate piezoelectric element columns of the respective piezoelectric elements. One end of the electric supply member is positioned outwardly from an outer end of an endmost driven piezoelectric element column to which the electrode is connected, while another end of the electric supply member is positioned inwardly from an outer end of an endmost non-driven piezoelectric element column to which the electrode is not connected, in a manner that adjacent electric supply members do not overlap.
US07651201B2
To provide an ink jet recording head with a decreased initial deflection amount of a diaphragm and an ink jet recorder comprising the ink jet recording head. An ink jet recording head which has a flow passage formation substrate 10 where pressure generation chambers 12 communicating with nozzle openings are defined and a piezoelectric element being placed on one side of the flow passage formation substrate 10 via a diaphragm and having at least a lower electrode 60, a piezoelectric layer 70, and an upper electrode 80, characterized in that at least one of layers deposited together with the piezoelectric layer 70 is a compression film 50 having a compressive stress and the compression film 50 has at least a part in a thickness direction removed in at least a part of an area opposed to the pressure generation chamber, whereby the stress of the whole film is decreased.
US07651178B2
A jewelry storage system for storing and allowing access to and removal of jewelry pieces includes a jewelry cabinet and a stand. The jewelry cabinet defines an interior space for holding jewelry items. The jewelry cabinet includes a box frame and a door connected to the box frame wherein the door extends substantially from the top wall to the bottom wall. A plurality of jewelry storage elements are attached within the interior space. In one embodiment, a stand is configured to receive the jewelry cabinet to hold the jewelry cabinet in an upright position so that the back wall of the jewelry cabinet forms an angle from the horizontal.
US07651176B2
A brake system includes a tandem-type master cylinder, a tandem-type slave cylinder with front and rear fluid pressure chambers and front and rear pistons arranged such that fluid pressure is generated in the fluid pressure chambers when the rear piston is advanced by an actuator, wheel cylinders connected to the fluid pressure chambers of the master cylinder, respectively, and a regulator which regulates a maximum distance between the front and rear pistons. The regulator prevents excessive increase in the volume of the rear fluid pressure chamber.
US07651175B2
A parking brake system is provided in which a parking brake state for a wheel brake (2A) is obtained by forward movement of a parking piston (44) slidably fitted into a casing (23) with the rear side of the parking piston (44) facing a parking control fluid pressure chamber (47), and the forwardly moved state of the parking piston (44) is mechanically locked by spheres (58) pushed up as a result of forward movement of a lock piston (56) of a lock mechanism (31). Moreover, a plurality of guide grooves (126), into which parts of the spheres (58) are rollably fitted, are provided on the inner face of a large diameter hole (38), the inner face of a restricting step (42), and the inner face of a small diameter hole (39), the guide grooves (126) having a concavely curved cross-sectional shape and extending in the axial direction of an insertion shaft (59). This enables an automatic parking brake state to be obtained by a simple structure without consuming power.
US07651172B2
A hub body of a spoked bicycle wheel comprises spoke attachment holes made in the hub body in a direction substantially parallel to a rotation axis of the hub body. Said holes comprise a first set of holes at a first radial distance from the rotation axis and a second set of holes at a second radial distance from the rotation axis, greater than the first radial distance.
US07651170B2
Boring apparatus for drilling laser guided microbore tunnels uses a liquid stream to remove soil as slurry and an airstream to conduct the slurry away from the bore head. The cylindrical head houses a drill shaft steered by a pair of remotely controlled rams according to the position of a laser spot on a target fixed close to the end of the drill shaft. Small arcuate steering movements shift the cutter up and down through a first ram alongside the shaft working through a linkage. Side to side steering is provided by a second ram acting directly on the shaft. The components are mounted on an axial base wall which gives repair access and camera view of the target. A drilling platform has rams for advancing the cylindrical head.
US07651167B2
A fitting for a vehicle incorporates a backrest and a removable seat squab so that the fitting may be used as a conventional seat, or as a safety fitting to engage a rear of a wheelchair. The backrest is wider at the top than at a lower point, to enable the handles of a relatively narrow wheelchair to pass on either side of the backrest. The backrest is mounted on a supporting frame by a pivotal link mechanisms enabling the backrest to move forwardly so that an electric wheelchair, or other wheelchair that has a rearwardly extending portion towards the back lower part of the wheelchair may be accommodated with the back of the wheelchair in engagement with the backrest of the fitting. The fitting is mounted for lateral movement, the fitting being supported on a base plate which can move laterally on a floor-mounted platform to enable a wheelchair to be manoeuvred easily past the fitting.
US07651166B2
In the case of a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, with a central structure, a seat cushion (219) which is carried by the central structure and has a seat cushion structure (218) and padding (220) at least partially resting on the seat cushion structure (218), and a backrest which can be pivoted relative to the central structure and/or to the seat cushion (219), the vehicle seat being transferable from a use position, in which it can be sat in, into a flat lowered position by pivoting of the backrest and lowering of the seat cushion (219), the padding (220) partially rests on a seat cushion support (241) which can be moved relative to the seat cushion structure (218) in order to transfer the vehicle seat into the lowered position.
US07651165B2
A seat reclining apparatus for a vehicle includes: a first plate adapted to be mounted on one of a seat cushion and a seat back and having inner teeth; a second plate adapted to be mounted on the other one of the seat cushion and the seat back and supporting the first plate to be rotatable; a pole directly and movably supported by the second plate and having outer teeth engageable and disengageable with the inner teeth of the first plate; a pair of guides formed at the second plate and interposing therebetween the pole from both sides, the guide including a pole sliding surface adjusted to slidably come in contact with a side surface of the pole; and a recess formed at the pole sliding surface of the guide.
US07651157B2
A safety device a for a vehicle including a load distributing member for arrangement in front of a vehicle seat so as to be exposed to an impact load from a vehicle occupant as the occupant moves forwardly in an impact situation, and a load deformable member arranged to retard the forward movement of the occupant, wherein the load deformable member is intended to be attached to the load distributing member and to a supporting member, which supporting member is intended to hold at least a part of the load deformable member in place in relation to the vehicle, and wherein the load distributing member is sufficiently rigid to allow the impact load to be distributed to the load deformable member. The safety device is characterized in that the load deformable member is intended to be arranged with regard to the load distributing member and the supporting member so as to be deformed by tensile and/or shear forces in the event of an impact situation.
US07651156B2
An impact-absorbing device is installed at a leading edge of a vehicle hood to protect a pedestrian. The impact-absorbing device includes a fixing member fixed to a body frame on an inside of the vehicle hood and having a guide portion formed at a front end thereof, a buffer member fixed to an upper surface of the guide portion and having specified torsional rigidity, a center portion of the buffer member being bent in a convex shape, first and second supports, each provided in the center portion and both ends of the buffer member, for supporting the leading edge of the vehicle hood, and a guide member fixed to an upper surface of the buffer member and supporting the first support slidably.
US07651155B2
An energy absorbing device includes a longitudinal extending tubular outer shell assembly tapered from a smaller end to a larger end so that upon the imposition of a longitudinal applied force on the ends thereof the tubular outer shell will collapse progressively from the smaller end toward the larger end. At least one reinforcing web is located within the tubular structure and is shorter in length than the tubular structure and has an end spaced from the one smaller end of the tubular structure that first collapses so that the web is subjected to progressive energy absorbing collapse only after the tubular outer shell assembly has begun to collapse. One or more such webs can be employed to sequentially and progressively collapse and deform to absorb the longitudinal applied force in a preferred manner.
US07651150B2
A motor vehicle window panel has a trim molding formed by an extruded body of plastics material, and the body includes a mounting flange, a locating flange and a vehicle body panel sealing flange. The mounting flange carries a pressure sensitive contact adhesive tape which bonds to an inner surface of the window panel after the locating flange engages an outer edge surface of the window panel. The body is preferably extruded with a weakened zone at the base of the locating flange to permit convenient tear removal of the locating flange either before or after the molding and window panel are attached to the vehicle body panel. The sealing flange may be extruded with a lower durometer material, and an internal reinforcement strip and a spacer flange may be extruded with the mounting flange. The locating flange may be curved or flat with a projecting lip to facilitate removal.
US07651149B2
In a windshield unit for a saddle-ride type vehicle provided at the front center of a vehicle body with an air duct for directing the air flow from the front of the vehicle toward the upside, a screen is provided at the front center of a vehicle body with an air duct adapted to lead the air flow from the front of the vehicle toward the upside, a straight portion of the air duct rising in front of an occupant so that a left-right width of a rear wall rearwardly of the straight portion may be narrower than the left-right width of a front wall forward of the straight portion.
US07651147B2
A cargo hauling system is dimensioned to fit within a bed of a light truck. The bin moves forwardly and rearwardly relative to the truck bed along rollers provided on a tailgate of the truck. The tailgate is modified by reinforcing a perimeter of the tailgate, adding rollers to the tailgate, substituting reinforced linkages and hinges for factory originals, and adding a support member that extends between the trailer hitch and tailgate.
US07651142B2
An automatic release attachment automatically releases a tension line engaged to the attachment when the tension in the line exceeds the tension rating corresponding to a tension release settings selected by an operator. A hook assembly, which can be part of the attachment, includes a shackle that eases shackling and unshackling of a coupling element of the tension line to the hook assembly.
US07651139B2
The invention relates to a coupling for a fluid line arrangement, said coupling being characterised in that a plane outer side (8) of at least one essentially D-shaped sealing ring (7) of a sealing unit is applied to a plane supporting layer (10) of a receiving section (3) of a coupling part (1). In this way, in addition to a high twist rigidity of the sealing ring (7) in question, a very effective sealing action is achieved, even in the presence of comparatively weak radial pressure forces.
US07651135B2
A lap-belt pre-tensioner operative to draw in a lap belt is disposed on an upper face of a projecting portion so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle from an disposition portion of a lower support member, and on the upper face of the projecting portion is provided a groove portion so as to accommodate the lap-belt pre-tensioner in such a manner that the lap-belt pre-tensioner substantially does not project into an ingress-egress opening. Accordingly, there can be provided an occupant protection device of a vehicle equipped with a slide door in which the lap-belt pre-tensioner does not project into the ingress-egress opening.
US07651133B2
A frame extender (10) for attachment to a siderail (14) and to a front cross member (16A) of a vehicle frame (12) having a centerline (C) includes a first portion (52) generally parallel with and attached to the siderail. The frame extender (10) also includes a second portion (66) extending generally transversely from the first portion (52) and outwardly from the centerline (C), and a third portion (80) extending from the second portion and generally parallel to the siderail (14). The first portion (52), the second portion (66) and the third portion (80) are formed as a single component.
US07651128B2
An inflator includes, a housing having a gas discharge port, an ignition device and a gas generating agent accommodated inside the housing, and a collision member for receiving collision of a combustion product(s) which is generated by the activation of the ignition device, the collision member being provided in a position directly facing an ejecting direction of the combustion products.
US07651125B2
An air bag for a driver's seat of a vehicle that utilizes an inflator gas of low and high pressures, in which a twofold tether composed of first and second tethers is established inside the air bag for a driver's seat that is unfolded toward the driver when the vehicle collides with a collision object and the sewn portions of the first and second tethers are burst selectively according to the high and low pressures of gas generated from an inflator.
US07651122B2
An apparatus for leading to normal tearing of an instrument panel having a built-in passenger air bag (PAB). The apparatus includes an instrument panel having an air bag module located thereinside, a tear line formed on the instrument panel in a predetermined shape such that the air bag easily comes out of the instrument panel when deployed, and a heating device installed inside the instrument panel so as to heat a surrounding area of the tear line and at least one predetermined area of the instrument panel which acts as a hinge section when the air bag is deployed.
US07651119B2
An air bag apparatus includes: a supporting plate; an air bag case mounted on the supporting plate such that a space is formed therein; an air bag cushion installed in the space and attached to the supporting plate; an inflator for supplying a gas to the air bag cushion, the inflator being mounted at the supporting plate; and a clamping device for clamping a middle portion of the air bag cushion, the clamping device being coupled with the supporting plate. The inflator may supply the gas to side portions of the air bag, such that the side portions expand for a predetermined time while the middle portion is clamped by the clamping device, and when the inflating force of the air bag overcomes the clamping force, the middle portion expands.
US07651118B1
The invention is directed to textile fabrics for use in air bags and side curtains having at least one coating layer of polyvinyl chloride thereon. The textile fabric can be a flat sheet, such as used in driver side air bags, or a multi-layered woven textile having preconfigured air-holding cavities therein for use in side curtains such as are installed in sport utility vehicles (SUVs). In certain embodiments of the invention coating layers of elastomeric polyurethane may be applied to the textile fabric in addition to the coating layer of polyvinyl chloride. In certain instances, the textile fabrics are coated on one side only, and in others they may be coated on both sides, i.e., on opposed first and second surfaces. In either case, the polyvinyl chloride coatings, whether alone or in combination with other polymeric coatings, provide the air bags or side curtains with superior air-holding characteristics.
US07651117B1
A collapsible trailer apparatus which can be used in an extended length and stored in a collapsed and/or partially disassembled state. End members slideably fit within frame tubes and offer telescoping length choice of the apparatus. Side rails are removable, as are side panels. Side rails and side panels are available in varied length choices. The tongue is slideably fitted and adjustable in length. Prop legs are provided for upright storage. No tools are required for assembly, disassembly, or use.
US07651099B1
A seal is used between a housing and a shaft having an axis. The seal includes a first portion and a second portion engageable with each other and movable relative to each other. The first portion and the second portion are configured to be received in a cavity between the shaft and the housing. The first portion is engageable with the shaft such that the first portion is substantially stationary relative to the shaft and to inhibit passage of contaminants from the exterior of the cavity through the cavity toward the axis. The second portion is engageable with the housing such that the second portion is substantially stationary relative to the housing and to inhibit passage of the contaminants from the exterior through the cavity toward the axis.
US07651096B2
A side wager for blackjack that allows the player to win when the player loses a hand that the player would have expected to win. If the player is initially dealt a good hand, e.g., 20, and the player still loses, then the player can be rewarded by collecting a “bad beat” award.
US07651088B2
Systems, methods, and programs for adjusting an output orientation of multi-thickness media input marking data, determine a number of sheets of the multi-thickness media that is to be alternated within an output stack, and adjust the output orientation of at least one sheet of multi-thickness media to be output based on the determined number of sheets of the multi-thickness media to be alternated.
US07651086B2
The present sheet separation technique provides easy means to separate thin sheets of paper. Slight bulges of various forms that do not nest together with adjacent sheets are formed in the sheets so that each sheet stands slightly free from its neighbors at or near such bulges so long as a sheet is not weighted down significantly. When weighted significantly, such as by numerous overlying pages, the sheet becomes flat as in the usual present form not having such features. In a preferred form, parts of at least some of the bulges extend to, or near, one or more edge locations.
US07651077B1
A canister assembly includes a canister body, an inner wick positioned within the canister body and configured to define an air passage, and an outer wick. At least a portion of the outer wick is positioned between the inner wick and the canister body. The inner wick and the outer wick are oriented to enable a transfer of fragrance material to the inner wick from the outer wick. The fragrance material includes fragrance molecules, and the inner wick is configured to enable a transfer of some of the fragrance molecules into air within the air passage.
US07651076B2
A device for distributing a poly-phase mixture having a gas phase and liquid phase which mixture is in downflow mode through at least one bed of granular solid. The device has at least one tray (P) located above one of the beds of granular solid. It further has mixer conduits (21) for the liquid and gas phases, each conduit having an upper cross section for flow (22) allowing the passage of the majority of the gas phase, and a lower cross section for flow (23) allowing the mixture formed inside the conduits to communicate with a bed of granular solid. The mixer conduits (21) also having one or more lateral cross sections for flow (26) over at least a portion of their height to allow the passage of the liquid phase and possibly a minor portion of the gas phase inside the mixer conduits. The device also has a jet breaker type dispersive system (28) having a controlled porosity disposed below the lower cross section for flow (23) and above the bed of granular solids. The distribution device being such that at least a portion of the perimeter of the dispersive system is provided with rims (100) or (101).
US07651071B1
A valve assembly is provided that includes a flowbody, a valve element movably disposed within the flowbody, and a flat beam spring-energized seal mechanism. The flat beam spring-energized seal mechanism includes a wiper seal carried by one of the flowbody and the valve element and movable between a retracted position and an extended position. The wiper seal includes a wave contour defining at least one seal wave. A flat beam spring is disposed in alignment with the at least one seal wave and configured to move the wiper seal toward the extended position when a force is exerted upon it by the at least one seal wave.
US07651065B2
A storage system for inside a Sea-Land shipping container provides at least two hanging brackets, each bracket having a vertical beam with a hook at an upper end portion for releasable engagement with a lashing ring carried on a wall inside the Sea-Land shipping container to depend therefrom adjacent the wall. Supports extend forwardly outwardly from the hanging beams and are reinforced by braces communicating between the support and hanging beam. A squaring foot at a lower end portion of each hanging beam extends perpendicular thereto preventing axial rotation of the hanging beam. A vertical member at end portion of each support, opposite the hanging beam, prevents materials from falling off the support.
US07651060B2
A hold-down for a common pail used in mixing paints, drywall compound, or other applications has a pair of swing-down, spring-loaded step-pads secured to the base of the pail. There can be a strap for this purpose, with an adjustable draw latch.
US07651054B2
An device, method, and aircraft are provided for illuminating an in-flight operation, the device, method, and aircraft generating an electromagnetic radiation within the far-violet and ultraviolet spectrum, and thus being imperceptible to the naked eye, compatible with night vision equipment, and undetectable by night vision equipment.
US07651053B2
An aerodynamic airflow deflecting device for a landing gear retracting into a housing of an aircraft, comprising at least one element for closing the housing that is, through the action of a control device, able to occupy a position for shielding at least a part of the landing gear against the aerodynamic airflow, thus constituting a noise reducing aerodynamic device. The closing element can in particular include at least one trap door element that is, through the action of the control device, movable between a first position for closing the housing, a second position allowing the landing gear to exit and a third position constituting said shielding position.
US07651040B2
A method of formulating a wellbore fluid that includes grinding a solid particulate material and a polymeric dispersing agent to provide a resulting polymer coated solid material, and suspending the resulting polymer coated solid material in the wellbore fluid. At least a portion of the resulting polymer coated solid material has a particle diameter less than 2.0 microns, wherein the polymeric dispersing agent has a molecular weight greater than 10,000. Exemplary starting materials for the solid material include weighting agents including barite, calcium carbonate, dolomite, ilmenite, hematite or other iron ores, olivine, siderite and strontium sulfate as well as mixture and combinations of these and other similar weighting materials. The dispersant in one illustrative embodiment is a polymeric acrylate ester made from the monomers of stearyl methacrylate, butylacrylate, and acrylic acid.
US07651036B2
A fluidic oscillator suitable for use at colder temperatures for utilizing a pressurized liquid to generate a uniform spatial distribution of droplets has (a) an inlet for the pressurized liquid, (b) a set of three power nozzles that are fed by the pressurized liquid, (c) an interaction chamber attached to the nozzles and which receives the flow from the nozzles, wherein this chamber has an upstream and a downstream portion, with the upstream portion having a pair of boundary edges and a longitudinal centerline that is approximately equally spaced between the edges, and wherein one of the power nozzles is directed along the chamber's longitudinal centerline, (d) a throat from which the liquid exhausts from the interaction chamber, and (e) an island located in the interaction chamber, with this island being situated downstream of the power nozzle that is directed along the chamber's longitudinal centerline. In a preferred embodiment, this oscillator is further configured such that: (i) one of the power nozzles is located proximate each of the chamber's boundary edges, (ii) its nozzles are configured to accelerate the movement of the liquid that flows through the nozzles, (iii) its throat has right and left sidewalls that diverge downstream, and (iv) the power nozzles and island are oriented and scaled such as to generate flow vortices behind the island that are swept out of the throat in a manner such that these vortices flow alternately proximate the throat's right sidewall and then its left sidewall.
US07651029B1
A handle for a portable terminal having a user interface configured for interaction with a stylus. The handle comprises a handle body having the grip portion shaped for grasping by a hand of the user of the portable terminal, a proximal end of the grip portion for coupling to a housing of the portable computer, and a distal end of the grip portion. The handle has a receptacle connected to the handle body and located in the interior of the handle body, such that the receptacle is adapted for releasably retaining the stylus in the interior of the handle body. The handle body 21 has an aperture for facilitating access of the stylus into the receptacle. The receptacle has at least one arm having a first shaped feature (e.g. protrusion and/or notch/groove) adapted for engaging a second shaped feature (e.g. corresponding notch/groove and/or protrusion) of the stylus for providing the releasable retaining of the stylus when resident in the receptacle. The arm is biased towards a first position for facilitating the engagement of the first shaped feature (e.g. protrusion and/or notch/groove) with the second shaped feature (e.g. corresponding notch/groove and/or protrusion).
US07651028B2
A digital image capture and processing system for automatically recognizing objects at a point of sale (POS) station. The system comprising a system housing having an imaging window, and containing a digital image capturing and processing engine including a plurality of coplanar illumination and imaging stations. The stations generate and project a complex of coplanar illumination and imaging planes through the imaging window, and within a 3D imaging volume definable relative to the imaging window for omni-directional imaging of objects passing through the 3D imaging volume, and generate digital linear images of the object as the object intersects coplanar illumination and imaging planes within the 3D imaging volume during system operation. A database is provided for storing one or more object libraries representing objects that can be recognized by the system. A digital image processing subsystem automatically (i) processes digital images generated by said coplanar illumination and imaging stations, (ii) extracts object features from processed digital images, and (iii) recognizes objects which are represented by the object libraries and producing information representative of recognized objects for display at the POS station.
US07651019B2
An inertia friction welding process comprises: a) providing first and second work pieces to be welded together; b) imparting motion to the first work piece relative to the second work piece thereby imparting kinetic energy to the first work piece relative to the second work piece; c) applying a predetermined force to move one or both of the first and second work pieces towards the other to create an upset length in the work pieces; characterized by; d) measuring the rate of motion of the first work piece relative to the second work piece; e) determining a predicted final upset length from the said measured rate of relative motion and said forth; f) comparing the predicted final upset length with a desired final upset length; g) adjusting the aforesaid kinetic energy to achieve substantially the desired final upset length.
US07651013B2
A nozzle arrangement adapted to be fitted to a pressurized vessel and to permit fluid to be dispensed through it under pressure, is presented. The nozzle arrangement includes a body having an inlet, an outlet, an internal fluid flow passageway through which fluid can flow from the inlet to the outlet, and an actuator portion adapted, upon operation, to engage and open an outlet valve of the pressurized vessel. The nozzle arrangement further includes a resiliently deformable wall member that undergoes a resilient deformation from an initial resiliently-biased configuration to a distended configuration in response to the operation of the actuator portion, and to revert to the initial resiliently-biased configuration when the operation of the actuator portion has ceased and cause any fluid remaining in the passageway to be expelled.
US07651012B2
A toothpaste dispensing system includes a low-profile toothpaste dispenser with a housing, a pumping system disposed in the housing, the pumping system having a inlet and an outlet, the pumping system having a rest state and an active state, the pumping system ejecting toothpaste as it transitions from the rest state to the active state, and a low-force activator coupled to the pumping system to transition the pumping system from the rest state to active state. The system also includes a toothpaste refill coupled to the inlet of the pump. The dispenser and refill may be all or part of a dental hygiene kit.
US07651000B2
The invention provides a substantially flat sieve material of metal with sieve apertures, in particular sieve apertures with microdimensions. The sieve apertures comprise at least one passage in the plane of the sieve material parallel to a main surface, while the inlet and outlet can open onto the same main surface or a different main surface. The invention furthermore provides a method for the production of such sieve material by means of electroforming techniques in which a sacrificial material is used.
US07650997B2
A merchandise housing container for visibly accommodating merchandise includes an inner box having a first base portion, first, second, third and fourth sidewall portions, a lid portion and first and second securing portions. The first base portion, the first, second, third and fourth sidewall portions, the lid portion and the first and second securing portions are integrally formed of a single transparent plastic sheet. The first and second securing portions are provided so as to elastically contact two sides of the merchandise for restricting movement of the merchandise.
US07650995B2
Single-use packaging for a dose of liquid, semiliquid, or powder substance, includes a protective cover having two separable parts of leakproof material together with a breakable blister containing the substance and attached to the inside face of one of the two parts.
US07650993B2
A coreless-coil shock tube package system includes a “coreless” bundle of shock tubing, meaning that the tubing is not wrapped around a spool. The bundle may be a generally cylindrical coil of shock tubing. Optionally, two washer-like end plates abut the ends of the tubing coil for axial support. A layer of shrink-wrap or other polymer film partially covers the coil and end plates. A detonator is attached to one end of the tubing and lies tucked into the coil, through an end plate, for storage and transport. An igniter is attached to the tubing's other end. In use, the detonator is removed from the coil and attached to an explosive device. Then, the package is pulled away from the detonator and explosive, thereby uncoiling the tubing through the end plate for deployment. The igniter is actuated for igniting the shock tubing and activating the detonator and explosive.
US07650988B2
A case allows a disc to be inserted and removed smoothly without the case being opened, and also inhibits the accumulation of dust on the disc. The case has a movable holder and a fixed holder arranged inside, both of which individually define a circular arc. The movable holder is rotatable about its middle, and the rear of the fixed holder is fixed to the case so that the front portion of the fixed holder can flex. With the lever on the movable holder moved towards the bottom of the case so that the movable holder is rotated towards the front opening, a disc can be stored by inserting it through the front opening and causing the movable holder to rotate backwards and the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away. A stored disc can be removed by moving the lever towards the bottom of the case and causing the movable holder to rotate towards the front opening so that the disc is pushed by the rear portion of the movable holder, causing the front portion of the fixed holder to flex away as the disc emerges from the front opening.
US07650978B2
An actuating mechanism (1) for operating a parking-lock mechanism of the drive chain of a vehicle with an automatic drive. The actuating mechanism has a piston unit (4), a detent element and an electromagnetic operating device (6) for operating a release element (7), which is intended for deactivating the detent element (5). The piston unit communicates with an emergency unlocking mechanism (14) and is positioned to open the locking mechanism by way of the piston unit. The detent element, the piston unit and the release element interact such that the locking mechanism remains in the currently engaged state when the locking mechanism is open and the operating device is not electrified, as well as when the locking mechanism is closed and a fluid pressure is applied to the piston unit.
US07650973B2
A hydraulic power transmission device includes a toroid portion, a turbine hub, and a lock-up device. The toroid portion includes a pump impeller and a turbine runner. The turbine hub is engaged with an input shaft of a transmission and holds the turbine runner. The lock-up device is installed so that it engages and disengages freely and it mechanically transmits to the turbine hub rotation that is transmitted from a drive power source. The toroid portion and the lock-up device overlap in the axial direction. Because the toroid portion and the lock-up device overlap in the axial direction, the size of the hydraulic power transmission device in the axial direction can be reduced, and the hydraulic power transmission device can be made more compact.
US07650970B2
Elevator door lock sensor device including proximity sensor elements in a selected geometric pattern
An elevator door lock assembly (30) includes a sensor device (40) for providing an indication of a properly locked door. A plurality of proximity sensor elements (42, 44) interact with activating elements (52, 54) when the door lock assembly (30) is properly locked. In disclosed examples, a specific geometric pattern of the sensor elements (42, 44) and the activating elements (52, 54) provides redundancy and tampering protection. In a disclosed example, an output from the sensor device (40) provides an indication of a condition of the door lock and a building level location of a plurality of sensor devices.
US07650946B2
A disconnect apparatus and method for use in a well bore. The apparatus comprises a top sub having a collet, and wherein the top sub has an external seal surface. The apparatus further comprises a bottom sub having a bore, and wherein the external seal surface and the bore cooperate. The apparatus further includes a support piston disposed within the collet, wherein the support piston has a plurality of fins formed on an outer portion of the support piston, and shear device, operatively attached to the top sub and the support piston, for attaching and detaching the top sub from the support piston. In one preferred embodiment, the collet member comprises a plurality of fingers having a gap between each individual finger. Also, the plurality of fingers may have an external thread formed thereon that engage an internal thread formed on the bottom sub.
US07650941B2
An equalizing injection wash tool includes a plurality of interconnectable wash tool segments. Each of the segments provides a flow applicator nozzle for transmitting fluid/and or solid from the interior flowbore of the wash tool and into the surrounding formation. Each segment preferably features a plurality of nozzle pipes and nozzles which are oriented about the cross-sectional circumference of the segment in an angularly spaced orientation to provide for a flow pattern that is substantially equalized in an angular manner. In a preferred embodiment, the nozzle pipes have a length that extends into the flowbore of a neighboring wash tool segment.
US07650938B2
A Residential In-well Internal Water Aerator for reducing/eliminating iron, Hydrogen sulfide, and radon gas is a device that hangs within the well casing. Its support is achieved by the well cap. It is capable of degassing hydrogen sulfide and radon gas and precipitation of the iron to become a solid and attaching its self to the interior walls and drip screens of the Residential In-well Internal Water Aerator within the well, thus reducing/eliminating the stained fixtures, bad smell and the risk of radon gas from within the residence.
US07650935B2
The invention relates to a heat exchanger comprising tubes (2, 3) that can be flown through along a number of hydraulically parallel flow paths (2c, 2d) that are comprised of sections.
US07650933B2
A baffle for a heat exchanger tube extending between opposed header pipes. The baffle is a longitudinal member with a concave underside shape conforming to the convex circumferential shape of the heat exchanger tube, and has a length substantially equal to the distance between the header pipes. A lip having a convex top side shape conforming to the concave underside shape of the longitudinal member extends along one longitudinal edge of the member. Two such members can be nested together by overlaying the non-lipped longitudinal edge of a one member atop the lipped longitudinal edge of the other member. A plurality of longitudinally aligned heat vent slits extend substantially the entire length of an uppermost portion of the member.
US07650932B2
A loop heat pipe includes an evaporator and a sealed pipe. The evaporator includes an evaporator body made of a heat conductive material. The evaporator body has at least two retaining holes and at least a channel hole penetrating the retaining holes. In addition, the sealed pipe includes at least two sealed ends. The two sealed ends are securely fastened to the two retaining holes of the evaporator. Meanwhile, at least one of the two retaining holes is a through hole, which penetrates through two sides of the evaporator body, and at least one of the sealed ends protrudes the evaporator via the penetrable retaining hole.
US07650930B2
A process for the solution polymerization of olefins with improved on-stream time is provided. The solution polymerization process of the current invention comprises a method for the on-line removal of foulant material from one or more heat exchangers downstream of a polymerization reactor. Removal of foulant material is accomplished by deliberately applying a positive pressure differential across a heat exchanger. In the process of the current invention, reactor shut down is not required for the purpose of cleaning foulant material from a heat exchanger.
US07650928B2
A thermosiphon cooling assembly includes a plurality of hairpin condenser tubes that extend into openings of a boiling chamber for collection of refrigerant vapor from a boiler housing. The distal ends of the tubes extend into the chamber from a cover the least distance midway between the ends of the boiler housing and increase in distance in opposite directions toward the ends. The hairpin tubes are in groups with each tube in a group having the same length and the groups having respectively different lengths and at least one group includes more than one tube.
