US07653773B2

In a dynamic mode, firmware sets a threshold of errors that may occur within a predetermined period of time. If the threshold is exceeded, the firmware queries the front-side bus performance counters to determine whether the front-side bus is operating at its maximum data rate. If the front-side bus is not running at the maximum data rate, then the firmware bumps the data rate settings for the endpoint that exceeds the threshold by one step. If the front-side bus is running at its maximum data rate, then the firmware queries all the endpoints to determine which endpoints are active. The firmware then determines whether there are any active endpoints that are lower priority than the complaining endpoint. The mechanism drops the lower priority endpoints by one step and raises the complaining endpoint by one step.
US07653771B2

A control docking unit configured to accept a portable processing unit and provide alternate control operation of the portable processing unit. The control docking unit can be configured to position a display on the portable processing unit to facilitate use of one or more controls provided on the control docking unit. The control docking unit can position the display of the portable processing unit in a fixed or variable position. The controls from the docking unit can be coupled to the portable processing unit using an electrical, mechanical, or electromechanical interface. The electrical interface can be a wired or wireless communication link. The controls on the control docking unit can be configured to be substantially in the same configuration as a control unit for a similar fixed device. The portable processing unit can be configured to provide additional functions, features, or enhanced operation when coupled to the control docking unit.
US07653761B2

Automatic download of personalized media content to a portable media device based on user preferences is disclosed. A media service can evaluate content on a user's media device as well as user action related thereto to infer the user's preferences, and can automatically aggregate and download content that is relevant to the user's tastes. The user can subscribe to, for example, playlists generated by the media service, another user's playlist(s), a simulated radio station, etc., and can receive content updates thereto at predefined intervals and/or upon release of the updates. In this manner, the user can periodically receive media content that is personalized to the user without requiring the user to explicitly request the content or synchronize to a PC.
US07653760B2

According to one embodiment, an information playback apparatus according to one embodiment includes a storage module configured to store a vendor table including a formal vendor ID of a self apparatus and one or more registered vendor IDs, and vendor commands respectively associated with the formal vendor ID and the registered vendor IDs, a connection module configured to connect a partner device so as to transfer video data, audio data, and vendor commands, a detection module configured to detect a vendor ID of the partner device, and a vendor ID control module configured to transmit either one of the formal vendor ID of the self apparatus and a temporary vendor ID of the self apparatus selected from the registered vendor IDs to the partner device based on the vendor ID of the partner device.
US07653756B2

A control method for controlling a recording/reproducing apparatus having plural storage units and an equipment to which the recording/reproducing apparatus is connected. The recording/reproducing apparatus has first and second storage units in which data and management data are stored. The equipment, to which is connected the recording/reproducing apparatus, has a third storage unit in which are stored the data and the management data. It is detected whether the equipment to be connected to the recording/reproducing apparatus has been connected to the recording/reproducing apparatus. If such connection is detected, the management data are read out from the first and second storage units. Based on the read-out management data and the management data stored in the third storage unit of the equipment, connected to the recording/reproducing apparatus, new management data, supervising the first to third storage units as one storage unit, is generated. The writing and readout for the plural storage units are controlled based on the generated new management data.
US07653754B2

A method for preventing deadlock in communication between a host software application and a network interface card (NIC), comprises writing a doorbell associated with at least one descriptor having a descriptor context to a buffer in the NIC, dropping at least one doorbell from the buffer if the buffer is full, thereby allowing a write of a new doorbell to the buffer, and recovering each dropped doorbell for further execution of descriptors associated with this doorbell. The descriptor execution is in order of posting by the application to the NIC. A system implementing the method comprises a doorbell drop mechanism and a doorbell recovery mechanism.
US07653753B2

A method and apparatus provide for content-based routing of packets in a publish-subscribe network. A packet is received via the network. A map specifying computed filter coverage in an attribute space is accessed. Content of the packet is inspected for a routing decision for the packet. The map is used for the routing decision for the packet. The packet is routed based upon the inspected content of the packet and the map. A router for content-based routing of packets in a publish-subscribe network, comprising modules for performing this method is provided. A network including a plurality of such routers is provided. A computer-readable medium including instructions for performing this method is provided.
US07653747B2

An apparatus and method is provided for resolving virtual network names using one or more name routers. A conventional Uniform Resource Locator (URL) naming scheme is extended by allowing any component to be mapped to an address. The resolution process occurs recursively through a plurality of name routers. Resolution can be contextual, such that the same virtual network name may be resolved differently depending on the identity of the client or other parameters.
US07653745B1

Methods and apparatuses for distributing network address translation. By having a gateway inform inside devices of global addresses, the gateway can avoid performing many functions of a traditional NAT box. Specifically, an inside device is informed of a global address shared by all devices on the inside device's network segment. Each device on that segment would be assigned a range of ports to distinguish messages from separate devices that use the same global address.
US07653744B2

Embodiments of the invention allow the convenient transmission of URLs or content corresponding to URLs from a WAP/i-mode-enabled mobile device to any other device across a network. In an embodiment, a URL corresponding to content accessed by WAP/i-mode-enabled mobile device is transmitted to an application server. The WAP/i-mode-enabled mobile device further transmits a destination address for the content to the application server. The application server then transmits the URL corresponding to the content to the destination address. The URL can then be used to render the corresponding content at the destination address.In another embodiment, a URL corresponding to content accessed by the WAP/i-mode-enabled mobile device is transmitted to an application server. The WAP/i-mode-enabled mobile device further transmits a destination address for the content to the application server. The application server then fetches the content corresponding to the URL and transmits the content to the destination device.
US07653737B2

A system and method for the communication of streaming data is disclosed. In an exemplary method of the present invention, a first set of data is received by an information handling system. A second set of data is received via a network wherein the second set of data is continuously streaming. During times when a sufficient amount of streaming data of the second set of data is available for communication, the second set of data is communicated to a user. Otherwise, the first set of data is communicated to the user. In one embodiment, the second set of data may include a video stream viewable by a user. In another embodiment of the present invention, the first data set and the second data set may be transmitted from a first source. In yet another embodiment, during the time that a first set of data is being communicated due to a presently insufficient amount of streaming data of the second set of data, the second set of data may be monitored such that when a sufficient amount of streaming data is available, the second set of data is communicated.
US07653733B2

A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for facilitating sharing and using of information such as files, folders, or other stored elements is provided. According to some embodiments, a user may access or use an interface or window to establish one or more permissions regarding a file, folder or other stored element and provide such permissions to one or more other entities. In some embodiments, an entity may be or include an individual person, a group of people, a software application or device, etc. A permission established by a user may be or include allowing an entity to access, read, copy, modify, save, use, etc. a file, folder, or other stored element.
US07653731B2

Embodiments of present application treat Connection Information Files contained in an instance of an application, such as a workbook, as independent objects and multiple data objects, such as data summary tables, may link to one Connection Information File. Maintaining Connection Information Files as independent objects within an instance of an application provides the ability to modify a connection to an external data source and have that modification applied to all linked data objects without having to modify each data object individually. Additionally, a user may view a complete list of all Connection Information Files that exist within a workbook and easily add, delete, or modify those Connection Information Files.
US07653728B2

When an information processing device has been connected to this audio server via a network, an evaluation request means of this audio server requests this connected information processing device to notify evaluations for items of audio contents which that information processing device has downloaded in the past. And, when an evaluation for some item of audio contents has been received from an information processing device which has been requested to provide notification of evaluations for items of audio contents by the evaluation request notification means, a summarization means of this audio server summarizes a plurality of evaluations for that item of audio contents, using the evaluation obtained this time. And a summarized results notification means of this audio server notifies the result of summarization by said summarization means to the information processing device which provided this evaluation of that item of audio contents this time.
US07653721B1

A recording mechanism is disclosed for automatically capturing high level events on user interface (UI) components of a set of software. In one implementation, the recording mechanism registers with a UI component to receive notification when an event occurs on the UI component. When an event does occur, the recording mechanism receives notification thereof from the UI component. In one implementation, the notification includes some high level event-specific information. After the notification is received, the recording mechanism creates and stores a record of the event, which includes at least a portion of the event-specific information, as well as information indicating the UI component as the target of the event. The record may further include information indicating a component hierarchy in which the UI component is contained. Overall, the record contains all of the information needed to reproduce the event on the UI component of the software at a later time.
US07653715B2

A system for detecting and communicating the presence of one or more computing devices is presented. The invention also presents a method and system for aggregating presence information generated by multiple devices associated with a single user. A server acting as a presence agent on behalf of a first user receives and responds to a subscription request generated by a computing device operated by a second wishing to be permitted as a watcher of the first user. When the second user corresponds to access preferences of the first user, a notify message is sent to the second user's device that includes presence information indicative of an activity level and availability level associated with the first user. When the first user employs multiple computing devices, the server generates an aggregate presence document that is representative of the overall presence of the first user.
US07653712B1

An agent of a storage area network generates a first checksum value for a first set of zone configuration data used to at least initially configure the storage area network. At a later time, after a potential change to the first zone configuration data of the storage area network, the agent generates a checksum value based on current zone configuration data presently used to configure the zone in the storage area network. The agent then compares the first checksum value and the second checksum value to identify whether there has been a change to the first zone configuration data. That is, if the first checksum value does not equal the second checksum value, the agent flags that there has been a change to zone configuration data of the storage area network. Users can control behavior of zoning importation and activation depending on whether current zone configuration data has been changed.
US07653702B2

A method for automatically associating contextual input data with available multimedia resources includes capturing the contextual input data and processing the contextual input data and formulating a query based on processed contextual input data. The processed contextual input data is associated with the multimedia resources to generate association matches.
US07653694B2

A system and method is provided to enable an e-mail to display a Web-based form. A definition concerning an e-mail address may include form schema owned by a Web site. Alternatively, the definition may contain a link to a Web service that provides the form schema. An e-mail client may download the form schema from the Web service, preferably along with additional data such as information concerning previous e-mails sent to the e-mail address, a FAQ list concerning an e-mail distribution list if the e-mail address represents the e-mail distribution list, etc. The Web site owning the form schema may receive and process e-mail containing the form according to the metadata of the Web-based form.
US07653692B2

A method of sharing instant messaging transcripts can include establishing an instant messaging session. The method can also include receiving a user request to publish a transcript of the session to a Weblog and publishing the transcript to the Weblog.
US07653690B2

A method and an apparatus for communicating with electronic postcards include a server for processing electronic postcards. Input sites remote from the server are selected based upon exposure to significant numbers of business travelers and tourists and provided with input devices. A verified communication link is established between the input devices and the server. A sender generated postcard request received at one of the input devices including an addressee e-mail address (38), a sender message (36) and a scene selection (33) transmits an electronic postcard (30) to the addressee.
US07653689B1

A method and system of use of a Content Distribution Network (CDN), wherein server functionality and client functionality are unbundled. Client software, which governs the accesses and request of the information from the CDN (i.e., server) is provided by a “thin” client architecture. The thin client software is capable of running on an as needed basis, therefore not allocating significant portions of available memory, except when being accessed. The server functionality retains the bulk of the software functionality to manage locally stored content, process content requests, and forward the requested data to content requesters running the client software.
US07653685B2

The present invention provides several methods and apparatuses for transmitting multimedia data using streaming media protocols such as real-time transfer protocols (RTP) and real-time streaming protocols (RTSP) in a computer network environment. A request for RTP data is sent from the caching proxy server to the server. The request may be for one specific type of data or multiple unrelated types of data. The server responds to the request indicating its support for the requested data. The caching proxy server determines whether to proceed or terminate the data transmission process based on the response provided by the server. If it is determined to proceed with the data transmission process, the caching proxy informs the server to send the requested data. The server sends the requested data in a body of a RTP packet. The RTP packet uses a RTP Meta-Info payload format, which includes a body and a field header. The field header includes fields to identify the streaming media data, and the field body includes the requested streaming media data.
US07653682B2

A method and system performs a fencing technique in a host cluster storage environment. The fence program executes on each cluster member in the cluster, and the cluster is coupled to a storage system by a network. When a cluster member fails or cluster membership changes, the fence program is invoked and a host fencing API message is sent via the network to the storage system. The storage system in turn modifies export lists to restrict further access by the failed cluster node to otherwise fence the failed cluster node off from that storage system or from certain directories within that storage system.
US07653679B2

A message brokering mechanism for performing a recovery operation in a transaction processing system including first and second stages operable to exchange message requests and responses. The first stage may receive a message request from a message source and may check whether the message request is a special message request. This may be by way of checking if a recovery attribute of the message request is set. A normal message request may have a recovery attribute that is not set. If the message request is a special message request, it may be dispatched to the second stage. If the message request is a normal message request, it may be dispatched to the second stage if the normal message request is not a repeat normal message request.
US07653674B2

The present invention provides methods, apparatus, and article of manufacture for performing parallel operations on multiple signed elements which have been packed into a binary value, each element being associated with a different set of bits. A signs binary value is obtained which contains the sign bits for each element in the register. The signs binary value is then used to remove and/or restore sign bits to each element in single operations. This enables parallel operations to be performed efficiently on multiple signed elements loaded into a register, without incurring loss of data.
US07653668B1

A system for fault tolerant multi-stage data replication with relaxed coherency comprises one or more processors and memory coupled to the processors, where the memory stores program instructions executable by the processors to implement a data replication service. In response to an update request directed at a data object, in a first stage of replication, the data replication service is configured to update respective primary replicas at a plurality of primary replica sites for the data object, and to store metadata descriptors at each of the plurality of primary replica sites. The data replication service is configured to determine whether a notification of the update is to be sent to any other replica sites. In response to identifying such other replica sites, an update notification including contents of a metadata descriptor may be sent to the other replica sites in one or more additional replication stages.
US07653665B1

A system and method avoids anomalies in presence of data manipulation language (DML) plans maintaining dependent objects and snapshot isolation. An anomaly due to using a snapshot isolation level within the transaction is detected within a database transaction and the transaction is aborted based upon that detection. Involved in making the anomaly detection is determining whether a view of particular data accessed during the transaction under a snapshot isolation view to ensure read consistency differs from a view of the data under another isolation level, such as the read committed isolation level. Then a detection is made that an anomaly may occur if it is determined that the view of the data accessed during the transaction under the snapshot isolation differs from the view of the data under the other isolation level. Such anomaly avoidance prevents an indexed view being maintained nor a referential integrity constraint validated based on incorrect data.
US07653664B2

Described is a technology in which an anchor value is determined, for example to synchronize a destination database or data store with modifications made to a source database. The new anchor value is determined in a manner that excludes modifications corresponding to any uncommitted transactions. The new anchor value may be based on a counter value or a date and time value stored with each modification. The new anchor value may be determined by comparing a first set of committed modifications that do not include uncommitted modifications against a second set of modifications that includes committed modifications and uncommitted modifications. Alternatively, the new anchor value may be determined from the earliest start date and time among the modifications that are part of any uncommitted transactions. The anchor may be used (e.g., via queries) to enumerate modifications for synchronization, and also for detecting conflicts between the source and destination databases.
US07653662B2

It is judged whether the reference data is the latest and if not the latest, the data is updated to the latest in a short time. A program in which data creation procedure is pre-defined creates requested secondary data according to primary data. The primary data, the secondary data, and data update information including the primary data update time and the secondary data update time are stored in a storage device. When the relationship between data update information on the primary data and the secondary data used for creating the requested secondary data when generation of the secondary data is requested and the data update information on the requested secondary data does not satisfy a predetermined condition, a program for creating the requested secondary data is executed. Furthermore, the primary data and the secondary data are outputted to the output unit while correlating them to each other.
US07653660B2

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for retrieving records in a hierarchical set of the records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of the records, comprises identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of the records; modifying the tag, thereby producing a key; indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once, thereby selecting one or more of the records within the hierarchical set of the records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of the records; and retrieving the selected records.
US07653659B2

The present invention relates to the field of network computing, and in particular to method and system for designing a Web Portal comprising a hierarchical structure of portal pages and portlets for accessing Web contents accessible via the Portal. A typical larger enterprise's portal contains large numbers, e.g., thousands of pages and portlets. Due to the complexity of an enterprise portal, manual administration is inefficient as it is time-consuming, error-prone and thus expensive. In order to overcome these disadvantages, it is proposed that a Portal according to the invention performs some mining of the portlet markup and/or that of the portlet description in order to autonomously compute and propose an enhanced portal content structure. This helps to provide a user-friendly content structure that reflects well the relationships between portlets.
US07653658B2

A data file storage/management apparatus, having file storage means, stores and manages one or more data files, and the data file storage/management apparatus installs an electronic mail processing program therein, thereby operating as follows. Thus, the data file storage/management apparatus interprets the processing of the data file, which is described in a program-like manner, at least within the main sentence thereof, when receiving the electronic mail, and starts the processing of the data file designated or instructed; thereby enabling to instruct, easily, the processing on the data files, being various for users thereof, to the data file storage/management apparatus.
US07653644B2

The mapping data include a substituting element describing area, a repeat number describing area, and a repeat element describing area. In the substituting element describing area, it is described that the input data is set to which tag in the XML file. In the repeat number describing area, the repeat number specified in the repeat number specifying area is described. In the repeat element describing area, it is described that the tag name of the tag output repeatedly in the XML file. The hierarchy structure data generating system outputs the repeat tag to belong to the same rank as the tag of the repeat element describing area. On putting out the repeat tag, the hierarchy structure data generating system outputs it repeatedly the same number of times as the number of the value of the repeat number describing area.
US07653636B2

An improved XML query system represents an XML document as a stream of discrete ‘events,’ with each event representing a portion of the document as the document is being parsed. Expression-based event matching such as XPath can be performed against the event stream using a stack to keep only the relevant contexts in memory. Observers can be used to listen for matching events. Matching events can then be routed for processing by appropriate objects or components and returned to the event stream if necessary.This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.
US07653633B2

The present invention generally relates to log message processing such that events can be detected and alarms can be generated. For example, log messages are generated by a variety of network platforms (e.g., Windows servers, Linux servers, UNIX servers, databases, workstations, etc.). Often, relatively large numbers of logs are generated from these platforms in different formats. A log manager described herein collects such log data using various protocols (e.g., Syslog, SNMP, SMTP, etc.) to determine events. That is, the log manager may communicate with the network platforms using appropriate protocols to collect log messages therefrom. The log manager may then determine events (e.g., unauthorized access, logins, etc.) from the log data and transfer the events to an event manager. The event manager may analyze the events and determine whether alarms should be generated therefrom.
US07653626B2

Methods for detecting regularly appearing pattern without excessive memory. The method comprises providing a matrix, and each row of the matrix comprises a location index and a count value. The count value is associated with the location index for indicating the number of the predetermined value that appears at certain locations. After a symbol is received, a current location index representing a current location is translated. A comparing row is picked from the matrix. The matrix is arranged in a circular manner such that the first row is a preliminary comparing row. The count value of the first row is incremented when the current location index equals the location index of the comparing row and the received symbol equals the predetermined value. The received symbol is determined as a regularly appearing pattern according to the count values in the matrix.
US07653625B1

A method and apparatus is disclosed using the internet (or similar) to provide, publish and maintain a database for stolen items. The method and apparatus further disclose the utilization of this database as a backbone for an internet portal, providing for automated contact of interested parties, automated e-commerce for replacement of assets, and immediate distribution of published information. The preferred embodiment would provide a means for extracting the information from entered police reports to create an all encompassing database. The present invention provides a new mechanism for deterring the selling of stolen items, increasing the potential of recovering stolen or missing items, and simplifying the claim processing process.
US07653615B2

A database has a plurality of entries and a plurality of attributes common to each entry, where each entry corresponds to an individual. A query q is received from a querying entity query q and is passed to the database, and an answer a is received in response. An amount of noise e is generated and added to the answer a to result in an obscured answer o, and the obscured answer o is returned to the querying entity. Thus, a level of protection of privacy is provided to each individual represented within the database.
US07653609B2

A method for optimally selecting a subset of decisions from a first plurality of decisions related to management of a chaotic event. The first plurality of decisions related to the chaotic event is received. A heuristic algorithm is used to eliminate a first subset of decisions. The first subset of decisions is in the first plurality of decisions. A second plurality of decisions is formed. The second plurality of decisions comprises the first plurality of decisions less the first subset of decisions. A mathematical optimization algorithm is then used to select a second subset of decisions. The second subset of decisions is within the second plurality of decisions. The mathematical optimization algorithm takes as input at least one constraint and chaotic event information. The second subset of decisions is stored.
US07653608B2

A computer-implemented method for ranking a plurality of academic programs includes receiving a plurality of records corresponding to the plurality of academic programs, respectively, combining elements of the plurality of records to determine respective z-scores according to a predetermined metric, and ranking the plurality of academic programs according to the respective z-scores.
US07653606B2

Dynamically filtering and classifying messages, as good messages, bulk periodicals, or spam. A regular expression recognizer, and pre-trained neural networks. The neural networks distinguish “likely good” from “likely spam,” and also operate at a more discriminating level to distinguish among the three categories above. A dynamic whitelist and blacklist; sending addresses are collected when the number of their messages indicates the sender is good or a spammer. A dynamically selected set of regular expressions input to the neural networks.
US07653605B1

A computer-implemented method of behavior prediction includes selecting behavior examples having corresponding antecedent candidates, identifying source text descriptions describing the behavior examples, automatically extracting predictors as common themes across all statements and all behavior examples with a language-independent theme extraction process, flagging each behavior example to indicate a presence or absence of the corresponding extracted antecedents in each of the source text descriptions and creating a data array consisting of antecedent columns and behavior example rows, submitting the data array to a pattern classifier to extract patterns among the antecedent candidates and outcomes by training and validating the pattern classifier and predicting a new occurrence of a target behavior by entering a current state of the antecedents to the trained pattern classifier.
US07653604B2

An interaction system for enabling a user of information systems to interact with the information systems and a method of transmitting user queries from a speech, image or handwriting recognition system to the information systems. The interaction system is connectable to at least one recognition system and at least one information system and comprises at least one domain module for containing phrase setups constructed based on object classes, attribute classes and action classes that are common to all information systems of a given application domain and are provided to be tailored to a specific information system of the application domain by applying object, action and attribute types proper to the information system and specific object, action and attribute instantiations, obtained from the specific information system, in order to define a grammar essentially consisting in a set of term elements comprising specific object, attribute and action instantiations of those object, action and attribute types and a set of rules governing the use of these term elements in a set of valid user query phrases for interaction between the user and the specific information system through the recognition and interaction systems. The interaction system can also comprise at least one generic module, connectable to a recognition system, and/or at least one adapter module, connectable to an information system. The transmission method comprises the steps of defining the grammar and converting user queries into valid user query phrases according to the grammar and/or sets of term elements and rules of the grammar.
US07653601B2

A method of operating a cash dispensing automated banking machine includes causing through operation of a processor of a cash dispensing automated banking machine, a card reader of the machine to read data from a card which corresponds to an entity with which a customer operating the machine has an account. The method also includes providing through operation of the processor, at least one visual output through a display device on the automated banking machine, The visual output uniquely corresponds to the entity with which the customer has the account.
US07653593B2

Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for automatically compensating an individual's credit risk score for macroeconomic data. In particular, various embodiments provide systems and methods to determine a macroeconomic risk score. In addition, various embodiments provide systems and methods to determine an adjusted credit risk score for an individual based on the individual's credit risk score and a macroeconomic risk score that serves as a scale adjuster to keep overall delinquency and/or loss rates in line as economic factors change.
US07653586B2

Computer-implemented techniques via a computer network for allowing freight industry participants, including shippers, forwarders, carriers, and market makers to securely and conveniently trade in freight capacity, which is destined to be transported via a plurality of transportation modes, are disclosed. Trading is enhanced by providing user-appropriate forecast data and rating data to traders, while various data display restrictions are imposed to achieve security and to respect the confidentiality needs of the freight industry participants.
US07653579B2

A manually-assisted computer and communications apparatus is provided for periodically fixing a price of a currency or commodity. Successive rate samples of said currency/stock/commodity are received from a plurality of sources (80) over a period of time, recorded and filtered automatically (90) by reference to said historical record and predetermined validation criteria so as to categorize certain samples as valid or erroneous. The received & filtered samples are combined periodically (105-115) so as to derive a fixed rate, which is then released (120) to users. The filtering means distinguishes between rate samples of different contributors within the samples received from a given source, and also receives (OTR1) trading rates generated by an online trading system, in addition to rates quoted by other contributors. Trading rates are applied in said fixed rate in preference to quoted rates. Traders and clients contract (450, 455) to buy and sell currency at rates to be fixed by the apparatus at a future time.
US07653578B2

Portfolio accounting systems and methods are adapted to handle uncertainty in accounting information due to time delay in information issuance. Accounting information is represented by streams of sequenced simple transaction states, each individual state describing the state of an account or its changes as known at a certain point in time while the stream ties the consecutive states into a life cycle of the information improving over time. A first simple transaction state attribute corresponds to the traditional value date. A second attribute corresponds to a reporting date. A third attribute corresponds to the traditional account value or relative/absolute changes thereof.
US07653573B2

A messaging and alerting service is described. An implementation includes enrolling a customer in the messaging and alert service, storing a list of businesses selected by the customer, storing a customer contact hierarchy list, and contacting the customer according to the contact hierarchy list. The messaging and alerting service enables real-time, interactive alerts to be delivered to customers in the customer's preferred media. In addition, customers may respond to the alerts to provide important directions to a business.
US07653567B2

The present invention provides an easy to use system and method for assisting job seekers in locating job opportunities and applying for the same using an online connectivity protocol which is simple to use and highly efficient in terms of time consumption. The system identifies and extracts keywords from the job postings in an accessible job database to create a keyword targeted list that excludes common words and phrases. The keyword targeted list is then processed to form a keyword targeted prefix list which in turn is inserted into a search engine. Upon appropriate query by a potential job seeker, the search engine returns its results while giving prominent placement to one or more job postings sponsored by a recruiter. An interested job seeker clicks on the sponsored job posting is directed to the job details through a website mediated application programming interface.
US07653556B2

A computer implemented simulation and evaluation method simulates interventions to a patient by a user, and evaluates the interventions responsive to predetermined criteria and the interventions. The method includes defining a test area to evaluate the user to at least one of predetermined criteria and a user profile, selecting genetic information of the patient responsive to the test area, and generating a patient history responsive to the test area and the genetic information. The method also includes receiving at least one intervention input by the user, and evaluating the user responsive to the intervention and predetermined criteria.
US07653546B2

Provided is a system and method for creating program code via voice input. The method includes providing a client application configured to compare a voice input to a grammar specified in a document; mapping a plurality of commands specified in the grammar to programming language commands; and enhancing the mapped programming language commands to enable compiling. The enhancing can include creating programming code by inserting at least implicit parentheses, punctuation, and default variable values. The programming language commands can be associated with Java or another language. The document can be a VoiceXML file that can be altered to permit a number of different programming language. A voice programming system includes a receiver to receive voice commands; a voice programming processor configured to process the voice commands to create code; and an enhancement block configured to alter the code into compilable code. The enhancement block inserts implicit parentheses, punctuation and variables appropriate for a predetermined code.
US07653545B1

A method of developing an interactive system, including inputting application data representative of an application for the system, the application data including operations and parameters for the application, generating prompts on the basis of the application data, and generating grammar on the basis of the application data. The prompts and grammar are generated on the basis of a predetermined pattern or structure for the prompts and grammar. The grammar also includes predefined grammar. Grammatical inference is also executed to enhance the grammar. The grammatical inference method for developing the grammar may include processing rules of the grammar, creating additional rules representative of repeated phrases, and merging equivalent symbols of the grammar, wherein the rules define slots to represent data on which an interactive system executes operations and include symbols representing at least a phrase or term. The grammar is hierarchical and the rules include a reference count representing the number of other rules that reference the rule. Additional rules to be created during grammatical inference are determined on the basis of attribute constraints.
US07653542B2

An approach providing the efficient use of speech synthesis in rendering text content as audio in a communications network. The communications network can include a telephony network and a data network in support of, for example, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. A speech synthesis system receives a text string from either a telephony network, or a data network. The speech synthesis system determines whether a rendered audio file of the text string is stored in a database and to render the text string to output the rendered audio file, if the rendered audio is determined not to exist. The rendered audio file is stored in the database for re-use according to a hash value generated by the speech synthesis system based on the text string.
US07653530B2

Codifying the “most prominent measurement points” of a document can be used to measure semantic distances given an area of study (e.g., white papers on some subject area). A semantic abstract is created for each document. The semantic abstract is a semantic measure of the subject or theme of the document providing a new and unique mechanism for characterizing content. The semantic abstract includes state vectors in the topological vector space, each state vector representing one lexeme or lexeme phrase about the document. The state vectors can be dominant phrase vectors in the topological vector space mapped from dominant phrases extracted from the document. The state vectors can also correspond to words in the document that are most significant to the document's meaning (the state vectors are called dominant vectors in this case). One semantic abstract can be directly compared with another semantic abstract, resulting in a numeric semantic distance between the semantic abstracts being compared.
US07653529B2

In response to a user activating a language switching mechanism to indicate a newly selected language, a language switch component sends a language key that corresponds to a first language sensitive element displayed in the user interface to a language resource manager. The language resource manager retrieves from a language resource bundle, which corresponds to the newly selected language, a second language sensitive element. The language switch component then replaces the first language sensitive element with the second language sensitive element. The replacement process is then repeated for all language sensitive elements in the user interface.
US07653520B2

The invention provides bounded model checking of a program with respect to a property of interest comprising unfolding the program for a number of steps to create a program formula; translating the property of interest into an automaton; encoding the transition system of the automaton into a Boolean formula creating a transition formula; conjoining the program formula with the transition formula to create a conjoined formula; and deciding the satisfiability of the conjoined formula.
US07653507B2

The present invention relates to an acceleration measuring device capable of acquiring the offset for correcting the output of a triaxial acceleration sensor. The invention is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration in a triaxial direction, a data acquisition portion for acquiring the triaxial output data, a data selecting portion for judging whether repeatedly acquired triaxial output data are appropriate to make a selection, a data accumulating portion for accumulating the thus selected triaxial output data, a reference point estimating portion estimating coordinate values of the reference point determined in the three-dimensional cartesian space by referring to the distribution of a predetermined number of accumulated triaxial output data in a three-dimensional cartesian space when each axial component is given as a coordinate value, and an offset correction/calculation portion for correcting the offset of the triaxial output data of the acceleration sensor.
US07653501B2

Provided are an apparatus and method for determining a diameter of a reflector antenna. The apparatus includes a setting unit for setting up electrical characteristic values of the reflector antenna upon receipt thereof from outside, a parameter input unit for receiving a frequency, an antenna diameter variable value, antenna efficiency, Edge Taper (ET), and an Edge Of Coverage (EOC) angle as parameters for each of multiple frequencies to be accommodated in the reflector antenna, a graph generator for generating, on one rectangular coordinate, a graph representing the relationship between an antenna diameter and EOC directivity with respect to the EOC angle based on the parameters for each frequency received through the parameter input unit, an antenna diameter determination unit for determining an antenna diameter that simultaneously meets the preset EOC directivities for the frequencies to be accommodated in the reflector antenna by using the graph generated by the graph generation unit, and a graph output unit for mapping and outputting the graph generated by the graph generation unit on one rectangular coordinate with an antenna diameter axis and an EOC directivity axis to thereby represent the antenna diameter determined by the antenna diameter determination unit on the graph.
US07653497B2

