US07660746B1
Techniques are described for providing automated functionality to assist a user in purchasing an item for a recipient. An automated system may track various information about a series of item purchases from one or more services through which items can be purchased, and use information about past item purchases to provide various automated functionality for users that want to purchase items for various recipients. Types of functionality provided by the system include assisting in preventing recipients from receiving inappropriate items by monitoring item gift purchases and item self-purchases and responding to user requests to determine whether a specified gift would be appropriate for a recipient. In addition to information about past item purchases (e.g., whether a recipient has already received a copy of an item), the system can also use other information when determining whether a purchase of an item for the recipient is appropriate.
US07660743B1
A method and system to for optimization of cost management that allows implementation of such controls and rules. In one embodiment, the system and method are integrated into an existing service procurement system.
US07660738B1
A facility for collecting pricing information is described. The facility serves a web page to a client computing system. The served web page contains a first control operable to order a selected item from a selected vendor. The web page further contains a second control operable to submit a price charged for the selected item by a vendor other than the selected vendor. At a later time, the facility receives from the client computing system information that indicates that the second control has been operated to submit a price charged for the selected item by a vendor other than the selected vendor.
US07660724B2
A liner for use in a waste sorting and disposal system is configured for placement in a container is provided. The liner includes an internal space and an opening that provides access to that internal space. In some embodiments, the liner may also include a machine-readable identification key that is configured to identify a type of waste that the liner may receive. In some embodiments, the machine-readable key is optical, color-coded, alphanumeric or graphical. The liner can include one or more closure members to allow a user to securely seal the liner when it is removed from the container. In some embodiments, the liner can include a flange, lip, hook or other protrusion to secure its position relative to a container.
US07660723B2
A ranking method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system from a first user, a selection for a first candidate skill. The first user is presented with a first group of predetermined criteria. The first group is associated with the first candidate skill. The first user assigns ranking percentage data associated with the first group. A list including portions of the assigned ranking percentage data assigned to each predetermined criteria of the first group is transmitted to a second user. The computing system receiving from the second user a list of candidates and responses to each predetermined criteria of the first group. The computing system receives from the first user, evaluation data related to the responses. The computing system ranks the candidates of the list based on the assigned ranking percentage data and the evaluation data.
US07660720B2
A lossless audio coding and/or decoding method and apparatus are provided. The coding method includes: mapping the audio signal in the frequency domain having an integer value into a bit-plane signal with respect to the frequency; obtaining a most significant bit and a Golomb parameter for each bit-plane; selecting a binary sample on a bit-plane to be coded in the order from the most significant bit to the least significant bit and from a lower frequency component to a higher frequency component; calculating the context of the selected binary sample by using significances of already coded bit-planes for each of a plurality of frequency lines existing in the vicinity of a frequency line to which the selected binary sample belongs; selecting a probability model by using the obtained Golomb parameter and the calculated contexts; and lossless-coding the binary sample by using the selected probability model. According to the method and apparatus, a compression ratio better than that of the bit-plane Golomb code (BPGC) is provided through context-based coding method having optimal performance.
US07660715B1
A system and method to improve the automatic adaptation of one or more speech models in automatic speech recognition systems. After a dialog begins, for example, the dialog asks the customer to provide spoken input and it is recorded. If the speech recognizer determines it may not have correctly transcribed the verbal response, i.e., voice input, the invention uses monitoring and if necessary, intervention to guarantee that the next transcription of the verbal response is correct. The dialog asks the customer to repeat his verbal response, which is recorded and a transcription of the input is sent to a human monitor, i.e., agent or operator. If the transcription of the spoken input is correct, the human does not intervene and the transcription remains unmodified. If the transcription of the verbal response is incorrect, the human intervenes and the transcription of the misrecognized word is corrected. In both cases, the dialog asks the customer to confirm the unmodified and corrected transcription. If the customer confirms the unmodified or newly corrected transcription, the dialog continues and the customer does not hang up in frustration because most times only one misrecognition occurred. Finally, the invention uses the first and second customer recording of the misrecognized word or utterance along with the corrected or unmodified transcription to automatically adapt one or more speech models, which improves the performance of the speech recognition system.
US07660708B2
A methodology for combining two or more S-parameter blocks/matrices (each representing a circuit or network, or the interconnection between a circuit or network) into a single S-matrix are described. Such a matrix may be beneficially used to simulate the circuit or network represented by the multiply interconnected circuits or networks.
US07660704B2
A method and apparatus for designing a screw-tightening element are disclosed for designing the screw-tightening element (mechanical element). The design method comprises representing material characteristics of the screw component with factors including at least one of an elastic limit, an endurance strength, a true breaking power and a tension strength, representing a material characteristic of the tightening object with a factor including an elastic limit, providing a plurality of damage patterns associated with the material characteristics of the screw component and the tightening object, and calculating tolerance values of fluctuating loads in the plurality of damage patterns based on the material characteristics of the screw-tightening element and the elastic limit of the tightening object. The tolerance values of fluctuating loads are compared to determine an optimum tolerance load for the screw-tightening element.
US07660702B2
The present invention provides a means of monitoring the progress of an IT implementation of a process or activity through a defined set of situation types and event objects corresponding to said situation types whereby, if the IT implementation of the process or activity is changed, provided the event objects corresponding to the defined situation types are still generated by the new IT implementation or are able to be derived from the new IT implementation through mapping and/or the instrumentation of new events, the monitor is able to receive or retrieve said event objects and thus perform its monitoring function. This has the advantage of de-coupling the monitor from the specific IT implementation of the process or activity and thus allows a generic monitoring solution to be provided.
US07660695B2
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for a segmented antenna system. The method includes determining an orientation of a first antenna, the first antenna including a plurality of segments for transmitting and receiving signals, determining a direction from the first antenna to a second antenna capable or at least one of transmitting and receiving signals, and selecting at least one of the plurality of segments of the first antenna using the determined orientation of the first antenna and the determined direction.
US07660690B2
In the present invention, a method is provided for installing and locating a plurality of sensors distributed on a structure as part of a structural health monitoring system. The method includes verifying the proper installation of the plurality of sensors and determining the location of the plurality of sensors. In one aspect of the present invention, the step of verifying the proper installation further comprises verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are properly coupled to a sensor data collector and verifying that each of the plurality of sensors are installed in a proper location. In another aspect of the present invention, the step of determining the location of the plurality of sensors further comprises determining the positioning of each sensor in reference to fixed structures in the structure.
US07660687B1
A method of increasing consistency between separate parametric measurement readings that are taken with an electron beam imaging tool at different times within a period of time, by correcting drift in the imaging tool at a time frequency that is less than a time period during which the drift is anticipated to be undesirably large.
US07660673B2
A new method for assessing the probability of production at a wellsite. The process includes the four steps of: 1) Data Collection and Uncertainty Analysis; 2) Wellsite Preparation; 3) Treatment Selection/Job Execution; and 4) Evaluation and Upscaling to Field Level.
US07660671B2
Using an electromagnetic logging tool, desired antenna responses are synthesized from a combination of measured antenna responses, as well as antenna arrays particularly suited to provide the measurements. Those arrays may include cross dipole and double cross dipole antennas. Direct and derivative responses are used to synthesize the desired response, and the synthesized desired response is used to determine formation properties.
US07660669B2
A lane departure avoidance system is provided with a rumble strip sensing device and a lateral lane departure rate determining component. The rumble strip sensing device is configured to detect an input from a rumble strip to a vehicle wheel that is indicative of a rumble strip engagement amount. The lateral lane departure rate determining component is configured to determine a lateral rate of lane departure of a vehicle based on a detection result of the rumble strip sensing device.
US07660656B2
To realize versatility for corresponding to various speed change systems, and to provide a transmission having a simple configuration. A transmission for a motorcycle has a shift pedal elastically inclined up and down from a reference position with a potentio-sensor for detecting the inclination. A control unit determines a shift position value Po obtained from the potentio-sensor, and outputs the shift position value Po to a predetermined speed change coping unit. A comparative determination unit in the control unit determines the inclination of the gear shift pedal through comparing and judging a range B indicative of the reference position, a range N1 set in a predetermined angle range to the lower direction, a range C1 greater in inclination angle than the range N1, a range N2 in a predetermined angle to the upper direction he range B, and a range C2 greater in inclination angle than the range N2.
US07660649B1
The present invention is directed to a system and method which includes a new optimization algorithm that not only optimizes the given system but provides sensitivity factors that provide the effect of changes in the system and how the changes are going to affect the overall performance of the system.
US07660640B2
A method for controlling a power system control area according to a first and a second control performance standard, wherein operation of the control area determines area control parameter values. The method comprises (a) determining a first compliance target for the first performance standard and a second compliance target for the second performance standard (100/200); (b) determining a first performance standard statistical measure responsive to the control area parameter values from a beginning of a first compliance period to a time at which the first average is determined (108); (c) determining a second performance standard statistical measure responsive to the control area parameter values from a beginning of a second compliance period to a time at which the second average is determined; (d) determining a first area control parameter target responsive to the first performance standard statistical measure (116); (e) determining a second area control parameter target responsive to the second performance standard statistical measure (204); (f) determining a first area control parameter correction responsive to the first area control parameter target and the area control parameter values (150); (g) determining a second area control parameter correction responsive to the second area control parameter target and the area control parameter values (228) and (h) controlling the power system according to one or both of the first and the second area control parameter corrections (154/232).
US07660638B2
The claimed subject matter provides a controller that facilitates implementing a workflow within an industrial automation environment system. An interface component can facilitate the receipt of data associated with a workflow at the programmable logic controller. A controller communicatively coupled to the interface component incorporates an execution engine that can execute the workflow and allow a seamless data flow between applications to provide at least one service.
US07660631B2
Systems and methods for introducing one or more stimulating drugs and/or applying electrical stimulation to tissue affecting the penis to treat erectile dysfunction (for instance, following prostate surgery) uses at least one implantable system control unit (SCU) producing electrical pulses delivered via electrodes and/or producing drug infusion pulses, wherein the stimulating drug(s) are delivered via one or more pumps and infusion outlets.
US07660629B2
An exemplary method includes detecting ventricular fibrillation, delivering a low voltage cardiac stimulus, determining whether the low voltage cardiac stimulus terminated the ventricular fibrillation, and delivering a higher voltage cardiac stimulus if the low voltage cardiac stimulus did not terminate the ventricular fibrillation. In one example, the delivering the low voltage cardiac stimulus occurs within approximately 10 event intervals from the detected onset of ventricular fibrillation; otherwise, delivery of an appropriate higher voltage cardiac stimulus occurs. Other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
US07660616B1
Implantable multi-wavelength oximetry sensors, which can be used to monitor a patient's blood oxygen saturation level, are described. The sensor includes an implantable sensor housing within which are located a plurality of light sources that each transmits light of a different wavelength. Also within the sensor housing are one or more surfaces that are configured to combine the light from the plurality of light sources into a beam of light for transmission through a portion of the housing (e.g., a window) through which light can exit and enter the housing. Additionally, a light detector is located within the sensor housing, to detect light scattered by blood back into the housing. 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.
US07660611B1
A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are provided for compressing a packet of data sent across a wireless transmission path to reduce power consumption in a wireless input device. The wireless input device preferably includes a human interface device that sends a report that is of variable length and compressed by refraining from transmitting unused bytes of a packet containing the report. Certain byte fields can be swapped, such as a first scan code byte field with a modifier key byte. Also, any reserved bytes that are not used can be removed in order to convert a standard HID report format into the present compressed report format. By removing unused bytes and optimally swapping the more prevalently used byte into the first field while removing any reserved bytes, the compressed report reduces the amount of power consumed to transmit the compressed report, relative to a non-compressed and fixed-length report of conventional HID input devices. A report descriptor maintains the compresses format and provides that format, along with the compressed report, to the USB interface, for example, to recompile the standard report at the input port of, for example, a personal computer. The input device can be, for example, a keyboard and a pointing device. If a pointing device is used, the scroll wheel and button information can be combined into a single byte rather than utilizing two bytes as in conventional HID reports.
US07660610B2
Systems and methods for timed ring suppression are disclosed. After a communications device receives an incoming call and the ringer is activated to produce an initial audible alert, the ringer of the communications device may be silenced for subsequent audible alerts until the calling party hangs up or until the call is further processed.
US07660601B2
A webpad and method for using the same are provided. The webpad includes an adapter module attached to a personal digital assistant. The adapter module includes a wireless transceiver for sending and receiving data via a wireless communication protocol.
US07660597B2
A PBX, when notified information of an originating manipulation such as dialing of a receiver's number from a keyboard connected with a PC, judges whether an origination request is from the PC or a first terminal. In a case of the request being from the PC, the PBX performs number analysis processing of the PC which is the originator. The PBX judges whether there is information about a terminal associating with the terminal requesting the origination, and when there is information for the terminal, performs to connect with the associating terminal, and processes the origination request to thereby connect with the counterpart terminal. When there is no information about the terminal, the PBX processes the origination request as usual to thereby connect with the counterpart terminal.
US07660592B2
A method for indicating a direction of a destination in a mobile communication terminal includes: receiving network identification information from a mobile communication network that is currently accessed; reading current location and declination information corresponding to the network identification information from a mobile communication network information table; obtaining true north information by using the declination information to correct magnetic north information of a current location measured with a geomagnetic sensor; obtaining direction information of the destination from the current location information on the basis of the true north information; and displaying the direction information of the destination.
US07660589B2
A method for determining a mobile communication terminal user's points of interest, in which geographic information of an area where the mobile communication terminal user stays longer than a threshold time, and an apparatus for providing the geographic information using the method. The method includes providing identification information received from a mobile communication repeaters, which use a limited number of the identification information and repeatedly reuse the identification information at different places.
US07660580B2
A system for implementing call control services for an inbound roamer is provided. The system includes a control node to implement the call control services in response to an initiation request. The system further includes a service node to send a terminating customized applications for mobile network enhanced logic subscription information (T-CSI) for a called number in response to a routing request for the called number. The T-CSI contains an address pointing to the control node. The system further includes a switching center to send the routing request for the called number. The called number is present in a call received from the inbound roamer.
US07660579B2
A system and method for mobile ground-to-air and air-to-ground communication network acceleration. The system and method can reduce the cost of airborne communication services by creating a faster connection and thus increasing data throughput. In one embodiment, the communication network acceleration system and method provide as much as a four-fold increase over standard high-speed data rates. This increase is made possible in part through the integration, implementation, and use of acceleration and compression technologies in the ground system that supports communications to and from an airborne terminal.
US07660577B2
The present invention is directed at systems and methods for gathering wireless communication data within a target geographic area. More specifically, selected fleet vehicles are equipped to gather wireless communication data from transmission towers while simultaneously performing other tasks. A signal testing device gathers the signal data while temporarily positioned in a selected fleet vehicle that passes within a target geographic area. The signal testing device is then transferred to other fleet vehicles that also traverse the target geographic area until the desired data from the identified area is collected.
US07660567B1
An improved Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) circuit and method is provided herein for quickly and accurately detecting the strength of a received signal. The circuit described herein provides a more accurate RSSI signal, while consuming less power and die area, by utilizing digital rather than analog summing.
US07660564B2
Provided is an HPA apparatus for a TDD wireless communication system. In the HPA apparatus, a power amplifier amplifies the power of an input signal. A gate bias controller turns on/off a gate bias of the power amplifier in accordance with a TDD control signal. A constellation error optimizer circuit removes a current fluctuation and a power noise, which occur when the gate bias controller turns on/off the power amplifier in a TX mode, to stabilize a drain bias thereof.
US07660562B2
A combined matching and harmonic rejection circuit with increased harmonic rejection provided by a split resonance for one or more of the capacitive or inductive elements of the circuit. At a fundamental frequency, the circuit comprises an inductive series arm with capacitive shunt arms. The capacitance of a shunt arm may be provided by two or more parallel paths, each having a capacitor and an inductor in series so that, in addition to providing the effective capacitance necessary for impedance matching at the fundamental frequency, two separate harmonics represented by the series resonances of the parallel paths are rejected. In this manner, an extra null in the circuit's stop-band may be achieved using the same number of shunt elements necessary to achieve impedance matching at the fundamental frequency.
US07660560B2
A battery cover latching assembly (50) for a portable electronic device (100) includes a housing (20), a first cover (10) configured for attaching to a first side of the housing, and a second cover (30) configured for attaching to a second side of the housing. The battery cover latching assembly includes a locking portion (131), a latch (342), and a button (40). The locking portion is formed on the first cover. The latch is formed on the second cover, the latch is engageable with the locking portion so as to lock the first cover and second cover with each other. The button is configured so as to be retained by the housing, the button is operable to deform the latch so as to unlock the first cover and the second cover.
US07660559B2
Methods and devices related to wireless networking. A wireless device has multiple directional antennas and multiple backhaul radio modules which provide point to point wireless links with other wireless devices. Each radio module can use any one of the available directional antennas to link to one other routing device. Antennas are automatically selected for each wireless device by merely setting one device in a “hunt” mode and setting another device in a “listen” mode. Devices in a hunt mode cycle through the available antennas by sequentially transmitting transmit messages to devices in the listen mode using each of the available antennas in turn. Devices in the listen mode also cycle through their available antennas by sequentially “listening” for transmit messages. A listen mode device, receives transmit messages on each of its available antennas, and, after gathering the relevant data, determines which of its antennas is best suited for communicating with the hunt mode device. The listen mode device antenna which is best suited is then used to transmit a response message to the hunt mode device. This listen mode device antenna is thus configured for communicating with the hunt mode device. Similarly, when the hunt mode device receives the response message, it designates its antenna which transmitted the transmit message as being configured for communications with the listen mode device.
US07660555B2
When no blank page is to be printed (S407) and an interleave page is to be output before or after a page to be printed (S405), if both a page to be printed and an interleave page to be output following the page to be output are blank pages (S406, S408), the page to be output and the interleave page are not printed out (S409).
US07660546B2
A cleaning device for cleaning a transfer sheet conveyance belt, includes: a first brush roll which is provided with voltage with a polarity reverse to a charging polarity of toner particles; and a second brush roll arranged downstream of the first brush roll in a moving direction of the transfer sheet conveyance belt, the second brush roll being provided with the voltage with the same polarity as the charging polarity of the toner particles, while rotating in contact with the surface of the transfer sheet conveyance belt.
US07660528B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for mitigating Raman crosstalk between downstream data and video transmission in an Ethernet passive optical network (EPON), wherein the EPON includes an optical line terminal (OLT) and one or more optical network units (ONU's). During operation, the system transmits a data stream from the OLT to the ONU's on a first wavelength that is substantially at 1490 nm. The system also transmits a video signal stream from the OLT to the ONU's on a second wavelength that is substantially at 1550 nm. The system modifies the bit sequence for the data stream to change the power spectral distribution (PSD) for the data stream, thereby reducing power spectral content in the frequency range where significant Raman crosstalk can occur between data and video signal streams.
US07660523B2
Providing an intermittent photo-taking device capable of correcting a focus drift in the optical axis direction by moving a stage to focus on a plurality focus position of a sample. The intermittent recording device 9 receives setting of a photo-taking timing for the intermittent recording, sets to a driving system 2 a plurality of focus points to take photographs of the sample in each photo-taking timing as relative positions with respect to a predetermined reference position, at each photo-taking timing, obtains a focus position as a reference position by the autofocus movement, varies the relative position between the microscope 1 and the stage 51 to focus on the set photo-taking position of the sample S on the basis of the obtained reference position and the relative positions, makes the photo-taking device 8 take photograph of the sample in each focus position, and captures the taken images.
US07660522B2
A camera with a display panel comprises a camera body and an LCD panel unit. The LCD panel unit is swingably attached to the camera body by a hinge portion. The LCD panel unit is provided with the display panel. A speaker portion is located on one surface (on the same side as an image display screen) of the LCD panel unit. A microphone portion is located on the other surface of the LCD panel unit, that is, a surface opposite from the image display screen. The LCD panel unit houses a circuit board including sound circuits. The circuit board is connected electrically with a speaker and a microphone through a connector portion.
US07660520B2
The present invention relates to a camera system that illuminates a subject being photographed and its object is to provide the camera system capable of photographing at a shutter speed exceeding a synchronous speed or continuous shooting. An electronic camera according to the present invention controls a xenon tube (81) to emit flash light at a shutter speed lower than the synchronous speed in a single-shot photographing mode, and controls a LED (83a) to emit light at a shutter speed exceeding the synchronous speed so as to continuously emit light while a slit defined by a shutter front curtain and a rear curtain is moving over an effective imaging area of an imaging element. When performing a rear curtain sync photographing or front curtain photographing in a single-shot photographing mode, the xenon tube (81) emits flash light. When a low-speed photographing operation is executed in a single-shot photographing mode, the LED (83a) emits light so that light emission continues while electrical charges are stored at the imaging element. In a continuous shooting mode, the LED (83a) emits light so as to continue light emission while the electrical charges are stored at the imaging element and to stop the light emission when the stored charges are being transferred.
US07660519B2
An autofocus apparatus includes an imaging device that captures a subject image through a photographic lens; an AF area determining device that determines a range of image signals to be used for autofocus adjustment based upon image signals provided by the imaging device; a focus adjustment device that adjusts a focal point position achieved through the photographic lens by driving a focus lens so as to maximize contrast achieved with the image signals in the determined range; and a control device that controls the focus adjustment device, if the range of the image signals determined by the AF area determining device has been altered, so as to adjust the focal point position by using image signals in the altered range.
US07660511B2
An AVClip, and a PLMark specifying a playback start position in the AVCLip, are recorded on a BD-ROM. A cue-up operation for choosing a playback start position in the AVClip is performed by three types of instructions, namely a user-skip operation, a chapter search operation, and a Link command.Among these three types of instructions, attribute information included in marker information indicates whether only a branching command operation is allowed for choosing a corresponding playback start position, or the user-skip operation and the chapter search operation are allowed adding to the branching command.
US07660508B2
Terminal shields are provided that are configured to protect an optical terminal device. The terminal shield comprises a first portion configured to be secured with respect to the optical terminal device. The terminal shield further comprises a second portion pivotally attached to the first portion. The second portion is configured to be pivoted relative to the first portion between an open orientation to provide access to an area of the optical terminal device and a closed orientation with the terminal shield disposed about a portion of the optical terminal device.
US07660499B2
Optical spot displacement apparatus comprises a face that is divided into a plurality of columns; each column of the plurality including a predetermined number of prisms, the predetermined number of prisms of a same column configured within the corresponding column to displace at least one incident light beam a common predetermined distance from incidence, and the predetermined number of prisms of different columns configured within each corresponding column to displace the at least one incident light beam a different predetermined distance from incidence.
US07660494B2
A method and apparatus for an optical fuel detection system. The optical fuel detection system comprises an outer tube, and inner tube, and a set of optical fibers. The outer tube has a reflective inner surface capable of reflecting light and is configured to allow a liquid fuel to enter an interior of the outer tube on which the reflective inner surface is located. The inner tube is located within the outer tube in which an area is present between the reflective inner surface. The set of optical fibers are mounted to an outer surface of the inner tube. Each optical fiber has a core that is exposed on each part of an optical fiber opposite to the reflective inner surface and the optical fiber has a refractive index that is lower that the liquid fuel but higher than a gaseous form of any gas that may enter the area.
US07660489B2
A sensing device for sensing coded data on a surface, generating indicating data, and transmitting the indicating data to a computer system is provided. The coded data is indicative of at least a region identity of the surface, whilst the indicating data comprises data regarding a region identity of the surface and data regarding movement of the sensing device relative to the surface. The sensing device comprises: (a) an image sensor configured for sensing and capturing images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the surface; (b) a processor for generating the region identity component of the indicating data using the captured images; (c) a movement sensor for generating the movement component of the indicating data; and (d) a transmittor for transmitting the indicating data, comprising the region identity data and the movement data, to the computer system. The processor is configured to: (i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images; (ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of the at least some of the coded data; (iii) decode the at least some of the coded data; and (iv) generate data regarding the region identity of the surface using the decoded coded data.
US07660484B2
An apparatus and method for removing a false contour are provided. The apparatus includes a false contour region detector which detects a false contour region formed in a flat region of similar pixel values; an edge and detail region detector which detects an edge region and a detail region of the input image; a detector which detects the flat region by removing the edge region and the detail region of the false contour region; and a smoothing part which smoothes the flat region with the false contour by shuffling the similar pixel values of the flat region with pixels of the detected false contour region. The method includes detecting a false contour region; detecting an edge region and a detail region; detecting a flat region with the false contour; and smoothing the flat region with the false contour by shuffling the similar pixel values.
US07660482B2
A method for creating a caricature image from a digital image is provided. The method initiates with capturing digital image data. The method includes locating a facial region within the captured image data. Then, a facial feature template matching a facial feature of the facial region is selected. Next, the facial feature template is substituted for the facial feature. Then, the facial feature template is transformed into a caricature or non-realistic image. A computer readable medium, an image capture device capable of creating a caricature from a captured image and an integrated circuit are also provided.
US07660473B2
A method and apparatus for concealing errors using lower resolution images for compressed images is described. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving a codestream data of an image and determining a location of an error region in coefficients using an icon.
US07660465B2
A pattern recognition apparatus compares an image including a photographed object to be recognized with a model previously registered in a table and recognizes the object to be recognized, and the pattern recognition apparatus includes an image input part 1, a feature point extraction part 2, a triangulation part 3, a feature point selection part 4, a basis calculation part 5, a partial pattern structure part 6, an index calculation part 7, a table registration part 8, a pattern similarity calculation part 9, a hypothesis information generation part 10, and an object recognition part 11. Plural feature points are extracted from the image of the object to be recognized, triangulation of a feature point set is obtained, and a combination of plural feature points is selected from plural feature points in accordance with the extracted triangulation.
US07660462B2
A method for the automatic detection of fields or frames in film or video content having similar or substantially the same luminance or color component values, for example to detect black frames. Image sample values are assigned to a sample value range having a signed weight associated therewith, and a contribution to a discriminator function is determined for each sample range depending on the signed weight and the number of input samples in the sample value range. The discriminator function output is then compared with a threshold.
US07660460B2
In preparation for rendering respective portions of a document via a respective plurality of engines, objects within the document are identified and characterized. A determination is made as to whether gamut variations between the engines might result in objectionable variations in the appearance of rendered versions of identified objects having similar characteristics. For those objects within the document for which the determination is made that variations might be objectionable, a target gamut is selected to be an intersection gamut of the engines to be used to render the document. For those objects within the document for which the determination is made that variations would be unobjectionable, the target gamut is selected to be that of selected individual engines. A system for selecting target gamuts for objects within a document can include an object identifier, a characteristic identifier and a gamut selector.
US07660459B2
A method and system for predicting customer behavior based on the geography of a data network are provided. Furthermore, a method and system for evaluating the training of a predictive algorithm to determine if the algorithm does not adequately take into consideration the influences of data network geography are also provided. The method and system generate frequency distributions of a customer database data set, training data set and testing data set and compare the frequency distributions of data network geographical characteristics to determine if there are discrepancies. If the discrepancies are above a predetermined tolerance, one or more of the data sets may not be representative of the customer database taking into account data network geographical influences on customer behavior. Thus, recommendations for improving the training data set and/or testing data set are then provided such that the data set is more representative of the data network geographical influences. Once trained, the predictive algorithm may be utilized to predict customer behavior taking into account the influences of data network geography.
US07660454B2
The invention herein includes a method for combining immuno staining and FISH using covalently bound small molecule tags. Among embodiments included are methods of tagging immuno and FISH probes for treatment of biologic material. Embodiments comprise directing the fluorescently labeled immuno probe(s) to non-chromosomic portions of a biologic sample and directing labeled FISH probe(s) to chromosomic portions of the biologic sample for further identification of subcellular components. Embodiments also comprise the automatic connection of information regarding the sample to image analysis, to subcellular component identification and enumeration in order to affect biomedical decisions.
US07660451B2
The present invention is directed to diagnostic imaging of small pulmonary nodules. There are two main stages in the evaluation of pulmonary nodules from Computed Tomography (CT) scans: detection, in which the locations of possible nodules are identified, and characterization, in which a nodule is represented by measured features that may be used to evaluate the probability that the nodule is cancer. Currently, the most useful prediction feature is growth rate, which requires the comparison of size estimates from two CT scans recorded at different times. The present invention includes methods for detection and feature extraction for size characterization. The invention focuses the analysis of small pulmonary nodules that are less than 1 centimeter in size, but is also suitable for larger nodules as well.
US07660447B2
A fingerprint matching apparatus includes a fingerprint distortion detection unit for detecting whether or not a correlation object intentionally distorts the finger put on the fingerprint reading face by, for example, applying excessively large force to the finger, or dragging or rolling the finger. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent a distorted fingerprint image from flowing into the fingerprint matching apparatus and therefore the probability of accurate fingerprint correlation can be increased.
US07660438B2
A method and apparatus for performing collision detection is described. An object is detected within a first operational range of an object tracker. A classification of the object is determined using the object tracker. The object tracker tracks the object. The object is detected within a second operational range of a collision detector. A safety measure is activated based on the classification using the collision detector.
US07660436B2
A stereo vision based collision avoidance systems having stereo cameras that produce imagery that is processed to produce a depth map of a scene. A potential threat is detected in the depth map. The size, position, and velocity of the detected potential threat are then estimated, and a trajectory analysis of the detected potential threat is determined using the estimated position and the estimated velocity. A collision prediction based on the trajectory analysis is determined, and then a determination is made as to whether a collision is imminent based on the collision prediction and on the estimated size of the potential threat.
US07660430B2
A system and method for determining the pervious and impervious area within parcels associated with a municipality for purposes of generating bills for storm water runoff to parcel owners. Aerial imagery, collected from an aircraft and/or satellite, of the relevant municipality, or portion thereof, is collected, processed, and analyzed to determine the amount of water impervious area associated with each relevant parcel within the municipality. This information for each parcel may then be used to determine an appropriate amount of money to be charged to the owner of each respective parcel. The amount of impervious area per parcel is calculated based on parcel boundary information specific to the municipality that may contain spatial domain errors.
US07660428B2
An overhead microphone assembly using multiple unidirectional microphone elements. The microphone assembly is installed overhead, generally above all the desired sound sources and below the undesired sound sources. The signals from these multiple microphone elements are fed into a microphone steering processor which can mix and gate the signals to ensure the best signal/noise ratio. The steering processor may also track the sound source dynamically when such tracking (source locating) is desired. The resulting audio signal from the steering processor may be further processed, such as echo canceling, noise reduction and automatic gain control.
US07660412B1
Debugging of a network security appliance is facilitated by allowing for generation of debug information in a user-friendly manner. In one embodiment, the network security appliance automatically detects a presence of a file in a removable non-volatile memory and, in response, places at least one of its components in debug mode. This allows the component to write debug information to the removable non-volatile memory. Removal of the removable non-volatile memory from the network security appliance automatically triggers placement of the component in non-debug mode. The debug information generated in the network security appliance may be forwarded to a server computer for analysis.
US07660410B2
A cellular phone has a three-stage stacked structure including a ten-key case of a lower stage, a full-key case of a middle stage and a display case of an upper stage. When the cellular phone is in call style, the ten-key case is slid in the longitudinal direction to expose a dial key. When the cellular phone is in keyboard style, the display case is turned on its rotating shaft above the full-key case to expose a full keyboard. The rotating shaft is located in the middle of the display case and close to a long side thereof.