US07650927B2
A method of controlling a vehicle heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Outside or ambient temperature, evaporator temperature, and coolant temperature are measured with sensors. These values, along with a TAO, which is a calculated value of outlet temperature in the vehicle, are sent to a controller. The controller determines a predicted heater core outlet temperature based upon the coolant temperature. Based upon the outside air temperature and coolant temperature, the controller will decide whether to use the previously determined estimated heater core outlet temperature or to substitute an alternate value for the heater core outlet temperature to determine a position for the air mix door. After calculating the air mix door position, the controller signals an air mix door movement device to adjust the air mix door to the required position. Position of the air mix door affects the air temperature inside of the vehicle.
US07650921B2
A run-flat tire is provided at its side wall with a side reinforcing rubber layer having a substantially falcate cross section, and a side reinforcing cord layers extending inside and outside along a ply body of a carcass in a radial direction. A radially outer end of the side reinforcing cord layer is sandwiched and terminated between a belt layer and a ply body of the carcass. A radial inner end of the side reinforcing cord layer is terminated in the vicinity of the bead core.
US07650919B2
A structurally supported tire includes a ground contacting tread portion, a reinforced annular band disposed radially inward of the tread portion, and a plurality of web spokes extending transversely across and radially inward from the reinforced annular band and anchored in a wheel or hub. The reinforced annular band comprises an elastomeric shear layer, at least a first membrane adhered to the radially inward extent of the elastomeric shear layer and at least a second membrane adhered to the radially outward extent of the elastomeric shear layer. Each of the membranes has a longitudinal tensile modulus sufficiently greater than the shear modulus of the shear layer, and a longitudinal compression modulus of a second membrane is at least equal to the longitudinal tensile modulus of a first membrane so that when under load the ground contacting portion of the tire deforms to a flat contact region through shear strain in the shear layer while maintaining constant the length of the membranes. The web spokes transmit load forces between the annular band and the hub through tension in the web spokes not connected to the ground contacting portion of the tire.
US07650918B2
A modular louvered shutter includes first and second stiles and a center section assembled using a tongue and groove joint. The center section is a solid piece have a plurality of rails and louvers cut into the center section.
US07650917B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for forming an arched top door facing, and the resulting facing. The system includes a panel, a table and a cutting assembly. The panel has a first surface intended to be interiorly disposed and a second surface intended to be exteriorly disposed. At least one boss extends from the first surface. The table has a planar surface and a locator extending outwardly from the planar surface. The locator cooperates with the boss to locate the panel on the planar surface. The cutter assembly is operatively associated with the table, and includes a blade spaced from the locator. The blade engages the panel and forms a curved edge in the panel when one of the blade and the panel is rotated about the locator.
US07650911B2
A method of restricting fluid flow through a passageway can include inserting a device comprising memory foam into the passageway. The expanded memory foam can have a cross-sectional profile with a shape and size to securely fit within the passageway so as to restrict fluid flow through the passageway. Additionally, the memory foam can have a receiving portion that extends from the first end to the second end that is configured for receiving an object that extends from the first end to the second end. The receiving portion can have various configurations and can include internal portions and external portions of the memory foam. The receiving portion can self-form a conduit around the object by expanding the memory foam around the object.
US07650895B2
An eye liner pencil. The pencil includes an elongate portion which is gripped by the user, the elongate portion having a central axis. The pencil includes a marking portion extending from the elongate portion and in an angular relationship between 5° and 175° with the elongate portion. The marking portion is for marking an eyelid. A lip liner pencil. A method for applying eye liner to an eyelid. A method for applying lip liner to a lip. The pencil can include a plurality of sections.
US07650894B2
An eyeliner pencil. The pencil includes an elongate portion which is gripped by the user, the elongate portion having a central axis. The pencil includes a marking portion extending from the elongate portion and in an angular relationship between 5° and 175° with the elongate portion. The marking portion is for marking an eyelid. A lipliner pencil. A method for applying eyeliner to an eyelid. A method for applying lipliner to a lip.
US07650888B2
The invention relates to a method and a system for identification of a medical implant that is inserted into a patient. Identification data of the medical implant is stored in an RFID chip. The RFID chip is inserted into the body of the patient. The RFID chip can be inserted into a different location than the medical implant into the body of the patient or can be arranged on the medical implant. A signal from the RFID chip comprising the identification data of the medical implant is called up by a reading unit.
US07650883B2
An indicating device suitable for indicating the number of dosages of a substance that have been dispensed from or remain in a container. The indicating device includes an indicator member having an outwardly facing first surface with indicia visible to a user and an opposite inwardly facing surface having a plurality of teeth. The first surface further includes a groove. A cover is disposed over at least a portion of the first surface of the indicator member such that only a portion of the indicia are visible at any one time. The cover includes an inwardly extending projection disposed in the groove. The indicator member is rotatable relative to the cover with the projection being moveable in the groove as the indicator member is rotated relative to the cover. In another aspect, a rotatable member is rotatable relative to an outer cover. An intermediate member is moveable relative to the outer cover and the rotatable member so as to obscure at least a portion of the surface of the rotatable member that would be otherwise visible through the viewing window. At least one of the surfaces of the rotatable member and intermediate member have dosage indicia.
US07650869B2
Novel rotary valve assemblies and valve components for use with an internal combustion engine are disclosed. Valve seal assembly anchors are also described. Selected valve port geometries and axial adjustment for variable valve area for desired engine efficiency and performance are described. Novel seal assemblies and arrangements for sealing and heat transfer are also described.
US07650868B2
A recoil starter includes a case with a support shaft formed thereon; a rope reel rotatably disposed on the support shaft; a recoil rope wound on the rope reel; a recoil spring that rotationally energizes the rope reel; a cam of an engine side; a power storing spring interposed between the rope reel and the cam; and a ratchet mechanism interposed between the rope reel and the cam. The ratchet mechanism includes: a ratchet shaft formed on the rope reel, a ratchet member having: a base portion oscillatably and slidably supported through an elongated hole on the ratchet shaft, and a ratchet pawl engageable with an engaging portion of the cam, and an energizer that energizes the base portion toward an uneven inner peripheral surface of the case.
US07650866B2
A light load air delivery system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head defining at least one intake port selectively opened by a poppet valve which is biased against a valve seat area of the cylinder head. The light load air delivery system includes an intake duct and a controllable valve. A light load air intake passage operates to communicate intake air from the intake duct to the controllable valve. Additionally, a light load air intake manifold is configured to selectively receive intake air from the controllable valve. A feed passage receives the intake air from the light load air intake manifold and communicates the intake air to the respective one of the at least one intake ports at a point substantially adjacent to the valve seat area. In a preferred embodiment, the light load air intake manifold is integral to said intake manifold.
US07650855B2
An automatic pet feeder is provided for feeding pets predetermined quantity of food or medication at predetermined times while the owner is absent or otherwise engaged. The pet feeder comprises a base, a feeding bowl with pie shaped divisions, a timer module, a bowl cover, handle to bowl cover and locking mechanism to hold the entire unit in place. A timer is provided with voice recording facility and also initiates programmed feeding schedules. The programming of the timer determines when the feeder cover is indexed so that the pet may have access to the food provided in it. This programming can be done through the timer interface RF or IR remotes and or through an USB port interface to a computer.
US07650850B2
The present invention provides a liquid applying apparatus and an ink jet printing apparatus which, when supplying a liquid to and/or collecting the liquid from a liquid holding member holding an application liquid in a space formed by a roller being abutted, can suppress the leakage of the liquid from the liquid holding member. A pump is provided in a collecting path between a storage tank and a liquid collecting port formed in the liquid holding member that is liquid-tight. The pump is driven to circulate the application liquid between the storage tank and the liquid holding member.
US07650843B2
A transportation system is provided that accommodates varying angles of slope along the path of its movement, while maintaining a level transportation platform without the need of mechanical leveling devices or systems. The platform may be connected to the rail by wheels that are held in a substantially fixed relationship to one another, the closest of which to the platform is above the rail, and the other below the rail. Accordingly, the platform is torqued downward to maintain contact between the wheels and the rail. As the slope of the terrain, and thus the slope of the rail, increases, the rail is widened to maintain the platform at level. As the slope decreases, the rail is narrowed to the same effect. The platform also may be tilted for loading or unloading by this rail-widening method, as may be desired.
US07650840B2
A delay unit (10) comprises a timing strip (14) and, optionally, a calibration strip (20) deposited on a substrate (12). The timing and calibration strips comprise energetic materials which optionally may comprise particles of nanosize materials, e.g., a fuel and an oxidizer, optionally applied as separate layers. A method of making the delay units comprises depositing onto a substrate (12) a timing strip (14) having a starting point (14d) and a discharge point (14e) and depositing onto the same or another substrate a calibration strip (20). Timing strip (14) and calibration strip (20) are of identical composition and are otherwise configured, e.g., thickness of the strips, to have identical burn rates. The calibration strip (20) is ignited and its burn rate is ascertained. The timing strip (14) is adjusted by an adjustment structure to attain a desired delay period, preferably on the basis that the burn rate of the timing strip (14) is substantially identical to that of the calibration strip (20) and ascertaining the burn rate of the calibration strip. The adjustment may be attained by one or more of providing the timing strip with jump gaps (164), an accelerant or retardant (166a, 166b), completing the timing strip with a bridging strip (14c), or establishing a selected effective length of the timing strip by positioning one or both of a pick-up charge (16) and relay charge (18) over a portion of the timing strip.
US07650837B2
A rotating element of a printing machine is connected to a rotation transmitter that is usable to introduce a liquid or a gaseous medium into the rotating element. The rotation transmitter includes a rotor that is rotatable with the rotating element, and a stator that is secured against rotation. At least one stator channel section cooperates with at least one rotor channel section to provide a fluid flow path for the medium into the rotating element. Axially oriented and mutually opposite contact surfaces, which are against one another when the liquid or gaseous medium is introduced into the rotating element of the printing machine, are provided on the rotor and on the stator.
US07650834B2
A machine for the production of ice-cream in portions is equipped with a feeding device for a preparation comprising a whisking cylinder (15), cooled by a cooling circuit and equipped with a propeller mixer (16) and means for discharging the ice-cream produced. Said machine further comprises a feeding device (11, 11′) for feeding a dose of preparation for ice-cream into said cylinder (15) which includes a series of containers (30, 30′) containing a preparation or composition, for the production of a number of doses of ice-cream, supply means (40) of a quantity of preparation, a collection and mixing tank (35) and an interception device (41) of a feeding channel (36) of the preparation towards said whisking cylinder (15).
US07650826B2
An automatic shooting mechanism capable of remote switching and unmanned switching between a safety mode and a shooting mode, and remote shooting and unmanned shooting. Also provided is a sentry robot employing the automatic shooting mechanism and capable of performing wide and narrow monitoring and sentry duties in short and long ranges, and automatically shooting at a target. The automatic shooting mechanism comprises a safety unit including a safety solenoid and an elastic member to move a safety pin of a gun between a safety mode position and a shooting mode position, and a return unit for applying force to the safety pin of the gun to move the safety pin to the safety mode position. The automatic shooting mechanism further comprises a shooting unit including a shooting solenoid to move a connecting link back and forth, and a trigger push member having one end contacting a trigger of the gun and the other end contacting the shooting solenoid, and coupled at a middle portion of the shooting unit to be capable of pivoting to pull the trigger as desired.
US07650823B2
A hole punch unit has a punching section, a longitudinal registering mechanism, and a transverse registering mechanism. The registering mechanisms incline the punching section in accordance with a skew of a sheet. The punching section thus corrected in position punches the sheet. The punching section is corrected in position, at both the leading edge of the sheet and the trailing edge thereof, thus increasing the precision of positioning the punching section and shortening the time required to position the punching section.
US07650821B2
A torque-limiting mechanism is provided for use in a variety of torque-applying tools. The mechanism includes a handle defining a housing in which are disposed a slip gear and a fixed gear. The fixed gear is attached to the housing while the slip gear is attached to drive body extending outwardly from the housing and engageable with an item to be turned utilizing the tool. The slip gear and the fixed gear are connected by teeth disposed on each gear and by ball bearings disposed within recesses located on each gear that are pressed into the recesses by a force exerted on the gears by a number of spring members disposed between an enclosed end of the housing and the fixed gear. The amount of force exerted by the springs on the gears can be varied as necessary, thereby allowing the amount of torque required to enable the slip gear to move with respect to the fixed gear to be set where desired. The use of the ball bearings as the engagement members between the fixed gear and the slip gear provides a smooth transition between positions when the slip gear rotates with respect to the fixed gear, and greatly reduces the amount of friction forces acting on the torque-limiting mechanism, such that the force controlling the operation of the mechanism is solely provided by the springs and easily predictable and controllable. Further, the teeth, due to the angled locking surfaces formed in the teeth, enable the gears to only rotate with respect to one another in one direction.
US07650820B2
A handled tool with a firm structure comprises a driving portion having a driving end and a connecting end; the driving end being an operation end of the handled tool; an enlarged annular portion being below the driving end; a coarse section being between the annular portion and the connecting end; an extending unit being a rod; the extending unit having a first extending end and a second extending end; the first extending end being combined to the embedding groove of the driving portion; and a handle portion having a enclosing cover and a handle, in assembly, the first extending end of the extending unit being combined to the connecting end; the second extending end of the extending unit being received in the handle portion; the enclosing cover enclosing a portion of the extending unit protruded from the handle portion and a portion of the driving portion.
US07650806B2
A ring-like lubricant supply device 6 is fitted into a recess 4 of a nut member 2. The lubricant supply device 6 contains a lubricant and is formed in an outer peripheral surface with notches 7. Tubular members 8 each having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the notch 7 are inserted into the notches, pushing and widening the notches 7 in a circumferential direction. One end of the tubular member 8 is fitted into a recess 9b of a retaining ring 9 and the retaining ring 9 is fixed to a nut member 2.
US07650796B2
An apparatus for measuring and/or monitoring the flow of a medium to be measured, which is flowing through a measuring tube in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube. The apparatus includes: A magnet arrangement which produces a magnetic field passing through the measuring tube and running essentially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube; two measuring electrodes which are galvanically or capacitively coupled with the medium to be measured and which are arranged in such a manner that a measurement voltage is induced in them, evoked by the medium to be measured; an evaluation control unit, which, on the basis of the measurement voltage induced in the measurement electrodes, provides information concerning the volume flow of the medium to be measured in the measuring tube; wherein connecting lines, or signal lines, as the case may be, are provided, by way of which the measurement signals are led between the measurement electrodes and the control/evaluation unit. In order to be able to arrange the signal lines in a space saving manner, the signal lines are arranged in an essentially planar structure.
US07650794B2
A process and a device for measuring the mechanical compaction in the depth of an agricultural material, wherein measurement is made with a density sensor of the density of the agricultural material continuously or discontinuously online during the ongoing compacting of an agricultural material.
US07650786B2
An apparatus for monitoring the rotational speed in a wind energy plant, with a rotor shaft which is driven by the rotor and runs out into a gear unit, and with a generator shaft, which connects an output shaft of the gear unit with a generator/converter unit, characterized by a first rotational speed detection unit on the rotor shaft and a second rotational speed detection unit on the generator shaft, wherein each rotational speed detection unit has at least two rotational speed sensors working independently from each other, an analyzing unit for the rotational speed, to which the measured signals of the rotational speed detection units are applied and which generates an error signal for a rotational overspeed when a certain maximum value for the rotational speed is exceeded.
US07650785B1
A liquid characterization and level sensor with a coaxial probe attached to a closed loop servo circuitry combined with a DSP and novel algorithms to scan, lock and track signals to ascertain the level and purity of fluid in a container.
US07650779B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed for detecting whether a gear-driven fuel pump has been installed correctly in a fuel injected IC engine, the pump gear being driven by an engine gear to provide fuel to injectors via a fuel rail. The method may include providing a pump element pumping event. The method may also include disabling overlapping fuel injectors and overlapping pumping events during the test period surrounding the selected pumping event, and measuring the pressure in the rail during the pumping event with the overlapping injectors disabled, the at least two different engine crank angles surrounding the pumping event. The method also may further include determining from the measured rail pressures whether the pumping event occurred at a desired engine crank angle. Apparatus to carry out the methods may include a computer programmed for controlling the sequence of the providing, disabling, measuring, and determining functions, as well as software for carrying out the respective functions.
US07650775B2
A prover includes a piston supporting rod extending longitudinally through a cylinder, which cylinder receives and discharges a fluid to measure the flow rate of the fluid by translation of the piston from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end. Motive means includes at least one reel mounted belt for drawing the rod toward the fluid receiving end of the cylinder. Upon such movement of the rod, a poppet valve formed as part of the piston opens to permit fluid flow through the piston. A clutch serving as part of the motive means permits travel of the piston from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end of the cylinder and serve the flow rate measuring function of the prover. Apparatus is also provided to permit opening of the poppet valve for maintenance and/or repair purposes. A framework permits support of the prover in a horizontal or a vertical orientation without affecting the operation, repair or maintenance of the prover.
US07650773B2
In primary press forming process, a piece of blank sheet metal is draw worked so as to form a preformed work piece (Wb) provided with a bent portion (a) substantially conforming to a three dimensional contour of a leading edge of a blade to be protected and extending along a longitudinal direction, and a pair of planar portions (b and c) extending from either side of the bent portion. In a secondary press forming process, the planar portions (b and c) of the preformed work piece are stretch formed into a final shape that conforms to the corresponding profile of the blade while the bent portion (a) of the preformed work piece is clamped and protected from deformation. In other words, the bent portion of an edge protector (100) is already given with the final shape of the edge protector by the primary press forming process while the planar portions (b and c) thereof are given with the final shape by the secondary press forming process so that the two press forming processes can be executed without interfering with each other, and only two relatively simple press forming processes are required for forming the complex three dimensional shape of the edge protector.
US07650764B2
A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass includes a vacuum housing which is evacuated to be depressurized therein; a vacuum degassing vessel which is provided in the vacuum housing to vacuum-degas molten glass as the molten glass flows therein; an uprising pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel, and sucks and draws up undegassed molten glass to introduce the undegassed molten glass into the vacuum degassing vessel; and a downfalling pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel and draws down the degassed molten glass from the vacuum degassing vessel to discharge the degassed molten glass. The cross sectional area of the path at the upper end portion of the uprising pipe is larger than the cross sectional area of the path at the lower end portion of the uprising pipe.
US07650763B2
An air conditioning unit for vehicles with work-doing expansion of the carbon dioxide is provided, the air conditioning unit including a combined refrigeration and heat pump circuit, wherein the air conditioning unit is switchably configured to change a flow direction of a refrigerant for switchable operation from the refrigeration circuit to the heat pump circuit. A method for operating the air conditioning unit is also provided.
US07650761B2
In a refrigerating device comprising waste heat utilization equipment having: a refrigerating cycle 200 formed by sequentially connecting a compressor 210, a condenser 220, an expansion valve 240, and an evaporator 250; and a Rankine cycle 300 formed by sequentially connecting a heater 310 using the waste heat of a heat generating device (for example, an internal combustion engine) 10 as a heating source, an expansion device 320, the above-mentioned condenser 220, and a pump 330, in which the drive shafts of the compressor 210 and the expansion device 320 are separated from each other. Then, the output of the expansion device 320 is used mainly for generating electricity.
US07650748B2
The present invention relates to a method for regenerating a particle filter (10) arranged in the exhaust line (12) of an internal-combustion engine, notably of diesel type, wherein the clogging state of the filter is evaluated, this state is compared with a threshold value, then, if this threshold value is exceeded, a fluid and a fuel are mixed together, this mixture is subjected to catalytic combustion to generate the hot gases required for regeneration of the filter and regeneration of the filter is carried out by means of hot gases flowing through said filter and whose temperature is sufficiently high to provide combustion of the particles retained in this filter.According to the invention, prior to mixing the fluid and the fuel, the temperature of the fluid is raised up to the catalytic combustion light-off temperature.
US07650746B2
One aspect of the invention relates an exhaust treatment system having an SCR reactor following a NOx adsorber. Syn gas is used to regenerate the NOx adsorber. Another aspect relates to an LNT/SCR provided with an ammonia source separate from the LNT. A further aspect relates to a system comprising first and second LNTs and one or more SCRs downstream of the LNTs. A still further aspect relates to a device comprising first and second NOx adsorbers contained in a single housing. Another aspect relates to coating a surface of a moving part in an exhaust system with an oxidation catalyst to mitigate fouling. Additional aspects of the invention relate to strategies for controlling one or more of the time to initiate a regeneration cycle, the time to terminate a regeneration cycle, and the reductant injection rate during regeneration of LNT/SCR exhaust treatment systems.
US07650745B2
A method to control valves in a cylinder operating in a multi-stroke cylinder mode. Valves are controlled to improve engine emissions as operating conditions vary.
US07650742B2
A practical cable made of a high strength fiber composite material is provided, which has high and stable strength, in addition, has even axial tension against bending and thus has a stable shape, and can be wound on a reel without shape deformation, and is hardly buckled when it is inserted into a hole or cylinder. The cable is formed by singly twisting a plurality of high strength fiber composite materials is used as a strand, and a plurality of the strands are twisted together at a twist angle of 2 to 12 degrees in a direction opposite to a twist direction of the strands, so that a double twist structure is made.
US07650741B2
A windguard is adapted to be attached to the frame of a crop pickup in overlying relationship to the pickup tine rotor so as to control the incoming flow of crop materials. A transversely extending crop hold down portion of the windguard is pivotally supported between the front ends of a pair of fore-and-aft extending support arms that are pivotally attached at their rear ends to the frame of the pickup so that the windguard can articulate as it is moved up and down relative to the pickup by engagement with inflowing crop material.
US07650735B2
A picker bar includes spindles which are nonaligned in the vertical direction to define two or more offset sets of spindles on the bar and increase the number of spindles per unit length of the spindle bar. A spindle assembly includes support carrying two spindles driven from a picker bar drive shaft by single drive gear. Driven spindle gears are spaced on opposite sides of the shaft axis to facilitate close spacing of the spindles.
US07650729B2
A packaging system that includes an automated or semi-automated clipper and a conveyor mechanism in communication with the clipper, the conveyor mechanism comprising an axially telescoping conveyor with a belt defining a conveying surface having a conveying length configured to reciprocally axially extend and retract; the system also including at least one of the following: (a) at least one pair of upwardly extending product guide sidewalls residing at least partially above the conveying surface of the conveyor belt, the upwardly extending product guide sidewalls slidably attached to each other to axially translate substantially in concert with the axially telescoping conveyor between an extended and retracted position; (b) a first idler roller in communication with the belt with an idler in communication with the belt residing lower than the first idler roller and a substantially horizontal axially extending slot in a mounting bracket attached to the mounting frame, the slot and idler cooperate to allow for adjustment of tension in the conveyor belt; and/or (c) a first idler roller and at least one idler, each in communication with the belt, and wherein each of the idler roller and the idler is configured to pivot from an operative position to a belt removal and reload position.
US07650725B2
A device for electrically grounding an access floor panel to a floor panel support in contact with a ground including a clip fastened to the floor panel, the clip compressible against the support when the floor panel is placed against the support.
US07650721B2
A window for absorbing sunlight heat in warm weather that otherwise would flow uncontrolled therethrough and discharging the sunlight heat to the atmosphere while permitting relatively unobstructed vision therethrough and passing the sunlight heat in cold weather therethrough for thermal warming. The window includes a frame, an inner pane, an outer pane, and a heat sink. The inner pane is pivotally mounted to the frame. The outer pane is affixed to the frame and spaced from the inner pane so as to form a space therebetween. The heat sink is rotatably mounted to the frame and has an extended position in which the heat sink occupies coextensively the space for absorbing the sunlight heat in the warm weather that otherwise would flow uncontrolled therethrough and discharging the sunlight heat to the atmosphere while permitting relatively unobstructed vision therethrough, and a retracted position in which the heat sink does not occupy coextensively the space for passing the sunlight heat in the cold weather therethrough for thermal warming.
US07650720B2
A gutter protection system is adapted for covering a gutter and preventing debris from falling into the gutter. The gutter protection system comprises an elongate sheet metal member or panel adapted to engage a portion of the gutter and to cover the gutter. The sheet metal member has a longitudinal axis and a generally smooth top surface interrupted by a plurality of canals and perforations formed therein. Each canal extends down and away from the smooth top surface. The canals are formed from the material of the sheet metal member, each canal formed so that water entering the canal exits through one of the perforations and flows into the gutter below. The canals enable water to move laterally within the canal, thereby increasing the water volume handled by the system without necessarily increasing the number of holes or perforations.
US07650712B2
An automatic fishing device for pulling the fishing line upon fish strike to set the hook. It embodies a trigger member, a weight member, a trigger support, a fish line and a connector for attaching the weight member to the fishing line. The trigger member includes a weight support element and a fish line coupler. Parts of the weight support element can support the weight member but other parts of weight support element cannot support the weight member. The weight member can be connected to the fish line by the connector. The movement of fishing line caused by a fish strike rotates the trigger member to unload the initially supported weight member to drag the fishing line downward, effectively tightening the fishing line for setting the hook.
US07650706B2
The invention concerns a securing device in the form of a strip (1) in open position, arranged to cover exclusively a shoe (4) lace (3) and comprising means to be fixed to said shoe (4) and a series of holes (2) for passing through the lace (3). The device is adapted to be folded down such that the left side is fixed to the right side. Moreover, the length of said securing device (1) is substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the shoe (4).
US07650705B2
An article of footwear having a sole and an upper, the upper having at least two elements that are assembled to one another at a gluing zone, one of the elements being a protective flap or a tightening mechanism.
US07650704B2
The present invention is directed to a footwear system that is customizable and offers a plurality of interchangeable base portions, upper portions, and connector elements in various styles, colors and designs, thus allowing an assortment of easily interchangeable and distinct styles of footwear in a single system. The footwear system specifically comprises an interchangeable base portion having a plurality of spaced openings and hollow receptacles formed in the base portion, an interchangeable upper portion adapted for removable attachment to the base portion where the upper portion has a plurality of spaced openings on each side end, and a plurality of interchangeable connector elements for connecting the upper portion to the base portion, where the connector elements may have decorative elements.
US07650697B2
In spindle motors journaled on fluid-dynamic-pressure bearings, especially in such spindle motors employed in recording-disk drives in implementations that subject the drives to vibration and shock, sealing performance of a capillary seal formed between motor rotor-side and stator-side bearing surfaces, cohesiveness of oil-repellant on rotor-side/stator-side dry-area surfaces adjoining the capillary seal section, and motor inter-component adhesive strength are improved. The capillary-seal-constituting rotor-side/stator-side surface(s) are exposed to a plasma or to ultraviolet rays under predetermined conditions to improve the wettability of the surface(s) for the bearing fluid. The dry-area surface(s) are similarly irradiated so as to improve their wettability for the oil-repellant. Adhesively bonded component surfaces are likewise irradiated so as to improve their wettability for the adhesive, enhancing adhesive strength. Exposed surfaces may be constituted of a synthetic resin to enhance their wettability further, or may be made of metal, to yield a cleaning efficacy from the plasma/UV exposure.
US07650696B2
After a hub supporting member is mounted on an end portion of a spindle, correction work is applied to a ring-shaped supporting surface which is an end face of the hub supporting member, whereby perpendicularity of the supporting surface relative to a rotational center axis of the spindle is improved. Thereafter, while the hub main body is made to rotate together with the spindle in such a state that the mounting surface abuts with the supporting surface, grinding finishing work is applied to a cylindrical surface portion (a portion on which inner rings are fitted) of the hub main body. As a result, the perpendicularity of the mounting surface relative to the geometric center axis of the cylindrical surface portion is improved.
US07650692B2
A suction surface member is provided on an electronic component module including an electronic component base plate and surface mount device mounted on the electronic component base plate in order to provide a suction surface at a location that is substantially at the same level as or higher than that of an upper end of a transistor that is the tallest surface mount device. The suction head adheres to the suction surface to hold the electronic component module and the electronic component module is mounted on a motherboard defining the target board. Then a treatment is performed to prevent a situation in which an upper end of the suction surface member is higher than the upper end of the tallest surface mount device mounted on the electronic component base plate.
US07650690B2
An apparatus to facilitate movement of a pallet from an assembly table to a pallet stacker comprises a roller frame adapted for movable attachment to the pallet stacker in front of the entrance to the pallet opening such that the roller frame can be moved, in a direction substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the loading direction, from a receiving position nearest to the assembly table, to a remote position farthest from the assembly table. A pallet roller is rotatably attached on top of the roller frame about a substantially horizontal axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the loading direction. The pallet roller supports a pallet in a substantially horizontal position such that the supported pallet can be rolled into the pallet opening of the pallet stacker. Conveniently a bias force is provided to return the roller frame to the receiving position when the pallet has been rolled off.
US07650686B2
A servo track writer (STW) clockhead radius jig is disclosed. One embodiment provides a hard disk drive assembly including a base having a cutaway portion to provide visual access therein. In addition, a disk is mounted in the hard disk drive assembly, this disk having an indicator thereon to indicate a required radius setting for a clockhead.
US07650684B2
A method for fabricating a magnetic head including a spin valve sensor having a sensor layer stack that includes a pinned magnetic layer, a spacer layer formed on the pinned magnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer formed on the spacer layer. In a preferred embodiment the spacer layer is comprised of CuOx. The method includes the plasma smoothing of the upper surface of the pinned magnetic layer prior to depositing the spacer layer, and a preferred plasma gas is a mixture of argon and oxygen.
US07650679B2
The invention concerns a method for handling at least one part in a station for fixing two parts one on the other, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: positioning the parts in a station using a support (4); starting the fixing operation; replacing the support with a gripping robot (6) when the fixing operation has progressed sufficiently to lock the relative positioning of the two parts; mounting new parts in the support when the replacement has been made; and after the parts have been fixed, removing the thus fixed parts from the station using the gripping robot.
US07650677B1
A tool and method is provided for installing nut-clips or like components, wherein safety and ease of installation are significantly improved over the prior art, and installation time is substantially reduced. A useful embodiment is directed to apparatus for use in attaching a nut-clip or other hardware component to structure having a slot defined by spaced apart edges, wherein the nut-clip has first and second resilient spaced apart hook flanges. The apparatus includes a holder adapted to receive the nut-clip, and a blade member positioned to bear against the first flange member when the nut-clip is received into the holder. A magnet or other element is provided for releasably retaining the nut-clip in the holder. A handle, which can be grasped by the single hand of a user, is attached for maneuvering the holder and retained nut-clip to position the second flange against one of the slot edges, and to thereafter apply force, through the blade member, to reduce the spacing between the first and second flanges. The two hook flanges can then be inserted into the slot, to firmly attach the nut-clip to the structure.
US07650670B2
A hinge including leaves configured to facilitate adjusting the mounting position between hinged objects. In one embodiment, the hinge may generally include first and second leaves pivotally connected together. The leaves define mounting holes that receive fasteners to mount the leaves to the hinged objects. The mounting holes are preferably configured to provide adjustment of the leaves and hinged objects in at least two directions, which may be horizontal and vertical. In one embodiment, the hole shapes preferably may include horizontal slots, vertical slots, round holes, and combinations thereof. Other shapes may be used. When a fastener is partially inserted into a hinged object through a slotted-type mounting hole, for example, the hinged object is slideable relative to the leaf and the other hinged object. By employing a preferred sequence of installation steps, the installer may readily optimize the alignment between and mounting of the hinged objects. In one embodiment, the hinged objects may be a door and a door frame. A method of installation using the specially-configured leaves is also provided.
