US08180361B2
Methods and systems are provided for establishing a logical flow path between a radio network controller (RNC) having multiple call processors that are operable in a distributed manner and a base station, in particular a Node B, being served by the RNC using an internet protocol (IP) transport technology. In some embodiments a method comprises configuring of IP addresses to be used by the RNC and base station, establishing paths based on communication ports in the RNC and base station, performing cell initialization and establishing common channel paths between the RNC and base station. Methods described herein include a step for Node B attachment that can be added to a Node B and RNC installation phase that is current part of 3GPP standards as part of a “plug and play” deployment method. The methods for Node B attachment to the network enable the Node B to be installed and dynamically registered with the RNC. The Node B obtains access to distributed call processing resources from the RNC over public and IP networks to offer services to UEs that the newly attached Node B serves.
US08180358B2
An apparatus and method for establishing a session in a communication network supporting multimedia group calls. A first step (202) includes determining streams for a multimedia group call by the service entity. A next step (204) includes providing an indicator of the resources required for at least one stream of the group call by the service entity. A next step (206) includes paging the subscriber unit with the indicator for the at least one stream of the group call by the service entity. A next step (208) includes ascertaining the capabilities and resources of the subscriber unit. A next step (210) includes establishing a channel for only those streams of the group call for which the capabilities and resources of the subscriber unit are sufficient with respect to the indicator for those streams.
US08180355B2
A base station device includes a plurality of directional antennas, a power control unit and a frequency management unit. The cell is formed with layers of a base cell having a cell border with a cell formed by a neighboring base station device and including a plurality of sector cells and a small-cell having a cell radius smaller than a cell radius of the base cell and including at least four sector cells by the plurality of directional antennas and the power control unit. The frequency management unit manages frequency bands so that different frequency bands are allocated to the sector cells of the base cell, and a frequency band, which is different from the frequency bands allocated to the base cell and different between neighboring sector cells but the same between at least two sector cells, is allocated to each of the sector cells of the small-cell.
US08180353B2
A routing method and system for a mobile ad-hoc network is provided for efficiently routing a packet by quickly updating topology information shared by nodes adaptively to variation of the network topology while minimizing generation of redundant traffic. The routing method includes setting, at each current node, a self-potential value to a destination node upon receiving a route recovery request; and transmitting, when a transmission packet is destined to the destination node, the packet through a route established with at least one node in a descending order of potential value. The present invention reduces the redundant traffic dramatically, thereby improving the entire network throughput.
US08180352B2
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a particular node in an ad hoc network is configured with a desirable number of neighbor nodes and equipped with a transmission power level hierarchy. The particular node may adjust a transmission power level to a different level in the transmission power level hierarchy, based on a number of responses received from neighbor nodes after the particular node broadcasts a request at current transmission power level. This adjustment process is repeated until the particular node acquires a desirable number of neighbor nodes.
US08180347B2
A domain transferring method for the single radio voice call continuity, a UE accesses via an LTE/SAE network, and sets up an IMS session anchored at a VCC AS with a remote node; when an S-IWF receives a handover request used to transfer the session to make the session access from a CS domain, the method comprises: the LTE/SAE network sends a handover command to the UE, the UE sends a handover complete message to a target access device after receiving the handover command; after the UE sends the handover complete message, or after the S-IWF receives the handover complete message, a release session notification message is sent to a VCC AS; after receiving the session release notification message, the VCC AS releases the session resources of the session.
US08180335B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate notifying and detecting system information block (SIB) modification in subsequent modification periods. Access points can advertise information in a current SIB indicating a subsequent modification period in which the SIB will be modified. Devices can receive the SIB and process the information to determine whether the SIB will be modified and in which modification period. This mitigates undesirable affects of utilizing paging to indicate SIB modification since devices read the SIB upon entering a cell, switching from active to idle mode, etc.
US08180321B2
A method and system for processing a prepaid call in a mobile telecommunications network wherein charges can be recovered for the call after the SCP and Prepaid Platform lose contact with the MSC or GMSC handling the call. A Trigger Detection Point known as “O-Disconnect” or “T-Disconnect” can be armed in a prepaid subscriber's HLR and can be triggered when the MSC/GMSC loses contact with the SCP. The MSC/GMSC can record the time that the TDP was triggered in memory. The MSC/GMSC can then monitor for call disconnect and record the disconnection time in memory. When the call is disconnected the MSC/GMSC can renew contact with the SCP. MSC/GMSC can identify the call using a unique call identifier and advise the SCP of the times at which contact was lost and the call was disconnected. The SCP can use this information to calculate a charge for the portion of the call that occurred after contact with the MSC/GMSC was lost so that the entire call can be charged in near real-time.
US08180312B2
A wireless receiver is provided that includes a multi-step gain-control low-noise amplifier (LNA) stage and a mixer stage. The LNA stage is operable to amplify at least one input signal to generate at least one LNA output. The mixer stage is directly coupled to the LNA stage (without an intervening external bandpass filter) and is operable to down-convert the LNA output to generate a mixer output.
US08180299B2
A reset method for an AM RLC entity, the method comprising: receiving a reset PDU that includes a RSN; and if the received reset PDU is not the first received reset PDU after re-establishment of the RLC entity and if the RSN is the same as a RSN included in a last received reset PDU, re-transmitting the reset ACK PDU that was last transmitted. The method further comprising: if the received reset PDU is the first received reset PDU after re-establishment of the RLC entity or if the RSN is not the same as a RSN included in a last received reset PDU, transmitting a reset ACK PDU.
US08180297B2
A method for setting up communication links between a first vehicle and at least one second vehicle using telematics units, wherein the telematics unit is activated by the respective driver, and the driver of the first vehicle uses the telematics unit to input registration identifiers into the telematics unit in the first vehicle, and the telematics unit in the first vehicle sets up a communication link to at least one second telematics unit in a second vehicle, and the registration identifier is checked by the telematics unit in the second vehicle via the communication link, and the registration identifier of the first vehicle is output to the driver of the second vehicle via the telematics unit in the vehicle, with setup of a communication link to the first vehicle being confirmed by an input, requested by the driver of the second vehicle, using the telematics unit in the second vehicle.
US08180296B2
Systems, methods, and associated software for imposing a haptic effect upon a user are disclosed herein. A user device, which is operable within a wireless interaction system according to one implementation, includes a transceiver that is configured to communicate wirelessly with a host device. The user device further includes a processor that is configured to determine whether a specific interaction event occurs. The interaction event, for example, is related to an interaction with the host device. The user device also includes a haptic actuator that is configured to impose a haptic effect upon a user when the processor determines that the specific interaction event has occurred.
US08180295B2
A host device is provided to include a processor, a memory, and a peripheral device communication port. The processor and the memory are defined to collectively execute a computer application. The host device is defined to establish a communication channel for a datastream associated with the computer application as transmitted through the peripheral device communication port. A bluetooth host chip is connected within the host device to enable bluetooth communication with a bluetooth client chip in an external device outside the host device. The host device is further defined to enable connection of the bluetooth client chip to the communication channel for the datastream, such that the datastream can be monitored by the external device.
US08180294B2
A portable electronic device is disclosed. The portable electronic device includes a wireless transceiver, a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver, a memory coupled to the processor and a program stored in the memory and running on the processor. The program provides automatic transitioning between a wireless infrastructure communication mode to an ad-hoc communication mode. The infrastructure mode is used when a request from a mobile device is received to access a communications network. The ad-hoc mode is used when a request from the mobile device is received to access resources on the portable electronic device.
US08180293B2
An apparatus, device, methods, computer program product, and system are to make a determination that a first device associated with a vehicle is in proximity to a wireless device, transmit a signal from the first device to the wireless device to cause the wireless device to display information related to the vehicle, and perform an operation with respect to the vehicle based at least in part on the determination.
US08180292B2
A mobile communication device for communicating a radio communication device associated with a radio transmitter. The mobile communication device includes a short-range radio communication unit configured to transmit a requirement signal for short-range radio communication connection to the radio communication device, and configured to receive a signal from the radio communication device for short-range radio communication connection. The mobile communication device includes a memory configured to store a data, the data needed to transmit the requirement signal. The mobile communication device includes a controller coupled to the short-range radio communication unit and the memory, and configured to wait for the signal from the radio communication device if the short-range radio communication unit tries to transmit the requirement signal to the radio communication device, and if a connection between the mobile communication device and the radio communication device has failed.
US08180290B2
A wireless communication method capable of preventing communication interference and cut-off in one-to-multi wireless communication. The wireless communication method has the steps of: determining as to whether communication parameters satisfy a precondition for communication before a master device communicates with a slave device in a corresponding mode, the communication parameters being required for the slave devices to communicate with the master device, the precondition being that the slave devices should communicate with the master device without overlapping of communication time thereof; controlling the communication of the slave devices according to the corresponding mode by differently setting operation information of the slave devices according to the corresponding mode, when determining that the communication parameters satisfy the precondition for communication; and maintaining a connection between the slave device and the master device until the communication completes, when the time of operation of the slave devices ends due to the corresponding mode shift when the communication is not completed between the master device and the slave device. Accordingly, the interference and cut-off of communication with the slave devices of different communication times and cycles in corresponding mode can be prevented.
US08180288B2
A communication system according to the present invention includes a transmitter for applying a transmission signal to a human body as an electric field, and a receiver for receiving the transmission signal by detecting the electric field via the human body. The receiver includes a reception electrode which faces the human body, a resonance circuit formed of a resonance inductor and a resonance capacitor, and a coupling capacitor for capacitively coupling the reception electrode and the resonance circuit.
US08180287B2
A portable terminal includes: a display unit configured to display various information; an user interface; a proximity communication interface configured to establish a wireless communication path with a counterpart device in a proximity state; a detector configured to detect whether the portable terminal is in an enabled state capable of performing a content movement operation with the user interface or in a disabled state that is not capable of performing the content movement operation with the user interface; and a content controller configured to perform a process for controlling the display unit to display a list of contents which can be transmitted by the proximity communication, when the proximity communication interface establishes the wireless communication path and the detector detects that the portable terminal is in the enabled state.
US08180281B2
A system and method for controlling a mobile repeater are provided. The method includes determining a signal level for each of a plurality communication sites adjacent the repeater. The method further includes assigning a communication frequency to the repeater based on the determined signal levels for the plurality of communication sites adjacent the repeater.
US08180278B2
There is provided an information processing system including a service provider unit, a communication terminal and an information processing unit. The communication terminal includes a terminal first communication section, a terminal second communication section to communicate with the information processing unit through a first communication channel, a terminal third communication section to communicate with the information processing unit through a second communication channel, and a terminal communication control section. The information processing unit includes a unit first communication section to communicate with the communication terminal through the first communication channel, a unit second communication section to communicate with the communication terminal through the second communication channel, a unit communication control section to switch communication channels with the communication terminal from the first communication channel to the second communication channel, and a unit processing section to perform service processing with the service provider unit.
US08180270B2
An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit and a re-heating unit. The fixing unit fixes a toner image on a recording medium by applying heat to the toner image with a first glossiness level. The re-heating unit re-heats the toner image, fixed on the recording medium by the fixing unit, to set a second glossiness level lower than the first glossiness level.
US08180266B2
This disclosure provides a method, apparatus, and system for registering the transfer of an image from a belt to a media substrate associated with a printing device. Specifically, the exemplary methods use a ROS master clock and belt location sensor located downstream of a belt tensioning device to generate a reg sync signal to initiate transfer of the image.
US08180252B2
A photosensitive body for electro-photography includes a photosensitive drum, a shaft, and a contact segment. The photosensitive drum includes a drum body that has a cylindrical shape, electrical conductivity, and an outer peripheral surface, and a photosensitive layer that is formed on the outer peripheral surface. The photosensitive drum is rotatable about a central axis of the drum body. The shaft penetrates through the drum body and extends along the central axis. The photosensitive drum is rotatable relative to the shaft. The contact segment is interposed between the photosensitive drum and the shaft to electrically connects the shaft and the drum body. The contact segment includes a pair of contact portions that forms a gap therebetween. The pair of contact portions is aligned in a direction perpendicular to the central axis while contacting with an outer circumferential surface of the shaft. A portion of the outer circumferential surface is placed in the gap.
US08180250B2
A driving device for a toner cartridge includes a cartridge body and a driving portion disposed on the cartridge body. A transmission mechanism is disposed in the cartridge body. The driving portion includes a driving motor and a controller. The controller receives signal transmitted from a controller unit of a printing apparatus to precisely control the operation of the driving motor. The driving motor is connected with the transmission mechanism. Through the driving action of the driving portion, the transmission load of the printing apparatus can be reduced, and the stability of the printing system can be improved. Moreover, because the driving portion is built in the cartridge body, the gear transmission mechanisms of both of the printing apparatus and the toner cartridge can be simplified, and malfunction can be solved.
US08180242B2
A print engine synchronization system apparatus enables the movement of a first print engine dielectric support member (DSM) having one or more image frames as well as the movement of a second print engine DSM having one or more image frames by monitoring a first frame signal from the moving first print engine DSM and a second frame signal from the moving second print engine DSM. An offset is determined for each of corresponding pairs of frames from the one or more image frames of the first and second print engine DSM and the determined offset for each corresponding pair of frames is compared to a target offset to maintain synchronization between the first and second print engines on a frame by frame basis by adjusting a second print engine DSM velocity based on the comparison of the determined offset and the target offset.
US08180238B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier for carrying developer image, a transfer device configured to transfer the developer image to a recording media, a forward bias applying circuit configured to apply a forward bias voltage to the transfer device, and a reverse bias applying circuit configured to apply a reverse bias voltage to the transfer device. The apparatus includes a detecting circuit configured to detect inflow current flowing from the image carrier into the forward bias applying circuit, and a decision circuit configured to determine a lower limit of the reverse bias voltage based on a detected value of the inflow current when the detected value of the inflow current exceeds a first predetermined value. The reverse bias applying circuit applies the reverse bias voltage of the determined lower limit to the transfer device at least before the forward bias voltage is applied to the transfer device.
US08180233B2
A cooling device that cools the inside of an image forming apparatus provided with a developer carrier that carries an image developed with a developer while being rotated. The cooling device includes: a counting unit that counts an accumulative number of rotation of the developer carrier; and a fan that cools the inside of the image forming apparatus. The cooling device further includes: a calculating unit that calculates an abrasion amount of the developer carrier in which the accumulative number of rotation counted by the counting unit is used as at least one variable; and a controlling unit that actuates the fan with cooling efficiency according to the abrasion amount calculated by the calculating unit.
US08180228B1
In a direct-detection receiver having an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for sampling a received optical signal and a sequence estimator for recovering data symbols from a multi-bit sample stream generated by the ADC, a method of acquiring a channel lock condition of a clock recovery block of the receiver. A plurality of sets of channel statistics are provided. Each set of channel statistics optimizes performance of the sequence estimator for a respective predetermined combination of channel chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion. At least one set of channel statistics will, when installed in the sequence estimator, yield symbol estimates having residual distortions that are within an acquisition range of the clock recovery block. During start-up of the receiver, one of the sets of channel statistics is selected and installed in the Sequence Estimator. If a channel lock condition is not detected within a predetermined time interval, the step of selecting one of the sets of channel statistics and installing the selected set of channel statistics in the Sequence Estimator is repeated until a channel lock condition is detected.
US08180225B2
The invention provides an optically powered device interface module for operating an external device, and an optically powered data link comprising the same. In one embodiment the device interface module includes an optical interface for receiving optical power and data signals, an electrical USB interface for providing USB compliant electrical data signals and a 5V electrical power signal to an external USB device, a transducer coupled to a signal processor for converting the optical power and data signals into the 5V electrical power signal and the USB-compliant electrical data signals, and a power distribution circuit for providing electrical power obtained from the optical power signal to the device interface module circuitry. The transducer may be embodied using a single photovoltaic power converter for receiving the optical power and for receiving and transmitting optical data signals.
US08180221B2
The present invention relates to a wavelength-division multiplexed passive optical network (WDM-PON) for reducing degradation in noise characteristic of a wavelength-locked Fabry-Perot Laser Diode (F-P LD). A WDM-PON for reducing degradation in a noise characteristic of a wavelength-locked F-P LD in accordance with the present invention comprises a central office (CO); a remote node (RN) being connected to the CO by a single mode fiber; and one or more optical network terminations (ONTs) being connected to the RN by one or more single mode fibers, respectively, wherein the CO comprises: a broadband light source (BLS) for generating light to be injected; a first wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) filter for filtering for the injected light generated from the BLS and having a bandwidth wider than a bandwidth of the injected light in order to minimize a filtering effect; and one or more optical transceiver having one or more F-P LDs into which light being filtered by the first WDM filter is injected; and wherein the RN filters the injected light generated from the BLS and injects the filtered light into the one or more ONTs; and wherein the RN comprises a second WDM filter having a bandwidth wider than a bandwidth of the injected light in order to minimize a filtering effect.
US08180220B2
A protocol configuration method for use by a substation to be coupled to a main station in an optical access network is described. The configuration method comprises the following steps: predefining for the substation a plurality of predefined types of protocol for use by the substation of one of the types of protocol during operation; and after being coupled to the main station, determining with a first determiner, a bit-rate and a line-coding for a bit-stream being received from the main station, thereby providing a downstream line-rate and a downstream line-coding; and based upon at least anyone of the downstream line-rate, the downstream line-coding and the bit-stream, selecting with a selector according to predefined rules and conditions a type out of the plurality of predefined types of protocol for the bit-stream, the predefined rules and condition are based upon one or more distinguishing marks between the plurality of predefined types of protocol; and activating the selected type for further operation and thereby enabling the substation to communicate with the main station according to the selected type of protocol.
US08180212B2
Disclosed are an optical system for infinite image formation and a method for fabricating a camera module using the optical system. The optical system includes a first lens unit including at least one lens; a projection chart capable of partially allowing light to pass therethrough; a backlight unit capable of emitting light; and a first holder coupled with the first lens unit, the projection chart and the backlight unit. The first lens unit is exposed through an opening of the first holder. The method includes coupling the optical system with a camera module including a first lens unit, an image sensor and a printed circuit board, where the optical system is coupled to the first lens unit; and adjusting an effective focal length between the first lens unit and the image sensor by rotating the optical system and the first lens unit of the camera module.
US08180211B2
Systems and methods to achieve an auto-focus camera with a movable lens barrel having a mechanic shock detection capability combined with a re-initialization of the camera module have been disclosed. This re-initialization may comprise moving the lens barrel displaced by the shock to a home position. In a preferred embodiment of the invention a motor with integrated position detection has been used. In a normal operation the position detection feature senses the actual position of the lens, e.g. during auto-focusing of the lens barrel, and provides this position information to a control unit which is controlling the movement of the lens barrel to a target position. In case of a mechanic shock, e.g. if the camera module drops to ground, the control unit detects an extreme rapid displacement of the lens barrel and initiates a re-initialization of the camera module.
US08180209B2
A method of identifying the activity of a camera used for capturing an image or video, such activity not being related to the activity of subjects of the scene being captured includes determining a steadiness signal related to movement of the camera while capturing an image or video, wherein the steadiness signal identifies the motion of the camera in at least two dimensions as a function of time; and using a processor for determining a camera activity classification for the camera based on an analysis of the steadiness signal, wherein the camera activity classification includes categories of the camera being stationary, the camera being located in a moving vehicle, the camera being held by hand, or the camera being held by a jogging or walking user.
US08180205B2
An electrothermal oil radiator includes a radiating body (1), an electric-control box (2) mounted on the radiating body (1) and a heating body (3) located inside the radiating body (1). The radiating body (1) includes a plurality of radiating fins (11) linked in turn. Each radiating fin (11) is hollow and sheet-like and has at least two oil leading grooves (12) inside thereof. Hollow connecting sleeves (13) extending horizontally are formed or mounted on upper and lower ends of each radiating fin (11). An oil leading hole in communication with the oil leading grooves (12) is formed in each connecting sleeve (13). The sleeves (13) on each radiating fin (11) are connected together to form a sealed oil cavity in which heat conducting oil is filled. A reinforcing radiating fin (4) is mounted between two adjacent radiating fins (11).
US08180203B2
Provided is a direct heating tube which has a sufficient heating rate and a sufficient cooling rate, and has no cold spots therein, making it possible to ensure a uniform temperature distribution in the whole part thereof or a temperature distribution having a desired temperature gradient, and making it possible to keep constant the temperature of a fluid which is caused to flow through the tube or to give a desired change to the temperature of the fluid. Provided also is a direct heating tube which does not exert an adverse influence on devices near the tube, such as a detector and an oven, even by heating the tube. In a desired portion of the tube to be heated, a second heated tube connected to a first heated tube is provided outside the first heated tube, and an electrode portion is connected to the second heated tube.
US08180202B2
A robot including a controller and multiple servos, each acting as an actuator, and a supply voltage generator circuit connected to a transmission line between the controller, which controls using the RS485 communication protocol, and the servos. The reference voltage generator circuit maintains one of a pair of differential signals (or an inversion signal) at a constant potential between a high level and a low level. As a result, a TTL communication scheme servo can be mounted and controlled, along with a RS485 scheme servo. A supply voltage generator circuit is formed of a Zener diode and a voltage divider circuit. Without being limited to incorporation at some midpoint on the transmission path, the supply voltage generator circuit can be incorporated in a controller or a hub for splitting a transmission path.
US08180199B2
A playback apparatus which plays back video or music contents, includes: a playback unit playing back the video or music contents recorded on a recording medium; an output unit outputting the video or music contents played back in the playback unit; and a control unit controlling at least an operation of the playback unit, wherein in the video or music contents, a quick reference mark is set at multiple places, in response to user manipulation, the control unit finds a start of a sequence in accordance with the quick reference mark to control the operation of the playback unit to play back the video or music contents, in response to user manipulation for the quick reference, the control unit varies a priority that expresses a degree served for the quick reference, and for the mark having a low priority, the control unit accepts no user manipulation for quick reference.
US08180198B2
A playlist creating apparatus is provided which allows a user to select desired digital images from a plurality of programs and use the desired digital images to simply create a playlist or to select a digital image in dubbing it to another recording medium. One image data that agrees in terms of a specific condition with another image data selected from recorded image data is added to an image screen as a selective candidate for display.
US08180195B2
A memory device for storing a plurality of macroblocks may include a plurality of memory banks. Each macroblock may include m*n pixel data, wherein m is a positive integer, and wherein n also is a positive integer. The plurality of memory banks is adapted to store the pixel data, and wherein each memory bank is sized to store rows of m pixel data. An image processing system may include: a memory adapted to store a plurality of macroblocks; and a video codec. The memory may include a plurality of memory banks. Each memory bank may be sized to store rows of m pixel data. The video codec may be adapted to encode pixel data read from the memory. The video codec also may be adapted to decode the pixel data read from the memory.
US08180188B2
A spectral filter comprises a planar optical waveguide having at least one set of diffractive elements. The waveguide confines in one transverse dimension an optical signal propagating in two other dimensions therein. The waveguide supports multiple transverse modes. Each diffractive element set routes, between input and output ports, a diffracted portion of the optical signal propagating in the planar waveguide and diffracted by the diffractive elements. The diffracted portion of the optical signal reaches the output port as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode optical source may launch the optical signal into the planar waveguide, through the corresponding input optical port, as a superposition of multiple transverse modes. A multimode output waveguide may receive, through the output port, the diffracted portion of the optical signal. Multiple diffractive element sets may route corresponding diffracted portions of optical signal between one or more corresponding input and output ports.
US08180186B2
An optical switch including a light passageway having a changeable cross-sectional area, an activation light responsive piezoelectric element associated with the light passageway, the activation light responsive piezoelectric element being operative to change its shape in response to activation light impinging thereon and a conductive element operatively associated with the piezoelectric element for enhancing activation light responsiveness thereof, the activation light responsive piezoelectric element being associated with the light passageway and being operative such that changes in the shape of the piezoelectric element cause changes in the changeable cross-sectional area of the light passageway sufficient to govern the passage of light along the light passageway. Logic gates and logic functionality employing an optical switch are also described.
US08180183B1
An RF photonic link having at least one light source, at least one photodetector, multiple optoelectronic modulators, and an RF waveguide common to each one of said multiple optoelectronic modulators. The multiple optoelectronic modulators are optically arranged in parallel to receive light from said at least one light source and are disposed in said RF waveguide. The RF waveguide, in use, guides an RF electromagnetic field applied to each of the multiple optoelectronic modulators disposed therein, the RF electromagnetic field propagating through the RF waveguide in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction in which an optical field propagates through each of said optoelectronic modulators.
US08180178B2
The present invention is a method for manipulating acquired digital images in a computer system, comprising creating a crop cost array for each of a set of input images with a set of associated aspect ratios, wherein the cost crop array operates and is stored on the computer system and wherein each element of the array holds a lowest crop cost of an input image for a predetermined aspect ratio, generating plural possible candidate combinations of aspect ratios for the images, wherein one aspect ratio is generated for each image, creating an arrangement of the images for each candidate combination in which each image is cropped to its associated aspect ratio in the candidate combination, evaluating each possible arrangement using a combination of a crop cost of each of the images at their selected aspect ratio and a measure of an aesthetic quality of the layout arrangement, selecting a layout combination with a lowest combined crop cost and layout evaluation score, cropping each image according to a respective aspect ratio in the selected layout combination and arranging the cropped digital images in the selected layout to produce an automatically formatted output layout page.
US08180168B2
A scanning device includes a scanning mechanism and a processing mechanism. The scanning mechanism scans an image fixed on a medium to generate a digital infrared representation of the image and a digital visible light representation of the image. The processing mechanism substantially reduces effects of noise and distortions within the digital visible light representation of the image in one pass. The processing mechanism at least decorrelates visible light aspects from the infrared representation of the image and employs a one-pass filter that uses both the infrared and the visible light representations of the image.
US08180166B2
A method for transcoding a first codeword to a second codeword, wherein both comprise escape codes and escape levels is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a bitstream to determine the first codeword therefrom, determining whether the first codeword belongs to a long escape mode or a short escape mode, and truncating the escape level of the first codeword to generate the second codeword when the first codeword belongs to the long escape mode. An embodiment of the first codeword is a Sorenson H.263 codeword and the second codeword is an H.263 codeword.
US08180161B2
An image classification device includes a characteristic value set calculation unit 11 that calculates a characteristic value set of the whole image for each of multiple sets of image data in an image database 51, detects an edge of the set of the image data, and calculates a characteristic value set of the detected edge portions; a first clustering unit 12 that classifies the multiple sets of image data into multiple clusters on the basis of the characteristic value sets of the whole images; a second clustering unit 13 that further classifies the multiple clusters classified by the first clustering unit 12 into multiple clusters on the basis of the characteristic value sets of the edge portions; and a cluster integration unit 14 that determines which pixels constitutes a subject in each of the multiple sets of image data, based on the composition of the image, and integrates some of the multiple clusters classified by the second clustering unit 13 together based on the pixels constituting the subject.
US08180157B2
Provided is an image processing method for cropping at least first and second images for presentation in a template, the first image having a first feature and the second image having a second feature, the template comprising a first image boundary shape and a second image boundary shape, the method comprising: determining the location of the first feature in the first image and the second feature in the second image; calculating a constraint on the locations of the first image boundary shape on the first image and the second image boundary shape on the second image, the constraint based on an alignment criterion specifying the alignment of the first feature in the first image and the second feature in the second image when the first and second images are presented in the template; generating a cropped image combination by placing the first image boundary shape on the first image and the second image boundary shape on the second image according to the constraint.
US08180153B2
A method, system and data structure for providing a 3+1 layer MRC image, including a black text layer. The black text layer includes pixel data corresponding to black text in an image and may be assigned a predetermined value for the color of black. According to one or more embodiments, using thresholding processing along with various morphological operations, the black text layer may be generated.
US08180144B2
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining which hole punch die is installed on a multifunction document reproduction device. A document scanner of a document reproduction system is used to scan a sample page that has been hole-punched by the presently installed punch die. The pattern of die holes on the punched test page is examined and compared to known punch die patterns. The method compares the current punch unit with bindings loaded in a hopper for the print/copy job. Information about the currently installed hole punch die is displayed on a graphical user interface so the user can confirm the print/copy job prior to the time of submission. The user can then accept the current hole punch configuration or change the unit to another before releasing their print/copy job. The method ensures that the selected punch pattern is compatible with other print/copy job finishing selections.
US08180134B2
Embodiments of the present invention include but are not limited to methods and systems for optical coherence imaging. A method for optical coherence imaging may comprise scanning a sample with an incident beam from a light source; detecting one or more spectral interference signals from the sample; modulating the one or more spectral interference signals by a linear translation of a reference mirror while scanning the sample in a cross-sectional direction; and obtaining at least one image of the sample from the modulated one or more spectral interference signals, the at least one image including a selected one of a full range structural image of the sample and a separated structure/flow image of the sample.
US08180131B2
Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for acquiring an image set using optical coherence tomography (OCT). A first portion of a defined volume is scanned at a low-density sampling rate to obtain a plurality of low-density frames. A second portion of the defined volume is scanned at a high-density sampling rate, higher than the low-density sampling rate, to obtain at least one high-density frame. The low-density frames and the at least one high-density frame are combined to provide a complete mixed-density image set.
US08180119B2
A biometrics authentication system capable of easily performing biometrics authentication is provided. A biometrics authentication system includes: a microlens array section including a plurality of microlenses; an image pickup device for receiving light condensed by each microlens in the microlens array section from each different part of a living organism to obtain image pickup data of each part; an image processing section for producing a single image pickup data of the living organism on the basis of the image pickup data of each part captured by the image pickup device; and an authentication section for performing at least vein authentication using a vein of the living organism on the basis of the single image pickup data captured by the image processing section.
US08180116B2
Disclosed is an electronic imaging apparatus which has different drive modes of an image pickup device for image shooting between an image for detecting the face of a subject and an image for detecting a feature value for specifying an individual based on the detected face area. For example, the image for detecting the face of the subject can be shot in a drive mode for a low-resolution image and an image for detecting a feature value can be shot in a drive mode for a high-resolution image. For example, the drive mode for a low-resolution image can be a drive mode for live view display, while the drive mode for a high-resolution image can be a drive mode for shooting a still image.
US08180110B2
A road lane marker detection apparatus includes an imaging portion that captures an image of the road surface such that a first road lane marker and a second road lane marker are captured in the image; a feature point obtaining portion that obtains feature points of the road lane markers; a storing portion that stores the feature points obtained; and a lane marker detecting portion that detects the road lane markers. The storing portion includes a first storage area in which the feature points of the first road lane marker are stored and a second storage area in which the feature points of the second road lane marker are stored. The number of feature points able to be stored in the first storage area and the number of feature points able to be stored in the second storage area are set independently of one another.
US08180104B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a tracking method includes detecting a mobile unit within a space, tracking the detected mobile unit, making a position determination of the mobile unit to be tracked to obtain positional data, and making a movement prediction of the mobile unit, based on a high frequency component of positional data.
US08180098B2
A monitoring station for monitoring distribution of media content, on basis of a watermark, comprises: receiving means for receiving an information signal representing the media content to which the watermark is added; extracting means for extracting perceptual features, identifying the information signal; first retrieving means for retrieving a supporting signal on basis of the perceptual features; second retrieving means for retrieving the watermark on basis of the supporting signal; and comparing means for comparing the watermark with predetermined information.
US08180090B2
An earpiece speaker system including an earpiece body through which an audio signal is provided, the earpiece body having a speaker mount surface, and a plurality of speaker modules mountable to the body. Each of the speaker modules includes a mount surface for mating with the earpiece body speaker mount surface for securing the speaker module thereto in order to reproduce the audio signal.
US08180080B2
An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit provides a compact design for a hearing aid to communicate wirelessly with a system external to the hearing aid. In an embodiment, an antenna includes metallic traces in a hybrid circuit that is configured for use in a hearing aid. The antenna includes contacts in the hybrid circuit to couple the metallic traces to electronic devices in the hybrid circuit. In an embodiment, the metallic traces form a planar coil design having a number of turns of the coil in a substrate in the hybrid circuit. In another embodiment, the metallic traces are included in a flex circuit on a substrate in the hybrid circuit. An antenna configured in a hybrid circuit allows for use in a completely-in-the-canal hearing aid.
