US07648239B2

Methods and apparatus for taking autofluorescence images with a fundus camera capable of a field of view of at least 30 degrees and preferably 50 degrees or more using high quality thin film optical interference filters. In one embodiment, a filter set is disclosed for achieving this functionality. Using these methods and/or apparatus, a practitioner can (among other procedures, which are described) take high-quality autofluorescence images of the fundus using a CCD camera that does not have to be cooled, take such images without exciting damaging photochemical reactions in the retina, detect accumulation of fluorophores in the retina prior to the significant accumulation of fluorophores in the retinal pigment epithelium, and topographically localize and quantitate retinal abnormalities and retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities.
US07648229B2

A liquid jet head includes: a substrate; a pressure generation chamber provided in the substrate; an elastic plate provided above the substrate; a capacitor structure section provided above the elastic plate, the capacitor structure section including a lower electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode layer; a porous layer provided above the capacitor structure section; a seal layer provided on the porous layer; and a void section formed between the capacitor structure section and the porous layer.
US07648216B2

In a method for printing on a print media using nozzles in a printhead, it is determined as to whether one or more of the nozzles are out. In response to the one or more of the nozzles being out, the print media is micro-linefed between at least two printing passes of the printhead when the printhead is substantially in position to print onto a margin section of the print media. The micro-linefeeding includes activation of a print media feed means to advance the print media for a distance that is substantially smaller than a normal advance of the print media, to thereby reduce printing defects in the margin section caused by one or more nozzles that are out.
US07648193B2

A frame of a vehicle supports a cabin via four vibration-isolating apparatuses. A vibration-isolating supporting plane, which contains the four vibration-isolating apparatuses, passes through a center of gravity point G of the cabin. Due to an arranged structure of the vibration-isolating apparatuses, shaking of the center of gravity point of the cabin due to vibration transferred from the frame at times of riding on poor roads or at times of operation can be kept small, as compared with a vibration-isolating supporting structure in which the vibration-isolating supporting plane is far apart from the center of gravity point G. A vibration-isolating supporting structure which does not increase shaking of a center of gravity of the cabin is provided.
US07648191B2

An automobile strength member, having a cross-sectional shape giving a high bending repulsion at the beginning of impact and able to reduce the production cost and lighten the weight and achieve a greater improvement in safety and a reduction of cost of an automobile, that is, an automobile strength member comprised of a rectangular steel tube with a square cross-section, simultaneously satisfying the following relations (1) to (3), and having a strength of at least 690 MPa in terms of tensile strength: R1≦1.5t  (1) tR≧1.1t  (2) R1≧R2  (3) where, t: thickness of side (mm) tR: thickness of corner (mm) R1: outside corner R (mm) R2: inside corner R (mm) where both a maximum value and minimum value of hardness at a cross-section of the rectangular steel tube are in the range of within ±30% of the average value of the entire cross-section.
US07648189B2

An actuating device is provided for moving a closure panel between an open position spaced apart from a vehicle body and a closed position abutting the vehicle body to close an access opening thereof. The actuating device includes a telescopic arm having a first member coupled to one of the closure panel and the vehicle body and a second member coupled to the other of the closure panel and the vehicle body. The first and second members are slidable relative to one another to move the actuating device between a retracted position corresponding with the closed position and an extended position corresponding with the open position. A screw is rotatable relative to the first member. The screw includes a cavity formed therewithin. A nut is secured to the second member and threadingly engages the screw such that rotation of the screw moves the second member towards and away from the first member to move the actuating device between the respective retracted and extended positions. A gas spring is at least partially disposed within the cavity of the screw for urging the actuating device into the extended position to move the closure panel into the open position.
US07648182B2

A terminal portion for a robotic pick-up element lifts and transfers objects, the terminal portion lifts objects using vacuum suction cups. The terminal portion includes: a) a main unit, on the lower face of which are fixed a support suction cup and a vacuum transfer suction cup connected to the pneumatic equipment; b) a secondary unit, on the lower face of which are mounted a plurality of pick-up suction cups, the suction passages of which are connected to a single collecting passage opening into a hole on the upper face of the secondary unit which is smooth and shaped to adhere to the support cup and the vacuum transfer cup when they are placed next to it and the vacuum transfer cup of the main unit coaxially faces the hole of the secondary unit.
US07648180B2

A lock assembly for securing a movable panel in a locked condition relative to an adjacent stationary frame, according to one embodiment of the present invention, includes a first plate defining a pair of first receiving apertures and being constructed and arranged with a first mounting portion having a substantially planar mounting surface for being attached to the movable panel, a second plate defining a pair of second receiving apertures and being constructed and arranged with a second mounting portion having a substantially planar mounting surface for being attached to the stationary frame, a pair of locking members constructed and arranged for insertion through a corresponding pair of the first and second receiving apertures when the movable panel is closed relative to the stationary frame and wherein the substantially planar mounting surface of the first mounting portion is substantially parallel with and facing the substantially planar mounting surface of the second mounting portion.
US07648179B2

A connector which joins two opposing sections of coil tubing or coil tubing to coil tubing tools so as to enable torque applied from one section to be transmitted to the other section is provided. The connector employs varying width and depth grooves into which portions of the sections of coil tubing are deformed so as to create the torque transmitting connection between the connector and sections of coil tubing. Each of the grooves have a narrow width portion and a wide width portion and corresponding shallow depth and deep depth portion. The narrow width portion of one of the grooves is approximately 180° out of phase from the narrow width portion of the other varying width groove.
US07648178B1

A connector for joining agricultural drip tape. The connector includes a rigid tubular body having a tapered trust conical enlargement at its free end over which the free end of the drip tape is pressed and held by an assembly nut having a single entry female thread that threadably engages the tubular body male threads by a pre-determined angular advance of the assembly nut. The environment of use for agricultural drip tape is one of debris and mud consequently; the assembly nut contains a wiper window opening through which debris and mud are expelled from the connection as the assembly nut advances axially along the threads of the tubular body. Indicia on both the assembly nut and on the tubular body may be relatively positioned depending upon the thickness of the tape to form a consistently reliable seal.
US07648177B2

An apparatus that facilitates tight sealing between a first space and a second space. The second space is at least partially enclosed by a member. The apparatus includes or performs creating or maintaining a pressure difference between a pressure in a third space at a seal assembly and pressure in each of the first space and the second space; and pushing, caused by the pressure difference, against a seal in the seal assembly to tighten sealing provided by the seal.
US07648176B2

A joint for joining the ends of two pipes has a socket (or box) on the end of one pipe into which the end of the other pipe is inserted. The part of the socket which surrounds the inserted pipe has an external tapered surface. A correspondingly tapered sleeve surrounds the socket and can be moved axially to apply a compressive force to the taper on the socket which is thus compressed inward against the inserted pipe end to frictionally grip the inserted pipe end.
US07648172B2

A kit for manufacturing a stitch-bound printed book comprises a book cover (10), a collection of pre-perforated sheets (15) that can be printed to make up a printed bookblock (18), and endpapers (20a,20b) for assembling the printed bookblock in the cover. The pre-perforated loose sheets (15) have along one edge that corresponds to the book's spine a series of binding perforations (16). The pre-perforated loose sheets (15) are printable on one or both sides in an A4 printer to constitute printed pages of the book. A bookblock (18) is formed by reconstituting the printed pre-perforated pages as a collection with their perforations (16) aligned and by sewing through the perforations (16). This involves stitch-binding of individual sheets (15) instead of the usual stitch-binding of folded sheets, which makes it feasible to print the prepared collection of pre-perforated sheets using desktop publishing equipment. The kit lends itself to using adhesive contact paper for the endpapers (20a,20b) in place of the application of glue, making binding practical and convenient.
US07648158B2

An airbag for protecting an occupant of a vehicle includes a left outer panel for forming an outer surface of a left half airbag and a right outer panel for forming an outer surface of a right half airbag. The airbag also includes an inner panel for forming inner surfaces of the left and right half airbags, and a base-end panel for forming a base-end chamber for the left and right half airbags. The airbag is configures so that the left and right half airbags are inflated with gas passing through the base-end chamber.
US07648151B2

A support for a bicycle having a front wheel and a rear wheel includes a frame and a trough-shaped support including a pivoting wheel engagement section pivotably mounted to the frame in a first location for movement about a pivot axis between a loading position and a support position. The pivoting wheel engagement section engages a portion of an outer periphery defined by a first one of the bicycle wheels, and faces upwardly to receive the bicycle wheel when the wheel engagement section is in the loading position and faces laterally when the wheel engagement section is in the support position. A second wheel engagement member is mounted to the support frame in a second location spaced from the first location, and is configured to engage a second bicycle wheel when the wheel engagement section is engaged with the first bicycle wheel in the support position.
US07648142B2

Provided is a prize acquisition game device in which a control unit constituted from a microcomputer controls a prize acquisition unit that moves in a game space with a plurality of prizes disposed therein, and controls the acquisition of the prize. The control device moves the prize acquisition unit to the target prize based on an operation signal, judges the success of the acquisition of the prize, and moves the prize acquisition unit that acquired the prize to a position where the prize can be paid out to the player. And an obstruction unit for obstructing the prize while it is being transported, or when the prize is to be dropped in the prize payout slot has been provided.
US07648132B2

The clamping apparatus comprising a chuck member and a pallet member releasably fixed to the chuck member. The chuck member comprises clamping means for clamping the pallet member to the chuck member. The chuck member has first centering means and the pallet member has second centering means cooperating with the first centering means to define the relative position between the chuck member and the pallet. The chuck member and/or the pallet member are/is provided with at least one damping element consisting at least partially of a compressed composite of metal chips.
US07648131B2

A horizontal hold down clamp that includes a base member. The hold down clamp further includes a bar member pivotally connected at a fixed point to the base member. A handle is pivotally connected to the base member at a fixed point. The clamp also includes a link connected pivotally to the handle member and the bar member. The clamp may also include a spindle arranged on the bar members and a locking lever arranged on the side of the handle member.
US07648122B2

A line retrieval system comprises a retrieval device having a radially magnetized magnet adapted to be magnetically coupled to an object disposed on an opposite side of a structure for drawing the object in a desired direction relative to the structure.
US07648108B2

A pedicure pedestal assembly is formed as a foldable frame. A foot support member is located between the legs of a U-shaped frame member and attached thereto at an intermediate location thereof. A pivotable frame member is pivotably attached to the U-shaped frame member at a location above the foot support member so as to form the free-standing foldable pedestal frame assembly when in an open position. A work station platform is pivotably attached on each side to the legs between the foot support member and the pivotable frame attachment. The work station platform has spaced-apart parallel notches for adjustable engagement with a transverse member attached to the pivotable frame member, such that when the pedestal frame assembly is opened, the work station platform is oriented in a horizontal orientation. The foot support has a heel rest portion and a height adjustable toe rest member.
US07648098B2

A low reserve indicator mechanism for a supply of paper towels is disclosed. The mechanism includes a base, a pushplate, and an indicator. The pushplate is connected to the base with a translational degree of freedom therebetween, is biased in a first direction relative to the base, and is responsive to a first attribute of the supply of paper towels to translate opposite the first direction. The indicator is pivotally connected to the pushplate, and is movable between a retracted position and an indicating position in response to a second attribute of the supply of paper towels.
US07648094B2

Peppercorns and coarse salt are selectively stored, ground and dispensed. Two squeeze-levers are provided for actuating the grinder, with a lock for selectively disabling one of them so that only one condiment is dispensed at a time. Means is provided for increasing the quantity of condiment ground for each stroke of the grinder lever.
US07648093B2

A pill crusher has a ram and an anvil member having opposed pill crushing faces, and an electric ram drive operable to displace the ram towards the anvil member. The anvil member is rotatable and displaceable in response to pressure from the ram, to ensure the crushing of a pill located between the crushing faces of the ram and the anvil member. The anvil member, the ram and the ram drive are provided in a housing having a pill pouch reception opening which is upwardly open and extends above the crushing face of the anvil member.
US07648091B2

A movable wood crushing machine according to the present invention comprises a vehicle body 2 with a travel device provided therein; a rotary crushing device 6 provided at an edge of this vehicle body in the traveling direction for crushing the wood into wood chips; a tab-type feeder 7 provided on this rotary crushing device with an charging opening for charging wood to be crushed formed in an upper section thereof; a conveyer 4 extending from a position under the rotary crushing device 6 in the traveling direction of the vehicle body toward the other edge section of the vehicle body in the traveling direction for transferring and discharging wood chips crushed by the rotary crushing device 6 to the outside; and a drive unit 5 provided between the rotary crushing device 6 and the conveyer 4 for driving drive sources for the travel device 3, the rotary crushing device 6, the tab-type feeder 7, and the conveyer 4.
US07648085B2

A drip emitter is provided for delivering irrigation water from a supply tube to an emitter outlet at a reduced and relatively constant flow rate. Water enters the emitter through a first inlet and proceeds into a first chamber. When the water pressure is above a predetermined level, a one-directional valve opens to allow fluid flow past the first chamber, through a tortuous path flow channel, and through an emitter outlet. A second inlet is used to compensate for water pressure fluctuations in the supply tube to maintain output flow at a relatively constant rate. Water enters the second inlet and presses a flexible diaphragm toward a water metering surface to provide pressure-dependent control of the output flow. A copper member is mounted to the emitter over the emitter outlet to prevent plant root intrusion into the emitter outlet.
US07648076B2

A holographic magnetic tape comprising a hidden image pattern for protecting against skimming, alteration and counterfeiting of the data encoded in the holographic magnetic tape. The hidden image pattern in a holographic magnetic tape of a transaction card is used to determine the validity of said transaction card and the holographic magnetic tape. This relieves the clerk at the point-of-sale of visually inspecting card which is generally ineffective.
US07648061B2

A carton includes a dispenser that when opened allows dispensing of containers from the carton. An aperture located next to the dispenser provides access to the dispenser and allows the containers to be viewed from the carton exterior.
US07648059B2

A collapsible piñata construction may include two main panels, multiple folding side panels and a mechanism located inside the piñata that expands the piñata into an erected state. In various embodiments, the collapsible piñata may be expanded by a single pull on a string or other member coupled to the expansion mechanism.
US07648055B2

The surgical stapling apparatus includes a handle assembly, an elongated body extending distally from the handle assembly, and an articulation mechanism for articulating a tool assembly. The articulation mechanism includes a first gear rotatably mounted on a transmission shaft and configured to engage a second gear, a clutch interconnecting the second gear and a main shaft; and a yoke shaft coupled to the main shaft and adapted to linearly advance a J-channel, the J-channel operatively connected to an articulation link. A motor assembly may rotate the transmission shaft of the articulation mechanism. Alternatively, the articulation mechanism may include an articulation knob. Users may manually rotate the articulation knob to articulate the tool assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus.
US07648047B2

Apparatus that receives multiple screws serially from a vibrating bowl with a single exit ramp, collects a plurality, e.g., six, of screws and distributes the plurality of screws simultaneously to different tubes in one assembly. A rotary holder having a plurality of notches for receiving and holding screws, receives the screws serially from a feeder rail coupled to a vibrating screw feed bowl. After the notches have filled with screws, the screws are released into a corresponding plurality of exit tubes, where the screws may be fed (e.g., by air pressure) to a screw applicator device coupled to a distal end of the exit tubes.
US07648035B2

A storage rack is provided for storing a plurality of articles such as glass sheets. The storage rack includes a substantially horizontal portion, and a substantially vertical portion. The substantially horizontal portion of the rack includes one or more flexible supports, each of which includes at least one channel defined therein. Along at least part of the channel, a plurality of slits are provided in the flexible support so as to define a plurality of flexible lips or tabs. The lips or tabs are designed so that when a glass sheets is inserted into the channel, the lips or tabs support the sheet against movement in multiple directions.
US07648032B2

Disclosed herein are a method of reductively bleaching a mineral slurry comprising adding in the mineral slurry an effective amount of a formamidine sulfinic acid (FAS) and an effective amount of a borohydride to reductively bleach the mineral slurry, compositions comprising a mineral slurry, a FAS, and a borohydride, and final products comprising a mineral obtained by the method disclosed herein.
US07648031B2

The invention provides a symmetrical, corrugated fibreboard blank which can be folded into an insert configured to be received within a shipping container. A product can be protected and secured by the insert. The symmetrical design results in ease and speed of assembly regardless of the orientation of the blank along the end user's packaging assembly line. The 5-sided shape of the insert produces void spaces that the products cannot reach, thus creating natural air cells within the insert. The ends, tabs and panels of the insert also provide for minimal movement of the product within the insert and further provide layers of cushioning upon impact. The insert can secure a variety of different sized products, is environmentally friendly, inexpensive and space-saving.
US07648027B2

The invention provided a protective apparatus for accommodating a portable device and accessories of the portable device. The protective apparatus includes a holder for accommodating the portable device; a retractile member for allowing cable portions of the accessory to be coiled therearound; and a clasp or a receptacle for receiving bulky portions of the accessories. The protective apparatus is simple designed and convenient to wind the cable onto and unwind the cable from the protective apparatus.
US07648025B1

An arrow and bow storage and transportation apparatus includes a lower housing that has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall has an upper edge defining an opening into the interior. A first cover is hingedly coupled to the peripheral wall and positionable over the opening in a closed position. A perimeter wall is attached to and extends upwardly from the first cover. The first cover and the perimeter wall define an upper housing. The perimeter wall has a top edge defining an aperture into an interior of the upper housing. A second cover is hingedly coupled to the perimeter wall. The second cover is positionable in a closed position extending over the aperture or an open position exposing the aperture. A plurality of arrows is removably positioned in the upper housing and a bow is removably positioned in the lower housing.
US07648023B2

An endoscope pre-cleaning kit has a sealed, flexible pouch having front and back sidewall panels and a bottom gusset panel. The sidewall panels are superimposed over one another and sealed together proximate to their top and side peripheral edges to define a top seal and two opposing side seals. The sidewall panels are sealed to the bottom gusset panel proximate to their bottom peripheral edges to define a gusseted bottom portion such that the pouch is adapted to stand upright. The kit also includes a pre-diluted detergent contained within the pouch, and an absorbent pad adapted to absorb a portion of the detergent. The pouch includes a portion adapted to be opened in order to access the detergent.
US07648015B2

A multi-section chute of a type suitable for directing mixed concrete compositions from a discharge end of a transit concrete mixer truck to a desired receiving location. The chute includes a plurality of elongate chute sections, each having a wall with a low friction concave inter-surface configuration and a convex outer configuration wherein each chute section includes a pair of longitudinal channel shapes along and integral to longitudinal edges of the wall and a central longitudinal rib, the channel shapes and the rib re-enforcing the chute section against longitudinal bending, and a fastening assembly for removably joining the plurality of chute sections together in a consecutive longitudinal arrangement and wherein the plurality of elongate chute sections further comprise cooperating nesting configurations that enable formation of a compact stable interconnecting nesting storage arrangement.
US07648006B2

The invention relates to a regulating device, in particular a motor vehicle parking brake with a regulating unit having a power-operated drive. To provide a regulating device which enables simple cable balancing, it is proposed that a hollow shaft be moved against a torsionally resistant stop as a function of the spring force of an elastic element, when the parking brake is released. The axial position of the stop thus ensures that an adequate cable bias force is always present.
US07648005B2

A hearing protection device for a human ear. The device has an arm that clips about the pinna. A plug member caps or enters ear canal. The device is biased to provide some force against the plug member so that is stays in position during use. An optional handle may be provided to assist with temporarily pulling the plug member away from the ear canal or providing adjustment. The device may be adapted for use as an ear phone.
US07647995B2

A riding type vehicle with improved cooling function of a V-belt continuously variable transmission and a compact body cover. A front side of a seat is partitioned with a space recessed to a lower side. The inside of a vehicle body cover is partitioned with a center tunnel. An engine unit is supported by a vehicle body frame on a lower side of the recessed space. The engine unit includes a transmission case having a belt chamber containing the V-belt continuously variable transmission. A footrest is arranged on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the transmission case. An intake duct that guides air for cooling the V-belt type continuously variable transmission is disposed on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the center tunnel and on an upper side of the transmission case.
US07647990B2

A method for drilling with a liner includes: providing a liner string including an upper portion extending towards surface and a lower portion; drilling to a depth with the liner string; disconnecting the upper portion from the lower portion; pulling the upper portion from the well; and leaving the lower portion in the well to line the wellbore. A drilling assembly for drilling a borehole with a borehole liner includes: an upper liner string; a lower liner string including an upper end and a lower end; a releasable connector connecting the lower liner string to the upper liner string; and a drilling assembly connectable at the lower end of the lower liner string.
US07647987B2

A system for monitoring the position of a downhole tool assembly having multiple beacons. In a preferred embodiment first and second beacons are adapted to transmit electromagnetic signals indicative of the position of the downhole tool assembly. A receiving assembly having a single antenna arrangement detects the signals transmitted from the first and second beacons. The receiving assembly processes the signals to determine the relative position of the receiving assembly to the downhole tool assembly. The determination of the relative position comprises determining a lateral offset and a distance from the downhole tool assembly.
US07647986B2

The invention relates to a tool (1), in particular an impact wrench, with a pulse unit (6) having a hydraulic impact mechanism (7) and a drive unit (24). The working volume (5) can be connected within the hydraulic impact mechanism (7) to an additional volume (4) formed outside of the mechanism. The tool according to the invention is characterised in that at least the compensating volume (4) can be varied independently of the pressure.
US07647984B2

A push block, a scraping device and a method for collecting a material are provided. The scraping device has a frame, a blade attached to the bottom of the frame, a tongue attached to a front end of the frame and a beam attached to a back end of the frame. Tires are connected to the beam. The scraping device has a front lift mechanism at the front end of the frame and/or a rear lift mechanism at the back end of the frame. The front lift mechanism has a front cylinder connected to the tongue and the front end of the frame. The rear lift mechanism has a rear cylinder attached to the back end of the frame. Movement of the front cylinder and the rear cylinder results in raising and/or lowering of the corresponding ends of the frame of the scraping device. The push block is pivotally connected to an arm and pivotally connected to a tire beam. The arm and the tire beam are pivotally connected to the back end of the frame. Connections between the push block, the arm, the tire beam and the back end of the frame form corners of a parallelogram shape. The parallelogram shape enables the push block to maintain a consistent ground clearance if the frame raises or lowers relative to the ground and/or to the tire beam.
US07647982B2

A scraper for mounting to a tool bar of a farm implement having at least one rotating disk for tilling soil, including a support mounted to the tool bar and a shaft pivotally attached to and extending from the support where the shaft has a central axis. A scraper blade is rotatably attached to an end of the shaft and the scraper blade comprises a perimeter wherein the shaft pivots to rotatably engage a side surface of the rotating disk to prevent soil from accumulating on the side surface and prevents debris from accumulating between the side surface and the scraper blade.
US07647975B2

An apparatus that is usable with a well includes a gas lift valve and an isolation member. The gas lift valve includes a valve element that is located between an annulus and a passageway of a tubing. The valve element is adapted to selectively open and close to control fluid communication through the valve element. The isolation member is adapted to in a first state, isolate the valve element from at least one of the annulus and the passageway and in a second state, permit fluid communication between the valve element and the annulus or passageway.
US07647968B2

A transition piece is provided near an end of a screen assembly to allow transition from a lighter weight and collapse resistant pipe under the screen sections to a heavier wall and higher collapse strength pipe between the top of the screen and the isolation packer. When a screen out occurs, the heavier wall pipe can handle the new pressures that are applied to the formation and to the tubular to try to collapse it. The screen portion can still be built with thinner wall pipe as the screen out condition protects that pipe from collapse pressure because the fully gravel packed annular space keeps the surface applied pump pressure from exerting a collapse force on the base pipe under the screen.
US07647967B2

A system and method for increasing hydrocarbon production from a subsurface reservoir by utilizing an intersection of two well bores and a flexible linear cutting device, such as a segmented diamond wire saw, to form a fissure beginning at the intersection of the well bores and extending along a specified the length of the well bores. The ends of the cutting device can be actuated above ground. The shape of the fissure can be a substantially ruled surface defined between the two bores between which the fissure is formed. Configurations for the well bores include both bores extending from the surface and, alternatively, a first bore extending from the surface and a second bore extending from a whipstock in the first bore. The fissure may be located and oriented to maximize the extent of the fissure formed within the hydrocarbon bearing horizon and to intersect with a maximum number of natural and/or previously formed fractures.
US07647960B2

A heat dissipation device includes a base, a first and second fin sets on the base, and a fan located atop the first and second fin sets. The base has a first face for contacting with an electronic device, and two sloped faces extending from the first face and toward each other. The first fin set defined a channel receiving the base therein. A plat extends from an end of the first face of the base. The second fin set is arranged on the plat of the base. The first face of the base has two grooves defined therein. A retaining member is attached to the first face of the base and has two retaining bars thereof fitted in the two grooves of the first face, respectively.
US07647958B2

A pneumatic tire having a rotation direction specified in one direction. The tread surface has a main groove extending on the equatorial plane of the tire, right and left first inclination grooves extending in an inclined manner from the main groove toward the reverse rotation direction of the tire, and right and left second inclination grooves disposed on the opposite sides of the main groove. The right and left second inclination grooves are disposed at symmetrical positions with respect to the equatorial plane of the tire. Blocks are formed on the opposite sides of the main groove by the main groove, right and left first inclination grooves and right and left second inclination grooves. The blocks include right and left first blocks defined by tire rotation direction side portions of the second inclination grooves, main groove and first inclination grooves, and right and left second blocks defined by tire reverse rotation direction side portions of the second inclination grooves, main groove and first inclination grooves. First main groove portions between the right and left first blocks are less in width than second main groove portions between the right and left second blocks.
US07647957B2

A method of producing a virtually fireproof plywood from perennial grasses such as Arundo donax Ligneous, various bamboo strains, or a blend thereof, by first weaving the stalks of these plants into a mat and then layering these mats and binding each layer with any one of several commercial resins mixed with potash for the purpose of enhancing the board's fire retardant quality. The result is the formation of a finished product with structural board attributes and an exceptionally high flash point in relation to other manufactured board products made from forest materials.
US07647946B2

A sheath for protecting a hose, particularly a fuel conduit, against shocks consists of a knitted tubular structure (10) with two faces, a first face (11) being made in the form of jersey and a second face (12) being made in the form of cotton fleece.
US07647944B1

A combinational valve system for efficiently controlling the flow of a fluid through a valve. The combinational valve system includes a channel member including a first port and a second port fluidly connected to the first port, a first valve member attached to the channel member and a second valve member attached to the channel member. The first valve member regulates a flow of the fluid through the first port and the second valve member regulates a flow of the fluid through the second port.
US07647942B2

A constant flow rate valve has a housing in which a rotatable sleeve is positioned between the valve's inlet and outlet. Apertures in the sleeve move into alignment with the valve's inlet and outlet upon sleeve rotation to establish the fluid flow rate. A piston is movable longitudinally within the sleeve bore. The piston has openings which align with the apertures in the sleeve upon longitudinal motion of the piston. Pressure ducts connect each end of the sleeve to the inlet and outlet. The piston moves in response to relative pressure changes in the inlet and outlet communicated by the pressure ducts. The area of overlap between the piston's openings and the sleeve's apertures varies with piston motion to ensure a constant flow rate in spite of relative inlet and outlet pressure changes. The ends of the sleeve are in fluid communication to control the response sensitivity of the piston.
US07647937B2

An Assistive Walking Device that provides added support to persons requiring a mobility aid. Three or more stiff or flexible spherical or partial spherical-shaped structures are attached to a support or frame structure that includes a handle or grip. The three or more spherical structures attached to the support structure or frame, absorb shock during the walking motion and grip the ground, thus improving walking stability. The three or more spherical or partial spherical-shaped structures can vary in size, composition, construction design, pattern arrangement and pliability characteristics, and the frame or support structure to which the spherical structures are attached is variable in design according to the specific application requirements of the person requiring the mobility aid.
US07647921B2

A submerging air pressure projectile launching toy, suitable for use by children, includes a main device body, a launch structure connected to an upper end thereof to define an interior air chamber, and a projectile, all for use in water. The main device body has a hollow elongate member, defining a longitudinal axis, and a water intake, in fluid communication with the interior air chamber, at a lower end thereof, and the water intake opening is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The projectile is temporarily mountable via to the launch structure to semi-seal the interior air chamber. When the lower end of the main device body is pushed into a body of water, air within the interior air chamber is compressed until a frictional or other coupling force between the projectile and the launch structure is overcome, causing the projectile to launch into the air.
US07647917B2

An engine for a vehicle, which is configured to enable a combustion stroke to occur in a plurality of cylinders substantially simultaneously, comprises a fuel pipe coupled to a fuel supply source for storing a fuel, a plurality of fuel injectors which are attached to the fuel pipe to respectively correspond to the plurality of cylinders and are configured to inject the fuel to their associated cylinders, and a damper chamber which is provided at the fuel pipe and has an inner space connected to an inner space of the fuel pipe.
US07647916B2

A system for an engine, comprising of a cylinder located in the engine, a first port injector for injecting a first fuel into said cylinder, and a second injector outside said cylinder for injecting a second fuel into said cylinder.
US07647914B2

A system and method for operating an engine is disclosed. The system and method includes performing multiple ignitions during a single engine cycle. According to one embodiment, a first ignition takes place during a first stroke in the cycle and a second ignition takes place during a second stroke in the cycle. The system and method may further include performing multiple injections during the engine cycle.
US07647912B2

In a process of mounting a camshaft 20 to a supporting member 10, a shaft body 21 is firstly inserted into a first bearing hole 13F in the front side of the supporting member 10, before the shaft body 21 is axially moved toward the second bearing hole 13R. In order to get a cam lobe 22 through a concave bearing portion 13M in a semicircular arc shape, rotation of the camshaft 20 enables a cam nose 22b to be directed downward, which is opposite from the concave bearing portion 13M. This enables avoiding the interference between the cam nose 22b and the concave bearing portion 13M, even when the curvature radius of the concave bearing portion 13M is reduced. Consequently, reduction of the curvature radius of the concave bearing portion 13M achieves the downsizing of the supporting member 10.
US07647911B2

A connecting rod for a piston assembly includes first and second guidance members for guiding a piston assembly within a cylinder during piston stroke along a first axis. The guidance members are supported by first and second support ribs extending from a shaft of the connecting rod and include first and second sliding surfaces for contacting side walls of the cylinder. The connecting rod includes an attachment boss disposed at a first end of the shaft and defines a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The first and second support ribs extend radially outwardly from the attachment boss and are spaced radially about the second axis by approximately 180 degrees.
US07647907B2

An induction driven ignition system with an electrode projecting into the combustion chamber of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The electrode is adjacent to but electrically insulated from an electrical conductor which receives current at frequencies between 100 kHz to 500 kHz. Thermal insulation is also provided between the electrode and adjacent structure of the head. The induction driven ignition system causes the electrodes to rapidly and accurately heat up to very high temperatures. The electrodes may be formed in elongated edges throughout the combustion chamber to provide combustion initiation over a wide area.
US07647903B2

A variable valve lift device of an internal combustion engine having a first link arm rotatably supported at a fixed position of an engine body rotatably connected to a rocker arm, and a movable support shaft rotatably supporting one end portion of a second link arm of which an other end portion rotatably connected to the rocker arm is connected to a crank member formed in a crank shape having crank webs sandwiching the second link arm from opposite sides and a connecting part integrally joining both the crank webs at a position where interference with the second link arm is avoided. The crank member is rotationally driven with a drive device and an amount of lift of an engine valve is continuously changed, in addition to which, torsional rigidity of the crank member is ensured while ensuring assembly workability of the second link arm to the crank member, and reduction in size is made possible.
US07647900B2

An engine cooling apparatus includes a coolant inlet of a block water jacket formed in a cylinder block, wherein coolant is introduced into the block water jacket through the coolant inlet, a flow-directing plate that is disposed in the block water jacket at a position downstream of the coolant inlet, and that directs the coolant, which has been introduced into the block water jacket through the coolant inlet, toward a head water jacket and a control portion that controls inflow of the coolant from the head water jacket into the block water jacket.
US07647897B2