US07650665B2
A mop head assembly for use with a handle and a cleaning substrate is disclosed. The mop head assembly includes a lower substrate support surface, at least one fastener channel associated with the lower substrate support surface, and a fastener strip that can be inserted into the fastener channel. Such a fastener strip is configured to couple the lower substrate support surface to a cleaning substrate. The mop head assembly may include a cross-member configured such that forces applied from the handle through a central portion of mop head are distributed toward the end edges of the lower substrate support surface.
US07650660B1
A trailer snow removal system includes a pair of guide members. Each of the guide members is elongated and oriented parallel to each other. An elongated panel has a first end, a second end, an upper edge and a lower edge. The elongated panel extends between the guide members. Each of the first and second ends includes a post that extends downwardly into one of the guide members. A drive assembly is mechanically coupled to each of the lower ends. The drive assembly moves the elongated panel back and forth along the guide members when the drive assembly is turned on. The guide members may be mounted on the top wall to remove snow from the top wall.
US07650657B2
Anti-pinch point device for imaging platforms are disclosed. The stationary imaging platform includes a slidable cradle and fixed shroud adjacent both sides of the slidable cradle. An inventive overlay is configured for mounting on a slidable cradle. The inventive overlay moves with the slidable cradle. Elongated perimeter regions of the inventive overlay have elongated ridges formed on the underside thereof adjacent the outer edges of the elongated perimeter regions. The elongated ridges serve to prevent objects from becoming pinched between the inventive overlay and the fixed shroud.
US07650655B2
An expandable sleeping bag or bunting bag includes features in which the size of the bag is adjustable to accommodate the growth of the child. To expand or contract the sleeping bag in width, one or more additional tapes of zipper teeth are sewn to the front of the garment adjacent to, and parallel to, the regular zipper. To expand or contract the sleeping bag in length, a pair of parallel zippers permits the removal or insertion of a length expansion strip extending around the circumference of the sleeping bag.
US07650654B2
A transfer device includes a first sheet portion having an outer side and an inner side and a second sheet portion having an outer side and an inner side, with the inner sides arranged so that they are facing each other. The outer sides each have a high coefficient of friction surface. The first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are releasably coupled together to thereby limit relative movement of the first sheet portion to the second sheet portion. When the coupling is released, the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion can move relative to each other.
US07650652B2
Disclosed is a toilet bowl water level gauge and associated methods. In one embodiment, the toilet bowl water level gauge comprises a gauge assembly having a stem with a float, and a sleeve, wherein the stem is inserted in the sleeve and slides through the sleeve. Also, the toilet bowl water level gauge comprises a support attached to the gauge assembly, the support being adapted to engage a rim of a toilet bowl. In addition, bowl level sensors are employed for automated calibration of an automated bowl fill system.
US07650649B2
An ear warmer comprises a frame and a fabric member. The frame has an ear portion and a band portion. The ear portion of the frame includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side of the ear portion defines an interior portion of an opening. The second side of the ear portion defines an exterior portion of the opening. The fabric member includes at least its own ear portion coupled to the ear portion of the frame. The ear portion of the fabric member covers the interior portion of the opening in substantially its entirety and covers less than an entirety of the exterior portion of the opening.
US07653943B2
Methods, systems and architectures for processing renderable digital content are described. The various embodiments can protect against unauthorized access or duplication of unprotected content (i.e. decrypted content) once the content has reached a rendering device such as a user's computer. A flexible framework includes an architecture that allows for general media sources to provide virtually any type of multimedia content to any suitably configured rendering device. Content can be protected and rendered locally and/or across networks such as the Internet. The various embodiments can provide a standard platform that can that can be leveraged to protect content across a wide variety of rendering environments, content types, and DRM techniques.
US07653941B2
A method for detecting an infective element in a network environment is provided that includes detecting, by a first computer, an infective element within a second computer. A signal is generated and communicated that identifies the second computer as being associated with the infective element. The signal includes an address associated with the second computer. The signal is received and, in response to the signal, a communicating capability of the second computer is disabled.
US07653927B1
The present invention may be regarded as personal video recorder and a method of selecting a pay per view program to be transmitted to a personal video recorder having a program receiver. A schedule of pay per view programs is obtained. Each of the pay per view programs has a title and at least one transmission time and an associated transmission channel for each transmission time. A title list comprising the titles of at least one pay per view program is generated based on the schedule. The title list is provided to a display device for display to a user. A selection by title of the pay per view program to be received by the program receiver is received from the user. A potential transmission time of the pay per view program to be received by the program receiver is determined based on the at least one transmission time. Alternatively, selection of the pay per view program to be received by the program receiver may be based on user's preferences or a pre-selected list of titles.
US07653912B2
The invention provides, in one aspect, a virtual processor that includes one or more virtual processing units. These virtual processing units execute on one or more processors, and each virtual processing unit executes one or more processes or threads (collectively, “threads”). While the threads may be constrained to executing throughout their respective lifetimes on the same virtual processing units, they need not be. An event delivery mechanism associates events with respective threads and notifies those threads when the events occur, regardless of which virtual processing unit and/or processor the threads happen to be executing on at the time. The invention provides, in other aspects, virtual and/or digital data processors with improved dataflow-based synchronization. A process or thread (collectively, again, “thread”) executing within such processor can execute a memory instruction (e.g., an “Empty” or other memory-consumer instruction) that permits the thread to wait on the availability of data generated, e.g., by another thread and to transparently wake up when that other thread makes the data available (e.g., by execution of a “Fill” or other memory-producer instruction).
US07653906B2
Activities may be delayed from being dispatched until another activity is ready to be dispatched. Dispatching more than activities increase overlapping in execution time of activities. By delaying the dispatch of the activities, power consumption and thermal dissipation on a multi-threading processor may be reduced.
US07653904B2
A method, apparatus, and system are provided for a multi-threaded virtual state mechanism. According to one embodiment, active thread state of a first active thread is received using a virtual state mechanism, and virtual thread state is generated in accordance with the active thread state of the first active thread, and the virtual thread state corresponding to the first active thread is forwarded to state update logic.
US07653902B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for matching software requirements against target system landscape descriptions and for applying rating metrics to intermediate results during the matchmaking process. Data are received as inputs describing the requirements and dependencies of a particular software application and the resources available in the target system that may be able to meet these requirements. These data are searched for combinations of system resources that will satisfy the requirements of the application as well as optimization metrics and other requirements supplied by the user. Once a match is found, it is given a rating and ranked against any other matches.
US07653898B1
A method for analyzing a target system that includes generating a characteristics model using a schema defining a domain, obtaining a plurality of characteristics from the target system using a characteristics extractor, wherein the plurality of characteristics is associated with the characteristics model storing each of the plurality of characteristics in a characteristics store, and analyzing the target system by issuing at least one query to the characteristics store to obtain an analysis result.
US07653894B2
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for classifying and modeling operating system images for data center management. An operating system image may be classified as a golden master image, a snapshot image, or a scripted operating system image. A software model is provided to abstract operating system and platform detail, and provide a consistent and scalable way of dealing with operating system images. An installation mechanism is provided to install images based on priorities. Software installables are attached with a software definition that may either be a software stack or a software module. A software stack comprises at least one software module.
US07653886B2
In one embodiment, a method for determining crosslinking between netlists is provided. The first netlist and second netlist may have nets that have different net names but may be the same net. It is also possible that the content of individual nets in one list may need to be split or combined to accurately match the other list. Complete results will not be obtained if only 1 to 1 content matches are considered. The method determines an exploded list of one of the netlists, such as the second netlist, where the netlist is reversed such that the pins of the netlist are used as keys to an associated net name. A pin in the first netlist is then determined. The pin may be associated with a first net name in the first netlist. The pin is looked up in the exploded list using it as a key to determine a second net name for the pin. The process continues using each pin in the first netlist to determine the net name associated with the pin in the second netlist. When this process is finished, crosslinks between net names that match across netlists are determined.
US07653878B1
Techniques are described for displaying a list of items while simultaneously depicting how the items satisfy multiple criteria. A list of visual indicators is displayed in an order. The order indicates how the items satisfy a first criteria. For example, the list of items may be books displayed in alphabetical order. The order indicates how the titles rank alphabetically. While retaining the order, information is displayed to visually indicate how the items satisfy other criteria selected by the user. The user may select other criteria, and information is displayed to indicate how the items satisfy the other criteria. A page is downloaded by a browser on a client. The browser executing a page generates visual indications of how items satisfy the multiple criteria in response to user selection of the criteria.
US07653876B2
Systems and techniques to create and use a reversible format document. In general, in one implementation, the technique includes: obtaining an electronic document in a binary format, reforming the electronic document in a markup language format using information selected from the binary format document according to predefined extraction parameters, and inserting an encoded version of the electronic document in the binary format into the electronic document in the markup language format. A markup language document can include a first and second portions, the first portion including a subset of information, including rules governing how the electronic document is processed by a machine, from a binary format document corresponding to the second portion, and the second portion including an encoded version of the binary format document, where the electronic document is fully transformable to the binary format after a modification to the electronic document in the markup language format.
US07653860B2
Aspects describe a transmit driver that processes data communication between a scheduler and a turbo encoder. Transmit driver receives a request for a super frame and ascertains whether it has enough information to start the super frame. If there is enough data, the super frame is written to an appropriate hardware register. Both Direct Memory Access (DMA) and non-DMA hardware can be supported with the one or more aspects. In an aspect, a method is provided for data transmission. The method includes obtaining data comprising one or more logical channels wherein each of the logical channels comprises one or more code blocks, and wherein each of the code blocks comprises one or more turbo groups, organizing the data based on the one or more code blocks to produce time-sequenced turbo groups, and outputting the time-sequenced turbo groups.
US07653856B2
The present invention relates to a power controlling method in a mobile radio communication system using Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) scheme, and more particularly to a power controlling method of response (ACK/NACK) signals for transmitting the ACK/NACK signals in different power based on the permissible probabilities of reception error that the system requires. When the ACK/NACK signals are transmitted and received in the automatic repeat request (ARQ) system, since the ACK/NACK signals can be transmitted in accordance with the transmission power satisfying an error rate required in each signal by differentiating the transmission power of the signal according to each ACK/NACK, the power consumption required in the transmission of the ACK/NACK signals can be reduced.
US07653854B2
According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit having: a BIST including a data generator, an address generator, a control signal generator, a result analyzer, a BIST controller, and a diagnostic data storage circuit including a first capture register which captures and outputs, in accordance with a first clock, a latest address signal and the BIST state signal output from said BIST controller while the flag signal is in as state that no fault is detected, and maintains outputs when the flag signal is in a state that a fault is detected. The semiconductor integrated circuit can further include a memory collar having a memory cell, a second capture register, a comparator, and a flag register. The semiconductor integrated circuit can perform a fault diagnosing operation of a memory by using a comparator type BIST circuit.
US07653849B1
Integrated circuits may include at least an instruction processor and input-output subsystems. Each input-output subsystem includes a wrapper circuit a wrapper circuit controlled by the instruction processor. The wrapper circuit includes two or more scan registers, where a data value stored in each scan register can be shifted out for analysis. The wrapper circuit also includes two or more update registers to transfer stored data values between itself and an associated scan register. The wrapper circuit also includes a set of combinatorial logic coupled to the scan registers, the update registers and the instruction test processor, wherein at least two I/Os of the plurality of I/Os but less than all of the plurality of I/Os couple to an external tester.
US07653843B2
A channel characteristic of a transmission channel between a remote terminal and a central office is estimated by collecting information in the remote terminal, transferring this information from the remote terminal to the central office and matching the received information at the central office with a channel and remote terminal simulation model. The values of parameters of the latter simulation model, which define the channel characteristic to be estimated, are determined as a result of the matching process. The information collected by the remote terminal typically is information that is automatically collected by the remote terminal for operational purposes, such as equalizer setting and bit allocation.
US07653826B1
The invention, in an embodiment, relates to optimizing database performance by taking advantage of sleepy drives. The invention analyzes queries to indexes based on usage frequency, and determines whether to access an index stored on a sleepy drive, or perform an alternate access plan based on green optimization. Furthermore, the invention transfers data, such as, for example, indexes, files, data areas, journals, and statistics, between active and sleepy drives based on usage frequency. In another embodiment, the invention provides an improved sleepy drive which optimizes energy savings by a graduated degree based on a speed setting. In yet another embodiment, the invention controls when read-write heads are unloaded from disks to reduce drag and power consumption by a disk drive.
US07653825B1
A method for adapting power consumption of a processor based upon an application demand is provided. The method initiates with determining an application demand based upon a current processing operation. Then, a time interval associated with the application demand is determined. Next, unnecessary power consuming functions for the application demand are determined. Then, a clock frequency for the unnecessary power consuming functions is reduced for the time interval. In one embodiment, the power is terminated to the unnecessary power consuming functions. In another embodiment, the clock frequency of the processor is adjusted for at least a portion of the time interval. A program interface for adapting power consumption of a computer system, processor instructions for adapting power consumption of a computer system and a processor are included.
US07653824B2
An information handling system is disclosed and can include at least one memory and at least two processor cores coupled thereto. Further, the information handling system can include a controller coupled to the at least two processor cores and the at least one memory. The controller can monitor the temperature within each processor core. Based on the temperature the controller can selectively steer one or more program threads away from an overheating processor core.
US07653821B2
Remote configuration and utilization of a virtual tape management system via communication of encrypted data. At least one security administrator CPU is communicably attached to a virtual tape management CPU. At least one remote data storage CPU is communicably attached to the virtual tape management CPU and to the security administrator. First software within the virtual tape management CPU validates authorized remote access to at least one remote data storage CPU and encrypts the data. Second software facilitates remote configuration and utilization of the virtual tape management CPU. At least one hardware adaptor card connects the virtual tape management CPU to a host.
US07653815B2
A system and method are provided for pre-processing encrypted and/or signed messages at a host system before the message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device. The message is received at the host system from a message sender. There is a determination as to whether any of the message receivers has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device. For each message receiver that has a corresponding wireless mobile communication device, the message is processed so as to modify the message with respect to one or more encryption and/or authentication aspects. The processed message is transmitted to a wireless mobile communication device that corresponds to the first message receiver. The system and method may include post-processing messages sent from a wireless mobile communications device to a host system. Authentication and/or encryption message processing is performed upon the message. The processed message may then be sent through the host system to one or more receivers.
US07653813B2
All nodes within a communication system (100) will create an IP address based on a shared-secret key. The shared-secret key is unique for every node within the communication system and is known only to the node (102) and a server (103). The router (101) can validate that the node (102) owns the IP address.
US07653804B2
A signal processing network and method for generating code for such a signal processing network are described. Pipeline blocks are each coupled to receive control signaling and associated information signaling from a scheduler. Each of the pipeline blocks respectively includes an allocation unit, a pipeline, and section controllers. The allocation unit is configured to provide a lock signal and sequence information to the section controllers in each of the pipeline blocks. The section controllers are configured to maintain in order inter-pipeline execution of the sequence responsive to the sequence information and the lock signal.
US07653803B2
In an embodiment, an input/output (I/O) memory management unit (IOMMU) comprises at least one memory configured to store translation data; and control logic coupled to the memory and configured to translate an I/O device-generated memory request using the translation data. The translation data corresponds to one or more device table entries in a device table stored in a memory system of a computer system that includes the IOMMU, wherein the device table entry for a given request is selected by an identifier corresponding to the I/O device that generates the request. The translation data further corresponds to one or more I/O page tables, wherein the selected device table entry for the given request includes a pointer to a set of I/O page tables to be used to translate the given request.
US07653791B2
A technique for realtime-safe detection of a grace period for deferring the destruction of a shared data element until pre-existing references to the data element have been removed. A per-processor read/write lock is established for each of one or more processors. When reading a shared data element at a processor, the processor's read/write lock is acquired for reading, the shared data element is referenced, and the read/write lock that was acquired for reading is released. When starting a new grace period, all of the read/write locks are acquired for writing, a new grace period is started, and all of the read/write locks are released.
US07653788B2
A method of making cache memories of a plurality of processors coherent with a shared memory includes one of the processors determining whether an external memory operation is needed for data that is to be maintained coherent. If so, the processor transmits a cache coherency request to a traffic-monitoring device. The traffic-monitoring device transmits memory operation information to the plurality of processors, which includes an address of the data. Each of the processors determines whether the data is in its cache memory and whether a memory operation is needed to make the data coherent. Each processor also transmits to the traffic-monitoring device a message that indicates a state of the data and the memory operation that it will perform on the data. The processors then perform the memory operations on the data. The traffic-monitoring device performs the transmitted memory operations in a fixed order that is based on the states of the data in the processors' cache memories.
US07653787B2
A method for building a table to select r most frequently used Internet site names. The method comprises the following steps. First, receive an Internet site name. Second, convert the Internet site name into a number. Third, store the number in a table having n entries, each entry comprising a number field for storing the number, a name field for storing the received Internet site name and a count field for storing the number of times the received Internet site name has been received, where n≧r. Fourth, if the number is in the table, increment the value of the count field of the associated entry. Fifth, if the number is new and the table is not full, enter the number in an empty entry and initialize the value of the count field to a default value. Sixth, if the number is new but the table is full, replace one of the q least frequently used entries where q
US07653774B2
A bridge includes first and second network connections, and processor means and memory together operating to implement plural software modules. These allow data to be passed between the network connections and allow the data to be handled as it passes. Each software modules has a priority, either pre-set in software or settable by the bridge in response to receiving a command from a device connected to the bridge. The bridge is operable to arrange the software modules sequentially between the network connections, such that data provided by a software module is received at the next software module in the sequence, according to their priorities. Software modules can be added to or removed from the sequence. This can be carried out dynamically, for instance by the bridge following a determination from monitoring of data flow that such would improve performance.
US07653772B2
A control system comprising an electronic device equipped with a port, a hub being connectable to multiple external devices and to be connected to the port of the electronic device, and one or more external devices to be connected to the hub, the operation of the external devices connected via the hub being controlled using the electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises a supplying section for supplying currents to the hub connected to the port and the external devices connected via the hub, and a storage section for storing the magnitude of the total current supplied from the supplying section.
US07653768B2
A data transfer method for connecting a master unit on an upstream side and a plurality of slave units on an downstream side in series with serial bus by a daisy chain system and transferring data having an appended error check code or error correction code between a data transmitter and a data receiver, the data transfer method including: transferring the data flowing in the serial bus in the slave unit from the data transmitter to the data receiver without performing an error check or error correction; performing an error check of the data in a circuit provided in the slave unit aside from a circuit in which the data flow; and informing a result of the error check to the master unit individually by the slave unit, which has performed the error check of the data.
US07653762B1
Various approaches for tracing events in an electronic system are disclosed. In one approach, a circuit arrangement includes a bus, a random access memory (RAM), a plurality of programmable logic resources, and coupled configuration memory cells. A circuit arrangement is implemented in the programmable logic. The circuit arrangement receives a plurality of event indication signals from an application circuit and writes event data to the RAM in response to a change in the state of any one of the event indication signals. A bus interface circuit is coupled to the bus and to the read port of the RAM. Responsive to a read transaction on the bus for the RAM, the bus interface circuit reads data from the RAM and outputs the data on the bus in a reply bus transaction.
US07653750B2
An apparatus and method provide an architected way for a web server to access a user registry in a directory service such as LDAP. In the preferred embodiments, the logic for presenting and processing a web page is encapsulated from the logic that interacts with the directory service, making it easy for a programmer to make changes to the a user registration form without having to have a detailed knowledge of the directory service and its interfaces.
US07653749B2
A server computer provides objects such as bitmaps representing graphics image for processing by a client computer or device. The object may be of any arbitrary size or format, and is converted to a data structure that can be received by the client computer. Synchronized metadata may be included in the data structure, where such metadata data is used by an application in the client computer or device.
US07653742B1
Network applications are monitored by defining and detecting activities associated with the applications. Such activities are referred to as “business activities” in the sense that the activities are performed in the process of conducting business using applications. Each business activity of interest is associated with a unique “business signature” which can be used to identify the activity from streams or collections of information. In one embodiment, each business signature of interest to a business is defined as a set of one or more parameter name-value pairs. Once defined, network traffic to and from an application is monitored to detect business signatures, to detect that a corresponding business activity was started. Detecting an activity is based on real-time matching of business signature character patterns within a stream of characters with a repository of character patterns that each represents a business signature defined for the application.
US07653735B2
This invention presents a framework for achieving dynamic End-to End QoS negotiation and control coordination, with distributed multimedia applications. The framework builds upon dynamic capability negotiations and specification of Adaptation Paths and (alternative) QoS Contracts, based on user preferences. In particular we present a protocol providing End-to-End negotiation of alternative QoS, capabilities, and preferences/configurations, based on extensions of IP-based protocols like SIP/RTSP/SDP, in coordination with mechanisms for network resource reservation (e.g. RSVP), local terminal resource (e.g. CPU, memory, power, auxiliary devices) reservation, and adaptation mechanisms. To this extent, and with respect to two or more peers (101, 103) this invention identifies six phases, through which said peers can establish multiparty, multi-stream, multimedia communications. In detail, the phases are: Protocol Discovery (104), Pre-Negotiation (106), Multi-Stream QoS Synchronization and QoS Correlation (107), Fast-Negotiation (obeying the Economy Principle) (108), Re-Negotiation (obeying the Economy Principle) (109), Resource Reservation Release (110). All the six phases can be concatenated, or be executed at different times. This invention also presents the concept of the E2ENP Broker (105), an optional third-party entity, which can be used for relieving peers (101, 103) from performing the time- and resource-consuming Pre-Negotiation phase (106) (and eventually also the Multi-Stream QoS Synchronization and QoS Correlation (107). This entity may coincide with e.g. audio-/videoconference bridges.
US07653734B1
A method for implementing a multimedia messaging service between a wireless terminal (MS) that communicates with a communication network (12, 15, 18) over a radio path and a server (20) includes receiving and storing a multimedia message addressed to the wireless terminal at a server, the multimedia message comprising at least one multimedia component, and storing information on at least one property of the wireless terminal (MS) in the server. The method further includes determining if there is any component of the multimedia message, which the wireless terminal can handle according to the stored information on at least one property of the wireless terminal. If there exists one or more such component(s), they are selected for transmission and transmitted to the wireless terminal.
US07653730B1
A system and method for dynamic provisioning of telecommunication connections in a carrier virtual network is provided. Information regarding the layer one resources available for forming a connection is maintained, and may include connection information and latency information. Using connection information and latency information, possible connections complying with service level latency requirements are identified. One of the possible connections may be provisioned. If a linking provisioned connection becomes impaired, another of the possible connections may be provisioned.
US07653723B2
For enabling to deal with various kinds of events, but without knowing the meaning of the event issued by network equipments, an event notifying equipment notifies URL for an event receiving equipment to access a HTML file corresponding to the event, in the form of an event parameter, thereby providing a HTML file for indicating a reason of generating the event and a HTML file for prompting a process corresponding to the event, in response to a request from a Web browser. An event receiving apparatus is able to execute the event process only by accessing to the URL included in the event parameter.
US07653713B2
A method of measuring round trip time (RTT) and a proximity checking method using the same. The method of measuring RTT includes: transmitting a hashed second random number and starting the RTT measurement; and receiving a hashed first random number from a device that received the hashed second random number and ending the RTT measurement, thereby greatly reducing repetitive encryption and decryption operations in the proximity check using a repetitive RTT measurement.
US07653707B2
In the present invention, a moving-picture editing program (12) controls the recording of the data transmitted from a personal computer (1-1), into a user video-data management database (4). The program (12) determines whether the data should be supplied to another personal computer (1-2) in response to a demand made by the personal computer (1-1). The moving-picture editing program(12) supplies the data to the other personal computer (1-2) in response to the demand from the other personal computer (1-2) when it is determined that the data should be supplied to the personal computer (1-1). Hence, the data can be utilized by many other users.
US07653695B2
A method and apparatus for managing information relating to electronic messages is provided. A first set of data related to one or more message senders is obtained from a first source, such as an email sever or email gateway. Each message sender has sent one or more electronic messages. A second set of data related to the one or more message senders is obtained from a second source. Message volume information that describes the messages sent by the one or more message senders for a period of time is determined based on the first set of data and the second set of data. The message volume information may be used to determine whether a particular message sent by a particular message sender is unsolicited. If a particular message is determined to be unsolicited, various actions may be performed on messages sent by the sender of the particular message.
US07653680B2
A mobile communication system capable of efficiently updating software in a group of target terminals only when the software needs to be rewritten. When there is a mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2) that needs the update of the software version, the server transmit an OTASP request that contains terminal type and software version information to GGSN. The OTASP request is forwarded via the GGSN, SGSN, and RNC to the mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2). The mobile terminal (UE#1, UE#2) compares its type and software version with those contained in the paging channel, and if they match, transmits an RRC connection request to the RNC.
US07653677B1
A digital logic circuit includes at least one stage. Each stage includes sum logic, combinatorial logic, and carry chain logic. The sum logic is configured to generate a first sum signal from a first set of three input signals. The combinatorial logic includes a carry generation portion and a sum generation portion. The carry generation portion is configured to generate a first carry signal from a second set of three input signals. The sum generation portion is configured to generate a second sum signal from the first sum signal and the first carry signal. The carry chain logic is configured to process the first sum signal, the second sum signal, and a carry-in signal to generate a carry-out signal and a third sum signal.
US07653672B2
Under program execution environment, a file size of a heap dump is reduced which is acquired so as to detect memory leaks, and so as to investigate occurrence causes of the memory leaks. In order to provide a memory leak investigating means which can be used even in a large-scaled system, the below-mentioned heap dump acquiring method is provided: When a heap dump is acquired, only such an object within objects stored in a heap memory is outputted which is adapted to the following conditions: That is, in a condition (1), an object exists among objects which are newly produced within a designated time period, and in another condition (2), an object is present on a reference path defined from a root set to the object which satisfies the above-explained condition (1).
US07653667B2
Methods, computer readable medium and systems are provided for moving data objects from a first storage location to a second storage location. One or more data objects may be selected having an identifier from a first storage location. The ID may be stored in at least one transactional type lock object. Systems and methods consistent with the invention may determine whether a permanent type lock exists for a data object. If the permanent type lock does exist, systems and methods consistent with the invention may store the data object, the ID of which is contained in the at least one transactional type lock object, at the second storage location, store the ID of that data object in a permanent type lock object, assign the second storage location to the ID in the at least one permanent type lock object, and delete the ID of that data object in the transactional type lock object.
US07653663B1
A method, computer program product and system for archiving data from an operational database. Data to be archived from the operational database may be stored either as received or transformed in a manner that allows the transformed archived data to be retrieved bit-for-bit identical to the original input received. Further, the data stored in the archive storage is read-only meaning that the data cannot be updated, deleted or modified. Further, backup copies of each of the storage units, which store the archived data, in the archive storage are created for disaster recovery purposes. Additionally, hash values are computed for each of the storage units in the archive storage which are used to detect unauthorized changes to the data stored in the storage units. In this manner, the authenticity of the data stored in the archive storage may be substantially guaranteed.
US07653654B1
A method (and system) for periodically searching through files accessible through a network, at an interval based on previously accessed data. The method includes accessing and download data from a first file on the network. An accessing time is set to access a second file on the network based on the data downloaded from the first file. In one further embodiment, the first file is a Channel Definition Format (CDF) file.
US07653653B2
A dynamically configurable list management system that supports list elements of multiple content types is presented. Each list element is associated with an element type via an element type identifier. The element type identifier uniquely identifies the element type to the list management system. Each property associated with each element type is included in the list. Each property is identified by a unique property identifier. When adding a list element of a new element type to an existing list that does not include any elements of the new element type, the list management system identifies every property associated with the new element type. For each property associated with the new element type, the list management system determines which properties are not already included in the list, and adds those properties that are not already including to the list.
US07653652B2
A schema for a SQL (structured query language) database defines classes, properties, methods, and associations.
US07653647B2
A system and method for determining file system data integrity. In one embodiment, the system includes a storage device configured to store data and a file system configured to manage access to the storage device, to store plurality of files, to store a respective signature of each of the plurality of files, and to compare a respective signature of a given file against a corresponding validation signature. In one specific implementation, the system further includes a validation signature inventory including a plurality of validation signatures, and the file system is further configured to validate a particular file by retrieving a corresponding particular validation signature from the validation signature inventory and comparing the corresponding particular validation signature against the respective signature of the particular file. In another specific implementation, the file system is further configured to store the corresponding validation signature of the given file in a write-once storage attribute.
US07653646B2
A method of determining clusters of data within a dataset, the dataset is represented by a plurality of multidimensional data entries, the method comprises (a) spanning a space, represented by a plurality of points; (b) determining a density function over the space;(c) associating a potential to the density function; (d) locating a plurality of local minima of the potential; and (e) for each of the plurality of local minima, attributing at least one of the points; thereby determining clusters of data within the dataset.
US07653645B1
As things happen on a volume, the file system forwards events to an event list manager. The event list manager stores the events and associates them with epochs that were active at the time the event occurred. Event consumers can independently declare epochs at any time. When event consumers end an epoch, they can request events that occurred during the epoch, which are reported to the event consumer using the event list manager.
US07653641B2
A scaleable abstraction control solution including an abstraction process and an abstraction system. The abstraction solution permits extraction, tracking, and management of data defined in one or more documents. The abstraction process can include double blind data abstraction. The abstracted data can be verified using a quality assurance process that can include statistical sampling, tracked random error insertion, and abstraction auditing. Data from documents can be abstracted into one or more customizable databases, forms, templates, or software.
US07653637B2
Indirect persistent storage of data in a file that is associated with an application program and is capable of having an embedded OLEObject includes creating the OLEObject by way of a Component Object Model add-in that supplements the application program, and using the OLEObject to store the data in the file. The OLEObject is marked so that it is hidden from a user of the application program. After loading a file that was previously saved and closed, the OLEObject is initialized, and the stored data is retrieved. The add-in may be a reporting add-in that queries a database, such as an OLAP database.
US07653635B1
Systems and methods for generating standard description records from multimedia information are provided. The system includes at least one multimedia information input interface (180) receiving multimedia information, a computer processor, and a data storage system (150), operatively coupled to said processor, for storing said at least one description record. The processor performs object extraction processing to generate multimedia object descriptions (200, 201, 205) from the multimedia information, and object hierarchy processing (410, 420) to generate multimedia object hierarchy descriptions, to generate at least one description record including the multimedia object descriptions (200, 201, 205) and multimedia object hierarchy descriptions for content embedded within the multimedia information.
US07653624B1
In some embodiments, a method for tracking changes comprises reviewing a first file system entry and a second file system entry, where the first and second entries are reviewed in a canonical order; providing a record file, wherein a record is associated with the record file; and comparing the first file system entry with the record.
US07653620B2
An apparatus, program product and method dynamically optimize prepared statements resident in a statement pool to permit subsequent reuses of such statements to utilize the optimized representations of such statements. The optimization of pooled statements may be performed responsive to the tracked usage of the statements in a statement pool, to direct the overhead associated with such optimization to those statements that are more likely to be utilized in the future. Among a multitude of possible optimizations, a pooled statement that requests data in a format other than that utilized by the database being accessed may be modified to request the data in the format used by the database, thereby decreasing the overhead in the database associated with format conversions.