US08180075B2
A modified housing in a portable product (400, 500, 700, or 800) includes a housing detail (405, 506, 706 or 710 or 806) forming at least a portion of a loud speaker back cavity having a pipe inner diameter for a resonant pipe (408, 508, 708, or 808), and a modification to the housing detail altering a cross section area of the pipe inner diameter to compensate for changes to a loud speaker back cavity volume. The housing detail can include a battery door (404, 504, 704) for the portable product that forms at least one side of the resonant pipe. The battery door can define the loud speaker back cavity volume and further fills at least part of the resonant pipe in a manner that maintains the loud speaker back cavity volume and the cross sectional area of the pipe inner diameter at a predetermined ratio.
US08180074B2
At least one exciter is used to produce sound for a flat panel display. The exciter vibrates the housing for production of sound. The housing may also include a plate mounted on the front surface of the housing and the exciter may be attached to the plate, which serves as a resonance plate.
US08180073B1
A system for creating and manipulating digital media integrates a graphics tablet, a touchpad, and a synthesizer chipset. The graphics tablet includes a tablet surface, a grid of wires located under the tablet surface, and a graphics tablet chipset. The graphics tablet chipset includes an interface operably connected to the grid of wires for sending power to a stylus when the stylus is positioned over the tablet surface and receiving a signal from the stylus used to determine a position of the stylus with respect to the tablet surface. The touchpad is positioned on the tablet surface such that the touchpad also detects the position of the stylus simultaneously with the graphics tablet. The synthesizer chipset creates digital sounds based on input from the touchpad. The position of the stylus is output to a graphics tablet chipset output, and the digital sounds are output to a synthesizer chipset sound output.
US08180065B2
A window assembly for a vehicle includes a window panel (14), an actuating assembly (24) and a seal (22). The frame portion (16) partially surrounds a perimeter of the window panel and leaves a free perimeter portion (14c) of the window panel (14) at least partially free. The actuating assembly (24) is positioned at or near the free perimeter portion (14c) of the window panel (14) and is operated to vibrate the window panel. The seal (22) is disposed along the free perimeter portion to substantially seal the window panel relative to the vehicle panel while allowing movement of the window panel in response to the actuating assembly.
US08180063B2
A method for generating and/or performing music in real time includes receiving one or more audio signals, receiving one or more virtual instrument trigger signals, and selecting one or more plug-ins and/or one or more virtual instruments. A processing scheme is selected from a set of operations. The received audio signals and instrument trigger signals are processed in real time as a function of the selected plug-ins, virtual instruments and processing scheme, and outputted in real time as music signals. The set of operations from which the processing scheme can be selected includes: (1) manipulating the received audio signals as a function of the selected sound effects plug-ins to produce manipulated audio signals, and/or (2) generating virtual instrument sound signals as a function of the received trigger signals and the selected virtual instruments, and/or (3) manipulating the virtual instrument sound signals as a function of the selected sound effect plug-ins to produce manipulated virtual instrument signals, and/or (4) combining the received audio signals and/or the manipulated audio signals and/or the virtual instrument sound signals and/or the manipulated virtual instrument signals to produce combined signals, and/or (5) manipulating any or all of the combined signals to produce manipulated combined signals, and/or (6) repeating operations (4) and/or (5) with any or all of the combined signals and/or with any or all of the manipulated combined signals to produce iteratively processed signals.
US08180050B2
Information, such as audio visual information, is secured by self-decay of the information over time. For instance, a date stamp and decay rate embedded in an encrypted audio or visual digital media file can be applied to decrypt the file to a predetermined decayed state, such as a degraded playback quality. One or more keys can be included with the information to allow undecayed decryption but expire after use or a predetermined time period. In one embodiment, the decayed state can comprise gaps formed at intervals in the information, the gaps having increased length for decreased quality. In an alternative embodiment, the decayed state can be a reduced sample rate for a compressed digital media file.
US08180049B2
Methods and systems are provided for generating and verifying signatures of digital messages communicated between signers and verifiers. Using bilinear mappings, such as Weil or Tate pairings, these methods and systems enable generation and verification of efficient multisignatures, identity-based ring signatures, hierarchical proxy signatures, and hierarchical online/offline signatures.
US08180045B2
A method of directing a call includes receiving a call connection request, the call connection request including an identifier associated with a called party. The method also includes determining a network category associated with the called party in response to receiving the call connection request and generating an instruction operable to direct the call connection request to a selected one of at least two networks accessible for communication by the called party. The network is selected by the instruction in response to the determined network category associated with the called party.
US08180043B2
In one embodiment, a method is provided for routing calls within an automatic contact distribution system comprising assessing at least two evaluators programmed to collect information about identified sets of attributes associated with a call. The system then initiates the collection of information to enable the evaluators to assign a value to those attributed for which information exists. A comparison is then performed of the values assigned to the attributes in each evaluator. The call is then routed to the agent selected by the comparison.
US08180042B2
The Agent Communication Toolbox (ACT) eliminates the burdens to call center managers of manually distributing desk drops and following up with call center agents to determine whether the agents have accessed the desk drops and completed related training. ACT provides distributed communications to the desktop of a call center agent. ACT records access, testing and training by call center agents and produces reports that indicate the understanding and content comprehension of call center agents. ACT provides real-time coaching to call center agents to improve call center agent knowledge, increase first call resolution and the quality of responses provided by the call center agent. ACT also intelligently routes communications based on the location and skills of the call center agent, reducing the volume of communications and network bandwidth requirements.
US08180034B2
A CTI-enabled SIP-Phone, and an associated method, is provided for a telephonic call center. Responsive to a call operation indication, such as delivery to the phone of a SIP invite message, or of a CTI-formatted call instruction, the embedded functionality of the SIP-Phone provides interfacing operations, such as CTI-to-SIP or SIP-to-CTI conversions, to facilitate communications of the phone at the call center.
US08180021B2
A radiosurgery system is described that delivers a therapeutic dose of radiation to a target structure in a patient. In some embodiments, inflammatory ocular disorders are treated, specifically macular degeneration. In some embodiments, ocular structures are placed in a global coordinate system, based on ocular imaging, which leads to direction of an automated positioning system. In some embodiments, the position of an ocular structure is tracked and related to a radiosurgery system. In some embodiments, a treatment plan is utilized for a specific disease to be treated and/or structures to be avoided. In some embodiments, a fiducial aids in positioning the system. In some embodiments, a reflection off the eye is used to aid in positioning. In some embodiments, radiodynamic therapy is described in which radiosurgery is used in combination with other treatments and can be delivered concomitant with, prior to, or following other treatments.
US08180011B2
An inter-symbol interference (ISI) pattern-weighted early-late phase detector is provided. I and Q clocks are generated, where the Q clock has a fixed phase delay with respect to the I clock. The I clock frequency is divided by n, creating a reference clock. A serial data stream is sequentially sampled with the I and Q clocks, creating digital I-bit and Q-bit values, respectively. The I-bit values and Q-bit values are segmented into n-bit digital words. In response to analyzing the I-bit and Q-bit values, I clock phase corrections are identified. Also identified are bit sequence patterns associated with each I-bit value. Each I-bit value is weighted in response to the identified bit sequence pattern and the identified I clock phase correction. A phase error signal is generated by averaging the weighted I-bit values for each n-bit digital word, and I clock is modified in phase.
US08180007B2
An input bit stream including a clock signal and data bits is oversampled to obtain one or more sets of data samples. One or more sets of non-transitioning phases corresponding to data samples that do not switch between zero and one are then identified. Center phases corresponding to the one or more sets of non-transitioning phases are identified and then a final center phase that accurately represents the bits belonging to the input bit stream is selected. The data samples corresponding to the final center phase are extracted, thereby recovering the clock signal and data bits from the input bit stream.
US08180006B2
A spread-spectrum generator is provided. The spread-spectrum generator includes a delay module and a control module. The delay module is controlled by a first control signal to delay an input signal by a delay time, and thereby generate a delay signal. The control module is coupled to the delay module for detecting a first edge of the delay signal, and thereby generating the first control signal. Accordingly, the spread-spectrum generator can spread the frequency of the input signal by delaying the input signal by various delay time, and the spread-spectrum generator can also reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI).
US08179977B2
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing a signal. An object of the present invention devised to solve the problem lies on a method and apparatus for processing a signal, which allows a signal having optimized signal transmission efficiency to be transmitted/received. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for processing a signal, the method including receiving a broadcasting signal including audio data coded using a pilot reference value and a pilot difference value, demodulating the broadcasting signal in consideration of a scattered pilot which varies over time and a continual pilot which is fixed over time in a frame of the received broadcasting signal and decoding the demodulated signal to obtain a broadcasting transmission stream, demultiplexing the broadcasting transmission stream to obtain coded audio data in an Internet protocol (IP) packet and audio data coding identification information, decoding data according to a data coding scheme indicated by the audio data coding identification information, wherein the data coding scheme includes at least a pilot coding scheme, the pilot coding scheme decodes the data using the pilot reference value corresponding to a plurality of data and the pilot difference value, and the pilot difference value is generated using the data and the pilot reference value.
US08179975B2
In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a first reference frame picture list and a second reference frame picture list including multiple reference frame pictures respectively. A reference frame picture index is determined based on display order information for the multiple reference frame pictures. The method further includes obtaining first motion vector information and second motion vector information for the macroblock and obtaining a first reference field picture index and a second reference field picture index associated with the macroblock. First and second reference frame pictures are determined. First and second reference field pictures are selected. The macroblock is decoded based on the first and second motion vector information and the selected first and second reference field pictures.
US08179972B2
An image decoding device and an encoding device include an arithmetic unit for performing arithmetic processing, an arithmetic data storage unit for storing an arithmetic result by the arithmetic unit, an input selection unit for selecting whether to read pixel data that is to be inputted to the arithmetic unit from compressed image data or from pixel data stored in the arithmetic data storage unit, and inputting the read pixel data to the arithmetic unit, and an arithmetic control unit for controlling, based on a transform mode used and the number of arithmetic operations in the arithmetic unit, a destination from which the pixel data that is to be inputted to the arithmetic unit by the input selection unit is read as well as a combination of pieces of pixel data targeted for the arithmetic processing by the arithmetic unit and multiplier coefficients for the arithmetic processing.
US08179964B1
Transcoder chip having a buffer for temporarily storing decoded macroblocks and compressed domain parameters. A video decoding module of the transcoding chip decodes and stores the decoded macroblocks in the buffer in a first sequence. The video encoding module then reads the data from the buffer in a second sequence different from the first sequence to encode the macroblocks in a different format. The buffer can also be used for deblocking the macroblocks and for filtering motion vectors. By using the buffer, data traffic between the transcoding chip and external memory is reduced, increasing the speed for transcoding a video sequence from one format to another.
US08179962B2
The present invention provides a video coding method and a video decoding method which allow enhancement of coding efficiency and improvement in video quality. A video coding apparatus includes: a mode determination unit which determines a notification method for notifying a transform block size to be used in orthogonal transform of a current block to be either the implicit mode or the explicit mode, and outputs the ABT mode indicating the determined notification method; an orthogonal transformation unit which transforms the difference values between the input image and predicted image into frequency coefficients based on the transform block size determined in accordance with the determined notification method; a quantization unit which quantizes the frequency coefficients and output the quantized values; and a variable length coding unit which performs variable length coding on the quantized values, the ABT mode, and the like, so as to output a coded stream.
US08179959B2
A picture control device configured to convert and output a bit-rate of an input picture data stream having an input bit-rate, includes: a first decoder configured to decode the input picture data stream; an encoder configured to encode the output of the first decoder with a plurality of converted bit-rates; an output unit configured to output the picture data encoded with a first bit-rate by the encoder, for recording; a second decoder configured to decode the same picture data encoded at a second bit-rate by the encoder; and a control unit configured to determine the second bit-rate based on the first bit-rate.
US08179957B2
Switched-mode amplifiers and devices having such amplifiers include quadrature pulse-width modulation that is based on cartesian (as opposed to polar) coordinates. Two sets of pulses that represent respective in-phase and quadrature components of a conventional cartesian-coordinates input signal can be combined such that the combined set of pulses can be provided to a switched-mode amplifier without nonlinear cartesian-to-polar transformation and its associated wider internal bandwidth and other problems.
US08179953B2
A disclosed mobile station apparatus, which receives a downlink signal including pilots, includes a first estimation unit configured to estimate a delay spread of a transmission channel and a Doppler frequency based on the downlink signal; a determination unit configured to determine, based on the delay spread and the Doppler frequency, an interpolation method to be applied to the pilots; and a second estimation unit configured to perform interpolation using the interpolation method to estimate the transmission channel.
US08179950B2
A startup protocol is provided for use in a communications system having a plurality of transceivers, one transceiver acting as a master and another transceiver acting as slave, each transceiver having a noise reduction system, a timing recovery system and at least one equalizer. The operation of the startup protocol is partitioned into three stages. During the first stage the timing recovery system and the equalizer of the slave are trained and the noise reduction system of the master is trained. During the second stage the timing recovery system of the master is trained in both frequency and phase, the equalizer of the master is trained and the noise reduction system of the slave is trained. During the third stage the noise reduction system of the master is retrained, the timing recovery system of the master is retrained in phase and the timing recovery system of the slave is retrained in both frequency and phase. The protocol then enters a fourth stage in which the master transceiver and the slave transceiver are ready to communicate with each other.
US08179945B2
Transmitter device which includes at least: a) one delay line designed to output M signals which are delayed in relation to each other, where M is an integer greater than 1; b) a memory, designed to store at least M digital samples of a waveform, where each digital sample contains N bits, and to output each of the M digital samples successively on N output lines respectively under the control of one of the M delayed signals; and c) a digital-analog converter which includes N inputs linked to N output lines, designed to convert the M digital samples received as input from the N output lines of the memory and to successively output, on an output of the digital-analog converter, each of the M analog converted digital samples which together form an analog signal which is representative of the waveform.
US08179941B2
A laser diode which realizes NFP with a stable and uniform shape. The laser diode includes, on a semiconductor substrate, an active layer, one or a plurality of strip-shaped current confinement structures confining a current which is injected into the active layer, and a stacked structure including one or a plurality of strip-shaped convex portions extending in an extending direction of the current confinement structure.
US08179934B2
A laser assembly is configured with a frequency conversion laser head operative to shift a fundamental frequency of input light to the desired frequency of an output light. The frequency conversion laser head includes a dump means operative to guide an unconverted output light at the fundamental frequency outside the case of the frequency conversion laser head. The dump means is configured with a guide optics operative to couple the output light at the fundamental frequency to a fiber terminating outside the case of the frequency conversion laser head.
US08179933B1
Particular embodiments of the present disclosure relate systems and methods for evaluating visible light sources. According to one embodiment, a method of evaluating a visible light source including a semiconductor laser having a gain section, a wavelength selective section, and a phase section includes applying a gain drive signal to the gain section of the semiconductor laser at a gain modulation frequency, and applying a triangular wave drive signal to the wavelength selective section of the semiconductor laser at a wavelength selective modulation frequency that is greater than the gain modulation frequency. The light source emits a plurality of optical output pulses. Output power values of the optical output pulses at a selected wavelength are detected. The output power value of one or more selected output pulses is compared with an output power threshold value to generate an indication of whether the visible light source satisfies an output power specification.
US08179930B2
A wavelength tuneable external-cavity laser module comprises a gain medium in thermal contact with a thermally stabilized substrate; an end mirror, and a phase element for controlling the phase of the optical beam and being positioned within the external cavity between the gain medium and the end mirror, wherein said phase element comprises a material having a refractive index that varies in response to changes in temperature and has a transmissivity substantially independent of wavelength across said predetermined wavelength range. The thermally-controllable phase element is configured so as to induce a phase variation that compensates the drop in the output power due to ageing or to external temperature variation. A heating element is placed in thermal contact to the phase element. By thermally controlling an intra-cavity phase element it is possible to vary continuously the output power as a function of the injection current.
US08179927B2
Methods and systems for negotiating the capability of a data signal detector include a sender gateway sending a first signaling containing data signal detector support capability message during voice band data transmission (301); a receiver gateway determining, according to the received first signaling, whether the sender gateway sends the data in a manner of containing a data signal detector, and determining whether to enable a non-voice decoder to decode mute packets (302). The sender gateway sends data in a manner of not containing a data signal detector according to the received second signaling (304). Embodiments of the present invention are applicable to a fax service in a packet-based network. Data signal detector capability negotiation may be implemented during voice band transmission. Embodiments of the present invention further disclose a sender gateway and a receiver gateway with ability for negotiating the capability of a data signal detector.
US08179918B2
A relay connection unit which is connected to a first communication line of a first communication protocol for communicating a first message via time-divided slots and a second communication line of a second communication protocol for communicating a second message with the ID and converts the communication protocols to relay the first message and the second message. The relay connection unit is characterized by converting a first storage table in which the ID of the second message is assigned for each time-divided slot for the communication of the first message and the second message into the first message and having processing section for transmitting the converted first message to the first communication line via the time slots assigned in the first storage table.
US08179899B2
Techniques for selecting a call completion response from a group of call completion responses based on weights associated with the call completion responses, are provided. A server processes a call invitation for a callee by forwarding the call invitation to each of the callee's endpoints. Each of the callee's endpoints associates a weight to its call completion response it generates to accept or reject the call invitation. The server waits to receive the call completion responses from each of the callee's endpoints or for a predetermined period of time (i.e., a timeout), and uses the weights associated with the received call completion responses to decide which of the received call completion responses to use to complete the call invitation.
US08179890B2
The present invention supports a communication protocol for transmission of information packets between a mobile node and a virtual private network. Information packets are encapsulated and decapsulated along the route as the information packet is forwarded among the various networks on its path to the destination address; either the mobile node on a foreign network or a correspondence node on a virtual private network. A home agent on the virtual private network supports transmitting the information packets, and the information packets are transmitted from the virtual private network from the home agent or a virtual private network gateway.
US08179887B1
A network system, having an array of processing engines (“PEs”) and a delay line, improves packet processing performance for time division multiplexing (“TDM”) sequencing of PEs. The system includes an ingress circuit, a delay line, a demultiplexer, a tag memory, and a multiplexer. After the ingress circuit receives a packet from an input port, the delay line stores the packet together with a unique tag value. The delay line, in one embodiment, provides a predefined time delay for the packet. Once the demultiplexer forwards the packet to an array of PEs for packet processing, a tag memory stores the tag value indexed by PE number. The PE number identifies a PE in the array, which was assigned to process the packet. The multiplexer is capable of multiplex packets from PE array and replacing the packet with the processed packet in the delay line in response to the tag value.
US08179886B2
An integrated VoIP phone that seamlessly integrates POTS phones and IP phones is provided. In an embodiment, the integrated VoIP phone includes a Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) registrar, a SIP session border control (“SBC”), a SIP proxy, a SIP feature server, a SIP-PSTN gateway, a user interface and VoIP telephony functionality found in traditional VoIP phones. In an embodiment, the integrated VoIP phone includes one or more analog telephone adaptors. Other VoIP entities, such as FXS adaptors, register themselves with the integrated VoIP phone through the SIP SBC. These other entities appear as extensions on the integrated VoIP phone and the outside network will only directly communicated with the integrated VoIP phone.
US08179885B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for managing and selectively distributing routing information in a routing node are disclosed. In one implementation, a method for selectively distributing routing information in a routing node includes organizing internal signaling resources are organized so as to facilitate the efficient mapping of signaling system 7 (SS7) message transfer part (MTP) signaling protocol attributes to Internet protocol (IP)-based signaling resources. A routing status information sharing hierarchy is defined, which enables routing status information to be efficiently shared among members of a signaling mateset group. Members of a signaling mateset replicate and distribute SS7 MTP network management information across non-MTP signaling connections, such as IP connections.
US08179874B2
An automatic tunnel configuration method using a router advertisement message is provided, including: periodically receiving a router advertisement message containing a tunnel end-point address option from an access router of an internet protocol version 6 (IPv6) network when a mobile node moves from a home network to other IPv6 networks; automatically configuring a tunnel using an address allocated from the access router of the IPv6 network to which the mobile node connects, and the tunnel end-point address option included in the router advertisement message when the network to which the mobile node moves to connect is an internet protocol version 4 (IPv4) network; and communicating with a correspondent node via the configured tunnel using a mobile internet protocol (MIP6).
US08179865B2
A method and apparatus for reducing other cell interference in a wireless communication system are provided, in which a symbol generator for generating at least one modulation symbols to be transmitted, a resource mapper for mapping and assigning the modulation symbols into a resource block common to a Base Station (BS) and at least one neighboring Base Station (BS), and a spreader for spreading the mapped modulation symbol with an BS-specific code allocated to the BS, the BS-specific codes of the BS being one of orthogonal and quasi-orthogonal to an BS-specific code allocated to the neighbor BS.
US08179861B2
A system and methodology that facilitates same-domain handovers between a femtocell and a surrounding macro cell is provided. In particular, the system can determine a domain of the surrounding macro cell and select a preferred domain for user equipment (UE) communication based in part on the determined domain. Moreover, a preferred domain selection component can be employed to determine the preferred domain based in part on various factors including a probability that a handover will occur, geographical location of femtocell and/or UE, motion of UE, communication history, user and/or service provider preferences and/or policies, service requirements, UE behavior patterns, etc. Further, the selected preferred domain can be utilized during communication with the UE, for example, while initiating voice calls.
US08179856B2
There is provided a communication device including a first communication unit and a second communication unit that use a band causing a conflict between them, the communication device changing a compressibility of communication data to be transmitted by the second communication unit based on a communication status of the first communication unit.
US08179848B2
Improved distribution of video information in an infrastructure-based wireless network is provided. A wireless channel condition between the video server node and each of the plurality of receiver nodes is determined. Receiver nodes are assigned into one of a first group and a second group using the measured wireless channel conditions, wherein receiver nodes assigned to the first group have, on average, a better measured wireless channel condition than that of receiver nodes assigned to the second group. At least some of the receiver nodes of the first group of nodes are selected to serve as relay nodes. Video information is then transmitted wirelessly from the video server node to the receiver nodes assigned to the first group. Each of the selected relay nodes then transmits at least a part of the video information to the receiver nodes of the second group.
US08179845B2
A method for transmitting packets in a wireless communication network includes taking into consideration an antenna mode prior to transmission. The method includes determining a transmit antenna mode for a transmission between the node and at least one other node; when the transmit antenna mode is omni-directional, broadcasting a transmission schedule for the transmission omni-directionally; and when the transmit antenna is beamforming directional, broadcasting a transmission schedule for the transmission directionally on one or more transmitter beams. The method optionally can also take into consideration an antenna mode of a receive antenna between the node.
US08179840B2
This document describes a way to extend Mobile IP Authentication Authorization and Accounting (AAA) signaling to enable a node to request from a network operator combinations of home and local service capabilities (when roaming) in an efficient and scalable manner. It also enables the home and foreign service providers to constrain and account for actual services provided based on a combination of the foreign and home operator policy.
US08179839B2
An apparatus and method of transmitting a circuit switched (CS) voice application via an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH), implemented in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The method includes receiving a grant; performing an E-TFC selection procedure based on the grant, wherein a number of bits that may be transmitted over an enhanced dedicated channel (E-DCH) is determined, determining an adaptive multi-rate (AMR) codec bit-rate based on the number of bits that may be transmitted over the E-DCH, generating AMR voice packets based on the determined AMR codec bit rate, and submitting the AMR voice packets to lower layers for transmission over the E-DCH.
US08179834B2
A transmitting apparatus is provided for a base station capable of communicating with a plurality of mobile stations in a wireless network. The transmitting apparatus includes a beamforming traffic path for use in beamforming transmission to one of the mobile stations, and a diversity traffic path for use in diversity transmission to the mobile station. A selector is coupled to the beamforming traffic path and the diversity traffic path for dynamically selecting which of the traffic paths is used for transmission to the mobile station.
US08179829B2
A method of operating a radio telecommunications network including, a plurality of base transceiver stations (BTSs) each transmitting on a respective transmission bandwidth, and one or more mobile terminals (MTs) each having a respective maximum reception bandwidth, defining a common multicast frequency band within the transmission bandwidth of at least a first group of BTSs of the network on which the multicast service is to be transmitted; transmitting a multicast service in the common multicast frequency band from each BTS within the first group of BTSs; and enabling each base station having a bandwidth greater than the width of the common multicast frequency band to transmit a uni-cast service in portion of its transmission bandwidth falling outside the multicast frequency band.
US08179828B2
A user equipment (UE) is provided that includes a processor configured to transmit a preceding matrix index (PMI) using one of an assigned periodic PMI reporting resource that precisely aligns with the start of an on-duration of a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation mode of the UE and a first assigned periodic PMI reporting resource after the start of an on-duration of a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation mode of the UE.
US08179823B2
In a communication system and a communication method using a TDD-OFDMA communication method, inter-carrier interference due to delay dispersion is prevented by suppressing the delay time within a guard interval.In a base station device 10, based on a pilot symbol included in uplink information transmitted from a terminal device 20 through an assigned channel assigned by a channel assignment response, it is estimated whether a received timing of receiving the uplink information is early or late, the received timing estimation result is recorded in a timing recording unit, and when transmitting downlink information from the base station device 10, a transmission timing request is added to the downlink information based on content recorded in the timing recording unit and the downlink information is transmitted to the terminal device 20 (Step S15), and in the terminal device 20, the received transmission timing request is recorded in a transmission timing recording unit, and uplink information is transmitted from the terminal device 20 to the base station device 10 at a timing instructed by a transmission timing request (Step S16).
US08179819B2
A method for reducing inter-cell interference and a method for transmitting a signal by a collaborative MIMO scheme, in a communication system having a multi-cell environment are disclosed. An example of a method for transmitting, by a mobile station, precoding information in a collaborative MIMO communication system includes determining a precoding matrix set including precoding matrices of one more base stations including a serving base station, based on signal strength of the serving base station, and transmitting information about the precoding matrix set to the serving base station. A mobile station in an edge of a cell performs a collaborative MIMO mode or inter-cell interference mitigation mode using the information about the precoding matrix set collaboratively with neighboring base stations.
US08179817B2
A method for designing an, at least partly wireless, local area communication network for industrial application. A 3D plant model of the area in which the communication network is to operate is accessed. Devices that are to communicate in the communication, identify and quantify potential sources of interference or attenuation of the communication signals are introduced into this model. Data regarding communication characteristics of the devices are included. Communication possibilities of the devices are tested and evalutated in the communication network taking into account the possible interference and attenuation sources. If communication possibilities of a particular device is inadequate, adjustments regarding that device are suggested.
US08179816B1
A sequence of two or more signals representing two or more data packets is transmitted through a wireless channel using a transmitter device. The two or more signals are a result of two or more transmissions that are made sequentially in time at different center frequencies in order to span a desired bandwidth. At least one of the two or more signals includes a physical layer preamble. The sequence of two or more signals is received using a receiver device. A time of arrival of one or more signals of the received sequence is calculated using one or more of the received sequence, the time differences among the two or more transmissions, the different center frequencies, information from the two or more data packets, and any carrier phase differences among the two or more transmissions using the receiver device.
US08179814B2
A premise signal conditioning device is provided that can be inserted into a signal transmission line of a CATV system on a premise of a user. The device includes at least a first diplexer set, each diplexer set including a supplier side diplexer and a premise side diplexer creating a return path for an upstream bandwidth and a forward path for a downstream bandwidth there between. The device further includes a detector configured to measure a level of signals present in a first segment of frequencies between the upstream bandwidth and the downstream bandwidth. The device further includes a switch controller configured to alter a width of the return path from a first width to a second width in response to a level of the signals exceeding a predetermined threshold level.
US08179811B2
An algorithm for improving efficiency of data attachment points (DAPs) in a wireless access network (AN) is provided herein. By way of example, the algorithm can identify a serving access point (APs) coupling an access terminal (AT) to the wireless AN. A cost metric for the serving AP can be determined with respect to at least one data network access gateway (AGW) of the wireless AN. The cost metric can be compared with a similar cost metric of a current or default DAP assigned to the AT. If the cost metric of the serving AP is lower than the cost metric of the current/default DAP, the DAP can be re-assigned to the serving AP, minimizing wireless AN resource costs associated with the DAP.
US08179807B2
Techniques are disclosed for in-band communication of alarm status information or other information between physical layer devices comprising a working device and a protection device in a network-based communication system. In one aspect, a protection receive signal is monitored in the protection device for the presence of alarm status information. The protection device encodes alarm status information extracted from the protection receive signal, and inserts the encoded alarm status information into one or more designated portions of a protection loop-back signal supplied from the protection device to the working device. The protection loop-back signal is monitored in the working device and the encoded alarm status information therein is decoded and utilized by the working device to initiate a protection switching operation.
US08179806B2
Estimation is carried out with high accuracy based on flow quality information in a situation where, although a set of links that may have a flow passing through is known, which of such links the flow passed through cannot be identified, such as multi-paths routing, load distribution routing, and the like. A device for estimating a quality-degraded location includes a flow quality information collecting section that collects communication quality of a flow of a network, a routing information collecting section that collects routing information of the network, a determining section for determining a quality-degraded flow and a quality-non-degraded flow based on the flow quality information to determine a link through which the flow passes from the routing information of the network, a non-degraded link elimination section that eliminates a link not configuring multi-paths as a non-degraded link without eliminating a link configuring multi-paths as a non-degraded link, for a link on a path of the flow, with respect to the quality-non-degraded flow, and a degraded link determining section for determining a degraded link from links not eliminated as the non-degraded links.
US08179804B2
Methods, devices, and systems are provided for marking one or more entities of a call as internal/external such that certain call features can be invoked by servers and other devices residing behind a gateway. More specifically, entities of a call can be marked as internal/external based employing an assessment algorithm to determine whether the calling endpoint is an internal or external endpoint and/or whether a user of the calling or answering endpoint is an internal or external user. Once this determination is made, the call can be marked accordingly such that the appropriate features can be invoked.
US08179803B2
A module for use in a communications network in which a plurality of signals are transmitted between respective first and second nodes, the module having an engine for receiving the plurality of signals over the network, for extracting protocol data therefrom and for providing the extracted protocol data to an analyzer; and a processor for controlling operation of the engine and analyzer. The invention also provides an apparatus for generating communications, systems including the module and/or the apparatus, and corresponding methods.
US08179795B2
A communication terminal apparatus (130) includes a receiving unit (132) that receives distribution data distributed through a unidirectional communication network (210), an OS/application unit (131) that accepts transmission data to a tunneling apparatus (120), and a communication processing unit (133) that transmits the transmission data to a bidirectional communication network (220). When the communication processing unit (133) detects an error message of an encapsulated packet from the network (220) using a detecting unit (134), a setting unit (135) sets new transmission data that includes the error message. An error processing unit (136) subjects the transmission data to a process of resolving the error and thereafter, the transmission data is again transmitted to the network (220) to use the transmission data as distribution data from the tunneling apparatus (120).
US08179791B2
The illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a find-me service for VoIP. The find-me service allows a user to specify multiple communication devices. Further, the find-me service allows a callee to assign a priority to each communication device specified or in the alternative allows the callee to place the specified communication devices in prioritized lists. Multiple communication devices can have an identical priority level or can be placed in the same priority list. When the user is called, the call is processed by a software based call manager that initiates the find-me service. The call manager sends the call to all of the communication devices with the highest priority. This allows a single call to be sent to multiple communication devices simultaneously. If there is no answer at any of the communication devices the call manager sends the call to all of the communication devices on the list with the next sequential priority level.
US08179790B2
The present invention relates to selecting a transport format combination (TFC) such that a quality of service (QoS) is guaranteed in a mobile communication system of a certain level even for a service having a low priority. The present invention selects a transport format combination such that not only a priority of each service is guaranteed but also a service quality is guaranteed by an MAC layer at the time of transporting services having different QoSs and different priorities.