A heating apparatus 1 includes a shell 2, a primary heat exchanger (sensible heat exchanger) 3, a burner (combustion means) 5, and a fan 6. A secondary heat exchanger (latent heat exchanger) 7 has a plurality of heat receiving tubes 18 arranged in parallel between a pair of headers 16 and 17, the heat receiving tubes 18 being fixed to tube plates 20. The heat receiving tubes 18 are bare tubes without fins and are arranged across flow of combustion gas. The number of the tubes 18 arranged vertically is less than the number of the tubes 18 arranged horizontally.
US07647884B2

A slit coater with a standby unit for a nozzle and a coating method using the same prevents environmental pollution by solvent steam and simultaneously maintains the slit nozzle in an optimum state. When in standby and not performing a coating application, the slit nozzle is kept in a standby unit having a solvent atmosphere therein. The slit coater includes: a table on which an object to be processed is positioned; a slit nozzle for applying a coating solution onto a surface of the object; and a standby unit into which the slit nozzle is loaded when on standby, and having a shutter at the opening thereof to maintain an inner space in a substantially hermetically sealed solvent atmosphere. The atmosphere in the standby unit is configured to prevent hardening of the coating solution in the slit nozzle and thereby maintain the slit nozzle in the optimum state for providing coating applications.
US07647871B2

A railway anchor applicator for applying an anchor to a rail includes a frame configured for movement in a specified direction of travel along a track, and a workhead assembly movably mounted on the frame for movement toward and away from the rail. Also provided is an anchor receiving mechanism configured for movement between a first position receiving an anchor from an anchor input and a second position placing the anchor away from the anchor input. An anchor positioning mechanism moves between a retracted and extended position for positioning the anchor adjacent to the rail at either the field or gage side of the rail. An anchor clipping mechanism engages the anchor onto the rail by applying pressure on the anchor from the side of the rail and compresses the anchor between components of the anchor clipping mechanism so that compressive forces act on the anchor transversely across the rail.
US07647868B2

A printing plate is produced having at least one edge which has been cut so that it is parallel to a line of delimitation of the type area of the plate. The printing plate is fed to an impression cylinder of a printing press, in an axial direction of the impression cylinder by use of a plate feeding and alignment device. During the process of feeding the printing plate to the impression cylinder, the at least one edge of the plate, which was cut parallel to the type line of determination, is guided against at least one stop.
US07647859B2

A variable displacement compressor is disclosed. The compressor includes a crankcase for receiving a fluid. The crankcase has a plurality of compression chambers in which the fluid is compressed. A plurality of pistons disposed within the crankcase and are configured for reciprocal movement within the plurality of chambers to compress and pump the fluid. Further, a rotor assembly having a drive shaft and a rotor, wherein the rotor has a first pivot arm support member extending from a first surface of the rotor. A sleeve is slidably engaged with the drive shaft and configured for axial movement along a longitudinal axis of the drive shaft. A swash ring is coupled to the plurality of pistons and to the rotor by means of a pivot arm. Rotary motion of the swash ring and rotor causes reciprocal motion of the plurality of pistons within the plurality of chambers.
US07647857B2

A restraint for immobilizing a projectile with respect to its launch system is disclosed. When electromagnetic force is applied to the restraint, the restraint releases the projectile, thereby enabling its launch.
US07647852B1

A ratchet screwdriver having an handle (10) and two pivotal pawls (26, 27) and a selector (51) rotatable relative to the handle for actuation of the pawls relative to a gear (18). The selector and gear are axially connected together and are arranged to be disassembled as a sub-assembly from the remainder of the screwdriver for cleaning the screwdriver. The pawls are mounted to pivot in parallel planes and on opposite sides of a radial plane extending along a longitudinal axis of the screwdriver, and they have V-shaped teeth for gear engagement. There is permanent indicia on the screwdriver showing four settings for the screwdriver, including a cleaning setting.
US07647851B2

The invention relates to a propulsion power transmission device having a first interface (1) and a second interface (2). According to the invention, a hydrodynamic clutch is mounted in the driving connection between the first interface and the second interface and a first gear train (4) and a second gear train (5) are mounted parallel to each other in the driving connection, in series with the hydrodynamic clutch, the second gear train (5) causing a reversal in the direction of rotation in relation to the first gear train (4) at one of the two interfaces (1, 2). The propulsion power transmission device of the invention is characterized by the following features: the hydrodynamic clutch has two separate working chambers (3.1, 3.2), which can be independently filled with and drained of a working medium in order to transfer torque from one bladed primary wheel (3.3, 3.4) to at least one bladed secondary wheel (3.5) of the hydrodynamic clutch (3), with the blades of the primary wheels and of the at least one secondary wheel being arranged opposite each other; the first gear train and the second gear train (5) are respectively continuously connected to the first primary wheel (3.1)1 and the second primary wheel (3.2)2 in a driving manner; and both gear trains (4, 5) are continuously connected to one of the two interfaces (1, 2) in a driving manner.
US07647847B2

The present invention provides a liquid sample suctioning device capable of simplifying a structure thereof, preventing clogging of a pipette and contamination of a liquid sample, and closing a hole formed in a lid after the liquid sample is suctioned. The liquid sample suctioning device is adapted to suction the liquid sample in the container by piercing through the lid mounted on an opening of the container, comprising a piercer having a leading end insertable into the container by piercing through the lid and forming a deformation piece deformable toward an inner side of the container in the lid, a pipette configured for suctioning the liquid sample in the container, a first driving part for moving up and down the piercer, and a second driving part for moving up and down the pipette along the piercer.
US07647845B2

A device and method for determining the web tension or the web tensile force in a printing substrate web is disclosed. A device is arranged at a first position along a transport path of the printing substrate web, which device supplies a signal to deduce the web tension in effect at the first position or the web tensile force in effect at the first position. A device arithmetically determines the web tension in effect or the web tensile force in effect at the second position from the web tension in effect at the first position or from the web tensile force in effect at the first position as well as from forces, which at least one driven roller and/or at least one trailing roller, which is/are arranged along the transport path of the printing substrate web between the first position and the second position, introduce to the printing substrate web.
US07647844B2

A flow rate/liquid type detecting method for detecting the flow rate of a fluid and, at the same time, detecting any one of or both the type of the fluid and the concentration of the fluid, characterized in that, by using a flow rate/liquid type detecting apparatus comprising: a main passage through which a fluid to be detected flows, an auxiliary passage branched from the main passage, and a flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device provided in the auxiliary passage, is provided, and in conducting any one of or both the detection of the type of the fluid and the detection of the concentration of the fluid, the auxiliary passage opening/closing valve is closed, and the fluid is allowed to temporarily stay within the flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device to conduct any one of or both the detection of the liquid type and the detection of the concentration, and in detecting the flow rate of the fluid detected, the auxiliary passage opening/closing valve is opened to allow the fluid to flow into the flow rate/liquid type detecting sensor device to detect the flow rate.
US07647842B1

A volumetric fluid flow sensor (100) includes a flow channel (120) for flowing a fluid therein; and a diaphragm (110) having an outer surface within the flow channel (120). The diaphragm (110) includes at least one flow disrupting feature mechanically coupled to or emerging from the outer surface of the diaphragm (110). A sensing structure (126) is coupled to the diaphragm (110) for generating a sensing signal responsive to a pressure signal on the diaphragm (110).
US07647839B2

A unit dedicated to mechanically loading a tubular sample. At least one packer is housed in a sample at a test zone, having a longitudinal extension greater than that of the test zone and including i) a first pressure mechanism to cause local variation in the diameter of at least a first portion of the packer so as to apply the packer against an internal surface of the sample at the test zone, ii) a second pressure mechanism exerting a first selected internal pressure over a portion of the internal surface located at a second portion of the packer, and/or iii) a third pressure mechanism to cooperate with at least one plug member attached to the sample at a distance from one end of the packer to define a zone of action, to exert on the sample a second selected internal pressure at the zone of action.
US07647834B2

A system is disclosed for detecting an electrical sensor, the system includes a sensor signal processing circuit further comprising an input port to receive a connector including the output signal lines of the sensor, a resistor connected to the output signal line of said input port, wherein the resistor is connected to a predetermined voltage; a sensor circuit having a connector adapted to connect to the connector, wherein the sensor circuit has a resistance substantially less than the pull-resistor, and the sensor signal processing circuit detects an unconnected sensor based on the voltage applied by the resistor.
US07647832B2

A micromechanical device and a method for producing this device are provided, the device having a sensor pattern that includes a spring pattern and a seismic mass. The seismic mass may be connected to the substrate material via the spring pattern, and a clearance may be provided in a direction perpendicular to the major substrate plane between the spring pattern and the substrate material. Alternatively, the spring pattern and the seismic mass may have a common, essentially continuous, front side surface.
US07647831B2

A disclosed method determines fluid pressure inside a vessel without compromising the integrity of the vessel. A sensor is positioned in operative communication with the external wall of the vessel such that expansion of the external wall of the vessel exerts a force against the sensor that is directed substantially radially outward with respect to the vessel. A substantially radially inward force is caused to be directed against the sensor in response to the substantially radially outward force exerted by the external vessel wall. The sensor can thus be used to detect the magnitude of the substantially radially outward force.A disclosed apparatus determines fluid pressure inside a vessel without compromising the integrity of the vessel. The apparatus includes a sensor and a band operatively associated with the sensor and configured to at least partially encircle the vessel so as to retain the sensor in operative communication against the external wall of the vessel.
US07647823B2

A sensor for an engine manifold is provided that includes a sensing component positioned within the engine manifold and responsive to a condition, such as temperature or pressure, within the engine manifold. The sensor includes a shield partially surrounding the sensing component upstream of the sensing component in flow within the manifold, which includes exhaust gases and manifold intake air. The shield does not surround a downstream side of the sensing component. The shield minimizes contamination of the sensing component by contaminants within the exhaust gases or manifold intake air, without compromising responsiveness of the sensing component to changes in the sensed condition, as the sensing component is still directly open to the manifold air (i.e., the exhaust gases and intake air).
US07647813B2

A hydrogen sensor (100) with instant response that uses one or more quartz tuning forks (101, 102) while no chemical reactions or other material modifications are involved. Sensor (100) can be used in any application to measure percent range of hydrogen concentrations.
US07647803B2

A rotary forming apparatus of the type having a pair of central rotors, and one or more die carriers swingably mounted on the rotors, for repeatedly forming a sheet metal work piece moving along a linear path, rotor bearing supports for supporting the rotors at least at one end thereof, die carrier guides on the die carriers at an end thereof adjacent to the rotor bearing supports, and, at least two cam plates adjacent to each the rotor bearing support, for guiding the die carriers guides.
US07647794B2

A washing machine using steam and a method for controlling the same is disclosed. The washing machine with a steam generator (100) selectively supplying steam into a drum (30) according to the present invention includes a course select part (420) for a user to select a wash course, a steam select part (430) for a user to select whether steam washing is operated and a controller (440) for controlling the steam generator (100) based on a wash course selected from the course select part (420) (an inputted wash course) and a signal selected from the steam select part (430). The present invention has an advantageous effect that convenience is improved for a user to use the washing machine using steam as well as washing performance is improved, because disadvantages due to malfunctions of a steam generator are prevented.
US07647786B2

In an automotive air-conditioning system, when pollen mode control is effected by a vehicle occupant, air outlet mode is forcibly set to a face mode. Further, the air flow amount determined from the air flow amount Vm used in the usual auto mode and the air flow amount f(Tw) used during warm-up control or the air flow amount determined by the air flow amount correction value f(Tam) having a relatively small upper limit value when ambient temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature (15° C.), whichever is larger, is taken as the set value for the air flow amount in the pollen mode control. With this arrangement, when coolant temperature and ambient temperature are low, a relatively small amount of air can be blown to the upper part of the occupant's body, and thus, while maintaining the pollen removal effect, occupant discomfort can be reduced by preventing a fast flow of air from being blown toward the occupant's face, etc.
US07647781B2

A device for reducing losses relating to the start-up of an industrial production line for ice cream provided with a traditional freezer. The invention relates to a device enabling the tubing used to convey the ice cream from the freezer to the dosing machine. Said device comprises a protector disposed around said tubing and a refrigerating fluid which can circulate therewithin with the aid of a pump which is actuated by a control.
US07647776B1

A fluid flow control system includes a valve, in which a control element regulates flow through a metering orifice. A further control element regulates flow through an orifice downstream of the orifice and is responsive to the pressure downstream of the orifice and to an opposing control pressure on a line. The element is positioned in accordance with the pressure in a chamber controlled by an electrical valve. The pressure in line is set to provide a required pressure drop across the orifice.
US07647772B2

An exemplary vane fronting surface for a variable geometry turbine includes a white layer that comprises nitrides. Such a layer may be formed using gas nitriding. As described, trials demonstrate that such nitriding reduces friction between a vane fronting surface and vanes of a variable geometry turbine. Consequently, nitriding can enhance longevity and controllability of a variable geometry turbine.
US07647763B2

A vehicle includes at least one polyoxymethylene structural support member. The polyoxymethylene structural support member includes a polyoxymethylene component that is a propellant that provides thrust to the vehicle upon pyrolysis or combustion of the polyoxymethylene component of the product of pyrolysis of the polyoxymethylene component. The vehicle can be a satellite or other type of spacecraft.
US07647756B2

An auxiliary drive mounted to a reel mower cutting unit includes an auxiliary drive housing with an input shaft rotated by the reel mower cutting unit, an output shaft for rotating an attachment, and a belt transmitting rotational power from the input shaft to the output shaft. An eccentric bearing housing is positioned in an opening in the auxiliary drive housing. The output shaft is inserted through a bore in the eccentric bearing housing that is offset from the center of the eccentric bearing housing. The eccentric bearing housing may be rotated within the opening to tighten the belt by shifting the position of the output shaft with respect to the input shaft.
US07647753B2

A header height control system and a method for improving the responsiveness of a header height control system. A height sensor is disposed with respect to the header to generate a signal varying in magnitude with respect to changes in distance between a preestablished point on the header and the ground. The magnitude of the generated signal when the header is at a predefined set point is determined. For generated signal magnitudes indicating the header is below the set point, the signal magnitudes are operably modified by applying a gain value. For generated signal magnitudes indicating the header is above the set point, the signal magnitudes may be modified by applying a different gain value. The application of a gain value or different gain values depending on the height of the header above or below the set point improves the responsiveness of the header height control system to changes in terrain.
US07647744B2

A clip for use in acoustically isolating a wallboard support channel from a frame member, the support channel having at least one mounting point, includes a first portion positionable between a first surface of the channel and the frame member, a second portion positionable in contact with a second, opposite surface of the channel, and a bracket connecting said first and second portions. The first and second portions and the bracket each have at least one fastener opening in registry with corresponding openings on the other of the first and second portions such that a fastener passing through the openings and the mounting point is acoustically isolated from the bracket and from the channel.
US07647741B2

Floor covering, including hard floor panels which, at least at the edges of two opposite sides, are provided with coupling parts, cooperating which each other, substantially in the form of a tongue and a groove, wherein the coupling parts are provided with integrated mechanical locking elements which prevent the drifting apart of two coupled floor panels in a direction (R) perpendicular to the related edges and parallel to the underside of the coupled floor panels, and provide a snap-action coupling.
US07647735B2

The present invention relates to a drainage system for a roof window including at least one window frame or/and frame having walls, where at least one drainage groove is placed in the walls of the window.
US07647725B2

Ozone is applied to the interior of a mushroom house through use of an ozone generator which preferably communicates with an air conditioner so that the ozone flows from the ozone generator through the air conditioner and into the mushroom house. The ozone is applied during various stages of a mushroom growing process.
US07647722B2

A method of making a skirt which comprises: providing a silicone sheet having a tab and a plurality of cut strands, applying an adhesive to the first side and rolling the first side of the silicone sheet about a non-stick whipping to form a skirt insert. A cap is provided where the cap is tubular having a first open end and a closed second end, the second end has an orifice and a tubular portion having an inside surface. An adhesive is applied to the inside surface of the tubular portion. The skirt insert is then inserted into the open end of the cap to form a skirt and the non-stick whipping is inserted through the orifice of the cap. The adhesive on the skirt insert and the cap is then cured to form a skirt. After curing the non-stick whipping is removed form the skirt.
US07647720B1

An alignment mount is provided for adjusting elevation and azimuth between first and second axes for two respective devices attached thereto. The axes are substantially parallel to an axial direction and substantially perpendicular to lateral and vertical directions. These directions form a pitch plane by said axial and vertical directions, a yaw plane by said axial and lateral directions and a roll plane by said lateral and vertical directions. The mount is detachably disposable to first and second devices corresponding to the first and second axes. The mount includes first and second platforms respectively attachable to the first and second devices, an elevation block, an elevation screw, an elevation cam, an azimuth screw and an azimuth cam. The first platform includes a first slot that extends substantially in the yaw plane. The second platform includes a first bore and a first channel extending in tandem substantially in the axial direction. The elevation screw is rotatable within the first bore in the roll plane. The elevation block is insertable into the first channel and includes a second bore, a second channel and a second slot. The second bore and the second channel extend substantially in the axial direction. The azimuth screw is rotatable within the second bore in the roll plane. The second slot extends substantially in the pitch plane. The elevation cam translates within said first channel to engage with the second slot to rotate one end of the elevation block in the pitch plane in response to turning of the elevation screw. The elevation block and first platform can be pinned together at an opposite end to the first end. The first platform can include a Picatinny rail.
US07647717B2

A numerical display device includes a base panel, a plurality of numerical sections provided on the base panel to form a numerical character, a plurality of folding panels pivotally coupling at the base panel to fold between a first position and a second position to selectively change the numerical character, and a magnet arrangement for retaining each of the folding panels at the first and second positions, wherein at the first position, the folding panel is pivotally folded on the base panel to fully cover the respective numerical section, and at the second position, the folding panel is pivotally folded at 180° to expose the respective numerical section.
US07647712B2

A cutter head for dredging soil, which is mountable to the ladder of a suction dredger for dredging soil, and connectable on a suction pipe for removing loosened soil, the cutter head comprising a cage-shaped support construction which is mountable to a drivable rotation shaft extending mainly in extension of the ladder and which has a circumferential surface provided with a number of cuffing tools for penetrating the soil, the cuffing tools comprising a number of disc-shaped penetration bodies of which the disc planes extend substantially perpendicular to the rotation shaft, so that they can transfer forces to the soil via their peripheral edges.
US07647711B2

A cleat includes a hub and dynamic traction elements of the type that resiliently flex upwardly under the load of the weight of a wearer of a shoe. The traction elements are biased to resiliently flex inwardly from the hub periphery while flexing upwardly under the load.
US07647709B2

An aspect of the present invention includes a footwear assembly comprising: an upper and a sole assembly connected to the upper. The sole assembly has a footwear assembly comprising a sole assembly connected to an upper. The sole assembly has a midsole made of a first material and having a forefoot portion, an arch portion, a heel portion, and a sidewall extending around a lateral side, a medial side, and a heel side of the midsole. A stiffener is connected to the midsole. The stiffener is made of a second material stiffer than the first material. The stiffener has a base portion adjacent to the arch portion and at least one of the forefoot portion and the heel portion of the midsole. The stiffener has a side stabilizer and a heel wrap coupled to the base portion. The side stabilizer is adjacent to the sidewall in at least one of the arch portion and forefoot portion. The heel wrap is adjacent to the heel side and at least one of the lateral side and medial side of the midsole's sidewall.
US07647708B2

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing particleboard (PB), medium density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board (OSB) and board products and the like employ density control for producing a board product having a desired configuration.
US07647704B2

A surgical blade includes a handle with a recess sized to receive the proximal end of a blade assembly. The recess includes a notch as well as opposed facing distal ridges designed to engage elevated surfaces in the blade assembly to maintain the blade assembly and handle assembled. The blade assembly includes a blade portion and a fitting having a protrusion sized to be received in the proximal notch of the recess in the handle when the blade portion is assembled to the handle. The fitting also includes side faces having opposed elevated surfaces obliquely disposed so that they are engaged by the distal ridges within the handle recess. The fitting also includes an upwardly extending catch that engages a distal surface on the handle to assist in locking the blade assembly to the handle. The recess of the handle includes inner tapered surfaces. The side faces of the fitting are tapered to the same degree so that as the fitting is pushed upwardly within the recess, the side faces of the fitting engage the lateral inner surfaces of the recess to provide an interference fit therebetween. A blade removal system permits the blade assembly to be removed from the handle without any danger of cutting or puncturing the fingers or hands of the surgeon. The system includes a container having a removable lid, with the lid having an opening leading to a short passageway receiving the blade assembly. The blade assembly may be inserted into the recess until the fitting engages within a rectangular opening therein. In that orientation, the handle may be pivoted to unlock the blade assembly from the handle.
US07647697B2

The method manufactures a nozzle plate, and comprises: a patterned resist formation step of forming a patterned resist on a flat surface of a matrix substrate, the patterned resist having a shape corresponding to a diameter of nozzle holes in a nozzle plate to be formed, the patterned resist having a thickness corresponding to a length of the nozzle holes; a nozzle length regulating member placement step of placing the nozzle length regulating member having a flat surface onto the patterned resist in such a manner that the flat surface of the nozzle length regulating member faces the flat surface of the matrix substrate across the patterned resist; and a nozzle plate formation step of forming the nozzle plate by plating with the patterned resist between the flat surface of the matrix substrate and the flat surface of the nozzle length regulating member.
US07647694B2

A method for mounting through an anisotropic conductive film defined as an adhesive sheet an electronic component on a printed circuit board (flexible board) provided with a wiring pattern. The anisotropic conductive film is bonded to an area of the flexible board to be mounted with the electronic component in a state where air intervening between the anisotropic conductive film and the flexible board is heated. Since the air confined between the anisotropic conductive film and the flexible board reduces in volume upon cooled down, occurrence of voids, exposure of the wiring pattern, or the like is avoided. Consequently, reliability can be enhanced without complicating the mounting.
US07647688B1

A method for fabricating a low frequency quartz resonator includes metalizing a top-side of a quartz wafer with a metal etch stop, depositing a first metal layer over the metal etch stop, patterning the first metal layer to form a top electrode, bonding the quartz wafer to a silicon handle, thinning the quartz wafer to a desired thickness, depositing on a bottom-side of the quartz wafer a hard etch mask, etching the quartz wafer to form a quartz area for the resonator and to form a via through the quartz wafer, removing the hard etch mask without removing the metal etch stop, forming on the bottom side of the quartz wafer a bottom electrode for the low frequency quartz resonator, depositing metal for a substrate bond pad onto a host substrate wafer, bonding the quartz resonator to the substrate bond pad, and removing the silicon handle.
US07647687B2

A stent, an intermediate article in the manufacture of a stent, and a method of forming a stent from a workpiece are disclosed. A portion of the wall thickness of a workpiece may be removed, demarcating the structural framework of a stent from the remainder of the workpiece material during a cutting process. In some embodiments, a residuum layer of material remaining after a cutting process may have a recessed surface in relation to a first surface of the structural framework of the stent formed in the workpiece. In some embodiments, a plurality of kerf channels may be cut in a workpiece to demarcate a structural framework of a stent from waste material of the workpiece. In some embodiments, a series of perforations may, at least in part, demarcate the structural framework of a stent from the remainder of the workpiece material. The waste material and/or residuum material may be removed from the structural framework of a stent during a post-cutting process.
US07647686B1

The present invention relates generally to a tooling system and method for producing a profile edge on a stock part, for example, by casting a profile edge to a stock part, such as a table or the like. The tooling system is adapted to accommodate any stock part and generally includes a flexible tool device, a stock part with opposed ends defining an edge therebetween, and a securing device.
US07647682B2

A motor mount repair system for use in a component assembly comprising a degradable member, a framework and a bolt-housing shaft of the component assembly includes an adhesion and sealing material comprising at least one resin. The degradable member of the component assembly is coupled in co-operative relationship to both the framework and to the bolt-housing shaft of the component assembly. When applied to the degradable member, the adhesion and sealing material adheres to and seals the degradable member permitting both repair of the degradable member and re-use of the component assembly. The component assembly comprises at least one of a motor mount, a shock absorber end, a sway bar bushing and a control arm bushing. Various methods of repairing the degradable member of the component assembly with the motor mount repair system are used.
US07647681B1

Apparatus and methods for positioning one or more components relative to a work surface are provided. The apparatus can include a frame having a first support member extending therefrom. At least one extendable member can be disposed on the first support member. The extendable member can be adapted to move in a linear direction. At least one magnet can be disposed on the frame. The magnet can include at least one contact side that can be switchable between a magnetized state and a non-magnetized state.
US07647673B2

A self-orienting caster for pieces of furniture, comprising a pair of wheels, which are supported so that they can rotate about a horizontal axis by a supporting body, which has a cylindrical recess that has a vertical axis and is open upward and axially offset with respect to the horizontal axis, and in which a pivot for the caster is inserted rotatably, the pivot being insertable in a receptacle of the piece of furniture in which the caster is to be fitted, further comprising a through seat formed in the body, a tubular element that is driven through the seat coaxially to the horizontal axis and has two cylindrical tubular portions that lie on opposite sides of the body in order to rotatably support the wheels, devices for the axial and rotational locking of the tubular element in the seat and devices for retaining the wheels on the tubular portions.
US07647667B2

A disposable child sized cleaning implement is provided. The disposable child sized cleaning implement is releasably carrying a personal care composition which comprises a fragrance composition.
US07647664B2

A mobile bridge of great length is a support construction for at least one transport means, which particularly avoids constraints and undefined stresses as a result of temperature variations and/or support lowering movements, for example, to the greatest possible extent. This will guarantee a statically definite system, is essentially accomplished in that the bridge, in its totality, forms a multi-member statically definite system in the vertical plane, and a statically definite continuous carrier in the horizontal plane. The bridge segments of the bridge are connected with one another, in articulated manner, exclusively in the vertical plane, and the bridge is supported by means of at least three bearing mechanisms of a type A, B, and C having different static valence. Each bearing mechanism of the type A, B, C is carried by a self-propelled, tip-proof traveling mechanism.
US07647662B2

A inflatable product for an inflatable body includes a casing with an airway adapted to communicate with an interior of the inflatable body, and a resilient element movably positioned inside the casing to define with the easing a space therebetween. An on/off switch is adapted to connect to an air pump. A driving element is movably positioned inside the casing to be in response to the movement of the resilient element so as to selectively activate the on/off switch to activate the air pump. A recoil element is positioned around the driving element and has a distal end which is abutted against the resilient element. The spring is compressed/decompressed when the resilient element moves in response to pressure inside the inflatable body so that activation/deactivation of the on/off switch is controlled via the movement of the resilient element as well as the compression of the spring.
US07647661B2

The invention pertains to a waterbed with at least one water-filled mattress, which forms a substantially flat bed surface when in an unloaded state and which is held inside a frame consisting of beams of foamed plastics. On the inside of the waterbed, at least one beam is convexly curved, proceeding upward in an arc from a carrier plate and continuing as a flat surface at the top, underneath the surface of the bed. The mattress, on the side facing the beam, has a concave recess conforming to the arc of the beam and has an extension of rectangular cross section, which covers the top surface of the beam, the extension preferably extending all the way to, and being flush with, the top outside edge of the beam.
US07647659B2

A telescopic lifter, mainly for height adjustment of a hospital bed, equipped with a drive (4) and including a first extensible part (1) is concentrically arranged. In the first extensible part (1) at least one second extensible part (2) is concentrically arranged. Inside the first extensible part (1) in the area of its upper end (6) a guide (7) is installed. Inside the second extensible part (2) in the area of its lower end (8) a holder (9) is installed. An electric cable (5) is attached to the fixed part (3) and freely passes into the inner space of the first extensible part (1) upwards to the guide (7) and over the guide (7). The electric cable is directed downwards to the holder (9) to which the electric cable (5) is firmly fixed and along the inner wall of the second extensible part (2); the electric cable (5) is directed out of the second extensible part (2).
US07647658B2

A baby blanket includes a generally rectangular base cloth panel with a front face and an opposite rear face and a front cloth panel defining five edges. The front cloth panel is attached to the base cloth panel along four of the five edges so as to define a pocket between the front and base cloth panels and to define an opening into the pocket between the fifth edge of the front cloth panel and the base cloth panel, the pocket configured to receive the baby therein such that the front cloth panel covers substantially the entire torso of the baby. A plurality of tie members are attached to the front cloth panel proximate the fifth edge of the front cloth panel, the plurality of tie members configured to releasably couple to corresponding tie members attached to the base cloth panel so as to maintain the opening in a closed position and inhibit entry into the pocket when the blanket is not in use.
US07647657B2

The comforter includes a core portion which includes upper and lower fabric layers with lines of stitching connecting the upper and lower fabric layers and filling within the volumes of the core portion defined thereby. Border portions are attached to the head and foot ends of the core portion, wherein the top edge of the core portion is gathered and the head border portion sewn thereto. The width of the top edge of the core portion is approximately 20-75% wider ungathered than when gathered and sewn to the head border portion. The lower edge of the core portion is approximately 0-50% wider ungathered than when gathered and sewn to the foot border portion. Side border portions are secured to the sides of the core portion and to the opposing ends of the head and foot border portions.
US07647654B2

A basin for installation into an opening defined by a kitchen countertop, the countertop having a substantially uniform planar top surface, where the basin includes a wall defining a reservoir, a ledge disposed along at least a portion of the wall and a cover contacting the ledge within the reservoir such that the cover top side is level with the countertop surface. The basin cover underside receives and retains a cutting board which may be accessed by a user and removed for use anywhere in the kitchen.
US07647652B1

A toilet seat hinge and a toilet seat assembly comprising the toilet seat hinge are disclosed. The disclosed toilet seat hinge is configured to eliminate or reduce the number of gaps, edges, sharp corners and/or exposed surfaces found in and around conventional toilet seat hinges. This can be done, for example, without compromising simplicity or manufacturability. Several features of the disclosed toilet seat hinge make it easier to clean than conventional toilet seat hinges. The seat and lid, for example, can be attached to rotatable elements that are cradled in a base and rotate on substantially the same axis. The profile of the hinge can be streamlined with numerous concave surfaces. Portions of the seat and lid that are not connected to one of the rotatable elements can slide against other elements, so as not to create gaps or sharp corners.
US07647650B2

Swimming goggles include a couple of reticulate holding frames connected by a bridge, a couple of frames assembled in the reticulate holding frames, a couple of eyeglasses assembled in the frames, and fasteners. The reticulate holding frames are made of rigid material. Each reticulate holding frame forms a first and a second locking annulus corresponding to each other. Each reticulate holding frame defines an assembling opening in outward sides of the first and the second locking annulus. A first and a second connecting sheets respectively extend from opposing sides of the assembling opening and are assembled together when the swimming goggles are assembled. The frames are made of soft material and are assembled in the reticulate holding frames. The fasteners are assembled on the first and the second connecting sheets of the reticulate holding frames, and press the first and the second connecting sheets in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction.
US07647649B2

A positioning device is applied in a reproducible manner to a patient, allows indication of the position of an anatomical area of the patient, allows the patient to be positioned in a reproducible manner in relation to an examination area of a medical examination device and a therapy area of a therapy device, and includes an antenna arrangement for the examination with a magnetic resonance device. In one embodiment, the positioning device also includes an arrangement for immobilizing the patient.
US07650634B2

Methods, computer program products and apparatus for processing data packets are described. Methods include receiving the data packet, examining the data packet, determining a single flow record associated with the packet and extracting flow instructions for two or more devices from the single flow record.
US07650624B2