Thermodynamic properties of a natural gas stream can be determined in real time utilizing modeling algorithms in conjunction with one or more sensors for quantifying physical and chemical properties of the natural gas. Related techniques, apparatus, systems, and articles are also described.
US07653496B2

The present invention provides, inter alia, methods of analyzing mass spectral data. In some embodiments, the methods can be used for differential profiling of samples, such as comparing a sample comprising a compound and a sample comprising metabolites of the same compound. The methods can also be used to identify and isolate biomarkers. Systems for performing the methods, as well as computer-readable media for performing the methods, are also described.
US07653463B2

A remote transmitter, including: an input unit configured to receive programming inputs and function inputs, wherein the programming inputs identify a first function to be transmitted in a first range of the transmitter when a first input of the input unit is selected and a second function to be transmitted in a second range of the transmitter when a second input of the input unit is selected, wherein the function inputs select the first input and the second input; a processor configured to output a first signal along a first path and a second signal along a second path in response to the first and second function inputs, respectively, wherein the first signal corresponds to the first function and the second signal corresponds to the second function; and an output configured to transmit the first signal in the first range and the second signal in the second range, wherein the first range is smaller than the second range.
US07653462B2

A vehicle control unit includes interface software memory means storing an interface software program for connecting an application software program with an OS (operating system) in an internal ROM, a CPU (central processing unit) for performing computation for the application software program and the interface software program, a RAM (erasable memory) storing data such as the result of computation, an I/O unit for extending the control unit, and extending means for communicating memory data through a bus or a LAN. A single-chip micro-computer used in vehicle control permits an increase in input/output points or the addition of functionality, in which case an application software program can continue to be used simply by rewriting the interface software program, without further remanufacturing of the core unit.
US07653459B2

A variable velocity calibration and balancing system having a basis in a function block engine. It pertains to variable air volume systems and particularly to balancing systems as they relate to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Balancing may be addressed using functional blocks to represent actual control and connections in an HVAC application for a variable air volume application.
US07653458B2

A robot device, which autonomously performs actions, includes a moving unit that moves the robot device, and a target position acquiring unit that acquires position information of a target. A movement method judging unit receives an instruction for a movement from a user, and judges whether or not a destination can be designated by fixed position information. When it is judged that the destination can be designated by the fixed position information, control is performed by a position movement control unit. When it is judged that the destination cannot be designated by the fixed position information, control is performed by a target movement control unit, which acquires position information from the target position acquiring unit, to operate the moving unit.
US07653456B2

There is provided with a monitoring method of monitoring plural apparatuses each having a sensor, including: selecting two or more sample apparatuses out of the plural apparatuses; calculating averages and standard deviations of sensor values detected by the sample apparatuses for each sample apparatus; calculating a confidence interval of the averages and an average of the standard deviations; and calculating an average of sensor values detected by an arbitrary apparatus among the plural apparatuses as an object average and calculating a normal range of the sensor of the arbitrary apparatus from the object average, the confidence interval, and the average of the standard deviations.
US07653453B2

A method for uniquely identifying an assembly of at least two components, comprising the steps of: reading a first identifier associated with a first component; reading a second identifier associated with a second component; joining the first component to the second component with a joinder process; associating the first identifier and the second identifier with the joint, yielding a joint identification, the joint identification being recalled upon the reading of either the first identifier or the second identifier; associating the first identifier and the second identifier with the assembly, yielding an assembly identification, the assembly identification being recalled upon the reading of either the first identifier or the second identifier; storing in a machine-accessible memory the joint identification, the assembly identification, and all associations.
US07653446B2

An architecture for automatically configuring equipment. A piece of equipment connected externally to a user PC has one or more machine-resolvable codes (MRCs) associated therewith. The piece of equipment receives configuration information from a remote location disposed on the network in response to reading a select one of the one or more MRCs with a reader. Configuration information associated with the select one of the one or more MRCs is transmitted from the remote location to the piece of equipment via the user PC, and the piece of equipment is then configured according to the configuration information.
US07653443B2

Methods of controlling activation of electrical appliances can include reducing overlapping activation time of different electrical appliances located at a single customer location of an electrical service provider during at least one time interval during a day. Related systems, circuits, and computer program products are disclosed.
US07653438B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for renal neuromodulation using a pulsed electric field to effectuate electroporation or electrofusion. It is expected that renal neuromodulation (e.g., denervation) may, among other things, reduce expansion of an acute myocardial infarction, reduce or prevent the onset of morphological changes that are affiliated with congestive heart failure, and/or be efficacious in the treatment of end stage renal disease. Embodiments of the present invention are configured for percutaneous intravascular delivery of pulsed electric fields to achieve such neuromodulation.
US07653433B2

The present application involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation and/or chemical stimulation to treat depression. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead and/or catheter that is in communication with a predetermined site which is coupled to a signal generator and/or infusion pump that release either an electrical signal and/or a pharmaceutical resulting in stimulation of the predetermined site thereby treating the mood and/or anxiety.
US07653423B2

Embodiments of the present invention can be used to enhance signals in a peer-to-peer radio system, such as a two-way radio system. In one embodiment, the invention includes receiving a communications signal on a channel from a remote radio at a radio using a plurality of antenna elements, such as an antenna array. The received communications signal includes a squelch code. The radio detects the squelch code, and enhances the received communications signal using the squelch code.
US07653420B2

A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion.
US07653414B2

An authentication, authorization, and accounting module of a first distributed mobile architecture system is disclosed and includes a destination preference register. The destination preference register includes a preferred call path for calls to be routed outside of a distributed mobile architecture network that is accessible to the first distributed mobile architecture system. The preferred call path can be selected from a group comprising a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) call path, a mobile switching center (MSC) call path, and an integrated services digital network (ISDN) call path. Further, calls that are placed outside of the distributed mobile architecture network from the first distributed mobile architecture system can be established via the preferred call path. Additionally, calls that are routed outside of the distributed mobile architecture network from a mobile subscriber in communication with the first distributed mobile architecture system can be established via the preferred call path.
US07653409B2

To secure proper reception quality for the control signal of an EUDCH during a handover. A transmission power control unit 23 controls transmission power of a downlink control signal of an EUDCH based on at least one of the following information: the CQI in an HS-DPCCH transmitted from a mobile station 30 regarding HSDPA to the mobile station 30, information on the reflection timing of a control pointer of the EUDCH from the mobile station 30, and information on transmission power of the HS-DSCH regarding HSDPA to the mobile station 30. A transmission unit 12 transmits the downlink control signal of the EUDCH to the mobile station 30 with a controlled transmission power.
US07653408B1

A wireless network apparatus includes a receive circuit, a transmit circuit, and a processor. The receive circuit receives a first signal over a wireless link. The first signal represents packets of first data. The transmit circuit transmits a second signal over the wireless link at a power level indicated by a transmit power control signal. The second signal represents packets of second data. The processor determines a link quality of the wireless link based on the first signal. The processor selects one of a plurality of link quality thresholds based on the power level. The processor compares the link quality to the selected one of the plurality of link quality thresholds. The processor generates the transmit power control signal based on the comparison.
US07653402B2

A method and apparatus for changing settable email parameters in a system supporting email using a wireless device, the system including a wireless electronic device and a wireless network. Provided is a way of changing email settings on the wireless device, and storing those changes on both the device and, as needed or desired, on the wireless network. The wireless network and wireless device are adapted to wirelessly communicate with each other.
US07653400B2

A probabilistic prediction is made of the location of a wireless-enabled mobile station in a wireless local area network. The prediction includes calculating a vector representing movement of the mobile station through a space in which two or more access points of the network are located, and determining a region surrounding the vector in which the mobile station has at least a given probability to be located within a certain period of time.
US07653399B2

Wide area corrections are used substantially continuously. Local area corrections are used once or sparsely. For example, an initial position is determined with local area corrections. Wide area corrections are subsequently used. The initial position information is used in the wide area position determination to limit or avoid delay for convergence. Other sparse uses of local area corrections include verifying or updating positions based on substantially continuous use of wide area corrections.
US07653398B2

A method, apparatus and system for applying feature controls to features on a wireless device while the mobile is in a geographic area is provided. The wireless device receives instructions from a wireless network indicating which feature controls to apply. The wireless device determines that its position is within the geographic area and applies the feature controls.
US07653395B2

A computer implemented method is disclosed, for modeling a frequency assignment for a radio communications system, comprising a plurality of radio transmitters. The method comprises assigning a frequency to one of said plurality of radio transmitters based on a probability of said radio transmitter being assigned a predetermined frequency. Also disclosed are computer implemented methods and computer program products for determining frequency usage probabilities, frequency reuse, expected signal strengths, quality-of-service and station relationships in connection with cell, capacity and frequency planning procedures.
US07653393B2

Disclosed is a method and system for forming and transmitting to an MS a broadcast message for notifying information of neighbor BSs in a BWA communication system. The method includes scanning neighbor base stations adjacent to the serving base station, collecting information of the scanned neighbor base stations, comparing a size of the information of the scanned neighbor base stations with a size of a frame for carrying the information of the neighbor base stations constructing at least one broadcast message that includes the information of the neighbor base stations according to a result of the comparison, setting up fields of the constructed broadcast message according to information included in the constructed broadcast message and broadcasting the broadcast message including the setup fields.
US07653391B2

A mobile terminal in a mobile communication system in which a server performs routing control based on registration information sent from the plurality of mobile terminals, including; an exchanging unit configured to exchange, with another mobile terminal, link information showing a link set in the another mobile terminal, and operational information showing whether the another mobile terminal is operating as a registering terminal which sends the registration information to the server or the another mobile terminal is operating as a non-registering terminal which does not send the registration information to the server; and a judgment unit configured to make a judgment on whether the mobile terminal should operate as the registering terminal or the mobile terminal should operate as the non-registering terminal, based on the link information and the operational information which are received from the another mobile terminal.
US07653388B2

A mobile radio communications method that prevents a calling user from being billed for an expensive overseas call, which the user could make without knowing that the destination mobile terminal is currently roaming abroad. When a mobile terminal has moved from a first country to a second country, its home mobile switch is informed of the new terminal location. The home mobile switch consults this location information when a call request to the roaming mobile terminal is placed by another mobile terminal, so as to determine in which country the destination is. If it turns out to be in the second country, the home mobile switch so notifies the calling mobile terminal by sending an overseas destination notice to it. This notice warns the calling user that he/she is making eventually an international call, thus allowing him/her to reconsider whether to proceed with the call request or cancel it.
US07653387B2

Methods and apparatus for determining and maintaining user presence information include capturing user presence data with an application presence server. The application presence server can be configured to update user presence data as a user initiates or exits an application. Applications associated with user presence data are configured to query an application proxy client concerning user presence data of a selected user and, based on a returned user status, deliver, discard, or redirect a message intended for the user. User presence data is stored in a user presence repository and can be provided via Internet-based or other connections to applications executed on external networks. User activity status can be used to select or update user presence data. In some examples, an application server of an external network is configured to receive user presence data from the presence server.
US07653386B2

A wireless access point and multiple wireless terminals exchange utilization, status, mobility and reception characteristics. Each wireless terminal generates reception characteristics based on transmissions received from the wireless access point and from other devices in the network. In one operating mode, the characteristics gathered by the wireless devices are forwarded to the wireless access point, and, based on all received characteristics, the wireless access point selects its own transmission power for different types of the transmissions. The access point transmits to client devices at reduced power levels, however, periodic beacons and other selected non-beacon transmissions are transmitted at a high power level to facilitate association by other client devices. In another mode, all characteristics are exchanged between every wireless terminal and the access point so that each can independently or cooperatively make transmission power control decisions. The utilization, status, mobility, and reception characteristics include received signal strength, error rates, estimated battery life, availability of unlimited power, active versus sleep mode ratios, anticipated bandwidth utilization, coding schemes available, deterministic/non-deterministic requirements, encryption and security requirements, quality of service requirements, position, velocity, stationary status, etc. Gathering of such characteristics involves both retrieval of preset parameters from memory and generating parameters based on received transmissions (including test packets).
US07653384B2

A control unit of a remote service terminal, for which a contract for using services is still valid, compares data of a vehicle inspection certificate with data in a user database to detect if an owner of a vehicle has changed. When the owner has changed, the control unit notifies the change of data to a management center through a cellular communication unit. The management center retrieves a contractor database based on the notified content to confirm if the owner of the vehicle has changed. When the owner change is confirmed, processing is executed through the remote service terminal to inquire if the contract for using services is canceled or the name of the contractor is changed. The contract is cancelled or the name of the contractor is changed based on a response by the user.
US07653381B2

A method includes transmitting an object ID containing message from a mobile communication terminal via the network of the Global System for Mobile Communications through a mobile network operator equipment and by means of the Internet network to a server. At least one word is used as an object ID containing message transmitted from a mobile communication terminal. When searching for an object ID in the database the server compares the word with domain names. If the user of a mobile communication terminal finds a matching domain name, the server transmits a subscriber's phone number to him. Then, the mobile communication terminal initiates connection to that phone number by making a voice call to the subscriber's phone number. The method enables to expand functional capabilities, speed up search, decrease volumes of information transmitted, reduce load on telecommunications networks and their equipment.
US07653377B1

A wireless communications system providing interactive voice response is disclosed. The system is menu-driven, and can accept information and requests from customers. In response to one type of request, the system can provide the customer with information regarding one or more previous transactions. The system also includes provisions that permit customers to retrieve multiple previous transactions.
US07653375B2

A system for detecting hazardous agents is based on cellular telephone networks. The cellular telephones in public circulation have at least one detector for detecting at least one hazardous agent and broadcast alarm packets upon detecting the hazardous agent. A computer or computer network interconnected with telephones by the cellular telephone network processes the alarm packets and sets an alarm condition for the hazardous agent in a vicinity of the cellular telephone by calculations based upon alarm packets from other telephones with detectors for the hazardous agent in the vicinity. A map of the contaminated area is also created.
US07653374B2

An apparatus in one example has: a VOIP telecommunications network; a VOIP telecommunication device operatively coupled to the VOIP telecommunications network; and the VOIP telecommunication device having a detector that recognizes a predetermined pattern in a data stream from the VoIP telecommunication device, and a call processor that initiates a predetermined call in a cellular telecommunication network in response to recognition of the predetermined pattern.
US07653373B2

A communication terminal includes a communication interface configured to exchange data via a communication network, a memory, a first table stored in the memory and configured to store identifiers of communication terminals which are senders of received data, a second table stored in the memory and configured to store identifiers of communication terminals designated by a user, a user interface configured to receive an input of an identifier of a communication terminal with which a communication is to be initiated, and a processor configured to determine whether the identifier of the communication terminal input via the user interface is stored in the first table, determine whether the input identifier of the communication terminal is stored in the second table, and if a result of the determination is affirmative, instruct the communication network not to notify an identifier of its own terminal to the communication terminal.
US07653367B2

A squelch detector that differentially detects a presence of a communication signal on a communication channel. The squelch detector being coupled to outputs of a differential offset bias amplifier to receive differential offset biased signals and generate a differential direct current signal.
US07653364B2

An indication is received to relocate leakage in a transmission signal to be transmitted. A frequency change associated with relocating the leakage in the transmission signal is obtained. The leakage in the transmission signal is relocated based at least in part on the frequency change.
US07653360B2

A high-frequency composite component for selectively switching a GSM-system signal path and a DCS-system signal path for a signal transmitted to or received from an antenna terminal by a diplexer. Transmission-side input terminals and reception-side balanced output terminals to be switched by high-frequency switches are included in the GSM and the DCS systems. Matching elements include inductors and capacitors that are inserted between the reception-side balanced output terminals and the output side of surface acoustic wave filters.
US07653348B2

A shared satellite gateway can be configured to process at least first and second communications signals associated with respective at least first and second space-based components. The at least first and second communications signals are provided to/from the shared satellite gateway by respective at least first and second service links and respective at least first and second feeder links of the respective at least first and second space-based components.
US07653341B2

A system for collecting, evaluating and using usage activity includes one or more media devices and a network with a ratings service. A media device includes a logging service for logging usage activity when media content is accessed and played, shared, deleted and/or stored. When a connection to the network is present, the usage activity is transmitted to the ratings service. The ratings service evaluates the usage activity and prepares a usage report, which can be transmitted to one or more content providers and/or can be used to refine programming content and/or influence advertising decisions. A content provider can collect votes by sending a list of possible song choices to media devices and receiving vote data collected by logging services on the media devices. The vote data is evaluated and a vote report is prepared that can be used to refine programming content and/or to influence advertising decisions.
US07653332B2

An image forming apparatus includes: image detectors to detect conditions of images, respectively, formed on a transfer member; sensors to detect rotational displacements of latent image carriers, respectively; and a controller to perform at least phase adjustment control and image-to-image displacement control before performing image forming operations on image carriers, respectively. Image-to-image displacement control includes adjusting image forming timing on the image carriers based upon conditions of a detection image (including images transferred from the image carrier) detected by the image detectors, respectively. Speed-variation detection control includes detecting a condition of a speed-variation detection image (including an image transferred from each of image carriers) via the image detectors, and determining speed variation of the image carriers, respectively, per one revolution based upon outputs of the image detectors and the sensors. Phase adjustment control includes determining phase adjustments for the image carriers, respectively, based on the corresponding speed-variations.
US07653312B2

The present invention is a method of transmitting data of different bit rates in a simple manner and, if positive minimal multiples whose multiple operation values on the bit time lengths 1/Ai for a plurality of communication bit rates Ai become common are minimal multiples ai respectively, an optical line terminal constitutes a time division multiplex signal composed of a first data area having a bit rate Ai/ai and including frame synchronization information and a second data area in which packets addressed to each optical network unit of the bit rate Ai are time division multiplexed, and transmits the time division multiplex signal to a plurality of optical network units via a branching/multiplexing means.
US07653305B1

The present disclosure is directed to an optical transport system and device that conserves power, provides for efficient transport of photonic signals and is capable to accommodate a number of different nodes. The system and device are implemented with the major components at the nodes to provide easy maintenance. In a first aspect, the disclosure is directed to an optical transport system that provides for low power and efficient transport of photonic signals. The optical transport system can be implemented with a plurality of similar or identical network interface units that correspond with each node of the system. Also disclosed is an optical transport system architecture having an example architecture that includes a primary system and a secondary system, which is redundant to the primary system and is adapted to be operational when the primary system is inactive, or an example architecture that includes just a primary system.
US07653304B2

A digital camera equipped with a projector, includes a photographing device; a projector device that projects an optical image; a mode switching operation member that outputs a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to one of a photographing operation mode in which image data photographed by the photographing device are saved as a photographic image file in a recording medium and a projection operation mode in which a reproduced image is projected by the projector device; a top surface operation member disposed at an upper surface of a casing; and a projection control device that controls the projector device based upon an operation signal provided by the top surface operation member upon receiving a switching operation signal indicating a changeover to the projection operation mode from the mode switching operation member.
US07653302B2

Personal data services, such as a set of Web services, are enabled that allow a user to enter personal metadata information, e.g., about likely people and/or events to be targets of a camera capture event. Then, when a user's computing device acquires such metadata, e.g., via embedded Web services software, an intelligent user interface allows the user to enter whether any of such personal metadata information pertains to any personal data, such as a video, an audio file or an image, which is captured by the user's computing device. The personal data including the metadata information can be automatically uploaded via one or more wired and/or wireless networks to a device that hosts a personal data service, which stores the personal data and associated metadata, providing for effective means to access and manage a user's personal data store. The services of the invention also enable a system for identifying unknown or new metadata where existing metadata is not sufficient to describe a video, audio or image capture event. In addition, a gateway is provided that enables transfer of content from the Web services to other media service providers, such as a cable or television over Internet Protocol (“TVoIP”) video or other video on demand (“VOD”) service.
US07653295B2

A collapsible lens barrel includes a first holding frame (2) for holding a first lens group (L1), a second holding frame (5) for holding a second lens group (L2) that is disposed on an image plane side with respect to the first lens group (L1), an actuator (6) for moving the second holding frame 5 in an optical axis direction, and a tubular cam frame (17) including a plurality of cam grooves that are formed at substantially equal intervals around a circumferential direction for moving the first holding frame (2) in the optical axis direction. The actuator (6) is attached to a portion in the cam frame (17) where the cam grooves are not formed. The first lens group (L1) is moved using the cam grooves, and the second lens group (L2) is moved using the actuator (6), so that a faster zooming speed and a lower zooming noise can be achieved.
US07653279B1

A three-dimensional (3D) ordered polymer microstructure having a length, a width and a height and including a plurality of waveguides that can be formed utilizing a mask and collimated light. The plurality of waveguides includes a first waveguide having a first finite propagation distance extended along a first direction, a second waveguide having a second finite propagation distance extended along a second direction and a third waveguide having a third finite propagation distance extended along a third direction. Here, only one of the length, width and height of the 3D ordered polymer microstructure is limited by the first finite propagation distance of the first waveguide, the second finite propagation distance of the second waveguide and the third finite propagation distance of the third waveguide.
US07653264B2

A method determines alignment of images in high dimensional feature space. The method comprises registering a source image of a reference modality to a target image of a second modality with an algorithm based upon a measure of information affinity present in both of the source and target image to create a registered image. Next, a plurality of feature vector are extracted from the registered image for each of the source and target images and attributes of the joint distribution of feature vector are captured using an entropic graph spanning the features. Edge lengths are between proximal feature vectors are extracted from the entropic graph and a similarity measure of one of an α-divergence estimate or an α-affinity estimate is constructed based upon these edge lengths to quantify whether the source and target image are sufficiently registered.
US07653248B1

Image pixel intensity data is transformed to a holographic representation of the image. A subset of the holographic representation is modeled. Model parameters constitute a compressed image representation. A two-dimensional Fourier transform can be applied to obtain the holographic image. Modeling includes applying an analysis portion of an adaptive analysis/synthesis prediction methodology to a subset of the holographic representation. Linear prediction can be the adaptive analysis/synthesis prediction methodology. Prior to modeling, one-dimensional Fourier transform can be performed on the holographic representation and the linear prediction is one-dimensional. Model parameters are preferably quantized. Embodiments include determining error between the model and the model's input data. There the compressed image representation the error, which also can be quantized. The subset of the holographic representation can be less than all the representation. The subset can be a plurality of complete rows; preferably substantially symmetric about 0 Hz.
US07653243B2

A method for 3D volume segmentation in digitized medical images includes providing a digitized medical image defined on an N-dimensional lattice, obtaining an oriented closed 2-dimensional contour on one or more 2-dimensional slices from said image, defining face weights w from said image intensities by forming a dual lattice of said image lattice, minimizing ∑ i ⁢ w i ⁢ z i summed over all faces subject to the constraint Bz=r wherein vector z is an indicator vector indicating whether a face is present in a minimum-weight surface, vector r is an indicator vector of said 2-D contour, and wherein B is an edge-face incidence matrix, and segmenting said 3-D image into distinct regions separated by the minimum-weight surface indicated by said vector z.
US07653241B2

A signal detection system of the invention comprises: a target signal feature quantity calculation section which derives a feature quantity series from a target signal; a stored signal feature quantity calculation section which derives a feature quantity series from a stored signal; a target signal histogram calculation section which searches for a histogram of feature quantities in a target signal feature quantity series; a stored signal histogram series calculation section which obtains a histogram series in regard to a stored signal feature quantity series, by calculating a histogram of feature quantities; a stored signal histogram grouping section which groups histogram series, for which a similarity level satisfies a criteria; a stored signal histogram group selection section which selects groups which include an area to be output from a histogram group; a stored signal collation section which performs collation with respect to histograms of a histogram group, and obtains a similarity value; and a collation result output section which outputs the area collated by the similarity value, as a detection result.
US07653240B1

Color filter array demosaicing as is useful in digital cameras, still and video, using a single sensor includes blending of directional and non-directional interpolations. Directional interpolation uses edge detection with lowpass filtering with neighboring pixels for erroneous detection correction.
US07653232B2

The present invention relates to systems and methods for medical imaging. Digital images are processed to provide phase images of a region of interest to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of various conditions. A preferred embodiment of the invention provides improved mammography screening for cancerous or precancerous conditions.
US07653229B2

Some configurations of method for reconstructing a volumetric image of an object include obtaining a tomosynthesis projection dataset of an object. The method also includes utilizing the tomosynthesis projection dataset and additional information about the object to minimize a selected energy function or functions to satisfy a selected set of constraints. Alternatively, constraints are applied to a reconstructed volumetric image in order to obtain an updated volumetric image. A 3D volume representative of the imaged object is thereby obtained in which each voxel is reconstructed and a correspondence indicated to a single one of the component material classes.
US07653228B2

A method for selective imaging of body structures includes acquiring first image data set by a first tomography method, acquiring a second image data set by a second tomography method which has a resolution which is higher than that of the first method, the image data of the first and the second image data set coinciding at least partly in space, reconstructing an image from the first image data set, and selecting the image data to be reconstructed from the first image data set using the second image data set. In order to achieve a higher imaging quality while using a low-resolution tomography method, image reconstruction of the image data selected from the first image data set at least one image region to be imaged is selected from the second image data set, and subsequently the image reconstruction is calculated from the image data of the first image data set which are situated in the selected image region.
US07653226B2

A system and corresponding method for flexible generation of digitally reconstructed radiograph (DRR) images on a graphics processing unit (GPU) are provided, the system including a processor, an imaging adapter in signal communication with the processor for receiving volumetric data, an integration unit in signal communication with the processor for integrating the volumetric data into incremental line integrals, and a modeling unit in signal communication with the processor for modeling composite line integrals from the incremental line integrals; and the corresponding method including receiving three-dimensional (3D) volumetric data into a graphics pipeline, integrating the 3D volumetric data into incremental line integrals along a plurality of viewing rays, modeling composite line integrals from the incremental line integrals, and adding the incremental line integrals for each composite line integral to form pixels of the DRR image.
US07653218B1

A method for extracting a linear feature from remotely sensed imagery, including selecting by user interface anchor points for the linear feature, the anchor points being identified with a geographic location; using image-based logic to automatically calculate a vector set associated with the anchor points, the vector set comprising a path associated with the linear feature; automatically attributing a material type to the path; automatically attributing a geometry to the path; selecting by user interface anchor points for a successive linear feature; using image-based logic to calculate a successive vector set associated with the anchor points for the successive linear feature, the successive vector set comprising a successive path; using a geometric relationship between the vector set and the successive vector set to automatically adjust the vector set to create an adjusted vector set, the adjusted vector set correcting the path associated with the first linear feature.
US07653216B2

A polyhedron recognition system that is not easily affected by the camera position and camera range when the shape of a staircase or other polyhedron is recognized from an image obtained by photography, and that can also recognize the shape with good accuracy. In the system, predetermined regions (staircase candidate regions) within the image input from two CCD cameras are selected, and a range image is obtained stereoscopically with the two cameras, while also a candidate region upon the range image obtained based on the selected region is set, and the shape of the staircase or other polyhedron is recognized based on the set range image within the candidate region.
US07653215B2

A system and method of automatically controlling exterior vehicle lights includes an image sensor and a controller to generate control signals. The control signals are derived based on information obtained from the image sensor as well as other detected parameters pertaining to the detected light source(s), the vehicle having the inventive control system, and the ambient environment. The control circuit may simply turn certain exterior lights on or off, or change the brightness, aim, focus, etc. to produce various beam patterns that maximize the illuminated area in front of the vehicle without causing excessive glare in the eyes of other drivers.
US07653213B2

A method of tracking an expected location of a head in a computerized headtracking environment having a delayed processing requirement for locating a current head position, the method comprising the step of: utilizing previously tracked positions to estimate a likely future tracked position; outputting the likely future tracked position as the expected location of the head. Kalman filtering of the previously tracked positions can be utilized in estimating the likely future tracked position.
US07653207B2

The invention is directed to a spreading head harness for headphones or headsets and to headphones or headsets having a spreading head harness of this kind. In order to provide a spreading head harness for headphones or headsets which automatically spreads when opening or widening and remains spread during use and in which the partial harnesses are automatically brought together again after use, it is suggested to use partial harnesses and/or connection members of which the end areas twist around the longitudinal axis relative to the spring regions, the end areas are bent relative to the curvature, and a mechanical tension is generated in the partial harness when mounted.
US07653205B2

In order to switch between different hearing programs to adjust to a momentary acoustic scene, a method for adjusting a hearing device, in which one of several possible hearing programs can be selected in order to adjust to a momentary acoustic scene, the method comprising the steps of detecting a desired hearing program change, changing parameters (b1, . . . , bm) of a transfer function provided between a microphone (M1) and a receiver of the hearing device in order to adapt it to the detected hearing program change, adjusting the parameters (b1, . . . , bm) to be changed from a momentary value to a desired value in such a manner that a smooth transition is perceived by the hearing device user while changing from a momentary hearing program to the desired hearing program, whereas each of the smooth transition is individually adjustable.
US07653204B2

In an audio processing device, a method and system for improved CODEC with polyringer are provided. An audio CODEC may comprise an audio ADC, an audio DAC, and a sidetone generator. Data from an external microphone may be processed by an audio ADC and may be sent to a processor that may be adapted to perform digital signal processing operations. The audio DAC may receive from the processor digital audio and polyphonic ringer data and may process the digital audio and polyphonic ringer data through separate digital filters and digital interpolators. The audio DAC may add the processed digital audio and polyphonic ringer data before analog conversion. The audio DAC may perform analog conversion by utilizing a delta-sigma modulator, a current-based DAC, and a switched-capacitor filter. The converted data may be filtered with an RC filter and may be utilized to drive an external speaker or earpiece.
US07653195B2

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for disposing of calls. The apparatus includes a call initiation module, a transfer module, and a presentation module. The call initiation module initiates a plurality of calls. The transfer module transfer a plurality of calls to at least one agent. The presentation module simultaneously presents a plurality of transferred calls to an agent for disposition.
US07653193B2

An apparatus and method is provided for managing and controlling connections to conference bridges for proposed conference call participants to access a scheduled conference call. A first call is made to a conference bridge. Next, an attempt is made to contact the proposed conference call participant for the conference call via a telephone call, an SMS message, or both. If contacted, the proposed conference call participant has options such as a) connecting to the conference call, b) not connecting to the conference call, or c) recording the conference call. If the proposed conference call participant cannot be contacted or is unavailable, then the conference call can be recorded for listening at a later time.
US07653188B2

A system and method are provided for detecting extension attacks made to a communication enterprise, and taking appropriate remedial action to prevent ongoing attacks and future attacks. One or more attributes of a suspect call are analyzed, and a risk is associated with each analyzed attribute. An overall risk or assessment is then made of the analyzed attributes, attack attributes are logged, and one or more remedial actions may be triggered as a result of the analyzed call attributes. The remedial actions may include recording the call, notifying an administrator of a suspect call, or isolating the communication enterprise from the attack by terminating the call or shutting down selected communication endpoints to prevent calls being made to those extensions. Rules may be applied to the analyzed attributes in order to trigger the appropriate remedial action. The call attributes analyzed may include call destination, call direction, call type, time of day of the call, call duration, whether a call source is spoofed, call volume from a particular call source, and hash values created for a suspect media stream.
US07653182B2

The application server includes means for commanding a voice resource server to set up a dialogue with a user for the user to agree or refuse to supply personal data, for example location data, to a service provider.
US07653178B2

A method for generating an X-ray includes the steps of: flattening an electron beam with a circular cross section by means of Lorentz force to form a flat electron beam with a flat cross section under the condition so that an intensity of the flat electron beam per unit area can be set higher than an intensity of said electron beam per unit area; and irradiating the flat electron beam onto a target, thereby generating an X-ray.
US07653177B2