US08179787B2
A data communication system and an associated network node implementation is disclosed that, in certain embodiments, uses single-channel bi-directional communication links between nodes to send frames of data. The network nodes can be connected together in a ring or daisy chain topology with data frames sent in alternating directions through the bi-directional links. Such networks initially configured in a physical ring topology can tolerate single point failures by automatically switching to a logical daisy chain topology.
US08179783B2
A system, method and node for modulation and coding scheme adjustment for a Long Term Evolution (LTE) shared Data Channel. The method determines an actual number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols, NOS utilized for the shared Data Channel. A modulation order for transmission of data on the shared Data Channel is increased when the actual number of OFDM symbols NOS is less than 11 and decreased when NOS is more than 11. A modulation and coding scheme field (IMCS) of a downlink control information of the shared Data Channel may also be determined. If 0≦IMCS+11−NOS≦28, the modulation order is modified by utilizing a factor of (IMCS+11−NOS) in a standardized modulation scheme. If it is determined that IMCS+11−NOS<0, the modulation order is set to Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK). If it is determined that IMCS+11−NOS>28, the modulation order is set to 64 Quadtrative Amplitude Modulation (64QAM).
US08179780B2
A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving control information in an SC-FDMA system are provided. Different orthogonal codes are generated for different slots each including a plurality of SC-FDMA symbols in a subframe. A control channel signal is generated by multiplying control symbols carrying control information by a sequence allocated for CDM of the control information. The control channel signal is multiplied by chips of the orthogonal codes on an SC-FDMA symbol basis and transmitted in the SC-FDMA symbols.
US08179778B2
A Second Generation Digital Video Broadcasting via Satellite (DVB-S2) system is provided. More particularly, a method and apparatus for maintaining synchronization of a signal by changing an Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM) method that is used for a conventional DVB-S2 system are provided. In the apparatus and method, an FEC frame of a variable length is formed by turbo encoding rather than Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem (BCH) and Low Density Parity Check (LDPC) encoding, and a Physical Layer (PL) frame of a specific length is formed regardless of a modulation method, so that a satellite terminal receives a signal transmitted at a specific length regardless of a modulation method or a coding rate to easily maintain synchronization without interruption and efficiently transmit the signal.
US08179764B2
According to one embodiment, an optical recording medium is provided in which interlayer crosstalk is low and in which stable and high-quality recording characteristics can be obtained. To this end, an optical recording medium comprises a first recording part which includes a first recording layer and a first light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side closer to a light receiving surface, and a second recording part which includes a second recording layer and a second light reflecting layer and which is disposed on a side farther from the light receiving surface, the first recording part and the second recording part being stacked, wherein the thickness of the second light reflecting layer is larger than the thickness of the first light reflecting layer.
US08179763B2
According to one embodiment, a re-recordable write-once optical disc by which recording/reproducing can be properly done with a short-wavelength blue laser is provided. The disc has recording layers on which marks are recorded by the laser power of a modulated short wavelength, with a space formed between the recorded marks. The recording layer of the disc uses an organic dye material by which no physical modification or no physical change substantially occurs in an area of the recorded marks.
US08179761B2
A filter, including a direct-current (DC) tracking unit, a subtracter and a control unit, is provided. The DC tracking unit extracts a DC component of a radio-frequency (RF) signal and accordingly generates a level signal. The subtracter subtracts the level signal from the RF signal to generate a RF coupling signal. The control unit determines whether to transmit a setting signal to the DC tracking unit according to the level variation of the RF coupling signal, so as to adjust a characteristic parameter of the DC tracking unit.
US08179751B2
Method and device for generating a control voltage for a position actuator of a disk drive system for displacing a lens of a pick-up unit to a given X-position. The actuator is operated by an open loop control system. First, parameters of the control system are calibrated so that the control system produces a control voltage (Va) from an input position signal (Xact setp). Then, the control voltage is processed in a feed forward system for generating a processed control signal (Va_p) which is fed to the position actuator for displacing said lens to the X-position. A Z-value corresponding to the axial distance of the lens from a calibrated axial position and a temperature of the pick-up unit are measured. The position actuator operates according to the formula: Xdc=Va_p*K(Temp,Z)/(R(Temp)*C(Temp,Z)) in which: Xdc=position signal for said given position Va_p=Va processed K=property of ‘actuator’ 21: Newton/Ampere R=resistance of ‘actuator’ coil C=Spring constant in Newton/meter. The Va_p is calculated according to the following formula: Va_p=Xact setp*Cal*S(Temp_cal,Z_cal)/S(Temp_write,Z_write) in which Cal is the result of the calibration S(Temp,Z)=(A_T+B_T*Temp+C_T*TempA2)*(A_Z+B_Z*Vz+C_Z*VzA2) wherein A T, B T, C T, A Z, B Z, C Z are constants; Vz is the voltage across the Z actuator, Temp cal and Vz cal are the temperature and Vz, respectively, during calibration, Temp write and Vz write are the temperature and Vz, respectively during writing.
US08179746B2
An apparatus, a method and a recording medium for optical near-field recording are proposed. The apparatus includes a light source for generating a reading light beam, which is illuminated onto a near-field optical recording medium. The apparatus further includes a detector for generating a gap error signal from a light beam returning from the near-field optical recording medium. A data signal is derived from an output signal of the detector by a signal processor.
US08179742B1
A computer-implemented method is executable by a first computing device to perform functions including retrieving, from the first computing device, sound information for the first computing device; receiving sound information from one or more second computing devices located in an area within a communication range of first computing device; generating a characterization of the sound information from (i) the first computing device, and (ii) the one or more second computing devices; and determining, based on the characterization, an attribute of one or more third computing devices.
US08179738B2
An internal power supply control circuit of a semiconductor memory includes a periodic signal generating unit that generates a periodic signal to generate a permission signal to intermittently permit supply of power from an internal power supply circuit of the semiconductor memory to an internal circuit thereof with a predetermined period, when a mode changes from a normal operation mode where power is always supplied from the internal power supply circuit to the internal circuit to a standby mode where consumption power is further suppressed as compared with consumption power in the normal operation mode, and a permission signal output unit that outputs the permission signal synchronized with the periodic signal to the internal power supply circuit, when a mode signal indicating any mode of the normal operation mode and the standby mode and the periodic signal are input and the input mode signal indicates the standby mode.
US08179734B2
A charge pump circuit, whose output is connected to a first node, starts a boosting operation after start of a test period. A load current application circuit supplies a load current to the first node during the test period. A voltage of the first node is a write voltage. A memory circuit stops application of the write voltage to a memory cell during the test period, and applies the write voltage to the memory cell after end of the test period. A high voltage detection unit compares the write voltage and a predetermined voltage to determine whether or not the write voltage is increased to the predetermined voltage. If the write voltage is less than the predetermined voltage at the end of the test period, the high voltage detection unit activates a disable signal. If the disable signal is activated, the charge pump circuit stops the boosting operation.
US08179733B2
A clock-generating circuit for forming internal clock signals by comparing a signal obtained by delaying, through a variable delay circuit, an input clock signal input through an external terminal with the input clock signal through a phase comparator circuit, and so controlling the delay time of the variable delay circuit that they are brought into agreement with each other, wherein the clock-generating circuit and an internal circuit to be operated by the clock signals formed thereby are formed on a common semiconductor substrate, and an element-forming region in which the clock-generating circuit is formed is electrically isolated from an element-forming region in which the digital circuit is constituted on the semiconductor substrate relying upon the element-isolation technology. The power-source passages, too, are formed independently of other digital circuits.
US08179732B2
A flash memory device includes a chip disable fuse circuit that has a fuse and that outputs a chip disable signal when the fuse is cut out, and a ready/busy control circuit that forcibly activates a ready/busy signal representing an internal operational state in response to the chip disable signal and externally outputs the ready/busy signal through a ready/busy output pin.
US08179725B2
Memory devices adapted to receive and transmit analog data signals representative of bit patterns of two or more bits facilitate increases in data transfer rates relative to devices communicating data signals indicative of individual bits. Programming of such memory devices includes determining a rate of programming (i.e., rate of movement of the respective threshold voltage) of the memory cells and biasing the corresponding bit line with a programming rate control voltage that is greater than the bit line enable voltage and less than the inhibit voltage. This voltage can be adjusted to change the speed of programming. A capacitor coupled to the bit line stores the programming rate control voltage in order to maintain the proper bit line bias for the duration of the programming operation or until it is desired to change the programming rate.
US08179724B2
Methods for sensing in a memory device and a memory device are disclosed. In one such sensing method, a single read operation with multiple sense amplifier circuit comparisons to a reference threshold level are performed to determine a state of a selected memory cell. A ramped voltage turns on the selected memory cell when the ramped voltage reaches the threshold voltage to which the selected memory cell is programmed. In one embodiment, the turned on memory cell discharges its respective bit line.
US08179718B2
Provided are memory devices and memory programming methods. A memory device may include: a multi-level cell array that includes a plurality of multi-level cells; a programming unit that programs a first data page in the plurality of multi-level cells and programs a second data page in a multi-level cell from among the plurality of multi-level cells in which the first data page is programmed; an error analysis unit that analyzes read error information corresponding to the first data page based on a read voltage level to determine whether to correct a read error based on the analyzed read error information; and a controller that adjusts the read voltage level of the first data page depending on the determination result. Through this, it is possible to reduce an error occurrence when reading and/or programming a data page.
US08179709B2
An element isolation region exists at a side opposite to a diffusion layer region as seen from a channel region, without another electrode to which the same potential as one applied to the diffusion layer region is applied interposed between the channel region and the element isolation region. The electric field applied to the gate insulating film is not uniform and the magnitude of the electric field is increased when approaching closer to the diffusion layer region. Therefore, breakdown is likely to occur at parts closer to the diffusion layer region.
US08179707B2
Semiconductor memory devices with a memory cell array including a first word line and a second word line arranged in a first direction, a source line arranged in the first direction between the first word line and the second word line, a bit line pair including a first bit line and a second bit line arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a first memory cell including a gate connected to the first word line and first and second regions respectively connected to the second bit line and the source line, and arranged in a third direction between the first direction and the second direction, and a second memory cell including a gate connected to the second word line, a third region and the second region respectively connected to the first bit line and the source line, and arranged in the third direction.
US08179706B2
Method for modifying data more than once in a multi-level cell memory location within a memory array
A method and apparatus for marking a block of multi-level memory cells for performance of a block management function by programming at least one bit in a lower page of the memory cell block such that a first logic state is stored in the at least one bit in the lower page; programming at least one bit in an upper page of the memory cell block such that the first logic state is stored in the at least one bit in the upper page; reprogramming the at least one bit in the upper page such that the at least one bit transitions from the first logic state to a second logic state; identifying the first logic state in the at least one bit of a lower page and the transition of at least one corresponding bit in the upper page from the first logic state to the second logic state; and in response, marking the corresponding memory cell block for performance of a block management function.
US08179703B2
A power factor correction converter includes an output voltage error amplifier which functions as a proportioning device in a low-frequency range in order to stabilize the output voltage by feedback control and obtains a reference current amplitude value vm by multiplying an error ev between a desired output voltage value Vref and a detected output voltage value vo by a predetermined proportionality factor. A factor element multiplies the reference current amplitude value by a predetermined factor and adds the resulting value to a reference value to obtain a desired output voltage value. The factor element functions as a low-pass filter by changing the desired output voltage value Vref in accordance with the reference current amplitude value vm in a low-frequency range and reducing the factor value in a high-frequency range.
US08179699B2
An embodiment of a power-supply controller comprises a switching-control circuit, an error amplifier, and a signal generator. The switching-control circuit is operable to control a switch coupled to a primary winding of a transformer, and the error amplifier has a first input node operable to receive a feedback signal, a second input node operable to receive a comparison signal, and an output node operable to provide a control signal to the switching-control circuit. The signal generator is operable to generate either the feedback signal or the comparison signal in response to a compensation signal that is isolated from a secondary winding of the transformer and that is proportional to a load current through a conductor disposed between the secondary winding and a load.
US08179695B2
A mirror image shielding structure is provided, which includes an electronic element and a ground shielding plane below the electronic element. The shape of the ground shielding plane is identical to the projection shape of the electronic element, and the horizontal size of the ground shielding plane is greater than or equal to that of the electronic element. Thus, the parasitic effect between the electronic element and the ground shielding plane is effectively reduced, and the vertical coupling effect between electronic elements is also reduced. Furthermore, the vertical impact on the signal integrity of the embedded elements caused by the layout of the transmission lines is prevented.
US08179687B2
A signal transmission device is installed on a motherboard and is electrically connected to a signal control unit and a display output interface. The signal transmission device includes a signal receiving port, a signal output port, and a printed circuit connecting port. The signal receiving port is used for receiving a signal transmitted from the signal control unit. The signal output port is used for single output of the signal to the display output interface. The printed circuit connecting port is used for transmitting the signal from the signal receiving port to the signal output port. Thus, the signal transmission device may be used for single signal output so as to replace a switch integrated circuit of selective signal output. In such a manner, related circuit redesign and manufacturing cost may be reduced accordingly when the motherboard signal output design is changed from selective signal output to single signal output.
US08179685B2
A printed circuit board on which a connector is mounted includes an insulating layer through which holes are formed and a supporting layer. An upper surface of the supporting layer is attached to the connector. The supporting layer is disposed on an upper surface of the insulating layer, is extended from the upper surface of the insulating layer to a lower surface of the insulating layer, and passes through the holes in order to support the connector. The holes are arranged in a plurality of columns each being parallel to a longitudinal direction of a lateral surface of the connector.
US08179680B1
A method and apparatus for controlling removal of a circuit board module from a chassis comprising an actuator and an electrical switch. The actuator having a locked state and an unlocked state, where the circuit board module is removable from the chassis when the actuator is in the unlocked state and the circuit board module is not removable when the actuator is in the locked state. The electrical switch is coupled to the actuator to produce a first signal indicating the locked state and a second signal indicating the unlocked state.
US08179670B2
A memory stick includes a -shaped metal plate member having two tenones respectively protruded from an inner wall thereof at two opposite sides and aimed at each other, each tenon being formed on the -shaped metal plate member by means of punching the inner wall of the -shaped metal plate member with a punch to form a protrusion and then punching the protrusion with a punch rod to extend the height of the protrusion and to deform the protrusion into a tubular configuration, and a casing accommodating a PC board that has a USB connector at its one end and having two pivot holders symmetrically located on two opposite sides thereof and respectively pivotally coupled to the tenones of the -shaped metal plate member for enabling the -shaped metal plate member to be turned relative to the casing to close or open the USB connector.
US08179668B2
A handheld electronic device including a lower body, an upper body, a sliding mechanism and a pivot axle is provided. The lower body has a carrying surface and a recess on the carrying surface. The upper body is disposed on the carrying surface. The sliding mechanism is disposed between the upper body and the lower body for driving the upper body sliding relative to the lower body. The pivot axle is disposed between the sliding mechanism and the lower body. When the handheld electronic device is transformed from a retracting state to a spreading state, an end of the upper body enters the recess, and the carrying surface of the lower body and a top surface of the upper body form an included angle.
US08179667B2
A solid electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element coated with an enclosure resin, and an insulating substrate in which an anode terminal and a cathode terminal are formed. The anode terminal includes a first anode section formed on a first surface of the insulating substrate, a second anode section formed on a second surface of the insulating substrate, and an anode conductive layer which is formed on a side edge surface of the insulating substrate to electrically connect there anode sections to each other. The cathode terminal includes a first cathode section formed on the first surface, a second cathode section formed on the second surface, and a cathode conductive layer which is formed on the side edge surface of the insulating substrate to electrically connect there cathode sections to each other. And the anode conductive layer and the cathode conductive layer are exposed from the enclosure resin.
US08179657B2
After a switching element 13 is turned on, a charge controller 16 determines whether or not a current detected by an excitation current detector 15 has reached a predetermined level, and turns off the switching element 13 if the predetermined level has been reached. When the excitation current is controlled to a constant level, the excitation energy stored in a flyback transformer 12 also becomes constant, and this constant energy is stored in a capacitor 22 every time the switching element 13 is turned off. The charge control section 16 repeats the on/off operation of the switching element 13 a predetermined number of times at predetermined intervals of time before discontinuing the charging operation. Consequently, a constant amount of energy is held in the capacitor 22 when the charging operation is discontinued, and the period of time from the beginning to the completion of charging also becomes constant. Thus, the same conditions are constantly created while the spark discharge is repeated, so that the accuracy and reproducibility of the analysis are enhanced.
US08179656B2
A surge protection circuit may include a tuned circuit board with traces designed to provide a surge protected and RF isolated DC path while propagating RF signals through the PCB dielectric with microstrip lines. The surge protection circuit utilizes high impedance RF decoupling devices such as quarterwave traces or inductors which isolate the multistage DC protection scheme which may include a gas discharge tube, serial surge impeding devices such as inductors and/or resistors, a decoupled air/spark gap device and a Zener diode junction.
US08179652B2
An overvoltage protection element, with a housing, at least one overvoltage-limiting component in the housing, two connecting elements for electrical connection of the overvoltage protection element to the path to be protected, and an electrically conducting disconnection element in electrically conductive contact with the first connecting element at one end and with a solder connection to the overvoltage-limiting component at another end, the solder connection separating when a temperature threshold of the overvoltage-limiting component is exceeded so that a resulting disconnection point, formed electrically isolates it. Reliable isolation of a defective overvoltage-limiting component and high puncture strength and resistance to creepage are ensured in by a second disconnection point, formed between the first end of the disconnection element and the first connecting element, which interrupts electrically conductive contact between the first end of the disconnection element and the first connecting element when the first disconnection point has opened.
US08179648B1
Systems, devices and techniques relating to power amplifier protection include, in some implementations, a circuit including: attenuation circuitry to couple with an output of detection circuitry that provides a protection signal and to couple with an input of power amplifier circuitry; turn off circuitry to couple with the power amplifier circuitry, the turn off circuitry configured to turn off the power amplifier circuitry responsive to the protection signal; and the attenuation circuitry configured to reduce a gain of the power amplifier circuitry responsive to the protection signal, the attenuation circuitry comprising a delay stage configured to continue attenuating an RF input signal of the power amplifier circuitry until after the power amplifier circuitry turns on.
US08179646B2
An integrated circuit protected against electrostatic discharges, including: first and second supply rails; first and second intermediary rails normally connected to the first and second supply rails; inverters formed of a P-channel MOS transistor series-connected to an N-channel MOS transistor, the sources of the P-channel and N-channel MOS transistors being respectively connected to the first and second supply rails and the bodies of the P-channel and N-channel transistors being respectively connected to the first and second intermediary rails; a positive overvoltage detector between the first and second supply rails; and a switch for connecting the first and second intermediary rails to the second and first supply rails when a positive overvoltage is detected.
US08179642B2
An MR element in a CPP structure includes an MR part configured with a nonmagnetic layer, a first ferromagnetic layer that functions as first free layer and a second ferromagnetic layer that functions as a second free layer, and first and second ferromagnetic layers are laminated to sandwich the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a sense current flows in a lamination direction of the MR part, an orthogonalizing bias function part, which influences a substantial orthogonalization function for magnetization directions of the first ferromagnetic layer and the second ferromagnetic layer, is formed on the rear side the MR part, side shield layers are disposed on both sides in the width direction of the MR part, the side shield layers are perpendicular magnetized layers with a magnetic shield function, and magnetization directions of the perpendicular magnetized layers are in an orthogonal direction that corresponds to the thickness direction.
US08179640B2
A hard disk drive with a voice coil motor coupled to a head. The head is coupled to a disk that is rotated by a spindle motor. The spindle motor generates a back-emf current. The disk drive also includes a drive circuit that causes the voice coil motor to move the head off of the disk. The drive circuit provides at least a portion of the back-emf voltage to the voice coil motor if a head velocity exceeds a first predetermined value and a larger portion of the back-emf voltage if the head velocity exceeds a second predetermined value. For example, a relatively small amount of voltage can be provided if the head velocity falls below a first threshold to accelerate the head and a larger current can be provided if the head velocity falls below a lower threshold to generate a greater head thrust.
US08179639B2
Head gimbal assemblies for data storage systems are provided. Some embodiments include a dielectric layer having a first and a second side. A first conductive layer is on the first dielectric layer. The first conductive layer includes a pad and a trace. A second conductive layer is on the second dielectric side. A via extends from the first dielectric layer side to the second dielectric layer side. The via electrically connects the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer.
US08179630B2
A storage slot for multiple data storage cartridges, comprising a planar member having a first end, a second end, a side interconnecting the first end and the second end, and a gate moveably connected to the side at the first end of the planar member, wherein the gate can be moved between a closed position and an open position. The storage slot farther comprises a secondary catch moveably disposed between the first end and the second end. When the gate is disposed in a closed position, the secondary catch is disposed in a retracted orientation, and when the gate is disposed in an open position, the secondary catch is disposed in an extended orientation.
US08179628B2
A TAMR (Thermal Assisted Magnetic Recording) write head uses the energy of optical-laser generated plasmons in a magnetic core plasmon antenna to locally heat a magnetic recording medium and reduce its coercivity and magnetic anisotropy. To enable the TAMR head to operate most effectively, the maximum gradient and value of the magnetic recording field should be at a point of the magnetic medium that is as close as possible to the point being heated. In addition, the coupling between the optical mode and the plasmon mode should be efficient so that maximum energy is transmitted to the medium. The present invention achieves both these objects by surrounding the magnetic core of a plasmon antenna by a variable thickness plasmon generating layer, whose thinnest and shortest portion is at the ABS end of the TAMR head and whose thickest and longest portion efficiently couples to the optical mode of a waveguide to produce a plasmon.
US08179627B2
A hard disk drive that includes a disk with data written onto a plurality of tracks, a spindle motor that rotates the disk, and a head that is coupled to the disk. The disk drive also includes a circuit that writes data onto a first writable shingle band of tracks if the first writable shingle band is adjacent to a guard band of tracks. The first writable shingle band includes a number of tracks that is a function of a head width. The guard band of tracks is capable of becoming a writable shingle band. Changing the designation of a shingle band between guard and writable creates floating guard bands. The creation of floating guard bands allows for the writing of a single band without having to move and restore adjacent tracks until reaching a fixed guard band as required in the prior art.
US08179626B1
Adaptive shock detection systems are provided according to various embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, an adaptive shock detection system comprises a shock sensing circuit, and a controller configured to receive shock detection signals from the shock sensing circuit and to dynamically adjust a sensitivity of the shock sensing circuit based the received shock detection signals.
US08179625B1
High density magnetic disks are each placed on testers. Each tester tests a portion of the disk. If the tester finds an error, a new disk is placed on the tester. The tester goes to the allocated portion of the disk and tests whether the error is on the new disk. This process may be repeated several times to confirm the error. After an error is confirmed an alarm is sent indicating that there may be a defect in the disk manufacturing process.
US08179622B2
A photosensitive transfer material including, on or above a temporary support, in the following order from the temporary support side, at least a thermoplastic resin layer and a photosensitive resin layer, wherein the tensile elongation at break of the thermoplastic resin layer is 6% or more, the yield stress or breaking strength thereof is 5×106 Pa or more, and the melt viscosity η at 110° C. thereof is 6000 Pa·s or less.
US08179618B2
An optical unit includes a first lens, a second lens, a diaphragm, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens, which are arranged in the stated order from an object side to an image plane side. The second lens has a convex shape. The third lens has a meniscus shape. The fourth lens has a convex shape. The fifth lens has a negative power.
US08179615B1
An image pickup optical lens assembly, sequentially arranged from an object side to an image side along an optical axis, comprising: the first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, the second lens element with negative refractive power, the third lens element with refractive power, the fourth lens element with positive or negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface with both being aspheric, and the fifth lens element with positive or negative refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface with both being aspheric. Additionally, the image pickup optical lens assembly satisfies conditions related to the reduction of the total length and the sensitivity of the image pickup optical lens assembly for compact cameras and mobile phones with camera functionalities.
US08179610B2
A zoom lens includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group having a positive refractive power, which are disposed in order from an object side, and an aperture stop disposed at an object side of the third lens group. When changing the magnification from a wide angle end to a telephoto end, an interval between the first and second lens groups increases, an interval between the second and third lens groups decreases, and an interval between the third and fourth lens groups increases. The first lens group includes a negative lens, a positive lens, and a positive lens, in order from the object side. Predetermined conditions of a refractive index of the negative lens E1 for a d line, an Abbe number for d line, and a relative partial dispersion are satisfied.
US08179607B2
A projection zoom lens projects an optical image of rays, which are irradiated from a light source onto a light valve and are modulated by a predetermined image displayed on the light valve, onto a screen. The projection zoom lens includes a plurality of lens groups that is formed as a telecentric system on the reduction side thereof and includes at least two movable lens groups which are movable during zooming. In the projection zoom lens, the plurality of lens groups is arranged to include, in order from a magnification side, at least a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group has a negative refractive power, remains stationary during zooming, and performs focusing. The second lens group has a negative refractive power and remains stationary during zooming and focusing.
US08179604B1
In accordance with example embodiments, a wearable marker may be used for passive interaction with a wearable computing device. A wearable marker may take the form of a ring, a bracelet, an artificial fingernail configured to be affixed to a fingernail, a decal configured to be affixed to a fingernail, or a glove, among other possible wearable items. A wearable marker may further include an infrared (IR) reflective surface in the form of a surface pattern that is substantially optically invisible. A wearable computing device may include a head-mounted display (HMD) equipped with an IR camera device capable of detecting IR radiation reflected from the surface pattern on a wearable marker. The HMD and the IR camera device can function together to track position and motion of the wearable marker via reflection, and by doing so can recognize known patterns of motion that correspond to known hand gestures.
US08179594B1
Apparatus and method for spectral-beam combining of light from a plurality of high-power lasers (e.g., fiber MOPA lasers) that, in some embodiments, use substantially identical diffraction gratings in a 1-D non-parallel, mutually compensating configuration to combine non-parallel converging input beams in one plane each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, an output grating and one or more input gratings in a 1-D parallel, mutually compensating configuration combine non-parallel input beams in one plane into a single output beam of high quality. In other embodiments, a 2-D plurality of input gratings in a non-parallel configuration combine a plurality of non-parallel input beams not in one plane each having a slightly different successively higher wavelength into a set of converging beams in one plane directed towards an output grating that compensates for chromatic dispersions introduced by the input gratings.
US08179591B2
The present invention provides a spatial light modulator, comprising: a pixel array comprises a plurality of pixel units. Each of the pixel units comprises a memory cell. A plurality of word lines and a plurality of plate lines to electrically communicate with the pixel units. A plurality of bit line sets wherein each of the sets includes a pair of bit lines each connected to a memory cell, wherein at least one pair of the memory cells connected to the pair of bit lines are on a same row connected to a same word line.
US08179584B2
A micromechanical component having a base part, a swiveling part, which has an electrically conductive material, and a swiveling part insulation which electrically insulates a first and a second section of the swiveling part from each other. A first flexible, electrically conductive connecting element connects the base part to the first swiveling part section, and a second flexible, electrically conductive connecting element connects the base part to the second swiveling part section. A method also created for producing a micromechanical component includes the following steps: providing a substrate wafer that has a conductive overlayer, etching an insulation trench into the overlayer that insulates a first and second section of the overlayer from each other, as well as forming a base part and a swiveling part including the first and the second section of the overlayer from the substrate wafer, while allowing to remain a first flexible, electrically conductive connecting element, which connects the base part to the first swiveling part section, and allowing to remain a second flexible connecting element which connects the base part to the second swiveling part section.
US08179579B2
HROM replication methods, devices or systems are disclosed herein. Also disclosed herein are articles comprising conical reference (reconstruction) beam hologram elements to generate conical or conical like reference (reconstruction) beams which may be used in such HROM replication methods, devices or systems. Further disclosed herein are articles comprising a target medium which may be used in such HROM replication methods, devices or systems.
US08179564B2
A method of generating data for driving an ink jet print head having a plurality of nozzles to print a portion of an image comprising a plurality of pixels comprises storing nozzle position data defining spatial positions of the nozzles with respect to the print head in terms of pixel offsets from a reference position on the print head; reading image data for the image, the image data comprising data for the plurality of pixels; inputting head position data defining a position for the print head; and processing the image data using the head position data and the nozzle position data to determine nozzle firing data for controlling the print head to deposit ink at the spatial positions of the nozzles with respect the head position in accordance with the image data.
US08179560B2
An image processing apparatus is provided for realizing a higher speed print-out of a scan image. It is determined whether an input data type stored in metadata of document data is PDL or not (S1609). If the input data type is “full-page image”, page data is divided into blocks and a thread is allotted to each of the blocks (S1608). If the input data type is not “full-page image”, the process goes to S1603. Subsequently, DL data is generated from vector data in the document, the DL data is added to the document, and the DL data is rendered into a bit map (S1603 to S1605). If the threads are processed by a plurality of processors, respectively, it becomes possible to carry out the processing in parallel and thereby to realize higher speed processing, when the input data type is “full page image”.
US08179558B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus having a function to store print data in a searchable manner. In order to achieve the object, when print data including a bitmap image and attribute data of each pixel of the bitmap image is received, meta data is generated by executing a character recognition processing based on pixels having a character attribute in the attribute data. Further, vector data indicating a character outline is generated. Then, a document including meta data and vector data is generated.
US08179555B2
A method of producing a customized document with a printing and finishing system includes registering a capability of the printing and finishing system, designing at least one intelligent template for the customized document based on the capability of the printing and finishing system, customizing the at least one intelligent template based on the capability of the printing and finishing system, including creating an intelligent document, and producing the customized document with the printing and finishing system based on the intelligent document.
US08179549B1
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that performs a print job. During operation, the system receives an email requesting the print job and determines, from the email, a printer associated with the print job. Next, the system configures the print job based on the email. Finally, the system sends the print job to the printer, wherein the print job is executed using the printer.
US08179543B2
What is disclosed is a system and method for capturing fingerprint data in an ordered sequence and using the captured sequence to configure a complex multi-function print system device to a set of device specific settings to perform intended workflow processes. Each finger has a unique associated code. A code sequence is associated with each stored set of settings. A user desiring to configure the device scans their fingerprints in a predefined ordered sequence. Settings associated with the entered sequence are retrieved and displayed for user approval. Thereafter, the complex print system device can be easily configured to the displayed settings. Other embodiments are additionally disclosed.
US08179542B2
An information processing device includes a communication unit that sends entry-sheet-definition data to an image forming apparatus such that a collation-information entry sheet for entering collation information is displayed on the image forming apparatus. After the image forming process is complete, the communication unit receives from the image forming apparatus image data and collation information corresponding to the image data. A processing unit associates received collation information with flow-definition data and executes one or more flows of processes defined in the flow-definition data with respect to the image data.
US08179537B2
In an image forming apparatus enabling communication through a network and having a monochrome-printing mode and a color-printing mode, by, in a case where printing of a Web page downloaded through the network is instructed, determining whether or not there is any color image in the Web page, and by, if there is any color image, setting a printing mode for the Web page in accordance with information on the size of the image, whether color printing is printed or monochrome printing is implemented can be automatically determined in consideration of users' convenience.
US08179534B2
A fixed wavelength absolute distance interferometer including a first interferometer comprising a first light source transmitting a first light beam having a wavelength W toward a measurement target, a wavefront radius detector configured to provide a first measurement responsive to the wavefront radius at the wavefront radius detector, and a first path length calculating portion calculating a coarse resolution absolute path length measurement R; and a second interferometer comprising a beam transmitting device transmitting a second-interferometer light beam having a wavelength Λ, a beam splitting/combining device separating the second-interferometer light beam into reference and measurement beams and combining the returning reference and measurement beams into a combined beam, a second-interferometer detector configured to receive the combined beam and provide signals of a phase φ of the combined beam, and a second path length calculating portion configured to determine a medium resolution absolute path length measurement ZM.