US07653619B1
A pipelined search engine device, such as a longest prefix match (LPM) search engine device, includes a hierarchical memory and a pipelined tree maintenance engine therein. The hierarchical memory is configured to store a b-tree of search prefixes (and possibly span prefix masks) at multiple levels therein. The pipelined tree maintenance engine, which is embedded within the search engine device, includes a plurality of node maintenance sub-engines that are distributed with the multiple levels of the hierarchical memory. The search engine device may also include pipeline control and search logic that is distributed with the multiple levels of the hierarchical memory.
US07653611B2
The subject invention leverages data logging of responses to diagnostic reports to provide data that can be mined for diagnostic report quality information. Instances of the subject invention provide an initial diagnostic report assessment means to facilitate review by an entity. The entity's responses to the sorted diagnostic reports are logged unobtrusively to create diagnostic report quality data. This data is then analyzed by an analysis means that can then adjust the assessment means to improve its performance. In this manner, the performance of the assessment means is increased while reducing the workload of the entity reviewing the diagnostic reports. Other instances of the subject invention facilitate to increase the performance of a diagnostic report generating means as well. Instances of the subject invention can also employ machine learning techniques to facilitate in analyzing the quality data and/or in assessing the diagnostic reports.
US07653603B1
A network connected delivery box includes an input unit for inputting a user code. A communication unit communicates with a computer through the network so that an electrically controlled lock in the delivery box can be opened by a signal from the computer when the input user code matches a valid user code stored in the computer. Also provided is a method of managing purchase and delivery information associated with deliveries to a delivery box by storing, at a central computer, delivery information for each delivery by a delivery company. Aggregate and average delivery information is calculated and presented to a delivery box user to make an informed selection of a delivery company.
US07653600B2
An automated document cashing system is provided with an automated machine that cashes monetary transaction documents such as checks, money orders, and that makes deposit entries into the bank account of the user after validation of the user and monetary transaction document, without the aid of a bank teller. Validation of the identity of the user is performed with the use of a card associated with intelligence that identifies the user. A biometric device also may be used in identifying the validity of the user. Validation of the document involves one or more of: validating the presence of a signature; validating the amount of the monetary transaction document including a manual entry of the amount by the user; validating CAR against the LAR; and validating the banking system parameters and rules for the customer and/or the transaction. To assist in the automatic analysis of data on monetary transactional documents or on remittance documents, the user is prompted to provide a bounding box about the data. An image touch screen may be touched by the user to locate the bounding box and the user may magnify the data to fill the boundary box to exclude other data from this analysis. After document and person validation, the system will dispense money or transfer monies to a savings account, a checking account, a smart card, or the like. The system will also write money orders or wire transfer money. By supplying monies in the form of cash, credit card authorization, smart card balance, or the like to the machine, the user can pay bills such as a utility bill through the system or purchase items dispensed by the system.
US07653597B1
A payment administration system includes a system administrator, customer and merchant interfaces, and a database. The payment administrative system also includes bank interfaces, credit agency interfaces to facilitate automatic, paperless transactions rapidly. The customer is permitted to set a number of purchase and payment parameters, such as hours of use, goods or services category, and daily limits. The payment administration system generates real-time notification of any action occurring on the customer's account and permits continuous monitoring of the status of each transaction in real time.
US07653588B2
A method of providing orders to a virtual trading crowd in an exchange prior to automatically linking the order to an away market is disclosed. The method may include receiving a marketable order for a security or derivative at the exchange, wherein the exchange has a price that differs from a national best bid or offer price, routing the marketable order to a trade engine, disseminating a request for price message to all market makers quoting a class in response to receiving the marketable order, the request for price message including a price equal to the national best bid or offer price, receiving a response message at the electronic trade engine in response to the request for price message from at least one market maker, initiating a quote trigger, wherein the quote trigger occurs for a period of N seconds, and allocating the order according to an allocation algorithm, wherein an order size of each market maker is capped to prevent inflation of an allocated portion of the order.
US07653577B2
Methods of the present invention allow for validating eCommerce transactions. An exemplary method for validating an eCommerce transaction may comprise the steps of validating a Hosting Provider, validating a Merchant using the Hosting Provider to host an eCommerce website, and validating a Customer who may purchase goods or services from the Merchant via the eCommerce website. If the Hosting Provider, Merchant, and Customer are validated, an eCommerce transaction may be approved.
US07653568B2
This invention relates to a system and method for identifying target individuals who possess certain characteristics statistically indicative of their ability to influence others in their decision making regarding consumer goods, consumer products, political issues or candidates, financial matters, investments, real estate, insurance, travel and leisure, by non-limiting example. The subject invention encompasses not only the identification of a key group of individuals in a population more likely to affect the decision making of others in the population (“Influentials” as discussed below), but also includes the identification of additional (“non-Influential”) informational data common to Influential individuals, as well as the application of this additional informational data to other populations. The advantage of employing this additional informational data to ascertain Influentials is that this data can be publicly available data (such as, for example, from the U.S. Census Bureau), thus facilitating the identification of Influentials without the necessity of undertaking any surveys to identify Influentials per se instead relying on pre-existing public demographic information.
US07653563B2
A Software System, known as an Automatic Well Planning Risk Assessment Software System, is adapted to determine and display risk information in response to a plurality of input data by: receiving the plurality of input data, the input data including a plurality of input data calculation results; comparing each calculation result of the plurality of input data calculation results with each logical expression of a plurality of logical expressions; ranking by the logical expression the calculation result; and generating a plurality of ranked risk values in response thereto, each of the plurality of ranked risk values representing an input data calculation result that has been ranked by the logical expression as either a high risk or a medium risk or a low risk; generating the risk information in response to the plurality of ranked risk values; and displaying the risk information.
US07653561B2
A method of determining allocations in a business operation to maximize profit includes: collecting profit data for a plurality of classes in the business operation, where each class includes an allocation having a cost function and each allocation belongs to the group consisting of physical allocations and economic allocations; determining profit functions for the allocations from the profit data; formulating a Multiple Choice Knapsack Problem to maximize profit from the profit functions, the cost functions, and a cost constraint; and solving the Multiple Choice Knapsack Problem to determine values for the allocations.
US07653551B2
A method and system is disclosed for searching and submitting intellectual property listings, goods and services offered for sale online. Tailored searching is provided in a convenient and efficient manner on the Internet via an Aggregation Portal. The Aggregation Portal provides a uniform and user-friendly interface, whereby intermediary services are provided to facilitate transactions utilizing the Internet. Such services include legal, valuation, insurance, escrow, brokering, consulting and other professional services. Further, a multiple-listing type of commission sharing is created between the Aggregation Portal and various Internet auctions and exchanges. In one embodiment, a software application is downloaded on a user's personal computer (or network terminal) for searching, marketing and transacting goods and services, especially intellectual property.
US07653548B2
A television receiver includes an OSD display section configured to display a desired OSD, and a voice input section to which voices are inputted. The receiver also includes a storage section having prestored therein a control code associated with a voice representing a command to change channels or an analogous command, and a call-up control code associated with a voice for causing the display section to display a character image in an OSD manner. The receiver further includes a control section configured to cause the display section to display the character image associated with the call-up control code when a voice associated with the call-up control code is inputted through the voice input section. The control section instructs components of a receiver body to perform respective operations for executing the command according to the control code only during a time period during which the display section displays the character image.
US07653547B2
One aspect of the present invention relates to simulating an interaction between a client and a server. A session is established between the client and the server to conduct a test. Testing data is transmitted from the client to the server. The server processes the testing data and provides an in-band signal indicative of a response based on the testing data. The server also provides an out-of-band signal indicative of testing synchronization information related to the test.
US07653538B2
Noise is prevented when decoding an audio stream not containing syncwords or CRC bits in the elementary stream. When decoding a current frame, the private header of the next frame is analyzed and the current frame is muted if the private header of the next frame is not valid. When there is a data discontinuity caused by editing, decoding resumes from the start address of the next frame determined.
US07653536B2
A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
US07653535B2
A statistical trajectory speech model is constructed where the targets for vocal tract resonances are represented as random vectors and where the mean vectors of the target distributions are estimated using a likelihood function for joint acoustic observation vectors. The target mean vectors can be estimated without formant data. To form the model, time-dependent filter parameter vectors based on time-dependent coarticulation parameters are constructed that are a function of the ordering and identity of the phones in the phone sequence in each speech utterance. The filter parameter vectors are also a function of the temporal extent of coarticulation and of the speaker's speaking effort.
US07653524B2
Analog and radio frequency system-level simulation using frequency relaxation. Embodiments of the invention use a frequency relaxation approach for analog/RF system-level simulation that accommodates both large system size and complex signal space. The simulator can determine an output response for a system by partitioning the system into blocks and simulating the propagation of an input signal through the blocks. The input signal can take various forms, including a multi-tone sinusoidal signal, a continuous spectra signal, and/or a stochastic signal. Frequency relaxation is applied to produce individual responses. The output response can be computed based on obtaining convergence of the individual responses. The input to embodiments of the simulator can be a circuit netlist, or a block-level macromodel.
US07653523B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a method to utilize data from many different die sizes and products so that highly detailed wafer profiles can be generated that have an improved signal to noise ratio and spatial resolution. Instead of being limited to single die size like normal wafer maps, this method takes advantage of multiple die sizes and their variation in placement on the wafer to increase the information available about the wafer patterns.
US07653522B2
Assume a decision strategy that is optimal for a primary objective function(s). Without unacceptably affecting the value of the primary objective function(s), Robustness Enhancing Optimizer (REO) modifies the optimal strategy's decision variable values to maximize the likelihood that implementing the new strategy in the real world will be satisfactory (will satisfy optimization problem constraints in the real world). Modification is via linked system parameter sensitivity analysis and multi-realization optimization. REO creates new realizations by changing system parameter(s) in a selected manner (for example, multiplying by a selected factor smaller or larger than 1 proportionally reduces or increases the parameter). REO is especially valuable where probability density functions or statistically-based realizations are unavailable, or where one wants to increase the robustness of satisfying constraints for multiple realities in a particular setting.
US07653509B2
The present invention provides a method of analyzing multidimensional data using a computer as well as methods of displaying multidimensional data to a user for further analysis. The present invention provides for a method and system for state model Fitting. The system components include a detector and a computer operably connected to the detector. The computer accesses one or more logic instructions for receiving and analyzing raw data from the detector and generating a state model of the raw data based on probability weights.
US07653505B1
A method and apparatus is provided to utilize the configurability of a programmable logic device (PLD), so as to reduce the complexity of special test equipment (STE) fixtures that are required to test the PLD. The output drivers of certain I/O buffers of the PLD that are not under test may be configured to exhibit a particular impedance magnitude. The impedance magnitude of the output drivers that are not under test may then be used to supply the reference impedance that is required by the digitally controlled impedance (DCI) controllers of the I/O buffers that are under test. The DCI controllers may then correctly configure the impedance magnitude of the respective I/O buffers under test, so as to test the functionality of the controlled impedance buffers for I/O standards that require controlled impedance.
US07653488B2
Predicting sand production in a wellbore. A first set of characteristics is determined for a formation in the wellbore, wherein determining uses a plastic model of the formation, and wherein the first set of characteristics comprises a yield surface, a failure surface, a stress total strain, an elastic strain, and a plastic-strain relationship. A relationship among a second set of characteristics of the wellbore is determined using an effective stress model, wherein the second set comprises a drawdown pressure, a production rate, pore pressure, a temperature and a viscosity of a fluid in the wellbore, a fluid flow pressure in the wellbore, a drag force of fluid flow in the wellbore, and a type of fluid flow in the wellbore. A critical total strain is determined for the formation using the first set of characteristics and the relationship. The critical total strain is calibrated using a thick wall test.
US07653452B2
Methods and computer systems are provided for reducing the runtime of a material requirements planning run. In one embodiment, a computer system loads a plurality of bills of materials into a data structure. The computer system may analyze parent-child relationships between components of the plurality of bills of materials in the data structure and set for each component in the data structure a counter value that indicates the number of parent components for each component. The counter value of a specific child component may be decremented when the planning of a parent component of the specific child component is completed. The computer system may then proceed with the planning of the specific child component if the associated counter value indicates that the planning of all parent components of the specific child component is completed.
US07653450B2
A method and system for defining optimal range boundaries in a range management system. The method comprises assigning process routings to the flows, applying range break rules to the flows based on the input data regarding operations and toolsets, and outputting the results of the applying step to provide range break boundaries. The system comprises at least one device configured to receive input data, assign process routings to flows, determine range breaks by applying range break rules to the input data and the process routings, and output the results of the determining step.
US07653449B2
An improved resource allocation system comprising a reliability decision engine (323), which allocates the portfolio's assets as required for the desired reliability portfolio. The reliability decision engine including two reliability decision engines, a basic reliability decision engine (325) and a robust reliability decision engine (327). The use of robust optimization makes it possible to determine the sensitivity of the optimized portfolio. Scenarios can be specified directly by the user or automatically generated by the system in response to a selection by the user. Inputs (329, 331) are applied to basic the basic reliability decision engine (325) and inputs (311) are applied to robust reliability decision engine (327).
US07653445B2
Various methods and systems for the parametric control of a process include representing the process with a process model used to generate future predictions of a process variable. In one embodiment, the process exhibits integrating behavior that is represented by a non-integrating process model. In another embodiment, an inverse of the model is filtered using a filter that includes a lead time constant that is selected to minimize a steady state error of the predicted process variable. In yet another embodiment, an array of output model values is revised or reindexed in response to a change in a time-varying parameter related to the process.
US07653444B2
An electronic device which has a plurality of hardware which function as a predetermined model in accordance with model dependent data is disclosed which prevents easy modification of the model dependent data. An image forming device includes a plurality of control circuit boards, a plurality of memory units, and a main circuit board. The plurality of control circuit boards each control the operation of designated hardware. The plurality of memory units are readable and writable, and are each arranged in a plurality of locations which include the plurality of control circuit boards. The main circuit board writes the model dependent data to at least one of the plurality of memory units, reads the model dependent data upon startup, and identifies the model.
US07653421B2
According to an aspect of the invention, a portable wireless apparatus comprises a first housing and a second housing. The first housing comprises a first board having a first feeding portion; and a first antenna element connected to the first feeding portion and provided on a side of a first surface of the first board. The second housing foldably connected to the first housing comprises a second board having a surface opposite to the first surface of the first board when the second hosing is unfolded with respect to the first housing. The second board comprises a second feeding portion. A second antenna element is connected to the second feeding portion and provided on a side of the surface of the second board.
US07653418B1
A method and device for detecting alert events and responsively playing out audio-clips. The audio-clips may comprise data representing a sound recording. Playing out the audio-clips occurs in an order defined by a sequence. The audio-clips and the sequence are maintained in data storage. A processor executes program logic to detect a first alert event and responsively play out at least a first audio-clip of the sequence, and to detect a next alert event and responsively play out at least a next alert event of the sequence. After playing out all audio-clips in the sequence, play out of the audio-clips may then continue with the first audio-clip of the sequence.
US07653404B2
To provide a technique for analyzing radio wave condition affording improved accuracy of discrimination of radio wave propagation condition on a per-channel basis.Analyzer device 10 for analyzing the condition of radio waves used for wireless LAN communications comprises a reception portion 410 for receiving radio signals in a plurality of frequency bands; a first strength sensing portion 420 for sensing the field strength RSS1 of the center frequency band on a per-channel basis from a received radio signal; a despreading portion 430 for despreading the received radio signal; a second strength sensing portion 440 for sensing the field strength RSSI2 of the center frequency band on a per-channel basis from the despread radio signal; a discriminating portion 450 for discriminating radio wave condition by cross-checking RSSI1 and RSSI2 on a per-channel basis; and a display portion 460 for displaying the discriminated radio wave condition.
US07653401B2
Techniques for filtering broadcast SMS messages at a mobile station based on network configuration, user configuration, and/or user preferences. In one method, a broadcast message is initially received, and one or more filtering criteria are applied to the received broadcast message. The filtering criteria are defined by settings stored in a removable module (e.g., the R-UIM) coupled to the receiver. The received broadcast message is then processed if it is not filtered out by the one or more filtering criteria. The one or more filtering criteria may include (1) those imposed by a service provider and defined in a network configuration setting, (2) those determined by the mobile user and defined in a user configuration setting, (3) those selected by the mobile user based on user preferences, which allow for filtering of broadcast messages based on service category, language, and priority, or (4) any combination of the above.
US07653392B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for a mobile client device to discover and obtain the parameters of a heterogeneous wireless network via a fuzzy logic operation, within a plurality of heterogeneous wireless networks.
US07653376B2
A method of recording allocation of resources in response to a request for a data item to be transmitted to a device in the network where the request comprises data indicative of one or more requested items. The device is typically a mobile device and the requested items can be key words making up a search request or can be web site names indicating web sites of interest to the user. In response to the request, data listings having items generating a match with the requested data item are identified and data indicative of a network location corresponding to the or each matched data item are retrieved. In addition data indicative of an amount of data and a resource allocation associated with the set of data accessible via the network location are retrieved and these data, together with a network subscription associated with device and the amount of data, are used to evaluate actual usage of network resources when accessing the set of data. If data are subsequently requested from the network location the evaluated actual usage is offset against the resource allocation so as to identify an amount of usage of network resources to be charged to the network subscription, and a record associated with said data listing is updated so as to log said resource allocation event.
US07653371B2
A voltage-controlled capacitor and methods for forming the same are described. A mechanical conductor membrane of the voltage-controlled capacitor is movable to and from a first position and a second position. An amount of capacitance can vary with the movement of the mechanical conductor membrane. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) voltage-controlled capacitor can be used in a variety of applications, such as, but not limited to, RF switches and RF attenuators.
US07653365B2
The invention relates to a method and a transmitter implementing the method, wherein signal errors caused by high-rate power control commands are eliminated. The invention is based on weighting a signal to be supplied to an amplifier while the gain of a power amplifier is in a transition state.
US07653362B2
An apparatus and method for characterizing an amplifier transmitting a band limited signal using a sample of the input signal to the amplifier and a sample of the output signal from the amplifier, where the output signal is sub-sampled. The sub-sampling frequency is chosen such that images of the band limited signal do not overlap. The input signal and the output signal in a polar format are processed to determine characteristics such AM/AM and AM/PM conversion nonlinearities.
US07653358B2
An integrated circuit includes a on-chip pressure sensing circuit that generates a pressure signal based on a pressure of the integrated circuit. An RF transceiver generates an outbound RF signal from outbound data and to generate inbound data from an inbound RF signal, based on the pressure signal.
US07653354B2
A transmitter IC provided with a SAW-based oscillator with an external SAW device. The transmitter IC comprises an oscillating circuit. The oscillating circuit comprises an inverter stage, a first capacitor, a second capacitor, and a resistor. The inverter stage has input and output terminals respectively coupled to two ends of the external SAW device. The first and second capacitors are respectively coupled between the input/output terminal and a ground. The resistor is coupled between the input and output terminals of the inverter stage.
US07653345B2
An entertainment system for a vehicle comprises a console section mounted on a surface in the vehicle, a media source layer including a media source mounted on the console section, and a screen section mounted on the media source layer, wherein the screen section includes a display and is capable of being mounted on the console section when the media source layer is removed from the console section.
US07653344B1
The present invention discloses methods and systems for providing very high quality audio and video playback using all-digital wireless paths from the source to the speaker transducers, video displays and headphones located anywhere within a distance allowed by the FCC. Each speaker has a separate digital amplifier dedicated to each transducer within it (e.g. woofer, tweeter). The present invention also discloses a system that provides a data link capable of sending an all-digital, full-bandwidth, signal from the original digital source material to each separate transducer in the system without using sound degrading lossy data compression. This system is designed to read, broadcast, and reproduce with accurate audio loudspeaker time-alignment (<100 uS) and low overall latency (less than 7 milliseconds) all popular audio and video formats in full-bandwidth and without data compression in the effort to maintain the integrity of the entire audio and video signal.
US07653340B2
A decurl device includes: a curl detecting section having a plurality of toothed wheels each which detects a curling amount and a curling direction of a sheet having a curl; and a plurality of uncurling sections each arranged downstream of the curl detecting section in a conveyance direction of the sheet having the curl, which uncurls the sheet by bending and transforming the sheet in a direction reverse to a curling direction thereof. One of the uncurling sections, which reduces the curl, is selected on the basis of the curling amount and the curling direction that have been detected by the curl detecting section, thereby uncurling the sheet.
US07653336B2
A developing apparatus in which a first magnet of a first developing sleeve includes a first magnetic pole near a potion opposing to an image bearing member, and a second magnetic pole being downstream of the first magnetic pole; and a second magnet of a second developing sleeve includes a third magnetic pole near a portion opposing to the first sleeve. Assuming that a magnetic force obtained by combining normal direction forces Fr1 and Fr2 of magnetic forces generated by the first and second magnets, respectively, near the first sleeve is Fr, a center direction component of the first sleeve of the force Fr becomes positive between the first magnetic pole and a peak value position of the second magnetic pole, and a center direction component of the force Fr becomes negative between the peak value position and the closest position between both sleeves.
US07653335B2
A compact development apparatus using a two-component developer and an image forming apparatus wherein carrier deterioration is prevented to ensure formation of a high-quality image for a long time. The development apparatus uses the developer made up of a mixture of toner, carrier, and opposite polarity particles to be charged oppositely to the toner wherein the opposite polarity particles contain the particles having a relative dielectric constant of 6.7 or more.
US07653334B2
An image forming apparatus includes a toner bottle, a supply unit that supplies toner from the toner bottle to a downstream side, a door that is openably provided to execute toner replenishment, an opening/closing sensor that senses opening/closing of the door, and a unit that renders the supply unit inoperable if the door is open. If the opening/closing sensor detects the opening of the door, counting of the number of prints is started. Then, the control unit detects whether the door is closed. If the door is still opening, the control unit checks whether the number of prints has reached a predetermined value. If not, the control unit sets the image forming apparatus in a printing state. If yes, the control unit stops the printing operation. If the closing of the door is detected, the control unit resets the count value. Subsequently, the control unit determines whether the initial value of the number of prints, which is set through a control panel at the time of starting the printing operation, is reached. If the initial value is reached, the printing operation is completed.
US07653328B2
An image forming device includes a main body and a door. The main body is provided with first and second contacting parts and an abutting surface. When the door is closed, the first and second contacting parts contact a door frame of the door, thereby determining the horizontal position of the door with respect to the main body. Also a vertical positioning stopper formed to the door frame abuts the abutting surface from above, thereby determining the vertical position of the door with respect to the main body. Further, a reactive force generated at a lock mechanism and an urging force of a spring increase a pressure to contact areas of the door with the first and second contacting parts and the abutting surface.
US07653325B2
An electrostatic charger according to the present invention includes a needle electrode, a support, and a cleaning member. The needle electrode has a linear array of needles. The support can move along the linear array. The cleaning member is supported by the support rotatably on an axis perpendicular to the linear array. While the support is moving with the cleaning member along the linear array, the cleaning member rotates, with the needles sinking in order into and subsequently coming in order out of the cleaning member. When the cleaning member makes each rotation while moving with the support, some of the needles sink in positions into the cleaning member where any other needles did not sink when the cleaning member made the previous rotation.
US07653324B2
A dual engine color printer has two print engines, one for printing each side of the sheet. Each engine comprises a single multi-color set of printing drums—a set meaning a PIP drum, a blanket and an impression drum. A scheduling method is provided for imbalanced duplex printing of sheets in a print job, imbalanced meaning that the two sides of the sheets requires different numbers of colors. This conventionally leads to a situation in which one engine would have to wait until the other engine has finished. The method comprises feeding the sheets in sequence between the print engines, and alternating, over the sequence of engines, between printing the upside of a sheet followed by the down side for even sheets and the downside followed by the upside for odd sheets. Thus the two print engines are utilized full time and are not left idle while waiting for each other.
US07653318B2
Disclosed is a Photonic Phase Locked Loop (PPLL) detector/discriminator, which makes possible a system for optically transmitting electromagnetic signals through a transmission medium (such as optical fiber, optical waveguide, underwater, in biological tissue, or in free space) with high sensitivity and extremely high dynamic range exceeding what is possible with present optical intensity modulated (AM) systems. Information is encoded on an optical carrier through the use of phase modulation (PM) or frequency modulation (FM). This information is subsequently demodulated into an accessible form through the use of the PPLL.
US07653313B2
A wireless remote access base station for converting a downstream optical signal to a downstream radio frequency (RF) signal, transmitting the converted downstream RF signal wirelessly, converting a received upstream RF signal to an upstream optical signal, and transmitting the upstream optical signal is provided. The remote base station includes: an electro-absorption modulator (EAM) for converting a downstream optical signal to a downstream RF signal and an upstream RF signal to an upstream optical signal; an antenna for transmitting the downstream RF signal wirelessly and outputting the upstream RF signal received wirelessly to the EAM; and an amplifier, which is located between the EAM and the antenna, amplifies the downstream RF signal and outputs the amplified downstream RF signal to the antenna.
US07653306B2
Transmissive WSS-based mesh nodes of degree N, N≧3, includes N node port apparatuses connected to provide a multiple wavelength channel signal with reciprocal connectivity between the N node ports. Each node port apparatus has an input port and N−1 output ports and comprises either (1) a coupler connected to said input port and having N−1 outputs, (2) a transmissive 1×(N−1) WSS connected to said input port and responsive to a control signal C for establishing a switching connection to one of its N−1 outputs, or (3) a coupler connected to said input port and having X+1 outputs including one output connected to an input of a transmissive 1×Y WSS having Y outputs, where X+Y equals N−1, the sum of the remaining X outputs of the coupler and the Y outputs of the transmissive 1×Y WSS being the N−1 output ports of the node port apparatus. Each of the N−1 output ports from each node port apparatus is connected to a different output port of each of the other N−1 node port apparatuses such that a connection made from one input port of a node port apparatus to an input port of a different node port apparatus always passes through only one WSS and at least one coupler, the connection being established in response to a control signal applied to said one WSS.
US07653303B2
A digital camera and a digital camera printing system which confirms whether there exists flawed photographic images, and the type of flaws which exist in order to avoid wasting photographic printing paper. The digital camera printing system includes a storing unit for storing photographic images; a determination unit for determining whether the photographic images are of flawless or flawed photographic images; and a print-out executing unit for executing print out of the photographic images stored in the storing unit. It is possible to select executions between an all-print-out mode for printing out all images which include the flawed and flawless photographic images, and a list print-out for printing out a list of the flawed photographic images together with the flawless photographic images.
US07653292B2
A photographing apparatus that performs photographing with a camera main body accommodated in a waterproof housing includes a touch panel disposed in overlapping relationship with a display unit of the camera main body. The camera main body is operated by the touch panel, and, when photographing is performed with the camera main body accommodated in the waterproof housing, the operation of operation buttons of the waterproof housing operate corresponding operation buttons of the camera main body.
US07653291B2
The present invention relates to a water proof case for a digital camera. The water proof case for a digital camera according to the present invention comprises a housing having an inner space to accommodate the digital camera, an upper and a lower transparent films formed, respectively, on an upper and a lower sides of the housing, a first attaching member formed on an upper surface of the housing at a side of the upper transparent film, a corrugated header extended from the housing at a side of the first attaching member, a cover connected to the housing at the side of the first attaching member and positioned at a back of the corrugated header, a second attaching member formed on an upper surface of the cover, and a light tube unit heat-fused to the upper transparent film. The water proof case for a digital camera of the present invention accomplishes enhanced sealing firstly by successive folding of the corrugated header or clip attachment to the corrugated header and secondly by binding of the second attaching member formed on the cover to the first attaching member of the housing. Further, the water proof case provides high quality image and can be prepared in a cost effective manner.
US07653289B1
A packet separating section 103 separates TS packets having a designated PID from a first transport stream TS1 and outputs them as a first TS packet string P1 to a bit-rate converting section 104. On the other hand, the other TS packets are output as a second TS packet string P2 to a buffer section 107. The bit-rate converting section 104 converts the bit rate of the first TS packet string P1 for output as a third TS packet string P3. The third TS packet string P3 is re-multiplexed with the second TS packet string P2 by a packet multiplexing section 105, and recorded onto a recording medium.
US07653288B2
A method of reproducing audio/video data in an interactive mode, including reading profile information indicating a version of interactive data; selecting and reading the interactive data that is manufactured with a version that is supported by a reproducing apparatus by referring to the read profile information; and interpreting and executing the read interactive data.
US07653280B2
A polymer optical waveguide includes: an optical waveguide portion that includes a core and a cladding each formed of polymer material; and a conductive line that is installed along the core integrally with the optical waveguide portion, and that has an electrode surface for external connection exposed on a surface different from an end surface of the optical waveguide portion.
US07653271B2
The present invention provides a low-cost, high-bandwidth optical laser array where subsequent streams of data are injected in a serial fashion. The invention permits the creation of multiple channels of data on a single optical substrate without the use of costly multiplexer arrays to consolidate various optical signals. Further, the serial array eliminates the need for the parallel alignment of optical data sources, such as lasers, and instead allows for the serial alignment of the optical data sources, resulting in decreased footprint applications.
US07653270B2
A waveguide sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate; a first underclad arranged on one side of the substrate; a first sensing core arranged on outer side of the first underclad and having a stripe pattern which extends in one direction; a first overclad arranged on outer side of the first sensing core; a second underclad arranged on another side of the substrate; a second sensing core arranged on outer side of the second underclad and having a stripe pattern which extends in a direction not parallel to the direction in which the first sensing core extends; and a second overclad arranged on outer side of the second sensing core. A first grooved part which extends in a direction not parallel to the direction in which the first sensing core extends is formed on the first overclad, so that the first grooved part and the first sensing core together form a first grating in a plane view. Furthermore, a second grooved part which extends in a direction not parallel to the direction in which the second sensing core extends is formed on the second overclad, so that the second grooved part and the second sensing core together form a second grating in a plane view.
US07653269B1
A quasi-PM fused optical coupler device and method for forming the same. The optical coupler device includes a first polarization maintaining (PM) input section providing a first PM input for the fused optical coupler device for receiving a linearly polarized signal and a first PM input section output. A non-PM fiber including fusion region has an input optically coupled to the first PM input section output, the fusion region including a fusion region output. A first intermediate non-PM output and a second intermediate non-PM output are both optically coupled to the fusion region output. A first support structure is provided for securing the fusion region thereto, wherein the first intermediate non-PM output includes a cleaved output near an outer edge of the first support structure to provide a shortened first intermediate non-PM output. A first PM pigtail section has a first PM input optically coupled to the shortened first intermediate non-PM output and an output that provides a first device output for the fused optical coupler device. The first PM pigtail is rotationally aligned to said shortened first intermediate non-PM output to provide a polarization extinction ratio (PER) measured at the first device output of ≧20 dB.
US07653268B1
A substrate guided relay (600) includes an input coupler (601), an output coupler (603), and an optical substrate (602). Light is delivered from the input coupler (601) to the optical substrate (602), and then to the output coupler (603). Partially reflective coatings can be used at interfaces (606,607) between components. Partially reflective coatings or other devices (501) can be also used to create one or more copies of light. Light polarization alteration devices (661,662,663,664,665) can be used within the substrate guided relay (600), alone or in combination, to tailor the polarization of light to the designer's needs. Such devices, such as half-wave plates, provide the designer with increased flexibility regarding the design and manufacture of the substrate guided relay (600).