A method and a measurement system are disclosed for the noninvasive determination of properties of an object to be examined and to the use of a contrast medium for X-ray phase-contrast measurement. in at least one embodiment of the invention, a mixture (suspension) consisting of a base liquid and a multiplicity of particles contained therein is used, the refractive index of the base liquid being different to the refractive index of the particles.
US07653173B2

One aspect relates to deriving at least one first X-ray fluorescence visualization, image, or provided information substantially within an at least some matter of an at least a portion of an at least one individual at least partially as a result of directing an at least one first applied high energy photon and/or particle having an at least one first input energy towards the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual. The aspect comprises deriving at least one second X-ray fluorescence visualization, image, or provided information substantially within the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual at least partially as a result of directing an at least one second applied high energy photon and/or particle having an at least one second input energy toward the at least some matter of the at least the portion of the at least one individual. The aspect comprises deriving an at least one combined X-ray fluorescence visualization, combined image, or combined provided information at least partially by combining the at least one first X-ray fluorescence visualization, image, or provided information with the at least one second X-ray fluorescence visualization, image, or provided information.
US07653161B2

A method of optimizing a communication system for receiving and processing an input communication signal includes selecting a first noise margin m to be applied against an external noise present on the input communication signal. The method further includes selecting a second noise margin mi to be applied against an internal noise introduced on the communications signal by the communication system. The second noise margin is a predetermined function of the first noise margin. The method also includes calculating a virtual noise to signal ratio that is a combination of an external noise to signal ratio NSRe, an internal noise to signal ratio NSRi, the first noise margin and the second noise margin. The method further includes adjusting one or more system parameters so as to maintain the virtual noise to signal ratio at a predetermined margin above a required noise to signal ratio.
US07653157B2

A method and apparatus for coordinating the time at which a mobile station performs searches for alternative systems to which a hard handoff will occur. The mobile station receives a command which instructs the mobile station as to when to tune to alternative frequencies in order to search for indicates of the presence of an alternative system. In another system which includes the present invention, predetermined times are defined with respect to a reference point in time that is common to both the origination base station and a mobile station. The mobile station tunes to alternative frequencies to perform searches only during these predetermined times. In addition, the mobile station coordinates the transmission of reports, which indicate the results of searches for alternative systems such that these reports are only transmitted from the mobile station when the mobile station is tuned to the origination frequency.
US07653153B2

A QAM receiver for constellations having at least 16 symbols converts its received QAM signal into outputs including indications of the received symbols. A channel frequency response estimator responsive to outputs of the converter derives indications of estimates of effects of a link to the receiver on the phase and amplitude of the received signals. A processor responsive to outputs of the converter and the estimator (1) equalises the phases of the converter outputs, (2) scales the amplitude estimates by amounts determined by the amplitude associated with the separation of boundaries between symbols in the constellation, and (3) combines the phase equalised converter outputs and the scaled amplitude estimates to derive likely bit values of the received symbols.
US07653141B2

Methods and apparatus for transmitting and receiving symbols in a communication system having a plurality of frequency bands are provided. A first symbol is transmitted on a first tone using a first constellation mapping and a second symbol is transmitted on a second tone using a second constellation mapping different from the first constellation mapping. The first symbol is retransmitted on the second tone using the second constellation mapping and the second symbol is retransmitted on the first tone using the first constellation mapping. The first and second symbols are detected from a combination of the received transmitted and retransmitted first and second signals.
US07653138B2

A technique for improving multiple-channel multi-tone transmissions is disclosed. According to one particular embodiment, a method for transmitting data over at least two bonded channels is provided, wherein each of the at least two bonded channels comprises a plurality of tones. The method may comprise: transmitting a first symbol stream over a first tone in a first bonded channel and over a second tone in a second bonded channel, wherein the first tone is bonded to the second tone, and the transmissions over the first tone and the second tone are substantially in parallel; transmitting a second symbol stream over a third tone in the first bonded channel; and transmitting a third symbol stream over a fourth tone in the second bonded channel, wherein the third tone is bonded to the fourth tone, and the transmissions of the second symbol stream and the third symbol stream are substantially in parallel.
US07653136B2

A decoding method of detecting a transmission error region and recovering correctly decoded data and a decoding apparatus using the same. The decoding method includes comparing encoding status information with decoding status information by receiving encoded data and the encoding status information of at least one synchronization point set in every predetermined period to detect a transmission error and to obtain the decoding status information of a corresponding synchronization point while decoding the encoded data, and continuing to decode the received data if the encoding status information of the at least one synchronization point is the same as the decoding status information of the corresponding synchronization point, and recovering previously decoded data before a previous synchronization point by detecting a transmission error region between the corresponding synchronization point and the previous synchronization point if the encoding status information is different from the decoding status information. It is possible to detect an error for each synchronization point and recover data positioned in a region having no error.
US07653131B2

Identification of segments based upon scoreboards and logos.
US07653129B2

The present invention discloses a system and method for adaptive adjustment of bit budget that favors the allocation of bits to intra coding frames (I frames). Namely, an encoder is able to dynamically adjust the bit budget for each picture type in an image sequence, thereby effecting proper usage of the available transmission bandwidth and improving the picture quality. In one embodiment, the present invention will allocate more encoding bandwidth to a current Intra coding frame when the average quantization level of inter coding frames (e.g., P and B frames) of a previous group of pictures is relatively high.
US07653127B2

Bit-Edge Zero Forcing Equalizer. A novel solution is presented by which a BE-ZFE (Bit-Edge Zero Forcing Equalizer) is employed to drive an error term within a data signal to an essentially zero value. This new BE-ZFE looks at values of data that occur at the bit edges of a data signal and drives the associated error term to zero. The new BE-ZFE is appropriately implemented within communication systems that are phase (or jitter) noise limited. Some examples of such communication systems include high-speed serial links one type of which serviced using a SERDES (Serializer/De-serializer) where data that is originally in a parallel format is serialized into a serial data stream and then subsequently de-serialized back into a parallel data stream.
US07653125B2

A method determines tap coefficients of a phase interpolation finite impulse response (FIR) filter with respect to a digital-signal phase-locked loop processing apparatus including an A/D converter receiving a reproduced signal serving as digital data and sampling the received reproduced signal at a frequency higher than a data rate frequency and a PLL portion performing phase locking of the reproduced signal by filtering the sampled reproduced signal obtained by the A/D converter using the phase interpolation FIR filter and outputting a data sequence of the phase-locked reproduced signal. The method includes providing an adaptive equalization FIR filter at the data rate frequency at a stage subsequent to the PLL portion and determining the tap coefficients of the phase interpolation FIR filter using, as estimated values, FIR filter tap coefficients of the adaptive equalization FIR filter, which are converged so as to achieve a minimum mean square error.
US07653122B2

A power controlled sub-band assignment and power allocation among users in a multiband UWB system aims to reduce power consumption without compromising performance. The overall transmit power is minimized under the practical constraints, including packet error rate, transmission rate, and FCC regulations. To insure the system feasibility in variable channel conditions, an optimization scheme manages the assignment of UWB devices to respective channels subject to their suitability to the requested users' transmission rates. An inexpensive suboptimal approach reduces the complexity of the optimization procedure and achieves a comparable performance to those of the complex full search optimization routine. The suboptimal scheme obtains the feasible solutions adaptively when the channels assignment, initially calculated under the optimization criteria, is not feasible for the user's rate requirement.
US07653121B2

A disclosed power level measuring device includes a power calculator for calculating power values based on correlation values between a received signal and known signals, for each of sampling times within a predetermined period; a time divider for switching connection of input signals, responding to time slots allocated to each of plural cells; an accumulator connected to the time divider, for accumulating the power values; a detector for detecting at least one sampling time whose accumulated value is greater than a threshold; a memory connected to the time divider, for storing the power values; and an outputting unit for outputting a measured power level, based on the stored power value corresponding to the detected sampling time.
US07653103B2

A pulse oscillating type solid laser unit that has a laser unit body whose exciting source is a laser diode that emits light in a principal energy absorbing spectrum of a solid laser activated media, and characterized by that prior to radiating laser light outside the laser unit body as a calibrating operation of a pulse laser output value, specified several varieties of rectangle pulse current values are conducted to a laser diode inside the pulse oscillating type solid laser unit so as to pulse-oscillate the laser unit body, a mean laser output value in each rectangle pulse current value is measured by the use of a laser output measuring instrument arranged inside the laser unit body so as to obtain a mean laser output value data, and in case that the laser output light is radiated outside the laser unit body, a pulse current value linear-predicted based on an obtained mean output value data is conducted to the laser diode so as to obtain a desired pulse laser output value.
US07653101B2

A semiconductor laser light emitting circuit includes a semiconductor laser diode emitting a laser light by modulating a current supplied thereto, a light intensity detection circuit that detects the laser light and generates a voltage, and a voltage-current conversion circuit converting a voltage into a current supplied to the laser diode. A S/H capacitance is provided to store electric charge and output a voltage to the voltage/current conversion circuit. A first operational amplifier is provided to output a first current charging the S/H capacitance. A rapidly charging circuit is provided to charge the S/H capacitance with a second current. The rapidly charging circuit terminates charging when the voltage is equal to or more than a second reference voltage.
US07653090B2

A method and system for providing video on demand, the method includes: (i) sending, by a resource manager, authorized media stream identification information to a modulation and radio frequency transmitter; (ii) receiving, by a radio frequency transmitter, at least one media stream encapsulated within addressable packets; wherein the at least one media stream is associated with corresponding received identification information; and (iii) determining, by the modulation and radio frequency transmitter, whether to modulate and transmit the received media stream in response to relationship between the authorized media stream identification information and between the receives identification information.
US07653074B2

A method and apparatus for virtual private networks (VPNs) is described. A computer implemented method comprises determining a set of endpoints for a generic routing encapsulation (GRE) tunnel, determining a key (the key corresponding to a VPN), dynamically establishing the GRE tunnel with the set of endpoints and the key, and processing a set of GRE traffic for the VPN.
US07653064B2

A method of modifying a data message during transmission through a data communications network, the data communications network being arranged to deliver messages under control of a network operator and including a first store-and-forward network node. The first store-and-forward network node is arranged to store data messages and forward the same to a recipient in dependence on status data corresponding to a terminal associated therewith. The method further includes receiving a message at a second store-and-forward node, wherein the second store-and-forward node is different from the first store-and-forward network node, arranging for the message to be modified before being forwarded from the second store-and-forward node, and transmitting the message to the first store-and-forward network node for forwarding to the recipient.
US07653062B2

A packet forwarding apparatus which quickly selects a plurality of control information entries to be applied according to header information of an input packet and concurrently performs various the header processing functions. The packet forwarding apparatus comprises a flow retrieval unit which compares header information of the input packet with plural sets of flow identification conditions and concurrently outputs various flow identifiers appropriate to the input packet, various header processing units corresponding to the flow identifiers, and a packet forwarding control unit for controlling forwarding of input packets according to control information outputted from at least one of the header processing units. While each of the header processing units has an information table containing plural information entries, reads a single information entry from the information table according to the flow identifier outputted from the flow retrieval unit, and executes a prescribed arithmetic operation.
US07653051B2

An arrangement for coupling a SCP (Signaling Control Point) and Signaling Transfer Point (STP) nodes of a SS7 network is disclosed. The arrangement includes an aggregated signaling gateway arrangement (ASGA), which includes at least a first signaling gateway and a second signaling gateway. The first signaling gateway is coupled between the SCP and a first STP node of the SS7 network. The second signaling gateway is coupled between the SCP and a second STP node of the SS7 network, the first signaling gateway and the second gateway being associated with a single SS7 point code.
US07653045B2

A media over packet networking appliance provides a network interface, a voice transducer, and at least one integrated circuit assembly coupling the voice transducer to the network interface. The at least one integrated circuit assembly provides media over packet transmissions and holds bits defining reconstruction of a packet stream having a primary stage and a secondary stage. The secondary stage has one or more of linear predictive coding parameters, long term prediction lags, parity check, and adaptive and fixed codebook gains. The packet stream has an instance of single packet loss, and the reconstruction includes receiving a packet sequence represented by P(n)P(n−1)′, [Lost Packet], P(n+2)P(n+1)′, and P(n+3)P(n+2)′, obtaining as information from the secondary stage one or more of the linear predictive coding parameters, long term prediction lags, parity check, and adaptive and fixed codebook gains, and performing an excitation reconstruction utilizing said packet sequence thus received.
US07653042B2

Delay-sensitive burst scheduling in a network is carried out through communications between source and destination nodes. A distributed scheduler at each destination node selects timeslots for burst arrivals from requesting source nodes, irrespective of timeslot selections made by distributed schedulers at other nodes.
US07653037B2

A system and method are provided for distributing wireless network access parameters in a multi-mode communications user terminal (UT). The method includes: establishing a link between a UT and a first communications network (i.e., a cellular network); accessing a parameters server via the first network; downloading access parameters for a wireless, second communications network (i.e., a Wireless Local Area Network); and, using the downloaded access parameters to establish a wireless link between the UT and the second communications network. The downloaded access parameters may include information such as a security key, Service Set IDentifier (SSID), traffic channel allocation, and optimization parameters including transmit power, quality of service (QoS) settings, and operational mode. Alternately, the database may cross-reference UT ID to parameters such as QoS, IP address, gateway information, subnet mask, Domain Name Server (DNS) information, or geographical location.
US07653025B1

A method of scheduling a shared channel of a wireless packet communication system, and more particularly, to a shared scheduler of a wireless packet communication. The method includes determining priorities of provided services for target terminals of cellular phones and ratios of carrier signal to interference from multiple target terminals; and based on the determined priorities, transmitting packet data to each the target terminal of cellular phones.
US07653020B2

A ultra wideband (UWB) wireless network may include a plurality of UWB wireless devices communicating over a plurality of UWB frequency bins extending over a UWB frequency range. At least one of the UWB wireless devices may be for determining a respective actual signal level associated with each UWB frequency bin, and generating a do-not-use UWB frequency bin list by comparing each actual signal level with at least one interference threshold. Thus, the UWB wireless devices can avoid using frequency bins experiencing excessive interference to thereby provide more reliable UWB communications.
US07653014B2

Provided are a method, system, and program for configuring a transmission mode between devices. A connection is established with a link partner at a common transmission speed. A duplex mode is set to a first duplex mode. A transmission error rate is monitored with the link partner and the duplex mode is changed to a second duplex mode in response to detecting that the transmission error rate exceeds a threshold.
US07653012B2

Methods to and devices capable of transmitting data in a centralized network are disclosed. A central coordinator receives data from a source device to be relayed to at least one destination device. The central coordinator acknowledges reception of the data from the source device and transmits data to at least one destination device. The central coordinator then waits for an acknowledgement of data reception from each destination device to which the data was sent.
US07653008B2

A system, method and media for a service oriented architecture, including in one embodiment, a method for configuring a service proxy, comprising configuring a transformation between a reception protocol and a transmission protocol, configuring a potential message processing path capable of processing a message that has been received with the reception protocol, providing the message for transmission to the transmission protocol, wherein the potential message processing path includes a message processing node capable of processing the message, and wherein the message processing node implements an interface and/or a protocol that is compatible with the service proxy. Other features, aspects and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures and the claims.
US07653006B1

Network traffic capture/replay systems, devices, apparatus, computer program code products and methods can include (1) extracting from the network traffic and scaling a plurality of sessions, (2) enabling asymmetrical scaling, wherein a client is cloned to generate a desired traffic load, (3) enabling complex scaling, wherein a captured packet may contain control sessions that control dependent sessions, wherein for each control session that is scaled, an additional stream session is scaled, (4) enabling traffic shaping, wherein the traffic shaping comprises parsing, categorizing and associating protocols associated with a packet capture file, and (5) enabling port mapping, wherein the port mapping comprises, prior to loading a packet capture file for replay, assigning source ports to each session.
US07652993B2

A method for transmitting data streams from a transmitter to a plurality of receivers over a shared channel that includes a transmitter simultaneously transmitting a plurality of the data streams to the plurality of receivers of the shared channel. The method includes jointly adapting bit rates of the respective data streams being transmitted in accordance with the available bandwidth, a general target time, and a quality measure.
US07652989B2

In the adaptive connection admission control method of the present invention, a corresponding ingress edge node performs connection admission control for a new connection within the amount of bandwidth initially allocated to each of paths between the ingress and egress edge nodes. The amount of remaining bandwidth allocated to a specific path Pr is compared with an amount of bandwidth required for a call requesting new connection setup input to the corresponding ingress edge node. The amount of additional bandwidth to be requested from the bandwidth broker is predicted when the amount of the remaining bandwidth does not satisfy the amount of bandwidth required for the connection setup requesting call. The ingress edge node requests additional bandwidth from the bandwidth broker on the basis of the predicted amount of the additional bandwidth, changing bandwidth information of the corresponding path Pr, and performing connection admission control.
US07652986B2

Virtually-concatenated data traffic is routed in a network comprising a plurality of nodes, the plurality of nodes including one or more nodes that are differential delay enabled and one or more nodes that are not differential delay enabled. For a given traffic demand to be routed from a source node to a destination node in the network, at least one route is determined for routing the demand between an intermediate node that is differential delay enabled and one of the source node and the destination node that is not differential delay enabled. Also, a set of routes is determined for routing the demand between the intermediate node that is differential delay enabled and at least one other node of the network, that may or may not be differential delay enabled, with each of the routes in the set corresponding to a member of a virtually-concatenated group. The given traffic demand is routed from the source node to the destination node, utilizing the at least one route and the set of routes.
US07652983B1

The present invention is directed to methods for signaling that enable bandwidth reservation, path restoration, path normalization, and path removal in a mesh network that supports shared mesh restoration.
US07652982B1

The principles of the invention allow a network device, such as a router, to maintain a high level of services during a failure without substantially utilizing redundant hardware components. During execution, the network device stores a subset of state information associated with applications executing on the network device. In the event of a failure, the network device reconstructs data structures associated with at least one of the applications based on the stored subset of state information. Next, the network device restarts at least one of the applications to resolve the failure. While restarting, the network device may continue to receive and forward information, such as packets, and, therefore, may continue to provide a high level of access to client devices previously connected to the network device. Thus, because the network device need not transfer control to a redundant hardware component, the network device may provide high availability without utilizing redundant hardware components, thereby potentially reducing the cost of high-availability routers.
US07652981B2

Symbols converted by a serial-to-parallel converting part (12) from serial to parallel form are subjected to inverse Fourier transform processing in an inverse Fourier transform part (13) as sub-carrier signal components of a frequency interval equal to the symbol rate, then the levels of the resulting time domain signal components are compared with a permissible peak level Cth in a peak component detecting part (22) to detect peak components, and the peak components are transformed by a Fourier transform part (23) to frequency domain components, which are subtracted by subtractors (240 to 24N−1) from the corresponding sub-carrier signal components to thereby reduce the peak power.
US07652978B2

The present invention relates to a transmitter in an OFDM system for improving the PAPR, and a method thereof. According to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, channel encoding is performed in order to correct a data transmission error of a radio channel, a predetermined bit of the channel encoded data is bit-inverted by using a mask bit or a mask bit sequence, and a PAPR of the signal is reduced. Accordingly, reduction of transmission efficiency which has been generated in block coding and DSI methods is not generated when the signal is transmitted because an additional bit is not required.
US07652975B2

A method for verifying interoperability of an implementation of a communication standard includes monitoring a symbol comprising a set of subcarrier symbols in a communication stream, in which some of the subcarrier symbols of the symbol are generated from pilot symbols, transmitted on subcarriers in accordance with the standard. For a given implementation and a given symbol, it is known which subcarriers will be pilot symbols, and what their pilot symbol values will be. A communication stream, generated by an implementation that is interoperable with the standard, will contain expected pilot information. Using the implementation to be verified, a communication stream is generated, containing pilot information. The generated pilot information is compared with the expected pilot information, and interoperability is determined based on the result of the comparing.
US07652967B2

An optical disc is based on the following the distance of the light transmission layer from a light incidence plane to the first recording layer is a minimum of 550 μm. The distance between the first and the third recording layer is a maximum of 72 μm. The distance between the second and the third recording layer is a minimum of 15 μm. The distance between the first and the second recording layer is about 31 to 40 μm. The reflectivities of the first and the second recording layer with respect to the first laser beam are 18% or more, and the ratio between the reflectivities is about 1.15 or less. The areal recording density of the third recording layer is three times or more as high as the areal recording density of the first and the second recording layer.
US07652962B2

An apparatus including a photo detector circuit, a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The photo detector circuit may be configured to generate an RF signal in response to a laser spot on a surface of an optical disc. The first circuit may be configured to generate a first digital signal in response to an AC-coupled version of the RF signal. The second circuit may be configured to generate a second digital signal in response to a DC-coupled version of the RF signal. The third circuit may be configured to generate one or more detect signals in response to the first digital signal and the second digital signal. Each of the one or more detect signals may indicate a respective condition of the surface of the optical disc.
US07652956B2

There is provided a disc drive adopting a slot-in loading by which an optical disc (2) is loaded into or ejected out of the device body through a disc slot. The disc drive can have loaded therein a large-diameter optical disc (2A) and small-diameter optical disc (2B), different in outside diameter from each other. With the small-diameter optical disc being set on a turn-table (23a), an objective lens (25a) is retreated in a direction away from the signal recording surface of the small-diameter optical disc when a pickup moving mechanism (26) moves an optical pickup (25) between the outer and inner radii of the small-diameter optical disc.
US07652952B2

A sonar imaging system for a watercraft is disclosed. The sonar imaging system comprises a transducer coupled to the watercraft and having at least one side scanning element and at least one bottom scanning element, an electronic control head unit coupled to the transducer and configured to display sonar images. The downward acoustic elements may be circular and the side scan acoustic elements may be rectangular. A software filter may be provided to remove noise generated by a spark plug or other operation of a motor for the watercraft.
US07652945B2

A switching regulator includes a low-side switch having a body diode. During the low-side switch is on, a zero-current sense circuit monitors the inductor current of the switching regulator and triggers a signal to turn off the low-side switch when the inductor current falls down to a zero-current threshold, to prevent reverse inductor current from the output terminal of the switching regulator. A body-diode turn-on time controller monitors the turn-on time of the body diode and adjusts the zero-current threshold according thereto, and the turn-on time of the body diode can be reduced to an optimal interval subsequently. The self-adjustable zero-current threshold is adaptive according to the application conditions, such as the inductor size, input voltage and output voltage of the switching regulator.
US07652936B2

A signal sampling apparatus for a DRAM memory comprises a phase delay circuit adapted for receiving a data signal and delaying the data signal by a predetermined time to generate a delay signal; and a sampling circuit for sampling the data signal according to the delay signal.
US07652928B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array, a voltage generating circuit, a memory circuit which stores a reference pulse number of an advance-write voltage of the memory cell array and a parameter, and a control circuit which controls, when a pulse number of the advance-write voltage is less than the reference pulse number of the advance-write voltage, the voltage generating circuit in a manner to decrease at least an initial value of a write voltage and a step-up width of the write voltage in accordance with the parameter.
US07652918B2

A memory system, comprising an array of storage elements divided into logical blocks and pages within said logical blocks and a managing circuit is provided. The managing circuit is in communication with said array of storage elements and performs programming and reading operations. The programming operations include programming a plurality of multi-state storage data. The reading operations include defining an retention margin between adjacent data thresholds, determining whether bits are present in a portion of the data retention margin, and if the number of bits in the portion of retention margin exceeds a threshold, generating an error.
US07652913B2

It is made possible to cause spin inversion at a low current density which does not cause element destruction and to conduct writing with a small current. A magnetoresistance effect element includes: a magnetization pinned layer in which magnetization direction is pinned; a magnetic recording layer in which magnetization direction is changeable, the magnetization direction in the magnetization pinned layer forming an angle which is greater than 0 degree and less than 180 degrees with a magnetization direction in the magnetic recording layer, and the magnetization direction in the magnetic recording layer being inverted by injecting spin-polarized electrons into the magnetic recording layer; and a non-magnetic metal layer provided between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetic recording layer.
US07652906B2

Provided is a memory device employing magnetic domain wall movement. The memory device includes a first track, an interconnecting layer, and a second track. The first track including a magnetic material is formed in a first direction. The interconnecting layer is formed on the first track. The second track including a magnetic material is formed in a second direction on the interconnecting layer.
US07652896B2

A component for insertion into a hole in a multiple-layer substrate enables impedance matching of the substrate. The component comprises a conductive ground core arranged to extend through multiple-layers of the substrate when the component is inserted, a dielectric layer laterally encasing the conductive ground core, and a signal conductor layer coupled lateral to the dielectric layer.
US07652892B2

A data storage device and methods of manufacture are provided which tend to protect the device against moisture and shock. The device includes a circuit board, a coating, a housing, and preferably a sealant. The circuit board is in electrical communication with an electrical interface. The coating is disposed at least on the circuit board to generally encapsulate the circuit board. The housing is sized and configured to generally encompass the circuit board and the coating. The housing includes a housing opening being sized and configured with the electrical interface being at least partially exposed therethrough. The sealant is preferably disposed within the housing substantially intermediate the interior surface of the housing and the coating on the circuit board. Further, at least one of the coating and the sealant may be disposed substantially intermediate the electrical interface and the housing opening.
US07652879B2

A modular component and blank coupling apparatus includes a chassis having a wall. A component bay is defined by the chassis and is located adjacent the wall. A plurality of guide channels are defined by the wall and are located adjacent the component bay. A single securing member is moveably coupled to the wall adjacent the plurality of guide channels, wherein the single securing member is operable to move into engagement with a modular component and a blank in order to secure the modular component and the blank to the chassis, and wherein the single securing member is operable to move out of engagement with the modular component and the blank in order to allow the modular component and the blank to be removed from the chassis. The single securing member provides one apparatus that may be used to couple both blanks and modular components to the chassis, and provides a single release mechanism to release those modular components and blanks from the chassis.
US07652876B2

A multi-monitor display system is described having an arm adapted for supporting a plurality of monitors containing display screens. The system also includes a column for supporting the arm, a monitor controller assembly for electronically controlling images displayed on the screens, and a graphics assembly for sending signals to the monitor controller assembly to produce the images. The system is used in conjunction with a central processor located in a computer housing. The monitor controller assembly is disposed outside of the monitors and/or the graphics assembly is disposed outside the computer housing.
US07652873B2

The present invention relates to a portable computer including a tablet body to accommodate a plurality of hardware components and capable of a tablet operation, an input unit body to input data to the tablet body; and one link including a first end rotatably coupled to a rear of the tablet body and a second end rotatably coupled to a back of the input unit body, the tablet body alternating between a tablet operation position in which the tablet body is folded on the input unit body while the link is interposed between the rear of the tablet body and an upper surface of the input unit body, and an exposed position in which the tablet body coupled with the link is spaced from the input unit body and the input unit body is externally exposed. Thus, the present invention provides a portable computer which enables a user to rotate a tablet body and which has an attractive and slim outer appearance.
US07652867B2

A mobile, transportable, unipolar electrostatic chuck for clamping thin wafers is described, which avoids unintentional discharging of the package of Mobile Chuck and wafer during wet processing. Short circuits between the contact holes of the chuck and the clamped wafer can lead to the loss of clamping force. A pn-junction within the semiconductor substrate material electrode of the chuck is disclosed, which is using a diode effect to avoid the loss of charges. Dielectric protection layers of PTFE, Y2O3 or ferroelectric materials can be used to cover the open contacts of the chuck. This enables the application of Mobile Chucks also for wet etch-, photo- and cleaning processes. Mobile Chucks are made of semiconductor material and semiconductor manufacturing processes are applied. Those Mobile Chucks have nearly identical properties as the clamping substrate itself. This reduces the risk of cross-contamination, particle generation and the risk of mechanical stress due to different coefficients of thermal expansion.
US07652862B2

A power distribution unit that switches off power outlets in the event of an over-current condition by using circuitry that measures how long input current has exceeded a threshold and sending a reset signal to the power outlets when input current has exceeded the threshold for a predetermined time duration.
US07652861B2

An overcurrent detecting circuit and reference voltage circuit may reduce the current consumed by an electronic circuit. The circuit may includes a reference load through which a reference current flows, generating a reference voltage. A differential amplifier section is included to amplify the difference in the potentials of two inputs. At least part of a bias current supplied by a constant current source to the differential amplifier section flows to the reference load. A detection voltage, corresponding to a current subject to overcurrent detection, is inputted to one of the two inputs of the differential amplifier section.
US07652859B2

The present disclosure describes a new pushbutton incorporated into new circuit configurations of an improved intelligent electronic device (“IED”), for use in power substation control systems. The new pushbutton is non-mechanical and configured to control a breaker, or other type of substation equipment, after an IED associated with the circuit breaker, or other type of substation equipment, fails to operate. In an embodiment, the new pushbutton may be a low-energy, membrane-type pushbutton. During normal operation, a microprocessor within the IED operates a solid-state device to control the operation of substation equipment. When the IED fails, manually depressing the new pushbutton bypasses the IED microprocessor and manually controls the substation equipment associated with the failed IED.
US07652857B2

A magnetic sensing element is provided. The magnetic sensing element includes a laminate disposed on a conductive layer. The laminate having a structure including a pinned magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer disposed in that order from the bottom, first insulating films disposed at both sides in the track width direction of the laminate, second insulating films disposed on the conductive layer, the second insulating films being connected to the respective first insulating films, bias layers disposed over the respective first insulating films and the respective second insulating films, wherein the thickness in the track width direction of the first insulating film is smaller than the thickness of the second insulating film.
US07652853B2

A magnetic data recording head having reduced thermally induced shield (pole tip) protrusion. The head includes a magnetoresistive sensor sandwiched between first and second shield. The shields have a substantially reduced thickness. The distance between the shields defines a gap (G) and the shields each have a thickness (ST) such that the ratio ST/G is greater than 2, but less than 50. More preferably the ratio ST/G is greater than 2, but less than 20, and yet more preferably, the ratio ST/G is greater than 2 and less than 10.
US07652847B2

One embodiment of the present invention pertains to a suspension assembly comprising a suspension, a slider, and a suspension interface by which the slider is rotatably connected about a yaw axis to the suspension.
US07652840B2

An actuation efficiency for a head is determined based on a displacement of the head relative to a storage media responsive to excitation of a heater element. Damage to the head is detected based on the determined actuation efficiency. Related circuits and devices are also discussed.
US07652830B2

A lens barrel is provided with: a first movable frame and a second movable frame of a plurality of movable frames that are coaxially disposed to be movable back and forth to a stationary main frame and are inserted telescopically into the stationary frame; and two U-shaped support and drive members each having a first engagement portion, wherein each of the support and drive members is constituted of two arm portions, a second engagement portion, and a coupling member which connects the two arm portions. The first movable frame is driven by one of the support and drive members, and the second movable frame and the first movable frame are engaged with each other.
US07652829B2

In a lens barrel having an image pickup optical system including a first lens frame held movably in the optical axis direction for holding at least one lens and a second lens frame held movably in the optical axis direction for holding at least one lens, the first lens frame has a movable member which moves in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in correspondence with the movement of the first lens frame in the optical axis direction, and has a cam connection with the second lens frame, thus the second lens frame moves in correspondence with the movement of the first lens frame in the optical axis direction.
US07652827B2