A system for transmitting auxiliary data within a modulated video signal from a broadcast source to a hand-held device with a slot, the system comprising the broadcast source comprises means for transmitting auxiliary data to the slotted hand-held device via the modulated video signal; an interface device electronically coupled to the hand-held device via the slot and comprises a card microcontroller, a receiver electronically coupled to the card microcontroller for receiving the modulated video signal from the broadcast source, and circuitry electronically coupled to the card microcontroller and the receiver for demodulating the modulated video signal and reproducing the auxiliary data, and transferring the auxiliary data to the hand-held device via an interface protocol, and the hand-held device with the slot comprises a microcontroller for processing the signal auxiliary data received via the interface protocol from the interface device.
US07650623B2

A method configured for facilitating an interactive multimedia experiences comprising accessing a system-readable specification defining a multimedia experience configured for audience interaction and performing the multimedia experience in accordance with information comprised by the system-readable specification. The information comprised by the system-readable specification includes information for enabling facilitation of audience response tracking, experience navigation and feedback of audience responses. Performing the multimedia experience includes gathering audience responses, analyzing the audience responses, outputting information resulting from the analyzing audience responses and outputting experience content.
US07650621B2

A system and method may be provided that allows users to store, retrieve, and manipulate on-demand media content and data stored on a remote server network in an on-demand media delivery system. More particularly, the system may allow a user to access his or her on-demand media account from user equipment in different locations as long as the current user equipment can communicate with a remote server that stores user-specific information. The system upon user selection may freeze the delivery of on-demand media at a particular point and allow the user to resume the media at a later time from some other network location in system. Users may upload personal images or files to an on-demand delivery server for later retrieval and display. Users may be permitted to assign access rights to the uploaded files.
US07650618B2

A user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device for providing information about available programs. The user interface includes an array having three columns (channel, current show, and next show) with commonly aligned rows. Each row of the channel column includes an indicator. Each row of the current show column includes a title naming a program currently available on a channel of the media device corresponding to the indicator in a commonly aligned row of the channel column. Each row of the next show column includes a title naming a show available after the current program on the same channel. The currently available program may be displayed on the monitor in response to a viewer selected row, indicator, and/or title in the array.
US07650615B2

A method and apparatus for permanently rendering data recorded on an optical disc unreadable, comprising a slotted alignment plate and a scarifying component. A disc rests against the plate so that the slot traverses the disc. The scarifying component slides through the slot and contacts the disc surface, thus creating an optically disruptive groove across a surface layer of the optical disc. This disruptive groove can pass through the index and data region and prevents access to previous data and information stored on the disc.
US07650597B2

An application system includes a first process configured to execute an application program, wherein the application program is operable to use a set of data structures. The application system also includes a second process configured to interpret a markup language document. A transformation template is configured to specify a symmetric mapping between the markup language document and the set of data structures. A transformation virtual machine runs in association with the first process and is operable to execute the transformation template. The transformation virtual machine is operable to perform a symmetric transformation between the markup language document and the set of data structures to allow the first process and the second process to exchange information.
US07650596B2

A method is provided for controlling RAM variables embedded in a microprocessor software executable without modifications to the underlying source code. The method includes: presenting an software program having a plurality of machine instructions of a finite number of fixed lengths in an executable form; searching through the machine instructions of the executable and finding at least one appropriate instruction to replace; defining a replacement instruction for identified machine instructions in the software program; and replacing identified machine instructions in the executable form of the software program with the replacement instruction. The replacement instruction may be further defined as a branch instruction that references an address outside an address space for the software program.
US07650595B2

Described techniques and tools help model checking scale to large programs while reducing missed errors. In particular, described techniques and tools help reduce the state space of concurrent programs without depending on cycle detection and without scheduling execution of postponed threads at all cycles. For example, described techniques and tools use a type of partial-order reduction called transaction-based reduction to reduce program state space. Analysis is performed at commit points to determine whether to schedule delayed threads.
US07650594B2

A system and method for enabling programmatic analysis of a graphical program, where the programmatic analysis includes user-defined tests. A software program referred to herein as a graphical program analyzer may be operable to programmatically analyze a graphical program by programmatically performing various tests on the graphical program. Some of the tests may be built in to the graphical program analyzer. The graphical program analyzer may also allow a user to add various user-defined tests. Adding user-defined tests to the graphical program analyzer may allow the functionality of the graphical program analyzer to be extended. When programmatically analyzing a graphical program, the graphical program analyzer may be operable to perform the user-defined tests in addition to the built-in tests.
US07650593B2

A system and method facilitating attributed debugging is provided that facilitates a developer of an object to determine what information a debugger displays. An expression evaluator is provided. A debuggee (e.g., process to be debugged) can include a display proxy attribute that identifies a display proxy type associated with an object. When a request to examine the object is received by the expression evaluator, the expression can create the display proxy associated with the object, examine the display proxy, and provide information associated with the display proxy in response to the request to examine the object.
US07650592B2

A software debugging environment uses multiple abstract views to provide the flexibility required to perform effective debugging on an executing software program using data structures. Developers can select between one or more views to see different aspects of the software being examined. Each view can have a filter with specific properties determining which quantities are displayed, the format they are displayed in and any editing capability. In some embodiments, the selection of views, filters defining the views, and the editing properties for the contents shown in the views may be set interactively. In some cases, this interaction occurs through the interface of an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) containing the debugger. In other cases, the properties of views in the debugging environment are determined by definitions supplied in configuration files. Special facilities are provided for the debugging of JSP programs.
US07650591B2

The use of XML types can allow the combination of XML and JAVA® type systems, which overcomes many deficiencies in existing marshaling and unmarshaling systems by translating XML schemas which define XML data in an XML document into XML types in JAVA®. Unlike traditional attempts at translating between XML and JAVA®, XML schemas realized as XML types can remain fully faithful to the XML, and are capable of a number of XML data operations. In addition, the XML types can be easily transformed among themselves and JAVA® types, and a lightweight store retaining XML information at tag level allows incremental XML marshaling and unmarshaling.
US07650590B2

There are methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a flexible generation framework. The generation framework encapsulates a variety of different code generation technologies within a common interface. This allows various types of generator cores operating in various development environments to be integrated into the framework, and enables the generation of code using various generating technologies.
US07650589B2

System and method implementing function blocks for specifying and performing a signal analysis function utilizing multiple instruments, including two or more virtual instruments (VIs). Each function block includes: a function block icon for display in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a signal analysis function development environment, that visually indicates a respective signal operation; and associated program instructions executable to perform the respective operation. Each function block is selectable from the function blocks by a user for inclusion in a set of function blocks, each operable to perform their respective signal operation continuously upon selection, and to provide a respective output, operable to be displayed in the GUI, provided as input to other function blocks, and/or exported to an external device. The set of function blocks is executable to perform the signal analysis function under the signal analysis function development environment using one or more of the multiple instruments.
US07650588B2

In a pattern generation method, properties of designs are extracted in a mask data preparation system, and the properties are propagated to a lithography write system. A pattern is generated based on fractured design data and the extracted properties. By preserving the design intent to the lithography write system, the fidelity of the pattern replication may improve.
US07650586B2

A method for developing integrated circuits includes generating a core (logic core) in an HDL format readable by a logic synthesis tool, from an ASIC core (logic core) made of ports of blocks and port connection information, creating a temporary chip design from chip terminal information to generate a terminal in the temporary chip design, generating a design identical to that created, as a cell within the design created, connecting a design port with a cell port, wherein a name of the design port is identical to a name of the cell port, inserting an I/O buffer, depending on the device technology, into a net between the ports connected, replacing the cell by the core (logic core) created to generate a netlist, and expanding a hierarchy of the design, being the top hierarchy.
US07650576B2

The invention relates to a method and tool which allows users to create interactive representations of input and output data, and simulate the associated algorithms used to manipulate this data, that are used in spreadsheet applications and other similar software programs. The interactive simulation is visually represented by a customizable set of components which hereinafter will be referred to as a control panel. The control panels can consist of a variety of components which include user interface elements (such as sliders, buttons, and checkboxes), charts and maps. The underlying simulation is generated based on data sources within an application software program file (e.g., spreadsheet data cells) selected by the user during the control panel creation process.
US07650570B2

Visualizing and exploring a music library using metadata, such as genre, sub-genre, artist, and year, is provided. Geometric shapes, such as disks or rectangles, may be divided into sectors representing genre and each sector may be further divided into sub-sectors representing artists associated with each genre. The sector's relative size generally reflects the importance of the corresponding genre within the library. Likewise, the sub-sector's relative size generally reflects the importance of the corresponding artist within the genre which may be determined by the number of media items of the artist. Marks representing each media item may be arranged and displayed within the geometric shape to reflect the mark's corresponding genre, artist, and year. In addition, each mark may reflect an attribute, such as playcount, of the media item and each sector may reflect the mean value of an attribute of all media items within the sector.
US07650567B2

The present invention allows the transmitting side to transmit a plurality of pieces of layout information that determines a display layout of at least one media and media data making up this layout information and allows the receiving side to receive the layout information and media making up this layout information transmitted from the transmitting side, select one out of a plurality of different pieces of layout information based on a reception state of this media and represent the media using the selected layout information.
US07650566B1

An application has its own namespace or namespaces and a schema, or a set of schemas, which can be used by applications to generate and/or validate documents in a unique format. The application can uniquely define the format (and properties) of content in a document such that the document is represented in a native format. The document can be stored externally as a markup language file in accordance with the schema of the application. When the format is stored in a markup language, other applications can validate the document stored in accordance with the native format. The other applications can represent the lists in accordance to the degree to which they are aware of the unique properties of the application used to generate the document.
US07650565B2

Annotations in CAD drawings are given fixed sizes so that CAD application will generate the annotations at the fixed size even though modeled objects within the CAD drawing are scaled in accordance with a paper space scale selected by the CAD designer. The annotations generally comprise text annotations and graphic annotations, including one or more of text, dimensions, hatch patterns, and symbols, and are represented as annotation objects having multiple properties, such as size, visibility, position and rotation.
US07650564B2

A document editing system supports globally editing the tone of an entire Web page without individually working on a plurality of factors characterizing the general effect (tone) of a document file such as a Web page. Upon receipt of an input of an effect (tone) from a user, parameterization occurs for a style tone of a style of a document file, a vector tone of a vector image included in the document file and a raster tone of a raster image included in the document file. A style adjuster then adjusts the style tone, the vector tone and the raster tone in response to the tone input from the user, and a display device displays the document file including the adjusted vector image and the raster image and modified according to the adjusted style.
US07650559B2

A communication apparatus includes a physical frame generating device configured to generate a single physical frame which includes a plurality of media access control frames having different destinations and in which frames, of the media access control frames, which have the same destination are consecutively arranged, and a transmitting device configured to transmit the physical frame generated by the physical frame generating device.
US07650552B2

A method and apparatus for detecting an error compares a hardwired reference value to a corresponding predetermined value and generates an error indication in response to a change in the predetermined value. In one embodiment, the predetermined value is set to be the same as the hardwired reference value and in response to an electrostatic discharge event or any other suitable cause of error, the predetermined value changes so that a comparison indicates that an error has occurred. An error indication is then generated which may be, for example, an interrupt to recovery logic that generates recovery control information to reset a functional block that was corrupted or to perform in an entire chip reset if desired.
US07650551B2

An integrated circuit includes a plurality of processing stages each including processing logic 2, a non-delayed latch 4, a delayed latch 8 and a comparator 6. The non-delayed latch 4 captures an output from the processing logic 2 at a non-delayed capture time. At a later delayed capture time, the delayed latch 8 also captures a value from the processing logic 2. The comparator 6 compares these values and if they are not equal this indicates that the non-delayed value was captured too soon and should be replaced by the delayed value. The non-delayed value is passed to the subsequent processing stage immediately following its capture and accordingly error recovery mechanisms are used to suppress the erroneous processing which has occurred by the subsequent processing stages, such as gating the clock and allowing the correct signal values to propagate through the subsequent processing logic before restarting the clock. The operating parameters of the integrated circuit, such as the clock frequency, the operating voltage, the body biased voltage, temperature and the like are adjusted so as to maintain a finite non-zero error rate in a manner that increases overall performance.
US07650542B2

Aspects of a method and system of using a single EJTAG interface for multiple TAP controllers may comprise communicating information to a plurality of debugging interfaces, the method comprising simultaneously broadcasting a single debug message to a plurality of TAP controllers where the debug message is received via a single debug interface. The method may further comprise simultaneously broadcasting the single debug message to selected ones of a plurality of TAP controllers. An input enable register control signal may be generated that selects which, of a plurality of TAP controllers, is to receive the debug message. The single debug interface may be a JTAG interface which is capable of receiving and sending JTAG messages, or EJTAG messages.
US07650541B2

If a memory block in a flash memory device is found to have a defect, a memory block quality indication is generated in response to the type of memory defect. This indication is stored in the memory device. In one embodiment, the quality indication is stored in a predetermined location of the defective memory block. Using the quality indication, it can be determined if a system's error correction code scheme is capable of correcting data errors resulting from the defect.
US07650539B2

A debugging architecture includes a set of debug counters for counting one or more events based on a set of signals from a device being monitored. The architecture provides for observing the outputs of the debug counters during operation of the device. The outputs of the counters are provided to an output bus (e.g., a Debug Bus) via an output bus interface during operation of the device being monitored. A data gathering system can access the output bus in order to gather the data from the counters for analysis.
US07650532B2

In addition to setting tasks and maintenance tasks for each portion of a storage apparatus, for which ease of operation is demanded, a storage system enables notification of a monitoring and maintenance terminal, for which high reliability is demanded, of fault information, without detracting from reliability. The functions of a SVP 23 and SVP 25 are functions to monitor the storage apparatus 3, and functions for notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 13 or similar, for which high reliability is demanded. The notification function involves notification to a remote maintenance center terminal 3 or similar of a fault or other event in the storage apparatus 3, detected by the monitoring function. The functions of the SVP 23 and SVP 25 are limited to functions for notification of faults in the storage apparatus 3, notification of information other than faults, and SNMP functions, so that the volume of the OS and other programs installed on the SVP 23 and SVP 25 is reduced.
US07650531B2

Systems and method for automatically restoring a hard drive after failure are provided. Disk recovery data may be collected and stored from an operational, online hard drive. When the hard drive subsequently fails, a client-specific recovery media may be generated, which may include a lightweight recovery environment. Restoration tasks may be completed automatically, thereby reducing an amount of user effort and/or expertise needed for restoration. Further, restoration tasks may be performed from a lightweight, client-specific disk recovery module, thereby eliminating processing overhead, such as that attributable to installing set up programs, rebooting a system during set up, or other overhead.
US07650527B2

Self-calibration of devices such as computer and graphics processors permits adjustment of processor clock rates, and access to normally unused processor capacity. Processor clock rates specified by device manufacturers are normally selected to insure operation across the entire manufacturer-specified range of operating temperatures and supply voltages. By limiting processor clock rates to nominal values, even when operating well within manufacturer-specified temperature and/or supply voltage limits, designers sacrifice processor capacity. By determining the upper limits of processor clock rates at which reliable operation can be realized, and adjusting processor clock rates to match those speeds, a representative embodiment of the present invention permits device users to gain additional, previously inaccessible processing capacity.
US07650526B2

An integrated circuit device is described. The circuit device may include a group of signal nodes, including a first signal node and a second signal node, a transmitter coupled to the group of signal nodes, and a first clock circuit coupled to the transmitter. The transmitter may transmit a first signal on the first signal node and a second signal on the second signal node. The first signal and the second signal may correspond to a first sequence of data bits during a sequence of bit times. The first clock circuit may control a transmit time of at least one of the first signal and the second signal. The first clock circuit may include a first phase adjustment element that provides compensation for a first timing offset between the first signal and the second signal. The first timing offset may be less than a bit time in the sequence of bit times.
US07650521B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit including a first power supply region supplied with a first power supply voltage, and having a first clock distribution network, a second power supply region supplied with a second power supply voltage, and having a second clock distribution network, a first phase synchronizer which provides a first output signal obtained by making a phase of a reference clock signal for controlling a data input/output coincident with a phase of a clock signal at a first point of the first clock distribution network, to a second point of the second clock distribution network, and a second phase synchronizer which provides a second output signal obtained by making the phase of the clock signal at a third point of the first clock distribution network coincident with a phase of a clock signal at a first point of the second clock distribution network, to a second point of the first clock distribution network. The semiconductor integrated circuit has a mode for changing a value of the second power supply voltage to a value which is different from a value of the first power supply voltage.
US07650516B2

A file display system is provided. The file display system includes a MCU (10), a display control unit (20) and a display unit (30). The MCU receives power-on commands and power-off commands from a control unit (50). According to the preferred embodiment, upon receiving a power-off command, the MCU reads a next page data content of a currently displayed page from a storage apparatus (40) and stores the next page data content in the display control unit; and upon receiving a following power-on command, the MCU enables the display control unit, and the display control unit controls the next page data content stored therein to be displayed on the display unit, the next page data content therefore becomes a currently displayed page. A related method is also provided.
US07650511B2

The secret data is acquired externally by making an arithmetic operation between unique information of an apparatus and the first information managed secretly, and secretly held as key data in a key holding part. A MAC generation part generates the authentication data based on a hash value obtained from the data to be protected and the key data held in the key holding part 21. An image file generation part generates an image file to provide the unique information and the authentication data together with the data to be protected.
US07650510B2

A method and apparatus for real-time in-line encryption of data transmitted over a serial channel from a source device to a target device. An encryption unit includes logic configured to receive data packets including headers with control information and data on the channel, which may be a fiber channel bus, serial ATA, serial SCSI, USB or the like. The encryption unit encrypts the data and passes the control information to the target device along with the encrypted data. The encryption unit may filter, convert or reject predetermined commands or types of information in the header to prevent covert channel transmissions. There may be one or multiple source devices, e.g. host computers, and one or multiple target devices, e.g. storage systems, configured in a variety of network topologies. The encryption unit also decrypts data and remaps control information transmitted from the target device(s) to the source device(s).
US07650499B2

An encryption apparatus divides input original data into one or more data blocks. The size of each data block is an integer multiple of the bank size of a non-volatile memory equipped in a decryption apparatus. The encryption apparatus generates authentication data from this data block. The encryption apparatus generates encrypted data after it combines the authentication data to the data block. On the other hand, a decryption apparatus executes reverse processes to decrypt original data, and writes it in a non-volatile memory.
US07650493B2

A secure first process uses a non-secure software object by hosting said non-secure software object in a separate second process, where the first process's address space is inaccessible to the second process. The first process communicates with the second process, preferably by means of a COM API that the second process exposes to the first process. The application that runs in the second process may expose APIs of the hosted non-secure object to the first process, and the first process may communicate with the non-secure object hosted in the second process through this API. In a preferred embodiment, the second process renders its output in a child window of the first process, so that the use of a second process to host non-secure software objects is transparent to a user of the first process.
US07650491B2

A secure communication methodology is presented. The client device is configured to download application code and/or content data from a server operated by a service provider. Embedded within the client is a client private key, a client serial number, and a copy of a server public key. The client forms a request, which includes the client serial number, encrypts the request with the server public key, and sends the download request to the server. The server decrypts the request with the server's private key and authenticates the client. The received client serial number is used to search for a client public key that corresponds to the embedded client private key. The server encrypts its response, which includes the requested information, with the client public key of the requesting client, and only the private key in the requesting client can be used to decrypt the information downloaded from the server.
US07650483B2

A data processing apparatus and method are provided for handling execution of instructions within a data processing apparatus having a plurality of processing units. Each processing unit is operable to execute a sequence of instructions so as to perform associated operations, and at least a subset of the processing units form a cluster. Instruction forwarding logic is provided which for at least one instruction executed by at least one of the processing units in the cluster causes that instruction to be executed by each of the other processing units in the cluster, for example by causing that instruction to be inserted into the sequences of instructions executed by each of the other processing units in the cluster. Such a mechanism provides a particularly efficient technique to cause each of the processing units in the cluster to perform an identical operation which can be useful in a variety of situations, for example in an SMP system where coherency of data is required and accordingly maintenance operations need to be performed periodically within each processing unit to ensure such coherency.
US07650479B2

A cache in a data processing apparatus has a status field associated with each entry in the cache to store a security value indicative of whether the data stored in that entry are secure data, non-secure data or aliased data. Secure data are only accessible in response to a secure data access request, non-secure data are only accessible in response to a non-secure data access request and aliased data are accessible in response to either a secure or a non-secure data access request. The data processing apparatus also has bus fabric which provides security data in response to a bus access request, the security data being indicative of whether the bus access request is to a storage location designated as secure, non-secure or aliased.
US07650476B2

A method for generating a consistent point in time copy of data, the method includes: selecting at least one selected data block to be copied from a source volume to a target volume in response to a request to generate a consistent point in time copy of multiple data blocks; waiting until the source volume is ready to send the at least one selected data block to a remote volume while queuing at least one data block modify request; de-queuing the at least one queued modify requests while copying the at least one selected data block from the source volume to the target volume; wherein the copying includes utilizing a first copying mechanism to copy a first selected data block if a request to modify the first selected block is de-queued before the first selected data block is copied to the target volume; else, the copying includes using a second copying mechanism that is slower than the first copying mechanism.
US07650474B2

Method and system for dividing a data segment of unknown length into first and second halves, for example, for interleaving the first and second halves. Units of the data segment are written into first and second register files. With respect to the first register file, responsive to determining that the last unit of the data segment has been written into the first register file, units of the data segment in the first register file that are not units of the first half of the data segment are removed, wherein the first register file stores the first half of the data segment. With respect to the second register file, responsive to writing each unit of the data segment into the second register file, data currently stored in the second register file is adjusted to comprise a last half of the data so far written into the second register file, wherein, when the last unit of the data segment has been written into the second register file, and the data currently stored in the second register file has been adjusted, the data currently stored in the second register file comprises the second half of the data segment.
US07650466B2

A method of managing cache partitions provides a first pointer for higher priority writes and a second pointer for lower priority writes, and uses the first pointer to delimit the lower priority writes. For example, locked writes have greater priority than unlocked writes, and a first pointer may be used for locked writes, and a second pointer may be used for unlocked writes. The first pointer is advanced responsive to making locked writes, and its advancement thus defines a locked region and an unlocked region. The second pointer is advanced responsive to making unlocked writes. The second pointer also is advanced (or retreated) as needed to prevent it from pointing to locations already traversed by the first pointer. Thus, the pointer delimits the unlocked region and allows the locked region to grow at the expense of the unlocked region.
US07650463B2

A RAID controller is provided for each host sharing a RAID. Each RAID controller can determine whether another host is sharing the RAID and assume a master or slave status with respect to rebuild operations for the shared disk. The master controller may then manage any rebuild operations on rebuild disks within the RAID.
US07650457B2

A memory module stores data in the form of code words, each code word comprising useful bits and check bits for error correction. The memory module contains a first group of the memory devices including check bits and a second group of the memory devices including useful bits, the second group memory devices forming ranks, each rank being addressed as a whole, the ranks forming rank groups, each rank group including at least two ranks and a first group memory device. The memory module further contains a connecting device transferring bit packets each containing useful bits and check bits in the parallel format between an interface of the memory module and the memory devices of a selected rank group.
US07650453B2

A technique for improving usage efficiency of a shared resource and improving processing capacity in an information processing apparatus, without increasing the transmission rate or the bit width of a bus is disclosed. Multiple bus interfaces are connected to at least one shared resource. The multiple bus interfaces are connected to a multi-layer bus respectively. Furthermore, data buffers for holding read data and write data respectively are provided for each bus interface. An arbiter arbitrates access requests from the respective bus interfaces, and the shared resource reads and writes data in response to the access request which has been given an access right.
US07650446B2

In a first and second storage system, first and second switching apparatuses are interposed between a first and second controller and a storage device. At least one of the first and second switching apparatuses comprises a shared memory. The constitution is such that the first and second controllers communicate with one another via this shared memory.
US07650433B2

Multi-interface devices with at least a high-power network interface and a low-power network interface may form into power management clusters. Power management clusters may be maintained over low-power networks associated with the low-power network interfaces. One or some relative few of the cluster participants may be designated lead devices. Designated lead devices participate in high-power networks as well as a low-power network of their power management cluster. Designated lead devices may monitor associated high-power networks for messages addressed to any participant in their power management cluster, and may notify a participant of the incoming message. In response, the participant may establish a high-power network connection to receive the message. In this way, each participant in the power management cluster receives a service quality benefit of a continuous high-power network connection, but only a relative few participants suffer the associated power expenditure at any given moment.
US07650421B2

Adaptable accelerated content streaming allows data to be streamed from a server to a client over a network at an accelerated rate for an amount of time before reducing the rate. In accordance with one aspect, the accelerated rate is prohibited from exceeding a threshold amount, which is based at least in part on both a total bandwidth of the server and an amount of bandwidth currently being used by the server. In accordance with one aspect, the data can be streamed to the client at up to an adaptable accelerated rate.
US07650418B2

A system and method for managing the use and access of digital data objects are provided. Control rights associated with a digital data object activate an external control object and an intercept application to intercept and monitor communications between a hosting application and a document server application associated with the creation of the digital data object. These intercepting and monitoring functions are performed without affecting or changing the hosting application or the document server application. The external control object activates an intercept application which mimics the functions of the document server application and performs user actions on the digital data object as authorized by the external control object according to the control rights associated with the digital object. By intercepting and monitoring user actions on a digital data object, the invention can control access and use of the digital data object.
US07650417B2

A method is described for setting up a communication between a device (R1;R2) and a host application (A11; A12; A21; A22) over an IP network, where this device has no externally known IP address. The method includes the steps of: a. sending out a multicast discovery request by the host application to a specific multicast address and a specific port known by the device; b. the device responding to the discovery message with a multicast discovery response to the specific multicast address and specific port number, the discovery response including a unique identification parameter proper to the device and the host IP address and application port number; c. the host application accepting this identification message based on the host IP address and application port number and sending subsequent multicast messages to the specific multicast address and specific port and including the identification parameter; d. the device accepting the subsequent multicast messages based on the identification parameter and sending subsequent multicast messages to the specific multicast address and specific port and including the identification parameter and the host IP address and application port number.
US07650413B2

A system for managing shared memory resources in a high-speed switching environment includes a data memory logically divided into multiple blocks that correspond to multiple credits. The system includes a central agent that can maintain a pool of available credits that includes one or more of the credits. The central agent can also allocate a credit to an input port module from the pool of credits. The allocated credit indicates that the corresponding one of the blocks is available to the input port module. The system includes multiple input port modules that can each track allocated credits received from the central agent, receive a packet, determine whether enough of the allocated credits are available to write the packet to the data memory, and, if enough of the allocated credits are available, write the packet to one or more blocks corresponding to one or more of the allocated credits that are available. The system includes multiple output port modules that can each read from a block and return the credit corresponding to the read block to the pool of credits.
US07650403B2

The performance of client server interactions is measured by the interacting client. The client-generated performance data is efficiently transmitted to one or more servers by incorporating the performance data regarding one or more previous request/response cycles into a subsequent request. Performance data transmission is made more efficient by transmitting performance data context such as client, server and session details once per connection. Performance data is stored on the client until transmitted or until it has aged beyond a server specified maximum age. Performance data is aggregated on the server in memory resident accumulators. The server may have a set of accumulators for each server its clients communicate with as well as a set for each client. An accumulator value crossing a configurable threshold may trigger an event log entry. The number of performance data events in an event class may be limited to a maximum for a time period.
US07650399B2

In a device information management system in which a management server for managing device information and various devices are connected, a plurality of different types of device information is transmitted to the management server at predetermined timings, respectively. In a device information management system in which a management server for managing device information and various devices are connected, a request to transmit the device information to the management server is transmitted to another device and the device information of the requesting device is transmitted to the management server in accordance with the request.
US07650397B2

In an embodiment, plug-in information can be synchronized on each node in a cluster by utilizing a migratable plug-in configuration manager and a migratable global MBean. The configuration manager can change the configuration on a master server, such as loading or unloading a plug-in. The configuration manager stores the configuration as an MBean attribute, which is accessible across the cluster. The configuration manager can direct the global MBean to notify a plug-in manager on each node in the cluster, whereby each plug-in manager can execute the change locally.
US07650396B2

A system and method for communicating with network devices without regard to the device type and/or manufacturer is described. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a global graphical user interface (GUI) for communicating with various network devices. The global GUI includes an intuitive interface driven by a template library. For each device type and each device manufacturer, this template library can store both the attribute fields required for device configuration and the format for communicating those attribute fields. When a network administrator wants to communicate with a particular network device, the template associated with that device can be retrieved from the template library. The network administrator can then populate the attribute fields of that template with the appropriate data. This attribute data can be formatted and provided to the network device.
US07650383B2

Systems and methods for allowing challenge messages to be sent directly to a recipient's inbox where normally the challenge message would be sent to a pending folder or deleted. Challenge messages sent between federated messaging services contain a federated token which can be identified, authenticated and validated to determine whether the challenge message should be sent to a recipient's inbox. The federated token can include an authentication portion and a validation portion. Authentication methods for the authentication portion can include, for example, checksums, salts, hashes and digital signatures. Once a federated token is authenticated by decrypting the authentication portion according to one or more of these authentication methods, the federated token is validated by determining the defined use-base and determining whether the receipt of the federated token satisfies the defined use.
US07650372B2

A method and apparatus for a varying-radix numeration system is described. A method includes receiving a first sequence of values, determining a number of positions for a second sequence of values, and generating the second sequence of values, each value of the second sequence corresponding to a radix, the radix for each value of the second sequence varying over the second sequence in relation to an application value, the application value corresponding to a position in the second sequence and a sum of a set of values in the second sequence.
US07650366B1

A technique for generating a crash consistent set of persistent consistency point image set associated with a storage space is provided. A client side agent obtains a first set of read/write statistics before causing storage systems to generate persistent consistency point images of volumes storing logical unit numbers comprising the storage space. Once the persistent consistency point images have been generated, the agent obtains a second set of read/write statistics. The first and second set of statistics are compared to determining if they are equal, thereby signifying that the set of persistent consistency point images is crash consistent.
US07650365B2

A data delivery system is provided for delivering updated data information from a sending database system to a receiving database system. The sending database system periodically obtains, from a database updating system, a new data set having both updated data objects and unchanged data objects relative to a loaded data set stored, for example, at a receiving database system. The sending database system performs individual validity checks on the updated data objects and the unchanged data objects. A master validity check is also performed by the sending database system on the individual validity checks for the updated data objects and the unchanged data objects. The individual validity checks and the master validity check may, for example, be cyclic redundancy checks. The receiving database system, such as a flight information system associated with an aircraft, receives the individual validity checks, the master validity check and the updated data objects delivered from the sending database system.
US07650361B1

A media content playlist generation and access system for a video entertainment network is herein disclosed whereby a plurality of media content emanating from various disparate networks may be conglomerated into a customized list. The list may contain stored media content, which are customarily stored in the head end portion of a CATV network, media content accessible via the Internet, or yet to be aired media content. The system also provides for manipulation of the playlist from various consumer electronic display devices that are interconnected to the Internet, or the PSTN, thereby allowing further customization of the playlist at the user's convenience. Additionally, a multiple user account system is provided wherein multiple user accounts may be configured in order to allow a corresponding multiple individualized playlists, which are each customized to suit each user's tastes.
US07650359B2

A content reproduction apparatus (a) reads a specific server identifier, from a recording medium storing the specific server identifier and a content data item including a destination identifier, to store the specific server identifier in a table, (b) certifies a server corresponding to the specific server identifier, (c) certifies the recording medium by use of a data item in a storage area of the recording medium designated by the server being certified, (d) reproduces the content data item stored in the recording medium, (e) acquires the destination identifier while reproducing the content data item, (f) determines whether the destination identifier being acquired is equal to the specific identifier stored in the table, and (g) accesses to the server when the destination identifier being acquired is equal to the specific server identifier, and the server and the recording medium are certified.
US07650356B2

A restore advisor may generate and apply a recovery plan to restore a database to a specified point in time. A restore/recovery scenario may be specified; resources, and backups available may be specified and one or more optimized restore plans may be generated. One or more alternate plans may be requested. The plans may be applied, verified or saved.
US07650355B1