US07660408B1
The present invention discloses circuits for isolating and attenuating signals generated by a telephone network. In disclosed embodiments, a metering pulse signal is isolated from the terminals of the connecting device, and then attenuated with an impedance that is synthesized with a programmable digital signal processor. Embodiments also utilize the digital signal processor to synthesize a termination impedance for the connecting device. The termination impedance matches closely the characteristic impedance of the network, so as to minimize wave reflections and the like.
US07660403B2
The architecture of the present invention includes a multi-media multi-network communication server connected to a variety of access and delivery platforms via a variety of communication networks. Access to services is controlled and billed by a virtual prepaid card and account that can be converted into a physical prepaid card that is delivered to the user via a physical delivery network such as the Postal Service or a point of sale. The access platforms are used by senders, recipients or agents to access their digital mailboxes on a multi-network communication server and to send and receive calls and messages. The messages can be in electronic format such as text, audio, graphic images, video, and audio-video. The calls can be packet switched or circuit switched. The multi-network communication may send a notification message to the recipient, indicating that a message has been received. The message can be accessed remotely or wireless. The message can be viewed, heard, or viewed and heard, depending on the capability of the delivery platform being used by the recipient user. It can be redirected to a different delivery platform or a particular delivery network. Over the phone the messages can be retrieved and responded by using solely the user voice.
US07660389B1
In an X-ray diffraction apparatus, a sample holder has a sample mounted on a pin extending a known distance from a cap that mates with a magnetized base on a goniometer. The sample is mechanically positioned in the center of an X-ray beam by a first movable arm which is located in a precise position relative to the goniometer base by a positioning mechanism and a mechanism that forces the pin into engagement with the first arm. The sample has a known height on the pin with respect to the cap and therefore, the sample can repeatedly be located in the center of the X-ray beam without the use of complex centering arrangements. In order to allow the sample holder to be removed from the goniometer base, a linkage is provided that releases the pin from the first arm.
US07660380B2
There is described a method for correction of truncation artifacts in reconstructed tomographic images in a reconstruction method for tomographic images with truncated projection image data in the reconstructed tomographic images, in which divergent radiation is emitted from a radiographic source, an object to be examined is x-rayed with the divergent radiation in different projection directions, the radiation penetrating through the object to be examined is detected by a detector as projection images, with the data of the signal being arranged in a number of projection data rows and projection images detected by the detector being expanded line-by-line through extrapolation of the projection data rows. In this case the signal of a projection data row can be smoothed with a polynomial filter to reduce the noise component of the signal and the truncated proportion of the projection data row can be computed from the smoothed signal of the projection data row by means of an extrapolation method, with the extrapolation widths being derived from a number of rows.
US07660371B2
Embodiments of methods and systems for auto-correlating wireless signal samples are provided. Such embodiments include local normalization of each signal sample by a root mean square level of samples that preceded it, prior to any summation of the auto-correlation procedure. These auto-correlated signal samples are then used to distinguish downlink from uplink signals present within the signal sample set. Other embodiments include auto-correlation techniques in which no normalization is performed at any time with respect to the summation procedure. Such auto-correlated samples are then scanned to detect a preamble symbol or symbols within the signal samples. Reliable and expeditious wireless communications under WiMAX 802.16e and other protocols can be achieved in accordance with the present embodiments.
US07660366B2
Methods and apparatus to communicate between a local component and a remote component, where the local component is connected to the remote component using a non-deterministic communication link. A local clock is synchronized with a remote clock to within a maximum offset. A rate message from the remote component is received at the local component, where the rate message includes a first time stamp. A data rate is adjusted using the rate message when the time of the local clock substantially matches a time determined using the first time stamp. A data message is sent to the remote component using the adjusted data rate, where the data message includes a second time stamp for use in processing data in the data message. In some implementations, the time determined using the first time stamp is also determined using information about a communication link delay and/or a clock offset.
US07660354B2
A method and apparatus to process erroneous bi-directionally predicted multimedia data is described. The method includes determining temporal prediction data for the erroneous multimedia data, and estimating the erroneous multimedia data based on the determined temporal prediction data. The temporal prediction data includes data that was used to predict a forward reference section and/or a backward reference section. In some aspects, the temporal prediction data comprises motion vector data of the reference frames which is scaled to correspond to a frame containing the erroneous data.
US07660348B2
Discrete multitone transmission assigns bits to tones for transmission. The bits are assigned using permutations of bits and tones that cycle through a sequence of permutations in successive frames.
US07660345B2
A transceiver device for coupling between a power line and a network interface unit includes a power line modem for transmitting and receiving data between the power line and the network interface unit and a power circuit coupled to the power line modem that is adapted to deliver a DC power signal to the network interface unit. The power circuit includes a discovery circuit adapted to determine the type of network interface unit that is attached. A load path control circuit switches the DC power signal between a PHY interface and a connector interface of the power line modem based on the determined type.
US07660343B1
For different line parameters of lines at least one transmission procedure with a transmission rate representing the maximum throughput rate is determined and stored. In a current data transmission via a line, its line parameters are measured and the transmission procedure is selected with the transmission rate at which the greatest agreement is determined between the measured and stored line parameters, i.e., a maximum data throughput rate.
US07660326B2
A communications node for an optical network is disclosed. The node includes a tunable wavelength receiver for receiving optical data from source nodes at a plurality of source wavelengths and a tunable wavelength transmitter for transmitting optical data to destination nodes at a plurality of destination wavelengths. The node also includes a media access controller which creates at least one reservation map for reserving time slots and wavelengths for transmitting data to and receiving data from a plurality of nodes, made up of the source nodes and destination nodes, based upon available time slots and wavelengths in the optical network, the reservation map being based upon demand data or other data from the plurality of nodes.
US07660321B2
There is provided a system and method for prioritizing session initiation protocol (“SIP”) messages. More specifically, in one embodiment, there is provided a method of prioritizing SIP messages in a network, the method comprising receiving SIP messages in a first order from one or more other servers of the network, wherein each of the received SIP messages comprises one or more priority indicators, scheduling the received SIP messages into a second order based on one or more of the priority indicators, and processing the scheduled SIP messages in the second order.
US07660319B2
A mobile communication system is constructed including a plurality of cluster heads, cluster members, a topology management device, and a location management device. Each cluster head exchanges routing information with only each cluster member in a cluster to which the terminal itself (host terminal) belongs, and with only a cluster head in another cluster adjacent to the cluster to which the host terminal belongs. Each cluster member exchanges routing information with only a cluster head in a cluster to which the host terminal belongs. The topology management device and location management device receive the routing information from each cluster head only.
US07660315B2
A method of routing data in a multi-hop network. In one embodiment, the method includes: determining that a link-flow vector representing a set of flows to be routed from a source to a destination node satisfies necessary scheduling conditions for achievability; generating a scheduling multi-graph having at least one pair of nodes with multiple edges therebetween; deriving one or more sufficient scheduling conditions for achievability of the vector; solving a linear optimization problem over the necessary scheduling conditions to obtain an upper bound on achievability of the vector; and generating, based on the scheduling multi-graph, a routing solution that is a lower bound on the achievability of the vector and has a set of routes and associated schedule for achieving the vector. At least one node v receives transmissions from a specified plurality Ω(v) of other nodes. At least one of the scheduling conditions depends on Ω(v).
US07660309B2
A method and an apparatus for implementing a storage function in a passive optical network (PON) system. On the basis of a LINK ID held by the data, data requiring storage, e.g. data making exclusive use of a wide bandwidth such as audiovisual data and large-volume data packages, are determined among all the data sent to an optical network unit. These data requiring storage are stored in a storage device installed in the optical network unit. In case the user requests data stored in the storage device, the stored data are transferred directly to the user, without any need to request and send these data for the second time via an IPTV server and the core network. It is possible to avoid duplicate transfers of data, and in particular to avoid duplicate transfers of data making exclusive use of a comparatively wide bandwidth such as audiovisual data and large-volume data packages, to improve the utilization factor of the downlink bandwidth, and to reduce flow congestion and data delays.
US07660307B2
Systems and methods for providing recording as a network service are provided. A representative method incorporates: communicating instructions to a network, the instructions indicating that IP packets associated with a communication that is to be recorded are to be directed to long term storage such that the network: receives the instructions; determines whether Internet Protocol (IP) packets, which are being communicated by the network, are associated with a communication that is to be recorded; and directs information corresponding to the IP packets associated with the communication to a long term storage device.
US07660298B2
Various embodiments directed to managing a call connection are described. In one or more embodiments, a call management module may retrieve a network address associated with a telephone number, initiate a first call connection using the network address from a call terminal, determine whether the network address is valid by converting the telephone number into a uniform resource identifier (URI) and sending the URI to an Authoritative Directory (AD) server for validation, and complete the call connection in accordance with the determination. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07660294B2
A network-based system and method for providing anonymous voice communications using the telephone network and data communications links under the direction of a Call Broker and associated network elements. A user (the call initiator) present in a text chat room session establishes a data connection to Call Broker and, after qualifying for access (e.g., using credit card information) and providing a callback number, receives voice session information and participant access codes for each desired participant in a voice call. The initiator causes session information and participant codes to be passed to one or more selected chat participants in the current text chat room. When a selected participant uses the received session information, and enters the received participant code and a callback number, the Call Broker in cooperation with a Network Adjunct Processor (NAP) completes voice links to the initiator and the selected participant(s).
US07660288B2
Disclosed is a wireless communication system capable of performing demodulation at the receiving side without substantially deteriorating BER characteristics, regardless of carrier frequency error existing among plural wireless communication systems in SDMA of uplink. The wireless communication system includes plural antennas; a MIMO processor that decomposes a reception signal the plural antennas received from plural transmitters into transmission signals transmitted from the respective transmitters; a FFT processor that carries out OFDM demodulation; and a demapping unit that obtains data from signals which were previously converted into sub-carrier signals by the FFT processor, in which the MIMO processor is installed ahead of the FFT processor for sake of the processing sequence of a receive signal, and even though a carrier frequency offset exists in the reception signal MIMO processing is performed prior to OFDM demodulation to split the reception signal from plural transmitters.
US07660277B2
Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating operation of a radio communication system that provides for multi rate data communications, such as a CDMA 2000 system that provides for 1xEV-DV communication services. A supplemental pilot, or control, signal generator embodied at a mobile station generates a supplemental pilot, or control, signal that is sent on a newly defined supplemental pilot, or control, channel. As the data rates of data communicated upon a reverse supplemental channel changes, corresponding changes are made to the power level of the reverse supplemental pilot, or control, signal.
US07660276B2
A system and related methods for beamforming in a multi-point communication environment is presented. According to one aspect of the invention, a method comprising identifying one or more target(s) for which a communication signal is intended, identifying one or more other target(s) which may benefit from receipt of the communication signal, and developing a multi-lobe beampattern to transmit the communication signal to the intended target(s) and the identified one or more other target(s).
US07660275B2
To broadcast different types of transmission having different tiers of coverage in a wireless broadcast network, each base station processes data for a wide-area transmission in accordance with a first mode (or coding and modulation scheme) to generate data symbols for the wide-area transmission and processes data for a local transmission in accordance with a second mode to generate data symbols for the local transmission. The first and second modes are selected based on the desired coverage for wide-area and local transmissions, respectively. The base station also generates pilots and overhead information for local and wide-area transmissions. The data, pilots, and overhead information for local and wide-area transmissions are multiplexed onto their transmission spans, which may be different sets of frequency subbands, different time segments, or different groups of subbands in different time segments. More than two different types of transmission may also be multiplexed and broadcast.
US07660270B2
Computer systems and methods using efficient module and backplane tiling to interconnect computer nodes via a Kautz-like digraph. A multinode computing system includes a large plurality of computing nodes interconnected via a Kautz topology having order O, diameter n, and degree k. The order equals (k+1)kn−1. The interconnections from a node x to a node y in the topology satisfy the relationship y=(−x*k−j) mod O, where 1≦j≦k, and the computing nodes are arranged onto a plurality of modules. Each module has an equal plurality of computing nodes on it. A majority of the inter-node connections are contained on the plurality of modules and a minority of the inter-node connections are inter-module connections. Inter-module connections are routed among modules in parallel on an inter-module connection plane.
US07660268B2
A method for determining the presence of the multicast routers using existing protocols is disclosed. The method includes setting a time interval between a first set of query messages to each of a plurality of routers to a number greater than a querier timeout period used by the routers. The querier timeout period transitions each of the routers into a querier. The presence of each of the routers is revealed by sending a second set of query messages. Membership report messages are then sent to the routers.
US07660264B1
A method of operating intelligent network interface circuitry facilitates the tunneling of packets between at least one process, executing on a host computer, and a peer via a network, via the network interface circuitry. Packets are received from the process executing on the host computer. Modulation event tokens are managed, including receiving and providing modulation event tokens. Modulation events are processed. It is decided whether to transmit the received packets out to the network in association with modulation event processing, and the received packets are transmitted out to the network based on the deciding step. Based on a result of the modulation events processing step, modulation event tokens are caused to be fed back for receipt by the modulation event tokens managing step. As a result, the packets are tunneled through the network interface circuitry and the transmission of the packets is modulated out to the network.
US07660257B2
There is provided a semiconductor device comprising, a function unit portion including a circuit element, rank data presenting results of a rank-classification test on the circuit element, the rank-classification test being performed on the basis of a plurality of test criteria on wafer state, a non-volatile memory portion in which the rank data are stored, and a control portion reading out the rank data from the non-volatile memory portion, the control portion being used in a product test after packaging.
US07660254B2
In one embodiment, head-end nodes receive a list of tunnels to be rerouted from a particular link of an intermediate node. If a head-end node is unable to reroute a tunnel for which it is the head-end node using conventional distributed routing, each head-end node executes the same algorithm to compute paths for all tunnels in the list (e.g., potentially applying bandwidth scaling).
US07660253B2
The present invention relates to a method and nodes for performing data traffic aggregation over an access domain using service bindings. Upon receipt of a service request related message at an access edge node for a first device of a user domain, the service request related message identifying the first device of the user domain and one of the service provider domains, a service binding is created at the access edge node. The service binding rules data traffic between the first device of the user domain and the service provider domain by committing an access node serving the user domain and the access edge node in a manner of managing data traffic therebetween over the access domain. An access node serving the user domain for which the service request related message is received is informed of the created service binding. The created service binding is enforced at the access node and the access edge node for data traffic over the access domain between the first device of the user domain and the service provider domain by removing a user device MAC address from Unicast messages exchanged therebetween over the access domain and replacing with a virtual MAC address recognized by the access node and the access edge node.
US07660248B1
A signature-based traffic classification method maps traffic into preselected classes of service (CoS). By analyzing a known corpus of data that clearly belongs to identified ones of the preselected classes of service, in a training session the method develops statistics about a chosen set of traffic features. In an analysis session, relative to traffic of the network where QoS treatments are desired (target network), the method obtains statistical information relative to the same chosen set of features for values of one or more predetermined traffic attributes that are associated with connections that are analyzed in the analysis session, yielding a statistical features signature of each of the values of the one or more attributes. A classification process then establishes a mapping between values of the one or more predetermined traffic attributes and the preselected classes of service, leading to the establishment of QoS treatment rules.
US07660246B2
A method and apparatus are provided for scaling an input bandwidth for bandwidth allocation technology. An original bandwidth count value of an input flow is received. A bandwidth scaler constant is provided and used for scaling the received original bandwidth count value to provide a scaled bandwidth value between zero and one. The scaled bandwidth value is stored and used for calculating a transmit probability for the input flow.
US07660242B2
A call admission control system and method for Internet Protocol (IP) Differentiated Services (DiffServ) network having at least one node for interpreting signaling messages and controlling traffic load in the network. The method consists of an initialization (601) and a real-time phase (602). In initialization phase (601), coefficients of the approximating hyperplanes are computed (61) and stored (62). This phase is repeated when the descriptor of a traffic class changes (63), which usually happens when nodes are configured or reconfigured. A traffic mix is admissible (67), if for each real-time traffic class both the stability (65) and the delay (66) constraints are fulfilled. Stability is tested by evaluating the number of lost packets and comparing it to the tolerated packet loss ratio for each class in that queue. Delay constraint is tested by checking if the traffic mix is below at least one of the approximating hyperplanes in the space of number of sessions for each class.
US07660240B2
The invention discloses a method for implementing link state passing-through in network, for informing the peer of link fault, including: the service device detecting whether there is a link fault in the network; in case of link fault, the service device transferring link fault information to peer service device with a control frame; in response to the control frame containing link fault information, the peer service device disconnecting the user's link and performing corresponding processes; the user at the faulty peer communicating with peer user through the spare network; when the link recovers to normal, the service device at the recovery peer sending a control frame containing link fault recovery information to peer service device to reestablish communication between the users on the link. The invention is capable of reducing extra overhead under normal network conditions as much as possible.
US07660234B2
A network element includes a backplane, which includes a backplane memory holding first medium access control (MAC) address values. The network element further includes multiple tributary modules coupled to the backplane, which include network interfaces that are configured to communicate over network trunks using MAC addresses that are respectively assigned to the network interfaces. The network element further includes a common function module (CFM), which communicates with the tributary modules and the backplane memory via the backplane, and which includes a CFM memory holding second MAC address values.The CFM is arranged to assign the MAC addresses to the network interfaces by selecting the MAC addresses from among the first MAC address values when the CFM is able to access the backplane memory, and by selecting the MAC addresses from among the second MAC address values when the CFM is unable to access the backplane memory.
US07660230B2
A novel transceiver structure is proposed to increase the achievable data rate for ultra wideband transmitted reference (UWB-TR) systems. For every Ns pulse pairs during one symbol transmission, the data pulses are weighted by one of the M-ary orthogonal sequences, thus carrying additional log2 M-bit information. Furthermore, by utilizing a pair of balanced matched filters before the cross correlator, the minimum separation between the reference and data pulses is significantly reduced without causing any inter-pulse interference (IPI), which in turn reduces the minimum required frame length in order to avoid the inter-frame interference (IFI). As a result, the invented TR system can achieve higher data rates than the conventional TR system, while maintaining superior bit-error-rate (BER) performance even with lower transmit power.
US07660220B2
An optical disc drive apparatus includes: a laser beam source; a collector device disposed as facing a disc that can record a signal, which collects a laser beam emitted from the laser beam source onto the disc; a record processing module which records the signal on the disc through the collector device while modulating laser power of the laser beam source; a reflecting light level detecting module which receives the reflecting light when the signal is recorded and detects a level of the reflecting light; a laser power control module which controls the laser power when the signal is recorded based on the detected level of the reflecting light; a tilt control module which controls a tilt angle between the disc and the collector device based on the detected level of the reflecting light; and a switching module which switches between control of the laser power and the tilt angle.
US07660212B2
An optical disk apparatus includes: a servo controller, operable to carry out a servo control of tracking of an optical pickup based on a tracking error signal; a TE balance regulator, operable to detect a TE balance correction value for equalizing, with a reference voltage, a central voltage of the tracking error signal when a beam spot of the optical pickup crosses a track; a detrack regulator, operable to detect a detrack correction value for causing signal quality of an output of the optical pickup to be the highest; and a TE offset corrector, operable to set an offset voltage, which is to be added to the tracking error signal, to be the TE balance correction value when a difference between the TE balance correction value and the detrack correction value is smaller than a predetermined value, and to set the offset voltage to be a value between the TE balance correction value and the detrack correction value when the difference is greater than the predetermined value.
US07660210B2
A driver IC 1 has a bias terminal 20a via which a bias voltage fed from a microcomputer 2 to drive and control a loading motor 4 is fed in and a bias terminal 20b via which a bias voltage fed from a DSP 3 to drive and control a focus coil 5, a tracking coil 6, a sled motor 7, and a spindle motor 8 is fed in.
US07660208B2
This invention relates to equipment for the optical playback of sound media which includes resources (1) that has engraves grooves, (3, 9) for generating at least one light beam that presents a light spectrum variation according to its incidence angle on an area of the sound media and an image sensor (7) placed so that it recovers the light reflected by said area of the sound media.
US07660204B2
A data acquisition method of a non-real time transmitting seismic data acquisition system applied in mountainous areas. The format of original record file names is an 8 digit file name representing absolute time together with 3 digit extension names representing the equipment's serial number. The detonating units generate SPS format spreadsheets according to the above file name generation method. SPS format spreadsheets of several detonating units are combined on the basis of the SPS format spreadsheets generated by every detonating unit and then put in a data retrieval unit. The effective file names, which are recorded in the SPS format spreadsheets while detonating units are operating, are based on the former 8 digits. The acquisition unit and the data retrieval unit are connected by network lines, and a data retrieving program will run by the data retrieval unit. This method is exclusive and feasible to manage and search the seismic data. The method solves the technically difficult problems of data management for original record files and the difficulties of retrieving data as result of non-real time transmitting characteristics of the system.
US07660203B2
Systems and methods for asynchronously acquiring seismic data are described, one system comprising one or more seismic sources, a plurality of sensor modules each comprising a seismic sensor, an A/D converter for generating digitized seismic data, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a sensor module clock; a seismic data recording station; and a seismic data transmission sub-system comprising a high precision clock, the sub-system allowing transmission of at least some of the digitized seismic data to the recording station, wherein each sensor module is configured to periodically receive from the sub-system an amount of the drift of its clock relative to the high precision clock.
US07660201B2
A method, apparatus and system for acquiring land seismic data includes acquiring seismic data with a first autonomous seismic data acquisition unit and a second autonomous seismic data acquisition unit wherein each acquisition unit comprises a plurality of digitally controlled temperature-compensated crystal oscillators. Oscillator-based timing signals are acquired that are associated with the plurality of digitally controlled temperature-compensated crystal oscillators and a time correction is determined to apply to the seismic data acquired with the first autonomous seismic data acquisition unit. The time correction is determined using the oscillator-based timing signals from the first and second autonomous seismic data acquisition units.
US07660199B2
The present invention provides methods and systems for microseismic hydraulic fracture monitoring in real-time. The methods and systems of the present invention may include continuous map migration of recorded microseismic signals. The methods and systems provide robust automated simultaneous detection and location of microseismic events.
US07660190B2
A deflector device (22) for use with a tow line between a seismic survey vessel and a tow, in particular a seismic streamer or streamer array, in the water behind the vessel comprises a vertically oriented wing-shaped body (28) shaped to produce in use a sideways force which urges the tow line laterally with respect to the direction of movement of the towing vessel. The wing-shaped body (28) includes one or more buoyancy elements, and a rearwardly extending boom (32). A pivotable control surface (54) extends sideways from the boom (32), and is shaped to produce in use a force having a substantial vertical component. The angle of the control surface is remotely controllable, in order to control the depth of the deflector device.
US07660184B2
Each memory block has a plurality of memory cells, and word lines and bit lines connected to the memory cells. Precharge switches connect the bit lines to a precharge line. A switch control circuit controls an operation of the precharge switches and sets a cutoff function that turns off connection switches in a standby period in which no access operation of the memory cells is performed. Since connections of the bit lines and the precharge switch and those of the bit lines and the sense amplifier are cut off in the standby period, if a short circuit failure is present between a word line and a bit line, a leak current can be prevented from flowing from the word line to a precharge voltage line and so on.
US07660182B2
An integrated cell for extracting a binary value based on a value difference between two resistors values, including connection circuitry for a binary reading of the sign of the difference between the resistors, and connection circuitry for a modification of the value of one of the resistors to make the sign of the difference invariable.
US07660178B2
A FIFO memory having an available capacity of no more than N words deep by M bits wide. A write port receives data to store in the FIFO memory, and a read port provides the data stored in the FIFO memory. X memories store the data, where each of the X memories has a size of N/X by M. Control logic receives the data from the write port, writes the data into at least one of the X memories in a serial write manner, reads the data from at least one of the X memories in a serial read manner, and provides the data to the read port. The control logic also disables power to selected ones of the X memories when they are not being written to or read from. The FIFO memory is configured to both read and write the data at a given time to a given one of the X memories.
US07660177B2
A non-volatile memory device comprises an interface circuit for receiving a plurality of signals. The plurality of signals provides multiplexed address and data and command signals in a serial format. An input buffer stores a plurality of the plurality of signals received in serial format and reconstitutes the address, data and command signals, and has an output. A command circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the command signals therefrom. An address circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the address signals therefrom. A data buffer circuit receives the output of the input buffer and stores the data signals therefrom. An array of non-volatile memory cells stores data from and provides data to the data buffer in response to address signals from the address decoder. A state machine is connected to the command circuit and controls the array of non-volatile memory cells. An output buffer receives data from the data buffer circuit and provides data to the interface circuit.
US07660173B2
A semiconductor memory device and its operating method are disclosed. The semiconductor memory device includes; a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells selected in relation to a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, an address decoder selecting at least one word line in response to a refresh address and selecting all of the plurality of bit lines in response to a hidden write signal when a CBR refresh operation is requested during a test mode, a hidden write control circuit generating the hidden write signal when the CBR refresh operation is requested during the test mode, a refresh address generating circuit generating the refresh address when the CBR refresh operation is requested during the test mode, and a data input circuit applying data to all of the plurality of bit lines when the CBR refresh operation is requested during the test mode.
US07660157B2
A NAND flash memory, including a memory cell array, a row decoder, and a sense amplifier. In a read operation, a p-type semiconductor substrate is set at a ground potential, a bit line is charged to a first voltage, a source line, a n-type well and a p-type well are charged to a second voltage, which lies between a ground potential and a first voltage, and in a block not selected by the row decoder, a drain-side select gate line and the source-side select gate line are charged to a third voltage, which is higher than the ground potential and is equal to or lower than the second voltage.
US07660153B2
A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a memory layer and a fixed-magnetization layer. The memory layer retains information based on a magnetization state of a magnetic material. The fixed-magnetization layer is formed on the memory layer through an intermediate layer made of an insulating material. The information is recorded on the memory layer with a change in a magnetization direction of the memory layer caused by injecting a spin-polarized electron in a stacked direction. A level of effective demagnetizing field, which is received by the memory layer, is smaller than a saturation-magnetization level of magnetization of the memory layer.
US07660147B2
A programming method for a phase change memory based on the phase transformations between amorphous and crystalline phases is disclosed. The programming method comprises a current pulse with step waveform providing a first crystallization current pulse to the phase change memory and providing a second crystallization current pulse to the phase change memory. The first crystallization current pulse has a first rising edge, a first falling edge and a first peak current held for a first hold time. The second crystallization current pulse has a second peak current. The second peak current follows the first falling edge and is held for a second hold time.
US07660146B2
Provided are a ferroelectric recording medium and a method of manufacturing the same. The ferroelectric recording medium includes a substrate, a plurality of supporting layers which are formed on the substrate, each of the supporting layers having at least two lateral surfaces; and data recording layers formed on the lateral surfaces of the supporting layers. First and second data recording layers may be respectively disposed on two facing lateral surfaces of each of the supporting layers. The supporting layers may be polygonal pillars having at least three lateral surfaces. A plurality of the supporting layers can be disposed at uniform intervals in a two-dimensional array.
US07660139B2
An inverter operable to supply high power factor electrical power to an AC load including an AC power grid includes a DC bus and a DC to AC converter section of the full bridge type. The inverter further includes a voltage sensor configured to produce an instantaneous output voltage signal representing instantaneous output voltage of the inverter, a rectification circuit configured to produce a rectified output voltage signal, a power signal generator, an output current sensor configured for sensing an output current of the inverter, a rectification circuit configured to produce the rectified output current signal, a sign circuit for producing a signal representing the sign of the output voltage and a control apparatus. The control apparatus includes a scaled rectified voltage signal generator, a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator configured to produce a pulse width modulation signal in response to the scaled rectified voltage signal and the rectified output current signal and a switching leg controller circuit configured to control the full bridge switches.
US07660138B2
The invention relates to a method for operating an electronically controlled inverter, said method being characterized in that the inverter is controlled during the positive half-wave of the output alternating voltage in such a way that it operates as a step-up converter/step-down converter cascade, and during the negative half-wave of the output alternating voltage in such a way that it operates as a CUK converter.
US07660137B1
A high-power modulation system includes drive circuitry that receives input signals from the signal source via a series of transformers. The drive circuitry amplifies the input signals and provides the resulting amplified signals to the high-power switch. The switch includes a series of stacked switching elements, each with a control terminal, first and second current-handling terminals, and feedback path extending between the first current-handling terminal and the control terminal. The feedback paths work in concert to turn the switches on and off together to prevent excessive voltage from developing across one or a subset of the switching elements. The feedback path includes a resistor that dampens the bandwidth of the feedback path to reduce turn-off and turn-on ringing and oscillation. The damping resistor may be coupled in series with a diode that holds charge against the control terminal of the switching element.
US07660135B2
A universal alternating current (AC) inverter system with galvanic isolation takes an unregulated direct current (DC) input and provides a high-quality AC output that may be used in conjunction with both linear and non-linear loads. The universal AC inverter system includes a DC-DC converter for converting an unregulated DC input to a regulated DC output, and a DC-AC inverter for converting the regulated DC output to a high-quality AC output. The DC-DC converter includes a DC link isolation high frequency transformer that provides galvanic isolation between the unregulated DC input and the AC output. To avoid saturation of the transformer, the controller for the DC-DC converter employs a DC offset correction loop that prevents accumulation of DC content on the primary side of the transformer. The universal AC inverter system includes a 4-phase inverter topology that converts the regulated DC voltage provided by the DC-DC converter to an AC output. An inverter controller employs a number of feedback loops that are used to control switches within the 4-phase inverter topology to provide a high-quality AC output voltage for both linear and non-linear loads, including a fast voltage control loop, a slow voltage control loop, a AC output capacitor current control loop, and a DC content control loop.
US07660132B2
A highly reliable covered multilayer module includes a plurality of side electrodes extending in a lamination direction of ceramic layers are provided at least at one of side surfaces of a multilayer module body. At least one of inner conductor layers is exposed at the side surface provided with the side electrodes, in a region interposed between an adjacently arranged pair of the side electrodes. A claw portion of a metal case is soldered to the side electrodes and the inner conductor layer. The plurality of inner conductor layers may be exposed at the side surface of the multilayer module body in the region interposed between the adjacently arranged pair of side electrodes such that at least a part of the inner conductor layer is superposed on the other inner conductor layer when seen in the lamination direction of the ceramic layers. The inner conductor layer may be exposed at the side surface of the multilayer module body such that the inner conductor layer extends from one to the other of the adjacently arranged pair of side electrodes.
US07660107B2
A Hard Disk Drive anti-shock and anti-vibration device and a Data Storage Device consisting of a HDD and the HDD anti-shock and anti-vibration device are described. The HDD anti-shock and anti-vibration device includes a packaging paper and foam. The foam is adhered on the packaging paper. When this packaging paper, with the foam adhering onto it, is folded, it can wrap the HDD in the foam. This HDD anti-shock and anti-vibration device can prevent the HDD from damage when the HDD is accidentally dropped or bumped and has excellent anti-shock and anti-vibration effects.
US07660101B2
The electrical properties and high-temperature characteristics of an electrolytic capacitor are rendered satisfactory by addition of a compound with an unsaturated bond-containing chain which serves to absorb hydrogen gas generated by reaction between the aluminum electrode foil and the electrolyte solution. The electrolytic capacitor contains the unsaturated compound which allows hydrogen addition, or the electrolytic solution, which comprises a solvent composed of 10-80 wt % of an organic solvent and 90-20 wt % water and at least one electrolyte selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids or their salts and inorganic acids or their salts, also comprises one or more unsaturated compounds which are water-soluble or soluble in polar and protic polar solvents.