US07653267B2
A beam modulator (14) for modulating a beam (20) includes a modulator element (26) and a housing assembly (24). The modulator element (26) is positioned in the path of the beam (20). The housing assembly (24) retains the modulator element (26). Additionally, the housing assembly (24) defines a resonant cavity (328) with the modulator element (26) positioned therein. The housing assembly (24) includes a size adjuster (30) that can be moved to selectively adjust the size of the resonant cavity (328). As a result thereof, in certain embodiments, the resonant frequency of the beam modulator (14) can be easily tuned over a relatively large frequency range.
US07653256B2
The present method of evaluating image information, includes: extracting, from image information to be evaluated, a plurality of edge pixels located in a boundary of an image expressed by the image information; calculating, for each of the edge pixels, a number of pixels that include the edge pixel targeted for calculation, that exist in the boundary, and that are arranged in a direction intersecting with the boundary; and performing out-of-focus blurring evaluation of the image information on the basis of the number of pixels that exist in the boundary and a number of the edge pixels.
US07653247B2
A system and method for extracting a corner point in a space using pixel information obtained from a camera are provided. The corner point extracting system includes a light generation module emitting light in a predetermined form (such as a plane form), an image acquisition module acquiring an image of a reflector reflecting the light emitted from the light generation module, and a control module obtaining distance data between the light generation module and the reflector using the acquired image and extracting a corner point by performing split-merge using a threshold proportional to the distance data. The threshold is a value proportional to the distance data which corresponds to pixel information of the image acquisition module.
US07653233B2
A method of operating a check processing system includes scanning a check on a first occasion to generate a first image of the check. The first image is transmitted to a financial institution. The check is scanned on a second occasion later than the first occasion to generate a second image of the check. The second image of the check is transmitted to the financial institution. The second image of the check is examined to determine whether the check was cancelled prior to the second occasion.
US07653227B2
Hierarchal modeling is used to distinguish one state or class from three or more classes. In a first stage, a normal or other class is distinguished from a diseased or other groups of classes. If the results of the first stage classification indicate diseased or data within the groups of different classes, a subsequent stage of classification is performed. In a subsequent stage of classification, the data is classified to distinguish one or more other classes from the remaining classes. Using two or more stages, medical information is classified by eliminating one or more possible classes in each stage to finally identify a particular class most appropriate or probable for the data.
US07653219B2
A system for recording and analyzing lighting attributes associated with a calibrated target device captured within an image to provide for enhanced object recognition within the captured image. A target device is used to provide lighting information relative to a subject within the image. The attributes allow the lighting conditions at the time of the image capture to be reconstructed. In addition, two or more target devices may be use to triangulate the position of a light source to any point within the captured image. Further, the lighting attributes may be used to create a contour mapping of the subject captured within the image.
US07653210B2
An automated monitoring service downloads image files (including, e.g, graphic and video files) and audio files from various Internet sites, and checks these files for the presence of embedded digital watermark data. When found, such data is decoded and used to identify the proprietor of each watermarked file. The proprietors are alerted to the results of the monitoring operation, often apprising such proprietors of unknown distribution of their image/video/audio properties. Digital watermarks carry control flags used to control viewing or playback depending on content classification.
US07653203B2
A surround audio system for a vehicle with a plurality of operating modes. The vehicle includes seating locations. The audio system includes a plurality of input channels including surround channels. The audio system further includes a plurality of operating modes. A first operating mode is characterized by substantially equal perceived loudnesses at each of said seating locations, an equalization pattern developed by weighting frequency responses at each of said seating locations substantially equally, and a balance pattern developed by weighting sound pressure level measurements at each of said seating locations substantially equally. A second operating mode is characterized by greater perceived loudness at one of said seating locations than at the other seating locations, an equalization pattern developed by weighting the frequency response at said one of said seating locations more heavily than the frequency responses at said other seating locations, and a balance pattern developed by weighting sound pressure level measurements at said one seating location more heavily than the weightings as said other seating locations.
US07653200B2
A multiple entity gateway for supporting cellular authentication from a non-cellular network, the gateway comprising a plurality of entities each located at a different one of a plurality of secure zones and having at least one gap between said entities across said secure zones, said gateway being configured to predefine communication signals allowed across said gap between said entities, thereby to filter out non-allowed signals, and provide secure cellular authentication for a communication originating from said non-cellular network. The gateway allows cellular users to connect to a cellular network via a wireless local area network such as a hotspot, use the services of the cellular network, the Internet and the hotspot at will, and be securely authenticated and charged through the cellular infrastructure.
US07653190B1
A menu is provided in a telephone call. The menu provides a plurality of destination options including a first destination option for a residence of a family, a second destination option for a first member of the family at a first location other than the residence, and a third destination option for a second member of the family at a second location other than the residence. A first selection of one of the destination options is received in the telephone call, and the telephone call is routed to a first telephone number corresponding to the first selection. Thereafter, an originating dual-tone multi-frequency trigger is detected. The telephone call to the first telephone number is interrupted, a second selection of the destination options is received, and the telephone call is routed to a second telephone number corresponding to the second selection.
US07653180B2
A test system and method for performing DSL assessments of a telephone line along a prescribed test path is disclosed. The disclosed test system and method includes a loop diagnostic test unit adapted for testing said telephone line using narrow-band and mid-band frequency test signals; a test system controller and a test system server to provide the DSL assessments to a user via an appropriate interface. In addition, the disclosed analysis methods utilize primary line condition information, secondary line condition information, historical line information, together with real-time measurements and external data inputs to perform line imbalance analysis, fault identification analysis, trend analysis, and jurisdictional analysis all of which have relevance to quality, performance and assurance of DSL service through the telephone line.
US07653175B2
A system is provided for radiographic inspection of an object comprising multiple having different material properties. The system comprises a radiation source configured to generate radiation, a display unit for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) including multiple fields. A user enters input data via the fields in the GUI. The input data relates to one or more material properties for each of the regions. A processor is configured to compute a plurality of exposure parameters based on the input data.
US07653170B2
An electrical circuit used for measuring times is disclosed. In one embodiment, the electrical circuit has a counter, a decoder and a multiplicity of time trap elements. At least the counter and the time trap elements are located together on an integrated semiconductor component. Each time trap element has a data input, a clock input, a delay output and a output port. The time trap element contains a delay element and a flip flop. The delay element outputs a signal change at the data input with a time delay at the delay output. The flip flop has a data input, a clock input and an output port, the data inputs, the clock inputs and the output ports of the flip flop and of the time trap element being connected to one another. The time trap elements are connected as ring oscillator.
US07653163B2
Systems that communicate in a wireless network using a first and a second frequency band are described herein. The systems may use the first frequency band to transmit or receive a control signal, enabling subsequent communication using the second frequency band.
US07653149B2
A system and method for dynamically varying traffic channel sectorization within a spread spectrum communication system is disclosed herein. In a preferred implementation the system is operative to convey information to at least one specified user in a spread spectrum communication system and includes multiple antennas, each having an associated coverage area, and each coupled to an antenna driver. The antenna drivers each include a delay element and an input summation node. A switching transmission network is disposed to selectively transmit via antennas. Selective transmission of signals results in variation in size of a given user sector. In another aspect, the system may be configured to selectively receive, and coherently combine, signals from different coverage areas.
US07653134B2
A video encoding system and method utilizes a three-dimensional (3-D) wavelet transform and entropy coding that utilize motion information in a way to reduce the sensitivity to motion. In one implementation, the coding process initially estimates motion trajectories of pixels in a video object from frame to frame in a video sequence to account for motion of the video object throughout the frames. After motion estimation, a 3-D wavelet transform is applied in two parts. First, a temporal 1-D wavelet transform is applied to the corresponding pixels along the motion trajectories in a time direction. The temporal wavelet transform produces decomposed frames of temporal wavelet transforms, where the spatial correlation within each frame is well preserved. Second, a spatial 2-D wavelet transform is applied to all frames containing the temporal wavelet coefficients. The wavelet transforms produce coefficients within different sub-bands. The process then codes wavelet coefficients. In particular, the coefficients are assigned various contexts based on the significance of neighboring samples in previous, current, and next frame, thereby taking advantage of any motion information between frames. The wavelet coefficients are coded independently for each sub-band to permit easy separation at a decoder, making resolution scalability and temporal scalability natural and easy. During the coding, bits are allocated among sub-bands according to a technique that optimizes rate-distortion characteristics.
US07653126B2
A method of controlling the operation of an equalizer (210, 216), wherein the equalizer is adapted to receive a transmitted signal (76, 78) comprising at least one predetermined sequence of symbols, includes the step of developing a set of samples from a received signal. At least one plurality of samples is identified, wherein the at least one plurality of samples corresponds to the at least one predetermined sequence of symbols. The equalizer is then operated in a selected one of three modes. A first mode is selected if the at least one plurality of samples is identified, wherein the first mode includes the step of developing a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) (100). A second mode is selected if the at least one plurality of samples is identified and the SNR is greater than a first predetermined threshold. A third mode is selected if the at least one plurality of samples is identified and the SNR is greater than a second predetermined threshold.
US07653124B2
Monitoring a demodulator includes repeating the following for each demodulating module of one or more demodulating modules of a demodulator: receiving a first signal and a second signal from a demodulating module; introducing a relative delay between the first signal and the second signal; and asynchronously sampling the first signal and the second signal to yield samples. Image data representing the samples associated with the demodulating modules is generated. The image data indicates one or more mismatches of the demodulator.
US07653123B1
An improved method and apparatus is described for using a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) system that takes advantage of multiplicative pseudo-noise codes (PN-Codes) in order to wirelessly connect multiple peripherals in a computer system at different data rates. The use of multiplicative PN-Codes allows the system to use multiple-length PN-Codes within the same system while minimizing the hardware needed to implement such a system. The improved method and apparatus also uses an identifier in the transmitted packet header in order to communicate the choice of PN-Code to the receiver. By using multiple-length PN-Codes in conjunction with an identifier in the packet header the improved method and apparatus allows for remote peripherals to choose a suitable data rate on a packet-by-packet basis while minimizing the system complexity.
US07653117B2
An improved method is provided for decoding data in a frequency hopping communications system. The method includes: monitoring transition points between data bits in a demodulated data stream, where the data bits are transmitted to a receiver over different transmission frequencies; determining a frequency over which data bits are transmitted to the receiver; determining a reliability metric for each frequency over which data bits were received, where the reliability metric is based on transition points of data bits transmitted over a given frequency; and performing a decoding operation using the reliability metric for each frequency over which data bits were received.
US07653115B2
A semiconductor laser device with the energy density increased at the focal point and a LD pumped solid-state laser device configured of the particular semiconductor laser device are provided. A stack array laser element for radiating a two-dimensional array of laser beams includes a plurality of parallel laser beam columns each aligned in the form of dotted lines. In front of the stack array laser element, each laser beam column collimated by being refracted in the direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of the dotted line is received, and radiated by turning at right angles to the direction of the laser beams from each emitter or emitter group. In this way, the laser beams are converted into a plurality of substantially ladder-shaped parallel laser beam columns. These parallel laser beam columns are compressed to form parallel laser beam columns in alignment. Each compressed one of parallel laser beam columns is turned at right angles and radiated. Thus, all the laser beams are converted into a plurality of aligned parallel laser beams, which are collimated and condensed at a focal point.
US07653108B2
An array of light beam emitter sections comprises: a substrate having a surface divided into an array of sections; and a grouping of light emitters disposed at each surface section and configured to emit light beams at different emission angles with respect to the surface. Also disclosed is apparatus for establishing optical communication channels between the array of light beam emitter sections and an array of light detectors. The apparatus comprises a controller coupled to the arrays of emitter sections and detectors for mapping at least one light emitter of each grouping with a light detector of the detector array to establish optical communication channels between the arrays based on the mappings. Further disclosed is a method of establishing optical communication channels between the array of light emitter sections and array of light detectors by mapping at least one light emitter of each grouping with a light detector of the detector array to establish optical communication channels between the arrays based on the mappings.
US07653106B2
A method of bonding a compound semiconductor on a silicon waveguide is used for attaining a laser above a silicon substrate. While it is essential to attain laser oscillation by injection of a current, since amorphous is formed at the bonding surface of a silicon compound semiconductor, it is difficult to directly inject the current through the silicon waveguide to the compound semiconductor. Further, even when an electrode is formed near the waveguide and the current is injected, since the current is not injected near the silicon waveguide, laser oscillation through the silicon waveguide can not be attained. The problem is solved by forming a structure of laterally injecting a current to the silicon waveguide and concentrating the current near the silicon waveguide in a compound semiconductor. Specific methods includes the following two methods, that is, a method of forming a tunneling junction structure in the compound semiconductor and another method of laterally forming a P-I-N junction to the compound semiconductor.
US07653097B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a laser source is provided. The laser source comprises a laser configured to generate an optical signal, and a polarization split and delay unit that is coupled to the optical signal. The polarization split and delay unit is configured to split the optical signal into a first and second orthogonally polarized component, create an optical path difference ΔL between the first and second orthogonally polarized components and combine the first and second orthogonally polarized components into a combined signal. The method comprises modulating the optical signal by applying a wavelength modulation signal to the laser such that the modulated optical signal comprises at least a first wavelength λ1 and a second wavelength λ2, wherein the first wavelength λ1 and the second wavelength λ2 are separated by a wavelength difference Δλ. The wavelength difference Δλ and the optical path difference ΔL are such that the first and second orthogonally polarized components oscillate back and forth from an in-phase state to an out of phase state. Additional embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.
US07653086B2
A method of scheduling upstream bandwidth. This method comprises: 1) anticipating the need for the upstream bandwidth in advance of any specific request for said upstream bandwidth; and 2) scheduling the upstream bandwidth in accordance with such need.
US07653084B2
An apparatus and method for allocating a bandwidth for up-stream data transmission to a plurality of Optical Network Units (ONUs) in an Ethernet Passive Optical Access Network (EPON) in which the ONUs are connected to a single Optical Line Terminal (OLT) are disclosed. The bandwidth allocation method for guaranteeing a Quality of Service (QoS) in the EPON includes the steps of: a) classifying up-stream data to be transmitted from a plurality of Optical Network Units (ONUs) of the EPON to an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) into a plurality of classes according to predetermined data priority information, and requesting bandwidths required for individual classes from the OLT; b) allowing the OLT to perform a bandwidth distribution process according to bandwidth requirement quantities of individual classes using weights pre-assigned to individual classes; and c) allowing the OLT to distribute a residual bandwidth acquired after the bandwidth distribution process is performed from among an available total up-stream bandwidth to the ONUs.
US07653081B2
A system for transporting public switched network (PSTN) terminated signaling across an Internet protocol (IP) network includes a gateway between the PSTN and the IP network. The gateway receives a telephony signaling message from the PSTN and determines if the telephony signaling message maps to an IP signaling message. If the telephony signaling message does not map to an IP signaling message, the gateway packages the telephony signaling message in a special IP signaling message for transport over the IP network. If the gateway receives a special IP signaling special message, the gateway unpackages the telephony signaling message from the special message for transport over the PSTN. If the gateway receives DTMF signals from the PSTN, the gateway translates the DTMF signals to digits and packages the digits in a special IP signaling message for transport over the IP network. The gateway also packages the DTMF signals in an IP media transport protocol message for transport over the IP network.
US07653065B2
A method and system for transmitting packets having a first address length on a core network supporting a second address length, where the second address length is larger than the first address length by determining a length of the first address and establishing an offset to the first address such that a combined length of the offset, length of a network prefix for the second address and length of the first address equals the length of the second address. The method and system of the present invention can be implemented as an enhancement to existing network protocols such as IPv4, IPv6 and the like.
US07653060B2
The present invention provides a system and method for utilizing the Advanced Switching network protocol to communicate over long distances, such as multiple kilometers. The present invention utilizes an existing status bit, referred to as the Perishable Bit, within the AS packet header, to reduce the number of packets which must be stored in the retry buffer. This reduces the required size of the retry buffer and simultaneously reduces the latency associated with retransmitting time critical packets after NAKs are received. The receiving device also utilizes the Perishable Bit in determining which packets to accept and which to discard.
US07653059B1
A system and method supporting communication sessions for nodes in a network. A sender node may initiate a send operation to send a message to one or more receiver nodes. For each receiver node, the message may pass from the sender node to the receiver node via a path including a plurality of nodes. At each node through which the message passes, the node may store state information regarding the message. The state information may include information specifying a link via which the message was received. Each receiver node may issue one or more replies to the message. The replies from each receiver node may pass from the receiver node to the sender node via the same path by which the message reached the respective receiver node. This may be accomplished using the state information stored on each node in the path.
US07653058B2
A wireless transceiving system capable of processing multi-channel broadcast signals and Ethernet signals from an Ethernet PON (Passive Optical Network), the wireless transceiving system includes a wireless STB (Set-top Box) transmitter for wirelessly transmitting broadcast signals which are multi-channel image signals and Ethernet signals; and at least one wireless STB receiver for receiving the broadcast signals and the Ethernet signals transmitted from the wireless STB transmitter to output image signals and audio signals corresponding to the received broadcast signals, and to support an Ethernet port based on the received Ethernet signals.
US07653056B1
This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel, such as by enabling virtual switching using a provisional identifier to conceal a user identifier. These tools, for example, may use an inexpensive switch module to create virtual switch instances. To do so, the tools may assign data packets to a virtual switch instance by mapping the data packets to a particular provisional identifier and then modifying the data packets to include the provisional identifier. The switch module may then forward the data packets based on the provisional identifier rather than on the user identifier. The tools may remove the provisional identifier before forwarding the data packets to a destination.
US07653052B2
A connection system for a communication switch is provided. The switch comprises a controller and shelves providing communication capabilities for the switch. The controller is able to communicate with each shelf shelves utilizing categories of communication signals. The connection system comprises connections providing signalling links for the categories of communication signals between the controller and the each shelf. The connections are bundled together in a single, collective span of cable and each connection provides its individual category communication signals independently of the other connections.
US07653049B2
An IP telephone system includes IP telephone apparatuses and an ENUM server. The IP telephone apparatuses, connected to an IP network, perform a voice communication. The ENUM server stores NAPTR resource records containing file transfer protocols supported by the IP telephone apparatuses and returns the NAPTR resource records, responding to a query of the IP telephone apparatuses. In the IP telephone system, when receiving a voice communication instruction from a user of a source IP telephone apparatus the source IP telephone apparatus inquires the ENUM server for NAPTR resource records of a destination IP telephone apparatus. When receiving a file transfer instruction during a voice communication, the source IP telephone apparatus transfers a file to the destination IP telephone apparatus, using a file transfer protocol specified in the NAPTR resource records.
US07653043B2
A system for performing communications within a network including a plurality of communication stations, in which when an access control is performed so that communication timing of a packet can not collide with that of another station by detecting a signal that is transmitted from another station, a header area processed not to become an error such as a physical layer header portion of a packet that is transmitted from a communication station is made to have information that is required for extracting information in a payload of the packet. A field is provided in the header area for controlling an access reservation of transmission of a packet that is generated as a result of transmission of another packet so that processing using the field can be performed.
US07653034B2
Some representative embodiments are directed to controlling access to a wireless medium using “credit” periods and “free” periods. During a credit period, credits are initially assigned to the stations and each station is repetitively polled as long as the station has credit remaining and data is available to communicate. During the free periods, stations are polled using a start-time fair queuing algorithm. By dividing the access to the wireless medium in this manner, real time applications may use the credit periods to prevent communication latency from deteriorating application performance. Specifically, the repetitive occurrence of the credit periods and the assignment of credits to the stations ensures that each station will communicate at least at a minimum data rate. Additionally, controlling access to the wireless medium in this manner prevents frame collisions and, thereby, increases network throughput.
US07653032B2
A device includes a wireless communication port to allow the device to communicate with a wireless network. The device also has at least two wireless network profiles and a distributed device management interface to manage the wireless network profiles. The device management interface is established by defining at least one wireless network adapter class and providing properties for the wireless network adapter class. A setting class is defined for wireless network adapter configurations and the wireless network adapter is associated with a wireless provider.
US07653026B2
Data transport which allows for handover is implemented by a mobile wireless communication system wherein a first datum is transmitted by a wireless base station, in response to the reception of which a mobile station transmits a second datum, in response to the reception of which the wireless base station transmits a third datum, which is received by the mobile station, the mobile station comprising a control unit which performs changeover of the reception channel for the first datum before changeover of the reception channel for the third datum during handover.
US07653009B2
In general, this disclosure describes techniques of selecting routes for network packets through a computer network based, at least in part, on electrical power procurement arrangements of devices in the computer network. As described herein, there may be a plurality of routes through a computer network from a first device to a second device. Each of these routes may include one or more devices that consume electrical power. A route selection device may make a determination regarding how network packets are to be routed among these routes based, at least in part, on arrangements made to procure the electrical power consumed by the devices along the routes. After the route selection device makes this determination, the route selection device may cause network packets to be routed among these routes in accordance with this determination.
US07653003B2
An ad hoc network organizes itself to provide communications without need for an a priori designated central control mechanism or base stations. Such self-organization is challenging in a multihop ad hoc network having member nodes that are highly mobile and widely distributed. A Synchronous Collision Resolution (SCR) protocol is well suited to provide efficient medium access control is such networks. SCR is an access protocol that archives high capacity collision free access using a signaling approach that creates a random cellular-like network after each signaling period. In use, the present invention provides quality of service and supports energy conservation for the mobile nodes.
US07653002B2
The present invention is directed to a system and method for monitoring perceived quality of a packet-switched voice service in a network. The method includes the step of receiving a packetized voice communication via the packet-switched voice service. At least one objective measurement is obtained from the received packetized voice communication. User perceived quality of voice data is derived from the at least one objective measurement. The user perceived quality of voice data is provided to a user. The steps of receiving, obtaining, deriving, and providing are performed in real-time.
US07652999B2
A method and apparatus for reliably detecting MPEG-2 packet sync-byte positions received via a digital transmission system in the event of a packet stream containing a plurality of null packets of a plurality of packets containing a fixed repeating bit pattern and for reliably synchronizing and delivering the MPEG-2 stream broadcast to the receiver transport layer. A Null-Packet Detector compares the content of the current packet with a fixed (or predetermined) bit pattern to detect a null packet to reliably identify the location of the sync-byte of the null packet. a sync-byte position is identified based upon the position of the predetermined fixed bit pattern in the header portion of a plurality of null-packets in the stream.
US07652994B2
A system includes effective transmission of compressed audio/video stream as a sequence of audio/video (AV) data units. The system includes a transcoder that transcodes the data at different data unit rates. The system also includes a transmitter that transmits the data units at different average data unit rates. A controller controls the bit rate at which the transcoder transcodes the data units in conjunction with the data unit rate per second at which the transmitter transmits the said transcoded data stream.
US07652991B2
A bridged network system (10). The system comprises at least one network server (NS) for receiving and responding to authentication session requests. The system also comprises a plurality of bridge nodes (BRNx). Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is connected to communicate with at least one other neighboring bridge node in the plurality of nodes, and each bridge node comprises at least one port (BPx), circuitry for communicating with at least one of either another bridge node in the plurality of nodes or the at least one network server, and circuitry for limiting (40, 42) a number of authentication sessions active at a same time through the at least one port. The system also comprises a central resource (e.g., BRN0). The central resource comprises circuitry for directing (74) the circuitry for limiting, for at least two bridge nodes in the plurality of bridge nodes, in response to a number of authentication sessions active at a same time through two or more bridge nodes in the plurality of bridge nodes.
US07652985B2
A data transmission system and method and a method of selecting a communication path for a dual-controller system are provided, which are applied in a first controller and a second controller of the dual-controller system. First of all, a corresponding transmission medium is selected according to a feature of a data request issued by a controller, then the data request is converted into a data format compatible with a medium interface corresponding to the selected transmission medium and is sent to a corresponding medium driving portion connected with the medium interface, and the data request is sent to another controller through the medium driving portion and a connected corresponding medium controller, so as to select a path of the highest transmission performance, and realize the data transmission between the two controllers.
US07652977B2
The present invention provides a HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) combining method in an OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) system, which adopts improved Chase combining method weighted by SNR and variance of SNR to realize HARQ combining. The method can improve system performance in processing power and time delay, particularly in low SNR environment, and will not make the system more complex.
US07652974B2
Plural grooves or lands formed in an information recording carrier include at least a wobbling region and data is recorded wobblingly in this wobbling region by phase shift modulation while recorded digitally with a single or multiple waves as a channel bit.
US07652973B2
An information storage medium, and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method, the information storage medium including a plurality of recording layers, each layer including a lead-in area or a lead-out area, a data area, a middle area, and a dedicated area, wherein the data area is flexibly allocated according to data capacity to be recorded in each of the recording layers, the middle area is allocated behind the data area, and the dedicated area is allocated behind the middle area. The dedicated area for a special purpose may selectively be allocated in an outer circumferential area of the information storage medium, i.e., an optical disk including a plurality of recording layers. In particular, optical disks in various formats are provided in which dedicated areas for special purposes can selectively be allocated in outer circumferential areas of the optical disks depending on recording characteristics of the optical disks and the outer circumferential areas.
US07652972B2
A nano data writing and reading apparatus using a cantilever structure includes a cantilever formed by patterning a deposition material deposited on a sacrificial substrate, a probe formed at a front end portion of one surface of the cantilever and formed simultaneously with the cantilever as the deposition material is filled in a probe groove pattern formed on the sacrificial substrate when the deposition material is deposited on the sacrificial substrate, a heater formed of polycrystalline silicon at the cantilever, for heating the probe, a data sensing unit formed at the cantilever and sensing data written on media, a signal connection pad connected to the data sensing unit and formed at the cantilever to provide an electrical connection with an external signal line, a signal transfer circuit unit connected to the signal connection pad, for controlling writing and reading of data on and from the media, and a bonding unit allowing the cantilever to be supported at the signal transfer circuit unit and providing a passage for an electrical connection between the signal connection pad and the signal transfer circuit unit. Accordingly, the cantilever and the probe can be precisely formed by a molding technique through the removal of a sacrificial substrate and are formed of a deposition material such as a silicon nitride material, thereby remarkably reducing variations in a thickness of the cantilever and improving the durability of the probe. Also, because a bonding process with a glass wafer for fabricating the cantilever structure is not required, the process is facilitated and a fabrication coast is greatly reduced.
US07652971B2
A threshold current modifying device is provided for an optical pickup head. The optical pickup head initially generates an output power when an operating current is larger than a threshold current of the optical pickup head, and the threshold current is related to a temperature of the optical pickup head in a functional relationship. The threshold current modifying device includes a threshold current calculating module and a power control module. The threshold current calculating module receives a temperature signal from the optical pickup head at a first temperature to output a threshold current signal according to the temperature signal and the functional relationship. The power control module receives the threshold current signal to adjust the operating current.
US07652969B2
A holographic optical accessing system includes a light source for emitting a light beam; an optical assembly module for receiving the light beam and generating a signal beam and a reference beam that are parallel to each other rather than overlap with each other, and have the same first polarization state; a lens module for focusing the signal beam and the reference beam on a focal point at the same time; and a storage medium for recording the focal point. The optical assembly module includes at least a data plane for displaying image information so that the signal beam contains the image information.
US07652968B2
A holographic recording/reproducing apparatus is adapted to split laser light into signal light and reference light and to record a hologram by illuminating a holographic recording medium with the signal light and the reference light and/or to reproduce the hologram by illuminating the holographic recording medium with the reference light. The holographic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a laser light source that emits the laser light, a measuring unit operable to measure the wavelength of the laser light, and a setting unit operable to measure the wavelength of the laser light while changing a current supplied to the laser light source, and to set the current supplied to the laser light source based on a measurement result such that the influence of a change in the wavelength of the laser light is minimized.
US07652965B2
This patent specification describes a novel optical information recording method for recording mark and space information. The method for recording optical information comprises the steps of generating a peak level current waveform having a high level, generating a bias level current waveform having a low level generating a normal boost level current waveform and a low boost level current waveform, driving a laser light source with the normal boost level current waveform superimposed on the low level current waveform in a normal boost level light emission and switching a drive current waveform for the laser light source to the low boost level current waveform superimposed on the low level current waveform in a peak level sampling operation.
US07652961B2
An optical information recording method in an optical recording generation method for performing recording and reproduction of information by radiating laser light which is pulse-modulated according to a recording waveform having a plurality of setting parameters onto a storage medium is disclosed. The method comprises reading information recorded in the storage medium; determining positions corresponding to a detection pattern from the detection pattern and a reproduction signal, the detection pattern being defined according to a specific parameter from among the plurality of setting parameters, and the reproduction signal being obtained by reading the information; detecting the state of the reproduction signal according to the result of the determination; generating an ideal reproduction signal according to the detection pattern; and obtaining a predetermined signal evaluation index value using the result of detection of the state of the reproduction signal and the ideal reproduction signal.
US07652960B2
In a recordable optical disc including at least one recording layer, write strategy information is recorded within disc control information, so that standardized disc control information can be uniformly applied to data recording and reproduction. At least one disc information is recorded as the disc control information within the management area. The disc control information is recorded per at least one write strategy type for a same writing speed and recording layer. The write strategy type recorded in the corresponding disc information is determined by recording write strategy parameters of the optionally determined write strategy type among applicable write strategy types.
US07652959B2
An optical disk device includes a BE control means which issues a request for recording of data upon an optical disk. Furthermore, this optical disk device includes an FE processing means which, upon receipt of the recording request from the BE control means, irradiates laser light from a pickup head onto the optical disk, and records data stored in a buffer RAM upon the optical disk. If an error has occurred during the recording of the data upon the optical disk by the FE processing means, then the BE control means first acquires, from the FE processing means, error information including an error occurrence address. And the BE control means performs control to execute recovery processing, according to this error information.
US07652954B2
A write head structure for perpendicular recording having a pole tip integrated into the metal film surrounding a C aperture near field light source is disclosed. The close proximity of the pole tip to the light source enables more precise location of data cells written into the magnetic media, through the use of dual gradient thermally assisted recording. In dual gradient recording, data is fixed by the effect of both a thermal gradient, which affects the coercivity of the magnetic media, combined with a magnetic field gradient imposed by the pole tip.
US07652951B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for using an acoustic logging tool conveyed in a borehole in an earth formation for determining a characteristic of the formation. The method comprises using a first acoustic source for generating an acoustic signal in the earth formation at a first frequency. A second acoustic source spaced apart from the first source is used for generating an acoustic signal in the earth formation at a second frequency different from the first frequency. An acoustic receiver is used for receiving a third acoustic signal indicative of said characteristic. The third acoustic signal has a frequency substantially equal to a difference between the first frequency and the second frequency. The third acoustic signal is produced by a nonlinear interaction between the first signal and the second signal in a portion of said earth formation. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
US07652948B2
Nonvolatile memory devices include a memory cell array having memory cells arranged in rows and columns, and an address storing unit that is configured to store therein an indicator of an initial column address and an indicator of an end column address, to identify a subset of the columns that extends from the initial column address to the end column address. A program circuit is configured to verify a programming operation for a selected row at the subset of the columns that extends from the initial column address to the end column address. Analogous methods of programming a nonvolatile memory device also may be provided.
US07652944B2
A semiconductor device is composed of a first circuit receiving a first power supply voltage; and a second circuit receiving a second power supply voltage. The second power supply voltage is higher than the first power supply voltage. Such device arrangement is effective for reducing the soft error rate, when the second circuit is more susceptive to a soft error than the first circuit, especially when the second circuit is a memory device.