Methods and systems in accordance with the present invention provide macros and a markup language referred to as Reusable Macro Markup Language (“RMML”) which allows numerical analysis routines to be written quickly, cheaply, and in a form that is usable by a broad range of data documents in the Reusable Data Markup Language (“RDML”) formatting language. RMML and RDML are markup languages, such as the Hypertext Markup Language (“HTML”) or the Extensible Markup Language (“XML”). Generally, RDML facilitates the browsing and manipulation of numbers, as opposed to text as in HTML, and does so by requiring attributes describing the meaning of the numbers to be attached to the numbers. RMML allows spreadsheet type macros to be posted as web documents, to be searched by search engines, to be combined into more complex programs, and to be reused with many data documents. RMML macros also provide reusable user-defined calculations for use in conjunction with RDML that automatically manipulate and display numerical data contained in RDML markup documents.
US07650347B2

The invention relates to a system and a method for tracking and executing a job comprising a series of tasks. Each task is executable on a separate computing device. The method comprises: utilizing a workload manager to identify an initial schedule of implementation for the job; utilizing agents to selectively control execution of the tasks; and for each agent, utilizing a publish/subscription interface to isolate communications of the workload manager from each agent and to communicate with other publish/subscription interfaces of other agents to determine when to activate its task. The interface utilizes a broker adapted to communicate with other brokers to disseminate communications amongst the agents.
US07650344B2

A method of managing application service provider product line variations is disclosed. The method includes receiving a client customization request, creating a configuration managed file tailored to the client customization request, binding the configuration managed file to at least one customizable resource, and deploying the customizable resource to a data store. The customizable resource is instantiated after disposition at the data store.
US07650343B2

The present invention relates to a database storage structure for the storage of a plurality of results from an experiment on a sample. The database storage structure includes a result storage table for storing the results from the experiment, one or more first annotation storage tables for storing a first set of variables, and one or more second annotation storage tables for storing a second limited set of variables. The one or more second annotation storage tables are further coupled to one or more concordance tables for storing a concordance between the second limited set of variables and a second list of annotations.
US07650342B2

A management device that provides user profile taking the user's situation into consideration. The management device creates, in response to a request from applications, a new user profile (hereinafter referred to as “comprehensive user profile”) based on a plurality of user profiles, and provides it to the applications. The management device always monitors a user's situation, directly or indirectly correlates the user's situation at the time that the user profile is registered with the user profile, and stores the same. Because the management device creates the comprehensive user profile based on the user profile corresponding to the current user situation, the comprehensive user profile reflects the user's situation which changes from time to time.
US07650340B2

Apparatus and methods of revealing the hierarchical structure of a document having content of a characteristic type of content are described. The hierarchical structure may be expressed, independently of document content type, as a tree structure of one or more nodes. A semantic representation for interpreting the tree structure may also be provided. Document description files are used to encapsulate structural and meta information associated with a document stored on a computer-readable medium. Document description files are external to native application files and have a set of required fields. Document description files point to the referenced document data using Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and serve as virtual documents. In addition to the required fields, applications can choose to encode additional structural information in the document description files.
US07650339B2

A method, system, and computer program product are provided for extracting information from a plurality of articles in a distributed manner and for storing the extracted information in an information store. The invention identifies a plurality of articles from which information is to be extracted and a plurality of information extractors for extracting the information from the articles. Each article is assigned a priority score and ranking the articles from highest to lowest priority, thereby generating a queue; wherein the priority score for each article is calculated using a user-configurable priority calculation algorithm. The plurality of articles is assigned to the plurality of information extractors based on order in the queue, wherein an article with a higher rank is presented for information extraction before an article with a lower rank. Information extracted by information extractors from the articles is stored in the information store.
US07650334B2

An electronic commerce system includes a content enhancement module that analyzes the product data stored in a seller database using one or more rules and that identifies one or more potential errors in the product data according to the rules. The rules include one or more generic rules that apply to substantially all seller databases including product data. These generic rules include one or more of the following rules: a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have identical product identifiers but have otherwise different product data, a rule indicating that a potential error exists if two products in the seller database have different product identifiers but have otherwise identical product data, and rules indicating that a potential error exists if the values associated with particular generic product attributes have a non-numerical format.
US07650330B1

Techniques for extracting information from a database are provided. A database such as the Web is searched for occurrences of tuples of information. The occurrences of the tuples of information that were found in the database are analyzed to identify a pattern in which the tuples of information were stored. Additional tuples of information can then be extracted from the database utilizing the pattern. This process can be repeated with the additional tuples of information, if desired.
US07650329B2

The present invention relates to a method and system for effectively providing search results by referring to local information related to a searcher in response to a search request from the searcher through a communication network. The present invention provides a method for providing local information search results, comprising the steps of maintaining local information for searching related to the searcher, relating a plurality of search items related to a network information provider to a keyword and local information related to the network information provider, receiving a search request from the searcher, identifying at least more than one search item related to the keyword that meets the search request and selecting a search item related to local information matched to the local information for searching among the identified search items, and arranging at least a part of the search items according to a predetermined search item arranging method in arranging the selected search items. According to the present invention, as it is possible to provide search results with reference to the local information related to a searcher when providing search results to the searcher, more useful local information can be provided to the searcher.
US07650323B2

Systems and methods for implementing CAN communication for building automation systems are disclosed. An exemplary system may comprise at least one sending device linked to a plurality of receiving devices over a CAN automation network. A control frame may be broadcast over the CAN automation network by the at least one sending device, the control frame encapsulated into a CAN extended data frame. An acceptance filter may be provided at each of the plurality of receiving devices, each of the plurality of receiving devices reading the control frame from the CAN extended data frame and determining if the receiving device is a target device based on the control frame. Device communication may also be implemented as methods for dynamic address assignment and firmware download.
US07650315B2

A computerized transaction server (1), for the conclusion of contracts between service users and service providers, comprises a user interface with several data input modules (151), having data input fields for the input of data relating to the object of the contract. Data rules and business rules, provided for the data input fields, are stored in a regulatory databank (18). The quality of inputted data values are verified by the transaction server (1), according to the provided data rules and the data values are evaluated based on the provided business rules. Various contract conclusion processes (141, 142) and/or data input modules (151) for the input of additional data are automatically selected and activated by the transaction server, depending on the result of the evaluation. For the checking and evaluation of the data values, sets of rules with differing business rules and/or data rules are selected by the transaction server (1), depending on inputted data values. The transaction server (1) permits a complex and flexibly configurable automatic evaluation or inputted data values and dynamic and automatically adjustable data input sequence and process operation plan dependent on inputted data values and stored business rules.
US07650309B2

The present invention generally provides for systems and methods for netting payments and collateral. Generally, systems and methods of the present invention maximize market liquidity and minimize financial risk and collateral burdens of participants.
US07650307B2

A method of allowing a seller in a multi-unit auction facility to offer buyers the option of buying an offering at a pre-auction seller determined price or using a regular auction process. In one embodiment, the option to buy at the pre-auction seller determined price remains throughout the auction as long as there are units of an item remaining that have not yet been bid on. In another embodiment, the duration of an option of purchasing an item at a pre-auction seller determined prices depends on a configurable threshold, the current auction price in relation to the threshold, and whether the unit has been bid on. In another embodiment, a participant in an auction is allowed to re-bid, but is not allowed to reduce the price in that re-bid, or the quantity in that re-bid, unless that participant is currently not winning any units. In yet another embodiment, purchases during an auction at the pre-auction determined price reduces the quantity of that bidder's previous bid (if there is one), and reduces the quantity available for bid for any later bidders (but does not reduce the quantity of any other bidders who bid before the fixed-price purchase).
US07650298B2

Embodiments of this invention are directed towards various sensing mechanisms for bins of an automated inventory system. Further, various communication infrastructures and schemes between the various system components are disclosed. The automated inventory system comprises a plurality of dispensing bins containing stocked items. Various sensors may be used to detect the level or quantity of items within the various bins of the system. If a particular threshold level or quantity in the bin is triggered, a reorder signal is transmitted. The reorder signal may be communicated to other system components via hardwired and/or wireless connections. An RFID reader device may be used to collect reorder data regarding the various bins.
US07650295B2

The method of managing delivery goods comprises the steps of receiving identification information for delivery goods entered by a deliverer when a recipient of the delivery goods is not at home, extracting delivery goods information and recipient information relevant to the delivery-goods identification information from a storage unit which stores the delivery goods information and the recipient information corresponding to the delivery goods information, and notifying the recipient of the delivery goods information based on the recipient information.
US07650293B2

The present invention provides a workforce requirements management system and method that determines future demand for service related transactions or activity and optimizes the planning of workforce to meet the future demand. Initially, the workforce requirements management system reviews historical data regarding transaction volume and service activity to determine the future demand for such transactions or service activities. The historical data may come from a conventional enterprise resource planning application and/or include demographic data and/or economic indicators. The workforce requirements management system can optimize a forecast by isolating certain variance factors and refining the forecast accordingly. A forecast can also be optimized by estimating transaction times and correlating variance factors with estimated transactions times. Additionally, the workforce requirements management system can optimize the forecast based on the queuing model employed for the particular service. Finally, the workforce requirements management system can create a long term resource plan that identifies the most efficient balance of full time equivalent and part time equivalent staffing levels to meet the long term forecast need at the desired service level at the lowest overall labor cost. Specific outputs generated by the workforce requirements management system include a transaction forecast, a resource forecast, a resource plan, and a resource schedule.
US07650280B2

In a voice packet communication system, a voice packet loss concealment device compensates for the deterioration of voice quality due to voice packet loss. In the device, a detecting section detects a loss of a voice packet and outputting information; an estimating section estimates the voice characteristics of the lost segment using a pre-loss voice packet received before the lost segment or a post-loss voice packet received after the lost segment; a pitch signal generating section generates a pitch signal having the voice characteristics; and a lost packet generating section outputs the pitch signal generated by the pitch signal generating section, with the voice characteristics estimated by the estimating section, which allows abnormal noise and feeling of mute, subjective deterioration of naturalness and continuity to be improved, and the voice packet loss concealment to be further improved.
US07650279B2

To shorten an output delay while a high sound source separation performance is ensured when a sound separation process based on an ICA method is performed. A second Fourier transform process execution cycle t2 for obtaining a second frequency-domain signal S1 used as an input signal of a filter process is set shorter than a first Fourier transform process execution cycle t1 for obtaining a first frequency-domain signal used for a learning computation of a separating matrix. When the time length of a second time-domain signal S1 is set shorter than a time length of a first time-domain signal S0, a second separating matrix used for a filter process is set by aggregating matrix components of a first separating matrix obtained through a learning calculation for every a plurality of groups.
US07650275B2

Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with external virtualization are described. One exemplary system embodiment includes an emulation logic located external to an integrated circuit to which it may be operably connected. The example emulation logic may include a virtualization logic that is configured to virtualize a portion of a function performed by the integrated circuit. The portion may be identifiable by an address associated with the portion. The example emulation logic may also include a data store that is operably connected to the virtualization logic and that is configured to store a state data associated with virtualizing the portion of the function.
US07650254B2

A method for detection and quantitative evaluation of a balance error occurring in a component-bearing system. Static and dynamic forces acting upon the bearing are determined by sensors of a measuring bridge, which are disposed on a rolling bearing and which change the inherent electrical resistance according to the applied pressure, and are made available for analysis in a computer in the form of a periodic test signal that is common to both forces. In order to analyze the test signal, the weighted average of the modulation frequency generated by a balance error and the weighted mean variance thereof are determined from the test signal. The variance is then compared with a given variance threshold value. A variance lying below the variance threshold value is considered to be an indication of a significant balance error in the bearing.
US07650243B2

Compositions of modified cytokines and uses thereof generated using processes and systems for the high throughput directed evolution of peptides and proteins, particularly cytokines that act in complex biological settings, are provided. Also provided are modified cytokines formulated for oral delivery and uses thereof to treat diseases and conditions mediated by cytokines.
US07650233B2

A remote position monitoring system, method, and computer-program product using a global position satellite receiver and information from at least two global position satellites to determine a position of a mobile object with the global position satellite receiver and report via Internet the position of the mobile object to a recipient in search of the mobile object. A remote position reporting device of the monitoring system can be part of or attached to any mobile object such as a child, a skier, a car, and expensive items. The remote position reporting device includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver, monitoring software and an Internet access module. The monitoring software (e.g., a dynamic link library) supports multiple data formats and multiple protocols to communicated the position information. The GPS receiver provides the monitoring software with position information at prescribed times, and the monitoring software records the position information. The monitoring software communicates the position information at prescribed times to a desired party through the Internet access module.
US07650231B2

Systems, methods and apparatuses for managing ground transportation in a geographical area are disclosed. A system for managing ground transportation in a geographical area in accordance with the present invention comprises at least one airborne surveillance platform, a graphical information systems (GIS) database, receiving information from the airborne surveillance platform, the GIS database storing data that represents the geographical area, the GIS database including at least one node representing at least one geographical location within the geographic area and at least one arc representing at least one street within the geographic area, and a routing tool, coupled to the GIS database, wherein the dynamic routing tool accepts data from the GIS database and determines a transportation route for at least one vehicle within the geographical area using at least the data from the GIS database and the information from the airborne surveillance platform.
US07650228B2

A real time traffic control system that includes a plurality of roadside sensors and variable message displays arrayed along the highway connected to the Internet, and communicating with a central computer using the Internet. Each roadside device includes a modem and has a unique internet address. The central computer is programmed to create on demand a plurality of individual virtual communication ports, each of the ports corresponding to each of the unique device addresses, whereby said computer communicates in a quasi-simultaneous manner with all of the roadside devices.
US07650226B2

A fuel injection system designed to execute a learning operation to spray fuel through fuel injectors at each of given pressures of the fuel to determine the quantity of fuel sprayed actually from each of the fuel injectors (i.e., an actual injection quantity) into an internal combustion engine. The system calculates a deviation of each of the actual injection quantities from a target quantity to determine an injection correction value required to eliminate such a deviation. The system determines whether each of the injection correction values has an error or not and analyzes the mode in which the errors appear at the injection correction values to specify types of malfunction occurring in the system. The system relearns ones of the injection correction values as determined to have the errors.
US07650215B2

A vehicle control system includes a housed sensor cluster generating a plurality of signals. An integrated controller includes a sensor signal compensation unit and a kinematics unit, wherein the sensor signal compensation unit receives at least one of the plurality of signals and compensates for an offset within the signal and generates a compensated signal as a function thereof. The integrated controller further generates a kinematics signal including a sensor frame with respect to an intermediate axis system as a function of the compensated signal and generates a vehicle frame signal as a function of the kinematics signal. A dynamic system controller receives the vehicle frame signal and generates a dynamic control signal in response thereto. A safety device controller receives the dynamic control signal and further generates a safety device signal in response thereto.
US07650214B2

A method for controlling speed of an input shaft to a hydraulically actuated clutch that includes a hydraulic balance dam volume includes determining a limit speed of the input shaft that varies as a function of time during a predetermined period after the clutch starts rotation and that causes a servo piston for actuating the clutch to move toward an engaged position, rotating the input shaft during the period, limiting a speed of the input shaft during said period to a determined limit speed corresponding to a current time after beginning the period, and allowing the speed of the input shaft to increase to a speed greater than the determined limit speed after expiration of the period.
US07650205B2

An industrial robot includes a manipulator (1) having a control unit (2) and a portable terminal (3), the unit and the terminal being able to communicate in wireless mode for executing a robot programming session. The unit (2) and the terminal (3) are configured so as to implement a step of mutual logic coupling, which is required so as to enable the programming session, only when the terminal (3) is in a substantially predefined physical position (5) close to the unit (2).
US07650203B2

Provided is a foot structure for a humanoid robot capable of effectively keeping its balance in a pause state or action. The foot structure includes a support; a plurality of lower structures having an upper member connected to a bottom of the support; a plurality of lower members having a plurality of independent portions each movably connected to the upper member; and a revolute joint for coupling the upper member and the lower member. Since a contact between the foot structure and the floor is smoothly made, a shock is prevented from being transferred to a body of the humanoid robot. Also, a vibration generated when the humanoid robot steps on the floor is eliminated, so that the humanoid robot can pose a stable and smooth gate.
US07650190B2

A method and apparatus for delivering corrective therapy through hormone regulation is provided. Inhibition of sympathetic fibers by spinal cord stimulation is used to regulate the levels of hormones such as catecholamines, renin, and calcitonin gene-related peptide. The invention utilizes a closed or open loop feedback system in which physiological parameters such as the concentrations of hormones and sympathetic indicators such as heart rate and urine production are monitored and used to determine the appropriate level of neurostimulation. The site of electrical stimulation includes, but is not limited to, the spinal cord at levels T7-L2 and the associated neural fibers within a region of the T7-L2 dermatomes.
US07650186B2

Various configurations of systems that employ leadless electrodes to provide pacing therapy are provided. In one example, a system that provides multiple sites for pacing of myocardium of a heart includes wireless pacing electrode assemblies that are implantable at sites proximate the myocardium using a percutaneous, transluminal, catheter delivery system. Also disclosed are various configurations of such systems, wireless electrode assemblies, and delivery catheters for delivering and implanting the electrode assemblies.
US07650185B2

A system and method for waking up an implantable medical device (“IMD”) from a sleep state in which power consumption by the IMD is essentially zero. The IMD may be adapted to perform one or more designated measurement and/or therapeutic functions. In one embodiment, the IMD includes a wake-up sensor that is adapted to sense the presence or absence of a wake-up field generated by another IMD or an external device. The wake-up field may, in some embodiments, be an electromagnetic field, a magnetic field, or a physiologically sub-threshold excitation current (i.e., E-field). Upon sensing by the wake-up sensor of the wake-up field, other components of the IMD, which may include a controller, a sensing and/or therapy module, and/or a communications module, are awakened to perform one or more designated functions.
US07650179B2

In a computerized workflow method for stent planning and conducting a stenting procedure, characteristics of a lesion to be stented are determined from a 3D planning image of the region and selection of an actual stent for stenting the lesion is made with computer-assisted analysis of the lesion based on the characteristics. A virtual stent is electronically generated based on the actual stent, and, using the virtual stent, a best position for the actual stent, for effectively stenting the lesion, is determined. A real time 2D image of the lesion-containing region is displayed during the stenting procedure, with the virtual stent included therein at the aforementioned best position. A physician manually guides the actual stent relative to the lesion during the stenting procedure until the position of the actual stent, as seen in the displayed real time 2D image, coincides with the virtual stent in that image.
US07650175B2

A device for measuring blood oxygen content comprises a blood oxygen sensor interface, a signal processing unit, and a plurality of voltage sampling points. A method for detecting fault in a blood oxygen sensor comprises the steps of: connecting the blood oxygen sensor to the signal processing unit; providing voltage signals by the signal processing unit via a pair of testing terminals, for alternately driving two LEDs connected in inverse-parallel with each other in the blood oxygen sensor; sampling the voltages of the pair of testing terminals, respectively, and determining the fault relevant to the LEDs based on the relationship of the voltages; receiving current signals from a photodiode in the blood oxygen sensor by the signal processing unit via another pair of terminals, converting the received current signals into voltage signals, and outputting positive voltage signals via a reverser and a follower, respectively; and sampling the positive voltage signals respectively for determining the fault relevant to the photodiode. Thus, the fault of the sensor can be detected and determined by employing a plurality of sampling points without the tissue to be measured of the human body, thereby the output error due to the faults of the sensor can be avoided, and the device can be maintained conveniently.
US07650173B2

An antenna module on a vehicle having an antenna for receiving satellite radio signals and an antenna for receiving GPS signals. The two antennas may or may not be on a common ceramic substrate. Either of the two antennas may be a ceramic patch antenna or a helical antenna. The respective signals from each of the antenna as is amplified by a low noise amplifier, filtered, and then combined onto a single conductor and amplified prior to being provided on a single conductor routed through the vehicle to a remotely-located pair of receivers.
US07650167B2

A mobile communication apparatus that utilizes multiple base station/mobile station antennas and a mobile communication method performed therein are provided. The mobile communication apparatus includes a base station having at least two antennas and at least two mobile stations having at least one antenna, respectively. The base station restores weight information and channel status information from feedback signals received from the mobile stations, determines downlink investigation information that results in maximum transmission channel capacity based on the restored weight information and channel status information, selects mobile stations for simultaneous transmission based on the downlink investigation information, and processes data to be transmitted to the selected mobile stations based on the downlink investigation information.
US07650166B2

Systems and methods are disclosed which provide aggressively sculpted or shaped antenna beams, such as sector antenna beams, for use in communication networks. Preferred embodiments use passive antenna feed networks, preferably configured as personality modules, which are adapted for corresponding topological and morphological features. Preferred embodiment feed networks may be coupled to linear or curvilinear antenna arrays to provide antenna beams having a desired contour. Using the disclosed systems and methods path loss variance is minimized for improved system capacity and/or signal quality. Moreover, the disclosed systems and methods provide for reduced average transmission power levels further allowing increased capacity and/or signal quality.
US07650163B2

In an impedance matching circuit for a multi-band radio frequency device, a first radio frequency signal in a first sub-band of a multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Further, a second radio frequency signal in a second sub-band of the multi-band radio frequency signal is selectively outputted. Selective outputting is done through partly shared and partly non-shared reactive elements, without the need to switch reactive elements.
US07650159B2

A communication system comprising: a first and second user equipment for communication over a shared floor; a controlling server for managing the shared floor; and at least one participating server for serving said first user equipment; the participating server being arranged to detect a connection request from said first user, and to insert into the connection request from the first user equipment a token; and wherein the controlling server is arranged to detect said inserted token and to route user plane messages via the participating server responsive to said received token.
US07650157B2

Notifying users of mobile communication devices, which may include providing options for response to notifications. A component of a communication service provider system receives an indication of a notification for a user of a mobile communication device. The notification may be received from a source internal or external to the communication service provider system. A component of the mobile communication service provider formats the notification so that it is compatible with the mobile communication device of the user and sends the notification to the mobile communication device of the user. The notification may include one or more options to respond to the notification using the mobile communication device. The notification may, for example, pertain to minutes-of-use in a mobile communication service plan, or to other information, including notifications from outside service providers such as airlines, banks, restaurants, hotels, libraries, credit card companies, etc.
US07650143B2

An apparatus for providing connectivity is provided that includes a mobility server operable to coordinate a communication session between a first and a second end-user device. The first end-user device is associated with a first call leg and the second end-user device is associated with a second call leg. A handoff is executed in transferring the communication session from the first end-user device to the second end-user device. In more particular embodiments, the mobility server is operable to receive signal strength information from the first end-user device and to execute the handoff based on the signal strength information. In addition, the handoff is executed based on an end-user preference that is provided in a subscription that is accessed by the mobility server.
US07650129B2

A receiver which is arranged to receive an RF multi-carrier signal (60) comprises an in-phase mixer (51) for frequency down converting the RF multi-carrier signal to an in-phase multi-carrier signal (I) and a quadrature mixer (52) for frequency down converting the RF multi-carrier signal (60) to a quadrature multi-carrier signal. The receiver further comprises a local oscillator (60) arranged to generate in-phase and quadrature mixing signals (64,65) for the in-phase and quadrature mixers (51,52). The local oscillator (60) is further arranged to add a frequency offset to the in-phase and quadrature mixing signals (65, 65) so as to minimize an error vector magnitude of the in-phase and quadrature multi-carrier signals (I, Q).
US07650126B2

A method and system for efficiently utilizing frequency spectrum resources is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of determining at least one spectrum opportunity (510), wherein the opportunity is identified by a frequency range and a time duration, determining a set of altered transmission characteristics (515, 517) to allow transmission of a desired signal in the identified frequency range, wherein the altered transmission characteristics avoid interference with signals expected in the frequency range, and transmitting said desired signal using the altered transmission characteristics when the transmission occurs during said time duration. In one aspect of the system, the step of determining at least one opportunity comprises the steps of receiving signals in known frequency ranges, and determining the characteristics of the received signals. The system comprises a receiving unit (1001) for receiving information items regarding at least one receivable signal, a processing unit (862) for determining characteristics of the at least one received signal, a managing unit (864) for altering transmission characteristics of a desired signal based on the determined received signal characteristics, wherein the altered transmission characteristics avoid interference with the received signals and a transmission unit (866) receiving said altered transmission characteristics to transmit said desired signal. In one aspect, the desired signal transmission characteristics are altered in a frequency range/time period to avoid interference with received signals in the frequency range.
US07650115B2

A method of protecting an apparatus from radio frequency interference, comprises a policing terminal (PT) detecting the presence of an interfering radio terminal (16) in the protected environment and actively rendering ineffective or terminating transmissions by the interfering radio terminal. Various options can be followed by the policing terminal (PT) including (a) attempting to become the master station of a network of which the interfering terminal is a member and instructing the members to close down or (b) failing to become the master station and transmitting interference signals for at least a selected portion, for example preamble and sync, of the duration of a data packet transmitted by the interfering station.
US07650112B2

A SW (70) receives an Ethernet® signal from an outside of areas E and F. The SW (70) selects and outputs the obtained Ethernet® signal to any one of APs (91a to 91e) in accordance with a network structure managed by the SW (70). The AP (91a to 91e) converts the Ethernet® signal to an electrical signal type wireless LAN signal, which is in turn output to a main station (10). The main station (10) frequency-multiplexes the signal output from each of the APs (91a to 91e), and converts the signal to an optical signal, which is in turn output to sub-stations (20a and 20b). The sub-station (20a and 20b) transmits the signal transmitted from the main station (10) to a terminal in the form of a wireless radio wave. Thereby, when a plurality of communication areas are present, the accommodation capacity of an AP can be effectively utilized in each communication area.
US07650110B2

There is disclosed a wireless communication apparatus which provides a plurality of images stored in a storage to an initiating wireless communication apparatus through wireless communications. A reception unit receives an image acquisition request transmitted from the initiating wireless communication apparatus. The request conforms to a camera control protocol for exchanging information relating to images. A selection unit selects, in response to the image acquisition request, one of the plurality of images stored in the storage. A transmission unit then transmits a response to the initiating wireless communication apparatus in accordance with the camera control protocol. Information relating to the one of the plurality of images that is selected by the selection unit is contained in the response.
US07650107B2

A developing apparatus and develops a developer with respect to a photosensitive medium, the and includes a developing cartridge which accommodates the developer therein; a cleaning blade which contacts the photosensitive medium by an end part thereof to clean the photosensitive medium, a guide member which guides the cleaning blade to linearly reciprocate, and an elastic member which elastically biases the cleaning blade toward the photosensitive medium.
US07650105B2

An image heating apparatus for heating a toner image formed on a recording material is constituted by a roller contactable with a toner image carrying surface of the recording material; a heating member for heating the roller, the heating member contacting a surface of the roller, wherein the toner image formed on the recording material is heated in contact with the roller; and a driving mechanism for moving the heating member to a first position contacting the roller and a second position, contacting the roller different from the first position with respect to a tangential direction of the roller.
US07650104B2

A developing apparatus includes: a developing sleeve that carries a mono-component developer; and a developing blade that abuts on the sleeve to regulate a layer thickness of the developer on the sleeve, wherein surface roughness parameters of the sleeve satisfy: 3.0≦Rpk≦9.0; and 2≦Pc2≦10. At an abutment portion between the sleeve and the blade, surface roughness parameters of the blade satisfy: 0.030≦Sm≦0.170; and 0.10≦Rvk×(100−Mr2)/100≦1.30, where Sm is a mean spacing of profile irregularities [mm]; Rpk is an initial wear height [μm]; Rvk is an oil retaining depth [μm]; Mr2 is a profile bearing length ratio 2 [%]; and Pc2 denotes the number of profile peaks having a height larger than a count level from a center line per the evaluation length of 1 mm.
US07650100B2

There is provided a technique in which in a development apparatus to perform replacement of developer, the amount of developer can be stably kept irrespective of a change in a physical property of the developer. There are included a development apparatus that circulates and conveys a developer supplied at a specified timing in a specified conveying chamber and causes the developer to overflow through a discharge port provided in the conveying chamber, a fluidity judgment unit to judge a degree of fluidity of the developer in the conveying chamber, and a speed control unit to control a conveying speed of the developer in a specified range near the discharge port in the conveying chamber to become low relative to an average value of a conveying speed of the developer in a conveying passage except the specified range when the fluidity judged by the fluidity judgment unit is low.
US07650098B2

An image forming apparatus including an outer frame, a photosensitive unit, a drum drive gear, a first positioning portion, and a second positioning portion. The photosensitive unit includes a plurality of photosensitive drums, a first supporting shaft, a second supporting shaft, and a drum gear. Each of the plurality of photosensitive drums has an axis extending in a first direction. The plurality of photosensitive drums is juxtaposed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A position of the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft provided on one of the plurality of photosensitive drums in the second direction with respect to the outer frame is determined by contacting the first supporting shaft and the second supporting shaft to the first positioning portion. A position of the two of the first supporting shafts and the two of the second supporting shafts in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction with respect to the outer frame is determined by supporting the two of the first supporting shafts and two of the second supporting shafts on the second supporting portion.
US07650097B2

A toner supplying apparatus having a sealing member. The toner supplying apparatus includes a toner tank to hold toner, the toner tank having a toner supplying hole to discharge the toner, a slide shutter disposed inside the toner tank so as to close the toner supplying hole, the slide shutter allowing the toner supplying hole to be opened when the toner tank is mounted in an image forming apparatus, and a sealing member disposed on an outer circumference of the slide shutter to prevent the toner from leaking out through a gap between the slide shutter and the toner tank.
US07650090B2

An image forming apparatus containing a fusing device, a commercial power source providing power to the fusing device, a triac, a thermistor detecting a temperature of the fusing device, a fusion control unit controlling the fusing device based on a detection result of the thermistor, and a cathode terminal outputting a control current and an anode terminal receiving the control current to control the power supplied to the heating body from the commercial power source and the triac. The fusion control unit of the image forming apparatus contains a control current output terminal outputting the control current to the anode terminal, a control current input terminal receiving the control current from the cathode terminal, and a fusion temperature control unit controlling the control current received by the control current input terminal and the control current output by the control current output terminal.
US07650087B2

The purpose is to provide a control method of driving toner containers for use in an apparatus including a plurality of toner containers each filled with toner and detachably mounted thereinto from a toner container covering structure; and a toner supply device for supplying toner to a developing unit while rotating the plurality of toner container. This method includes the step of detecting a first toner container whose toner has run out, among the plurality of toner containers. When the first toner container has been detected, this method makes a control including the steps of: opening the toner container covering structure; stopping the rotational motion of the first toner container; and continuing the rotational motion of a second toner container or containers other than the first toner container.
US07650086B2

There is provided a technique in which when an image forming processing with toners of plural colors is performed, a residual toner on a transfer-receiving member to which toner images are transferred by plural image forming units is not discarded, but is reused as a black toner, and a deterioration in picture quality due to a change in color tone of the black toner is prevented. An image forming apparatus is for performing an image forming processing by plural image forming units to form toner images of colors different from each other on a transfer-receiving member moved in a specified direction, and includes a toner collecting unit to collect toners remaining on the transfer-receiving member, a ratio judgment unit to judge a mixing ratio of toners of plural colors included in the toners collected by the toner collecting unit, and a toner replenishing unit to replenish an insufficient color toner to the toners collected by the toner collecting unit based on the mixing ratio judged by the ratio judgment unit so that the mixing ratio becomes a specified ratio.
US07650082B2

In one inventive aspect, a transmitter is provided. In the transmitter, a modulator supplies an electrical current based on a digital transmission electrical signal to a white LED, which emits light including a plurality of wavelengths into the air. A light detector separates a light signal component having a blue wavelength from the emitted light using an optical filter and converts the signal component to a monitoring electrical signal. A waveform control circuit outputs a control signal so that the time delay of the waveform of the monitoring signal with respect to the waveform of the transmission electrical signal is less than or equal to a predetermined value. The modulator corrects the amount of the electrical current supplied to the white LED on the basis of the control signal. In another inventive aspect, a receiver is provided. In the receiver, an optical filter separates a light signal component having a blue wavelength and a light detector detects substantially only the light signal component having a blue wavelength.
US07650059B2