US08179533B2
A sensing system comprises a light source having three or more distinct wavelengths for illuminating a plurality of distinct areas in a field of view, a sensor for measuring the reflectance of the distinct areas at each of the distinct wavelengths, and an identifier for identifying at least one object in the field of view from the measured reflectance at each of the wavelengths.
US08179527B2
A terahertz spectrometer includes an optical fiber and an emitter. The optical fiber is branched from a gain fiber constituting an ultra-short pulse oscillator. The emitter generates a terahertz wave from a pulse beam guided from the gain fiber through the optical fiber.
US08179524B2
A hard disk inspection apparatus comprises a disk holding device which holds a hard disk; a light source which generates a light that illuminates an inspection region portion of a hard disk that is held by the disk holding device; a light guide which has a branched shape and guides a light from the light source to a plurality of light projecting parts; and an image pickup device which takes an image by receiving reflected light from the inspection region portion; wherein an illumination light is shone onto the inspection region from plural courses by shining the illumination light that is guided by the light guide onto the inspection region front the plurality of light projecting parts.
US08179523B2
A resist inspection apparatus is provided which has a configuration in which a reticle is separated from a pellicle. A reticle cassette is made up of two pieces of plate members. A hollowed portion with a shape allowing the reticle to be inserted into the plate member. Another hollowed portion having a shape being slightly larger than that of the resist of the reticle is formed on the plate member. In the circumference of the hollowed portion is placed a pellicle frame on which a protective film is formed in a stretched manner. In the concave portion is housed in the reticle with a resist on the reticle directed toward the hollowed portion. The reticle is put in sealed space.
US08179520B2
The present invention provides an optical element which is used for light having a wavelength not more than 250 nm, and receives a light beam at a maximum incident angle not less than 55°, wherein the optical element includes an optical thin film in an effective aperture thereof, and a film thickness distribution of the optical thin film in the effective aperture includes a distribution in which a thickness of the optical thin film in an outermost periphery of the effective aperture is 1.10 times (inclusive) to 1.25 times (inclusive) a thickness of the optical thin film at a midpoint between an optical axis and the outermost periphery of the effective aperture.
US08179497B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a simply configured liquid crystal display device capable of providing a high front luminance when light obliquely enters a micro lens array. The liquid crystal display device comprises: a pair of polarizing plates which sandwich a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched by the pair of substrates; transmission openings formed in a pixel to limit the quantity of light which penetrates the liquid crystal layer; condensing elements formed on the side of one of the substrates, opposite to the side on which the liquid crystal layer is disposed, to condense light to the transmission openings; and a planar light-emitting element which emits light to be applied to the condensing elements; wherein the light to be emitted from the planar light-emitting element forms a certain angle with respect to its perpendicular when emitted; and wherein the position of the transmission opening is relatively shifted with respect to that of the condensing element so as to increase the quantity of light which penetrates the transmission opening, in association with the light-emitting direction of the planar light-emitting element.
US08179492B2
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and provides a liquid crystal display device which can achieve high display quality. A liquid crystal display device is provided with first and second TFTs each having a gate electrode connected to an nth gate bus line and a drain electrode connected to a drain bus line; a first pixel electrode connected to a source electrode of the first TFT; a second pixel electrode connected to a source electrode of the second TFT; a third TFT having a gate electrode connected to an (n+1)th gate bus line and a source electrode connected to the second pixel electrode; and a buffer capacitance portion having a buffer capacitance electrode which is formed in the same layer as the first and second pixel electrodes and is connected to a drain electrode of the third TFT and a buffer capacitance electrode connected to a storage capacitance bus line. The buffer capacitance portion establishes capacitive coupling between the drain electrode of the third TFT and the storage capacitance bus line.
US08179478B2
A system for adjusting color image quality includes converting color video signal sources into component video signals including a luminance signal and chrominance signals. A signal axis rotation circuit performs coordination transformation on the chrominance signals in accordance with a hue calibration parameter; and a multiplier multiplies the coordinate-transformed chrominance signals with a chroma calibration parameter to obtain output chrominance signals. The output chrominance signals and the luminance signal together form a component chrominance signal, which is applied to and output by a chrominance signal inverse conversion unit.
US08179467B2
In a first signal conversion circuit, a first electrode of a first capacitor is connected to a first signal line, and a second electrode thereof is connected to a first node. In a second capacitor, a third electrode thereof is connected to a second signal line, and a fourth electrode thereof is connected to a second node. In a first inverting amplifier including a first negative feedback switch, a first input electrode is connected to the first node, and a first output electrode is connected to a third node. In a second inverting amplifier including a second negative feedback switch, a second input electrode is connected to the second node. A first averaging switch is connected between a first node and second node. A second averaging switch is connected between third node and fourth node.
US08179461B2
A solid-state image pickup device includes a pixel array section including an effective pixel region, an optical black pixel region, and a pixel region between the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region; a vertical drive section which performs driving so that signals of pixels of the pixel region disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a vertical direction are skipped and signals of pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read; and a horizontal drive section which performs driving so that, from among the pixels selected by the vertical drive section, the signals of the pixels of the pixel region disposed at a side of the effective pixel region in a horizontal direction are skipped and the signals of the pixels of the effective pixel region and the optical black pixel region are read.
US08179460B2
A variable rate image sensor outputs pixel data at a variable rate using lookup tables to selectively read out particular rows at particular times. The readout rate is not constant, allowing for a smaller image buffer in the overall system.
US08179457B2
An apparatus includes an array of sub-diffraction limit-sized light receptors formed in a substrate having a light receiving surface. Each receptor is configured to output an n-bit element and to change state based on the absorption of at least one photon (n is an integer >0). The apparatus includes an optical filter structure disposed over the light receiving surface, the structure having an array of filter pixels, each having an associated passband spectral characteristic. A data element obtained from the array of receptors is generated from a combination of a plurality of the n-bit elements output from a plurality of light receptors that underlie filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics. The filter pixels having at least two different passband spectral characteristics form a gradient filter wherein bandpass regions increase when moving from a central region of the gradient filter towards an edge region.
US08179453B2
An imaging method includes a step of setting, when a digital zoom operation mode for enlarging an image imaged by a imaging part of an X-Y address type is selected, a zoom magnification and enlarging the image at the zoom magnification set. The imaging method includes the steps of: setting an imaging range in a vertical direction of the imaging part according to the zoom magnification set in the digital zoom step; outputting a driving signal for scanning the shutter signal and the readout signal to perform exposure in the imaging range set in the imaging range setting step and driving the imaging part; and discarding, when the zoom magnification is changed in the digital zoom step, images imaged by the imaging part before and after the change of the zoom magnification to prevent the images from being used.
US08179450B2
An electronic camera includes an imager. The imager, having an imaging surface capturing an object scene, outputs an object scene image. A CPU searches a face portion of a person from the object scene based on the object scene image outputted from the imager. Moreover, the CPU sets to the imaging surface a cross area having a shape different depending on each attitude of the discovered face portion, in a manner to correspond to the discovered face portion. The CPU refers to an image of the cross area thus set so as to adjust imaging parameters such as a focus and an exposure amount.
US08179447B2
The present invention aims to provide an imaging apparatus with blur correction function in which a retention lever to mechanically retain an image sensor requires a minimum moving space and the thickness of a lens barrel can be reduced in optical axis direction. The imaging apparatus includes an image sensor (7) photoelectrically converting an image of a subject into an electric signal; an optical photographic system (3) forming the subject image on an imaging plane of the image sensor (7); a lens barrel (4) containing the optical photographic system (3) and being extendable/retractable in an optical axis direction of the optical photographic system (3); a frame member (8, 11) movably supporting the image sensor (7) in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; a blur correction unit (9) correcting a blur in the image due to hand shake by moving the frame member (8, 11) in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; and a retainer unit (10) retaining the frame member (8, 11) in one of the optical axis direction and a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
US08179445B2
A method for producing an improved high resolution image is disclosed including capturing low resolution images and a high resolution image; combining the low resolution images to provide an aggregate low resolution image; reducing the resolution of the high resolution image and then interpolated to produce a blurred high resolution image; calculating an image difference map using the aggregate high resolution image and blurred high resolution image; and using the image difference map along with the aggregate high resolution image and the high resolution image to produce an improved high resolution image.
US08179438B2
Disclosed herein is a vehicle camera system adapted for easy position matching of an image sensor and a lens assembly, and capable of being reduced in assembling time.After accommodation of the image sensor 20 in a concave portion 16 of the lens assembly 10, when (a) first and second protrusions 31a, 31b of an elastic body 30 are inserted into first and second clearances 18a, 18b, respectively, and (b) the elastic body 30 is pressed from a direction of a circuit board 40, curved surfaces 15a, 15b convert the pressing direction into a force direction in which first and second datum planes 21a, 21b of the image sensor will be positioned with respect to first and second optical datum planes 12a, 12b, respectively, and the conversion results in first and second opposed planes 24a, 24b of the image sensor being positioned with respect to the first and second optical datum planes 12a, 12b, respectively, and a third datum plane 21c of the image sensor being positioned with respect to a third optical datum plane 12c by the force applied in the pressing direction.
US08179417B2
A video collaboration method includes examining a video image to locate therein a strip segment containing desired facial features of a second collaborator. The method also includes causing a display of the strip segment in a second frame positioned above a first frame for communicating shared collaboration content on a display device positioned for a first collaborator.
US08179408B2
A projective capacitive touch apparatus and a method for identifying multi-touched positions are provided. The multi-touched positions are touched on a projective capacitive touch panel. The method comprises the following steps: generating a first set of reference values according to the first touch position; generating a plurality of second sets of reference values according to a second touch position, and filtering out at least one ghost second set of reference values from the second sets of reference values. Furthermore, the plurality of second sets of reference values comprise a real second set of reference value and at least one ghost second set of reference values, while the ghost second set of reference values comprises parts of the first set of reference values.
US08179391B2
A mobile display device driving apparatus and method which can reduce power consumption are disclosed. The driving apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel having a plurality of liquid crystal cells each formed in sub-pixel areas of four colors, a battery charged with a voltage, a power saving mode signal generator that detects the remaining power of the battery and generates a power saving mode signal based on the detected power to set a power saving mode of the liquid crystal panel. A controller sets a gain value in response to the power saving mode signal, converts external three-color input data into four-color data based on the set gain value and generates a dimming signal in response to the power saving mode signal. A panel driver displays an image based on the four-color data on the liquid crystal panel. An inverter generates a lamp drive voltage based on the dimming signal, and a backlight unit generates light in response to the lamp drive voltage and irradiates the generated light to the liquid crystal panel.
US08179390B2
A light emitting display includes a substrate, a pixel area, a first power source line to supply a first power signal to each pixel on a first side of the pixel area, a second power source line to supply the first power signal to each pixel on a second side of the pixel area, and an impedance compensator for compensating a difference in a voltage drop between the first power source line and the second power source line. A voltage drop caused by line resistance that depends on the length of the first and second power source line that supply the first power signal to a lower and upper side of a pixel area, respectively, is equalized, thereby minimizing the voltage drop of the first power signal supplied to all pixels, and minimizing non-uniformity of brightness due to the voltage drop differences at each pixel.
US08179382B2
A visual communication system that is suitable for use in connection with a display surface is disclosed. The system includes a camera or other data-capturing device that can be remotely positioned from the display surface. A control unit receives image data from the camera or data-capturing device and processes the image data to create an electronic image of the display surface.
US08179373B2
A method for detecting touch points of touch control device is disclosed. The touch control device comprises a first substrate having a first conductive layer and a second substrate having a second conductive layer. The first and second conductive layers are respectively connected to a control circuit which is coupled to a microcontroller. The control circuit performs driving on the first conductive layer to generate a gradient potential, and performs scanning on the second conductive layer to determine a first-axis coordinates. Then the control circuit drives the second conductive layer to generate a gradient potential, and performs scanning on the first conductive layer to determine the second-axis coordinates.
US08179366B2
A system and method for controlling operation of a computer based on movements and/or position of a movable object. The system includes a sensing apparatus configured to obtain positional data based on movements of a sensed object. Engine software may process the positional data and generate control commands to produce a virtual position in an application running on the computer. A visual comparator is operatively coupled with the engine software and configured to display an actual indicator and a virtual indicator to provide a visual comparison between the virtual position and the actual position of the sensed object.
US08179362B2
A scanning backlight for a stereoscopic 3D liquid crystal display apparatus includes a light guide having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and having a first surface extending between the first and second sides and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface substantially re-directs light and the second surface substantially transmits light. A plurality of first light sources are arranged along the first side of the light guide for transmitting light into the light guide from the first side and a plurality of second light sources are arranged along the second side of the light guide for transmitting light into the light guide from the second side. The first light sources are divided into a plurality of first groups and the second light sources are divided into a plurality of second groups, each first group having a corresponding and opposing second group, and the first groups and second groups are selectively turned on and off in a particular pattern where only the first group or corresponding and opposing second group selectively transmits light into light guide at one time.
US08179361B2
A back light device realizing improvement in hotspots and bright line in the region of light incidence and of darkness arising in between light sources is provided by forming the reflective surface of the reflector as a structured face comprising an iteration of prism elements of trapezoidal section.
US08179360B2
A gate driving circuit including M shift registers, a detecting unit, a control unit, a repair starting unit, a signal repairing device, and a signal replacing unit is provided, wherein M is a positive integer. The shift registers sequentially shift a starting signal according to a plurality of clock signals to generate M gate driving signals. The detecting unit detects the gate driving signals. The control unit generates a first and a second auxiliary signals, wherein the first and the second auxiliary signals are synchronous with two gate driving signals which are before and after a specific driving signal. The signal repairing device is enabled according to a valid repair starting signal outputted by the repair starting unit to generate a repairing signal according to the first auxiliary signal. The signal replacing unit replaces the specific driving signal with the repairing signal according to the clock signals.
US08179349B2
A pixel structure includes a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel. The first sub-pixel includes a first switching transistor and a first liquid crystal capacitor, wherein when the first switching transistor is turned on, the first liquid crystal capacitor is biased to a first gray level voltage. The second sub-pixel includes a second switching transistor, a second liquid crystal capacitor, a third switching transistor, a charge sharing capacitor and a fourth switching transistor, wherein when the second switching transistor is turned on, the second liquid crystal capacitor is biased to the first gray level voltage; when the fourth switching transistor is turned on, the charge sharing capacitor is reset to a predetermined voltage; and when the third switching transistor is turned on, the second liquid crystal capacitor and the charge sharing capacitor are charge-shared to a second gray level voltage through the third switching transistor.
US08179348B2
A display device includes a data converting section that converts display data that is to be supplied to pixel units. The data converting section converting on the basis of a predetermined conversion rule for each of a plurality of fields. The plurality of fields corresponds to respective light emission time periods of the plurality of light beams and following one after another in a successive manner on a time axis. The predetermined conversion rule converts data for a preceding field of one color to achieve a value in a successive field of a different color, such that the value approaches a desired value for at least one of brightness and color obtained when an image is displayed in the display area during the successive field.
US08179343B2
A display apparatus includes a scanning line, a signal line, and a pixel circuit. The pixel circuit is selected according to a signal applied to the scanning line, and a signal is input to the selected pixel circuit from the signal line. The pixel circuit include a holding capacitor, a first switch which opens and closes connection between one terminal of the light emitting element and the signal line in accordance with a signal applied to the scanning line, and a second switch which opens and closes connection between one terminal of the holding capacitor and the signal line in accordance with a signal applied to the scanning line. First and a second voltage supplies are switchably connected to the signal line, and during a period when the pixel circuit is selected, the first voltage supply is connected to the signal line and the first switch is closed so that a voltage of the first voltage supply is applied to a terminal of the light emitting element, and the second voltage supply is connected to the signal line and the second switch is closed and the first switch is opened, so that a voltage of the second voltage supply is applied to one terminal of the holding capacitor. A voltage of the first voltage supply is determined based on a terminal-to-terminal voltage of the light emitting element when a voltage of the second voltage supply is applied to the holding capacitor and current flows in the light emitting element.
US08179342B2
Provided are a method and apparatus for driving a PDP for widening a driving margin and improving contrast. The method for driving a PDP includes a first step of forming wall charges in cells with a set-up discharge using a set-up signal in a first sub-field and erasing the wall charges with a set-down discharge using a first set-down signal to initialize the cells, and a second step of erasing the wall charges with a set-down discharge generated using a second set-down signal different from the first set-down signal in a second sub-field, to initialize the cells. The method and apparatus for driving a PDP uniformly initialize sub-fields to widen the driving margin of PDP and remove a set-up discharge in at least one sub-field to improve the contrast of PDP.
US08179340B2
A two-dimensional code pattern includes: a boundary pattern in which each of pixels in a group are set into a turn-on state or a turn-off state; a rotation detection pattern in which each pixel belonging to a group in each block is set into the turn-on state or the turn-off state by a light emitting pattern which can detect a rotational angle upon reading of the block; and an information pattern in which both of each pixel belonging to a first quadrant region in the block and each pixel belonging to a third quadrant region are set into the turn-on state or the turn-off state according to first information data and both of each pixel belonging to a second quadrant region and each pixel belonging to a fourth quadrant region are set into the turn-on state or the turn-off state according to second information data.
US08179333B2
A compact millimeter-wave transmitter and receiver make use of interconnections within a chip-containing package for providing an integrated antenna. Due to shorter wavelength of millimeter-waves, these interconnections can be used as antennas for radiation of electromagnetic waves. A dielectric cover or lens is provided within the package to increase the antenna's directivity and to provide a mechanical shield for the chip.
US08179332B2
An antenna device is constructed such that an antenna coil including a magnetic core and a flexible substrate is mounted to a circuit board. A first coil portion having a coil axis parallel or substantially parallel with a main surface of the magnetic core includes a first coil and a third coil. A second coil portion includes a second coil and a fourth coil. A conductor-free portion is located between the first and second coil portions. The flexible substrate includes a projection, and first to fourth coil connections are drawn out at the projection. The antenna device is constructed such that each of the coils is connected on the circuit board by connecting to a conductor pattern on the circuit board at the projection of the flexible substrate.
US08179329B2
A composite antenna achieves favorable radiation characteristics and favorable communication performance, and can be used in short distance communication as well as long distance communication. The composite antenna includes a dipole antenna having an elongated shape, a loop antenna including at least one pair of opposing end portions, and a connection portion arranged to connect the dipole antenna and a point of the loop antenna at which the amplitude of a current flowing in the loop antenna has a maximum value. The dipole antenna performs long distance communication utilizing an electric field, and the loop antenna performs short distance communication utilizing a magnetic field. This composite antenna may be used as a wireless IC device in RFID systems.
US08179327B1
A subsurface deployable antenna array is provided which expands upon deployment and contracts for storage to provide an antenna array that can be stored in a comparatively compact space. Electronically interconnected antenna modules are connected by expandable/contractable connectors. A helically-organized bundle of optical cables and electrical wiring are utilized in the expandable/contractable connectors. Mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic means may be utilized to control the spacing between the antenna modules.
US08179318B1
Apparatus having corresponding methods and computer programs comprise a wireless receiver to receive a Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-directional Radio Range (VOR) signal comprising a frequency-modulated (FM) component; an analog-to-digital converter to generate a digital signal based on the VOR signal, the digital signal comprising data representing the FM component; and a FM phase circuit comprising a correlator to generate a correlation peak based on the data representing the FM component and an ideal representation of the FM component, and a peak detector to determine a phase of the FM component based on the correlation peak.
US08179312B2
Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments are provided for obtaining a precise absolute time using a satellite system. The precise absolute time may be used, for example, as an aid for positioning systems including navigation in attenuated or jammed environments. A method of obtaining precise absolute time transfer from a satellite according to an embodiment comprises: receiving a precision time signal from a satellite, wherein the precision time signal comprises a periodic repeating code; determining a timing phase of the code; receiving additional aiding information; and using the timing phase and the additional aiding information to determine a precise absolute time.
US08179299B1
A method, comprising: characterizing an electromagnetic radiation path based on at least a scattered electromagnetic radiation pattern resulting from propagation of electromagnetic radiation through the path; receiving a plurality of scattered portions of a modulated electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of receiver antennas; and processing, at a receiver, the plurality of scattered portions, in conjunction with the characterized electromagnetic radiation path, to determine a change in the electromagnetic radiation path over time. An apparatus comprises a transmitter which transmits modulated electromagnetic radiation along an electromagnetic radiation path subject to electromagnetic radiation scattering; a plurality of receiver antennas which receive scattered portions of modulated electromagnetic radiation; and a processor which analyzes respective scattered portions, to characterize the electromagnetic radiation path, and to determine a change in the scattered electromagnetic radiation path over time.
US08179298B2
A multi-directional resonant-type electromagnetic wave absorber includes: at least one ground layer; a first dielectric layer and a second dielectric layer respectively formed on different outer surfaces of the ground layer; a first resistive pattern layer formed on an outer surface of the first dielectric layer; and a second resistive pattern layer formed on an outer surface of the second dielectric layer. Herein, the electromagnetic absorption performance is adjusted by changing one or more of thicknesses, permittivities, and permeabilities of the dielectric layers, thicknesses of the resistive pattern layers, and a reflection coefficient of the ground layer.
US08179293B2
In an embodiment, an apparatus and method reduces a calibration settling time in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The ADC has a reference voltage supply. The reference voltage supply has an output. A filter capacitor is coupled to the reference voltage supply output. An isolation transistor is series-coupled between the filter capacitor and ground. The isolation transistor isolates the filter capacitor during calibration of the ADC.
US08179278B2
A downhole communication device comprises a first energy harvesting device; a downhole transceiver in communication with the first energy harvesting device; an accumulator in communication with the energy harvesting device; and a microcontroller. The microcontroller manages communication between the first energy harvesting device, transceiver, and accumulator.
US08179277B2
A device for maintaining a flag in a desired position, and comprising a position transducer is disclosed. A support mounts the position transducer on a flagstaff. An alarm indicates a deviation in the position of the transducer from the desired position. The alarm has an audio output. The audio output of the alarm optionally indicates the direction of the deviation whereby a user may correct the position of the flag. The position transducer may comprise a central conductive member and a plurality of contacts surrounding that central conductive member. More particularly, the central conductive member may be a conductive ball resting on a concave conductive electrode.
US08179270B2
A method for monitoring a sleep condition with a sleep scheduler is disclosed wherein the method includes receiving a sleep parameter via an input receiver on the sleep scheduler. The method further includes associating the sleep parameter with an overall alertness and outputting a determined sleep condition based on the overall alertness. A system for providing a sleep condition is further disclosed therein the system comprising includes a display, an input receiver operable to receive a sleep parameter, and a processor in communication with the display. The processor may be operable to determine an overall alertness associated with the sleep parameter and wherein the processor is operable to output a determined sleep condition based on the overall alertness.
US08179269B2
An information processing apparatus includes a fatigue determining portion determining whether an operator is tired or not by referring to fatigue information on the operator's fatigue, and a processing control portion causing a first display for recovering the operator to be shown on a display portion together with a working display on which the operator is working, when the fatigue determining portion determines that the operator is tired.
US08179268B2
Apparatus for detection of human falls, comprises: an acceleration detector, for detecting vibration events, typically placed on a floor, a microphone, located in association with the acceleration detector for detection of corresponding sound events, and a classification unit to classify concurrent events from the microphone and the acceleration detector, thereby to determine whether a human fall is indicated. If the event appears to be a human fall, then an alarm is raised.
US08179254B2
An apparatus, methods and computer program product, and system are described that enable a first subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a first time period, enable a second subset of actuatable cushioning elements for a second time period, determine an event, and actuate, based on a time the event is determined, at least one of the first and the second subsets of actuatable cushioning elements to provide cushioning support for an object. Other example embodiments are also provided relating to actuatable cushioning elements.
US08179251B2
A wireless sensor network includes an initial set of anchors at known locations, and a set of sensors at unknown locations. Ranges, from each sensor to at least three of the anchors, determine a position, an anchor ranging weight, and an anchor position weight. For each anchor, the anchor ranging weight and the anchor position weight form a combined weight. A weighted least square (WLS) function for the positions and the combined weights is minimized to determine a position of the sensor, and a sensor position weight. The sensor is identified as being a member of a set of candidate anchor nodes, and the candidate anchor node with a largest sensor position weight is selected to be transformed to another anchor to minimize propagation of errors in the positions of the set of sensors.
US08179240B1
The present invention concerns that of a new and improved motorcycle-emergency vehicle detection and notification system for use when a motorcycle is in operation in vehicular traffic. As a result, costly and tragic accidents are prevented and, more importantly, precious lives are saved as the system gives a clear indication to avoid a lane change, and to yield to the motorcyclist or emergency vehicle as they approach. By offering both an audible and visual indication that it is, or is not, safe to change lanes, the present invention adds significantly to the safety of a vehicle when driving along streets and highways, which are becoming increasingly congested.
US08179239B2
This specification discloses a driving safety auxiliary network administration system and the method thereof. Vehicles in motion communicate with each other about their geographical locations and current moving states within a communication range. At least one of the vehicles in the communication range becomes the router of several other vehicles that are at dead corners of wireless communications. The router is responsible for transferring vehicle state signals of those vehicles out of direct communications between them. Therefore, all the vehicles in the communication range are not blocked by terrains, buildings or other vehicles. All of them are taken into account to assess and find possible dangerous vehicles. This technique can effectively solve the problem of dead corners in driving safety auxiliary network communications. Highly important packets can be immediately and reliably transmitted to the corresponding vehicles, providing efficient warnings.
US08179238B2
Methods and systems for remotely monitoring trailer or trailers attached to a vehicle is provided. The method includes associating an identification tag or ABS ECU that is configured to broadcast a trailer identification signal with a trailer. The method further includes receiving the trailer identification signal on-board the vehicle, associating the trailer identification signal with the vehicle, transmitting the trailer identification signal to a remote processor and receiving the trailer identification signal at the remote processor. The system comprises a mobile data terminal capable of generating and responding to telematic events comprising at least one processor, a graphical user interface, an input device, a memory and a set of executable instructions which may include a plurality of modules, such as a vehicle location module capable of receiving a GPS signal and transmitting the GPS signal to a remote processor for determining a location of a transportation unit.
US08179236B2
A vehicular video mirror system includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having a transflective reflective element. The mirror system includes a video display device at a casing of the mirror assembly rearward of the transflective reflective element, with the video display device having a video screen and a plurality of individual white light emitting light sources operable for backlighting the video screen. The intensity of light emitted by the white light emitting light sources is variable responsive to detection of light by at least one photosensor. The video screen may be operable to display video images captured by a rear back-up camera of the equipped vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the equipped vehicle. Light emanating from the white light emitting light emitting diodes may pass through a brightness enhancement film and a light diffuser to be incident at a transflective reflector of a second substrate of the mirror assembly.
US08179216B2
An actuator capable of generates force by leveraging the changes in capillary pressure and surface tension that result from the application of an electrical potential. The device, which will be referred to as a Capillary Force Actuator (CFA), and related methods, employs a conducting liquid bridge between two (or more) surfaces, at least one of which contains dielectric-covered electrodes, and operates according to the principles of electro wetting on dielectric.
US08179212B2
A frequency tunable filter comprises a housing having a plurality of walls therein defining a plurality of cavities; a cover mounted on the housing; a plurality of resonators contained in the cavities; at least one sliding member located between the cover and the resonators; and a plurality of metal tuning elements attached to a lower part of the sliding member, wherein frequency tuning is performed by sliding of the sliding member.
US08179210B2
An electrical multilayer component includes a basic body having at least one stack of dielectric layers and electrode layers arranged alternately one above another. The component also includes an electrically non-connected shielding structure.
US08179209B2
A serial resonance circuit is prepared. The serial resonance circuit is configured of a pair of resonance circuit is configured of a pair of resonance elements serially connected to each other at a midpoint therebetween and exhibiting resonance frequencies equal to each other. To both ends of the serial resonance circuit, phase shift circuits that shift phases so that the phases are reverse to each other are connected. A resonance output obtained from the serial resonance circuit when AC power is supplied between the midpoint and an input side of the phase shift circuit is obtained as an external output.
US08179207B2
A resonator device includes a plurality of resonators which are connected in series. An inductor and a capacitor are connected in parallel with at least one of the plurality of resonators. At least another one of the plurality of resonators has no inductor or capacitor connected in parallel therewith. Therefore, a sufficiently large attenuation outside the passband can be attained when the resonator device is used in a filter. Furthermore, the resonator device can be reduced in size.
US08179202B2
A method of generating a MPWM signal for a portable device such as a cellular telephone. For a first duty cycle that includes a MPWM frequency having N magnitude levels, the method generates a first waveform comprising a first and a second On pulse during a first MPWM frequency period. The first and second On pulses are separated by an Off period.
US08179201B2
A resonator having an effective spring constant (kz) and comprising a beam having a beam spring constant (kB) adapted to resonate in an oscillation direction, and extending at a non-zero angle (θ) to the oscillation direction, wherein the resonator has a predetermined geometry and is formed from one or more materials, the or each material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the CTE of the or each material together with the predetermined geometry of the resonator causing θ to vary with temperature, such that the temperature dependence of the beam spring constant is compensated for, resulting in the effective spring constant of the resonator remaining substantially constant within an operating temperature range.
US08179200B2
An amplifier circuit includes an amplifier unit that amplifies a signal received by an input terminal and outputs the amplified signal to an output terminal, a feedback capacitor that is connected between the input terminal of the amplifier and the output terminal, and a controller that varies a capacitance in the feedback capacitor for a certain period when a potential of the output terminal in the amplifier unit becomes higher or lower than a certain potential.
US08179189B2
A trimming circuit is provided. The trimming circuit had at least a trimming cell, and each of the at least trimming cell includes three current paths and a fuse. A first one of the current paths is interrupted when a second one of the current paths is uninterrupted, and the first one of the current paths is uninterrupted when the second one of the current paths is interrupted. When a trimming control signal is at an enable state, a third one of the current paths is uninterrupted, such that the fuse is blown. Based on the status of the fuse, the trimming circuit is capable of trimming an output voltage or an output current of an electric apparatus.
US08179175B2
A reliable charge pump circuit includes an operational amplifier; an upper current mirror; a lower current mirror; a startup circuit; and an anti-lock circuit, wherein the anti-lock circuit includes a current source and a diode-connected NMOS transistor, which increases the driving strength of the operational amplifier to two NMOS transistors connected to an output node of the operational amplifier, so as to prevent deadlock caused by multiple stable status and improve production yield.
US08179173B2
An electronic circuit for distributing a clock signal to several clock destinations includes phase adjustment circuits for adjusting phase shifts of the clock at the respective one of the clock destinations responsive to a respective DC voltage feedback signal receive from the respective one of the clock destinations; phase detectors for detecting a phase shift of the clock signal at the respective one of the clock destinations according to a nearest neighbor clock destination; loop filters for generating and transmitting respective DC voltage feedback signals; current sources, each configured to receive the respective DC voltage feedback signal and output a respective current to a respective one of the phase adjustment circuits according to said respective DC voltage feedback signals to adjust the phase shift of the clock signal for the respective one of the clock destinations.
US08179169B2
A switching circuit includes: a transistor having a first electrode, a second electrode and a control electrode; a zener diode; and a capacitor. A connection between the first electrode and the second electrode is capable of temporally switching between a conduction state and a non-conduction state by switching a control voltage of the transistor. The zener diode and the capacitor are coupled in series between the first electrode and the control electrode of the transistor. The first electrode is a drain or a collector.
US08179168B2
A pulse generator that can generate pulses separated by 120 degrees phase on each of three separate phase output leads for use with a 3-phase motor power driver. These output pulses can be of any desired frequency and voltage. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the phase output pulses take a logic level of 0-12 volts (12 volts peak) with an adjustable frequency of around 250 Hz and a duty cycle of around 50%. This combination of parameters is ideal for driving a 3-phase motor in a vehicle application. Any combination of pulse width or duty cycle, output level and frequency is within the scope of the present invention.