US07652941B2
A memory device is provided which has: a memory cell to store data; a word line to select the memory cell; a bit line connectable to the selected memory cell; a precharge power supply to supply a precharge voltage to the bit line; a precharge circuit to connect or disconnect the precharge power supply to or from the bit line; and a current limiting element to control the magnitude of a current flowing between the precharge power supply and the bit line at least by two steps according to an operation status.
US07652937B2
Receiver architectures and related bias circuits for a data processor are provided. One embodiment of a receiver architecture includes three linear receiver stages coupled in series. The first stage receives a differential data strobe (DQS) input signal associated with a plurality of data (DQ) signals, and the first stage has a first programmable swing voltage associated therewith. The second stage has a programmable shift voltage associated therewith, and the third stage has a second programmable swing voltage associated therewith. The receiver architecture also includes a programming architecture coupled to the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage. The programming architecture is configured to set the first programmable swing voltage, the programmable shift voltage, and the second programmable swing voltage.
US07652935B2
When a data write sequence is started, initially, write data is latched in a data latch circuit corresponding to one memory mat. Then, a program pulse is applied to the memory mat, and data read from a memory cell, which is a data write target bit in the memory mat, is performed. Thereafter, verify determination of the memory mat is performed. After a verify operation for the memory mat is completed, a program pulse is applied to another memory mat, and a verify operation for another memory mat is performed.
US07652930B2
The present invention is a method circuit and system for erasing one or more non-volatile memory (“NVM”) cells in an NVM array. One or more NVM cells of a memory array may be erased using an erase pulse produced by a controller and/or erase pulse source adapted to induce and/or invoke a substantially stable channel current in the one or more NVM cells during an erasure procedure. The voltage profile of an erase pulse may be predefined or the voltage profile of the erase pulse may be dynamically adjusted based on feedback from a current sensor during an erase procedure.
US07652923B2
A memory applicable to an embedded memory is provided. The memory includes a substrate, a gate, a charge-trapping gate dielectric layer, a source, and a drain. The gate is disposed above the substrate. The charge-trapping gate dielectric layer is disposed between the gate and the substrate. The source and the drain are disposed in the substrate beside the gate respectively.
US07652922B2
An apparatus, system, and computer-implemented method for controlling data transfer between a plurality of serial data link interfaces and a plurality of memory banks in a semiconductor memory is disclosed. In one example, a flash memory device with multiple links and memory banks, where the links are independent of the banks, is disclosed. The flash memory devices may be cascaded in a daisy-chain configuration using echo signal lines to serially communicate between memory devices. In addition, a virtual multiple link configuration is described wherein a single link is used to emulate multiple links.
US07652921B2
The present disclosure provides a Non-Volatile Memory (NVM) cell and programming method thereof. The cell can denote at least two logic levels. The cell has a read-transistor with a floating gate, and Band-To-Band-Tunneling device (BTBT device) sharing the floating gate with the read-transistor. The BTBT device is configured as an injection device for injecting a first charge onto the floating gate when the BTBT device is biased with a first gate bias voltage such that the BTBT device is in accumulation, to set at least one of the logic levels. A first electrode is coupled to bias the BTBT device with a first bias voltage that is higher than the first threshold voltage. The first bias voltage is controlled such that the BTBT device is in accumulation during a write operation. The injected amount of charge on the floating gate is determined by the first bias voltage.
US07652917B2
In a data program/erase device of a nonvolatile memory cell, data are re-written by means of an FN tunnel current of an entire channel surface. In a buried n-well of a semiconductor substrate in a flash memory formation region, p wells are placed in the form isolated from each other. In each of the p wells, a capacitor portion, a capacitor portion for programming/erasing data and an MIS•FET for reading data are placed. In the capacitor portion for programming/erasing data, rewriting (programming and erasing) of data is performed by means of an FN tunnel current of an entire channel surface.
US07652915B2
One embodiment of the present invention includes a three dimensional memory array having a plurality of memory elements coupled to form the array through a single top lead and a single bottom lead, each memory element including a magnetic free layer in which non-volatile data can be stored, wherein each memory element possesses unique resonant frequencies associated with each digital memory state, thereby enabling frequency addressing during parallel write and read operations, each memory element further including a fixed layer and a spacer formed between the free layer and the fixed layer.
US07652912B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a free layer having first and second magnetic layers magnetized oppositely to each other, and also having a first nonmagnetic layer formed between the first and second magnetic layers, a first fixed layer having a fixed magnetization direction, a second nonmagnetic layer formed between the second magnetic layer and the first fixed layer, a first drive circuit passing a write current through a first write current line in a data write operation, and thereby generating a data write magnetic field acting on magnetization of the free layer, and a second drive circuit passing a spin injection current between the first magnetic layer and the first fixed layer in a data write operation, and thereby exerting a force in the same direction as or in the direction opposite to the magnetization direction of the first fixed layer on the magnetization of the free layer.
US07652907B2
A memory device including a stack of layers. At least one first active layer is based on a crystalline ionic and electronic conducting material capable of releasing and/or accepting at least one ionic species. At least one second active layer is based on a crystalline ionic and electronic conducting material capable of releasing and/or accepting the ionic species. The first active layer and the second active layer are based on a material that has a high potential variation for a low variation in the concentration of the ionic species. At least one layer forms an electrolyte between the first active layer and the second active layer, and is based on at least one ionic conducting and electronic insulating material. A measurement instrument is provided for measuring the electrochemical potential difference between the first active layer and the second active layer.
US07652902B2
An object is to provide an integrated-inverter electric compressor that can enhance assembly and vibration resistance of power semiconductor switching devices and control substrates thereof constituting the inverter device. The integrated-inverter electric compressor, in which an inverter device is installed in an inverter container provided on an outer circumference of a housing, includes a plurality of IGBTs constituting the inverter device and a guide member having a plurality of guide holes for passing terminals of the IGBTs provided between the control substrate and the IGBTs. The guide member is provided with at least one first positioning pin, fitted in positioning holes provided in a mounting surface of the IGBT, in one side surface facing the IGBT, and at least one second positioning pin, fitted in positioning holes provided in the control substrate, in another side surface facing the control substrate.
US07652900B2
An inverter type AC generator includes an inverter circuit converting a DC output into AC output of a predetermined frequency and supplying the AC output to a load via a load line in order to improve the quality of an AC output waveform at least in parallel operations. The inverter AC generator includes a zero-crossing detection circuit for detecting a timing of zero-crossings of an AC output voltage waveform on the output line. A controller generates a drive signal in synchronization with the timing of the detected zero-crossings, when a predetermined number of zero-crossings have been detected, and drives the inverter to perform a synchronized operation process.
US07652895B2
The invention relates to an electric insulating body (2) provided with a conductor pattern (1) and an electronic device (10) comprising such a body (2) and at least one electronic element (30). According to the invention, the body (2) has first and second faces (2A, 2B) in between of which an angle of less than 180 degrees is defined, wherein the conductor pattern (1) of the body (2) extends over both faces (2A, 2B), which body (2) carries both the conductor pattern (1) and the electronic element (30). The conductor pattern (1) comprises strip-shaped regions (1A) and regions (1B) with a larger width than the strip-shaped regions (1A), which regions (1B) are suitable for electrically contacting the electronic element (30). The electronic element (30) is, for example, a camera. The device (10) with such a camera is particularly suitable for use in a mobile communication apparatus.
US07652891B2
A method according to one embodiment may include providing a baffle assembly comprising at least one airflow control zone with an airflow resistance. The method of this embodiment may also include positioning said baffle assembly in a flow of air through a chassis. Of course, many alternatives, variations, and modifications are possible without departing from this embodiment.
US07652889B2
An apparatus adapted for locating position of an electronic system or device in an information technology (IT) center comprises a connector strip adapted for attachment to a rack cabinet configured for mounting multiple electronic devices, and a jumper adapted for interfacing an electronic device of the multiple electronic devices and configured to mate with and attach to the connector strip. The apparatus further comprises a logic adapted to identify position of the interfaced electronic device in the rack cabinet based on attachment of the jumper to the connector strip.
US07652888B2
A method and a housing assembly including a case defining an opening, and a coupler positioned within the opening and configured for coupling to a connector, wherein the case defines a securing portion positioned proximate to the opening and is configured for securing a portion of the connector when coupled with the coupler.
US07652887B2
An electronic control module mounted to an adaptive vehicle mount or directly onto a car body. The control module includes a casing which may have at least one leverage tab integral with the casing. The casing also includes an integral fastening tab, and may act as a lever such that the leverage tab and fastener tab withstand forces which counterbalances the force exerted on the casing when the casing is mounted to an adaptive vehicle mount or directly onto the car body.
US07652883B2
An electronic device includes a housing that has a bottom surface and a side surface and includes an opening for air cooling formed therein; and a substrate that has a heat generating component mounted on a surface thereof facing the bottom surface of the housing and is fixed in the housing such that there is space between the substrate and the opening. The electronic device further includes a heat radiation component that contacts the heat generating component on the substrate and that spreads, between the bottom surface of the housing and the substrate, through the space, and to a position near and inside the opening; and a fan that is disposed in the space and fixed in the housing independently of the substrate so as to perform air cooling using the opening.
US07652877B2
An electronic apparatus includes a first part, a second part, and a rotating holding part configured to rotatably hold the second part to the first part, wherein, in addition to a closed state in which the first part and the second part are placed upon one another and an opened state in which the second part is apart from the first part so that both first and second parts are opened, an intermediate state is provided in which respective opposite faces of the first and second parts are apart by a predetermined space and thereby radiation is available, and a lifting mechanism is provided to cause an end of the second part to be apart from a corresponding end of the first part in the rotating holding part so that the opposite faces of both parts are apart by the predetermined space and thus the intermediate state is created.
US07652872B1
Memory module adapters and methods for connecting memory modules to computing systems are disclosed. The memory module adapter includes memory connectors, a multi-memory connector, and a support that supports the memory connectors and multi-memory connector. The memory connectors are electrically connected to the multi-memory connector. Memory modules are connected to a computing system by inserting the memory modules along a first insertion axis into a memory connector of a memory module adapter and inserting the memory module adapter along a second insertion axis to a platform connector of a computing platform within the computing system.
US07652870B2
A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes a plurality of ceramic dielectric layers, a plurality of inner electrode layers and and external electrodes. The ceramic dielectric layers includes barium titanate crystal grains having pores inside. The inner electrode layers are between the ceramic dielectric layers. The external electrodes are electrically connected to the inner electrode layers. The barium titanate crystal grains each have a core-shell structure which include a core and a shell around the core. The the pores are mainly formed in the cores.
US07652866B2
A flexible conductive static control brush assembly includes first and second brushes disposed on a common backing strip. Each brush includes a plurality of filaments disposed inwardly from opposite edges of the backing strip. Bands overlie outer end portions of the filaments adjacent edges of the backing strip, with the bands covering only a portion of each filament length. The backing strip includes parting lines for tearing to remove an intermediate portion of the backing strip between the brushes to expose the filaments.
US07652865B2
An earthing device which needs not be buried under the ground is provided. The earthing device includes an earthing panel and a discharging device mounted inside the earthing panel. The discharging device includes at least one electrode plate, multiple discharging electrodes coupled to the electrode plate, and catalyst filled between the discharging electrodes. Since an earth electrode needs not be buried under the ground, it requires less construction costs, time and area, and environmental pollution (especially, soil pollution) does not happen. Further, the earthing device can be simply and economically installed regardless of place.
US07652852B2
A method of production of a magnetoresistance effect device is able to prevent or minimize a drop in the MR ratio and maintain the high performance of the magnetoresistance effect device even if forming an oxide layer as a surface-most layer constituting a protective layer by the oxidation process inevitably included in the process of production of microprocessing by dry etching performed in a vacuum. Two mask layers used for microprocessing are doubly piled up. This method of production of a magnetoresistivity effect device including a magnetic multilayer film including at least two magnetic layers includes a step of providing under a first mask material that is a nonorganic material a second mask material able to react with other atoms to form a conductive substance, and a device made according to the method.
US07652851B2
A head support device of self-balancing type and a disk drive are disclosed. The head support device reduces manufacturing variation in a load and the number of components, and has stability and reliability, while being inexpensive. In this head support device, a flange and a nut cramp, via a collar, a head support arm having a reinforcing plate fixed thereto. The head support arm is supported rotatably about a line provided between contact points at which pivots contact the flange and in a direction perpendicular to a recording medium. A spring as an elastic member provides an urging force toward the recording medium, and is provided unitarily with the head support arm. Bent portions are provided on both sides of the arm composing the head support arm to a tab.
US07652850B2
Embodiments of the invention decrease bending vibrations and torsional vibrations of a voice coil generated by off-plane vibrational forces on the voice coil to reduce noise and to enable a large capacity. In one embodiment, a rotating disk type storage unit comprises a rotating disk recording medium, a head that moves radially relative to the rotating disk recording medium to perform recording or reproduction, a turnable actuator having mounted on one side thereof the head, and a voice coil motor to drive the actuator. The voice coil motor comprises a voice coil mounted on the other side end of the actuator, and a magnet arranged in opposition to the voice coil. A magnet outer periphery of the magnet disposed distant from an actuator turning center is formed to be arcuately concave in shape, and the concave-shaped outer periphery intersects the voice coil.
US07652848B2
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a magnetic head slider to be easily mounted on or dismounted from a suspension and can hold a magnetic head slider so as not to be removed due to a shock resultant from handling during a characteristic test and a manufacturing process. A load beam is formed with protruding portions on both sides. A flexure includes a frame portion, a plate portion, a spring portion, an E-shaped pressing portion, and a probe portion. The plate portion extends from a guide portion of the frame portion. The probe portion may be formed by partially cutting out the frame portion. A limiter is formed on both sides of the plate portion. The limiter protrudes from the rear of the load beam and has a hook-shaped tip. The hook-shaped portion of the limiter engages with the protruding portion 6 of the load beam to limit excess vertical movement of the flexure. A gap may be formed between the limiter and the protruding portion.
US07652844B2
A mounting system for a media playback device is provided having an outer module for rigidly mounting the media playback device to a surface, and a corresponding cartridge which is capable of being inserted and removed from the outer module. While inserted in the outer module, a first mounting subsystem functions to fixedly mount the cartridge within the outer module such that shock, vibration, and other physical environmental factors are not amplified in the cartridge. A second mounting subsystem is provided to protect the cartridge while removed from the outer module, and generally comprises a resilient material around a portion of the cartridge.
US07652843B2
A completely circumferential shroud is provided around the motor hub flange of a hard disk drive spindle motor. The shroud is continuous, smooth, and uniform, and formed at the same axial height as the flange to reduce air flow disturbances that are generated by the rotating motor hub flange. Unlike prior art designs that provide openings to accommodate the actuator, the present design has no openings or irregular shapes that can cause air flow disturbance. Air flow disturbance, especially when near the actuator arms or head suspensions, can impact track misregistration. In addition, the probability of circulating contamination particles inside the motor out into the disk drive enclosure is also reduced due to less irregular airflow patterns.
US07652842B2
An audio cassette adapter with cable and connector storage in the body of the cassette. Internal cable storage is facilitated by an internal retractable mechanism that reduces the amount of storage external to the audio cassette adapter housing. In one embodiment, the internal retractable mechanism includes a cable support around which the cable is wound and a separate support driver engaged with the cable support that drives the cable support.
US07652841B2
A servo controlling method of the present invention is a servo controlling method for controlling a position of a magnetic head against a magnetic tape that is accommodated in a cartridge and has at least a data track and a servo track, and the method includes the steps of: reading tape variance information from a magnetic tape cartridge (23) side, the magnetic tape cartridge (23) being composed of a cartridge (20) and a magnetic tape (21); reading a servo signal recorded in the servo track by the magnetic head and converting the servo signal into head position information; and controlling the position of the magnetic head according to an off-track value based on the tape variance information and an off-track value calculated from the head position information. With this configuration, even in the case where a recording track width is narrowed and a tape speed is increased, the magnetic head can follow a recording track accurately at a high speed.
US07652839B2
A magnetic recording disk in a disk drive has identical pre-patterned servo patterns on its front and back surfaces. The servo patterns on each disk surface are pre-patterned with a single master template, resulting in the identical pattern on each disk surface. The servo sectors on the two disk surfaces can form identical patterns of angularly spaced arcuate-shaped lines or straight lines that extend radially across the data tracks. However, because the lines on at least one of the disk surfaces do not replicate the path of the recording head, the sampling rate of the servo sectors on that surface is not constant but varies with radial position of the head. To accommodate this, the disk drive's servo control system calculates a timing adjustment from an estimate of the radial position of the head and uses this timing adjustment to adjust the time to open a time window to allow detection of the servo sectors.
US07652838B2
A feeding mechanism includes a first feeding mechanism and a second feeding mechanism that operates during non-operation of the first feeding mechanism. A movement control unit that performs a control of moving the feeding mechanism towards a housing cabinet. A swivel mechanical unit swivels an inclination angle of the feeding mechanism to a predetermined angle along with an operation by the movement control unit. A movement stopping unit stops a movement of the feeding mechanism based on the inclination angle of the feeding mechanism.
US07652837B2
Embodiments of the invention relate to erasing data recorded on a magnetic disk with increased certainty by using an external magnetic field. One embodiment is directed to a method for erasing data recorded on a magnetic disk, which is housed in a magnetic disk drive, by using an external erasure magnetic field generated by an external erasure magnetic field generator. The method comprises the steps of: moving a first magnetic disk drive within an external erasure magnetic field in a moving state appropriate for the type of the first magnetic disk drive, and erasing data recorded on a magnetic disk in the first magnetic disk drive; and moving a second magnetic disk drive, which differs in type from the first magnetic disk drive, within an external erasure magnetic field in a moving state that differs from the moving state of the first magnetic disk drive, and erasing data recorded on a magnetic disk in the second magnetic disk drive.
US07652833B2
A camera module for small-sized electronic apparatuses such as digital cameras and cellular phones includes a lens unit; and a holder which houses the lens unit and is displaceable along an optical axis direction of the lens unit. A coil is provided on the holder of octagon shape in cross section having eight outside surface portions with a yoke having an outer cylindrical wall portion formed to have an octagon shape similar to the octagon shape of the coil and having eight magnet mounting inner surfaces. Eight flat plate-shaped magnets on the mounting surfaces for providing a magnetic field are arranged to face the outside surface portions of the coil through a predetermined constant spacing. Upper and lower leaf springs respectively support the holder so as to be displaceable along the optical axis direction of the lens unit; a base for supporting the yoke and the lower spring.
US07652832B2
An optical system includes a lens cell having a generally cylindrical lens cell body. The lens cell body has a lens cell central longitudinal axis and a lens cell optical axis eccentrically offset from the lens cell central longitudinal axis. A sleeve includes a generally cylindrical sleeve body having an outer surface with a first longitudinal axis and an inner surface with a second longitudinal axis eccentrically offset from the first longitudinal axis. The lens cell is inserted into the sleeve. A housing has a generally cylindrical body with the sleeve at least partially inserted into the housing. A clip is disposed about at least a portion of the circumference of the housing. The lens cell and the sleeve are rotated relative to each other and to the housing such that the lens cell optical axis is aligned in a desired location. After the lens cell optical axis is aligned in the desired location, the clip is releasably coupled to and inserted through the housing and into the sleeve to restrict rotation of the sleeve relative to the housing.
US07652831B2
A lens barrel for holding a lens system including at least a plastic lens disposed between two glass lenses separated from each other by a spacer ring comprises a cylindrical lens holding barrel fixedly holding the two glass and the plastic lenses, a cylindrical spacer ring fitted in the cylindrical lens holding barrel for elastically supporting the plastic lens therein and positioning the two glass lenses at a predetermined axial distance on opposite sides of the plastic lens.
US07652823B2
A non-polarizing beam splitter has a first prism; one or more ground layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on a slant face of the first right angle prism; an Au layer having thickness of 13 to 35 nm which is formed on the ground layer; one or more protective layer(s) made of a dielectric material which is (are) formed on the Au layer; and a second prism which is jointed to an outermost layer of the protective layer via adhesive. The non-polarizing beam splitter divides light at wavelength of 640 nm to 820 nm into transmission light and reflection light by a predetermined ratio.
US07652818B2
An optical sight includes an optical train having an optical path therethrough, an entrance, and an exit. A reticle is visible through the exit of the optical path. An unpowered reticle illumination source has a first light source that illuminates the reticle responsive to the level of ambient light, and a second light source that illuminates the reticle with an unpowered light source. The reticle illumination source preferably has a scintillation material positioned so that ambient light entering the ambient-light receiver is incident upon the scintillation material, whereupon the scintillation material responsively emits secondary light. A light-gathering prism receives the secondary light and has a diffusing surface disposed to illuminate the reticle using the secondary light. An unpowered light source is positioned to emit light through the diffusing surface to be incident upon the reticle. The unpowered light source may be a tritium light source.
US07652812B2
A method of supplying an electrically controllable system having variable optical/energy properties in transmission or in reflection, including at least one carrier substrate with a multilayer that allows migration of active species, including at least two active layers separated by an electrolyte, the multilayer being placed between two electrodes connected respectively to upper and lower current leads respectively. In addition to a constant first energy potential, a time-varying second energy potential is applied between the current leads, the first and second energy potentials being designed to ensure switching between two states having different optical/energy properties in transmission or reflection.
US07652806B2
A method and system for optimal node placement of a color correction table first generate a high resolution color correction table. A low resolution color correction table is generated. Each node of the low resolution color correction table has a corresponding color correction value generated by interpolating the color correction values of the high resolution color correction table. A reconstructed color correction table is generated, and each of the nodes of the reconstructed color correction table has a corresponding color correction value generated by interpolating the color correction values of the low resolution color correction table using an interpolation method identical to an output device interpolation method. Differences between the color correction values of the reconstructed and the high resolution color correction table are quantified into a measure of error, and the node locations of the low resolution color correction table are adjusted, and the procedure is repeated.
US07652794B2
A prepress workflow process suitable for generating a reproduction composite image from a source image that may be tolerant to or exhibit improved tolerance to misregistration when printed is provided. Embodiments of the prepress workflow process include obtaining a source image. Next, N≧2 color separations are generated from the source image. The color separations may be process or non-process color separations. The N color separations are first processed globally for improving the misregistration tolerance of a reproduction composite image to be formed therefrom. If the misregistration tolerance of the reproduction composite image is not acceptable to be user, at least a portion of each N color separation may be further processed at a local level for producing an improved misregistration tolerant reproduction composite image.
US07652792B2
A printing machine includes a high-speed print device configured to receive a print media and discharge a printed product that includes a printed image. An image capturing device is positioned adjacent the print device and is configured to capture an image of the printed image on the printed product. A computer includes a monitor, a processor, an input device, and a communication device configured to communicate with the print device. The monitor is configured to display the captured image, the input device is configured to allow a user to vary the displayed image, and the processor is configured to calculate an adjustment to the print device in response to the varied image.
US07652782B2
A document input from a scanner is used as input image data and is stored in image memory in page number order. A control unit prints the input image data and receives instruction data showing the cutting edge when cutting on the center line of the printing paper from the input unit. The control unit stores the addresses at which the input image data are stored in an array A; the image processing unit sorts the addresses stored in the first or second half of the array A, based on instruction data shown by the instruction data discussed above, in descending order by page number. The image processing unit alternates and stores in an array B addresses stored in the first or second half of the sorted array A, and in the first or second half of the unsorted array A. The print processing unit prints the input image data, in the order stored in the array B, on both sides of printing paper, and attains printing results as shown in FIG. 1.
US07652774B2
In determining an endpoint of etching a substrate, light that is directed toward the substrate is reflected from the substrate. A wavelength of the light is selected to locally maximize the intensity of the reflected light at an initial time point of the etching process. The reflected light is detected to determine an endpoint of the substrate etching process.
US07652761B2
The present invention provides methods, systems, and apparatus for calibrating a laser ablation system, such as an excimer laser system for selectively ablating a cornea of a patient's eye. The invention also facilitates alignment of eye tracking cameras that measure a position of the eye during laser eye surgery. A calibration and alignment fixture for a scanning laser beam delivery system having eye tracking cameras may include a structure positionable in a treatment plane. The structure having a feature directing laser energy incident thereon to a calibration energy sensor, at least one reference-edge to determine a characteristic of the laser beam (shape, dimensions, etc.), and an artificial pupil to determine alignment of the eye tracking cameras with the laser system.
US07652760B1
A system for detecting coatings on a transparent or semi-transparent medium includes a conductive sensor and a light reflection sensor which are configured to determine a presence and the conductivity of the coating on the medium.
US07652759B1
An industrial device comprises a light emitter and a detector that is optically coupled to the emitter. A first deformable mirror/lens is optically coupled to the emitter, the first deformable mirror/lens is dynamically shaped to facilitate receipt of light at the detector. For example, the deformable mirror/lens can be associated with one or more actuators that causes the mirror/lens to be shaped in a desirable manner.
US07652757B2
A method and apparatus for inspection of a security article (10) is provided in which a substantially collimated light beam (15) from a point light source (14) is directed onto a diffractive optical projection element (DOE) (11). The light beam is transformed by the DOE (11) into a patterned beam (17) which is reconstructed to form a projected image at a particular position in space remote from the surface of the security article 910). An optical detection device 916) is located at which the patterned beam (17) is reconstructed to detect the projected image. The inspection method and apparatus may be used in equipment for handling, sorting, counting or otherwise processing security articles, in particular security documents such as banknotes. The apparatus may include a processor for generating a signal when the absence or poor quality of a DOE is detected and which is used to isolate or mark the security article.
US07652749B2
The present invention relates to the activation of a software upgrade in a lithographic apparatus that transfers a pattern onto a substrate. The time and date of the activation of a software upgrade is compared with the time and date of the exposure of the first layer of a substrate or of a “lot” of substrates. If the activation date and time is later than the first exposure date and time, software-functionality types is not mixed on a single lot or substrate and the old software-functionality is used for that lot or substrate. If, on the other hand, the activation date and time of the software-functionality update is earlier than the first exposure of the lot or substrate, the lot or substrate has not yet been affected by the old software-functionality and the new, updated software-functionality may be used to control the pattern transfer onto all of the substrate layers.
US07652747B2
This invention discloses an immersion exposure method which executes immersion exposure for an exposure target film by transferring an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto the exposure target film through an immersion medium. A first vapor pressure as the target value in an immersion exposure atmosphere which surrounds the immersion medium is set. A second vapor pressure in the immersion exposure atmosphere is measured. The first vapor pressure is compared with the second vapor pressure. Whether to adjust the vapor pressure in the immersion exposure atmosphere is selected in accordance with the comparison result.
US07652742B2
A spacer spraying system and spacer spraying method are provided which are capable of spraying spacers uniformly in a liquid crystal display panel forming region on a substrate. A stage includes a main stage section having a predetermined size and an auxiliary stage section supported in the main stage section so as to be slid in the main stage section or another auxiliary stage section having a structure in which the auxiliary stage section can be connected to the main stage section. By making the auxiliary stage section be slid in the main stage section or be connected to the main stage section according to a size of a substrate mounted on the stage, a size of the stage is made changeable so that a distance between an edge portion of the stage and a liquid crystal display panel forming region existing near the edge portion of the stage falls within a predetermined range.
US07652741B2
Disclosed is an active matrix substrate which includes a display area and a terminal area located outside the display area. The terminal area includes extraction wirings connected with signal lines and scanning lines of the display area. A testing terminal for making contact with a probe of a prober and a connection terminal on which a chip is mounted are provided on each of the extraction wirings. The terminals are connected with the extraction wirings through contact holes. Even when an area of the testing terminal is larger than an area of the connection terminal, an opening area of a second contact hole for the testing terminal is reduced to an area smaller than an opening area of a first contact hole for the connection terminal.
US07652740B2
The present invention is an array substrate for use in a liquid crystal display device, which includes a first double-layered metal structure and a second double-layered metal structure. The first double-layered metal structure includes a gate electrode, a gate line and a gate pad electrode on a substrate, wherein all of the gate electrode, the gate line and the gate pad electrode have a first barrier metal layer and a first copper layer. The second double-layered metal structure includes a data line, source and drain electrodes, a capacitor electrode, and a data pad electrode, wherein all of the data line, the source and drain electrodes, the capacitor electrode and the data pad electrode have a second barrier metal layer and a second copper layer.
US07652739B2
A matrix-addressed type liquid crystal display apparatus having switching devices such as TFTs is provided, featuring that an increased effective voltage can be applied without causing hysteresis in V-T characteristics. Namely, by substantially increasing a value of an applicable voltage in excess of which a display defect starts to appear, a high numerical aperture and a high contrast ratio have been achieved at the same time. In the LCD apparatus of the present invention, a gap between adjacent reverse tilt domains each formed in a portion of a pixel which is arranged corresponding to an arbitrary pixel electrode becomes broader than a minimum gap between adjacent pixel electrodes corresponding thereto, or a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion between adjacent reverse tilt domains is set thinner than a thickness of a liquid crystal cell in the portion of the pixel.
US07652732B2
There are provided a substrate which has solved an unsatisfactory adhesion problem of a seal part in a liquid crystal cell comprising a retardation layer provided on the inner side of the cell, and a liquid crystal cell using the substrate. A black matrix layer 12 formed of a metal and its picture frame part 12A, a color filter layer 13, and a retardation layer 14 are stacked on a substrate 11, and an area including at least the picture frame part 12A is an area to be sealed.
US07652725B2
A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: an insulating substrate; a gate line formed on the substrate and including a gate electrode; a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line; a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer opposite the gate electrode; a data line formed on the gate insulating layer and including a first source electrode located on the semiconductor layer; first and second drain electrodes formed on the semiconductor layer, separated from each other and overlapping the gate electrode; a passivation layer formed on the data line and the first and the second drain electrodes; and first and second pixel electrodes electrically connected to the first and the second drain electrodes, respectively, wherein an overlapping area between the gate electrode and the first drain electrode is different from an overlapping area between the gate electrode and the second drain electrode.
US07652715B2
A photographing apparatus includes an imaging optical system to guide light from a subject, a movement mechanism to move the imaging optical system, a sub control section to move the imaging optical system toward a predetermined position with the aid of the movement mechanism when a power supply is turned on, and a main control section to execute system initialization when the power supply is turned on, and to move the imaging optical system with the aid of the movement mechanism and interrupt the movement of the imaging optical system at the predetermined position. The sub control section may also start a lens barrel initialization processing to drive the lens barrel from a non-photographing position to a photographing standby position while the main control section executes system initialization, and the main control section may drive the lens barrel to the photographing standby position after the system initialization is finished.
US07652697B2
A circuit and method of detecting a saturation level of an image sensor including a photodiode using a black pixel circuit included in the image sensor. The saturation level detecting circuit includes a pixel unit, a reset node and a detection controller. The pixel unit includes a floating diffusion node connected to, or disconnected from, the photodiode and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the voltage of the floating diffusion node. The reset node is connected to, or disconnected from, the floating diffusion node. The detection controller transfers a power voltage or a reference voltage to the reset node.
US07652692B2
An apparatus and method for storing moving picture signals in the apparatus equipped with a camera. The method includes the steps of entering a preview mode for enabling the moving picture signals photographed by the camera to be displayed when the camera is powered; coding the photographed moving picture signals and storing the coded moving picture signals in an image memory when a storage key is input in the preview mode; shifting to the preview mode when a temporary pause key is input in a first moving picture storage mode in which the moving picture signals are stored and entering a second moving picture storage mode in which the moving picture signals stored in the image memory are converted to moving picture files and stored; returning to the first moving picture storage mode when the storage key is input in the preview mode; and linking the stored moving picture files to generate one moving picture file and storing the moving picture file, when a record end key is input in the preview mode or the first moving picture storage mode.