There are provided an information storage medium capable of real-time recording/playback of digital moving picture information, and a digital information recording/playback system using this medium. In a medium that records/plays back data including video data and control information, the control information (DA21 in FIG. 4; RTR_VMG in FIG. 30) includes information (VOBU entry in FIG. 31) for accessing a specific portion (VOBU) of the video data.
US07650048B2

An image processor includes an image processing section, an enlargement processing section, and a controller. When image data including a second predetermined number of pixels to be output from an image output section, is generated on the basis of image data including a first predetermined number of pixels smaller than the second predetermined number input to an image data input unit, the controller controls the enlargement processing section to generate image data including a third predetermined number of pixels larger than the first predetermined number and smaller than the second predetermined number. The controller controls the image processing section to apply image processing to the image data including the third predetermined number of pixels. The controller also controls the enlargement processing section to generate the image data including the second predetermined number of pixels on the basis of the image data including the third predetermined number of pixels.
US07650043B2

A method of removing blocking artifacts from block-coded digital images and an image reproducing apparatus using the same remove blocking artifacts from a block-coded digital image. The method includes adjusting filtering offsets on a block-by-block basis using motion vector (MV) and quantization parameter (QP) values; and performing deblocking filtering to remove the blocking artifacts from a decoded digital image using the adjusted filtering offsets. Accordingly, since the filtering offsets may be adaptively adjusted on a block-by-block basis to fit image characteristics, the blocking artifacts may be efficiently removed, thus, improving image quality.
US07650042B2

A method for contour reduction in a digital picture is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) buffering a plurality of luma samples in a current line of the digital picture, each of the luma samples having a respective input value, (B) calculating a plurality of horizontal sum-of-signs along the current line, wherein each of the horizontal sum-of-signs comprises a sum of a plurality of amplitude differences between pairs the luma samples from the current line and (C) generating a plurality of output value based on the horizontal sum-of-signs, one of the output values for each one of the luma samples.
US07650039B2

An image having few colors can be losslessly encoded at a higher compression ratio. For this purpose, pixel data are input in raster order and temporarily stored in a buffer. A neighborhood matching determination unit generates first information representing whether a pixel having the same color as that of the pixel of interest exists in neighboring pixels and second information specifying whether a pixel having the same color as that of the pixel of interest exists, and if the pixel having the same color exists, specifying the neighboring pixel. A pixel matching detection unit counts the number of colors contained in the neighboring pixels and generates information representing whether the number of colors is two or less, or three or less. On the basis of the information, a code generation unit outputs one or both of encoded data from a matched-pixel position encoding unit and a prediction error encoding unit.
US07650038B2

An image processing method includes inputting image data for one block line having pixels of N times of a minimum unit (MCU) of image compression in the direction of column, and the length in the direction of row equivalent to one length of a scanning line, and outputting sequentially the image data of each block by dividing the image data into a plurality of block, which consists of N units block arranged in the direction of column, each of the unit blocks consisting of M MCUs arranged in the direction of row. The output image data of each block is compressed from the upper side unit block of each block, and compressed image data for each block of one block line is obtained. The obtained compressed image data is written in the frame memory. The written compressed image data is changed in sequence.
US07650029B2

Using an imaging system in relation to a plurality of material layers is described, the material layers being separated by a distance greater than a depth of field of the imaging system. A focal plane of the imaging system and a first of the plurality of material layers are brought into correspondence. A first image including at least a portion of the first material layer having a first feature of interest thereon is stored. The focal plane of the imaging system and a second of the plurality of material layers are brought into correspondence. A second image including at least a portion of the second material layer having a second feature of interest thereon is acquired. The first and second images are processed for automatic computation of an alignment measurement between the first and second features of interest.
US07650025B2

A method for identifying non-body structures in digitized medical images including the steps of providing a digitized image comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on an N-dimensional grid, wherein said image includes a representation of a body and of non-body structures separate from said body, initializing a surface in said image on a side of said non-body structures opposite from said body, defining a plurality of forces acting on said surface, and displacing said surface through said non-body structures using said forces until said body is encountered.
US07650024B2

The invention provides for a technique of extracting information from signals by allowing a user to select a classifier and a figure of merit for quantifying classification quality; select a transform to generate features from input data; use a recursive process of functional dissipation to generate dissipative features from features that are generated according to the transform; search for one or more dissipative features that maximize the figure of merit on a training set; and classify a test set with the classifier by using one or more of the dissipative features. Functional dissipation uses the transforms recursively by generating random masking functions and extracting features with one or more generalized matching pursuit iterations. In each iteration, the recursive process may modify several features of the transformed signal with the largest absolute values according to a specific masking function.
US07650016B2

A system, method and computer readable medium are disclosed for tracking motion of an object image, by receiving an input image and correlating the input image with a reference image by computing differences between the input image and the reference image. A motion vector is generated for a subimage of the input image using a subimage metric surface, and a tracking assessment of object image motion is output based on the motion vector.
US07650010B2

The presently claimed invention relates to connecting video and audio signals to audio-video content. One claim recites a method including: receiving data at a server, the data representing picture elements of a video signal or audible portions of an audio signal, the data having been communicated from a remotely located handheld device; at the server, using a processor to derive identifying information from the data; obtaining a link or an address pointer from a database or registry using at least the derived identifying information, the link or address pointer linking or pointing to audio-visual content which is stored at a location remotely located from the server, the audio-visual content being associated with the video signal or with the audio signal; communicating the link or the address pointer to the remotely located handheld device, whereby the remotely located handheld device is provided access the audio-video content with the link or the address pointer. Of course, other combinations and claims are provided too.
US07650009B2

The present invention relates generally to controlling use of audio or image content (e.g., which may comprise video). In one claim, a method is provided including: receiving information, the information having been obtained from analyzing data representing audio elements or image picture elements to derive the information there from, accessing a database with the information to obtain permitted usage rights for audio or image content associated with the data; and providing the information to a remote device to allow control of the audio or image content in accordance with the permitted usage rights. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well.
US07650007B2

A lanyard for carrying or wearing portable electronic devices is disclosed. The lanyard includes a neck cord having data carrying capabilities. The lanyard also includes a harness that physically holds and operatively couples the portable electronic device to the neck cord. When a portable electronic device is coupled to the harness, the portable electronic device can be worn around a neck and communicate with an input and/or output (I/O) device (e.g., earphones) operatively coupled to the data carrying cord. That is, the I/O device can send data through the neck cord to the portable electronic device and/or receive data being carried by the neck cord from the portable electronic device. The lanyard facilitates greater ease in wearing portable electronic devices and enables better approaches for managing wires between portable electronic devices and peripheral I/O devices.
US07649997B2

A method for secure communication. The method includes receiving a request at a first device to communicate with a second device. The method also includes determining if an encryption key exists between the first device and the second device. Creation of the encryption key is initiated in response to a determination that that encryption key does not exist. The initiation of the creation of the encryption key occurs without user input. The method further includes communicating with the second device using the encryption key and performing user authentication of the communication.
US07649994B1

A method of decoding symbols in which a first codeword has been spread by a second codeword to recover first information and second information is provided. The decoding occurs jointly, with an overall output determining both the first and second information. A first parallel code multiplying operation for each codeword of the second code is followed by a second parallel code multiplying operation for the first code. An overall maximum output of the second parallel code multiplying operations determines the output information.
US07649993B2

The present invention relates to a video-signal processing system, a video-signal processing apparatus and method, a recording medium, and a program for immediately recovering from loss of synchronization while encrypting/decrypting a video signal. An encryption processing unit 22 encrypts a frame number Tx, which has been obtained by counting vertical control pulses of a video signal, and transmits the frame number Tx together with an unencrypted frame number Tx and an H/V control pulse. A decryption processing unit 32 decrypts the encrypted frame number Tx so as to generate a frame number Rx and supplies the frame number Rx together with the frame number Tx and the vertical control pulses to a correcting unit 33. The correcting unit 33 generates a pseudo load pulse when the frame numbers Tx and Rx do not match with each other 16 consecutive times, and supplies the pseudo load pulse to the encryption processing unit 22 and the decryption processing unit 32. The present invention can be applied to a display device compatible with digital television.
US07649990B2

An apparatus arranged to accept digital data as an input and to process the data according to one of either the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA-1) or Message Digest (MD5) algorithm to produce a fixed length output word. The apparatus includes a plurality of rotational registers for storing data, one of the registers arranged to receive the input data, and data stores for initialization of some of the plurality of registers according to whether the SHA-1 or MD5 algorithm is used. The data stores include fixed data relating to SHA-1 and MD5 operation. Also included is a plurality of dedicated combinatorial logic circuits arranged to perform logic operations on data stored in selected ones of the plurality of registers.
US07649989B2

A wearable terminal holder device includes a curved body, a first D-ring and a second D-ring. The curved body has a first side and a second side with a longitudinal axis bisecting the first and second sides. The first D-ring is pivotally coupled to the first side of the body. The second D-ring is pivotally coupled to the second side of the body.
US07649981B2

An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a radiation filter having a first portion and a second portion, the first and the second portions forming a layer for filtering radiation impinging thereon, wherein the first portion is made from a first material having a first x-ray filtering characteristic, and the second portion is made from a second material having a second x-ray filtering characteristic. An apparatus for use in a radiation procedure includes a first target material, a second target material, and an accelerator for accelerating particles towards the first target material and the second target material to generate x-rays at a first energy level and a second energy level, respectively.
US07649975B2

One aspect can relate to detecting a presence of an at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual based at least partially on addition of an at least one chemical identifying additive to the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual based at least partially on a generation of an at least one induced X-ray fluorescing photon within the at least one chemical identifying additive responsive to a single input energy event in which an at least some input energy is being applied proximal to the at least one chemical, compound, or biological material contained in the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual.
US07649966B2

A soft symbol decoder for use in a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) and OFDM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) system. The decoder generates soft symbol values for a digital signal that represents a number of source bits. The source bits are transmitted as symbols in corresponding to points in a signaling constellation. Soft metrics are determined by searching for all possible multi-dimensional symbols that could have been transmitted. The method includes transmitting a sample of the multi-dimensional symbol using K transmit antennas. The multi-dimensional symbol is represent-able as a complex, K-dimensional vector x. Each vector component of vector x represents a signal transmitted with one of the K transmit antennas. After transmission through a communication channel, a sample corresponding to the transmitted sample is received. The received sample is represented by a complex, N-dimensional vector y, where N is the number of receive antennas in the MIMO system. After the sample is received, a soft metric L(bi) is determined for each bit bi encoded by x according to the equation: L ⁡ ( b i ) = σ - 2 · ( min x j | b i = - 1 ⁢  y - Hx j  2 - min x j | b i = + 1 ⁢  y - Hx j  2 ) , , and ⁢ ⁢ x j represents all possible values for x. In addition, a reduced complexity method is used for providing soft metric values in the MIMO system. This exemplary aspect reduces the complexity of the above computations from 2BK to 2B(K−1), where B is the number of bits transmitted per symbol per antenna.
US07649957B2

A multi-stage non-overlapping clock signal generator as described herein is suitable for use with a pipelined analog-to-digital converter architecture. The clock signal generator generally includes a back end clock generator, a second stage clock generator, and a first stage clock generator coupled in series. The clock signal generator may also include any number of intermediate stage clock generators coupled in series between the back end clock generator and the second stage clock generator. Example implementations of the various clock generator stages are also described herein.
US07649951B2

A device and system communicates data and includes a modulation and mapping circuit that modulates and maps data symbols into a plurality of multiple subcarrier frequencies that are orthogonal to each other to form an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) communications signal based on a fixed or variable OFDM symbol rate. A pseudo-random signal generator operative with the modulation and mapping circuit generates pseudo-random signals to the modulation and mapping circuit based on an encryption algorithm for frequency hopping each subcarrier at an OFDM symbol rate to lower any probability of interception and detection, reduce power per frequency (dB/Hz/sec), and lower any required transmission power while maintaining an instantaneous signal-to-noise ratio A frequency domain spreader circuit is operatively connected to the modulation and mapping circuit for spreading the multiple subcarriers over the frequency domain.
US07649949B2

An external module for use with a host television device consistent with certain embodiments wherein the host television device receives at least one content service has a connector for attaching to the module. Java™ code is received from the content service being received by the host television device over the connector. An application execution engine residing on the external module carries out execution of the Java™ code. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.
US07649947B2

A method of decimation of a digital image, the digital image represented by a plurality of pixels, is claimed. In the pixel domain, the digital image is divided into a plurality of blocks. Certain ones of the blocks are selectively decimated base upon predetermined criteria. In an embodiment, the chrominance portions of a give pixel block are determined.
US07649944B2

A motion vector derivation unit includes a comparison unit for comparing a parameter TR1 for a reference vector with a predetermined value to determine whether it exceeds the predetermined value or not; a switching unit for switching selection between the maximum value of a pre-stored parameter TR and the parameter TR1 according to the comparison result by the comparison unit; a multiplier parameter table (for multipliers); and a multiplier parameter table (for divisors) for associating the parameter TR1 with a value approximate to the inverse value (1/TR1) of this parameter TR1.
US07649941B2

A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination.
US07649934B2

An apparatus and method for adaptively correcting I/Q imbalance, which is used in a receiver for correcting a received I/Q imbalanced signal to thus eliminate the I/Q imbalance. First, an interference amount caused by interference from an imbalanced in-phase signal to an imbalanced quadrature-phase signal is computed and accordingly subtracted from the quadrature-phase signal, so that a corrected quadrature-phase signal without phase imbalance is obtained. Next, a power of output in-phase signal, a power of output quadrature-phase signal, and a target are compared to thus determine an in-phase scaling factor and a quadrature-phase scaling factor. Finally, the imbalanced in-phase signal is multiplied by the in-phase scaling factor to thus obtain the output in-phase signal, and the corrected quadrature-phase signal is multiplied by the quadrature-phase scaling factor to thus obtain the output quadrature-phase signal.
US07649933B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for determining a position of an offset latch employed for decision-feedback equalization. The position of an offset latch is determined by obtaining a plurality of samples of a data eye associated with a signal, the data eye comprised of a plurality of trajectories for transitions out of a given binary state; determining an amplitude of at least two of the trajectories based on the samples; and determining a position of an offset latch based on the determined amplitudes. The initial position of the offset latch can be placed, for example, approximately in the middle of the determined amplitudes for at least two of the trajectories. The initial position of the offset latch can be optionally skewed by a predefined amount to improve the noise margin.
US07649930B2

A filter equalization technique for an analog signal path, such as in an instrument that simultaneously measures a signal over a band of frequencies, uses magnitude measurement data for high frequency bands for which phase-calibrated sources are not readily available. A sinusoidal signal source together with an accurate power meter is used to provide a stepped frequency input over a desired frequency band to the analog signal path with an accurate measured magnitude. The output of the analog signal path is digitized and the resulting frequency magnitudes are computed. Then the resulting power meter results are deducted from the frequency magnitudes measured each time by the instrument to determine the magnitude response of the analog signal path. Using a Hilbert transform the corresponding phase response is determined based on a minimum phase assumption over the desired frequency band. From the magnitude and phase responses an inverse or digital equalization filter may be designed for the analog signal path.
US07649926B2

A rake receiver for DS-CDMA UWB system and a DS-CDMA receiver having the same are provided. The rake receiver includes: a channel estimator for estimating a channel having a predetermined chip duration by using a synchronization acquisition sequence; a tracking module for detecting a channel variation and adjusting a synchronization position value when the channel variation is detected; a first switch for selecting one of an output value of an analog-to-digital converter and an output value of a correlator and outputting the selected value; a second switch for selecting one of the output value of the analog-to-digital converter and the output value of the correlator; and a plurality of demodulators having a parallel processing structure to demodulate received signals by using the channel estimation value inputted from the channel estimator, the synchronization position value stored by the tracking module, and an output value of the second switch.
US07649919B2

An automatic power control (APC) circuit applicable to controlling a laser generation module including a laser generator for generating laser and a photosensor for outputting a detection result corresponding to the power of the laser, includes: a comparator, coupled to the photosensor and biased by a first voltage level, for comparing the detection result and a reference signal to generate a comparison result; a level shifter, coupled the comparator, for shifting an intermediate voltage level controlled by the comparison result to generate a control voltage; and a driver, coupled to the level shifter and the laser generator, for driving the laser generator according to the control voltage and a second voltage level.
US07649912B2

A method and circuit for precisely synchronizing clocks in separate nodes on a communication network is provided by adjusting timestamps and related data in network messages. The circuit will allow a daisy-chain connection of the nodes and will forward time synchronization frames while accounting for delays in a manner that does not use boundary clocks, but does not depart from the IEEE 1588 standard protocol. The delays will be added on the fly to synchronization packets and the IP checksum and frame CRC will be adjusted. Deterministic data delivery and redundant data paths are also provided in a full duplex Ethernet network.
US07649909B1

An exemplary embodiment provides a method for use in a data compression device wherein optimal compression is maintained in response to network characteristics by switching between a first compression mode, including use of a stateful compression algorithm and a reliable transport protocol, to a second compression mode, including a second compression algorithm and an unreliable transport protocol, as needed in order to keep data flowing. In the second compression mode, rather than bypassing an established tunnel between two data compression devices altogether and losing the benefits of compression, this method allows data to be compressed using an algorithm that does not require reliable packet delivery. When a positive change in network conditions is detected, data transmission using the first compression mode resumes.
US07649889B2

A system and a process for a session layer protocol allows a large number of client machines to receive a reliable data stream over inherently unreliable multicast connections in a highly efficient and scalable manner. More specifically, streaming of high-quality video, audio, stock and news tickers, or any other application specific data that requires a reliable data stream is described. The streaming allows for the source to instruct individuals to drop their connection to the stream to prevent noisy individuals from disrupting the operating efficiency of the stream.
US07649884B1

The present invention provides a scalable and reliable collaborative multicast routing for multicasting in hybrid, multi-tiered, mobile heterogeneous wireless networks. It establishes a multicast tree, maintains the established route, detects and prevents most link breakage within the multicast tree by a neighboring node or the cooperation of the neighboring node, and enables merging of partitioned multicast trees of the same multicast group by nodes that participate in one of the partitioned multicast trees. The use of local nodes to collaboratively establish, maintain, recover, and merge the hybrid, multi-tiered mobile wireless networks that use heterogeneous set of mobile wireless nodes is the fundamental basis for the collaborative multicast routing scheme of the present invention.
US07649877B2

A mobile device includes a display device, a modem interface to communicate with a network, an input interface to receive data, and processing logic responsive to the input interface. The mobile device also includes a memory accessible to the processing logic. The memory includes a plurality of instructions executable by the processing logic to provide a user interface to the display device. The user interface includes a first area to receive a text message and a second area to receive an identifier associated with an addressee device. The memory also includes instructions executable by the processing logic to receive the text message and to submit the text message for conversion into an audio message and for transmission of the audio message to the addressee destination device.
US07649872B2

An architectural solution in which standalone ad-hoc network cells are used as an extension of the backbone infrastructure in terms of network architecture or/and its service capabilities is provided. These Ad-Hoc networks will integrate to the Internet via cellular and other access networks. This integration brings new possibilities to network operators and ISP's. In its extended architecture, it is envisaged that the mobility issues are handled by utilizing the IP mobility capabilities, taking into account the mobile mesh Ad-Hoc specific requirements. A trunk node is elected from among nodes within a service area of an Ad-Hoc domain that underlies an access domain. The trunk node acts as a gateway between the nodes within the Ad-Hoc domain and a backbone access network. The election can be performed by the trunk node itself or by a radio resource management entity.
US07649867B2

A method of discovering at least one of a homogeneous and a heterogeneous network module to perform handover with in a wireless mobile communication network is disclosed. More specifically, the method includes establishing a network handover module for converging information from at least one network interface module associated with at least one of a homogeneous and a heterogeneous network handover module into a unified presentation and transmitting a broadcast request message from a mobile station (MS) to a source point of attachment (PoA) which transmits the broadcast request message to at least one interface module to identify whether the at least one interface module supports at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module and a capability of the at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module. The method further includes initiating a timer for a specified time period when the broadcast request message is transmitted and receiving at least one response message from the at least one interface module via the source PoA prior to expiration of the timer, wherein the response message indicates that the at least one interface module supports at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module and the capability of the at least one of the homogeneous and the heterogeneous network handover module.
US07649858B2

A method is disclosed for multiplexing a plurality of data flows onto a radio channel, as is a wireless communication system that operates in accordance with the method. The method includes steps of (a) segmenting data packets of a first data flow into radio blocks; b) in response to a required transmission of data packets of a second data flow, signaling in a first field a change in data flows; (c) signaling in a second field an identity of the second data flow; and (d) segmenting data packets of the second data flow into radio blocks and transmitting the radio blocks of the second data flow. The method further includes steps of (e) changing back to transmitting the first data flow; and (f) continuing the transmission of an incompletely transmitted packet of the first data flow.
US07649857B2

A method and apparatus for establishing a radio bearer of a point-to-multipoint multimedia service by utilizing a reference configuration of radio bearer parameters for quickly establishing a radio bearer when a mobile terminal moves between cells. By configuring radio bearer parameters for a specific point-to-multipoint service by utilizing a reference configuration such that the same, or equal value, protocol and channel parameters are set for each cell, different cells in a communication system in which a specific point-to-point service is provided are able to configure the radio protocol entities, channels, and radio bearer at the same time by utilizing the same parameter values, thereby minimizing delay in establishing a radio bearer and minimizing data loss occurring during handover, conserving network resources, and enhancing reception performance via soft combining.
US07649854B2

A system and method for providing channels within application servers, messaging systems, and transaction-based systems. Network traffic internal to the server is carried over these channels. This allows the administrator to segregate internal network traffic, usually for security or performance reasons. In addition administrators have finer, dynamic, control over external network channels.
US07649847B2

The present invention discloses novel network architectures for evolving traditional service provider networks. The network architecture of the invention has a transport layer including an optical network. At least one node of the network architecture includes a large packet switch that is coupled to the transport layer and to an access layer. The large packet switch aggregates a plurality of services from the access layer. The large packet switch also performs packet level grooming of the information from the services prior to transport of the information via the transport layer. The optical network performs restoration for the network architecture. In one embodiment, the optical network is an optical ring network including at least one optical switch and restoration is performed at the layer-0 (optical layer). In another embodiment, the optical network is a bi-directional line-switched ring (BLSR) utilizing a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) standard and restoration is performed by the layer-1 (SONET layer). The network architectures of the invention by utilizing a large packet switch to perform service aggregation and packet level grooming, and by performing restoration either at the layer-0 (optical layer) or layer-1 (SONET layer), creates a single converged network that achieves the superior restoration performance needed for carrier grade availability but at much lower costs than traditional service providers which operate multiple overlay networks. Also disclosed are methods to optimize traditional service provider networks and the disclosed novel architectures of the invention.
US07649834B2

A method and apparatus for rerouting traffic in a computer network select a routing element, apply a subnet mask to an interface address of the routing element to generate subnet addresses, determine the address of neighboring elements from the subnet addresses, and obtain configuration information from the neighboring elements. Network topology is determined from the configuration information, a link in the network topology is selected, and a cost associated with the link is modified. The modified cost renders the link less desirable for routing. A method and apparatus for determining the address of neighboring routing elements in a computer network, combine a subnet mask and interface address associated in a bitwise AND operation to generate subnet addresses, disregard the highest and lowest subnet addresses and the address of the selected routing element from the subnet addresses, and identify the remaining subnet address as associated with the neighboring routing element.
US07649823B2

A recording and reproducing system is broken down into a recording unit for producing a digital audio data signal from MIDI music data words asynchronously produced at irregular intervals and a playback unit for reproducing the MIDI music data codes from the digital audio data signal, wherein synchronous data nibbles are supplemented in the irregular intervals among the MIDI music data words for producing a data stream, and the digital audio data signal is produced from the data stream through a differential phase shift keying and a phase code modulation so as to record the MIDI messages in a digital versatile disk at high dense.
US07649821B2

The number of the layers of a disk is determined based on focus search to be performed after at least two kinds of spherical aberration correction quantities are set.
US07649813B2

Audio-centered information is stored on a unitary medium by a Table-of-Contents (TOC) mechanism for specifying an actual configuration of various audio items on the medium. In addition to the TOC mechanism a file-based access mechanism to the information is assigned through a ROOT directory that contains a highest level TOC directory pointing at various audio items.
US07649807B2

Method for locating an impact on a surface (9), in which acoustic sensors (6) pick up acoustic signals ski (t) generated by the impact and the impact is located by calculating, for a number of reference points of index j, a validation parameter representative of a function: PRODkji1i2. . . i2P(ω)=φSki1(ω) φRji1(ω)*φSki2(ω)*φRji2(ω) . . . φSki2p(ω)*φRji2p(ω) where: φSki(ω) and φRji(ω)* are complex phases of Ski(ω) and of Rji(ω), for i=i1, i2, . . . , i2p, indices denoting sensors, Ski(ω) and Rji(ω) being the Fourier transform of ski(t) and rji(t), rji(t) being a reference signal corresponding to the sensor i for an impact at the reference point j, p being a non-zero integer no greater than NSENS/2.
US07649800B2

Disclosed is a logic circuit which includes first and second MOS transistors which are connected in series between a first signal-input terminal and GND. The gates of the first and second MOS transistors are connected in common to a second signal-input terminal and a connection node between the drains of the first and second MOS transistors is connected to an output terminal. When the first and second MOS transistors are both in an off state, the output terminal is less than or equal to a low level.
US07649788B2

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to data storage and computer memory, and more particularly, to systems, integrated circuits and methods for accessing memory in multiple layers of memory implementing, for example, third dimension memory technology. In a specific embodiment, an integrated circuit is configured to implement write buffers to access multiple layers of memory. For example, the integrated circuit can include memory cells disposed in multiple layers of memory. In one embodiment, the memory cells can be third dimension memory cells. The integrated circuit can also include read buffers that can be sized differently than the write buffers. In at least one embodiment, write buffers can be sized as a function of a write cycle. Each layer of memory can include a plurality of two-terminal memory elements that retain stored data in the absence of power and store data as a plurality of conductivity profiles.
US07649785B2

A flash memory device is disclosed and includes; a memory cell array, a high voltage generating circuit generating a high voltage applied to a selected word line to select one or more memory cells in the memory cell array, and a controller. The controller cuts off a discharge path between the high voltage generating circuit and ground during a first period wherein the high voltage is not applied to a word line. The controller also deactivates the high voltage generating circuit during this first period.
US07649782B2

An erase operation in a non-volatile memory includes selecting a block on which to perform an erase operation, erasing the selected block, receiving test data corresponding to the selected block, determining a soft program verify voltage level based on the test data, and soft programming the erased selected block using the soft program verify voltage level. A non-volatile memory includes a plurality of blocks, a test block which stores test data corresponding to each of the plurality of blocks, and a flash control coupled to the plurality of blocks and the test block, the flash control determining a soft program verify voltage level for a particular block of the plurality of blocks based on the test data for the particular block when the particular block is being soft programmed.
US07649778B2

A method for accessing, in reading, programming, and erasing a semiconductor-integrated non-volatile memory device of the Flash EEPROM type with a NAND architecture having at least one memory matrix organized in rows or word lines and columns or bit lines, and wherein, for the memory, a plurality of additional address pins are provided. The method provides both an access protocol of the asynchronous type and a protocol of the extended type allowing to address, directly and in parallel, a memory extended portion by loading an address register associated with the additional pins in two successive clock pulses. A third multi-sequential access mode and a parallel additional bus referring to the additional address pins are also provided to allow a double addressing mode, sequential and in parallel.
US07649774B2

A memory unit includes a plurality of first blocks each having a first block size. Each of the first blocks stores data of a plurality of second blocks each having a second block size which is smaller than the first block size. A control unit writes the data of the second block in the first block. The control unit is configured such that in a case where the second block to be written is a block that is to be written in the same first block as the second block that is already written in the first block, the second block to be written is written in the same first block even if an address of the second block to be written is not consecutive to an address of the second block that is already written in the first block.
US07649773B2

The invention relates to a row decoder circuit for non volatile memory devices of the electrically programmable and erasable type, for example of the Flash EEPROM type having a NOR architecture. The proposed row decoder circuit allows to carry out the erasing step very quickly, for example with a granularity emulating at least 16 kB and even overcoming by at least 2 kB Flash memories of the NAND type. The memory can thus maintain high performances in terms of random access speed but shows a high erasing speed typical of memory architectures of the NAND type.
US07649770B2

A programming matrix switches of one of n logical inputs to one of j outputs. The programming matrix includes at least one layer system with multiple magnetic elements situated at selected locations, in which case, during and/or after the formation of the layer system, in the case of at least one of the elements, the magnetic and/or electrical properties thereof can be altered or are altered by means of intervention at least one layer of the element.
US07649767B2

A spin-injection magnetic random access memory of an aspect of the present invention includes a magnetoresistive element, a unit which writes data into the magnetoresistive element by use of spin-polarized electrons generated by a spin-injection current and which applies, to the magnetoresistive element, a magnetic field of a direction of a hard magnetization of the magnetoresistive element during the writing.
US07649757B2

A flyback converter with a leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit includes a transformer and a leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit. The leakage-inductance energy recycling circuit includes a clamping circuit, an energy storage circuit, and a switch connected between the clamping circuit and the energy storage circuit. A power transistor is electrically connected to a primary winding of the transformer. The clamping circuit clamps the voltage of the power transistor at a predetermined voltage. The energy storage circuit stores the leakage-inductance energy of the primary winding. When the switch is turned off, the clamping circuit receives and stores the leakage-inductance energy of the primary winding, so as to clamp the voltage of the power transistor to a predetermined voltage; when the switch is turned on, the energy stored in the clamping circuit is stored in the energy storage circuit through the switch.
US07649755B2

The switched mode power supply contains a transformer, which has a primary winding and at least one secondary winding, a switching transistor in series with the primary winding and a control circuit for controlling an output voltage of the switched mode power supply. The control circuit contains an oscillator, whose oscillation frequency can be set via a terminal, and which is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer. The wiring for the terminal is connected such that the switched mode power supply starts up at a relatively low oscillation frequency once it has been connected, and, during operation when an additional voltage is supplied to the input via the secondary winding, the oscillation frequency of the switched mode power supply is increased. The terminal is connected in particular via a bandpass filter to a voltage generated by the secondary winding.
US07649753B2

An exemplary embodiment of the disclosure pertains to a high-voltage AC-DC converter converting alternating input current into high-voltage direct current to be provided to a load, e.g. for use of powering an electrostatic precipitator. The converter includes at least one unit for the conversion of the alternating (AC) input current into high frequency alternating (AC) current, at least one transformer for adapting the high frequency alternating (AC) current to requirements of the load. A series loaded resonant tank is provided between the at least one unit and the at least one transformer. Modularizing of the topology is achieved in that there are at least two units for the conversion of the alternating (AC) input current into high frequency alternating (AC) current connected to the same transformer.
US07649750B2

A structure of a latch for an interface card is disclosed. The latch includes a positioning set and a board. The positioning set has a pillar formed at a bottom portion thereof, a protruded frontage with a protruded jointing portion and a connecting portion connected to a limiter, wherein the pillar has a pin positioned at a bottom portion thereof. A first interface card is adapted into the first connector by pressing down the first interface card to be secured by the positioning structure; and a second interface card is adapted into the second connector by pressing down the second interface card to fit the two holes with the jointing portion, and the limiter is covered onto the jointing portion to let the buckling portion of the hole of the limiter support in the hole of the jointing portion to prevent the limiter from coming loose.
US07649746B2