US07660097B2
A remover of electrostatic charges comprises a head part, a soft X-ray protecting part, and a power controlling part. The head part neutralizes and weakens electrostatic charges of bodies that are objects of removal of electrostatic charges by generating soft X-ray having wavelengths in the range of 1.2 Ř1.5 Šwith high energy from a soft X-ray tube, and ionizes gas molecules directly and also removes electrostatic charges in atmosphere of inert gases (N2, Ar). The soft X-ray protecting part wraps the head part and prevents that soft X-ray is leaked from said head part. The power controlling part is connected to the head part and the soft X-ray protecting part electrically and provides target voltage to control the ion generation of filament voltage of a soft X-ray tube and soft X-ray tube with the soft X-ray tube.
US07660094B2
In an inverter circuit configured with main circuit switches each having a control terminal and first and second main terminals through which the main current flows, and driving circuits each of which applies the driving voltage to the control terminal of each main circuit switch, and controls the main current in accordance with the voltage between the control terminal and the first main terminal, to switch the main circuit switch, between the main circuit switch and the driving circuit, noise-suppression circuits are provided, each of which is configured so as to detect fluctuations in the voltage between the first and the second main terminals of each main circuit switch, and, in accordance with the amplitude and the frequency of the detected voltage fluctuations, to bring to approximately zero the impedance across the control terminal and the first main terminal of each main circuit switch.
US07660093B2
An electrical surge arrester includes an arrester block stack with a plurality of cylindrical surge arrester components arranged substantially coaxially to form a cylindrical stack of components having a longitudinal axis. First and second electrical conductive terminals are disposed at each end of the block stack and electrically coupled to the components. A spacer is disposed between each of the terminals and the plurality of cylindrical surge arrester components. A crimp pin is disposed in each of the metal terminals to plastically deform the terminals to compress the block stack. Rubber sheds can be directly molded around the device.
US07660092B2
A system for coupling an avionics component to a bus includes a junction box electrically coupled to the avionics component and to the bus. A circuit card disposed in the junction box includes a plurality of sockets. The some of the sockets are electrically connected to the bus. Others of the sockets are electrically connected to the avionics component. A modular network bus coupler is mountable to the circuit card. The bus coupler includes a housing with electrical isolation circuitry disposed therein. A plurality of pins are disposed exterior of the housing and engageable with at least some of the sockets of the circuit card. At least some of the pins are electrically coupled to the electrical isolation circuitry.
US07660091B2
A highly precise temperature compensation is applied in the detection of overcurrent. A control circuit detects a potential difference produced across a wire owing to the resistance of the wire and a load current that flows into the wire, which connects an NMOS transistor and an output terminal, and controls the NMOS transistor so as to limit the load current if the potential difference exceeds a prescribed value. The control circuit 20 includes a first diode group having a first end from which a first current is passed in a forward direction by a first current source and a second end connected to a first end of the wire, and a second diode group having a first end from which a second current is passed in a forward direction by a second current source and a second end connected to a second end of the wire. The prescribed value is corrected based upon a potential difference across the first ends of the first and second diode groups so as to reduce a change in output-current limit value produced a change in resistance of the metal wire with temperature.
US07660079B2
A head gimbal assembly includes a suspension including a suspension flexure. The suspension flexure includes a step plate mechanically formed in the suspension flexure. A micro-actuator is mounted to the step plate of the suspension flexure. The step plate is constructed and arranged to support the micro-actuator such that a substantially constant gap is maintained between a top support of the micro-actuator and the suspension flexure in use.
US07660067B1
A disk drive is disclosed including a disk, a head coupled to a distal end of an actuator arm, and a voice coil motor (VCM) operable to rotate the actuator arm about a pivot to actuate the head radially over the disk, wherein the VCM comprises a coil. Control circuitry within the disk drive measures a load resistance of the coil prior to executing a load operation, wherein the load operation moves the actuator arm off a ramp to load the head onto the disk. The load resistance of the coil is then converted into an initial coil temperature estimate.
US07660065B2
When positioning information is previously written in a disk-shaped recording medium, used for positioning a head provided for writing information to the disk-shaped recording medium or reading information written in the disk-shaped recording medium, the positioning information for one track of the disk-shaped recording medium includes, along a path of the one rotation, an overlapping part by which the head can be re-directed to the non-overlapping part if the head is offset from its starting point when it reaches the end of the rotation.
US07660057B2
Areas 11—1a, being in contact with an O-ring 13, of an outer peripheral surface of a taking lens 11—1 and an area 12a, being in contact with the O-ring 13, of an inner surface of a lens frame 12 are formed in taper shapes having slopes with respect to an optical axis of the taking lens 11—1 in a section taken along a plane including the optical axis. The O-ring 13 is disposed in contact with the areas 11—1a and 12a, which are formed in the taper shapes, of both of the outer peripheral surface of the taking lens 11—1 and the inner surface of the lens frame 12. Also, the O-ring 13 is pressed in directions of arrows P and P′ by the outer peripheral surface of the taking lens 11—1 and the inner surface of the lens frame 12.
US07660049B2
An optical lens system for taking image comprises four lens elements with refractive power, from the object side to the image side: a first meniscus lens element with negative refractive power; a second lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side and a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a fourth lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface and a concave image-side surface; and an aperture stop located between the object and the second lens element. The above arrangements effectively reduce the volume of the optical lens system while providing a relatively high resolution.
US07660045B2
An object lens includes a first optical system that obtains a magnified image of an object, a second optical system that guides dark field illumination light to the object, a barrel that contains the first optical system and the second optical system and has an optical path around the first optical system for the dark field illumination light, and a shield mechanism that is disposed on the optical path and that varies the incident area of the dark field illumination light to shield the dark field illumination light.
US07660039B2
Kinoform diffusers (82) exhibit controllable diffusion characteristics that include off-axis transmittance and reflectance properties, elimination of zero-order beam, and freedom from spectral dispersion under achromatic illumination. Light control devices (76, 80, 82) implemented with kinoform diffusers having controllable diffusion characteristics provide anisotropic luminous intensity distributions and glare control at high viewing angles while maintaining high luminaire efficiency or daylight utilization.
US07660037B2
A screen includes; a plurality of layers including a diffusion layer that diffuses incident tight; an elastic member that movably supports the diffusion layer with respect to an arbitrary holding part; and a driving unit that moves the diffusion layer in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of light that is incident to the diffusion layer.
US07660035B2
A scanning microscope includes at least one light source, an acousto-optical element, a beam deflection device and a beam guiding device. The at least one light source generates an illuminating light beam. The acousto-optical element spatially splits a sub-light beam from the illuminating light beam and adjusts an optical power of the illuminating light beam. The beam deflection device scans the illuminating light beam over or through a sample. The beam guiding device directs the sub-light beam onto the sample.
US07660032B2
A mixture of a first material having high chemical affinity for the electrophoretic particles 6a and a second material having low chemical affinity therefor is used as a binder for fixing microcapsules 5 between a first electrode 3 and a second electrode 4.
US07660027B2
An optical modulator comprises an electrode 21 which applies to an optical waveguides 12 of a Mach-Zehnder type optical interference system a first electric signal based on an alternating current signal S1 and a direct current bias V1, an electrode 22 which applies to an optical waveguide 13 of the Mach-Zehnder type optical interference system a second electric signal based on an alternating current signal S2 and a direct current bias V2, and a bias setting section 41 which sets average direct current levels of the first and second electric signals based on signal frequency information D1 which indicates a magnitude relation between a maximum frequency of the alternating current signal S1 and a maximum frequency of the alternating current signal S2.
US07660020B2
An image processing method includes acquiring an original image, acquiring original information, generating overlay information, determining where to embed the overlay information, evaluating whether the overlay information is embeddable in the original image, and controlling image processing according to a result of the evaluation. The image processing apparatus includes an image acquisition mechanism for acquiring an original image, an information acquisition mechanism for acquiring original information and generating overlay information, an embed position determination mechanism for determining where to embed a bit of the overlay information, an embed evaluation mechanism for evaluating whether the overlay information is embeddable in the original image, and an image processing control mechanism for controlling image processing according to a result of the evaluation. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program product which causes the image processing apparatus to perform the image processing method.
US07660014B2
An image processing apparatus scans image data along a row in an x direction, and if a series of black pixels having a length equal to or more than a first threshold is detected, the series of black pixels is determined as a rule and erased. Furthermore, if a series of black pixels having a length equal to or more than a second threshold that is connected to the rule and extends in a y direction is detected, the series of black pixels is determined as a rule and erased.
US07660008B2
The present invention provides a storage device that enables identification data to be readily rewritten and ensures normal completion of a data writing operation in a short time period. In the storage device of the invention, an ID comparator determines whether or not identification data transmitted from a host computer coincides with identification data stored in a memory array. In the case of coincidence, the ID comparator sends an access enable signal EN to an operation code decoder. The operation code decoder analyzes a write/read command, switches over a direction of data transfer with regard to the memory array based on a result of the analysis, and requires an I/O controller to change a high impedance setting of a signal line connecting with a data terminal DT. This series of processing allows access to an address in the memory array specified by a count on an address counter.
US07660005B2
A method of transmitting printer information which can inform a host of changed printer information in real time whenever printer information changes and a network printer using the method. The method includes determining whether or not the printer information has changed and transmitting the changed printer information in real time to a communications network or a predetermined program which communicates with the network printer. The network printer includes a printer information change determination circuit which determines changes in printer information, and a changed information notification module which transmits in real time the changed printer information to a communications network or a predetermined program which communicates with the network printer. The changed information notification module transmits the printer information to the communications network or the predetermined program when the network printer is turned on.
US07659999B2
A N-up calculator graphical user interface (GUI) is provided for performing N-Up printing. The graphical user interface includes configurable objects for specifying: 1) the size of the page, 2) the dimensions of the image, and 3) the number of images to be printed on each page (N-up). The controls on the GUI can include page size, reduction/enlargement percentage, final image size−height/width, Number up, and other related controls. The manipulation of any one of the controls may affect the others according to a set of rules. These rules determine which objects are held constant and for which values are automatically calculated, and the object automatically configured. The rule-set can be manipulated by selecting from a list of modes or options such as “Conserve Paper,” “Fit as Many Images as Possible” or “Maximize Image size” or by locking certain controls and freeing others.
US07659996B2
This patent specification describes a relative position detection device and a detector for a rotary body and an image forming apparatus including the relative position detection device. The relative position detection device includes a scale comprising a pattern continuously formed by changing reflectance or transmittance and moving in a direction, a light source to irradiate the scale, a light receiving unit to read the pattern and output a signal, and a signal processing unit to process the output signal of the light receiving unit. The pattern is formed by a line pattern having regularly spaced lines perpendicular to the direction of movement of the scale, the light receiving unit is slanted with respect to the lines, and the relative position detection device detects a relative position change and speed change of the scale.
US07659991B2
An optically reflective or translucent object (14) can be microscopically imaged in all three dimensions and in true color for observation by a human observer. An interferometric optical setup is employed, using the low temporal coherence of a tunable broad-band light source (10, 20) to resolve the axial dimension, a single opto-mechanical or electronic scanning mechanism for accessing different object depths, and a two-dimensional photo sensor device (15, 34) capable of demodulating the temporally or spatially modulated scanning signals to reconstruct the object's full volume. Three volume scans are carried out sequentially, and the tunable broad-band source (10, 20) is operated in such a way that its spectral distribution for each of the volume scans results in an effective system sensitivity corresponding to one of the three CIE (Commission Internationale d'Éclairage) tristimulus curves, or a linear combination thereof. The linear combination of the three volume images forms the full, true-color volume image for human observers. By using reference objects (43) in the imaged volume, the three-dimensional images can be corrected for spatially- and wavelength-dependent dispersion and absorption.
US07659986B2
In a smoke sensor, a first light-receiving element which receives light from a light-emitting element and is disposed in a position where the quantity of received light changes according to a density of smoke and a second light-receiving element which monitors the quantity of light of the light-emitting element are arranged symmetrically with respect to the light-emitting element. Furthermore, a signal from the first light-receiving element and a signal from the second light-receiving element are amplified by an identical amplifier circuit. In a microcomputer, the density of smoke is computed based on a difference between an output obtained by amplifying an output of the first light-receiving element with the amplifier circuit and an output obtained by amplifying an output of the second light-receiving element with the amplifier circuit.
US07659980B1
Describes a nephelometric turbidity sensor device which embodies: methods for: (a) attenuation of entrained air, (b) attenuation of bubbles, (c) attenuation of scattered light (d) interchangeable light sources with automatic indexing of algorithms (e) anti-fog windows and (f) verification of operation by self-check and (g) self-calibration.
US07659975B1
Methods and systems for inspection of a wafer or setting up an inspection process are provided. One method for inspection of a wafer includes detecting first and second sets of defects on the wafer by performing different scans of the wafer with different focus offsets. The method also includes comparing results of the different scans for a defect of the first set and a defect of the second set that are detected at approximately the same location on the wafer. The method further includes determining if the defect of the first and second sets is a defect of an underlying layer or an uppermost layer formed on the wafer based on results of the comparing step.
US07659973B2
An inspection system may be configured to inspect objects, such as semiconductor wafers, using narrow-pulse broadband illumination. The illumination may be obtained in some embodiments using a laser configured to emit light into a material having a spectral broadening effect. The inspection system can include various filters which may be selectively placed in the illumination and/or imaging path in order to tune the spectrum of light impinging on the wafer and the light that is detected. The filters may include selectable filters, fixed filters, and filters whose characteristics can be adjusted in-place. In some embodiments, filters may be used to match the illumination/detection spectra of different tools. Additionally, the broadband illumination may be tuned between inspections and/or during inspections for best results. The system may support Fourier filtering whereby light, related to repetitive features of the object and in one or more wavelength sub-bands of the illumination, may be filtered.
US07659953B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) includes a rear substrate and a front substrate, an LC (liquid crystal) layer placed between the rear substrate and the front substrate, and a reflecting region which reflects external light in at least a portion of a region toward the LC layer at a side of the rear substrate to illuminate the LC layer, and the reflecting region includes an array of a plurality of reflecting surfaces which are formed so that at least a portion toward the front substrate of a side of the rear substrate is not parallel to the front substrate, a first medium layer having a first index of refraction and formed to have a flat surface on the reflecting surfaces, a second medium layer having a second index of refraction that is smaller than the first medium layer, and a third medium layer having a third index of refraction that is larger than the second medium layer, and a portion of light that travels from the rear substrate at an interface between the first medium layer and the second medium layer is totally internally reflected.
US07659951B2
A direct light type backlight unit and a liquid crystal panel employing the same. The backlight unit includes a plurality of light emitting devices disposed at a predetermined angle on a substrate; and a grating which diffracts incident light from the light emitting devices at different diffraction angles to separate the incident light into a plurality of colored light beams. The backlight unit and the liquid crystal display include direct light type light sources emitting light at an optimal angle to provide maximum diffraction efficiency of the grating, which allows color image realization without the use of a color filter.
US07659946B2
Disclosed is a transmissive liquid crystal projector carrying a vertical alignment liquid crystal device. The liquid crystal projector includes a liquid crystal panel (25), on the light incident side and on the light radiating side of which a light incident side polarizing plate (24) and a light radiating side light polarizing plate (26) are arranged, respectively. A first polarized light component in a light beam collected by an illuminating optical system is transmitted through the light incident side polarizing plate (24) and routed to the liquid crystal panel (25). An optical anisotropic device (45), tilted by a preset angle correlated with the direction of alignment of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal panel (25), that is, a pre-tilt angle, is arranged between the light incident side polarizing plate (24) and the liquid crystal panel (25) or between the light radiating side light polarizing plate (26) and the liquid crystal panel (25). By so doing, a high contrast ratio may be maintained, while transmittance of the liquid crystal panel may be improved.
US07659942B2
A broadcast receiver includes a varying unit which varies an output volume of broadcast audio, a display unit which displays a subtitle, which represents content of the broadcast audio, and a control unit which controls the display unit to display the subtitle when the broadcast receiver is in an operation mode in which subtitles are not displayed and when the output volume is less than a predetermined value.
US07659931B2
In an imaging apparatus, a function whose value increases in time is used as a threshold electric-signal level, and an electric-signal level of a photoreceptor element is compared with the threshold electric-signal level. Even if a light received by the photoreceptor element has a low luminance, the electric-signal level of the photoreceptor element crosses the threshold electric-signal level in a short time, allowing calculation of the amount of optical energy received by the photoreceptor element. Furthermore, when an object having a region where brightness changes in time and also having a region with a low luminance is imaged, imaging interval is changed in accordance with luminance. Accordingly, information regarding how the brightness of the object is rapidly changing in time can be obtained more precisely, and an image can be output without making a projection image of the dark region completely black.
US07659918B2
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for adjusting the resonant frequency, scan velocity or other parameters of a pivotally functional surface such as an oscillating mirror used as the scanning engine of a laser printer or projection display. The selected parameter is adjusted by the application of tensional or compression stress to the torsional hinges of the mirror. According to one embodiment, the appropriate stress is generated by a slice of piezoelectric material bonded to the mirror device itself or to other portions of the support structure of the scanning engine.
US07659917B2
A method for labeling an optical disc includes the following steps: receiving a command of a light scribe application program of a host to start labeling, reading an indication area of the optical disc to obtain information of labeling, transmitting the information of labeling to the host, and planning blocks capable of being labeled in the drawing area of the optical disc by the host. If planning the blocks capable of being labeled fails, labeling stops; and if planning the blocks capable of being labeled is successful, the drawing area of the optical disc is labeled, an indication is recorded at the indication area of the optical disc corresponding to the labeled block, and labeling then stops.
US07659907B1
A visual server system (10) includes a visual server (12) that provides graphics images through execution of a graphics application (20). The graphics images are compressed by a compression unit (63) according to compression modules (28). The server can detect an event associated with any of the graphics images. Upon detecting the event, the server generates a message that controls the compression unit (63) and the compression modules (28) in compressing the graphics images. Compression of the graphics images is adjusted according to the message generated by the server (12). The message is also provided to the appropriate decompression unit (72) and decompression modules (42) in order to control decompression of the graphics images. In this manner, dynamic control of compression and decompression of an image stream are achieved.
US07659905B2
A system and method of pre-fetching data in a network includes displaying first data to a user, the first data being upstream of other data in a data flow. Before receiving a request from the user to view the other data, retrieving at least some of the other data and storing the retrieved other data in a memory device. After a request is received from the user to display the other data, using the stored data for the display to the user.
US07659903B2
An aircraft cockpit flight deck data display system for displaying, on a viewable display screen, typically anti-aliased graphical imaging data derived from aircraft sensors, generates or receives graphics processing language (GPL) commands that define the information intended for presentation on the display screen. The GPL commands are input to a video graphics processor that is operable to interpret the received GPL commands and to generate therefrom video imaging data transferable to the display screen to populate the screen with the intended information. The same GPL commands are also input to a comparator processor that is operable to interpret the received GPL commands and to generate therefrom selected “points of light”, comprising a limited subset of the video imaging data generated by the video graphics processor. The comparator processor-generated “points of light” are then compared to the respective corresponding video imaging data points generated by the video graphics processor to thereby validate the proper operation of the video graphics processor and the accuracy of the video imaging data generated by the video graphics processor.
US07659888B2
An electronic apparatus of the present invention has a first unit and a second unit coupled to the first unit through a coupling section which allows the second unit to be opened and closed relative to the first unit and the second unit has a display screen with a pen input function for detecting the contact of a pen or the close position of a pen. The first unit includes a bottom cover, a circuit substrate arranged above the bottom cover, and an upper cover arranged above the circuit substrate. The circuit substrate has a DC-DC converter that is disposed thereon and provided with one or more coils that generate power for operating the electronic apparatus, and at least one of the coils is disposed on the surface of the circuit substrate facing the bottom cover.
US07659886B2
An electrical apparatus comprises a casing, a light-guiding device and a light-emitting device. In this case, the casing has a keyboard setting area for accommodating a keyboard. An opening is located at one side of the keyboard setting area. The light-guiding device is set in the casing and is near to the opening. Light is emerged from the light-guiding device and a part of the light passes through the opening to one side of the keyboard. The light-emitting device is set at one side of the light-guiding device.
US07659879B2
A backlight driving circuit for an LCD device is disclosed, in which multiple high-voltage parts each having an inverter circuit are provided, and the plurality of high-voltage parts are dispersedly arranged at both rear sides of an LCD panel. The distribution of the high voltage parts obtains a uniform temperature dispersion in the LCD device, and the lifespan of the LCD is therefore enhanced.
US07659870B2
A method of driving a plasma display panel that is adaptive for improving brightness and efficiency. In the method, a sustaining pulse for sustaining a discharge of a cell selected in a sustaining interval is alternately applied to each of a sustaining electrode pair. A pulse signal synchronized with the sustaining pulse is applied to a data electrode to cause a discharge for inducing a long-path discharge between the sustaining electrode pair between any one of the sustaining electrode pair and the data electrode.
US07659860B2
The present invention relates to an antenna arrangement comprising a dielectric medium (2) with a first side (3) and a second side (4), with a feeding arrangement (6; 6′) on the first side and at least one slot (5; 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73) in a ground plane on the second side, where the feeding arrangement comprises at least a first (13; 13′; 37; 37′), a second (14; 14′; 38; 38′), a third (15; 15′; 41; 41′) and a fourth (16; 16′, 42; 42′) feeding conductor, each intersecting the gap of the slot (5; 62, 63, 64, 65; 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73), where each intersection constitute a feeding point (17, 18, 19, 20; 39, 40, 43, 44, 50, 51, 52, 53) for the antenna arrangement (1; 1′; 1″; 1′″). In a first mode of operation, a first constant E-field (26) that is directed across the slot is obtained. In a second mode of operation, a second E-field (28) which is directed across the slot, having a sinusoidal variation is obtained. In a third mode of operation, a third E-field (30) which is directed across the slot, having a sinusoidal variation, is obtained.
US07659853B2
A multi-band antenna includes a bent flat copper antenna forming a radiation surface to provide GSM-850/900/1800/1900 or GPS multi-band applications, and an auxiliary antenna coupled to the radiation surface provide WCDMA-2100/UMTS-2100 multi-band applications. The radiation surface and the auxiliary antenna are coupled to generate the required bandwidth for multiple radiation bands and to optimize the gain of radiation, so that the multi-band antenna can provide a broad range of services.
US07659850B1
A base station almanac (BSA) stores directional forward link calibration (FLC) values that correct for differences between the listed locations of base station antennas and the actual locations of the antennas. Each directional FLC value is specific to wireless signals that are transmitted from a particular base station antenna and propagate toward a particular receiving area. A mobile station operating in a receiving area measures a wireless signal from a base station antenna located outside of the receiving area to obtain a signal measurement. The location of the mobile station is determined by applying a positioning algorithm that uses the signal measurement corrected by the directional FLC value for that particular combination of base station antenna and receiving area.
US07659848B2
A method of determining a location of an event of interest by processing signals from a satellite positioning system. The method comprises receiving recorded blocks of data samples of a satellite broadcast including blocks recorded at the approximate location of the event of interest, each block including one or more timestamps generated within a first portable device at which the samples were recorded; receiving a time of occurrence of the event recorded independently of the samples; comparing the timestamps and the time of occurrence to identify at least one block corresponding to the event; and processing the data samples of the identified at least one block to derive position information approximating the location of the event.
US07659841B1
A circuit and method for compensating sigma-delta modulators in A/D and D/A converters is disclosed. Circuits according to the invention use a low-resolution Sigma-Delta encoded version of the signal to inexpensively encode quadratic and cubic compensation terms. These circuits can encode quadratic and cubic compensation signals with acceptably low quantization noise without requiring the use of expensive multi-bit multipliers to compute the square or cube of the signal. The method includes providing a binary word Q or a binary word C (or both) representing the desired amount of quadratic or cubic compensation to apply. Because the encoded quadratic and cubic signals have only one or a few bits, they can be multiplied by Q and C without the use of expensive multi-bit multipliers and applied to the modulator input or output to provide a compensated result.
US07659840B2
A sigma-delta converter suitable for measuring a photocurrent comprises an input node adapted to receive a current to be measured (Imeas), a capacitor connected to the input node, a clocked comparator coupled to the input node and to a reference voltage Vref at respective inputs, and a switchable current source connected to the input node which conducts a reference current Iref when switched on. The converter is arranged in a sigma-delta configuration, with the current source switched on to pull down the voltage (VCMP) at the input node when the comparator output toggles due to VCMP increasing above Vref, and to be switched off when the comparator output toggles due to VCMP falling below Vref, such that the comparator output comprises a digital bitstream which varies with Imeas.
US07659839B2
A method for coding a message of a plurality of m-state symbols into a coded message of n-state symbols wherein n>m is disclosed. A method to make the distribution of states of n-state symbols a uniform distribution is also disclosed. A coding rule is initiated based on a distribution of states of m-state symbols. A method of coding the coding rule by transposition is also provided. In one embodiment a coded message of n-state symbols has symbols that each have a unique state. A system for executing the coding and decoding methods is also disclosed.
US07659837B2
An operation processing apparatus adapted to perform a data conversion on input bits has a logic circuit adapted to perform a data conversion on input bits. The logic circuit includes selectors configured in a hierarchical layer structure and controlled by select signals corresponding to the input bits. Constant values input to selectors located in a bottom layer of the hierarchical structure are selected and transferred toward a top layer from one layer to another. A constant value is finally selected and output from the top layer. The data conversion process is controlled by a control unit such that a pre-charge phase and an evaluation phase are performed alternately. In the pre-charge phase, all input values to the selectors are set to be equal. In the evaluation phase, an output bit for given input bits is produced. The select signals are switched in the pre-charge phase.
US07659835B2
Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for recognizing a parking slot by using a bird's-eye view and a parking assist system using the same.
US07659831B2
A hand-held device is provided. The hand-held device is used for playing a storage medium and has an indication apparatus. The indication apparatus is divided into a plurality of sections, and one of the sections is driven to twinkle according to the specific period having elapsed for playing the storage medium.
US07659829B2
An apparatus for detecting the opening and closing of a slide-type mobile communication terminal having a main body and a sub-body mounted on the main body. The apparatus includes a signal generating element of bar-type provided in the sub-body for generating a predetermined signal; a first and a second signal sensor provided at two positions separated by a predetermined interval in the main body so as to face the signal generating element respectively when the sub-body is slid up and down relative to the main body, the first and second signal sensors detecting the predetermined signal; and a control unit for performing corresponding functions according to the opening and closing operations of the mobile communication terminal represented by different signals generated by the first and second signal sensors.
US07659822B2
A method and apparatus for testing RFID straps. Arrays of RFID straps in a roll-to-roll process are coupled to an array of test elements. RF programming and interrogation signals are frequency and time multiplexed to the RFID array. Return signals are detected to determine sensitivity and programmability parameters of the RFID straps.
US07659821B2
The present invention provides a smart RFID infrastructure and method. Specifically, under the present invention, the infrastructure includes a set (e.g., one or more) of smart RFID tags adapted to communicate with one another, wherein each operating smart RFID tag is adapted to create an individual table of information pertaining to operation of other smart RFID tags. In addition, the infrastructure includes a set of writeable RFID tags adapted to communicate with and receive the individual table of information from each operating smart RFID tag, wherein each of the set of writeable RFID tags is further adapted to create a master table of information based on the individual table of information received from each operating smart RFID tag.
US07659816B2
A method and a device for detecting intrusion into or tampering with contents of an enclosure. According to the method at least one gas proof seal-barrier is provided in association with the enclosure and a first environment is produced within said gas proof seal-barrier. Said first environment is different regarding at least one characteristic feature from a second environment surrounding said gas proof seal-barrier. At least one detector is arranged within said gas proof seal-barrier for detecting a predetermined change of the characteristic feature of the said first environment. Said detector is transferred irrevocably from a first state to a second state when there is a predetermined change of the characteristic feature, and the state of the detector is supplied to a position outside said gas proof seal-barrier.
US07659814B2
The present invention provides a computer implemented method for sending alerts. A distributed sensor receives a sound and determines whether the sound matches a preset criterion. If so, the distributed sensor transmits an event to a central portal device.
US07659811B2
A speed exceeded notification device may be installed in a vehicle of a type including a vehicle data communications bus extending throughout the vehicle, and at least one vehicle indicator coupled to the vehicle data communications bus. The speed exceeded notification device may include a wireless communications device, and a controller to be coupled to the vehicle data communications bus. The controller may be for determining when a vehicle speed exceeds a speed threshold for a first time period, and based thereon may cooperate with the wireless communications device to send a remote vehicle speed exceeded notification. The controller may also determine when the vehicle speed exceeds the speed threshold for a second time period less than the first time period, and may generate a local vehicle speed exceeded notification using the at least one vehicle indicator coupled to the vehicle data communications bus so that a driver of the vehicle can reduce the speed of the vehicle and avoid sending of the remote vehicle speed exceeded notification.
US07659807B2
A device and method are provided for processing multimedia broadcast-related events in a portable terminal, and include a memory for storing character UI images according to multimedia broadcast-related events, an event collection section for collecting the multimedia broadcast-related events generated in the portable terminal and for generating event messages for discriminating the generated multimedia broadcast-related events, an agent control section including a plurality of specialists for processing the multimedia broadcast-related events, the agent control section determining specialists corresponding to the event messages, selecting and outputting character UI IDs corresponding to the multimedia broadcast-related events of the determined specialist, and processing feedback information on the corresponding events according to the feedback information of a user, and an agent expression section for outputting character images and texts which correspond to the multimedia broadcast-related events and the feedback information.
US07659806B2
A chip resistor includes an insulating substrate, a pair of electrodes formed on a main surface of the substrate and a resistor element electrically connected to the electrodes. The paired electrodes are spaced from each other in a first direction. The main surface of the substrate is formed with a raised portion in the form of a plateau which is smaller in size than the substrate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The paired electrodes are formed on the raised portion. The resistor element is equal in size to the raised portion in the second direction.
US07659796B2
A surface acoustic wave device includes a first surface acoustic wave filter forming a ladder filter circuit; and a second surface acoustic wave filter having a passband at a frequency range higher than that of the first surface acoustic wave filter. The first surface acoustic wave filter includes a series-arm surface acoustic wave resonator, a parallel-arm surface acoustic wave resonator and an additional surface acoustic wave resonator. The series-arm surface acoustic wave resonator is on a series arm of the ladder filter circuit and includes an IDT electrode. The parallel-arm surface acoustic wave resonator is on a parallel arm of the ladder filter circuit and includes an IDT electrode. The additional surface acoustic wave resonator includes an IDT electrode, is connected in parallel with the series-arm surface acoustic wave resonator, and has a resonance frequency higher than the frequency range of the passband of the second surface acoustic wave filter.
US07659794B2
A single-pole-double-throw switch is provided, which is configured to be integrated with a bandpass filtering function and includes four quarter-wavelength transmission lines connected in series, five resonators connected in parallel to each other, and four transistors connected in parallel to four of the five resonators. When two of the four transistors are turned on and the others are turned off, the single-pole-double-throw switch is equivalent to a third-order quarter-wavelength short-circuited stub bandpass filter.