US07652686B2
A device for detecting objects, persons or the like, including, for example, in the surroundings of a vehicle, has a stereo-sensitive image recording unit which includes at least two image sensors and an evaluation unit to evaluate the signals, supplied by the image sensors, using which, in a simple manner, a three-dimensional geometry of the surroundings of a vehicle is variably recordable at a desired operating range and at a desired viewing angle, and in which the optical axes of the image sensors are changeably alignable relative to each other and/or relative to vehicle.
US07652683B2
A line head includes: a first substrate having a plurality of organic electroluminescent devices; a bonding layer disposed on the first substrate and having optical transparency; a second substrate bonded to the first substrate with the bonding layer therebetween and having a reflective film that covers at least a part of the bonding layer; and a plurality of exit portions respectively from which light that has passed through the bonding layer is exited, the light emitted from the organic electroluminescent devices.
US07652678B2
Techniques to generate partial display updates in a buffered window system in which arbitrary visual effects are permitted to any one or more windows (e.g., application-specific window buffers) are described. Once a display output region is identified for updating, the buffered window system is interrogated to determine which regions within each window, if any, may effect the identified output region. Such determination considers the consequences any filters associated with a window impose on the region needed to make the output update.
US07652676B2
A system and method for color managing content elements on a display device are provided. The systems and methods for color managing content elements on a display device comprising using a set of color space characteristic values that describe a color space of the display device to create a profile having a multidimensional table encapsulating the display behavior as described by color space characteristic values for the display device.
US07652673B1
Texture mapping includes (i) calculating the weighted average of the colors of two texels near a particular pixel, (ii) determining a fractional portion of a texture coordinate of the pixel, and (iii) retrieval of a pair of complementary coefficients from a table of pairs of predetermined, complementary coefficients according to the fractional portion of the coordinate of the pixel. Each of the complementary coefficients corresponds to the relative distance between the pixel and each of the two texels as represented by the fractional portion of the first coordinate of the pixel in the coordinate space of the texture image since each texel has whole, integer coordinates in the coordinate space of the texture image. Each coefficient of the pair of complementary coefficients is used to weight a respective one of the colors of the two texels and the weighted colors are summed to produce a weighted average color of the two texels. A weighted average of the colors of the other two of the four nearest texels is calculated in the same manner. The pair of complementary coefficients are partitioned values in a single data word and are therefore loaded into the processor which performs the calculate the weighted average only once to weight two separate colors. The precision and data format of each coefficient of the table are the same as the precision and data format of each component of each pixel of the rendered graphical image. Accordingly, the processing environment remains unchanged while a computer processor alternately interpolates a texel color and combines the interpolated texel color with the color of the pixel.
US07652672B2
Methods for texture image management are provided. An embodiment of a method for texture image management comprises the following steps. A texture image is acquired from a non-writable memory device. The received texture image is directly applied to a fragment.
US07652666B2
An interactive cinematic lighting system used in the production of computer-animated feature films containing environments of very high complexity, in which surface and light appearances are described using procedural RenderMan shaders. The system provides lighting artists with high-quality previews at interactive framerates with only small approximations compared to the final rendered images. This is accomplished by combining numerical estimation of surface response, image-space caching, deferred shading, and the computational power of modern graphics hardware.
US07652664B2
Power consumption required for charging and discharging a source signal line is reduced in an active matrix EL display device. A bipolar transistor (Bi1) has a base terminal B connected to an output terminal c1 of an operational amplifier (OP1), a collector terminal C connected to a low power potential (GND), and an emitter terminal E connected to a resistor R2. A high power potential (VBH) is a potential in synchronization with a high power potential of a light emitting element. A potential of the output terminal c1 of the operational amplifier (OP1) is outputted as a buffer low power potential (VBL). The low power potential (VBL) corresponds to a potential difference between the high power potential (VBH) and a high power potential (V1). Accordingly, the low power potential (VBL) can follow the high power potential (VBH), that is a high power potential of the light emitting element.
US07652644B2
An electron emission display for improving brightness uniformity by compensating brightness deviation between respective elements. The electron emission display includes a display panel, a scan driver, a data driver, and a brightness compensator. The display panel includes a plurality of scan electrodes, a plurality of data electrodes, and a plurality of display elements respectively formed at crossing points of the scan electrodes and the data electrodes. The display elements respectively include an electron emitter. The scan driver applies a selection signal to the scan electrode. The data driver applies a data signal to the data electrode. The brightness compensator compensates brightness by changing the data signal when brightness deviation of the display elements is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
US07652642B2
There is provided a plasma display apparatus and a driving method of a plasma display panel. The plasma display apparatus comprises a plasma display panel comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, and an electrode driver alternatively applying a sustain pulse of a first polarity to the first electrode and the second electrode and applying a pulse of a second polarity opposite to a first polarity after a magnitude of a voltage of a sustain pulse of a first polarity is maximized. Therefore, it is possible to increase discharge efficiency without rising a driving voltage or increasing an electrode space by increasing an amount of space discharge.
US07652637B2
An antenna connected to a circuit portion and configured to effect transmission and reception of information by radio communication, the antenna including a driven meander line portion which has a feed section connected to the circuit portion and which is a line conductor formed in a meandering pattern, and a parasitic meander line portion which does not have a feed section connected to the circuit portion and which is a line conductor formed in a meandering pattern and positioned relative to the driven meander line portion, so as to influence an input impedance of the driven meander line portion. Also disclosed is a radio-frequency identification tag including the antenna.
US07652631B2
In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, methods and systems for radiating elements are provided. In a method embodiment, a method of forming a radiating element includes forming a pair of conductive fingers having first and second portions. The first portion is a dipole arm. The conductive fingers are separated by a tapered notch that has a width at a first end that is less than a width of a second end. For each conductive finger, the method also includes capacitively coupling the first portion of the conductive finger to the second portion of the conductive finger.
US07652627B2
A system for providing position information by using a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and a method of acquiring the position information of a mobile device thereof where the system includes: a first node including referenced position information; and a plurality of second nodes calculating their respective position information based on the reference position information of the first node, wherein the mobile device calculates its position information by using the reference position information received from the first node and/or one or more of the respective position information of the second nodes. According to the system and method, at an indoor place where a global positioning system (GPS) signal is weak or absent, the GPS position information can be acquired through the position information providing system using a low-price wireless LAN communication network.
US07652619B1
A system for processing a signal comprises a transmit unit to transmit a signal, and a receive unit receiving the signal and performing equivalent time sampling thereon by sampling each cycle of the received signal and reconstructing the received signal from the samples, wherein the receive unit applies a plurality of down-conversion rates to the equivalent time sampling for an acquisition window.
US07652606B2
A digital-analog converter including a first selection circuit of switch elements, which are coupled to each other and to a high potential power supply, and a second selection circuit of switch elements, which are coupled to each other and to a low potential power supply. First and second voltage dividing circuit each include series-connected resistor elements, each coupled between adjacent switch elements of the corresponding selection circuit. A control circuit provides a control signal to the selection circuits to activate one of the switch elements in each selection circuit and couple the activated switch element to the corresponding potential power supply. The first and second voltage dividing circuits divide voltages of the high and low potential power supplies with the resistor elements between the activated switch elements.
US07652602B2
Interface unit for voltage input signals comprising two or more input channels. The input signals of these two or more input channels are connected alternately by an analog multiplexer to an analog-to-digital converter. The A/D converter comprises an integrated sigma-delta modulator circuit which generates a digitized 1-bit signal representing the input signal voltage level for a control unit irrespective of whether the input channel signal is digital or analog. By means of the invention all input voltage channels are made similar such that the input channels of the interface unit can receive an analog or digital signal irrespective of each other.
US07652598B2
A method for improving performance and flexibility of serial data analysis in test instruments, is independent of data bit rate, encoding scheme or communication protocol embodied in the serial data. The serial data is input to a transmitter section, where it is demultiplexed into a plurality of multi-bit lanes, such as n bits for each of N lanes. The N lanes are then encoded into characters, the encoded N lanes having m bits per lane where m>n. Bit stuffing is used to adjust the data rate and/or to insert qualifiers. The stuffed, encoded N lanes are then multiplexed into N serial lanes, which are output from the transmitter section for input to a receiver section at a data rate that is optimal for the receiver section. In the receiver section the N lanes are deserialized, decoded and input to a word recognizer to generate a trigger event signal.
US07652594B2
Disclosed herein is a dynamic content design, delivery and distribution software architecture that enables a centrally located designer, using a graphical interface, to create, edit, manage, and organize a matrix of trigger points that are plotted on a computerized map of geographical space. Each of these trigger points may be tagged with content, which is then relayed to a dynamic client device that is remotely located. The client device then displays the content to a remote user in a manner predetermined by the centrally located designer, the content varying based on feedback provided by the client device. The system and methods disclosed enable a centrally located designer to assume the role of an automated tour designer. As such, designers can compile a variety of different tours, each aimed at users with particular preferences. The architecture further offers a means to publish tour scripts for public consumption. The system is sufficiently flexible for use in any instance in which a user requires dynamic content, which is displayed contingent on any number of conditions.
US07652589B2
In at least some embodiments, a method comprises determining an orientation of a device, said device having at least one component with a selectable function. The method further comprises selecting a function for the at least one component based on the orientation.
US07652587B2
According to the method a temperature module is defined, simulating the thermal behavior in the electric motor (1), based on a multi-mass model. The rotational speed (n) and the current (i) for the electric motor (1) are continuously recorded as input parameters for the temperature model and at least one bearing power loss and/or bearing inner temperature (TIL1′), corresponding to a bearing (8,9), is continuously derived from the temperature model. A first warning signal (W1) is given when a computer-determined bearing power loss exceeds a given comparative value. Furthermore, a second warning signal (W2) is given when a computer-determined bearing inner ring temperature exceeds a given temperature difference (ΔT) from a corresponding computed bearing outer ring temperature (TAL1′). The thermal behavior of non-accessible components, in particular, the bearing (8, 9), can thus advantageously be determined by mere evaluation of the current (i) and the rotational speed (n). The fitting of temperature sensors (2, 3, 4, 12) in the electric motor (1) can also be avoided.
US07652586B2
According to one embodiment, a first capacitive element may be provided and associated with a surface where a fouling layer is to be detected. A second capacitive element may also be provided, and a capacitance between the first and second capacitive elements may be used to detect formation of the fouling layer. According to another embodiment, a thermal device is provided proximate to a surface where a fouling layer is to be detected. A detector (e.g., a thermometer or vibration detector) may detect a condition associated with the surface, and formation of the fouling layer may be determined based at least in part on the condition.
US07652585B2
A method and a device for detecting the degree of pollution in an operational converter are disclosed. An operating state of at least one of the converter components that is exposed to the ambient air is determined and a corresponding operating state of said component in an unpolluted state is determined. The two operating states are then compared and the calculated comparison value is used as a measurement for the degree of pollution of the converter. Detecting the degree of pollution of an operational converter permits a reduction in the number of breakdowns caused by unprotected operation of a converter, and associated disadvantages such as costs and damage to a company's image.
US07652583B2
A method and system for maintaining operator alertness comprises a detector for detecting a physical status of an operator. The physical status indicates a first level of operator alertness. A user interface requests a second level of operator alertness from a self-evaluation of the operator at a request time. An evaluator measures at least one of an accuracy of the operator response to the requested input and a response time of the operator from the request time. An alert module generates alarm data or an alarm signal to alert the operator based on the first level of operator alertness indicating an inattentive state and at least one of the measured accuracy and operator response time indicating the inattentive state.
US07652582B2
A system and method are provided for tracking a user's posture. The system and method include an environmental module for determining the user's physical environment, a biomechanical module for determining at least a user's posture in the user's physical environment, and an output module for outputting to the user an indication of at least the user's posture relative to at least a target correct posture. The physical environment can include a computer workstation environment, a manufacturing environment, a gaming environment, and/or a keypadding environment.
US07652576B1
A method and apparatus is provided for electronically and wirelessly monitoring a plurality of ID tags of assets as a service for a plurality of tagged asset users and notifying the tagged asset user and/or other authorized entities when conditions sensed by tag circuitry exceeds predetermined boundaries. Typically, the tag will include wireless GPS and/or other sensing circuitry along with telephone type circuitry for communicating sensed data, such as location, to the monitoring service. The notification may further include advertising or other information specifically helpful to the owner of the tagged asset.
US07652569B2
A monitoring system for purposes of enhancing independent living incorporates a wearable communication device, such as a cellular telephone, in combination with a recharging base which might be coupled to a wire line telephone system. Either or both of the base station and wearable device can be in communication with sensors scattered through an individual's residence for purposes of collecting data pertaining to activities of daily living. Either or both of the wearable unit and base station could incorporate sensors responsive to physiological parameters of the resident. Both units can independently communicate with third party monitors to communicate data about, or direct immediate attention to the state of an individual using the system.
US07652568B2
Monitoring device modules (10) in containers on a ship are polled by a tracking proxy (12). Monitoring data is thus captured, and the proxy 12 can ascertain in real time that the correct group of containers is present. The proxy (12) also transmits higher-value report messages with relatively low bandwidth via a satellite communication system (13) to a gateway (15). The gateway (15) routes the messages on to various systems such as tracking centers. Also, the gateway (15) regularly polls and authenticates the distributed tracking proxies (12) within its group.
US07652554B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer filter constructed so as to be less likely to suffer peeling between a varistor part and an inductor part. A multilayer filter 10 as a preferred embodiment has a structure in which a varistor part 20 and an inductor part are stacked. The varistor part 30 consists of a stack of varistor layers 31, 32 with internal electrodes 31a, 32a, and the varistor layers contain ZnO as a principal component, and contain at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pr and Bi, Co, and Al as additives. The inductor part 20 consists of a stack of inductor layers 21-24 with conductor patterns 21a-24a, and the inductor layers contain ZnO as a principal component and substantially contain neither Co nor Al.
US07652544B2
A voltage controlled oscillator of the present invention includes power supply terminal (101), control terminal (2) for controlling an output frequency, output terminals (3a, 3b), cross-coupled transistors (5a, 5b), capacitances (6a, 6b, 7a, 7b), LC tanks (10a, 10b), resistor (117), grounding capacitance (18) and center frequency control circuit (16). Center frequency control circuit (16) includes resistors (11a, 11b), grounding capacitance (12), center frequency control terminal (4) for controlling a center frequency of the output frequency, and voltage-divider circuit (15). Resistors (11a, 11b) are connected to the base terminals of cross-coupled transistors (5a, 5b), the other ends of resistors (11a, 11b) are connected to each other, and, to this connecting point, one end of grounding capacitance (12) and one end of voltage-divider circuit (15) are connected. The other end of voltage-divider circuit (15) is connected to center frequency control terminal (4).
US07652543B2
A method for arranging electronic elements is provided. The method is suitable for a set of N electronic elements in which N is an odd number. The set of N electronic elements include a first electronic element subset and a second electronic element subset. The electronic elements of the first electronic element subset are arranged according a first predetermined method and the electronic elements of the second electronic element subset are arranged according to a second predetermined method, wherein the second electronic element subset is adjacent to the first electronic element subset.
US07652538B2
Circuits and methods are provided for providing high speed operational amplifiers and, in particular, operational amplifiers having frequency compensation circuits that provide improved slew rates with low power dissipation when configured with feedback. Frequency compensation schemes are provided to enable dynamic configuration of frequency compensation circuits implementing miller compensation whereby nodal connections of compensation capacitors are changed during driver setup and driving periods such that compensation capacitors are connected to source voltages to rapidly charge/discharge compensation capacitors using supply source currents during setup period, while providing frequency compensation during the setup and driving periods to maintain circuit stability and prevent oscillation of an output voltage due to the feedback.
US07652535B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a low voltage continuous time common mode feedback (CMFB) module, for low voltage operational amplifiers, providing good linearity, wide bandwidth and low systematic offset. The common mode feedback module includes a controlling module and an initializing module. The controlling module and the initializing module are parallel common mode feedback loops. The controlling module is a main CMFB loop and the initializing module is an auxiliary CMFB loop and both the loops work simultaneously. The controlling module and the initializing module receive a first differential input voltage and a second differential input voltage supplied by differential outputs of a main differential amplifier. Both the CMFB loops are low gain amplifiers in order to provide operation as linear as possible over the entire differential output operating range of the main differential amplifier.
US07652527B2
A diversity receiver includes: a plurality of demodulating means for demodulating inputted OFDM signals, to output their demodulated signals; noise component calculating means provided for each demodulating means, for calculating noise components included in the demodulated signals outputted from corresponding demodulating means; channel profile calculating means provided for each demodulating means, for calculating channel profiles based upon the demodulated signals outputted from corresponding demodulating means; transmission channel decision means for determining transmission channel based upon the channel profiles; reliability information generating means for generating reliability information indicating reliability of the demodulated signals outputted from each demodulating means, based upon the noise components and the results of the determinations by the transmission channel decision means; a weighting factor calculating means for calculating, depending on the reliability information, weighting factors used in combining the demodulated signals outputted from each demodulating means; and a combining means for combining, depending on the weighting factors, the demodulated signals outputted from each demodulating means.
US07652517B2
A method and system for generating multiple clock signals from a reference clock signal are provided. In one implementation, the system includes a reference clock to generate a reference clock signal having a first frequency, a first prescaler to receive the reference clock signal and generate a first output clock signal having a pre-determined frequency relative to the first frequency of the reference clock signal, and a second prescaler to receive the first output clock signal and generate a second output clock signal having a second pre-determined frequency relative to the first pre-determined frequency of the first output clock signal. The first output clock signal is substantially synchronous to the second output clock signal.
US07652512B2
A clock synchronizing circuit applied in a SMD block is provided. The clock synchronizing circuit includes a number of stages of clock synchronizing units. The clock synchronizing circuit can achieve the purpose of clock synchronizing by using a novel circuit design of the forward delay unit, the mirror control unit or the backward delay unit in each stage of clock synchronizing unit or by using a short-pulse generation circuit to generate a short pulse for triggering out an output clock of each stage of forward delay unit.
US07652507B1
A circuit for assisting signal transitions on a wire, and a method thereof. The circuit includes a first subcircuit that causes a first transistor that is coupled to the circuit's output to turn on during a rising transition and then turn off. The first transistor drives the output to a high state to assist in the rising transition. The circuit also includes a second subcircuit that causes a second transistor that is coupled to the circuit's output to turn on during a falling transition and then turn off. The second transistor drives the output to a low state to assist in the falling transition.
US07652506B2
A complementary signal generating circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an inverting element inverting a first signal to generate a second signal; a first transistor connecting a first power supply potential and a first output terminal electrically in accordance with the first signal; a second transistor connecting the first output terminal and a second power supply potential electrically in accordance with the second signal; a third transistor connecting the first power supply potential and a second output terminal electrically in accordance with the second signal; and a fourth transistor connecting the second output terminal and the second power supply potential electrically in accordance with the first signal.
US07652504B2
In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a circuit supplied by a first supply voltage during use, the circuit having at least a first input signal; and a level shifter supplied by the first supply voltage during use and coupled to provide the first input signal to the circuit. The level shifter is coupled to receive a second input signal sourced from circuitry supplied by a second supply voltage during use, and is configured to generate the first input signal by level shifting the second input signal. Coupled to receive a power control signal indicating, when asserted, that the second supply voltage is to be powered down, the level shifter is configured to assert a predetermined level on the first input signal independent of the second input signal and responsive to an assertion of the power control signal.
US07652503B2
A semiconductor device includes an external pin, a control parameter decision circuit, and a register update circuit. The control parameter decision circuit includes a register and an output selector. The register is initialized in accordance with resetting of the semiconductor device. The output selector, according to a level value of an external input signal supplied via the external pin, selects one of a signal whose level value is set equal to a register value of the register and a signal whose level value is set opposite to the register value of the register, and outputs the selected signal as a control parameter signal. The register update circuit updates the register value of the register when a level value of the control parameter signal need be changed.
US07652501B2
A Programmable Logic Device (PLD) structure using third dimensional memory is disclosed. The PLD structure includes a switch configured to couple a polarity of a signal (e.g., an input signal applied to an input) to a routing line and a non-volatile register configured to control the switch. The non-volatile register may include a non-volatile memory element, such as a third dimension memory element. The non-volatile memory element may be a two-terminal memory element that retains stored data in the absence of power and stores data as a plurality of conductivity profiles that can be non-destructively sensed by applying a read voltage across the two terminals. New data can be written to the two-terminal memory element by applying a write voltage across the two terminals. Logic and other active circuitry can be positioned in a substrate and the non-volatile memory element can be positioned on top of the substrate.
US07652493B2
The invention relates to a method for arranging chips of a first substrate on a second substrate, in which the chips are grouped at least into first chips and into second chips, the first chips of the first substrate are singulated and the singulated first chips are arranged on the second substrate in such a way that each of the first chips on the second substrate is unambiguously assigned to the associated first chip on the first substrate.
US07652488B1
The invented method for measuring the health of a solid rocket propellant includes embedding at least one piezoelectric capacitance sensor in the propellant, where the capacitance of the sensor is a function of a modulus of the propellant, and where the position is selected to measure manifestations of stress failure as a consequence of changes in the shear modulus. The capacitance of the sensor is measured at a predetermined frequency. The capacitance of the piezoelectric capacitance sensor is converted into a digital representation which is then converted into the digital representation of a modulus (or gradient modulus). In subsequent analysis, the modulus (or gradient of the modulus) is correlated to the health of the solid rocket propellant.
US07652486B2
A capacitance detection circuit that compensates for the fluctuation of a reference voltage with a simple structure. A C-V circuit for a sensor element generates a detection signal by amplifying a capacitance change value of the sensor element by a predetermined gain based on a reference voltage. A voltage compensation circuit, which is connected to the C-V circuit and supplies a reference voltage to the C-V circuit, reduces the gain relative to a deviation amount when the reference voltage fluctuates by a predetermined deviation amount.
US07652481B2
A leak in a membrane on top of a horizontal roof deck is located by applying conductive wires on the membrane underneath the aggregate in a grid pattern. A measuring and switching circuit generates voltage having a positive attached to the roof deck and a negative attached to the wires. The circuit has a relay for each wire which can be switched between a current sensor system and the negative potential. The sensor system is arranged to sense at each of the wires in turn the current flowing from the roof deck through any leak in the membrane to the wire. A microprocessor operates the relays in turn to connect all the other wires to the negative as a shield while each wire is sensed. From the output of the grid the changes in current in the x and y directions are analyzed to locate the leak in the membrane.
US07652478B2
A multicomponent induction logging tool is positioned within an alignment loop and the transmitter is activated at a number of rotation angles of the tool. Misalignment between the transmitter and receiver coils can be determined from the induced signals in the receiver coil.
US07652475B2
Example methods and apparatus control ratios between a maximum gradient amplitude (MGA) of a readout lobe (GREAD) in a Cartesian continuous sampling read gradient (CSRG) and an MGA of a dephase lobe (GDEPHASE) in the CSRG and an MGA of a rephase lobe (GREPHASE) in the CSRG, where the direction of GREAD is opposite to the direction of GDEPHASE, and GREPHASE. One example method includes controlling an MR apparatus to produce a CS gradient where GREAD and GDEPHASE correspond to the first ratio and where GREAD and GREPHASE correspond to the second ratio. One example method includes controlling the MR apparatus to acquire an MR signal in response to the CS gradient. The MR signal is acquired during the read lobe and during a portion of the dephase lobe and/or the rephase lobe. The method includes selectively altering the ratios based on an SNR ratio associated with the MR signal.
US07652470B2
A ball and sleeve joint for a motor vehicle has a housing (1) and a ball sleeve (5) which extends out of the housing (1) on both sides. The ball sleeve (5), has a through hole (8) and a bearing area (4) and is mounted with the bearing area (4) in the housing (1). Two joint parts, which are rotatable and pivotable in relation to one another, are formed by the ball sleeve (5) and the housing (1). A sensor (13), which interacts with a signal transmitter (2) arranged at the other joint part, is arranged at one of the joint parts. Both the sensor (13) and the signal transmitter (2) are arranged between the through hole (8) and the housing (1).
US07652469B2
An inductive position sensor has a spatially periodic scale with a series of conducting or permeable features of pitch T and a reading head with drive windings and sense windings, facing the scale with a spatial period 2T along the scale. The windings are each divided in two identical winding elements,having the same relative location within two identical winding element patterns having a center-to-center distance along the scale of NT+T/2, N being an integer, and connected so that the winding element polarities in each winding are either opposed for drive windings and the same for sense windings or the same for drive windings and opposed for sense windings. Thereby, direct couplings in both patterns cancel each other, while the spatially periodic signals coupled via the scale reinforce each other.
US07652466B2
There is provided a buffer circuit that outputs a signal according to an input signal. The buffer circuit includes a first receiving transistor that receives the input signal through its base terminal, a first clamp transistor having polarity same as that of the first receiving transistor, of which an emitter terminal and a collector terminal are connected to corresponding terminals of the first receiving transistor and which receives a first clamp voltage restricting a signal level output from the buffer circuit through its base terminal, and a first current defining section that is commonly provided for the first receiving transistor and the first clamp transistor and defines a total amount of emitter currents flowing into the first receiving transistor and the first clamp transistor. The buffer circuit outputs an output signal according to an emitter voltage of the first receiving transistor.
US07652460B2
A method for designing a digital compensator for a switching mode power supply is provided such that the digital compensator has complex conjugated zero pair or a right hand pole to eliminate the complex conjugated pole pair or right hand zero in the transfer function of the control-to-output voltage of the switching mode power supply.
US07652450B2
In a charging device, a driving power supply circuit for driving a control circuit is formed as a separate system from a first power supply circuit, regardless of whether the first power supply circuit is in a driving state or a non-driving state. A microcomputer alternately and intermittently controls the first power supply circuit in the driving state or the non-driving state when the battery pack is not mounted in the charging device in order to reduce the potential difference between the battery pack and the output voltage of the first power supply circuit, thereby avoiding an excessive discharge current from the battery pack when the battery pack is mounted in the charging device.
US07652447B2
Power capacitors for AC motors are mounted diametrically on associated transmissions. The power capacitors are in one embodiment annular and in another embodiment, arcuate. By having power capacitors mounted on transmission housings diametrically, cooling of the power capacitors is facilitated for both air and liquid cooling.
US07652443B2
Methods and systems for controlling a power inverter in an electric drive system of an automobile are provided. The various embodiments control the power inverter by, responsive to a commanded torque of the electric motor being below a first torque level, controlling the power inverter to set a switching frequency of the power inverter at a first set frequency; and, responsive to the commanded torque of the electric motor being between the first torque level and a second torque level, controlling the power inverter to determine the switching frequency of the power inverter as a function of the commanded torque of the electric motor while maintaining the switching frequency above a dynamic frequency limit. The method reduces switching frequencies in the inverter at high commanded torques, while maintaining the switching frequencies above dynamic frequency limit that provides effective control over the motor.
US07652433B2
A method for prolonging the life span of a planar light source generating apparatus is provided. The planar light source generating apparatus forms an emitting layer not only on a plurality of cathodes but on a plurality of gates as well. Moreover, an anode of the planar light source generating apparatus is electrically connected to a current sensor for reading out a maximum current density when the planar light source generating apparatus operates. To operate the planar light source generating apparatus, a DC square voltage is applied to the cathodes (or gates) while the gates (or the cathodes) are electrically connected to a ground. Once the current density detected by the current sensor drops to a definite ratio of the maximum value, the external voltage supplying the aforementioned cathodes and the gates are switched. Thus, the life span of the planar light source generating apparatus is prolonged.
US07652426B2
Provided is a plasma display panel that protects both substrates against distortion when assembled, and reduces a halation effect. The plasma display panel includes: a first substrate and a second substrate facing each other; address electrodes which are formed on the first substrate to extend in a first direction; barrier ribs which are disposed between the first and second substrates, and define discharge cells; phosphor layers which are formed within the discharge cells; first electrodes and second electrodes which are formed on the second substrate to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction; and a dielectric layer which covers the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the dielectric layer includes grooves formed in correspondence with the barrier ribs, and at least portions of the barrier ribs are inserted into the grooves.
US07652417B2
A cathode substrate (10) and gate substrate (30) are arranged such that at least gate ribs (12) abut against cathode ribs (34) and gate electrodes (35) and, depending on the case, the cathode ribs (34) abut against cathodes (13). The gate ribs (12) and cathode ribs (34) can be formed to heights of about 5 μm to 300 μm. The gate ribs (12) can be surface-polished so their heights are uniform. The distance between the cathode electrodes (13) and gate electrodes (35) can accordingly be made uniform and short, so driving at a low voltage and an increase in luminance uniformity can be realized.
US07652413B2
A spark plug fitted to a cylinder head has a center electrode with a noble metallic tip portion having a sectional area S1 between 0.07 mm2 and 0.95 mm2 and a melting point of 2000° C. or more, and a ground electrode with a noble metallic tip portion having a sectional area S2 and a melting point of 1700° C. or more. The plug has a length H ranging from 6.5 mm and 10 mm between the head and the tip portion of the center electrode, a length G ranging from 1.1 mm and 2.0 mm between the tip portions, a length J between the head and a housing, a length F satisfying J≦F≦H−1.0 mm between the head and an insulator, and a pocket clearance P satisfying P≧1.1×(G+0.0345×S1−1.2418+0.0327×S2−1.2418) between the housing and the insulator.
US07652412B2
The piezoelectric actuator comprises: a supporting substrate; a thermal stress controlling layer which is formed on the supporting substrate; and a piezoelectric body which is formed as a film onto the thermal stress controlling layer on the supporting substrate at a higher temperature than room temperature, wherein the thermal stress controlling layer reduces a film stress induced by formation of the piezoelectric body.
US07652411B2
A physical shield placed on the face of a high intensity focused ultrasound transducer for medical applications is described. The shield may be shaped or angled to match a particular pattern of mechanical or acoustic energy that may damage the transducer during operation. The shield may be ablative, replaceable or modified as needed. Methods of manufacturing a transducer with a shield are also disclosed.
US07652409B2
A positioner (2) for moving a sample platform (6) relative to a base (4) is described. The positioner is driven by a piezoelectric arranged to expand and contract along a drive axis, the piezoelectric element has an input end coupled to the base and an output end coupled to first (14) and second (16) output levers extending away from the drive axis of the piezoelectric element in opposing directions. The output levers each have an inner arm arranged to be acted on by the piezoelectric element as it expands and an outer arm to which the sample platform is mounted via platform supports (26, 28). The output levers are mounted such that the piezoelectric element acts on the inner arms of the output levers to cause the outer arms to move in a plane containing the drive axis. This motion of the output levers is communicated via the platform supports to the sample platform, so moving it relative to the base along a direction parallel to the drive axis.
US07652405B2
A plurality of convex portions are located inside of a virtual circumferential surface. Each convex portion connects an adjacent pair of circumferential portions with each other. Each convex portion is an arcuate curve bulging radially outward. Each convex portion defines a minimum radius. A difference between a radius R and the minimum radius is a depth Dh. Dhr=Dh×25.5/R. A range of an angular width A in relation to circumferential portion and a range of the depth Dh are set by the following expression, (5.6×Dhr+11.3)°×6/p≦A<35°×6/p and A<[360/p−2×arccos]° (1) Therefore, decrease in torque is prevented. Torque pulsation is suppressed.