A semiconductor device with an inductor device is small, thin, and low-cost. A laminated inductor is adhered fixedly onto a supporting conductive plate by Ag paste, and a semiconductor chip is adhered fixedly onto the laminated inductor via an insulating DAF tape. One end of the supporting conductive plate and a terminal electrode of the semiconductor chip are connected by a metal wire, and a plurality of terminal electrodes of the semiconductor chip and a plurality of external lead-out terminals are connected respectively by laterally extending metal wires. The entire structure is then sealed by a resin mold. By employing a laminated inductor and forming the metal wires to extend laterally in this manner, the thickness of the semiconductor device with an inductor can be reduced.
US07649740B2

In a stacked mounting structure At least a pair of a first connecting terminal and a second connecting terminal is formed, and further, the stacked mounting structure includes a protruding electrode which is provided on at least any one of the first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal, and an electroconductive paste which is formed on a side surface of an intermediate substrate, and which electrically connects the first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal. The first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal are exposed by a recess in a surface of the intermediate substrate. The first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal are electrically connected via the protruding electrode and the electroconductive paste in the recess which is provided in the intermediate substrate.
US07649733B2

An image display device having an image display panel, the image display device including: as a casing, a base part mountable on a horizontal surface, a rising part rising from the base part in a state of being inclined frontward at a predetermined angle, and a panel retaining part connected to an upper part of the rising part, the panel retaining part retaining the image display panel; and a speaker disposed in an upper surface of the base part with an acoustic output surface of the speaker facing upward, sound output from the speaker being reflected by the rising part.
US07649732B2

A strap holding structure (200) for an electronic device (100) includes a body (10), a strap holder (22) and a latching element (24). The body defines a receiving portion (12). The receiving porting has a side board (1242). The side board with the receiving portion cooperatively surrounds a space (1244). The strap holder has a pole (228) at one end thereof and two opposite feet (223) extending from another end thereof. A block (226) radially extends from a circumferential wall of the strap holder, and the side board is received in the space. The latching element forms two concave portions (244). Each foot engages with a corresponding concave portion. A stopper (246) perpendicularly protrudes from the latching element, and resists a wall of the receiving portion.
US07649714B2

Embodiments of the invention improve the power consumption and response speed of a heater for the gap flying height (hg) adjustment, to minimize an influence that the heater has on a life of a read element, and to provide a heater having resistance lines reduced in breaking and ensuring higher reliability. In one embodiment, a read/write element is formed near an air bearing surface (ABS) on a slider, and the circumference of the read/write element is filled with alumina. The read/write element includes an upper magnetic pole piece, a lower magnetic pole piece, a coil, and a resist filling around the coil, and a read element (MR) for performing reading, and an upper shield and lower shield for protecting the read element from an external magnetic field. A heater for adjusting the flying height is provided between the slider and the read/write element but near the read/write element. A temperature gradient relaxing material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the heater and that of a material (alumina) filling around the heater is formed near the heater.
US07649712B2

A write element for use in perpendicular magnetic recording. The write element including a write pole and a self aligned wrap around shield that can have a trailing shield gap thickness that is different from its side shield gap thickness. The materials making up the trailing shield gap and the side shield gaps can be different materials or can be the same material deposited in two different steps. The side or wrap around portions of the trailing shield can extend down to the level of the leading edge of the write pole or can terminate at some point between the levels of the leading and trailing edge to form a partial wrap around trailing shield.
US07649711B2

A double notched magnetic structure for use in a magnetic head for avoiding stray field writing. The structure could be a magnetic shield, magnetic pole of a write head or some other magnetic structure used in a magnetic head of a magnetic recording system, and has notches formed at both the front end (adjacent to the ABS) and at the back end (away from the ABS). The notches at the front end form a forward protruding portions that performs the necessary function of the structure, such as magnetic shielding, and has laterally extending recessed portions (recessed by the front notches) that move the flux focal points of the structure away from the ABS to avoid stray field writing. The back notches form a backward extending portion that affects the geometry of the structure to prevent the focusing of magnetic flux caused by stray magnetic fields having a component perpendicular to the ABS.
US07649709B2

A magnetic storage media includes a magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment and a magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern recorded on the magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment. The magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern represents magnetic encoded servo position information for facilitating a determination of a servo position error signal exclusive of noise.
US07649708B2

A magnetic storage media includes a magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment and a magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern recorded on the magnetic first-pole polarity initialized servo track segment. The magnetic second-pole polarity differential timing based servo pattern represents magnetic encoded servo position information for facilitating a determination of a servo position error signal exclusive of noise.
US07649702B2

An immersion lithography objective has a housing in which at least one first optical element is arranged, a second optical element, which follows the first optical element in the direction of the optical axis of the objective, an immersion medium that adjoins the second optical element being located downstream of the latter in the direction of the optical axis, and a retaining structure for the second optical element. The retaining structure has a greater stiffness in the direction of the optical axis than in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
US07649699B2

A cemented lens comprises first, second and third optical elements respectively formed by different solid materials, the third and first optical elements being cemented to each other, and the first and the second optical elements being cemented to each other, wherein both an incident surface and an exit surface of the first and second optical elements are refracting surfaces, and the following conditional expressions are satisfied: |ΔθgF1|>0.0272 |ΔθgF2|>0.0272 ΔθgF1×ΔθgF2<0 φ1×φ<0 where ΔθgF1 and ΔθgF2 are respectively anomalous dispersion characteristics of the materials for the first and the second optical elements with respect to a g line and an F line, and φ1 and φ2 are respectively refracting powers of the first and second optical elements when both the incident surface and the exit surface of the first and the second optical element are surfaces in contact with air.
US07649689B2

A promotional or novelty piece wherein a printed planar surface is provided with a translucent lenticular surface, placed in registration with a second planar surface with predetermined indicia applied so as to underlie and register with said translucent surface. The angle of the viewer's eye with said translucent surface allows said underlying indicia and secondary interlaced indicia having been applied to the underside of said lenticular lens, to be selectively and individually observed.
US07649678B2

A delay-line demodulator for demodulating a differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) signal is provided. The demodulator includes two Mach-Zehnder interferometers individually comprising two waveguides having different lengths therebetween and through which a light signal branched from the DQPSK signal propagates, respectively. A phase of the light signal propagating at one of the waveguides is delayed as compared to a phase of the light signal propagating at another one of the waveguides, wherein a divergence amount of polarization is adjusted by driving sets of heaters that are facing each other and sandwiching a half wavelength plate therebetween.
US07649676B2

A system and method are used to form an unpolarized light beam from a polarized light beam. A system comprises a source of radiation and a unpolarizing system. The source of radiation produces a linear polarized beam. The unpolarizing system has first and second optical paths and splits the linear polarized beam. A first portion of the split beam travels along the first optical path having a first path length. A second portion of the split beam travels along the second optical path having a second, different path length. The first and second portions of the split beam are combined to form the unpolarized beam.
US07649674B2

Various types of edge seals for protecting electro-optic displays against environmental contaminants are described. In one type of seal, the electro-optic layer is sandwiched between a backplane and a protective sheet and a sealing material extends between the backplane and the protective sheet. In other seals, the protective sheet is secured to the backplane or to a second protective sheet adjacent the backplane. The electro-optic layer can also be sealed between two layers of adhesive or between one layer of adhesive and the backplane. Other seals make use of flexible tapes extending around the periphery of the display.
US07649668B2

A transparent glazing, and a control method thereof, with a field of view that can be darkened over a portion of its surface by electrically controlling at least one functional element incorporated into a multilayer composite, the light transmission of which glazing can be varied reversibly. The functional element, for example a solid-state electrochromic multilayer system, includes at least one electrochromic functional layer enclosed between two surface electrodes. The surface electrodes and their leads are matched to one another and spaced spatially with respect to one another such that darkening starts at one edge of the functional element and, with a remaining voltage applied between the surface electrodes, propagates continuously over the surface of the functional element until it is completely and uniformly colored. The glazing can be used as an electrically controllable sunshield for windshields of vehicles or the like.
US07649667B2

A controllable Pockels cell system has a switching unit that can apply voltage to the Pockels cell. The Pockels cell system also features a delay unit that enables setting of a precise time when voltage is applied or removed from the Pockels cell. This allows displacing in time the voltage pulse applied to the Pockels cell, in this manner also displacing in time the transmission pulse of the Pockels cell with an analyzer located behind the Pockels cell. Thus it is possible to individually control the amplitude of selected laser pulses. The switching unit can either be a simple push-pull circuit or a bridge circuit made from two push-pull circuits.
US07649652B2

A method and apparatus for expanding bit resolution using local information of an image receives an input image. First, second and third threshold value used to enhance bit resolution, to detect a texture and to detect a pattern, respectively, are determined considering global information of the input image. A texture existing in a mask region composed of surrounding pixels within a predetermined range around a current pixel is determined using the second threshold value. A regularly repeated pattern existing in the mask region is determined using the third threshold value if no texture exists in the mask region. The first threshold value is decreased if a texture or pattern exists in the mask region. Values of mask region pixels are adjusted depending on the first threshold value, and bit resolution of the current pixel value is enhanced using a resultant value obtained by filtering the adjusted pixel values.
US07649649B2

A system/method of color match assessment for electronic documents includes receiving digital data defining a composite electronic document including a raster image object having an edge and a color graphics object bordering the edge of the raster image object. The pixel color values defining the edge of the raster image object are processed to estimate a local color variance of the pixel color values. The local color variance is used to determine if the edge can be color matched to the bordering color graphics object. If the edge can be color matched, a match color for the edge is derived. The match color is associated with the digital data defining the electronic document so that a downstream object color match system can use the match color as needed, e.g., to adjust the color of the bordering color graphics object to ensure a match with the edge of the raster image object when the electronic document is printed using a xerographic printing process.
US07649648B2

A duplex printer includes a body defining one or more spaces in which respective ink cartridges can be placed. A pair of print engines is mounted within the body and a print media path is defined there-between. Each print engine includes at least one printhead coupled in fluid communication to the ink cartridges and is configured to eject ink supplied from the ink cartridges. A pair of print media trays is mounted, in a releasable manner, to either side of the body and each contains print media. Each print media tray includes a movable platen for supporting a stack of print media and a motorized mechanism configured to move the platen.
US07649647B2

A duplex color printer includes a body defining a plurality of docking bays in which respective color ink cartridges can be docked in a releasable manner. A pair of opposed print engines is mounted within the body and a substantially straight print media path is defined there-between. Each print engine includes at least one printhead coupled in fluid communication to the docked ink cartridges and is configured to eject the ink. A pair of print media trays is mounted to either side of the body and each contains print media. A print media feed arrangement is configured to feed print media from one of the trays, along the straight path during printing and into the other one of the trays. The straight print media path enables high speed printing.
US07649646B2

A process cartridge having a nonvolatile memory for storing prescribed information corresponding to addresses is detachably attached to a main body of an image forming device. The nonvolatile memory includes a first address at which data including a shipment destination used by a control system of the main body of the image forming device is stored, a second address where data including process control information to further control the control system of the main body is stored, a first unused address at which data including a destination code is stored and which is used by the control system of the main body of the image forming device is not defined, and a second unused address at which no data is stored and of which use by the control system of the main body of the image forming device is not defined.
US07649643B2

A document generation system includes a printing system and a computer. The printing system includes a print engine, a scanner, a controller and a user interface. The computer is remotely located from but coupled to the printing system. The computer includes software for generating an electronic document and software for designating an insertion point in the electronic document wherein a scanned image of a hardcopy document is to be inserted prior to generating a finished document including the electronic document and an image of the scanned hardcopy document. The controller includes software for identifying the insertion point and for holding the electronic document until the hardcopy document is scanned before generating the finished document including the electronic document and the image of the scanned hardcopy document. A method for intermixing hardcopy pages in a print job utilizes insertion points inserted into an electronic document to identify the location at which scanned images of hardcopy documents are to be inserted in a finished document.
US07649633B2

In order to measure a complex dielectric constant of a thin film on a substrate, a method includes irradiating the thin film sample with light at a first incident angle so that the light undergoes multiple internal reflections within the thin film sample. The method also includes measuring light that has transmitted through or reflected on the thin film sample following the multiple internal reflections, and determining a complex dielectric constant of the thin film sample based upon a spectrum of the transmitted or reflected light that has undergone the multiple internal reflections.
US07649629B2

Apparatus for obtaining depth profile information from a transparent object, includes a confocal scanner for producing an en-face image of the object in an x-y plane, a spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT) apparatus for producing an OCT scan along at least one line in the z direction passing through a point in the x-y plane, and a display device. A processing unit displays on the display device the en-face image and an indication of the position of the point so as to permit the location of the OCT scan to be determined on the en-face image. The position point can be adjusted by the user when viewing the image. In other embodiments, SLO and OCT images are produced from a common aperture, and spectral OCT images are produced simultaneously with fluorescence images.
US07649626B2

An imaging spectrometer is disclosed that comprises imaging means for dividing a received image into two or more spatially separated images and means for detecting each spectral image, and is characterized in that the imaging means comprises at least one polarizing beam splitter. The polarizing beam splitter may be a Wollaston prism. In one embodiment of the invention, the imaging means comprises image replication means to produce two or more spatially separated images, and one or more filter elements such as dichroic filters which act to alter the spectral characteristics of one or more of the spatially separated images. In a further embodiment of the invention the imaging means comprises one or more spectral replication means arranged in optical series, each spectral replication means comprising an optical retardation element and a polarizing beam splitter.
US07649622B1

A test system and method are provided for testing in parallel radiant output of multiple light emitting devices. Generally, the method involves: (i) providing a system having a master, calibrated power meter (CPM), a source transfer standard (STS), and multiple secondary, test site power meters (TSPMs); (ii) determining a relationship between electrical power supplied to the STS and a radiant output therefrom as measured by the CPM; (iii) calibrating the TSPMs using the STS and the relationship between the power supplied to the STS and the radiant output therefrom as determined by the CPM; and (iv) positioning the devices undergoing test on a fixture of the test system and positioning the fixture relative to the TSPMs to test radiant outputs of the devices. Preferably, the TSPMs are calibrated by exposing each to the STS at a known power, determining a difference between the radiant output measured by the CPM and TSPM, using this difference as an offset that is added to the a signal from the TSPM to provide a corrected radiant output for the device under test. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07649619B2

An optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) launches an optical pulse emitted from a pulse light source to one end side of an optical fiber, receives light returning to the one end side with an optical receiver, inputs an output signal of the optical receiver to an A/D converting unit so as to convert the signal to an N bit (N is the plural number) digital signal, implements a process for the N bit digital signal, and measures the transmission characteristics of the optical fiber. The A/D converting unit has the number of bits that is greater than the N bits by the number of A bits, wherein A is an integer greater than “0”. The A/D converting unit converts an input signal to an N+A bit digital signal, and compresses the N+A bit digital signal to N bit data.
US07649611B2

A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.
US07649610B1

A method and a device for reducing speckle formation on a projection display when working with a coherent light source. In this context, the light coming from the light source, before the projection, may strike an electrically controllable optical element having a spatially inhomogeneous refractive index, passing through the same, the refractive index being varied over time within the projection period. This may lead to an averaging out of the speckle pattern on the projection screen. For purposes of illumination, a multimode light source may be used, and/or the light coming from the light source is separated into a plurality of spatial modes, thereby reinforcing the effect. As an optical element, one may employ a liquid crystal element composed of at least two liquid crystal layers, to which a spatially dependent voltage is applied to generate a spatially dependent refractive index. Its birefringence may be compensated by orientating the layers to one another in appropriate fashion.
US07649607B2

In a wiring figure pattern of a display panel, each wiring is separated into bands of optimal widths by slits of a constant width as a wiring figure pattern so that minimum light irradiation for curing a photocuring sealing material can be carried out without increasing the electric resistance of the wiring. The optimal width means a resistance such that light coming from both sides of the band cures the sealing material on the upper surface of the band-without influencing the driving and display of liquid crystal. At a point where the width of wiring becomes two times or more of the optical width between the start point and end point of intersection of the wiring and the sealing material region, the wiring is divided by the slit. A first branch forms the band of the optimal width extending from the branch point to the end point, whereas the second branch extends to the end point and is spaced apart from the first branch by the width of the slit. At a point where the width becomes two times or more of the optimal width, the wiring is divided. Subsequently, branching is repeated until the end point is reached. A continuous triangle is formed in the slit at each branch, thus adjusting the width of the bands to have the optimal width.
US07649597B2

A semi-transmission type liquid crystal display that maximizes the luminance in reflection mode and transmission mode. The liquid crystal display comprises a lower substrate with thin film transistors, an opposite substrate facing the lower substrate, a liquid crystal layer between the lower substrate and the opposite substrate, a reflection electrode formed in a reflection area of the lower substrate, a transparent electrode formed in a transparent area of the lower substrate, a common electrode formed on the opposite substrate, and a drive circuit for applying a voltage between the reflection electrode and the transparent electrode and the common electrode. The potential difference between a drive voltage applied to that surface of the lower substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer and a drive voltage applied to that surface of the opposite substrate which contacts the liquid crystal layer is lower in the reflection area than in the transparent area.
US07649596B2

An LCD with a transmission area and a reflection area includes a first substrate, a gate line and a data line formed on the first substrate, a TFT that is connected to the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode that is connected to the TFT and includes a transparent electrode and a reflective electrode, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a plurality of convex-shaped protrusions that are placed at the refection area and are formed on the second substrate, and a color filter formed on the protrusions and on the second substrate.
US07649588B2

A liquid crystal panel is mounted in a frame. A positioning component for supporting the liquid crystal panel in a positioned state is attached to the frame using a screw component. A positioning protrusion is provided in the frame. A positioning hole portion into which the positioning protrusion can be inserted is provided in the positioning component. The positioning hole portion has a size such that, in a state in which the positioning protrusion is inserted therein, the positioning component can be moved in a direction in which a support surface of the positioning component approaches or moves away from the liquid crystal panel. A bracket surface that is substantially parallel with a direction in which the support surface of the positioning component approaches or moves away from liquid crystal panel is provided in the positioning protrusion.
US07649585B2

An LCD substrate including multiple LCD panels may be cut along a scribing boundary. All or part of one or more test pads or test signal lines may extend in whole or in part across the scribing boundary. When the LCD substrate is cut along the scribing boundary, the test pads or test signal lines are cut or removed.
US07649583B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor structure with a multi-layer storage capacitor is provided. A substrate having an active element area and a storage capacitor area is provided. By sequentially fabricating a semiconductor layer, a first inter-layer dielectric (ILD) layer, a gate and a first electrode, a source and a drain in the semiconductor layer in the active element area, a second ILD layer, a patterned conductive layer served as a pixel electrode, a patterned third ILD layer, a plurality of contact windows in the first, second and third ILD layers for exposing the source, the drain, parts of the patterned conductive layer and the first electrode, a second electrode and a source/drain conductive line, the semiconductor structure with the multi-layer storage is obtained in consequence.
US07649576B2

A display device includes a casing of which a bottom portion is in contact with a setting face when the display device is set; a base member attached to a back face of the casing; and a stand member attached pivotably to the base member. The stand member supports a main body in cooperation with the bottom portion of the casing in an opened state and is capable of brought into a closed state when the stand member is not used. The bottom portion includes a first inclined face being in surface contact with the setting face in the opened state, and a second inclined face inclined relative to a horizontal direction when the casing is vertically erected. The stand member includes a contact portion having a third inclined face being in surface contact with the setting face in the opened state.
US07649574B2

An image display method of splitting a frame into a plurality of sub frames by multiplying a frame frequency of an incoming image signal by an integer, and dividing an image that is originally for the frame into pieces for display on the sub frames. In the image display method, the luminance component included in the image is given a priority for display on a first sub frame that is at least one of the sub frames, and a color-difference component included in the image is given a priority for display on a second sub frame that is also one of the sub frames but not the first sub frame.
US07649573B2

A television production system 300 affords simplification over the automation of a television program such as a news program by parameterizing State Memory Objects (S-MEMs), each defining one or more operations for execution by one or more production devices. The S-MEMs are typically parameterized in accordance with the scenes they generate. Thus, the S-MEMs can be categorized by style, that is to say, by the “look” or appearance of the associated scene. In this way, a director can more easily select among available S-MEMs to choose those that maintain a particular appearance for a succession of scenes.
US07649561B2

A physical quantity detecting device includes: a detecting unit that detects a physical quantity supplied from the outside; and pixels which are two-dimensionally arranged and each of which has a selecting transistor for outputting a signal from the detecting unit to a signal line. In the physical quantity detecting device, the selecting transistor is a depletion-type transistor.
US07649558B2

An apparatus such as an imager includes groups of sensors each of which includes subgroups of sensors. Subgroup select circuits are coupled to outputs from respective subgroups of sensors, and group select circuits are coupled to outputs from subgroup select circuits associated with respective ones of the groups. A bus is coupled to receive outputs from the group select circuits. A controller can provide control signals to the subgroup select circuits and the group select circuits to selectively enable the respective subgroup select circuits and group select circuits to pass signals from the sensors to the bus one sensor at a time.
US07649552B2

A video signal processing apparatus able to obtain a suitable still image from a squeezed video signal, including a converting unit configured to judge whether or not a video signal has been squeezed based on an input video signal and aspect information indicating the aspect ratio of the video signal and to inverse-squeeze it to the designated video signal when judging that it was squeezed as a result of the judgment to convert it to a video signal of a still image of a prescribed image size and a still image recording and/or reproduction unit configured to record the video signal of the still image converted by the converting unit.
US07649543B2

A head moving mechanism includes a head connecting member, a contact member, and a linking mechanism. An LED array head is attached to the head connecting member. The contact member is movable in the vertical direction, and the linking mechanism moves the head connecting member in the vertical direction in association with the vertical movement of the contact member. When a process cartridge is mounted to a main casing, the contact member contacts the process cartridge and moves upward. This moves the LED array head toward a photosensitive drum. On the other hand, when the process cartridge is pulled out from the main casing, the contact member moves downward, moving the LED array head away from the photosensitive drum.
US07649538B1

Circuits, methods, and apparatus that provide texture caches and related circuits that store and retrieve texels in a fast and efficient manner. One such texture circuit provides an increased number of bilerps for each pixel in a group of pixels, particularly when trilinear or aniso filtering is needed. For trilinear filtering, texels in a first and second level of detail are retrieved for a number of pixels during a clock cycle. When aniso filtering is performed, multiple bilerps can be retrieved for each of a number of pixels during one clock cycle.
US07649527B2

An image display system includes a light pen to generate light to input data, and a display panel to display images in response to the light provided from the light pen. The display panel includes a first substrate on which pixel electrodes are formed, a second substrate on which a common electrode are formed, and a photo-sensor formed on the first substrate. The photo-sensor detects the light provided from the light pen to generate a light detect signal. The image display system also includes a driving module to provide new image data to the display panel to display new images in response to the light detect signal from the photo-sensor.
US07649526B2

An indication of interaction with a touch-sensitive display is provided. A soft key is displayed on the touch-sensitive display. Contact with the touch-sensitive display corresponding to interaction with the soft key is detected. The periphery of the soft key smoothly changes in optical intensity in response to detecting the contact.
US07649523B2

A method of estimating a position of a point on a writing implement relative to an optical sensor mounted on the writing implement is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) placing the point in contact with a coded surface; (b) capturing, using the sensor, at least two images of the coded surface at different rotations of the writing implement relative to the surface; (c) determining, from a perspective distortion of the coded surface in each image, an estimated rotation and viewing distance for each image; and (d) estimating, from the estimated rotations and viewing distances, the position of the point relative to the optical sensor.
US07649506B2

An image-transmitting device connected to image-display devices through a bus cable is provided. The image-transmitting device includes a memory unit storing a set of screen data whose correspondence to each of the image-display devices and a displaying order of the screen data to be displayed on the image-display devices are predetermined; a transmission-data-generating unit selecting specific screen data from among the set of the screen data by following the correspondence and the displaying order, and generating transmission data that each of the image-display devices is to display based on the selected specific screen data; a bus interface connected to the image-display devices through the bus cable; and a transmission unit transmitting the transmission data from the bus interface through the bus cable to each of the image-display devices. The image-transmitting device transmits as the screen data, a combination of data specifying an updating area of the screen data displayed on an image-display device and data used for updating part of the screen data displayed in the updating area, to the image-display device through the bus cable, so that the image-display devices can simultaneously update the screen data displayed thereon.
US07649493B2

A transmitting system, which is capable of transmitting a signal for positioning to an area where radio waves are hardly received, is provided. The transmitting system for transmitting the signal for positioning includes a GPS compatible mixer combining a GPS signal for positioning received by a GPS antenna and a BS broadcasting signal received by a BS antenna and outputting the combined signal, a BS-IF compatible amplifier amplifying the signal output from the GPS compatible mixer and outputting the amplified signal, a separator separating the signal output from the BS-IF compatible amplifier into a BS broadcasting signal and a GPS signal, a BS tuner receiving an input of the BS broadcasting signal output from the separator and obtaining a signal of a channel tuned by a user, a GPSBP filter passing a GPS signal included in a predetermined frequency band out of the signal output from the separator, and a GPS issuing unit.
US07649482B2

A signal modulation method by an electronic device which includes a minimal reducing unit that minimally reduces an integrated signal returned to an adder from an integrator.The signal modulation method includes generating an added signal with the adder. The signal modulation method further includes generating a new integrated signal with the integrator by returning a previously self-generated and stored integrated signal to the adder, and by integrating the added signal generated by the adder.The signal modulation method further includes generating a new quantization signal with a quantizer by quantizing the new integrated signal generated by the integrator.
US07649478B1

A method for designing a keyboard for efficient data entry. A user inputs data from a predefined set of characters such as letters or symbols on an input device by pressing one or more keys, in a sequential fashion, for each character. Based on the frequency of occurrence for each character, a prefix-free coding is used to generate an optimal or near-optimal key sequence mapping for the given character set. In one exemplary embodiment, eight to twelve keys from a phone keypad are used to generate English alphabets, which substantially reduces the average number of keystrokes per character. The present invention enables the user to efficiently input typical data from a given probability distribution of characters using a limited number of keys.
US07649451B2

The data processing device includes an identification information displaying controller, a selecting controller, and a recording controller. The identification information displaying controller displays a plurality of identification information that is read from a storage medium and is indicative of respective ones of a plurality of different operating conditions. The selecting controller selects at least one of the plurality of identification information from the plurality of identification information. The recording controller records the at least one of the plurality of identification information, allowing a user to use at least one of the plurality of different operating conditions that corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of identification information.
US07649449B2

A system and method for providing synergistic alert condition processing in an automated patient management system is presented. An alert condition is classified along a continuum that includes adverse outcome potential versus medical intervention impact potential. The alert condition is managed by assigning a disposition based on relative placement of the alert condition along the continuum. An alert notification is communicated over a selectable mode of communications and is conditioned upon the assigned disposition being actionable.
US07649444B1

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method and system for providing positional audio cues for an vehicle warning system. In one embodiment, a sensor disposed in a vehicle detects a warning event and generates a corresponding signal. In response to receiving the signal, a controller uses a positional audio algorithm to generate an audible warning via an audio system associated with the vehicle. The audible warning uniquely identifies the warning event and provides a location cue indicating the location of the warning event. In embodiments of the present invention, a sensor coupled with the controller may detect the proximity of and external object with reference to the vehicle and generate a corresponding signal. In embodiments of the present invention, the audible warnings may comprise steering cues indicating a desired direction, or a wrong direction, to a destination in response to input from a vehicle navigation system.
US07649428B2

A method and system for generating noise in a frequency synthesizer are provided. The method includes generating a noise portion of an input signal within the frequency synthesizer and appending the noise portion to a control portion of the input signal.
US07649427B2

A crystal oscillator in which a temperature characteristic of an oscillation frequency is improved to omit a measurement operation of the temperature characteristic of the oscillator, and manufacturing is facilitated to reduce a manufacturing time. In the crystal oscillator, a power voltage is applied to a collector of a transistor via series connection of an inductor for resonance and a resistance, a crystal unit is disposed in a loop which returns to an emitter of the transistor from a point between the inductor L4 and the resistance, and further, in the loop, a first parallel circuit in which a stationary capacitor having a negative temperature coefficient and a stationary capacitor having a zero temperature coefficient are connected in parallel with each other is inserted between an oscillation output taking point and the collector.
US07649422B2

A real time clock integrated circuit (RTC IC) and an electronic apparatus thereof are provided. In the RTC IC, only a low-power oscillator is used for generating a standard clock for a real time counter, and the standard clock with a frequency drift of the low-power oscillator is compensated through table lookup. Accordingly, the power consumption, fabrication cost and design complexity of the RTC IC are reduced and the counting operation duration of the RTC IC is prolonged.
US07649421B2

A system, apparatus and method for providing phase lock conditions detection such as a quality of phase lock and loss of lock detection. A phase locked loop (PLL) circuit may comprise an oscillator for providing an output frequency, as well as a detector for detecting the output frequency of the oscillator, comparing the output frequency with a reference signal and outputting a first and second signals as a function of the comparison. The PLL circuit may further include an amplifying circuit for receiving the first and second signals, monitoring a deviation of the first and second signals from a predetermined threshold, and generating a third signal as a function of the deviation. The PLL circuit may further comprise a comparison circuit for receiving the third signal, comparing the third signal to a window threshold, and generating a fourth signal as a function of the comparison. The window threshold may be a function of apriori knowledge of at least one loop variable, wherein the window threshold is set based on a predetermined loop variable. An alarm circuit may receive the fourth signal and provide an alarm.
US07649418B2

There is provided a variable-gain amplifier, including two cascode amplifiers and an attenuator. The cascode amplifiers are mutually connected in parallel via the attenuator.
US07649416B2

Sharing one or more load inductors comprises receiving a first input signal at a first terminal of a first amplifier and amplifying the first input signal using the first amplifier. The first amplifier is coupled to one or more load inductors at a second terminal of the first amplifier and is coupled to one or more dedicated source inductors at a third terminal of the first amplifier. Also, a second input signal is received at a first terminal of a second amplifier amplifying the second input signal using the second amplifier. The second amplifier is coupled to the one or more load inductors at a second terminal of the second amplifier and is coupled to one or more dedicated source inductors at a third terminal of the second amplifier.
US07649413B2

A high-frequency power amplifier of the present invention comprises a power supply unit for including a transistor for switching whose drain electrode—source electrode or collector electrode—emitter electrode are on/off controlled according to a pulse signal corresponding to an envelope signal of a high-frequency signal applied to a gate electrode or to a base electrode, and for generating a voltage corresponding to the envelope signal by means of on/off operation of the transistor for switching; and a transistor for power amplification which is a source electrode grounded type or an emitter electrode grounded type, to which a voltage generated by the power supply unit is supplied as an operating voltage, in which the high-frequency signal is applied to the gate electrode or to the base electrode. Further, the transistor for switching in the power supply unit and the transistor for power amplification are arranged so that the source electrodes or the emitter electrodes are commonly connected in one package.
US07649404B2

A system may comprise a control system that controls a state of a switch network, the control system having first and second thresholds that determine the state of the switch network based on the relative voltages at an input and an output of the switch network. A scaling network is coupled across the input and the output of the switch network and providing a gain scaling signal to a first input of the control system. An offset network is coupled to the output of the switch network and providing an offset signal to a second input of the control system, the first threshold being set independently of the second threshold based on the gain scaling signal and the offset signal.
US07649403B2

There is an internal voltage generating circuit for providing a stable high voltage by making a response time short. The internal voltage generating circuit includes a charge pump unit for generate a high voltage being higher than an external voltage in response to pumping control signals and a supply driving control signal; a pumping control signal generating unit for outputting the pumping control signals to the charge pump unit based on a driving signal; and a supply driving control unit for receiving the driving signal to generate the supply driving control signal to the charge pump unit.
US07649398B2

A single input level shifter, which performs a stable level-shifting operation without increasing its area when used with a thin film transistor (“TFT”) having a variety of different characteristics, and includes an intermediate voltage signal providing unit for providing an intermediate voltage signal having a voltage between a supply voltage and an input signal voltage, an inverting unit for receiving the intermediate voltage signal and providing an inverted intermediate voltage signal, and a voltage signal comparing unit for comparing the intermediate voltage signal with the inverted intermediate voltage signal and providing the supply voltage or the ground voltage according to the comparison. A TFT liquid crystal display (“LCD”) device employs the single input level shifter.
US07649396B2