A zoom lens includes a first and a second lens group respectively having negative and positive refractive power, and changes a focal length by changing a distance between the first and the second lens group. The second lens group includes a first lens having positive refractive power and a convex surface, a second lens having positive refractive power, an aspheric surface, and a convex surface, a third lens having negative refractive power, a fourth lens having positive refractive power, and a fifth lens including one lens or more having positive refractive power. The third and the fourth lenses are connected, and the zoom lens satisfies Nd21>1.8 and νd24>80, where Nd21 is a refractive index of the first lens of the second lens group at a d-line, and νd24 is an Abbe number of the fourth lens of the second lens group at a d-line.
US07652822B2

A pulsed laser beam is used to create apertures in a layer on a back side of a substrate that includes a microlens array on a front side thereof. The pulsed laser beam is focused in a vacuum spatial filter. A profile of the pulsed laser beam that emerges from the vacuum spatial filter is converted to a top hat profile. The laser beam having the top hat profile is diffused. Finally, the pulsed laser beam having the top half profile that has been diffused is impinged through the microlens array on the front side of the substrate and onto the layer on the back side of the substrate. Related apparatus for creating the apertures and microlens array products are also described.
US07652807B2

An image generating apparatus includes a color correcting unit, a setting unit and an image generating unit. The color correcting unit corrects a drawing color of each image element. When at least one of color components of the corrected drawing color of each image element meets a predetermined condition, the setting unit sets the at least one of the color components to a predetermined value. The image generating unit draws each image element with the drawing color subjected to the correcting and the setting, to generate an image. When the image element, which is to be drawn with the drawing color including the at least one of the color components, is drawn to overlap another image element, the image generating unit draws a color component, which is same as the at least one of the color components, of a drawing color of the other image element without overwriting.
US07652805B2

An image-reading device includes a plurality of image sensor chips, a switch, an output selector and a controller. The plurality of image sensor chips is juxtaposed along a line extending in a widthwise direction of an original document carrying images thereon. Each image sensor chip includes a plurality of image sensors, reads the images on the original document, and generates image signals. The switch is configured to combine at least two image sensor chips into one virtual image sensor chip. The output selector allows the image signals from the virtual image sensor chip and remaining image sensor chip to be outputted. The controller controls the switch depending on the width of the original document, and controls, depending on the width of the original document, the output selector to allow the image signals to be outputted.
US07652799B2

When copying an object that has faded markings of color fadable toner and is printed with the color fadable toner, a threshold value changing key is displayed on a liquid crystal display of an operation panel to be pressed down. A main CPU sets a threshold value 1a and a threshold value 2a in an image processing unit upon detecting the threshold value changing key displayed on the liquid crystal display of the operation panel via a touch panel. The image processing unit eliminates a background image by using the set threshold value 1a and threshold value 2a, thereby providing dark printing with an excellent image.
US07652791B2

Consistency of document reprints is improved by recording characteristics of a reference printing system used to produce a reference printing of a document, determining related characteristics of a reprint printing system, retrieving the recorded characteristics and compensating for differences between the reference system and the reprint system in the reprint system prior to using the reprint system to produce reprints of the document. Analytical test prints (TPs) are produced with the respective printing systems in close temporal association to the production of the respective reference prints and reprints. TPs can be customized according to aspects of the document. TP customization allows the compensation to address aspects of the printing systems that have a bearing on perceived consistency in the reprints. TPs can be customized with regard to colors in test patches or both the colors and locations of test patches on a page. Compensation is based on measurements of the TPs.
US07652784B2

In the image forming apparatus, upon reception of a job containing a file to be printed, it is determined whether or not the job contains a template indicating that a plurality of files are to be merged. If it is determined that the job contains the template, then the job is stored in a storage section. Based on the template, it is analyzed whether or not all jobs containing files to be merged have been stored in the storage section. If it is determined that all the jobs have been stored in the storage section, then control is exerted based on the template so as to merge and print the files contained in all the jobs. Thus, a plurality of files can be automatically merged and printed, and therefore the workload on the user can be reduced.
US07652767B2

An improved optical sensor and methods for measuring the presence of various materials or constituents in a fluid sample uses reactive material(s) in a fluid environment. The reactive materials have optical properties that change in the presence of a target material that may be present in the environment. An optical emitter generates light that is directed to the reactive materials, and one or more optical detectors receive reflected light from one or more interfaces in the optical path between the emitter and the detector(s), one or more of the interfaces having a reactive material. The reactive material(s), emitter(s), and detector(s) are selected based on the desired target material to be sensed.
US07652762B2

A support designed for observing between intersecting polarizers an object located in its vicinity in a medium (3) of index n0 with incident convergent incoherent illumination under an angle θ0 at a wavelength λ. The support includes a substrate (1) with complex refractive index n2 and a layer (2) of refractive index n1 and thickness e1. The value of the thickness e1 of the layer (2) is at ±2% such that d2√/de21 lnIóI2=0 with Ó=Ó01+Ó12 (1+π01)e(−2jβ1)+Ó01 π12e (−4jβ1)/1+r01(p)+r12(p)e(−2jβ1))(1+r01(s)r12(s)e(−2jβ1)). Observation devices incorporating such a support are also disclosed.
US07652755B2

The present invention discloses an apparatus that comprises a spectrometer, and computer and a dual integrating sphere measurement arrangement comprising a measurement integrating sphere, a sample integrating sphere, a sample platform, a filter, a lens system, a baffle and a light source. The sample integrating sphere encloses a sample to provide a constant environment for simulating the visual color grading environment. The computer controls the spectrometer and provides measurement parameters calculated from physical parameters of the measured sample, including, but not limited to, shape, dimensions, refractive index, intensity of fluorescence and cut grade. The computer then calculates spectral reflectance and colorimetric data, and determines an average color grade by checking a look-up-table that represents the relationship between the CIELAB coordinate and the average color grade. The computer also determines a true color grade based upon the average color grade and the physical parameters, using mathematical analytic algorithms.
US07652753B1

A laser-designated target simulator for testing laser-guided munitions and in particular the laser-seeking heads thereof. In one embodiment, the simulator includes: (1) a laser light source configured to provide laser light, (2) a waveguide configured to receive the laser light via an end thereof, (3) a baffle structure having a plurality of cavities associated therewith and (4) an actuator coupled to the laser light source and the end and configured to establish a distance therebetween, an intensity of the laser light entering the end being a function of the distance and a number of cavities interposing the laser light source and the end.
US07652734B2

An array substrate of a reflective liquid crystal display device including gate and data lines on the substrate, a thin film transistor adjacent to where a gate line and a data line cross over each other, wherein the thin film transistor has a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode, a passivation layer with an uneven surface having curved profiles that are asymmetric over the thin film transistor, and an opaque conductive pixel electrode having a reflective surface with curved profiles that are asymmetric on the passivation layer.
US07652731B2

The present invention provides liquid crystal devices comprised of a composite of an internal polymer network localized on the substrate surfaces and short-pitch dual-frequency switchable cholesteric liquid crystal that operate in two different modes including in-plane switching (amplitude modulation) and out-of-plane switching (phase modulation). The invention further provides a method of making a liquid crystal device demonstrating uniform lying helical axis where the device comprises a composite of an internal spatially ordered polymer network localized by in-situ photo-polymerization at the surface of the substrate. The invention can be used for flat panel displays, as well as spatial light modulators for applications such as optical waveguides, optical beam scanners, computer-generated holograms, and adaptive optics.
US07652730B2

A liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The device may include a case; and a square-shaped flat liquid crystal panel incorporated inside of the case. In the device, the case may include a square-frame-shaped rear wall abutting a rim portion of a rear surface located on a side opposite to a display surface of the liquid crystal panel, and a square-frame-shaped front wall abutting a rim portion of the display surface of the liquid crystal panel, and sandwiching the liquid crystal panel with the rear wall, a pair of positioning pieces may be provided to either the rear wall or the front wall for positioning of the liquid crystal panel with respect to the case by respectively coming in contact with side portions of the liquid crystal panel that are opposing each other, and the positioning pieces may each be formed to be elastically deformable along a plane direction of the liquid crystal panel.
US07652723B1

In one embodiment, a signal processing system is provided that includes: (a) a video input 400 operable to receive a first analog video signal and remove the DC voltage offset component from the video signal to form a DC-adjusted analog video signal; and (b) DC restore circuitry 416 operable to set an average DC voltage of a first portion of the DC-adjusted analog video signal to a ground reference voltage to yield a DC-adjusted analog video signal. The DC-restored analog video signal is then provided to an Analog-to-Digital or A/D converter 112 for conversion into a digital video signal.
US07652721B1

One embodiment disclosed relates to the use of object motion estimation to interlace a progressive video sequence. One of a plurality of consecutive frames is segmented and motion vectors for each segment are determined though object motion estimation. Interpolated motion vectors are used to construct at least one intermediate frame, and interlaced fields are extracted from the new sequence of frames that includes intermediate frames. An interlaced sequence with smooth, incremental motion is thus constructed from a progressive video sequence.
US07652720B2

An opening structure of a portable apparatus includes a hook module and a camera module installed on a cover of the portable apparatus. The hook module includes at least one hook portion, at least one retaining portion and at least one resilient member. The camera module includes a casing, a camera lens and an axle, and a conversion component is connected to the axle. The hook portion is disposed on the retaining portion, and a resilience member is connected separately to the retaining portion and the cover, and the casing includes a camera lens and an axle installed on the casing. If the axle is rotated to produce a rotation force, the conversion component will convert the rotation force into a pushing force which will push the hook module to trigger a switch installed at the cover and turn on the portable hook module while the cover is being opened.
US07652712B2

The present invention belongs to the field of an image capturing apparatus such as a camera for mobile phone and the like, and has an object to obtain a three axis lens shifting mechanism capable of achieving size reduction and cost reduction with simple structure and an image capturing apparatus equipped with such three axis lens shifting mechanism. A single magnetic circuit exerts an influence of a magnetic field produced by magnets (20) upon active sides of a focusing coil (14) and active sides of coils (10a), (10b). Therefore, movable parts (11+17) can be driven in the direction of optical axis (Z) only by controlling the direction of energizing the focusing coil (14), and further, a first movable part (11) can be driven in a first direction (X) or second direction (direction of rotation) (Y) only by combination of the directions of energizing the coils (10a), (10b). This allows the sharing of the magnetic circuit and an electromagnetic actuator.
US07652708B2

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes: a pixel section having two-dimensionally arrayed pixels each having a photoelectric conversion means, a memory means for storing photoelectric conversion signal, a transfer means for transferring the photoelectric conversion signal to the memory means, a reset means for resetting the memory means, a discharge means for discharging photoelectric conversion signal accumulated, a read means for reading photoelectric conversion signal; an A/D converter; a noise suppressing means for suppressing noise of signal from said A/D converter, having a frame memory and an adder; and a controller for, in reading signal from the same one pixel, effecting control so that there is a difference corresponding to one frame period between timing at which a first signal level is read out after transfer and timing at which a second signal level is read out at the time of resetting the memory means.
US07652707B2

A pixel circuit of an image sensor includes a floating diffusion node and a reset transistor. The reset transistor is coupled between the floating diffusion node and a reset control signal node of another pixel circuit of the image sensor. A voltage applied on the reset control signal node of the other pixel circuit is a reset voltage transmitted to the floating diffusion node via the reset transistor.
US07652706B2

An image sensor includes a photosensitive region that accumulates charge corresponding to received incident light; a transfer gate for transferring charge from the photosensitive region; a voltage supply having an increasing voltage over time; a floating diffusion for receiving the charge from the photosensitive region and converting the charge to a voltage; an amplifier for receiving and amplifying a signal from the floating diffusion; a comparator for comparing a voltage from the amplifier to a reference voltage; and a counter for counting clock cycles between initiation of the increasing voltage until a signal is received from the comparator indicating charge transfer from the photosensitive region to the floating diffusion; wherein a digital signal is generated that represents an unfilled capacity of the photosensitive region.
US07652690B2

A front-end signal processing circuit that stabilizes a black level of an output signal of an image sensor in a prescribed set level, without being influenced by a DC offset component of circuit elements making up a feedback loop, and an imaging device including such the front-end signal processing circuit, are provided.The front-end signal processing circuit includes a feedback loop made up of a luminance detecting/digitizing section and a black level clamp section, and clamps a black level of an output signal of an image sensor to a prescribed set level. The front-end signal processing circuit further includes an offset correction section. The offset correction section stores an offset value being a difference between a signal level of an OB region of the image sensor and the prescribed level, subtracts the offset value from a digital luminance signal corresponding to an effective pixel region of the image sensor, and outputs the obtained signal.
US07652688B2

A zoom lens including a plurality of lens groups and varying magnification by changing a distance between lens groups, wherein a last lens group positioned on an image side closest thereto with a negative part group having negative refractive power and a positive part group arranged adjacent on the image side thereof and having positive refractive power, wherein the positive part group is shifted in a direction vertical to an optical axis to shift an image, and Equations (1) and (2) are satisfied, −0.3030  (2) where, fgn: focal length of the negative part group, Ngn: average refractive index of the negative part group, fT: focal length of the entire system at a telephoto end, νgn: composite Abbe number of the negative part group, and νgis: composite Abbe number of the positive part group.
US07652680B2

The object-oriented approach used by the present invention provides the ability to develop and manage Internet transactions. Local applications can be accessed using any workstation connected to the Internet regardless of the workstation's configuration. Some or all of a Web page can be generated dynamically using input received in a returned page, generated at runtime, or retrieved from an external data source (e.g., database or electronic mail system). When the Web page definition is rendered, the information contained in template(s), declaration file(s), and object(s) are used to generate standard definitions. State information is maintained across transactions. Using state information, virtual applications, sessions, transactions, and pages can be implemented. Self-contained modules, or components, provide the ability to share implementations and create multi-content documents. Event objects can be used to assist in event handling management.
US07652669B2

A system for creating an on-line book with an animated cover. The system includes an animation program for inserting an animation sequence at the beginning of an on-line book which is compiled into the M14 format. The animation program includes: a user interface module configured to receive input from a user; a data sequencing module which arranges at least two graphical images in a sequence; and an update module which modifies at least one compilation control file. The animation program modifies the control files for an on-line book compiler to provide for the display of an animated object upon the opening of the on-line book.
US07652668B1

A technique for editing a drawing having an existing gap line is disclosed. The technique includes editing a path, marking the existing gap line as deleted, analyzing the drawing for gaps, detecting a detected gap, and generating a gap line that closes the detected gap.
US07652665B2

A method for producing a multi-viewpoint image for a three-dimensional image display, includes: providing a plurality of viewpoints to be spaced at equal intervals in direction perpendicular to a single reference projection plane including target viewpoints serving as reference are spaced at constant intervals in a first direction parallel to the reference projection plane; providing a plurality of individual target viewpoints which are respectively different from the target viewpoints serving as reference and serve as feet of a perpendicular to the plurality of viewpoints, corresponding to the respective viewpoint, on a projection plane which is a plane including the reference projection plane; making determination such that the shapes and the sizes of the individual projection planes are included in the reference projection plane in overlapping regions of the individual projection planes acquired from two viewpoints positioned at the outermost positions of the plurality of viewpoints; and clipping only regions of the reference projection plane from the individual projection planes acquired from the respective viewpoints to form a multi-viewpoint image for three-dimensional image display.
US07652660B2

A method and system for customizing a mobile host device is disclosed. An accessory device for interfacing with and customizing a mobile host device includes a communication channel designed to establish a bi-directional communication link between the accessory device and the host device. The accessory device also includes a processor communicatively coupled to the communication channel. The processor is designed to execute a plurality of applications. In addition, the accessory device includes an input assembly communicatively coupled to the processor. The input assembly is designed to minimize a total number of input elements included in the input assembly. Further, at least a first input element being selectively mapped to one or more input functions of the host device based on a user selection.
US07652652B2

The data signal line driving circuit of the present invention is arranged so that data signal line groups, each of which is made up of two data signal lines sequentially disposed, are connected to two video signal lines, each of which allows a two-phased video signal to be forwarded. A shift register SR, a drive switching circuit, and a waveform shaping circuit, that constitute a video signal fetching section, collect the data signal line groups via the two video signal lines as a single block. At this time, the data signal lines are respectively driven so as to fetch the video signal from the video signal lines into the data signal lines of the data signal line groups in each block. Thus, in performing multiphase development, it is possible to provide the data signal line driving circuit which can reduce power consumption in low resolution driving compared with a case of high resolution driving.
US07652650B2

A circuit having a plurality of driver IC's 101-1 to 101-n provided corresponding to divided areas of a display panel 102, each driver having an output circuit for outputting a supplied reference current IREF as a drive current to corresponding divided areas DRVA1 to DRVAn of the display panel 102 and reference current source circuits 200-1 to 200-n for sampling and holding the reference current input from the reference current input terminal, then supplying the same to the output circuit, the reference current input terminal being connected to the reference current input terminal of another driver by a common current interconnect CML1, and the reference current being distributed to the reference current source circuits of drivers by time division. According to the present invention, luminance steps among drivers driving the display (driven object) by division can be made sufficiently small, and a large size, high dynamic range display organic EL display, which cannot be realized by the conventional method of supply of the reference current, can be realized.
US07652645B2

A light emitting display including a pixel area having a plurality of pixels, a scan driver for outputting a scan signal for selecting a predetermined pixel among the plurality of pixels of the pixel area, and an emission control signal for allowing a current to flow in the selected pixels. The scan driver includes: a signal generator adapted to generate the scan signal and the emission control signal; a first buffer adapted to transmit the scan signal to the pixel area; and a second buffer adapted to transmit the emission control signal to the pixel area. In the scan driver, the second buffer is smaller than the first buffer. The size of the second buffer is decreased to decrease the size of the scan driver, and/or to decrease the size of the predetermined pixel to get a high definition.
US07652633B2

This invention relates to an antenna for GPS. The antenna of the invention comprises a ground metal plate, a parasitic metal plate, a radiation metal plate and at least one supporting element. The parasitic metal plate is disposed above the ground metal plate and connects to the ground metal plate. The radiation metal plate is an independent metal plate and is disposed above the ground metal plate. The parasitic metal plate cooperates with the radiation metal plate to induce a resonance mode. The supporting element is disposed on the ground metal plate and is used to support the radiation metal plate. Whereby, the problems of large size and limited receiving angle of signal according to a conventional circular polarization antenna for GPS could be improved.
US07652632B2

A system and method for a wireless link to a remote receiver includes a multiband communication device for generating RF and a multiband planar antenna apparatus for transmitting the RF. The multiband planar antenna apparatus includes selectable antenna elements, each of which has gain and a directional radiation pattern. Switching different antenna elements results in a configurable radiation pattern. One or more directors and/or one or more reflectors may be included to constrict the directional radiation pattern. A multiband coupling network selectively couples the multiband communication device and the multiband planar antenna apparatus.
US07652630B2

The invention relates to a motor vehicle roof antenna (100) comprising an antenna housing (110) in which at least two antennae are arranged, wherein a first coaxial connector (114) is allocated to each antenna, and having a connector (200) which comprises a housing (210) and a number of second coaxial connectors (214) corresponding to the number of first coaxial connectors (114), said second coaxial connectors (214) being arranged at a plugging side of the housing (210) at pre-determined positions and with their respective longitudinal axes oriented parallel to a plugging direction of the connector (200), wherein every second coaxial connector (214) is allocated to a first coaxial connector (114) and is configured so as to be insertable into it. Herein, the first coaxial connectors (114) are fastened in a plug interface on the antenna housing (110) and each second coaxial connector (214) is arranged in the housing (210) movable in a plane perpendicular to the plugging direction and is linked via at least one electrically insulated elastic spring element to at least one further second coaxial connector (214) in elastically sprung manner, wherein the elastic spring element (244) is arranged and configured in such a manner that the second coaxial connectors (214) are pre-positioned at the respective pre-determined position, except for tolerance deviations, and can be deflected from this site in the plane perpendicular to the plugging direction in elastically sprung manner.
US07652626B1

A direction-finding co-linear antenna is provided by collinearly aligning an exposed reference antenna with a primary antenna that is surrounded by a dielectric sleeve with a predetermined thickness and the reference and primary antennas are separated by a ground plane. The direction-finding co-linear antenna provides a simple, light-weight and inexpensive arrangement with fewer antennas and reduced antenna spacing that avoids unwanted detection because of a smaller electronic footprint that consists of the area of a single antenna plus a few inches of dielectric material in the sleeves rather than four widely spaced antennas positioned in an array. The direction-finding co-linear antenna apparatus also requires less electronic processing because the antenna only needs to address the RF from two antennas rather than from four or five antennas in a conventional array arrangement. The present invention also encompasses a direction-finding co-linear antenna system and a method for determining the unknown location of a signal transmission source with a co-linear direction-finding antenna.
US07652623B2

A wide-angle null-fill antenna with no null in the depression angle range, an omni antenna using the same, and radio communication equipment. A null-fill antenna comprises a first antenna array including antenna elements arranged with a prescribed point as the center, and a second antenna array having amplitude characteristics substantially equal to those of the antenna elements forming the first antenna array. The first antenna array is excited so that the excitation amplitude distribution is to have symmetry with respect to the prescribed point, while the excitation phase distribution is to have point symmetry with respect to the prescribed point. The phase center of the first antenna array is substantially coincident with that of the second antenna array.
US07652617B2

Embodiments pertain to methods of improving the performance of a frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radar system and improving the value of the information provided the FMCW system. In an embodiment, the IF level is monitored while sweeping the frequency of the system through at least a portion of the frequency range of the system and the frequency is set to produce the minimum IF level. Embodiments expedite the adaptation of the comb filter to the signal when the system is turned on. In an embodiment, a method of quickly determining the largest peaks in the RDM is implemented. Embodiments relate to a method for processing a radar signal that classifies two or more targets. An embodiment classifies a human target or other target(s) using amplitude values in time-consecutive range-Doppler maps. An embodiment processes a radar signal for improving the performance of FMCW detection, tracking, and classification algorithms.
US07652607B2

In a digital to analogue converter, a plurality of digital inputs are used to select one of first and second binary voltage levels as binary inputs (10) to the converter. A capacitor circuit (C, 2C, . . . , 32C) is associated with each input, and these are controlled to output an effective voltage to an output load comprising the first binary voltage level, the second binary voltage level or an average of the first and second binary voltage levels in dependence on the bits of the digital input word. The plurality of capacitor circuits can be operated in either a voltage divider mode (to provide an average output) or a resistor mode depending on the value of the digital data. Operation of the capacitor circuits in this way can result in a reduction in the currents flowing and can therefore reduce the power consumption.
US07652596B1

The described embodiments provide a system that encodes a sequence of integers using a variable-length compression technique. During operation, the system scans the sequence of integers and observes the sizes of the integers to determine a threshold value, K, from the observed sizes. For a given integer of length N bits, if N−K is greater than zero, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer comprising a sequence of N−K zeros followed by a one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer as a sequence of the N−1 least-significant bits which make up the integer. Otherwise, the system generates a tag for the encoded integer as a single one, and generates a set of remaining bits for the encoded integer by padding the N bits which make up the integer with zeros so that the set of remaining bits is K bits in length.
US07652595B2

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generating a data stream encoded by means of a Variable Length Coding scheme. Code words for a data stream including a plurality of code words are encoded in accordance with a Variable Length Coding scheme. A separation marker is inserted between encoded data blocks in the data stream.
US07652593B1

A method is disclosed for managing a parking lot. In one disclosed embodiment, the method includes receiving parking lot data. The embodiment of the disclosed method also includes transforming the parking lot data into parking lot information, the parking lot information including information about a moving parking lot object. Further, the embodiment of the disclosed method includes transmitting a map of the parking lot to a mobile interaction device, and transmitting the parking lot information to the mobile interaction device.
US07652581B2

A system is provided for integrating a passive sensor or sensor array into a patient's mattress to support continuous passive monitoring of a patients' physiological conditions in a hospital setting. The sensor or sensor array may be incorporated into the mattress by fixing it to a coverlet that surrounds the mattress, or by embedding it within the mattress core. Alternatively, the sensor or sensor array may be fixed to an underlayer positioned between the mattress core and the coverlet.
US07652567B2

A plant monitoring apparatus includes: a process measuring unit; a warning determining unit; a warning selecting unit; a display processing unit; a display/setting unit; a warning criteria setting unit; a warning criteria database; and a warning criteria supplying unit. The warning determining unit determines a plurality of warning data to be issued as warnings from a large amount of process data collected by the process measuring unit on the basis of a predetermined determination criterion. The warning selecting unit compares the plurality of warning data with one or more classification criteria supplied by the warning criteria supplying unit so as to classify the plurality of warning data. Warnings are classified into categories according to the classification and the classified warnings are displayed on the display/setting unit.
US07652563B2

One aspect is a device for displaying an indication of a system parameter. The device includes an input circuit, an optical sense circuit, a control circuit, and an output circuit. The input circuit is configured to receive input signals that are indicative of a measured system parameter. The optical sense circuit is configured to receive sense signals indicative of a sensed level of light and to receive programming signals related to a system parameter. The control circuit is configured to correlate the input and programming signals and to produce control signals dependant thereon. The output circuit is configured to display an indication of a system parameter that is based upon the control signals.
US07652558B2

A multi-function customer satisfaction survey device, system, and method. A restaurant management system includes a plurality of electronic tip trays and a base unit. Each of the tip trays electronically obtains and stores customer contact information, customer payment information, and responses to a customer satisfaction survey. A data transceiver wirelessly transmits the information to the base unit. The base unit collects the information and sends the contact information to a correspondence server such as an e-mail server. The payment information is sent to an external authorization network and/or the restaurant's POS system. The survey responses are sent to an analysis unit. Particularly adverse or positive responses may be matched through the POS system to a food server and a food order.
US07652557B2

A transponder-equipped ID tag is provided, deriving its power from an incoming interrogating optical signal. The invention relates to a transponder-equipped ID tag that is able to extract power from the incident corresponding interrogation signal and temporarily store it in an internal energy storage device. Optionally, optical transmission is used as either a transmission mode only into the tag or a transmission mode only away from the tag. The inventive optical means of transmission may be combined with either RF transmission into the tag and/or RF transmission away from the tag.
US07652552B2

A fuse unit for use in e.g. motor vehicles, includes an electrically conductive busbar and a plurality of connections for individual power consuming components which are connected to the busbar directly or by way of interposed fusible links so as to be electrically conductive. The busbar has a contact blade adapted to plug into a mating connector of a power supply without the interposition of a further connection between them.
US07652551B2

An inductive device comprises an electric winding component having a generally toroidal shape, and a plurality of discrete magnetic components at least partially embracing the electric winding component so as to complete a magnetic flux path and to form at least one gap between end portions of the plurality of discrete magnetic components.
US07652548B2

There is included: N (N≧2) resonators formed by laminating a plurality of conductor patterns and dielectric layers alternately and arranged in an at least partially overlapped manner when viewed in the laminating direction to be coupled electromagnetically to each other; and input and output lines 3 and 4 coupled, respectively, to two resonators 1 and 2 selected among the N resonators, in which one end of each of the N resonators is grounded, and the length of each of the N resonators in the signal propagation direction is basically λ/4, where λ represents a propagation wavelength inside the dielectric layers at approximately the center frequency of the pass band. A wider pass bandwidth, size and loss reduction, and a large amount of attenuation within a narrow band can be achieved.
US07652536B2

An amplifier circuit with internal zeros provides a second pole in addition to a first pole and two zeros such that the second pole can prevent excessive gain at high frequency, so as to have high-frequency noise under control.
US07652531B2

The present invention provides a cost-effective and power-effective solution to a high performance amplifier design over conventional Class A and Class B/AB amplifiers. Without increasing cost or losing simplification of conventional Class B/AB amplifier configuration, two kinds of unique local feedback loops, which cover the second and third stages and further offer a feedback shifting feature over frequency range, are disclosed to replace the traditional Miller compensation capacitor to suppress dominant distortion, which is usually generated by the two last stages while maintaining stability of the amplifier, through high frequency end. Since the present invention provides key elements of a three-stage amplifier that enable performance improvement in a wide range of circuit design, the present invention has significant commercial values in amplifier circuit industries including audio power amplifiers, IC (integrated circuit) operational amplifiers, ADC (Analog-to-Digital Conversion) and DAC (Digital-to-Analog Conversion) buffers, etc.
US07652522B2

A method and system for providing an output voltage greater than a voltage of a voltage supply in a semiconductor device are disclosed. The method and system include providing basic stage(s) and/or a bi-directional stage and basic stage(s) coupled with the bi-directional stage. The bi-directional stage includes boosting capacitors, N-type devices, and an interface and allows operation in positive or negative configurations. A first of the basic stage(s) is coupled with the interface. The basic stage includes first and second sections. The first section includes pumping node(s) coupled with pumping capacitor(s), device(s) coupled with the pumping node(s), and auxiliary capacitors for providing an overshoot for the device(s) for value(s) of the clock signals. The second section is analogous to the first section. A clock provides clock signals to the first and second sections and the bi-directional stage. The first and second sections alternately charge and fully discharge based on the clock signals.
US07652519B2

A method of implementing a transistor circuit comprises coupling first and second transistors in parallel, wherein the first transistor has a channel length corresponding to a peak in the transistor's voltage threshold curve arising from reverse short channel effects, and the second transistor has a longer channel length and, therefore, a lower threshold voltage. Exploiting reverse short channel effects in this manner enables the implementation of “composite” transistor circuits that exhibit improved linearity.
US07652516B2

A apparatus and method are disclosed for generating one or more clock signals. A clock signal is generated based on pattern signals and a reference clock signal. When the reference clock signal transitions high, the state of a first pattern signal is output, and when the reference clock signal transitions low, the state of a second pattern signal is output. Successive states of the first and second pattern signals, selected according to the reference clock signal, provide the generated clock signal.
US07652515B1

Apparatus, systems, and methods implementing techniques for converting clock signals are described. A voltage-based input clock signal is received and converted into a current-based clock signal. An electrical current of the current-based clock signal is varied in response to the input clock signal while a voltage of the current-based clock signal remains substantially constant.
US07652514B2

An internal clock signal driver circuit includes a delay block that delays a rising clock signal and a falling clock signal, and outputs a delayed rising clock signal and a delayed falling clock signal, a rising DLL clock signal generating block that receives and combines the rising clock signal, the falling clock signal, and the delayed rising clock signal, and outputs a rising DLL clock signal, and a falling DLL clock signal generating block that receives and combines the rising clock signal, the falling clock signal, and the delayed falling clock signal, and outputs a falling DLL clock signal.
US07652502B2

Field programmable gate arrays using resistivity-sensitive memories are described, including a programmable cell comprising a configurable logic, a memory connected to the configurable logic to provide functions for the configurable logic, the memory comprises a non-volatile rewriteable memory element including a resistivity-sensitive memory element, an input/output logic connected to the configurable logic and the memory to communicate with other cells. The memory elements may be two-terminal resistivity-sensitive memory elements that store data in the absence of power. The two-terminal memory elements may store data as plurality of conductivity profiles that can be non-destructively read by applying a read voltage across the terminals of the memory element and data can be written to the two-terminal memory elements by applying a write voltage across the terminals. The memory can be vertically configured in one or more memory planes that are vertically stacked upon each other and are positioned above a logic plane.
US07652500B1

Improved reconfiguration techniques are provided for programmable logic devices (PLDs). For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a programmable logic device includes logic blocks, input/output blocks and corresponding input/output pins, and configuration memory. The PLD also includes registers adapted to capture output signal values of the input/output pins before a reconfiguration of the programmable logic device and to provide the captured values on the input/output pins during the reconfiguration of the PLD.
US07652498B2