US07652402B2
A plurality of coils wound around a stator magnetic-pole core are connected together and connected to output wires by use of a bus bar. The bus bar having a generally cylindrical body portion is disposed at one axial end of the stator magnetic-pole core, around which the coils are wound such that clearances are formed within magnetic-pole core slots, with an axial clearance formed between the bus bar and the coils. The body portion has such a radial dimension that at least a portion of the clearances within the magnetic-pole core slots is left uncovered. Air holes are formed in the motor housing on opposite sides of the stator magnetic-pole core to thereby form cooling air passages extending through the magnetic-pole core slots.
US07652401B2
A flat vibration motor is provided. The flat vibration motor includes a rotor portion, a stator portion, a fixing mount, a pair of terminals, and a base portion. The rotor portion generates vibrating force when rotating. The stator portion houses and couples with the rotor portion to allow the rotor portion to rotate. The fixing mount extends from a side of a lower case of the stator portion. Each terminal includes a contacting portion, an elastic portion, and a joining portion. The base portion forms a plurality of supporting holes through which each of the terminals respectively passes. The joining portion of the terminal connects electrically to the circuit board through a peripheral lower surface around the supporting hole, when the base portion and the fixing mount are coupled.
US07652400B2
A regulator assembly mounting threaded aperture is formed on an inner wall surface of a rear bracket, and a receiving recess portion is recessed into an inner wall surface of the rear bracket around the regulator assembly mounting threaded aperture. A regulator assembly mounting penetrating aperture is disposed through a base of a regulator assembly, and an engaging protruding portion is disposed so as to project from the base around the regulator assembly mounting penetrating aperture. The regulator assembly is fixed to the rear bracket by engaging the engaging protruding portion in the receiving recess portion and fastening a regulator assembly mounting screw that has been passed through the regulator assembly mounting penetrating aperture into the regulator assembly mounting threaded aperture.
US07652399B2
Embodiments of a linear vibrator are provided that are capable of reducing the manufacturing cost, increasing the product reliability and increasing the vibrating quantity. An embodiment of a linear vibrator can include a case formed of an upper case portion and a lower case portion coupled to each other to provide a predetermined inner space; a substrate disposed on an upper surface of the lower case portion; a first coil and a second coil installed at both end parts inside of the case and connected to the substrate; a spring having one side fixed on at least one of the inside faces of the case; and a magnet fixed at another side of the spring and located between the first and second coils inside of the case, where the magnet can vertically vibrate through an interaction with the first and second coils.
US07652395B2
A power control system includes a base having a housing configured for releasably receiving a control unit and a cavity within the housing for receiving a solid state relay having a hockey puck configuration. The base includes an input power terminal for coupling to an input power source, an output power terminal for coupling to a power receiving load, and coupling fixtures for fixedly and electrically coupling to input and output power terminals and control terminals of the received solid state relay. A control unit is configured to control the solid state relay for selectively providing, at least a portion of, the power received at the input power terminal to the output power terminal. The control unit has a housing adapted to be releasably coupled to the base housing. The control unit and base each configured to electrically couple the control unit to the control terminals of the received solid state relay as a function of the control unit being coupled to the base.
US07652378B2
A semiconductor metal structure with an efficient usage of the chip area is provided. The structure includes a substrate, a copper-based interconnection structure over the substrate, the copper-based interconnection structure comprising a plurality of metallization layers connected by vias and in first dielectric layers, at least one aluminum-based layer over and connected to the copper-based interconnection structure, wherein a top layer of the at least one aluminum-based layer comprises a bond pad and an interconnect line connecting to two underlying vias, vias/contacts connecting a top layer of the copper-based interconnection structure and a bottom layer of the at least one aluminum-based layer, wherein the vias/contacts are in a second dielectric layer, and a third dielectric layer overlying the at least one aluminum-based layer, wherein the bond pad is exposed through an opening in the third dielectric layer.
US07652370B2
Provided are a plastic microfabricated structure, and a microfabricated thermal device, a microfabricated reactor, a microfabricated reactor array and a micro array using the same, which may be applied to a bio chip, and the present invention may fabricate the plastic microfabricated structure for providing a heating region by means of insulating plastic, which has a thin thickness, flatness enough to allow a photolithography process to be performed, thermal isolation in its some or total area, and a small thermal mass, and on top of the heating region of the plastic microfabricated structure, a heater, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature, an electrode, and an electrode pad are formed to thereby fabricate the microfabricated heating device, whereby element may be readily fabricated at a low cost, and the heating region is formed of a plastic thin layer, so that uniform temperature control is possible even with a low power, and various samples may be thermally treated at a fast speed to obtain their reaction and analysis.
US07652364B2
A printed circuit board includes at least two conductive traces, each having a first portion and a second portion. The printed circuit board also includes a cross-over section that includes two electrically conductive portions, each connecting electrically to the first and second portions of a corresponding one of the conductive traces, such that the conductive traces in their first portions lie on opposite sides of each other as they do in their second portions.
US07652363B2
Wiring lines for the supply of a voltage to feed a drive voltage to an integrated circuit formed in a semiconductor chip are disposed so as to cover a main surface of the semiconductor chip, so that, if the wiring lines are removed for the purpose of analyzing information stored in the semiconductor chip, the integrated circuit does not operate and it is impossible to analyze the information. Further, there is provided a processing detector circuit for detecting that the wiring lines have been tampered with. When the processing detector circuit detects a change in the state of the wiring lines, the integrated circuit is reset. Thus, it is possible to improve the security of information stored on the card.
US07652358B2
A semiconductor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor device including a main substrate and one or more sub substrates, and the semiconductor device includes first heat generating devices mounted on the sub substrates, sub-substrate heatsinks mounted to the first heat generating devices, and a main-substrate heatsink mounted to the main substrate, wherein the sub-substrate heatsinks and the main-substrate heatsink are secured to each other, such that there is a predetermined positional relationship between the sub substrates and the main substrate.
US07652352B2
An active structure of a semiconductor device. In one aspect, the active structure of the semiconductor device includes first to (n)th field regions, and first to (n+1)th active regions formed alternately with the first to (n)th field regions, wherein one or more of the first to (n+1)th active regions are connected at edge portions thereof to close one or more of the field regions. In another aspect, the active structure of the semiconductor device includes first to (n)th field regions, and first to (n+1)th active regions formed alternately with the first to (n)th field regions, wherein the first and (n+1)th active regions are connected to (n+2)th and (n+3)th active regions at edge portions thereof, closing the field regions.
US07652351B2
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of chip regions and a plurality of chip rings. The plurality of chip regions include semiconductor integrated circuits each having a multilayered wiring structure using a metal wiring, and are formed into independent chips. The plurality of chip rings has the multilayered wiring structure using the metal wiring, and surround the respective chip regions. The plurality of chip rings are electrically connected to one another.
US07652347B2
A semiconductor package includes a base substrate on which a semiconductor chip is placed so that a first surface thereof faces the base substrate. A circuit section is formed adjacent to the first surface. An insulation layer is formed on a second surface of the semiconductor chip which faces away from the first surface. Passive elements are formed on the insulation layer. Via patterns are formed to pass through the insulation layer and are connected to the passive elements. Via wirings are formed to pass through the semiconductor chip and connected to the circuit section, the via patterns and the base substrate. Outside connection terminals are attached to a first surface of the base substrate, which face away from a second surface of the base substrate on which the semiconductor chip is placed.
US07652346B2
A semiconductor device includes an active region formed on a semiconductor substrate, an element isolation region formed on the semiconductor substrate so as to surround the active region, and a gate electrode formed on the active region. A region that causes tensile stress so as to improve carrier mobility in the active region is provided in the element isolation region.
US07652336B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor wafer, forming at least one isolation structure within the semiconductor wafer, and forming at least one feature over the semiconductor wafer. A top portion of the at least one isolation structure is removed, and a liner is formed over the semiconductor wafer, the at least one feature, and the at least one isolation structure. A fill material is formed over the liner. The fill material and the liner are removed from over at least a portion of a top surface of the semiconductor wafer.
US07652333B2
The semiconductor integrated circuit has so-called SOI type first MOS transistors (MNtk, MPtk) and second MOS transistors (MNtn, MPtn). The first MOS transistors have a gate isolation film thicker than that the second MOS transistors have. The first and second MOS transistors constitute a power-supply-interruptible circuit (6) and a power-supply-uninterrupted circuit (7). The power-supply-interruptible circuit has the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch (10) between a source line (VDD) and a ground line (VSS), and the second MOS transistors connected in series with the power switch. A gate control signal for the first MOS transistors each constituting a power switch is made larger in amplitude than that for the second MOS transistors. This enables power-source cutoff control with a high degree of flexibility commensurate with the device isolation structure, which an SOI type semiconductor integrated circuit has originally.
US07652330B1
A family of logic circuits is constructed from double-gated four terminal transistors having independent gate control. First and second inputs to each logic element are independently coupled to the top and bottom gates of a transistor. The output voltage developed at either the source or drain represents an output logic state value according to the designed logic element. In a dynamic configuration the drain is precharged to an appropriate voltage. Complementary static CMOS configurations are also shown. Bottom Gates not driven by logic inputs or control signals may be biased to control the speed and power of the described logic circuits. Specific designs are given for AND, NAND, XOR, XNOR, OR and NOR combinational logic elements.
US07652329B2
In one embodiment, a vertical MOS transistor is formed without a thick field oxide and particularly without a thick field oxide in the termination region of the transistor.
US07652328B2
A semiconductor device includes an isolation region, a semiconductor element region defined by the isolation region, and having a channel forming portion and a recessed portion, the recessed portion being formed between the isolation region and the channel forming portion, and an epitaxial semiconductor portion formed in the recessed portion, wherein the semiconductor element region has a wall portion between the isolation region and the epitaxial semiconductor portion.
US07652324B2
A NAND type dual bit nitride read only memory and a method for fabricating thereof are provided. Firstly, a plurality of isolation layers, which are spaced and parallel to each other are formed in the substrate. Next, a plurality of word lines and a plurality of oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) stack structures are formed on the substrate. The word lines are spaced and parallel to each other, and also the word lines are perpendicular to the isolation layers. Each of the ONO stack structure is located between the corresponding word line and the substrate. And then a plurality of discontinuous bit lines, which are located between the word lines and between the isolation layers are formed on the substrate. The structure of the present invention of the NAND type dual bit nitride read only memory is similar to that of a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS), and their fabrication processes are fully compatible.
US07652317B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a first and second semiconductor regions formed on the semiconductor substrate insulated and separated from each other, a gate dielectric film formed on the substrate to overlap the first and second semiconductor regions, a floating gate electrode formed on the gate dielectric film and in which a coupling capacitance of the first semiconductor region is larger than that of the second semiconductor region, first source and drain layers formed on the first semiconductor region to interpose the floating gate electrode therebetween, a first and second wiring lines connected to the first source and drain layers, respectively, second source and drain layers formed on the second semiconductor region to interpose the floating gate electrode therebetween, and a third wiring line connected to the second source and drain layers in common.
US07652312B2
A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor comprises a photodiode region generating electrical charges in response to incident light thereon. The CMOS image sensor further comprises a first floating diffusion layer adapted to receive the electrical charges from the photodiode region in response to a global transfer signal and a second floating diffusion region adapted to receive the electrical charges from the first floating diffusion region in response to a pixel selection signal.
US07652305B2
A hermetically sealed package includes: a first plate including inside and outside surfaces; a second plate including inside and outside surfaces; frit material disposed on the inside surface of the second plate; and at least one dielectric layer disposed directly or indirectly on at least one of: (i) the inside surface of the first plate at least opposite to the frit material, and (ii) the inside surface of the second plate at least directly or indirectly on the frit material, wherein the frit material forms a hermetic seal against the dielectric layer in response to heating.
US07652299B2
A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate, wherein a normal line relative to a lateral face of the nitride semiconductor layer is not perpendicular to a normal line relative to a principal plane of the substrate. A method for the production of a nitride semiconductor light-emitting device that includes a substrate and a nitride semiconductor layer including a light-emitting layer stacked on the substrate includes the steps of covering a first surface of the nitride semiconductor layer with a mask provided with a prescribed pattern, removing the nitride semiconductor layer in regions to be divided into component devices till the substrate, subjecting the nitride semiconductor layer to wet-etching treatment and dividing the nitride semiconductor layer into the component devices.
US07652294B2
A display device having a gate wiring including a first conductive material, an insulating film over the gate wiring, a semiconductor film over the insulating film, a source electrode and a drain electrode including a second conductive material formed over a source region and a drain region, and a pixel electrode including a transparent conductive film. The device includes a first terminal portion electrically connected to the gate wiring and having a first layer including a same material as the first conductive material and a second layer including a same material as the transparent conductive film. The device further includes a second terminal portion electrically connected to the source wiring and having a first layer including a same material as the second conductive material and a second layer including a same material as the transparent conductive film. An IC chip may be electrically connected to at least one of the first and second terminal portions.
US07652293B2
An electro-optical device in which a plurality of thin films are laminated on a substrate and a transistor is formed by a part of the plurality of laminated thin films includes a light-shielding insulating layer that forms a part of the plurality of thin films and is laminated on the substrate so as to cover at least a part of a semiconductor layer of the transistor in plan view.
US07652291B2
A flat panel display that can prevent a voltage drop of a driving power and, at the same time, minimizes the characteristic reduction of electronic devices located in a circuit region where various circuit devices are located includes: a substrate; an insulating film arranged on the substrate; a pixel region including at least one light emitting diode, the pixel region arranged on the insulating film and adapted to display an image; a circuit region arranged on the insulating film and including electronic devices adapted to control signals supplied to the pixel region; and a conductive film interposed between the substrate and the insulating film in a region corresponding to the pixel region and electrically connected to one electrode of the light emitting diode.
US07652289B2
In a conventional analog buffer circuit composed of polycrystalline semiconductor TFTs, a variation in the output is large. Thus, a measure such as to provide a correction circuit has been taken. However, there has been such a problem that a circuit and driver operation are complicated. Therefore, a gate length and a gate width of a TFT composing an analog buffer circuit is set to be larger. Also, a multi-gate structure is adopted thereto. In addition, the arrangement of channel regions is devised. Thus, the analog buffer circuit having a small variation is obtained without using a correction circuit, and a semiconductor device having a small variation can be provided.
US07652286B2
An insulating film having depressions and projections are formed on a substrate. A semiconductor film is formed on the insulating film. Thus, for crystallization by using laser light, a part where stress concentrates is selectively formed in the semiconductor film. More specifically, stripe or rectangular depressions and projections are provided in the semiconductor film. Then, continuous-wave laser light is irradiated along the stripe depressions and projections formed in the semiconductor film or in a direction of a major axis or minor axis of the rectangle.
US07652282B2
A main semiconductor region of semiconducting nitrides is formed on a silicon substrate via a buffer region of semiconducting nitrides to provide devices such as HEMTs, MESFETs and LEDs. In order to render the wafer proof against warping, the buffer region is divided into a first and a second multilayered buffer subregion. The first buffer subregion comprises multiple alterations of a multi-sublayered first buffer layer and a non-sublayered second buffer layer. Each multi-sublayered first buffer layer of the first buffer subregion comprises multiple alternations of a first and a second buffer sublayer. The second buffer sublayers of each multi-sublayered first buffer layer either do not contain aluminum or do contain it in a higher proportion than do the first buffer sublayers. The second multilayered buffer subregion comprises multiple alternations of a first and a second buffer layer. The first buffer layers of the second multilayered buffer subregion are less in aluminum proportion than the fourth buffer layers of the second multilayered buffer subregion.
US07652269B2
A laser atom probe (100) situates a counter electrode between a specimen mount and a detector (106), and provides a laser (116) having its beam (122) aligned to illuminate the specimen (104) through the aperture (110) of the counter electrode (108). The detector, specimen mount (102), and/or the counter electrode may be charged to some boost voltage and then be pulsed to bring the specimen to ionization. The timing of the laser pulses may be used to determine ion departure and arrival times allowing determination of the mass-to-charge ratios of the ions, thus their identities. Automated alignment methods are described wherein the laser is automatically directed to areas of interest.
US07652267B2
An ultraviolet (UV) fluorometric sensor measures a chemical concentration in a sample based on the measured fluorescence of the sample. The sensor includes a controller, at least one UV light source, and at least one UV detector. The sensor emits UV light in a wavelength range of 245-265 nm from the light source through the sample in an analytical area. The UV detector measures the fluorescence emission from the sample. The controller transforms output signals from the UV detector into fluorescence values or optical densities for one or more wavelengths in the wavelength range of 265-340 nm. The controller calculates the chemical concentration of the chemical in the sample based on the measured fluorescence emissions.
US07652266B2
In apparatus for detecting the emission of fluorescent radiation from a sample in response to excitation by two or more different radiation sources (145, 160) over the same time period, each radiation source (145, 160) is imprinted with a modulation regime which can then be separately detected in the emitted fluorescent radiation. For instance in techniques based on fluorescent resonant energy transfer (“FRET”), the drive current to two or more different LED sources (145, 160) may be frequency modulated, or pulse width modulated, according to different modulation regimes. Responses of the sample, for instance of different donor/acceptor probes contained in the sample, to each of the sources (145, 160) can then be separately detected by means of the different modulation regimes, even where the wavelengths or wavelength ranges of the responses are the same or overlapping.
US07652265B2
An air treatment system includes a housing defining a chamber, and an ultraviolet lamp positioned within the chamber. The housing further defines an air inlet at a first end portion of the housing and an air outlet at a second end portion of the housing opposing the first end portion. The chamber provides flow communication between the air inlet and the air outlet. At least one ultraviolet lamp is positioned within the chamber. The at least one ultraviolet lamp is positioned about a first axis and includes a first end and a second end spaced with respect to the first end along the first axis. The at least one ultraviolet lamp is configured for facilitating inactivating contaminants within air channeled through the chamber.
US07652264B2
A filament member configured to discharge thermions may be employed in an ion source of an ion implantation apparatus. A filament member may include an anode disposed around a central portion of the filament member, a cathode disposed around a periphery of the filament and/or enclosing the anode, and at least one conductive path disposed between the anode and the cathode to discharge the thermions.
US07652262B2
A radiographic imaging system 1 of the present invention includes: a radiographic image detecting apparatus 6 to obtain radiographic image data; a console 7 to operate the radiographic image detecting apparatus, the console including a display unit 17 for displaying the obtained radiographic image data; and an image storage device 2 which is communicable with the radiographic image detecting apparatus and the console through a network 8, wherein the radiographic image detecting apparatus transmits the obtained radiographic image data to the image storage device, and generates confirmation radiographic image data has a small amount of data based on the information and transmits the information to the console, the image storage device stores the transmitted radiographic image data, and the console displays the transmitted confirmation radiographic image data on the display unit.
US07652259B2
Imaging apparatus, is provided, comprising a first device, for obtaining a first image, by a first modality, selected from the group consisting of SPECT, PET, CT, an extracorporeal gamma scan, an extracorporeal beta scan, x-rays, an intracorporeal gamma scan, an intracorporeal beta scan, an intravascular gamma scan, an intravascular beta scan, and a combination thereof, and a second device, for obtaining a second, structural image, by a second modality, selected from the group consisting of a three-dimensional ultrasound, an MRI operative by an internal magnetic field, an extracorporeal ultrasound, an extracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intracorporeal ultrasound, an intracorporeal MRI operative by an external magnetic field, an intravascular ultrasound, and a combination thereof, and wherein the apparatus further includes a computerized system, configured to construct an attenuation map, for the first image, based on the second, structural image. Additionally, the computerized system is configured to display an attenuation-corrected first image as well as a superposition of the attenuation-corrected first image and the second, structural image. Furthermore, the apparatus is operative to guide an in-vivo instrument based on the superposition.
US07652247B2
An aerodynamic lens, comprises a cylindrical body having an inlet and an outlet; and a convergence-divergence lens portion inside the cylindrical body, having a lens hole formed at the center of the convergence-divergence lens portion, through which a carrier gas and particles pass, a convergence slant surface at a convergence angle (α) with a central axis of the aerodynamic lens at the front of the lens hole, and a divergence slant surface at a divergence angle (β) with the central axis of the aerodynamic lens at the rear of the lens hole.
US07652244B2
Reflective optical sensors. A reflective optical sensor for sensing the presence of an object can include a reflective sensor package having a first cavity and a second cavity. The first and second cavities can be located side-by-side in the sensor package. A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) can be located within the first cavity for producing an optical emission. An optical receiver can be located within the second cavity and configured to receive at least a portion of the produced optical emission that is reflected from the object such that when the reflected emission is above a threshold strength the object is determined to be present. The optical receiver can be a shunt phototransistor and can include reverse bias protection.
US07652241B2
A system and method for timing image acquisitions provide an optical charge pulse to a sensor within an optical imaging system prior to image acquisitions by the optical imaging system. This optical charge pulse compensates for dark current discharge in the sensor.
US07652239B2
A video correction circuit of the invention includes an detection unit for detecting the cumulative light-emission frequency data on each pixel by sampling video data supplied to a display device having a plurality of pixels; a cumulative data storage unit for storing the cumulative light-emission frequency data on each pixel; an adder for adding the cumulative light-emission frequency data on each pixel detected by the detection unit to the cumulative light-emission frequency data on each pixel stored in the cumulative data storage unit, thereby writing the result to the cumulative data storage unit as new cumulative light-emission frequency data; and a correction unit for correcting the video data based on the cumulative light-emission frequency data stored in the cumulative data storage unit, thereby outputting the corrected video data to the pixel portion. The pixels are provided with light-emitting elements of a plurality of colors. The cumulative light-emission frequency data is divided into a plurality of data fragments, each of which is stored in each of the plurality of memories for each color of the light-emitting elements.
US07652237B2
Color point control system (1) comprising a LED device (2) comprising a plurality of light-emitting diodes (3a,3b,3c,3d) emitting a first light, said diodes (3a,3b,3c,3d) fixed on a substrate (4), a layer (5) on at least one light-emitting diode (3a,3b,3c,3d) capable to convert at least a first portion of the first light into a second light, only one photo-sensor (6) for measuring a second portion of the first light of each single diode (3a,3b,3c,3d) during a turn-off time where all other diodes are turned-off, and a controller (9) for sequentially turning-off said diodes (3a,3b,3c,3d) except one single diode (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and for comparing the second portion of the first light of each single diode (3a,3b,3c,3d) measured by the photo-detector (6) to a default value and to adapt the emitted second portion of first light of each single diode (3a,3b,3c,3d) to said default value.
US07652235B2
Devices systems, and methods can characterize an optical surface of an object. A wavefront sensor system focuses light energy propagating from the object to form a pattern on a detector. The system maps the pattern to an array with a transform function such as a Fourier transform. The values of array correspond to characteristic locations and signals in a transform space, for example an intensity of spatial frequency signals in frequency space. The characteristic location and intensity of these signals in transform space are used to measure the optical surface. For example, a characteristic frequency of a spatial frequency intensity peak in Fourier transform space can be used to estimate the location of spots on the detector. Alternatively, the characteristics can be used to the measure sphere, cylinder and axis of a wavefront, wavefront elevation maps and point spread functions, often without locating positions of individual spots on the detector.
US07652228B2
A steam-generating warming article 1 which has a steam generating element 2 making use of chemical energy and is adapted to supply steam while in contact with a human body. The article 1, while in contact with the body, maintains the skin surface temperature at 38° to 49° C. for 3 to 15 hours and cumulatively generates 0.5 to 12 mg/3 hr·cm2 of steam. The steam-generating warning article 1 is used to improve the human body's physiology. The steam generating element 2 is preferably a heat generating sheet prepared by incorporating an aqueous electrolyte solution into a molded sheet containing an oxidizable metal, a reaction accelerator, and a fibrous material.
US07652224B2
A semiconductor wafer marking apparatus and a semiconductor wafer marking method includes a laser head unit including a flowcell having a laser radiation region and a laser source radiating laser energy on the laser radiation region in response to an input current. An optical system radiates a laser beam on the semiconductor wafer. A cooling water reservoir stores cooling water. A pipe is disposed in the flowcell and connected to the cooling water reservoir. A marking interlock system detects leakage of cooling water from the pipe, an abnormal temperature of the laser radiation region, and an abnormal input current supplied to the laser source, and generates a marking interlock signal to terminate a marking operation of the semiconductor wafer. A marking unit turns off the laser source to terminate the marking of the semiconductor wafer in response to the marking interlock signal.
US07652223B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a method of welding sputtering target tiles to form a large sputtering target. Embodiments of a sputtering target assembly with welded sputtering target tiles are also provided. In one embodiment, a method for welding sputtering target tiles in an electron beam welding chamber comprises providing strips or powder of sputtering target material on a pre-determined at least one interfacial line between at least two sputtering target tiles, that are yet to be placed, on a surface of support, placing the at least two sputtering target tiles side by side with edges of the at least two sputtering target tiles abutting and forming at least one interfacial line on top of the strips or powder of sputtering target material, pumping out the gas in the electron beam welding chamber, preheating the at least two sputtering target tiles and the strips or powder of sputtering target material to a pre-heat temperature less than the temperature at which the at least two target tiles begin to melt, undergo a change in physical state, or undergo substantial decomposition, and welding the at least two sputtering target tiles placed side by side into a large sputtering target.
US07652222B2
A discharge voltage detecting unit of an electric discharge machine detects a discharge voltage and determines an average discharge voltage in a specified period of time. An optimum machining condition computing unit determines a discharge current that makes an average discharge voltage detected by a discharge voltage detecting unit equal to an average discharge voltage when a new machining liquid is used. The optimum machining condition computing unit determines an optimal discharging time, an optimal non-operating time, and an optimal servo reference voltage from relational equations depending on the determined discharge current. A machining condition data base storing unit stores the discharge current, the discharging time, the non-operating time, and the servo reference voltage. A servo control unit establishes the optimum machining conditions at the time of machining.
US07652220B2
A touch sensor device for a household appliance or the like is disclosed, for producing a signal for controlling the appliance's operation when touched by a user's finger. The sensor comprises a capacitance sensor element connected to control circuitry, wherein the sensor is connected to a first side of a circuit board, typically facing towards the inside of the appliance. In the same vicinity on the other side of the circuit board is a conductive field that is not galvanically connected to the sensor element, but which is positioned against a non-conductive panel, the other side of which forms the exterior of the appliance. The exterior surface of the panel is a touch area, so that contact by a user's finger in the touch area alters the capacitance, which is detected by the capacitance sensor element and is detected by the control circuitry for controlling the appliance.
US07652210B2
A safety device for electrical outlets includes a body having prongs rigidly attached to the body which can be inserted into the openings of a standard electrical outlet, wherein one or more of the prongs define a spring-biased portion defining a barb for engaging the rear surface of the outlet once the device is fully inserted therein.
US07652203B2
The present invention provides grain, seed, feed made from the grain or seed, pet food made from the grain, and food products made from the grain. The grain may be maize grain with the following characteristics: oil burdened, elevated protein content, and low phytate levels. The combination of oil burdened, protein laden, and decreased phytate characteristics in grain makes a grain that provides more calories, protein and phosphorus and other nutrients to the feeding animal. Pet foods, and animal feeds and corn food products made of the present invention will provide increased nutrition because of the increased bioavailability of the components of the grain.
US07652202B2
A barley cultivar, designated Salute, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of barley cultivar Salute, to the plants of barley Salute, and to methods for producing a barley plant produced by crossing barley cultivar Salute with itself or another barley variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a barley plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic barley plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to barley varieties or breeding varieties and plant parts derived from barley cultivar Salute, to methods for producing other barley varieties, lines or plant parts derived from barley cultivar Salute, and to the barley plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid barley seeds and plants produced by crossing barley cultivar Salute with another barley cultivar. This invention further relates to methods for developing other barley varieties or breeding lines derived from variety Salute including cell and tissue culture, haploid systems, mutagenesis, and transgenic derived lines. Salute demonstrates a unique combination of traits for the human food market including waxy starch, low cracking upon pearling and increased levels of Beta-glucan fiber and Beta-glucan fiber viscosity.
US07652198B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4698013. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4698013. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4698013 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4698013 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07652194B2
This invention describes a process for gene expression in plants utilizing translational vectors. Said translational vectors cause a gene of interest to be stably integrated into a transcriptionally active host genomic DNA such that the transcription of the gene of interest is controlled by a promoter of the host plant. Said translational vectors are preferably based on internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements that are of plant origin.
US07652193B2
Tetraploid watermelon inbreds are disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds and plants of the tetraploid watermelon inbreds, the methods of propagating the tetraploid inbreds through seeds and tissue culture. The invention also relates to methods of producing the triploid seedless watermelon seeds and plants by crossing the tetraploid inbreds with diploid watermelon inbreds, and to the triploid plants produced therefrom.
US07652188B2
An adhesive bandage is provided. The adhesive bandage includes: (a) an absorbent pad having an absorbent surface; (b) an adhesive tape attached to the absorbent pad, the adhesive tape being configured for attaching to a skin region so as to position the absorbent surface against a portion of the skin region; (c) a display being positioned on an outer surface of the adhesive bandage the display being configured and positioned so as to be viewable by an individual when the adhesive tape is attached to the skin region; and (d) a power source attached to or integrated with the adhesive tape, the power source being for powering the display, the display being for increasing an acceptability of use of the adhesive bandage by the individual when powered. Furthermore, the present invention provides an adhesive bandage with a display, the display being for displaying a skin condition value and for increasing an acceptability of use of the adhesive bandage by the individual when powered.
US07652187B2
A process for the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of C3-C5 olefins with isobutane is disclosed wherein the requisite mixing is accomplished by the use of eductors within the reactor. In addition the alkylate product is subjected to primary and secondary coalescers for removal of entrained sulfuric acid. The vaporized unreacted C4's are recovered as liquid by absorption and desorption in an absorber oil.
US07652186B2
The invention relates to a method of making a PAO characterized by a low viscosity, low Noack volatility, and excellent cold temperature properties, using a promoter system comprising an alcohol and an ester. The products comprise trimers obtained by fractionating a hydrogenated bottoms product from an oligomerization process using said promoter system.
US07652182B2
Integrated, energy efficient process for making detergent range alkylbenzenes, heavies coproduced during the alkylation of benzene with olefin using a solid, acidic catalyst are transalkylated. Spent benzene from regeneration of the solid, acidic catalyst used for alkylation provides at least about 50 percent of the benzene provided for the transalkylation. The integrated processes thus reduce the load on the benzene distillation assembly used in the alkylbenzene refining system.
US07652175B2
A method of use for a high shear device incorporated into a process or system for the production of acetaldehyde from ethylene as a reactor device is shown to be capable of decreasing mass transfer limitations, by forming a feed stream emulsion, and thereby enhancing the acetaldehyde production process in the system.
US07652172B2
This invention provides a practical synthesis route for 4,5-dihydroxypentane-2,3-dione (DPD), an unstable small molecule which is proposed to be the source of universal signaling agents for quorum sensing in bacteria. The synthesis route includes new intermediates and allows preparation of isotopically-labeled DPD and ent-DPD. The method provides sufficient quantities of DPD for study of spontaneous binding of borate to DPD, the signal for the marine bacteria V. harveyi.