US08179167B2
Embodiments of the present invention include methods for wide bandwidth synthesizer circuits and methods. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a frequency synthesizer comprising a multiplexer and a band group selector. The multiplexer is coupled to receive a plurality of sinusoidal signals. Each sinusoidal signal has a unique frequency. The band group selector selects between a plurality of band groups. The band group selector is coupled to receive a first signal from the multiplexer. The multiplexer multiplexes between the plurality of sinusoidal signals and provides the first signal. The band group selector includes a band mixer. The band mixer mixes the first signal with a band signal having a band frequency. The band signal corresponds to a band group selected from the plurality of band groups. The band group selector provides a transmitter mixer signal and a receiver mixer signal.
US08179154B2
Provided is a test apparatus that tests a device under test. The device under test includes: a circuit under test; and a switching section that that connects an internal terminal being tested, from among one or more internal terminals of the circuit under test, to external terminals connected to the test apparatus. The test apparatus includes: a measuring section that controls a relay section, which provides a connection or a disconnect between two of the external terminals such that a transmission characteristic of the relay section in a connected state serves as a basis for calculating the transmission characteristic between each external terminal and each internal terminal of the circuit under test, to be in a connected state and measures the transmission characteristic of the relay section via the two external terminals; and a compensating section that compensates a signal to be supplied to the circuit under test via an external terminal and the switching section and/or a signal acquired from the circuit under test via the switching section and an external terminal, based on the measured transmission characteristic of the relay section.
US08179135B2
In one embodiment, a flux transformer with a gradiometer pickup coil is magnetically coupled to a SQUID, and a SQUID array amplifier comprising a plurality of SQUIDs, connected in series, is magnetically coupled to the output of the SQUID. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08179127B2
A rotatable shaft is equipped with a measurement device that generates output signals corresponding to discrete angular positions of the shaft. Rotational angles of the shaft are measured for a complete rotational period. A true angular velocity of the shaft is determined. Angular velocity is calculated between contiguous pairs of the discrete angular positions. A velocity correction is determined, and a rotational angle error term is determined based upon the velocity correction.
US08179123B2
Provided is a measurement apparatus that measures power of a modulated signal that is modulated with a carrier signal having a prescribed frequency, comprising an AD converting section that outputs a digital modulated signal obtained by AD converting the modulated signal; a frequency converting section that converts the digital modulated signal into a frequency component signal representing a plurality of signal components at respective frequencies; a correction coefficient output section that outputs, for each frequency, a correction coefficient corresponding to a frequency characteristic of a transmission path on which the modulated signal is transmitted; a correcting section that corrects the signal component of each frequency in the frequency component signal using the correction coefficient of the corresponding frequency; and a power calculating section that calculates the power of the modulated signal based on the signal component of each frequency in the corrected frequency component signal.
US08179116B2
An embodiment of an inductor assembly includes a core, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The core includes first and second members, a first group of one or more forms extending between the members, a second group of one or more forms extending between the members, and an isolating region that magnetically isolates the first group of forms from the second group of forms. The first conductor is wound about a first one of the forms in the first group, and the second conductor is wound about a second one of the forms in the second group. Such an inductor assembly may allow both coupled and uncoupled inductors to be disposed on a common core, thus potentially reducing the cost and size of the inductors as compared to the coupled inductors being disposed on one core and the uncoupled inductors being disposed on another core.
US08179114B2
A changing-speed calculator monitors a current value of an output current flowing through a load circuit to calculate a change speed of the current value. A correction-amount obtaining unit reads from a correction-amount table a correction amount of a duty ratio corresponding to the change speed of the output current. A reference-voltage comparator compares a voltage value of an output voltage to be applied to the load circuit and a predetermined reference voltage with each other, and then notifies a duty-ratio determining unit of the comparison result. The duty-ratio determining unit performs feedback control according to the comparison result of the voltage values to correct the duty ratio. After correcting the duty ratio, the duty-ratio determining unit further corrects the duty ratio by the correction amount obtained by the correction-amount obtaining unit.
US08179108B2
A regulator circuit includes an output transistor that generates an output current in accordance with a control voltage that is applied to a control terminal of the output transistor. A differential amplifier provides feedback control of the control voltage in accordance with a level of the output current. A phase compensation circuit is connected to the differential amplifier and the control terminal of the output transistor. The phase compensation circuit adjusts an output impedance of the differential amplifier. The phase compensation circuit includes a variable resistor that decreases the output impedance of the differential amplifier when the output current increases.
US08179105B2
A power converter can include a high-side switch coupled to a power supply terminal and selectively coupled to ground via a conduction path. During an on state duration, the high-side switch can be enabled and the conduction path can be disabled. During an off state duration, the high-side switch can be disabled and the conduction path can be enabled. During a skip state duration, the high-side switch and the conduction path both can be disabled. A controller coupled to the high-side switch can control the on state duration and the skip state duration based on a current reference. The controller can further generate a first control signal for controlling the high-side switch and the conduction path according to the on state duration and the skip state duration, and adjust an output current of the power converter to the current reference according to the first control signal.
US08179102B2
Disclosed are a device, system and method for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged according to their relative priority and/or for multiple mobile communication devices that may be charged to a minimum level. The devices may be connected in any order physically, but based upon their relative charging priority the device with the highest priority may receive a charge first. The device with second highest priority may receive a charge second. Their relative priority may be communicated between the devices by wireless communication. In one embodiment, one or more devices may receive a minimum charge to allow operation, before the devices with the highest priorities are fully charged. In regions where electrical utility infrastructures are minimally developed users may share electrical facilities to recharge a plurality of mobile communication devices so that the devices with the highest priority of the grouped devices are fully charged first.
US08179090B2
The present invention discloses a type of secure and efficient wheel assembly using fluid or solid stuffing materials so as to minimize the blowout risks, a wheel rim transmission assembly, an energy exchanging arrangement used in transporting system, and a vehicle energy storage system, as well as corresponding methods for manufacturing and preparing such assemblies and arrangements in applications.
US08179084B2
A drive system for a grid blower of a vehicle is provided. The system includes: an electrical bus, a grid of resistive elements connected to the electrical bus, the grid of resistive elements configured to thermally dissipate electrical power generated from braking of the vehicle, the electrical power being transmitted on the electrical bus to the grid of resistive elements, an electrical power modulation device configured to modify electrical power received from at least one of the electrical bus and the grid of resistive elements, and a grid blower motor coupled to an output of the electrical power modulation device, wherein a speed of the grid blower motor varies based on the electrical power that has been modified by the electrical power modulation device.
US08179082B2
The invention relates to a soft starting method and system thereof in the way of wave-skipping with stepped frequency and stepless voltage regulating for a motor which can be applied to the large torque starting of AC motor under the condition of a power supply of a industrial frequency supply source and the safe starting of higher load. Trigger signals generated by a control system, in the soft starting method of the invention, act on five sets of anti-parallel thyristor valves connected between the power supply and the motor to conduct a pair of thyristors thereof according to a set frequency and sequence, and the motor is started from a standstill status to full speed in the way of wave-skipping by controlling the sets of the thyristor valves. The method may improve the starting torque for more than 10 times of the traditional motor soft starting of the voltage reduction and control the starting current for about two times of the rated current. The cost thereof is only 20-25% of similar frequency converter.
US08179081B2
A stepping motor includes two coils and has supply currents to the two coils with different phases so that a rotor is rotated by the two coils. During a period where one coil is in a high impedance state, an induced voltage generated at that coil is detected. An output control circuit controls the magnitude of motor drive current supplied to the two coils in accordance with the detected induced voltage state. Then, prior to entering the high impedance state from the drive state, a short-circuit period is provided for short circuiting both terminals of the coil.
US08179077B2
The present invention relates to a frequency converter comprising electric power supply devices for supplying electric power to an electric motor (26) to be connected to the frequency converter, a controller configured to control the electric power supply. In order to control the electric power supply, the frequency converter comprises a joystick (22) for conveying control signals to the controller, the joystick (22) comprising an acceleration sensor for registering movements of the joystick (22) and for generating control signals representing the movements, and a switch (24) for triggering a control cycle during which the controller receives the control signals generated by the joystick (22) for utilizing the control signals in controlling of the electric power supply.
US08179074B2
Methods and devices are provided for rotating an end effector on a long, flexible medical device. The methods and devices utilize an actuator mechanism that is effective to rotate an end effector on the distal end of an elongate flexible shaft. The actuator mechanism is movable between a freely rotatable position and a rotationally resistant position. When the actuator mechanism is in a freely rotatable position, the actuator mechanism can be rotated to impart torque to the end effector, and thus at least a distal portion of the elongate shaft, to cause the end effector to rotate. In order to prevent the actuator mechanism from “freewheeling,” wherein the actuator mechanism freely rotates in an opposite direction upon release rather than the end effector rotating in the desired direction, the actuator mechanism can be moved to the rotationally resistant position.
US08179069B2
An electric power tool includes a direct current motor, at least one switching device, a trigger switch, a control unit, and a drive unit. The control unit sets a driving duty ratio for PWM controlling the direct current motor so as to increase the driving duty ratio in a stepwise manner in accordance with an operation continuation time of the trigger switch during a period from when an operation of the trigger switch is started until when a predetermined start-up time has elapsed.
US08179062B2
A method of operating an electromechanical actuator (6) for an awning with arms (1), comprising a control unit (8), stop detection means (9) and means (7) for measuring a parameter (Ucapa) of the actuator, the awning being able to move over its travel in at least a first (ZP1) and a second (ZP2, ZP3) positioning zone, the method comprising the following steps: upon detecting an initiating event, automatic determination, from the measurement of the parameter of the actuator, of the positioning zone in which the current position of the awning is located; and if the current position of the awning is located in the second positioning zone, temporary deactivation of the stop detection means for detecting a stop in the course of a movement of the awning towards a stop position.
US08179059B2
The present invention discloses a circuit and a method for controlling a light emitting device, and an integrated circuit therefore. The circuit for controlling a light emitting device comprises: a power stage controller circuit controlling a power stage circuit to convert an input voltage to an output voltage, which is supplied to at least one light emitting device channel including at least one light emitting device; a transistor switch in the light emitting device channel; and a current source circuit controlling a current through the light emitting device channel, wherein the power stage controller circuit and the current source circuit are integrated in an integrated circuit which provides a control voltage to control a gate of the transistor switch.
US08179055B2
An AC-driven LED circuit 10 includes a first parallel circuit 12 having a first branch 14 and a second branch 16 which connect at first and second common point 18, 20. The common points 18, 20 provide input and output for an AC driving current from a driver of the circuit. The first branch 14 has a first LED 26 and a second LED 28, the first LED 26 being connected to the second LED 28 in opposing series relationship with the inputs of the first and second LEDs 26, 28 defining a first branch junction 34. A second branch 16 has a third LED 30 and a fourth LED 32, the third LED 30 is connected to the fourth LED 32 in opposing series relationship with the outputs of the third and fourth LEDs 30, 32 defining a second branch junction 36. Improvement in performance and scalability is provided by adding n diodes to a given parallel circuit and x cross connecting circuit branch diodes (40, 44) and providing one or more parallel circuits (15) in series and or parallel. An AC-driven LED assembly with discretely packaged LEDs being connected in an AC circuit and being sized preferably substantially 2.5 mm or less in length and width, and more preferably 2.0 mm or less; and being mounted to a substrate at a distance from the other of preferably approximately 3 mm or less, and more preferably 2.0 mm or less.
US08179054B1
An LED power supply (LPS) (10) that is designed to replace conventional fluorescent lamps, which also include Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). The LPS (10) is comprised of three major elements: a power input circuit (PIC) (12), an LED Power Control Circuit (LPCC) (14) and an LED load 16. The PIC (12) can consist of either a d-c voltage source (12A) or an a-c voltage source (12B). The a-c voltage source (12B) is rectified and filtered to produce a filtered d-c voltage output (11′) prior to being applied to an OR gate (12D) from where a filtered d-c voltage (21) is produced and applied to the LPCC (14) for further processing. The CPCC (14) functions to automatically monitor and adjust both the voltage and the current that is applied to a plurality of LEDS 71 that comprise the LED load 16. The LED load is typically configured in a series-parallel configuration.
US08179050B2
A helicon plasma source has a discharge tube, a radio frequency antenna disposed proximate the discharge tube, and a permanent magnet positioned with respect to the discharge tube so that the discharge tube is in a far-field region of a magnetic field produced by the permanent magnet.
US08179045B2
A traveling wave amplifier circuit to receive an RF wave and an electron sheet beam and to effect synchronized interaction therebetween. The circuit includes a wave guide having at least a first wall and a second wall opposite the first wall. The first wall and the second wall are connected to define an axis of propagation and a rectangular wave guide cross-section that is normal to the axis of propagation. The circuit further includes a plurality of first projections located on an interior surface of the first wall of the wave guide, the first projections being pitched in a direction of the axis of propagation. The circuit further includes a plurality of second projections located on an interior surface of the second wall of the wave guide, the second projections being pitched in a direction of the axis of propagation. A number of the second projections are located on the interior surface of the second wall in a staggered configuration in a direction of the axis of propagation relative to a number of corresponding first projections located on the interior surface of the first wall.
US08179043B2
A plasma display panel is formed of a front panel including display electrodes, a dielectric layer, and a protective layer which are formed on a glass substrate, and a rear panel including electrodes, barrier ribs, and phosphor layers all of which are formed on a substrate. The front panel and the rear panel confront each other, and peripheries thereof are sealed to form a discharge space therebetween. The dielectric layer of the front panel contains Bi2O3 and at least CuO and CoO, and the total content expressed in mole % of CuO and CoO falls within a range from 0.03% to 0.3%.
US08179040B2
In order to provide a display device of high reliability in which an amount of moisture and oxygen, which are a factor for deteriorating a characteristics of a display device, entering from a sealing agent is reduced and its manufacturing method, the present invention has a sealing film. Accordingly, an interlayer insulating film including an organic material of the display device (panel) is no longer exposed to the atmosphere outside of the display device. Therefore, it becomes possible to prevent moisture and oxygen outside of the display device from entering inside of the display device through an insulating film and the like including a hygroscopic organic material. In addition, various degradations such as contamination of an inner part of the display device caused by moisture, oxygen and the like, the degradation of electric properties, a dark spot and shrink can be prevented, thus enhancing reliability of the display device.
US08179033B2
A display is provided with: a substrate; a plurality of parallel scan wires extending over the substrate in a first direction; a plurality of parallel data wires extending parallel to a surface of the substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; at least one switching element per intersection between the scan wires and the data wires; pixel electrodes connected to the switching elements; at least one phosphor layer provided above the pixel electrodes; and common electrodes provided above the phosphor layer, and the phosphor layer has a polycrystalline structure made of a first semiconductor material and a second semiconductor material segregated between grain boundaries in the polycrystalline structure, which is different from the first semiconductor material.
US08179023B2
Provided is a package-type piezoelectric sensor which can be packaged at a wafer stage and which is suitable for mass production. A package-type quartz resonator has lead electrodes that are interposed in a close contact state, between on one side stepped surfaces, and on another side a lower surface of a frame portion of a piezoelectric substrate. The close contact state is maintained when a base is joined to a lower surface side of the piezoelectric substrate. By joining a cover to an upper surface side of the piezoelectric substrate and joining the base to the lower surface side of the piezoelectric substrate, the piezoelectric substrate may be easily sealed to be airtight. In particular, a space in a recessed portion of the base is sealed airtight. This enables avoidance of complications in the manufacturing process.
US08179017B2
A boundary acoustic wave device that has a three-medium structure and that prevents a high-order mode spurious response includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first dielectric layer laminated on the piezoelectric substrate, a second dielectric layer laminated on the first dielectric layer, and an IDT electrode provided at an interface between the piezoelectric substrate and the first dielectric layer. The boundary acoustic wave device utilizes a Stoneley wave that propagates along the interface. Where V1 denotes an acoustic velocity of a slow transversal bulk wave in the piezoelectric substrate and Va denotes an acoustic velocity at an anti-resonant point in a high-order mode of the Stoneley wave, Va>V1 is satisfied.
US08179012B2
The electromechanical transducer (2) includes a rotor (4) and two coil (6, 8), the rotor being formed of first, second and third parts (10, 11, 12) made of magnetic material with respectively first, second and third superposed central zones (14, 15, 16), a first, axially polarized, bipolar magnet (18) being arranged between the first and second central zones and a second bipolar magnet (20) axially polarized in an opposite direction to that of the first magnet being arranged between the second and third central zones. The first and third parts each include N tongues, where N is a number greater than one (N>1), which extend radially from the central zone and the second part including 2N tongues, of which N first tongues are folded such that their respective end zones are arranged in a first geometrical plane (26) in which the tongues of said first part are located, and of which N second tongues are folded such that their respective end zones are arranged approximately in a second geometrical plane (28) in which the tongues of said third part are located. The N first tongues of the second part are located respectively opposite the N tongues of the third part whereas the N second tongues of said second part are located opposite the N tongues of the first part. The two coils are located between the first and second geometrical planes of the rotor such that, when the rotor is rotating, the end zones of the rotor tongues pass opposite said at least one coil.
US08179006B2
A motor is disclosed. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the motor includes a base, a shaft, which has an end part thereof coupled to the base, a stopper, which is coupled to the shaft and has a latch protruded in a direction of diameter of the shaft, a housing, which includes a hollow part, a ledge and an entrance and exit groove, and a rotor case, which is coupled with the housing. Here, the other end part of the shaft is inserted into the hollow part, the ledge is protruded inwardly in the hollow part such that the latch is caught, and the entrance and exit groove is penetrated through the ledge so as to allow the latch to enter and exit the entrance and exit groove.
US08178998B2
A system and method for delivering electrical power-on-demand to at least one load circuit wherein the system operates primarily with reactive power. The method includes inductively coupling power from a source in a primary circuit to one or more load circuits. The system is arranged to store magnetic energy in a core surrounded by planar coils positioned in parallel. The magnetic circuit is toroidal, symmetrical and circuitous. Magnetic energy is transferred between loads through the system. Back currents from the loads are able to be converted to magnetic field energy contributing to the total of stored energy available to the loads. Since the combined energy held in the system is primarily reactive, internal energy losses are small.
US08178989B2
A method of adjusting a yaw angle of a wind turbine. The wind turbine includes a nacelle that is rotatably coupled to a tower. The method includes coupling a yaw drive assembly to the nacelle for adjusting an orientation of the nacelle with respect to a direction of wind. A first sensor that is coupled to the wind turbine transmits at least a first monitoring signal that is indicative of an operating condition of the wind turbine to a control system. A yaw angle of the nacelle with respect to the direction of wind is calculated by the control system based at least in part on the first monitoring signal. The yaw drives assembly is operated to adjust a yaw of the nacelle based at least in part on the calculated yaw angle.
US08178983B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a water repellant composition for a substrate to be exposed which inhibits the back side of a substrate to be exposed from being contaminated by an immersion liquid, can improve adhesion between a film to be processed and an organic film directly overlying that film to inhibit film peeling, and has excellent workability, a method for forming a resist pattern, an electronic device produced by the formation method, a treatment method for imparting water repellency to a substrate to be exposed, a water repellent set for a substrate to be exposed, and a treatment method for imparting water repellency to a substrate to be exposed using the same. A water repellent composition for a substrate to be exposed including at least an organosilicon compound represented by the following general formula (1) and a solvent is used. In the formula, R1 is a monovalent organic group having 14 to 30 carbon atoms, each R2, R3, and R4 is independently a monovalent organic group or a hydrolyzable group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and at least one of R2, R3, and R4 is a hydrolyzable group.
US08178981B2
The present invention aims at offering the semiconductor device which can improve the strength to the stress generated with a bonding pad. In the semiconductor device concerning the present invention, a plurality of bonding pads are formed on a semiconductor chip. In each bonding pad, a plurality of second line-like metals are formed under the first metal formed using the wiring layer of the top layer. And a bonding pad is put in order and located along the long-side direction of a second metal to achieve the above objects. That is, a bonding pad is put in order and located so that the long-side direction of a second metal and the arrangement direction of a bonding pad may become in the same direction.
US08178980B2
A bonding pad structure is provided that includes two conductive layers and a connective layer interposing the two conductive layers. The connective layer includes a contiguous, conductive structure. In an embodiment, the contiguous conductive structure is a solid layer of conductive material. In other embodiments, the contiguous conductive structure is a conductive network including, for example, a matrix configuration or a plurality of conductive stripes. At least one dielectric spacer may interpose the conductive network. In an embodiment, the conductive density of the connective layer is between approximately 20% and 100%.
US08178974B2
A semiconductor device comprising a signal transmission line of a microstrip structure, capable of increasing the characteristic impedance of the signal transmission line and reducing coupling between a plurality of signal lines. In a signal transmission line of a microstrip structure composed of a signal line and a ground plate, the capacitance between wires is reduced and the characteristic impedance can be increased by forming holes in the signal line or in the ground plate. The coupling between a plurality of signal lines can also be reduced.
US08178973B2
The present invention relates to a copper wire in a semiconductor device in which a barrier layer is formed for improving adhesion of a copper wire without any additional fabricating step; a method for fabricating the same, and a flat panel display device with the same. The copper wire includes a barrier layer formed on an underlying structure, and a copper conductive layer on the barrier layer, wherein the barrier layer includes at least one of a Cu2O layer and a CuOxNy layer.
US08178963B2
The present invention discloses a structure of package comprising: a substrate with a die receiving through hole, a connecting through hole structure and a first contact pad; a die disposed within the die receiving through hole; a surrounding material formed under the die and filled in the gap between the die and sidewall of the die receiving though hole; a dielectric layer formed on the die and the substrate; a re-distribution layer (RDL) formed on the dielectric layer and coupled to the first contact pad; a protection layer formed over the RDL; and a second contact pad formed at the lower surface of the substrate and under the connecting through hole structure.
US08178957B2
A method of manufacturing an electronic component device, includes the steps of preparing a wiring substrate, which includes a silicon substrate, a concave portion provided on its upper surface side, a through hole formed to penetrate the silicon substrate on a bottom surface side of the concave portion, an insulating layer formed on the silicon substrate, a penetration electrode constructed by a lower conductor portion formed to a halfway position of a height direction from a bottom portion of the through hole and a connection metal member (indium layer) formed on the lower conductor portion in the through hole, and an electronic component having a terminal metal member (gold bump) on a lower surface side, and softening the connection metal member of the wiring substrate in a heating atmosphere and then sticking the terminal metal member of the electronic component into the connection metal member and connecting thereto.
US08178954B2
A semiconductor package for power converter application comprises a low-side MOSFET chip and a high-side MOSFET chip stacking one over the other. The semiconductor package may further enclose a capacitor whereas the capacitor may be a discrete component or an integrated component on chip level with the low-side MOSFET. The semiconductor package may further comprise a PIC chip to provide a complete power converter on semiconductor chip assembly package level.
US08178951B2
There is provided a compound semiconductor substrate prepared by forming a point defect in an inside structure thereof by implanting an electrically-neutral impurity with energy of 0.1 to 10 MeV on a surface of the substrate. When the compound semiconductor is undoped, electrical resistance increases to increase insulating properties, and when the compound semiconductor is doped with an n-type dopant, the impurity is implanted and charge concentration of the substrate increases to increase conductive properties. In accordance with the present invention, the various electrical properties needed for the compound semiconductor can be effectively controlled by increasing the insulating properties of the undoped compound semiconductor or by increasing the charge concentration of the n-type compound semiconductor, and the application range to various devices can be expanded.
US08178948B2
An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a substrate, and a plurality of unit bipolar transistors formed in the substrate. Each of the plurality of unit bipolar transistors may include a first-conductivity-type buried layer formed in the substrate, a first-conductivity-type well formed over the first-conductivity-type buried layer, a second-conductivity-type well formed in the first-conductivity-type well, a first-conductivity-type vertical doping layer vertically formed from the surface of the substrate to the first-conductivity-type buried layer so as to surround the first-conductivity-type well, and a first-conductivity-type doping layer and a second conductivity-type doping layer formed in the second-conductivity-type well. The first-conductivity-type doping layer of any one of the adjacent unit bipolar transistors and the first-conductivity-type vertical doping layer of another one of the adjacent unit bipolar transistors may be connected to each other.
US08178937B2
Disclosed are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor includes an isolation trench formed in a semiconductor substrate corresponding to a logic region and a pixel separating trench formed on the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a pixel region and having a depth shallower than a depth of the isolation trench of the logic region, a barrier region formed below the pixel separating trench, a pixel separator formed inside the pixel separating trench, a gate formed above the semiconductor substrate, a first doped region formed at a deep region of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to one side of the gate, an additionally-doped region interposed between the first doped region and the barrier region, and a second doped region formed at a shallow region of the semiconductor substrate such that the second doped region makes contact with the first doped region.
US08178925B2
A semiconductor structure operation method. The method includes providing a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes first, second, third, and fourth doped semiconductor regions. The second doped semiconductor region is in direct physical contact with the first and third doped semiconductor regions. The fourth doped semiconductor region is in direct physical contact with the third doped semiconductor region. The first and second doped semiconductor regions are doped with a first doping polarity. The third and fourth doped semiconductor regions are doped with a second doping polarity. The method further includes (i) electrically coupling the first and fourth doped semiconductor regions to a first node and a second node of the semiconductor structure, respectively, and (ii) electrically charging the first and second nodes to first and second electric potentials, respectively. The first electric potential is different from the second electric potential.
US08178919B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device, includes: a stacked structural unit including electrode films alternately stacked with inter-electrode insulating films; first and second semiconductor pillars piercing the stacked structural unit; a connection portion semiconductor layer electrically connect the first and second semiconductor pillars; a connection portion conductive layer provided to oppose the connection portion semiconductor layer; a memory layer and an inner insulating film provided between the first and semiconductor pillars and each of the electrode films, and between the connection portion conductive layer and the connection portion semiconductor layer; an outer insulating film provided between the memory layer and each of the electrode films; and a connection portion outer insulating film provided between the memory layer and the connection portion conductive layer. The connection portion outer insulating film has a film thickness thicker than a film thickness of the outer insulating film.
US08178917B2
A non-volatile semiconductor storage device includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer includes: a plurality of first conductive layers extending in parallel to a substrate and laminated in a direction perpendicular to the substrate; a first insulation layer formed on an upper layer of the plurality of first conductive layers; a first semiconductor layer formed to penetrate the plurality of first conductive layers; and a charge accumulation layer formed between the first conductive layers and the first semiconductor layer. Respective ends of the first conductive layers are formed in a stepwise manner in relation to each other in a first direction. The second layer includes: a plurality of second conductive layers extending in parallel to the substrate and laminated in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the second conductive layers being formed in the same layer as the plurality of first conductive layers; and a second insulation layer formed on an upper layer of the plurality of second conductive layers. Respective ends of the second conductive layers are formed to align along a straight line extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the substrate at a predetermined area.
US08178903B2
A semiconductor device in accordance with an exemplary aspect of the present invention includes: an even number of transistor pairs; connection nodes connecting the n-type transistors and the p-type transistors of the transistor pairs; and inter-gate wiring lines connected to the connection nodes, each inter-gate wiring line connecting a gate of the p-type transistor of one of the transistor pairs disposed in the subsequent stage of one of the transistor pairs for which each connection node is provided, wherein the n-type transistor of a first transistor pair is disposed in a p-well region different from both a p-well region in which the n-type transistor of a second transistor pair disposed in two stages preceding of the first transistor pair is disposed and a p-well region in which the n-type transistor of a third transistor pair disposed in two stages subsequent of the first transistor pair is disposed.
US08178901B2
An integrated circuit assembly (ICA) comprises: a digital and/or analog integrated circuit (S1) having a core with input and/or output pins and at least one power supply connection pad (PP) and one ground connection pad (GP) connected to a chosen one of the input and/or output pins and respectively connected to power supply and ground connection zones (MZ1) of a printed circuit board (PCB), and a passive integration substrate (S2) set on top of the digital and/or analog integrated circuit (S1) and comprising i) at least first and second input zones respectively connected to the ground (GP) and power supply (PP) connection pads to be fed with input ground and supply voltages, ii) input and/or output zones connected to chosen core input and/or output pins, and Ëi) a passive integrated circuit (PIC) connected to the first and second input zones and arranged to feed the substrate input and/or output zones with chosen ground and supply voltages defined from the input ground and supply voltages.
US08178899B2
A semiconductor device and a fabrication method of the semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including: a substrate; a nitride based compound semiconductor layer placed on the substrate and doped with a first transition metal atom; an aluminum gallium nitride layer (AlxGa1−xN) (where 0.1<=x<=1) placed on the nitride based compound semiconductor layer; a nitride based compound semiconductor layer placed on the aluminum gallium nitride layer (AlxGa1−xN) (where 0.1<=x<=1) and doped with a second transition metal atom; an aluminum gallium nitride layer (AlyGa1−yN) (where 0.1<=y<=1) placed on the nitride based compound semiconductor layer doped with the second transition metal atom; and a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode which are placed on the aluminum gallium nitride layer (AlyGa1−yN) (where 0.1<=y<=1). Accordingly, piezo charge is inactivated, leakage current and current collapse are reduced, high frequency characteristics can be improved by obtaining a high resistivity semiconductor layer, and stable high frequency performance can be obtained.
US08178898B2
A GaN-based semiconductor element includes a substrate, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, including an electrically conductive portion, an epitaxial layer formed on the buffer layer, and a metal structure in ohmic contact with the electrically conductive portion of the buffer layer for controlling an electric potential of the buffer layer.
US08178883B2
A method of manufacturing an array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes forming a gate line, a gate pad, a gate electrode, and a data pad on a substrate through a first mask process, forming a gate insulating layer on a substantial part of an entire surface of the substrate including the gate line, the gate pad, the gate electrode, and the data pad, forming a data line, a source-drain pattern and an active layer on the gate insulating layer and forming a gate pad contact hole and a data pad contact hole in the gate insulating layer through a second mask process, and forming a pixel electrode, a gate pad terminal, a data pad terminal, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an ohmic contact layer through a third mask process.
US08178882B2
A buffer layer for promoting electron mobility. The buffer layer comprises amorphous silicon layer (a-Si) and an oxide-containing layer. The a-Si has high enough density that the particles in the substrate are prevented by the a-Si buffer layer from diffusing into the active layer. As well, the buffer, having thermal conductivity, provides a good path for thermal diffusion during the amorphous active layer's recrystallization by excimer laser annealing (ELA). Thus, the uniformity of the grain size of the crystallized silicon is improved, and electron mobility of the TFT is enhanced.
US08178881B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a fabrication method thereof. An array substrate for the LCD includes a gate line formed on a substrate, and a gate electrode extending from the gate line; a data line intersected with the gate line, wherein the data line is configured with a gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer and a data metal layer; a pixel electrode formed of a first transparent metal layer at a pixel which is defined by an intersection of the gate line and the data line; a source electrode extending from the data line, and a drain electrode spaced apart from the source electrode by a predetermined distance to expose a channel; and a second transparent metal layer pattern formed on the data line, the source electrode and the drain electrode, wherein the second transparent metal layer connects the drain electrode and the pixel electrode to each other.
US08178878B2
A mother thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate includes an insulating substrate, at least two TFT arrays and printed wirings. The TFT array includes TFTs formed on the insulating substrate. The printed wirings are connected to the TFT arrays. The printed wiring includes a discontinuous metal layer and at least one bridge layer connecting the discontinuous metal layer. The bridge layer is made from corrosion-resistant material.
US08178874B2
A metal complex compound having a special structure containing metals such as iridium. An organic electroluminescence device which comprises at least one organic thin film layer sandwiched between a pair of electrode consisting of an anode and a cathode, wherein the organic thin film layer comprises the above metal complex compound, which emits light by applying an electric voltage between the pair of electrode. An organic EL device employing the novel metal complex compound emits various phosphorous lights including blue light having an enhanced current efficiency and prolonged lifetime.