A latch is provided that includes a first inverter, a second inverter, a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit. The first inverter to receive the first clock signal from an input port and to provide a clock signal. The second inverter to receive the first clock signal from the input port and to provide a clock signal. The first latch circuit is to store data and to receive a clock signal from the second inverter. The second latch circuit is further to store data and to receive a clock signal from the first inverter.
US07649392B2

A system for controlling a slew rate of a signal, such as used in an imaging device, comprises a counter for measuring a duration that the signal drops from a maximum voltage to a predetermined reference voltage; a register for retaining a desired duration that the signal drops from the maximum voltage to the predetermined reference voltage; and a comparator for comparing the measured duration to the desired duration, the comparator being operative of a current source for the signal. An anti-oscillation circuit prevents the system from oscillating between two discrete durations.
US07649391B2

A clock signal transmission circuit having a variable initial value for a wait time that is required until a clock signal stabilizes. The clock signal is generated from an original clock signal. The wait time setting unit generates a plurality of wait time signals to wait until the original clock signal stabilizes before providing the clock signal to the internal circuit. A wait time determination unit selects one of the wait time signals and provides the selected wait time signal to a clock control unit. The wait time determination unit includes a data holding circuit which generates a selection signal in accordance with the initial value, a selection circuit which selects one of the wait time signals based on the selection circuit, and an initial value setting circuit enabling the initial value to be varied.
US07649380B2

In a logic circuit, a first switching device is connected between a first voltage and an output terminal through which an output signal is output. The switching device is selectively activated and deactivated based on an input signal. A second switching device is connected to a ground voltage and is selectively activated and deactivated based on the input signal. A control circuit outputs a control signal in response to the input signal. The control signal has a first voltage level during a first time period in which a state of the input signal changes, and has a second voltage level during a second time period in which a state of the input signal is constant. The second voltage level is lower than the first voltage level. A field relaxation circuit is connected between the terminal through which the output signal is output.
US07649372B2

Methods and systems for inserting and replacing swaged probe pins in a lower die portion of a head having an array of micro-holes for receiving the probe pins are disclosed. The methods and systems include the following: swaged probe pins including substantially cylindrical ends and a swaged center portion; and an assembly aid film including an array of slotted holes, each of the slotted holes including a substantially round portion for receiving the substantially cylindrical ends of the swaged probe pins and slot portions for receiving the swaged center portion of the swaged probe pins. The array of slotted holes is configured to properly align the swaged probe pins with the array of micro-holes.
US07649368B2

Double-sided interposer assemblies and methods for forming and using them. In one example of the invention, an interposer comprises a substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite of said first surface, a first plurality of contact elements disposed on said first side of said substrate, and a second plurality of contact elements disposed on said second surface of said substrate, wherein said interposer connects electronic devices via said first and said second plurality of contact elements.
US07649366B2

A contactor device comprising a plurality of probes disposed to contact ones of the electronic devices can be electrically connected to a source of test signals. A switch can be activated electrically connecting a connection to the source of test signals to a selected one of a first group of electrically connected ones of the probes disposed to contact a first set of a plurality of the electronic devices or a second group of electrically connected ones of the probes disposed to contact a second set of a plurality of the electronic devices.
US07649365B1

A method of inline inspection of photovoltaic material for electrical anomalies. A first electrical connection is formed to a first surface of the photovoltaic material, and a second electrical connection is formed to an opposing second surface of the photovoltaic material. A localized current is induced in the photovoltaic material and properties of the localized current in the photovoltaic material are sensed using the first and second electrical connections. The properties of the sensed localized current are analyzed to detect the electrical anomalies in the photovoltaic material.
US07649360B2

Apparatus for AC fault (ACF) detection are provided. In addition, apparatus for AC fault (ACF) detection and verification are provided. In addition, apparatus for identification of a module which is the cause of an AC fault (ACF) are provided. In one implementation, one or more of these apparatus can be combined to provide a fast, simple, low cost and reliable ACF detection, verification and/or identification circuit.
US07649358B2

A signal processing circuit includes an ion sensitive field effect transistor, a reference electrode for the ion sensitive field effect transistor, a metal oxide semiconductor transistor having its gate coupled to the reference electrode, and a biasing circuit. The biasing circuit is configured to bias the ion sensitive field effect transistor and the metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor to operate in a weak inversion region and to provide an output current signal.
US07649357B2

A connector for a downhole tool includes a body with one or more conductors positioned at least partially axially adjacent to an axial bore that extends at least partially through the body. In embodiments, one or more seals surrounding the body prevent fluid from flowing from a lateral opening into the interior of the downhole tool. Additionally, the body of the connector can include a circumferential or annular recess that acts as a reservoir to contain or capture fluid that might otherwise enter the sub. Leak protection can also be protected by applying a pressure compensating material around the body.
US07649347B2

A system and method to evaluate characteristics of notches in sine wave type electrical signals. An example method includes measuring a voltage waveform. A reference waveform is derived from the measured voltage waveform. A series of threshold voltage values is determined based on corresponding voltages of the reference waveform. The voltages of the voltage waveform are compared with the corresponding threshold voltages. The presence of a notch is indicated when a voltage of the voltage waveform is lesser in magnitude than the corresponding threshold voltage.
US07649326B2

A current source generates, with high efficiency, a current that is substantially constant over a wide range of output voltages. This current is injected into the first end of a series-connected string of LEDs, with the second end of the string connected through a resistor to ground. The voltage developed across this resistor, which is a measure of current flow in the series string, is fed back to the current source, wherein feedback maintains nearly constant current output over a wide range of output voltages. A field effect transistor (FET) is placed in parallel with each LED in the string. A level shift gate driver couples a pulse width modulated control signal to the gate of each FET. With the FET being coupled across a particular LED, the LED can be bypassed when the FET is actuated or receive current when the FET is deactuated. By modulating the duty cycle of each FET, the brightness of each associated LED may be varied smoothly over its full range.
US07649321B2

An apparatus for controlling the irradiation direction of a lamp for a vehicle is provided with an actuator 3R for controlling the irradiation direction of a headlamp 2R and a controller (ECU) 1 for controlling the actuator 3R in accordance with a pitch angle of a vehicle. The controller 1 includes a monitor unit for monitoring the state of a control signal line CL for sending a control signal for controlling the actuator 3R and determines an abnormality of the controller, the actuator or the control signal line based on the state of the control signal line. The controller is not required to be connected to the actuator via a wire harness dedicated for the monitoring which is provided independently, so that the number of the wire harnesses can be prevented from increasing. Further, since the actuator is not required to be provided with a dedicated monitor circuit, the configuration of the actuator is prevented from being complicated.
US07649314B2

A plasma display panel reduces a resonance space between a frit and dummy partition walls so as to suppress noise and smoothly supply and exhaust a discharge gas. The plasma display panel includes a front substrate and a rear substrate that face each other, address electrodes and display electrodes that are spaced apart from each other and each extend along directions intersecting each other between the front substrate and the rear substrate, and partition walls that form a display region while partitioning a plurality of discharge cells and form a non-display region along a periphery of the display region between the front substrate and the rear substrate. The non-display region includes a first dummy area in which dummy cells are partitioned by dummy partition walls extending from partition walls disposed in the display region, and a second dummy area in which dummy cells are partitioned by dummy partition walls spaced apart from the first dummy area.
US07649309B2

Phosphor from the class of the oxynitridosilicates, having a cation M which is doped with divalent europium, and having the empirical formula MSi2O2N2, where M=Sr1-x-yCayEux where 0.3≦x+y≦0.725, with a Ca/Eu ratio of >1, the oxynitridosilicate having an emission with a dominant wavelength in the range from 555 to 568 nm.
US07649307B2

A display panel assembly includes a first substrate having an effective display region for displaying an image and a non-effective display region positioned at a peripheral region outside of the effective display region, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a sealing member disposed along a boundary between the effective display region and the non-effective display region between the first and second substrates, the sealing member including a thermosetting material, and an exothermnic member interposed between the sealing member and the first substrate to generate heat for curing the sealing member.
US07649301B2

An actuator 100 includes: a pair of driving portions 1, 11 spaced apart from each other; a movable portion 2 provided between the pair of driving portions 1, 11; a pair of supporting portions 3, 3 for supporting the pair of driving portions 1, 11 and the movable portion 2; a pair of first elastic connecting portions 4, 4 which respectively connect the pair of driving portions 1, 11 to the pair of supporting portions 3, 3 so that each of the driving portions 1, 11 can rotate with respect to the supporting portions 3, 3; and a pair of second elastic connecting portions 5, 5 which respectively connect the movable portion 2 to the pair of driving portions 1, 11 so that the movable portion 2 can rotate in accordance with the rotation of the pair of driving portions 1, 11. In this case, each of the pair of driving portions 1, 11 rotates around a rotation central axis 41 of the actuator 100 by application of an alternating voltage, whereby the movable portion 2 rotates around the rotation central axis 41 of the actuator 100. Further, the torsional rigidity of each of the first elastic connecting portions 4, 4 is larger than that of each of the second elastic connecting portions 5, 5.
US07649299B2

It is made easy for a stator winding to be wound around a stator core and degradation in efficiency is prevented as much as possible. A stator (6) includes a plurality of phases, i.e., of circumferentially divided stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c). The stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) are each composed of an arcuate stator core (13) having a plurality of axially extending claw poles (16b) and a circumferentially elliptically wound stator winding (14). The stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) are magnetically divided; therefore, magnetic flux leakage is reduced to improve efficiency. Air flowing between the stator magnetic poles (6a, 6b, 6c) can improve a cooling effect.
US07649296B2

A stator includes a first through a third windings, and a first and a second interphase insulators. The first interphase insulator has a first pair of strip-shaped insulating sheets and a first connecting portion. End portions of the insulating sheets are connected to the respective opposite end portions to form joints. The first connecting portion connects the insulating sheets so that the joints are shifted so as to be disposed in a region avoiding an interference with the first winding on both of a lead-extending side and the opposite side. In the second interphase insulator similarly constructed, a second connecting portion connects a second pair of the strip-shaped insulating sheets so that joints are shifted so as to be disposed in a region avoiding an interference with the third winding on both of the lead-extending side and the opposite side.
US07649286B2

An electric motor starting device for an electric motor that incorporates air, gas, liquid or electrically actuated engine starter to initiate rotation of an electric motor and its associated driven component. Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for starting an electric motor whether or not it is being used to drive any type of mechanical or electrical device, and are consistent with use as an alternative to or in conjunction with any electric motor starting method or technology.
US07649281B2

The present invention presents an uninterruptible power supply device including an input circuit coupled between a voltage input terminal and a rectifier circuit, in which the input circuit includes a boost choke being charged with an AC current received from the voltage input terminal for providing a boosted AC voltage to the rectifier circuit. The rectifier circuit is configured to convert the boosted AC voltage into an intermediate DC voltage. The intermediate DC voltage is converted through an inverter into a poly-phase output AC voltage for use by a load.
US07649277B2

A method for the operation of a wind energy plant, with a synchronous generator, a superimposition gearbox, which is connected between rotor shaft and generator shaft, and a drive unit, wherein before connecting the synchronous generator to the electric grid, the drive unit drives the synchronous generator until the same has reached its rated rotational speed.
US07649269B2

An integrated circuit and method of fabricating the same are provided. Included are an active circuit, and a metal layer disposed, at least partially, above the active circuit. Further provided is a bond pad disposed, at least partially, above the metal layer. To prevent damage incurred during a bonding process, the aforementioned metal layer may define a frame with an outer periphery and an inner periphery.
US07649262B2

A structure for suppressing localized metal precipitate formation (LMPF) in semiconductor processing. For each metal wire that is exposed to the manufacturing environment and is electrically coupled to an N region, at least one P+ region is formed electrically coupled to the same metal wire. As a result, few excess electrons are available to combine with metal ions to form localized metal precipitate at the metal wire. A monitoring ramp terminal can be formed around and electrically disconnected from the metal wire. By applying a voltage difference to the metal wire and the monitoring ramp terminal and measuring the resulting current flowing through the metal wire and the monitoring ramp terminal, it can be determined whether localized metal precipitate is formed at the metal wire.
US07649257B2

An integrated circuit and methods of forming and using the integrated circuit. The circuit includes: a radiation-emitting layer over a selected region of a top surface of an integrated circuit chip, the radiation emitting layer comprising a first polymer or resin and a first radioactive material, the region smaller than a whole of the top surface of the integrated circuit chip, the region including a circuit that is liable to temporary failure when struck by radiation generated by the first radioactive material.
US07649250B2

Provided are a semiconductor package and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor package includes: a substrate having a top surface on which a lead is formed and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface; a semiconductor chip attached to the top surface of the substrate and having an active surface on which a chip pad is formed and a back surface opposite to the active surface; a redistribution pattern electrically connected to the chip pad and extending from the active surface to a lateral surface of the semiconductor chip; and an interconnector electrically connecting the redistribution to the lead on the lateral surface of the semiconductor chip.
US07649247B2

A power MOSFET is provided on a semiconductor die to withstand radiation exposure. The semiconductor die is mounted on a die flag of a leadframe. The MOSFET includes a substrate and epitaxial layer formed over the substrate. A source region is formed in a surface of the semiconductor die. The source region is coupled to the die flag. A contact pad is formed on the source region. A base region is formed in the surface of the semiconductor die adjacent to the source region. The base region is electrically connected to the contact pad. A drain region is formed in the surface of the semiconductor die. The drain region is coupled to a first wire bond pad on the leadframe. A gate structure is formed over a channel between the source region and drain region. The gate structure is coupled to a second wire bond pad on the leadframe.
US07649245B2

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates high-bandwidth communication using a flexible bridge. This system includes a chip with an active face upon which active circuitry and signal pads reside, and a second component with a surface upon which active circuitry and/or signal pads reside. A flexible bridge provides high-bandwidth communication between the active face of the chip and the surface of the second component. By matching the wire line size in the flexible bridge to the size of circuits and/or signal pads on the chip and on the second component, the system allows signals to be sent between the circuits on the chip and the second component without having to change the scale of the interconnect, thereby alleviating wireability and bandwidth limitations of conventional chip packaging technologies.
US07649240B2

A semiconductor memory device having an improved fuse structure may include an interlayer insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, an opening in the interlayer insulating film, a vertical fuse that may conform to the opening, a fuse insulating film on the vertical fuse that may fill the opening, and metal wiring lines that may be electrically connected to the vertical fuse.
US07649234B2

An embodiment of a semiconductor device includes a gate electrode overlying a substrate and a lightly doped epitaxial layer formed on the substrate. A high energy implant region forms a well in a source side of the lightly doped epitaxial layer. A self-aligned halo implant region is formed on a source side of the device and within the high energy well implant. An implant region on a drain side of the lightly doped epitaxial layer forms a gate overlapped LDD (GOLD). A doped region within the halo implant region forms a source. A doped region within the gate overlapped LDD (GOLD) forms a drain.
US07649229B2

A semiconductor device capable of preventing an electrostatic surge without increasing a leak current. In the semiconductor device, a protection circuit for protecting an internal circuit is provided between a source line and a ground line. The protection circuit has a protection transistor of which the drain is connected to the source line and the source and gate are connected to the ground line. The protection transistor is configured by integrally forming two types of transistor structural portions. The latter of the transistor structural portions is longer than the former thereof in gate length. In addition, the sum of gate widths of the latter transistor structural portions is larger than the sum of gate widths of the former transistor structural portions.
US07649219B2

An image sensor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal line layer, a first conduction type conducting layer, a first pixel isolation layer, an intrinsic layer, and second conduction type conducting layer. The semiconductor substrate includes a circuit region. The metal line layer including a plurality of metal lines and an interlayer insulating layer is formed on the semiconductor substrate. The first conductive layer having patterns separated from each other by the pixel isolation layer is formed on the metal lines. The first pixel isolation layer is formed between the separated patterns of the first conduction type conducting layer. The intrinsic layer is formed on the first conductive layer and the first pixel isolation layer. The second conduction type conducting layer is formed on the intrinsic layer.
US07649214B2

An integrated circuit system includes a first device in a first power domain, and a second device coupled to the first device in a second power domain. A circuit module is coupled between the first device and a power supply voltage or between the first device and a complementary power supply voltage in the first power domain for increasing an impedance against an ESD current flowing from the first device to the second device during an ESD event.
US07649204B2

An image display medium includes: a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; a first bonding layer provided inside at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate; and an insulating layer fixed to the at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate by the first bonding layer, wherein the first bonding layer has a Young's modulus smaller than the substrate formed with the insulating layer and the insulating layer.
US07649183B2

Method and apparatus is provided for monitoring an item for radioactive material on or associated with the item, the apparatus including an enclosed volume, an item monitoring location, a detection location, ion detectors provided within the detection location, a mover of gas for providing a flow of gas past the item monitoring location to a detection location, so as to revel the level and/or presence of radioactive material on the item. The item may be supported within the monitoring location by one or more rollers to ease its insertion and/or removal. The item monitoring location may be extremely elongate so as to measure pipes and the like. Various designs of roller and gas flow controllers are provided to optimize monitoring.
US07649181B2

A variable waveform detector may include multiple stages.
US07649179B2

A method for manufacturing a photo-responsive device having a photo-sensitive layer is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: a) providing a clean substrate inside an evacuated evaporation chamber; b) evaporating lead oxide (PbO) from a first crucible to form a seeding layer on the surface of the substrate; c) affecting upon the seeding layer such that only tetragonal lead oxide forms the seeding layer and/or such that the initially grown orthorhombic lead oxide forming the seeding layer is transformed into tetragonal lead oxide; and d) continuing to evaporate lead oxide until the final thickness of the photo-sensitive layer has been deposited onto the substrate. As a result the method yields a photo-responsive device comprising a photo-sensitive layer of lead oxide, which entirely consists of tetragonal lead oxide.
US07649171B1

Analysis of biological small molecules such as toxins, spores or cells is achieved by miniature mass spectrometer apparatus and apparatus attached thereto for vaporizing and ionizing a liquid sample fed into an evacuated vaporization chamber as an electrospray. The mass spectrometer apparatus includes: a collimation chamber, a repeller assembly, an internal ionization chamber, a mass filter and ion separation chamber, a drift space region, and a multi-channel ion detection array so as to permit the collection and analysis of ions formed over a wide mass range simultaneously. The vaporization chamber includes an output port adjacent the input to the collimation chamber so as to maximize the amount of vaporized material being fed into the mass spectrometer apparatus.
US07649158B2

The invention relates to a furnace (10) for heating preforms (20), of the type that comprises a preform-heating tunnel (12). According to the invention, the tunnel consists of a heating module (18) comprising vertical walls (14, 16) between which the preforms (20) travel. Moreover, at least one wall (16) of the module (18) is provided with at least one heating means (32) which is mounted to supports (34) such that it can move transversely and means (40) for adjusting the transverse position of the heating means (32) comprising at least one member (42) for controlling the movement of the heating means (32) between at least two indexed positions. The invention is characterized in that the control member (42) comprises an indexing boss (54) which can deform elastically such as to fit inside the complementary indexing notches (56, 58) on the corresponding support (34) at proximal and distal positions respectively.
US07649155B2

A method for performing piercing preferentially on a laser beam machine by taking advantage of a capability to change laser machining tools automatically. A laser beam machine is equipped with a device for changing a torch and nozzle automatically. The laser beam machine is equipped with a means of selecting preferential treatment of piercing after nesting data is prepared by a CAM or NC system and performs piercing alone in favor of cutting by changing to a special-purpose piercing tool.
US07649154B2

In the case of a method of producing a linear graphic element on a molded body, the molded body is metallically coated and the graphic element is produced by a laser irradiation. The coating is removed by the laser irradiation in the form of dots having the same diameter and the same mutual spacing.
US07649148B2

A motor driven appliance timer utilizing a cam program disk and snap action switches is provided. The motor may be externally energized, or may be energized based on integrated electronics within the appliance timer. Rotation of the program disk by a user to allow selection of a desired appliance cycle is accommodated by a clutch subassembly that allows bidirectional rotation of the program disk without requiring that the user pull or push the control shaft before rotating the program disk. The timer of the present invention may utilize either impulse or constant drive mechanisms to rotate the program disk. The use of snap action switches minimizes the possibility of tack weld failures due to switch teasing.
US07649147B2

An off-circuit tap changer device which includes a spring-biased moving contact that is operable to independent flex and roll. The moving contact includes one or more rings which are independently spring biased to a moving contact support. The device also includes a single rod with locking elongated ribs to mate with a sleeve of the moving contact support. The circulating circuit includes X stationary contacts. The resiliency via the spring-biasing and the rolling of the ring minimizes, if not prevents, surface wearing of the moving contacts.
US07649146B2

Stacked receptacles in a connector that each provide side-by-side differential signal contacts, are attached to a circuit board without additional width to accommodate multiple layers of differential signals by using connector wafer inserts that rotate the side-by-side positioned differential signal contacts to front-to-back contacts.
US07649145B2

Photolithography patterned spring contacts are disclosed. The spring contacts may be fabricated using thin film processing techniques. A substrate, such as a silicon wafer or a carrier substrate is provided. At least one layer of a metal or alloy film may be deposited on the substrate or on at least one intervening release layer and patterned to form metal traces. A stressable material, exhibiting an at least partially tensile stress state, may be deposited on the metal traces in a localized region. A portion of the substrate or a portion of the intervening release layer underneath the metal traces may be removed by etching, causing the metal traces to curl upward resulting in the spring contacts. The spring contacts may be used as compliant electrical contacts for electrical devices, such as integrated circuits or carrier substrates. The compliant electrical contacts may also be used for probe cards to test other electrical devices.
US07649137B2

Disclosed herein is a signal processing apparatus, including: extraction means for extracting a feature quantity indicative of characteristics of sounds represented by a sound signal, the sounds including different tones from within a 12-tone equal temperament and being arranged in an order of a musical scale based on a reference sound having a predetermined tone; and root decision means for receiving the feature quantity and deciding whether the reference sound is a root of a first chord of the arranged sounds, the decision being based on the feature quantity.
US07649134B2

In displaying a music score by using a computer, there is provided a function for matching an in-music position being updated in a computer with an in-music position being played. According to the in-music position, display update is controlled. Space of music score display is divided into several partitions. The timing of updating each partition is defined as the moment when the in-music position in the computer has arrived at the position in the page obtained by predetermined function from the position of the page divided and the partitions are successively updated. Thus, it is possible to realize smooth display update capable of displaying the preceding partition and holding the display with a sufficient width before and after the position being played. Here, a plurality of timing input means are provided for matching the in-music position required here, so that a trace shift in the lower level can be corrected by means having a higher-level reliability when necessary. When playing in concert, the music score is different for each part but the display update can be controlled by supplying the in-music position information.
US07649131B1

A wind instrument stand includes a base and a holding unit. The base includes a front support frame and a rear support frame. The holding unit includes a support rod rotatably mounted on the front support frame, two holding members pivotally mounted on the support rod respectively, and two torsion springs each biased between the support rod and the respective holding member. Thus, when the neck of the saxophone is placed between the holding members, the holding members are pivoted and moved toward each other by the weight of the saxophone to clamp the neck of the saxophone, so that the neck of the saxophone is clamped between the holding members exactly and stably to prevent the saxophone from being detached from the holding members due to an accidental vibration or hit.
US07649130B2

An integrated circuit produced from non-monocrystalline semiconductors, including a plurality of transistors, all of the transistors being of the same type, and at least two timer signal inputs, wherein the timer signals fed to the different inputs are temporally non-overlapping signals.
US07649125B2

A method of detecting the presence of an insult in an absorbent article. An electrical property of the article is measured and either a proportional difference or a rate of change of the electrical property is determined. The proportional difference or the rate of change is compared to a difference indicator value and a rate indicator value, respectively, to determine the presence of an insult in the article.
US07649115B2

The invention provides novel compounds of formulae I and II: that are monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors, which can be useful in treating obesity, diabetes, and/or cardiometabolic disorders (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemias, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance).
US07649105B2

The present invention provides compounds having in their molecule a structure contributing to high hydrophilicity, and having high photopolymerizability, as well as polymers of such compounds, and a method for producing the compound. The compounds are diol (meth)acrylate having a urethane bond represented by the formula (1), and cyclic ketal (meth)acrylate having a urethane bond represented by the formula (2): (R1: H, —CH3; R2: —(CH2)n-; R3: —(CH2)m-; n: 1-4; m: 1-8; (AO): C2-C4 oxyalkylene group; x: 0-1000; R4, R5: H, —CH3, —C2H5).
US07649103B2

Long-chain unsaturated oxygenated compounds and their use in the therapeutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical field. Use of compounds of formula R—X wherein X is a primary alcoholic functional group —CH20H, a carboxylic functional group —COON or a C1-C4 alkyl ester group, and of mono-, di- and tri-glycerides of acid compounds R—COON and of pharmaceutically acceptable salts of those acids, wherein R is a hydrocarbon chain having from 19 to 35 carbon atoms, which is saturated or unsaturated, including from one to five ethylenic or acetylenic unsaturations, linear or branched, including from one to five methyl branches, and optionally substituted by from one to three hydroxyl groups, for the preparation of pharmaceutical or nutraceutical compositions useful for the treatment and prevention of pathologies related to a high concentration of cholesterol and lipids, pathologies associated with an increased ability of the blood platelets to aggregate and with a reduced concentration of oxygen, in the treatment of ageing processes, for the preparation of compositions of nutritional integrators aimed at weight loss and cosmetic compositions useful in the treatment and prevention of skin damage caused by free radicals.
US07649102B2

A process for making propylene oxide from propylene is disclosed. Propylene, hydrogen, and oxygen are reacted in a slurry comprising a catalyst and a solvent to produce a gaseous product stream and a liquid product stream. The gaseous product stream is contacted with an absorbent to produce a gas effluent and a liquid effluent. The gas effluent is recycled to the reaction step.
US07649099B2

The invention includes methods of producing dianhydrosugars. A polyol is reacted in the presence of a first catalyst to form a monocyclic sugar. The monocyclic sugar is transferred to a second reactor where it is converted to a dianhydrosugar alcohol in the presence of a second catalyst. The invention includes a process of forming isosorbide. An initial reaction is conducted at a first temperature in the presence of a solid acid catalyst. The initial reaction involves reacting sorbitol to produce 1,4-sorbitan, 3,6-sorbitan, 2,5-mannitan and 2,5-iditan. Utilizing a second temperature, the 1,4-sorbitan and 3,6-sorbitan are converted to isosorbide. The invention includes a method of purifying isosorbide from a mixture containing isosorbide and at least one additional component. A first distillation removes a first portion of the isosorbide from the mixture. A second distillation is then conducted at a higher temperature to remove a second portion of isosorbide from the mixture.
US07649097B2

The present invention relates to novel tetracyclic arylsulfonyl indoles, their derivatives, their analogues, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, novel intermediates described herein and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. This invention particularly relates to novel tetracyclic arylsulfonyl indoles of the general formula (I), their derivatives, their analogues, their tautomeric forms, their stereoisomers, their polymorphs, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, their pharmaceutically acceptable solvates, novel intermediates described herein and pharmaceutically acceptable compositions containing them. This invention also relates to process/es for preparing such compound/s of general formula (I), composition/s containing effective amount/s of such a compound and the use of such a compound/composition in therapy.
US07649085B2

Activated haptens useful for generating immunogens to HIV protease inhibitors, immunogens useful for producing antibodies to HIV protease inhibitors, and antibodies and labeled conjugates useful in immunoassays for the HIV protease inhibitor saquinavir. The novel haptens feature an activated functionality at the central, non-terminal hydroxyl group. Also described are monoclonal antibodies specific for saquinavir having less than 10% cross-reactivity with lopinavir, nelfinavir, amprenavir, ritonavir, and indinavir, and a murine hybridoma producing said antibodies.
US07649081B2

The present invention concerns methods and kits for diagnosing a disease condition characterized by non-physiological levels of hepcidin protein, including prohepcidin and fragments thereof, comprising obtaining a tissue or fluid sample from a subject; contacting the sample with an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to a polypeptide corresponding to the amino acid sequence between and including amino acids 25 and 49 of a hepcidin precursor protein, and quantifying the hepcidin precursor level using an assay based on binding of the antibody and the polypeptide; wherein the non-physiological level of prohepcidin is indicative of the disease condition. The present invention also concerns diagnostic methods and kits for applications in genetic technological approaches, such as for overexpressing or downregulating hepcidin.
US07649079B2

A method for easily and efficiently removing ruthenium complexes, which are generally difficult to remove, from a polymer, as well as a method for purifying a polymer that uses such a removal method are provided. A method for removing a metal, wherein a compound is added that is capable of coordination via a substitution of a ligand of a ruthenium complex, thereby precipitating another ruthenium complex, as well as a method for purifying a polymer that uses such a method.
US07649072B2

Polyurethane and polyurea compositions for golf balls with improved stability of the curative blend, wherein the curative blend includes a pigment, a curing agent, and a compatible freezing point depressing agent so that the curative blend has a lower freezing point than the curing agent by itself and the blend does not lose pigment dispersion upon solidification and subsequent thawing.
US07649059B2

Addition-curable organopolysiloxane resin composition comprising an organopolysiloxane resin that contains at least alkenyl, hydroxyl, and phenyl directly bonded to silicon of which at least 30 mole % is phenyl; an organohydrogenoligosiloxane or organohydrogenpolysiloxane that contains at least phenyl directly bonded to silicon of which at least 20 mole % is phenyl; and an addition reaction-curing catalyst.
US07649057B2

A thermoplastic composition comprising a polycarbonate, an impact modifier, an aromatic vinyl copolymer, and a polyorganosiloxane has excellent mechanical properties, in addition to suitable low gloss performance. An article may be formed by molding, extruding, shaping or forming such a composition to form the article.
US07649055B2

The invention is directed to compounds and methods of synthesizing hydroxyethylamino amides and their use in treatment of aspartyl protease mediated diseases and conditions.
US07649054B2

A curable composition is described comprising a Michael donor component, a polyacryl component, and 1) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a reactive azlactone functional group, or 2) an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a reactive ring-opened azlactone functional group. A telechelic polymer that is the reaction product of these components is also described.
US07649041B2

An aqueous coating composition comprising a hydrophilic cationic polymer having an amino group (A), nonionic polyalcohol (B), a tri- or more valent silane compound (C), and water (D). According to the aqueous coating composition of the present invention, it is possible to produce an organic and inorganic hybrid coating film having a high degree of hardness and excellent abrasion resistance in relative mild production conditions by a simple method.
US07649040B2

A composition comprising at least one high Tg amorphous resin with a fibrous filler shows improved melt processability. Addition of a sulfonate salt to the compositions gives increased melt flow as well as enhanced flame retardancy in a composition which is substantially free of bromine and chlorine.
US07649038B2

Phosphate derivatives of a 1,3,5-triazine compound, preferably melamine polyphosphate, which are heat-resistant at the processing temperature, are selected which have an average condensation coefficient n (number average)>20, a pH-value of a 10% slurry of the polyphosphate derivative in water at 25° C. of 5 or higher, a molar ratio of 1,3,5-triazine compound to phosphorus (M/P)<1.1 and a decomposition temperature>320° C. They can be produced by heat treatment of an orthophosphate or condensed phosphate with an average condensation coefficient n (number average) below 20 in an ammonia atmosphere at a temperature in the range of 300 to 400° C. until the average condensation coefficient is above 20 and the molar ratio of 1,3,5-triazine compound to phosphorus (M/P) is below 1.1. The polyphosphates of the invention can be represented in simplified form by the following general formula: wherein M denotes a 1,3,5-triazine compound and n denotes the average condensation coefficient. For high and medium condensation coefficients n the sum formula can be reduced to (MHPO3)n. Therein M once again denotes the 1,3,5-triazine compound and n denotes the average condensation coefficient. These polyphosphate derivatives can be used as flame-retardant agents in any plastic materials, preferably thermoplastic materials and thermosetting materials, in particular also in glass fibre-reinforced polyamides and polyesters which are processed at high temperatures.
US07649037B1