US07659792B2
The present invention is directed to a circulator/isolator device that includes a housing having a substantially planar base portion integrally connected to a segmented flexible wall structure extending in a direction normal thereto. The substantially planar base portion and the segmented flexible wall structure forms an interior housing volume having a predetermined geometry. The segmented flexible wall structure includes a plurality of port apertures disposed therein. The plurality of port apertures are separated from each other and disposed at predetermined locations in the segmented flexible wall structure. A central stack is disposed within the interior housing volume at a predetermined position on the base portion. The central stack includes a substantially flat conductor having a plurality of port structures extending therefrom. Each of the plurality of port structures are disposed at predetermined positions at a perimeter portion of the substantially flat conductor. The predetermined positions substantially conform to the predetermined locations such that each of the plurality of port structures extend through the segmented flexible wall structure at a corresponding one of the plurality of port apertures. A cover member is disposed within the housing at one end thereof, opposite the base portion, such that an exterior major surface of the cover is accessible via an exterior of the device and an interior major surface of the cover is disposed adjacent the central stack. A retaining member is disposed around a perimeter of the segmented flexible wall structure at the one end. The retaining member is configured to apply a substantially uniform radial compressive force to the segmented flexible wall structure to retain the cover member there within. The cover member applies a registration force to the central stack assembly to maintain the central stack assembly at the predetermined position.
US07659789B2
A class-D amplifier (10) includes a logic circuit (40) for controlling the operation of a switching bridge (11). The logic circuit (40) transmits the differential mode of a differential pulse width modulation input signal and deletes a central portion of the common mode of input signal, while preserving pulses of a minimum pulse width following a rising edge and preceding a falling edge in common mode of the input signal. Deleting the central portion of the common mode signal improves the efficiency and reduces the electromagnetic interference radiation of the class-D amplifier (10). Preserving the pulses of the minimum pulse width ensures the proper operation of the switching elements (12, 14, 16, 18) in the switching bridge (11), thereby reducing the distortion in the signal amplification.
US07659784B2
An injection-locked frequency divider is provided. The injection-locked frequency divider includes a voltage control oscillator (VCO) and a mixer. The VCO includes a LC resonance tank and a negative-resistance generator for generating a differential oscillation signal including a first and a second oscillation signals. The LC resonance tank adjusts a VCO reactance and resonates for generating the differential oscillation signal. The negative-resistance generator coupled to the LC resonance tank eliminates an equivalent resistance generated by the LC resonance tank and maintains the VCO to continuously oscillate. The mixer has a first and a second local input terminals respectively receiving the first and second injected signals included in a differential injected signal, and the first and second radio frequency input terminals respectively receiving the first and second oscillation signals for mixing the differential injected signal with the differential oscillation signal to adjust the output frequency of the differential oscillation signal.
US07659782B2
A circuit and method to reduce jitter and/or noise in a phase-locked loop (PLL). A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) control signal is tapped and filtered to create a low-noise, filtered VCO control signal. The filtered and unfiltered control signals are individually weighted and then combined to create a modified VCO control signal which reduces the jitter and/or the noise by reducing an effect of VCO gain on the jitter and/or the noise.
US07659780B2
A gain control circuit including a resistor with a first terminal and a second terminal; an operational amplifier with an inverting terminal thereof electrically coupled to said first terminal of said resistor; a non-inverting terminal thereof; and an output terminal thereof; an amplifier circuit for transforming the voltage change of said operational amplifier output into a substantially exponential current change; wherein the output of said amplifier circuit is electrically coupled to said inverting terminal of said operational amplifier. The above described gain control circuit is able to perform wide bandwidth input signal buffering with linearity under low voltage and low power conditions. The circuit also offers low output impedances without the need of additional buffers and hence minimizing circuit size and manufacturing costs.
US07659777B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, an operational amplifier circuit, a switching element is closed and a switching element is opened. A latch circuit DL latches an output voltage of an operational amplifier and supplies a Q output corresponding to the output voltage. A control circuit supplies an offset adjustment signal to an offset adjustment input terminal OR of the operational amplifier, thereby adjusting an offset of the output voltage. The latch circuit DL latches again the output voltage thus adjusted and minutely adjusts the offset adjustment signal so as to adjust the remaining offset. Weighting is carried out in accordance with how many times latching has been carried out, and the offset of the output voltage of the operational amplifier is quantized, thereby obtaining a binary logical signal and storing the signal in the control circuit.
US07659773B2
A semiconductor IC includes a logic block, and a voltage control circuit controlling an operating voltage supplied into the logic block. The voltage control circuit controls the operating voltage to be increased in a stepwise fashion during an initial operation of the logic block.
US07659772B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit device includes: a switching current observer for observing a switching current; a leakage current observer for observing a leakage current; a comparator which compares the switching current and the leakage current with each other; a threshold voltage controller for controlling a substrate bias voltage in order to make a ratio of the switching current and the leakage current constant; a delay observer for observing a delay amount; and a power supply voltage controller for controlling a power supply voltage in order to keep the delay amount in a predetermined range. In the semiconductor integrated circuit device, a process which enables the minimization of an operation power is carried out by controlling the threshold voltage to make the ratio of the switching current and the leakage current constant at a given clock frequency and controlling the power supply voltage to guarantee the operating speed.
US07659769B2
A substrate voltage control technique that prevents the operating speed from being decreased and suppresses a leakage current due to a lower threshold voltage with respect to a low voltage use. Since a center value of the threshold voltages is detected by plural replica MOS transistors, and a substrate voltage is controlled to control a center value of the threshold voltages, thereby making it possible to satisfy a lower limit of the operating speed and an upper limit of a leakage current of the entire chip. On the other hand, the substrate voltage is dynamically controlled during the operation of the chip, thereby making it possible to decrease the center value of the threshold voltages when the chip operates to improve the speed, and to increase the center value of the threshold voltages after the operation of the chip to reduce the leakage current of the entire chip.
US07659765B2
Operations as a variable resistor are favorably realized even when a drain-source voltage of a variable MOS resistor and that of a reference MOS resistor are not the same. A gate voltage of the variable MOS resistor is controlled with reference to a gate voltage which is controlled such that a voltage generated in the reference MOS resistor is controlled to be the same as a reference voltage. A resistor is connected in parallel with the reference MOS resistor between the drain and source thereof, the resistor including a pair of resistors having the same resistance connected in series. Half of a drain-source voltage of the reference MOS resistor is detected at an intermediate point of the pair of resistors. The gate voltage of the variable resistor is obtained by subtracting one-half of the drain-source voltage from the gate voltage of the reference MOS resistor.
US07659760B2
A charge pump circuit comprises two MOS transistors serially connected between a power supply voltage VDD and ground, a switch SW0, four switches SW1 through SW4, four capacitors C1 through C4, and four switches SW5 through SW8. If a control voltage Vcntl is to be varied, a specific switch SW of the switches SW1 through SW4 is turned on such that a specific capacitor is charged to the power supply voltage VDD. Then, a specific switch SW of the switches SW5 through SW8 is turned on to transfer the electric charge stored in the capacitor to the capacitor of a low-pass filter and thereby the control voltage is controlled at a desired value.
US07659759B2
An external clock round-trips a round-trip delay block configured by a selector and a short delay array, and is made capable of corresponding to a wide frequency by generating a long delay time required for synchronization at the time of a low frequency operation. Further, when a plurality of phase comparators are disposed, in both cases where comparing phases all at once and comparing phases one after another, it is possible to complete the phase synchronization within a short time by making a delay amount variable.
US07659753B2
In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes an apparatus that included a reference generator to receive a differential input signal and generate reference voltages having same common mode as the differential input signal. A replica bias generator is used to generate a bias signal based on the reference voltages. A comparator is used to compare the input signals to threshold voltages that are based at least in part on the bias signal.
US07659749B2
A pulsed dynamic logic environment metric measurement circuit provides self-referenced, low area/cost and low power measurement of circuit environment metrics, such as supply voltage. A cascade of dynamic logic stages is clocked with a pulse having a width substantially independent of an environment metric to which the delay of the dynamic logic stages is sensitive. The number of dynamic logic stages that evaluate within a given pulse provides a direct measure of the pulse width, and thus the value of the circuit metric. The pulse may be generated from a logical exclusive-OR combination of a clock signal provided from two circuit paths that differ in sensitivity to the environment metric to be measured. One circuit path may have a delay substantially determined only by wire delay, which is not substantially sensitive to circuit environment metrics such as power supply voltage.
US07659744B2
A testing circuit and method for a liquid crystal display device are presented. The circuit comprises: a substrate, a plurality of pixels formed on the substrate and having n sub-pixels, a plurality of signal paths, and a plurality of p shorting bars, The plurality of signal paths is formed on the substrate and connected to the sub-pixels correspondingly; the p shorting bars are formed on the substrate and respectively connected to (p×m+1)th, (p×m+2)th, (p×m+3)th . . . , (p×m+p)th numbered signal paths The method comprises: dividing the p shorting bars into n groups; and applying testing signals respectively to the shorting bars of every group. The method also comprises: dividing the p shorting bars into groups by odd-even sequence; and applying testing signals respectively to every group, so as to effectively increase the testing efficiency of array and cell tests in fabrication of the device.
US07659737B1
A probe needle apparatus and method provides a drive guard having the same potential as a probe needle for reducing signal noise in low current measurements. The probe needle apparatus includes a central conductive core covered with alternating layers of dielectric and conductive materials, a first layer of dielectric material applied to maintain electrical access to the conductive central core while providing continuous isolation of the conductive central core elsewhere, and a conductive drive guard layer applied around the first layer of dielectric material in electrical isolation from the conductive central core.
US07659732B2
A four-wire ohmmeter connector includes a pair of elongated members spaced apart from each other by an interconnecting web. A pair of elongated contacts are mounted on forwardly projecting portions of each of the elongated members. An insulative housing surrounds the elongated members, contacts and web. The contacts mounted on one of the elongated members are connected through separate wires to a positive probe, and the contacts mounted on the other of the elongated members are connected through separate wires to a negative probe. The elongated members are inserted into respective terminal apertures of a four-wire ohmmeter. A pair of semi-cylindrical conductive sleeves are aligned with each of the apertures, and they make contact with and compress the respective contacts that are inserted into the aperture.
US07659729B2
A microwave sending antenna 3R and a microwave receiving antenna 4R are provided to a right-side furnace wall 1R, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3R are reflected by the right-side edge of a cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4R. Similarly, a microwave sending antenna 3L and a microwave receiving antenna 4L are provided to a left-side furnace wall 1L, and the system is devised so that the microwaves emitted from the microwave sending antenna 3L are reflected by the left-side edge of the cold-rolled steel plate 2, and the reflected waves are received by the microwave receiving antenna 4L. If the time from the sending of the microwaves until the receiving of the reflected waves is designated as t, and the velocity of the microwaves is designated as c, then the distance to the object reflecting the microwaves is determined from t·c/2. It is possible to provide a method for measuring the width-direction end position of a material strip with which noise and atmosphere have little effect, installation is easy, and there is little mechanical interference with the material strip.
US07659725B2
A method of assessing the suitability of a metered dose inhaler actuator A test canister equipped with a valve and containing a pressurized propellant is provided. One or more actuators manufactured for use in a metered dose inhaler is provided and tested, wherein each actuator is tested by coupling the canister to the actuator, positioning the actuator with respect to an electrostatic measurement device and firing the canister such that electrostatic charge from an aerosol emitted by the canister is measured by the electrostatic measurement device. The measured electrostatic charge is compared to a predetermined specification range to make a determination whether the measured electrostatic charge is within or outside the predetermined specification range and accordingly whether the actuator is or is not acceptable.
US07659716B2
A sensor circuit has: a sensor portion that obtains, as an electrical signal, information on an object to be measured or detected; and a control circuit that controls the operation of the sensor portion. The control circuit receives a start input signal inputted thereto from outside for making the sensor portion operate only for a given duration after the start input signal is inputted thereto. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the current consumption by arbitrarily controlling a period of an intermittent operation of the sensor circuit.
US07659713B2
A method for initializing a rotational angle detector detecting rotational angles of two driven gears mated with a drive gear, rotated integrally with a detection subject, and obtaining rotational angle of the detection subject from the detected rotational angles. The method includes obtaining a first error and second error in each rotational angle of the driven gears when the drive gear is rotated in forward and rearward directions, obtaining an average value of the first and second errors, obtaining a difference between the average value and a theoretical rotational angle for the two driven gears when the rotational angle of the drive gear is 0°, and storing the difference as correction data added to each actual rotational angle of the two driven gears when obtaining the rotational angle of the detection subject.
US07659709B2
An electric current sensor having a housing, magnetic circuit with a magnetic core, and a magnetic field detector with a detection cell, positioned in an air gap between ends of the core. The core is made of a non-laminated magnetic material, and the magnetic circuit has a strap made of non-magnetic material welded to the core at each side of the air gap. The magnetic field detector has a support plate on which the detection cell is mounted. The plate has a recess, opposition the detection cell, which houses one end of the magnetic circuit.
US07659708B2
A receiver for receiving a broadcast channel comprising a spectrum analyzer physically integrated into the receiver and operative to receive an intermediate frequency signal and process the spectral contents of the receive signal.
US07659701B1
In an example embodiment, a primary power supply having an input, an output and a mode selection input. The mode selection input is operative to switch the power supply between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. While in the first mode of operation voltage is regulated within a predefined criterion. While in the second mode of operation, voltage at the output is allowed to vary beyond the predefined criteria.
US07659700B2
An electronic device for transferring charge includes: a charge storage device; an inductive section; and a switching array having a first set of switches connected to a first node of a power terminal, a second set of switches connected to a second node, and a third set of switches connected to a third node. The device includes a controller configured to control the switching array so as to cause a first predetermined charge to interchange between the first node and the charge storage device, a second predetermined charge to interchange between the second node and the charge storage device, and a third predetermined charge to interchange between the third node and the charge storage device; and a bypass switch configured to close a circuit between the charge storage device and the inductive section so as to prevent charge from interchanging between the charge storage device and the nodes.
US07659698B2
A system and method for controlling the state of charge of an energy storage system examines a number of parameters to determine if a target state of charge should be adjusted. Parameters related to one or more of: a target life span of the energy storage system, driving habits of a vehicle operator, or environmental conditions are examined. The target state of charge is changed from a predetermined baseline target state of charge when the parameter values meet predetermined conditions.
US07659697B2
A method to supply power to one or more battery-backup assemblies, wherein the method supplies a first controller, a second controller, a first battery-backup assembly, and a second battery-backup assembly. The method further supplies a power bus interconnected to the first controller, the second controller, the first battery-backup assembly, and the second battery-backup assembly, and a first power supply and a second power supply interconnected with the power bus. The method provides power to the first controller and to the second controller and to the first battery-backup assembly over a first period of time, and provides power to the first controller and to the second controller and to the second battery-backup assembly over a second period of time, where the first period of time differs from the second period of time.
US07659684B2
A method and system for operating a motor are provided. Power is provided to the motor through at least one switch operating at a first switching frequency. A pulse ratio of the motor is calculated based on the first switching frequency. The at least one switch is operated at a second switching frequency if the calculated pulse ratio is less than a first pulse ratio value and greater than a second pulse ratio value.
US07659664B2
A system for displaying an image includes a plurality of pixels each having a first organic light-emitting device (OLED), a second OLED and a third OLED. The pixel includes a first electrode layer, a first organic light-emitting layer, a second organic light-emitting layer, a second electrode layer and a color filter. The first organic light-emitting layer is disposed on the first electrode layer and within the first OLED and the second OLED. The second organic light-emitting layer is disposed on the first electrode layer and within the second OLED and the third OLED so that the first and second organic light-emitting layers overlap within the second OLED. The second electrode layer is disposed on the first organic light-emitting layer and the second organic light-emitting layer. The color filter is disposed within the second OLED.
US07659656B2
The invention relates to a vehicle headlight bulb comprising a bulb socket, an illuminant (2) arranged inside the bulb socket (1), and a base comprising a metallic sleeve (3) in which a sealed end (11) of the socket (1) is fixed. According to the invention, at least one of the narrow front sides (111) of the sealed end (11) of the socket (1) is provided with a serrated profiled element (1110) which extends in the longitudinal direction of the bulb and forms a latch connection with at least one locking plate (33) formed on the base sleeve (3).
US07659652B2
There is provided an electrostatic actuator with the interdigitated electrode structure comprising a movable rod 11 disposed in parallel with an alignment axis line Ox predetermined on a substrate; a movable interdigitated electrode 12 fixed on the both sides of a coupling point 11C on the movable rod 11 and having a plurality of movable electrode fingers 12b; fixed interdigitated electrodes 21, 22 fixed to the substrate and having a plurality of fixed electrode fingers 21b, 22b; and four hinges 23, 24 whose one ends are anchored respectively to the movable rod and the other ends are anchored to anchoring points 32A-32D of the substrate. Lengths of those hinges are longer than distances from anchoring points to the alignment axis line and a displacement Lc of a coupling point 11C in a direction orthogonal to the alignment axis line is reduced to be smaller than a distance between the respective movable electrode fingers and the closest fixed electrode finger.
US07659642B2
A stator fixing apparatus of a reciprocating compressor comprises a first frame on which a plurality of first core blocks, each comprising a plurality of laminated stator core sheets, are radially coupled, the plurality of first core blocks being coupled to one side surface of a bobbin body, and a second frame on which a plurality of second core blocks, each comprising a plurality of laminated stator core sheets, are radially coupled. The plurality of second core blocks are coupled to the other side surface of the bobbin body. A coupling portion is provided at each contact portion between the first core block and the second core block, for coupling the first and second core blocks. Thus, deformation of an initial shape of the stator or increase of a defect rate due to a molding material can be prevented, and heat and moisture can easily be discharged, so as to improve the efficiency and reliability of the reciprocating compressor.
US07659638B1
A neutral starter interlock for motorcycles, a form of electronic safety circuit, is disclosed. The interlock is designed as a retrofit especially for Harley-Davidson® Big Twin and Sportster® motorcycles manufactured prior to model-year 2007 and factory equipped with an electric starter and a neutral indicator light. The interlock circuit interconnects the neutral indicator circuit (between the battery and the transmission neutral switch) and the starting circuit (between the battery and the starter solenoid) of the motorcycle, and includes an electronic relay that bars current from flowing from the battery to the starter solenoid unless the motorcycle's transmission is in neutral. This prevents unanticipated movement of the motorcycle if an attempt is made to start the engine with the transmission in gear.
US07659634B2
There is provided a lead frame which comprises: a lead frame body comprising a sheet-shaped body made of metal; a groove portion for forming a lead which is formed by a predetermined depth in a lead forming region on a surface of the lead frame body; and a lead portion formed so that the lead portion can protrude from the groove portion onto the surface of the lead frame body, the lead portion being made of material different from material of the lead frame body. A thin type semiconductor device is provided in which the above lead frame is used and after a chip is mounted, the lead frame body is removed by means of etching.
US07659628B2
Contact structures and methods for forming such contact structures are disclosed. An example contact structure includes a layer of semiconductor material having an interface and an electrical contact at the interface of the layer of semiconductor material, where the electrical contact includes a granular metal. An example method for forming a contact structure includes providing a substrate and producing a granular metal on at least part of the substrate, where the granular metal includes a cluster of metal islands extending essentially in a two-dimensional plane. The method further includes depositing a layer of a semiconductor material on top of the substrate and the cluster of metal islands.
US07659625B2
In a method of fabricating a thin film transistor array substrate for a liquid crystal display, a gate line assembly is formed on a substrate with a chrome-based under-layer and an aluminum alloy-based over-layer while proceeding in the horizontal direction. The gate line assembly has gate lines, and gate electrodes, and gate pads. A gate insulating layer is deposited onto the insulating substrate such that the gate insulating layer covers the gate line assembly. A semiconductor layer and an ohmic contact layer are sequentially formed on the gate insulating layer. A data line assembly is formed on the ohmic contact layer with a chrome-based under-layer and an aluminum alloy-based over-layer. The data line assembly has data lines crossing over the gate lines, source electrodes, drain electrodes, and data pads. A protective layer is deposited onto the substrate, and patterned to thereby form contact holes exposing the drain electrodes, the gate pads, and the data pads. The sidewall of the under-layers for the gate line assembly and the data line assembly is exposed through the contact holes. An IZO-based layer is deposited onto the substrate, and patterned to thereby form pixel electrodes, subsidiary gate pads, and subsidiary data pads. The pixel electrodes are connected to the sidewall of the drain electrodes, and the subsidiary gate and data pads are connected to the sidewall of the gate and the data pads.
US07659621B2
Methods of forming a solder structure may include providing a wafer including a plurality of die therein, and a solder wettable pad may be formed on one of the die adjacent an edge of the die. The solder wettable pad may have a length parallel to the edge of the die and a width perpendicular to the edge of the die wherein the length parallel to the edge of the die is greater than the width perpendicular to the edge of the die. A solder bump may be plated on the solder wettable pad, and the die may be separated from the wafer along the edge of the die after plating the solder bump on the solder wettable pad. Moreover, the solder bump may be reflowed on the solder wettable pad so that the solder structure extends laterally from the solder wettable pad beyond the edge of the die after separating the die from the wafer. Related structures are also discussed.
US07659619B1
A device includes a first semiconductor die having a first surface and a second surface. The first semiconductor die is configured to communicate by capacitive coupling using one or more of a plurality of proximity connectors proximate to the first surface. The first semiconductor die is configured to have a flexibility compliance greater than a first pre-determined value in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane including the plurality of proximity connectors in order to reduce misalignment in the direction between the plurality of proximity connectors and additional proximity connectors on another device.
US07659613B2
A frame-shaped sidewall is provided on a metallic base plate surrounding a semiconductor element arranged on the metallic base plate, which is provided with a stepped surface positioned at lower level at a portion of the base plate than a main surface of the base plate. A first dielectric plate is arranged on one side of the semiconductor element and a first circuit pattern is formed on its surface, a second dielectric plate is arranged on another side of the semiconductor element and a second circuit pattern is formed on the first and the second dielectric plate. An insulator is mounted on the stepped surface of the base plate, which forms a part of the sidewall. Power supply portions are provided including a band-shaped conductor. An interconnection is provided which connects the band-shaped conductor to the circuit pattern.
US07659608B2
A stacked die semiconductor package includes a first integrated circuit chip, a first circuit tape coupled to the first integrated circuit chip, a second integrated circuit chip coupled to the first circuit tape, and at least one component coupled to the first circuit tape. The at least one component may include one or more passive components, one or more active components, or a combination of passive and active components. The stacked die semiconductor package can also include a second circuit tape coupled to the second integrated circuit chip and a third integrated circuit chip coupled to the second circuit tape. The stacked die semiconductor package can also include an encapsulant.
US07659607B2
A storage apparatus 10 is disclosed, that comprises a wiring substrate 11 having a first surface and a second surface, a flat type external connection terminal 12a disposed on the first surface of the wiring substrate 11, a semiconductor device 14 disposed on the second surface of the wiring substrate 11 and having a connection terminal 14a connected to the flat type external connection terminal 12a, a molding resin 15 for coating the semiconductor device 14 on the second surface of the wiring substrate 11, a card type supporting frame 10a having a concave portion or a hole portion fitting the wiring substrate 11, the semiconductor device 14, and the molding resin 15 in such a manner that the flat type external connection terminal 12a is exposed to the first surface of the wiring substrate 11, and adhesive resin a adhering integrally the flat type external connection terminal 12a, the wiring substrate 11, the semiconductor device 14, the molding resin 15, and the card type supporting frame 10a. In addition, the storage apparatus 10 can be combined with a card type supporting means 21 that supports detachably with the flat type external connection terminal 12a exposed to one of the surfaces so as to be used as a card type storage apparatus 20 having bigger size.
US07659603B2
A semiconductor device includes a substrate formed with a predetermined trench, a plurality of devices fixed into the trench, an etch stop layer on an entire surface of the substrate including the devices while selectively exposing the devices, an interlayer dielectric layer on the etch stop layer, in which the interlayer dielectric layer includes a predetermined via hole and a predetermined trench, and a via plug and a metal line formed on the interlayer dielectric layer while filling the via hole and the trench.
US07659600B2
The invention relates to a semiconductor device (10) with a semiconductor body (1) comprising a high-ohmic semiconductor substrate (2) which is covered with a dielectric layer (3) containing charges, on which dielectric layer one or more passive electronic components (4) comprising conductor tracks (4) are present, and at the location of the passive elements (4) a semiconductor region (5) is present at the interface between the semiconductor substrate (2) and the dielectric layer (3, 4), a first conductivity-type conducting channel induced in the semiconductor substrate (2) by the charges being interrupted by, and at the location of, the semiconductor region (5).According to the invention, the semiconductor region (5) is monocrystalline and of a second conductivity type, opposite to the first conductivity type. In this way the charge of an induced channel is locally compensated by the charge of the semiconductor regions (5). The device (10) has a very low high-frequency power loss, because the inversion channel is interrupted at the location of the semiconductor region (5). The device (10) further allows for a higher thermal budget and thus for the integration of active semiconductor elements (8) into the semiconductor body (1). Preferably, the semiconductor region (5) comprises a large number of strip-shaped sub-regions (5A, 5B, 5C).
US07659594B1
A photo sensor including a gate, a first insulator, a semiconductor layer, a first electrode pattern layer, a second electrode pattern layer, a second insulator and a transparent electrode is provided. The gate is disposed on the substrate. The first insulator covers the gate and a portion of the substrate. The semiconductor layer is disposed on the first insulator above the gate. Moreover, there is a space between the first electrode pattern layer and the second electrode pattern layer located on the semiconductor layer. The second insulator covers a portion of the semiconductor layer, the first electrode pattern layer and the second electrode pattern layer. The transparent electrode is disposed on the second insulator above the semiconductor layer and corresponds to the first electrode pattern layer. The transparent electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode pattern layer, and a portion of the transparent electrode is within the space.
US07659588B2
A superjunction device that includes a termination region having a transition region adjacent the active region thereof, the transition region including a plurality of spaced columns.
US07659581B2
A compressive stress is applied to a channel region of a PFET by structure including a discrete dielectric stressor element that fully underlies the bottom surface of an active semiconductor region in which the source, drain and channel region of the PFET is disposed. In particular, the dielectric stressor element includes a region of collapsed oxide which fully contacts the bottom surface of the active semiconductor region such that it has an area coextensive with an area of the bottom surface. Bird's beak oxide regions at edges of the dielectric stressor element apply an upward force at edges of the dielectric stressor element to impart a compressive stress to the channel region of the PFET.
US07659572B2
Known drawbacks associated with use of tungsten as a gate material in a semiconductor device are prevented. A gate oxide layer, a polysilicon layer, and a nitride layer are sequentially formed on a semiconductor substrate having a isolation layer for defining the active region. A recess is defined by etching the nitride layer. A metal nitride layer is formed in the recess in an U shape, and then a metal layer is formed to bury the recess. A hard mask layer is formed for defining a gate forming region on the nitride layer, the metal nitride layer, and the metal layer. A metal gate is formed by etching the nitride layer, the polysilicon layer, and the gate oxide layer using the hard mask layer as an etch barrier.
US07659569B2
A memory device comprised of a plurality of memory cells that can each include multiple charge storage elements in undercut regions that are formed under a tunneling barrier and adjacent to a gate oxide layer of each memory cell. The tunneling barrier can be formed from a high work function material, such as P+ polycrystalline silicon or a P-type metal, and/or a high-K material. The memory cell can reduce the likelihood of gate electron injection through the gate electrode and into the charge storage elements during a Fowler-Nordheim erase by employing such tunneling barrier. Systems and methods of fabricating memory devices having at least one such memory cell are provided.
US07659566B2
Example embodiments relate to a method of fabricating a memory device and a memory device. The method of fabricating a memory device comprises forming a lower electrode and an oxide layer on a lower structure and radiating an energy beam on a region of the oxide layer. The memory device comprises a lower structure and an oxide layer and a lower structure formed on the lower structure, the oxide layer including an electron beam radiation region that received radiation from an electron beam source creating an artificially formed current path through the oxide layer to the lower electrode. A reset current of the memory device may be decreased and stabilized.
US07659564B2
A pixel sensor cell having a semiconductor substrate having a surface; a photosensitive element formed in a substrate having a non-laterally disposed charge collection region entirely isolated from a physical boundary including the substrate surface. The photosensitive element comprises a trench having sidewalls formed in the substrate of a first conductivity type material; a first doped layer of a second conductivity type material formed adjacent to at least one of the sidewalls; and a second doped layer of the first conductivity type material formed between the first doped layer and the at least one trench sidewall and formed at a surface of the substrate, the second doped layer isolating the first doped layer from the at least one trench sidewall and the substrate surface. In a further embodiment, an additional photosensitive element is provided that includes a laterally disposed charge collection region that contacts the non-laterally disposed charge collection region of the photosensitive element and underlies the doped layer formed at the substrate surface.
US07659559B2
Provided is a semiconductor package in which an adhesion force between an insulation metal substrate and a molding member is increased by removing a solder mask layer from the insulation metal substrate and a method of fabricating the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes an insulation metal substrate that includes a base member, an insulating layer disposed on the base member, and conductive patterns formed on the insulating layer. Semiconductor chips are arranged on the conductive patterns. Solder mask patterns are arranged on the conductive patterns to surround the semiconductor chips. Leads are electrically connected to the conductive patterns through wires. A sealing member is arranged on an upper surface and side surfaces of the substrate to cover portions of the leads, the wires, the semiconductor chips, and the solder mask patterns.
US07659553B2
An LED has a light-generating semiconductor region formed on a baseplate via a metal-made reflector layer. The light-generating semiconductor region has an active layer sandwiched between a pair of claddings of opposite conductivity types. An annular marginal space is left around the reflector layer between the light-generating semiconductor region and the substrate. In order to preclude the thermal migration of the reflector metal onto the side surfaces of the light-generating semiconductor region, with a possible short-circuiting of the pair of claddings across the active layer, an anti-migration seal is received in the annular marginal space created around the reflector layer between the light-generating semiconductor region and the baseplate.
US07659547B2
An illuminator (1) has bare semiconductor die light emitting diodes (7) on pads (11) of Ag/Ni/Ti material. A Si wafer (13) has a rough upper surface, and this roughness is carried through an oxide layer (12) and the pads (11) to provide a rough but reflective upper surface of the pads (11), thus forming a diffuser. Epoxy encapsulant (9) is deposited in a layer over the diodes (7) and the pads (11), and it is index matched with a top diffuser plate (8) of opal glass.
US07659544B2
A light emitting device includes a first light emitting diode (LED) emitting a first light emission of at least a first wavelength, and a second light emitting diode emitting a second light emission of at least a second wavelength. The second LED is placed in close proximity to the first LED such that after a mixing length from the first and second LEDs, a combination of the first and second lights is perceived as one color in the human vision. In use, the first and second LEDs are alternately driven by a power source in the time domain.
US07659542B2
A polycrystalline silicon plate has grain boundary lines on a surface thereof, and at least one of the grain boundary lines is a quasi-linear grain boundary line (1). The silicon plate is used to produce a solar cell. The silicon plate is formed using a base substrate having an irregular surface provided with dotted or linear protrusions, which makes it possible to control the grain boundary lines. As such, an inexpensive and high-quality silicon plate can be provided. Further, by employing this silicon plate to produce a solar cell, an inexpensive and high-quality solar cell can be provided as well.
US07659529B2
A method and apparatus is disclosed that may comprise an ultraviolet light source; an optical element within an optical path of the light source mounted on an optical element mount; a vibration damping mechanism operatively connected to the optical element or to the mount which may comprise a wire mesh pad. The optical element may comprise a center wavelength selection optical element, which may comprise a grating, a mirror, or a prism. The vibration damping mechanism may comprise the wire mesh pad comprising an elastic interface between a driving mechanism lever arm operable to move the optical element or the mount and a driving lever arm actuator. The vibration damping mechanism may comprise a mass damping mechanism comprising a mounting plate connected to the optical element or to the mount; a damping mass; the wire mesh pad comprising an elastic interface between the mounting plate and the damping mass.