Some embodiments provide an integrated circuit (IC) with a delay select input selection circuit. The delay select input selection circuit comprises a first input selection circuit, a first storage element, a second storage element, and a first input line branching into multiple input lines. The multiple input lines include at least a second, third, and fourth input line. The second input line is communicably connected to a first input of the first input selection circuit. The third input line enters the first storage element. The fourth input line enters the second storage element. An output from the first storage element is communicably connected to a second input of the first input selection circuit. An output from the second storage element is communicably connected to a third input of the first input selection circuit.
US07652487B2

A circuit arrangement is described for detecting the capacitance or change of capacitance of a capacitive circuit element or of a component, specifically of a sensor capacitor (1), with a control unit (2) ,with a monostable multivibrator (3) triggered by the control unit (2), and with an evaluation unit (4), the monostable multivibrator (3) having a first input (5) which is connected to the control unit (2), a second input (6)which is connected to the sensor capacitor (1), and one output (7), of the monostable multivibrator (3) is triggered by the control unit (2) at the output (7) of the monostable multivibrator (3) an output signal or output signals appearing, with a time duration which is proportional to the capacitance of the sensor capacitor (1), the output signal or output signals of the monostable multivibrator (3)being converted into a signal voltage proportional to its or their duration, and in the evaluation unit (4) a detection value corresponding to the capacitance or change of capacitance of the sensor capacitor (1) being obtained from the signal voltage,The circuit arrangement as claimed in the invention is improved compared to the prior art in the output (7) of the monostable multivibrator (3) is connected upstream of a constant current generator (8) which can be controlled by its output signal or output signals and that an integrator (9) which converts the current delivered from the constant current generator (8)into the signal voltage is connected to the constant current generator (8).
US07652484B2

In one method of calibrating an instrument having N ports, where N>=2, cables of a first type are characterized by connecting a first cable between two of the ports; performing an “unknown-thru” full two-port calibration between the two ports; obtaining a S-parameter of the first cable; saving the S-parameter of the first cable; and then repeating the connecting, performing, obtaining and saving for additional cables having the first type. The cables having the first type are then disconnected from one of the two ports and a measurement plane is transferred from the connected end of the cable to the disconnected end of the cable. Cables of a second type are then characterized by connecting a second cable between the second of the two ports and the disconnected end of the first cable; measuring a S-parameter of the second cable; and saving the S-parameter of the second cable.
US07652463B2

A power converter for compensating a maximum output power includes a power switch, a control circuit, an oscillator and a frequency modulator. The control circuit generates a PWM signal in response to the pulse signal generated by the oscillator. The frequency modulator generates a second discharge signal to the oscillator for controlling the maximum output power of the power converter. The second discharge signal is decreased for prolonging a switching period of the PWM signal under a high-line voltage of the power converter.
US07652462B2

A constant current regulator includes a current sensing circuit loop connected to a switch unit of the constant current regulator to detect a current flowing through the switch unit and to generate a detection current that is in proportion to the current flowing through the switch unit. The detection current flows through a detection resistor to induce a detection voltage. A differential amplifier bases on a set voltage and the received detection voltage to generate an error voltage to a pulse width modulation controller, which in turn causes a gate driver circuit to control the switching operation of the switch unit thereby supplying a constant current to a load connected to an output voltage of the regulator.
US07652459B2

A controller for a power stage may adaptively control power switches to improve the efficiency of power consumption by the power stage and detect continuous conduction mode (“CCM”) and discontinuous conduction mode (“DCM”) operations of the power stage without instantaneous or cycle by cycle sensing and sampling of the output inductor current. Additionally, the controller may be used to facilitate the estimation of output inductor value, the peak inductor current value, and other information on converter operations.
US07652444B2

An actuator (10) includes sensors (12) which are used to detect variables representing the operating state of the actuator (10) and are connected to an evaluation unit (16) associated with the actuator (10). The evaluation unit (16) is connected to sensors (12) and/or control actuating elements (13) by means of a first data bus (15). The sensors (12) are used to detect measurable variables representing the operating state of the actuator (10), and to transmit the same to the evaluation unit (16).
US07652442B2

An electric tool switch mechanism includes a trigger switch for operating to at least rotate or stop a DC motor; and a power switch connected between the DC motor and a battery power source and closed when a pressed amount of the trigger switch exceeds a predetermined threshold value. The mechanism further includes a switching device connected between the DC motor and the battery power source via the power switch; a control circuit for controlling to turn the switching device on/off using a desired on-duty when the pressed amount of the trigger switch exceeds the threshold value; and a stopping unit that is controlled by the trigger switch for forcibly turning the switching device off before the power switch is changed from on to off when the trigger switch is released.
US07652435B2

A lamp driving circuit includes: a first voltage generator which receives a direct current power voltage and outputs a first square wave voltage in response to a first switching signal and a second switching signal having a phase inverted with respect to the first switching signal; a second voltage generator which outputs a second square wave voltage in response to a third switching signal having a phase shifted by a predetermined time with respect to the phase of the first switching signal and a fourth switching signal having a phase inverted with respect to the phase of the third switching signal; and a transformer which receives the first square wave voltage and the second square wave voltage and boosts a first driving voltage defined by an electric potential difference therebetween to a second driving voltage and applies the second driving voltage to a lamp.
US07652434B2

The electronic flash unit disclosed comprises: a transformer (14) to vary voltages of a power supply; an accumulator (16) composed of a main capacitor (17) to charge an electric energy supplied from the transformer (14); a lamp unit (4) provided with a flashlamp (20), set inside of a reflector (19), that flashes by discharging of energy storages in the main capacitor (17) upon applying a voltage on a trigger terminal (21); and a trigger circuit (10) to generate the voltage to apply on the trigger terminal (21), wherein at least the lamp unit (4) is coated with an insulation material.
US07652428B2

A plasma display apparatus and manufacturing method. The plasma display apparatus includes a front substrate and a rear substrate. The rear substrate is formed of a metallic substance in which a plurality of grooves are formed on a surface facing the front substrate. An oxidation layer covers at least the surface facing the front substrate. A plurality of barrier ribs are located between the front and rear substrates and define a plurality of discharge cells corresponding to the grooves of the rear substrate. A plurality of discharge electrodes are located in the barrier ribs, surround at least portions of the discharge cells, and are separated from one another. A plurality of fluorescent substances are located in the grooves of the rear substrate. A discharge gas is filled in the discharge cells.
US07652423B2

A light-emitting device includes a transparent substrate, a light-emitting layer which is provided on one surface of the substrate and which emits light in response to an electrical signal, a conductive portion which transmits the electrical signal to the light-emitting layer, such that light from the light-emitting layer is emitted after being transmitted through the substrate, and a light transflective layer which is provided between the conductive portion and the substrate at a predetermined distance from the conductive portion to reflect some of incident light through the substrate and to transmit the remainder.
US07652420B2

An organic electroluminescent device is provided having a metal wiring in a non-light-emitting region. The device may include a substrate, a wiring formed on the substrate to electrically connect to an external circuit, an insulating layer formed on the wiring such that the wiring is partially exposed. The insulating layer having a thickness 0.3 to 30 times a thickness of the wiring.
US07652397B2

Disclosed is a parallel-connected uninterruptible power supply system connected with a power source and a load. The uninterruptible power supply system includes a power distribution circuit having a first connector, a plurality of uninterruptible power supplies having a plurality of second connectors, and a plurality of transmission lines having a plurality of third connectors. The first connectors, the second connectors and the third connectors each includes a first conducting structure and a second conducting structure. When the second conducting structure of the third connector is detached from the second conducting structure of the first connector or the second conducting structure of the second connector, the second conducting structures are detached from each other first so that the pull-down circuit of the corresponding uninterruptible power supply generates a control signal to a controller to stop the operation of the uninterruptible power supply. Next, the third connector is detached from the first connector or the second connector so as to remove the malfunctioned uninterruptible power supply.
US07652391B2

A starting button apparatus for a vehicle includes a switch body, an antenna coil, a reciprocation housing, and a rotation housing. The switch body includes a key hole therein, into which a key fob is inserted, and a starting button mounted thereto. The antenna coil is provided to the switch body to allow power to be applied to the key fob inserted into the key hole. The reciprocation housing is secured to an outer surface of the starting button and has a first inclined guide. The rotation housing is fitted around the reciprocation housing and has a second inclined guide which is slidably engaged with the first inclined guide so as to push the starting button when the inserted key fob is rotated.
US07652390B2

The invention is directed to an optical network terminal (ONT) for use in a passive optical network (PON) that provides reliable battery status reporting and, optionally, remote monitoring and configuration of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit. In particular, the UPS unit provides power to the ONT via a power line and transmits data to the ONT via the power line. Generally, the described invention supports one-way or two-way communication of status, alarm, and configuration signals using a single power line. Specifically, such signals may be transmitted over the power line by inserting a carrier frequency, such as a carrier frequency of approximately 1 MHz, onto the power line. In this manner, the invention may provide a simple battery status monitoring system while also reducing the cost of installation.
US07652389B2

The present invention provides an air-wind power system for a vehicle having an electrically operable drive system. The system includes at least one battery which is mounted within an interior portion of such vehicle and which is connected to such drive system and at least one air-wind powered turbine which is mounted on the vehicle and which is electrically coupled to the at least one battery. The air-wind powered turbine has a propeller fixed in a vertical plane and mounted on a horizontally disposed shaft having an axis thereof being disposed perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of such vehicle. A rotational movement of the propeller caused by an air current enables the at least one turbine to generate an electric energy which is stored in the at least one battery and which is used by such drive system to move such vehicle in a direction of travel.
US07652386B2

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for harvesting energy from motion of one or more joints. Energy harvesters comprise: a generator for converting mechanical energy into corresponding electrical energy; one or more sensors for sensing one or more corresponding characteristics associated with motion of the one or more joints; and control circuitry connected to receive the one or more sensed characteristics and configured to assess, based at least in part on the one or more sensed characteristics, whether motion of the one or more joints is associated with mutualistic conditions or non-mutualistic conditions. If conditions are determined to be mutualistic, energy harvesting is engaged. If conditions are determined to be non-mutualistic, energy harvesting is disengaged.
US07652385B2

Aiming at providing a semiconductor device advanced in performance of transistors, and improved in reliability, a semiconductor device of the present invention has a semiconductor element, a frame component provided over the semiconductor element, while forming a cavity therein, and a molding resin layer covering around the frame component, wherein the frame component is composed of a plurality of resin films (a first resin film and a second resin film) containing the same resin, and the cavity allows the active region of the semiconductor element to expose therein.
US07652381B2

Structures employed by a plurality of packages, printed circuit boards, connectors and interposers to create signal paths which reduce the deleterious signal quality issues associated with the use of through-holes. Disclosed structures can coexist with through-hole implementations.
US07652374B2

A semiconductor package structure for flip chip package includes at least a patterned circuit layer and an insulating layer alternately stacking up each other. The patterned layer includes a plurality of bump pads, and the insulating layer includes a plurality of etching holes. The etching holes and the bump pads are aligned, such that the bump pads are exposed through the etching holes. A plurality of bumps is disposed on the active surface of the chip, which can be obtained by stud bumping. The etching holes are filled with solder paste, and the bumps of the chips penetrate into the solder filled etching holes. Vibration obtained by mechanical equipment, or ultrasonic equipment can be applied to assist the alignment of the bumps to the corresponding bump pads. A reflow process is applied to collapse the solder paste that fills the etching holes to form electrical connection between the bumps and bump pads.
US07652371B2

A semiconductor package is provided with a package main body including a base portion configured by joining thin plates integrally, and a semiconductor device accommodating portion provided on one surface of the base portion, electric terminals electrically connected to a semiconductor device in the accommodating portion and exposed to an outer surface of the accommodating portion, and a heat high-transfer element including at least one layer-like member provided in the base portion. The layer-like member is configured independent of the base portion by a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the base portion, and extends from a position corresponding to a heat-generation site of the semiconductor device to a position in an outside of the heat-generation site corresponding position.
US07652360B2

An electronic device, in which a flat plate semiconductor and dumets connected to surface electrodes on the front and back surfaces of the semiconductor and to lead wires are encapsulated in a glass tube.
US07652359B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly sophisticated functional IC card that can ensure security by preventing forgery such as changing a picture of a face, and display other images as well as the picture of a face. An IC card comprising a display device and a plurality of thin film integrated circuits; wherein driving of the display device is controlled by the plurality of thin film integrated circuits; a semiconductor element used for the plurality of thin film integrated circuits and the display device is formed by using a polycrystalline semiconductor film; the plurality of thin film integrated circuits are laminated; the display device and the plurality of thin film integrated circuits are equipped for the same printed wiring board; and the IC card has a thickness of from 0.05 mm to 1 mm.
US07652357B2

Quad Flat No-Lead (QFN) packages are provided. An embodiment of a QFN package includes a semiconductor chip including an active surface and an inactive surface, a plurality of leads, a plurality of wire bonds configured to couple the plurality of leads to the semiconductor chip, and a mold material including a mounting side and having a perimeter. The active surface is oriented toward the mounting side, the plurality of wire bonds are disposed between the active surface and the mounting side within the mold material, and the plurality of leads are exposed on the mounting side and are at least partially encapsulated within the perimeter of the mold material.
US07652356B2

To provide a tape carrier capable of suppressing the formation of wrinkles at a non-continuous portion of strength of the tape carrier and avoid the signal line breakage associated with bending operation. A driver IC is mounted on an insulation film tape, input terminal is arranged at one end and an output terminal is arranged at the other end of the insulation film tape, input signal lines and output signal lines are individually mounted between the driver IC and each terminal, and a resin applying region is arranged at a mounting portion of the driver IC. An independent dummy pattern without connecting destination to be electrically connected to is arranged near each end on the side not facing each terminal of the driver IC on the insulation film tape, and the respective end on the driver IC side of each dummy pattern is extended into the resin applying region.
US07652345B2

In a device isolation layer for a p-MOS transistor and a method of forming the same, a trench oxide layer having a first and a second sub-oxide layers is formed in a trench including a first and a second sub-trenches. The first and second sub-oxide layers are formed on side and bottom surfaces of the first and second sub-trenches, respectively. The second sub-trench has a width greater than the first sub-trench. The first sub-oxide layer has a first thickness that is uniform along the side and bottom surfaces of the first sub-trench and the second sub-oxide layer has a second thickness greater than the first thickness along the side surface of the second sub-trench. A liner layer is formed on the trench oxide layer, and an insulation pattern is formed on the liner layer.
US07652344B2

A semiconductor device that can suppress noise transmission through a seal ring provided between two device regions. The semiconductor device includes a logic unit and an analog unit. The semiconductor device further includes a silicon substrate, an insulating interlayer, a seal ring surrounding the outer periphery of the logic unit composed of a conductive film buried in the insulating interlayer, a well provided on the silicon substrate, and an N well guard ring that blocks conduction of a path from the logic unit, through the seal ring to the analog unit. The N well guard ring is disposed between the seal ring region 106 and the logic unit or the analog unit.
US07652343B2

The reduction in size, noise and voltage is realized in a MOS solid-state imaging device. A gate electrode in a pixel part is formed in a two-level structure. An amplifier gate of an amplifier transistor is formed in the first level while a select gate of a select transistor is formed in the second level. The both are structurally partly overlapped. With the first-level amplifier gate as self-alignment, ions are implanted for a select gate in the second level. Although the gate electrode if formed in one level as in the conventional requires a space of nearly a design rule between the amplifier gate and the select gate, the structure of the invention can eliminate such a dead space. Meanwhile, because the diffusion layer does not exist between the amplifier gate and the select gate, the diffusion layer is eliminated of sheet resistance and voltage drop. Also, the resistance and voltage decrease, resulting from the LDD region of a transistor gate end, are eliminated in one end of the amplifier gate and in one end of the select gate.
US07652335B2

A semiconductor device having a silicon layer, a transistor having an electrical connection region in the silicon layer; and a conductive plug formed on and in electrical contact with the electrical connection region, the plug having side walls that taper inward away from the silicon layer.
US07652326B2

Various embodiments for improved power devices as well as their methods of manufacture, packaging and circuitry incorporating the same for use in a wide variety of power electronic applications are disclosed. One aspect of the invention combines a number of charge balancing techniques and other techniques for reducing parasitic capacitance to arrive at different embodiments for power devices with improved voltage performance, higher switching speed, and lower on-resistance. Another aspect of the invention provides improved termination structures for low, medium and high voltage devices. Improved methods of fabrication for power devices are provided according to other aspects of the invention. Improvements to specific processing steps, such as formation of trenches, formation of dielectric layers inside trenches, formation of mesa structures and processes for reducing substrate thickness, among others, are presented. According to another aspect of the invention, charge balanced power devices incorporate temperature and current sensing elements such as diodes on the same die. Other aspects of the invention improve equivalent series resistance (ESR) for power devices, incorporate additional circuitry on the same chip as the power device and provide improvements to the packaging of charge balanced power devices.
US07652314B2

A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor includes a photodiode, a gate pattern of a transfer transistor contacting one side of the photodiode, a gate pattern of a drive transistor disposed to have a predetermined spacing distance from the gate pattern of the transfer transistor, and a floating diffusion node disposed between the gate pattern of the transfer transistor and the gate pattern of the drive transistor.
US07652313B2

The invention provides vertically-stacked photodiodes buried in a semiconductor material that are isolated and selectively contacted by deep trenches. One embodiment of the invention provides a pixel sensor comprising: a plurality of photosensitive elements formed in a substrate, each photosensitive element being adapted to generate photocharges in response to electromagnetic radiation; and a plurality of photocharge transfer devices, each photocharge transfer device being coupled to at least one of the plurality of photosensitive elements.
US07652307B2

In a semiconductor device of the present invention, a MOS transistor is disposed in an elliptical shape. Linear regions in the elliptical shape are respectively used as the active regions, and round regions in the elliptical shape is used respectively as the inactive regions. In each of the inactive regions, a P type diffusion layer is formed to coincide with a round shape. Another P type diffusion layer is formed in a part of one of the inactive regions. These P type diffusion layers are formed as floating diffusion layers, are capacitively coupled to a metal layer on an insulating layer, and assume a state where predetermined potentials are respectively applied thereto. This structure makes it possible to maintain current performance of the active regions, while improving the withstand voltage characteristics in the inactive regions.
US07652306B2

A light-emitting diode (“LED”) package is disclosed. The LED package includes a substrate, a pad frame, an LED chip and a housing. The pad frame includes a conductive lead divided by insulation materials on the substrate. The LED chip is mounted on the conductive lead. The housing surrounds the LED chip and the conductive lead, and has opening recess exposing the LED chip and a part of the conductive lead. The conductive lead includes a protrusion extended in both directions substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the housing.
US07652303B2

The present invention provides a lighting head assembly that incorporates a high intensity LED package into an integral assembly including a heat sink and circuit board for further incorporation into other useful lighting devices. The present invention primarily includes a heat sink member that also serves as a mounting die and a reflector cup into which the LED package is mounted. The circuit board is placed behind the reflector cup and includes riser members that extend through holes in the rear wall of the reflector cup to facilitate electrical connections to the leads of the LED. This particular means for assembly allows the reflector cup and circuit board to cooperate to retain the LED package, provide electrical and control connections, provide integral heat sink capacity and includes an integrated reflector cup. In this manner, high intensity LED packages can be incorporated into lighting assemblies through the use of the present invention by simply installing the present invention into a housing and providing power connections thereto.
US07652283B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substance which can emit red phosphorescence which is closer to the chromaticity coordinates of red according to the NTSC standard. The present invention provides an organometallic complex represented by the general formula (1), wherein each of R1 to R3 represents any one of hydrogen, a halogen group, an acyl group, an alkyl group, an alkoxyl group, an aryl group, a cyano group, and a heterocyclic group, and at least one of R1 to R3 represents an electron-withdrawing group; and M represents a Group 9 element or a Group 10 element, and when M is the Group 9 element, n=2, whereas when M is the Group 10 element, n=1. Such an organometallic complex can emit red phosphorescence with good spectral luminous efficiency which is closer to the chromaticity coordinates of red according to the NTSC standard.
US07652281B2

On a GaAs substrate 1, a light emitting part 4, an intermediate layer 5 of AlGaInP and a current spreading layer 6 are sequentially formed. The light emitting part 4 includes a first conductivity type AlGaInP based lower cladding layer 41, an AlGaInP based light emitting layer 42, and a second conductivity type AlGaInP based upper cladding layer 43 sequentially formed on the GaAs substrate 1. In each layer of the light emitting part 4, a hydrogen concentration is not more than 2×1017 cm−3, a carbon concentration is not more than 2×1016 cm−3, and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×1016 cm−3. In a partial region or in a total region of the current-spreading layer 6, a hydrogen concentration is not more than 5×1017 cm−3, a carbon concentration is not more than 5×1017 cm−3, and an oxygen concentration is not more than 2×1016 cm−3.
US07652277B2

Generation of dark current due to emission of back lighting to radiation image detectors is sufficiently suppressed. A radiation image detecting apparatus includes a radiation image detector and a light emitting section. A biasing electrode to which a biasing voltage is applied, a photoconductive layer for generating electric charges when irradiated with recording electromagnetic waves bearing a radiation image, a substrate side charge transport layer for transporting the electric charges which are generated in the photoconductive layer, and an active matrix substrate provided with a plurality of charge collecting electrodes for collecting the electric charges which are generated in the photoconductive layer, are laminated in this order to form the radiation image detector. The light emitting section emits light onto the radiation image detector at least during irradiation of the recording electromagnetic waves. The average composition of the substrate side charge transport layer is SbxS100-x (41≦x≦60).
US07652275B2

A probe control interface is provided for a structured light non-contact coordinate measuring machine probe. Portions of a video control signal for controlling the grey level of selected rows of pixels of a spatial light modulator of the probe can be decoded into control signals for additional probe components or functions that have been added to increase the measuring capabilities or versatility of the non-contact probe. By providing the additional probe component control signals in this manner, a versatile structured light non-contact probe system can be made compatible with a standard probe head autojoint system (e.g. a Renishaw™ type system), thus allowing the probe to be automatically exchanged with other standard probes and allowing existing systems to use the non-contact probe more easily. Various aspects of the probe control interface allow for relatively simple, compact, lightweight and robust implementation.
US07652268B2

A general purpose high accuracy dosimeter reader, 80, for determination of a treatment condition, based on comparison of an image of treated dosimeter, 111, with a series of images of pre-treated dosimeter, 114, is disclosed. A dosimeter undergoes noticeable changes, such as a color change upon treatment with certain materials, such as toxic gases and processes, such as ionizing radiation and sterilization is pre-treated. The dosimeter is imaged with an imaging device, 115, such as charge-coupled device camera and images of the dosimeter or the changes, e.g., color change, are stored in an information storage device, 118. In order to determine the treatment condition, the treatment dosimeter is imaged and the image is compared with the series of pre-treated images of the dosimeter using software. The closest match of the treated dosimeter with the pre-treated and pre-imaged dosimeter would indicate the treatment conditions. The process and device can be used for almost any indicating device, process and treatment.
US07652263B2

A focussing lens for focussing a charged particle beam onto a specimen at a predetermined landing angle. The focussing lens comprises at least one first electrode having a first aperture to generate a focussing electric field for focussing the charged particle beam onto the specimen and a correcting electrode having a curved surface to compensate for landing angle dependent distortions of the focussing electric field caused by the specimen. With the curved surface of the correcting electrode, it is possible to improve the focussing of a charged particle beam at landing angles that differ from the perpendicular landing angle.
US07652258B2

Method, apparatus and system for reducing or preventing polarization in semiconductor radiation detectors for medical imaging. For example, an apparatus includes a semiconductor with electrodes coupled thereto, configured to generate an electrical signal in the electrodes in response to absorption of ionizing radiation in the semiconductor, wherein the absorption of the ionizing radiation generates a space charge in the semiconductor; and an infra-red (IR) generator configured to generate IR radiation of a selectable wavelength, the selectable wavelength being chosen so as to at least partially reduce an effect of the space charge on the electrical signal.
US07652256B2

A solid state PET module for retrofitting to a standalone CT scanner generally includes a housing that is insertable into at least a portion of a bore opening of a gantry of the CT scanner. The housing includes a number of PET coincidence detectors, which are preferably solid state APD detectors. The module may include a base for supporting the module on a floor or platform of the CT scanner, or may be in the form of a disk securably fastened to the CT scanner gantry.
US07652254B2

A method and system for nuclear substance revealing using muon detection technique is presented. In some aspects, naturally occurred muons are selected from the flow of charged particles. Muon coordinate and incidence angle measured above and below the interrogated volume can be used for the decision making on the presence of nuclear substance inside the volume. The system is adapted for performing measurements on moving objects such as moving trucks. A combination of the nuclear substance detection system with an explosive sensing system is presented.
US07652251B1

A thermal imaging apparatus includes an infrared camera module, aligned along a first axis, and a visible light camera module, aligned along a second axis. The apparatus employs a magnification correction factor, along with parallax correction, to register an infrared image, obtained by the infrared module, with a visible light image, obtained by the infrared module.
US07652250B2

A method for reducing the noise equivalent temperature difference associated with imaging devices having a detection array including micro-cantilevers and a charged-coupled device or a complementary metal oxide semiconductor imager is presented. The method includes calculating horizontal and vertical pixel ratios based upon the number of receptor pixels and micro-cantilever pixels, defining composite pseudo-pixels comprised of at least two receptor pixels, capturing at least one frame of an image, calculating the composite intensity for each composite pseudo-pixel based on the intensities of the receptor pixels therein, and reconstructing each frame so that receptor pixels within each composite pseudo-pixel are displayed with the appropriate composite intensity. While the present method lowers pixel resolution, the composite pseudo-pixels maintain image resolution within the reconstructed image.
US07652249B2

A charged particle beam apparatus for obtaining information of an uneven surface or a depression/protrusion of a sample by irradiating a charged particle beam to a sample having an uneven surface or a depression/protrusion at a plurality of focal positions, measuring signal emitted from the sample, and comparing profile waveforms corresponding to edge portions of the uneven surface.
US07652242B2

This device for processing and digitizing an energy spectrum of a radiation, comprises a charge preamplification circuit of the integrating circuit type, suitable for being connected to a semiconductor detector; a lag line energy measurement circuit connected to the output of the preamplification circuit; and a sampler connected to the output of the energy measurement circuit. It further comprises a synchronization circuit a current pulse measurement circuit connected to the output of the preamplification circuit and calculating the difference between the output and a differential of the output of the preamplification circuit; and a discrimination circuit forming a binary signal according to the output of the pulse measurement circuit said logic signal controlling the sampling times of the sampler.
US07652238B2

A method for detecting an object inside a monitored zone includes monitoring at least a part of a monitored zone. Sensors generate respective single digital images of the total monitored zone, with the single images of all sensors being generated in a uniform coordinate system. Coordinate points of the single images are flagged as “safe” by each sensor if they are free of the object, with all other coordinate points being flagged as “unsafe”. The single images are each transmitted to an evaluation unit and are superimposed to form a resulting total image. The coordinate points of the total image, which are flagged as “safe”, correspond to those flagged as safe in at least one of the single images. All other coordinate points of the total image are flagged as unsafe. The coordinate points flagged as unsafe in the total image are used for the determination of the object coordinates.
US07652229B2

A temperature sensor assembly (30) is provided for an electrical heating arrangement (2). The temperature sensor assembly (30) includes a substrate (32) located in a heater (12). The substrate (32) has an upper surface (38) in contact with the lower surface (10) of a cooking plate (4). The upper and/or lower surface or surfaces (38, 66) of the substrate (32) is provided with a first temperature-sensitive resistance element (40) at a first region (42) of the substrate (32) proximate a peripheral region (34) of the heater. The upper (38) and/or lower (66) surface or surfaces of the substrate (32) is or are provided with a second temperature-sensitive resistance element (54; 54A; 54B) at a second region (56) of the substrate (32) proximate the central region (36) of the heater. A support member (70; 102) is secured to the substrate (32) and underlies at least the first region (42) of the substrate (32) and thermal insulation means (74) is interposed between the lower surface (66) of the substrate (32) and the support member (70) only at the first region (42) of the substrate (32).
US07652218B2

The invention relates to an energy store for a load tap changer with a longitudinally movable lifting carriage and an also longitudinally movable snap-action carriage which follows the movement of the lifting carriage after being triggered and whose longitudinal movement is converted into a rotary movement of an output shaft that actuates the load tap changer. In order to do so, two rolls which are guided in an especially geometrically designed guide rail are disposed on the snap-action carriage. Only one of the two rolls is positively guided in the guide rail during the first part of each movement of the snap-action carriage while the other roll can be moved freely. The second roll that could previously be moved freely is then positively guided during the second part of the movement while the roll which was previously guided can be moved freely. The roll which was initially guided is positively guided once again during the third part of the movement.
US07652215B2

To enhance the precision in balancing measurement, an electronic balance is provided. The electronic balance includes a door open/close detection sensor 3 for detecting the open/close of a door 52; a weighing precision setting unit, for setting a weighing precision; a calculation unit, for calculating an average time for balancing measurement that is as short as possible and satisfies the weighing precision or an average number of pieces of data; and a selection unit, for selecting an average time for weight measurement or an average number of pieces of data when the opening of the door 52 is detected by the sensor 3, and selecting an average time of normal measurement or an average number of pieces of data when the closing of the door 52 is detected by the sensor 3, and an averaging process is performed with the average time or the average number of pieces of data that is being selected.
US07652208B1

This invention provides a signal processing and signal synthesis technique from a family of signal processing and signal synthesis techniques designed to readily interwork or be used individually in creating new forms of rich musical timbres. A multi-channel cross-flanger with differing modulation signals for each flanger element deepens synthesized sounds. The configuration may process outputs from a plurality of distortion signal processors, each driven by a related signal, to create new levels of distortion richness. Each distortion signal processor may be driven by an output of a multiple-output spatializing signal processor. The characteristics and parameters of the processors and modulations may be recalled from stored program control or varied by real-time control signals, including those derived from the original input signal. The invention may be used individually or in conjunction with other signal processing and signal synthesis techniques in creating new forms of rich musical timbres. The invention may also be used in spatially-distributed timbre construction.
US07652206B2

A cylinder of a drum is produced using a plurality of laminated woods, each of which is formed using a plurality of thin wooden boards, which have grains aligned in the longitudinal direction thereof and which are joined together in the width direction. The laminated woods having rectangular shapes in plan view are reshaped by slantingly cutting out the opposite end portions lying in the width direction along their longitudinal directions. A plurality of reshaped laminated woods are joined together in the width direction so as to form a polygonal cylinder (e.g., a fourteen-sided polygonal cylinder). Then, the exterior and the interior of the polygonal cylinder are subjected to cutting work in a concentric manner in view of different radii, thus completely forming the cylinder having a circular cylindrical shape.
US07652204B2

The invention relates to a method of producing Fusarium resistant tetraploid wheat by crossing a hexaploid Fusarium resistant wheat with a teraploid durum wheat.
US07652199B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4456885. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4456885. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4456885 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4456885 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07652197B2

The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4233569. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4233569. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4233569 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4233569 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07652190B2

An integrated wound dressing system and method including a bandage and a self-contained receptacle that stores treatment material for the care and treatment of wounds. The treatment material is easily accessible and can be removed from the receptacle through an exit. The treatment material can then be used to control bleeding and/or clean the wound before dressing. The bandage may include a layer of plastic that acts as an occlusion barrier to reduce heat loss and maintain moisture levels at the wound site. The occlusion barrier also acts to prevent the passage of air into or out of the wound site. The bandage also includes fasteners that act to prevent unintentional unraveling and to secure the bandage during final packaging. These fasteners help facilitate the wrapping of amputations, stumps, and extremities. The integrated wound dressing system provides an all-in-one system for treating and dressing wounds and reduces the time required to do so.
US07652185B2