Curable compositions, such as benzoxazine-based ones, are useful in applications within the aerospace industry, such as for example as a heat curable composition for use as a matrix resin or an adhesive, and form the basis of the present invention.
US07649025B2

A composite ion exchange membrane having a high swelling resistance and being superior in mechanical strength and ion conductivity can be provided by means of an composite ion exchange membrane including an ion exchange resin composition and a support membrane having a continuous pore penetrating the support membrane, wherein the support membrane is one which accepts the ion exchange resin composition within the pore, and wherein the ion exchange resin composition is one which contains an ion exchange resin containing, as a main component, an aromatic polyether and/or its derivative, the aromatic polyether being obtained by mixing a compound having a specific structure, an aromatic dihalogenated compound and a bisphenol compound with a carbonate and/or a bicarbonate of an alkali metal and polymerizing the mixture in an organic solvent.
US07649008B2

Various crystal forms of 4-(1-((4-methylbenzothiophen-3-yl)methyl)benzimidazol-2-ylthio)butanoic acid from a solvent, and a process for production thereof are provided.
US07649004B2

The present invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and solvates thereof, to processes for the preparation of, intermediates used in the preparation of, and compositions containing such compounds and the uses of such compounds for the treatment of pain.
US07648989B2

This invention relates to PKC inhibitors which are able to selectively inhibit e.g. the and optionally 0, isoforms of PKC, and their use in particular in transplantation.
US07648988B2

Described are new pteridine compounds of the formula 1, where the variables are as described herein. The compounds are useful for the treatment of: respiratory or gastrointestinal complaints or diseases; inflammatory diseases of the joints, skin or eyes; diseases of the peripheral or central nervous system; and cancers. Also described are pharmaceutical compositions which contain these compounds.
US07648986B2

Disclosed are compounds and derivatives thereof their synthesis, and their use as Rho-kinase inhibitors. These compounds of the present invention are useful for inhibiting tumor growth, treating erectile dysfunction, and treating other indications mediated by Rho-kinase, e.g., coronary heart disease.
US07648980B2

Naphthyridine and related derivatives useful in the treatment of bacterial infections in mammals, particularly humans, are disclosed herein.
US07648976B2

Polymorphs and pharmaceutical formulations of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG).
US07648971B2

Invented are non-peptide TPO mimetics. Also invented are novel processes and intermediates used in the preparation of the presently invented compounds. Also invented is a method of treating thrombocytopenia, in a mammal, including a human, in need thereof which comprises administering to such mammal an effective amount of a selected hydroxy-1-azobenzene derivative.
US07648969B2

The present invention relates to low molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharides and its preparation method. Chitosan oligosaccharides were obtained under microwave irradiation assisted the electrolyte. The method of preparing chitosan oligosaccharides was described as follows: acid solvent containing electrolyte was added to chitosan. The reaction was performed at 480˜800 W for 3˜12 min. After irradiation ceased, the reaction liquid was cooled to room temperature. Then the solution was adjusted to neutrality with 1˜10 M NaOH or KOH and obtained the pale yellow floc. The processes of precipitation, filtering, desiccation and crushing are settled sequentially. Finally, chitosan oligosaccharides were obtained. Method of the present invention makes chitosan degrade to water-soluble chitosan oligosaccharides and it makes some inert substance become active. The method of the present invention can cut down energy consumption, decrease pollution and save time and raw materials. It has applying perspective of industry and potentiality of extensive market.
US07648964B2

The present invention relates to the use of lacritin, and fragments, derivatives, and homologs thereof, and nucleic acid sequences encoding that protein. The invention relates to the use of lacritin as a growth factor human corneal epithelial cells and other select epithelial cells. The invention also relates to the use of lacritin in promoting ocular cell survival in response to an insult or injury, in protecting against ocular inflammation, and in promoting ocular wound repair.
US07648947B2

The present invention provides a lubricating oil composition for an internal combustion engine which is very good in base number retention property, detergency at high temperature and valve train anti-wear property and does not substantially contain phosphorus- and/or sulfur-containing anti-wear agent. The composition comprises a lubricant base oil comprising a mineral oil and/or a synthetic oil, (A) 0.001 to 0.5% by mass of an ester of a boric acid in terms of boron element therein and (B) 0.01 to 5% by mass of an ashless antioxidant, wherein said composition contains substantially no metal salts of dithiophosphoric acid and has a sulfur content of 0.2% by mass or less, each percentage being based on a total mass of the composition.
US07648939B2

The invention provides an unsupported catalyst composition which comprises one or more Group VIb metals, one or more Group VIII metals, one or more zeolites, and, optionally, a refractory oxide material. A (co)precipitation preparation process is described and also use of the composition in hydrocracking.
US07648936B2

A catalyst comprising a spray-dried transition metal zeolite and a noble metal is disclosed. The spray-dried transition metal zeolite comprises a transition metal zeolite and a binder. At least 50 wt. % of the binder is titania. The catalyst is used in a process to produce an epoxide by reacting an olefin, hydrogen, and oxygen. The catalyst is easy to filter from a slurry and produces a reduced level of hydrogenation products.
US07648922B2

The major objective is to provide a fluorocarbon film wherein fine voids are formed by a step (SA1) for introducing a mixed gas containing a first carbon fluoride gas and a second carbon fluoride gas on a substrate placed inside a chamber, and depositing a fluorocarbon film on the substrate; and a step (SA2) for forming voids in the fluorocarbon film by selectively removing volatile components contained in the fluorocarbon film are included and especially in the step (SA2) for forming voids, it is preferable to include a step for cleaning the fluorocarbon film with a supercritical fluid.
US07648913B2

A film formation method is provided which includes positioning an object within an electroless deposition apparatus having means for instantaneous temperature control of the object and electrolessly depositing a material upon the object. More specifically, the method includes instantaneously changing the temperature of the object by the means of instantaneous control at one or more predetermined times during the step of electrolessly depositing the material, wherein the predetermined times correspond to different film-growth stages of the material.
US07648909B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an inter-layer insulation layer on a substrate; forming openings in the inter-layer insulation layer; forming a metal barrier layer in the openings and on the inter-layer insulation layer; forming a first conductive layer on the metal barrier layer and filled in the openings; etching the first conductive layer to form interconnection layers in the openings and to expose portions of the metal barrier layer, the interconnection layers being inside the openings and at a depth from a top of the openings; etching the exposed portions of the metal barrier layer to obtain a sloped profile of the metal barrier layer at top lateral portions of the openings; forming a second conductive layer over the inter-layer insulation layer, the interconnection layers and the metal barrier layer with the sloped profile; and patterning the second conductive layer to form metal lines.
US07648907B2

A substrate support (201) having a flat supporting surface (201a) is prepared, and a semiconductor substrate (1) is fixed to the substrate supporting surface (201) by attaching a wiring forming surface (1a) to the supporting surface (201a) by suction, for example, by vacuum suction. On this occasion, the wiring forming surface (1a) is forcibly flattened by being attached to the supporting surface (201a) by suction, and therefore the wiring forming surface (1a) becomes a reference plane for planarization of a back surface (1b). In this state, planarization processing is performed by mechanically grinding the back surface (1b) to grind away projecting portions (12) of the back surface (1b). Hence, variations in the thickness of the substrate (especially, semiconductor substrate) are made uniform, and high-speed planarization is realized easily and inexpensively without disadvantages such as dishing and without any limitation on a wiring design.
US07648902B2

A method of manufacturing a redistribution circuit structure is provided. First, a substrate is provided. The substrate has a plurality of pads and a passivation layer. The passivation layer has a plurality of first openings exposing a portion of each of the pads, respectively. A first patterned photoresist layer is formed on the passivation layer. The first patterned photoresist layer has a plurality of second openings exposing a portion of each of the pads. A plurality of first bumps is formed in the second openings, respectively. An under ball metal (UBM) material layer is formed over the substrate to cover the first patterned photoresist layer and the first bumps. A plurality of conductive lines is formed on the UBM material layer. The UBM material layer is patterned to form a plurality of UBM layers using the conductive lines as a mask.
US07648901B2

A manufacturing process and apparatus therefore are provided for processing an electronic device comprising oxidizable material during processing. The electronic device is located inside a chamber and is heated a processing temperature with a heater. A reductive atmosphere is created in the chamber by supplying a gas comprising glycolic acid vapor while processing the electronic device at the processing temperature.
US07648891B2

The invention is directed to an improved semiconductor chip that reduces crack initiation and propagation into the active area of a semiconductor chip. A semiconductor wafer includes dicing channels that separate semiconductor chips and holes through a portion of a semiconductor chip, which are located at the intersection of the dicing channels. Once diced from the semiconductor wafer, semiconductor chips are created without ninety degree angle corners.
US07648890B2

A process for producing a silicon wafer comprising a single-wafer etching step of performing an etching by supplying an etching solution through a supplying-nozzle to a surface of a single and a thin-discal wafer obtained by slicing a silicon single crystal ingot and rotating the wafer to spread the etching solution over all the surface of the wafer; and a grinding step of grinding the surface of the wafer, in this order, wherein the etching solution used in the single-wafer etching step is an aqueous acid solution which contains hydrogen fluoride, nitric acid, and phosphoric acid in an amount such that the content of which by weight % at a mixing rate of fluoric acid:nitric acid:phosphoric acid is 0.5 to 40%:5 to 50%:5 to 70%, respectively.
US07648887B2

A classification apparatus for the semiconductor substrate is provided with a bow measuring section which accepts silicon substrates and measures respective bows thereof. The classification apparatus is also provided with a bow judging section which, based on one or more standard value(s) set in advance, checks a measurement result by the bow measuring section against the standard value(s). The bow judging section judges to which of ranges defined based on the standard value(s) of the bow the measurement result by the bow measuring section belongs. Further, the classification apparatus is provided with a sorting section which accepts the silicon substrate having been measured by the bow measuring section and sorts the accepted silicon substrates based on the judgment results by the bow judging section. In other words, silicon substrates are grouped according to the bows by the sorting section. Then, respective silicon substrates are discharged in a grouped state.
US07648882B2

A method for fabricating a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) flash memory includes preparing a silicon substrate including a silicon oxide-silicon nitride-silicon oxide (ONO) layer, a first polysilicon layer and a first etch stop layer in sequence; etching the first etch stop layer along a direction of bit line; selectively etching the first polysilicon layer with the first etch stop layer as a mask, till the silicon oxide-silicon nitride-silicon oxide (ONO) layer is exposed, the etched first polysilicon layer having an inverse trapezia section along a direction of word line; and filling a dielectic layer between portions of the first polysilicon layer, the dielectric layer having a trapezia section along the direction of word line. After the above steps, it becomes easier to remove the portion of the first polysilicon layer on a sidewall of the dielectric layer by vertical etching. Thus, no polysilicon residue will be formed on the sidewall of the dielectric layer, and the short circuit between different memory cells may be avoided.
US07648865B1

A method for manufacturing a pixel structure is provided. First, a gate and a gate insulating layer are sequentially formed on the substrate. A channel layer and a second metal layer are sequentially formed on the gate insulating layer. The second metal layer is patterned to form a source and a drain by using a patterned photoresist layer formed thereon, wherein the source and the drain are disposed on a portion of the channel layer. The gate, the channel, the source and the drain form a thin film transistor. A passivation layer is formed on the patterned photoresist layer, the gate insulating layer and the thin film transistor. Then, the patterned photoresist layer is removed, such that the passivation layer thereon is removed simultaneously to form a patterned passivation layer and the drain is exposed. A pixel electrode is formed on the patterned passivation layer and the drain.
US07648858B2

Methods and structures provide a shielded multi-layer package for use with multi-chip modules and the like. A substrate (102) (e.g., chip carrier) has an adhesive layer (104), where electronic components (106, 108) are attached. An insulating layer (110) is formed over the plurality of electronic components, and a conductive encapsulant structure (115) is formed over the insulating layer. The adhesive layer is detached from the electronic components, and multi-layer circuitry (140) is formed over, and in electrical communication with, the plurality of electronic components. A shielding via (150) is formed through the multilayer circuitry such that it contacts the conductive encapsulant.
US07648855B2

A process for manufacturing a device including a packaged microsystem. The manufactured device is in a form of a plane wafer, the microsystem being buried in the wafer. Therefore, the process is used to make a compound that may be used as a basis for other micro technology processes. Moreover, the process co-integrates electronic compounds when the device is being manufactured. The device is particularly suitable for MEMS, and particularly radiofrequency resonators.
US07648852B2

The present invention provides an organic thin film transistor (OTFT) being operatable at a low-voltage. The OTFT has a gate dielectric layer of ultra-thin metal oxide or a dual gate dielectric layer of metal oxide and organic dielectric. The metal oxide layer is self-grown to a thickness lower than 10 nm by direct oxidation of a metal gate electrode in O2 plasma process at a temperature lower than 100° C. The gate electrode is deposited with pattern on a plastic or glass substrate. An organic semiconductor layer is deposited on the gate dielectric layer, and source/drain electrodes are formed thereon. In case the dual gate dielectric layer is used, the source/drain electrodes can be disposed under the organic semiconductor layer to realize a bottom contact structure.
US07648848B2

A semiconductor integrated circuit production method prepares an SOI layer thickness database that correlates measurement data of each SOI layer thickness with each SOI substrate identification data. The production method extracts the measurement data for each SOI substrate from the SOI layer thickness database, and carries out layer thickness adjustment surface treatment for the SOI substrates based on these data. A semiconductor integrated circuit production device includes an SOI layer thickness database storage unit for storing the SOI layer thickness database, and a layer thickness adjustment conditions control unit for extracting the measurement data for each SOI substrate from the SOI layer thickness database and deciding conditions for the layer thickness adjustment surface treatment based on these data. The semiconductor integrated circuit production device also includes a surface treatment unit that adjusts SOI layer thickness by carrying out the surface treatment on the SOI layers in accordance with the decided conditions.
US07648844B2

Methods for detecting analytes in a sample are provided. A plurality of particles, each of which is coated with a capture agent having an affinity for the analyte, is combined with the sample to form a plurality of analyte-particle complexes. The system also includes a transport arrangement for transporting the sample to the sensor surface, and a magnetic field inducing structure constructed and arranged to establish a magnetic field at and adjacent to the sensor surface. The resonant sensor produces a signal corresponding to an amount of analyte-particle complexes that are bound to the sensor surface.
US07648839B2

To provide a novel copper ion indicator which is less influenced by interfering metal ions and which is useful for measurement of copper ion within a wide concentration range.The invention provides a copper ion indicator containing a compound represented by formula (1): [wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom], and a method for determining copper ion concentration, which employs the indicator.
US07648833B2

The invention relates to a vessel for embryoid formation used for forming embryoid bodies from ES cells easily without complicated technique, and to a method for forming embryoid bodies easily and efficiently using the vessel. The method includes the steps of (A) providing a vessel for embryoid formation having a coating layer formed from a compound having a particular PC-like group on a vessel surface defining a region for floating culture of ES cells, and (B) floating culturing ES cells in the vessel to form embryoid bodies.
US07648832B2

This invention relates to a method for producing cells which are competent for transformation and which may be stably stored for extended periods of time at various temperatures. The method involves growing cells in a growth conducive medium, rendering said cells competent, and lyophilizing said competent cells. The invention further relates to competent cells produced by such a method, to methods of transforming said cells with a DNA molecule, and to a method of producing a desired protein or polypeptide from said transformed cells.
US07648829B2

A method and kit for detecting Trichomonas vaginalis infection in a human subject are disclosed. In the method, a body-fluid sample such as a vaginal-swab sample or urine is obtained from the subject and contacted with an antibody specific against a Trichomonas adhesin peptide, forming an antibody-adhesin peptide complex if the subject is infected with Trichomonas. The presence or absence of the complex establishes, with a reliability of at least 80%, in the case of a vaginal swab sample, and with a reliability of at least 40% in the case of a urine sample, the presence or absence, respectively, of Trichomonas infection in the subject. A preferred test kit employs a dry-strip, sandwich assay, format.
US07648828B2

The invention is directed to a new class of biomarker in patient samples comprising dimers of ErbB cell surface membrane receptors. In one aspect, the invention includes a method of determining the status of a disease or healthful condition by correlating such condition to amounts of one or more dimers of ErbB cell surface membrane receptors measured directly in a patient sample, in particular a fixed tissue sample. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of determining a status of a cancer in a specimen from an individual by correlating measurements of amounts of one or more dimers of ErbB cell surface membrane receptors in cells of the specimen to such status, including presence or absence of a pre-cancerous state, presence or absence of a cancerous state, prognosis of a cancer, or responsiveness to treatment. Preferably, methods of the invention are implemented by using sets of binding compounds having releasable molecular tags that are specific for multiple components of one or more types of receptor dimers. After binding, molecular tags are released and separated from the assay mixture for analysis.
US07648817B2

A positive working resist composition comprises a specific resin. The specific resin comprises: a repeating unit having a first specific group; and a repeating unit having a second specific group, the first specific group being different from the second specific group; and a specific structure in an end terminal of the resin. The specific resin decomposes by action of an acid to increase its solubility in an alkaline developer.
US07648811B2

Branched polyarylene ether polymers comprising a plurality of branch points, each branch point being of the formula wherein each Ar is an aryl moiety or an alkylaryl moiety, provided that when Ar is an alkylaryl moiety at least three of the repeating groups are bonded to an aryl portion thereof through the oxygen atoms in the repeating groups, each x, independently of the others, is an integer of 3 or greater, each m, independently of the others, is an integer of 0 or 1, each D, independently of the others, is either (a) another branch point, (b) a terminal group, or (c) of a defined formula. Also disclosed are imaging members containing these polymers.
US07648810B2

An electrophotographic imaging member comprises a substrate, an electrophotographic imaging layer and an overcoat layer comprising a cross-linkable polymer and a hole transport material, wherein the overcoat layer provides at least one of solvent resistance and hydrocarbon resistance to the electrophotographic imaging layer.
US07648807B2

An object of this invention is to properly identify or manage mask blank substrates, mask blanks, and so on. A manufacturing method of a mask blank substrate (10) includes a substrate preparing step of preparing a plate-like substrate with a square main surface (102), and a marker forming step of forming a marker (106a to 106d) for identifying or managing the substrate on each of at least a plurality of end faces among four end faces (104a to 104d) of the substrate. The four end faces are continuous with sides of the main surface, respectively.
US07648796B2

The present invention provides a battery pack which is capable of enhancing a short-circuit prevention effect, and electronic equipment using this battery pack. The battery pack 31 has a battery built in the case 32 and an output terminal 47 which is electrically connected to the battery and provided in such a manner as directed towards the outside of the case 32. The battery pack 31 has an output section 34 that is provided in orthogonal to a virtual plane including a mount reference plane for the electronic equipment (under surface 33B) of the case 32, with a space between the virtual plane and the output section 34 . The output section 34 is provided with an output terminal 47.
US07648795B2

An electronic apparatus includes: a case body having a battery storing portion formed of a concave portion whose shape is approximately corresponding to an external shape of a battery unit and a sliding member slidably supported on a surface of the case body on the opposite side to the battery storing portion. The battery storing portion has a width corresponding to that of the battery unit, a length corresponding to a length of the battery unit, and a body-side connection terminal connected to a connection terminal of the battery unit. The sliding member includes one or more engagement claws penetrating through the case body, projecting to the inside of the battery storing portion, capable of being engaged with engagement convex portions provided in the battery unit, and a biasing member causing the claws to be biased away from the body-side connection terminal and engaged with the engagement convex portions.
US07648783B2

A cadmium tin oxide (Cd1−xSnxO) multi-layer laminate is disclosed. The laminate comprises: a substrate; and a layer of Cd1−xSnxO which is not an epitaxial structure; wherein, the composition of Sn/(Cd+Sn) is 1˜20%. The method for producing the Cd1−xSnxO multi-layer laminate is also described here. The method comprises steps of: (a) providing metal or oxide targets for sputtering films of Cd1−xSnxO; and (b) sputtering films of Cd1−xSnxO from the targets onto the substrate; wherein the composition of Sn/(Cd+Sn) is 1˜20%.
US07648779B2

Disclosed are organic electroluminescent devices employing materials of a low reduction potential in a layer functioning hole-injection. The organic electroluminescent devices may employ an anode material having a relatively low work function. Aluminum may be used in anode. During the operation, the organic electroluminescent devices may form a virtual electrode in their internal area, which enhances injection of carriers from a nearby electrode. Use of aluminum in the anode helps construction of cathode-emission organic electroluminescent devices.
US07648767B2

A material composition, which is used as a liquid resist, includes a first component comprising a monomer portion and at least one cationically polymerizable functional group, and a crosslinker reactive with the first component and comprising at least three cationically polymerizable functional groups. The material composition also includes a cationic photoinitiator. Upon exposure to UV light, the material composition crosslinks via cure to form a cured resist film that is the reaction product of the first component, the crosslinker, and the cationic photoinitiator. An article includes a substrate layer and a resist layer formed on the substrate layer from the material composition.
US07648765B2

A dispersion of carbon nanoparticles is prepared by monodispersing carbon nanoparticles in water droplets of a reverse micelle solution in which the water droplets are coated with amphiphilic molecules and dispersed in an organic solvent. In a method of preparing the dispersion of carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanoparticles and a monodispersion function material, e.g., ammonia, for imparting a polarity to surfaces of the carbon nanoparticles are added to the reverse micelle solution. The solution is then stirred, so that the carbon nanoparticles whose surfaces have the polarity are monodispersed in the water droplets of the reverse micelle solution. Further, a metal alkoxide is added to the solution and then stirring them, so that the surfaces of the carbon nanoparticles are coated with oxide of the metal.
US07648761B2

The present invention relates to inorganic monolithic mouldings whose surface is coated with physi- or chemisorbed organic polymers, and to processes for the production of materials of this type. The materials according to the invention are highly suitable as sorbents for chromatography, in particular for high pressure liquid chromatography of biological materials.
US07648749B1

An anti-slosh device for attenuating oscillations of liquids in tanks caused by movement of vehicles in which the tank is located comprises an elongated flat, rectangularly, shaped, uniform thickness strip of a liquid impervious material such as polyethylene or polycarbonate which is formed into a string of arcuately curved loops. One embodiment of the device has located at opposite ends thereof spirally-shaped, quasi-helical end loops which form a figure-8 shape, and a center loop disposed obliquely between the end loops. A two-loop version of the device has two end loops but no center loop. The anti-slosh device is used to reduce the duration of undesirable oscillations induced in a liquid in a tank by placing a plurality of the devices in the interior of a tank, as by inserting a plurality of the devices through a fill tube or other access port of the tank. Non-parallel surfaces of the device function as baffles, converting large scale linear motions of liquid in a tank to small scale, energy-dissipating vortices, thus reducing the duration and amplitude of oscillations of liquid in the tank.
US07648748B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystalline resin composition capable of readily blow-molding a molded article having uniform thickness, with the addition of good blow-moldability owing to the improved drawdown-resistant property, the improved melt-tension increase rate, and other properties without deteriorating the low gas-permeability which is a characteristic of liquid crystalline resin. Specifically, it provides a liquid crystalline resin composition for blow molding, obtainable by melt-kneading: (A) 100 parts by weight of a melt-processable aromatic polyester and/or polyester amide, which can form an anisotropic molten phase; (B) 10 to 25 parts by weight of a styrene-based copolymer composed of 40 to 97% by weight of a styrene group, 60 to 3% by weight of a specific glycidyl ester of α,β-unsaturated acid and 0 to 50% by weight of other vinyl-based monomer, wherein the styrene-based copolymer has epoxy equivalents ranging from 300 to 3000 g/eq, and weight average molecular weights of 30000 or more; and (C) 0 to 100 parts by weight of one or more of fibrous filler, powdery or granular filler, and plate-like filler.
US07648747B2

The present invention is a lawn accessory comprising a structural shell. The shell is constructed to have a wall containing both inner and outer surfaces, and a bottom member which together form an inner volume. An adhesive layer surrounds the outer wall surface of the shell and is comprised of a mortar. A decorative layer comprised of a plurality of synthetic stones is attached to the adhesive layer and spaces between the stones are filled with mortar to complete the lawn accessory.
US07648736B2

A cutting tool insert includes a cemented carbide substrate and a coating. The cemented carbide substrate comprises WC, 4-7 wt % cobalt, 6-9 wt % cubic carbide forming metals from the groups IVB and VB, preferably titanium, tantalum and niobium, with a binder phase enriched surface zone with a thickness of >20 μm, preferably between 21 and 50 μm. The coating comprises a first layer adjacent the cemented carbide substrate of Ti(C,N) having a thickness of from about 3 to about 15 μm, an alumina layer adjacent said first layer having a thickness of from about 3 to about 15 μm, said alumina layer being composed of α-Al2O3, a further layer adjacent the alumina layer of a Ti(C,N) or Ti(C,O,N) having a thickness of from about 1 to 10 μm. The total thickness of the coating being less than 30 μm, preferably less than 20 μm. Inserts according to the invention exhibit favourable wear resistance and edge strength when turning steel.
US07648732B2

The coated noble metal element used in glass manufacture, such as a noble metal pipe, has an uncoated side that contacts a glass melt and an H2-impervious layer or an H2-impervious and O2-impervious layer, which is provided on a side opposite from the uncoated side. The H2-impervious layer or H2-impervious and O2-impervious layer is heat-resistant and is liquid or solid. In one process for providing the layer on the noble metal element an empty space between the noble metal element and a ceramic insulating jacket is filled with a coating material, and then the coating material is melted so that it wets a surface of the noble metal element. The coating material can include glass cullet, crushed glass or glass powder or is a mixture of crushed glass and ground ceramic material.
US07648724B2

There are provided an intermolecular compound of (a) di-saturated medium chain fatty acids mono-saturated long chain fatty acid triglyceride and (b) 1,3-di-saturated long chain fatty acids 2-mono-unsaturated long chain fatty acid triglyceride, of which a long spacing value by X-ray diffraction is 65 Å or more, and foods containing the intermolecular compound. The intermolecular compound can be used as a part of fats and oils that constitute foods. Due to formation of the intermolecular compound, the fats and oils containing large amounts of symmetric triglycerides such as cocoa butter and those containing medium chain fatty acids do not form separate crystals and, therefore, can keep smooth texture and prevent blooming.
US07648723B2

An extruded, directly expanded, high fiber reduced calorie food product, such as a ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal or sweet or savory snack, is produced at high production rates without substantial loss of extrusion functionality and extrudability by replacing a substantial portion of at least one flour with a gelatinized, enzyme-resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent as a reduced-calorie, high fiber flour replacer. The resistant starch type III ingredient or bulking agent contains an enzyme-resistant starch type III having a melting point with an endothermic peak temperature of at least about 140° C., and may have a water-holding capacity of less than 3 grams water per gram of the starch-based bulking agent. The total dietary fiber retention of the gelatinized, starch-based bulking agent may be at least about 90% by weight after the extrusion using a die temperature of least about 100° C., and a die pressure of at least about 150 psig.
US07648717B2

The invention relates to the herbal extract having anti-viral activity. More specifically, it relates to the herbal extract produced by extracting the comminuted Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (privet fruit), Rhizoma Polygonati (sealwort), Herba Agrimoniae (agrimonia), Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Conquitae (steamed glutinous rehmannia) or the mixture thereof, with a low polar solvent, and to the method for in vitro antagonizing virus by contacting the herbal extract with viruses.
US07648713B2

Pharmaceutically acceptable hydrogel polymers of natural, recombinant or synthetic origin, or hybrids thereof, are introduced in a dry, less hydrated, or substantially deswollen state and rehydrate in a physiological environment to undergo a volumetric expansion and to affect sealing, plugging, or augmentation of tissue, defects in tissue, or of organs. The hydrogel polymers may deliver therapeutic entities by controlled release at the site. Methods to form useful devices from such polymers, and to implant the devices are provided.
US07648704B2

New methods for diagnosis of human dormancy syndrome are provided. Human dormancy syndrome is characterized by elevated serum ratio of rT3/fT3 compared to a population of normal subjects from which subjects suffering from fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, obesity, dementias including Alzheimer's Disease and related dormancy conditions are excluded, and the presence of one or more findings related to reduced activity including torpor, chronic fatigue, insulin resistance, dementias, obesity and the like. Treatment of human dormancy syndrome is directed toward increasing fT3 levels or decreasing rT3 levels, or both, using pharmaceutical and/or behavioral methods. Other conditions that are associated with HDS can also be treated using T3 therapy, with or without specific psychological, behavioral or pharmaceutical therapies.
US07648700B2

A method of inducing bone formation in a subject in need of such inducement comprises the steps of mechanically inducing an increase in osteoblast activity in the subject and elevating blood concentration of at least one bone anabolic agent in the subject. The method steps may be performed in any order, but in sufficient time proximity that the elevated concentration of the anabolic agent and the mechanically induced increase in osteoblast activity overlaps. The method may additionally comprise providing the subject with an elevated blood concentration of at least one antiresorptive agent, wherein the elevated concentration is sufficient to prevent resorption of new bone growth produced due to the osteoblast activity. Use of the method permits targeting of specific bones of the subject for bone production and preservation, faster bone production and earlier discontinuation of bone anabolic pharmaceuticals. Kits adapted for performing the method are provided.
US07648697B2

Polymers containing one or more of a photostabilizing moiety attached to the polymer backbone, sunscreen compositions including a mixture of a photoactive compound and a polymer containing one or more of a photostabilizing moiety attached to the polymer backbone are described herein. Also disclosed are methods for stabilizing a sunscreen composition and methods of filtering out ultra-violet light from a substrate by the addition of one or more of the foregoing polymers, and methods of waterproofing and forming a film with one or more of the foregoing polymer are described herein.
US07648690B2

Methods of making Si-containing films that contain relatively high levels of substitutional dopants involve chemical vapor deposition using trisilane and a dopant precursor. Extremely high levels of substitutional incorporation may be obtained, including crystalline silicon films that contain 2.4 atomic % or greater substitutional carbon. Substitutionally doped Si-containing films may be selectively deposited onto the crystalline surfaces of mixed substrates by introducing an etchant gas during deposition.
US07648687B1

Purification techniques have been developed for ceramic powder precursors, e.g., barium nitrate. These techniques can be performed using one or more of the following operations: (1) removal of impurities by precipitation or coprecipitation and separation using a nonmetallic-ion-containing strong base, e.g., tetraalkylammonium hydroxides; (2) reduction of higher oxidation-state-number oxymetal ions and subsequent precipitation as hydroxides that are separated from the solution; and (3) use of liquid-liquid exchange extraction procedures to separate certain impurities.
US07648683B2

A plasma generating electrode 1 of the present invention includes a plurality of unit electrodes 2 hierarchically layered at predetermined intervals, the unit electrodes 2 including a deficient unit electrode 2b in which a conductive film 4 has an absent portion and a normal unit electrode 2a in which the conductive film 4 does not have an absent portion. Spaces V formed between the unit electrodes 2 include a normal space Va formed so that the distance between conductive films 4 corresponds to the distance between the unit electrodes 2 and a deficient space Vb formed so that the distance between the conductive films 4 is greater than the distance between the conductive films 4 in the normal space Va. The plasma generating electrode 1 of the present invention can efficiently treat a plurality of predetermined components contained in a treatment target fluid by utilizing different types of plasma suitable for respective reactions by causing the treatment target fluid to flow only once.
US07648680B2

Method for obtaining a fluid sample from a collection device which includes assembling cap and fluid-holding vessel components of the collection device to contain and isolate a specimen retrieval device adjacent a side wall of the vessel. The position of the specimen retrieval device within the collection device is such that the specimen retrieval device does not substantially interfere with the movement of a fluid transfer device into or out of the assembled collection device. The fluid transfer device is used to draw and remove a fluid substance from the collection device for analysis.
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