US08178859B2
The invention comprises a proton beam positioning method and apparatus used in conjunction with multi-axis charged particle radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. The proton beam verification system allows for monitoring of the actual proton beam position in real-time without destruction of the proton beam. The system includes a coating or thin layer substantially in contact with a foil covering the end of an exit nozzle or is a layer located after the x- and y-axis proton beam scanning controllers and before the patient. The coating yields a measurable spectroscopic response, spatially viewable by the detector, as a result of transmission by the proton beam. The proton beam position is monitored by the detector and compared to the calibration and/or treatment plan to verify accurate proton delivery to the tumor and/or as a proton beam shutoff safety indicator.
US08178849B2
An objective lens for focussing charged particles includes a magnetic lens and an electrostatic lens whose components are displaceable relative to each other. The bore of the outer pole piece of the magnetic lens exhibits a diameter Da which is larger than a diameter Di of the bore of the inner pole piece of the magnetic lens. The following relationship is satisfied: 1.5·Di≦Da≦3·Di. The lower end of the inner pole piece is disposed in a distance of at least 2 mm offset from the inner end of the outer pole piece in a direction of the optical axis.
US08178842B2
A photodetector for the detection of radiated electromagnetic energy includes at least one bolometer nanowire disposed at least partially within a photon trap. The at least one nanowire has at least one blackened surface. The blackened surface is configured to absorb radiated electromagnetic energy ranging from far-infrared light to visible light.
US08178839B2
When an energy of a particle emitted from a radioisotope source is obtained by a detector, a histogram obtained from a relationship between a difference ΔE between an energy of a particle emitted outside the radioisotope source and an initial energy which the particle possesses at the time of generation and a count is treated as being asymmetric, and an energy distribution (L1) of the particle emitted outside the radioisotope source is obtained, thereby allowing an energy calibration of a radiation detector, absolute quantitation and resolution measurement to be performed with accuracy.
US08178824B2
A cooking device that cooks food and drink by using heat generation of a heater, or a heat source such as microwaves. A cooking device is provided in which the radiation of microwaves can be varied depending on load, such as cooking objects, when microwaves are used as a heat source. The cooking device includes a stirring shaft provided to rotate within a cooking chamber, a stirring shaft power source to rotate the stirring shaft, and a stirring vane coupled to the stirring shaft through a hinge unit and configured to rotate by a centrifugal force according to a rotation speed of the stirring shaft. The radiation of microwaves can be varied depending on a load such as a cooking object, and a cooking device having an optimized performance can be provided.
US08178820B2
A heat treatment apparatus and associated method are provided for heating a substrate. The apparatus includes a processing chamber containing a process space, first and second substrate supports, and first and second heating sources. The first substrate support is configured to support the substrate in a spaced relationship with the first heating source to define a heat exchange gap and to transfer heat energy through the heat exchange gap to elevate a temperature of the substrate to an offset temperature below a process target temperature. The second substrate support is configured to support the substrate in a spaced relationship with a second heating source to define a heat exchange gap between the second heating source and the substrate and to transfer heat energy through the heat exchange gap to elevate the temperature of the substrate from the offset temperature to the process target temperature in controlled increments.
US08178814B2
The hand-held electro-discharge machining fastener removal device of this invention brings an EDM electrode and its supporting ground pin and dielectric fluid structure to a fastener in a workpiece, such as an aircraft fuselage. The hand-held device brings the dielectric fluid, power supply, and control system structure to the fastener in a compact tool to permit EDM machining to be brought to large structures.
US08178807B2
The invention relates to an electrical switch, in particular in the form of a microswitch and/or snap-action switch, having a housing which comprises a base and a cover. The switch has a contact system, which comprises a movable switching contact and at least one stationary contact. Furthermore, the switch has a moving operating member for switching of the contact system. The cover is mounted on the base such that it can move, and the operating member is formed by the cover.
US08178806B2
A coupling between a motor operator and a circuit breaker includes a base plate of the motor operator having a top side and a bottom side, the base plate comprising an aperture, and a pin having a first end, the pin being captured within the aperture such that the first end of the pin protrudes through a first surface of the bottom side of the base plate, wherein the pin is further configured to engage the circuit breaker.
US08178805B2
A shaft of a rotary switch, for example, useful as a control for an appliance, such as a washing machine, incorporates an LED at the end of the shaft and projecting light laterally from the shaft to provide an indication of the rotary position of the corresponding knob with respect to printed indicia on a console. The LED may be powered by slip rings incorporated into the rotary switch and communicating directly with line power as controlled by the limiting resistor and the shaft may include a controlled breakage feature providing LED conductors that are recessed within the shaft in the event of shaft breakage to reduce the chance of operator contact with line voltage.
US08178799B2
A carrier for objects to be sequentially weighed is designed for connection to a load receiver of a weighing cell. The carrier has a supporting structure and a multi-compartment weighing tray. The supporting structure has an element for coupling the supporting structure to the load receiver and an element for connecting the weighing tray to the supporting structure in a guided and constrained manner. The weighing tray is seated or slid into place, leaving it free to perform a defined linear, swiveling, or rotary movement relative to the supporting structure. The weighing tray has at least two receiving compartments, arranged so that each can be sequentially moved into a defined loading position, fixed relative to the supporting structure. A positioning device, arranged between the supporting structure and the weighing tray, precisely aligns with the loading position the receiving compartment that is next to be moved into the loading position.
US08178792B2
A combined environmental and electromagnetic rotary seal. The invention is adapted for use between two mutually rotating components of an electromagnetic energy transmission system and provides simultaneous protection against contamination from the environment and unwanted electromagnetic leakage. In the illustrative embodiment, a first set of grooves is cut into the exterior of a first conductive cylindrical component whose interior contains a portion of a millimeter-wave beam waveguide energy transmission system, the grooves comprising the electromagnetic portion of the seal and a second set of grooves is cut into the interior of the conductive housing enclosing the first conductive cylindrical component. The second set of grooves comprises the environmental portion of the seal when a set of standard environmental seals (such as elastomeric o-ring seals) are seated in each groove in the second set of grooves and each seal is compressed between the groove in which it is seated and the exterior of the first conductive cylindrical component. The environmental seals maintain a nearly uniform annular gap between the first conductive cylindrical component and the conductive housing such that the two conductors do not make physical contact.
US08178780B2
An electric insulation material for an electric device includes one or several electrical conductors and an electric insulation material arranged around the conductor or between the conductors, which insulation material is impregnated with a dielectric insulation liquid. The electric insulation material includes a main layer that is provided with a surface layer that has a dielectric constant that is lower than the dielectric constant of the main layer.
US08178772B2
Resonators generate resonance sound data of given resonant frequencies based on sound signal data corresponding to a pitch of a key. Each resonator includes a delay circuit which delays an input based on delay time data, a second adder which adds an output from the delay circuit to input sound signal data, and a low-pass filter which performs filtering depending on a filter control signal on the output from the second adder. An output from the low-pass filter is input to the delay circuit, and a first adder adds outputs from the resonators. A storage device stores a coefficient table containing items of delay time data to be provided to the resonators, and the items of the delay time data do not match with frequencies corresponding to pitches of keys.
US08178771B2
Casing structure for a mixer apparatus includes a box-shaped casing that comprises an upper surface section, a bottom surface section and a side surface section. The upper surface section, having a generally obtuse-angled “V” shape, includes: a flat operation panel having operating members; a boundary section located adjacent to the rear end edge of the operation panel; and a flat, inclined display panel extending rearwardly and upwardly from the boundary section at a greater inclination angle than the operation panel. Within the casing, a partition member is provided on the bottom surface section to extend vertically upward to the boundary section, and it has openings to permit communication between front and rear accommodating sections. The partition member supports the boundary section from below to reinforce the upper surface section.
US08178769B2
Described herein is a stand for mounting a variety of percussion instruments. These instruments are positioned in a way that allows them to be struck by a drum pedal. The stand has unique adjustment features that allow virtually any mountable percussion instrument to be utilized. The device itself can be mounted in several different ways; on the inside of a bass drum shell or as a free-standing unit. The device can be used as a mount for complete electronic drum pads, or to hold electronic sensors or muffling devices against drum heads.
US08178763B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH570457. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH570457, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH570457 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH570457.
US08178760B1
Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated NPIE6267, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPIE6267 with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred NPIE6267 including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line NPIE6267 and plants produced according to these methods.
US08178754B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB29L10 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB29L10, cells from soybean variety XB29L10, plants of soybean XB29L10, and plant parts of soybean variety XB29L10. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB29L10 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XB29L10, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB29L10. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB29L10 are further provided.
US08178753B2
A deposit of the Stine Seed Farm, Inc. and Monsanto Technology LLC proprietary Soybean Cultivar 80213755 disclosed above and recited in the appended claims has been made with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110. The date of deposit was Jun. 15, 2010. The deposit of 2,500 seeds was taken from the same deposit maintained by Stine Seed Farm, Inc. since prior to the filing date of this application. All restrictions will be removed upon granting of a patent, and the deposit is intended to meet all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R. §§1.801-1.809. The ATCC Accession Number is PTA-11051. The deposit will be maintained in the depository for a period of thirty years, or five years after the last request, or for the enforceable life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced as necessary during that period.
US08178747B2
An absorbent core comprises an elongate liquid holding formation with a peripheral edge. The liquid holding formation has a surface formed with at least one channel extending longitudinally in the core for distributing liquid lengthwise along the core. The channel has longitudinally opposite ends spaced longitudinally inward from the peripheral edge of the liquid holding formation to inhibit the flow of liquid in the channels past the peripheral edge of the liquid holding formation.
US08178746B2
A delivery device for a sanitary article includes an encapsulating material with a first layer and a second layer, enclosing an additive in a space formed by these layers of encapsulating material. The delivery device also includes a third layer, positioned above the second layer of encapsulating material. The third layer extends beyond and thereby covers substantially all of the edges of the second layer of encapsulating material. The third layer may also extend into and throughout the space formed between the first and second layers of encapsulating material that enclose the additive. The third layer thereby protects the user of a product comprising the delivery device from contact with the edges of the second layer of encapsulating material and also provides a means for attaching the delivery device to an article to keep it in place during transport storage and use. The invention also relates to sanitary articles, such as hygiene tissues and absorbent articles, containing the delivery device.
US08178743B2
A method for remediating hazardous materials susceptible to nucleophillic attack is disclosed wherein sodium hydroxide is applied to a treatment zone in situ for raising the pH of the treatment zone to at least about 12.5 so that alkaline hydrolysis effectively breaks down the hazardous substance by replacing a leaving group with a nucleophile. The method is well suited for in situ use in the vadose zone to treat contaminated soil and groundwater.
US08178737B2
A process for producing propylene from ethylene and a feed stream comprising 1-butene, 2-butene, n-butane, and isobutane is disclosed. A butenes stream (1-butene and 2-butene) is produced from the feed stream by removing the paraffins. The butenes stream is reacted in the presence of an isomerization catalyst to produce an isomerized stream with increased concentration of 2-butene. The isomerized stream is reacted with ethylene in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to produce a reaction mixture comprising propylene; the propylene may be isolated from the reaction mixture by distillation. The removal of paraffins from the feed stream improves the catalyst productivity and the plant throughput.
US08178727B2
It has been demanded to improve the poor solubility of curcumin to develop an anti-tumor compound capable of inhibiting the growth of various cancer cells at a low concentration. Thus, disclosed is a novel synthetic compound, a bis(arylmethylidene)acetone, which has both of an excellent anti-tumor activity and a chemo-preventive activity. A bis(arylmethylidene)acetone (i.e., a derivative having a curcumin skeleton) which is an anti-tumor compound and has a chemo-preventive activity is synthesized and screened. A derivative having enhanced anti-tumor activity and chemo-preventive activity can be synthesized.
US08178726B2
In another exemplary embodiment, an amine functional curing agent has an Amine Hydrogen Functionality (AHF) of at least 7 and an Amine-Hydrogen Equivalent Weight (AHEW) of at least about 50.
US08178722B2
A method for producing theanine including reacting a glutamic acid alkyl ester represented by general Formula (1): where R1 represents an alkyl group, with a ketone represented by general Formula (2): where R2 represents a hydrogen atom, R3 represents a lower alkanoyl group or a benzoyl group, and R2 and R3 may form a cycloalkanone ring in combination with the vicinal carbon atom, in the presence of t-butylamine, a secondary amine or a tertiary amine, reacting the resultant compound represented by general Formula (3): where R1, R2 and R3 are the same as defined above, with ethylamine, and then being subjected to heating in the presence of the ethylamine or reaction with a fatty acid.
US08178707B2
A co-salt of a polyunsaturated fatty acid and a non-fatty acid is formed as a precipitate. The co-salt formed is free flowing and does not tend to agglomerate (cake) in storage. The resultant co-salt product will be easy to blend with other products to produce dietary supplements. These novel co-salt products may also tablet very well and may be added to current dietary supplement tablets.
US08178705B2
A method of producing volatilized fatty acids by heating a feedstock comprising at least one fat or oil in a reactor under inert vacuum to volatilize fatty acids, and removing volatilized fatty acids from bottoms residue comprising cross-linked oil. A system for stripping fatty acids from triglycerides, the system comprising a reactor, heating apparatus and a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum in the range of from 1 kPa to 50 kPa on the reactor. A system for producing a hydrogenated product including a reactor comprising an inlet for a stream comprising triglycerides, an outlet for volatilized fatty acids, and an outlet for a cross-linked product, heating apparatus, a vacuum pump capable of pulling a vacuum in the range of from 1 kPa to 50 kPa on the reactor, and a hydrogenation reactor, wherein an inlet of the hydrogenation reactor is fluidly connected to the outlet for cross-linked product.
US08178702B2
A composition comprising compound of formula I, a process for preparing the composition comprising compound of formula I, methods of authentication for an article comprising compound of formula I or compound of formula II, authentication technology for polymer based articles comprising compound of formula I or formula II, methods of facilitating such authentication and method of making articles capable of authentication.
US08178698B2
The present invention provides cyclic nitro compounds, pharmaceutical compositions of cyclic nitro compounds and methods of using cyclic nitro compounds and/or pharmaceutical compositions thereof to treat or prevent diseases or disorders characterized by abnormal cell proliferation, such as cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular disease and autoimmune disease.
US08178695B2
What is described are 4-(3-aminobenzoyl)-1,3-dimethylpyrazoles of the general formula (I) and their use as herbicides. In this general formula (I), R1 and R2 are radicals such as hydrogen and organic radicals, such as alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl. Y is hydrogen or a protective group, such as tosyl.
US08178694B2
Heterocyclylaminoalkyl Substituted Benzimidazoles Inhibitors of RSV replication of formula (I): The salts and stereochemically isomeric forms thereof, wherein Q is hydrogen, C1-6alkyl optionally substituted with a heterocycle or Q is C1-6alkyl substituted with both —OR4 and a heterocycle; wherein said heterocycle is oxazolidine, thiazolidine, 1-oxo-thiazolidine, 1,1-dioxothiazolidine, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, 1-oxo-thiomorpholinyl, 1,1-dioxothiomorpholinyl, hexahydrooxazepine, hexahydrothiazepine, 1-oxo-hexahydrothiazepine, 1,1-dioxo-hexahydrothiazepine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, homopiperidine, piperazine; which heterocyle may be substituted with 1-2 substituents; each Alk is C1-6alkanediyl; R1 is Ar or optionally substituted piperidinyl, piperazinyl, morpholinyl, thiomorpholinyl, pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, furanyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, imidazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrazolyl, isoxazo lyl, oxadiazolyl, quinolinyl, quinoxalinyl, benzofuranyl, benzothienyl, benzimidazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzthiazolyl, pyridopyridyl, naphthiridinyl, 1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridinyl, 3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridinyl, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl or 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxino[2,3-b]pyridyl; R3 is hydroxyC1-6alkyl, C1-6alkoxyC1-6alkyl, cyanoC1-6alkyl, aminocarbonyl-C1-6-alkyl, mono- or di(C1-6alkyl)aminocarbonyl-C1-6-alkyl, carboxyl-C1-6-alkyl, C1-6alkoxycarbonyl-C1-6 alkyl; R2, R4 and R5 are hydrogen or C1-6alkyl; Het is pyridyl, pyrazinyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, furanyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, thienyl, pyrrolyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl, imidazolyl, isothiazolyl, pyrazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, quinolinyl, quinoxalinyl, benzofuranyl, benzothienyl, benzimidazolyl, benzoxazo lyl, benzthiazolyl, pyridopyridyl, naphthiridinyl, 1H-imidazo[4,5-b]-pyridinyl, 3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridinyl, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl and 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxino[2,3-b]pyridyl; Ar is optionally substituted phenyl; pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds (I) and processes for preparing compounds (I).
US08178690B2
The invention relates to isoxazolidine containing compounds that bind to bcl proteins and inhibit Bcl function. The compounds may be used for treating and modulating disorders associated with hyperproliferation, such as cancer.
US08178689B2
The present invention provides novel compounds of formula I, wherein the substituents are as those disclosed in the specification. These compounds, and the pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for the treatment of metabolic diseases and disorders such as, for example, type II diabetes mellitus.
US08178679B2
The present disclosure relates to 4-(2-amino-1-hydroxyethyl)phenol derivatives of formula (I) as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, and their use in therapy as agonists of the β2 adrenergic receptor.
US08178676B2
Novel pyridinium salts functionalized with boronic acid and methods of making them are disclosed. When combined with a fluorescent dye, the compounds are useful in the detection of polyhydroxyl-substituted organic molecules.
US08178674B2
The invention relates to processes for the preparation of substantially pure ziprasidone. The invention also relates to the preparation of acid addition salts of ziprasidone. More particularly, it relates to the preparation of substantially pure hydrochloride salt of ziprasidone. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions that include the substantially pure ziprasidone or ziprasidone hydrochloride and use of said compositions for treating schizophrenia.
US08178665B2
A process for the production of 1-(4-3(R)-[3(S)-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-hydroxypropyl]-4(S)-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-azetidinone (ezetimibe) according to the following reaction scheme: (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI) where the substances of the general Formulas II, IV, VI, VIII, IX, X and XI are new, Formula III is a non-isolated intermediate, R1, R2 and R3 are represented by the compounds of Formulas Va-Vd, (Va), (Vb), (Vc), (Vd) and R4 is a silyl, e.g., tert-butyl-dimethyl-silyl, tert-butyl-diphenyl-silyl group.
US08178656B2
The present invention provides for novel sustained release silk-based delivery systems. The invention further provides methods for producing such formulations. In general, a silk fibroin solution is combined with a therapeutic agent to form a silk fibroin article. The article is then treated in such a way as to alter its conformation. The change in conformation increases its crytallinity or liquid crystallinity, thus controlling the release of a therapeutic agent from the formulation. This can be accomplished as single material carriers or in a layer-by-layer fashion to load different therapeutic agents or different concentrations of these agents in each layer.
US08178655B2
Certain embodiments provide a method for crystallizing a GPCR. The method may employ a fusion protein comprising: a) a first portion of a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR), where the first portion comprises the TM1, TM2, TM3, TM4 and TM5 regions of the GPCR; b) a stable, folded protein insertion; and c) a second portion of the GPCR, where the second portion comprises the TM6 and TM7 regions of the GPCR.
US08178645B2
A polyester polyol, referred to hereinafter as a MHMS polyol comprises fatty acid based mer units wherein at least about 80 weight percent of the fatty acid based mer units are from methyl 9 (10) hydroxymethylstearate, or is prepared from an oil having fatty acids or fatty acid esters which are at least about 80 weight percent oleic acid or esters thereof and which has an average hydroxyl functionality of from 1.5 to 4. A reaction product, referred to herein after as MHMS alkoxysilane prepolymer, is produced from at least one such MHMS polyol and at least one isocyanate functional silane. This prepolymer is moisture cured to form a silylated MHMS polymer.
US08178643B2
A polymer casting formulation for producing molded polymeric structural members comprises a liquid mixture that contains a polyisocyanate component comprising at least two polyisocyanates; and an isocyanate-reactive component comprising at least two isocyanate-reactive compounds, which formulation cures to form a polyurethane. Methods of using the casting formulation to produce molded polymer structural members and the structural members that are produced by such a method are also described.
US08178642B2
A curable organopolysiloxane composition comprising: (A) a solvent-soluble organopolysiloxane obtained by conducting a hydrosilylation reaction between (i) an organopolysiloxane represented by the following average structural formula: RaSiO(4-a)/2 (wherein R1 represents a substituted or non-substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, the content of alkenyl groups in all groups represented by R1 is within the range of 0.1 to 40 mole %, and ‘a’ is a positive number that satisfies the following condition: 1≦a<2), and (ii) a diorganopolysiloxane represented by the following general formula: HR22Si(R22SiO)nR22SiH (wherein R2 designates substituted or unsubstituted monovalent hydrocarbon groups that can be identical or different and that are free of unsaturated aliphatic bonds, and ‘n’ is an integer ranging from 0 to 1,000), the reaction being carried out in the presence of (iii) a hydrosilylation catalyst; (B) an organohydrogenpolysiloxane represented by the following average structural formula: R2bHcSiO (wherein R2 is the same as defined above, and ‘b’ and ‘c’ are positive numbers that satisfy the following conditions: 0.7≦b≦2.1; 0.001≦c≦1.0; and 0.8≦(b+c)≦2.6); and (C) a hydrosilylation catalyst; is suitable for forming a cure product having a favorable modulus of elasticity.
US08178636B2
A process for obtaining atactic 1-butene polymer optionally containing at least one comonomer selected from ethylene, propylene or an alpha-olefin of formula CH2═CHRo, wherein Ro is a linear or branched C3-C20 alkyl group, comprising the step of polymerizing 1-butene and optionally ethylene, propylene or said alpha-olefin, in the presence of a catalyst system obtainable by contacting: a) at least one metallocene compound of formula (I) in its meso or meso-like form wherein M is an atom of a transition metal; p is an integer from 0 to 3; X, same or different, is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a hydrocarbon group; L is a divalent C1-C40 hydrocarbon radical optionally containing heteroatoms belonging to groups 13-17 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; R1 and R2, are C1-C40 hydrocarbon radicals; T, equal to or different from each other, is a moiety of formula (IIa) or (IIb): wherein R3 is a C1-C40 hydrocarbon radical; R4 and R6, are hydrogen atoms or C1-C40 hydrocarbon radicals; R5 is a C1-C40 hydrocarbon radical; R7 and R8, equal to or different from each other, are hydrogen atoms or C1-C40 hydrocarbon radicals; and b) an alumoxane or a compound capable of forming an alkyl metallocene cation.
US08178633B2
The present invention relates to an improvement for gas phase olefin polymerization process under two or more different flow regimes. The process involves adding a mixed electron donor system to a reactor having two or more different flow regimes, wherein the mixed electron donor system comprises at least one selectivity control agent and at least one activity limiting agent. The invention is particularly well suited for reactor systems which include a regime characterized by having a low-velocity or high-solid holdup, which have been reported to have operational problems such as particle agglomeration and formation of polymer “chunks”.
US08178630B2
The present invention relates to a preparation comprising at least one specific oligomeric siloxane component and at least one polymer component, to processes for producing it and to its use in formulations, more particularly metal coating formulations.
US08178629B2
Described are conjugated polymer fibers and nanofibers, methods of making, and methods of use thereof. The conjugated polymer fibers and nanofibers can be prepared by an electrostatic spinning process followed by crosslinking.
US08178623B2
The present invention relates to polypropylene impact copolymer compositions which exhibit improved stiffness without degrading the impact resistance performance. The polypropylene impact copolymer comprises a matrix and a dispersed phase. The matrix comprises a polypropylene homopolymer or a propylene/alpha-olefin random copolymer which comprises more than 50 wt. % of units derived from propylene monomer. The matrix should have a relatively high crystallinity, preferably 50% or greater. The polypropylene homopolymer or a propylene/alpha-olefin random copolymer preferably has a MWD between 4 and 8, such as typically obtained using Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The dispersed phase in the impact copolymer comprises an ethylene-propylene copolymer which comprises from 45 to 70 wt. % of units derived from an ethylene monomer. Preferably the dispersed phase comprises from 20 to 50 percent by weight of the polypropylene impact copolymer.
US08178620B2
The invention relates to surface modifying macromolecules (SMMs) having high degradation temperatures and their use in the manufacture of articles made from base polymers which require high temperature processing. The surface modifier is admixed with the base polymer to impart alcohol and water repellency properties.
US08178618B2
The invention relates to a method for modifying acetalated polyvinyl alcohols comprising reacting a melt acetalated polyvinyl alcohols with epoxides. The invention also relates to uses of the resultant modifying acetalated polyvinyl alcohols, including uses in ceramic applications.
US08178611B2
[Object] To provide a polymer composition composed of a functional liquid compound and a polymer, in which the functional liquid compound is phase-separated from but dispersed in the polymer, and a molded product of the polymer composition at lower prices.[Solution] A polymer composition of the present invention includes: a thermoplastic matrix polymer X; a block copolymer Y dispersed in the matrix polymer X; and an additive Z containing an organic compound which is liquid at a melting point of the matrix polymer X or a solution of the organic compound, wherein any two of the matrix polymer X, the block copolymer Y and the organic compound are phase-separated, the block copolymer Y includes a block Y1 which is composed of polymerized monomers having a ring structure and a block Y2 which is composed of monomers different from the monomers of the block Y1, and the organic compound has an intramolecular ring structure or a ring structure formed in a molecule or between molecules due to intermolecular interaction, the organic compound being bleeding-out in the block copolymer Y dispersed in the matrix polymer X.Selected Figure]None
US08178594B2
An antioxidant combined with UHMWPE prior to subjecting the UHMWPE to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the antioxidant is tocopherol. After the antioxidant is combined with the UHMWPE, the resulting blend may be formed into slabs, bar stock, and/or incorporated into a substrate, such as a metal, for example. The resulting product may then be subjected to crosslinking irradiation. In one exemplary embodiment, the UHMWPE blend is preheated prior to subjecting the same to crosslinking irradiation. Once irradiated, the UHMWPE blended product may be machined, packaged, and sterilized in accordance with conventional techniques.
US08178590B2
A polymer electrolyte satisfying both of proton conductivity and chemical stability such as water resistance at a high level that is preferable as the polymer electrolyte for fuel cells and the like is provided. The invention includes a block copolymer comprising one or more segments having an ion exchange group and one or more segments having substantially no ion exchange group, wherein at least one of the segments having an ion exchange groupis the segment represented by the following general formula (1A), (1B) or (1C): and the segment has ion exchange group density of 4.0 meq/g or more, and the segments having substantially no ion exchange groupis the segment represented by the following general formula (2):
US08178587B2
The present invention provides a method for recovering a natural gas contaminated with high levels of carbon dioxide. A gas containing methane and carbon dioxide is extracted from a reservoir containing natural gas, where carbon dioxide comprises at least 50 vol. % of the extracted gas. The extracted gas is oxidized with an oxygen containing gas in the presence of a partial oxidation catalyst at a temperature of less than 600° C. to produce an oxidation product gas containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The oxidation product gas is then utilized to produce a liquid hydrocarbon or a liquid hydrocarbon oxygenate.
US08178586B2
A viscous fluid, such as heavy crude oil which is too viscous to enable it to be pumped from a flowing phase of a reservoir into and along a pipeline for delivery to a refinery or other storage facility, may be contacted with a formulation to reduce its viscosity. The formulation comprises a polymeric material AA which includes —O—moieties pendent from a polymeric backbone thereof and said material is optionally cross-linked. In one embodiment, the formulation may comprise polyvinyl alcohol. In an alternative embodiment, the formulation may comprise a cross-linked polymeric material, such as cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol. After the viscous composition has been transported to a desired location, it may be separated from the other components.
US08178584B2
The present invention relates to a water-in-oil emulsified composition containing a sphingosine represented by the following formula (1): (R1 represents a hydrocarbon group optionally having a substituent; Y represents methylene, methine or O; X1, X2 and X3 each represent H, OH or acetoxy group; X4 represents H, acetyl group or the like; R2, R3 each represents H, OH or the like; R represents H, amidino group or the like; and a stands for 2 or 3), (B) a C6-30 fatty acid, and (C) an oil component. This water-in-oil emulsified composition has excellent stability and provides a good feeling to skin upon use.
US08178579B2
In recognition of the need to develop novel therapeutic agents and efficient methods for the synthesis thereof, the present invention provides novel compounds of general formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3, n, X and Y are as defined herein. The present invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of formula (I) and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The present invention further provides compounds capable of inhibiting histone deacetylatase activity and methods for treating disorders regulated by histone deacetylase activity (e.g., cancer and protozoal infections) comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula (I) to a subject in need thereof. The present invention additionally provides methods for modulating the glucose-sensitive subset of genes downstream of Ure2p. The present invention also provides methods for preparing compounds of the invention.
US08178571B2
Compounds of Formula 1 where the variables have the meaning defined in the specification are used to activate alpha2 adrenergic receptors. The compounds of Formula 1 are incorporated in pharmaceutical compositions and are used as medicaments in mammals, including humans, for treatment of diseases and or alleviations of conditions which are responsive to treatment by agonists of alpha2 adrenergic receptors.
US08178567B2
Certain substituted amino heterocyclic and heteroaryl derivatives have provided unexpected insecticidal and acaricidal activity. These compounds are represented by formula (I): wherein R, R1, R2, R3, R4, A, B and Q are fully described herein. In addition, compositions comprising an insecticidally effective amount of at least one compound of formula I, and optionally, an effective amount of at least one of an additional compound, with at least one insecticidally compatible carrier are also disclosed; along with methods of controlling insects comprising applying said compositions to a locus where insects are present or are expected to be present.
US08178551B2
The present invention is directed to a novel prodrug of (+)-3-hydroxymorphinan compound of formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a method for preparing the same, and its use for preventing or treating Parkinson's disease.
US08178550B2
Disclosed are hydrochloride and tosylate crystalline salt forms of (5S,8S)-8-[{(1R)-1-(3,5-Bis-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-ethoxy}-methyl]-8-phenyl-1,7-diazaspiro[4.5]decan-2-one, represented by Formula I and methods of preparing the same.
US08178549B2
The present invention relates to novel compounds of formula (I) or a salt thereof: wherein R1 is a 5-membered heteroaryl group, optionally fused with a 6-membered hetero or carbocycle; such 5 or 11-membered system, may be optionally substituted by 1, 2, 3 or 4 substituents selected from the group consisting of: halogen, cyano, C1-4alkyl, haloC1-4alkyl, C1-4alkoxy, C1-4alkanoyl, haloC1-4alkoxy and SF5; and n is 1 or 2; their use in therapy, as modulators of dopamine D3 receptors, e.g. to treat drug dependency, as antipsychotic agents, to treat obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders, or premature ejaculation.
US08178542B2
The present application relates to compounds and methods for treating pain, incontinence and other conditions.
US08178535B2
Substituted sulfonamide compounds corresponding to the formula I′ wherein m, n, p, X, Y, Z, R1, RA and RB have specified meanings, processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and the use of these substituted sulfonamide compounds for the treatment and/or inhibition of pain or other conditions.
US08178530B2
Novel imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following: The compounds may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans, including by way of non-limiting example, arthritis, inflammation, and others.
US08178528B2
The present invention discloses novel compounds of Formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof which have histamine—H3 receptor antagonist or inverse agonist activity, as well as methods and intermediates for preparing such compounds. In another embodiment, the invention discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula (I) as well as methods of using these compositions to treat obesity, cognitive deficiencies, narcolepsy, and other histamine H3 receptor-related diseases.
US08178522B2
The present invention is concerned with isoxazole-thiazole derivatives of formula I, having affinity and selectivity for GABA A α5 receptor, their manufacture, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use as therapeutically active substances. The active compounds of the present invention are useful as cognitive enhancer or for the therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment of cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
US08178518B2
A pharmaceutical composition comprising: (A) an androgen; (B) a cyclic enhancer of the type used in the compositions and methods claimed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,252 to Hsieh; and (C) a thickening agent; including, for example, a composition in which the cyclic enhancer is a macrocyclic ester or a macrocyclic ketone; the use of the composition to treat a condition, for example, male hypogonadism, in a patient by applying the composition to the membrane of the patient; and a method for making the composition.