A process for reducing boron trifluoride usage and emissions associated with PAO manufacture, the process comprising distilling a portion of the crude PAO product containing a boron trifluoride-organic catalyst at a temperature sufficient to cause the boron trifluoride-organic catalyst to dissociate to produce an overhead stream comprising uncomplexed boron trifluoride and an uncomplexed organic catalyst component, contacting the uncomplexed boron trifluoride and uncomplexed organic catalyst component in a condenser column having an internal structure that increases the recombination of the uncomplexed boron trifluoride and uncomplexed organic catalyst component to form a recycle boron trifluoride-organic catalyst.
US07652181B1

An improved alkylation reactor design is disclosed. The design uses reactor effluent recycle to reduce the difference in temperature across the reaction zone improving selectivity and insuring the maintenance of a liquid phase in the reactor.
US07652180B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing alkyl chlorides by reacting alcohols with gaseous hydrogen chloride in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one compound of the structure: wherein R1 is a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R2, R3, and R4 is selected from a hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aralkyl or an alkylaryl group from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 are all identical, are all different or two of the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 type are identical.
US07652178B2

A composition comprising perfluoro-[2,2]-paracyclophane dimer compound is disclosed. The synthesis reaction of the paracyclophane dimer from 1,4-bis(chlorodifluoromethane)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene involves heating in the presence of a metal catalyst and a solvent. A perfluorinated paraxylylene coating formed from the perfluorinated paracyclophane dimer is also disclosed.
US07652176B2

Process for the preparation of dimethyl ether product by catalytic conversion of synthesis gas to dimethyl ether comprising contacting a stream of synthesis gas comprising carbon dioxide with one or more catalysts active in the formation of methanol and the dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether to form a product mixture comprising the components dimethyl ether, methanol, carbon dioxide and unconverted synthesis gas, washing the product mixture comprising carbon dioxide and unconverted synthesis gas in a scrubbing zone with a liquid solvent being rich in potassium carbonate or amine and thereby selectively absorbing carbon dioxide in the liquid solvent, subjecting the thus treated product mixture to a distillation step to separate methanol and water from dimethyl ether and unconverted synthesis gas stream with a reduced content of carbon dioxide and separating the unconverted synthesis gas from the dimethyl ether product.
US07652174B2

Use of a high shear mechanical device incorporated into a process for the production of chloral as a reactor device is capable of decreasing mass transfer limitations, thereby enhancing the chloral production process. A system for the production of chloral from acetaldehyde and chlorine, the system comprising a reactor and an external high shear device the outlet of which is fluidly connected to the inlet of the reactor; the high shear device capable of providing a dispersion of chlorine gas bubbles within a liquid, the bubbles having an average bubble diameter of less than about 100 μm.
US07652171B2

The present invention relates to a process for the cleavage of dialkoxyalkanes to give corresponding aldehydes or ketones, where the cleavage is carried out in the presence of at least one ionic liquid of the general formula K+A−.
US07652163B2

Cyclic silazanes containing an oxamido ester group and methods of making these compounds are described. The compounds can be used, for example, to make oxamido ester-terminated siloxanes, which can be precursors for the preparation of various polymeric materials such as, for example, polydiorganosiloxane polyoxamides.
US07652162B2

A composition is provided that may include a sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane. The sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane may include a chemically protected sulfur group. Under certain conditions, the sulfur group may react with an unsaturated elastomer. The invention may include embodiments that relate to method of making and using the sulfur-functional linear polyorganosiloxane.
US07652161B2

A method of providing zinc to a subject in need of treatment includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a zinc-cysteine complex. The zinc-cysteine complex is preferably a zinc-monocysteine complex. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and the antioxidant protein metallothionein. The complexes of zinc-cysteine of the present invention protect retinal pigment epithelial cells from increasing hydrogen peroxide concentrations.
US07652157B2

Compounds of formula I may be hydrolyzed to produce metal oxides wherein M is Mg, Al, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Cd, In, Sn, Sb, La, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Hg, Tl, Pb, Bi, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Th, U, or Pu; X is O1/2 or OR; R is alkyl; R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7 are independently H, alkoxy, C1-C10 alkyl, phenyl or R10, R11, R12, R13, R14 and R15 are independently C1-C10 alkyl or phenyl; n is equal to the the value of the oxidation state of M minus q; m and p are independently 0 or an integer from 1 to 5; and q is 0, 1, 2, or 4; with the proviso that when q is 1, X is OR; and when q is 2, X is O1/2, and M is V, Cr, Mn, Fe, As, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Sb, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Bi, Th, U, or Pu; and when q is 4, X is O1/2, and M is Cr, Mo, W, Ru, Re, Os, U, or Pu. Articles comprising at least one metal oxide are fabricated by coating a substrate with at least one compounds of formula I before hydrolyzing, and/or heating the compound at a temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 450° C.
US07652155B2

The present invention relates to a compound represented by formula (1): (wherein, R1, R2, R3 and R4 respectively and independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C1-6 alkyl group, and n represents an integer of 1 or 2) and a production process thereof, as well as an antioxidant that contains the compound as its active ingredient, and a kidney disease treatment agent, cerebrovascular disorder treatment agent, retina oxidative disorder inhibitor and lipoxygenase inhibitor that contain the antioxidant.
US07652152B2

A method of preparing optically pure (S)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine is disclosed. The present invention provides a method of economically and industrially preparing optically and chemically pure (S)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine, through a process comprising introducing an amine protecting group by using optically pure 4-amino-(S)-2-hydroxybutylic acid as a starting material, reducing a carboxylic acid group into a primary alcohol, removing the amine protecting group to form an amine salt, halogenating the primary alcohol, and amine cyclization; and through a simple purification process, i.e., distillation under reduced pressure. As another method, the present invention provides a method of preparing optically and chemically pure (S)-3-hydroxypyrrolidine, through a process comprising esterifying optically pure 4-amino-(S)-2-hydroxybutylic acid as a starting material, lactam cyclization, and reduction.
US07652151B2

The present invention provides novel ketopyrroles having structure XXIV wherein R2 is independently at each occurrence a deuterium atom, a halogen, a nitro group, an amino group, a C3-C40 aromatic radical, a C1-C50 aliphatic radical, or a C3-C40 cyclcoaliphatic radical; “a” is an integer from 0 to 3; and X1 and X2 are independently at each occurrence a bromine atom, a hydroxy group, or the group OR10, and wherein the group R10 is independently at each occurrence a deuterium atom, a halogen, a nitro group, an amino group, a C3-C40 aromatic radical, a C1-C50 aliphatic radical, or a C3-C40 cyclcoaliphatic radical. Ketopyrroles XXIV are useful ligands for the preparation of Type (1) and Type (2) organic iridium compositions. In one aspect, the present invention provides deuterated analogs of XXIV. Organic iridium compositions are useful in the preparation optoelectronic devices, such as OLED devices and photovoltaic devices exhibiting enhanced performance characteristics.
US07652147B2

A process for the preparation of Irbesartan of formula (I) using the steps of: (i) reacting 4′ aminomethyl-2-cyano biphenyl of formula (VI) with 1-veleramido cyclopentane carboxylic acid of formula (V) in an organic solvent and in the presence of an acid, without activating the —COOH group of compound of formula (V) to give 1-(2′cyanobiphenyl-4-yl-methylaminocarbonyl)-1-pentanoylamino cyclopentane of formula (VII). converting the compound of formula (VII) obtained in step (i) to Irbesartan of formula (I) by reacting the compound of the formula (VII) with tributyl tin azide in o-xylene to give Irbesartan of formula (I).
US07652146B2

The invention is directed to processes for preparing 2-aminothiazole-5-carboxamides of formula I wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined as set forth in the specification herein.
US07652140B2

Optically pure clopidogrel can be prepared in a high yield by optically resolving a racemic form of the compound of formula (II) using an optically active amine to form the optically active form of the compound of formula (III) or its acid-addition salt; and methylating the compound of formula (III) or its acid-addition salt.
US07652124B2

There are provided a rigid heterocyclic polymer comprising rigid recurring units such as units represented by the following formulae (a) and (b): wherein X is O, S or NH, a production process thereof, and fibers comprising the polymer.
US07652123B2

A method for producing a high quality aromatic polycarbonate, which comprises subjecting to molten state polymerization a mixture of an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a diaryl carbonate in the presence of a catalyst, the mixture of the aromatic dihydroxy compound and the diaryl carbonate being obtained by a mixing step in which an aromatic dihydroxy compound and a catalyst, each being in a solid state and/or a liquid state, are added to a diaryl carbonate in a molten state in the presence of an inert gas, thereby dissolving the aromatic dihydroxy compound and the catalyst in the molten diaryl carbonate.
US07652122B2

A method for producing an aromatic carbonate, comprising: (1) performing a reaction between an organometal compound and carbon dioxide to obtain a reaction mixture containing a dialkyl carbonate formed by the reaction, (2) separating the dialkyl carbonate from the reaction mixture to obtain a residual liquid, (3) reacting the residual liquid with an alcohol to form at least one organometal compound and form water and removing the water from the organometal compound, and (4) reacting the dialkyl carbonate separated in step (2) with an aromatic hydroxy compound to obtain an aromatic carbonate.
US07652113B2

A novel process for the polymerization of olefins is provided. The process involves contacting at least one olefin with a Ziegler-Natta type catalyst in the presence of a specified compound that results in the production of polymeric products having a narrower molecular weight distribution. Also provide is a process for narrowing the molecular weight distribution of a polyolefin comprising contacting an olefin, a Ziegler-Natta catalyst and a compound specified herein. Further provided are novel polyethylenes, and films and articles produced therefrom.
US07652111B2

Disclosed are novel (meth)acrylic esters of unsaturated amino alcohols, a process for their preparation and their use for preparing crosslinked swellable hydrogel-forming polymers and crosslinked swellable hydrogel-forming polymers.
US07652110B2

The claimed invention relates to a powder coating composition containing a fluorinated copolymer (X) having a glass transition point of at least 50° C. and a number average molecular weight of from 10,000 to 22,000, and a curing agent (Y), wherein the fluorinated copolymer (X) is a copolymer obtained by polymerization of a monomer mixture containing (A) from 45 to 55 mol % of chlorotrifluoroethylene and/or tetrafluoroethylene, (B) from 2 to 40 mol % of a vinyl ether which has a C4 or 5 alkyl group containing a tertiary carbon atom, (C) from 5 to 20 mol % of a vinyl ether having a crosslinkable functional group, and (E) from 1 to 32 mol % of a vinyl ester which has a C3-5 alkyl group containing a tertiary or higher carbon atom, wherein the total content of (B) and (E) is from 30 to 50 mol %, and the curing agent (Y) is reactive with the crosslinkable functional group.
US07652092B2

The present invention relates to articles made from plasticized thermoplastic polyolefin compositions comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin, a nucleating agent, and a non-functionalized hydrocarbon plasticizer.
US07652091B2

The invention provides a coating composition for rubbers which forms a coating film having excellent adhesion to the rubber surface as well as excellent wear resistance and surface lubricity. The composition is an aqueous resin composition containing 100 parts by weight of the component (A), 10 to 100 parts by weight of the component (B) and 5 to 150 parts by weight of the component (C): wherein the component (A) is a curable silicone composition consisting of (A-1) which is an organopolysiloxane in which a group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl group and groups represented by the formula R1O— (R1 is a monovalent hydrocarbon group), and a group represented by the formula (1), below are bonded to each of at least two terminal silicon atoms of a polysiloxane chain: (A-2) which is an alkoxysilane and, optionally, (A-3) which is a metal compound as a condensation catalyst; component (B) which is a polyurethane resin; and component (C) which is an organic resin fine powder having a melting point of 150° C. or higher and an average particle diameter of 0.5 to 50 μm.
US07652076B2

Disclosed are soft, high refractive index device materials having improved strength. The materials contain a monofunctional or difunctional, acrylate or methacrylate terminated aromatic functional methacrylic or acrylic macromer.
US07652074B2

An oil-in-water-in-oil emulsion (O/W/O) comprising a first oil-in-water emulsion dispersed in a second oil, and a method of preparing the same. The O/W/O emulsion can be used as a drive fluid in an enhanced oil recovery process. The O/W/O emulsion of this invention may also be used as a lubricant, and has the beneficial property of being resistant to shear forces.
US07652067B2

Clear aqueous compositions comprising water, a hydrophobic organic compound, and from about 2 to about 50 wt. % of a solubilizer are disclosed. The solubilizer is an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of a monoester of a saturated C6-C20 alcohol and a saturated dicarboxylic acid. The monoester salts are remarkably effective for solubilizing a wide variety of hydrophobic organic compounds in water to provide aqueous compositions that have excellent stability and outstanding clarity. The compositions are valuable for the cosmetic, agrochemical, coatings, pharmaceutical, and flavor & fragrance industries.
US07652065B2

Novel tellurium-containing compounds and uses thereof as immunomodulators are disclosed.
US07652064B2

The present invention relates to AMPA receptor potentiators of Formula I: formulations comprising them, methods for their use, and intermediates useful for their preparation.
US07652056B2

A new class of imidazolines as 4-position acids or esters with very potent anti-inflammatory as well as antimicrobial activity is described. The synthesis of these imidazolines includes a multicomponent reaction applicable to a combinatorial synthetic approach. The combination of these two key characteristics provides an effective therapeutic drug in the treatment of septic shock as well as many other inflammatory (arthritis and asthma) and infectious disorders. The use of this novel class of non-steroidal agents as anti-inflammatory agents (for the treatment of asthma etc.), antibacterial agents and antiseptic agents is described. The compounds are also useful in the treatment of tumors (such as cancers). The imidazolines are potent inhibitors of the transcription factor NF-κB as well as potent activity against the Gram (+) bacterium B. subtillus and B. cereus with MIC values in the range of 50 μm/mL.
US07652052B2

To provide a novel process for producing ramosetron or its salt that is useful as a pharmaceutical, especially as a therapeutic and/or preventive agent for digestive symptoms caused by administration of an anti-malignant tumor agent, diarrheal-type irritable bowel syndrome, diarrheal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, etc.Ramosetron or its salt can be produced by reacting a compound of the formula (I): [wherein X is a halogen] or a salt thereof with 1-methyl-1H-indole in the presence of a Lewis acid selected from the group consisting of a lower alkylaluminum dihalide, a di-lower alkylaluminum halide, a tri-lower alkylaluminum and a lower alkylaluminum sesquihalide.
US07652051B2

Heterocyclic compounds derived from benzotriazine, triazines, triazoles and oxadiazoles are disclosed. The methods of synthesis and of use of such heterocyclic compounds are also provided.
US07652046B2

The present invention comprises methods for the treatment of central nervous system diseases and disorders including mood disorders and sleep disorders through the administration of compounds of formula (I) and formula (II) which are useful as inhibitors of human casein kinase Iε. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) or formula (II) as well as methods for their preparation are also disclosed and claimed.
US07652044B2

Provided are 5-membered heterocycle-based p38 kinase, including p38α and p38β kinase, inhibitors. Pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds are also provided. Methods of use of the compounds and compositions are also provided, including methods of treatment, prevention, or amelioration of one or more symptoms of p38 kinase mediated diseases and disorders, including, but not limited to, inflammatory diseases and disorders.
US07652038B2

The present invention provides methods of reducing angiogenesis in an individual. The methods generally involve administering to the individual an effective amount of a nicotinic acetyl choline receptor antagonist. The methods are useful to treat conditions associated with or resulting from angiogenesis, particularly pathological angiogenesis. The invention further provides methods of treating a condition associated with or resulting from angiogenesis.
US07652037B2

This invention relates to methods for lowering lipid levels in mammals using compounds that inhibit advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), LR-9, LR-74 and LR-90. These compounds, which inhibit non-enzymatic protein glycation, also inhibit the formation of advanced lipoxidation endproducts (ALES) on target proteins by trapping intermediates in glycoxidation and lopoxidation and inhibiting oxidation reactions important in the formation of AGEs and ALEs.
US07652033B2

HIF-1 inhibitors and methods of their use are provided. In particular, 2,2-dimethylbenzopyran based compounds and methods of their use, for example in the treatment or prevention of hypoxia-related pathologies are provided.
US07652024B2

Certain novel N-acylated spiropiperidine derivatives are ligands of the human melanocortin receptor(s) and, in particular, are selective ligands of the human melanocortin-4 receptor (MC-4R). They are therefore useful for the treatment, control, or prevention of diseases and disorders responsive to the modulation of MC-4R, such as obesity, diabetes, nicotine addiction, alcoholism, sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction and female sexual dysfunction.
US07652022B2

The invention relates to the use of diaryl urea derivatives in the treatment of protein kinase dependent diseases or for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions for use in the treatment of said diseases, methods of use of diaryl urea derivatives in the treatment of said diseases, pharmaceutical preparations comprising diaryl urea derivatives for the treatment of said diseases, diaryl urea derivatives for use in the treatment of said diseases, novel diaryl urea derivatives, pharmaceutical preparations comprising these novel diaryl urea derivatives, processes for the manufacture of the novel diaryl urea derivatives, the use or methods of use of the novel diaryl urea derivatives as mentioned above, and/or these novel diaryl urea derivatives for use in the treatment of the animal or human body.
US07652018B2

Compounds of the following structure are described: wherein R1-R6, R10, m, V, X, Y, Z and Q are described herein, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, tautomer, metabolite or prodrug thereof. These compounds are useful for treating a variety of hormone-related conditions including contraception, treating or preventing fibroids, endometriosis, dysfunctional bleeding, uterine leiomyomata, polycystic ovary syndrome, or hormone-dependent carcinomas, providing hormone replacement therapy, stimulating food intake or synchronizing estrus.
US07651997B2

The present invention relates to tamandarin and didemnin analogs which have a deoxo-proline residue or a dehydro-proline residue in their structure. These analogs are useful as anti-cancer agents and for other purposes. Methods of making these analogs and methods of using them as inhibitors of protein synthesis, cell growth, and tumorigenesis and as enhancers of apoptosis are also provided.
US07651993B2

A fluorine-containing copolymer including: (A) repeating units derived from a fluorine-containing macromonomer of the general formula: CH2═C(—X)—COO—(Y)1—Z—MfmMrn—H (I) wherein X, Y, Z and MfmMrn are as described herein, and (B) repeating units derived from a polyalkyleneglycol (meth)acrylate.
US07651986B2

A finished lubricant having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. between about 90 and 1700 cSt that passes the TORT B rust test, comprising a highly paraffinic base oil and a solubility improver having an aniline point less than 50° C. A finished lubricant that passes the TORT B rust test, comprising a Fischer-Tropsch wax, oligomerized olefins, or mixture thereof; and a solubility improver. A process for making a lubricant, comprising blending together: a) a mixture of amine phosphates, b) an alkenyl succinic compound, and c) a highly paraffinic lubricating base oil.
US07651980B2

A method and drilling fluid system for providing filtration control during drilling operations using a drilling fluid system comprising water soluble polymer comprising acrylamide monomer, the method comprising: providing a drilling fluid system having effective rheological properties, the drilling fluid system comprising aqueous base consisting essentially of freshwater, a quantity of from about 21 to 58 kg/m3 (7.5 to about 20 pounds per barrel) plugging agent, and an amount of bridging agent comprising water soluble polymer comprising acrylamide monomer which exhibits a 5% by weight Brookfield viscosity in freshwater of from about 50 cP to about 100 cP, and; contacting a subterranean formation with the drilling fluid system and maintaining effective filtration control at concentrations of about 10,000 ppm or less monovalent salt, as demonstrated in the laboratory by producing a HPHT filtrate of 25 cm3/min or less after 30 minutes at about 149° C. (300° F.) after static aging of said drilling fluid system for a period of 16 hours or more at temperatures of about 260° C. (500° F.).
US07651978B2

The present invention relates to selective-herbicidal compositions, characterized in that they contain an effective amount of the compound 2-(2-trifluoromethoxy-phenylsulphonylaminocarbonyl)-4-methyl-5-methoxy-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one of the formula (I) and/or of salts of the compound of the formula (I), and to the use of these compositions for the selective control of weeds in crops of cereals, in particular crops of wheat, and to methods for the selective control of weeds in crops of cereals by applying the compositions together with surfactants and/or customary extenders.
US07651977B2

The present invention provides an improved herbicidal composition including (a) an effective amount of an herbicidal cyclohexanedione oxime compound or agriculturally acceptable salt thereof; (b) one or more esters of a fatty acid; (c) a salt of dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid; (d) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene plant oils and polyoxyethylene sorbitan esters; and (e) optionally an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. The present invention also provides a method for controlling the growth of vegetation, by applying to the vegetation the composition of the present invention.
US07651970B2

A process for regenerating a used acidic ionic liquid catalyst which has, been deactivated comprising the steps of contacting the used chloroaluminate ionic liquid catalyst and hydrogen with a metal hydrogenation catalyst in a reaction zone under hydrogenation conditions for a time sufficient to increase the activity of the ionic liquid catalyst is described. In one embodiment, hydrogenation is conducted in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent.
US07651968B2

A process for producing a shaped body comprising a microporous material and at least one silicon-comprising binder, which comprises the steps (I) preparation of a mixture comprising the microporous material, the binder and a lubricant, (II) mixing and densification of the mixture, (III) shaping of the densified mixture to give a shaped body and (IV) calcination of the shaped body, wherein a silicone resin having a softening point of ≧30° C. is used as binder, shaped bodies which can be produced by this process, their use as catalyst, in particular in organic synthesis and very particularly preferably in a process for preparing methylamines.
US07651963B2

The present invention provides for high thermal conductivity paper that comprises a host matrix (10), and high thermal conductivity materials (12) added to a surface of the host matrix in a specific pattern (12). The high thermal conductivity materials are comprised of one or more of nanofillers, diamond like coatings directly on the host matrix, and diamond like coatings on the nanofillers. In particular embodiments the specific pattern comprises one or more of a grid, edging, banding centering and combinations thereof and the high thermal conductivity materials cover 15-55% of the surface of the host matrix. Multiple surfaces, including sub layers may have patterning.
US07651962B2

An oil for dust adsorption that includes a base oil (A), a nonionic surfactant (B), and an allergen inactivation component (C). This oil for dust adsorption can be used favorably on cleaning and wiping implements containing a dry fibrous substrate, such as mops and wipers and the like.
US07651959B2

A method of forming a dielectric film includes: introducing a source gas essentially constituted by Si, N, H, and optionally C and having at least one bond selected from Si—N, Si—Si, and Si—H into a reaction chamber where a substrate is placed; depositing a silazane-based film essentially constituted by Si, N, H, and optionally C on the substrate by plasma reaction at −50° C. to 50° C., wherein the film is free of exposure of a solvent constituted essentially by C, H, and optionally O; and heat-treating the silazane-based film on the substrate in a heat-treating chamber while introducing an oxygen-supplying source into the heat-treating chamber to release C from the film and increase Si—O bonds in the film.
US07651958B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device sealed in a cured silicone body by placing a semiconductor device into a mold and subjecting a curable silicone composition that fills the spaces between said mold and said semiconductor device to compression molding, wherein the curable silicone composition comprises the following components: (A) an organopolysiloxane having at least two alkenyl groups per molecule; (B) an organopolysiloxane having at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule; (C) a platinum-type catalyst; and (D) a filler, wherein either at least one of components (A) and (B) contains a T-unit siloxane and/or Q-unit siloxane. By the utilization this method, a sealed semiconductor device is free of voids in the sealing material, and a thickness of the cured silicone body can be controlled.
US07651954B2

To provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device for forming a diffusion layer by diffusing phosphorus atoms on a surface of a silicon substrate on which resist is applied, including the step of forming a diffusion layer, with a temperature of the silicon substrate maintained lower than a deterioration temperature of the resist.
US07651950B2

In a method for forming a fine pattern of a semiconductor device, forming a spacer for double patterning of a cell region is performed separate from forming a mask pattern that defines a dummy pattern for a pad of a peripheral circuit region.
US07651949B2

A semiconductor device may be manufactured by employing an ashing process for removing a photoresist in a process chamber, wherein the ashing process comprises: removing the photoresist for a first predetermined process time by flowing one or more oxygen and nitrogen source gases into the process chamber at first predetermined pressure, power, and temperature conditions; removing a surface portion of a polymer (e.g., from a previous etching process) for a second predetermined process time by flowing a mixture of one or more water source gases (e.g., H2O) and a fluorocarbon (e.g., CF4) into the process chamber at second predetermined pressure, power, and temperature conditions; and removing remaining photoresist for a third predetermined process time by flowing an oxygen source gas (e.g., O2) gas into the process chamber at third predetermined pressure, power, and temperature conditions.
US07651944B2

Methods of positioning and orienting nanostructures, and particularly nanowires, on surfaces for subsequent use or integration. The methods utilize mask based processes alone or in combination with flow based alignment of the nanostructures to provide oriented and positioned nanostructures on surfaces. Also provided are populations of positioned and/or oriented nanostructures, devices that include populations of positioned and/or oriented nanostructures, systems for positioning and/or orienting nanostructures, and related devices, systems and methods.
US07651941B2

Provided are: a method of manufacturing semiconductor device which has multilayer interconnection in a damascene structure and a conductive barrier film such as CoWP film, and which has more excellent electric characteristics than a conventional one. To this end, when a via hole reaching a lower wiring is formed, a reaction layer formed between a conductive barrier film and the lower wiring and remaining on the surface of the lower wiring is removed. Thus, at an interface where a lower surface of the via and the lower wiring are joined, the reaction layer, formed between the conductive barrier film and the lower wiring, does not exist, so that the via resistance can be sufficiently reduced.
US07651938B2

Thermal interface materials and method of using the same in packaging are provided. In one aspect, a thermal interface material is provided that includes an indium preform that has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, an interior portion and a peripheral boundary. The indium preform has a channel extending from the peripheral boundary towards the interior portion. The channel enables flux to liberate during thermal cycling.
US07651903B2

Disclosed are a CMOS image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same, for reducing or preventing damage to a photodiode and improving a pixel design margin to achieve scale down of a pixel. The CMOS image sensor includes an isolation layer in a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode crossing a part of the isolation layer and the active area, a photodiode area in the active area, an insulating sidewall spacer on sides of the gate electrode, a metal silicide layer on the gate electrode and at least part of a surface of the photodiode area adjacent to the gate electrode, a metal layer electrically connecting the gate electrode to the photodiode area, and a dielectric layer on the entire surface of semiconductor substrate.
US07651892B2

The present invention provides an electrical programmable metal resistor and a method of fabricating the same in which electromigration stress is used to create voids in the structure that increase the electrical resistance of the resistor. Specifically, a semiconductor structure is provided that includes an interconnect structure comprising at least one dielectric layer, wherein said at least one dielectric layer comprises at least two conductive regions and an overlying interconnect region embedded therein, said at least two conductive regions are in contact with said overlying interconnect region by at least two contacts and at least said interconnect region is separated from said at least one dielectric layer by a diffusion barrier, wherein voids are present in at least the interconnect region which increase the electrical resistance of the interconnect region.
US07651889B2

Electromagnetic shielding for an integrated circuit packaged device. The method includes forming shielding structures by forming openings in an encapsulated structure. The openings are filled with conductive material that surrounds at least one die. The encapsulated structure may include a plurality of integrated circuit die. A layered redistribution structure is formed on one side of the encapsulated structure.
US07651888B2

A fixture for packaging MEMS devices includes a base, a first material layer, an insulating layer and a second material layer. The base defines units, each including a notch. The first material layer is disposed on the base and the notches. The insulating layer is disposed on a part of the first material layer and exposes the other part of the first material layer located on the notches. The second material layer is disposed on the other part of the first material layer and formed with caps, whereby the caps are physically connected to the MEMS devices, and the MEMS devices are corresponding to the units of the base, wherein there is a first connecting force between the first and second material layers, there is a second connecting force between the caps and the MEMS devices, and the second connecting force is greater than the first connecting force.
US07651883B2

An array of fully isolated multi-junction complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) filterless color imager cells is provided, with a corresponding fabrication process. The color imager cell array is formed from a bulk silicon (Si) substrate without an overlying epitaxial Si layer. A plurality of color imager cells are formed in the bulk Si substrate, where each color imager cell includes a photodiode set and a U-shaped well liner. The photodiode set includes first, second, and third photodiode formed as a stacked multi-junction structure, while the U-shaped well liner fully isolates the photodiode set from adjacent photodiode sets in the array. The U-shaped well liner includes a physically interfacing doped well liner bottom and first wall. The well liner bottom is interposed between the substrate and the photodiode set, and the first wall physically interfaces each doped layer of each photodiode in the photodiode set.
US07651882B1

The present description describes back-end processes, the use of which may help overcome these problems and limitations of the prior art. In one optional embodiment, the back-end process includes depositing a layer over a wafer. The wafer contains a plurality of circuit die for respective RFID tags. The wafer also has exposed metallic regions. The exposed metallic regions include first regions having electrical contacts to the plurality of circuit die and second regions having electrical contacts to the wafer's electrical test sites. The method includes forming exposed first regions and unexposed second regions by etching the layer over the first regions but not over the second regions. The method also includes plating metallic bumps on the exposed first regions.
US07651880B2

A germanium (Ge) short wavelength infrared (SWIR) imager and associated fabrication process are provided. The imager comprises a silicon (Si) substrate with doped wells. An array of pin diodes is formed in a relaxed Ge-containing film overlying the Si substrate, each pin diode having a flip-chip interface. There is a Ge/Si interface, and a doped Ge-containing buffer interposed between the Ge-containing film and the Ge/Si interface. An array of Si CMOS readout circuits is bonded to the flip-chip interfaces. Each readout circuit has a zero volt diode bias interface.
US07651876B2

A semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate, a gate disposed thereon, an insulation layer disposed on the substrate and overlying the gate, a patterned semiconductor layer disposed on the insulation layer, a source and a drain disposed on the patterned semiconductor layer, a protective layer overlying the insulation layer, the source and the boundary of the drain to expose a portion of the drain, and a pixel electrode disposed on the substrate, overlying the protective layer overlying the boundary of the drain, electrically connected to the exposed drain.
US07651874B2

The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for localizing production errors in a semiconductor component part by generating excess charge carriers in the semiconductor component part and by determining the electric potential in said part. In order to be able to localize production errors with simple measures and without damaging the semiconductor component part, it is suggested that the semiconductor component part be stimulated to become luminescent and that the locally resolved luminescence intensity distribution be determined in order to determine the locally resolved distribution of the electric potential in the semiconductor component part.
US07651872B2

A biomolecular array includes a substrate across which is distributed an array of discrete regions of a porous substance formed from a porogen-containing organosilicate material. The porous substance is designed to bind chemical targets useful in biotechnology applications, such as gene expression, protein, antibody, and antigen experiments. The regions are preferably optically isolated from each other and may be shaped to enhance detection of optical radiation emanating from the porous substance, e.g., as a result of irradiation of the regions with ultraviolet light. The discrete regions may be configured as microscopic wells within the substrate, or they may reside on top of the substrate in the form of microscopic mesas.
US07651869B2