US07659517B2
An apparatus for triggering image acquisition in radiography includes an interconnect, a detector to detect radiation and a switch coupled between the interconnect and the detector to charge the interconnect in response to the radiation while the switch is in an open-circuit state. The apparatus also includes control circuitry coupled to the interconnect to detect the charge on the interconnect and to generate a signal indicating presence of the radiation in response to the charge. A method for triggering image acquisition in radiography includes coupling a switch between an interconnect and a detector, then charging an interconnect with that switch in response to radiation incident upon the switch while the switch is in an open-circuit state. Next, the charge on the interconnect is monitored and a signal is generated indicating the presence of the radiation in response to that charge.
US07659513B2
A detector system for performing at least one of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation at a low-terahertz frequency. The detection of electromagnetic radiation at low-terahertz frequencies can be useful in the detection of various chemicals. Preferably a detector includes a microresonant structure that is caused to resonate by electromagnetic radiation at a low-terahertz frequency. The resonance is detected by detecting an altered path of a charged particle beam.
US07659508B2
The present invention suppresses decreases in the volumes of the patterns which have been formed on the surfaces of semiconductor samples or of the like, or performs accurate length measurements, irrespective of such decreases. In an electrically charged particle ray apparatus by which the line widths and other length data of the patterns formed on samples are to be measured by scanning the surface of each sample with electrically charged particle rays and detecting the secondary electrons released from the sample, the scanning line interval of said electrically charged particle rays is set so as not to exceed the irradiation density dictated by the physical characteristics of the sample. Or measured length data is calculated from prestored approximation functions.
US07659492B2
A method for operating a device in which typically a very high current is generated when the device is turned on compared to the rated current, e.g. an analogue operated PTC heating device for a mobile device, such as a vehicle, is disclosed. In this method, the power on the device is increased in a defined limited manner or in a ramp-like manner in the connection phase to avoid a high current when the device is switched on.
US07659490B2
A system for processing plate-like workpieces, especially metal sheets, comprises a first processing device in the form of a cutting device and also a second processing device, on which a processing line is defined. By means of a workpiece bed of a longitudinal guide a workpiece is movable relative to the cutting device in a first axial direction extending in a longitudinal direction of the processing line into a processing position. The cutting device, together with a workpiece bed of a transverse guide in an inoperative state, is movable relative to a workpiece in a second axial direction extending in a direction transverse to the processing line and thus transferable into a processing position.
US07659487B2
Today, high density mailings such as “marriage mail,” Advo type advertisements, saturation mail, periodicals, and catalogs often require manual handling by the postal authority. Other than saturation mailings, where every carrier stop gets the same article, these items must be addressed. Verification of production is often desired due to spoilage and damage during production, which requires rework by the mailer. The addition of a data controlled mail collation feeder to existing or new Postal Authority automation equipment or the like eliminates the need to manually handle these difficult mail types and eliminates the need to address specific items. The manual casing at the delivery is eliminated. The data processing system that controls the data controlled mail collation feeder will also perform delivery confirmation and may assess postage due.
US07659481B2
A printed wiring board mounted with a BGA package including pads, through holes and leads. The leads are linearly formed with almost the same width as the diameter of each of the pads and through holes and thus have high bonding strength against their peeling against an external force. The pads are provided at an angle of approximately 45 degrees outwardly relative to the through holes and along almost in the direction of application of thermal stress, and thus have high durability against their peeling due to an external force.
US07659477B2
A mounting bracket is provided for supporting an electrical box to a support structure. The mounting bracket includes a mounting base for coupling to the electrical box, and a body member extending perpendicular to the mounting base and extending against the back wall of the electrical box. The body member includes a support member and extension member that can be folded outwardly from the back wall of the electrical box to contact an opposing wall and support the electrical box. In another embodiment, the mounting bracket includes a front plate with a central opening for receiving an electrical box and a pair of extension members that extend in a rearward direction with respect to the electrical box. The support members can include an extension member that can be folded outwardly to contact an opposing wall surface to support the electrical box.
US07659475B2
The present invention provides a method for dielectric passivating the surface of a solar cell by accumulation of negative fixed charges of a first type at the interface between semiconductor material and a passivating material. According to the invention the passivating material comprises an oxide system, for example a binary oxide system, comprising Al2O3 and at least one metal oxide or metalloid oxide which enhances the tetrahedral structure of Al2O3, for example, an (Al2O3)x(TiO2)1-x alloy. In this way it is possible to combine the desirable properties from at least two different oxides, while eliminating the undesirable properties of each individual material. The oxide system can be deposited onto the semiconductor surface by means of a sol-gel method, comprising the steps of formation of the metal oxide and/or metalloid oxide sol and the aluminum solution and then carefully mixing these together under stirring and ultrasonic treatment. Thin films of the oxide system can then be deposited onto the semiconductor surface by means of spin coating followed by a temperature treatment.
US07659469B2
A drum with a vibrating membrane for producing sounds in a range of low to high resonant frequencies including a drum shell with a first open end and a second open end, a drumhead, including a vibrating membrane, covering said first open end, a cover with a threaded opening extending across and secured to said second end, and a resonant member having a first end and a second end, with the first end having a threaded means for detachable coupling with the threaded opening in the cap in airtight relation to enhance and manipulate the low resonant frequencies independent of the high resonant frequencies upon the striking of the membrane.
US07659464B1
A neck for a stringed musical instrument may include a generally longitudinal center support member with a fingerboard fixed thereto. The center support member may be fixed at one end to a string mounting member and fixed at an opposite end to a body of the stringed musical instrument. A generally longitudinal tension adjustment member may be fixed at one end to the string mounting member and fixed at an opposite end to the body of the stringed musical instrument. The tension adjustment member may be adjustable to vary stress on the neck. A generally longitudinal spatial volume may be located between the center support member and the tension adjustment member. A majority of the spatial volume may comprise ambient air.
US07659459B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH961186. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH961186, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH961186 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH961186.
US07659456B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV858395. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV858395, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV858395 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV858395 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV858395.
US07659453B2
The invention relates to the soybean variety designated D4356652. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants and derivatives of the soybean variety D4356652. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the soybean variety D4356652 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing soybean plants by crossing the soybean variety D4356652 with itself or another soybean variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07659445B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for the production of recombinant plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in a duckweed expression system. It is the novel finding of the present invention that a duckweed expression system may be used to produce high levels of plasminogen and microplasminogen. The duckweed-produced plasminogen and microplasminogen can be activated to produce a polypeptide having protease activity. Thus, the invention encompasses methods for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in duckweed, duckweed plants that are transformed with expression cassettes for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, and nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, where these nucleotide sequences are modified to enhance their expression in duckweed.
US07659444B2
The present invention concerns double stranded RNA compositions and transgenic plants capable of inhibiting expression of essential genes in parasitic nematodes, and methods associated therewith. Specifically, the invention relates to the use of RNA interference to inhibit expression of a target essential parasitic nematode gene, which is a parasitic nematode pas-5 gene, and relates to the generation of plants that have increased resistance to parasitic nematodes.
US07659442B2
Methods of generating modified embryos and mammals by introduction of donor cells into an early stage embryo are provided, such that the resulting embryo and animal generated therefrom has a significant contribution to all tissues from the donor cells and is capable of transmitting the donor cell DNA.
US07659438B1
A method to isomerize one or more wet hexanes in the presence of a catalyst comprising tungsten, zirconium and a Group VIII metal is provided.
US07659433B2
1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) substantially free of 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone (TFA) can be separated from a mixture containing both compounds by A) catalytic reduction with hydrogen followed by fractional distillation; B) cooling to a temperature at which HFIP freezes and TFA remains liquid; C) forming a high boiling complex comprising HF and TFA followed by fractional distillation; or D) producing HF-free conditions to yield a HFIP/TFA azeotrope followed by fractional distillation. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract, which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR § 1.72(b).
US07659427B2
Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently and economically carrying out the liquid-phase oxidation of an oxidizable compound. Such liquid-phase oxidation is carried out in a bubble column reactor that provides for a highly efficient reaction at relatively low temperatures. When the oxidized compound is para-xylene and the product from the oxidation reaction is crude terephthalic acid (CTA), such CTA product can be purified and separated by more economical techniques than could be employed if the CTA were formed by a conventional high-temperature oxidation process.
US07659426B2
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing, as an active ingredient, a compound that specifically binds to KSRP or a functional fragment thereof, and a screening method for the compound. KSRP is a novel target protein for anticancer agents; a compound capable of regulating the expression and activity of such a protein and a pharmaceutical composition containing it are highly useful for proliferative diseases, particularly as anticancer agents. By providing the novel target protein, the mechanism behind the anticancer effect that has conventionally been unexplainable can be elucidated.
US07659425B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylates by reacting at least one compound A which contains at least one epoxide group with at least one compound B which contains at least one carboxylic acid group, wherein A and/or B also contains at least one (meth)acrylate group, in the presence of Lewis acid catalysts, each of which contains at least one directly bonded di(cyclo)alkylamino group.
US07659424B2
[PROBLEMS] To provide a novel method for the allylation of N-acylhydrazones by which enantioselectively allylated N-acylhydrazines can be efficiently obtained.[MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS] A method for the production of enantioselectively allylated N-acylhydrazines represented by the general formula [3]: [wherein R0 is an optionally substituted hydrocarbon group, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, or —COOR1 (wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon group); R2 is acyl; R3 and R4 are each hydrogen, or one of R3 and R4 is hydrogen and the other is a hydrocarbon group; and R5 and R6 are each independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group], characterized by reacting an N-acylhydrazone represented by the general formula [1]: [wherein R0 and R2 are as defined above] with an allylating agent such as allyltrichlorosilane or crotyltrichlorosilane in the presence of a chiral phosphine oxide.
US07659422B2
A hydrocyanation process produces adiponitrile and other dinitriles having six carbon atoms. The process involves forming a reaction mixture in the presence of at least one Lewis acid. The reaction mixture includes ethylenically unsaturated nitriles having five carbon atoms, hydrogen cyanide, and a catalyst precursor composition. The reaction mixture is continuously fed while controlling the overall feed molar ratio of 2-pentenenitriles to all unsaturated nitriles and the overall feed molar ratio of hydrogen cyanide to all unsaturated nitriles. In the reaction product mixture, including adiponitrile, the ratio of the concentration of 2-pentenenitriles to the concentration of 3-pentenenitriles is from about 0.2/1 to about 10/1. Included in the catalyst precursor composition is a zero-valent nickel and at least one bidentate phosphite ligand.
US07659420B2
Chemically protected dihydroxyacetone and/or dimers are used to make polycarbonates, poly(acetal carbonate)s, poly(spiroacetal)s, polyesters and polyurethanes.
US07659419B2
A stabilizing agent for a hydroalkoxysilane such as triethoxysilane and trimethoxysilane characterized by comprising a carboxylate such as an alkali metal salt or an alkali earth metal salt of a carboxylic acid having 1 to 18 carbon atoms; a method for stabilizing a hydroalkoxysilane by combining it with a carboxylate; and a hydroalkoxysilane stabilized with a carboxylate.
US07659411B2
The present invention provides a process for producing a 2-acylthiophene compound which has a low content of the 3-isomer generated as a by-product, the process comprising reacting a thiophene compound represented by formula (1): wherein R1is a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, a phenyl group, or a halogen atom, with at least one member selected from the group consisting of acid anhydrides represented by formula (2): wherein R2 is a C1-6 alkyl group or a phenyl group, and acid halides represented by formula (3): wherein R2 is as defined above and X is a halogen atom, in the presence of a solid acid catalyst at a temperature less than 75° C. in the absence of solvent, thus producing a 2-acylthiophene compound represented by formula (4): wherein R1 and R2 are as defined above.
US07659400B2
Fluoroalkoxybenzamide compounds which selectively bind Sigma-2 receptors are disclosed. These compounds, when labelled with 18F, can be used as radiotracers for imaging of tumors by positron emission tomography (PET). In addition, these compounds, when labelled with 123I, can be used as radiotracers for imaging of tumors by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Methods for synthesis of these compounds are also disclosed.
US07659399B2
The invention provides compounds and salts of Formula I and Formula II: which possess antimicrobial activity. The invention also provides novel synthetic intermediates useful in making compounds of Formula I and Formula II. The variables A1, A8, R2, R3, R5, R6, R7, and R9 are defined herein. Certain compounds of Formula I and Formula II disclosed herein are potent and selective inhibitors of bacterial DNA synthesis and bacterial replication. The invention also provides antimicrobial compositions, including pharmaceutical compositions, containing one or more compounds of Formula I or Formula II and one or more carriers, excipients, or diluents. Such compositions may contain a compound of Formula I or Formula II as the only active agent or may contain a combination of a compound of Formula I or Formula II and one or more other active agents. The invention also provides methods for treating microbial infections in animals.
US07659398B2
The present invention provides a process for preparing highly pure 4-amino-1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline (imiquimod). The process preferably includes heating 4-chloro-1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline of formula (II) with ammonia in a polar aprotic solvent at relatively moderate pressure to produce imiquimod, and optionally purifying the imiquimod. The process of the present invention can produce highly pure imiquimod in high yield.
US07659397B2
Zinc pyrithione and copper pyrithione are highly evaluated in the market as an antidandruff agent for shampoo, or an antifouling agent for ship bottom paint and fish-farming net, or an antibacterial/antifungal agent or preservative/mildewcide for industrial products and household articles. For enhancing the market value thereof, there has been a demand for a product that not only attains an increase in conventional antibacterial/antifungal effects but also exhibits novel bioactive effects and that achieves improvement with respect to problems and drawbacks relating to properties, such as solubility in seawater, and stability, such as thermal stability and weather resistance, of polymer materials. There is provided a novel pyrithione complex compound obtained by converting the conventional pyrithione metal salt to a complex compound with an oxide or hydroxide of metal such as zinc, copper or aluminum. As compared with the conventional pyrithione metal salt, this complex compound exhibits superior antibacterial/antifungal effects, newly realizes a hair-regrowing effect and successfully attains improvement with respect to the solubility in seawater and thermal stability/weather resistance of polymer materials.
US07659389B2
This invention relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating Myc and/or Myb gene expression using short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. This invention also relates to compounds, compositions, and methods useful for modulating the expression and activity of other genes involved in pathways of Myc and/or Myb gene expression and/or activity by RNA interference (RNAi) using small nucleic acid molecules. In particular, the instant invention features small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules and methods used to modulate the expression of Myc and/or Myb (e.g., c-Myc, N-Myc, L-Myc, c-Myb, a-Myb, b-Myb, and v-Myb) genes. The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of cancer and other diseases and disorders.
US07659384B2
Fully human antibodies and antigen-binding portions thereof that bind to human 4-1BB and that allow binding of human 4-1BB to a human 4-1BB ligand. In one aspect, the antibody is an IgG4 antibody. Also provided is a method for treating a disease in a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody to said subject.
US07659381B2
The present invention relates to a nucleic acid molecule or molecules and to a process for the detection of bacteria of the Salmonella genus. The invention relates also to a test kit or test kits for carrying out the mentioned detection processes.
US07659379B1
Mutants of human FGF-1 are disclosed having increased stability and mitogenic potency. In the FGF-1 polypeptide, primarily residues 12 and 134 are substituted with cysteine, valine or threonine to render the polypeptide more stable and/or to increase its mitogenicity.
US07659373B2
The invention concerns new EPO compositions with high specific activity which are characterized by a high proportion of N-acetyl-lactosamine units or/and tetraantennary branches in the carbohydrate structure. In addition the invention concerns a process for producing such EPO products.
US07659368B2
Novel chimeric heteromultimer adhesins that bind the ligand of natural heteromultimeric receptors and uses therefor are disclosed. The chimeric molecules of the heteromultimer adhesins comprise an extracellular domain of a heteromultimeric receptor monomer and a multimerization domain for the stable interaction of the chimeric molecules in the adhesin. Specifically disclosed are heteromultimeric adhesins comprising the extracellular domains of ErbB2 and ErbB3 or ErbB2 and ErbB4. The chimeric ErbB heteromultimer adhesins of the present invention are useful as competitive antagonists or agonists of a neuregulin for the treatment of diseases such as various cancers.
US07659363B2
The present invention comprises a process for preparing insulin or an insulin derivative with correctly linked cysteine bridges from a precursor of said insulin or insulin derivative, wherein said precursor is subjected to a folding process in the presence of cysteine or cysteine hydrochloride and a chaotropic auxiliary compound. The insulin or insulin derivative with correctly linked cysteine bridges is obtained by enzymic cleavage by means of trypsin or a trypsin-like enzyme and, where appropriate, additionally by means of carboxypeptidase B and subsequent purification on an adsorber resin, which process is carried out at varied pH and temperature ranges.
US07659354B2
The present invention is directed to polymeric compounds comprising a main backbone derived from at least the following monomeric components: (I) 20 to 99.9% by weight, preferably 50% to 99% by weight, of at least one cationic monomer according to formula (I), and (II) 0.1 to 80% by weight of a hydrophobic unsaturated nonionic monomer that polymerizes in the presence of an initiator, optionally a water-soluble monomer (III) different from either monomer (I) and monomer (II), and optionally a crosslinking agent (IV). Said compounds are particularly useful to overcome the problem of dye bleeding and/or dye transfer in laundry processes.
US07659352B2
An antireflective coating composition, antireflection films and fabrication method thereof. The antireflection film is constructed by stacked crosslink colloid particles, having a plurality of nanopores distributed uniformly therein. Due to the nanopores, the antireflection film has a refractive index less than 1.45, reducing the reflectivity of less than 3.0%. Furthermore, since the antireflection film comprises crosslink oxide colloid, the film exhibits superior mechanical strength and is suitable for use in display devices.
US07659340B2
A universal colorant composition for both solvent- and water-based paints and coatings includes a colorant component, such as pigment, dye, colorant, tinting agent and/or metal effect agent; a surfactant package including at least one alkyd-compatible; surfactant and at least one latex-compatible surfactant; and a carrier. When the surfactant package is added to a base paint it provides a mixture having a drop in viscosity of less than about 50%.
US07659329B2
A process for reducing fluorosurfactant content of a stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising passing said stabilized fluorosurfactant-containing aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion through a fixed bed of ion exchange resin beads comprising a polymer and functional groups to reduce fluorosurfactant content, the ion exchange resin beads being monodisperse.
US07659323B2
Hydrophilic compositions are described, which are prepared from a first oligomer containing pendent polymerizable groups and pendent hydrophilic groups, crosslinked with a co-reactive second component oligomer possessing photoinitiator groups. The compositions may be used as in preparation of hydrophilic gel coatings or layers for medical devices.
US07659306B2
The invention discloses the administration of nafadotride partially reverse the effect of dopamine on gastric emptying in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux.
US07659303B2
Stereomerically pure (+)-2-[1-(3-Ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylsulfonylethyl]-4-acetylaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione, substantially free of its (−) isomer, and prodrugs, metabolites, polymorphs, salts, solvates, hydrates, and clathrates thereof are discussed. Also discussed are methods of using and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the (+) enantiomer of 2-[1-(3-Ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylsulfonylethyl]-4-acetylaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione are disclosed. The methods include methods of treating and/or preventing disorders ameliorated by the reduction of levels of TNF-α or the inhibition of PDE4.
US07659302B2
Stereomerically pure (+)-2-[1-(3-Ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylsulfonylethyl]-4-acetylaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione, substantially free of its (−) isomer, and prodrugs, metabolites, polymorphs, salts, solvates, hydrates, and clathrates thereof are discussed. Also discussed are methods of using and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the (+) enantiomer of 2-[1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylsulfonylethyl]-4-acetylaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione are disclosed. The methods include methods of treating and/or preventing disorders ameliorated by the reduction of levels of TNF-α or the inhibition of PDE4.
US07659301B2
Methods for preventing damage to the epidermis during PDT induced using a pre-photosensitizing agent are provided. The methods of the present invention utilize spatial confinement to control formation of a photoactive species from a topically-applied pre-photosensitizing agent. In one embodiment, thermal inhibition is used to prevent the metabolism of a pre-photosensitizing agent in epithelial tissue surrounding a treatment site. In another embodiment, a chemical inhibitor can be applied to the epithelial tissue to inhibit the conversion of a pre-photosensitizing agent into a phototoxic species.
US07659296B2
The present invention relates to novel, non-secosteroidal, phenyl-benzoxazole compounds of Formula (I) wherein the variables R, R′, RP, RP3, LP1, LP2, ZP, RB, RB′, LXB and ZXB are as hereinafter defined, their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions, and methods of use.
US07659289B2
The present invention provides novel beta-secretase inhibitors and methods for their use, including methods of treating of Alzheimer's disease.
US07659288B2
The invention relates to 5-aminoalkylaminopyrazole derivatives of formula (I) or salts thereof: wherein the various symbols are as defined in the description, to processes for their preparation, to compositions thereof, and to their use for the control of pests (including arthropods and helminths).
US07659283B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions.
US07659281B2
Compounds are provided of the following structure are HMG CoA reductase inhibitors and thus are active in inhibiting cholesterol biosynthesis, modulating blood serum lipids, for example, lowering LDL cholesterol and/or increasing HDL cholesterol, and treating hyperlipidemia and dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis wherein variables A and B are defined herein.
US07659279B2
The invention concerns quinazoline derivatives of the formula: (I); wherein X1, Q1, Z, R1, R2, Y, a and m are as defined in the description, which are erbB tyrosine kinase inhibitors, particularly EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Also claimed are processes for their preparation; pharmaceutical compositions containing them; and their use as therapeutic agents in the treatment of erbB tyrosine kinase mediated diseases such as cancer.
US07659272B2
The invention relates to compounds represented by Structural Formula I, which can bind to CCR9 receptors and block the binding of a ligand (e.g., TECK) to the receptors. The invention also relates to a method of inhibiting a function of CCR9, and to the use compounds represented by Structural Formula I in research, therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic methods.
US07659258B2
The invention relates to a synthetic double-stranded oligonucleotide capable of modifying the molecular phenotype of osteoclasts and increasing the expression of the oestrogen alpha receptor gene. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the oligonucleotide according to the invention are also described, as well as therapeutic applications of that oligonucleotide, in particular for the treatment of osteopenic diseases such as for example osteoporosis. The oligonucleotide according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises the sequence 5′-ATTTATTTTCAATACTGACT-3′ (SEQ ID NO: 1) or a fragment or a mutant thereof.
US07659254B2
The invention describes compounds, compositions, and methods of using the same comprising a chemical moiety covalently attached to amphetamine. These compounds and compositions are useful for reducing or preventing abuse and overdose of amphetamine. These compounds and compositions find particular use in providing an abuse-resistant alternative treatment for certain disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADD, narcolepsy, and obesity. Oral bioavailability of amphetamine is maintained at therapeutically useful doses. At higher doses bioavailability is substantially reduced, thereby providing a method of reducing oral abuse liability. Further, compounds and compositions of the invention decrease the bioavailability of amphetamine by parenteral routes, such as intravenous or intranasal administration, further limiting their abuse liability.
US07659237B2
Surfactant-containing compositions are described which include a protein component that has the effect of improving the surface-active properties of the surfactants contained in the compositions. The surfactant-containing compositions having the protein component demonstrate significantly lower critical micelle concentrations (CMC) than do comparable compositions having no protein component. In addition, the surfactant-containing compositions having the protein component have the effect of converting greasy waste contaminants to surface active materials.
US07659236B2
The invention relates to bar compositions comprising thermochromatic pigment or dye signaling temperature and/or benefit agent release. In a preferred embodiment, the pigment is introduced in the form of a separate domain (e.g., separate chips) which separate chip or chips is combined with a surfactant-containing chips to form the final bar.
US07659202B2
A method performed on a wafer having multiple chips each including a doped semiconductor and substrate involves etching an annulus trench, metalizing an inner and an outer perimeter side wall of the annulus trench, etching a via trench into the wafer, making a length of the via trench electrically conductive, thinning a surface of the substrate.
US07659196B2
Described herein are embodiments of a method that includes forming a hard mask over an interlayer dielectric layer, patterning said hard mask, etching said interlayer dielectric layer, and removing said hard mask during a post-etch clean with a wet etchant having a selectivity to etch said hard mask at a greater rate than said interlayer dielectric layer.
US07659190B2
A Group III-V compound semiconductor includes, at least, a substrate, a buffer layer of the general formula InuGavAlwN (wherein, 0≦u≦1, 0≦v≦1, 0≦w≦1, u+v+w=1) and a Group III-V compound semiconductor crystal layer of the general formula InxGayAlzN (wherein, 0≦x≦1, 0≦y≦1, 0≦z≦1, x+y+z=1), in this order, wherein the buffer layer has a thickness of at least about 5 Å and not more than about 90 Å. A method is provided for producing the Group III-V compound semiconductor, including forming a buffer layer of the general formula InuGavAlwN on a substrate to give a thickness of at least about 5 Å and not more than about 90 Å at temperatures lower than the growing temperature of the compound semiconductor crystal layer before growing the compound semiconductor crystal layer, and then growing a Group III-V compound semiconductor crystal layer of the general formula InxGayAlzN on the buffer layer.
US07659189B2
A semiconductor MOS device includes a semiconductor substrate; a gate oxide layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate; a fully silicided gate electrode disposed on the gate oxide layer; a composite thin film interposed between the fully silicided gate electrode and the gate oxide layer; a spacer on sidewall of the fully silicided gate electrode; and a source/drain region implanted into the semiconductor substrate next to the spacer. A method for forming the semiconductor MOS device is disclosed.
US07659183B2
A solid-state imaging device having a high sensitivity and a structure in which a miniaturized pixel is obtained, and a method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device in which an interface is stable, a spectroscopic characteristic is excellent and which can be manufactured with a high yield ratio are provided.The solid-state imaging device includes at least a silicon layer formed with a photo sensor portion and a wiring layer formed on the front-surface side of the silicon layer, and in which light L is made to enter from the rear-surface side opposite to the front-surface side of the silicon layer and the thickness of the silicon layer 4 is 10 μm or less. Also, the method for manufacturing the solid-state imaging device at least includes the steps of: forming a semiconductor region of a photo sensor portion in a silicon layer of a layered substrate in which a silicon substrate, an intermediate layer and a silicon layer are laminated; bonding a first supporting substrate onto the silicon layer; removing the silicon substrate and the intermediate layer; forming thereafter a wiring portion above the silicon layer; bonding a second supporting substrate onto the wiring portion, and removing the first supporting substrate to make the silicon layer exposed.
US07659178B2
Semiconductor device structures with reduced junction capacitance and drain induced barrier lowering, methods for fabricating such device structures, and methods for forming a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate. The semiconductor structure comprises a semiconductor layer and a dielectric layer disposed between the semiconductor layer and the substrate. The dielectric layer includes a first dielectric region with a first dielectric constant and a second dielectric region with a second dielectric constant that is greater than the first dielectric constant. In one embodiment, the dielectric constant of the first dielectric region may be less than about 3.9 and the dielectric constant of the second dielectric region may be greater than about ten (10). The semiconductor-on-insulator substrate comprises a semiconductor layer separated from a bulk layer by an insulator layer of a high-dielectric constant material. The fabrication methods comprise modifying a region of the dielectric layer to have a lower dielectric constant.
US07659177B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor device, and more particularly, a manufacturing method of a high voltage semiconductor device. The method includes: forming a semiconductor substrate having a key area for an alignment key, a low voltage area for a low voltage device, and a high voltage area for a high voltage device; forming an oxide film on the substrate; and forming an insulating film on the oxide film. After removing the insulating film, the method includes forming a plurality of shallow trench isolations (STI's) in the areas of the substrate; forming a nitride layer on the substrate and on STIs; sequentially forming a plurality of wells and drift areas by implanting an impurity ion into the high voltage area; and sequentially forming the plurality of wells and the drift areas by implanting an impurity ion into the low voltage area. A system on chip (SOC) process may thus be simplified.
US07659171B2
A method for forming a borderless contact for a semiconductor FET (Field Effect Transistor) device, the method comprising, forming a gate conductor stack on a substrate, forming spacers on the substrate, such that the spacers and the gate conductor stack partially define a volume above the gate conductor stack, wherein the spacers are sized to define the volume such that a stress liner layer deposited on the gate conductor stack substantially fills the volume, depositing a liner layer on the substrate, the spacers, and the gate conductor stack, depositing a dielectric layer on the liner layer, etching to form a contact hole in the dielectric layer, etching to form the contact hole in the liner layer, such that a portion of a source/drain diffusion area formed in the substrate is exposed and depositing contact metal in the contact hole.
US07659170B2
By recessing the isolation structure of a transistor prior to silicidation, the series resistance may be reduced due to the increased amount of metal silicide formed in the vicinity of the isolation structure. By recessing the isolation structure prior to the formation of the gate electrode, an increased degree of poly wrap around may be obtained, thereby increasing the effective channel width.
US07659165B2
A field effect transistor in which at least one vertically arranged semiconductor column, with a diameter in the nanometer range, is located between a source and a contact and has an annular surround of a gate contact with retention of an insulation gap. A simplified production method is disclosed and the transistor produced thus is embodied such that the semiconductor columns are embedded in a first and a second insulation layer, between which a metal layer, running to the outside as a gate contact, is arranged, the ends of which, extending upwards through the second insulation layer, are partly converted into an insulator, or removed and replaced by an insulation material.
US07659164B1
A method for fabricating a capacitor of a semiconductor device comprises forming a silicon nanowire structure having a large aspect ratio using a porous anodic alumina structure and applying the silicon nanowire structure to a bottom electrode, thereby obtaining a capacitor having secured capacitance.
US07659162B2
A method of manufacturing a phase change memory device includes forming at least one active device on a substrate, forming a bottom electrode electrically connected to the at least one active device, forming a phase change material layer and a top electrode on the bottom electrode, forming a capping layer on an upper surface of the top electrode and on side surfaces of the top electrode and phase change material layer, removing a portion of the capping layer overlapping the upper surface of the top electrode to define capping layer sidewall portions, forming an interlayer insulation film on the capping layer sidewall portions and on the top electrode, removing a portion of the interlayer insulation film from the top electrode to form a contact hole through the interlayer insulation film, and forming a contact plug in the contact hole.
US07659159B2
In a method of fabricating a flash memory device, a semiconductor substrate includes a tunnel insulating layer and a charge storage layer formed in an active region and a trench formed in an isolation region. A first insulating layer is formed to fill a part of the trench. A second insulating layer is formed on the first insulating layer so that the trench is filled. The first and second insulating layers are removed such that the first and second insulating layers remain on sidewalls of the charge storage layer and on a part of the trench. A third insulating layer is formed on the first and second insulating layers so that a space defined by the charge storage layer is filled. The third insulating layer is removed so that a height of the third insulating layer is lowered.
US07659154B2
The invention relates to a method of fabricating a CMOS device, comprising providing a semiconductor substrate (101) having therein a layer of insulating material (102), the method comprising providing a layer (106) of a first material over the insulating layer (102), the thickness of the layer (106) of the first material being less in a first region (103) for supporting a first active device than in a second region (104) for supporting a second active device. A layer (107) of a second material is then deposited over the layer (106) of a first material, and the structure is then subjected to a thermal treatment to alloy the first and second materials. The portion of the layers over the first region is entirely alloyed, whereas the portion of the layers over the second region is not, so that a portion (109) of the layer (106) of the first material remains.