US08178515B2
The present invention provides β-hydroxy-γ-aminophosphonates, β-amino-γ-aminophosphonates, and analogs thereof that inhibit carnitine acyltransferases. The invention also provides compositions comprising these β-hydroxy-γ-aminophosphonates, β-amino-γ-aminophosphonates, and analogs, and methods of the use of such compounds and compositions in the treatment, amelioration or prevention of pathological conditions, diseases or disorders that are linked with fatty acid metabolism, such as non-insulin dependent diabetes or obesity. The invention also provides processes for the preparation of such compounds and compositions.
US08178512B2
The invention provides therapeutic methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of Siglec-8 associated diseases and disorders such as asthma and allergic reactions. In particular, the invention provides methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of diseases and disorders associated with Siglec-8 expressing cells in humans, as well as other animals, through the administration of one or more novel, carbohydrate-based compounds.
US08178510B2
Patients suffering from cancer are treated by being administered a compound represented by the following formula: wherein each R individually is H or an aliphatic or aromatic acyl group; A is selected from the group consisting of wherein X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine, alkoxy, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkenyl, haloalkenyl, alkynyl, amino, monoalkylamino, dialkylamino, cyano and nitro. The above compounds also inhibit DNA replication in mammalian cells.
US08178506B2
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression and function of small non-coding RNAs. The compositions comprise oligomeric compounds, targeted to small non-coding RNAs. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of small non-coding RNAs as well as downstream targets of these RNAs and for diagnosis and treatment of disease associated with small non-coding RNAs are also provided.
US08178504B2
The present invention pertains to compositions and methods useful for treating anemia and other effects that are commonly associated in cancer bearing animals. The invention is accomplished by delivering an effective amount of a nucleic acid expression construct that encodes a GHRH or functional biological equivalent thereof into a tissue of an animal and allowing expression of the encoded gene in the animal.
US08178499B2
The present invention relates to hyaluronic acid ester derivatives, whose carboxylic groups are partially esterified with hydroxy groups of propiophenone derivatives, to the hydrogel materials consisting of the said hyaluronic acid ester derivatives, to their preparation process by photocuring of the hyaluronic acid ester derivatives, and their use in the biomedical, sanitary and surgical fields, and in the medical field as controlled release systems for drugs.
US08178489B2
The present invention relates to pharmaceutical formulations of Aviptadil and its derivatives. The stability of the Aviptadil formulation was shown to be improved by a formulation having a defined concentration of Aviptadil prepared in a buffer having a defined pH range.
US08178485B2
The present invention relates to novel compounds and their use in fragrance compositions. Novel hexahydro ethanochromene and related hexahydro ethanochromane compounds of the present invention are represented by formula: wherein R1 is hydrogen or methyl; R2 and R2′ are identical and are hydrogen or methyl; R3 and R3′ are identical and are hydrogen or methyl; R4 and R5 are independently hydrogen or methyl; R6 is methyl, ethyl, or isopropyl, with the proviso that when R1 is H, R2 and R3′ form an alkylene bridge containing 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and wherein the broken line represents a single or double bond.
US08178477B2
Proppants which can be used to prop open subterranean formation fractions are described. Proppant formulations which use one or more proppants of the present invention are described, as well as methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions, and other uses for the proppants and methods of making the proppants.
US08178469B1
A catalyst for purifying exhaust gas in vehicles may include a precious metal and porous structures that serve as a supporting material for the precious metal. The porous structures are comprised of a plurality of channels which are connected with each other by a plurality of bridges. The channels may have multiple entrances that allow reactants to pass through and react with the precious metal.
US08178467B2
A method for converting a supported metal nitrate into the corresponding supported metal oxide comprises heating the metal nitrate to effect its decomposition under a gas mixture that contains nitric oxide and has an oxygen content of <5% by volume. The method provides very highly dispersed metal oxide on the support material. The metal oxide is useful as a catalyst or as a catalyst precursor.
US08178464B2
Isocyanate prepolymer catalysts and processes for rapidly curing isocyanate prepolymers are disclosed herein. Substrates coated with the isocyanate prepolymers are treated with a drying agent and water, which combine to form a hydrated catalyst complex. Co-catalysts, such as organo tins, may be used to further enhance the curing rate.
US08178463B2
A multimetallic nanoscale catalyst having a sore portion enveloped by a shell portion and exhibiting high catalytic activity and improved catalytic durability. In various embodiments, the core/shell nanoparticles comprise a gold particle coated with a catalytically active platinum bimetallic material. The shape of the nanoparticles is substantially defined by the particle shape of the core portion. The nanoparticles may be dispersed on a high surface area substrate for use as a catalyst and is characterized by no significant loss in surface area and specific activity following extended potential cycling.
US08178461B2
A process to upgrade heavy oil and convert the heavy oil into lower boiling hydrocarbon products is provided. The process employs a catalyst slurry comprising catalyst particles with an average particle size ranging from 1 to 20 microns. In the upgrade process, spent slurry catalyst in heavy oil is generated as an effluent stream, which is subsequently recovered/separated from the heavy oil via membrane filtration. Residual hydrocarbons, i.e., heavy oil and solvent employed in the filtration for the heavy oil extraction are removed from the catalyst particles in a drying zone which employs at least two drying apparatuses to volatize residual hydrocarbons in the catalyst. Valuable metals can be recovered from catalyst particles for subsequent re-use in a catalyst synthesis unit, generating a fresh slurry catalyst.
US08178457B2
Circuit modules and methods of construction thereof that contain composite meta-material dielectric bodies that have high effective values of real permittivity but which minimize reflective losses, through the use of host dielectric (organic or ceramic), materials having relative permittivities substantially less than ceramic dielectric inclusions embedded therein. The composite meta-material bodies permit reductions in physical lengths of electrically conducting elements such as antenna element(s) without adversely impacting radiation efficiency. The meta-material structure may additionally provide frequency band filtering functions that would normally be provided by other components typically found in an RF front-end.
US08178455B2
A method for manufacturing an alumina sintered body of the present invention comprises: (a) forming a mixed powder containing at least Al2O3 and MgF2 or a mixed powder containing Al2O3, MgF2, and MgO into a compact having a predetermined shape; and (b) performing hot-press sintering of the compact in a vacuum atmosphere or a non-oxidizing atmosphere to form an alumina sintered body, in which when a amount of MgF2 to 100 parts by weight of Al2O3 is represented by X (parts by weight), and a hot-press sintering temperature is represented by Y (° C.), the hot-press sintering temperature is set to satisfy the following equations (1) to (4) 1,120≦Y≦1,300 (1) 0.15≦X≦1.89 (2) Y≦−78.7X+1,349 (3) Y≧−200X+1,212 (4).
US08178451B2
The glass-metal bond for a tube collector includes a glass tube and metal part bonded to the glass tube. In order to match the thermal expansion properties, the glass tube has the following composition: SiO2, 73-77 wt. %; B2O3, 6-<8 wt. %; Al2O3, 6-6.5 wt. %; Na2O, 5.5-7 wt. %; K2O, 1-3 wt. %; CaO, 0.5-3.2 wt. %; MgO, 0-2 wt. %; Fe2O3, 50-150 ppm; and TiO2 0-<100 ppm. The ratio of the sum of the alkaline-earth metal oxides (in mol %) to the sum of the alkali metal oxides (in mol %) is ≦0.6. The metal part is preferably made of metal material no. 1.3981 according to DIN 17745. The glass composition itself is also part of the invention.
US08178445B2
A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device, that loads a substrate on which a film containing oxygen atoms, chlorine atoms, and metal atoms is formed into a processing chamber so as to be supported by a substrate support part. The substrate is heated by the substrate support part. The inside of the processing chamber is exhausted by a gas exhaust part while supplying nitrogen atoms-containing gas and hydorgen atoms-containing gas into the processing chamber by a gas supply part. A plasma generation part is then used to excite the nitrogen atoms-containing gas and the hydrogen atoms-containing gas supplied into the processing chamber.
US08178432B2
Semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same are disclosed. The semiconductor device includes gate electrodes having sidewall spacers on a semiconductor substrate, double diffusion drain regions in the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the sidewall spacers, double diffusion junction regions aligned with the gate electrodes, and source/drain regions in the double diffusion junction regions.
US08178425B2
An optical device wafer processing method for dividing an optical device wafer into a plurality of individual optical devices. The optical device wafer is composed of a substrate and a semiconductor layer formed on the front side of the substrate. The optical devices are partitioned by a plurality of crossing division lines formed on the semiconductor layer. The optical device wafer processing method includes a division start point forming step of applying a laser beam having a transmission wavelength to the substrate to the intersections of the crossing division lines in the condition where the focal point of the laser beam is set inside the substrate in an area corresponding to the intersections of the crossing division lines, thereby forming a plurality of modified dots as division start points inside the substrate at the intersections of the crossing division lines; and a crack growing step of applying a CO2 laser beam along the division lines to grow cracks inside the substrate from the division start points.
US08178418B1
A method for fabricating intra-device isolation structure is provided, including providing a semiconductor substrate with a mask layer formed thereover. A plurality of first trenches is formed in the semiconductor substrate and the mask layer. A first insulating layer is formed in the first trenches. The mask layer is partially removed to expose a portion of the first insulating layer in the first trenches. A protection spacer is formed on a sidewall surface of the portion of the first insulating layer exposed by the mask layer to partially expose a portion of the mask layer between the first insulating layer. An etching process is performed to the mask layer exposed by the protection spacer and the semiconductor substrate thereunder, and a plurality of second trenches is formed in the semiconductor substrate and the mask layer. A second insulating layer is formed in the second trenches. The protection spacer, the mask layer, the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer over a top surface of the semiconductor substrate are then removed.
US08178411B2
A method for producing a buried stop zone in a semiconductor body and a semiconductor component having a stop zone, the method including providing a semiconductor body having a first and a second side and a basic doping of a first conduction type. The method further includes irradiating the semiconductor body via one of the sides with protons, as a result of which protons are introduced into a first region of the semiconductor body situated at a distance from the irradiation side. The method also includes carrying out a thermal process in which the semiconductor body is heated to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time duration, the temperature and the duration being chosen such that hydrogen-induced donors are generated both in the first region and in a second region adjacent to the first region in the direction of the irradiation side.
US08178408B2
Some methods are directed to manufacturing charge trap-type non-volatile memory devices. An isolation layer pattern can be formed that extends in a first direction in a substrate. A recess unit is formed in the substrate by recessing an exposed surface of the substrate adjacent to the isolation layer pattern. A tunnel insulating layer and a charge trap layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. The tunnel insulating layer and the charge trap layer are patterned to form an isolated island-shaped tunnel insulating layer pattern and an isolated island-shaped charge trap layer pattern by etching defined regions of the substrate, the isolation layer pattern, the tunnel insulating layer, and the charge trap layer until a top surface of the charge trap layer that is disposed on a bottom surface of the recess unit is aligned with a top surface of the isolation layer pattern. A blocking insulating layer is formed that covers the charge trap layer pattern, the isolation layer pattern, and a defined region of the substrate interposed between the charge trap patterns. A gate electrode pattern is formed on the blocking insulating layer to face the charge trap layer pattern. This manufacturing process may reduce charge spreading between unit memory cells and/or may prevent/avoid reduction in the breakdown voltage of the blocking insulating layer.
US08178404B2
A Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor structure and method of fabricating the same in an integrated circuit improve capacitance density in a MIM capacitor structure by utilizing a sidewall spacer extending along a channel defined between a pair of legs that define portions of the MIM capacitor structure. Each of the legs includes top and bottom electrodes and an insulator layer interposed therebetween, as well as a sidewall that faces the channel. The sidewall spacer incorporates a conductive layer and an insulator layer interposed between the conductive layer and the sidewall of one of the legs, and the conductive layer of the sidewall spacer is physically separated from the top electrode of the MIM capacitor structure. In addition, the bottom electrode of a MIM capacitor structure may be ammonia plasma treated prior to deposition of an insulator layer thereover to reduce oxidation of the electrode. Furthermore, a multi-rate etching process may be used to etch the top electrode and insulator layer of an MIM structure, using a first, higher rate to perform an anisotropic etch up to a point proximate an interface between the conductive and dielectric materials respectively defining the top electrode and insulator layer of the MIM structure, and then using a second, lower rate to perform an anisotropic etch to a point proximate an etch stop layer defined on the bottom electrode of the MIM structure.
US08178402B2
Carbon nanotubes may be selectively opened and their exposed ends functionalized. Opposite ends of carbon nanotubes may be functionalized in different fashions to facilitate self-assembly and other applications.
US08178394B2
A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit package system includes: providing a base package having a first integrated circuit with an inner lead on a periphery thereof and connected thereto with interconnects, and the inner lead partially encapsulated by an inner encapsulation; mounting an outer lead on the periphery of the base package; mounting a second integrated circuit above the base package and connected to the outer lead with the interconnects; and partially encapsulating, the base package and the outer leads with an outer encapsulation leaving a bottom surface of the inner lead and a bottom surface of the outer lead exposed.
US08178388B2
Integrated circuit nonvolatile memory uses programmable resistive elements. In some examples, conductive structures such as electrodes are prepared, and the programmable resistive elements are laid upon the prepared electrodes. This prevents contamination of the programmable resistive elements from previous fabrication steps.
US08178384B1
An optoelectronic apparatus, a method for making the apparatus, and the use of the apparatus in an optoelectronic device are disclosed. The apparatus may include an active layer having a nanostructured network layer with a network of regularly spaced structures with spaces between neighboring structures. One or more network-filling materials are disposed in the spaces. At least one of the network-filling materials has complementary charge transfer properties with respect to the nanostructured network layer. An interfacial layer, configured to enhance an efficiency of the active layer, is disposed between the nanostructured network layer and the network-filling materials. The interfacial layer may be configured to provide (a) charge transfer between the two materials that exhibits different rates for forward versus backward transport; (b) differential light absorption to extend a range of wavelengths that the active layer can absorb; or (c) enhanced light absorption, which may be coupled with charge injection.
US08178373B2
A method of device growth and p-contact processing that produces improved performance for non-polar III-nitride light emitting diodes and laser diodes. Key components using a low defect density substrate or template, thick quantum wells, a low temperature p-type III-nitride growth technique, and a transparent conducting oxide for the electrodes.
US08178372B2
A method for production of a plurality of semiconductor chips (6) in a wafer composite. A semiconductor layer sequence (2) is grown on a growth substrate (1), metallization (3) is applied to the semiconductor layer sequence (2), a metal layer (4) is electrochemically deposited onto the metallization (3), and the semiconductor layer sequence (2) is then structured and separated to form individual semiconductor chips (6). The electrochemically applied metal layer (4) is particularly suitable for use as a heat spreader, for dissipation of the heat produced by the semiconductor chips (6).
US08178366B2
In the pattern forming method according to the embodiment, second templates are manufactured by an imprint technology using first templates manufactured by applying a predetermined misalignment distribution for each shot on a first substrate by an exposure apparatus. Then, an upper-layer-side pattern is formed by an imprint technology using a second template in which an inter-layer misalignment amount between a lower-layer-side pattern already formed above a second substrate and the upper-layer-side pattern to be formed above the second substrate becomes equal to or lower than a predetermined reference value.
US08178361B2
There is provided a small-size magnetic sensor for detecting the intensity of a magnetic field in three axial directions, in which a plurality of giant magnetoresistive elements are formed on a single semiconductor substrate. A thick film is formed on the semiconductor substrate; giant magnetoresistive elements forming an X-axis sensor and a Y-axis sensor are formed on a planar surface thereof; and giant magnetoresistive elements forming a Z-axis sensor are formed using slopes of channels formed in the thick film. Regarding the channel formation, it is possible to use the reactive ion etching and high-density plasma CVD methods. In addition, an insulating film is formed between the thick film and passivation film and is used as an etching stopper. Each of the slopes of the channels can be constituted of a first slope and a second slope, so that a magneto-sensitive element is formed on the second slope having a larger inclination angle. In order to optimize the slope shape and inclination with respect to each channel, it is possible to form a dummy slope that does not directly relate to the formation of the giant magnetoresistive elements.
US08178359B2
Masking of the background fluorescence and luminescence in the optical analysis of biomedical assays
A process for the quantitative optical analysis of fluorescently labeled biological cells involves contacting a cell layer on a transparent support at the bottom of a reaction vessel with a solution containing the fluorescent dye. This process can also be used for improving the sensitivity in the quantitative optical analysis of a luminescent biological cell layer. Analogously, these process principles can also be used in receptor studies for the masking of the interfering background radiation in the quantitative optical analysis of fluorescently or luminescently labelled reaction components. In this case, a receptor layer at the bottom of a reaction vessel is in contact with a solution in which a fluorescent or luminescent ligand is dissolved.
US08178358B2
The present invention provides a method for diagnosis or prognosis of IgA nephropathy in a subject based on detection of the expression level of one or more biomarker genes selected from the group consisting of thymosin β4 (Tmsb4), serine or cysteine proteinase inhibitor clade E member 2 (Serpine2), secreted phosphoprotein 1 (OPN), butyrophilin-like-2 (BTNL2), S100 calcium binding protein A8 (S100A8), Cystatin C (CysC), and any combination thereof.
US08178346B2
The present invention provides expression vectors that facilitate high levels of expression of GPCR proteins. Encompassed by the invention are methods and compositions for recombinant cell lines expressing GPCR proteins with the aid of the expression vectors of the instant invention. The recombinant cell lines of the instant invention express GPCR proteins at levels of at least about 150,000 copies of the protein per cell. The present invention also provides methods and compositions for raising antibodies against GPCR proteins using the high expressing recombinant cells of the instant invention.
US08178340B2
The present invention relates to human specific Escherichia coli strains.
US08178339B2
Reduced genome strains of E. coli MG1655 are described. In various embodiments, the strains have one or more of equal or improved growth rate, transformation efficiency, protein expression, DNA production, DNA yield and/or DNA quality compared to the parental strain and commercially available strains.
US08178338B2
The present invention provides nucleic acids that include a promoter that is inducible by a transcriptional activator protein; and a nucleotide sequence that encodes the transcriptional activator protein. The present invention provides expression vectors that provide for inducible production of gene products in a host cell. The present invention further provides host cells genetically modified with a subject expression vector. The present invention further provides methods for producing a gene product in a host cell.
US08178335B2
Methods and compositions are provided that relate to obtaining a recombinant DNA and RNA cleaving nuclease. This involves the over-expression of a fusion protein between maltose-binding protein and a truncated nuclease in a soluble form in the cytoplasm of a host cell from which it can be readily extracted.
US08178327B2
The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms comprising a 1,4-butanediol (BDO) pathway comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a BDO pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to produce BDO. The invention additionally provides methods of using such microbial organisms to produce BDO.
US08178325B2
There is provided is a process for producing a sulfur-containing α-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound represented by the formula (2): wherein R1 represents hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, or C6-20 aryl, which comprises subjecting a sulfur-containing ketol represented by the formula (1): wherein R1 is the same as defined above, to the action of microbial cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus or Bacillus capable of converting the ketol into a corresponding α-hydroxycarboxylic acid compound, or a treated material thereof, thereby producing the sulfur-containing α-hydroxycarboxylic acid without using a hydroxynitrile compound as a starting material.
US08178324B2
The present invention relates to a method for the deracemization or chiral inversion of chiral amines by enzymatic treatment. The method employs a stereoselective enzymatic conversion and either a non-selective or partially selective chemical or enzymatic conversion, simultaneously or sequentially. The invention also provides a method for selecting a suitable enzyme, particularly a suitable amine oxidase, and for the generation of novel enzymes suitable for use in the deracemization method.
US08178321B2
This invention focuses on a novel process in which Porphyridium cruentum biomass first undergoes a stage of cellular disruption and subsequently stages of recovery and purification in order to achieve the purified B-phycoerythin (BFE) protein dye, using isoelectric precipitation and two-aqueous-phase systems. The steps of recovery and purification include isoelectric precipitation followed by a step of liquid/liquid extraction by means of two-aqueous-phase systems that use polyethylene glycol (PEG) and phosphate salts. The BFE protein dye obtained in the two-aqueous-phase extraction step undergoes an ultrafiltration step in order to remove the polymer (PEG) and to obtain a dye with a purity greater than 4.0 defined as the relationship between the absorbencies at 545 and 280 nm (BFE purity=Abs 545 nm/Abs 280 nm).
US08178316B2
The disclosure features methods that include: providing a substrate that includes (i) a nucleic acid (e.g., DNA or RNA) encoding a hybrid amino acid sequence including a test amino acid sequence and an affinity tag, and (ii) a binding agent that recognizes the affinity tag; contacting the substrate with a translation effector to thereby translate the hybrid amino acid sequence; maintaining the substrate under conditions permissive for the hybrid amino acid sequence to bind the binding agent; and removing the nucleic acid from the substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate includes a plurality of positionally-distinguishable addresses, for example, each include a different nucleic acid. The addresses can be located a regularly or irregularly spaced locations.
US08178309B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing agglutinatable platelet fragments, in which native platelets are treated with ultrasound and a fixative. The platelet fragments are suitable for use in diagnostic assay methods which include an agglutination reaction, such as, for example, in a method for determining VWF activity.
US08178308B2
Provided are cytokines and methods of modulating activity of the immune system using cytokine agonists and antagonists. Also provided are methods of treatment of immune and proliferative disorders.
US08178305B2
A method of highly sensitive and quantitative luminescent analysis with the use of a detection device using a micro-channel and carrying a molecule which is capable of capturing a substance to be detected and bonded to a solid phase. A biochemical to be detected is captured in a channel-type device having a probe bonded to a solid phase. After labeling for luminescence, a luminescent reagent is flown thereto and the luminescence in the vicinity of the probe is optically detected.
US08178300B2
The present invention relates to a high throughput method for the identification and detection of molecular markers wherein restriction fragments are generated and suitable adaptors comprising (sample-specific) identifiers are ligated. The adapter-ligated restriction fragments may be selectively amplified with adaptor compatible primers carrying selective nucleotides at their 3′ end. The amplified adapter-ligated restriction fragments are, at least partly, sequenced using high throughput sequencing methods and the sequence parts of the restriction fragments together with the sample-specific identifiers serve as molecular markers.
US08178299B2
A new method is found to determine an increased risk for side effects of an SSRI treatment in a person by genotyping the person for the presence of the 102 C/C DNA sequence in the 5-HT2A receptor gene. This provides for a method to improve the treatment of an SSRI responsive disorder and in particular depression.
US08178294B2
Disclosed is a method for determining haplotypes useful for large-scale genetic analysis, within a genomic reference sequence of interest, for a human subpopulation. The method can applied to statistically evaluating the genotypes of subjects for any statistically significant association with a phenotype of interest, such as insulin resistance or coronary artery disease. Thus, also disclosed are a method of detecting a genetic predisposition in a human subject for certain biological conditions, which may be related to coronary artery disease.
US08178292B2
To provide a nucleic acid encoding a receptor protein kinase, wherein the nucleic acid has tandem duplication in a nucleotide sequence of a juxtamembrane and is useful for diagnosis of leukemia; a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid; an antibody capable of specifically binding to a region encoded by the nucleic acid having tandem duplication occurring in a nucleotide sequence of a juxtamembrane; a nucleic acid capable of specifically binding to the nucleic acid having tandem duplication occurring in a nucleotide sequence of a juxtamembrane; a method for detection of the nucleic acid encoding a receptor protein kinase; and a kit therefor. A nucleic acid encoding a receptor protein kinase, wherein the nucleic acid has tandem duplication in a nucleotide sequence of a juxtamembrane; a polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid; an antibody capable of specifically binding to the portion of the polypeptide; a nucleic acid capable of specifically binding to the nucleic acid; a method for detection of the nucleic acid; and a kit for detection.
US08178287B2
A resist material utilized in photolithography patterning includes a first material, and a second material dispersed in the first material. The second material is capable of diffusing to a top surface of the resist material, and has an etch rate different from that of the first material.
US08178286B2
A method of making a device includes forming a first photoresist layer over an underlying layer, patterning the first photoresist layer to form a first photoresist pattern comprising a first grid, rendering the first photoresist pattern insoluble to a solvent, forming a second photoresist layer over the first photoresist pattern, patterning the second photoresist layer to form a second photoresist pattern over the underlying layer, where the second photoresist pattern is a second grid which overlaps the first grid to form a photoresist web, and etching the underlying layer using the photoresist web as a mask.
US08178278B2
A system and method for encoded microparticles is described. One embodiment includes an encoded microparticle comprising a plurality of segments, wherein the plurality of segments form a spatial code; contrast coating on at least one segment of the plurality of segments, wherein the contrast coating further encodes the microparticle; an outer surface, wherein the outer surface encloses the spatial code and contrast coating, and wherein the spatial code and contrast coating are detectable through the outer surface.
US08178274B2
The present disclosure provides toners and processes for preparing toner particles possessing excellent charging characteristics. The process includes forming a dispersion including at least one organic and/or organometallic charge control agent, and then combining that dispersion with an emulsion suitable for use in forming toner particles.
US08178268B2
A magenta toner, produced by a method including suspending an oily liquid comprising a binder resin and a colorant in an aqueous medium, wherein the colorant comprises a naphthol pigment and a quinacridone pigment, and the quinacridone pigment comprises a pigment having a specific formula.
US08178267B2
A set of toners comprising a yellow toner, a magenta toner, a cyan toner and a black toner for forming a full color image with an electrophotographic method, wherein the yellow toner comprises toner particles containing at least one pigment selected from the group consisting of C.I. Pigment Yellow 74, C.I. Pigment Yellow 139, C.I. Pigment Yellow 155, C.I. Pigment Yellow 180 and C.I. Pigment Yellow 185; the magenta toner comprises toner particles containing a dye represented by Formula (X-1) and a metal compound represented by Formula (1); and the cyan toner comprises toner particles containing a silicon phthalocyanine represented by Formula (2):
US08178261B2
An optical data storage medium is provided. The optical data storage medium includes a polymer matrix; a reactant capable of undergoing a change upon triplet excitation, thereby causing a refractive index change; and a non-linear sensitizer capable of absorbing actinic radiation to cause upper triplet energy transfer to said reactant. The refractive index change capacity of the medium is at least about 0.1. The reactant comprises polyvinyl chlorocinnamate, polyvinyl methoxycinnamate, or a combination thereof.
US08178245B2
An electrode assembly and a secondary battery having the same are provided. The electrode assembly includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material layer, a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material layer, and a porous layer for separating the positive and negative electrodes from each other that is formed of a combination of a ceramic material having a particle size of about 50 to 300 nm (particle size distribution value: D50) and a binder. Moreover, the porous layer contains an antacid. The secondary battery having the electrode assembly has satisfactory lifespan and overcharge characteristics.
US08178240B2
Disclosed is a positive electrode applied in lithium battery and method for manufacturing the same. First, a lithium alloy oxide layer is formed on a substrate. Subsequently, an additional high density and low energy plasma treatment is processed, such that the lithium alloy oxide layer has a top surface composed of uniform, dense, and inter-necked nano grains, and the in-side/bottom grains of the oxide layer remain unchanged. According to experiments, the positive electrode with such properties has higher capacity and longer cycle lifetime, thereby improving the lithium battery performance.
US08178229B2
Noise generated from some air leaking from a water drain hole formed in an exhaust duct is reduced. A first water drain hole for exhausting liquid that has collected within the exhaust duct to outside the exhaust duct is formed in a bottom face of the exhaust duct for exhausting air after cooling a battery stack and a second water drain hole for exhausting liquid, which was exhausted from the first water drain hole, to outside a lower case is formed in the lower case housing the battery stack and the exhaust duct, with the second water drain hole formed at a position not on a line extending from the direction of outflow of air leaking out from the first water drain hole.
US08178219B2
Ceramic materials with relatively high resistance to wetting by various liquids, such as water, are presented, along with articles made with these materials. The oxide materials described herein as a class typically contain one or more of ytterbia (Yb2O3) and europia (Eu2O3). The oxides may further contain other additives, such as oxides of gadolinium (Gd), samarium (Sm), dysprosium (Dy), or terbium (Tb). In certain embodiments the oxide, in addition to the ytterbia and/or europia, further comprises lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), or neodymium (Nd).
US08178218B2
The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent device material composed of an aromatic amine derivative having a specific structure in which amine moieties are linked to a chrysene moiety; and an organic electroluminescent device having a cathode, an anode, and one or more organic thin-film layers interposed between the cathode and the anode, the organic thin-layers including at least a light-emitting layer, wherein at least one of the organic thin-film layers contains the organic electroluminescent device material in the form of single component material or a mixture of a plurality of components. The organic electroluminescent device material and the organic electroluminescent device containing the material attains a long service life and can emit blue light of high color purity at high emission efficiency.
US08178215B2
An organic compound and a charge-transporting material which are excellent in both a hole-transporting property and an electron-transporting property and have excellent electrical oxidation/reduction durability and a high triplet excitation level are provided, and an organic electroluminescent device which uses this organic compound and has high luminous efficiency and high driving stability and long lifetime is provided, wherein the organic compound has two or more partial structures represented by the following Formula (I): wherein Cz denotes a carbazolyl group; Z is as defined; and Q denotes a direct link connected to G present in a moiety represented by the following Formula (II): wherein B1 ring is a six-membered aromatic heterocycle containing n N atoms as a hetero atom; n is an integer of 1 to 3; G is as defined; and m is an integer of 3 to 5.
US08178204B2
A coating composition is provided. The composition comprises as component I, a) a polyaspartic acid ester comprising the reaction product of one more diamines, one or more difunctional acrylate-containing compounds and one or more maleic/fumaric acid esters; b) at least one moisture scavenger; c) at least one deaerator; d) at least one plasticizer; and e) optionally additives; and as component II, one or more polyisocyanates. Methods of making and applying the composition to a substrate are also provided. The coating is particularly suitable for use as a gel coat.
US08178183B2
The present invention relates to a flexible and drapeable core material for use in a laminate or a sandwich construction comprising at least one exterior of an at least partially permeable material, which exterior forms at least one space into which a filler of freely movable, separate objects is filled. The spaces may be shaped like channels, form a square-shaped pattern or a pattern adapted to the shape of the laminate. The invention further relates to a laminate or a sandwich construction and a blade for a wind turbine featuring such core material and use and manufacture of laminates or sandwich constructions featuring the core material. Moreover the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a core material for use in a laminate or a sandwich construction comprising the steps of forming at least one space from an at least partially permeable material and filling filler into the space.
US08178181B2
A paper web transfer tape having a cover flap joined longitudinally to a carrier member along the trailing edge such that the cover flap opens in a hinged manner to expose a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the carrier member for adherence to an advancing paper web for severance and transfer of the paper web onto an empty spool. The transfer tape is adhered to an empty spool. The cover flap is opened by air resistance encountered during rotation of the empty spool.
US08178171B2
The invention relates to a liquid crystal display utilizing a vertically aligned state of liquid crystal molecules when no voltage is applied and to a method of manufacturing the same. The invention is aimed at providing a liquid crystal display and a method of manufacturing the same in which the existing step for forming vertical alignment films can be omitted to achieve a cost reduction. The liquid crystal display includes a monofunctional monomer having a structure expressed by X—R (where X represents an acrylate group or a methacrylate group, and R represents an organic group having a steroid skeleton). A liquid crystal material is sandwiched between substrates which is then irradiated with ultraviolet rays to cure the monofunctional monomer, thereby forming a polymer film at an interface of a substrate. The monofunctional monomer has a hydrophobic skeleton such as an alkyl chain and a photoreactive group on one side of the skeleton.
US08178162B2
We have developed an improved vapor-phase deposition method and apparatus for the application of films/coatings on substrates. The method provides for the addition of a precise amount of each of the reactants to be consumed in a single reaction step of the coating formation process. In addition to the control over the amount of reactants added to the process chamber, the present invention requires precise control over the total pressure (which is less than atmospheric pressure) in the process chamber, the partial vapor pressure of each vaporous component present in the process chamber, the substrate temperature, and typically the temperature of a major processing surface within said process chamber. Control over this combination of variables determines a number of the characteristics of a film/coating or multi-layered film/coating formed using the method. By varying these process parameters, the roughness and the thickness of the films/coatings produced can be controlled.