Optical assay apparatus and methods are provided having an optical assay cup for detecting analytes in a sample fluid. The cup's sidewall may include an optical waveguide having a detection coating on its inner surface. During use, the waveguide receives evanescent or darkfield interrogation light, interrogates at least part of cup's interior volume with it, and emits signal light as a function of the analytes. The detection coating may have fluid or non-fluid detection layers, at least part of which may form at least part of a waveguide for the interrogation light. The cup may be spun during use, such as to centrifugally-concentrate any high-density analytes towards cup's sidewall. The assay apparatus may further include an interrogation light source, a cover or spinning apparatus for the cup, and an optical detector for the signal light.
US07651858B2

This invention provides methods of using ion-detecting microspheres containing an ionphore and a chromoionphore in clinical laboratory instrumentation such as flow cytometry for sample analysis. In one embodiment, the microspheres are contacted with a flowing stream of a sample under conditions that allow the ion-selective ionophores to complex with the ions in the sample, and to cause deprotonation of the chromoionophore. The complexes are then exposed to an excitation wavelength light source suitable for exciting the deprotonated chromoionophore to emit a fluorescence signal pattern. Detection of the fluorescence signal pattern emitted by the deprotonated chromoionophore in microspheres containing the complexes allows for determination of the presence of the target ions in the sample. In one embodiment, lead ion-detecting microspheres are provided that can detect nanomolar levels of lead ions with response times on the order of minutes.
US07651855B2

Based upon a strong correlation between regulator T cells (Treg cells) and suppressing or preventing a cytotoxic T cell response, provided are methods for the production of ex vivo activated and culture-expanded isolated CD4+CD25+ suppressor Treg cells for the prevention or suppression of immune reactions in a host, particularly in a human host, and including autoimmune responses. The resulting ex vivo culture-expanded Treg cells provide a sufficient amount of otherwise low numbers of such cells, having long term suppressor capability to permit therapeutic uses, including the preventing, suppressing, blocking or inhibiting the rejection of transplanted tissue in a human or other animal host, or protecting against graft vs host disease. Also provided are therapeutic and immunosuppressive methods utilizing the ex vivo culture-expanded Treg cells for human treatment, and high efficiency methods for research use.
US07651854B2

Disclosed herein are methods of increasing the proliferation of non-tumorigenic B cells. The methods involve administering PCDGF and optionally other B cells stimulators (e.g., IgM, LPS) to B cells resulting in an increase in B cell proliferation. The methods of the invention can be used, for example, to establish B cells lines, to sort B cells from a mixed population of cells, or to activate resting B cells.
US07651851B2

Methods and apparatus for in vitro detection of an analyte in a body fluid sample using low resolution Raman spectroscopy are disclosed. The body fluid analyzer includes a disposable strip for receiving a sample of body fluid on a target region, the target region including gold sol-gel to provide surface enhanced Raman scattering. A light source irradiates the target region to produce a Raman spectrum consisting of scattered electromagnetic radiation that is separated into different wavelength components by a dispersion element. A detection array detects at least some of the wavelength components of the scattered light and provides data to a processor for processing the data. The results of the processed data are displayed on a screen to inform a user about an analyte within the body fluid sample.
US07651846B2

The invention features methods and compositions for diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with decreased nitric oxide bioavailability, such as a condition associated with elevated arginase activity, using an arginine- and/or arginase-inhibitor based therapy, which therapies include administration of arginine or an arginase inhibitor, either alone or in combination. The invention also contemplates administration of magnesium with arginine, an arginase inhibitor, or with arginine-arginase inhibitor combination therapy. The invention also features methods and compositions for diagnosis, including prognosis, of conditions associated with arginase activity by assessing the ratio of arginine to ornithine in samples from a subject.
US07651845B2

A computer implemented method and associated apparatus for the combined control of insulin bolus dosing and basal delivery for the goal of achieving normal glycemic response to meals, exercise, stressors, and other perturbations to blood glucose levels. A run-to-run algorithm is used to monitor blood glucose levels and adjust insulin delivery as conditions are varied.
US07651835B2

The invention provides, in various embodiments, systems, devices and methods relating to ex-vivo organ care. In certain embodiments, the invention relates to maintaining an organ ex-vivo at near-physiologic conditions.
US07651829B2

Provided is a positive resist material, particularly a chemically amplified positive resist material having higher sensitivity, higher resolution, a higher exposure latitude and better process adaptability than conventional positive resist materials, and providing a good pattern profile after exposure, particularly having lessened line edge roughness and exhibiting excellent etching resistance. These materials may contain, preferably an organic solvent and acid generator, more preferably a dissolution inhibitor or a basic compound and/or a surfactant. Provided is a positive resist material comprising a polymer comprising at least one monomer unit selected from a group consisting of a monomer unit (A), a monomer unit (B) and a monomer unit (C) represented by the following formula (1); and having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 100° C. or greater.
US07651820B2

A gel electrolyte and a gel electrolyte battery are provided. The gel electrolyte includes a matrix polymer; a nonaqueous solvent; and an electrolytic solution having an electrolyte salt containing lithium dissolved in the nonaqueous solvent, in which the matrix polymer is swollen with the electrolytic solution. The matrix polymer comprises polyvinylidene fluoride copolymerized with at least hexafluoropropylene in an amount of 3 wt % or more and 7.5 wt % or less. The nonaqueous solvent comprises ethylene carbonate; and at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of dimethyl carbonate, ethylmethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, ethylpropyl carbonate, ethyl butyl carbonate, and dipropyl carbonate. The content of the ethylene carbonate in the nonaqueous solvent is 15 wt % or more and 55 wt % or less, and the total content of the at least one solvent in the nonaqueous solvent is 30 wt % or more and 85 wt % or less.
US07651819B2

A device for use in energy storage comprising a nanostructured mesoporous electrically conductive substrate coated with a metal oxide and an ultrathin conformal polymer coating on the metal oxide wherein said electrode has a mesoporous structure. Also disclosed is the related method for making an electrode for use in energy storage.
US07651817B2

A process for producing a spherical carbon material, comprising: subjecting a spherical vinyl resin to an oxidation treatment in an oxidizing gas atmosphere to obtain a spherical carbon precursor, and carbonizing the spherical carbon precursor at 1000-2000° C. in a non-oxidizing gas atmosphere. The thus-obtained spherical carbon material exhibits excellent performances, including high output performance and durability, when used, e.g., as a negative electrode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary batteries.
US07651815B2

A lithium secondary battery comprising positive and negative electrodes both capable of occluding and releasing lithium ions, and a lithium ion conductive material which contains a compound of formula (1) exhibits improved characteristics including charge/discharge efficiency, low-temperature properties and cycle performance when (a) only one substituent group of R1, R2, R3 and R4 in formula (1) is alkyl, (b) the negative electrode-constituting material partially contains a carboxyl or hydroxyl group-bearing compound, and the lithium ion conductive material contains propylene carbonate, or (c) a positive electrode active material is a lithium-containing transition metal compound, a negative electrode active material is a carbonaceous material, and the lithium ion conductive material contains as a non-aqueous electrolysis solution a solvent mixture of propylene carbonate and ethylene carbonate in combination with a chain-like carbonate as a low-viscosity solvent
US07651812B2

A rechargeable battery module includes a plurality of unit batteries disposed apart at predetermined intervals and barriers interposed therebetween. The barriers include a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of plates with at least one junction portion. The junction portion on one plate is fixed to another plate opposing the one plate.
US07651811B2

A thermal management system for fast charging and subsequent heavy use operation of high-capacity batteries. The thermal management system includes at least one motive driver arranged to impinge air on the terminal and strap structure of the high capacity battery. The terminal and strap structure in a specific aspect of the invention is protectively shrouded by a cover including a main top surface member having air inflow openings therein and a circumscribing wall depending downwardly therefrom and provided with gas egress openings along its medial and end portions. Such cover allows a high flux flow of air therethrough, for high efficiency cooling of the battery during fast charging and subsequent heavy use operation.
US07651806B2

A fuel cell system that employs a purge valve, an accumulator and a bleed valve for selectively purging and bleeding anode exhaust gas. When the purge valve is opened, the anode exhaust gas purges to the accumulator where it is collected. The bleed valve provides a controlled release of the anode exhaust gas from the accumulator that allows the concentration of hydrogen bled from the accumulator to remain below its combustible limit. In one embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with the cathode exhaust gas and released to atmosphere. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with a cathode input gas. In another embodiment, the purged anode exhaust gas is combined with an anode input gas.
US07651803B2

Disclosed herein are an ionic conductor including a proton conductor, a process for production thereof, and an electrochemical device (such as fuel cell) with said ionic conductor, said ionic conductor being superior in ionic conductivity, water resistance, and film forming properties. The ionic conductor is formed from a polymer in which carbon clusters having ion dissociating functional groups are bonded to each other through connecting groups. The polymer is less water-soluble and more chemically stable than a derivative composed solely of carbon clusters; therefore, it permits many ion dissociating functional group to be introduced thereinto. Moreover, if ion dissociating functional groups are introduced into also the connecting group, it is possible to prevent the concentration of ion dissociating functional groups from decreasing as the result of polymerization. The polymer can be easily synthesized by simple condensation, substitution, and hydrolysis. Therefore, the process is suitable for mass production in high yields.
US07651791B2

A material for organic electroluminescence devices comprising a compound having a specific structure and an organic electroluminescence device comprising an organic thin film layer which comprises one layer or a plurality of layers comprising at least a light emitting layer and disposed between a cathode and an anode, wherein at least one layer in the organic thin film layer comprises the material for organic electroluminescence devices, are provided. The material provides the organic electroluminescence device exhibiting a great efficiency of light emission, having no defect pixels, exhibiting excellent heat resistance and having a long life.
US07651787B2

Disclosed is an organic electroluminescent device including a substrate, a first and second electrodes, and a light-emitting layer formed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a hole-blocking layer formed between the light-emitting layer and the second electrode and using a material of a chemical formula 1. In this case, at least one of A1 and A2 is selected from a substituted or non-substituted aromatic group, a heterocyclic group, an aliphatic group, halogen, and hydrogen.
US07651786B2

An organic electroluminescence device having a layer of an organic light emitting medium which comprises (A) a specific arylamine compound and (B) at least one compound selected from specific anthracene derivatives, spirofluorene derivatives, compounds having condensed rings and metal complex compounds and is disposed between a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting medium comprising the above components (A) and (B) are provided. The organic electroluminescence device exhibits a high purity of color, has excellent heat resistance and a long life and efficiently emits bluish to yellowish light. The organic light emitting medium can be advantageously used for the organic electroluminescence device.
US07651784B2

The invention describes a sliding element, in particular a sliding bearing, with a support element and a sliding layer, between which a bearing metal layer is arranged, wherein the sliding layer is made from bismuth or a bismuth alloy, and wherein the crystallites of the bismuth or the bismuth alloy in the sliding layer adopt a preferred direction with respect to their orientation, expressed by the Miller index of the lattice plane (012), wherein the X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane (012) is the greatest compared to the X-ray diffraction intensities of other lattice planes. The X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane with the second-largest X-ray diffraction intensity is a maximum of 10% of the X-ray diffraction intensity of the lattice plane (012).
US07651773B2

The invention relates to a macroscopic assembly of nanometric filamentary structures. The macroscopic assembly comprises a plurality of microscopic assemblies substantially aligned in a same direction and connected together. Each of the microscopic assemblies comprises a plurality of members defining a plurality of spaces therebetween. Each of the members comprises a nanometric filamentary structure or a bundle of nanometric filamentary structures, wherein the macroscopic assembly has a density of less than 8 mg/cm3. The is also provided a method for preparing such a macroscopic assembly.
US07651769B2

This invention provides novel nanofibers and nanofiber structures which posses adherent properties, as well as the use of such nanofibers and nanofiber comprising structures in the coupling and/or joining together of articles or material.
US07651768B2

A string for use in a string ribbon crystal has a base portion with a refractory material, and an externally exposed layer radially outward of the refractory material. The base portion has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is generally matched with the coefficient of thermal expansion for silicon. The externally exposed layer has a contact angle with silicon of between about 15 and 120 degrees.
US07651764B2

A release layer paste used for producing a multilayer type electronic device and forming a release layer of a thickness of 0.05 to 0.1 μm, used in combination with an electrode layer paste including one or more solvents selected from limonene, dihydroterpinyl methyl ether, α-terpinyl acetate, terpinyl methyl ether, isobornyl acetate, caryophyllene, 1-dihydrocarvyl acetate, menthone, menthyl acetate, perillyl acetate, carvyl acetate, d-dihydrocarvyl acetate, and butyl carbitol acetate and a binder comprised of ethyl cellulose, including a ceramic powder, organic vehicle, plasticizer, and dispersion agent, the organic vehicle containing a binder having polyvinyl acetal as its main ingredient, a ratio (P/B) of the ceramic powder with respect to the binder and plasticizer being controlled to 1.33 to 5.56 (however, excluding 5.56).
US07651757B2

The invention is directed to a floor underlayment material comprising a film sheet having an inner surface attached to a foam sheet and an outer surface including a plurality of recesses formed therein. The plurality of recesses define one or more fluid pathways through which a fluid may migrate across the outer surface of the film layer. The underlayment material may be used in a flooring system to help prevent or limit the accumulation of a fluid between the floor and the subfloor. In one embodiment, the underlayment material may be disposed between a subfloor and floor with the outer surface of the film layer being disposed adjacent to the underside of the floor. The one or more fluid pathways provide channels through which a fluid such as moisture vapor may escape from within a flooring system and thereby reduce the accumulation of moisture in the flooring system.
US07651755B2

A honeycomb structure is formed by adhering a plurality of honeycomb units provided with cells to each other through a layer of a seal material layer, in which the layer of the seal material comprises an inorganic binder and oxide particles having a particle size of about 0.01 to about 100 μm.
US07651754B2

A honeycomb structure is disclosed in which plural honeycomb units are adhered through the intermediary of an adhesive layer and in the honeycomb unit plural cells are juxtaposed to each other in the longitudinal direction thereof through the intermediary of a cell wall, characterized in that a ratio of a specific surface area of the honeycomb unit to that of the adhesive layer is approximately 1.0 or greater.
US07651752B2

Disclosed herein is a super resolution optical disc. The super resolution optical disc comprises dielectric layers, and a mask layer formed between the dielectric layers, in which the mask layer is constructed as a complex mask layer comprising a metallic oxide (MOx) or metallic nitride (MNy), and a metallic thin film formed thereon. A size of the cavities and an amount of metallic particles in cavities created by illumination of recording laser can be controlled to increase a level of a reproduction signal for recording marks and to enhance the quality of the reproduction signal.
US07651751B2

A building board for use as a ceiling or wall element in house building is characterized by a plurality of OSBs which are disposed side by side and are bonded together in multiple layers.
US07651748B2

An inkjet coating composition for coating a substrate to absorb ink from an inkjet printer comprises a combination of (a) polydiallyldimethyl ammonium chloride (pDADMAC), (b) a crosslinkable cationic polymer, (c) colloidal silica, (d) silica gel, (e) a binder, preferably vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymer, and (f) water.
US07651745B2

The display device of the invention includes: a first plastic substrate including a composite layer having a resin-impregnated fiber fabric, an inorganic barrier layer 25 formed on the composite layer, and a planarizing resin layer formed on the inorganic barrier layer; and a display medium layer formed on the planarizing resin layer-side of the first plastic substrate.
US07651739B2

A surface treatment method of an FRP substrate is provided. According to the method, an FRP substrate that is less deformed than a conventional flexible substrate material is used, and surface roughness, which is a drawback of the FRP substrate, is improved so that it may be applied to the fabrication of a device. In order to reduce the surface roughness of an FRP substrate, the FRP substrate is coated with an organic insulating solution and thereby planarized. Due to the reduced deformation and superior flatness, failures occurring due to misalignment in a photolithography process may be prevented.
US07651720B2

The invention provides dairy products containing fish-oil-originated EPA and/or DHA and having oxidation and emulsification stability. In particular, acidified milk containing EPA and/or DHA is provided which has oxidation and emulsification stability. The acidified milk is milk acidified by addition of an acid, fermented milk, or acidified milk containing any of the milk acidified by addition of an acid and the fermented milk. The acidified milk contains EPA and/or DHA as a fish oil, preferably a purified fish oil or a fish oil containing EPA and/or DHA in adjusted amount. The acidified milk is produced through an emulsification process. Preferably, the emulsification is performed after a fermentation process of the acidified milk process through a two-stage emulsification process. A food product containing the acidified milk of the invention is also provided.
US07651715B2

Methods for preparing cheese blends of analog cheese and soft or firm/semi-hard, ripened or unripened, cheese are provided. The methods generally involve combining a slurry that contains the basic ingredients for an analog cheese and optionally one or more other ingredients with a mass of heated soft or firm/semi-hard cheese. Slurries that are used in the methods and cheeses produced by the methods are also provided.
US07651713B2

A method for processing a high-lactose aqueous fluid (HLAF), such as permeate from ultrafiltration of whey fluid, is described. The process includes spraying a partially crystallized high-lactose aqueous fluid upward into an air-lift dryer having diverging sidewalls.
US07651708B2

The present invention relates to a method of producing an animal food product with a core and a shell at least partially covering the core, in which the core starting material includes meat and/or meat-like components, water, oil and/or fat, vitamins, minerals, salts, antioxidising agents, dyes and/or preservatives, vegetable fibres, and other ingredients. The shell starting material includes vegetable and/or animal protein, cereal, starch and/or dextrin, blood plasma, water, cereal derivative and/or sugar or sugar derivative, and vitamins, minerals, salts, antioxidising agents, dyes and/or preservatives. The method includes the steps of: either producing core particles by mixing the core materials, baking the mixture thus obtained, conditioning, cutting into small pieces and conditioning again, or producing core particles by mixing the core materials, cold forming the mixture thus obtained and cutting it into small pieces, and then mixing the core particles with the components of the shell in a coating pan, baking or deep-frying and finally conditioning.
US07651692B2

A cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical composition containing an extract from a pericarp of a Litchi chinensis Sonn. plant, and wherein the composition is used to protect human skin and/or hair from environmental influences and ageing.
US07651688B2

The invention relates to a method for controlling the activity of an immunologically functional molecule, such as an antibody, a protein, a peptide or the like, an agent of promoting the activity of an immunologically functional molecule, and an immunologically functional molecule having the promoted activity.
US07651677B1

The present invention is directed to a method of preparing a synthetic crystalline material having an SSZ-74 crystal structure in the absence of a source of fluoride ions.
US07651670B2

A Taylor reactor (1) according to FIG. 1, comprising 1. an annular reaction volume (2) which widens in the flow direction and is defined by an outer reactor wall (3), a rotor (4) which is mounted rotatably at the end (4.1) in the reactor floor (5) and at its other end (4.2) is unmounted, and a reactor floor (5) having a seal (6) for the drive shaft (7), 2. an inlet region (8) above the reactor floor (5), having at least one side feed (8.1) and/or at least one feed (8.1) through the reactor floor (5) for the reactants and/or the process media, 3. an outlet region (9) which is disposed above the annular reaction volume (2), widens further beyond the annular reaction volume (2) in the flow direction, and subsequently tapers toward a product offtake (10), 4. a product offtake (10) which at its greatest diameter opens toward the outlet region (9) and tapers in the other direction, and 5. a pressure maintenance valve (11); and its use for continuous bulk polymerization.
US07651667B2

Hydrogen peroxide is vaporized (20) and mixed (30) with ammonia gas in a ratio between 1:1 and 1:0.0001. The peroxide and ammonia vapor mixture are conveyed to a treatment area (10) to neutralize V-type, H-type, or G-type chemical agents, pathogens, biotoxins, spores, prions, and the like. The ammonia provides the primary deactivating agent for G-type agents with the peroxide acting as an accelerator. The peroxide acts as the primary agent for deactivating V-type and H-type agents, pathogens, biotoxins, spores, and prions. The ammonia acts as an accelerator in at least some of these peroxide deactivation reactions.
US07651666B2

Disclosed are devices for dispensing air treatment chemicals, and refill units for use therewith. Some of these devices have a well facing the heater and a transparent wall to view the use up of the air treatment chemical. Other of these devices have a refill with wells positioned in opposing directions.
US07651663B2

An appliance using water including an incoming water valve is provided. The appliance includes a sensor disposed in-line to an incoming flow of water received from the incoming water valve and is configured to sense a degree of hardness in the incoming flow of water. The sensor includes a sensing element disposed on a substrate. The sensing element includes a sensing matrix, an indicator for one or more chemical species in flow of water, and a selectivity component that reacts reversibly with one or more chemical species in the water. The sensor also includes a light source configured to direct light through the substrate and the sensing matrix. The sensor further includes a light detector configured to receive transmitted light from the substrate and the sensing matrix and to generate a signal representative of selective wavelengths of the light indicative of one or more chemical species in flow of water.
US07651661B2

The present invention provides novel broad spectrum antiseptic compounds that further have properties that allow them to be coated/impregnated into polymer surfaces. Methods for coating these antiseptic compounds onto medical devices especially indwelling medical devices to prevent the growth of pathogens in such devices and hence, to prevent infection to patients via such devices are provided. The invention also provides antiseptics that are useful as general surface disinfectants and sterilizers, fluid disinfectants and biocide preservatives.
US07651658B2

A process to chemically refine and consolidate tantalum, niobium and their alloys to a fabricated product of net shape or near-net shape with higher throughput, more consistency, and lower manufacturing costs compared to prior art routes or rejuvenate damaged and deteriorated refractory metal parts. Powder metal is loaded into hoppers to be fed into laser forming/melting equipment. A suitable substrate is loaded into a laser forming/melting chamber onto which the powder will be deposited and consolidated in a point-scan process. As the powder is fed onto successive points of the surface of the substrate in linear traces, the laser is used to heat and partially melt the substrate and completely melt the powder. A combined deposition and melt beam traces the substrate surface repeatedly over a selected area to build up a dense coating of controlled microstructure in multiple layers. A fully dense deposit is built up that becomes the desired shape.
US07651649B2

A method of manufacturing a patient aid device, such as a walker (W), includes the steps of molding a polymer or plastic connector (60) over first and second metal structural members (22, CB) to maintain the structural members in a first geometrical relationship. After the plastic has cured, the method includes the step of rotating the first structural member or front leg (22) relative to the plastic connector (60) to form an integral hinge without any seam in the plastic. The resultant walker includes front legs (22) hinged via the connectors (60) at opposite ends of the front cross brace (CB). The front leg (22) and rear leg (24) of each side frame (SF1, SF2) of the walker are interconnected by a lower cross brace (40) that has plastic preferably molded about the entire periphery of each leg.
US07651647B1

A method for producing battery cathodes comprises mixing a cathode active material and a conductive polymer such as polyaniline or poly(ethylenedioxythiophene). The conductive polymers are used in lieu of or in addition to conventional conductive additives and binder materials and significantly reduces or even eliminates the need for such conductive additives or binder materials. The resulting cathodes have a greater weight percentage of the active material and a larger volumetric energy density.
US07651645B2

A continuous forming apparatus for molding foam material into foam products that includes a first endless belt and a second endless belt that cooperates with the first endless belt to mold the foam material. The continuous forming apparatus may also include a first plurality of cleats and a second plurality of cleats opposed to the first plurality of cleats that support the first endless belt and the second endless belt respectively. The first plurality of cleats may include a three-dimensional abutment surface that provides transverse and lateral support to the first endless belt. Additionally, the continuous forming apparatus may include a first frame disposed to support the first plurality of cleats, a second frame disposed to support the second plurality of cleats, and a drive mechanism for imparting motion to the first endless belt, the second endless belt, the first plurality of cleats, and the second plurality of cleats.
US07651644B2

Method and apparatus for controlling the delivery of polymer material in a sequential injection molding process. In one embodiment, the method provides: delivering a first shot of a first material simultaneously to a plurality of mold cavities; independently sensing for each cavity a property that is indicative of a volume or flow of material that is delivered to the corresponding cavity during the step of delivering the first shot; independently stopping the step of delivering the first shot to one or more cavities according to a program that uses as a variable a signal indicative of the property sensed for the corresponding cavity during delivery of the first shot; and delivering a second shot of a second material simultaneously to the cavities subsequent to the step of stopping the step of delivering the first shot.
US07651643B2

A polarizer of the invention comprises a polyvinyl alcohol-based film which is at least dyed with at least iodine and uniaxially stretched, having a single transmittance of 43% or more, a polarizing efficiency of 99.9% or more, and a dichroic ratio of 30 or more, wherein the dichroic ratio is calculated from a parallel transmittance (Tp) and a crossed transmittance (Tc) at a wavelength of 440 nm, and have good hue.
US07651640B2

A gallium containing zinc oxide with an improved heat ray shielding function while keeping high transparency to visible light rays is provided. A gallium containing zinc oxide, which has a heat ray shielding function, a gallium content in the range of 0.25 to 25 % by weight, and a carrier electron density ne of 2×1020/ cm3 or higher.
US07651637B2

The present invention provides: a dopant solution for an electroconductive polymer characterized in that it comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of alkylamine salts and imidazole salts of benzene skeleton sulfonic acids and naphthalene skeleton sulfonic acids, having at least one OH group and at least one sulfonate group, at a concentration of 40 mass % or more; an oxidant and dopant solution for an electroconductive polymer including a mixture of the organic salt of the dopant as mentioned above, and a persulfate organic salt as an oxidant; an electroconductive composition including an electroconductive polymer prepared by using the oxidant and dopant solution as mentioned above; and solid electrolytic capacitor using the electroconductive composition as a solid electrolyte. The electroconductive composition has an improved electric conductivity, and the solid electrolytic capacitor has an improved reliability for a long time.
US07651636B2

The invention relates to a nonlinear electrical material with improved microvaristor filler (1′), to devices and electrical apparatuses comprising such nonlinear electrical material and to a production method thereof. According to invention, the filler (1′) comprises larger spherical particles (5) and smaller irregular particles (6) that are arranged interstitially and provide non-point-like and/or multiple contact areas (56, 56a, 56b, 66) owing to their irregular outer shape comprising edges and faces. Embodiments, among other things, relate to: spherical particles (5) being calcinated and broken-up to retain their original shape; irregular, spikly shaped, particles (6) obtained by calcinating or sintering and crushing or fracturing granules or blocks; and addition of a third filler fraction. Advantages, among others, are: higher filler contents, more and more durable inter-particle contacts (56, 56a, 56b, 66), enlarged effective micro-contact area, and improved electrical performance of the nonlinear electrical material.
US07651635B1

The invention provides a composition of matter and a method of its use in preventing unwanted polymerization reactions. The composition comprises an inhibitor and a retarder. The inhibitor is highly effective. The retarder is reliable under extreme and emergency situations. The inhibitor can be an alkylhydroxylamine. The retarder can be a 7-cyano-quinone methide. The combination of the inhibitor and retarder has been found to be far more effective than expected.
US07651629B2

The present invention is intended to provide a liquid crystal display device excellent in moving picture characteristics in view of the temperature dependence of the viscosity of a liquid crystal composition. In the present invention, one or more compounds having the following structure are used in the liquid crystal composition in the liquid crystal display device having a predetermined structure (in the following formula, each of X1 and X2 is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkenyloxy group, a substituent formed by fluorination of any of these groups, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group or an isothiocyano group; Ps are independently a fluorine atom, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; A and B are independently —CF2O—, —CH2CH2—, —CH2O— or —CF2—CH2— which have a structure comprising single bonds; each of Z1, Z2 and Z3 is a molecular group comprising a 6-membered ring and selected from a benzene ring, a cyclohexane ring, a fluorinated benzene ring and a fluorinated cyclohexane ring; each of m and o is 0 or 1; and n is 1 or 2):
US07651628B2

A compression molded product of effervescent chlorinated isocyanuric acid, comprising (a) chlorinated isocyanuric acid, (b) organic acid, (c) carbonate salt and (d) sodium sulfate.
US07651626B2

There is provided Y-type hexagonal ferrite having a high density of sintered body and a low level of loss and an antenna.The hexagonal ferrite having Y-type ferrite as the main phase is characterized in that main components of the hexagonal ferrite are M1O (M1 stands for at least one of Ba and Sr), M2O (M2 stands for at least one of Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mn) and Fe2O3, and the loss factor and the density of sintered body are 0.15 or lower and 4.6×103 kg/m3 or higher, respectively. The hexagonal ferrite is used to configure an antenna and a communication apparatus.
US07651625B2

A catalyst-aided chemical processing method can process hard-to-process materials, especially SiC, GaN, etc. whose importance as electronic device materials is increasing these days, with high processing efficiency and high precision even for a space wavelength range of not less than several tens of μm. The catalyst-aided chemical processing method comprises: putting a workpiece in a processing liquid in which halogen-containing molecules are dissolved; and moving the workpiece and a catalyst composed of molybdenum or a molybdenum compound relative to each other while keeping the catalyst in contact with or close proximity to a surface to be processed of the workpiece, thereby processing the surface of the workpiece.
US07651620B2

The inventive nozzle comprises a first releasing stage (1) for producing a pre-release by absorbing from 5 to 20% of available pressure, a second releasing stage (2) wherein a substantial release is carried out and the pressurised water passes from a saturation pressure to an output nozzle pressure, an intermediate chamber (3) in the form of a transition chamber in which the pressurised water approaches the saturation pressure by absorbing from 5 to 30% of the available pressure and an outlet tube (3) consisting of a sudden release and cavitation confinement tube whose minimum length (1) substantially corresponds to a distance separating the end of said tube on the second release stage side from a readhesion point of jets to the tube wall at the angle of divergence (alpha) thereof ranging from 3 to 12 DEG before readhesion.
US07651619B2

A method and an apparatus for separating dry matter from liquid includes an enclosed separation environment capable of being pressure regulated. Within the enclosed separation environment, a suspension is brought into contact with at least one filter so as to accumulate dry matter on the at least one filter. The filter with the dry matter passes through at least one set of rollers such that liquid is removed from the dry matter on the at least one filter to form a substantially dry filter cake. Thereafter, the substantially dry filter cake is removed from the at least one filter. The above steps are performed in the enclosed separation environment either under vacuum or overpressure. The invention may be used in various fields such as the food industry.
US07651618B2

A method and apparatus for treating an effluent containing radioactive materials: wherein an oxidizing agent is added to an effluent containing radioactive materials, and the effluent including the oxidizing agent is filtered with a filtration film to obtain filtrated water; and the filtrated water is filtered through activated carbon; and the filtered water filtered by the activated carbon is filtered through at least one of an ion-exchanger and reverse osmosis membrane.
US07651613B2

The invention relates to an aircraft filter device comprising a hydraulic block adapted to receive removably a filter (2) comprising a vessel (3) receiving a cartridge (4), wherein the vessel is fitted internally with a pin (6) of elastically deformable material comprising firstly a key (8) that extends towards the opening of the vessel and that includes a curved end (9) that projects beyond an edge of the vessel, and secondly a finger (10) that extends towards the bottom of the vessel, and that is oriented towards the center thereof, so that when a cartridge is put into place in the vessel, the finger is pushed back by the cartridge and forces the key to retract so that its curved end no longer projects radially from the vessel, the cartridge being fitted with an external obstacle (14) that co-operates with one end of the finger in order to prevent the cartridge being withdrawn from the vessel.
US07651611B2

A method for treating contaminates includes emitting plural streams of a fluid into a soil formation with the streams having different radii of influences in different directions. A direction microporous diffuser includes a holder member having plural compartments and plural hollow, elongated members having porous sidewalls, the plural hollow, elongated members supported in the plural compartments of the holder member with each hollow, elongated member including a an inlet port at a first end of the elongated member and second end of the elongated member being sealed.
US07651601B2