US07659148B2
A bonding method and an apparatus that enable metal bonding under the atmospheric pressure and at room temperature, wherein the surfaces of objects (1b, 2a) to be bonded together are cleaned in an initial cleaning step (S1) to remove bonding inhibitor substances (G) such as oxides and adhered substances; one (1b) of the bonding surfaces is provided with an uneven profile with a predetermined roughness in a surface roughness control step (S3); a surface treatment step (S5) is performed to remove the substances (F) that have been removed but adhered to the bonding surfaces (1b, 2a) again; and the uneven bonding surface (1b) is pressed against the other bonding surface (2a) to bond them together.
US07659145B2
A semiconductor die has a peripheral region around the die. An insulating layer is formed over the semiconductor die. A portion of the insulating layer and peripheral is removed to form a recess around the semiconductor die. A conductive layer is deposited over the insulating layer and recess. The conductive layer is electrically connected to contact pads on the semiconductor die and conforms to a step into the recess. A gap is created through the conductive layer and peripheral region around the semiconductor die. An insulating material is deposited in the gap. A portion of the insulating material is removed to form a through hole via (THV). A conductive material is deposited in the THV to form a conductive THV. The conductive THV is recessed with respect to a surface of the semiconductor die. The conductive THV is electrically connected to the conductive layer.
US07659137B2
A fabrication method of fabricating a structure capable of being used for generation or detection of electromagnetic radiation includes a forming step of forming a layer containing a compound semiconductor on a substrate at a substrate temperature below about 300° C., a first heating step of heating the substrate with the layer in an ambience containing arsenic, and a second heating step of heating the substrate with the layer at the substrate temperature above about 600° C. in a gas ambience incapable of chemically reacting on the compound semiconductor. Structures of the present invention capable of being used for generation or detection of electromagnetic radiation can be fabricated using the fabrication method by appropriately regulating the substrate temperature, the heating time, the gas ambience and the like in the second heating step.
US07659133B2
Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a CMOS image sensor, capable of preventing dopants implanted with high energy from penetrating into a lower part of a gate electrode when a photodiode is formed, thereby preventing current leakage of a transistor and variation of a threshold voltage. The method includes the steps of forming a gate electrode on a transistor area of a first conductive type semiconductor substrate including a photodiode area and the transistor area, forming a salicide layer on the gate electrode, and implanting second conductive type dopants for forming a photodiode in a photodiode area of the semiconductor substrate.
US07659129B2
The present invention is to provide a “fabricating method for quantum dot active layer of LED by nano-lithography” for fabricating out a new active layer of LED of nano quantum dot structure in more miniature manner than that of the current fabricating facilities to have high quality LED with features in longer light wavelength, brighter luminance and lower forward bias voltage by directly using the current fabricating facilities without any alteration or redesign of the precision.
US07659126B1
An electrical test method and apparatus are disclosed. In the method one or more ring oscillators are formed in one or more layers prior to formation of a metal 1 layer of a semiconductor wafer. The one or more layers comprise the formulation of transistors and local interconnects. One or more test structures are formed in one or more interconnect layers at or after the metal 1 of the semiconductor wafer. Each test structure is coupled to a corresponding one or more ring oscillators. A voltage is applied to one or more non-precision contacts to cause the ring oscillators to oscillate. At-speed performance of one or more test structures is determined from one or more measured signals obtained from the test structures. The electrical test apparatus includes one or more ring oscillators formed in one or more layers prior to formation of a metal 1 comprising the formulation of transistors and local interconnects of a semiconductor wafer and one or more test structures formed in one or more interconnect layers at or after the metal 1 of the semiconductor wafer. Each test structure is coupled to one or more corresponding ring oscillators. A non-precision contact is coupled to the one or more ring oscillators for applying voltage to one or more non-precision contacts to cause the ring oscillators to oscillate.
US07659112B2
The present invention provides a genetic engineering material for insects that enables a target protein to be purified easily, without requiring the use of recombinant baculovirus, while simultaneously providing a process for producing exogenous protein using that genetic engineering material. A gene recombinant silkworm is obtained by inserting an exogenous protein gene such as a cytokine gene coupled to a promoter that functions in silk glands into a silkworm chromosome. An exogenous protein such as a cytokine is then extracted and purified from the silk glands or cocoon of that silkworm or its offspring. A large amount of exogenous protein can be produced within silk gland cells, outside silk gland cells or in silk thread or a cocoon by inserting an expression gene cassette, in which the DNA sequence of the 3′ terminal portion and the DNA sequence of the 5′ terminal portion of fibroin H chain gene are fused to the exogenous protein gene, into silk gland cells and so forth.
US07659104B2
Enterococcus bacteria having enhanced tolerance to butanols have been isolated. The bacteria are useful for the fermentive production of butanol. New methods for the isolation of butanol tolerant Enterococcus are also provided.
US07659079B2
The invention provides improved methods and compositions for selectively binding and/or detecting an aggregating abnormal form of a protein in the presence of non-aggregating normal form of the protein.
US07659077B2
The present invention provides methods utilizing novel target genes related to immune-mediated diseases, such as asthma, allergy and autoimmune diseases. The invention is based on a molecular level description of the polarization of CD4+ precursor cells (Thp) from which T helper cells are known to originate. Particularly, the present invention provides a method of identifying a compound capable of modulating the polarization of CD4+ lymphocytes. The invention is also related to a method for assessing the presence of, or a predisposition to, an immune-related disorder in a subject.
US07659075B2
Method for early differential diagnosis and detection, for prognosis and assessment of the severity and for therapy-accompanying assessment of the course of sepsis and sepsis-like systemic infections, in which, preferably with additional determination of at least one further parameter suitable for sepsis diagnosis, the amount of soluble cytokeratin fragments, in particular of CYFRA 21-1, TPS, TPA and/or sCY1F, in a biological fluid of a patient in whom a sepsis is present or a sepsis is suspected is determined and conclusions with regard to the presence, the expected course, the severity and/or the success of initiated measures for the therapy of the sepsis are drawn from the determined amount of soluble cytokeratin fragments.
US07659073B2
Inactive precursor forms of PSA (pPSA) have been identified to exist in serum and tissues of patients with prostate cancer. Antibodies specific for pPSA are provided. Methods for detecting inactive precursors of PSA in human physiological fluid and tissues are also provided, as well as diagnostic kits and methods useful in the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer.
US07659064B2
A PNA zip-code chip in which PNA zip-code probes are immobilized on a substrate at high density using an epoxy compound as a linker, and method for fabricating such PNA chip. The use of PNA provides the chip with superior properties to DNA chips, allowing precise diagnosis of congenital diseases or base mutations with much higher sensitivity than is achievable with a DNA chip. The use of the PNA zip-code chip enables diagnosis of gene mutations in a simple manner, using only hybridization reaction, without the difficulties associated with processes in which probes must be immobilized directly on a substrate every time the target gene changes.
US07659063B2
The present invention relates to compositions, apparatus and methods useful for concurrently performing multiple, high throughput, biological or chemical assays, using repeated arrays of probes. A combination of the invention comprises a surface, which comprises a plurality of test regions, at least two of which, and in a preferred embodiment, at least twenty of which, are substantially identical, wherein each of the test regions comprises an array of generic anchor molecules. The anchors are associated with bifunctional linker molecules, each containing a portion which is specific for at least one of the anchors and a portion which is a probe specific for a target of interest. The resulting array of probes is used to analyze the presence or test the activity of one or more target molecules which specifically interact with the probes. In a preferred embodiment, a sample to be tested is subjected to a nuclease protection procedure before it is contacted with a combination of the invention.
US07659056B1
A method and apparatus for the detection of polymorphisms in a nucleic acid sample (e.g. blood, sperm, saliva, cells, . . . ). To enhance the efficiency and the reliability of the known methods (e.g. DGGE, SSCP and TGGE) the amplification process (e.g. PCR) preceding the actual detection step is performed in or on the polyacrylamide gel. Multiple gradients (of chemical denaturants, thermal denaturants and of porosity of the gel matrix) are used for the separation of DNA fragments, by zone electrophoresis on gel slabs or by capillary electrophoresis.
US07659050B2
Non-chemically amplified radiation sensitive resist compositions containing silicon are especially useful for lithographic applications, especially E-beam lithography. More particularly, radiation-sensitive resist compositions comprising a polymer having at least one silicon-containing moiety and at least one radiation-sensitive moiety cleavable upon radiation exposure to form aqueous base soluble moiety can be used to pattern sub-50 nm features with little or no blur.
US07659047B2
With the tendency of reducing the size of semiconductor circuit patterns, edge roughness on a resist pattern is increased when pattern dimensions required are close to the size of the resist molecules. Provided is a technique for preventing degradation of the device performance and negative effects over the system performance caused by the phenomena. A photoresist compound is used, which is a molecule having functional groups that are chemically converted due to an action of an acid with reduced solubility in alkaline developer.
US07659046B2
The present invention provides an imageable element including a lithographic substrate and an imageable layer disposed on the substrate. The imageable layer includes a radically polymerizable component, an initiator system capable of generating radicals sufficient to initiate a polymerization reaction upon exposure to imaging radiation, and a polymeric binder having a hydrophobic backbone and including constitutional units having a pendant group including a hydrophilic poly(alkylene oxide) segment. The imageable element can be developed using an aqueous developer solution. Alternatively, the imageable element can be developed on-press by contact with ink and/or fountain solution.
US07659045B2
Resin particles containing at least binding resin and wax particles having a diameter of 30 to 600 nm are coagulated, and a resulting coagulated product is heated. Such wax particles are manufactured, for example, by way of a coarse particle preparing step, a slurry preparing step, a pulverizing step, a cooling step, and a depressurizing step. Slurry of wax coarse particles obtained by way of the coarse particle preparing step and the slurry preparing step is directed under heat and pressure through a pressure-resistant nozzle whereby the wax coarse particles are pulverized into the wax particles at the pulverizing step. The cooling step and the depressurizing step are disposed just after the pulverizing step to prevent the wax particles from coarsening.
US07659043B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a composition for conductive materials from which a conductive layer having a high carrier transport ability can be made, a conductive material formed of the composition and having a high carrier transport ability, a conductive layer formed using the conductive material as a main material, an electronic device provided with the conductive layer and having high reliability, and electronic equipment provided with the electronic device. The composition for conductive materials of the present invention comprising a compound represented by the following general formula (A1): wherein two R1s may be the same or different and each independently represents a straight-chain alkyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, four R2s may be the same or different and each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group, Y represents a group containing at least one substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon ring or substituted or unsubstituted heterocycle, and two X1s may be the same or different and each independently represents a substituent represented by the following general formula (A2): wherein n′ is an integer of 3 to 8, m1 s an integer of 0 to 3, and Z1 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or an ethyl group.
US07659039B2
Disclosed is a near-field exposure mask having a light blocking layer formed on a substrate, the light blocking layer having an opening with an opening width narrower than a wavelength of an exposure light source, wherein exposure of an object to be exposed is carried out by use of near-field light to be produced at the opening while the exposure mask and the object to be exposed are placed in contact with each other, an important feature residing in that the light blocking layer is provided by a film that contains silicon in a range from 50% to 100% in terms of mole fraction.
US07659034B2
Charge-discharge cycle performance is improved in a lithium secondary battery including a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material having silicon as its main component, provided on a surface of a current collector, a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material is a lithium transition metal oxide containing Li and Co and having a layered structure, and further containing a group IVA element of the periodic table, such as Zr, Ti, or Tf, and a group IIA element of the periodic table, such as Mg.
US07659033B2
A graphite powder suitable for a negative electrode material of a lithium ion secondary battery which assures a high discharging capacity not lower than 320 mAh/g is to be manufactured at a lower cost. Specifically, a graphite powder containing 0.01 to 5.0 wt % of boron and having a looped closure structure at an end of a graphite c-planar layer on the surface of a powder, with the density of the interstitial planar sections between neighboring closure structures being not less than 100/μm and not more than 1500/μm, and with d002 being preferably not larger than 3.3650 Å, is manufactured by (1) heat-treating a carbon material pulverized at an elevated speed before or after carbonization for graphization at temperature exceeding 1500° C. or by (2) heat-treating the carbon material pulverized before or after carbonization at a temperature exceeding 1500° C. for graphization and subsequently further heat-treating the graphized material at a temperature exceeding a temperature of the oxidating heat treatment and the heat treatment in the inert gas.
US07659032B2
A cathode active material is provided, having d-MoS2(FeS2, ZnS) A cathode material is provided, including the cathode active material. A method for preparing the cathode active material is provided. A secondary aqueous lithium-ion battery (LIB) is provided, including the cathode material. Accordingly, it is possible to fabricate a secondary aqueous LIB which has an excellent charge/discharge performance and improves the charge/discharge cycles.
US07659026B2
A fluorinated sulfonamide small molecule having the general structure wherein m, n and p are 0 to 3, with the proviso that m+n+p is equal to 1 to 4; A1 is an aromatic heterocyclic group, with the proviso that carbon atoms of the heterocyclic ring are fully substituted by fluorinated sulfonamide groups; and R1, R2, and R3 are linear or branched perfluoroalkylene groups, optionally containing oxygen, chlorine, bromine, or iodine atoms. Polymers and small molecules useful in making polymer electrode membranes, membrane electrode assemblies, and electrochemical cells, such as fuel cells, are also described.
US07659022B2
An integrated fuel cell unit (10) includes an annular array (12) of fuel cell stacks (14), an annular cathode recuperator (20), an annular anode recuperator (22), a reformer (24), and an anode exhaust cooler (26), all integrated within a common housing structure (28).
US07659019B2
Thermally primed fuel processing assemblies and hydrogen-producing fuel cell systems that include the same. The thermally primed fuel processing assemblies include at least one hydrogen-producing region housed within an internal compartment of a heated containment structure. In some embodiments, the heated containment structure is an oven. In some embodiments, the compartment also contains a purification region and/or heating assembly. In some embodiments, the containment structure is adapted to heat and maintain the internal compartment at or above a threshold temperature, which may correspond to a suitable hydrogen-producing temperature. In some embodiments, the containment structure is adapted to maintain this temperature during periods in which the fuel cell system is not producing power and/or not producing power to satisfy an applied load to the system. In some embodiments, the fuel cell system is adapted to provide backup power to a power source, which may be adapted to power the containment structure.
US07659017B2
For various reasons, it can be desirable to subject fuel cells to drying procedures. In solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells for instance, drying may be carried out prior to storing at below freezing temperatures, or to recover cell performance lost following freeze/thaw events. An improved drying method involves drying the cell uniformly throughout. That is, the drying power over the length of the fuel cell is adjusted to be essentially uniform. This can be accomplished by using an appropriate set of operating conditions. The improved drying method can improve the lifetime of the fuel cell.
US07659005B2
The present invention relates to compositions for heat-resistant labels that are attachable under high-temperature conditions of 300° C. to 1100° C., heat-resistant labels, products with the labels attached, and methods for producing the labels. The invention employs, as a sticking layer of heat resistant labels, a hardened coating film including a silicone resin (A) and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a polymetallocarbosilane resin, zinc powder, tin powder, and aluminum powder (B), thereby providing heat resistant labels that can be attached at high temperature conditions.
US07659000B2
A coextrusion employing a tie layer between two layers of different polymer materials. The tie layer is formed in the extrusion melt of a composition comprising one of the two polymer materials and a coupling agent that includes functional groups that are reactive at least with functional groups on the second polymer. The coupling agent may be incorporated into the tie layer material in amounts above 5% by weight.
US07658993B2
A card intermediate, as for identification, which includes a business from having one or more selectively-pattern-treated laminae diecut into it and adhesively secured to a film.
US07658988B2
Compositions and processes for the preparation of printed circuits from epoxy compositions are provided. The epoxy compositions exhibit low viscosity in the uncured state and low coefficient of thermal expansion in the cured state. The low dielectric constant compositions of the invention are well-suited for use in multi-layer printed circuit boards.
US07658979B2
To provide a liquid crystal alignment film composition including at least one type of triphenylene compound (I) represented by the following general formula (1): wherein L represents —O— or —S—, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 may be identical or different and represent a hydrocarbon group having four or more carbon atoms, R6 represents a divalent hydrocarbon group having four or more carbon atoms, R7 represents —SiR8R9R10 or —P(═O)(OH)2, and R8, R9 and R10 may be identical or different and represent —Cl, —OH, —OCH3 or —OC2H5).
US07658975B2
Method and structure for minimizing the downsides associated with microelectronic device processing adjacent porous dielectric materials are disclosed. In particular, chemical protocols are disclosed wherein porous dielectric materials may be sealed by attaching coupling agents to the surfaces of pores. The coupling agents may form all or part of caps on reactive groups in the dielectric surface or may crosslink to seal pores in the dielectric.
US07658969B2
A method and apparatus for process integration in manufacture of a ask are disclosed. In one embodiment, a cluster tool suitable for process integration in manufacture of a photomask including a vacuum transfer chamber having coupled thereto at least one hard mask deposition chamber and at least one plasma chamber configured for etching chromium. In another embodiment, a method for process integration in manufacture of a photomask includes depositing a hard mask on a substrate in a first processing chamber, depositing a resist layer on the substrate, patterning the resist layer, etching the hard mask through apertures formed in the patterned resist layer in a second chamber; and etching a chromium layer through apertures formed in the hard mask in a third chamber.
US07658968B2
A method for making a film having improved wettability properties for use with a heat exchanger of a condensing furnace or an air conditioner. The film can be made of any thermoplastic film which bonds to metal. Polar particulates are mechanically are adhered to and embedded in the upper surface of the heated film. The particulate can be surface treated to either enhance adhesion of the particulate to the film or to enhance wettability. In another embodiment, the film is coated with an adhesive substance or a mixture of reactants, the particulate pressed into and adhered to the coating.
US07658963B1
Black currant anthocyanin-containing compositions for foods comprising 1 to 25% by weight of black currant anthocyanin on the basis of solid matters; a process for producing a black currant anthocyanin-containing composition for foods characterized by purifying and concentrating black currant juice employed as a starting material by using a charged reverse osmosis membrane; functional foods and drinks characterized by containing the above compositions for foods; and the above-described compositions for foods and the above-described functional foods and drinks having an effect of improving visual function, a function of improving blood fluidity, and/or a function of lowering blood pressure. The conventional black currant anthocyanin compositions have a low black currant anthocyanin content, strong acidity and poor stability, which makes them unsuitable as additives for foods and drinks. However, the production process according to the present invention makes it possible to provide black currant anthocyanin-containing compositions for foods which have a high black currant anthocyanin content, an adequate acidity, and a high stability and can be added to foods and drinks. Moreover, functional foods and drinks containing these compositions, which have an effect of improving visual function, a function of improving blood fluidity, or a function of lowering blood pressure, can be provided.
US07658960B2
A method and device for manufacturing an ice cream dessert that includes a built-in ice cream confectionery decoration deposited in the form of a gathered frill folded over on itself, the folds of which run alternately in one direction then in the opposite direction by extrusion from a set of moving nozzles with flattened end-piece with slot-shaped nozzle outlet placed above a moving support. The apparatus includes a source of cold ice cream composition supplying at least one extruded ribbon of ice cream composition at a temperature of −6° C. or below, a support for the set of moving nozzles which is given an oscillating movement transversely with respect to the moving support, and a mechanical device for setting the oscillating support in motion. The method can be practiced by operation of the device.
US07658959B2
Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt. This blend can then be dissolved in water to make a solution of between about 1% total solids by weight up to the saturation point, which can be used as an antimicrobial solution for food safety applications.
US07658958B2
The present invention concerns an apparatus and a method for producing ice confection comprising mold cavities arranged on lamellae disposed in an endless belt along which are arranged process means for the production of the ice confection by conveying the lamellae between the process means, wherein the apparatus comprises an uneven number of lamellae and the process means are arranged along the belt in such a way, that the ice confection production process may be completed by two full circulations of one lamella on the belt. Due to the uneven number of lamellae a specific lamella will change stop position for each circulation. Hereby, a number of advantages are obtained through an optimal utilization of the lower lamella sequence, such that the shortest possible apparatus is obtained.
US07658957B2
The invention provides a novel herbal composition for treatment of arthritis and inflammation. The herbal composition comprises a therapeutically effective combination of extracts obtained from the plants Terminalia chebula, Pluchea lanceolata, Desmodium gangeticum, Vitex negunto and Zingiber officinale, optionally along with pharmaceutically acceptable additives. The invention further comprises methods of making the herbal composition and methods of use for the treatment of arthritis and inflammation.
US07658956B2
A Phytoceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of erectile dysfunction is provided. A specific combination of extracts of plants and nutraceuticals is based on categorizing plants and nutraceuticals into one of three groups, Energy, Bio-Intelligence, and Organization. Such combination has synergistic effects, with minimal side effects.
US07658953B2
The present invention discloses a biocidal composition comprising hydrogen peroxide in a concentration of 0.05-50% (w/w) and a compound with a structure according to Formula 1: (OH)(X)(O)P—O—(CH—(Y)—CH2—O)n—R, or a salt thereof, wherein X is H or OH, Y is H or CH3, n is 2-6 and R is an alkyl radical containing 4-18 carbon atoms, in a concentration of 0.01-60% (w/w). A especially preferred compound according to Formula 1 is a compound wherein X is OH, Y is H, n is 4 and R is a straight alkyl chain containing 10 carbon atoms.
US07658951B2
A method of treating heart failure and improving cardiac function by administering stem cell products to a heart in need of treatment, whereby the stem cell products improve cardiac muscle function thereby treating heart failure and improving cardiac function. A method of enriching or regenerating damaged myocardium by administering stem cell products to damaged myocardium. Stem cell products for use in treating heart failure are also provided. A composition for enriching and regenerating damaged myocardium, the composition having stem cell products in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US07658950B2
Disclosed is a product and method for transplanting biological fluids into a host animal (including humans) that have been collected from donor animals. These biological fluids have been purified and processed so that they are acellular, sterile, pathogen free, and a form that can be stored for considerable periods of time without degradation. In one embodiment, synovial fluid is harvested from a large number of donors to produce the transplantation compound. Donor fluid is collected from a number of joints per animal, and initially screened for obvious abnormalities (clarity, color, viscosity . . . etc.) and accepted or rejected on a joint-by-joint basis at the time of collection. The collected fluid is frozen in the field. Once in a laboratory setting, the fluid is warmed and spun down in a centrifuge. The supernate is collected, filtered, and mixed in large batches while the permeate is discarded. The supernate is re-frozen, lyophilized (freeze-dried) to form a cake and packaged as an individual dose under vacuum. The product is sterile, stable, has a long shelf life and can be readily reconstituted and injected into a joint.
US07658949B2
The invention relates to a process for the surface-energy passivation of lactose which is intended for use as an excipient in the production of inhalable powders, and the use of such optimised carrier materials in the manufacture of inhalable powders.
US07658948B2
A foaming granule is provided that includes an acid, a gas-evolving acid neutralizing agent, a surfactant foaming agent, and an active agent that is a plant growth enhancer, pest control agent, de-icer or anti-icer. Upon wetting a granule, the acid and neutralizing agent are brought into contact releasing gas that is trapped in the surfactant to form a foam that disperses the active agent to a greater area and more uniformly than a conventional nonfoaming granule containing a like amount of active agent. Dispersal of granules followed by sufficient time for foaming to occur represents a typical use methodology.
US07658947B2
There is provided a new thermo-gelling composition made with methylcellulose and citric acid. This composition may also have an effective amount of a treating agent, which may be a medicinal agent, cosmetic agent, moisturizer, adjuvant, nutritional agent, other ingredients and combinations thereof. The composition is useful in delivering moisturizers or pharmaceutically active agents to the user in a controlled release manner through the mucosal tissues in a body cavity, or on body surfaces, or as a subcutaneously injected medicament. The composition may also be used as a replacement for the soft tissues of the body as in, for example, the foot cushion and cartilage repair.
US07658935B2
Methods for stimulating the immune system of an individual to produce and release antimalignin antibody are disclosed. The method comprises administering an amount of a composition containing malignin, recognin M, recognin L, or a peptide having the immunological specificity thereof. Also disclosed is a device for removing cancer cells from the body of a subject.
US07658933B2
The present invention is directed to non-cytotoxic protein conjugates for inhibition or reduction of exocytic fusion in a nociceptive sensory afferent cell. The protein conjugates comprise: (i) a Targeting Moiety (TM), wherein the TM is an agonist of a receptor present on a nociceptive sensory afferent cell, and wherein the receptor undergoes endocytosis to be incorporated into an endosome within the nociceptive sensory afferent cell; (ii) a non-cytotoxic protease or a fragment thereof, wherein the protease or protease fragment is capable of cleaving a protein of the exocytic fusion apparatus of the nociceptive sensory afferent cell; and (iii) a Translocation Domain, wherein the Translocation Domain translocates the protease or protease fragment from within the endosome, across the endosomal membrane, and into the cytosol of the nociceptive sensory afferent cell. Nucleic acid sequences encoding the protein conjugates, methods of preparing same and uses thereof are also described.
US07658926B2
The present invention relates to improved autologous T cell vaccines and methods for their production. The invention is also directed to methods for treating T cell associated diseases such as multiple sclerosis are rheumatoid arthritis using autologous T cell vaccines.
US07658920B2
Polypeptide growth factor ZVEGF3, methods of making it, polynucleotides encoding it, antibodies that bind to it, and methods of using them are disclosed. The polypeptide comprises an amino acid segment that is at least 90% identical to residues 46-163 of SEQ ID NO:2 or residues 235-345 of SEQ ID NO:2. Multimers of the polypeptide are also disclosed. The polypeptide, multimeric proteins, and polynucleotides can be used in the study and regulation of cell and tissue development, as components of cell culture media, and as diagnostic agents. The antibodies may be used to inhibit cell growth.
US07658907B2
Titanium-aluminium mixed oxide powder with a proportion of aluminium oxide of less than 1 wt. % or a proportion of titanium dioxide of less than 5 wt. %, wherein the sum of the proportions of titanium dioxide and aluminium oxide is at least 99.7 wt. %. It is produced by transferring a vaporous starting compound of the quantitatively greater component of the mixed oxide into a mixing chamber by means of primary air and a vaporous starting compound of the quantitatively smaller component of the mixed oxide by means of an inert gas, and burning the mixture mixed with hydrogen in a mixing chamber into a reaction chamber. It can be used as a catalyst support.
US07658906B2
Novel sulfur recovery plants, and processes utilizing these plants are disclosed. These apparatuses eliminate the use of a condenser between the waste heat boiler and first Claus catalytic reactors, and also eliminate the use of reheaters in between Claus catalytic reactors.
US07658902B2
A process for producing a graphite article having a CTE of less than about 2.0 ppm/° C. over the temperature range of from 30° C. to 100° C. and an isotropy ratio of less than about 1.5 also advantageously having a thermal shock resistance parameter of greater than about 150×103 W/m in both the with-grain and against-grain directions, and the graphite so produced.
US07658900B2
In a reactor for the decomposition of a silicon-containing gas, provision is made, to avoid silicon deposition on an inner wall of a reactor vessel, for at least one catalytically active mesh to be provided within a reaction chamber between at least one gas feed line and the inner wall (4). The mesh accelerates the thermal decomposition of the gas and reduces the deposition of silicon on the inner wall. Also described is a process for the preparation of silicon using the reactor according to the invention and the use in photovoltaics of the silicon prepared.
US07658899B2
A production method of nano-sized silicon crystal particles comprising the step of allowing monosilane to be oxidized in a bulk liquid phase to form the nano-sized silicon crystal particles within the bulk liquid phase, wherein a liquid of the bulk liquid phase is an unsaturated hydrocarbon free from an oxidizing gas; and isolating the nano-sized silicon crystal particles from the bulk liquid phase.
US07658893B2
An apparatus for carrying out a continuous process for preparing propylene glycols.
US07658891B1
This application relates to innovative apparatus and methods for efficient use of vacuum ultraviolet light and ozone to break down biological and chemical contaminants in air that flows through such apparatus, and to generate additional ozone and ozonites that further contribute to destruction of contaminants in air in a generally enclosed contaminated volume communicating with such apparatus, as well as contaminants on surfaces and within porous materials such as clothing in a generally enclosed volume, and including contaminants on the hair or skin of an individual, or on the hide or fur of an animal. A generally enclosed contaminated volume may include an interior of a hazardous materials (HAZMAT) protective suit donned by an individual, or in an environment, that was already contaminated, or a passenger compartment of a vehicle operated or parked in a contaminated area.
US07658888B2
Apparatus for treating allografts, having a sonication tank configured to transmit ultrasonic energy to the interior of the tank; a treatment canister rotatably positioned in said sonication tank, and configured to receive allografts therein; and a treatment fluid source in fluid communication with said treatment canister. Methods of treating allografts and methods for determining microbial contamination using the apparatus.
US07658885B2
The present invention relates to a device which is to be utilized at the time of observation of a mixed state or a chemically-combined state of a mixture attained by mixing together trace amounts of gases or trace amounts of liquids or mixing a trace amount of a gas with a trace amount of liquid. A micropump 1 comprises a pump structural material having a reaction chamber formed therein; a reaction agent 4 which is housed in a reaction chamber 6 and produces a gas of predetermined pressure; reaction initiation means 5 which is disposed beside the reaction agent and causes the reaction agent to produce a gas; and a channel 7 which is provided in the pump structural material and guides the gas of predetermined pressure produced by the reaction agent from the reaction chamber to an outlet port. The pump structural material and the reaction initiation means are stacked one on top of the other.
US07658882B2
A method comprises forming a preform of plastic material, expanding said preform to obtain a container, said forming comprising compression-forming said preform in that mould arrangement wherein said expanding occurs; a method comprises expanding a preform in a mould arrangement to obtain a container, before said expanding it being provided to form a dose of plastic material in a paste state in said mould arrangement to obtain said preform; an apparatus comprises a forming mould arrangement, a punch device for expanding a preform in said mould arrangement, an abutting device cooperating with said punch device, said punch device and said abutting device identifying a configuration in which said punch device and said abutting device cooperate to define a forming unit for compression-forming a semifinished product of plastic material to obtain said preform and a further configuration in which said punch device and said abutting device cooperate to define an expansion unit of said preform to obtain a container.
US07658877B2
According to the invention, a micro-structured element is manufactured by replicating/shaping (molding or embossing or the like) a 3D-structure in a preliminary product using an replication tool (1). The replication tool comprises a spacer portion (1c) protruding from a replication surface (1a). The replica (the micro-structured element, for example the micro-optical element or micro-optical element component) may be made of epoxy, which is cured—for example UV cured—while the replication tool is still in place. The replication process may be an embossing process, where the deformable or viscous or liquid component of the preliminary product to be shaped is placed on a surface and then the replication tool is pressed against this surface. As an alternative, the replication process may be a molding process.
US07658875B2
A polymer film having a thickness of 10 microns or less and improved barrier characteristics to both water vapor and oxygen is formed from a biaxially-oriented polypropylene film of isotactic polypropylene. The polypropylene is prepared by the polymerization of propylene in the presence of an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The film has a permeability to water vapor of less than about 2.5 g/m2 day/25 μm and a permeability to oxygen of less than about 2200 cc/m2 day/25 μm. The film also has a haze properties of less than about 1%. The polypropylene contains 0.1 to 1% 2,1 insertions and has an isotacticity of at least 96% meso pentads. The isotactic polypropylene thus produced is then extruded into a sheet that is biaxially-oriented by stressing the sheet in the transverse and longitudinal directions to a draw ratio of at least about 6:1 in the transverse direction, and at least about 4:1 in the longitudinal direction.
US07658873B2
A low density oriented strand board has an average density of less than about 1.5 times the density of wood species used in the board and a homogenous vertical density profile. Low density OSB may be formed by preheating the wood finish prior to pressing, controlling the moisture content such that the core layer has a higher moisture content than the face layers, or a combination of pre-heating and moisture content control.