US08178157B2
A gas sensor and manufacturing method thereof. The gas sensor includes a substrate, a pair of electrodes disposed on the substrate, and a gas sensing thin film covering the electrodes, the gas sensing thin film is made up of carbon nanotubes and tin oxide.
US08178150B2
A water-like fluid containing safe water and a significant quantity of soluble dietary fiber. The resulting solution is generally optically clear and has physical properties similar to potable water. The fluid is intended as a replacement for bottled, or other water, as a means to ensure proper hydration. Depending on the soluble fiber used the fluid is either non-caloric or extremely low in calories. The amount of soluble fiber is adjusted to a specific amount of water so that consumption of an adequate amount of fluid ensures hydration (e.g., eight 8 oz. glasses per day) will also providing an optimal amount of dietary fiber. This is particularly valuable in stressed situations where the diet may not provide adequate fiber without supplementation. The constant metered supply of fiber provided throughout the day is preferable to, and more convenient than, “bolus” administration of fiber through laxatives, etc. Additionally, the constant presence of soluble fiber in the digestive tract provides the known beneficial effects of moderating the postprandial increase in blood glucose, modulating serum lipid levels, and suppressing appetite.
US08178140B2
A plastic bottle is provided with a mouth, a main unit, for example, a flexible, cylindrical main unit, connecting the interior of the bottle with the mouth, a base structured to close the bottom portion of the main unit and have a greater rigidity compared to the main unit. The main unit includes a lower body section extending upward from the base, a central body section extending upward from the lower body section, and a crease between the lower and central body sections. The central body section can be configured to deform into a substantially flat shape through the action of external force F so as to bend outward.
US08178135B2
PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTIONTo provide aqueous solutions of conophylline and/or conophyllidine; methods for purifying conophylline and/or conophyllidine from the aqueous solutions; methods for producing the aqueous solutions, water-soluble compositions containing conophylline and/or a conophyllidine useful for food compositions or pharmaceutical compositions or methods for preparing the same; as well as food compositions or pharmaceutical compositions containing the water-soluble compositions.MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEMSIt has been found that conophylline and/or conophyllidine can be efficiently extracted from a plant producing conophylline and/or conophyllidine with an acidic aqueous solution having a pH equal to or less than 4. The extract thus obtained, i.e., aqueous solution of conophylline, and/or conophyllidine is useful for production of, for instance, food compositions, pharmaceutical compositions, etc.
US08178133B2
A composition for administration to a subject, such as oral administration to a subject, for example, has been provided. Such a composition may comprise at least one magnesium-counter ion compound. A magnesium-counter ion composition described herein may be useful for any of a variety of applications provided herein, such as maintaining, enhancing, and/or improving health, nutrition, and/or another condition of a subject, and/or cognitive, learning, and/or memory function. A magnesium-counter ion composition provided herein may be useful for administration to a subject presenting magnesium deficiency, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ALS, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, migraine, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and/or hypertension. A kit, method, and other associated technology are also provided.
US08178132B2
A composition for administration to a subject, such as oral administration to a subject, for example, has been provided. Such a composition may comprise at least one magnesium-counter ion compound. A magnesium-counter ion composition described herein may be useful for any of a variety of applications provided herein, such as maintaining, enhancing, and/or improving health, nutrition, and/or another condition of a subject, and/or cognitive, learning, and/or memory function. A magnesium-counter ion composition provided herein may be useful for administration to a subject presenting magnesium deficiency, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ALS, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, migraine, anxiety disorder, mood disorder, and/or hypertension. A kit, method, and other associated technology are also provided.
US08178128B2
A nanoparticle capable of delivery of an encapsulated molecule into a living cell. The nanoparticle includes an encapsulation media and an isolated nucleic acid homolog sequence. The encapsulation media is primarily polymeric. The nanoparticles release the encapsulated molecule over an extended period of time. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions and articles of manufacture including nanoparticles and methods of preparing and using the nanoparticles.
US08178124B2
An astrocyte-specific drug carrier containing a retinoid derivative and/or a vitamin A analog as a constituent; a drug delivery method with the use of the same; a drug containing the same; and a therapeutic method with the use of the drug. By binding a drug carrier to a retinoid derivative such as vitamin A or a vitamin A analog or encapsulating the same in the drug carrier, a drug for therapeutic use can be delivered specifically to astrocytes. As a result, an astrocyte-related disease can be efficiently and effectively inhibited or prevented while minimizing side effects. As the drug inhibiting the activity or growth of astrocytes, for example, a siRNA against HSP47 which is a collagen-specific molecule chaperone may be encapsulated in the drug carrier. Thus, the secretion of type I to type IV collagens can be inhibited at the same time and, in its turn, fibrosis can be effectively inhibited.
US08178122B2
Materials and methods, for preparation of coatings based on titanium dioxide for osteointegrated biomedical prostheses. The coatings may comprise nanomaterials having antibacterial properties. For example, an endo-osseous implant is provided with a coating comprised of nanocrystalline material comprising nanoparticles of formula (I) (L-Men+)i, (I) where AOx represents TiO2 or ZrO2; Men+ is a metallic ion having antibacterial activity, with n=1 or 2; L is a bi functional organic molecule which can simultaneously bind to the metal oxide and to the metallic ion Men+, and i is the number of L-Men+ groups bound to one nanoparticle of AOx.
US08178113B2
A cosmetic composition is provided including about 25 wt % to about 55 wt % Aloe vera gel, about 9 wt % to about 33 wt % exfoliant, about 5 wt % to about 20 wt % vitamin C, and about 0.25 wt % to about 1.0 wt % retinyl propionate (vitamin A), wherein said composition has a pH of about 2.0 to about 3.7. Methods of using said composition are also included.
US08178112B2
A wide variety of pharmaceutically and commercially acceptable dosage forms of ketoprofen are prepared by dissolving ketoprofen in pharmaceutically acceptable solvents.
US08178103B2
This invention relates to two attenuated strains of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and immunogenic compositions comprising one or more strains of attenuated porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV).
US08178086B2
Methods for activating HCV-specific T cells are described. The methods utilize one or more administrations of HCV protein compositions, followed by one or more administrations of a viral vector comprising a nucleic acid encoding a least one HCV epitope that is present in the first composition. The protein compositions can further comprise an immunostimulatory nucleic acid and or other adjuvants and immune stimulatory compounds.
US08178075B2
A tubular reactor and method for producing a product mixture in a tubular reactor where the tubular reactor comprises an internal catalytic insert having orifices for forming fluid jets for impinging the fluid on the tube wall. Jet impingement is used to improve heat transfer between the fluid in the tube and the tube wall in a non-adiabatic reactor. The tubular reactor and method may be used for endothermic reactions such as steam methane reforming and for exothermic reactions such as methanation.
US08178072B2
The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an alkali metal titanate, the method including at least a first step of mixing a titanium compound and an alkali metal compound to prepare a first mixture and sintering the first mixture, and a second step of adding the alkali metal compound to the sintered body, which is formed at the first step, to prepare a second mixture and sintering the second mixture. The present invention provides the alkali metal titanate having a desired composition and a single-phase.
US08178061B2
Processes and systems are disclosed that relate to the removal of impurities and separation the light olefins from an MTO product vapor stream. Specifically, the processes and systems relate to recovery of light olefins during regeneration of an adsorber in an oxygenate removal unit. Processes and systems for recovering light olefins during regeneration of an adsorber in an oxygenate removal unit can include recycling residual effluent stream to an upstream operation unit upstream of the oxygenate removal unit. Processes and systems for recovering light olefins during regeneration of an adsorber in an oxygenate removal unit can also include recycling residual effluent gas produced by depressurizing residual effluent in the first adsorber, as well as preferably venting an effluent gas from the first adsorber to a compressor upstream of the oxygenate removal unit.
US08178051B2
A reactor for hydrogenation of a silicon tetrahalide and metallurgical grade silicon to trihalosilane includes a bed of metallurgical silicon particles, one or more gas entry ports, one or more solids entry ports, one or more solids drains and one or more ports for removing the trihalosilane from the reactor. Fresh surfaces are generated on the bed particles by internal grinding and abrasion as a result of entraining feed silicon particles in a silicon tetrahalide/hydrogen feed stream entering the reactor and impinging that stream on the bed of silicon particles. This has the advantages of higher yield of the trihalosilane, higher burnup rate of the MGS, removal of spent MGS as a fine dust carryover in the trihalosilane effluent leaving the reactor and longer times between shutdowns for bed removal.
US08178047B2
An apparatus, according to one aspect, may include a chromatograph and a bulk acoustic resonator. The chromatograph may include a channel that is defined at least partially in a monolithic substrate. The channel may have an inlet to receive a sample and an outlet. A chromatography material may be included in the channel. The bulk acoustic resonator may have a first electrode and a second electrode that has a chemically functionalized surface. The chemically functionalized surface may be included in a chamber that is defined at least partially in the monolithic substrate and that is coupled with the outlet of the channel. Methods of making and using such apparatus, and systems including such apparatus, are also disclosed.
US08178045B2
An interchangeable preconcentrator assembly comprises an outer housing and an inner housing defining a chamber. A biased urging member is held at least partially within the outer housing and slidably biased toward a surface of the inner housing. When the biased urging member is at least partially retracted, a space is defined between the urging member and the surface of the inner housing for accommodating at least one preconcentrator chip. A continuous fluid flow path is defined through the outer housing and through the space. The interchangeable preconcentrator assembly may further comprise at least one modular preconcentrator carriage.
US08178041B2
A method and apparatus for performing coronary perfusion and cardiac reoxygenation that enables accurate control of oxygen levels in blood used for the coronary circulation. Deoxygenated blood and oxygenated blood are collected and oxygen levels are measured by sensors. The deoxygenated and oxygenated blood is then mixed and the mixed blood is measured by another sensor. The sensors provide data used to provide real-time oxygen level measurement and adjustment for blood supplied for coronary circulation.
US08178040B2
A medical fluid management apparatus which includes a plurality of processor systems with respectively associated software programs. The fluid management apparatus has a fluid treatment component and/or a fluid source which can be connected to a patient via a fluid line. The processor systems are connected via a data transfer system to a data input apparatus via which an updating of the software programs belonging to the respective processor systems can take place. After actuation of an operating mode switch, a detection system, while taking into account the existing version of the software programs and/or the existing processor systems, determines which software programs have to be loaded via the data input apparatus. The medical fluid management apparatus allows a simple and user-friendly updating of the operating software even with a complex design of the apparatus.
US08178031B2
Methods for making a crosslinked elastomeric composition and articles made of the same are provided. In at least one specific embodiment, an elastomeric composition comprising at least one propylene-based polymer is blended with at least one component selected from the group consisting of multifunctional acrylates, multifunctional methacrylates, functionalized polybutadiene resins, functionalized cyanurate, and allyl isocyanurate; and blended with at least one component selected from the group consisting of hindered phenols, phosphites, and hindered amines. The propylene-based polymer can include propylene derived units and one or more dienes, and have a triad tacticity of from 50% to 99% and a heat of fusion of less than 80 J/g. The blended composition can then be extruded and crosslinked. The extruded polymer can be crosslinked using electron beam radiation having an e-beam dose of about 100 KGy or less. The crosslinked polymers are particularly useful for making fibers and films.
US08178019B2
A method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure comprising the steps of machining end surfaces of an unsintered or sintered ceramic honeycomb structure, and ejecting a gas from a slit-like orifice moving relative to an opposing end surface without contact, thereby removing dust and/or cut pieces from end surface portions.
US08178014B2
An extruded, low-density, ethylenic polymer foam including from about 86% by volume to about 98% by volume open cells and a continuous, impervious surface skin is disclosed. The foam possesses superior compression recovery and lower compression resistance when compared with similarly comprised ethylenic closed-cell foams and superior moisture resistance and handling characteristics when compared to open-cell foams. A precursor composition and method for making the extruded, low-density, ethylenic polymer foam are also disclosed.
US08178013B2
Tissue engineering is a growing field where new materials are being developed for implantation into the body. One important area involves bone graft materials to replace areas of bone lost to trauma or disease. Traditionally, graft material may be harvested from the bone of the individual receiving the graft material. However, this requires an additional surgery and additional recovery. Bone also may be taken from others, or even cadavers, but this introduces biocompatibility problems as well as the risk of disease transfer. Ideally, a biocompatible material is sought that will act as a filler with appropriate mechanical strength, encourage bone healing, and degrade to allow new bone ingrowth without the risk of disease transfer. The present invention is a new composite bone graft material made from biocompatible poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and nano-sized hydroxyapatite particles exposed on its surface using a gas foaming particle leaching (GF/PL) method. A further embodiment of this invention involves coating this PLGA/hydroxyapatite biomaterial with an adherent, fast, uniform coating of a mineral such as apatite. The PLGA polymer portion of the composite provides sufficient mechanical strength to replace bone and is degradable over time to allow new bone tissue ingrowth. The incorporated hydroxyapatite particles increase the composite material's osteogenic properties by providing sites for tissue attachment and propagation. Finally, a uniform coating of mineral apatite on the surface of this novel biomaterial composite further enhances its osteogenic qualities.
US08178007B2
A method for producing a solar cell electrode, comprising the steps of: applying on at least part of a light-receiving surface of a semiconductor substrate a conductive paste comprising conductive component, glass frit, and resin binder, wherein the conductive component comprises alloy particles comprising silver and a metal selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ir, Pt, Ru, Ti, and Co; and firing the conductive paste.
US08178006B2
A fiber aggregate contains fine carbon fibers and fine boron nitride fibers. Desirably the boron nitride fibers form an outer layer portion of the fiber aggregate and the fine carbon fibers form a core portion of the fiber aggregate. Desirably the fine carbon fibers and the fine boron nitride fibers are twisted with each other. Desirably the fine carbon fibers are carbon nanotubes and the fine boron nitride fibers are boron nitride nanotubes. Desirably the fiber aggregate further contains boron-containing fine carbon fibers. The fine boron nitride fibers are formed by substituting carbon atoms of fine carbon fibers by boron atoms and nitrogen atoms. The fiber aggregate is fabricated by mixing a fiber aggregate that contains fine carbon fibers with boron and heating the fiber aggregate mixed with the boron in a nitrogen atmosphere to transform some of the fine carbon fibers into fine boron nitride fibers.
US08178003B2
A hydrocarbon-reforming catalyst comprising a composite oxide having a composition represented by the following formula (I) in which Co, Ni and M are dispersed in the composite oxide and a process for producing a synthesis gas by using the catalyst are provided. aM.bCo.cNi.dMg.eCa.fO (I) wherein a, b, c, d, e, and f are molar fractions, a+b+c+d+e=1, 0.0001
US08178002B2
A blue or yellow persistent phosphor composition is provided, along with methods for making and using the composition. In one embodiment, the phosphor comprises a formula of Aa-b-c-BdCe(Of-gNg):Eub,-REc, wherein, A may be Sr, Ca, Ba, or a combination thereof; B may be Mg, Zn, Co, or a combination thereof; C may be Si, Ge, or a combination thereof; a is between 1 and 2.0; b is between 0.0005 and 0.1; c is between 0.0005 and 0.1; d is between 0.9 and 1; e is between 2 and 2.1; f is between 6 and 7; g is between 0.001 and 0.1; and RE is Dy, Nd, Er, Ho, Tm, Yb or a combination thereof. Embodiments use Sr, Mg and Si to produce blue phosphors or Ca, Mg and Si to produce yellow phosphors. In other embodiments, methods for making and applications for using, including uses in toys, emergency equipment, clothing, and instrument panels, are provided.
US08178001B2
A method for producing a CASN phosphor which has an emission peak wavelength in a long wavelength range and which is prevented from being reduced in emission peak intensity, a phosphor suitable for use in displays having a NTSC ratio higher than that of conventional one, a composition containing the phosphor, a light-emitting device containing the phosphor, a display, and a lighting system. A method for producing an inorganic compound represented by the following formula from a feedstock in which the amount of Si is greater than one mole and less than 1.14 moles per mole of Al: M1aM2bAlSiX3 (I) where M1 represents an activation element containing at least Eu, M2 represents one or more selected from alkaline-earth metal elements, X represents one or more selected from the group consisting of O and N, and a and b each represent a positive number satisfying the inequalities 0
US08177982B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing novel monodisperse chelate resins based on crosslinked polymer beads containing aminomethyl groups and/or aminomethyl nitrogen heterocyclic groups that have a high uptake capacity for heavy metals and rapid kinetics.
US08177977B2
The invention concerns a water purification system (100) comprising a closed water recirculation loop (106) supplied at one point by a water inlet (101) with water to be purified, (and having) at least one outlet point of use of the purified water (102) and (further comprising) pumping means (103) and water purification means (150) on the loop respectively downstream of the inlet point and upstream of the at least one outlet point (102), in the water flow direction which system is characterized in that it includes two independent valves: a first valve (130) on the loop upstream of the pumping means (103), and a second valve (120) upstream of the at least one point of use outlet point (102). The invention also relates to a water purification method.
US08177972B2
An adapter is provided for fastening a filter element in a cylindrical receiving opening of a bottom part of a lower piece of a filter housing. The adapter has at least one seal arranged in a peripheral groove on the circumference of the adapter to permit fluid-tight separation of a non-filtrate chamber, which surrounds the external jacket of the filter and from which medium to be filtered can be delivered to the filter, from a filtrate chamber into which the filtrate can be introduced from the filter. The seal is connected by injection molding to a base surface of the peripheral groove and is at a distance from at least one side wall delimiting the base surface of the groove.
US08177971B2
A filter assembly for removing material entrained in a fluid stream includes a housing having a head part and a body part, and inlet and outlet ports for the fluid that is to be filtered, in which at least one of the ports is provided in the head part, the head part having a chamber port fluidly connected to the at least one port in the head part, the head and body parts having first formations which enable them to be connected to one another and separated by relative rotation. The assembly includes a filter element for removing material entrained in the fluid stream that can be received in the body part, the filter element and body part having second formations which restrict relative rotation between them, the filter element having a filter port, in which a fluid tight connection can be provided between the filter port and the chamber port by sliding one of them into the other along a first axis. One of the head part and the filter element provides an inclined surface which is inclined relative to the first axis, and the other provides an ejector part which can act against the said inclined surface so as to push the filter element away from the head part as the head part and the body part are separated by relative rotation, so as to free the filter port from the chamber port.
US08177969B2
The present invention relates to a filter cartridge for insertion into a water supply tank of a beverage dispenser, such as an espresso machine or the like, in which filter bed formed from filter material is arranged, wherein a connection to the outlet of the filter cartridge is provided to a connector element of the water tank. The invention is characterized in that in the filter bed (4) at least one region is provided through which flow passes from top to bottom.
US08177965B2
This invention relates to an ultrafiltration process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce an enriched saturates content stream(s) utilizing an ultrafiltration separations process. The enriched saturates content streams can then be further processed in refinery and petrochemical processes that will benefit from the higher content of saturated hydrocarbons produced from this separations process. The invention may be utilized to separate heavy hydrocarbon feedstreams, such as whole crudes, topped crudes, synthetic crude blends, shale oils, oils derived from bitumen, oils derived from tar sands, atmospheric resids, vacuum resids, or other heavy hydrocarbon streams into enriched saturates content product streams. The invention provides an economical method for separating heavy hydrocarbon stream components by molecular species instead of molecular boiling points.
US08177960B2
Use of a biodegradable molecule or a mixture of biodegradable molecules having tetrapyrrolic rings, as stabilizers for the asphaltenes present in crude oil and crude oil derivatives.
US08177957B2
A multiple frequency method for the operation of a sensor to measure a parameter of interest using calibration information including the steps of exciting the sensor at a first frequency providing a first sensor response, exciting the sensor at a second frequency providing a second sensor response, using the second sensor response at the second frequency and the calibration information to produce a calculated concentration of the interfering parameters, using the first sensor response at the first frequency, the calculated concentration of the interfering parameters, and the calibration information to measure the parameter of interest.
US08177952B2
Disclosed herein is a method of preparing uranium metal by electrorefining uranium metal, comprising: applying a predetermined current to an anode electrode included in an anode basket receiving fuel segments made of uranium metal and a cathode electrode of carbon material; electrodepositing uranium on the cathode electrode in accordance with the reaction initiated by the applied current; and collecting the electrodeposited uranium by self-weight. An apparatus for electrorefining uranium metal used in the method according to the present invention, comprises: an anode basket (6) receiving fuel segments made of uranium metal and comprising an anode electrode; and a reactor including a cathode electrode (5) made of carbon material and a uranium collector (10) therein. According to the method of the present invention having the above mentioned constitution and the apparatus thereof, it is possible to separate only pure uranium metal with a high capability from the spent metal nuclear fuels conveniently and economically.
US08177948B2
A method for carbon deposition using a pulsed, plasma-supported vacuum arc discharge, having an anode, a target cathode made of carbon, a pulsed energy source and at least two ignition units. The at least two ignition units are positioned in the edge area of target cathode and each have two planar metallic electrodes and a planar ceramic insulator positioned between the electrodes. The planar shape of ignition units and their positioning on target cathode enables homogeneous utilization of the entire target surface and homogeneous coating of workpieces.
US08177940B2
A web stabilizer adapted to stabilize a web moving across a span between two components of a web machine or machines, the stabilizer including: a surface facing and adjacent the moving web, and at least one transition in the surface of the stabilizer, wherein the transition is a protrusion or recess in the surface between a leading edge of the stabilizer facing a direction of web travel and a trailing edge of the stabilizer.
US08177930B2
A process for the production of a structural element in which at least two units of concrete are assembled by gluing, the compressive strength of the concrete being greater than 80 MPa. A structural element includes at least two glued units of concrete, the compressive strength of the concrete being greater than 80 MPa.
US08177923B2
A magnetic alloy having a composition represented by the general formula of Fe100-x-yCuxBy (atomic %), wherein x and y are numbers meeting the conditions of 0.1≦x≦3, and 10≦y≦20, or the general formula of Fe100-x-y-zCuxByXz (atomic %), wherein X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, S, C, P, Al, Ge, Ga and Be, and x, y and z are numbers meeting the conditions of 0.1≦x≦3, 10≦y≦20, 0
US08177917B2
To achieve complete cleaning of a tank (11) by means of a cleaning head (4, 5) having nozzles (6) mounted on a liquid supply pipe (3), the cleaning head (4) according to the invention is provided with one or more nozzle openings, nozzles (7), which eject a jet/jets (8, 9) against the supply pipe/suspension (3). This ensures that the stationary parts of the cleaning equipment (3, 10) are cleaned effectively during the turning (4a) of the cleaning head (4) and thereby of the nozzle/nozzles (7).
US08177905B2
A fluidizing admixture for use with sprayable cementitious compostions, the admixture consists of 2-phosphonobutane-1,2,4-tricarboxylic acid and at least one selected polymer derived from ethylenically-unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acids. Citric acid may optionally be present. The admixture has good fluidizing properties and outstanding shelf-life.
US08177902B2
A method for producing a liquid composition containing pigment particles is provided including (1) maintaining a mixture of a solvent and pigments of at least two types including a pigment A insoluble in the solvent at a normal temperature and a normal pressure, and a pigment B soluble in the solvent at the normal temperature and the normal pressure, at a temperature exceeding the normal temperature and a pressure exceeding the normal pressure, thereby obtaining a pigment solution in which the pigment A and the pigment B are dissolved; and (2) cooling the pigment solution to a temperature precipitating a deposition of the pigment A or lower, thereby precipitating pigment particles containing the pigment A and the pigment B.
US08177892B2
The present invention relates to a membrane wherein said membrane comprises a continuous non-porous layer comprising a polymerized composition that comprised prior to polymerization at least one type of compound having a molecular weight of at least 1500 Da and comprising at least 75 weight % of oxyethylene groups and at least two polymerizable groups each comprising a non-substituted vinyl group. The invention further relates to the use of this membrane for separating polar gases and vapors.
US08177886B2
A method of continuously removing nitrogen from a blast furnace exhaust stream containing oxygen, nitrogen and unburned hydrocarbons in order to form a supplemental feed to a gas turbine engine containing residual hydrocarbon fuel by first removing entrained solid particulates in the blast furnace exhaust stream to create a substantially particulate-free gas, passing the particulate-free stream through at least one separator bed containing an adsorptive material capable of adsorbing nitrogen from air, adsorbing substantially all of the nitrogen as interstitial nitrogen on solids within the separator bed, feeding non-adsorbed hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen components leaving the separator to a gas turbine engine and removing the adsorbed nitrogen from the separator bed.
US08177871B2
In a vitrified bonded grinding wheel that is formed so that superabrasives formed of cubic boron nitride (CBN) grains or diamond grains are bonded and held with a vitrified binder, the vitrified binder is formed of oxide particles and amorphous glass, and the vitrified binder has no open pore that is in fluid communication with outside air.
US08177868B2
A multiple adiabatic bed reforming apparatus and process are disclosed in which stage-wise combustion, in combination with multiple reforming chambers with catalyst, utilize co-flow and cross-flow under laminar flow conditions, to provide a reformer suitable for smaller production situations as well as large scale production. A passive stage by stage fuel distribution network suitable for low pressure fuel is incorporated and the resistances in successive fuel distribution lines control the amount of fuel delivered to each combustion stage. The fuel distribution system allows relatively constant fuel and air flow during turn up or turn down conditions. High efficiency is achieved by capturing heat from reforming syngas product to preheat gases before entering the reformer. Conditions that would produce unwanted coking or metal dusting are also eliminated or localized to locations within the apparatus outside the heat exchangers, but which locations can be cost effectively protected.
US08177858B2
Aqueous laundry detergent compositions containing surfactants and fatty acid, having a pH of from about 6 to about 11 and containing a polymer having a number average molecular weight of from about 700,000 to about 4,000,000 and comprising monomeric units including: nonionic monomers selected from acrylamide, N,N-dialkyl acrylamide, methacrylamide, N,N-dialkylmethacrylamide, hydroxyalkyl acrylate and vinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof; cationic monomers selected from N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl methacrylate, N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylate, N,N-dialkylaminoalkyl acrylamide, N,N-dialkylaminoalkylmethacrylamide, methacylamidoalkyl trialkylammonium chloride, acrylamidoalkylltrialkylammonium chloride, vinylamine, quaternized vinyl imidazole and diallyl dialkyl ammonium chloride, and mixtures thereof; and anionic monomers selected from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, vinyl sulfonic acid, styrene sulfonic acid, acrylamidopropylmethane sulfonic acid (AMPS), salts thereof, and mixtures thereof; in a specified mole ratio.
US08177850B2
Systems and methods for determining placement of prosthetic components in joint including defining patient-specific frame of reference for joint, determining patient-specific postoperative range of motion of joint, evaluating patient-specific range of motion of joint, automatically planning placement of components balancing need for range of motion with prosthesis stability through bony coverage, and applying manual adjustments to the automatically planned placement of component by giving greater or lesser weight to need for range of motion or prosthesis stability through bony coverage. Apparatuses for defining center of prosthetic femoral head and axis of prosthetic femoral neck including primary cylinder, first alignment receptacle and second alignment receptacle, and a divot on exterior of primary cylinder, divot having normal parallel to longitudinal axis of second alignment receptacle and position of the divot being translated toward an opening of the first alignment receptacle on the primary cylinder. Methods for using apparatuses. Apparatus for mounting spatially tracked device to impactor for impacting prosthetic cup into reamed socket.
US08177845B2
An osteogenic material packing device is used to pack osteogenic material onto a spinal fusion device. The packing device has a cavity defined therein, which is adapted to receive the spinal fusion device. The packing device further includes an access port, which intersects the cavity to receive the osteogenic material. A cannula is coupled to the packing device and an inserter is coupled to the fusion device in order to insert the fusion device into the packing device. Osteogenic material is packed through the access port around the fusion device. The fusion device then is slid through the cannula and inserted in the intervertebral space between adjacent vertebrae.
US08177840B2
A ligament incorporated into a prosthetic joint exhibiting a plasticized, elongated and deformable material. A fibrous material is internally disposed within the deformable material, the fibrous material terminating in first and second enlarged bead portions arranged in proximity to enlarged pocket defined ends associated with the deformable materials. First and second bones define a joint region therebetween, the deformable end pockets and bead portions being inserted through associated holes defined in joint proximate locations associated with the bones, so that actuation of a projection location of the fibrous material causes the bead portions to outwardly deflect the end pockets, resulting in the ligaments being anchored in place between the bones.
US08177833B2
The present invention provides a system and a method for forming in vivo a junction between a first and a second element of a modular endovascular prosthesis used for repairing defects in vessels and other lumens within the body of a patient. The first element is adapted to have a receiving element, and the second element is adapted to have a protruding element. In the final deployed configuration of the endovascular prosthesis, the protruding element of the second element is adapted to be engaged with the receiving element of the first element, substantially preventing axial separation of the elements relative to each other. The receiving element of the invention may have various forms, and may include a fold in the wall of the first element, an expandable framework having protruding struts, or a flexible thread. The protruding elements of the invention may be formed from an expandable framework having protruding struts, or may be formed from a fold in the wall of the second element, or may comprise a flexible thread.
US08177830B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and systems for a catheter assembly including a catheter shaft, a balloon positioned on the catheter shaft, where the balloon has a first balloon waist, a first lead extending longitudinally through the catheter shaft, and a first sealing member adjacent the first balloon waist and coupled to the first lead, where the first lead can provide electrical current to reversibly transition the first sealing member from a nonactivated state to an activated state in response to a temperature change in the first sealing member, and where at least a portion of the balloon rotates relative the catheter shaft in the nonactivated state and the first sealing member engages the first balloon waist to form a fluid tight seal and to prevent rotation of the balloon relative the catheter shaft in the activated state.
US08177806B2
Dilation catheters including a mechanism used in, for example, removing gas or air from the catheters are disclosed. A dilation catheter may include an elongated tubular member having a distal end and a proximal end, a proximal handle proximate the proximal end of the tubular member, and an inflatable balloon proximate the distal end of the tubular member with inflatable balloon being in fluid communication with a fluid port to supply inflation liquid to the inflatable balloon. The inflatable balloon may include an opening for permitting gas to exit the inflatable balloon. In the proximate location of the opening, an expandable material or a barrier material that permits gas to exit through the opening, while retaining inflation liquid in the inflatable balloon.
US08177803B2
The present invention is directed to improving the cutting efficiency and reducing the manufacturing costs associated with endoscopic cutting instruments by eliminating the distal bearing surfaces or providing means for making the contact at the distal bearing intermittent so that surfaces do no undergo high localized heat and galling. In one embodiment, this goal is achieved by modifying or removing the axial constraints on the inner sliding member that are characteristic of conventional endoscopic shavers. In another embodiment, the improved cutting efficiency and reduced manufacturing cost is achieved by eliminating a closed end characteristic of conventional endoscopic shavers (e.g., removing the closed end of either the inner sliding member or the outer sliding member to thereby eliminate the associated bearing surface formed therebetween).
US08177791B2
A sheath attached to a guide wire, a tubular shaft member slidable on the guide wire and a filtering assembly constricted within the sheath are movable in a vessel to a position distal to a lesion in the direction of fluid flow. The filtering assembly may be formed from a plurality of angularly spaced splines and a mesh disposed on the splines having properties of passing fluid in the vessel while blocking the passage of emboli in the fluid. The splines may be provided with shape memory for expanding against the wall of the vessel when released from constriction by the sheath. The sheath may be moved relative to the filtering assembly and the support member to release the filter for expansion against the vessel wall. An interventional device can be used to treat the lesion. Any emboli released into the vessel as a result of the interventional treatment are blocked by the filter member while fluid is allowed to pass there through.
US08177790B2
The invention relates to a device for the extraction of a spiral from a blood vessel with said device comprising a guide wire (3) which bends back on itself in its distal region where it forms into an arched structure and thus an anchoring part. The free end (7) of the guide wire (3) points towards the proximal end of said wire (3) and can be hooked onto the spiral (8) that is to be extracted.