A heat spreader (10) and a method for manufacturing the heat spreader are disclosed. The heat spreader includes a metal casing (12) and a wick structure (16) lines an inner surface of the metal casing. The metal casing defines therein a chamber (14) and includes an evaporating section (126) and a condensing section (127). The wick structure is in the form of metal foam and occupies a portion of the chamber. In one embodiment, the wick structure has a pore size gradually increasing from the evaporating section towards the condensing section of the metal casing. The heat spreader is manufactured by electrodepositing a layer of metal coating (70) on an outer surface of a metal foam framework (20). The metal coating becomes the metal casing and the metal foam framework becomes the wick structure.
US07651595B2

The present invention relates to a test tool (X1) attached to an analyzing device (1) for analyzing a sample. The test tool (X1) includes a pinching portion (6) for attachment to the analyzing device (1) or removal from the analyzing device (1). The pinching portion (6) may include recesses or projections.
US07651587B2

A substrate processing system has a housing that defines a process chamber, a gas-delivery system, a high-density plasma generating system, a substrate holder, and a controller. The housing includes a sidewall and a dome positioned above the sidewall. The dome has physically separated and noncontiguous pieces. The gas-delivery system introduces e a gas into the process chamber through side nozzles positioned between two of the physically separated and noncontiguous pieces of the dome. The high-density plasma generating system is operatively coupled with the process chamber. The substrate holder is disposed within the process chamber and supports a substrate during substrate processing. The controller controls the gas-delivery system and the high-density plasma generating system.
US07651582B2

A bioadhesive composition for bonding together adjacent surfaces of wood comprises a microbially-produced fermentation residue containing adherent microbial cells and glycocalyx. This residue finds particular application as a replacement for a significant amount of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) or other conventional adhesive component commonly used in the production of plywood and other wood products.
US07651572B2

A method for executing a washing program in a dishwasher includes a spray system for spraying a washing liquid within a dishwasher onto crockery that has been disposed in the dishwasher as a washing program is executed. Before such spraying of the washing liquid, the washing liquid is heated to a predetermined temperature in a flow section that is separate from the spray system to an extent such that the washing liquid does not substantially impinge on crockery in the dishwasher as it is being heated in the flow section, whereupon the washing liquid is heated without substantially wetting crockery in the dishwasher. After the washing liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature, the washing liquid is sprayed onto crockery, whereupon crockery in the dishwasher that essentially has not been heated is heated by the washing liquid.
US07651567B2

A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes: disposing a mask over the amorphous silicon layer, the mask having a plurality of transmissive regions, the plurality of transmissive regions being disposed in a stairstep arrangement spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular from the first direction, each transmissive region having a central portion and first and second side portions that are adjacent to opposite ends of the central portion along the first direction, and wherein each of the portions has a length along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and wherein the width of first and second portions decreases away from the central portion along the first direction; irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a first time through the mask to form a plurality of first irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions, each first irradiated region having a central portion, and first and second side portions at both sides of the central portion; moving the substrate and the mask relative to one another such that the first side portion of each transmissive region overlaps the central portion of each first irradiated region; and irradiating the laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a second time through the mask to form a plurality of second irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions.
US07651563B2

A building product incorporating synthetic microspheres having a low alkali metal oxide content is provided. The synthetic microspheres are substantially chemically inert and thus a suitable replacement for cenospheres derived from coal combustion, particularly in caustic environments such as cementitious mixtures. The building product can have a cementitious matrix such as a fiber cement product. The synthetic microspheres can be incorporated as a low density additive and/or a filler for the building product and/or the like.
US07651545B2

The process for agglomerating and passivating the pulverulent used material and/or the pulverulent fines resulting from the production of organohalosilanes, comprises the mixing of this used material and/or fines with a binder chosen from aluminum silicates and the production of a solid agglomerated product by compression in a press, such as a roll type briquette machine. The invention also relates to the agglomerated product thus obtained and to its use in the recovery of certain metals, such as silicon and copper.
US07651544B1

A vacuum cleaner comprises a cyclonic separator having a first cyclone and a plurality of downstream secondary cyclones. The first cyclone comprises a side wall defining a first cyclonic chamber, and the secondary cyclones each comprise a side wall defining a second cyclonic chamber. A dirt cup assembly is mounted below the cyclonic separator to collect contaminants separated in the first and second cyclonic chambers. The secondary cyclones can be arranged around the first cyclone side wall and form a gap between adjacent secondary cyclones so that the first cyclone side wall is exposed at the gap. A working air conduit can extend through the first cyclone and the dirt cup assembly to couple the secondary cyclones to a suction source located below the dirt cup assembly. Furthermore, the secondary cyclones can have a vortex stabilizer.
US07651542B2

An apparatus is disclosed to generate hydrogen. A liquid permeable material with one or more cavities contains a solid anhydrous chemical hydride and an anhydrous activating agent. A housing that is heat and pressure resistant houses the liquid permeable material, and a liquid. One or more liquid sources inject the liquid into the housing such that the liquid contacts at least a portion of the liquid permeable material. A gas outlet port releases hydrogen gas produced by a reaction comprising the solid anhydrous chemical hydride, the anhydrous activating agent, and the liquid. A hydrogen output regulator controls the amount of hydrogen gas that the gas outlet port releases.
US07651541B2

The present invention relates to a chemical change reagent which is used as an additive to coal to enhance the complete combustion of the coal after turning it into a synthetic fuel. The composition is a chemical change agent in that it converts the coal/composition mix into a different material which, when burned, results in lower NOx emissions. The composition includes a wax, a base for ph adjustment and water and is mixed with the coal prior to combustion.
US07651540B2

A method of producing a multicolored textured carpet comprises blending a polyamide polymer and a color pigment to form a melt blend, extrusion spinning the melt blend to form pigmented polyamide yarns, tufting (1) the pigmented polyamide yarns and (2) white dyeable polyamide yarns into a carpet, and overdyeing the carpet with an amount of acid dye sufficient to produce the multicolored textured carpet. The color pigment and the acid dye are selected to provide desired multicolored effect in the carpet. The multicolored textured carpet having deeper color and dye light fastness is also disclosed.
US07651536B2

Disclosed herein is a composition for dyeing keratin fibers, comprising at least one first oxidation base chosen from 2,3-diamino-6,7-dihydro-1H,5H-pyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazol-1-one and the addition salts thereof, at least one second coupler chosen from para-phenylenediamine, para-tolylenediamine, and the addition salts thereof, and at least one coupler chosen from substituted meta-aminophenols, wherein the first coupler/first oxidation base mole ratio is greater than 1, the first oxidation base/second oxidation base mole ratio ranges from 0.5 to 1.5, and the molar amount of the first oxidation base is greater than or equal to 2.5×10−3 mol per 100 g of composition. Also disclosed herein is a dyeing process comprising applying such a composition to the keratin fibers. The compositions of the present disclosure may make it possible to obtain a strong, aesthetic, sparingly selective, and/or fast coloration of keratin fibers in visible deep red shades. The composition may also allow a strong coloration to be obtained at neutral pH.
US07651535B2

The subject of the present invention is the use, for dyeing in particular human keratin materials, of a specific direct anthraquinone dye by dry thermal transfer.Its subject is furthermore a method for dyeing keratin materials, in which at least one direct anthraquinone dye contained in a dry composition is applied to or close to the keratin materials, and a source of heat is applied, causing the thermal transfer of the direct dye(s) at the surface and/or inside the keratin materials.It relates furthermore to the dry composition and a method for preparing it.
US07651531B2

Conventionally skins/hides are tanned with metal-ions and vegetable tannins. Environmental constraints on the discharge of toxic metal-ions and poor biodegradable vegetable tannins in the wastewater have become a serious issue. In this invention, the pelts are tanned using eco-benign bio-molecules other than vegetable tannins to reduce the pollution loads. Performance of the leathers is on par with conventionally processed leathers.
US07651525B2

Intraluminal stent assemblies and methods of deploying the same. The assemblies include a catheter including at least one lumen formed therein. At least one inflatable member is disposed on the catheter and in communication with the lumen. The inflatable member includes at least one distal projection and/or at least one retention material. A stent is expandable from a compressed configuration to an expanded configuration. The stent is disposed on the inflatable member in the compressed configuration. A sheath is slidably positioned over the stent wherein the stent expands to the expanded configuration upon retraction of the sheath. The inflatable member is inflated with a fluid flowing through the lumen. The at least one distal projection and/or at least one retention material retain the stent in position on the inflatable member while the stent is being deployed.
US07651523B2

An intraluminal device is provided with a structural member having an abluminal surface to engage a vessel wall and a luminal surface. The structural member is formed with regions having different thicknesses between the abluminal surface and luminal surface. The intraluminal device may be useful where improved axial flexibility is desired.
US07651515B2

An implant for the correction and stabilization of the spinal column, comprising pedicle screws that can be screwed into the vertebrae of a spine, and of at least one connection element that connects the pedicle screws at the screw heads. This connection element is formed by a spiral whose spiral windings are arranged offset in the axial direction, following a screw line.
US07651512B2

A lancer device that enables a user to draw blood from a patient and discard the used lancet without touching it. The device also has an adjustable tip for selecting the depth of stylet penetration into the patient and a triggering mechanism that utilizes a yoke latch and a leaf spring to discharge the lancet. The lancer also has a dampening feature to reduce vibrations when the lancet is moving.
US07651508B2

The DiamAbrasion System is a system for removing portions of the outer layers of skin comprising a source of vacuum; abrasive tipped tools; a tube with an internal lumen connecting the vacuum source and the center of the abrasive tipped tools whereby the vacuum functions to clean the skin of exfoliated cells and collect them for disposal to an inline filter. The inventive difference between the DiamAbrasion System and the prior art is in the design of the pick-up-treatment head of the apparatus. The prior art utilizes the low pressure section of the tip to suck the skin against the abrasive surface and to evacuate the abraded cells. The DiamAbrasion System has vent grooves across the abrasive surface of the distal ends of the tool tips to keep the vacuum from pulling the skin into the head. This is particularly important as many of the users of this device are elderly and their skin is not resilient and tends to bunch up in front of the tip. The clean and dispose function is also greatly enhanced as the vent grooves allow a constant flow of air up the lumen to rapidly carry away the dislodged cells.
US07651506B2

Devices, methods and systems for frameless guidance of image-based medical procedures such as stereotactic radiotherapy and surgery. Devices including custom fitting subject-specific articles include contoured surfaces that provide spatial reference to the location of target regions within the subject. The devices are attached exclusive of fasteners anchored to the tissue of the subject and reside on the front of a head of the subject when attached. The devices and articles can be fabricated using computer-directed fabrication technology.
US07651497B2

The present invention is directed to (1) a plating system having multiple and single locking mechanisms for general skeletal use other than in the anterior cervical spine; (2) an orthopedic plating system that permits a pair of bone screws to be inserted into a bone in a crossed over orientation and locked to the plate; (3) a segmentable plating system which can be made to a selected length by the surgeon; and (4) a combination screw-lock-plating system for allowing and/or causing intersegmental compression of bone portions.
US07651494B2

The invention provides a medical device that includes a housing, a tubular member extending from the distal end of the housing, a first arm extending from the distal end of the tubular member, the first arm including a first electrode, a second arm extending from the distal end of the tubular member, the second arm including a second electrode and being disposed coaxially with the first arm, at least one solution infusion opening on each electrode, and a solution delivery channel for delivery of a conductive solution to the solution infusion openings. According to the invention, at least one of the first arm or the second arm is translationally moveable, and at least one of the first arm or the second arm is adapted to be coupled to a source of radiofrequency energy. The invention also provides a corresponding method for treating blood vessels or other tissues of the body.
US07651488B2

A device and method for treatment of intracranial vasospasm is provided. The device is a microcatheter having a steeply tapered end and is thicker walled, and in a preferred embodiment is braided to provide greater pushability. In order to achieve a thicker walled catheter, in one embodiment, the inner lumen diameter can be reduced, leaving the outer diameter the same while in another embodiment the catheter is larger in outer diameter. In one embodiment, the microcatheter is coated with performance enhancing lubricant, such as a hydrophilic coating. Further, the microcatheter can also be coated with drugs and serve as a drug delivery device, drugs being embedded into vessel intima. In the use of the method of treatment, the device is fed into the smaller arterial vessels in the brain simultaneously dilating arteries of various caliber along the path of the catheter to relieve vasospasm; pharmacological agents can then be delivered by the microcatheter to further effect treatment.
US07651471B2

An encapsulated medical device is passed through the lumen of a body cavity in order to examine, cure, or treat an internal region of the body cavity under the control of the extracorporeal device. A capsule body has a linkage hole bored in the extended portion thereof so that when the capsule body comes into close contact with the internal surface of a body cavity to block the lumen thereof, the linkage hole will realize a fluid passage which allows a fluid such as a gas or humor to flow into the forward and backward parts of the lumen.
US07651469B2

A wire guide includes a mandrel that has a proximal portion and a distal portion. A coating having a low coefficient of friction is disposed on at least part of the proximal portion and the distal portion of the mandrel, where a part of the proximal portion and distal portion of the mandrel without the coating indicates a marking on the wire guide. This marking on the wire guide allows a user to determine a trimmable length of a catheter, and the low friction coating enables the user to easily advance the catheter over the wire guide.
US07651468B2

A urological instrument (1) for assessing a urine flow, includes a receiving member (5) for the urine flow which, at least during operation, is in open liquid communication with a urine guide (6). The urine guide (6) leads to an inlet of flow indicator element (7) for assessing at least a magnitude of the urine flow. The receiving member (5) has a first, relatively compact storage state and a second, expanded ready-to-use state and is designed and adapted to allow it to be brought manually from the storage state to the ready-to-use state. At least in the ready-to-use state the receiving member comprises a cavity open on at least one side for receiving the urine flow therein.
US07651467B2

The invention provides devices and methods for use in removing tissue samples from within a patient's body. The devices include instruments having shafts for cutting a path to a tissue mass, and an inflatable balloon or balloons attached to the shaft effective to dilate the path upon inflation in order to aid in the removal of tissue masses from within the body of a patient. The devices also include instruments having dilation plates that may be inserted into a path leading to a tissue mass to be removed, and the plates separated effective to dilate the path to aid in the removal of tissue masses. Methods include inserting a device into a path leading to a tissue mass, and inflating a balloon or separating plates, thereby widening the path, and removing the tissue mass. Such devices and methods find use, for example, in biopsy and in lumpectomy procedures.
US07651461B2

A jacket of biological compatible material has an internal volume dimensioned for an apex of the heart to be inserted into the volume and for the jacket to be slipped over the heart. The jacket has a longitudinal dimension between upper and lower ends sufficient for the jacket to surround a lower portion of the heart with the jacket surrounding a valvular annulus of the heart and further surrounding the lower portion to cover at least the ventricular lower extremities of the heart. The jacket is adapted to be secured to the heart with the jacket surrounding at least the valvular annulus and the ventricular lower extremities. The jacket is adjustable on the heart to snugly conform to an external geometry of the heart and assume a maximum adjusted volume for the jacket to constrain circumferential expansion of the heart beyond the maximum adjusted volume during diastole and to permit unimpeded contraction of the heart during systole.
US07651460B2

A totally implantable hearing system having a sound processing device, a coil assembly, and a magnet assembly. The magnet assembly is implanted in the middle ear of a user and is in contact with at least a portion of an ossicle of the middle ear. The sound processing device receives and converts sound into an electrical signal. The coil assembly is preferably implanted within the bony canal wall adjacent the outer ear canal of the user such that at least a portion of the coil assembly extends into the middle ear space of the user.
US07651457B2

A flexible processing and/or expressor chamber for a biological cell processing apparatus is provided which may include a first side and a second side and having a expandable wall, wherein a first end of the expandable wall is attached to a circumference of the first side of the flexible chamber and a second end of the expandable wall is attached to a circumference of the second side of the flexible chamber. Either or both sides of the chamber may include an axial opening.
US07651455B2

Dunnage making machine and method in which a web of paper is drawn across a forming bar with curved end sections to roll the edge portions of the paper, then drawn through a first throat section to urge the rolled edge portions toward each other and cause them to gather, and thereafter through a second throat section of lesser dimension than the first to gather the central portion of the paper and further gather the edge portions. The gathered paper is then pressed with a roller to crumple it, following which the crumpled paper is perforated along a serrated tear line.
US07651451B2

There is provided by this invention a portable, elastic, and resilient exercising sleeve that can be placed around the torso and the extremities of the body for performing muscle strengthening and conditioning exercises that is generally comprised of a large elastic oblong center section having connected at opposite ends thereof a plurality of smaller elastic positioning sections with the large oblong center section and the smaller positioning sections co-joined to form a one piece multiple muscle exercise device. The exercising sleeve is disposed to receive the extremities of the human body for stretching and strengthening the muscles.
US07651450B2

A resistance training apparatus and method for providing a plurality of training vectors having points of origin variable by direction and elevation to a trainee. The apparatus may accommodate a plurality of trainees and provide multiple training vectors to each trainee. The apparatus provides the training vectors by attaching tethers such as elastic cords to harnesses worn around body portions of an athlete in a configuration that allows the athlete to perform a sports-specific or therapeutic movement at an optimum speed. In one embodiment the apparatus includes a base forming the training area and a pair of tower assemblies, each providing elastic cords for attachment to the harnesses worn by the athlete. In another embodiment the apparatus provides at least sixteen training vectors to a trainee. In yet another embodiment the apparatus provides training vectors to patients or trainees who cannot fully support their own body weight. Each of the elastic cords providing the training vectors are independently adjustable such that balanced or unbalanced loading may be applied simultaneously to a trainee from multiple directions and multiple planes.
US07651440B2

An improved control for an automatically shiftable transmission upshift, wherein the engine output torque and on-coming clutch pressure are coordinated during the shift based on an inverse dynamic model of the transmission to achieve a desired output torque trajectory. At the initiation of an upshift, the engine torque is commanded to decrease in a ramp-like or sloping fashion to and engine output torque value calculated using the dynamic model. This ramp-like or sloping decrease provides smooth shifting, while reducing the likelihood of tie-up between on-coming and off-going clutches within the automatically shiftable transmission.
US07651437B2

A variable speed transmission having a plurality of tilting balls and opposing input and output discs is illustrated and described that provides an infinite number of speed combinations over its transmission ratio range. The use of a planetary gear set allows minimum speeds to be in reverse and the unique geometry of the transmission allows all of the power paths to be coaxial, thereby reducing overall size and complexity of the transmission in comparison to transmissions achieving similar transmission ratio ranges.
US07651435B2

Disclosed is an automatic of a vehicle comprising: a rotating shaft; a sun gear included at a circumference of the rotating shaft; a plurality of pinions engaged with the sun gear and rotated along an exterior circumference of the sun gear; a ring gear configured to be rotated as inscribed with an exterior circumference of the plurality of pinions; a case forming an exterior of the automatic transmission; and a supporting unit between the ring gear and an interior circumference of the case.
US07651434B2

The transmission has a plurality of members that can be utilized in powertrains to provide eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio. The transmission includes three planetary gear sets having six torque-transmitting mechanisms, two fixed interconnections and a grounded member. The powertrain includes an engine and torque converter that is selectively connected to at least one of the planetary gear members and an output member that is continuously connected with another one of the planetary gear members. The six torque-transmitting mechanisms provide interconnections between various gear members, the transmission housing and with the input member, and are operated in combinations of three to establish eight forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio.
US07651417B1

One embodiment of an adjustable pitching target includes a base which secures a central target stand which contains a plurality of target holders and flexible targets that create a frontal, visual, strike zone at which the pitcher throws the ball and which yields a physical, visual, reaction as the pitched ball encounters and passes through the visual strike zone's targets.
US07651416B2

An apparatus for mounting on a goal is provided for assisting in scoring and target practice. The apparatus is preferably formed of a laminate fabric that is capable of being printed or decorated on at least one side, and is provided with at least one target area that allows a projectile, such as a puck or ball, to pass through the apparatus and into a goal when the apparatus is mounted on a goal. A network of reinforcement means is fixed on a rear surface of the apparatus in a manner that frames each of the target areas. A plurality of tethering means with length adjustment means is provided, preferably extending from and integral some of the reinforcement means. The apparatus is provided with an attached jacket, such that the apparatus can be stowed by rolling it into a scroll-like form and wrapping it with the jacket.
US07651414B2

A hollow wood-type golf club head having an increased weight budget and improved mass characteristics at minimum structural mass is disclosed. The club head has a striking face portion, a sole portion, a skirt portion, and a crown portion having a total surface area. A hosel portion joins the club head for connecting a shaft to the club head. The crown portion has a major crown portion and a minor crown portion, the major portion having greater surface area than the minor portion, and the major portion being displaced vertically lower relative to the minor crown portion. The major crown portion may have a generally concave curvature and the minor crown portion may have a generally convex curvature such that the major crown portion is in effect inverted with respect to the minor crown portion. The major crown portion may be upwardly inclined from the heel to the toe of the head. The head may exhibit a parabolic top view silhouette.
US07651413B1

The present invention provides a golf club head of heterogeneous metals, which includes a main body having a front side forming a fitting cavity to which a striking face plate made of a metal having a specific weight less than nine is fit and a bottom side which is enclosed by a sole member made of a metal having a specific weight great than twelve to thereby lower the gravity center of the club head to ensure stability of ball striking and also reduce the area on which welding operation is carried out so as to effectively reduce the manufacturing costs.
US07651406B1

An active golf instruction system comprises a first main unit and a second main unit. The first main unit further comprises three lifting mechanisms and three sliding mechanisms each connected to one lifting mechanism. A top shaft and several positioning shafts are installed in the sliding mechanisms. The second main unit further comprises a rotating wheel and a fastening unit. The first main unit and the second main unit are arranged oppositely. A student stands in between the first main unit and the second main unit. A computer control the top shaft and the positioning shafts to contact the head, shoulders, waist and knees of the student according to the height, weight, etc., of the student. A golf club is placed on the fastening unit of the second main unit. The sliding mechanisms and rotating wheel respectively rotate by appropriate degrees to provide a proper golf swing lesson.
US07651403B2

A golf club selecting method includes measuring a behavior of a golf club during a golf swing performed with the golf club gripped and selecting a golf club in accordance with the golf swing. At first, a swing information for characterizing the behavior of the gold club during the golf swing performed with the golf club gripped is acquired. Then a golf club is selected in accordance with the golf swing based on the acquired swing information, wherein the acquired swing information contains a movement speed at each of a plurality of predetermined positions which are different from each other on a golf club shaft axis of the golf club, and the movement speed is a speed in an impact state immediately before a golf ball is hit with the golf club.
US07651401B2

The method of forming self-attaching female fasteners by rolling a continuous metal strip including a central pilot portion having parallel sides and flange portions on opposed sides, severing at least the pilot portion and cold forming the rectangular pilot portion into a cylindrical end portion. Wing-shaped radial portions are formed in the pilot portion which may be severed or remain for anti-rotation features. The strip may remain continuous, wherein the severed pilot portions are spread and the flange portions are thinned or the strip may be severed into discrete fasteners. The female fasteners thus include generally cylindrical pilot portions and rectangular flange portions which may include rolled grooves.
US07651397B2

To provide a game device capable of selecting game data to be played by a player when playing a game in a straightforward manner. One or a plurality of primary play candidate data names are selected from secondary play candidate data containing one or a plurality of items of game data and names for this game data. A primary play candidate data file configured so as to contain primary play candidate data name information necessary for displaying the selected primary play candidate name(s) is stored in a storage media. One or a plurality of primary play candidate data names is then displayed based on the stored primary play candidate data name information. One or a plurality of the displayed primary play candidate data names is selected as one or a plurality of play target data names. A game can then be controlled based on game data for the selected play target data name(s).
US07651395B2

The disclosure provides novel video game methods and systems for obtaining funding for developing game environments. Methods and systems include a variety of funding sources including taxes, fees, licenses, bond issuance, loans, investors, commercial paper, convertible debt, bills, notes, debt issuance, promissory notes, venture capital, the issuance of private shares, transforming the game environment into a public company through an initial public offering, or through a follow on offering such as the issuance of common stock, preferred stock, or treasury stock. In one embodiment the disclosure provides methods and systems for allowing members of a Venture Capital entity to vote on whether or not to fund a given venture.
US07651386B2

Superabrasive tools and their methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of improving retention of superabrasive particles held in a solidified organic material layer of an abrading tool, a portion of each of said superabrasive particles protruding out of the solidified organic material layer is provided. The method may include securing a plurality of superabrasive particles in the solidified organic material layer in an arrangement that minimizes mechanical stress impinging on the protruding portion of any individual superabrasive particle when used to abrade a work piece. As an example, the arrangement of the plurality of superabrasive particles may be configured to uniformly distribute frictional forces across substantially each superabrasive particle.
US07651385B2

A polishing system includes a platen, a carrier head to hold a surface of a substrate against a polishing pad on the platen, a monitoring module including a light source and a detector, an optical fiber having a proximate end coupled to the monitoring module and a distal end, and an optical head removably mounted in the platen. The optical head holds the distal end of the optical fiber to direct light through a window in the polishing pad to the surface of the substrate and receive reflected light from the surface of the substrate, and the optical head is configured to adjust a distance from the distal end of the fiber to the window.
US07651381B2

A contact terminal, comprising a flat portion, a first bent portion extending from the flat portion, and defining an opening structure therein; a second bent portion extending from the first bent portion; and a contact engaging portion extending from the second bent portion, and including a downward tab extending into the opening structure of the first bend portion when depressed.
US07651371B2

An electrical connector (100) for receiving a mating plug (200) having an insulative housing (10), a set of first contacts (21), and a set of second contacts (22). The insulative housing includes a base portion (13), a wafer (14), and a latch mechanism fastened the wafer to the base portion. The electrical contacts are attached to the insulative housing and each has a contact section (214, 222) connecting with the plug and a mounting section (213, 224) extending out of the insulative housing. The contact sections of the first contacts are staggered with the contact sections of the second contacts along a mating direction of the electrical connector, and wherein the contact sections of the first contacts are closed to a front edge of the wafer.
US07651366B2

An electrical connector assembly is provided. The electrical connector assembly includes a housing including a body fabricated at least partially from a dielectric material. The housing body has an opening therein. An electrical contact is held by the housing. The electrical contact includes an intermediate portion and a spring potion each held at least partially within the opening. The spring portion of the electrical contact is engaged by the housing body such that the spring portion is deflected into shorting engagement with the intermediate portion of the electrical contact.
US07651363B2

The invention describes a terminal component (1) with an insulating housing (2) and at least one spring-force clamping connection (3), which has a bent clamping spring (4), formed from sheet spring steel, with bearing limbs (8) and clamping limbs (7), which are connected to one another via a spring bow (6), a busbar (5), which is inserted into the clamping limb (7) and bears against the bearing limb (8), and a conductor insertion channel (9), which is formed in the insulating housing (2) and extends from the rear spring bow (6) of the clamping spring (4) along the bearing limb (8) at least as far as the busbar (5). The wall, which is formed from the insulating housing (2), of the conductor insertion channel (9) is partially interrupted. That end of the busbar (5) which bears against the bearing limb (8) runs obliquely with respect to the bearing limb (8) and forms a funnel of the conductor insertion channel (9). The bearing limb (8) of the clamping spring (4) forms, in the interrupted part of the insulating housing (2), together with the busbar (5), a wall of the conductor insertion channel (9).
US07651360B2

An electrical card connector assembled on a bracket, comprising: an insulative housing; a plurality of contacts received by the insulative housing; a shell covering on the insulative housing; and a holding device located at the outside of the electrical card connector and comprising a retaining hole and a screw hole beside the retaining hole, and the bracket comprising a post mating with the retaining hole of the holding device to prevent the electrical card connector from revolving.
US07651359B2

An electrical cable assembly includes a carrier having an insulating housing and at least one retention clip for managing and securing terminated cable assemblies to the carrier. The side exterior walls of the insulating housing are configured to enable side-to-side and end-to-end placement of a plurality of carriers for mating to a pin header, resulting in a high speed, high density electrical connector system.
US07651356B2

Embodiments of a tamper-evident connector are disclosed which may optionally be used in a trusted computing environment. In an exemplary embodiment, a tamper-evident connection includes a mate-once engaging assembly for providing with a first component, the mate-once engaging assembly including a foldable portion. The tamper-evident connection also includes a receiving chamber for providing with a second component, the mate-once engaging assembly fitting in the receiving chamber to physically secure the first component to the second component, the foldable portion of the mate-once engaging assembly unfolding during removal of the mate-once engaging assembly from the receiving chamber to provide evidence of tampering when the first component has been removed from the second component. Optionally, the first component is a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and the second component is a system board.
US07651351B2

A card connector includes an electrically insulative frame base, which defines a card insertion space and a sliding slot at one side of the card insertion space, a metal shielding cover, which covers the card insertion space and has an elongated guide hole corresponding to the sliding slot, a slide slidably mounted in the sliding slot, an elastic member connected between the slide and the rear side of the electrically insulative frame base, a guide rod fastened to the rear side of the electrically insulative frame base to guide movement of the slide along the sliding slot, and a limiter member fastened to the slide and movable along the elongated guide hole of the metal shielding cover for guiding an electronic card into the card insertion space and holding the inserted electronic card in positive contact with respective metal terminals in the electrically insulative frame base.
US07651350B1

A cable assembly includes an insulative housing (1) including a mating portion (12), a mounting portion (13) extending rearward from the mating portion and a base portion connected to the mounting portion. A lock tab (132) is formed on the mating portion and disposed adjacent to the mounting portion. A plurality of contacts (21, 22) received in the insulated housing and connected to wires (102). A retaining member (15) is connected to the base portion of the insulative housing, said retaining member having a passageway extending along a longitudinal direction. A sliding member (5) accommodated in the passageway of the retaining member and capable of moving along therein. A spring member (6) is received in the passageway of the retaining member for pushing the sliding member sliding along the longitudinal direction to reach a lateral side of the mounting portion; and a pulling tape (7) attached to the sliding member (5) for pulling the sliding member away from the lateral side of the mounting portion.
US07651337B2

A wafer for an electrical connector includes a conductive shield plate, a plurality of signal conductors disposed on the shield plate, and a divider shield. Each of the plurality of signal conductors has at least one contact portion. The divider shield is disposed on the shield plate aligned with the at least one contact portion and is made of conductive metal. The divider shield is separate from and coupled to the shield plate.
US07651335B2

A receptacle RF connector (100) includes an inner conductor (2) having an unsealed tubular section (20) having retention walls (23, 24) configured to extend into a body of a dielectric block (1). Thus, the conductor is securely held within the dielectric block by the engagement of the retention walls and the retention slots (11, 12) so as to avoid the un-stable assembly of the conductor and the dielectric block of the prior art.
US07651326B2

The invention relates to a calibrating plate for an extrusion die for producing plastic profiles, comprising a substantially plate-shaped basic body (21), in which an opening (22) for guiding and calibrating the plastic profile (23) to be produced is provided, with at least one insert part (1) made of a material with high hardness being inserted into the basic body (21), which insert part comprises at least one holding section (2) and a shaping section (3), with both the holding section (2) as well as the shaping section (3) being formed partly as cylindrical surfaces with generatrices parallel to the extrusion axis (6), and with the insert part (1) being held in the axial direction in the plate-shaped basic body (21) by a delimiting stop (5). A longer service life and a simpler adjustment can be achieved in such a way that the holding section (2) comprises a groove (4) which extends in the direction of extrusion (6a), and that the delimitation stop (5) is arranged at one end of the groove (4), which stop protrudes from the groove (4).
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