US07658863B2
A Si—C—O composite powder is obtained by curing a reactive silane or siloxane having crosslinkable groups through heat curing or catalytic reaction into a crosslinked product and sintering the crosslinked product in an inert gas stream at a temperature of 700-1,400° C. into an inorganic state. It exhibits satisfactory cycle performance when used as the negative electrode material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cells.
US07658862B2
The present invention relates to a dust suppressant composition comprising a aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol, acrylic-based latex, glycerin, silicone based surfactant and a polysiloxane-based wetting agent. Preferably, the composition comprises from about 10 to about 46% of polyvinyl alcohol, from about 20 to about 60% of an acrylic-based latex, from about 0.6 to about 7.0% of glycerin, from about 0.1 to about 1.5% of silicone-based surfactant and from about 0.001 to about 0.5% of polysiloxane-based wetting agent. The composition provides a polymer film over a dusting material thus forming a homogeneous and resistant layer. The instant composition, which is applied over the dusting material (preferably sprayed over the material) and dried at room temperature, presents a low surface tension resulting in better wetting of the particulates and agglomeration of the material. The latter two properties ensure that there is less breakage of the polymer film during continuous use or application (e.g. during transportation of the dusting materials). Said surface tension is between about 20 and about 27 dynes/cm, and preferably of about 25 dynes/cm.
US07658860B2
A metal pattern of the present invention is a metal pattern (13′) formed on a surface of a substrate by etching, and a monomolecular film containing fluorinated alkyl chains (CF3(CF2)n—, where n represents an integer) is formed on a surface of a metal film composing the metal pattern (13′), and a masking film (18) is formed by penetration of a molecule having a mercapto group (—SH) or a disulfide (—SS—) group into interstices between molecules composing the monomolecular film. The metal pattern is produced by: forming a monomolecular film containing fluorinated alkyl chains (CF3(CF2)n—, where n represents an integer) on a surface of a metal film; forming a masking film by applying a solution in which a molecule having a mercapto group (—SH) or a disulfide (—SS—) group is dissolved over a surface of the monomolecular film so that the molecule having a mercapto group (—SH) or a disulfide (—SS—) group penetrates in interstices between molecules composing the monomolecular film; and etching the metal film by exposing the surface of the metal film to an etching solution so that a portion of the metal film in a region not covered with the masking film is removed.
US07658857B2
Systems and methods for treating water passing through a catch basin may include first and second filters. In some embodiments, the filters each have a plurality of regions with different nominal flow rates.
US07658848B2
A composition including the fermentation supernatant from a fermentation of yeast is intended to be conveniently introduced through the wastewater plumbing system of a private home or other facility into a septic system servicing the home or other facility to substantially accelerate the ability of the bacteria resident in the septic system to substantially digest biologically available organic compounds present in the septic system, and methods of accomplishing the same.
US07658833B2
A method for the production of metallic copper in a substantially dendrite-free crystalline form is described, comprising an electrowinning from a cuprous and/or cupric chloride solution carried out in a spouted bed cell comprising a cathode consisting of a descending bed of metallic beads.
US07658828B2
The present disclosure generally relates to methods, systems, and devices for electrically purifying liquids containing species such as minerals, salts, ions, organics, and the like. One aspect of the invention provides methods of regenerating media within an electrical purification device, for example, exposing the media to one or more eluting solutions, and/or selectively desorbing ions, organics, and/or other species from the media by exposing the media to certain eluting conditions. In yet another aspect, methods of selectively removing one or more ions, organics, and/or other species from a liquid to be purified are provided, e.g., by selective removal of one or more ions, or organics, and the like from solution that can easily precipitate, and/or cause scaling or fouling to occur. In still another aspect, the invention provides a method of treating a solution containing ions, organics, and/or other species using an electrical purification apparatus in a continuous or semi-continuous fashion, while also performing regeneration of media contained within the apparatus.
US07658827B2
Flat plates serving as molds and enclosures for slab gels are held together by a clamping frame in which the side edges of the plates slide into facing channels and are clamped by lever-operated cams that compress the channel walls against the plate surfaces. The joined plates are held on a vertical support rack containing a finger-operated spring-loaded notched clamp that presses down on the plates to seal the opening at the bottom edges of the plates against a gasket. A well-forming comb for insertion between the plates contains flexible outwardly angled fingers to seal against the spacers between the plates.
US07658826B2
A reference electrode including a water-impermeable, non-conductive substrate having a surface; an electrically conductive metal/metal salt mixture layer in contact with the surface; a water-soluble alkali metal salt layer; and a water-impermeable barrier layer overlaying a portion of the alkali metal salt layer and a portion of the metal/metal salt layer, and a method for preparing same are described. When the reference electrode is placed in a water sample to be tested, water enters the exposed portion of the alkali metal salt layer where it dissolves the salt forming a saturated solution in the region of contact between the alkali metal salt layer and the metal/metal salt layer.
US07658825B2
A measuring device for the detection and determination of the concentration of at least one analyte in a liquid medium consists of a polymeric carrier having biologically active specific binding molecules dried on its upstream portion. A multiple electrode set consisting of at least one reference electrode and at least one working electrode is located thereon in a downstream region. The working electrode is provided with biologically active specific binding molecules. The carrier has a sample application zone, which is adjoined, in the downstream direction, by a non-deformable, through-flow reaction and detection chamber, a variably dimensioned interstice, and a liquid absorption element. For a qualitative and quantitative analyte determination, two liquid media are applied in succession to the sample application zone. While the first can contain the wanted analyte, the second provides for the formation of an electrical signal.
US07658823B2
The invention relates to an electrochemical gas generator including a substrate for providing a surface for electrode deposition, a first electrode deposited on the surface for providing an electrical connection with a conducting medium, a second electrode deposited on the substrate for generating a gas, and a plurality of members extending from at least one side of the first electrode placed alternately with a plurality of extensions protruding from at least one side of the second electrode for improving generator efficiency.
US07658812B2
A continuous manufacturing system is provided for producing an intermediate web assembly having a series of regularly occurring preprinted segments that are disposed on a surface of the web. The segments are initially produced in a sheet form which is prepared by rendering high quality images in discrete areas representative of the portions to be subsequently separated to form the segments. The individual segments are cut from the sheet and then are provided to a placer mechanism that sequentially places the segments individually on the web to create an intermittently laminated web assembly.
US07658810B2
A composite sandwich structure is produced by providing a core structure, applying cover layers on opposite sides of the core structure, and forming an edge seal. The core structure has a folded cell structure with fold valleys forming continuous open channels with open ends and/or open channel sides at edges of the core structure. The channels extend along and are bounded between the fold valleys and the cover layers. The edge seal is formed to have a limited spatial volume in an edge region at an edge of the core structure, to close and seal open ends and/or open channel sides of the channels of the core, without an uncontrolled penetration of the seal material from the edge region to a greater depth into the open channels.
US07658797B2
A lightweight ready-mix concrete composition that contains 8-20 volume percent cement, 11-50 volume percent sand, 10-31 volume percent prepuff particles, 9-40 volume percent coarse aggregate, and 10-22 volume percent water, where the sum of components used does not exceed 100 volume percent. The prepuff particles have an average particle diameter of from 0.2 mm to 8 mm, a bulk density of from 0.02 g/cc to 0.64 g/cc, an aspect ratio of from 1 to 3. The slump value of the composition measured according to ASTM C 143 is from 2 to 8 inches. After the lightweight ready-mix concrete composition is set for 28 days, it has a compressive strength of at least 1400 psi as tested according to ASTM C39.
US07658790B1
An electroless solution for deposition of a cobalt-based alloy on a substrate is provided. The electroless solution may be formed by mixing first and second solutions, with the first and second solutions being prepared from concentrated precursors. In one embodiment, the first solution contains a cobalt (Co) ion source and a complexing and deposition selectivity agent. In one embodiment, the cobalt concentration in the first solution is at least 90 millimoles per liter. The second solution contains a reducing agent. In one embodiment, the reducing agent is dimethylamineborane (DMAB) having a concentration of at least 10 grams per liter. In other embodiments, the first solution also contains a tungsten (W) ion source, and either the first or second solution also contains a phosphorous (P) ion source.
US07658788B2
An ion transport membrane system comprising (a) a pressure vessel having an interior, an inlet adapted to introduce gas into the interior of the vessel, an outlet adapted to withdraw gas from the interior of the vessel, and an axis; (b) a plurality of planar ion transport membrane modules disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and arranged in series, each membrane module comprising mixed metal oxide ceramic material and having an interior region and an exterior region; and (c) one or more gas flow control partitions disposed in the interior of the pressure vessel and adapted to change a direction of gas flow within the vessel.
US07658787B2
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a filter module having a mechanically positionable test probe disposed therein and a method for testing a filter. In one embodiment, a filter module includes a housing adapted to receive a filter element. A sample probe suitable for leak testing the filter element is disposed in the interior volume of the housing. The sample probe may be moved to scan the filter by an actuator. In another embodiment, a method for testing a filter includes challenging a room side of a filter element disposed in a housing with a test aerosol, moving a probe disposed within the housing to obtain samples for testing and determining if the samples exceed a predefined leak criteria.
US07658785B2
System for separating particles from an environment, the system including a perforated screen and an ionisation electrode in the environment for creating an electrostatic potential between the electrode and the screen to attract the particles to the screen.
US07658778B2
A method for making high temperature filter media includes the steps of melt-spinning a plurality of fibers of pre-ceramic thermoplastic polymer to form a non-woven textile web of the fibers, curing and cross-linking the thermoplastic polymer to a thermo-set polymer and thermally decomposing the thermo-set polymer to ceramic.
US07658777B2
A filter element (12), particularly for the intake air of an internal combustion engine. The filter element (12) has a filter body (13) and a seal (15) disposed circumferentially around the filter body (13). The seal (15) is bonded to the filter body (13) with an adhesive (31) and includes a hard component (26) and a soft component (27). The hard component (26), which rests directly on a housing section, prevents the filter element (12) from moving relative to this housing section, and since the filter element cannot move relative to the housing section, damage to the filter element is avoided.
US07658772B2
The present invention is a process for making a matching pair of surfaces, which involves creating a network of channels on one surface of two substrate. The substrates are then coated with one or more layers of materials, the coating extending over the regions between the channels and also partially into the channels. The two coated surfaces are then contacted and pressure is applied, which causes the coatings to be pressed into the network of channels, and surface features on one of the layers of material creates matching surface features in the other, and vice versa. It also results in the formation of a composite. In a final step, the composite is separated, forming a matching pair of surfaces.
US07658766B2
The present application discloses intervertebral implants and methods of using the implants. The implants may include inferior and superior surfaces, and a sidewall that together form the body of the implant. An inner chamber is formed between the surfaces and the sidewall. An opening extends through the body to access the inner chamber. A cover plate is sized to extend across the opening. The cover plate is adjustable between an open position to access the inner chamber, and a closed position to prevent the bone growth material from escaping from the inner chamber.
US07658765B2
Resilient surgical meshes that, in some aspects, can be compressed or otherwise configured, for minimally invasive delivery in the intervertebral discs are provided. According to one or more embodiments, the surgical mesh can be robust, fatigue resistant, stable and capable of withstanding the dynamic environment generic to intervertebral discs.
US07658764B2
A middle ear prosthesis comprises a one piece disk shaped prosthesis including a generally circular malleable body including a bore. The body engages a tympanic membrane and the bore receives a head of a stapes when implanted in a middle ear. More particularly, the middle ear prosthesis comprises a body comprising an annular head, a collar, and a plurality of radially extending members connecting the head to the collar. The head engages a tympanic membrane and the collar receives a head of a stapes when implanted in a middle ear.
US07658760B2
A radiopaque nitinol stent for implantation in a body lumen is disclosed. The stent is made from a superelastic alloy such as nickel-titanium or nitinol, and includes a ternary element including tungsten. The added tungsten in specified amounts improve the radiopacity of the nitinol stent comparable to that of a stainless steel stent of the same strut pattern coated with a thin layer of gold. Furthermore, the nitinol stent has improved radiopacity yet retains its superelastic and shape memory behavior and further maintains a thin strut/wall thickness for high flexibility.
US07658758B2
The present invention relates to method and apparatus for dispensing a beneficial agent into an expandable medical device. The method includes the step of placing an expandable medical device on a mandrel, the medical device forming a cylindrical device having a plurality of openings and dispensing a beneficial agent into the plurality of openings.
US07658756B2
An inflatable convective thermal blanket is designed to have at least one section on its top surface that has securely mounted thereon at least one fluid absorbent mechanism for absorbing fluids from a subject that is placed onto the blanket, or from fluids fallen onto the blanket from other sources. The one section is configured onto the blanket in such a way that it forms a well for collecting the fluids. The fluid absorbent mechanism, which may be in the form of a pad, would absorb the collected fluid to thereby minimize evaporative and cooling effects on the subject. Instead of mounting it on top of the blanket, the fluid absorbent pad may be mounted to the underside of the blanket, with appropriate holes and/or openings provided at the fluid collecting section, so that the collected fluids are drained onto the fluid absorbent pad. To enhance the input flow of air to the blanket, as well as to enable the blanket to be flatly folded for storage or shipping, a collapsible retainer mechanism is provided at the input port(s) of the blanket. The retainer mechanism opens up to a shape that facilitates the mating of an air hose to the input port. When folded to its collapsed position, the retainer mechanism, and the input port, would lie substantially coplanarly with the blanket. When configured to the position for accepting the air hose, the retainer mechanism is positioned substantially orthogonal to the blanket.
US07658734B2
A method and apparatus for a connection interface between a reservoir or syringe, infusion set tubing, and an infusion pump is provided. A base is provided which is adapted to receive a reservoir. The base has a base engagement member, such as a detent, projecting therefrom. A cap is provided which is adapted to receive the base. The cap includes a first cap engagement member, such as a detent opening, which is adapted to removably engage the base detent. The cap further includes a second cap detent opening which is adapted to removably engage the base detent. A piercing member, such as a needle, is disposed in the interior of the cap in such a manner that the needle is separated from the reservoir septum when the base detent is in the first cap detent opening, and the needle pierces the reservoir septum when the base detent is in the second cap detent opening. When the reservoir, the base and the cap are connected to form an integrated unit, this unit is then capable of being inserted and secured in the infusion pump housing.
US07658728B2
Microneedle arrays and drug delivery devices are provided for transdermally delivering a drug formulation to a patient. The microneedle array device includes a substantially planar substrate having an array of apertures; and a plurality of microneedles projecting at angle from the planar substrate, the microneedles having a base portion integrally connected to the substrate, a tip end portion distal to the base portion, and body portion therebetween, wherein each microneedle has at least one channel extending substantially from the base portion through at least a part of the body portion, the channel being open along at least part of the body portion and in fluid communication with at least one of the apertures in the substrate. In a preferred embodiment, each microneedle has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and the channel is open to two opposing surfaces of the microneedle.
US07658724B2
An auto-injector for rapid delivery of a bolus of injectable medication has a generally flat, sealed housing with small peripheral dimensions, approximating those of a credit card. A syringe, configured to be contained within the flat housing is pre-filled with the medication. The housing contains a mechanism that, when triggered, automatically drives the syringe and needle forwardly to an injection position and then continues to compress the volume of the syringe to effect rapid injection. The forward injection end of the device includes an actuator that also conceals and protects the needle at all times and, prevents post-injection hazards. The flat faces of the device have graphic symbols and other visual indicia relating to the operation and condition of the device. The device enables a simple three-step operation that reduces the risk of improper use.
US07658718B2
A biopsy needle assembly for use in a biopsy gun includes coaxially slidably engaged outer needle and inner needles. The inner needle defines a cavity adjacent its distal end for receiving a tissue sample. A first hub is attached to the proximal end of the inner needle, and a second hub is attached to the proximal end of the outer needle. An elongated pin having a first end and a second end is fixedly attached to the first hub at the first end of the pin. The second end is in sliding contact with the second hub so that the second hub and the pin are slidable relative to each other. A stop engagement is provided between the second end of the pin and the second hub and is configured to prevent disengagement of the outer and inner needles and to maintain a specific physical relationship between the hubs.
US07658705B2
An actuation mechanism for assisting the operation of the natural heart has a varying shape for deforming the heart. In one embodiment, a plurality of links articulates with respect to each other for varying the shape of the actuation mechanism. The plurality of links is configured for being positioned proximate to an outer surface of the heart for deforming the heart by varying the shape of the actuation mechanism. In another embodiment, a jacket for coupling with an outer surface of the heart has a tether coupled to successive sections of the jacket. The tether is operable to be translated with respect to the jacket sections to vary the shape of the jacket for deforming the heart. In another embodiment, a plurality of concentric ring structures are coupled together to move with respect to each other in a concentric fashion. A movement mechanism coupled to the rings is operable to vary their positions with respect to each other to vary the overall shape for deforming the heart.
US07658702B1
An adjustable exercise device for performing push-ups is provided. The push-up bench is designed to accommodate exercisers of varying heights, sizes and fitness levels. The exercise device comprises a base assembly, an inclined exercise platform assembly flexibly attached to the base along one end, and a connecting leg assembly which is connected to both the base and the inclined platform. Adjustment of the leg assembly with respect to the base adjusts the inclined platform from a fully horizontal position to multiple degrees of inclination, providing multiple degrees of exercise difficulty. The inclined platform may also include foot pads and hand grips to properly position the exerciser. The inclined platform is adjustable lengthwise to permit the distance between hand grips and foot pads to be adjusted, to accommodate users of varying heights.
US07658675B2
A game apparatus includes a touch panel on which at least two pointing positions are simultaneously detectable. In response to an operation of the touch panel by a player, coordinates values of the detected two points are detected, and at least one of a distance between the two points and an angle of the line connecting the two points is calculated. Furthermore, change amounts of the distance and angle between the two points are calculated. A movement parameter such as a travel speed and a turning angle is set on the basis of at least one of the calculated distance and angle, and the movement of the character such as travel and turning is controlled on the basis of the movement parameter. In addition, when a pointing state of the two points is changed, the movement parameter is changed on the basis of a change amount, and the movement of the character is controlled on the basis of the movement parameter.
US07658665B2
Methods for cylindrical grinding a workpiece are disclosed. The method includes cylindrical grinding, with a bonded abrasive wheel having a permeable structure that includes interconnected porosity, a workpiece at a specific cutting energy of less than about 12 Hp/in3·min (29.7 J/mm3), and a material removal rate of at least about 1 in3/min·in (10.8 mm3/sec/mm)grinding. The bonded abrasive wheel may include at least about 3 volume percent of a filamentary sol-gel alpha-alumina abrasive grain having an average length-to-cross-sectional-width ratio of greater than about 4:1, or agglomerates thereof. In one embodiment, the workpiece is ground in the presence of a water soluble oil.
US07658648B2
A method is provided for automatically accommodating plugs having different contract layouts. Steps of the method include providing a jack assembly supporting a plurality of contacts accessible to a plug-receiving space, the plurality of contacts including eight contacts in side-by-side relation and two additional contact pairs positioned in opposed corners of the plug-receiving space, four central contacts of the eight side-by-side contacts defining bi-sectional members, and at least one capacitive element being provided in electrical communication with front end portions of at least two of the bi-sectional members. Noise generated through insertion of a plug into the plug-receiving space is automatically compensated for, whether the plug is an RJ-45 plug configured to interact with the eight contacts in side-by-side relation, or an IEC 60603-7-7 compliant plug configured to interact with at least the two additional contact pairs positioned in opposed corners.
US07658645B1
An electrical connector includes a terminal and a connector body. The terminal has a recess and has one or more tabs. The connector body has a cavity that is constructed and sized to receive the terminal. The connector body has a nib protruding into the cavity, and has one or more rails protruding into the cavity. When the terminal is received in the cavity, the nib mates with the recess and the tab bears against the rail.
US07658644B2
The present invention features a power terminal for ABS connector. Preferably, the power terminal for ABS connector is inserted into and secured to an insertion pipe of a male connector for an ABS and has a conductive terminal body. The conductive terminal body has, at one end thereof, a mounting element for mounting a first waterproofing member and a first barrel for securing a power wire, guide projections, projectedly formed at a middle portion thereof, for guiding insertion of the conductive terminal body, and, at the other end thereof, a hook for maintaining an inserted state of the conductive terminal body using an elastic property thereof. The portion of the conductive terminal body that is positioned between the guide projections and the hook is lengthened, a second waterproofing member is mounted to the portion, and a second barrel for securing one end of the second waterproofing member is formed on the conductive terminal body.
US07658638B2
A connector capable of preventing an engaging portion of an ejection mechanism from being damaged even when a card-type electronic component is inserted obliquely with respect to a card inserting/ejecting direction. A cover is mounted on a housing having a card accommodating portion for accommodating a memory card in a manner covering the card accommodating portion. The ejection mechanism ejects the memory card from the card accommodating portion. The ejection mechanism has a locking portion that is engaged with the memory card such that part of the memory card remains within the card accommodating portion during ejection of the memory card. The cover is provided with a guide for guiding a front end of the memory card in the card inserting/ejecting direction when the memory card is inserted into the card accommodating portion obliquely with respect to the card inserting/ejecting direction C.
US07658627B2
An electrical connector assembly includes an electrical connector with an insulative housing and a pick-up cap assembled to the electrical connector. The insulative housing defines a substantially rectangular cavity in middle thereof and a number of contacts received in the cavity. The pick-up cap includes a main portion with a planar top surface and a plurality of spring arms extending from opposite edges of the main portion for engaging with the electrical connector. Each spring arm has a locking portion for engaging with the main portion if excessive deformation of the spring arm is encountered.
US07658624B2
An electrical connector (100) assembled to a printed circuit board (5) for connecting with a mating connector, includes a longitudinal insulative housing (1) and a plurality of contacts (2, 3) received in the housing. Each of the contacts (2, 3) defines a retaining section (20, 30), a contacting portion (21) extending forwards from the retaining section for contacting with the mating connector and a compressing portion (220, 320) extending rearwards from the retaining section for connecting to the printed circuit board. The compressing portions are arranged in two rows, and the compressing portions nip and elastic compress against the printed circuit board instead of being soldered thereto to connect the electrical connector to the printed circuit board steadily.
US07658618B2
An electric connector provided with a plurality of connecting elements which electrically connect a first electrode group and a second electrode group opposite between two devices, wherein (a) first contact points in contact with electrodes of the first electrode group of the connecting elements correspond to intersection points on an a×b where a and b correspond to pitch size, and (b) second contact points in contact with electrodes of the second electrode group of the connecting elements form at least two groups.
US07658605B2
An injection molding apparatus includes an injection manifold having a melt channel. A hot runner injection nozzle includes an axial melt channel extending along a central axis and communicating with the manifold melt channel. The nozzle further includes at least two angled melt channels disposed at an angle to the central axis. At least two nozzle tips are provided, and each includes a nozzle tip melt channel in communication with one of the angled melt channels. An axial valve pin is disposed coaxially with the central axis and is disposed outside of the axial melt channel. Lateral valve pins movable within the nozzle tip melt channels are disposed at an angle to the valve pin. A linkage system connects the lateral valve pins to the axial valve pin. Movement of the axial valve pin is transmitted through the linkage system to the lateral valve pins to open and close communication between the nozzle tip melt channels and the lateral mold gates.
US07658602B2
The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for the continuous production of center-filled confectionery products. The apparatus may include an extruder for forming a continuous extrudate having a plurality of center-filled confectionery ropes. The apparatus may also include a forming device for forming individual confectionery pieces, and sealed center-filled confectionery pieces in particular. The forming device provides improved coordination and control of extrudate formation and extrudate feed into the forming device. The apparatus and method of the present disclosure increases product output and reduces the amount of unacceptable product.
US07658601B2
A pattern forming apparatus maintaining alignment between a mold and a substrate. The pattern forming apparatus includes a press pressing the mold against the substrate in a pressing direction, and a mechanism to maintain orientation of the mold and the substrate perpendicular to the pressing direction.
US07658598B2
The present invention includes methods and apparatuses for operating and controlling AOD pumps.
US07658595B2
A protective boot for a helicopter blade pitch link assembly as described herein includes a split joint that allows for easy removal and replacement of the protective boot. The protective boot is less expensive to replace, requires less manpower, and eliminates the need for post-maintenance test flights, which might otherwise be necessary to confirm proper alignment and installation of the pitch link assemblies.
US07658593B2
A heat accumulation segment for local separation of a flow duct inside a turbo engine, from a stator housing that radially surrounds the flow duct is provided. The heat accumulation segment includes two axially opposed joining contoured elements that are engageable with two components that are axially adjacent along the flow duct. A first one of the two joining contoured elements has a radially oriented recess with a frustoconical contoured surface against which a securing pin having a frustoconical external contour that acts radially under force action from a component that adjoins the first joining contoured element, and the first joining contoured element has a collar portion having a radially upper collar surface and a radially lower collar surface. The collar portion is connected within a counter-contoured receiving contoured element in the axially adjacent component by a joining force that acts between the securing pin and the frustoconical contoured surface.
US07658589B2
Turbine system including a turbine and a tubular arrangement having an exit opening. The tubular arrangement is arranged on a downstream side of the turbine. At least one flow controlling device at least partially prevents a fluid flow through the tubular arrangement from becoming detached from the tubular arrangement. The at least one flow controlling device is positioned within the fluid flow and in an area of the exit opening. The turbine system is configured to operate efficiently in an environment wherein at least an upper edge of the exit opening is arranged above a downstream liquid level.
US07658579B1
A nut and retainer fastener assembly includes a one-piece retainer having a flat base with an opening and a plurality of retainer clips extending from the base around the opening. At least one flange nut is secured to the base between adjacent clips and offset from the opening in the base. The opening preferably is polygonal, most preferably rectangular (including square), and the clips preferably are disposed at corners of the opening. The clips preferably have integral spring fingers that extend from ends of the clips toward the base and at an angle away from the opening to capture the mounting wall between the base and the ends of the spring clips. The base preferably has an ear extending away from the opening, most preferably laterally opposed ears extending away from the opening, and a flange nut mounted on each of the ears for alignment with a fastener opening in the mounting wall when the nut and fastener assembly is secured to the wall. The preferred but exemplary embodiment of the disclosure is for securing the end of a shock absorber to the mounting wall and includes a shock absorber mount secured by fasteners that extend through fastener openings in the mounting wall into threaded engagement with the flange nuts.
US07658565B2
A tire applicator for applying treatment fluid to sidewall of a vehicle tire, which is constructed with an applicator head including a dispenser housing having a bottom bearing surface and an applicator pad affixed thereto, and which may be configured to complementally and releasably receive an associated container.
US07658555B1
A stabilizing and vibration-isolating mount to facilitate the manual operation of a camera from mobile platforms such as aircraft, motor vehicles, and watercraft. The camera mount comprises a carriage assembly that allows the roll axis of rotation to pass through the optical axis of the camera lens, thus eliminating the pendulum or over-the-center phenomenon that characterizes moving images filmed while the camera is moving about the roll axis. Movement around all three axes of rotation can be stabilized by gyrostabilizers that can be adjustably positioned through the centerlines of the pan, roll, and tilt axes.
US07658549B2
A pre-connectorized fiber optic distribution cable assembly includes a plurality of optical fibers and at least one mid-span access location along the length of the distribution cable. At least one of the optical fibers is accessed, terminated and then connectorized at the mid-span access location to an optical connector disposed within a receptacle. The mid-span access location, the accessed, terminated and connectorized optical fiber, the optical connector and at least a portion of the receptacle are encapsulated with a protective overmolded shell. A tether including at least one optical fiber connectorized at a first end of the tether is optically connected to the optical connector through the receptacle. A second end of the tether opposite the first end terminates in a network optical connection terminal, thereby compensating for a span length measurement difference between the actual location of the mid-span access and the desired location of the optical connection terminal.
US07658547B2
The invention relates to a radial roller bearing, having an outer bearing ring and an inner bearing ring, and rolling bodies located between the rings. Some of the rollers are formed by individual hollow rollers of a shape memory alloy. The cross-section of the shape memory alloy rollers is deformed during the assembly of the radial roller bearing to fit the dimensions of the free space between the rims of the rings. The rollers are introduced into the radial roller bearing through the free space between the rims of the bearing rings. After introduction into the radial roller bearing and once they have reached a specific temperature, the rollers independently regain their original shape.
US07658546B2
A bearing assembly comprising a housing and a ball at least partially housed within the housing. The housing comprises a race having a concave bearing surface, a sleeve surrounding the race, and a resilient member disposed between the race and the sleeve. The surfaces of the race and sleeve adjacent the resilient member and the surfaces of the resilient member preferably include at least one pair of a co-operating protrusion and recess. Alternatively, or additionally, the surfaces of the race and the sleeve adjacent the resilient member have different curvatures.
US07658534B2
A lamp holding apparatus for mounting a lamp to a base member includes a mounting plate having a pair of locking portions protruding to a base side. The locking portion is inserted into a mounting hole provided at the base and capable of being locked to a peripheral edge on its back side. Abutting portions, which protrude to the base side and are capable of abutting the base at the time of mounting, are provided on a bottom surface of the mounting plate that is an opposing surface to the base. The abutting portions are provided at three spots with one of the locking portions interposed therebetween. At the time of mounting, each of the abutting portions abut the base, and the mounting plate is elastically deformed so as to be warped, whereby the locking surface of the locking portion is kept in the state in which it is locked to a peripheral edge of a back side of the mounting hole by its elastic force.
US07658532B2
A portable display device includes a display panel, a light source supplying light to the display panel, a mold frame supporting the display panel and surrounding at least two sides of the light source, and a relief unit between the mold frame and the light source.
US07658530B2
A backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source disposed at a side of the light guide plate, a diffuser sheet positioned over the light guide plate but not directly contacting the light guide plate, and a light mixing space positioned between the light guide plate and the diffuser sheet so that light emitted from the light guide plate efficiently mixes in the light mixing space before entering the diffuser sheet and emitted out of the backlight module.
US07658527B2
A lighting panel includes a first circuit including a first LED configured to emit light at a first wavelength, a second circuit including a second LED configured to emit light at a second wavelength, and an adjustment circuit connected in parallel with the first circuit and configured to adjust a current through the first circuit. The adjustment circuit may include a trimmable resistor connected in parallel with the first circuit. Methods of manufacturing a lighting panel include mounting a plurality of lamps on a frame, each lamp including a first LED configured to emit light at a first wavelength and a second LED configured to emit light at a second wavelength, connecting selected ones of the first LEDs in a first circuit and selected ones of the second LEDs in a second circuit. An adjustment circuit, which may include a trimmable resistor, is connected in parallel with the first circuit, and a resistance of the adjustment circuit is adjusted to adjust a chromaticity of light emitted by the plurality of lamps when the plurality of lamps are energized.
US07658525B2
A backlight assembly includes: an EEFL (external electrode fluorescent lamp) including an external electrode through which a driving voltage is applied, and a lamp for emitting light; a side support for supporting the EEFL; and a protective cap disposed above a portion of the external electrode, the portion of the external electrode being exposed out of the side support.
US07658522B2
A headlamp is provided with a lamp unit provided in a lamp housing formed by a lamp body and a transparent cover for covering a front side of the lamp body. The lamp unit is supported in the lamp housing in a suspending state in such a condition that the lamp unit can be swung in vertical and horizontal directions. An output shaft coupled to a lower end of the lamp unit can be rotated around its axis and slide in a direction perpendicular to the axis. A rotation of the output shaft around its axis is transmitted to the lamp unit. By a movement of the output shaft in the direction perpendicular to the axis, a rotation between the output shaft and the lamp unit causes.
US07658507B1
An image projecting candle apparatus which is constructed of a generally elongated cylindrical body with a candle positioned therein and an annular display unit mounted on a top rim of the cylindrical body with colored transparent film mounted in the display unit and for turning by heated air rising out of the cylindrical body such that a team color of a person's favorite sports team can be projected either on the ceiling or on a wall.
US07658505B2
A modular temporary lighting assembly and multi-outlet stringer particularly suited for building construction settings. The assembly is formed by connecting a plurality of like-shaped stringers and a plurality of like-shaped multi-outlet receptacles. Each of the several section of the assembly includes one stringer and one receptacle. Each stringer has a two or three-prong twist-lock plug at one end, and a two or three-port twist-lock outlet at the other. Each receptacle has a light socket, one male twist-lock plug, three female twist-lock outlets, and a mounting hook. The receptacles are hung along the ceiling of the building and electrically connected by the stringers. The sections of the lighting assembly are connected in a single linear routing or a multi-branch pattern throughout the desired areas of the building. Each receptacle has a supply stringer that supplies it with electric power, and two or more feed stringers that supply power to other receptacles.
US07658497B2
A guide convex portion is formed on a base plate in parallel to an illumination optical axis. Further, a fixed-side supporting member is provided in the base plate. A first opening is formed in an upright portion of the fixed-side supporting member. A slide supporting member can be provided on the base plate. A second opening is formed in the upright portion of the slide supporting member. By inserting a tapered rod into the second opening at its light incidence side and by moving the slide supporting member along the aforementioned guide convex portion, the slide supporting member is stopped at a predetermined position and, at this position, the slide supporting member is fixed.
US07658492B2
A pair of rimless spectacles includes two lenses, a frame including two temple units and a bridge, and a connection mechanism. The connection mechanism includes a plurality of first connectors spacedly provided at the lenses at a predetermined location and a plurality of second connectors provided at a predetermined location of each of the temple units and the bridge respectively, wherein the second connectors are coupled with the first connectors respectively to couple the temple units at two outer sides of the lenses respectively and to couple the bridge between two inner sides of the lenses respectively in a tool-less manner.
US07658491B2
A spectacle frame set includes a detachable spectacle frame and a utility spectacle frame. The detachable spectacle frame includes two hangers, a lens supporter extended between two inner sides of a pair of optical lenses, two first connectors provided at two front ends of the hangers respectively to detachably couple with two outer sides of the optical lenses respectively. The optical lenses are selectively assembled with the detachable spectacle frame or disassembled from the detachable spectacle frame to detachably mount the optical lenses behind the utility spectacle frame at a position that the optical lenses are overlapped aligned with the utility lenses of the utility spectacle frame respectively.
US07658484B2
A method of priming an inkjet printhead having ink ejection nozzles. The method includes: providing an ink bag containing ink for distribution to the nozzles via a fluid path between the ink bag and the nozzles; applying inwardly directed force on at least one exterior wall of the ink bag so as to reduce an available fluid volume of the ink bag, thereby causing ink to flow from the ink bag to the nozzles along the fluid path; and arranging a biasing member in the ink bag so that the biasing member applies outwardly directed force on at least one interior wall of the ink bag to restrain the reduction of available fluid volume of the ink bag only once the available fluid volume of the ink bag has been reduced to a predetermined volume. The printhead is a pagewidth printhead, having a pagewidth of 100.9 millimeters.
US07658483B2
The present invention relates to an ink storage compartment. The compartment includes a reservoir structure, in turn, defining a plurality of ink reservoirs from which respective ink outlets extend. Ink absorbent material is provided within respective ink reservoirs. Bypass fluid path structures extend between respective ink outlets and ink reservoirs so that, when filling the ink storage compartment by supplying ink to the ink outlets, ink can be supplied to the ink reservoirs through both the ink outlets and bypass fluid path structures.
US07658477B2
A liquid ejecting head comprising a nozzle configured to eject a liquid drop of recording liquid, a liquid chamber communicating to the nozzle, and an energy generating device configured to generate energy for pressurizing recording liquid in the liquid chamber is provided, wherein a flow channel forming member configured to form a flow channel for the recording liquid is made of a metal material containing nickel and a peak intensity for a (200) face of nickel is higher than a peak intensity for a (111) face of nickel which intensities are measured by means of X-ray diffraction analysis, or a flow channel forming member configured to form a flow channel for the recording liquid is made of a metal material containing nickel and thallium.
US07658476B2
A liquid ejecting head that includes a plurality of pressure generating chambers, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, and a film wiring substrate. The piezoelectric elements each have a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer and an upper electrode. Each of the piezoelectric elements is provided in an area opposite to the associated pressure generating chamber. The wiring substrate includes wiring layers, each of which is electrically connected to the associated upper electrode so as to supply electricity to the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric elements include active piezoelectric elements and inactive piezoelectric elements. Each of the active wiring layers is electrically connected to the associated active piezoelectric element. Each of the inactive wiring layers is electrically connected to the associated inactive piezoelectric element.
US07658473B2
Provided is an inkjet printhead having a plurality of ink ejection arrangements. Each arrangement includes a silicon wafer having an ink channel etched therethrough, with ink operatively supplied to a first surface of the wafer via said channel to an ink ejection chamber located along the surface of the wafer. Each arrangement also includes an external actuator arranged on the wafer, and a paddle inside the chamber and attached to the actuator which is activated so as to compress a portion of the ink within the chamber against a sidewall of said chamber to eject ink from the chamber. The chamber defines an arcuate profile shaped to guide the paddle on an arcuate path.
US07658471B2
A droplet jet head includes a nozzle substrate having a plurality of nozzle holes; a cavity substrate having recesses whose bottoms serve as diaphragms, and the recesses serving as ejection chambers; an electrode substrate having separate electrodes opposed to the diaphragms; a reservoir substrate having a recess serving as a common droplet chamber for supplying droplets to the ejection chambers, through holes for transferring the droplets from the common droplet chamber to the ejection chambers, and nozzle communicating holes for transferring the droplets from the ejection chambers to the nozzle holes; and a driver IC that supplies a driving signal to the separate electrodes. The cavity substrate has a first hole, and the reservoir substrate has a second hole. The first hole and the second hole communicate with each other to form a housing. The driver IC is housed in the housing.
US07658467B2
The invention provides for an elongate printhead assembly for a pagewidth printer. The printhead assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB) having mounted thereon various electronic components to facilitate operation of the printer. A number of printhead integrated circuits are respectively angularly disposed with respect to a longitudinal axis of the PCB. Tape automated bond (TAB) film is in register with a number of printhead integrated circuits. The film is configured to arrange the integrated circuits in signal communication with the electronic components. The assembly also includes an ink distribution molding for distributing ink from an ink reservoir to the integrated circuits, and a laminated stack arranged between the ink distribution molding and the integrated circuits for ducting the ink to respective integrated circuits.
US07658460B2
High-density image printing can be achieved by using ink jet print heads capable of ejecting ink. A plurality of same color print heads capable of ejecting the same color ink are controlled according to the same print data. Drive timings for the same color print heads are so set that the dots printed by these same color print heads overlap each other.
US07658451B2
An aircraft wheel grease retainer for use in a wheel assembly having an axis of rotation, and further having bearings which are each located in a bearing cavity, wherein the bearing uses grease, which is introduced into the bearing cavity, wherein the wheel assembly is comprised of an outer wheel half assembly, and an inner wheel half assembly, wherein the grease retainer comprises a cylindrical retaining structure which spans from the bearings on the outer wheel half assembly to the bearings on the inner wheel half assembly, and two pliable interface rings. The cylindrical retaining structure has a centerline which corresponds to the wheel assembly axis of rotation, and further has an outer end and an opposing inner end, with a corresponding outer retaining flange and inner retaining flange which extend over the bearing cavities. The pliable interface rings seat on the cylindrical retaining structure, and interface between the cylindrical retaining structure and the wheel assembly.
US07658441B2
A seal assembly for a sunroof of an automotive vehicle is provided that includes a seal and a bracket. The seal includes a front base and a separate rear base, both of which are attached to a bottom surface of the sunroof. The front base includes a lip integrally joined to a front portion of the front base that extends at an angle in the forward and downward direction. The bracket part is attached to both the front base and the rear base and includes a flange that extends in the angled forward and downward direction similar to that of the lip. The vertical length of the lip is longer than the vertical length of the flange such that the flange is adjacent to and behind the lip.
US07658440B2
An arrangement structure for an auxiliary component of a vehicle includes a floor panel defining the bottom surface of the passenger compartment. The floor panel includes a first kick-up portion and a second kick-up portion disposed in side-by-side relation to the first kick-up portion in a lateral direction of a vehicle body. The second kick-up portion is formed to have a height greater than that of the first kick-up portion. A first seat is disposed on the first kick-up portion, a second seat is formed to have a smaller size than that of the first seat and disposed on the second kick-up portion, and a cross member is joined along the second kick-up portion in the lateral direction to form a closed section therebetween. The arrangement structure of the present invention allows a vehicle to have a low overall-height compact body while achieving enhanced layout flexibility and assuring a passenger compartment space.
US07658438B1
A simultaneous single rail movement system for a vehicle door includes an outboard hinge arm, an inboard hinge arm, a rail, and a guide track. The outboard hinge arm includes a first outboard end and a second outboard end. The outboard hinge arm is pivotally mounted to a vehicle body structure at the first outboard end. The outboard hinge arm includes a first region or point, and a second region or point. The inboard hinge arm includes a first inboard end and a second inboard end. The inboard hinge arm is pivotally mounted to a vehicle body structure at the first inboard end. The rail may be mounted to a vehicle door and is configured to receive the slide member. The slide member is pivotally mounted to the first point of the outboard hinge arm and the second inboard end. The guide track is adjacent to the rail and is configured to receive the second region or point of the outboard hinge arm. The guide track includes a substantially curved portion and a substantially linear portion. The substantially curved portion of the guide track extends beyond the rail in a longitudinal direction aft of the rail in a manner sufficient to facilitate continuous and smooth movement of the door upon opening and upon closing.
US07658432B2
Disclosed herein is an instrument panel assembly affording for installment in a motor vehicle as one unit even though the assembly has a final width that is greater than a predetermined maximum width criterion for passing the assembly through a doorframe. The instrument panel assembly includes an instrument panel having a front side and a rear side, the front side having a temporary attachment structure and a permanent attachment structure. The assembly also includes an electronic panel with a temporary attachment structure and a permanent attachment structure, the electronic panel being operable to temporarily attach to the instrument panel in a position that affords for a reduced width of the instrument panel assembly. A process is also disclosed for installing an instrument panel assembly having an overall width that is greater than a predetermined maximum width criterion.
US07658428B2
Backrests of a rear seat system are attached to a cross member which extends between the wheel housings of the rear structure of a motor vehicle. Owing to this indirect attachment of the backrests, instead of a direct attachment to the rear structure, the intermediately connected cross member is in a position to absorb a large part of the impact force to which the backrests are exposed in a rear-end collision, and to dissipate this force by means of a parallelogram-like deformation. As a result, the rearward displacement of the backrests is reduced, thus improving the interior protection of the occupants.
US07658425B2
An interior seat assembly for a motor vehicle is provided. The interior seat assembly includes a center console, a seat back, a seat bottom, and a cantilevered member. The center console extends in fore and aft directions of the vehicle. The center console includes a first console section coupled to a floor of the vehicle and having at least one seat track positioned therein. The center console further includes a second console section supported by the first console section for storing items. The seat back is positioned adjacent to the center console. The seat bottom is coupled to the seat back for coacting with the seat back to support a passenger thereon. The cantilevered member is coupled to the seat track of the first console section and to the seat back for moving the seat back and the seat bottom in the fore or the aft directions of the vehicle.
US07658424B2
A hook (1) in a lifting device, where the hook is of the type where a lifting tool is placed in and released from the hook (1) through a hook opening (11), where the hook (1) is provided with a locking bolt (15) arranged to be displaced in the longitudinal direction for closing of the hook (1) opening (11), and where the hook (1) locking bolt (15) is locked into position when the hook opening is closed. The lock is released and the locking bolt (15) can be displaced away from the hook opening (11) by means of an actuating lever (9) arranged in the body (3) of the hook.
US07658419B2
A fitting for connecting pipes together. The fitting includes a press-fit connection including a ring-shaped seat configured to receive at least one of sealing and holding elements. The fitting is configured to be sealingly connected to an inserted pipe end. A threaded connection is configured to be connected to a pipe by a thread on the threaded connection. The fitting is a single piece and is devoid of weldments.
US07658407B2
A safety system comprising an air bag configured to have at least one inflatable volume or chamber, an inlet through which inflation gas enters the inflatable volume, the air bag including at least one exit port or vent which when in an open state permits inflation gas to exit the volume or chamber, the exit port or vent located in a selected region of the air bag, a vent closure mechanism secured to the air bag and movable to close the exit port or vent by tension created in a tether which is part of the vent closure mechanism; as the air bag inflates, the tether has one end operatively secured to the air bag, a second end operatively secured to the vent closure mechanism, the tether including a medial portion slidably guided across a portion of the air bag.
US07658404B2
The airbag unit is disposed inside the rear upper face portion of the instrument panel near the difference-in-level portion. The lid portion is configured to open substantially forward around the hinge member without hitting against the difference-in-level portion. Herein, the hinge member is configured such that the lid portion can open beyond the difference-in-level portion to the position where the lid portion is substantially located on the front upper face portion of the instrument panel when the airbag is inflated to its maximum opening state. Accordingly, the proper protection of the passenger seated in the assistant seat can be performed.
US07658397B2
A truck and trailer combination has a trailer removably mounted on the truck frame with longitudinal and horizontal channel members secured to the truck frame and longitudinal rails fastened to the trailer. The rails have a slide fit with respect to the channel members. Lock pins connect the rails to the channel members.
US07658392B2
Disclosed is a suspension apparatus which can be used in rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive type small automobiles, so as to rapidly absorb shock or vibration transmitted from wheels by use of four shock-absorbing devices. The suspension apparatus for a small car is mounted to front and rear axles including wheels and adapted to remove vibration or shock transmitted from the wheels. The suspension apparatus includes a plurality of shock-absorbing devices for absorbing shock or vibration transmitted from the wheels by use of the compressive restoring force of air or gas and the elasticity of tubes, or by use of the absorptive restoring force of oil and the elasticity of tubes.
US07658388B1
The wheeled cart apparatus provides transport of multiple items from a vehicle to a chosen destination. The apparatus features collapsible telescopic legs of which each has a swivel wheel with wheel lock. The upper borders surround substantially the entire rectangular table top. The lower skirts provide teeth for preventing movement of the apparatus when loaded into a vehicle. The grips on the first skirt provided for lifting that side of the apparatus while the casters on the opposite skirt enable ease of apparatus movement with the first skirt lifted. The lockably hinged legs are prevented escape from the collapsed position by the c-clips and the keeper rod. Legs are spaced inwardly from the skirts to aide in apparatus support while legs are extended or collapsed.
US07658387B2
A dynamic seal is provided which is made of a processable rubber composition containing a matrix of vulcanized elastomeric material with powder filler dispersed therein. In a preferred embodiment, the elastomeric material contains a micro powder which has repeating units derived from tetrafluoroethylene. The micro powder has a median particle size of between 1 and 50 μm.
US07658379B2
A skew roller is disposed near an abutment reference member. A pre-skew roller is disposed on the upstream side of the skew roller at a position corresponding to a conveyance center line. When a sheet conveyed by a pre-registration conveyance roller reaches the skew roller, the pre-registration conveyance roller moves upward to release a nipping force applied on the sheet. At the same time, the pre-skew roller moves downward to start aligning the sheet.
US07658374B2
A pick roller picks a sheet stacked in a hoper and transports the sheet toward a separating section at which a separator roller and a brake roller is provided. The separator roller and the brake roller transport the sheet one by one. A first unit is provided on the brake roller and is adapted to detect a rotation of the brake roller. A second unit is provided in the separating section and is adapted to detect a speed of the sheet. A controller is operable to determine an entry state of the sheet with respect to the separator roller based on presence or absence of the sheet in the separating section determined from the speed of the sheet in the separating section and whether or not the brake roller is rotating, and to optimally control a force acting in separation for the sheet.
US07658364B2
Ocular implant devices (10, 20, 121) for the delivery of a therapeutic agent to an eye (101, 301) in a controlled and sustained manner. Dual mode and single mode drug delivery devices (10, 20, 121) are illustrated and described. Implants (10, 20) suitable for subconjunctival placement are described. Implants (121, 10, 20) suitable for intravitreal placement also are described. The invention also includes fabrication and implementation techniques associated with the unique ocular implant devices (10, 20, 121) that are presented herein.
US07658362B2
A two piece hanger device for mounting an object on a wall wherein one piece is mounted on the object and one piece is mounted on the wall and wherein one of the two pieces can be angularly adjusted with respect to the other to permit proper horizontal alignment of the object to be hung.
US07658359B2
A force adjustment assembly for use within a telescoping subassembly that includes a first elongated member and a second elongated member that is supported by the first elongated member for sliding motion along an extension axis, the subassembly further including a force equalizer assembly that includes a strand having first and second ends that are supported by the second and first elongated members, respectively, the adjustment assembly comprising a preloader supported by at least one of the first and second elongated members and supporting at least a portion of the strand, the preloader applying a preload force via the strand when the second elongated member is in a fully extended position and an adjuster for adjusting the preload force applied by the preloader.
US07658356B1
A bracket is disclosed for attaching solar panels to roof structures. The bracket may comprise first, second and third planar portions, the first and third portions generally parallel to each other, and the second planar portion disposed at an oblique angle with respect to first and third portions. The first portion may have a plurality of elongated stiffening members disposed at oblique angles with respect to a longitudinal axis of the bracket. Gussets may be provided across the transition between the first and second portions, and the transition between the second and third portions. The gussets and stiffening members are shaped, sized and oriented to enhance the strength of the bracket. The bracket may have a drain hole to allow water to pass through the bracket, and a plurality of fastener holes are provided to enable the bracket to attach to a variety of different solar panels and roof structures.
US07658350B2
A retaining member for holding and supporting an elongated element from a support includes a base portion and a holding portion. The base portion is attachable to the support. The holding portion is connected to the base portion and has a recess for holding the elongated element therein. The recess includes a tubular portion and a plurality of spaced ribs extending radially inwardly from the tubular portion to have different radial heights.
US07658347B2
A Micro Air-Vehicle (MAV) starting system that provides the combined functions of: packing protection of sensitive vehicle components, a mechanical starting assembly, and a launch pad. The preferred embodiment comprises a container and a container lid with the MAV clamped to the lid. Also disposed on the container lid is a starting assembly. The lid which doubles as a launching pad with the attached MAV is removed from the container, placed on the ground, the MAV is started with the starting mechanism and launched. The arrangement minimizes the physical risk to the operator, minimizes weight of the total MAV system, consumes minimum space in the operators transport system, and eliminates dependence on supply lines for battery replacement or charging.
US07658345B2
A fiber axis cart includes a series of spools arranged side-by-side on a common shaft where the spools may be locked to turn with the shaft, or they may be made to turn independent of the shaft. A cable is wound onto the spools. The cable winding progresses to the next spool at each access point on the cable. Cable slack for working on each access point is obtained by unlocking the spools and allowing the spools to rotate with respect to an adjacent spool.
US07658334B2
System (10) for remotely controlling and monitoring a food refrigerator (1), and its content, of the type intended to be given in rental or in free loan from a manufacturer to a vendor of cold products, comprising a control unit (2) for checking and storing a plurality of functioning parameters of the food refrigerator (1), an RFID reader (3) intended to read data stored in a plurality of RFID tags attached to the cold products, a communication unit (4) for interconnecting an external device, the RFID reader (3) comprising means for retrieving data from said RFID tags when the cold products are still stocked inside the food refrigerator (1) and the communication unit (4) localization means for transmitting information to the external device about a geographical localization of the food refrigerator (1). System (10) according to claim 1 wherein said means produce a radio frequency signal at predetermined time intervals for activating said RFID tags. The data stored in said RFID tag comprises a unique identification number. The communication unit (4) is a GSM/GPRS unit. The external devices might be a second food refrigerator, residing in a same local area network (LAN). The external device is a remote server (5) located outside the local area network (LAN) equipped with a management information system.
US07658331B1
A checkout device which can be gripped for carrying, installation, and removal. The checkout device includes a generally L-shaped housing including a first housing portion suited to placement within a checkout counter, and a second housing portion mounted above the first housing portion and suited to extending above the checkout counter. The first and second housing portions include a barcode reader for sending scanning light beams from a first aperture in the first housing portion and a second aperture in the second housing portion to form a multi-line scan pattern. The second housing portion has a rear surface including a hand grip.
US07658329B2
A consumer product package bearing a remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label employing an addressable display assembly including a layer of electronic ink including a bi-stable non-volatile imaging material. The display label includes an integrated circuit layer having a storage element for storing instructions, programs and data, and a programmed processor in electrical communication with the addressable display assembly and a data antenna layer. A signal transmitting layer transmits signals from the data antenna layer to a remote activator module. A signal receiving layer receives electromagnetic signals from the remote activator module, using the data antenna layer. A power antenna layer, operably connected to a power converter, supplies electrical power the integrated circuit layer, for converting received RF-power signals into electrical power signals and storing electrical charge for powering the programmed processor to process instructions and data to determine the graphical indicia to be displayed by the addressable display assembly and activate the addressable display assembly to display the determined graphical indicia. The data antenna layer, power antenna layer, integrated circuit layer, signal transmitting layer, and signal receiving layer are arranged and stacked together behind and within the spatial extent of the addressable display assembly so as to form the remotely-alterable electronic-ink based display label having a stacked-layer construction.
US07658325B2
A system for authenticating an object is provided having means for sensing coded tags printed on the object which each encode an identity of the object, a signature fragment and a signature fragment identifier associated with the signature fragment, means for identifying a determined signature from the identity, signature fragment and signature fragment identifier encoded by at least one sensed coded tag, means for generating, using the determined signature and a key, a generated identity, means for comparing the identity encoded by the sensed coded tag with the generated identity, and means for authenticating the object using the results of the comparison.
US07658322B2
Systems, methods, and software are described for authorizing transactions undertaken with a negotiable instrument which is pre-allocated a specific amount of funds. A host computer system may receive a request to allocate funds to a negotiable instrument. The host may verify the availability of funds, and allocate the funds to the negotiable instrument. The host may then receive a request to authorize the transaction in which the negotiable instrument is used. The host may verify that the particular instrument has been allocated the specific amount indicated, and thereby authorize the transaction.
US07658321B1
An automated banking machine (10) is operative to carry out financial transactions and includes a user interface (15). The user interface includes a card reader (16) which is operative to read data on user cards which identify user's financial accounts. A fascia of the machine includes a keypad (404, 438, 458) through which users input confidential data. Covers (400, 422, 430) prevent unauthorized persons from viewing confidential inputs to the keypad. Alternatively, movable panels (462, 464) are movable to prevent unauthorized viewing of confidential inputs. Alternatively a keypad cover is selectively collapsible to prevent digit access. A visual indicator is operative to indicate to a user that keypad inputs are being encrypted. Disinfecting techniques may be used to disinfect manual contact surfaces of the machine.
US07658318B2
Cartons are formed from two or more continuous webs that can individually or concurrently provided with cuts, scores, or other lines of disruption.
US07658316B2
A packing container includes: an outer case; a partition member disposed inside the outer case; and a pair of holding plates connected to upper edges of a pair of side plates of the outer case and inserted into the inside of the outer case, the pair of holding plates holding the partition member.
US07658308B2
In a sheet stitching apparatus in which a wire W reeled out from a wire reel 5 is cut only a predetermined length, the cut wire is bent into a U-shape and driven into a set of sheets S, both ends of the U-shaped wire are bent and the set of sheets are stitched, there is provided a detector 10-15 arranged for movement according to a change in a degree of bending of the wire guide 4 effected by a change in a remaining amount of the wire of the wire reel 5 for detection of a change of position of the wire guide effected by a pull-in operation of wire by the stitching head 2.
US07658307B2
The invention relates to a tool bag which can be carried next to the body of a person, the tool bag comprising at least one receiving element for at least one tool. The inventive tool bag respectively comprises a three-dimensional flexible safety chord for each tool associated with a receiving element. The chord can be fixed to the associated tool, and can be fixed to the tool bag in such a way that it can be extracted and automatically retracted by means of an extracting and retracting device.
US07658304B2
An apparatus and method for discharging vapocoolants in stream or mist form includes the use of selected fluoroelastomers for valve parts to regulate discharge. The fluoroelastomers provide long-term stability to the vapocoolants to enable superior shelf life without minimal loss or contamination of the vapocoolant. In addition, a filter is provided to remove contaminants from vapocoolant prior to passage through the nozzle opening.
US07658297B2
A fuel cap 10 maintains high sealing even when subjected to external force; is easy to operate; and requires minimal space for accommodation. The cap device comprises a casing body 20 for closing the filler opening FNb in a sealed condition, a cover 40, a handle 45, a clutch mechanism 60 and a torque transmission mechanism 80. By upraising the handle to the handling position and applying rotational torque, rotational torque is transmitted to the casing body 20 via the clutch mechanism 60 and the torque transmission mechanism 80, closing the filler opening FNb. The handle 45 lowers back to the retracted position when released, whereupon the clutch mechanism 60 assumes non-transmission mode wherein the cover 40 and the handle 45 rotate freely if subjected to external force such as in a collision.
US07658292B2
An apparatus is provided for transporting textile items into sorting bins with reduced energy consumption and improved load measuring accuracy and which provides textile item counting and sorting for a commercial laundry using vacuum air systems to move textiles into sorting bins and using a variable frequency drive to increase on/off response time of vacuum in the system.
US07658289B2
A substrate storage container includes a container body for accommodating and aligning semiconductor wafers, a door which opens and closes the front of the container body and a pair of valve units disposed at the bottom of the container body for controlling gas flow. Each valve unit includes a fixed sleeve for gas flow, fitted in a rib of a through-hole of the container body, a holding sleeve fitted in the through-hole of the container body with an o-ring interposed therebetween and mated and threaded with the fixed sleeve, a check valve built between the fixed sleeve and the holding sleeve, leaving a clearance, an elastically deformable element for opening and closing the check valve, an interior lid sleeve for gas flow, opposing the check valve and supporting the elastically deformable element, and a filter interposed between the holding sleeve and the interior lid sleeve.
US07658284B2
A socket retaining assembly includes a retaining assembly having a seat, and a retaining post; the retaining post being installed at an upper end of the stopper; an outer periphery of the retaining post being installed with a confining projection and a plurality of trenches; a combination unit including a rotating assembly and a push unit; the stopper serving to confine the rotation range of the combination unit; the rotating assembly has a C ring at a lower end thereof two ends of an opening of the C ring being concaved inwards so as to form with inward projections; an upper side of the C ring being installed with a rectangular protruding block; an interior of the protruding block being formed with a rectangular receiving groove; and the push unit being installed in the receiving groove of the protruding block.
US07658281B2
A container intended to receive a commodity, in particular a wristwatch or writing implement, includes a dish-shaped lower portion and a dish-shaped upper portion. A fastening element in the container is configured as a pair of clips including a resilient lower holding element arranged in the lower portion and a resilient upper holding element arranged in the upper portion. The two holding elements together form the pair of clips and interact so that they resiliently clamp between them the commodity located in the container when the upper portion is placed on the lower portion of the container. As a result, the commodity is perfectly fixed in position with the lowest structural expenditure substantially irrespective of its shape and dimensions.
US07658280B2
A container includes a lower box portion, an upper lid portion, and a sliding portion. The lower box portion includes a box bottom wall, a box front wall and a box back wall. The upper lid portion is hinged to the box back wall. The sliding device at least partially covers the lower box portion. The container is opened by moving the sliding device in one direction and closed by moving the sliding device in a second, opposite direction along the lower box portion. The box back wall includes a first stopper flap to limit movement of the sliding device in the first direction, and a second stopper flap to limit movement of the sliding device in the second direction. The first and second stopper flaps are formed by a common cut or incision. Two blanks may be used for the box and sliding device.
US07658272B2
The invention relates to an apparatus for removing objects (1) which are advanced on a conveyor (2). The apparatus comprises a part of the conveyor (2) on which the objects (1) are advanced and supports (12) for the objects (1) removed from the conveyor (2). The apparatus also includes a pivotal cradle (13) which is placed over the conveyor (2). The pivotal cradle (13) has two through flow channels (8) each with an inlet (5) and an outlet (6). The pivotal cradle (13) is also provided with a stop (9) pivotal between the outlets (6) of the two through flow channels (8).
US07658270B2
According to one embodiment, a security grate for limiting access to a coin bin is disclosed. The security grate comprises a plurality of generally parallel upper slats and a plurality of generally parallel slats disposed below the upper slats. The plurality of first slats receives coins and directs coins moving under the force of gravity in a first direction. The plurality of lower slats receive coins from the upper slats and direct the coins moving under the force of gravity in a second direction.
US07658265B1
An accessory holder for use on a stepladder. In one embodiment the accessory holder has hangers for holding tools inserted into holders for the hangers. In a second embodiment there is a stepladder having an accessory holder as an integral part thereof. The top member also contains holders for hangers along the periphery for the insertion of hangers for holding accessories. In a third embodiment a frame which fits over the top member of a stepladder contains risers and lateral strips. The accessory holder is secured to the top member of the stepladder by a strap. Hooks and ring hangers are attached to the frame. A front hanger may be swiveled out of the way and bumpers may be added to allow the stepladder to be positioned against a wall.
US07658264B2
A combination descender, pulley, and force limiting rope brake for rope rescue has a supporting plate having a one-way pulley sheave rotatably mounted thereto for free-wheeling rotation of the sheave in only a first rotational direction. A fixed brake member is mounted rigidly to the supporting plate. A movable brake member is pivotally mounted to the supporting plate. A pinching opening is defined by the gap. The rope passes in a first direction through the gap when the sheave is free-wheeling in the first rotational direction. The movable brake member translates relative to the fixed brake member in cooperation with rotation of the sheave. Rotation-under-load of the sheave in an opposite rotational direction urges translation of the movable brake member towards the fixed brake member from an open position, wherein the pinching opening is open sufficiently to allow the rope to freely pass therethrough, to a closed position wherein the movable brake member closes the pinching opening so as to frictionally pinch the rope at a preset minimum opening of the pinching opening.
US07658257B2
A pump system includes a housing, an input shaft, a pump shaft; a hydraulic pump body, a PTO shaft, a power transmission gear train, and a PTO clutch mechanism. The housing has a narrow gear accommodating space surrounding a region including a mesh point between the first and second transmission gears of the power transmission gear train, a PTO clutch accommodating space which surrounds the PTO clutch mechanism and which is fluidly communicated with the gear accommodating space, and a pair of first and second suction/discharge ports which communicate the internal space of the housing with an outside of the housing. The first suction/discharge port is arranged within the gear accommodating space so as to be positioned in an opposite side to the PTO clutch accommodating space with the mesh point between the first and second transmission gears interposed therebetween.
US07658253B2
A straddle-type vehicle with improved meter viewability and easier handle assembly. A handle cover covers a handle, and a meter unit is attached to the handle cover. The meter unit includes a side surface that extends upward from an upper surface of the handle cover, and a lens that covers a meter formed in an upper section of the side surface. An upper end of the meter unit is positioned above an upper end of the handle cover.
